//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1: Introductions 
// Story: My Little Viking: Kinship is Seid 
// by Thunderclaw 
//------------------------------//

	It was late, but Twilight Sparkle couldn't sleep. She felt uneasy being here at night, with only the moon and the stars for company. She had always been at peace with the world and all things in it, but since she had found the stone, she couldn't relax under the bare night sky.
She passed the torch over the runes once more, reading the text along the twisting horse's body for what felt like the thousandth time.
It told the story of a battle between two great beings, one who represented the day, and one who represented the night. Whether they were gods, giants, men or some other manner of creature altogether, the story did not tell, but it called them by Sky-Queen and Night-Mare, and it referred to them as sisters. It told how the two ruled peacefully for aeons, until the Night-Mare grew resentful that their subjects preferred the day and struck out at her sister, forcing the Sky-Queen to imprison her in the heavens.
Twilight read it all, again and again. She already knew it by heart, but every time she went over it, it felt like she came just a tiny bit closer to rooting out that strange feeling of uneasiness, to finding the missing piece of the puzzle she knew was there.
It was just a feeling, but it tore at her like Fenris at his chains. She could almost hear the threads of fate tensing and twisting; something was about to happen, and it had something to do with this runestone.
She sighed deeply, rubbing her eyes. She should have been preparing for midsummer's eve, but the sensation of dread had settled deep within her, and she couldn't help but poke at it.
She read it again one last time before reluctantly turning away. As she did, something flickered in the back of her head, half memory, half luminous idea, and she threw herself back at the stone, searching frantically for what she thought she'd seen.
She found it by the head of one of the horses that framed the runes; a simple glyph, five points arranged in a circle around a sixth, lines drawn between all of them. She recognized it, and she thought she knew from where.

Twilight slammed the hut's door so violently that Spike flew out of his bedding, flailing about in a panic. She didn't even notice, instead going straight for the pile of books on one of the higher shelves.
Spike blinked. He silently reminded himself that the world wasn't ending and that he'd simply been woken up at an inopportune time, but he couldn't quite get himself to believe it. He looked around, just to make sure he could, and was relieved to find that he wasn't being crushed under the rubble of the collapsing universe at all. He stretched, rolled over and was about to go back to sleep when he saw Twilight digging through her books.
"Twilight? Did you stay awake all night again?"
"Yes, Spike, and I think I've finally figured it out."
The drake sauntered over, blinking the sleepiness out of his eyes. He rose on his hind legs, as was his habit, and peered over Twilight's shoulder.
"What is it?" he asked.
Twilight pointed to an illustration in the book. It showed a set of six gems, five set around the outer edges of a circle, with the sixth set in the middle.
"These are the Elements of Harmony. They were used to imprison the Night-Mare, the one the runestone talks about, in the moon. There was a symbol representing them on it, and... oh my."
"What? What's the matter?"
"… she'll be set free on the midsummer of the thousandth year of her imprisonment."
Spike squirmed.
"Twilight, how old did you say that runestone was, again?"
Twilight glared at the book as if daring it to upset her further.
"About a thousand years, give or take."
"Do you think..?"
"I'm afraid so. Queen Celestia must be informed at once."
She didn't slam the drawers when she fetched her writing utensils, but Spike would have preferred if she did. At least then he would have had an excuse to be startled at her intensity.
She wrote with speed and force, turning her otherwise beautiful handwriting into a mess of crooked curves and blotching, sealed the parchment hastily and held it out towards her familiar.
"Spike, if you would."
Spike concentrated for a second, and when he felt the fire that burned within him settle down, becoming almost cold, he breathed it out, letting it consume the parchment. The smoke drifted out the open door, heedless of the winds.
Twilight sat down on the floor, keeping Spike pinned under her oppressive gaze, waiting for the reply. After what seemed like an eternity, Spike finally felt his belly going cold and his throat tickle, and he opened his mouth to let the icy fire out. It swirled and twisted, taking the shape of a roll of parchment bearing the royal seal. Twilight snatched it out of the air as soon as it materialized.
As she read, her face contorted into a grimace of disbelief.
"She... she says I should leave that old runestone well enough alone and come help with the festivities. She... she blew me off, Spike. Just like that. She even says I 'need to make some friends'."
"What are you gonna do, Twilight?"
"I guess I have to do what she says. She taught me everything I know. Her powers are so much greater than mine, I... I guess if she thinks nothing is wrong, then nothing's wrong."
Twilight was still wearing that dazed, disbelieving look. This wasn't like Celestia. Even when her worries had been small and insignificant, Celestia had been patient and understanding, and now, when it felt like the fate of the world was at stake, she hadn't even bothered to assuage her student, just told her to knock it off.
"Let's get some sleep, Spike. We leave first thing in the morning."

'First thing in the morning' didn't even begin to describe how early it was. The sun hadn't begun its climb over the horizon. Even the songbirds weren't crazy enough to get up yet. Twilight, however, was.
She was standing in the middle of the hut, clutching her wand. She went through her mental checklist, making sure everything was there. Knife, clothes, coins, snacks, wand...
She tightened her grip on the wand, making absolutely sure it was in her hands. Yep, wand.
Wand, writing utensils, charms for the maypole...
Her eyes drifted towards a small chest in a corner, and then back towards Queen Celestia's letter. She sighed, went over to the chest and opened it.
It contained only two things; a suit of chainmail, and a ceremonial helm decorated with ram's horns and the six-pointed star that was Twilight's coat of arms. They were both gifts from Queen Celestia, and Twilight had thought them very odd gifts at the time. Now she was glad she had them, even though it was with a certain sense of shame she put them in the saddlebags. Queen Celestia didn't think anything was going to happen. Packing armour seemed like a breach of trust. Still, it made Twilight feel a little better to have them along, so along they came. So did the book. Prophecy or no prophecy, she would definitely be wanting to read more of it.
She checked the bags one more time, carefully put her wand down in one of them and went over to Spike's cot.
"Spiiiike, Spiiike, it's time to wake up, Spike," she cooed, nudging him gently.
"Wha-, whu-, Twilight?"
"It's time to go, Spike."
"Just five more min-"
"No!"
Spike looked at Twilight with apprehension, not quite believing the way she'd said that. When she saw how he looked at her, Twilight hung her head.
"I'm sorry, Spike. I didn't mean to be short with you, but I'm awfully worked up about all this Night-Mare business, and I'd really like to get going as soon as possible. Please."
Spike was about to protest, but when he saw the look in Twilight's eyes, he rolled out of bed without a word and walked out the door. When she came out after him, she was carrying a saddle.
"No way! Come on, Twilight, you can't be serious!"
"I am serious, Spike. It is imperative that we get to Ponyville as soon as possible. You're gonna have to fly me there."
"Ugh, fine. As long as I don't have to..." Spike trailed off when he spotted the well-filled saddlebags through the open door. "I'm gonna have to carry your luggage too, aren't I?"
"Oh, Spike. You're a big and strong dragon. Surely a little luggage isn't too much for you to handle?"
Spike turned his head and snorted.
"Of course not!"
Twilight smiled.

They touched down in a lush grove just outside of Ponyville. Spike was breathing heavily, little tendrils of smoke escaping through his nose with every breath. Twilight slid off him gracefully. As she touched the ground, she felt her entire body relax. Flying was certainly a fast way to travel, but those last few miles had been a little wobbly. Still, she gave Spike a reassuring pat.
"Well done! I think we made record time, there."
Spike smiled weakly.
"Now, Spike, this is a rural village. They live a simple life here. Wandering into town with a dragon is going to be enough to put them on edge, so try to stay calm, okay? And, please, no talking unless I say so."
"Not. A. Problem," Spike wheezed.
Twilight patted him again and set off towards the village.
"Come on, Spike! Let's go!"

When Twilight stepped through the town gates, the whole village was completely silent. It had clearly been very lively up until just recently, but now everything had stopped. Everybody seemed completely transfixed by the new arrival and, perhaps more poignantly, her pet. Twilight scanned the crowd.
"Aren't you people supposed to be preparing for Midsummer's Eve?"
The crowd exchanged glances, and there was some muttered consent.
"Well, what are you standing around here for? You don't have all day! Get going! Shoo!"
Like panickjed birds, the entire crowd dispersed at once. Almost the entire crowd, at any rate. One member of it remained, staring intently at Twilight. It was an odd creature. She was around Twilight's age, with poofy pink hair that stood out of her head like there was a sheep growing out of it. All the cloth on her body was a garish pink, a colour Twilight Sparkle couldn't rightly recall even being possible to manufacture, and it was decorated by polished blue and yellow stones.
With a speed that took Twilight Sparkle aback, she walked up to the Völva and leaned into her until their noses were practically touching, sporting a massive frown and stroking her chin contemplatively.
"Uh, can I-"
"IIIIIIIIIIIIIIH!"
Twilight threw herself backwards at the pink stranger's cry, losing her balance and hitting the ground. She just barely managed to spot the mysterious creature disappear around the corner of a nearby house before she was gone.
She sat there on the ground, eyes wide, mouth gaping. Spike offered no support – he was, in fact, making the exact same face.
"What... what the fuck just happened?"
Spike shook his head slowly.
Twilight got to her feet, still in a daze, and shook her own head rather more briskly.
"Just some, some crazy woman. Yeah, okay. Okay. We have a job to do. Come on, Spike. We gotta go check on the preparations for the feast. The House of Apple make their living over this way."

Twilight knew the House of Apple was a wealthy family, but she was taken aback at how positively huge their homestead was. She could see it long before she got clear of the trees, and hear the hustle and bustle earlier still.
As soon as she got clear of the trees, however, the noise ground to a halt, just like when she entered the town. Twilight was used to being stared at, but it was barely going on midday, and she was already beginning to grow weary of that reaction.
She stepped through the palisade gates, and took a breath to repeat her routine from the town square, but choked on it entirely when someone – a very loud someone – seized her hand, shook it violently and bellowed:
"Howdy, partner!"
"H-h-h-h-h-hi! I'm, I'm," Twilight tore her hand from the friendly stranger's grasp, and gave her an enormous smile, hoping it would make up for the insult. "I'm Twilight Sparkle! I've been sent her by-"
"Queen Celestia! Ta make sure everything's prim and proper according to the rites and rituals and whatnot. We were expectin' ya as early as last week, but better late than never, am ah right?"
Twilight smiled again, and this time, it was almost genuine. As overbearing as this new acquaintance was, it was a welcome break from being stared and screamed at.
"That's right! And you are..?"
"Ah'm Applejack! Heiress to this here fine homestead. And this," Applejack gestured towards the assembled masses. "Is House Apple. Don't be shy now, everybody! They don't bite."
Applejack gave Spike a quick look-over then leaned in over Twilight.
"Ye don't, do ye?" she whispered.
Twilight giggled.
"No, we're entirely harmless."
Seeing that Applejack had apparently not been devoured whole by the newcomer, the rest of the Apples were edging closer. They were still staring, but their fear was giving way to curiosity.
“Now, this here's my big brother, Big Macintosh, that's mah baby sister, Apple Bloom, that's Granny Smith,” she said, pointing in turn to a hulking mountain of a man, a ridiculously cute pile of red hair and freckles, and what looked like Odin's grandmother. “And this here's the extended family, Apple Fritter, Apple Bumpkin, Red Gala, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious...”
Twilight zoned out entirely as Applejack continued to list every farmer who had so much as gotten close to an apple tree since trees were invented.
“Aaaand ah do believe that's everyone. Everyone, this here's Twilight Sparkle. She's here to make sure the celebrations are a pleasure to man and god both, so everybody give her a warm welcome, ye hear?”
A muddled bunch of indistinct, mostly-sincere greetings rolled out of the crowd, drowning Twilight in a wave of generic pleasantries. Applejack gave her a hearty pat on the back.
“See, they like ya already! Ah'm sure you'll be having a grand ol' time here in Ponyville. Now, what can I do ya for?”
“I understand you're supplying the food for the feast..?”
“We sure are! We picked out our finest, fattest pigs for tonight! You wanna see 'em?”
“I suppose I should.”
“Great! If ye'll just follow me, then.”
Applejack grabbed Twilight and darted off towards one of the many buildings scattered over the homestead grounds. She had to break into a light run to keep up with her. When she got through the door, she was greeted by an odour that immediately confirmed that this was indeed the pigsty.
“Here they are!” Applejack gestured triumphantly towards a pen holding ten preposterously muscular pigs. Twilight's eyes widened, and a pleased smirk took up residence on Applejack's face.
“That's a whole lot of pig, Applejack.”
“Well, there's gonna be a whole lotta' feastin, and nothin' but the best comes outta Sweet Apple Acres.”
Twilight turned towards the confident rancher and got a good look at her for the first time, standing there with the dim light in a pigsty reflected in her light hair, arms crossed, chest puffed out. She was tall for a girl, tanned and dirty from so much time in the field. Her clothes, too, were worn and filthy, no doubt for the same reason. Her hands were rough and callused, but unlike her brother, she didn't look like much of a workhorse. Then again, farmers often didn't. Indeed, when her new acquaintance had grabbed hold of her, Twilight had felt that ridiculous, deceptive strength that comes with a lifetime of hard work.
“Why are you looking at me like that for, sugar?”
“Oh, no reason. You just... remind me of someone.”
It was true. Applejack did remind Twilight of someone. Twilight had spent a lot of time practising the arts of magic – seid, spa and galdr. Sometimes, she would spin the threads of fate to suit her will, but more often she would just feel them, follow their criss-cross pattern as they separated and intertwined, and, sometimes, she would happen upon the threads of the gods, and she would glimpse the divine.
Applejack reminded her of one of those instances. The music the thread of her fate made is it crossed Twilight's own reminded her very much of one she had heard before. Perhaps one of the gods had sired her line many ages ago – but which one? Perhaps she was a descendant of Idun. Certainly, the radiant hair and the ages-old tradition of tending to the apple orchard were telling similarities. Then again, it could just as well have been Sif, with her love of agriculture, or, perhaps likeliest of all, Frey or Freya. Goodness knew those two had their share of descendants.
“Someone should be around any minute to pick these beauties up. Do ye wanna take a look at the rest of the preparations we got going on?”
“Uh, yeah, I guess I have the time.”
As it turned out, Twilight was being a bit overconfident. Applejack wanted to show her not only the piles of vegetables, the furiously busy kitchens, the massive stocks of apples, apple cider, apple vinegar, apple sauce, and various other apple derivatives, the mead and the dried meats, but also the chicken coop, the farmlands and the apple orchards (which she spent a good half-hour bragging about). When Twilight Sparkle finally tried to excuse herself, Applejack jumped at her with offers of food. Having not dined since early that morning, she could only accept.
She had to work her way through a vast array of bread, dried meats and a hundred kinds of apple products before the stout farmers finally believed her hunger was sated. It was with a heavy belly and accompanying slow mind that she eventually left Sweet Apple Acres.

Twilight looked at the next item on her list, and she groaned desperately when she saw that it, too, involved food. Game, specifically. Twilight found herself wondering how many would actually attend the celebration. What amount of people would it take to consume that much food?
And what amount of people would it take to procure that much food? Twilight kept checking the list to make sure the numbers were right. It called for a deer or two, which was fine, but then it called for over fifty fowls of varying species, and the hunting team was apparently not larger than a few men. Why had they even made these specific demands, apparently before the hunting party had even gone out? As far as Twilight could tell, they hadn't even left until earlier that morning. How much faith could you put into their luck?
The answer was, apparently, a lot. And justified at that, because outside the slaughter-house hung a great mass of birds. Every request was accounted for, and then some. But they were all unplucked, just dangling gently in the wind, almost as if performing some poor rendering of a slow dance. On top of it, no-one seemed to be around to take care of them.
No-one, except for a wiry, young girl in hunter's garb taking a nap on the slanting roof of the slaughterhouse. Twilight looked to her list, and then to the sleeping girl's shoulder-length, multi-coloured hair and made the educated guess that she'd found the responsible party.
“Rainbow Dash?” she called gently. No answer other than soft snoring. “Rainbow Dash!”
The girl snorted, blurted something entirely incomprehensible, and promptly rolled off the roof. It could have been a bad fall, but Rainbow Dash grabbed the roof, straightened herself out and managed to land on her feet. She even stayed on them for a brief moment before her awkward position got the better of her and she fell on her ass.
She sat there for a while, looking dejected.
“Almost had it that time. Ow.”
The Völva cocked her head at an angle, folded her arms and gave Rainbow Dash an incredulous look.
“That time?”
“Uh, yeah! As opposed to, you know, every other time, when I totally nailed it.”
Twilight Sparkle was not impressed.
“So you fall of roofs in your sleep a lot, then?”
Rainbow Dash crunched up a little. She looked like she was in pain.
“You have no idea.”
Twilight groaned and stroked her forehead.
“Look, you're Rainbow Dash, right?”
At that, the rainbow-haired girl rocketed to her feet, put her hands at her hips, puffed out her chest and pointed her nose to the sky.
“The one and only!” She took her face out of the heavens, and turned it to the stranger instead. “Why you looking for me, though? I mean, I know I'm great and everything, but you've clearly been travelling. Did you come all this way just to see me?”
Twilight didn't think Rainbow Dash really believed that, but there was nevertheless a glimmer of hope in those big, rosy eyes of hers.
“Well, in a manner of speaking. My name is Twilight Sparkle, I'm here to check on the preparations for the midsummer's feast. I understand you're in charge of the hunting team?”
Rainbow Dash puffed herself up even further.
“I sure am!”
“Well then, could you please tell why all these birds still aren't prepared?”
Twilight waved towards the lines of hanging fowl.
“Oh, that. Don't worry, I got it covered. I'll get right on it. I've been out all day, so I just took a nap before I got 'round to it, that's all.”
“You're going to take care of this? By yourself? Before the feast?”
“Hey! I can skin one of these bad boys in ten. Seconds. Flat.”
“Really?”
“Yeah!” Dash exclaimed, grabbing a goose of particularly intimidating size from the rack, and and axe to go with it. “Just watch!”
There were a few decisive whacks from the axe and a multitude of wet cracking noises, and no more than ten seconds later, Dash was standing there with all the most relevant goose parts in her hands and a stupid grin on her face. Twilight just gaped.
“How, how did, I saw... That was impressive.”
“Don't I know it!”
Rainbow struck another pose, and as she did, her hair fell into her face. She blew at it, trying to part the bangs, but failed miserably.
“Isn't that annoying?”
Dash brought up her hands to fix it, but stopped and snorted indignantly when she realized they were flecked with fresh blood.
“Well, yeah.”
“Then why do you keep it so short?”
The huntress crossed her arms and pouted.
“What's it to you, huh? Maybe I like it this way? Did that thought cross your mind?”
“Uh, yeah, I thought that might be it, but you're a huntress, so I figured you'd be really annoyed by...
“Well, I'm not! So there.”
She blew at the bangs again.
“Riiiiiight. I'm just going to leave now.”
“Oh, sure. Come back any time.”
Rainbow Dash waved cheerily and got back to her work, cutting up and cleaning bird after bird. Twilight returned the gesture half-heartedly, continuing along the path towards the town centre. 

The maypole was almost finished. A lone woman was leaning over it, taking out various lengths and colours of ribbon, folding them over, turning them around, constantly muttering to herself.
She seemed very much out of place in a rural village. Her hair was a pale purple and done up to perfection, curling gracefully in a way that defied gravity. Her skin was just short of sickly pale, and her features were fine and delicate. Every piece of her clothing was tastefully cut and boldly coloured. Twilight thought she looked more like exotic pottery than a person, insofar as there was a certain beauty to her, but she looked like she'd shatter into a thousand pieces if someone gave her a mean look.
“Excuse me-” Twilight began.
“One moment, please. I'm trying to straighten this out.”
“Is something wrong?”
The fair girl sighed and straightened up. She put her head in her hand and gave the pole a wistful look.
“I just can't get it right. It just feels like something’s missing.”
“I think I may be able to help.”
The girl turned, and as she got a good eyeful of Twilight Sparkle, her elegant frown turned into a much more inelegant smile.
“You're the Völva!”
“Indeed! My name is Twilight Sparkle,” Twilight said, returning the smile.
“It is such a pleasure to meet you! I'm Rarity. I can't tell you how glad I am to see you! I've been waiting for your decorations for days! I tried to finish the stupid thing without, but it's just not the same, is it?”
“No, it's not. Come on, I've got them in my saddlebags.”
Twilight went to fetch the decorations, but when she reached the saddlebags, she noticed Rarity wasn't following. She turned her head to see what was keeping her.
Her new friend appeared to be engaged in a staring contest with her familiar. They were both entirely transfixed; Spike with voracious interest and Rarity with a crippling fear.
“Spike!”
The dragon jerked his head violently in the direction of the shout.
“Spike! Don't bother the nice lady!” she continued, turning towards Rarity. “Don't let him scare you. He's not dangerous, just a little preoccupied with... shiny things.”
She gave Spike a wry look.
“Ah, uhm, well,” Rarity stuttered. “I suppose I can't deny that I am a rare gem.”
She held her hand in front of her face and laughed coquettishly at her own joke. Twilight Sparkle, not quite as easily amused, instead drew her attention towards the saddlebags.
“Come on, Rarity! I've got all sorts of things in here! Charms, flowers, paints, ribbons in colours you never dreamed of...”
Rarity approached the bags wearing in expression of great enthusiasm, but as soon as she peered into the bag, she recoiled in horror.
“What's the matter, Rarity?”
“Your... your helmet! And that armour!” Rarity cried, leaning back over the bag, face contracted into a grimace of pure horror. “What have you done to the poor things? They're all warped and tarnished and, and, and, is that a dent!? This simply will not do, Twilight Sparkle!”
And like a pleasant summer breeze, Rarity was gone, leaving only a sudden chill. It took Twilight just over two seconds to realize what had happened. She could only barely hear the jingling of the links in her chainmail as the pretty girl turned the corner, carrying the Völva's armour.
“Uhm, Twilight? Aren't you going to..?” Spike suggested.
“YES! Yes I am!” Twilight responded, and broke into a run.
She caught up with Rarity just as she turned into what appeared to be an exceptionally neat smithy. The thief picked a small hammer out from the neat line-up hung along one wall. She set the chainmail aside, and placed the helmet on a worktable. She inspected the helmet close, and fingered the lining a bit, apparently seeing if it would come loose.
Twilight's guts froze when she realized what Rarity was trying to do, and she panicked.
“Wait! Stop! You can't! That's-”
“Your ceremonial battlewear, wrought from the horns of a sacrificial ram and steel cooled in its blood. You can't let anyone deface it with mundane tools.” Rarity opened a drawer in the workbench, and pulled out a a few choice items – a wooden charm, a dry sprig of ash and a small bowl. “Unless you pay your proper respects.”
She got up from her seat, and walked out the front of the door, Twilight Sparkle in tow. She called towards the house by the smithy.
“Sweetie Belle! Oh, Sweetie Belle! Bring me one of the chickens, please!”
“Of course!” a child's voice responded from somewhere on the other side of the house.
Soon enough, a young girl who could have been a miniature version of rarity if not for the light streaks in her hair came around the corner. She was cradling a small but feisty chicken.
“Sweetie Belle, this is Twilight Sparkle. I'm fixing her helmet for her.”
Sweetie Belle looked at Twilight, then at the chicken.
“Is she the Völva?”
“She is.”
“Oh,” she said. “You'll be needing this, then.”
Sweetie Belle handed the chicken over to Rarity, who put the little bowl on the ground and fetched an elegant little blade from her belt. She was whispering something to the chicken, and Twilight Sparkle couldn't help but listen in.
She was taken aback when she realized it was a prayer to Freya. Rarity was asking her to bless the sacrifice with her knowledge of magic, to make the blood pure and powerful.
Then she slit the animal's throat. She held it still as it squirmed and thrashed about, making sure the blood drained into the bowl. She didn't let go until it had stopped moving entirely, but when it did, she grabbed it by the legs and handed it back to her sister.
“Be a dear and take care of this, would you? We simply couldn't let it go to waste.”
Sweetie Belle grasped the chicken with some apprehension. She'd always been a bit of a sensitive soul, and the sight of blood wasn't quite to her liking, but she didn't want to disappoint her sister.
“All right, Rarity.”
With that, she went back into the house.
Rarity rose, and looked around. There was an old ash growing on the grounds, and she went up to it and snapped one of the low-hanging twigs. She took the old branch that had been in the drawer and threw it out.
“Only the best is good enough for the gods, right?” she said, smiling at Twilight.
She then took the bowl and the branch and went back into the smithy. There, she lit a candle, for the sun was beginning to set and this was delicate work.
She handed the charm – a small amulet of wood with runes etched into it – to Twilight, along with the bowl and the branch.
“You should probably do this part.”
Twilight was absolutely fascinated. Everyone else in the village – indeed, most everyone she had ever met – treated her as a curiosity, as a hazard or as just another person. But this one seemed to actually understand. This one seemed to remain close to the gods. It was a breath of fresh air to meet someone who understood what it meant to have friends in the inner circle.
She accepted the gift graciously, putting the amulet around her neck, and dipping the ash in the blood.
She sprinkled the helmet with blood, saying her own prayers to Freya. Rarity held out her hands and her hammer, and she sprinkled them, too. When she was satisfied, she set the bowl down, put the amulet around rarity's neck, and sat down to watch her work.
It didn't take her long to work out the dents and scratches. Most of them weren't too bad; they weren't actual battle-scars, after all, just accidents and mistreatment. She shined the whole thing to perfection. It looked even better than it had fresh from the forge.
Rarity gingerly replaced the lining, and handed the helmet back to its owner.
“That's marvellous, Rarity! It looks better than it ever did, and it feels better than it ever did. What do I owe you?”
“Oh, think nothing of it, dear. You're here to help all of us, aren't you? I'm just returning the favour, that's all.”
“But you must at least let me repay you for- oh, heavens. I have to go!”
Twilight Sparkle tried to grab her hauberk as she sprinted out of the forge, but Rarity put her hand on top of Twilight's.
“Leave it here. I'll give it a bit of a touch-up. You can come pick it up tomorrow, after the feast.”
“Okaythankyougottago.”
Twilight's heart sank as she watched the sun slowly disappear beyond the horizon. It would be night soon, and she still had one task left.

“Twilight! Slow down!”
Spike was panting heavily, weaving uneasily from side to side as he sprinted up the dirt road in the failing light.
“No time!”
Twilight wasn't much better off herself, but she had one last thing to see to before the feast. She just hoped everything was in order, otherwise there would be serious repercussions.
She stopped briefly to catch her breath. She knew it was probably a bad idea to stop, but neither she nor Spike could keep going at this rate. She stood there, panting like a dog in heat, when she heard the sound of strings and a heavenly song.
“Sun warped south,
moon's companion,
the right hand
around the heaven's rim;
sun knew not
what temples she had,
moon knew not
what power she possessed,
stars knew not
what places they had.
Then went reigns all,
to their ruling seats...”
The words were a little different, as they always were, but Twilight knew this story well enough. With that voice, she really hoped it was someone practising for the feast, but it seemed like an odd choice for such a festive occasion.
She walked around the bend, still huffing and puffing, and was greeted by a strange sight. A pink-haired girl in a woollen cloak was playing a large harp on which at least a dozen wild birds sat perched. A small rabbit was grazing peacefully at her feet. They didn't seem the least bit disturbed by her presence, and she barely seemed to take note of them at all. She was playing with her eyes closed, hands flowing like a brook, voice clear as a winter night.
Twilight approached her carefully. The birds remained still. The rabbit gave her a disinterested glance, then went back grazing.
“Excuse me?”
The girl flew off her seat, banging the harp with her feet as she went down. There was a frightful noise, and the birds scattered. Twilight rushed forward to keep the instrument from falling over.
“I'm sorry, did I frighten you?”
“It'sreallynotmuchofaI'msorry,” the harpist squealed before her voice dropped in volume until it was a barely audible whisper.
“Okaaay. I'm Twilight Sparkle. And you are?”
The other girl pulled the hood of her cloak over her face and curled up on the ground.
“I'm Fluttershy.”
“I didn't quite catch that?”
“I'm – is that a DRAGON?”
Spike had finally lumbered his way around the bend in the road. He was still wheezing and puffing, only hairs from giving up on walking altogether and just rolling down the hill.
“Yes, but he's perfectly harmless. There's no need to worry.”
The pink-haired girl was gaping.
“Is he yours?”
“He is.”
Spike raised his head, spotting the two girls. He grunted, strained his head into an alert position and took on a poorly faked casual stride.
“I-I thought dragons were b-bigger.”
“They get bigger. He's young, still. A baby dragon, if you will.”
Twilight spoke her last sentence loud, turning towards spike as she did. She flashed him a tremendous grin, and he shot her back a look that might have been menacing if he wasn't such a pushover.
The shy girl surprised Twilight by taking a step forward, apparently intending to meet Spike halfway.
“A-a-a-are you sure he's c-c-completely harmless?”
“He is if he knows what's good for him.”
Spike shot her another eyeful of murder. It was adorable.
As the girl approached Spike, she raised a hand in front of herself. Even from her distant point of view, Twilight could tell that it was trembling badly. Fluttershy was looking the other way and muttering under her breath.
“N-nice dragon, nice dragon, you're a n-nice dragon, you're a nice dragon...”
When she finally touched Spike's face, she gave a little yelp and leapt backwards. She peered through her fingers, then at her fingers, and finding them to be mostly undevoured, she approached again and deliberately put her hand back on Spike. She began stroking his muzzle so gently that Spike at first doubted he was even being touched. As she continued to stroke his scaly hide, she got increasingly confident, and her careful ghost-touch turned into a hearty massage as she trailed his sides and rubbed deep into his sore muscles. As she did, a look of pure bliss spread across her face, and her anxiety fell away like so many bad dreams in the morning light.
“You are a good dragon! Yesyouare! Yesyouare!”
Spike himself had long since abandoned any pretence of not being completely pooped, and was slumped on the ground wearing an expression of obscene joy. It annoyed Twilight something fierce. She much preferred to keep Spike slightly irate at all times, partly because that it made it easier to use his pride to push him around, but mostly because it was just that much funnier. She sighed deeply.
“Can you just tell me your name, please?”
“Oh, I'm Fluttershy. What about this little guy? What's his name?”
“His name is Spike. Look, I really need to get going, so could you please tell me-”
“Can he talk? I heard dragons can talk.”
Twilight made a sound much as if she was being strangled. Under normal circumstances, Spike would have recognized this as a cue that she was getting properly ticked off, and scampered off to do his routine of calming her down, but he was clearly out of his gourd.
“Yes, he can talk, but I REALLY-”
“He can?” Fluttershy shone up like a tiny, pink sun. “Say something for me, Spike?”
Spike gurgled some sort of almost-words. They might have been “I don't wanna leave.” Fluttershy squealed with delight.
“Fluttershy!”
The animal lover gave up a loud yelp and curled into a foetal position, raising both hands above her head. When she peered through them, Twilight almost choked. There was real fear in Fluttershy's face. She reminded Twilight very much of a badly frightened animal – or a badly beaten child.
“I'm sorry, Fluttershy. I didn't mean to scare you, but I'm in a hurry, and it's really important that I get everything done on time. You're in charge of the music for tonight, aren't you?”
Fluttershy sniffled, and wiped a tear from the corner of her eye.
“Yes.”
“Then where are the rest of the musicians?”
“Oh, they already left for the feast. I just stayed behind to practice for a-” Fluttershy made an abrupt pause and looked to the east and the last rays of sunshine. “Oh my. We are in a hurry. I have to get my harp to the feast before it begins!”
Twilight walked over to where Spike had plopped onto the ground and gave him a decisive kick.
“Spike! We need you in the land of the living. You have a job to do.”
“Jorb?” Spike spluttered.
“Yes, Spike. We need to get Fluttershy's harp to the festival grounds, and quickly.”
Spike sprung to attention. The weight of the day's activities – and the recent run – was still laying heavily on him, but he didn't seem to notice. He was smiling, insofar as a dragon can smile, and he was dancing about on the spot, almost, but not quite, tripping over himself.
“All right! You can always count on me, Twilight!”
“Excellent! Fluttershy, do you have a cart?”
“Uhm, I think so. Why do you ask?”
“We'll need it to transport the harp, of course. Spike will pull.”
“Uh, uhm, are you sure? It's very heavy, you know.”
At the mention of the word 'heavy', Spike flexed his wings, craned his neck and puffed himself up impressively.
“Well, then it's a good thing that I am very strong.”
“I'll just go get it then.”
Twilight and Spike exchanged glances. A casual observer might have interpreted those glances as meaning Let's do this. The actual sentiment being conveyed was probably a lot closer to Let's not screw this up.
When Fluttershy returned, she was dragging a shallow two-wheeled cart. They gingerly placed the harp into it, and harnessed spike in front of it.
They started down the road at a snail's pace, Twilight and Fluttershy both staying within arm's reach of the harp at all times and Spike with his nose nearly dragging across the ground as he scanned it for bumps. With every foot he moved, Spike's confidence grew and his speed increased ever so slowly

The assembled village could hear the cart coming long before they saw it barrelling down the hill. There was shrill, cackling laughter, accompanied by the rhythmic thumps of a great beast running hard and the sound of wood moaning like a haunted whorehouse. When it finally did appear, it was pulled by a drake and driven by a stranger waving around the wand of a Völva like a whip, urging the beast on. Somewhere in the back, Fluttershy was pinning herself and the harp to the cart.
Spike turned sideways towards the crowd, grinding to a halt that buried the wheels halfway into the ground.
“WOOOO! GO SPIKE! WOOO! WOOO!” Twilight beamed at the assembled crowd, but found only dropped jaws and disapproving glares. “Woo?”
“WOO! You're finally here!”
The voice came from just behind her ear, and in a sheer panic, Twilight Sparkle swung around and struck at it. What she saw was a giant pink cloud that bobbed right out of her reach one moment, and covered her entire field of view the very next. She could feel the hot air on her face as the pink stranger from earlier spoke.
“Hi! I'm Pinkie Pie!”
She was staring straight into Twilight's eyes, her entire face a smile so radiant it outshone the setting sun. She emanated pure joy, entirely untainted by cynicism or decorum. Standing so close to her was like taking a bath in an icy mountain creek; delightfully refreshing in a way that made you want to stab yourself in the face.
“You're Twilight Sparkle, I know because I was talking to somepony and they told me your name was Twilight Sparkle, and I had to talk to them because I didn't talk to you myself because when I met you I went like 'IIIIIIIIIIIIIIH!' and I ran off to make sure...”
“Pinkie.”
“... but then you were gone, and I looked all over because I got you this absolutely super-duper...”
“Pinkie?”
“... but I didn't understand, I mean, how would you fight with a shovel anyway, then I remembered this one time...”
“Pinkie!”
“... yes, Twilight?”
“Please stop slobbering all over my face.”
Pinkie snorted and began to giggle, but to Twilight Sparkle's great relief, she also leaned back. She had been clinging to the side of the cart, but now she hoisted herself onto the floor. When she struck wood, her entire body jiggled. Clearly, she wasn't in the habit of eating in moderation. Or fastening things.
“You’re a silly-willy, that’s what you are. Here!”
Pinkie shoved a small ball of yarn into Twilight's face.  She took it in her hands, and looked closely. She could see the individual threads, but not a one was frayed or torn. It appeared to be a soft pink, but the orange of the torches was clearly reflected by it's glossy surface.
“Pinkie, is this..?”
“The finest silk! Brought to you from halfway across the world by none other than yours truly, Pinkamena Diane Pie!”
“And you're just giving it to me?”
“Yup! I heard you like weaving, and I thought 'Hey! I got something that's for weaving!'”
“Uh, it's not really that kind of... although I do... Pinkie, I can't...”
Pinkie batted her eyelashes and cocked her head to the side.
“Can't what, Twilight?”
“... I can't thank you enough.”
Like a hyperactive cobra, Pinkie struck. She wrapped herself around Twilight in a hug so forceful it knocked the air clean out of the poor Völva.
“Oooh, I'm so glad you like it! We're gonna be such good pals!”
Twilight gasped and shook, trying to breathe again, but the pink one's grip was strong. For a few panicked moments, she thought she felt her bones creaking, about to snap.Then Pinkie let go and instead grabbed her arm.
“Come on! The party's starting!”
Twilight Sparkle didn't have a lot of control over the next hour of her life. The maypole must have gone up at some point, because they danced around it, and there had to have been eating and drinking, because there were very telling spots all over her clothes that smelled of grease and mead. She distinctly remembered Fluttershy turning down a piece of meat, which Twilight thought odd, because it was the best meat ever. With Pinkie, it all just sort of blurred together into an event that was definitely not very coherent, but most definitely the greatest party Twilight had ever been to.
When Pinkie finally left her alone for a few moments, she was sitting at a table with a mug in her hand, staring at some manner of pork dish. There was an indiscriminate buzzing of spirited conversation and unprompted singing, and Twilight could feel the alcohol fog just starting to cloud her senses.
A chill wind snuck through her clothes, and she shivered. She found herself wondering where Queen Celestia had gone to. She should have arrived before nightfall.
The wind picked up, and Twilight pulled her cloak tighter around herself. The torches flickered. The singing and the talking died down, becoming nothing but annoyed muttering.
Then the torches died. Twilight thought there would be anger, but no-one raised their voice. They just pulled their cloaks tighter, huddled closer together. Twilight blinked, trying to see what she could, but she was blind in this darkness.
“Are you truly so afraid of the night?”
Their eyes shot upwards. They could see the shape of the maypole, rising up against the stars, and on top of it, the shape of a horse. Because that was all there was, a shape. A silhouette of blackness far deeper than the night sky behind it. Its mane flowed gently behind it, as if caressed by the wind. It looked not like hair, but rather like a portion of the night sky, a window into some alien heaven full of strange stars. It's eyes, the only part of its body not the deepest of blacks, could have been stars themselves, but their light burned cold.
“Once, you lived by the light of the moon and the grace of the stars. Have you forgotten so soon, little humans, what it is to live in a world where you are not the masters?”
“I haven't forgotten!”
Twilight recognized that voice. Rainbow Dash.
The shadow laughed. It sounded like stone grinding metal in a deep cave.
It moved. Nobody saw it, but now it stood in front of Rainbow Dash, piercing eyes of starlight staring directly into the huntress's.
“You think you know what it means to have no freedom, little human? To be a at the beck and call of a higher power? You do not. But believe me, I am going to teach you.”
Rainbow Dash swung at the creature, but there was nothing to hit. It was on the other side of the festival grounds before she had even started to move.
“The sun has set for the last time, little humans. Your precious witch-queen is gone. I suggest you try to enjoy this night. After all, it will last forever.”
It laughed again, that disturbing echoing sound. It stopped abruptly when Twilight Sparkle slammed her tankard against the table and screamed at the apparition.
“You're not getting away with this! I won't let you!”
It was transfixed, unblinking eyes fixed on Twilight. Then she started laughing again.
“You won't let me? Child, do you even know who I am?”
“You're the Night-Mare.”
The creature's eyes widened.
“So you do know who I am. It warms my heart to be remembered, little human, but I suggest you deflate that ego of yours. By the next moonrise, my most loyal subjects will be here. I wouldn't want to start my reign on a sour note, so I will let that remark slip, but my friends are quite fond of me, and they are somewhat... rigid in their affection. I'm sure if they heard such boisterous slander, they might well see fit to have you disciplined.”
Twilight Sparkle thought she saw a twinkle in those eyes; a bit of good humour.
“I will see you again soon, my pretties. I bid you all a good night.”
With that she disappeared, fading into the blackness as if she had never been there to begin with.
Without a word, Twilight Sparkle raced through the darkness to where she knew Spike waited.
“Spike! Light.”
Spike took a deep breath and exhaled ever so slowly. Tiny, flickering flames escaped from his mouth, bringing back a little light to the world.. Twilight dug through the saddlebags and fetched the book. She leaned against Spike and opened it on her knees, flipping through the pages furiously.
Everything went dark as Spike ran out of breath. He inhaled again, and Twilight resumed her frenzied reading. The flame went out a second time, and when it lit back up, a lithe, rainbow-haired girl was standing at the edge of the light.
“So, you know who that was, huh?”
“Yes!” Twilight replied without taking her eyes out of the book. “That was the Night-Mare, an ancient creature of evil. A thousand years ago, she was imprisoned in the moon through the use of the Elements of Harmony, six artefacts which...”
“Yeah, you sure do know an awful lot about that Night-mare character. A little too much, maybe.”
Twilight felt Spike tensing behind her, and when she looked up, she saw Rainbow dash casually brandishing a hunting knife.
“I think there's something you're not telling me, Twilight Sparkle. I think you're a-”
“RAINBOW DASH! You put that knife down right this instant!”
From outside the ring of light, Applejack appeared. She wore an expression matching her tone, and as soon as Dash saw it, her tough guy attitude melted away like a snowball on a hearthstone. The knife was back in her belt before Spike ran out of breath again.
“I wasn't gonna do anything! Honest!”
“You're such a brute, Rainbow Dash. You should really learn to use some finesse from time to time.” Rarity interjected, stepping into the ring. “But Twilight, darling, she's right. You do know and awful lot about all this... commotion. Would you kindly share your knowledge?”
“Yeah! Tell us!”
Twilight very nearly died on the spot, since Pinkie's voice was, like every other time she'd heard it, much too loud and much too close. She turned, only to find Pinkie lying straight across Spike, head hovering inches from Twilight's ear.
Twilight looked into the assembled faces. They were grim, collected. Even Pinkie had an unnerving intensity to her smile. Twilight sighed.
“In the forest, near the hut were I live, there's a runestone. When I found it, it was covered in moss and dirt. It must have been there for a long time. I think that I can now, with some certainty, say that it's been there for exactly one thousand years. It tells the story of two gods. Sisters. The stone calls them by Sky-Queen and Night-Mare. I don't know those kennings. There are a lot of astronomical symbols on the stone, so I thought that maybe they referred to Day and Night or Sun and Moon, but it just doesn't add up. Either way, it says that the younger sister, the Night-Mare, grew resentful that the people favoured her sister, and she tried to bring about eternal night, so the Sky-Queen wove powerful seid using the 'Elements of Harmony', and imprisoned Night-Mare in the sky. But Night-Mare was crafty, and when Sky-Queen wove the threads of fate to imprison her, she grabbed hold of one of the strands, so that the weave would be flawed. The stone warned that it would take Night-Mare a thousand years to unravel the strands so far that she could call for help from the stars, that they may aid her escape.”
“So, that thing? That was the Night-Mare?” Rainbow said.
“You mean the horse with a mane of stars that wanted to bring about eternal night? Couldn't possibly be, darling.” Rarity replied. A quirky smile broached her lips. Rainbow Dash just stuck her tongue at at her.
“So, uh, whatta we do now?” Applejack asked.
“I have to find the Elements of Harmony.” Twilight stood up. “And I think I know where to start looking. Spike, let's go. If you'd all just move along...”
“Whoa, nelly. You ain't going nowhere all by your lonesome. Ah'm coming witcha.”
“Me too!” Rainbow Dash puffed up her chest. “I'll show that monster a thing or two about 'higher power'!”
“I'm coming with you as well. You're all a very spirited lot, but I wouldn't trust you to take care of yourselves out there in the wilderness,” Rarity chipped in.
“Hey! I hang out in the wilderness by myself all the time!” Dash huffed.
“Yes, and look what's become of you.” That mean little smile played across her lips again.
“I can't let that big ol' meanie-mac-weanie-pants pick on my friends and get away with out! I'll smack 'er good! Besides, it's not a proper adventure without Pinkie Pie!”
Twilight shuddered at the tone of Pinkie's voice when she suggested violence. She noticed the other three exchanged nervous glances.
“It would really be best if it was just...”
Spike gave Twilight a brisk shove. She looked at her compatriots again and realized what he was trying to say. Those eyes weren't going to take no for an answer.
“Ugh, fine. We'll all go. But we need to get some rest before we-”
“Uhm, excuse me.”
A quiet voice from outside the circle of light.
“I- I'd like to come, too. That is, if, uh, if you don't mind.”
Fluttershy was faintly visible, light reaching only the edges of her features as she hovered around the edge of the circle. Applejack gave her an incredulous look.
“Now, hold your horses, sugar. It's gonna be a mite dangerous out there. It ain't no place for a girl like you.”
Fluttershy didn't respond. Instead she just looked into Rarity's eyes, her lower lip quivering. Rarity, in turn, met Twilight's eyes.
“She's coming with us.”
“Fine. Whatever. Everyone can come. The whole bloody village can come for all I care. But right now, we need some sleep. Well meet here again tomorrow. Bring supplies and warm clothes. And weapons. The creature mentioned subjects. I'd hate to run into those unarmed.”
The little group vanished into the night, and Twilight Sparkle began digging through her saddlebags for something to sleep on.
“And where are you planning on spending the night, dear?”
Twilight turned. Rarity, apparently, hadn't left.
“Right here.”
“You can't spend your last night before a strenuous journey sleeping on the ground. I insist that you join me in my home.”
Twilight just wanted to sleep. The idea of doing it right here, right now had seemed very alluring, but a proper bed was just that much more inviting.
“Lead the way.”

Twilight and Rarity had just watched the moon set when they spotted Applejack's torch bobbing along the trail from Sweet Apple Acres. As the circles of light from their collected torches merged together, they raised their hands in greeting.
When Twilight saw Applejack coming into view, the colour of the flames painting her light countenance red, she was again overcome by the sense of divinity.  She carried a shield on her back, and the hilt of a sword swung at her side as she took the final few steps into her friends' company. Rarity was the first to speak.
“I'm glad you could make it, Applejack. I didn't think Big Macintosh would let you go in a million years. He did let you go, didn't he?”
“Oh course he did! Took a little convincing, is all. He wants to protect his little sister, but let me tall ya, he looked mighty relieved when ah told him ah'm going, and that's final. Didn't look quite so relieved when he saw I was bringin' this, though.” Applejack smiled and patted the sword.
“I can imagine. That's your father's sword, isn't it?”
“And his pa' before him! Bloomberg's made outta sturdy stuff, I tell you. He's got a lotta fight left in him.”
Twilight blinked.
“Bloomberg?”
“Eeyup! Forged by my own pa's uncle, hilt made out of applewood, wrapped in leather made from the first cow ta be born on Sweet Apple Acres. It's seen more use than what can rightly be called justified, but it's scarcely even lost it's edge o'er the years. Don't let nobody tell you the Apple family don't produce quality goods.”
Applejack had struck a pose, familial pride burning in her eyes. Twilight could feel another lecture on the value of apple farming and the amazing service the Apple family provided for the community coming on. Fortunately, the sight of another torch distracted her. This time, it was Rainbow Dash.
She looked far less alert than usual, lumbering forward with only the semblance of intent. When she finally reached the circle, she sat down on the ground and rested her head on Spike. She held an unstrung longbow clutched towards her chest.
“Bit early for ya, Rainbow Dash?” Applejack mused.
“I don't get the who-, who-, who-” Rainbow's mouth opened into a gigantic yawn. “the whole getting up thing, what with the not sleeping and all.”
“Silly! You can't have fun while sleeping!”
Pinkie had managed to sneak up on them again. Despite carrying a torch. And wearing chainmail. Not just chainmail, either. She also wore a full helmet, carried one shield on her back and another in her hand, and had two bearded axes hanging from her belt, one on either side, and carried a gargantuan pack of supplies at that. Judging from the shapes protruding from the sides and the sloshing sounds the pack made, it contained at least two small barrels.
“Hi, Rarity! Hi, Twilight! Hi, Dashie! Hi, Applejack! Hi, Bloomberg!”
“Uh, hello Pinkie.” Twilight replied. “Aren't you a little... over-prepared, though? We're not expecting to see that much fighting. I told you to bring weapons just in case.”
“Oh, there will definitely be fighting, Twilight Sparkle. You trust your aunt Pinkie on that one.”
Not even a trace of jest. Twilight swallowed hard.
“Okaaaay. So, are we ready to go? Rainbow Dash?”
“Juscha minit.”
“Let her be, dear. We're still waiting for Fluttershy.”
Twilight bit her lip. Fluttershy. She really didn't want her along. Pinkie was right. There would be fighting. At the very least, the Night-Mare wouldn't go quietly. And the last person you would want to see in combat was Fluttershy. Rarity clearly believed she had something to contribute, but Twilight wasn't so sure.
They waited for over an hour before they heard swift steps coming down one of the paths. There was no light, only the sound of packing bobbing up and down, feet hitting dirt and laboured breathing. Then a shriek and a heavy thud. Things spilling out over the dirt.
Rarity was there at once, helping Fluttershy back on her feet. Her pack had opened, spilling food and herbs all over the ground. Twilight went over to help, but stopped, fascinated by the sight.
Fluttershy had a large shield slung across her back, it's paint worn and its ironwork rusting. At her side was a broad-bladed spear, the kind meant not just for thrusting, but also to cut and cleave the enemy. Most interestingly, her garb was completely changed from the previous night. She was wearing a pelt of some kind. It was a single, very large piece of hide, and she wore it tucked into her belt from several angles, turning the whole thing from a throw rug into a sort of primitive dress. It was dark, with thick, luscious hair. Twilight couldn't quite place it, but supposed it might be musk ox or the winter coat of some other large game. Applejack seemed to have taken notice as well.
“Fluttershy? Ah thought you didn't wear clothes made from animals?”
Twilight raised an eyebrow. It seemed like an odd thing to not do, but Fluttershy began waffling immediately.
“Oh, this? This is, uhm, it's, a, uhm...” her eyes darted to and from, landing for a bit on Rarity, then back to Applejack. “This is, uhm, and old family heirloom. Yes. I, I don't like wearing it, but, um, it's getting awfully cold, and I didn't have anything warmer.”
Twilight shook her head and bent down to help Fluttershy get her things together. She couldn't be bothered with these people and their neuroses any more. She just wanted to get moving.
They eventually joined the rest of the group in the circle of light. Rainbow Dash was on her feet again, but not looking much better. Fluttershy was thumbing the haft of the spear. She looked terribly out of place – and terribly uncomfortable – with a weapon in her hands.
“So, are we ready now?” Twilight asked.
Rarity turned to Fluttershy.
“Fluttershy. Are you absolutely sure you want to come with us?”
Fluttershy nodded.
“If we don't get the sun back, all my little friends will, they'll...”
She started to sniffle, and Rarity put her hand across her shoulder, rubbing it gently.
“I understand. But are you absolutely, one hundred percent double-sure you want to bring that?”
She nodded towards the spear in Fluttershy's hands.
Fluttershy breathed deliberately, in and out.
“Yes.”
“As long as you're sure, dear.”
Rarity turned back to Twilight.
“Tell them where we're going.”
Twilight looked at the assembled women. It suddenly struck her how ridiculous it was that these people fully well expected to take on a god and win. It also struck her that, ridiculous or not, it was the right thing to do. After all, gods bled too, and only the brave may live forever.
“We're going into the Everfree Forest.”
Silence descended. The only sounds were the blazing of the torches and Fluttershy's gear rattling as she shook in terror.
Then Rainbow Dash stepped out of the circle and onto the road out of Ponyville.
“Move it, you guys! We gotta be out of here by next moonrise, or we're all horsemeat.”
Applejack shrugged and followed suit. Pinkie bounced giddily at her side, seemingly unburdened by the heavy load she carried. Twilight and Spike went after them. Last was Fluttershy and Rarity, the former trying desperately not to cry while the latter did her best to comfort her.
As they walked, the midnight cold seeped further and further into their bones, and Twilight Sparkle recalled the previous night, when she had felt so ill at ease with the darkness, the first night of her life to ever truly frighten her.
She had a feeling she wasn't going to like this one much, either.