//------------------------------// // A World Without Laughter // Story: Unlikely Places // by flutterstare //------------------------------// 3 A World Without Laughter It had been almost an hour, and there was still no response. I paced the room nervously. My long list of daily responsibilities would have to wait. I knew I would not be able to concentrate without conformation that she had received my letter. I walked over to the window for the hundredth time and picked out the little town of Ponyville in the distance. It sat peacefully nestled at the edge of Everfree, as serene as ever. The hours I had spent staring out that window watching over the small town through the years would have driven anypony else mad. My constant visits were more than simply out of necessity. I had grown an inexplicable affection towards Ponyville and its humble inhabitants; by this point I was constantly worrying over their safety. I couldn’t let anypony know that though – a Princess must avoid showing favoritism among her subjects. Finally, I heard the delightfully familiar noise I had been waiting for. I turned around just in time to see a magical stream of energy materialize into a scroll bound with a red ribbon. I eagerly opened the letter, overjoyed to have received her reply to such an important matter. It read: Dear Princess Celestia, In response to your previous inquiry concerning my attendance at a royal summit held in Canterlot on the tenth day of Spring this year, I assure you my answer is: of course I’ll be there! I would not be fulfilling my newly appointed duties as a Princess if I chose not to participate in important royal events such as this. I fully understand that due to the confidential nature of the summit, you are unable to discuss it in detail before I arrive. I am very excited to take part in such a significant occasion, and will try my best to do my part along with you and the other Princesses. I await our next meeting with much enthusiasm. As always, your guidance is greatly appreciated. Your Faithful Student, Twilight Sparkle I breathed a heavy sigh of relief, and put the scroll down on my desk. It wasn’t that I had thought she would refuse; I was merely anxious whenever matters involving the great prophecy were at stake. I had every bit of faith in her. Twilight had never failed to exceed my expectations, both as a student and a Princess. At least not yet. I had been waiting millennia for this, and now it seemed I was on the brink of success! There was no time to celebrate though. I had duties to attend to. I took my list and made for the door, only to find it blocked by none other than my sister. “Luna!” I said, “What are you doing here?” “I should ask you the same,” she replied, “The Prime Minister is becoming worried. Why have you not yet come down?” “Wonderful news, Luna! Twilight has confirmed her presence at the ascension summit. She will finally be able to fulfill her destiny!” I was genuinely excited. Luna may have passed the prophecy off from time to time, but I felt it was my duty to ensure it’s fulfillment. “In a few weeks time, all our troubles will be over!” I said happily, “Say, shouldn’t you be in bed? It’s nearly the middle of the day.” Luna walked to the window and cast her eyes towards Ponyville in the same manner as I had done earlier. To my surprise, her expression seemed contemplative rather than relieved. “I find myself awake through many a day, recently,” she said, “Sister, I have... doubts about your intentions for Twilight.” “What do you mean?” I asked, possibly a bit too accusingly. “I’ve told you before that all this feels rushed. How can we be sure she is the one?” “Luna, I am surprised at you,” I was beginning to get annoyed, “I have been watching Twilight Sparkle since she was a filly. I have carefully considered her every aspect, ensuring she was on the correct path. I made the decision to crown her Princess only when I was absolutely certain that she was capable.” I condescendingly turned my head and reminded her, “You of all ponies should know that her abilities and strength of heart are not to be opposed.” Luna never took allusions to her dark past well, but she managed to brush this one off with little more than a grimace. “Even so, this is an enormous decision that I fear you are overconfident young miss Sparkle will agree to.” “Nonsense!” I declared, “Sister, you must learn to have faith. Haven’t I been right about her so far?” “Perhaps...” Luna walked right up to me and looked deeply into my eyes. “I do not feel good about this, Celestia. I have an overwhelming sense that there is danger ahead. Please, at least give us more time to assess the situation.” I scoffed. “Well, I have no such feeling, and I’m afraid my intuition overrules yours.” I turned and promptly swept out the door, leaving Luna behind. As I performed my usual tasks that day, I wondered whether I had been too harsh on my sister. She was only concerned for the Kingdom, after all. I decided to apologize to her that evening, and attempt to ease her fears in a more sensitive manner. I would not, however, change my position on the necessity of the ascension summit. I was as sure that Twilight Sparkle was the destined bearer of the Elements of Harmony as I had ever been of anything. The longer she remained in her present state, the more risk I took. All that remained now was for her to make the choice. Luna was correct when she said it was an important choice, but for Twilight it should also be an easy one. I knew she would not let me down. * * * Autumn Breeze’s brow furrowed in concentration. She scoured the old map, looking closely for the best route through the looming Foal Mountains. Ever since leaving the sanctuary, the question of how to get through the sizable obstacle had been ebbing in the back of her mind; especially during the last two days of travel, as the terrain had became steep and rocky. Now she found herself at the base of an enormous un-scaleable mountain with absolutely no idea of how to get past. Indigo, who was leaning cooly against a nearby tree, tapped her hoof impatiently. It was the bane of every pegasus’ existence having to spend time figuring out how to get non-flyers over tall obstacles. Indigo was particularly unsettled because this was the first real problem the duo had run into in days. The food and supplies they had taken from the Order of Eternal Truth had been holding up marvelously. The forest was still relatively thin, and they hadn’t seen any parasprites or timberwolves. Even the weather had been kind to them, enough so that Indigo chose to sleep outside the tent almost every night. She was having a good time with her best friend, dire circumstances or not. For a moment, Autumn’s face lit up and her mouth opened as if she had found what she was looking for. It turned out to be nothing though, and she fell back into her contemplative trance. Autumn cursed herself for not having planned this earlier. There had been so much time in the days since their quest had begun. Instead, they had talked and laughed and discussed the strange gem her mother had given her. She had discarded the tassel and locket, and designated a small inner pocket of her bag to hold the apple-shaped jewel. She wasn’t sure how such a thing could be helpful, or how they were expected to find more of them given all of Equestria to search; but for the time being, Autumn figured her best move was to play along. “Indigo, would you do me a favor and fly up to see if there’s an open space or a stream or anyplace nearby where I can orient myself a little easier?” she asked, not looking up from the tattered old parchment. Indigo sighed and silently obliged. She flew up slowly past the leafy branches and through the canopy. Upon reaching the surface, she was washed over with bright rays of sunlight and momentarily had to shield her eyes. It was beautiful above the trees. The sky was blue and the leaves on the treetops were in the throws of Spring: thick and green with the occasional flower blooming in the sunshine. She took a moment to enjoy the scenery, wishing Autumn could be up there with her. She would never say it out loud, but sometimes Indigo really wished her friend had wings. The truth was, Autumn secretly wished that too, though she had long ago dismissed it as a childish fantasy. These days, she rarely thought about it. That particular day, however, she was feeling a bit guilty about holding her friend back. This made her all the more determined to find a quick route through the mountains. She scanned the region on her map, but could only find seasonal passes which were all still closed. Meanwhile, Indigo had failed to find a clearing, but she did see something else in the distance that took her interest. Smoke appeared to be rising above the trees a few miles to the South. She flew higher to get a better look. “Hey Autumn!” called Indigo, “I think I see a town over there.” “What?” Autumn confusedly looked around the map for a town she might have missed. “How could there be a town? There’s no town on this map,” she said. “Yeah, that’s probably because it was built sometime in the last five centuries,” Indigo remarked. She swooped back down through the leaves and landed next to Autumn. “That map is too old. You could at least have held on to our first map.” “It wouldn’t fit in the bag!” Autumn protested. “Right, well I say we head in that direction; maybe get some advice or something,” said Indigo. “Oh, no. You heard what Ambrosia said. We have to lay low, not draw any attention to ourselves. Walking right into the middle of a strange town is definitely a bad idea.” “So, we’re stuck here then." “Well, there is one way...” Autumn had been avoiding bringing this up because it was a rather lengthy extension of an already long trip. “If we turn south and go through the lowland part of the range it should be easy traveling, but that would mean going dozens of miles out of our way...” Indigo thought about it for a moment. “And that's the only way to get to the Everfree Forest on the other side?” she asked. “I’m afraid so,” confirmed Autumn, “at least until Summer.” “Alright, let's do it.” Indigo agreed much quicker than Autumn had expected. She turned south and began to walk casually towards the distant foothills of the Foal Mountains, unfazed by the addition of a solid week to their travel time. Autumn folded up her map and ran to catch up with her. “Are you sure you’re OK with this?” she asked, “I mean, I know if it was up to you you’d just... you know, fly.” Indigo grinned and nudged her friend as they walked side by side. “I’m having a great time with you out here. Another week or so just means more quality time spent with my best friend.” She stopped and put a hoof around the orange-maned earth pony. “We’re in this together, Autumn; and nothing or no one will ever come between us.” Autumn smiled and put a hoof of her own around Indigo. She felt lucky to have such a wonderful friend. “Nothing or no one will ever come between us,” she repeated. Right at that moment, the something or someone that would eventually come between them came crashing through the undergrowth. It slammed into Autumn and sent her tumbling across the grass. She rolled for a good six meters before she was able to stop herself. Autumn shook her head and blinked a few times trying to restore her blurry vision. There was something warm and heavy sprawled across her back. She turned to get a look at it, and was only further confused by what she saw. It was a pony. A young unicorn stallion with a mint green coat and sky-blue mane. He couldn’t have been much older than her. His expression and demeanor made it clear that he was frightened. He jumped up and looked around frantically before grabbing Autumn and shouting “Hide Me!” into her face. “Wha–?” “No time to explain! You have to hide me now!” “Who in Equestria are you?” demanded Indigo, prying the stranger away from her friend. Suddenly, there came a terrifying roar from just outside the thicket. Something very angry was headed right towards them. “I’m someone who is going to be in a lot of trouble if you don’t help me out!” Another roar, closer this time. It sounded like it may have been actual language, but impossible to understand. Autumn and Indigo looked at each other. Where were they supposed to hide this guy? Thinking quickly, Autumn threw her bag down on the ground and pulled out the traveling cloak she had taken from the sanctuary. “Huddle down next to my bag, and Don’t Move,” she instructed the newcomer. He obeyed without asking questions, and curled up as small as he could make himself beside the silver saddlebag. Autumn threw the cloak over the bag and the pony, creating a lumpy pile that might be able to pass as supplies. Just in time, too. As soon as the cloak had settled, the bushes ripped open and a great snarling minotaur barreled into the clearing. Whatever this pony had done, it had made the massive beast dangerously angry. His face was red with rage and steam was visibly pouring from his nostrils. “Aha!” he boomed upon seeing Autumn, “I’ve got you– oh... you are not the green demon.” He looked around at Autumn and Indigo, and then at the lumpy cloak, and then back at Autumn. “Have either of you seen a scheming conniving green unicorn of your species come through here?” “Unicorns? Nope, no unicorns here. Just us two. Sorry.” Indigo wasn’t very good at lying. The minotaur eyed her suspiciously and then turned his attention back to the lump lying at Autumn’s hooves. His eyes narrowed. “What’s under there?” he asked, slowly reaching to lift up the cloak. Autumn was quick on her hooves. “Oh, you know, girl stuff.” The minotaur quickly retracted his hand as if had been told the cloak concealed a nest of scorpions. “Right. Of Course,” he said, a little flustered, “Well, if you do see him please skin him alive for me, and then get my 20 bits back.” With that, the minotaur stormed out of sight in the direction opposite he had came. Autumn and Indigo waited for his heavy hoofsteps to completely fade away before breathing a mutual sigh of relief. “He’s gone. You can come out now,” said Autumn. “Oh thank goodness,” gasped the unicorn, collapsing out from under the cloak, “and thank you.” He stood up to give Autumn a respectful bow. “I am sure I would not have been able to escape the wrath of that sore loser on my own.” “Hold on,” Indigo stepped in between the two, “What did he want with you anyway?” “Well,” the unicorn began, “let’s just say I won some money from him in a game of chance, and he took it a little too hard.” “He went on a rampage with the intention of skinning you alive because he lost a game?” Autumn asked. “There may have been a tiny bit of deception on my part...” “So you gambled with him–” “That’s correct.” “–and you cheated.” “I prefer the term ‘fixed the odds.’” He casually brushed some dirt from his coat. “I just used a little magic to ensure things went the way I wanted. He wouldn’t even have noticed if I hadn’t gotten excited and lit the dice on fire.” “You used magic to cheat?” Indigo scoffed, “Typical unicorn.” “And who are you to judge me?” he retorted. “Alright, alright, everypony just settle down.” Autumn needed to defuse the situation, knowing Indigo was prone to rash decisions when her temper rose. “Let’s just start over. My name is Autumn Breeze, and this is my friend Indigo Cavallino.” Indigo humphed and gave the unicorn an “I don’t trust you” look. “Why don’t you tell us your name?” “My name,” said the unicorn, standing a little straighter, “is Viridian Skyshimmer Seaheart the Third.” Indigo snickered. The unicorn gave her a dismissive look and then continued. “Most ponies just call me Sky.” “Fair enough,” said Autumn. “So Sky, now that we’ve helped you with something, perhaps you could help us. Do you live around here?” “Well, yeah,” said Sky, “just in town...” “Perfect.” Autumn gestured to the mountains on her right. “So could you tell us if there’s a way through these mountains? A faster route than going around them?” “Sure,” he said, “you just need to take the Cattle Road Pass.” “Cattle Road Pass...” Autumn flipped open her map. “Why can’t I find that anywhere?” “Once again, may I point out that map is five-hundred years out of date!” Indigo exclaimed, “It is not a reliable source of information.” “Whoa, five-hundred years?” said Sky, “Where did you get that thing? It must be worth a fortune.” He then noticed the overstuffed bag of supplies and food he had been huddled against. “Say, what’re you guys doing out here anyway? And why do you need to get through the mountains?” “That’s none of your beeswax, horn-boy!” Indigo declared. “Watch it, feather-brain.” “Both of you, pleases stop! Look, Sky, our reasons are our own and we would greatly appreciate it if you would respect our privacy.” Autumn stuffed the map back into her bag and closed it up. “However, we really need to get to this Cattle Road Pass. If you show us the way, then we can call ourselves even.” After a moment of thought, Sky shrugged and said “Works for me.” He turned to the South and began to stroll through the trees. “The road runs right through town, it’s only about a twenty-minute walk from here.” Autumn grabbed her bag and hurried after him, overjoyed to have found a way through the mountains. A dumbstruck Indigo stayed where she was and called out “Don’t I get a say in this?” but Autumn had already caught up to Sky. She began chatting with him, probably jeopardizing their delicate situation. Indigo didn't get it: not five minutes ago, Autumn had refused to go into town on the grounds that it might be dangerous. Now she was trusting a complete stranger, an admitted swindler no less, with such information as their names and their direction of travel. Begrudgingly, Indigo trudged after them. She would be sure to keep a close eye on this pony. Up ahead, Autumn was taking advantage of the opportunity to get as much advice from Sky as she could without giving away their ultimate objective. “So this pass,” she began, “is it new to the area? How well traveled is it?” “If three centuries old is your idea of ‘new’. After the population boom, Hidden Springs needed more resources or workers or something like that. Anyway, the road began as a trade route between Hidden Springs and Dodge City; a road that ranchers from the south could drive their cattle along – hence the name. Nowadays it’s mostly used by wealthy Baltimarians who own summer houses in town.” Sky kicked a small rock out of his way. “I’m sorry to say that I fit that demographic.” “So where are these hidden springs?” Autumn asked. Sky gave her a look. “That’s the name of the town: Hidden Springs. You’re not from around here are you?” “Well, I didn’t used to get out much.” “Say... you guys aren’t up to anything illegal are you? I mean like really illegal?” Autumn shifted uncomfortably. “No...” she said, “but like you, it would be best if we weren’t found by those who are looking for us.” Sky’s expression suddenly perked up. “Does that mean you’re runaways?” “Not exactly, no.” Sky slumped back down as if this information had saddened him. “What about you?” Autumn asked, “What are you doing out here in the woods gambling with minotaurs?” Now it was Sky’s turn to be uncomfortable. “We had to come up early this year so my mom could do her work at the Magical Development and Research Center, and so I got pulled out of secondary school. I don’t know a lot of ponies in town my age, and those that I do know are either in school themselves or not here yet. So I guess I find interesting ways to pass the time.” “Your mother is a scientist?” “Yeah, she’s working on some big project with Ignorosia. I don't really understand it, but apparently this is the best place to–” “What did you just say?!” Autumn froze in her tracks. “What is your mother researching?” “Ignorosia,” repeated Sky, “You probably haven’t heard of it. It’s an obscure spell that–” “Indigo!” Autumn cried out with excitement and bounded back to her friend who was still skulking a good distance behind them. “You won’t believe how lucky we are!” * * * “OK, here we are. I still don’t understand exactly what you’re planning to do here.” Sky pressed the call button outside the door to Research Block E. “I thought you needed to get through the mountains.” Luckily, Autumn had an excuse ready. “I’ve always been fascinated with magical theory, and when I heard your mother worked here I just had to get an insider’s tour.” “Alright, but prepare to be underwhelmed; it’s just a boring lab and some science stuff.” He hit the call button again, holding it down for longer this time. “C’mon. They’re always so slow with the doors.” It had been surprisingly easy getting three underage ponies into the facility. The receptionist had barely bothered to lower his newspaper when the trio entered; and upon a few words from Sky, he had simply pointed them in the right direction and gone back to his tabloids. Besides that, Autumn hadn’t seen a single security guard the entire visit. Apparently, there wasn’t much worth stealing in the Hidden Springs Magical Development and Research Center. The building itself resembled a hospital, but a little cleaner. To get to Research Block E, they had walked down several long white corridors lined with doors and side hallways. It reminded Autumn of the Order of Everlasting Truth's Sanctuary, but much smaller and less dramatic. Most of the doors led to conference rooms and offices, but every once in a while they’d pass a large yellow and black sign that read “Research Block A: Magical Herbs and Remedies” or “Research Block C: Transmogrification and Amniomorphic Spells”. Occasionally a pony would hurry past wearing a lab coat or business attire, but for the most part the place felt deserted. After about five minutes they had come to another sign that read “Research Block E: Ignorosia,” and it was here that Sky frustratedly jabbed the call button while Indigo whispered a question into Autumn’s ear. “What are we doing here? You don’t expect them to actually help us, do you?” “They don’t have to,” Autumn explained, “I just need to know if there’s a way to free my father from the spell. If so, we may not have to risk our lives after all.” The door suddenly made a lurching noise and flung open. “Finally!” Sky exclaimed, “She’s in here. Try not to touch anything, they yell at you if you do that.” Autumn stepped inside and looked around. It was a surprisingly simple setup. A few long metal tables littered with research equipment and scrolls stretched the length of the room, cabinets containing test tubes and beakers lined the walls, an emergency eye wash station below a blocky graphic of a pony cleaning a chemical burn sat in the corner, and a large vault-like metal door dominated one wall. There were three ponies inside, all of whom were wearing lab coats and doing something that looked important. Only one of the three was a mare, which meant she must be Sky’s mother. Mrs. Seaheart was a steel-grey unicorn with a nearly black mane that had hints of blue in it. Her cutie mark was a boiling beaker; easily visible because she wore her lab coat just a little shorter than the others, as if to show off how appropriate her special talent was. She sat hunched over a few scrolls, carefully working out an equation on scrap parchment. Autumn noticed the same faint aura of magic around her horn as the unicorn from the Sanctuary. “Hey mom,” called Sky, “I have some friends who want to meet you.” Sky’s mother looked up from what she was doing. “Viridian!” she said, surprised to see her son at her place of work, “I thought you were doing something out in the forest. I didn’t expect to see you today.” “Yeah, me neither,” Sky replied. “These are your friends?” she asked, eying Autumn and Indigo, “I didn’t realize you were spending time with young mares, Viridian. You haven’t been off doing anything I wouldn’t want to hear about, have you?” “No, mom!” Sky’s cheeks tinged with red. “They just wanna talk about your work or something.” “Ignorosia, specifically.” Autumn chimed in. “Ah,” Sky’s mother smiled. “So you’ve heard of it have you? Not many ponies can claim to be well-educated in ancient magic such as that.” “I’m not so much well-educated as I am acquainted by proxy,” Autumn explained as vaguely as possible. “I would definitely like to learn more though.” “Hmmm, I am very busy...” Sky’s mother ran a hoof through her mane. “Could you possibly wait until this evening? I’d be happy to have you over for supper.” “That’s not really an option, I’m afraid,” Autumn said “Today is our only opportunity.” She sighed and looked at the papers scattered on the table in front of her. “Well, alright. I suppose I can spare a few minutes. Anything for friends of my little Viridian.” Sky had already stopped listening though, having turned his attention to a bubbling glass test tube. “Huh? Oh yeah, friends, sure.” “Well then. What is it you want to know?” she asked, “I’m currently working on ways to sustain the spell without the presence of a unicorn. I’ve found limited success with certain herbal mixtures given the proper magical influence, but the effects wear off within hours and it never work as well on ponies as it does on smaller creatures.” “I was thinking more along the lines of termination,” Autumn suggested as casually as she could, “Like how to break the spell without removing the unicorn sustaining it from the immediate vicinity.” “Oh, that’s easy,” she replied. Autumn perked up– “It’s impossible.” –and slouched back down again. “Ignorosia has the remarkable quality of drawing infinitely from a nearby magical source without the need for concentration or even conscious application. It is unlike any other known magical phenomenon.” Sky’s mother tapped her horn with a hoof. “See, usually I have to be willingly engaged in spell-casting in order to use magic. With this spell however, I can forget that I’m sustaining it, fall asleep, and even cast other spells. The only way for me to break the connection is to consciously do so, or else pass the spell to another unicorn. There is also a spell radius of about 50 meters that is necessary for successful retention, but that’s rarely an issue since you begin to feel a mental tug at around 35.” “So there’s no way to break the spell without it being the caster’s intention?” Autumn was getting the feeling this was a huge waste of time. “Not that we know of,” Sky’s mother said happily. She levitated a dusty textbook off a nearby shelf and presented it to Autumn. “If you’re really interested in the subject, I’ve always found this Guide to Contemporary Elucidations of Cognitive Magical Conjecture to be an entertaining read. You can borrow it if you like.” Nothing about the massive book looked remotely entertaining, even to Autumn who usually loved reading. She figured there was not much else to learn here. Now they were only cutting into their precious time. “That’s alright, thank you. We were only curious.” Sky’s mother shrugged and put the book back on the shelf. “Suit yourself. You’ll be hard pressed to find much information about Ignorosia. Our research is largely speculation, and most of what we know still comes from the original works of Twilight Sparkle.” Autumn, who had been just about to give up, was caught off-guard by this remark. She blinked, wondering if she had misheard the steel-grey unicorn. “I’m sorry, did you say Twilight Sparkle? As in Princess Twilight Sparkle?” “Indeed,” she confirmed, “Not many ponies know this, but Ignorosia was first developed and described by Princess Twilight over six hundred and fifty years ago. Next to her completion of Starswirl the Bearded’s destiny spell, it remains one of her most significant contributions to magical theory.” This was too much of a coincidence for Autumn to ignore. Her whole life she had been fascinated by the mysterious history of the Equestrian crown, doubly so for Princess Twilight and the events of the Schism. Unfortunately, only extremely limited information had ever been available to her. Like everypony else, most of her knowledge came from legend. Now there was a member of the intellectual community not only confirming the existence of Twilight Sparkle, but suggesting that some evidence of her work may actually still exist. She couldn’t resist delving further. “So, you research magic developed by Twilight Sparkle herself in this lab?” she asked eagerly. “Indeed,” Sky’s mother replied, “That’s why this center was founded. A private donor funded the construction of this foundation for the betterment of magical understanding way back when Princess Twilight was still around. After the Schism, we were allowed to keep much of the Princess’s research on the condition that we used it for the betterment of the community.” She gestured to the massive steel door on the opposite wall. “Most of the important records and artifacts are kept in there, as a matter of fact.” Autumn knew she had to get into that room. No matter what it took, she couldn’t miss a golden opportunity like this. She prepared herself to beg, bargain, or even lie in order to get inside. It wasn’t going to be easy, but she took a deep breathe and– “Would you like to see inside?” Sky’s mother asked. “Oh... errr, yes please.” Too easy. “Autumn, what are you doing?” Indigo whispered as they followed the older mare across the room, “She said we can’t break the spell, so why are we still here?” “Just hold on!” Autumn snapped, “I have to see if they really have artifacts from Princess Twilight’s life in there. I’ve wanted to see something like this my whole life.” “Wha... this is about some stupid personal thing!? Autumn, we’re wasting time here!” “Look, Twilight Sparkle was a key player in the Schism. The fact that whatever is in there isn’t locked up at Canterlot is highly unusual. It might be helpful.” “Autumn I swear, if we–” Indigo, who had been too busy venting to pay attention to where she was going, didn’t notice that the other two had stopped, and bumped right into Autumn’s backside. This ended their whispered argument, and initiated a round of frustrated glares. Sky’s mother was too happy to notice. She clearly found being a tour guide much more exciting than her regular job, and on top of that she got to spend some time with her increasingly detached son. She called to Sky, who hadn’t made any effort to move in the direction of the others. “Viridian, why don’t you help me show your friends the Pinkamena room?” “Ehh, no thanks,” he shiftlessly replied, “That place creeps me out.” Sky’s mother turned back to the door and picked out one of two black levers at its center. The faint aura around her horn grew brighter, and a stream of magic gently flowed from its tip and enveloped the mechanism. “Dr. Chamomile,” she called, “A little help, if you don’t mind.” One of the other scientists in the lab looked up from his microscope, with which he had been observing a substance reminiscent of grape jelly. “Oh, yes. Of course,” he said. The new unicorn positioned himself so that he could activate the second lever in the two-pony system, and repeated exactly what Sky’s mother had done. With an audible CLICK, both levers snapped upwards and the door began to grind open. The Pinkamena room was small, far less grand than what Autumn had been expecting. In fact, it looked a lot more like a large storage closet than anything else. The walls were lined with dusty bookshelves filled with boring looking books. A few cardboard boxes were scattered around the floor, and what appeared to be a very old and decrepit cannon sat in one corner. The most prominent feature was a large metal capsule at the room's center. It was hooked up to an assortment of cables and hoses, some of which made an occasional humming noise. It looked eerily like a metallic coffin. “Well, here it is,” Sky’s mother said proudly, “Centuries of research on Ignorosia, from A to Z.” “But... How much of it was written by Twilight Sparkle?” Autumn asked. “Well, most of it actually.” “But these books all look newish,” Indigo commented. “That’s because they are new,” Sky’s mother explained, “Her work has been copied and recopied dozens of times. The originals are long gone. You don’t think they could have survived this long do you?” Autumn lowered her head and sighed. “No, of course not,” she said. “You did say something about artifacts though, didn’t you?” “Ah, I see. You’re a young historian, eh?” Sky’s mother smiled and gestured towards the wall across from them metal capsule. “The really old stuff is over there.” Autumn followed her hoof and saw a small glass display case that she had not noticed when she came in. She excitedly hurried over and pressed her muzzle against the glass. There were only a few items inside, but it was clear they were much older than anything else in the room. There was an old framed photograph, a music box, a faded letter, a gold necklace, and a horseshoebox labelled “Balloons”. Autumn was understandably confused. “So, wait. This stuff belonged to Twilight Sparkle?” she asked. “Twilight Sparkle?” Sky’s mother walked around the capsule to stand next to Autumn. “Why would...? Oh! Goodness, no.” She chuckled to herself. “These artifacts belonged to the donor, the pony who funded the creation of this facility. That’s why we named the room after her. Pinkamena Diane Pie.” Somehow, it was still possible for Autumn’s shoulders to slump lower. “Miss Pie provided the funds necessary for our research to begin, and insisted that it be used primarily for the betterment of Equestria. Her only stipulation was that we maintain her stasis in this chamber here.” She tapped the metal capsule with her hoof. “We keep all her most precious possessions in this room with her, and although it is not our primary prerogative–” “Hold on a sec,” Indigo piped up, “Did you just say that there’s a... pony in there?” She pointed to the metal device. Sky’s mother nodded vigorously. “Pinkamena asked that we put her under the Ignorosia spell. Her request letter is actually in that case, I believe.” Autumn looked back into the case at the ancient parchment. She could only barely make out the letters. “Dear Board Members,” Autumn read aloud, “I am so very pleased to hear that construction of the Magical Development and Research Center is almost complete. It has been... * * * Dear Board Members, That was how you were supposed to begin letters, wasn’t it? She had trouble remembering these things. “Focus Pinkie!” she said to herself, “I need to do this right. Keep it formal and straightforward so they know you’re serious.” Pinkie Pie brought her pen back down on the parchment and continued. I am so very pleased to hear that construction of the Magical Development and Research Center is almost complete. It has been nearly eight years since we drew up the plans, and the news that our dream has almost come to fruition is more than spectacular. However, there is a more serious matter to discuss. As the primary shareholder, I reserve the right to make a request of the the others. Recent events have shaken me, and I cannot deny that excessive suppression of emotions has had an adverse affect on my health. I refuse to run from the truth any longer. All the happiness has gone from the world, and I no longer recognize the community I once loved. I thrive on the merriment of others, yet have been unable to find any for some time now. I have decided that there is no place for me here. Therefore, I humbly adjure that as a first subject, I myself am placed under my dear friend Twilight Sparkle’s spell Ignorosia; to be kept in a state of permanent stasis until the laughter has returned. I am sure there will be hesitation among you to fulfill this request, but I insist that this be the one thing that is done in return for my donations. I shall be with you shortly when I am ready to be put under. Yours honorably, Pinkamena Diane Pie “That should do it,” said Pinkie as she dotted the last “i” in her name. She folded up the parchment and tucked it into her saddlebag, along with a few other important papers. “I’ll be back in a few hours, Gummy. Help yourself to anything in the fridge. Oh, and keep an eye on Pound Cake for me. I think he’s been sneaking off to hang around some fillyfriend when he should be working.” The saggy old toothless alligator let out an unreadable gurgling response. Pinkie shook her head. The poor little guy just didn’t have any energy left in him these days. Pinkie walked down the stairs and out into the crowded main room of Sugarcube Corner. She made her way through the forest of customers, wishing ponies a wonderful day and ensuring that their cupcakes were as good as they had hoped. Finally, she made it to the front door. She pushed it open, and was met immediately with a familiar butter-yellow face. “Oh, hello Pinkie,” said Fluttershy, “I was just coming over to see you.” “Hi Fluttershy. Is there something I can do for you?” Fluttershy stared at her for a second, as if she were expecting Pinkie to respond to her own question. “Um, no. Nothing specific...” “Do you want a cupcake?” Pinkie asked. She began rooting around in her saddlebag. “I’m sure I’ve got one around here somewhere...” “...Oh no. That’s OK...” Fluttershy looked longingly into Pinkie’s blue eyes. She was getting the feeling Fluttershy was expecting something from her. “Well, I have to go to the post office and run a few errands so...” “Of course. Sorry to keep you.” Fluttershy’s voice was noticeably quieter now. “No worries.” Pinkie set off down the road. “By the way, tell Applejack that the three of us should get together for another spa day. The last one was fun. See ya’round Shy!” As she walked briskly down the sunny Ponyville road, Pinkie thought to herself that Fluttershy had been acting strangely. She had so much on her mind though, that she couldn't give it much thought. She went over the list of shops she still had to visit and turned the corner towards the Ponyville Post Office. Back out front of Sugarcube Corner, Fluttershy quietly stared at the ground. Her tight-shut eyes let just a few tears escape and fall to the dirt. After a long while, she turned and headed slowly back down the path towards her cottage. * * * “...I shall be with you shortly when I am ready to be put under. Yours honorably, Pinkamena Diane Pie.” Autumn finished reading the letter and turned a fascinated eye towards the metal capsule at the center of the room. “‘Until the laughter has returned’. What in Equestria does that mean?” Indigo asked. “I have no idea,” Sky’s mother admitted, “and apparently neither has anyone before me, because she’s still here.” “Weird,” Indigo said, moving cautiously closer to Pinkamena, “What do you think that means Autumn?” Autumn, however, was more interested in another part of the letter. “‘My dear friend Twilight Sparkle’. ‘My dear friend’. Pinkamena actually knew Princess Twilight?” “Apparently so.” Mrs. Seaheart put a hoof on the metal chamber. “She was a very wealthy tycoon of the sweets and baked goods industry, after all. If you look again, you’ll see that the Princess wasn’t the only famous pony miss Pie was well acquainted with.” Autumn turned back once again, this time focusing on the yellowing old photograph. At first, there seemed to be nothing special about it. Just a couple of ponies sitting at a wooden table, laughing and enjoying mugs of what must have been cider. The one on the left had a light pink coat with a frizzy dark pink mane. Autumn assumed this was Pinkamena. The pony on the right was– “Wait a minute!” Autumn suddenly recognized the other pony in the picture. “Is that... Rainbow Dash?” “Rainbow Dash!?” Indigo repeated, “The Wonderbolt? I gotta see this!” She zoomed over next to Autumn so that the two of them looked like foals gawking through a toy store window. Sky’s mother chuckled. “Yeah, that one is everypony’s favorite. I remember one old stallion even tried to buy it off us once. Pinkamena obviously had connections. “Anyway, her financial support was too important to refuse, so the board obliged and she became the the facility’s first subject to go under the spell,” She tapped the capsule, making a hollow clanging sound, “and she’s still here after nearly seven centuries.” “So she could be woken up.” Autumn whirled around, her face lit up with a marvelous idea. “You could break the spell right now and she’d step out of there like it was the day she went under! She could tell us everything about Twilight Sparkle and life before the Schism!” “Well, not exactly, no...” Sky's mother put a hoof on the back of her neck. “Quite a while ago, when they were transferring miss Pie from her old containment vessel to the one she’s in now, there was... a bit of an accident. She is likely to have sustained serious brain damage. On top of that, she’s the longest continuing Ignorosia patient Equestria has ever seen, and we have no idea what the effects of being under for that long are.” She placed her hoof back on the capsule. “It is likely that if we broke the spell, it would be fatal to Pinkamena.” “Yeesh,” said Indigo, “That’s depressing.” “Indeed,” Mrs. Seaheart agreed. The three of them shared a moment of silence, all staring solemnly at Pinkie Pie’s resting place. “Well, I have work to do; so unless you have any final questions, I’m afraid we have to be going.” Sky’s mother walked back towards the door, followed by Indigo who was more than ready to get back on the road; but there was one more thing that had caught Autumn’s attention. “Mrs. Seaheart,” she asked, looking once again through the glass of the display case, “you said all of these items were of great importance to Pinkamena?” “That’s right,” she replied, “She only chose to keep a select few things, so they must have been meaningful. Just what you can see in that case there, as well as the cannon in the corner. Not sure what she used that for...” Autumn wasn’t talking about the cannon, though. She had just noticed that the golden necklace inside the case was embedded with a magnificent blue gem in the shape of a balloon. While the necklace itself, along with everything else in the case, had clearly aged and worn down over time, the gem was as bright and pristine as if it had been cut just that morning. “You guys go ahead, I’m gonna stay here and... look at this photo for a while.” “OK, then,” Sky's mother said cheerily. She and Indigo walked out, leaving Autumn alone behind them. “Your friend is a fan of the Wonderbolts then?” “That’s an understatement,” Indigo laughed, “I remember when we were little we used to go down to Central Park to play ‘Wonderbolts World Racing Championship’. Of course Autumn would always get to be Shooting Star...” “Central Park? As in Manehattan?” Sky's mother stopped and gave Indigo a confused look. “So, you two aren’t from Hidden Springs?” “Um, well, no... I mean we’re just here for, umm... I mean we just moved here from the city.” Indigo once again was proving her inability to tell a good lie. Sky’s mother raised an eyebrow at her. “So you do live here. Are you two related?” “Um, no we just uhh... Autumn! Haha, there you are!” Indigo tried to change the subject as Autumn returned from the gloomy storage room, fidgeting with her saddlebag. “Well miss Seaheart, thank you so much for the tour, but we really have to get going.” Autumn said hastily. “I couldn’t agree more.” Indigo grabbed Autumn by the strap of her bag and started pulling her towards the door. “Thanks again miss, we really appreciate it!” “OK, you kids have a good day!” She then turned back to her son, who was relieved to finally end his boredom. “I’m going to be late getting home tonight Viridian, could you tell your father for me?” “Yeah, whatever.” “It was nice meeting your friends!” Sky was already almost out the door. “OK, mom.” When her son disappeared, Brooke Seaheart let out a long sigh. She pulled a tall stack of papers over, and went back to her work. * * * “Well that was a waste of time.” Indigo kicked a pebble as the pair walked side-by-side along a dirt road that wound its way through the forest, and eventually into the Foal Mountains. “We probably could’ve found this pass without anypony’s help; we were going south anyway.” “I’ll admit that the information we got from the facility was unhelpful,” Autumn said, “but we didn’t walk away completely empty-hoofed.” “Really?” Indigo turned skeptically to her friend. “Because my hoofs are pretty empty.” “And that is why you are lucky to have me.” Autumn smiled smugly and threw her bag over her shoulder onto the ground. She then opened one of the flaps and reached inside. “Autumn, what’re you doing?” “Check this out.” Autumn held up the old golden necklace she had taken from the display case for Indigo to see. “Whoa!” Indigo was taken aback. “Is– Is that from the facility? Did you steal that?” “I swiped it when you were out of the room. At first I just wanted to get a closer look at it. Think about it: two precious stones owned by earth ponies in the same town at the same time.” “You’re saying this has something to do with the apple thingy?” Indigo asked. “That’s right,” Autumn smiled, “and when I took it out to compare them, look what happened.” She pulled the orange gem out from its special pocket and held it next to the blue one. Very faintly both gems began to glow with a fluorescent flicker. It was as if tiny rainbows danced across their surfaces. “OK, so they glow a little bit,” Indigo said, “Did that justify stealing it?” “Indy, I think this might be one of the things we’re supposed to be looking for,” Autumn explained, “One of the ancient items that will help us get into the Elements of Harmony room.” “Wait, I thought we were just looking for more apple gems,” Indigo exclaimed, “If the category is as broad as ‘old jewelry’ then we’ll never find them all!” I think these two have more in common than the fact that they’re gems,” Autumn said, “There are some ancient secrets that I think we are getting very close to uncovering. These two artifacts hold, or at least used to hold great significance, otherwise they wouldn’t have survived this long.” Autumn held up the necklace to the sun, inspecting it from every angle. “I think each one we uncover will get us closer to the truth.” “Well, hopefully that’s just one more gem away. Your mother said she thought there were only three, right?” Autumn did not get to answer this question, because they were interrupted by a mint green unicorn. Sky appeared to have ran all the way from town to catch up to Autumn and Indigo. For whatever reason, he had a bag on his back, and a bandana tied around his neck. “Hey guys!” he said upon reaching them, “I was wondering if a couple of traveling ponies like yourselves might... Hey, what's that?” Autumn was still holding up the necklace. She quickly threw it back in her bag, and rushed to come up with an excuse. “Oh, nothing. It was just an, umm–” “Was that from the Pinkamena room?” Sky asked. “No! It’s not what it looks like!” “You stole that didn’t you!” Sky pointed an accusing hoof at Autumn’s saddlebag where the gem was stashed. Autumn began to panic. The last thing she needed right now was to be reported to the guards. “This is brilliant!” Sky exclaimed. Autumn and Indigo shared a confused glance. “I thought I was going to have to beg you, but now I can just blackmail you into letting me come!” Sky chortled happily to himself. “Come?” Indigo repeated, “You mean come with us?” “Yep!” Sky confirmed, “I’ve always wanted to get away from my boring old life and go have a real adventure. I was going to ask if I could tag along with you two – seeing as you’re professionals and all – but now I don’t have to worry about you rejecting me!” Sky gestured to the bag again. “Because if you do, I’ll be forced to go back to town and rat you out.” “Wha–? You little snake!” Indigo suddenly became very angry. “That’s a rotten thing to do!” “As rotten as stealing a priceless artifact?” Sky asked condescendingly. “Look, Sky, you don’t understand,” Autumn pleaded, “We need this gem for something very important, it’s the whole reason we’re out here in the first place. We can’t have anypony else along though, this is between us.” Sky scoffed. “Oh come on! I’m not even asking to stick with you forever. Just until we get through the mountains; you can help me get my bearings.” “No way!” Indigo fiercely held her ground. “We are not going to be your babysitter!” “Fine,” Sky said, turing back down the road, “I hope you can move faster than royal guards.” “Wait!” Autumn called. Sky stopped and cooly looked back at her. “Let us talk about this for a second,” she said. Autumn and Indigo put their heads together. Sky waited casually a few meters away, trying not to look desperate. “We can’t seriously consider bringing him with us,” Indigo said, “He could slow us down or expose us!” “What other choice do we have?” Autumn asked, “We can’t let him go back and put the guard on our tail. Besides, he said he’d only stick with us through the mountains. It’ll just be a couple days of being careful what we say, and then he’ll be gone and it’ll be like this never happened.” Indigo groaned. “Yeah, but we don’t know anything about this pony. Actually, we do: we know that he’s a con artist. He could be a spy for all we know!” “A spy?” Autumn asked skeptically, “A spy our age, who goes to secondary school and plays dice with minotaurs?” “OK, so maybe it’s unlikely,” she admitted, “but it’s still not worth the risk!” “Indy, you’re going to have to trust me on this one,” Autumn said, “I promise we won’t let him in on any secrets.” “Humph.” Indigo crossed her front legs. “How is it that I’m always the one who has to trust you?” Autumn and Indigo turned back to face the unicorn, who had been discreetly leaning forward in an attempt to hear what they were saying. Indigo scowled and looked away, refusing to offer any notion that she agreed with their decision. Autumn put her saddlebag back on and made sure to seem as mature as possible. “Alright, you can come,” she said, “but let’s clear some things up.” Sky smiled slyly. “If you’re wondering how I covered for myself back in town, don’t worry about it. I left a note saying I’d be staying at my great aunt Sandy’s house for the week. Poor old aunt Sandy has been a bit off these past few years, and she never writes anyway. By the time my parents figure out I’m not with her, I’ll be half way to–” “I don’t care,” Autumn said, “All I want you to tell me is that you will follow all our rules, help out with setting up camp, and leave us alone as soon as we reach the other side of the mountains.” “Fine,” Sky agreed, casually inspecting one of his hoofs, “I’ll follow your rules. I hope you have a tent though, because I refuse to sleep outside!” Indigo scoffed. “Psh, Unicorns.” Sky frowned, but then put a hoof on the back of his neck and changed his tone. “Look,” he said, “I really don’t mean to get off on the wrong hoof here. I respect both of you, and I hope we can get along.” Autumn thought for a second. “Can you start a fire with your magic?” “Of course,” Sky replied. “Then I think we’ll get along just fine.” She smiled and stretched out a hoof to shake. Sky responded with a laugh and a hoof of his own. For a brief moment, the two looked into each others eyes, and Autumn could somehow tell that she had made the right decision. “OK, c’mon Super-Pals. The sun is going down and we need a place to set up camp,” Indigo said impatiently. “Right,” Autumn agreed, “We’d better get going. Sky, you know the area so you take the lead. Indigo, fly up top and search for a good place to camp.” “Aye-aye, captain.” Sky gave a mock salute and set off merrily down the road. “I hope you know what you’re doing,” warned Indigo one last time. She flew up into the air and started circling their heads above the trees, looking for a flat spot. Autumn stood motionless, pondering something she couldn’t quite explain. She reached into her bag and pulled out the two gems, holding them side by side. Their faint sparkles danced across her eyes, and she found herself momentarily entranced by the vivid colors. There was something magnetic about them, as if they were tied together by an invisible bond. Autumn shook her head and placed the precious stones back in her bag. She set off after Sky who was now a good distance ahead of her. For now, she had to focus on getting through the mountains; but she hoped the journey ahead would reveal more answers about what these gems were, and what they had to do with Twilight Sparkle. Autumn Breeze was in for much more than she expected. * * * “Your highness?” Princess Celestia did not respond. She was scribbling away at an important-looking piece of legislation. Firestorm shifted uncomfortably. He was one of the most experienced ponies in the Royal Guard; only the best got to be personal guards for the Princess herself. He had been in the service for years, received awards for valor and citizenship, and even seen some action during the Diamond Dog Rebellion, but nothing he had ever done compared to standing in the presence of Princess Celestia. Not that she was a scary figure, just an imposing one. The experience was genuinely nerve-wracking. He decided she must not have heard him. “Princess?” he said a little louder, “There is somepony here to see you. A hooded pony who says you’ve been expecting–.” “Please shut the door after my guest enters.” She did not look up from her work. Firestorm bowed low and exited the room. Within seconds, he was replaced by another pony who was draped in purple robes. The door slammed shut, leaving the Princess and her spy alone in the royal chamber. The robed pony stood quietly in the corner, waiting for Celestia to speak first. “I’ve been expecting you,” she said, “Tell me, why did it take you two days longer than usual to reach me?” “Leaving the Sanctuary is not as easy as it used to be. The Grandmaster has resolved to let only a few of us out at a time in an effort to minimize the risk of betrayal. Luckily, I am one of her closest followers.” “I see. When are you due to report back?” Celestia asked. “I have no ultimatum for return. Several of us were released the other day as permanent scouts.” The hooded pony stepped forward. “I am entirely at your disposal, my liege.” “Wonderful.” The Princess put down what she was working on and walked to her chamber window. “In that case, I have a mission for you. I need you to locate and follow Misty Morning’s daughter on her quest to recover the elements. Report back to me on her progress, and do not – under any circumstances – make her aware of your existence.” “It will be done, my Princess.” The hooded pony took a bow. “But may I ask you just one question?” “Of course,” said Celestia, turning back to her work. “Why not simply apprehend the young ones now? It would not be difficult.” Celestia let out a long sigh and looked back towards her window. “I would not expect you to understand,” she said, “I am certain that young Autumn Breeze herself does not even comprehend the significance of the items she searches for. Having them here in Canterlot under my protection would be enormously beneficial, both to myself and to the kingdom as a whole. All we need to do is let her find them, and then take them from her when the time is right.” “But if they are so important,” the hooded pony began, “then why haven’t you collected them for yourself by now? Surely, it would not be a problem for a Princess such as yourself to locate a few ancient artifacts.” “My loyal subject, you forget yourself,” Celestia warned, “It is not your place to ask such questions.” “Of course, my liege. Forgive me.” The hooded pony took another bow. “I shall take my leave at once and seek out the young mare and her companion.” The pony backed out through the door and quickly swept down the hallway, leaving the Princess to her royal business. Celestia raised her reading glasses and ran over the document she had been revising one more time. Deciding it was as good as she could make it, the alicorn rolled the parchment into a scroll and tied it with a blue ribbon. “Firestorm,” she summoned her personal guard from the hallway where he was stationed, “I have a job for you.” Firestorm hurried into the chamber and offered his Princess a picturesque salute. She waved it off and offered him the bound scroll. “Please deliver this to your Captain, and tell him that we will be needing an increase in security around the city effective immediately.” Princess Celestia walked once more to her chamber window; but instead of looking down over her Kingdom as usual, she looked up towards the top of the mountain on which Canterlot was perched. “Increase in security?” Firestorm asked, “Is there a threat, my Princess?” Celestia’s eyes were fixed on something she couldn’t see, but she knew was there. A cave, far up near the peak of the mountain. A cave that held the secrets of Equestria’s ancient past. “My dear Firestorm,” she said without breaking her gaze, “there is always a threat.”