The morning after the massive wedding reception/going away party, Twilight Sparkle had three covered wagons packed with supplies, and the ten members of her expedition were waiting to depart in various states of consciousness and sobriety.
Leading the way on sobriety was Dark Matter, who was pulling the first wagon with Rainbow Dash. It was loaded down with armor, weapons, tools, and camping supplies. The middle wagon was pulled by Applejack and Jade, and it was loaded down with all of the party’s food, herbs, and medicine. The final wagon was pulled by Pinkie Pie and Quick Fix, and was loaded with magical devices, books, crafting supplies, and general personal effects. Rarity, Fluttershy, and Spike were tersely assigned to scout duty by Dark Matter, leaving Twilight to ride along with the middle wagon, somewhat bored. She had suggested that she could rotate out with one of the other ponies when they got tired of pulling, but the idea had caused Dark Matter to flare his nostrils in the single most dramatic show of emotion Twilight had witnessed from him so far.
They got on the path to the Everfree Forest with little fanfare, just Granny Smith waving a creaky goodbye as they rolled into the forest. Initially there was a thin but manageable road, which Twilight knew ended at Zecora’s house. After that they would be having a much harder time of it. With little to do but think, Twilight soon stumbled onto a concern.
“Uh, Applejack,” Twilight said.
“Yes?”
“Were the Cutie Mark Crusaders at the wedding? I just realized that stowing away on this expedition would be right up their alley,” Twilight explained.
“I thought quite the same,” Applejack replied. “We wanted to have Apple Bloom around for the wedding, but I knew if they were gonna be around the farm when we left they’d try their hoof at it, so me and Rarity talked it over and decided to send’em to a summer camp. They refused to go because the orphanage couldn’t pay for Scootaloo to go, but we told Rainbow Dash and she pitched in the bits to have Scootaloo go too.” She then lowered her voice and turned her head back to Twilight. “I reckon if those two ever settle down they’re gonna snatch that little filly up. Ten bits says I’m right.”
“I’m not taking that bet, I know you’re right,” Twilight said with a shake of her head.
“Those two who?” Jade asked.
“Dash and Pinkie,” Applejack replied.
“Oh, they’re an item?”
Applejack and Jade began gossiping quietly. Twilight looked around at the Everfree Forest as they passed. The pines and oaks of Ponyville had already been replaced by the dark, knobby trees of the Forest. The road beneath them was a vague depression with a rare, ancient paving stone every half mile or so. Twilight wondered if in centuries past the road had run all the way to Harmonia through the forest.
The most dramatic change, of course, was the light. Looking behind her Twilight saw the blue-gold shine of early morning light, but looking ahead the sky was darkened, like dusk on a rainy day. When they had chased Nightmare Moon into the forest at night time, she had thought nothing of it. It wasn’t until she spent her time learning magic from Zecora that she began to notice how dark it always was. After meeting Star Swirl, and sometime after their first bottle of wine in Celestia’s tower, Twilight had asked why it was always dark in the Everfree Forest. Celestia had explained that the very air was full of magic, which acted like a giant shroud, diminishing the light of the sun, but amplifying the light of the moon and stars. Apparently ponies at Manebridge University had been studying the effect for hundreds of years and they still weren’t sure why.
Twilight wondered how drastically her kingdom would change once it had been restored, she suspected the ominous air of the place was no coincidence. Then she felt a shiver run down her back at the thought. Her kingdom. It was such an odd thought to wrap her mind around. She even had the Royal Decree in her pack. Celestia had brought it to the wedding. It was a work of art all on its own, obviously a number of master calligraphers had spent the month drawing it up. After Twilight read it through she had signed her name at the bottom, and for the first time, she had signed it Princess Twilight Sparkle.
“Hold!” called Dark Matter. The wagon train stopped, and the ponies looked around curiously. Then a rustle came from the bushes and Zecora appeared.
“Calm yourself, winged one, your long journey has just begun. Many greater dangers here lurk, than me, in all this murk,” Zecora said.
“You should have announced yourself before approaching a guarded convoy. What business do you have with us?” Dark Matter demanded.
“She’s our last stop before the road ends,” Twilight answered. “Good morning Zecora.”
“And good morning to all of you, swing by my cottage for a farewell brew,” Zecora motioned with her hoof.
“We need to make progress,” Dark Matter said. “Get to a defensible position before nightfall.”
“Don’t worry, we’re just stopping here for lunch and some key supplies,” Twilight lept off of her seat on the wagon and joined Zecora and Dark Matter. “Besides, she knows a great deal about the Everfree Forest, we should take a moment to visit.”
Dark Matter nodded and said nothing more. The wagon train turned off the path and headed for Zecora’s cottage. They pulled the wagons up outside and headed in to crowd around the modest dining table, except Dark Matter, who stood watch over the wagon train.
Once inside Jade let out a sigh of pleasure. “Oh, you’re an alchemist? I never thought to run into one,” Jade said, browsing through the many herbs that were hanging along the walls to dry.
“Yes it’s true, there’s more than tea that I can brew,” Zecora replied. “I have supplies for your to take, it isn’t much, but it’s what I could make.” Zecora produced a woven satchel stuffed full of glass vials, most with strange and brightly colored liquids within. The party sat down and drank Zecora’s tea as she explained what the various concoctions did. Some were anti-venoms for the more common monsters in the forest, others fought fevers or infections, some allowed the pony who drank it to see in darkness. Twilight handed the satchel off to Jade, who seemed the best pony to watch after it, and then lunch was unpacked.
* * * * * *
When they got back on the road Twilight insisted on taking a turn pulling the middle wagon, leaving Jade to ‘scout’ along the middle of the wagon train, though she spent most of the time picking herbs from the side of the path. Spike was already complaining about his feet, so he climbed up to the top of the middle wagon to watch for branches. Once they passed Zecora’s cottage the road disappeared and they were left with a small game trail, which frequently had to be widened. Dark Matter, Applejack, and Quick Fix pushed, bucked, or cut their way through the forest, widening the trail. After hours of the tedious work they had made just a few miles of progress into the forest.
As the party was stopped, waiting for Quick Fix’s machete to clear a patch of vines, Fluttershy flew over to Twilight.
“Um, I’m not sure, I mean, don’t tell Dark Matter. But, I think there’s an animal following us,” she said. “I heard something, but it could be a curious raccoon or something, I don’t know.”
“Are we in danger?” Twilight asked.
“Well, maybe? I know we’re being followed. I don’t know if it’s the kind of animal that would eat anypony, I haven’t managed to get a look at it,” she explained. “But really, don’t tell Dark Matter. If it’s nothing, I think he’ll yell at me.”
Twilight could only barely hear the last part as Fluttershy whispered it. “He’s just a serious pony, but I don’t think he’s mean.”
Fluttershy didn’t want to take the chance, so she returned to the rear wagon. Twilight began glancing around into the dark forest the surrounded them. It was soon going to be ‘night’ in the Everfree Forest. Which meant the sky would darken, except around the edges, which kept a faint glow of light, and the stars and moon would pour down light that was bright enough to cast cool shadows on the ground.
“Next clearing we’re circling the wagons and setting up camp,” Dark Matter called out.
The wagon train struggled on for thirty more minutes and suddenly the trees thinned out and they found themselves at the bank of a river.
They circled the wagons and began setting up tents. After a few moments a loud voice echoed over the forest.
“Ohhohohooo! If it isn’t my favorite ponies.”
A giant serpent rose out of the water near the camp.
“Darling!” came Rarity’s voice. “How have you been?”
Dark Matter looked between the ponies and the serpent, seemingly shocked that he wasn’t going to have to fight the monster.
“I have been fabulous, really. Feast your eyes upon it.” he gestured towards his moustache, which he had curled into a dramatic handlebar. “I have been using this wonderful wax that these trees produce.”
“How do you all know a river serpent?” Dark Matter asked.
“We met him when we were on the trail of Nightmare Moon,” Pinkie Pie replied.
They continued setting up camp as Rarity and the river serpent talked. Once Rarity told him they were headed into the center of the forest the serpent let out a yelp.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you. There are some lovely clear springs across the river that I used to soak in. You know, the minerals are so good for the scales. Well ever since you all came through the last time I’ve been chased off from those springs,” he explained.
“Whatever by?” Rarity asked.
“I don’t know, some terrible grey roaring thing. It’s a nightmare. I think my scales are getting dull. Simply not enough calcium in the river water,” he replied.
Rarity explained that they had to head on, so the serpent told her he would show them the shallowest ford in the morning. Rarity returned to camp and Dark Matter assigned her to first shift guard duty, since she didn’t help set up.
“Well heaven forbid I catch up with an old friend,” Rarity huffed, then stalked away from the camp fire.
Twilight followed Dark Matter around the back of a wagon as he was taking out cooking supplies. “I think that was a little unfair,” she said.
“I feel that was proper troop management, Princess. She didn’t tire herself out setting up camp, she’s the logical choice for first shift,” he replied.
“But it feels like she’s being punished for being friendly with the serpent.”
“I never said that, she decided to take it that way,” he replied. “I need to get back to work, Princess. Excuse me.” he carried the pot stand away from the wagon.
That night after they ate a simple vegetable soup most of the ponies climbed into their tents for some sleep. Twilight found Quick Fix and suggested they break out a telescope. After a few minutes they set it up outside of the ring of wagons.
“I can’t believe how clearly I can see the moon. This would take an incredibly strong telescope back in Canterlot,” Quick Fix said.
Twilight explained the magical field to Quick Fix.
“That’s pretty fascinating. You should set up an observatory in Harmonia. It sounds like the best place in the world to watch the night sky,” Quick Fix said, then she turned over the telescope to Twilight. “Look, you can see the fifth star in the Three Fillies Constellation. Normally, that’s so dim you can’t see it if the moon’s out.”
Twilight looked through the telescope into the night sky. Quick Fix continued talking. “However, I’m going to have to change some of the settings on my devices if the ambient magical energies are so strong. Especially the ones with visual light sensors.”
Twilight was listening, but as Quick Fix talked she heard a rustle in the bushes. She looked away from the telescope into the night.
“Quick Fix, shhh,” Twilight whispered, then she pointed a hoof into the bushes. Quick Fix stopped talking and turned. The pair quietly walked forward, entering the bushes. Suddenly, Jade appeared carrying a satchel.
“Oh, good evening,” she said.
Twilight and Quick Fix let out a sigh.
“We thought you were a monster,” Quick Fix said with a chuckle.
“I’m sorry, I went out gathering. Some of the plants near the river are amazing, I had to go grab some,” Jade explained.
“But the forest is full of creatures, you could have been attacked,” Quick Fix said.
Jade nodded. “That’s true, but animals in the forest don’t really scare me, they can only hurt me.”
“Only hurt you?” Twilight didn’t understand.
Jade set her satchel down and sat next to the two ponies, shimmering in the moonlight.
“When Sombra took control of the Crystal Kingdom, I was put on a chain gang in the mines, like many other ponies. His soldiers would follow us around whipping us periodically, even if we were working quickly,” Jade explained.
“I’m so sorry,” Twilight said.
Jade actually smiled. “It’s quite alright. It took me a long time to realize that the whip was the easiest burden to bear. Sorrow, fear, hopelessness, those were much more dangerous than the soldiers.”
Twilight thought about it for a moment.
“I guess you’re right, in a way,” Twilight said. “What is health if you’re not happy?”
“I like my health, I don’t want to lose a leg to a scorpion sting,” Quick Fix said.
“Well I don’t want to get hurt,” Jade replied with a laugh. “But I don’t want to miss out on all the great things in life because it isn’t perfectly safe.”
* * * * * *
“Wake up, we need to move out!”
Twilight grumbled at the voice outside of her tent. A few seconds later she heard Dark Matter yelling at the tent next to hers.
Breakfast that morning was a portion of hay for everyone. They packed up the camp and met the river serpent at the water’s edge. He led them up stream a bit and showed them where to cross with their wagons. They bid the serpent farewell and continued on into the forest. For the first hour they were cutting vines and pushing aside branches like they had the previous night. Rainbow Dash was scouting from the air, and soon she spotted a path. They cut their way over to it and found it was a wide, but winding animal trail.
“What animal would make a path this large? A hydra?” Twilight asked.
“Oh no, a hydra would stick to water paths in a swamp,” Fluttershy replied. She followed the trail back towards the river for a bit, then returned. “Well, it’s something with cloven hooves, eight feet tall, and weighs more than a ton.”
“Then it’s something dangerous, and we’re in the most likely place to run into it,” Dark Matter said.
“But we can make excellent time on this path, it’s heading towards Harmonia,” Rarity said. “And I think the less walking the better.”
“Dead ponies don’t walk, does that sound appealing?” Dark Matter asked.
“But Fluttershy is amazing with wild animals, even manticores. I think we should take advantage of the path,” Twilight replied. “If we run into something, we’ll deal with it.”
“Now we’re talking. I’m going to suit up,” Rainbow Dash said. “What do you say AJ?”
“Why not? Lemme get my armor.”
The pair got into the front wagon and pulled out two suits of armor. Rainbow Dash had sent a pleading letter to Princess Cadence asking for a suit of Crystal Kingdom armor for her journey. Cadence sent three, and Rainbow Dash had the other two fitted for Applejack and Pinkie Pie. Once they were suited up in the blue and silver armor, the wagon train started moving, making excellent time along the animal trail. Dark Matter was at the front, with Applejack at the back, and Rainbow Dash alongside the middle wagon.
They marched on through the morning with little incident. At lunch time they ate another quick portion of hay, stopping for less than ten minutes. Fluttershy finished her hay, then went over to Dark Matter.
“Um, Dark Matter, I just wanted to tell you that, yesterday, I heard some things along the trail, maybe a raccoon or deer-”
“And you’re bringing this to my attention now? What good are you as a scout if you’re not reporting information?” he asked.
Fluttershy’s reply was barely a whisper.
“And what are you even reporting, was it an animal or a threat?”
She bowed her head and started backing away.
“I’m asking you a question, where are you going?” Dark Matter was practically shouting now.
“That’s enough,” Twilight said. “She was trying to explain it to you.”
“She was endangering us, either by failing to report in a timely matter, or wasting our time here,” Dark Matter replied. “Princess, I am trying to conduct an assignment by certain parameters, certain standard.”
“You’re being rude,” Twilight said. “You’re ordering everypony around like we’re soldiers.”
“I don’t hear you giving orders, Princess,” he replied.
Twilight’s face grew warm. She didn’t like giving out orders. These were her friends, not soldiers under her command.
“We don’t have time for this, we’re asking for an ambush. Get back to your harnesses ponies,” Dark Matter called out.
Twilight didn’t know what to say. Everyone stood around for a few minutes, glancing about nervously, then they started hooking into their harnesses. She didn’t want to rule over these ponies, she didn’t want to put a barrier between herself and them, but the expedition needed leading.
They got moving again, but just a minute later the silence and Twilight’s consuming thoughts were interrupted by a distant roar.
“There’s the beast,” Dark Matter said. “There’s no chance to be stealthy with three wagons. We need to move. Double time ponies.”
The wagons sped up, and Twilight got off the middle wagon and started flying alongside Fluttershy, who was pulling the rear wagon with Quick Fix.
“Fluttershy, what was that?” Twilight called out.
“I don’t know, I’ve never heard a roar like that,” she called out between pants. “Honestly, it didn’t even sound like an animal.”
“What?”
“I don’t know, it just didn’t sound right,” Fluttershy replied.
For an hour the wagon train barrelled down the path, going almost as fast as they could without crashing into the trees. But everypony was tiring out, except Dark Matter, who called for them to slow down only after the front wagon couldn’t keep up with him. They ‘rested’ at a slow trot for a while. Each pony’s ears were listening desperately for another roar, something that would tell them if they had put distance between themselves and beast, but it was silent. After thirty minutes they resumed a quick trot. Some of the ponies were taking it better than others. Rarity and Fluttershy were drooping under the weight of their harnesses. Dark Matter switched with Applejack, bringing up the rear. Every few minutes he growled at the rear wagon to speed up, and Twilight suspected that Fluttershy was more afraid of Dark Matter catching up to them than the monster.
The light shifted from the purple and deep red of dusks to the bright blue of night, leaving the ponies to barrel forward in the semi-darkness. The forest was beginning to thin, but the path started sloping up, making the going even harder for the ponies pulling wagons.
“We’re getting near the cliffs, we’re near the city,” Twilight called out.
“How much city are we talking about, walls? Buildings, something we can defend?” Dark Matter asked.
“Some walls and gates, and the central palace has a tower thats pretty intact,” Twilight explained.
“What about these cliffs?”
“Well,” Twilight admitted. “More like a canyon. We’re going to have to fly or float the wagons over.”
Behind them came a roar. It was closer, much closer.
“Then you’re with me. Hopefully this beast can’t fly,” Dark Matter said.
The harness change that came next was the quickest Twilight had ever seen. Dark Matter and Rainbow Dash got into the harness of the first wagon, Fluttershy and Twilight hooked up to the middle wagon, and Applejack and Jade got the rear. Spike and the other ponies hopped on and they took off.
Another roar, and every pony was running flat out for the cliffs. Finally the trees thinned further, and the canyon loomed before them. The rickety rope bridge was out, but it wouldn’t have held the wagons anyway. Dark Matter and Rainbow Dash put their heads down and spread their wings, carrying themselves, the wagon, and Rarity across the canyon. Twilight took a deep breath.
“Fluttershy, we can do this,” she yelled.
“I don’t know if we-”
“We can do this, we’re doing this!”
Twilight spread her wings and jumped. Pinkie Pie and Spike yelled out as they left the ground, one in terror, the other with excitement. She began flapping furiously. A few weeks after getting her wings she had sat down with Rainbow Dash and they talked over flying. When she asked about flying chariots, Rainbow Dash had commented about how important the hooves were.
‘I don’t know what it is,’ she had said. ‘But you’ve got to kick your hooves, kind of like you’re running.’
Twilight furiously kicked her feet, refusing to look below her. The weight of the wagon tugged on her harness, trying to tip her one way or the other. She heard barrels slide out of the back of the careening wagon, but she simply flew on. Moments later the wagon crashed onto the far side of the canyon. Fluttershy collapsed, but Twilight didn’t have any time to rest. She kicked her way out of the harness and spread her wings again. Applejack and Jade were waiting on the far side of the canyon for Twilight to fly back over and float them across.
As she crossed over the canyon the beast appeared out of the forest. Applejack was already out of her harness, and Dark Matter and Rainbow Dash were flying across the canyon as well.
Now she knew why it needed an eight foot tall trail. It was a chimera. But, as she neared it, she knew something wasn’t right. All of the familiar forms were there, the lioness head, the goat body, and the serpent headed tail, but it was all the wrong color. Another roar came from its mouth, and now Twilight could hear it, like the sound of a rockslide.
Rainbow Dash and Dark Matter beat her to the other side of the canyon. Rainbow Dash flew over the chimera and dived down with her back hooves, but pulled up at the last moment and ended up landing delicately on its back. As Twilight got closer she saw the problem: the chimera was made of stone.
Dark Matter circled over it, then dived and flew at it from the side. He connected with its head shoulder first, and the chimera shifted slightly to the side and let out another roar. Then it swatted at Dark Matter with a paw he barely avoided. Twilight landed and forced herself to turn away from the battle.
“Jade, Applejack, get on,” Twilight yelled.
“Jade, go, I’m sticking with you sugarcube,” Applejack replied.
Twilight didn’t argue, and Jade didn’t either. She hopped up and Twilight wrapped the wagon in her telekinetic field. She had moved heavier things, and she had moved more delicate things, but she had never floated a wagon while an angry stone chimera roared behind her. She dared to look away from the wagon and saw that the chimera was headed straight for her, ignoring the two pegasi who were circling about her.
Applejack ran out between them and put her two back feet up, catching the chimera under the chin and amazingly, stopping it. It responded by swatting her aside with a paw. Applejack went sliding across the cliff side, and Twilight almost dropped the wagon as she cried out. Twilight forced herself to turn from the chimera and finish floating the wagon across the canyon. She dropped it a from a few feet above the ground and turned in time to see the chimera barrelling towards her. She closed her eyes and blinked out of the way and appeared next to Applejack. The chimera changed direction quickly for a giant stone monster and turned back towards her, but Dark Matter and Rainbow Dash had other ideas. She hadn’t even noticed them fly back across the canyon, but they had, and they were now armed with fixed lances, and Dark Matter’s hooves were covered by bladed battle shoes. They dived at the chimera from opposite angled, their lances caught it at the base of the neck. It lifted its tail to bite and them, but Dark Matter kicked it away with his hoof.
Twilight turned back to Applejack. She was breathing heavily.
“Are you hurt?” Twilight asked.
“That’s a dumb question sugarcube,” Applejack replied.
Twilight saw that the plate of armor covering her ribs was bent in, she wondered if any had been broken.
“Let’s get you out of here,” Twilight levitated Applejack up onto her back then started running for the canyon. The chimera looked away from the pegasi and roared again. It started running towards her and Applejack. Dark Matter flew up alongside it and kicked it in the face with his battle shoes. The bladed shoes made a jarring sound against the stone, but the chimera slowed and swiped at the Night Guard.
“Look out below!” came a call. Twilight saw that Rainbow Dash was hurtling up into the air. Twilight made it to the canyon and looked across the expanse. She couldn’t fly with Applejack on her back, so she had to do the whole thing in a single teleport. She closed her eyes and the magic burst around her. She appeared a moment later at the far edge of the canyon. She looked back to see Rainbow Dash had peaked, and was now rocketing downwards, energy rippling in front of her.
“Dark Matter, get away from there!” Twilight yelled. The pony was wrestling with the chimera’s serpent headed tail. He looked up at Rainbow Dash and instantly released the tail and started flying towards the canyon opening.
Rainbow Dash pulled up just feet over the chimera, and the dark evening was instantly brightened by the seven colored explosion. For a second Twilight couldn’t even see what had happened to the chimera, but her eyes adjusted and she could see that it had been flung sideways by fifty feet and was crashed into a tree. Remarkably, it was slowly getting to its feet.
“Twilight, come here!” Quick Fix yelled out.
“Jade, Pinkie!” Twilight yelled back. “Come get AJ.”
The two earth ponies came scrambling over, and once Applejack was being looked after, Twilight ran towards the city and Quick Fix’s voice.
“What is it?” Twilight asked.
Quick Fix was standing in the shadow of an old gate house, though most of the wall it was attached to was long gone. However, on the wall was a lever with a green jewelled handle. “I spotted it when we landed, then I came over and scanned it. As far as I can tell, it creates some sort of barrier. I don’t know if it’ll work, or what kind of barrier, but it might be enough to keep the monster out. Should we use it?”
Twilight thought for a moment. She looked back across the canyon. The chimera was standing again, and turned towards the city. Twilight nodded to Quick Fix.
“Everypony, we’ve got to get on the other side of this gate,” Twilight yelled out. Ponies ran to the harnesses and Pinkie Pie and Jade gingerly lifted Applejack. They quickly moved inside the gate.
“What’s the point Princess, if it can cross the canyon this pile of bricks isn’t going to stop it,” Dark Matter said.
“It’s an order, I’ll explain later,” Twilight replied. Dark Matter looked taken aback, but crossed under the gate. A roar came from across the canyon. The chimera was backing up, and Twilight suspected it was going to try to leap the canyon. As soon as everypony was through the gate she motioned to Quick Fix who pulled the lever. For a moment, nothing happened. Twilight started thinking of other ways they could defend themselves, but then a loud noise pierced the air, like the edges of two metal plates were rubbing together. A bright green light burst from behind them, from the palace, and arched overhead, coming back down just beyond the gate. Across the canyon the chimera began roaring in fury, but for the moment, Twilight suspected they were safe.
“We need to move into the palace, just incase this barrier fails,” Twilight said. “Applejack needs to be looked after, and we need to see what supplies fell out of the wagon.”
The ponies quickly harnessed up, and AJ was laid in the back of the first wagon. They headed into the crumbling city, through the open doorway where double doors once stood and into the chamber where they had found the Elements of Harmony years ago.
“We can use the wagons to block the door, the supplies we can move up into the tower,” Twilight said. “But first, Applejack needs to get out of her armor.”
Twilight and Rarity went over and started stripping AJ of her damaged armor.
“I’m not helpless ya’ll, jeez,” Applejack said.
“Just lay still, these clasps are worse than a corset’s ties,” Rarity said. Jade came over and started lightly tapping Applejack on the side.
“You’re gonna tickle me if you-” Applejack was cut short at Jade tapped her in the middle and hit a broken rib, causing Applejack to hiss in pain.
“You’ve broken at least one rib, maybe two here,” Jade said. “You’re going to need to be bandaged up.”
Twilight walked away and found Dark Matter and Rainbow Dash, who were standing near the doors, looking back towards the canyon.
“That was rather impressive,” Dark Matter said.
“Most ponies are a little more blown away when they see the Sonic Rainboom for the first time,” Rainbow Dash said.
“That was impressive, but not what I was talking about,” Dark Matter said. He turned to Twilight. “It’s good to see you assuming control Princess. It gives me hope for the future of Harmonia.”