Three fillies sat in their room. Well, two fillies… And one not quite a filly. But close enough for friendship. The room wasn’t very large. It was just cramped enough to foster a sense of cooperation and compromise. There were three beds, one bunk bed and one single bed, a broad table that could be shared as a desk, and an immense bookshelf crammed with books. This was their home away from home, at least here in Canterlot.
There were two features in this room that set it apart from other student dormitories. Wooden rafters were suspended from the high ceiling, and there was a balcony, both of which were highly necessary for Ivy.
The fillies were nervous. Night was coming.
“Minerva, it is going to be OK. It’ll probably be dark but you’ll have us.” Hoodwink soothed.
“I know Winkie, but the dark still scares me. I…” Minerva faltered.
“What?” Asked Ivy. “Just spit it out. Don’t hold anything in. It will only hurt you later.”
“You’ll laugh at me.”
“Spit it out.” Ivy said bluntly.
She rose up on her haunches and folded her forelegs over her chest, tapping her hind claws on the stone floor.
“I’ve seen things in the dark.” Minerva said. “Bad things. Moving. They come to Silvermane manor. Cadance told me what I saw was real. They’re bad things and they come to the Silvermanes because we have strong weird magic. They want to corrupt us.” The filly halted, out of breath, near a panic.
“Oh, I know about those.” Ivy said, seemingly without any concern. “Mare Imbrium and Mare Frigoris smoosh those things all the time. I had a monster under my bed once.”
“You’re not teasing me?” Minerva asked, her eyes widening and her ears falling back.
“I don’t know what you two are talking about.” Hoodwink stated. “But clearly something is up. That much seems true.”
“I had a real monster under my bed. I saw it after Mare Frigoris killed it. Looked like a weird spider bird thing with too many legs and it had scorpion tails growing out of its backside.”
Minerva’s backside fell to the floor with a thump. She sat there in dawning horror.
“Imbrium told me that it was there to corrupt me. I had possibilities…” She paused, scratching her head. “That’s not the right word.” She scowled. “Anyway, I had possibilities to do good things and bad shades come to steal those possibilities away and make you bad.” Ivy let out a frustrated snort. “I’m really screwing this up. I don’t think my words are right. We should talk to Mare Imbrium together. But if you have shades creeping up on you, it is because you are a really good filly that will do good things and they don’t like that. If they can make you bad, you’ll do bad things and they need bad things to feed.”
Minerva flung herself into Ivy’s forelegs and clung to her. Ivy collected the unicorn and gave her an Ivy hug, which calmed Minerva a great deal.
“I have strong magic,” said Minerva, “and they want me to use my magic in a bad way, is that what you are saying?” She asked, clinging to Ivy.
“Yeah.” Ivy agreed. “But sometimes they find others who don’t have strong magic but still have a strong destiny. They try to ruin that. Take it away. They feed on earth ponies and pegasi too.”
“Horrible.” Hoodwink said. “Just horrible.”
“The lunar pegasi keep us safe and nopony really knows about it. Ponies are afraid of the lunar pegasi. They shouldn’t be.”
“I’ve always heard them called bat ponies.” Said Hoodwink.
“Are pegasi bird ponies? You don’t say mud pony to an earth pony, that’s ugly. And unicorns aren’t horn ponies.” Minerva stated. “Cadance explained these things to me after I saw a lunar pegasi for the first time. It scared me and I said something I shouldn’t have.”
“I’m a dragon pony.” Ivy said helpfully.
“No, you’re Ivy. That’s all. Nothing more.” Minerva argued.
Ivy shrugged. “I’m ‘other.’ My mother checked the box marked ‘other’ and I was delivered to her. I’m alright with this.”
“Than ‘other’ must be a really weird word for friend.” Hoodwink blurted.
The fillies giggled.
“Don’t be worried about the dark.” Ivy reminded.
“I’ll try.” Minerva offered.
“Just stay close to me.” Ivy said.
Hoodwink began to pull her hooded cloak free from her small trunk, with Ivy and Minerva watching her.
“Probably going to be cold,” explained Hoodwink, “and I don’t like the cold. Probably as much as Minerva doesn’t like the dark.”
Hoodwink paused.
“It is how I got my name. My mother told me this story. Not long after I was born, Twilight Sparkle dressed me in a hooded onesie because I wouldn’t stop shivering. When she gave me back to my mother, my mother saw me winking under the hood. Seems like a strange way to get a name, especially a name like Hoodwink, but Twilight Sparkle swears it is true. Hoodwink usually means to cheat somepony.”
Hoodwink’s cloak was black and covered in silver stars.
“My mother has a flare for drama. I’m not an evil wizard.” Hoodwink giggled.
It spilled around her body, hugging her small frame. Hoodwink began to look terribly sad.
“It smells like my mother’s perfume.” She said, her voice cracking. “Mother always spritzed my clothes. Said it was important to smell good.”
“It isn’t safe for me to wear clothing.” Ivy sighed. “I set them on fire. Or my tail rips them off. It doesn’t like clothing. I like to wear scarves though. My mother knits them.”
There was a knock at the door. “Girls?” Said Twilight. The door opened.
“Oh no an evil wizard!” Twilight exclaimed.
Hoodwink began to giggle.
“And she’s holding a crystal pony hostage with her terrible dragon guard.”
Ivy snorted. “I’m never the princess. Or the hostage. Or the damsel in distress.”
Twilight paused, reflecting for a moment. “Ivy, do you think for one moment that you would ever be a damsel in distress?”
Ivy scratched her chin absentmindedly as she thought about Twilight’s words.
“I suppose not. I’m better than that.” Ivy finally replied.
“I feel sorry for anything that tries to snatch you.” Twilight said.
“Dragons usually do guard the princess in the stories.” Ivy pondered out loud. “Twilight?” Ivy asked.
“What Ivy, keep it short, we must be going.” Twilight replied.
“Do you think I could guard the princesses someday?” Ivy questioned.
“You can do whatever you set your mind toward. Why stop at guarding the princesses? Why not all of the ponies? Everything that is bound to be smaller and weaker than you will be.” Twilight looked Ivy in the eye.
Ivy said nothing in return, looking very thoughtful.
“We must be going.” Twilight said.
The group trotted down the halls together, the fillies still mostly lost in the castle. They recognised a few things, and began to realise they were heading back out into the royal gardens. Lunar pegasi were everywhere, in an apparent state of agitation.
“Twilight Sparkle.”
An albino lunar pegasus bowed as Twilight went past.
“Palus Somni.” Twilight said warmly, giving him a brief nod.
“He’s huge!” Minerva whispered.
“Not as large as the mares are. Imbrium comes up to Celestia’s wing joint.” Ivy replied in a hushed tone.
“He looks like a ghost.” Hoodwink said, failing to whisper. “I can see through his wings. All the blood vessels.”
Palus Somni moved suddenly, with surprising grace and speed for a creature his size, coming up along side Hoodwink.
Hoodwink froze.
“Hi there tiny solar filly.”
Hoodwink gazed up, her hood falling back on her neck. “Hi…” She said politely.
“Somni, we really are in a bit of a hurry.” Twilight said, kicking one hindhoof into the other.
“I like foals.” Palus Somni stated suddenly. “I like the fact that they are curious and say exactly what they mean.”
Twilight began to stammer, failing to have any words come forth.
“I know you must be going Twilight Sparkle. Please, stay safe. And keep our future from harm. You go on a dangerous mission tonight.” He finished with a chuckle.
“You have pink eyes.” Hoodwink said.
“Yes I do.” Palus Somni said patiently.
Twilight Sparkle was still sputtering.
“My real name is Phantom. I cause drowsiness if I will it.”
“Somnus also means to dream,” said Minerva, “it also means death.”
“Very good little crystal filly. I am the pale horse. I am Luna’s messenger.” He said proudly.
“You deliver mail?” Ivy asked.
“No.” Palus Somni stated. “Usually I help Luna deliver dreams and I guard the realm from shades. Sometimes, Luna selects me to deliver a special message.”
The three fillies shivered suddenly as a group.
“I also make it my business to keep bumping into Twilight Sparkle, Harbinger of the Coming Evening.”
Twilight fell apart completely, totally losing her composure.
“You should be going. My Mistress will be most displeased if you are late. I bid you goodnight.” He gazed down at Hoodwink, who was still looking up at him. “Stay safe tiny solar fillies and Ivy dragon-kin.” He turned and departed, leaving three charmed fillies in his wake.
“He’s tall.” Minerva stated.
“He’s handsome.” Hoodwink added.
“He’s completely broke my teacher.” Ivy lamented, looking at Twilight.
Twilight struggled to compose herself. Her wings were partially flared, jutting upwards.
Ivy poked her. “We need to be going.” She said. “Is something wrong Twilight?”
Twilight flung her wings out, giving them a snap. She flapped them a few times before drawing them in. “Nothing is wrong. Everything is fine. What would possibly give you the idea that something is wrong? Did you see something wrong?” Twilight babbled.
“No,” offered Ivy, “nothing at all.”
The group exited the doors leading to the gardens.
Luna stood before them. There was a terrible chill in the air. Behind Luna was a terrifying chariot made of black metal, covered in spikes, made of all odd angles and jutting edges. Mare Imbrium and Mare Frigoris were chained to the chariot, wearing their armor.
Luna was a very different mare at night, Minerva reflected. She seemed serious. Composed. Her eyes were narrow, her ears perking at every noise around her. She was not the jovial princess that she had seemed to be during the day.
Brimstone stood beside her, looking impatient.
“So begins our first lesson.” Luna said, her voice shimmering velvet in the night air. “Tonight we travel near Vanhoover. For a very long time, there have been reports and sightings of ghosts. Tonight, we will investigate. I want to test your logic and your ability to reason. I want to see how you act when facing the unknown.”
“Ghosts don’t exist.” Twilight said with a snort.
“TWILIGHT SPARKLE!” Luna said in a booming voice that caused four foals to scramble for cover. “There is much you don’t know. You would do well to save yourself some embarrassment and remain silent on issues you know nothing about.”
Twilight backed away, ears down, looking apologetic.
“Forgive me Luna.” She asked.
“Forgiven.” Luna replied. “But tonight I fear that you will also be a student. I am going to introduce you to a very different world than the one you are accustomed to.”
Twilight nodded.
“Get in the chariot, the four of you. It is enchanted, you will not fall from it. We are leaving. Now move!” Luna said impatiently.
Brimstone, knowing his mother’s mercurial moods, leaped into the chariot, his hooves clattering against the metal.
He held out a hoof to the others, offering to help them up. Minerva, Hoodwink, and Ivy took turns climbing into the chariot.
“Mare Imbrium, Mare Frigoris, I require haste. I will not tolerate lax behaviour tonight.”
“Yes my Mistress.” They both replied in unison.
Luna took to the air, hovering. “Ready?” She asked the foals.
There were four nods.
The chariot rose with a lurch. Twilight took to the air rising up next to Luna.
Ivy’s tail coiled around a metal railing.
The ground was rapidly falling away from her. She was flying. An odd sensation for her.
“I’m gonna barf!” Hoodwink shouted. “I just discovered I am afraid of heights!”
“This is a lot higher than standing at the top of the Crystal Spire!” Minerva shouted over the wind.
“I feel the sudden need to pass water!” Brimstone shouted.
“What?” Ivy asked.
“He needs to pee!” Shouted Minerva.
“Correction,” Brimstone replied, “needed to pee. Now past tense.”
“Eeew!” Minerva squeaked.
“I like being scared!” Ivy shouted. “Feels good! I love being terrified!”
“You’re weird!” Minerva said.
“I’m gonna barf!” Hoodwink shouted, her cloak whipping around her.
“Keep that at present tense!” Brimstone encouraged.
“I’m flying!” Ivy said, fluttering her mismatched wings.
“I never want to fly again!” Minerva shouted.
“The fear is awful!” Ivy said. “I hope it lasts all night!”
“You’re so very weird Ivy!” Minerva said.
“We’re flying so fast that I can barely smell Brimstone!” Hoodwink said.
“We leave a malodorous wake.” Brimstone agreed.
The chariot lurched, hitting turbulence.
Hoodwink’s need to vomit became past tense as she leaned her head over the rail.
Brimstone stumbled a bit, panicking even though he knew that he couldn’t fall out. He bumped into Ivy.
“My apologies Ivy.” He offered.
Ivy found her tongue was tied in knots suddenly.
“Ivy is pulling a Twilight Sparkle!” Minerva teased.
“Am not!” Ivy managed to snap.
Hoodwink pulled her head in. “I feel better.” She said weakly. “Thankfully the wind whips the vomit away.”
“Provided one does not spew into the wind.” Brimstone stated.
Hoodwink suddenly felt queasy again.
Luna pulled ahead of them, with Imbrium and Frigoris picking up more speed to keep up. The chariot moved with terrifying speed now.
“How fast are we going?” Ivy asked.
“You don’t want to know Ivy!” Shouted Twilight over the wind.
“I kinda do, I want to be scared!” Ivy replied.
“We’ll, we will be in landing in just a few more minutes.” Twilight said. “I think.”
“We flew almost to Vanhoover already?” Hoodwink asked. “It takes almost a week to walk there with a wagon from Canterlot!”
“I smell maple syrup!” Ivy exclaimed.
The chariot began to drop, and the ground became visible rather suddenly. There were lights below. A small village nestled in the foothills, with the lights of Vanhoover visible in the distance. They circled, dropping in altitude, spiraling downward.
They landed in a wagon lot, behind a large factory. A maple syrup refinery.
The four foals exited the chariot and collapsed on the ground, with Ivy clenching and unclenching her claws into the earth.
“That was awful.” Hoodwink said.
“I liked it.” Ivy said. “But I also like having my claws on the ground again.”
“I hope it didn’t rain puke on nopony.” Minerva said, speaking her mind.
Brimstone struggled to his feet.
He closed his eyes and stood there, thankful to be back on solid ground. He felt a nose pressed against his neck. He opened his eyes and saw Ivy.
“You smell good.” Ivy explained.
Brimstone rolled his eyes.
Minerva and Hoodwink giggled.
“Listen up.” Luna said, carefully folding her wings. “We will be walking along a trail where ponies claim to see these ghosts. It is dark. I want us to stay together. Imbrium and Frigoris will be staying here with the chariot. They will not be aiding us. If you want light, you must make it your selves. Twilight and I will not assist you, unless absolutely necessary.”
Hoodwink’s horn sparked weakly, a faint orange glow coming from the tip. “For you, Minerva.”
“The wagon lot has some magical light globes. When we leave the lot, it will become very, very dark. We are far from the city.” Twilight said.
Minerva strained, struggled, and finally produced a faint silver glow.
“We are leaving.” Luna stated. She began to move toward the edge of the lot where there was a break in the trees.
The foals followed her, with Twilight bringing up the rear.
As Luna had warned, it was dark. Very dark. After leaving the lot, they began to climb up the wooded hill. Very little moonlight made it through the thick growth of trees.
It wasn’t long before Minerva’s light failed.
“I’m sorry,” she whimpered, “I can’t help it.” She sounded as though she was on the verge of panic.
Hoodwink struggled to make her light brighter. She growled, she fussed, and gritted her teeth. Her horn flared orange and more light shone forth.
“Stay close to me Minerva.” Ivy offered.
In seconds, Ivy could feel Minerva plastered to her side.
The students moved through the wood, trying to follow Luna, who was difficult to see in the dark.
“I wish I was in the trees.” Ivy said. “I feel very… I don’t know the word.”
“Vulnerable?” Brimstone offered. “Means exposed to danger.”
“Yeah that!” Ivy agreed. “Trees are comforting. I understand trees.”
The trail was long and winding, and the night was dark and full of sounds. The foals cried out when something made a noise or a branch crackled under hoof.
“Stop!” Luna commanded. “Look ahead.”
Four foals and Twilight craned their heads, straining to see. There was a faint glow ahead. Something moved, the glow flickering and bouncing.
A pegasus stepped into view. Well, something like a pegasus Ivy thought. She could see through it. It glowed ahead of them, transparent, watching them.
Minerva screamed and flung her forelegs around Ivy’s neck.
“This is impossible!” Twilight said. “There has to be some sort of explanation for this. Magical projection. Something.”
The ghostly figure watched them.
“It is sad.” Ivy said. “Look at its ears.”
The spectre turned and began to walk slowly up the hill, off of the path, walking through the thickets and growth.
“Move.” Luna said, moving forward.
The foals struggled through the thicket, with Luna leading the way.
“Ow!” Minerva hissed.
“My cloak!” Hoodwink complained.
When Hoodwink became stuck, Twilight gently lifted her out with her magic.
Eventually they reached more open ground. The ghostly figure moved forward, up the hill, tireless, never slowing.
“What do we have here?” Luna asked as the trees began to clear.
The ghostly figure vanished into a cave.
Hoodwink moved forward, curious, stepping past Luna, and with a sudden cry, her light died. It became very dark.
“I can’t use my magic!” Hoodwink cried.
“I can’t either.” Twilight said in alarm.
Luna backed away from the cave, slowly moving back, a concerned look upon her face. Finally, her horn exploded with light, banishing the darkness. She took a few steps forward and the light faded, plunging them back into darkness.
“Peculiar.” Luna muttered.
“What do we do?” Luna asked the foals.
“You are our teacher.” Minerva responded. “Shouldn’t you be telling us what to do?”
“No.” Luna said.
“We need a light.” Brimstone said. “But magic doesn’t work.”
“You will encounter this occasionally.” Luna said. “Best to find ways to deal with this now.”
“I’m really scared.” Minerva whimpered. “I feel like I am going to faint. I’m having trouble breathing.” She said breathlessly.
“I have an idea.” Ivy said. “But I need some light. I need to find a good solid tree branch.”
Hoodwink backed away from the cave until once again her horn flared light, the others gathering around her. The foals moved about as a group.
“Will this work?” Brimstone asked, kicking a large branch.
“Perfect.” Ivy said. She picked it up in her talons and gave it a heft. She set it back down and turned herself around.
“What are you doing?” Minerva asked.
“I am going to pee on the stick.” Ivy said.
“Oh gross, how does that help us?” Hoodwink demanded.
“My pee burns really well. Leftover dragon juice from inside my body goes into my pee. Makes plants grow too. It’s kinda sticky. And it smells really good when it burns!” Ivy exclaimed.
Ivy squatted, causing the others to turn around.
“Something tells me this is not entirely proper.” Brimstone stated. “I shouldn’t be present when a filly passes water.” He raised his voice over the sounds of flowing urine. “This is an assault upon my sensibilities.”
“You peed in the chariot!” Minerva chided.
“That was accidental!” Brimstone retorted.
Ivy held up the branch with her tail, and strained, her muzzle contorting. She angled her backside upward, hoping that she didn’t set the wood on fire. She farted a massive fiery blast as her companions watched in horror.
The branch ignited.
“You lied Ivy!” Minerva said in a strangled voice, covering her nose with a folded foreleg.
“What?” Ivy said, suddenly worried.
“Smells horrible!” Hoodwink said. “Your pee smells awful when it burns! It’s burning my eyes!”
Ivy stood with the burning branch held in her tail, the flames glowing a strange pinkish orange. “I don’t smell anything bad.” Ivy protested.
“You like the way Brimstone smells!” Minerva said, gagging.
“We have light now. Brimstone said. And the fuel is burning. We should see what is in the cave and get to the bottom of all this.”
“Ivy’s bottom is full of horror.” Minerva grumbled.
“Hush you!” Ivy hissed, holding back a giggle.
Ivy slunk towards the cave, Luna at her side.
“Ivy.” Luna said.
“Yes Luna?” Ivy replied.
“You did a very good job.” Luna returned.
“Thank you Luna.” Ivy said, entering the cave.
The torch light flickered on the walls as the group entered the cave. They went in two by two. Ivy and Luna, Hoodwink and Minerva, with Brimstone and Twilight bringing up the rear. Ivy’s claws clicked on the stone while the hooves of the group clopped. Ivy rose up on her haunches, trying to peer ahead into the darkness. She felt a tingle of fear. She rose from her haunches and began to walk forward in a bipedal stance, her tail holding the torch and balancing her body as she walked on two legs. He held her talons in front of her at the ready.
“I didn’t know you could walk on two legs.” Minerva said behind her.
“I can.” Ivy answered. “Comes in handy sometimes. I can bring my mama breakfast in bed, carrying a tray in my talons. No magic needed.”
They rounded a curve in the passage.
“While your claws are very useful, what use are they against an apparition?” Brimstone questioned.
“A what?” Hoodwink asked.
“A ghost.” Luna said.
“I dunno.” Ivy said. “My claws can cut through almost anything if I focus my will and put some pressure behind them. Anything I can bite through I can claw through. I haven’t tried biting or clawing a ghost.”
“You can claw through metal?” Brimstone asked, his voice suddenly curious as they moved through the dark.
“Easily.” Twilight replied. “Her teeth and claws are made from a similar substance. I don’t know what it is. Her claws are mostly harmless unless she’s actively trying to rip through something. Ivy scratches my back all the time. And I’m fine.”
Ivy beamed in the dark.
“How is this possible?” Brimstone asked.
“I don’t know.” Twilight replied. “But if you want to be Ivy’s special friend, try offering her a couple of silver spoons and apple butter.”
“Spoons?” Brimstone questioned.
“She’ll eat the spoons.” Twilight replied, causing Ivy to giggle ahead.
Brimstone was thankful for a darkness as a flush rose on his cheeks. “Special friend?” He said in a low whisper.
Twilight chuckled softly as they continued ahead.
There was a glow ahead. Ivy flexed her talons. She doubted she could hurt anything, she didn’t want to hurt anything, but it made her feel better. The glow grew brighter as she approached.
As they rounded a corner, they saw two spectral pegasi, both looking at them. One had a strange silver strand extending from his body, connecting to what appeared to be a ribcage on the floor. Lodged in the ribcage was a hideous looking spearhead. Luna made a sad sound.
The chamber was wide. One of the spectral pegasi approached them, a pleading look on its face.
“She’s a mare.” Hoodwink said.
Twilight moved forward and extended a hoof to touch the spearhead in the ribcage.
“Twilight NO!” Luna cried.
Too late, there was a painful flash of light and a loud crack. Twilight cried out, backing away, limping.
Ivy held up her torch, trying to let her eyes readjust.
Twilight’s leg was burned and blackened, with oozing blisters rising up from her hoof, almost reaching her joint.
The foals said nothing, faces contorted with fear and shock from the bright flash of light.
“Pig iron.” Luna said. “Chaos metal. Bane of our kind.”
“What is it?” Minerva finally said.
“Pig iron radiates an anti magic field. And it burns harmonious creatures, like ponies,” Luna paused. “Poor things. One was stabbed. The other brought it here and probably tried to pull it out with her teeth. I can’t even begin to imagine the agony.”
“I can!” Twilight hissed. “I can imagine it very well!”
“The war pigs were terrible foes.” Luna said. “They made war for the sake of war. It was all they knew.”
“What’s a war pig?” Hoodwink asked.
“A creature sort of like a minotaur. Or a diamond dog.” Luna replied. “Only piggish. Smart. Cunning. Violent. Deadly foes. At one point, they very nearly extinguished ponykind. It was very difficult to put an end to them. To kill them all. And to destroy their terrible weapons. Hard to do without magic. We had to make allies. Some dragons helped us. The pig iron was destroyed with powerful dragonfire.”
Luna paused.
“Ivy, go pull out that spearhead.” Luna asked.
“Ivy, no!” Twilight said, limping in front of her student.
“Twilight, be at ease. Ivy isn’t like is. She is not a harmonious creature. She is a chaotic entity.” Luna soothed. “I give you my word that Ivy will be fine.”
Ivy crept forward cautiously, staring at the troublesome metal. The ghostly pegasi watched her, hopeful expressions on their faces.
Ivy extended a trembling claw. She looked back toward Twilight, seeing Twilight’s leg in the torchlight. It looked awful. Tears rolled down Twilight’s cheeks, even though Twilight said nothing. It had to be agonising. Ivy looked to Luna.
“Ivy please, I would never lead you astray over a matter such as this one.” Luna said, her tone gentle yet commanding.
Ivy stretched out her claw and touched the metal.
Nothing happened.
Twilight began to cry with relief.
Ivy gently took the old dusty bones in one set of talons and the spearhead in the other. She pulled. There was a screech of metal against bone.
Ivy turned and saw her fellow students looking at her.
The silver strand connecting the spectral pegasus popped out of existence as the spearhead was pulled free.
The two ghostly ponies began to dance in the cavern, glowing brighter and brighter, dancing and prancing around one another. After a moment of celebration, they approached Luna.
They bowed before her, kneeling down, wings extended.
“Go! Go find peace my subjects. Leave this realm. Your time here is over. Begone!” Luna commanded. “GET THEE HENCE!” She said in a voice that echoed through the cave and assaulted the ears of the living.
The two spectral ponies rose, backing away from Luna. They approached Ivy, pausing. After a moment, they kneeled before her. They rose together. The female of the pair moved forward, gently extending a hoof. She looked sad when she realised that Ivy could not be touched.
“GO TO SLEEP!” Luna rumbled.
The ghosts looked at her one last time and then faded from existence.
“Where do we go when we die?” Minerva asked in a small voice.
“Nopony knows.” Luna said. “Lots of ponies try to sell some idea of what might be. But nopony knows. And nopony has a right to say.”
“Are they happy now?” Minerva said in a pleading tone.
“Seems so.” Luna responded. “The female refused to leave. The male was probably her mate. She waited for him for a very long time. Where ever it was they went, they wanted to go together.”
“How long was she waiting?” Hoodwink asked.
“I don’t know.” Luna said. “A very long time. Trying to get somepony to follow her, hoping to be free.”
Minerva began to sob, leaning against Hoodwink.
“There is still that horrible spearhead.” Brimstone said.
“Yes,” agreed Luna, “we must dispose of it somehow.”
“Could Ivy eat it?” Brimstone asked.
“Brimstone, no!” Twilight said.
Brimstone slumped.
“Too dangerous." Twilight said. “We don’t know what it might do.”
Luna stood thoughtful.
“Ivy, I do not think you will be harmed if you ate that. You could do all of us a great service if you destroyed that horrible thing. It was forged in the depths of the Black Realms. It is a troublesome artifact.”
“Luna…” Twilight pleaded.
“I am confident.” Luna said. “We can’t take it with us. We can’t leave it here. It must be destroyed somehow. Ivy is not a harmonious creature. The metal should have no effect upon her. For her, it is just iron.”
“Smells funny.” Ivy said, sniffing it. “Never smelled metal like this before. Smells like iron, but not iron.”
Twilight agonised over her thoughts.
“Ivy, I will not force you to do it. I have asked you, but the choice is yours. It is the manifestation of our nightmares, that metal. Do what you think is right.” Luna said.
“Ivy, no.” Twilight said. “I know it needs to be destroyed, but I can’t risk you being hurt or sickened. Or killed. We don’t know what it will do.” Twilight limped forward.
Ivy considered the black metal in her claws. It was heavy. Cold. And it smelled funny.
She looked at her fellow students. “What should I do?” She asked them.
Brimstone raised his head, but said nothing. Minerva continued to sob. Hoodwink stood there looking baffled.
“It must be destroyed Ivy.” Brimstone said. “And I trust my mother. I am positive she has weighed this issue in her mind and assessed the risks. If she believed it was folly, she would have stated so.”
“Brimstone sounds smart.” Hoodwink said helpfully.
Minerva could only nod.
“That settles things then.” Ivy stated. “I am going to trust in my companions.”
She raised the iron to her mouth. Twilight let out a choked sob.
Ivy bit down on the tip, breaking off a small piece. She chewed thoughtfully. “Tastes funny. Stale. Like bread that’s too old. And it fizzes and pops. Like Pinkie Pie’s fizzy candy that sizzles on your tongue.” She took another bite. “And it is really chewy for iron. Usually iron is brittle.” She crunched up a few more bites until the iron was gone. She belched, letting out a cloud of foul smelling smoke that made the eyes of every pony in the cavern burn.
After a few moments, Luna’s horn flared to life.
Luna wrapped a foreleg around Twilight, trying to comfort her. “You are never wrong to want to keep your student safe.” She whispered.
“We have a long walk back to the chariot.” Brimstone announced. “I believe we are done here. I know that I have learned a great deal this night.”
Ivy noticed that the rib cage had crumbled into dust.
“Thank you Ivy.” Hoodwink said, her own horn flaring to life.
Minerva nodded, sniffling. She ran forward suddenly and hugged Ivy, nearly knocking her over.
“I am very proud of all of you.” Twilight finally managed to say. “You trusted in one another. That is probably the most important lesson learned here this night. I had to trust as well, and it was very difficult for me.” Twilight drew a shuddering breath.
“You all did very well during your first lesson. You arose above my expectations and handled yourselves in a manner befitting your status. I am proud.” Luna said.