The Unchosen One

by MagnetBolt

Eclipse

Trixie sat up, panting, her head pounding, in a cold sweat. She had been in a terrible, shapeless nightmare of darkness and indescribable evil, her fitful sleep making it even worse as she couldn't distinguish between the dream and reality. The room was pitch black, and for a moment she wasn't sure if she was awake or asleep, though she didn't remember dreams hurting quite so badly.

“Calm down, you're awake,” said a soothing voice. A sourceless light of soft silver, no brighter than a full moon, filled the room, revealing the form of the indigo Princess of the Night. She was sitting beside Trixie's bed. “You're in Canterlot. After you passed out, the guards were unable to rouse you.”

“Princess Luna?” Trixie blinked, trying to wake up more. “What are you doing here? Where's Twilight?” Trixie tried to get up, but the princess pushed her back down gently. Trixie looked around at the room. It was filled with books. Twilight's room in the castle. Trixie looked down at herself. Her shoulder and body were wrapped in bandages, and the armor she'd worn was gone.

“You were badly hurt. You've been sleeping most of the day. You should not even be awake yet. Tis the fault of the nightmares.” Luna looked to the side, with an expression Trixie recognized from the mirror. Shame. “I tried to enter your dreams to give you aid, but 'twas impossible. Your dreams were not natural.”

“You didn't answer my other question,” Trixie said, quietly, afraid.

“We don't know where Twilight Sparkle has gone.” Luna stepped away to look out the window at the night sky. “My sister went to where she was last seen, but she has done something to obscure her path from us. We know she is alive, but... the possibilities are dark.”

“There was something wrong with her,” Trixie said.

“Yes. It is possible tis something very wrong.” Luna turned back to Trixie. “Some of the ponies whom you rescued said Babbidi had an amulet.”

Trixie nodded. “It was about this big, a star sapphire that was shaped like a seven-pointed star.” Luna visibly paled, her expression draining as Trixie confirmed what she had heard from the others.

“Tis what I most feared,” Luna said. “I thought the dark times were over, but it seems my own mistakes are as long lived as I am.” She took a deep breath, composing herself. “I fear that this, all of this, has been my fault. Babbidi Boo was merely the first victim.”

“A victim? She tried to kill me!” Trixie sat up sharply, wincing at the movement.

“You of all people should know the danger of a cursed amulet, and what she found was the most terrible artifact I know of in Equestria.” Luna sat next to Trixie again, looking up at the ceiling as if she could see the sky beyond it. Maybe she could. “I have not told my sister yet of my fears. Would thou give me council as a friend before I go to her?”

“Trixie is... of course, Princess.” Trixie slumped.

“A thousand years ago, when I was in the grip of my madness, before I revealed what I had become to my sister, I felt the power of the Elements of Harmony leaving me. I know now that it was because I had lost myself, fallen to the growing power of the Nightmare within me. But then, confused, I thought it was a symptom of what had driven me to insanity, that I was no longer able to wield the power of harmony because the ponies of Equestria had abandoned me and loved only Celestia.

“I knew my sister still remained able to use the Elements, and I sought a weapon to use against her. A new Element, not made from the powers of Harmony which eluded me, but out of a terrible power that had nearly matched the Elements once before. I turned to Chaos Magic and forged a weapon that I could use to defeat my sister. The Element of Dominance.”

“...But you didn't defeat her,” Trixie pointed out. Luna snorted.

“Yes. There were a great many things I left half-finished in my haste and insanity. It is for the best that I did not complete them, or else history might have taken a darker turn.”

“I didn't mean that. Sorry, Princess.”

“Nay, tis nothing. My true regret is what I put my sister through. It is why I am afraid to tell her of this. I do not want her to have to think back to the dark time when I eclipsed the sun and broke her spirit with my rage. But with Twilight Sparkle missing, I also dare not refrain from action.”

“Trixie thinks if you don't tell her, she's going to find out anyway, and will be more upset you hid it from her.”

“Of course you are right.” Luna smiled. “But tis good to know you think the same.”

“What will the... the Element of Dominance do to her?” Trixie asked.

“I do not know for certain. I was not in my right mind when I forged the weapon. At times twas like I was watching my body from the outside.” Luna started pacing. “To be sure, it will make her stronger, at the cost of her sanity. It seems it had the same effect on the witch. I fear, from what thou have told me, that part of the Nightmare Entity still clings to it.”

“This is all my fault,” Trixie said. “I was supposed to protect her.” She rubbed her eyes.

“I do not think there is much you could have done. I have already interrogated Babbidi Boo, though we will be keeping an eye on her closely until we can see that wielding the Element of Dominance has not done some lasting damage to her.” Luna stood and started walking towards the door.

“Wait!” Trixie stood up, almost falling as she put weight on her bandaged leg. “How are we going to find Twilight? There has to be some way to track her down!”

“My sister plans to have the five remaining Elements search for her. They know her well, though I am not sure how much that will help.”

“I have to go with them!” Trixie hopped on three legs towards the princess.

“You are in no condition to do so.” Luna glanced back at her. “You do not even have the ability to leave this room, much less search for Twilight.”

“Trixie has no limits,” Trixie stated, forcing her gait to even out and marching past the princess and out the door, ignoring the tearing pain in her shoulder.

It turned out that Trixie, in fact, had limits. She managed to get nearly all the way to where Twilight's friends had gathered before she collapsed in a heap. Nearly. After she'd made it clear she wasn't going back to bed, Luna had ordered one of the guards to assist her. She leaned on the white pegasus heavily for support as she burst through the door.

“Trixie is here!” She declared loudly. Five heads turned to look. All of Twilight's friends had already arrived, the five of them sitting around a table and looking various shades of bored and frustrated at a pile of books.

“Oh boy,” Applejack said, with a sigh. “Ain't you supposed to be in the hospital?”

“Trixie can't just sit around while Twilight is missing!” She limped over to the table and sat down, the guard sighing and walking out, having done his duty by making sure she arrived safely.

“No offense, but we're pretty experienced at this adventure stuff,” Rainbow Dash said. “Once we figure out where Twilight went, we'll have her back in a flash.”

“And have you figured out where she went?” Trixie asked, skeptical.

“Well... no. But we will!” Dash folded her hooves. “It's just that usually she does all the boring research stuff. It's just taking us a little longer.”

“What are you even researching?” Trixie grabbed one of the books. “Daring Do and the Mystery of Cloud Nine? How is this-”

“It's a signed first edition!” Dash said, then swallowed as she looked at the others glaring at her. “What? I wasn't going to read it yet! I just wanted to set it aside for later!”

“Ah swear, Dash, if we had to count on you fer all our plans they'd jes be crayon drawings with the word 'Awesome' written on them a couple dozen times.” Applejack sighed.

“Truthfully we haven't gotten very far,” Rarity said. “As far as we can tell, these are the books that were missing from the library in Ponyville.”

“What do you mean, missing?” Trixie asked.

“Obviously we checked Twilight's place first,” Dash said. “But the place was a mess. I mean, more of a mess than usual. Spike usually cleans up, but he was gone too. We think she was there for a while before she left, but we don't know where she went after that.”

“And you think the missing books are a clue,” Trixie said. The other ponies nodded. “Do they have any common themes?”

“Not really,” Dash said with a shrug of her wings. “Mostly just about the kind of old legends Twilight likes. Nightmare Moon, the Elements of Harmony, that kind of thing.”

“Trixie supposes that's appropriate...”

“Um, there were also a lot of books that were probably just checked out,” Fluttershy pointed out quietly. “It is a library, so I don't know if we really needed a copy of Fifty Ways to Cook Kale.”

“Oh! Look! This one has pictures!” Pinkie Pie flipped around the book she had been intently reading. The pictures inside were highly inappropriate. If Twilight was doing that kind of research than she'd need several very flexible stallions. Applejack quickly took the book from the pony and closed it before putting it out of her reach.

Trixie rubbed her chin. “Trixie thinks you are trying to solve this like you were Twilight, but that won't work. If she's trying to avoid you, she'll expect you to think like she does, and she's better at it because she does it all the time. Trixie supposes she probably has a checklist made just for the event that she has to flee town without alerting anypony.”

“Wouldn't surprise me,” Applejack sighed.

“Dear, if we don't try to think like Twilight we won't be able to find her,” Rarity pointed out.

“There's always another solution,” Trixie said. “We don't have to come to the same conclusions as Twilight. We just have to think of what she generally does in a situation like this.”

“A situation like this,” Rarity sighed. “It isn't as though Twilight has ever been possessed by an evil magical artifact before.”

“No, but she has gone crazy a few times,” Dash said. “Usually because she worries too much. When she gets into that kind of trouble she goes somewhere to be alone, stops sleeping, and starts doing more and more extreme things while her mane gets all crazy and messy like this.” Dash used her hooves to mess up her mane but... well her mane was already a mess, but everypony understood what she meant.

“And this is a big problem,” Trixie said. “If she left her library it meant she didn't have what she needed there. So where would she go next?”

“Knowin' Twilight? She'd hit up the biggest library she knew-” Applejack blinked. “Wait, ain't there a library here?”

“The Canterlot Archives!” Rarity said. “Yes, Twilight tried to drag me through them the last time she showed me around Canterlot. I thought she'd know some interesting places since she'd lived here but her tastes are, pardon me saying, a bit academic.”

Trixie nodded. “Trixie would start looking there. They're better organized than Twilight Sparkle and they have teams of people who are good at research.”

“Well what are we doin' sittin around here then?” Applejack stood up. “Which way's the library?”

“It's right this-” Trixie stumbled as she stood, her bad leg locking up for a moment. Fluttershy was at her side in an instant looking at it.

“Oh... this looks bad. You really should rest. I know Twilight is your friend too, but she wouldn't be happy if you hurt yourself over her.” Fluttershy lent her a shoulder to lean on, and Trixie slowly made her way towards the door.

“Trixie doesn't-” She winced. “Trixie does need help, actually, but she can't sit around now. If it slows you down too much you can just go and Trixie will catch up.”

Dash nudged Applejack in the ribs. “Maybe she's a member of the Apple family too. Trixie's almost as stubborn as you are!”

“There ain't nothin' wrong with bein' stubborn!” Applejack countered. Stubbornly. “Fluttershy, put her on my back and I'll just carry her if she's not gonna do the smart thing and sit this one out.” The pegasus deposited Trixie on Applejack's back, then the mare took off at a gallop.

“The archive is the other way!” Trixie yelled.

“The Archive was in significantly better condition the last time I was here,” Rarity noted. “There were fewer fires, for one thing.”

Something big had gone down. There were scorch marks on the walls and several bookcases were toppled onto the floor in a heap of crumpled paper and torn papyrus. Somepony groaned from a dark corner. Rainbow Dash flew over to look and found one of the Archivists, his greyed coat covered in a layer of soot.

“Trixie remembers you. You're, um... Dizzy...”

“Dusty Quill,” he corrected, coughing. “You're awful with names, girl. No wonder you barely passed Western Equestrian History.” Trixie hopped off of Applejack's back and landed with a wince and a wave of nausea. “This isn't a good time to be looking things up in the library. If you'll excuse me, I need to get the guard, then a glass of water, then I think I'll hire a few extra janitors.”

“He was one of Trixie's teachers,” she explained to a questioning look from Rarity. “Though she remembers him as being somewhat less rude.”

“I'm not in the mood. I just had my flank kicked by another one of my old students, so if you're here to do the same thing I want you to let me know who else is coming to dispute old essay grades, because I'm not filing the paperwork to have them changed now.”

“Trixie also remembers that you never gave her higher than a B.”

“This ain't the time,” Applejack said. “Now was this or was this not th' work of a little purple princess who probably appeared here and started mumblin' about some darn magic thing?”

“Purple is accurate, the rest isn't.” Dusty coughed. “She was taller than I remembered, and there was a lot more throwing me around with magic, knocking books over, and maniacal laughter than mumbling. Miss Sparkle really needs to treat these books more gently. It's going to take years to clean up the damage she's done. Even for royalty that's simply unacceptable.”

“What did she want to know?” Trixie asked.

“Nothing important,” Dusty Quill shrugged. “She wanted to know about the location of some damn mystical place where we keep things locked away forever. I kept telling her that there's no such place as the Black Archive, but she seemed convinced it existed. When I told her she was an idiot she lost her temper and set my card catalog on fire.”

“That really doesn't sound like Twilight...” Fluttershy whispered.

“Spike, take a note,” Twilight dictated. “Despite the lack of assistance due to somepony of my power and stature, I have still overcome the difficulties at hoof and located what is no doubt one of the most closely-guarded secrets in all of Equestria. This despite ancient edits from Celestia and Luna as well as what is no doubt a conspiracy on the part of the archivists to make it difficult to find relevant information. If not for my new insight I may not have found it at all.

“The Black Archive is a place that is barely even spoken of in legend, almost every trace of its existence erased from memory by time. This is clearly deliberate. Celestia and possibly Luna may be the only living ponies who know the full contents of this vault, and it is my belief that it contains weapons and wonders that would put the Elements of Harmony to shame. Weapons she has refused to use to protect Equestria from threats!

“Time and time again she has sat on her flank and sent me out into danger when she has at her command forces that could have instantly ended the threat of the changelings or Discord or even Nightmare Moon. It is only because they lack the will to act that they keep putting me in danger. So I will take the decision out of their hands. Once I have access to what they've locked away I will be able to make use of them in ways that they never- What is it, Spike?”

“Mmmph mm.”

“I suppose it is a bit hard to speak through that gag. But we can't have you going and telling the Princess what I have planned! Don't worry. Once I've fixed the mess they made, everything will be better, and even the ruler of Equestria will need a number one assistant.”

Spike shivered as Twilight laughed, her voice cold and dark and frighteningly familiar.

“Princess this is highly irregular! You cannot simply dismiss Day Court at this early hour!”

“I have already done so,” Celestia stated calmly. Guards started pressing in around the supplicants. As soon as the Elements and Trixie had brought news of what had happened in the Canterlot Archive, she had ordered the court ended. The long line of ponies waiting for her to decree matters on their behalf as an absolute judge and jury.

“But there are urgent matters-” The pushy pony was trying to resist two guards who were almost dragging him away.

“Silence!” Luna yelled, in the Royal Canterlot Voice. Celestia sighed, but this was exactly the sort of situation it was for. “Thou may return to beseech me at the Night Court if thou cease this prattling at this very instant, else thou will be thrown into the dungeons for a full turn of seasons for showing disloyalty to thy betters!”

Celestia gently coughed. “Perhaps a touch less threatening, Luna. We don't often throw ponies in the dungeon these days.” Luna frowned, but didn't retract the statement. It was more than enough to send the annoying pony out the door like Nightmare Moon herself had just screamed for his blood. Which wasn't far off from the truth.

Luna waited for the room to clear. “Sister I know thou has more experience with these times, but we look weak when you contradict me. T'would have been better to allow him to be thrown in prison then pardon him later as a gesture of mercy.”

“Maybe next time,” Celestia said, with a strained smile. “But we have far more important matters at hand. Please, my friends, continue.”

“The archivist said she was trying to find information on something called the Black Archive,” Rainbow Dash said. Celestia and Luna paled, though it would have taken somepony particularly skilled at cold reading to tell that Celestia had reacted at all. Trixie noticed. It made her even more worried.

“I see,” Celestia said. “Guards, leave us and ensure that no one is listening in on this discussion. This is a matter of state security.” That phrase made them jump to attention and run out. Trixie's worry had gone from concern to near-panic. Now the room was well and truly clear, even the omnipresent guards having vanished.

“Princess?” Applejack asked.

“Officially, there is no such thing as the Black Archive,” Celestia said. “It is only an old legend with even less truth to it than so many legends from those days. It was even a mere rumor before the dark times a thousand years ago. According to each and every one of the very few books that even mentions the Black Archive, it is noted that it is merely a story which has no basis in truth.”

“That's good,” Pinkie Pie said, wiping sweat from her brow. “I was really worried there for a second! Everypony got all serious and scary!”

“That is because...” Luna looked at Celestia. “It is because if such a thing existed, 'twould be a repository of the most dangerous and destructive powers that have ever existed in this world. Anypony who found their way into such an archive, if it existed, would likely destroy not only themselves but also all of Equestria in short order with the power there.”

“And Twilight is trying to get into that?!” Trixie gasped. “We need to stop her!”

“Why would she even want to get into it?” Dash asked.

Applejack rolled her eyes. “Sugar, Twilight would want to get in there and poke around even if she weren't possessed by some kinda ancient evil.”

“Um... but... if they're so bad, why did you just lock them away?” Fluttershy asked. “Wasn't there some way to...” she trailed off.

“If a place such as the legendary Black Archive had been created, it would not have been done lightly, but because it was the only way to keep Equestria safe. There are some things that are too powerful to be destroyed, even by Luna or myself.” Celestia looked out of the window at the sun. “Locking them away beyond anypony's reach was the only thing that could be done. Containing them in cages of sorcery and iron, to protect the world from them, and them from those who would seek to abuse their power.”

“That is the sentiment that would have resulted in the creation of the Black Archive, if it existed,” Luna said quietly. “And why it is forbidden for even we to speak of it as if it, or the things that it holds, exists.”

“How powerful are we talkin'?” Dash asked. “Like, as strong as Discord?”

Luna sighed. “There are things that can kill even an Immortal. I cannot speak of them. Let it simply be known that they are not used for a reason, and it is not simply because my sister and I are kind. In the cycle of ages before this one, when we were not so kind, when our enemies fell before us, even then we dared not wield these weapons, as to use them even with the best of intentions would destroy all that has been built.”

“But... that's...” Trixie shivered.

“I jes' don't get why anypony would make somethin' like that.” Applejack frowned. “Seems to me like it'd be pretty pointless havin' a tool you couldn't use. Like makin' a stove that burns too hot for food, or a plow that rips up th' soil to bedrock.”

“Some people, not all of them ponies, created them as a threat to keep others away, or to force others to bow to them,” Celestia said. “Most of the weapons were not intended to be used. But sometimes they were. That is one of the reasons there are few records before Discord's reign, and why my sister and I were the only alicorns remaining until this generation.”

“Thankfully, this is all hypothetical,” Luna said. “If the Black Archive existed, it would be impossible to breach the vault that contains it. Powerful enchantments would keep it pushed out of our reality entirely and into the aether beyond. If it had existed, there would have only ever been one way to even begin to access it, and only my sister and I would have the ability to cause the conditions to occur.”

“That is good, your majesty,” Rarity said, smiling. “I was dreadfully worried there would be some sort of deadline or rush to find Twilight. As long as she's only chasing ghosts we should have all the time in the world to find a way to help her.”

Trixie couldn't help but feel worried, though. She looked up at Celestia. “How does the vault open?”

“The vault doesn't even-”

“Twilight is smart enough to know the vault exists, and Trixie knows she'll figure out how to pry it open. If we don't know what she's trying to do, Twilight will be able to succeed because we won't know what we need to do to stop her!” Trixie stomped a hoof. “Trixie doesn't care if you don't trust her, but these ponies saved Equestria more times than she can count and Trixie is not in a mood to hear you dancing around the subject while Twilight is in trouble!”

The fact she'd just yelled at the two most powerful ponies in Equestria hit Trixie like a ton of bricks, but it was too late to back down now. She tried to look imposing, as if this would matter to two royal immortals who were not only vastly more important than she was but also vastly better at, well, looking imposing. The height helped.

“The Archive could only be opened during a solar eclipse,” Luna said. “As my sister and I control the sun and moon, an eclipse can only occur when we desire it.”

“It's a signal that neither of us could miss from anywhere in Equestria,” Celestia said. “Since those conditions were put into place, the Black Archive has never been opened.”

“The only time it came close to being opened was by my hoof,” Luna said. “It was one of my- one of Nightmare Moon's plans.”

“...and that's why you had to... send her away.” Fluttershy whispered.

“Yes. The threat to myself was minor compared to that.” Celestia sighed. “But that is far in the past. As it is impossible for Twilight to open the vault, we are left with the task of finding her while she attempts to work around our safeguards. Thankfully, even my former student will find this impossible. Unlike the drastic measures I had to take in the past, we have an opportunity to seek a better solution and save her from this curse.”

“She will not fall in the same way I did,” Luna assured her sister.

Celestia smiled, then cried out in pain, clutching her head in her hooves. Thunder roared through the sky. A black aura surrounded her horn. Fluttershy gasped and cowered as one of the huge windows shattered. Rainbow Dash and Applejack ran towards Celestia as her sister tried to help her. The elder princess collapsed to her knees.

“What's happening?” Rarity asked, looking around the room for a source of the disturbance.

“Some kind of spell!” Trixie said. She grabbed Pinkie Pie and forced the pony to help her up towards the princess. “But why would she- oh no.” Trixie turned to look outside as a shadow fell over the room. The moon was nearly half-way covering the sun.

“No!” Luna gasped. She tried to pull the moon down, but only succeeded in halting its progress, leaving the world in a shadowy umbra.

“Is Twilight doing this?” Trixie asked.

“She always was interested in how to raise the sun,” Celestia said, her voice strained. “She knows more about that magic than any pony alive save the two of us.”

“I cannot hold her forever,” Luna said. “Somehow her strength is even greater than mine, but that should be impossible! This magic feels like... the Nightmare.” She stopped, gasping.

“The Element,” Trixie whispered.

Luna took a sharp breath. “There is no time to lose. The entrance to the Black Archive is in the Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters. I dare not give more details than that in case Twilight Sparkle watches us from afar. I fear it will not be difficult to find her when you arrive. The Element of Dominance was not designed for subtle shows of power.”

“The who what now?” Applejack asked.

“Trixie will explain later!” The unicorn said. She prodded Pinkie Pie in the side. “Move it! We need to get there before Twilight blows up the world!”

“The Night Guard will be at your disposal,” Luna said. “The rest of the guard must remain here in case you should fail. They are already informed that they should follow your orders.”

“Mmmphmmm mmm-”

“Hold on, this is getting annoying.”

“Mm-” Spike gasped as the gag was torn off. “I was saying the Princesses won't let you get away with this! Just stop it, Twilight! You aren't acting like yourself!”

“Spike, I am a Princess. I know what I'm doing.” Twilight smiled, showing fangs. Spike shivered and stepped back, bumping into the iron bars of the cage that she'd created around him to keep him from running away. “Celestia and Luna won't be in any shape to stop what I'm planning.”

“Twilight, just look at yourself!” Spike looked up at her. She was nearly as tall as Celestia, her coat a violet so dark it was almost black. Her mane had changed, just a cloud that looked like a waving window into the night sky shot through with a magenta aurora. The worst part was her eyes. They were slit, like a dragon's eyes. Like... “You look like... like Nightmare Moon!”

“Well of course I do,” Twilight said, with a sigh. “It all makes sense now. This form is far more efficient at managing my magical energy. I had so much trouble with it before that sometimes I almost cracked my horn!” She laughed. That definitely wasn't Twilight's laugh. The amulet around her neck pulsed as she spoke, like something else was speaking for her.

“Please, Twilight-” Spike was cut off as the cage was thrown across the floor, crashing into the wall. Spike was tossed into the bars with enough force to bruise his scales.

“You're being annoying and stupid,” Twilight snarled. “Do you know how hard it is to be as smart as I am? I have to deal with idiots all day! Idiots who don't trust me and think that I'll destroy Equestria just because they aren't as talented as I am!” She stomped a hoof, and the floor cracked under the blow. “It frustrates me to tears, Spike! Every day I have to put up with idiots and their little problems! If it isn't Applejack with her quaint little misunderstandings it's Rainbow Dash being impatient and reckless, or Fluttershy refusing to stand up for herself, or Rarity not being able to see past her own greed or worst of all, Pinkie Pie just making things worse because she's a total void of anything resembling a brain!”

“They're your friends, Twilight.” Spike picked himself off the ground, rattling the bars of his cage and looking for a way out. “And so am I. I don't know what got into you, but you need to stop this before- before-” he started to tear up. “Before they have to banish you to the moon!”

“Spike, when I'm finished they might not even have a moon to banish me to.”

“These will help you walk,” Fluttershy said, handing Trixie a small bag. She looked inside and saw a number of green seeds. “They're called fuzzmint. The seeds make you feel warm and help with pain. I sometimes give them to injured animals to help them relax.”

“How many should I take?” Trixie asked, eating two before Fluttershy could reply. She gagged on the bitter flavor. “Ugh. That tastes like raw dandelion milk with no sugar.”

“I was going to say you should only take one. They can be really strong sometimes.” Trixie suddenly wobbled on her feet as a wave of warm dizzyness overtook her. Fluttershy caught her and held her up as she steadied herself. “Are you okay?”

“Yes, actually... Trixie feels much better.” The edge had been taken off the pain, and the relief was enough to make Trixie feel wonderful. “Trixie will definitely be able to go on the adventure now!”

“Well, um...” Fluttershy looked around. “Actually... you shouldn't. You're still not well. The fuzzmint seeds only make the pain go away, and you hurt yourself more moving around like that.”

“Trixie will be hurt even worse if the world ends,” She said, putting the seeds into her saddlebags. She'd strapped on the armor Luna had given her, though and had even found a replacement for the helmet. The Night Guards were getting Luna's carriage together to carry the four ponies who couldn't fly to the Castle of the Royal Sisters themselves.

“Hey, how much longer is this going to take?” Rainbow Dash demanded. “We need to get going now!” She pointed a hoof at the sun, which was slowly but steadily being covered up by the moon.

“It's going to be faster for us to wait for them to finish and fly there as a group,” Rarity explained for what must have been the third time. “It's called using time wisely, dear. Unless you'd rather go there alone?”

“Well maybe I should! I bet I can knock some sense into her!” Dash flapped her wings. “I can't believe she's really doing this. I mean, having to stop Twilight?”

“It's not her,” Trixie said. “It's the Element of Dominance.”

“And that's one Element against five!” Dash said. “Well, you know. In spirit.”

“...No, that's a great idea!” Trixie suddenly got excited. “If we get the Elements of Harmony you five can... Trixie isn't actually sure how they work. She is sure it will be suitably impressive, though.”

“We, um... don't have them.” Fluttershy said, pawing at the ground with a hoof. “There were plundervines and the Tree of Harmony-”

“It's all explained in the first two episodes of the season,” Pinkie Pie said.

“That mare ain't right I tell you what,” Applejack muttered.

“What Fluttershy is trying to say is that currently the Elements of Harmony are not available as such. But Twilight is our friend. Between all of us, surely we can find a way to make her see reason.”

“And if not, I'll hog-tie her and we can have Pinkie sing songs at her until she sees reason or somethin,” Applejack said. “It worked that time Fluttershy became a werewolf.”

Trixie tilted her head, confused. “...Wait, werewolves are real?”

“Excuse me,” Fluttershy said, coughing. “We agreed never to speak of that again.”

The sky darkened further as a shadow passed over the assembled ponies. A bat-winged pony shouted down to them. “Consort! The transport is prepared!”

“Consort?” Rarity seemed taken aback, looking at Trixie.

“Oh no, don't tell me they're going to start on that too...” Trixie groaned and rubbed her face with a hoof. “It's just a misunderstanding!”

“All ah know is ah don't want no details,” Applejack said, shaking her head. “Now let's get our flanks movin' afore Dash goes and flies there herself despite bein' all loyal.”

“Alright!” Dash yelled, flying up. “Next stop, the Castle of the Twins!”

“Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters, Dash.”

“Whatever!”