Uniformity

by adcoon


III. Forbiddance

A drift of snow blew across the landscape in a steady sheet of white, seeming to migrate south from the mountains. Bonbon looked down and behind her at the snowflakes dancing in her wake. At times like these she thanked her naturally thick coat for keeping her warm. Not all ponies were as lucky; Lyra had a very light coat, even in winter. Perhaps, as Bonbon mused, this was why the unicorn was so fond of socks and sweaters.

Bonbon looked at Lyra and raised an eyebrow.

Lyra finished wrapping her scarf around herself and returned Bonbon's look with a bright smile. “What?” She waved a hoof draped in a long tube of soft white fur. “You don't like my new hoof warmers?” Lyra had bought them while they were waiting for Dash at the hospital. Lyra always came away from her visits elsewhere with some new piece of clothing or two in her possession.

“No, they're very nice,” Bonbon admitted. “And they suit you. I'm just wondering if that's real polar bear fur. Get enough of it, and you could dress up as one. What did it cost?”

Lyra chuckled. “I believe it's goat, actually. I got them cheap too, 'cause one of them got a little tear during all the chaos back in the market. Lucky, huh?”

“Sure.” Bonbon looked at where Rainbow Dash was flying ahead of them, slightly obscured by the whiteout. Their supposed guide had been very sullen since the whole incident with Trixie. “What's up with her?

“Not a clue.” Lyra gave a little shrug. “Maybe she's just grumpy because she got beat by a unicorn?”

Bonbon glanced at Lyra. “I wouldn't think of it as a fair competition. Trixie clearly had some kind of magic advantage or trick, or she wouldn't have had a chance.”

“You think Rainbow sees it that way?” Lyra smiled.

Bonbon let out a huff and gazed up at the mountains rising through the clouds. “I remember Trixie. She had that awful amulet that one time,” she said in a quiet tone as they walked through the snow. “Back in the square she dropped something, and it shattered. It blocked out the sun for a moment.” She looked at Lyra, but the unicorn was silent.

“And whatever it was, it drove everypony crazy. Everypony except you, me and Dash,” she continued, carefully circling around the topic. “When it happened, you covered my eyes so I couldn't see. And Dash must have been blinded by Trixie's fireworks.” She left out the obvious question; it was clear that Lyra had known or realized what would happen when the thing shattered. Why else cover Bonbon's eyes for her?

Lyra chose not to reply, and Bonbon didn't push it. She just wanted Lyra to know that she had noticed, and that she was there if Lyra ever wanted to talk about it.

The ocean appeared on their right, stretching out towards the eastern horizon. Bonbon watched the dark blue waves as they crashed upon the tall cliffs in clouds of white foam and sprays of water. The sun was drifting across the sky behind a curtain of white.

*          *          *

The white only got whiter as they entered the mountains. The cold, however, lost some of its teeth as they left the sea behind. Lyra stomped her hooves to get rid of the layer of snow collecting under her soles. Bonbon stopped and looked around at her friend. “I will never understand why you didn't pack snowshoes for this trip.”

“The thought never occurred to me,” Lyra said with more cheer than the constant annoyance of accumulating snow under your hooves should warrant. This was Lyra-weather, however. The evening sun was nowhere to be seen behind the dense white cover of clouds and walls of snow. “How did you know to bring yours anyway? You didn't know we were going into the mountains.”

“I saw you were camping in the wild, based on the things in your saddlebags,” Bonbon explained. “And it's the middle of winter. You can't pack a set of winter survival bags without including snowshoes. Granted, I would have liked my mountain bag instead of my generic winter survival bag, if only somepony had told me we were going into the mountains.”

Lyra breathed out a long stream of white mist and dragged her hooves through the snow. “You didn't have to come.” She stopped and looked around. “You still don't have to come.”

“Why do you want to leave me, Lyra?” Bonbon looked into Lyra's golden eyes. “We've been friends for years, and you know how I feel. Even if you tell me that you don't love me, even if you tell me there is another, I will still be your friend, and I will still follow you no matter how far.”

Lyra looked down and rubbed her leg. “I don't know what to tell you.”

She was spared having to say anything more as Rainbow Dash broke in. “If you two aren't going to move your hooves, then we may as well set up camp here for the night,” the pegasus said as she came flying back towards them. “There's a good spot about a minute from here if you hurry up.” She turned back around without another word.

Bonbon sighed as the pegasus disappeared again. “You don't have to tell me anything,” she said and turned to follow Rainbow Dash. “But I wish you would.”

*          *          *

Rainbow Dash had already cleared the campsite and was setting up her tent when they caught up with her. Lyra and Bonbon set to work putting up their own tents in silence while Dash scouted the area for useful material.

“The wood in this place is useless,” Dash said as she returned with a stack of branches and some stones for a fireplace. She dropped it all on the spot and brushed herself with a hoof. “Lyra?”

“Leave that to me,” Lyra said as she secured her tent and piled a minor wall of snow up along the sides.

Rainbow Dash gave a nod and arranged the wood in a neat stack surrounded by stones. While Bonbon brushed the last bit of snow away from the ground around the fire with her tail, Dash unpacked a tin can, a pan and a small bag. Bonbon looked at the bag. “What's that?”

“Certified Wonderbolt pancake mix with spices.” Dash grinned. “You just add water and bake 'em. Or just eat the mix raw if you're hungry enough. The Wonderbolts always stock a few bags each when they head into the wild.”

Bonbon made a note to research this when she got back home. She could stock a small supply of these things in her basement if they were any good. “What flavor is that one?”

Rainbow Dash glanced at the bag. “Red pepper. I've got some beans to go with 'em.”

Lyra returned from her tent and considered the wood. She leaned down and closed her eyes, and a light surrounded her horn. Waves of heat and steam rose from the wood. A minute later, a thin column of smoke began to rise from the branches, and a small flame caught the wood. Lyra let out a little breath and sat down, levitating her lyre over by her side.

“Showoff,” Bonbon teased.

“Any unicorn can do that,” Lyra said without much pride. “Nothing much to basic heating spells. The mandatory curriculum for all unicorns in school starts with telekinetic control and light spells, and heating spells come last. Anything beyond that is extra credit.”

Dash scooped up a bit of snow in the pan and placed it over the fire as she settled down. As the snow melted and began to boil, she poured in a bit of the flour from the bag and swirled it around. A thick dough quickly formed and began to cook. “Now we just need somepony to tell a real campfire story,” she said and grinned, rubbing her hooves together as she looked at the two.

They both turned to look across the fire at Lyra. “I would like to hear more about this Humble princess,” Bonbon said quickly before anypony could suggest something else.

Lyra settled back in a comfortable position. “I suppose I do owe you that story,” she said and gazed up into the white depths of the sky. “It's not exactly a scary story, but it is very tragic.”

“Aww, but then it's not a real campfire story,” Dash complained as she tended the pan.

“At least give it a chance,” Bonbon said.

“I suppose,” the pegasus muttered as she opened the tin can and looked at the beans like they might be more scary than what she was about to hear.

Lyra picked up her instrument and checked the strings before she began her story. “In a time long before the founding of Equestria, before Starswirl and Sapphiro and all the other great minds whose names we learn in school, there ruled a queen in a distant land around a great mountain in the sky. Her name was Ashen Glow, and terrible was her grief for the old king who had gone out to hunt one day and never returned.

“Day and night the queen watched from the highest tower of the castle, hoping to see her king return, but never did he show himself. The castle, once the grandest citadel in all the known lands around the mountain, became known as the Widow's Fortress after its grieving queen.

“Ashen had two daughters, Melodious Night and her twin sister Humble Soul. Melodious was beloved and praised by her subjects for her bravery and wisdom, as well as the beautiful creations of song and art that she gifted to her kingdom. She ventured out every night in search of knowledge or signs of their lost father. Sometimes she was gone for days and weeks, but when she returned it was with news and lore from distant regions.

“When the castle was in danger, when evil lurked in the woods and hills around it, Melodious led the hunters herself in defense of her subjects. So beloved was she, that her return from hunts or distant lands was met by cheers from the castle's walls.”

Rainbow Dash flipped the pancake high in the air and caught it on a plate before preparing another pan of dough. “Let me guess, no pony liked or appreciated the other sister and she became resentful and vowed some kind of revenge. Haven't we heard this tale before?”

Lyra chuckled as she watched Rainbow Dash deftly handle the food. “Oh my, no. I would be very surprised if there is any relation here to our beloved Princess Celestia and her wonderful sister of the night.”

“But it does sound similar,” Bonbon noted. “You have to admit that.”

“Many tragedies are repeated when we fail to learn from history and experience, or when that history and experience is lost to us,” Lyra mused as she sat up with her instrument in her hooves. “But if you would allow me to continue …”

“Sorry,” Bonbon said as she watched the last pancake simmering in the pan. The waiting was making her hungry, and simple though they were, these pancakes were starting to look exceedingly delicious.

“As I was saying,” Lyra continued as she plucked the strings. “Melodious was welcomed with fanfares and cheers, her court and banquet was always lively and she the center of attention at every event. With the king missing and the queen sick with grief, the kingdom looked to Melodious for guidance and protection, and Melodious was indeed a fair and honest regent.

“While Melodious was in the public's eye, her sister rarely left the peace and privacy of the castle or made a presence of herself at the banquets and courts. Very modest and perhaps a little shy, or merely content to work in peace, Humble nevertheless made great strides of her own in the musical and magical arts. And just like her sister, Humble was praised for her gifts and contributions to the kingdom's glory.

“Humble no doubt seemed happy this way, leaving most of the attention to her more outgoing sister so that she herself could work in peace.” Lyra paused her storytelling again as she accepted one of the pancakes.

Bonbon took one as well and watched as Dash poured the contents of the tin can into the pan for a quick heating. The beans quickly began to simmer in their sauce under the heat of the flames. “So what then?” She prodded Lyra to continue while they waited.

“One day,” Lyra began again, “Melodious set out for the edge of the world, and for the Sea of Night surrounding it. She convinced her sister to go with her on this journey. Melodious hoped to cross the Sea of Night in order to ask for knowledge of their missing father from the wisest of all beings, the world serpent, the great celestial snake which coils itself around the roots of the world, whose one great eye watches the world at night.

“Back in those days, in the lands around the great mountain, the tribes living there still told the tales of Naga and Roc, the two great serpents of night and day,” Lyra explained as Dash scooped her a good helping of beans to go with her pancake. “They are sometimes told even today, but not as often and mostly as a myth or in the lore of the dragons.

“Roc, the great feathered fire-serpent, nested on top of the great mountain in the sky. When it rose and traveled across the world from one end to the other, its scales and feathers of flaming colors brought forth the day and banished the darkness of night.

“The Sea of Night which surrounds the world was home to Naga, the world serpent which grasps the world in its tail and holds it in place. When Roc returned to its nest in the mountains, Naga turned its single great eye upon the world. We know this as the moon, and legend has it that there once were two of them, long before even the tale of Humble and her sister.

“Naga and Roc did not see eye to eye, as it were. Sometime in the unimaginable past it is said that they fought each other, and in the heat of the battle, Roc tore out one of Naga's eyes. Thus the world ended up with only one moon. From Naga's blood was born the first of the dragons. But Roc was not spared Naga's bite, and from its wounds and blood were born the phoenixes. The dragons and the phoenixes have been mortal enemies ever since.”

Rainbow Dash looked up from her plate and licked off a bit of sauce from her lips. “Huh. So what about Princess Celestia and Princess Luna?”

“That is a much later story,” Lyra said. “And one which is largely if not entirely irrelevant to the tale of Melodious and Humble.” Seeing the disappointed looks on their faces, Lyra smiled and added, “Alright, but I won't go into any details. Back in the early days, day and night was not in balance but left to the whims of Roc and Naga. When Discord began sowing his seeds of chaos, he did not limit himself to ponies but also caused strife between Naga and Roc. With the two celestial serpents in open conflict, night and day and all life with it was thrown into chaos.

“It is said that the two sisters ventured on a dangerous journey to the mountain at the edge of the world, and perhaps even beyond, and there they gained the favor or perhaps made a pact with the two great serpents. With this new favor in hoof, they defeated Discord and brought harmony and order to night and day, as well as the world. Of course, there is a lot of disagreement about this story.

“But let us return to Melodious and her quest to brave the Sea of Night. Melodious knew that she needed a guide in this world to lead her back across the Sea of Night, like a lighthouse or a guiding star showing her way back home. Without that she would be forever lost in the endless Night. This is why she asked for her sister to come with her.”

“I think I see where that is going,” Bonbon said and bit her lip.

Lyra smiled. “For many days and nights, the two sisters traveled through the wild and desolate lands at the edge of the world, fighting the monsters who lived at the edge. At last they arrived at the edge and looked out over the vast stretches of Night. There Humble was supposed to wait, to play and sing the song that would guide her sister safely back from among the stars.

“As Sapphiro's lost poem suggests with its final line, Humble never played the song. As Melodious ventured into the eternal darkness around the world, Humble settled down and wrapped herself in clothes to wait on the cold and lonesome shore. Humble waited there for days, never playing the melody that would bring her sister back to her.

“After days of starving and freezing, Humble made her way back home and arrived at the castle in a terrible state. She cried and told of how she had played herself to tears and sung until her voice was lost, playing for days in vain for her sister to return, but Melodious never did. Humble was received as a hero for her loyalty and bravery, and she soon took the place of her sister in the hearts of her subjects.

“Not long after Humble's return, the old queen passed away, struck by sickness from the loss of both her king and beloved daughter. She left the crown and throne to Humble. Lies and deceit had won Humble the kingdom and the hearts of her subjects, while her trusting sister was lost forever in the darkness among the stars.”

“Whoa …” Rainbow Dash said after a long silence. “That's way cold. I hope that traitorous snake got what she deserved!”

“She did,” Lyra said quietly and played her strings in a solemn tune. “But not before she threw the world into war and caused a grave mistrust between all the tribes. And in the end, she took many innocents down with her.” Lyra stood up and picked up her lyre. “I'm sorry to cut this a little short, but I tire. Please don't disturb me before morning.” She gave a brief smile before turning to her tent. “Sleep well, you two.”

Bonbon watched her disappear into the tent and close it tight. It was a very private tent, she thought, the sort of tent a pony who valued privacy would choose. She sat for a minute or two staring at the tent before shaking herself free.

She turned to look at Rainbow Dash. The pegasus didn't seem to give Lyra any second thoughts. Instead she settled down with her suspiciously well-protected journal to read. Bonbon shook her head again and got up, gathering her things before retiring to her tent for the night.

*          *          *

My love,

Scootaloo told me about Bonbon's decision to follow you and Lyra on your journey. I hope you are all doing well out there in the mountains.

I apologize for the guards in Manehattan, but they had to check everypony just in case. We are still investigating what exactly went wrong at the station and in the square later, and it will be a day or two at least before all the chaos has been cleared up, but I can give you some good news already.

A dock pony spotted Trixie hiding in a lifeboat on board a ship and called the guards. They approached her without any further incidents, and she followed quietly. She is currently being held in Manehattan for questioning. Unfortunately I am told that she claims no knowledge of anything and appears highly confused and distressed. She claims that the last thing she remembers is spending the night in Hollow Shades where she was scheduled to perform in the morning, until she woke up on that ship in Manehattan. She appears to be speaking the truth, but we do not yet know if her memories will return.

And since I know you're going to ask, I don't think she knows anything about Lightning Dust either. I'm sorry. I also fear that what she carried with her on that train has been lost forever. The few pieces we have recovered from the street are now entirely without any magic.

Please stay safe, and do what you feel you must. I'll be here, waiting for your return.

♥ Your Princess,
Twilight Sparkle.

*

I almost had her, Twi. I was this close!

I swear to you, Trixie was right there in front of me, but then she was gone! I chased her into a blind alley, and there's no way she could have escaped it, not unless she sprouted wings or something.

You know I hate losing.

*

I wish you wouldn't be so hard on yourself. You know it wasn't your fault. No one blames you.

And you know you have to work for your prize, too. You can't get every victory without a fight.

♥ Twi

*

I didn't have to fight for you—Rainbow Dash chuckled as she wrote her last entry for the night—And you're still my biggest prize. You know that. I love you, Twi. But you know that too.

*

You keep saying that, but we both know better.

I love you too, Dash. Please stay safe, and don't do anything foalish … oh, who am I kidding, I wouldn't want you any other way.

♥ Twi

*          *          *

Large rocks and jagged crystals jutted out of the ground along the rock-strewn and snow-covered path through the mountain. The weather was clear, but the wind had teeth and was howling for something to sink them into. Bonbon too found the idea of a second breakfast enticing; the oat crackers she had brought with her were good but not what she craved. Up ahead, a line of trees grew at odd angles on the side of the path. They seemed to have their trunks stripped of bark.

Bonbon looked at the trees as they passed through the tiny, sparse forest. “I think those are sugar trees,” she remarked from behind the scarf wrapped around her muzzle. “You can eat the bark, and in the spring you can get sweet sap from the trunk. Too bad others have already stripped the bark on these.”

“That … would be me,” someone said behind her.

Bonbon turned to see … no one. She looked at Dash, but the pegasus looked equally puzzled.

“But I'm still hungry,” the gruff voice said right behind them.

They spun around together and saw … no one. Rainbow Dash frowned, and Bonbon looked around in confusion. Her eyes fell on Lyra who was struggling to hold back the tears of laughter. As Bonbon turned to see her, Lyra couldn't hold it anymore and burst out laughing. “You should have seen your faces!”

Bonbon was reminded of a time when Lyra had surprised her back in Ponyville. Bonbon had been sure she heard her friend behind her, but when she turned around there was no pony there. She had turned around again and found Lyra grinning at her from a bench a bit away. Bonbon was sure it was some kind of magic trick, but as with so many other things, Lyra had never divulged its secret.

Now she just rolled her eyes at the unicorn. “You're just an overgrown foal, aren't you?.”

Rainbow Dash grinned at the prank and gave Lyra a poke. “I'll get you back for that one, Lyra.”

Lyra giggled and caught her breath. “Oh my, so where were we?”

Rainbow Dash shook her head and turned to look around at the trees. After a moment she pointed at one. “There are some over there with bark on.” Without another word, she flew up to one of the trees and grabbed a small piece of bark in her teeth to rip it off. “Hey, this ain't bark, it's crystal sugar,” she said and bit off a small piece before throwing the rest to Bonbon.

Bonbon caught the bark and inspected it. “Rock candy bark,” she said and took a bite. “They aren't called the Crystal Mountains, or sugar trees, for nothing. It's too bad they can't grow outside the mountains, or I'd get myself a small plantation and make a fortune.”

“You could move here instead,” Lyra suggested as she accepted a bite of the candy bark. “Live in the mountains and grow sugar trees. Sounds like a sweet deal,” she grinned.

Bonbon rolled her eyes at the pun. “It's way too cold and far away for me,” Bonbon said and stuffed the rest of the bark in her bag. “Also, I hear that the sugar farmers are a grumpy bunch who don't want anypony encroaching on their business up here.”

“With all that sugar? You'd think their moods would be a match for Pinkie.”

“Boggles the mind how they aren't.”

*          *          *

The path grew steeper as it wound its way slowly up the mountains. It was a difficult path, and the journey was slow, but the candy had made Bonbon's mood a little lighter despite the driving snow and biting wind. None of them said anything as they traveled through crags and valleys. Behind the warmth of her scarf, Bonbon hummed a quiet melody to herself.

The ground sloped upwards, and the path snaked its way up towards a crack between two small peaks. Bonbon stopped and looked up at the midday sun on the other side of the crest. She shook herself a bit and continued on again, whistling a tune under her scarf.

A snowball hit her square in the back of the head and nearly made her fall over forwards. Bonbon yelped and turned around, feeling the snow slide down the back of her neck where it left a cold, wet trail. “What was that for?” she asked as Lyra trotted up next to her.

“I got your attention, didn't I? You got a little distant there and didn't hear me,” Lyra said with a smile and turned around to face Bonbon. Her smile vanished, replaced by a serious look. “I just wanted to say, don't make that tune.”

“What tune?” Bonbon asked, confused by the serious tone of Lyra's strange request.

“The one you were just whistling,” Lyra said. “Don't ever whistle or hum that tune. Please,” she added in a more friendly manner.

Bonbon's brow furrowed as she tried to remember what she had been whistling. She hadn't really been paying attention to the tune, and apparently she hadn't been paying attention to other things either. “That was the one I heard out in the forest on Hearth's Warming,” she said and once again felt the urge to squeeze the truth out of Lyra somehow. “Why can't I whistle that tune?”

“Sorry, just please don't,” Lyra said and turned to continue towards the crest.

“Hey. It's probably a good idea if you're quiet, anyway,” Rainbow Dash interjected before Bonbon could think or say anything in response to Lyra. Bonbon jumped a bit and looked up at the sudden appearance of the pegasus. “We're entering avalanche zone,” Rainbow Dash added before turning around to lead the way once more.

Bonbon shook her head and followed quietly behind, watching Lyra walk ahead of her.

*          *          *

“And speaking of avalanches,” Rainbow Dash groaned and rubbed her face with a hoof.

Lyra and Bonbon looked down into the valley below at the massive wall of snow, rocks and crystals which had collapsed on the path and thoroughly blocked the way forward. “Can we get over it somehow?” Bonbon asked as she tried to decide how difficult or safe such an attempt would be.

“Can't see we have much choice,” Dash said in irritation. “I can carry one of you, but the other will have to hoof it or wait here until I get back.”

“I don't think it's wise to split up like that, not in a place like this,” Bonbon said. She also didn't like the thought that the two other ponies might decide to take it as an opportunity to get her off their trail and force her to return home, but she didn't voice that thought.

Lyra gazed up at the sky and around at the mountains. “I agree,” she said. “And I think we should find a way around. There has to be some other way through the mountains.”

Rainbow Dash didn't look convinced. “I don't know. If we're going off the trail to climb the rocks, then we may as well climb it here.”

“I don't think we need to climb,” Lyra said and looked back the way they came. “There was a narrow trail about five minutes behind us. I say we see where it leads us before we consider any climbing.”

“I'm with Lyra,” Bonbon said. “The snow and terrain here can't be trusted.”

“Right,” Rainbow Dash conceded. “We'll check out that other path, but if it doesn't seem to lead in the right direction, I say we turn around. We don't want to spend all day going in the wrong direction.” She turned around and headed back down the way they came.

Bonbon followed, and Lyra took up the rear again.

*          *          *

The trail Lyra had spotted was barely more than a crack where one pony at a time could squeeze through. It widened a little after the first bend, allowing a comfortable walk in a line, but snow and rocks had long since turned it into little more than a vague path. Here and there were little signs that it had once been a regular path, with traces of wooden beams from an ancient boardwalk.

After half an hour of walking the narrow and winding path, the three ponies arrived at a small valley. Large rocks and the ruined walls of some old village jutted out at random from under the snow, creating a landscape like broken teeth. Bonbon stopped to look around, while Lyra and Dash walked further in to search among the ruins. “You think ponies used to live here?” Bonbon asked, but no one answered.

“The path ahead is blocked,” Rainbow Dash concluded, pointing a hoof at where another path deeper into the mountains had long ago collapsed in a rock slide. “Looks like we're back at square one,” the pegasus said and turned around to leave.

Lyra didn't follow. The unicorn trotted around the broken remains of a wall and stopped, lifting a piece of old wood with her magic. “I think I know what this place is. Or was,” she said and gestured them over with a hoof.

Bonbon and Rainbow Dash moved up beside her and looked at the sign she was holding up. The wood had decayed and most of the letters were long gone or difficult to read. “ h  M  adr f  Mi  ng C  p n ” the remaining letters said, if Bonbon strained a bit to make them out.

“I don't get it,” Dash said. “Does it matter? We can't get through here anyway, so let's not waste any more time.”

“The last two words must be 'Mining Company',” Bonbon said, ignoring the impatient pegasus. “And there's probably a 'The' in front. Don't know about the rest.”

Lyra let the sign drop back down. “I think it once said Micadrift,” she said and turned around to look across the ruins while Bonbon lifted the sign again to check that it matched. “I've heard of the Micadrift mine,” Lyra continued. “It was mentioned in one of the books when I was looking up the history of King Sombra and the Crystal Empire.”

“You studied the Crystal Empire?” Bonbon asked. “I'm honestly not surprised.”

“You shouldn't be.” Lyra smiled. “My talent isn't just about music, it's about the old legends and stories that were traditionally told in songs and verses and passed down through generations of minstrels. After the Empire reappeared, I did some research on its history. Up until then I had only heard vague rumors about it. But I don't know much about Micadrift itself. What I do know is that it was abandoned a few hundred years ago because of some corrupting influence, which some ponies blamed on the lingering magic of King Sombra. It was never reopened and mostly forgotten.”

Lyra pulled out a map from her saddlebags and unfolded it in the air. “The mines of Micadrift were connected with those of the Glass Bore mine, which were located deeper within the mountains.” She circled a rough area with her hoof not too far from a black circle marked around what Bonbon assumed to be their destination. “Somewhere in this area, I believe.”

“So that means …” Rainbow Dash said, a little more interested now.

“It means there should be a way under the mountain which leads roughly to where we need to go,” Lyra said and looked around as she folded the map back up. “And there should be an entrance to the mine somewhere around here, if it's not collapsed too.”

“That sounds like a bit of a gamble to me,” Bonbon said. “And I'm not so sure how much I like the idea of an abandoned mine which may have been cursed by King Sombra long ago. Sounds like something to be left well alone, if you ask me.”

“Don't be such a chicken,” Rainbow Dash said before turning her focus back to Lyra. “You really think there's a way through the mines?”

“I am fairly sure,” Lyra said and smiled sheepishly. “Everything is a bit of a gamble now, but I think this is our best option. I must also admit that I'm a little bit curious about what story these mines have to tell after all these years.”

“Sweet!” Dash grinned and rubbed her hooves together. “What are we waiting for? Let's find that entrance.”

Bonbon shook her head and sighed. “I have a bad feeling about this.”

*          *          *

Bonbon glanced longingly at the tiny square of sunlight quickly disappearing behind them. The tunnel was cold and dark, lit up only by a soft light from Lyra's horn. Sand and rocks littered the floor, and drops of water gathered on the roof, occasionally falling with a soft plop. There was a smell of earth and mold, and Bonbon wondered if there was any risk of collapse. The walls looked solid, but you never knew, and Bonbon was no miner.

The tunnel came to an end in a T. Lyra stopped in the intersection to consider the two directions. “This is north,” she said, pointing down the tunnel on her right before glancing down the other one.

“Yeah,” was all Dash said before turning right, flying down the tunnel with Bonbon behind her.

Lyra stood there for a moment, looking down the other tunnel, then she turned and hurried after Bonbon and Dash. “If we just keep north and take the paths that lead up, we should be able to find the exit near Glass Bore,” she explained.

Bonbon hoped that Lyra was right.

The tunnels descended quickly into the earth deep beneath the mountain. The sound of their hooves against the stone and sand cast back hollow echoes from the darkness deep below. Bonbon found the sound unnerving and frequently looked back over her shoulder at the pitch black darkness behind them. As Lyra's light moved, the darkness crept closer to catch up and fill the void.

Broken tools and abandoned carts littered the darkness. These tunnels had once been busy with the life of ponies trotting about and working to carve out the tunnels beneath the mountain. The workers were long gone, but Bonbon couldn't shake off the feeling that the shadows still walked these halls and watched them as they wandered the darkness. Even Dash was looking around as if she felt something too.

“What do you think drove off all the miners?” Bonbon asked, keeping her voice low. Something about the echoes of her voice sent shivers down her neck.

“It's hard to say,” Lyra said and studied the walls as the light from her horn drove away the black curtains. The wooden beams and planks all along the tunnels were old and showing signs of decades of rot. Many were broken. “I honestly never studied it very much. The miners left after refusing to work in the mine. The Glass Bore mine remained in operation for a few years after Micadrift closed, but very few miners were willing to work there, and eventually it just couldn't keep up profits.”

Bonbon shook herself to drive off the shivers. It helped a bit to talk, despite the echoes. “Do you think whatever drove them out is still down here?”

“I don't know. I don't even know if there ever was anything that drove them out.” Lyra looked back over her shoulder at the tunnel behind her, prompting Bonbon to do the same. Rainbow Dash too was staying vigilant. “But if there was, it would have to be pretty old by now. Hundreds of years at least.”

The tunnel slowly opened into a narrow set of natural caverns. Cold water seeped down through cracks in the roof, collecting in thin rivers winding their way through the rock. Many paths led on, some big, others too small to travel. Dim crystals embedded in the rock caught Lyra's light and cast back dull reflections that only seemed to make the darkness more depressing.

Rainbow Dash pointed ahead at a set of rough tunnels. “Let's keep north,” she said.

“Didn't they have any signs down here?” Bonbon commented as she kept up. She didn't want to fall behind in this place. “Maybe one telling us 'this way to the surface.' ”

“That would be hoofy, wouldn't it?” Lyra smiled, trying to lighten the mood in more ways than with her magic. It failed to work its intended effect, and they all fell quiet again as they walked through the caverns.

A chill wind seemed to follow them through the darkness, and strange scratches and figures danced on the walls, glittering in Lyra's light. The unicorn watched the strange etchings with growing fascination. As they walked, she ran her hooves over the rough surface of stone, almost forgetting the darkness around them.

“What is it?” Bonbon inquired as she glanced around at the walls, her eyes never quite leaving the shadows. They were growing darker now, there was no doubt about it. Bonbon got a strong feeling that they were not welcome in the dark. She tried to pass it off as only her imagination.

“Someone's scratched these markings,” Lyra said absently. “But the water has eroded most of it. I'm not quite sure what they once depicted or who made them.”

They walked more slowly with Lyra pausing frequently to study the markings. Their slow progress and the fact that the tunnels only kept leading down deeper into the mountain rather than up towards the surface made Bonbon even more uneasy and eager to get out.

“I think we should hurry up and get out,” she said. “Something doesn't want us down here.”

“Yeah?” Rainbow Dash raised her hooves at the shadows. “Well, I ain't afraid of it! If it doesn't like us, why doesn't it come out and fight us, huh?” She punched the air to punctuate her dare. “Yeah, that's right. Come out here and show us what you've got!”

The light dimmed and flickered, as if the darkness was lashing out at the luminous dome, trying to envelop it and squeeze all life from its source.

“Let's maybe not tempt the ancient evil sleeping beneath the mountain?” Bonbon gave a pointed look at Rainbow Dash. “And maybe we'll actually get out of here alive?

Rainbow Dash huffed and turned around. Lyra hesitated by the wall but followed reluctantly when Bonbon pulled at her leg. “Can you turn the lights up?” Bonbon asked. “I don't think it likes the light, and I'd really like to keep it at a distance, whatever it is.”

Lyra shook her head. “Sorry, this is as bright as I can make it if I want to keep it up too.”

“Then we better stay close together,” Bonbon said.

The caves stopped descending and became wider. The walls and floor were filled with tiny crystals, but none of the light from Lyra's spell seemed to reach across the distance towards them, leaving them dull and gray without any luster.

Water ran in streams through the stone and fell or seeped into hidden depths below. Bonbon was not sure if it was the sound of water, or something slithering in the dark that she could hear if she listened closely. Perhaps it was the darkness itself, seeping through cracks and coiling around them like a snake trying to squeeze the light out of them.

Aside from the water and the constant feeling of something watching and waiting, the caves felt deathly still. Bonbon had no idea how long they had been wandering through the mine or what time it was, but it had to be late, and she was beginning to feel tired. She tried to ignore it. She also tried to ignore the realization that it was looking more and more likely that they would have to set up camp down here in the dark.

Perhaps that was why the darkness seemed to be waiting. If they all went to sleep, they would be easy targets once the light faded. Bonbon didn't want to think about it, but her mind betrayed her and was already working away on the problem.

“I think we have to set up camp for the night.” It was Lyra who broached the subject at last. She too was looking a bit tired around the eyes. “I suspect we're still far from the surface.”

The words gave Bonbon a sinking feeling, even if she had known they would come. Her stomach punctuated the decision with a low growl. She hadn't had anything substantial to eat since morning, and sugar could only keep you going so long. “I guess we have little choice. Let's at least find someplace where we can see if anything tries to sneak up on us.”

“There's a sort of platform over there,” Rainbow said and pointed.

They followed Lyra as she inspected the wide platform of rock. It was reasonably large and flat, not to mention dry, and it had a clear view of the surrounding cave. “We'll set up camp here, then,” said Lyra and dropped her saddlebags and tent on the ground. “We need to take turns keeping watch.”

“And we need a fire,” Bonbon added. “At least while you're sleeping, Lyra.”

“There's not much wood down here to burn,” Rainbow Dash said and picked up a lonely bit of wood that had long ago belonged to some kind of tool.

“And it has to be dry, because I can't dry it or light it without dropping the light spell,” Lyra added. “I'm not so talented that I can do more than one spell at the same time.”

“I have a bit of dry firewood in my bags to get us started,” Bonbon said as she pondered the material available to them. “It won't last long, but it can maybe help dry what else we find. There may be a few more abandoned tools around, and I saw some moss too. If we can find enough other material, it should be able to see us through the night. Lyra should take the first or the last watch.”

“I'll take the first,” Rainbow Dash jumped in.

“Then I'll go last,” Lyra agreed.

Bonbon slipped out of her saddlebags and searched through one of the small pockets on the side. She pulled out a small silver bell. “Here,” she said and held it out for Rainbow Dash. “Hold this with your teeth while you're keeping watch. If you fall asleep, it'll fall and make a noise.”

Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow at the little bell. “You prepared for that?

“Yes, and a good thing too,” Bonbon huffed.

“You're an egghead, you know that?” Rainbow Dash snickered and took the bell in her teeth. “Not that I would ever fall asleep on the job. But I'll keep it around for you two.”

“Don't lie, Rainbow Dash. We all know that you like to take a nap now and then,” Lyra grinned. “So better keep that thing close.”

“Yeah yeah.” Rainbow rolled her eyes and began clearing for a fire.

*          *          *

Hey Twi. You know about some old mine called Micadrift or something? An avalanche blocked the path, and Lyra thinks this mine is connected to another one near the crash site. We're sort of camping down here.

Love you. Dash.

*

I know that Lyra is correct. Micadrift and Glass Bore were connected through a network of natural caverns deep beneath the mountains. My book says that both mines were closed almost two hundred years ago when all the workers became anxious of each other and the mine. After they all refused to work, the mine was abandoned and never reopened.

There was talk of a haunting, but that's just pony tales. It is likely that it was some of Sombra's tainted magic left over from the time of his reign. The miners reported things sneaking around in the dark, and many complained about nightmares and strange visions.

Sombra was very fond of trickery and illusions, so watch out for that. I'll have to investigate the history some more, because my sources are currently limited, but I'll ask Luna if she can watch over your dreams tonight.

Stay safe, my love.

♥ Your princess,
Twilight Sparkle.

*          *          *

The door to Lyra's apartment looked tiny and flat at the end of the short hallway, as if painted on. Bonbon looked around at the empty walls as she neared the door. It seemed to stretch itself out, like a dull gray slinky expanding with each step and push forward of her hoof.

Bonbon reached out. Her hoof touched the cold door handle and turned it with a low click. The door creaked with age as it opened to an apartment of white sheets and dust covering the sparse furniture. Bonbon wound her slow way through the maze of white dusty blocks, past the kitchen towards the bedroom.

“Lyra?” she called.

The door opened, and Bonbon was in the bedroom. It was small, with one slanted wall looming in front of her and a single large window through which the moon shone. The window was opened a crack, and the light from outside illuminated the sheets and their sleeping inhabitant in a pale silvery glow.

Bonbon approached the bed. “Lyra?”

She reached out to touch the body under the sheets.

A claw grabbed her hoof and Lyra turned around. Serpentine eyes fixed on Bonbon from a pale white face shrouded in untidy hair and long shadows. Bonbon screamed and struggled in the grip as snakes coiled under the bed and sheets. Sleek bodies wrapped around her and pulled her down into the grasp of the creature in the bed.

The walls crumbled away to sand and blew away on a phantom wind. The darkness surrounded her, twisting and crawling like worms and snakes, writhing around her and squeezing her in its vice grip. Somewhere in the dark, Lyra opened a mouth full of teeth and venom. The shadows slithered through the cracks of Bonbon’s mind, pushing and squeezing through her head. She cried out and grit her teeth.

“Lyra … please,” she whispered in labored breaths.

A hard and unrelenting light shone through the darkness, and a voice cut through the slithering noise. “This creature is not a friend of yours. It is but a nightmare preying upon your fears.”

The dark snake turned its gaze and hissed. It uncoiled itself from Bonbon with surprising swiftness and launched itself at the light. Dark malevolence and venomous fury gleamed in its eyes.

Bonbon gasped for air and turned on her side. “Princess Luna?”

The princess' horn flared with rays of silver light, and the creature let out a screech as black smoke and green vapors arose from its shadowy body. “Begone, foul creature of the dark!” Luna's voice echoed loudly, and her eyes narrowed at the coiling darkness around her. “Slither on back to thy nest and plague this dreamer no more with thy vile tongue!”

“Dream?” Bonbon asked. She felt a sudden confusion as she stumbled back on her hooves, feeling her whole body tremble beneath her.

The creature did not retreat or obey the order to leave. It struck at the princess again while its body surrounded her sphere of light. Luna stepped back and lowered her horn defensively at the incoming head. “We command thee to leave this dream!” she bellowed as she sidestepped and pierced the darkness with her horn.

A scream rose from the creature, and Luna turned to Bonbon for a brief moment. “You must wake up, Bonbon! Whatever its nature is I cannot tell, but it is seeking to lure you deeper into sleep and keep you in the dream. You must awake!”

How?” Bonbon cried, trying the only thing she could think of: biting her own leg. It didn't work.

Luna didn't seem to hear her as she defended herself against the encroaching darkness and another strike. “Reveal thy nature, snake!” the princess commanded in a resounding voice. “We are the Princess of the Night! We command thee to show thyself!”

Bonbon backed away from the battle and looked around frantically. If she couldn't wake herself up, her only hope was that Rainbow Dash would realize what was happening and wake her, or that Lyra would wake up first.

Lyra! Bonbon spun back around. “What about Lyra? Is Lyra okay?”

“I have not found her dream.” The light from Luna's horn expanded slightly, trying to force the presence away from her. “She is either awake or not dreaming.” She grit her teeth and narrowed her eyes further at her opponent. It looked as if she was merely keeping it occupied to give Bonbon time. Bonbon wasn't sure if it was because she couldn't force it out, or if she was afraid what would happen if she did. The princess seemed as if she was as much in the dark about it as Bonbon herself.

Then it really was up to Bonbon to find a way to break the dream. Bonbon edged along the broken walls and edges of the dream, trying not to draw the attention of the nightmare snake. “Come on, Bonbon,” she thought. “It's my dream, my mind. I can wake up if I damn well please!

“Right?”

She sighed when the dream showed no signs of relenting to her will. As she was looking around for any bright ideas, something caught her ear. It was a tiny cry for help. She turned and galloped towards the sound, ignoring the writhing darkness. She almost stumbled over a large writhing mass of entangled darkness. Muffled cries came from within. Bonbon snapped at the shadows, biting to free whatever it had ensnared.

“You have another pony trapped in your dream!” Luna announced behind her. A lance or searing light cut through the darkness and dissolved again, leaving a trail of black smoke and green mist. The slithering mass released its stranglehold for a second and pulled away from the light. “Quickly!”

Bonbon saw her chance and tore at the darkness. A head emerged and with it a hoof and a wing. Rainbow Dash gasped for air as she fought to free the rest of herself from her bonds. Anger and determination was painted on her face.

“Rainbow Dash?” Bonbon frowned at the pegasus. “What are you doing in my dream? You're supposed to stay awake!”

“Not now!” Rainbow hissed, apparently not having heard what Bonbon was actually saying. “I've got a snake to skin! No over-sized reptile messes with Rainbow Dash!” She tore herself free and took flight, wobbling a bit as her leg lagged behind, before racing straight for the central mass coiling around the princess.

“You were supposed to stay awake so you could wake us up!” Bonbon lost herself as she shouted at the pegasus. “Wake up, you overblown pigeon! Wake up so I can beat some sense into that empty skull of yours!”

Rainbow Dash either didn't hear her or pretended not to as she dove right down through the darkness and smoke surrounding the princess. “You leave the princess alone!” she screamed at the top of her lungs as she struck ineffectually at the monster, passing right through its body and emerging again in a massive cloud of smoke.

A loud chime cut through the noise of Rainbow Dash's battle cries. Bonbon blinked, and her ears stood up in attention. The darkness hissed and whirled around as it dissolved in smoke and was torn apart.

Thank Celestia I always think ahead, Bonbon thought in the second before the dream ended.

*          *          *

“Beware!” the princess' words echoed loudly in her mind as she sat up with a start.

A tiny red flame lingered in the remains of the neglected campfire, its feeble light the only protection from the looming walls of darkness around them. She could feel the raw anger around her now, like a wall of fire and tendrils of flame without any light. It was close now, and it wanted them gone!

Bonbon ignored the flame and scrambled straight for Lyra. The sudden movement caused the flame to flicker dangerously. Bonbon paid it no mind as she shook Lyra hard. “Lyra! Your light!”

Deep shadows crept across the unicorn's sleeping face, like tendrils pouring through her mind. Lyra's eyes moved under her lids for a second as the fire finally gave up and died. Bonbon shook Lyra frantically as the darkness poured in around them like water from a broken dam. “Lyra! Light!”

Lyra stirred and blinked awake with a groggy look of confusion. Behind them Rainbow Dash was stirring as well. Bonbon glanced over her back, staring into the darkness. She could feel the rage flowing over them like waves of heat washing through the tunnels of the abandoned mine. If it had a voice, it would hiss the words “Get out!

And then she saw it: Just a glimpse of a figure, a flicker of deeper darkness within the dark as it moved to attack. It looked familiar, but she didn't have time to place it. “Lyra!” She shook the unicorn again.

Lyra opened her eyes fully and stared into the face of the darkness. Shock made her scramble backwards. Her horn flashed in defense, and a sudden light filled the cave.

The creature hit Lyra in the pounce and tumbled across the floor. It shrieked in panic at the light and was gone down the tunnel before any of the ponies could react. Bonbon's mind was still unsure what she had seen. Why had it looked familiar, or was it just the product of a tired mind? She didn't have time to think about it now.

“Lyra? Are you okay?”

Lyra stumbled back up, her blanket hanging haphazardly from her ear and over her back. She shook it off and looked around in fright. “What's going on?”

“Something attacked us!” Rainbow Dash growled, getting up and crouching down by the extinguished fire, eyes watchful and wings ready to launch her into an attack at anything that should dare to show itself now.

“We have to get out, right now!” Bonbon said firmly. “Grab everything and let's make a run for it. I don't think we've seen the last of that thing.” Even as she was speaking, the darkness was closing in once again, angrily trying to squeeze the light out.

“I say we find it and teach it a lesson!” Rainbow Dash stomped the ground.

Bonbon looked pleadingly at Lyra. The unicorn's eyes were wide with fear as she looked around. “N-no, Rainbow, I think we need to leave,” she said. “I think it's best to leave quickly.”

“Then come on!” Bonbon grabbed her blanket and stuffed it roughly into her bag. She could fold it up properly once they were safely outside.

Lyra grabbed hers as well. Even Rainbow Dash, despite her bravado, seemed to decide that it was best to follow. It took only a moment to grab everything. Lyra slung her bags over her shoulders and pointed down a large tunnel. “This way,” she said and set into a gallop. Rainbow Dash and Bonbon set off behind her.

Never in her life had Bonbon run like this. The path wound around sharply, and the ground was uneven and in some places slippery from ages of dripping water. Both she and Lyra frequently stumbled and were caught and helped back up by Rainbow Dash. Every time, Bonbon caught a glimpse of something just out of sight behind them, hunting them but kept at bay by the light.

It was getting bolder with each passing minute, and Bonbon worried that they wouldn't find the exit before it overcame its fear of the light. They ran through tunnels and caves, always trying to follow the ones that led north. Bonbon wasn't sure how long they had been running, perhaps an hour, perhaps a little more, but the tunnels seemed to be leading back up now to her great relief.

She was beginning to lose her breath and felt her legs giving up from the hurried and uneven running when a faint breeze of cold air brushed past her. The cool air felt refreshing against her face and in her lungs. “I can feel fresh air!” she stuttered and found the energy to push herself a little harder.

“I think I can see the moon!” Rainbow Dash called a little ahead of them.

Bonbon barely registered anything around her as she pushed herself as hard as she could, storming down the ancient tunnel with Rainbow Dash in front. They burst out into the fresh air and light of the moon. Bonbon came to a halt in the snow, panting heavily from the last frantic sprint.

“W-we made it!” she gasped and turned around.

“Where's Lyra?” Rainbow Dash spun around herself in a circle, trying to spot the unicorn.

Bonbon looked back at the ancient mine entrance, half buried behind snow and rocks. “She was right there with me not a moment ago!” she said in horror. “Lyra!

“We have to save her!” Rainbow Dash was already racing back down the tunnel before she had finished the first two words.

Bonbon galloped after the pegasus, feeling her lungs on fire and her heart stampeding along with her, more out of fright for Lyra than because of the running. “Lyra!” she called out, her voice echoing down through the mine.

“Help!” Lyra's voice echoed back from a small side tunnel as they raced past it.

“She's down there!” Rainbow spun around on a bit and raced wildly down the passage after Lyra.

Without the light of Lyra or the moon behind them, the tunnel soon became pitch black. “Rainbow!” Bonbon called out as she stopped, unable to see a hoof in front of her, much less where she was running. “Lyra!”

“I'm here,” Rainbow said and felt her way to Bonbon in the dark.

Bonbon shivered. She could feel the hostile presence nearby. The creature could be anywhere, and so could Lyra. She reached around for her saddlebags, but the blanket stuffed randomly inside made it hard to get anything out without pulling it all out on the floor. Bonbon cursed her lack of proper care. “Typical!”

“Bonbon! Rainbow Dash!” Lyra's voice called again, this time from behind them. “Where are you?”

Didn't they just come that way? Bonbon had no time to question it. She felt Rainbow Dash rush right past her and race back the way they came. She struggled to turn in the dark and follow. They arrived back in the main passage, the moon's light just barely enough to see by.

“We were here a second ago!” Rainbow complained. “Lyra! Where the hay are you?”

The moonlight dimmed as a shadow crept through the tunnel towards them. Rainbow Dash spun around to face whatever was coming down the tunnel.

“I'm not afraid of you!” she growled and held up her hooves. “Come out and fight me!”

Bonbon crouched down behind Rainbow Dash, ears low, wishing she was as brave as the pegasus right now. She looked up into the darkness and a pair of pinpoint eyes. If the thing had taken Lyra, then she would stay and fight. She would not turn tail and run!

“Bonbon! Dash!”

Bonbon spun around at Lyra's voice.

“Bonbon! Dash!”

“She's outside!” Bonbon cried and rushed around, all thought of standing and fighting forgotten.

Rainbow Dash was right behind her, as was the darkness. Rainbow Dash rushed past her as they once again burst out into the light and the open sky. A loud rumble shook the mountain behind them as they turned around in time to see rocks and snow collapse over the entrance.

Bonbon's breath slowly calmed down as the clouds of snow settled. She looked around the ruins where they had emerged. “Lyra?” she called.

“Where is she?” Rainbow Dash looked around as well. “You heard her too! Lyra?”

Bonbon looked back at the blocked mine with a sinking feeling in her gut. She had heard Lyra's voice loud and clear. But … had she actually been right about where it came from?

Lyra knew that trick … the one where she made her voice sound like it came from somewhere else. Bonbon remembered the pranking.

But this didn't seem like the time for pranks. Had Lyra deliberately misled them?

Bonbon's eyes turned down at the snow around them. They settled on a few tracks that had not been covered by the snow slide. The tracks looked like they had been smudged out and covered in a haste.

“I don't think she's still in the mine,” Bonbon said to Rainbow Dash who was digging frantically at the blocked passage.

“What?” Rainbow Dash stopped long enough to look up at the tracks in the snow when Bonbon pointed them out. Her eyes followed them towards the ruined village, and her brow furrowed for a moment. Then she dropped the stone she had dug out of the snow and stood up. “Let's set up camp, then.”

Bonbon looked at Rainbow Dash in disbelief. “What?”

“Let's get some shuteye while it's still dark,” the pegasus said. “We'll find her in the morning.”

Was this still a dream, or had something replaced her two traveling companions? Bonbon looked back down at the obscured tracks as Rainbow Dash headed out in search of a place to set up camp.