//------------------------------// // 7: Noctis // Story: Hivemind // by Cyberglass //------------------------------// “Calm down please, everypony!” A few heads turned toward the lavender mare on the steps of town hall, but the majority of the townsponies continued to mill about aimlessly, murmuring to each other in a state of half-panic. Papilia grumbled and shot off a few magical flares into the air. The magic exploded with a loud crack and a burst of light, which managed to get the attention of the startled crowd directed toward the stage and its occupant. “Thank you,” said Papilia once the ponies had quieted down somewhat. “Now, as I was saying, there is no need to panic. The other Twilight Sparkle you saw was the result of a failed cloning spell. I have full control over the situation, and there is no truth to the rumors about anypony being “replaced.” This experiment was for the sake of scientific inquiry, and I would never take part in such a scheme. My friends and I have volunteered to personally recapture the escaped clone, and then I will ensure that all records of the spell are destroyed so this whole mess can never happen again.” As Papilia wrapped up her speech, Mayor Mare walked onstage from the sidelines. “Thank you, Twilight Sparkle,” she said amidst the scattered applause. “I'm sure we are all pleased to hear that things will soon be going back to normal. Everypony, the best way to help with this situation is to go ahead with business as usual so that Twilight and her friends can investigate without trouble. Besides, we can't let one harmless magical clone disrupt our dear town like this, now can we? Ponyville has been through much worse in the past, after all. Now, as I am sure all of us have busy schedules to keep, let's get back to them and put this incident out of our minds for the time being.” The crowd dispersed reluctantly, but eventually only Papilia and the Mayor were left. “Well,” said Papilia. “That was far less disastrous than it could have been. Thank you.” “You didn't do so bad yourself. Calming the troubled crowd with a speech is a delicate art. Just be more careful next time before you start another incident,” the Mayor responded. “Or, better yet, don't let there be a next time.” “Oh, I won't,” Papilia said darkly. “Good. I'll just be going, then.” “Hold on,” said Papilia, “don't you want to go over our plans to recapture my lookalike?” “I think I can trust you youngsters to handle something like that on your own, don't you?” Papilia stood up straighter. “Of course,” she said. “That's the spirit. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a meeting scheduled with Miss Cheerilee's class...” *** Some mysterious force was dragging Twilight deeper into the Everfree Forest. The silver glow that had latched onto her horn pulled her inexorably over dirt and roots in a straight line through the underbrush toward some unknown destination. Twilight stumbled several times, able to avoid losing her footing only through quick reflexes, which also came in handy for the times she almost ran into the trunk of one of the close-set trees that surrounded her. Sometimes she was not so lucky. THWACK. “Ouch!” A low-hanging branch slapped her across the face, leaving a stinging welt on her cheek. The next moment the branch was far behind her as she continued to be dragged forward. If she could have used her magic, the bumpy journey might not have been so bad, but whatever spell had her in its clutches also suppressed her magic through its grip on her horn. Whether this was an actual component of the spell or just a side affect of her horn being manhandled, she couldn't tell, but regardless she had little choice but to be dragged along helplessly over the forest floor. Twilight was reminded of the story Rarity had once told about how she received her cutie mark. In her desperation to find her “destiny,” she had accidentally cast her first gem-finding spell, which had dragged her to the largest concentration of gems in the vicinity in much the same way as Twilight was currently being dragged Celestia-knew-where. Twilight wondered what was at the end of her own forced journey. She also wondered how her friends were faring without her. She had no doubt that the changeling princess would go back on her promise to release them. And with the way things had ended up, they would likely be labeled as impostors by the townsponies. If only she had been able to unmask the changeling at that critical moment... Her panicked mind began to race through various worst-case scenarios, each more unlikely than the last. What if her friends were upset with her for failing the spell and running away like this? What if instead of imprisoning them, the changeling princess made them think that she was the real Twilight? What if they never found out? What if they did find out, and ended up liking the fake better anyway? Further thoughts were interrupted when the ground gave away beneath Twilight's hooves. With a cry, she stumbled down a steep embankment and into the turbulent river that ran through the Everfree. The enchantment on her horn pulled her swiftly through the surging current and out onto the opposite shore. The second she felt her head break the surface, Twilight gasped for air. She scrambled up the shoreline, trying not to stumble over the gnarled tree roots that stuck out of the dirt at odd angles where floodwater had eroded away the bank. Twilight prepared to shake herself off, expecting to be sopping wet after her watery ordeal, but to her surprise her coat was completely dry. “STAR SWIRL!” she shouted indignantly into the treetops in realization. He had known she would need waterproofing, ergo, he had known this would happen. Dear Celestia, he had caused it himself, if, as Twilight was beginning to suspect, the spell dragging her along was the same one he had planted on her in Canterlot Tower to “guide her” to his old hideout. “I had better find out there was a good reason for this! Why would you even think this was a good idea, putting a spell like this on a pony?” An extra surge of magic burst its way out of her horn, coalescing into a shining silver square that hovered in front of her as she continued forward. Words appeared on the square in swirly hoofwriting, just large enough for Twilight to read. Please save all questions until the very end. Sincerely, Star Swirl. “Oh, for the love of—oof!” Twilight collided with something large and relatively soft, which emitted a startled gasp upon contact. The next moment, she found herself immobile for the first time in several minutes as whatever she had crashed into held her tight with a strong foreleg. “Who dares interrupt our rest?” said the figure. A light shone out from somewhere above, and Twilight felt immediate relief as the pull on her horn nearly disappeared. The figure let go of her, letting Twilight get a good look at her. “There, that ought to prevent you from being ferried away from us. Now, what is Twilight Sparkle doing in the middle of the Everfree Forest?” “Princess... Luna?” The alicorn glared at Twilight. “Indeed, I am the Princess of the Night, and unless I am mistaken it is currently approaching midday.” “Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to wake you,” Twilight said. “Actually, I didn't expect to find you here at all.” “Truly?” said Luna, leveling a suspicious gaze at Twilight. “Are we to believe that you were searching for somepony else with that spell?” “No! I mean yes. Er, maybe? This isn't actually my spell.” Luna raised an eyebrow. Twilight was about to open her mouth to give a more thorough explanation of herself, but she remembered her encounter back in Canterlot with the fake Fluttershy in the alley. “Hold on,” she said. “First, can you prove that you're the real Princess Luna, and not a changeling in disguise?” “A curious question,” said Luna, “one which I can fortunately lay to rest.” She whistled, and there was a blur of red and a rush of feathers as something swooped down onto her back. “Philomeena!” Twilight cried as the regal phoenix eyed her cautiously from Luna's shoulders. “She fortuitously accompanied me here,” said Luna. “Now, for this next part you ought to close your eyes.” Twilight gave her a puzzled look, which turned into one of alarm as Luna closed her eyes and Philomeena's feathers began to glow impossibly bright. She clamped her own eyes shut, and did not open them until she could tell the light had died down. “Phoenix light,” Luna explained calmly. “It will dispel all but the most powerful of illusions. I trust you are satisfied.” Twilight nodded numbly. She remembered reading about phoenixes' ability to see through enchantments, but had never before seen this power in action. She wondered if Spike's pet Peewee could pull off the same trick. “Good,” Luna continued. “Now, I will ask again: what is Twilight Sparkle doing in the Everfree Forest?” So Twilight recounted everything that had happened to her, from her fateful encounter with the fake Cadance to her current predicament with Star Swirl's spell. Princess Luna listened intently, only interrupting a few times to add comments of her own. “We should have known changelings were involved in this,” she said when Twilight got to the invasion itself. “We were right to make use of phoenix light.” She bit her lip upon hearing of Celestia's imprisonment. At last, they reached the present, and Luna looked increasingly worried. “So you came to Ponyville under the impression that you would find the Elements of Harmony?” “That's right,” said Twilight. “Only, we didn't have enough time to—” “That is impossible,” Luna interrupted. “If the Elements are not in their proper place, I do not know where they could be, but they certainly did not follow you to Ponyville. No such power resides in them.” “What? But Star Swirl said—” “Star Swirl lied,” said Luna gravely, “and it would not be the first time he has done so. He is manipulating you for his own ends, though what those may be I cannot say.” “Do not be so surprised,” she continued in response to Twilight's dumbfounded expression. “If you knew him as well as I once did, you would come to expect such duplicity. And he asked you to come to the forest to read his journal?” Twilight nodded. “Fortunately, that too is a fruitless quest. That journal was locked up long ago by Celestia and myself, and you are not yet ready—” “Not ready for what?” Twilight wanted to ask, but she was interrupted by another flash of silver light erupting from her horn. She grabbed the note in midair and read it aloud. You thought I was talking about my journal of unfinished spells? I don't know whether to be more amused at that or at the notion that you seem to think this filly could ever be “ready” for what's inside. Really, Noctis, I thought you were smarter than that. Best of luck, Star Swirl “It was Sister's idea,” Luna mumbled. “What was Princess Celestia's idea?” asked Twilight, now thoroughly confused. “'Tis nothing,” Luna said hastily. “I forbid you to ask of it.” “And what does he mean by 'Noctis'?” Twilight asked, turning the note over to look at the blank side. “He was addressing me,” Luna sighed. “Luna Stellarum, Regina Noctis Somnisque. That was my title in Ancient Equestrian. But only he would be so impertinent as to shorten it to just 'Noctis'.” She lifted her head and shouted into the treetops in her finest Royal Canterlot Voice: “SHOW THYSELF TO US, STAR SWIRL. WE KNOW THOU ART WATCHING.” As frightened birds scurried off deeper into the forest, another note shot itself out of Twilight's horn. Watching? You overestimate me, Noctis. I merely have impeccable timing and an extensive knowledge of Twilight's future, nothing more. I can no more see you than you me. Just let me lead the poor filly to the journal, and I will release her forthwith. I promise you, it will be worth her while. “Meddling fool,” Luna muttered. “Well?” asked Twilight. Luna sighed. “I still do not understand what he is after, but once Star Swirl gets an idea into his head it is best to humor him. And he most likely thinks he has your best interests at heart. If you wish, I will lower the barrier around the spell, and let it lead you once more, provided you allow me to accompany you.” “I presume that is acceptable, is it not, Star Swirl?” she said to the treetops. When there was no answering silver note, she relaxed. “Alright,” said Twilight. “Just... don't lower it all the way, if that's possible. I'd rather walk than be dragged.” “Agreed. Prepare yourself, Twilight Sparkle.” Twilight felt a tingling sensation as Luna's magic released its hold on her. The force of Star Swirl's spell returned to tug feebly at her horn, but true to her word the princess had only freed enough of the spell to give an indication of which direction it was leading, not enough to actually drag her along the ground. “The spell is pointing in this direction,” Twilight announced, orienting herself to face her unknown destination. “Near the old castle,” Luna mused, and Twilight thought she saw her shiver a little. “Lead on, Twilight Sparkle.” *** “Finally,” Papilia said as she re-entered the library. “Who would have thought it would take so long to calm down a crowd of ponies?” “Listen up, everyone,” she called out. “We have some hunting to—” She stopped talking when she noticed a distinct lack of an audience. Her eyes wandered the empty room, coming to rest on its sole occupant. In the middle of the floor, twiddling her hooves, stood a hatless Appejack with a sheepish grin on her face. “Uh, howdy, your majesty.” Papilia's eyes narrowed. “Number 2, what happened here?” “Well, you see...” *** EARLIER The changeling impersonating Pinkie Pie glanced uneasily out the window. “Do you think we should help her?” “Even if she needed it, she wouldn't let us,” replied the fake Applejack. “You know how the Princess is. This is a matter of pride for her. She has to defeat Sparkle herself, to pay her back for last time.” “I suppose you're right. Ooh, a light show!” From across the room, the real Applejack listened. From the sounds of it, Twilight wasn't doing too badly against her opponent, or else the changelings wouldn't be so nervous. She tested her sticky bonds again, and felt the goo give slightly around her trapped front hoof. With her free hoof, she found a good hoofhold on the floor and strained with all her might. She was rewarded when her hoof slowly slipped out of the goo with a soft pop. Applejack looked around to see if any of the changelings had noticed, but they were still staring intently out the window. In relief, she planted both forelegs firmly against the floor and went to work on freeing her hindquarters. Before she could make any progress, however, something blue and solid slammed down in front of her. “Where do you think you're going?” asked Rainbow Dash in a monotonous voice. Her eyes glowed green in the dim library. “What's it look like?” asked Applejack. “I'm busting out so I can give those changelings the what-for, and if you were in your right mind, you'd be helping me.” “Helping... you?” Rainbow's voice cracked momentarily, but the monotone returned. “You aren't going anywhere.” She reared up and put the weight of her front legs onto Applejack's chest, forcing the other pony into a sitting position. Applejack winced as she hit the floor. “You don't have to do this, Rainbow. Fight it!” “Princess Papilia ordered us to keep you here.” “And your going to listen to her instead of your friends?” Applejack's eyes bored into Rainbow's. “That isn't the Rainbow Dash I know.” Rainbow flinched away from Applejack's gaze and clenched her eyes tight, but when she opened them they still glowed green. “I have no friends. I only serve Princess Papilia,” she said, more monotone than ever. “Consarnit, Rainbow Dash—” Applejack began, but Rarity cut her off. “Don't have any friends?” she said. “Whatever do you mean? Don't you remember who made you a dress for the Grand Galloping Gala? Who brought you to the hospital when you broke your wing?” Rainbow Dash took a step back. “I—” Applejack picked up where Rarity had left off. “Who came out and cheered for you at the Best Young Fliers Competition? Who helped you find a pet when you felt left out? Who trained with you until you learned that new loop-de-loop? Who saved you an extra mug of cider when it ran out?” Rainbow Dash fell backward onto the ground, clutching her head in apparent pain. “Rainbow Dash!” Rarity shouted anxiously. “Are you all right?” “Make them stop,” Rainbow Dash mumbled. “Make the voices stop. I don't want to...” The next moment, she snapped back into her aggressive mode, and pinned Applejack roughly to the floor. “Stop talking. You aren't going anywhere!” “No,” said Applejack, looking up into Rainbow's green, hypnotized eyes. “I wasn't finished yet. Who did you save from falling to her doom in Cloudsdale? Who did you schedule an extra rainstorm for when her crops were dying out? Who did you agree to go fight a dragon with, and Nightmare Moon, and Discord?” “No,” Rainbow Dash whimpered, falling back once more. “Help me, you two,” she called out to Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. As the other hypnotized ponies rushed over, Applejack continued unfazed. “You are our friend, Rainbow Dash, the loyalest, most dependable pony I know. This isn't the real you, and you know it.” Rainbow Dash opened her mouth as if to shout out, but no sound came. Instead, her eyes filled completely with the green light, and she was lifted into the air as the changeling magic swirled around her. Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie looked up at her, uncertain. Then there was a flash of light that knocked the hypnotized ponies backwards onto the floor as Rainbow Dash was lowered back onto her hooves. “Wha-what happened? Rainbow said groggily, no longer even a trace of green in her magenta eyes. “Ya did it!” cried Applejack, throwing her hooves around the pegasus. “I knew you had it in you, sugarcube.” Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie's eyelids fluttered, revealing that the hypnosis was gone from them as well. “Oh my,” said Fluttershy, glancing at Applejack and Rarity. “I just had a dream where a scary voice was telling me to fight you.” “That's because you were hypnotized,” explained Rarity. “But you're back to normal now.” “Really?” said Pinkie Pie, bouncing to her feet. “You know, I need to stop getting hypnotized, or I'll miss all the excitement.” Another voice spoke up, sounding almost like Applejack's. “What in the Hive is going on over here? Rainbow Dash, you're supposed to be guarding the prisoners, not hugging them.” “Fat chance of that,” said Rainbow Dash, pulling out of Applejack's grip. “I'm not under your little hypnosis spell anymore.” “We'll just have to fix that, then,” said Number 2. Green light appeared in his eyes, but before he could do anything, Rainbow had tackled him to the ground. “Oh no you don't. Not this time. You caught me by surprise before, but not again.” “How dare you try to turn us against one another,” said Fluttershy, giving the changeling her signature Stare. “If you had me hurt any of my friends—” “Luckily not directly,” said Rarity. “Oh? Thank goodness,” said Fluttershy, her features softening momentarily. “I was worried.” With a burst of effort, Applejack pulled her rear hooves free. “The only one who should be worried is this'un,” she said, inclining her head toward her doppelganger. “That's right,” said Rainbow Dash. “I won't forgive you if you made me hurt Applejack, or anypony else.” “Um, a little help here?” Number 2 called, unable to take his eyes off of Fluttershy's continued Stare. Numbers 4 and 5 nervously approached. “Could we at least talk this over?” asked the latter. Applejack put on a look of fake concentration. “Mmm... nah. I've got a better idea.” The changelings gulped. --- Applejack tugged on the rope wrapped around the three changelings, tightening it and securing them to the reading table. “Does it have to be so tight?” asked Number 4. “Serves you right for putting us in those pod thingies,” said Applejack. “And I'll be taking that back,” she said, grabbing her hat from Number 2's head. “Now what?” asked Fluttershy. “We can't just leave them here.” “Sure we can,” said Rainbow Dash. “It's not like we can just take them with us.” “Say, where are we going, anyway?” asked Pinkie Pie. “We certainly can't stay here forever,” said Rarity. “I vote we take this straight to the Mayor,” said Applejack. “It's too late for secrecy anyhow, so we might as well get the town on our side. Once the changelings are taken care of, we can look for the Elements and Twilight, and hopefully be ready by the time the rest of the changelings decide to invade.” “Sounds like a plan to me,” said Pinkie Pie. The ponies walked out the door, leaving the changelings alone in their bonds. Number 2 waited until they were out of sight, then sighed. “Well, this is just great.” He tugged at the ropes, but they refused to budge. “Simply peachy. Anyling got any bright ideas?” “Hmm,” said Number 4, blowing Pinkie Pie's hair out of her eyes. “If we had our Hive-orbs nearby, we could at least contact somebody.” “I'm actually kind of glad to be away from mine, to be honest,” said Number 5. “You get so used to the Hive sometimes that you forget how relaxing it is to not have everyone's thoughts buzzing around in your head.” “You're not supposed to be relaxing,” Number 2 snapped. “You're supposed to be helping us figure a way out of here.” “Oh, come on, don't tell me you've never wanted some time away from it all?” “I happen to like 'it all,' so no, can't say I have. Next thing you know, you'll be wanting a name, too.” “And what's wrong with wanting a name? The Queen and princesses have them.” “They only have names because they're special. You think being on this team makes you more special than the Queen, or Princess Papilia?” “Well, no, but—” “Then stop acting like it. You got your shiny new number, that's more than enough for any changeling.” The arguers were startled by a loud snap as the ropes around them suddenly loosened. They turned to see Number 4, smiling as much as she could in her untransformed changeling body. “Still got it,” she hissed, and bit through the remaining coils of rope with her sharp teeth. “Why didn't I think of that?” said Number 2. Number 4 morphed back into her Pinkie Pie disguise. “Because you two were too busy arguing,” she said. “Duh.” “Alright,” said Number 2, throwing the ropes off to the side. “You heard the ponies. Look for them on the way to the Mayor's office. Maybe help Number 1 prepare a trap of some kind. I'll wait here, in case the princess returns.” As his teammates left, Number 2 made a mental note to leave out the more embarrassing details when recounting the adventure to Princess Papilia. As he picked up the scattered pieces of rope and stuffed them into a closet, he rehearsed his version of events in his head. “They must have used some kind of pony magic to escape, and tried to catch us by surprise. But we were ready for them, so they just ran out the door instead. Yeah, that sounds good.” *** “...And so, after they escaped, I sent numbers 4 and 5 after them right away. I of course would have liked to join them, but I knew someone would have to stay behind to tell you what happened. And, that's about it.” Number 2 wrapped up his tale and grinned nervously at Papilia. Papilia stared back, her borrowed face turning redder and redder. She raised a hoof to strike the changeling, but stopped halfway down. This was no time to lose her temper. Besides, she had almost been overpowered by one of these ponies as well. She changed the slap into a gentle pat on the head. “There, there. Buck up. This is merely a setback. You, my hoof-picked changelings, are going to find them, and make sure they don't mess things up. Understood?” “Yes, your highness. Thank you, your highness!” Number 2 sprang up and threw his front legs around Papilia's neck in sheer relief. Realizing what he was doing, he hastily threw himself backward off of her. “I'm so sorry, your highness. These lovey-dovey ponies must be rubbing off on me.” Papilia's brain was still trying to process exactly what had happened. “Just, er, try to control yourself.” Number 2 gave a salute. “I'll, uh, just get going now, your highness.” With that, he sped out the door. Papilia sighed. If nothing else, she supposed she admired his enthusiasm. She walked toward the stairs, pausing momentarily when she sniffed out a stray wisp of love, probably left over from when the ponies were in the room. Feeling the need to recharge, she snacked on it absentmindedly on her was upstairs. Before long, she found herself at the foot of Twilight's bed, her hoof on the chest that contained her Hive-orb. Should she contact her mother? She would love to gloat about how Chrysalis had let the Element Bearers escape, but since she too had let them escape, that would be admitting defeat. Chrysalis would probably send her own elite squadron to replace Papilia's little group, and the foals would almost certainly have to be relocated. No, best to wait until she recaptured them herself. Then she could really claim to have succeeded where her mother had failed. She put the Hive-orb back into its chest. *** Zecora the zebra wound her way through ferns and thickets as she approached the edge of the Everfree Forest. As she went along, she paused occasionally to inspect the leaves beneath her hooves, picking a few and putting them into a drawstring pouch. All the while, she hummed a little song: “A little of these, and a few of those Will make a tea whose flavor grows. Only the freshest herbs will do To put into My soothing brew.” She reached the forest's edge, blinking a little in the sunlight, and spotted the familiar form of Fluttershy's cottage in the distance. “Ah, the house of a friend I spy at last. My month of absence, how swift it's passed!” She hurried toward the cottage, but as she crested a nearby hill, a cacophony of angry growls and chirps filled her ears. “What is the meaning of this hue and cry, Coming from the house of dear Fluttershy?” As she approached the cottage, she encountered a large crowd of animals milling angrily around the entrance. Zecora pushed her way through, nervously skirting a large brown bear, and knocked on the door. A voice shouted from the other side. “Keep your feathers on, I'll feed you when I'm good and ready.” “Fluttershy? Are you quite alright? Your animals seem ready to bite.” “Oh,” said the voice. “Um, go away, please. I'm sick. Achoo.” But Zecora would not give up that easily. “Then you, my friend, are lucky indeed,” she said, holding up her pouch of ingredients. “These herbs are just the cure you need.” “No. Thank you. I don't need any help.” Zecora felt something land on her back, and turned to see Angel Bunny perched there with a scared expression on his face. She looked at him quizzically, and he gestured frantically toward the window. Zecora winked in acknowledgment. “It's not just I who does not want you sickly,” she said, edging closer to the window. “Your animals need you to get well quickly.” She glanced inside, but quickly regretted it. The green insectoid pods, the sleeping forms trapped within: everything made sense now. Her hairs stood up even stiffer than usual. “A changeling nest, in Ponyville?” she whispered to Angel. “I fear this finding bodes quite ill.” Suddenly Fluttershy's face appeared in the window, close and furious. The changeling flung the window open and glared at Zecora. “I told you to leave. Now I'll just have to keep you quiet, won't I?” Before Zecora could react, the changeling lunged, hooves first. *** Twilight and Luna walked for what seemed like hours. Luna was visibly relieved when their path veered away from the Castle of the Two Sisters, but their actual destination was still nowhere to be seen. To pass the time, Twilight began to ask Luna some questions of her own. Luna had already forbidden her to ask the question that was burning in her mind, namely, what Princess Celestia had planned to do with Star Swirl's spell book, so she settled on the other obvious question. “You still haven't told me what you were doing out here in the forest. I thought you had been captured back in Canterlot along with Princess Celestia. Although, I suppose I should have realized earlier where you were. Something kept bothering me about the sun rising and setting, even without Princess Celestia, but that was you, wasn't it?” Luna nodded. “As a princess of Equestria, I have a duty to my subjects to maintain the natural order. Long gone are the days when I would allow the moon to remain in the sky, and perpetual sun would be still more disastrous.” She shivered. “As much as it pains me to hear of my sister's imprisonment, I confess I am relieved that the sun's refusal to set was not of her doing.” “What do you mean?” asked Twilight. Luna turned away from her, gazing into what little of the night sky was visible through the foliage. “When I first returned to Canterlot, three nights ago, I encountered a most disturbing welcome.” “The changelings,” Twilight growled. “Nay, not the changelings. I was greeted by none other than my sister. Or so I thought. At the time I found it strange that she had let the city fall into such ruin without calling upon my aid. The shield was gone, and there were signs of a great battle. But that was not all, for I felt a certain presence nearby, one which filled me with a great dread. I thought I knew what it was, and my suspicions seemed confirmed when Celestia attacked the moment my back was turned.” “Queen Chrysalis must have disguised herself as Princess Celestia to get close to you,” Twilight deduced. “She was probably planning this all along.” “Perhaps,” said Luna. “At any rate, the timely appearance of Philomeena is all that allowed me to escape. I am not proud of abandoning the fight, but I know now it is all I could have done, if Chrysalis has truly amassed power enough to overwhelm Celestia. That is not why Philomeena and I left, however.” “It wasn't because of Chrysalis?” “Do you think us a coward, Twilight Sparkle?” Luna suddenly snapped. “Do you think we would stand idly by while our sister is overcome, regardless of our safety? There is only one foe I fear, and I felt its presence that night. And I would have fought still, had Philomeena not brought me to my senses. Now, what foe is it that I would fear above all others, Twilight Sparkle?” Twilight thought of all the enemies Princess Luna and Princess Celestia had fought in their day. She was tempted to bring up Discord, but he was still a statue in the castle gardens. She had seen him when they were escaping from Canterlot. Besides, working with the changelings was not his style; it wasn't nearly flashy enough. No, they would know if Discord had been freed. But that left... Suddenly, it came to her: who Luna would fear enough to leave Canterlot, who would make her happy that Princess Celestia was no longer in control of the sun. “Nightmare Moon,” she breathed. “But... I thought we defeated her with the Elements of Harmony?” Luna shook her head. “Nightmare Moon is gone, but the Nightmare itself survived. She may be weakened, scattered, but she still exists. And I could have sworn I felt her presence when I returned to Canterlot that night.” “Do you really think Queen Chrysalis is under the control of the Nightmare?” asked Twilight. “I do not know, but I fear to find out.” They continued on in silence until Twilight's horn led them to a dead end by a patch of bushes. “The spell stops right here,” said Twilight. Even as she spoke, the last wisps of magic evaporated off her horn. “This can't be the right place. Where is Star Swirl's hideout?” “It has been a thousand years,” said Luna. “If the passage of time hasn't hidden it, I'm sure the forest has been no more kind. Look diligently, but do not be disappointed if it has gone.” “It's got to be around here somewhere,” said Twilight. She pawed at the bushes with her hooves as if the hideout might be hidden in their branches. “Why else would the spell lead us—whoa!” Her footing fell away, and she found herself tumbling forward through the bush, which seemed to move out of her way and around her as she passed through. She landed with a bump on her hindquarters. The first thing she noticed about her surroundings was the light. She had inexplicably landed in a clearing, one that should have been visible through the bushes but hadn't been. Sunlight was streaming in through the gaps in the tree branches, nearly blinding her with its suddenness. It had been so dark inside the forest that Twilight had almost forgotten it was still only mid-morning. Her eyes were drawn to the tantalizing glimpses of blue sky, where a few clouds lazily drifted past. She soon found this too bright for her still-adjusting eyes, so she lowered them to look around the clearing itself. Her jaw dropped in awe. There was a cottage in the middle of the clearing. The cottage itself was unremarkable, except that it looked like it had been burnt out in a fire, and nopony had bothered to repair it. But surrounding the cottage lay a faint silver mist that shimmered in the sunlight. The entire place was eerily, deathly still. Twilight scrambled to her hooves. “I think I found it,” she called back to Luna, not taking her eyes off the cottage, “but it doesn't look good.” Luna climbed down the tunnel, much more gracefully than Twilight had, but even she struggled to maintain her regal demeanor as she gazed around the clearing. “It seems we may be too late after all,” she said as they approached the cottage. A tingling sensation came over Twilight as they entered the mist. “I don't think this is natural,” she said, watching its motion as it swirled around them. Then she noticed what wasn't moving. “Look at that,” she said to Luna, pointing at a piece of burnt wood that had visibly crumbled away from the edge of the roof. “It's just standing in midair.” Indeed, as she looked closer she saw trails of soot puffing out from the blackened walls and clouds of dust beyond the door that hung limply off its hinges, all suspended motionless in midair. It was almost like— “Time magic,” confirmed Luna. “Star Swirl has been here for sure.” The time magic seemed to be the only thing actually holding up the cottage, which upon closer inspection was even more of a burnt-out husk than it had appeared. However, any fears that the fire had thwarted their mission were put to rest as soon as they entered. The interior of the one-room cottage was almost empty, the fire having seemingly destroyed any furnishings it might have once had, leaving only a layer of charcoal and rubble around the walls. But in the center of the room, atop a scorched table, sat a spiral-bound book, looking completely untouched. Twilight approached cautiously, coughing slightly on the dust that hung thick in the air, and gingerly lifted the book, expecting it to fall to pieces at any moment. However, the book seemed to have survived the ravages of time surprisingly well. Twilight wondered at this, noticing the gaping holes in the roof that let in the sunlight. Surely it had rained through those same holes, so why was the book still in such pristine condition? Perhaps Star Swirl had placed an extra protection spell on it. Twilight quickly resolved to learn the waterproofing spell Star Swirl had placed on her so she could apply the same protection to the books back in the library. Just in case. She gingerly opened the cover. On the front page, in the same swirly hoofwriting as the notes earlier, was the declaration “this journal is the property of Star Swirl, called the Bearded.” Underneath, in a different, neater hoofwriting, was added “and Clover the Clever.” Twilight held back a squeal of pure excitement. “That's why Star Swirl led me here,” she said aloud, her elation causing Luna to raise an eyebrow in amusement. “this wasn't just his journal, it was Clover's! He knew she was my ancestor, so he wanted me to have a copy of her writings. Who knows what spells and observations are in here that aren't in her published works? Why, this could be a veritable treasure trove of hitherto unknown historical and magical knowledge.” “Contain yourself, Twilight Sparkle,” said Luna. “Aren't you forgetting the pressing matter with the changelings now that your quest from Star Swirl is complete?” “Oh, right,” said Twilight. “I'll look at the book later, I guess.” A loud screech diverted their attention to the doorway as Philomeena burst through it, squawking loudly. “What is the matter?” asked Luna. Twilight gave a start when she heard a loud creak from above. She looked up to see the main beam of the ceiling sagging and cracking where it had burned through. “Oh, no!” she said. “Our presence her must have put too much strain on the time-freezing spell. The house is going to collapse!” “We must get away, quickly,” said Luna. She conjured a midnight blue saddlebag and placed it on Twilight's back for her to hastily stuff the journal into. They ran outside just as the roof caved in, covering them in a cloud of ashes and dust. All that was left of the house was a jumbled pile of half-burnt logs. “That was close,” said Twilight, but Philomeena was still clamoring for their attention, pointing a wing toward the outskirts of the clearing. Twilight peered into the darkness. Hundreds of eyes lit up the shadows below the trees. Then the sickly-sweet odor of rotting pine needles assailed Twilight's nostrils. “Timberwolves,” Luna whispered. “They must think us easy prey. They will soon know otherwise.” She fired a warning shot of magic at the first timberwolves to creep into view, but they continued to approach undeterred. Another shot hit a timberwolf, causing it to fall into pieces, but the others kept coming. Now the ponies and phoenix could see the skeletal wooden forms of the creatures, and count the sharp teeth lining the gullet from where the smell emanated. Luna grunted in frustration. “You shall learn to fear us, insolent beasts!” she shouted, but another voice interrupted her, much louder and deeper than her own. It reverberated around the clearing, sounding as if it came from the trees themselves. “The Everfree will reclaim what has been taken from it.” “What?” said Luna and Twilight together. “The Everfree will reclaim what has been taken from it,” the voice repeated over and over as the timberwolves drew ever closer. *** After a long night of searching Canterlot for the missing Element bearers, Chrysalis was both cross and hungry, a combination that did not bode well for anything that crossed her path, as the captain of the elite squadron learned the hard way. He gulped as his queen left the room, thankful that the worst of his punishment was merely being stuck to the ceiling by his hind hooves until she decided to let him down, though the blood rushing to his head didn't make it any more enjoyable. Chrysalis herself had more important things on her mind than the suffering of her captain as she stomped through the palace hallways, changelings scurrying out of her path as she approached. Starswirl always had to ruin things. He had almost ruined her plans back in his own time as well, but he had not succeeded then, and if she had any say in it he would not do so now either. But first, a snack. At last, she reached her destination, a nondescript door near the barracks. Sighing at the distasteful task ahead of her, she wrapped herself in green fire. Out of the flames stepped a beautiful pink alicorn. From behind her Cadance disguise, Chrysalis couldn't help but smile. As much as she hated the lovestruck bride act, it gave her access to the strongest, purest source of love this side of the Great Eastern Sea. She reached out a hoof and knocked on the door to Shining Armor's quarters. *** Shining Armor was, to put it mildly, having a bad week. Considering it was supposed to be the happiest moment of his life, the wedding had gone beyond disastrously. Not only had he overtaxed himself by maintaining the shield spell over Canterlot, he had forgotten to send his own sister a personalized invitation in all the commotion over security. And then his bride had turned out to be the very enemy he had tried to keep out of Canterlot. He shuddered to think what might have happened if Twilight and the real Cadance hadn't intervened when they did. Shining looked himself over in the mirror. His face smiled back with a happiness he didn't actually feel. That wasn't true: he did have one thing to be happy about. He adjusted his vest to hide the shield-shaped medal that he wore underneath. He owed his recently recovered memories to this particular trinket, which bore the family crest in brilliant magenta, a gift from his late uncle. Whatever magic lay upon the medal, it had acted to repel the mind-altering power of the changelings. Since finding it, Shining Armor's thoughts were once again his own. He fiddled with his suit some more, until he was certain he was presentable. So much for the easy part. There was a knock on the door. Shining opened it, letting in the witch who was once again impersonating his wife-to-be. With the medal's magic keeping his mind clear, he could immediately tell that this was not the real Cadance. Everything from her sarcastic smile to the sultry way she said “hello, dear,” screamed that this was somepony else entirely. He wasted no time putting the rest of his plan into action. “Cadance!” he said, affecting a huge grin. “What are you doing here, today of all days?” Chrysalis stepped back in surprise. “What am I—?” she began, but Shining hushed her with a hoof on her muzzle. “You know it's bad luck for the bride and groom to see each other before the wedding. We want our big day to go perfectly, don't we?” Chrysalis began to sputter incoherently. “Now, now,” Shining said, patting her on the nose, “I know you're excited, but it's just one more day.” He kissed her on the cheek, using the movement as an excuse to step around behind her and into the doorway. “I've got to go check on things with the other guards now. See you tomorrow, honey!” With that, he stepped out and tore off down the hallway, leaving Chrysalis thoroughly confused and somehow even hungrier than before. Once he was sure he was out of earshot, Shining slowed to a walk and spat violently. “That is the absolute last time I kiss a bug. Blegh.” His ears perked up at the sound of somepony approaching. He quickly slipped into the shadows behind a column and watched as a lone changeling walked past. “Check on the prisoners,” the changeling grumbled. “That seems like all we ever do nowadays. What ever happened to stealing love the old-fashioned way?” Shining waited until it had gone past and down a side corridor before darting after it, slipping from shadow to shadow as he tailed the changeling. If you are alive, my love, I will find you. If not, I will make them pay.