//------------------------------// // Chapter 25 // Story: Friendship is Scaleless // by Limescale //------------------------------// Tests of character were never easy, but by the same token one could say they were the most accurate way of seeing who a pony really was at their core. Take from them as much as you could, subject them to hardships with the most undesirable solution you could think of, and few would have cause to hide their true being. By that logic the tragedy that had befallen Twilight and Pinkie could be seen as a blessing rather than the curse it was purported to be. Now that both had suffered the same fate as that of their visitors from Lordran, they were quickly proving to be better at adapting to their status than those around them. Twilight was thoroughly grilling Seath and the Chosen Undead on what to expect now that she too was a carrier of the Darksign, while Pinkie was putting herself through every test she could think of to see how much of her previous self had been retained following her fiery death. “So the key here is we both have to remain motivated for something. So long as we have something to strive for, the worst we’ll have to deal with is the unpleasant aesthetics and some minor body degradation?” The undead alicorn asked. Seath uncomfortably whisked a bowl of tea in his hands, staring at his reflection as it was swallowed up in the swirling liquid. He felt an urge to see if he too could be dragged under and out of sight of his most recent failures, lacking only a sufficiently large body of water to drown himself in. “Yea…for the time being. Purpose giveth the soul strength, and resilience. The challenge doth lie in holding onto that purpose e’en as thine burden grows heavier and thine situation darker.” The white drake muttered. Beside him, Pinkie pulled out a beach ball from her thin, withered mane and blew it up. “Well then, this isn’t as bad as I feared. Faust knows I’ve always had something to focus each day on, and now I’ve got even more cause to keep that up.” Bouncing the ball out the door, Pinkie pulled out a saxophone from seemingly thin air and played a short blues riff. “And so long as I can keep folks laughing and cheery then I’ll always have a reason to get up in the morning.” The pink husk said in relief. “Really, what’s so bad about this? Sure I’m not much to look at but now if anything else traumatic happens death will literally just be a slap on the wrist!” Pinkie grinned at everyone. Twilight, Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, Trixie and even the Princesses looked mildly reassured by her bravado. Seath and the Chosen Undead unanimously shook their heads in disdain. “It…doesn’t quite work that way. The more times you die and get resurrected the greater the toll it takes on your mind and body. Unless you can keep yourself stocked with humanity to reverse your condition, the curse will eventually cause you to degrade completely.” The dragonoid replied. Seath glared at her for being so blunt. She silently dared him to try and come up with a softer means of phrasing the truth, to which he scowled in defeat and resumed staring at his tea. Beside them, Pinkie Pie put down her sax and flopped back onto her haunches. “Oh…well…still, I guess I kind of deserve that for what I did.” She muttered sadly, much to everyone’s distress. “Pinkie, darling, how can you say that? We all agree you weren’t to blame for your actions out there! That was the parasite on your head possessing you!” Rarity declared, pressing a hoof to her chest as Pinkie just looked more distressed. “…Right?” The pink husk reached into her mane and pulled out her pet alligator. Gummy looked up at his now zombified owner with fright and tried to wrestle out of her grip, but as Pinkie gently nuzzled him and stroked the special sweet spot under his chin, the reptile ceased to struggle and just looked confused along with everyone else. “Well…partially. I…may have given it a few ideas.” Pinkie admitted as she stroked her pet. “I can’t explain it but it was like a voice in my head gently prodding at my thoughts, asking me what made me happy…hence why I started with the aggressive baking. Then it started needling what stopped me from feeling that way all the time… the things I feared and everything I keep repressed. On instinct I started acting like…well…like how you all saw me on my birthday…like her….only I couldn’t stop it. It offered to stop it instead, to take over and let me just swim in the part of my mind that holds all my cheer and keeps her at bay.” Gummy’s confusion slowly faded as he registered the emotional turmoil his owner went through on an almost daily basis, not that his face really expressed that (then again, he wasn’t the most expressive creature to begin with) but Pinkie sensed it regardless. So did everypony around her as the impact of how long this had been an issue for the poor mare began to sink in. “It wasn’t until I saw Twilight as she is that I realized what I was allowing it to do…or rather what she has always wanted to do. All that thing did was tell me to take a mental holiday so it could force her desires to the surface.” Pinkie winced as she hugged her alligator tighter. “So, I’m still partly to blame.” All ponies regarded each other, completely at a loss for what to say. Deeming she couldn’t do much more to get the wrinkles out of her Stetson short of ironing it, Applejack placed it back on her head and stepped into the center of the room. “Well, as somepony who’s sworn to speak from her heart, I think this needs to be said. What happened outside was horrifyin’, to say the least. We all knew you were a bit kooky Pinkie, but we had no idea it was as bad as all that. Seriously girl, you need help! Badly!” Pinkie winced at the harsh words but Applejack raised a hoof to signify she wasn’t done yet. “Now that said, the fact remains that no matter how much to blame you feel you are, you weren’t in yer right mind out there. Not to mention when the chips were down you stopped yourself, hard as it was, and suffered plenty fer yer crimes. After seeing you on…ugh…on the fire like that, plus as you are now, I think you’ve more than made up fer what you did. Ah just want you back as mah friend.” Applejack lowered her raised hoof, offering it in a show of forgiveness. “Who else says we forgive and forget, and focus on how we can make her and Twilight better now?” Rarity daintily raised her hoof. “So long as you can promise you’re back in control and that I don’t need to check behind the door of every kitchen I walk into, you have my forgiveness, Pinkie.” “And mine, provided that promise extends to not hurting yourself or blaming yourself any further.” Fluttershy smiled meekly. Luna and Celestia looked to each other. Despite still having her face marred by her own blood, Luna shrugged. “I believe Applejack has said it best. You do indeed need treatment for whatever this…other side of yours may be, but we think you’ve atoned enough, Pinkie Pie.” Pinkie blinked, then felt her empty sockets start to itch. Were she not lacking working tear ducts or any semblance of still being among the living, she might have started bawling her eyes out at that. Instead, she just grabbed Applejack’s hoof and pulled her into a hug. “Ooooh you girls! *sniff* I am throwing you all the biggest thank you party you could imagine…soon as I have time to plan it of course!” Pinkie squeed. A rasping gasp joined her from her hooves. “Good, then maybe you could start by not squeezin’ Gummy so hard? He’s lookin’ a little blue there.” Applejack grinned as Pinkie looked down and noticed her pet indeed seemed a bit starved on oxygen. “Ooooh! Oh my yes! Sorry, Gummy! I’ll let you go now.” She promptly put the alligator down and kissed him on the nose as he sucked in a huge gulp of air. “As glad as we all are to hear that, Pinkie, I’m afraid we’re going to have to hold off on that party for a while.” All attention returned to Twilight. “All our possible options here are drying up. We haven’t gotten anything more from what we could find of the Annals, Manus is doing Faust knows what with Sombra’s horn right now and while I swear I WILL do everything in my power to find a cure for this curse, I’m limited by how much I can do without knowing where it originates from. No matter how you slice it, fate seems to be forcing us towards the one option we’ve been dreading.” Twilight put down her quill and placed a hoof on her now decaying forehead just under her horn. “We have to go to Lordran; it’s where everything bad has come from…” Seath and the Chosen Undead both arched an eyebrow at Twilight’s phrasing. “…and it’s the only place we can hope to find answers. However… considering what just happened to me and Pinkie I can’t possibly ask for any of you to join us, and risk your own lives in the process.” Another uncomfortable silence held. Several expressions of fear and apprehension were shared, yet not one word of protest was voiced. “I think by this point we may have to concede that the choice is no longer ours to make. Whether we stay here or travel to the source, the outcome seems fated to remain the same. The only difference is the latter option gives us a chance to prepare and learn, as well as settle some other issues that can’t be resolved here.” Celestia said with authority, albeit appearing rather strained by the events of the past hour. “Not to mention that, as undead, you’re ironically better prepared to face what awaits back home; I should know.” The Chosen Undead mused. “Also, I have allies still awaiting my return, few in number but apt in spirit, and Seath, from what I’ve seen of his archives, could provide us with a very well-fortified base of operations.” Feeling attention return to him again, Seath tightened his grip around his bowl, enough to make several fissures form across the porcelain vessel. “I guess that leads us back to the previous question, Seath. Will you accompany us and help us in facing the horrors of Lordran?” Celestia intoned. Steaming hot tea began to drip over the dragon’s fingers from the cracks, the pain only amplifying the stabbing agony wracking his body. Raising his head, Seath pushed his way through the ponies and towards the door of the chamber. “I ask of thee a moment to contemplate the matter. Do not attempt to follow me!” He punched the doors open and disappeared down the hallway with increasing speed. Taken aback at her teacher’s behavior, Twilight rose to her hooves. “No.” Celestia blocked the alicorn with her wing. “Do as he says. This is his moment of truth, and we will let him deal with it as he sees fit.” Luna arched a suspicious eyebrow at her sister’s behavior but kept her thoughts to herself. “And what of the rest of us? This can hardly be any less easy of a decision for any pony present.” The black alicorn asked as a change of subject. Rarity, Applejack and Fluttershy shared a silent discussion, though only for the briefest of moments. “Really, there’s no choice to be made. We promised to follow Twilight no matter how dangerous things looked, and we’re twice as committed to that promise now!” The orange mare replied. “Think the only thing we’re waitin’ on is fer Rainbow to get discharged from the hospital so she can give her input.” Fluttershy nodded and uncomfortably rubbed her front hooves together. “Well…that and I think we need to explain to our families and loved ones what’s going on. Not to sound pessimistic but this isn’t a light undertaking… and if something happens to us, those we care about deserve to know that we may be coming back different… if at all.” The butterscotch Pegasus whimpered while trying to hide her face in her mane. “Sorry, but I had to say it.” Twilight sat down on her haunches again, brow furrowing in thought. “Don’t be sorry, Fluttershy, that’s a very valid point. It also begs the question of how exactly does this Darksign curse work? If something happens to another of us, what assurance do we have that they’ll come back as Pinkie and I did rather than just die?” The Chosen Undead surreptitiously reached to rub the spot on her neck where her own black circle was, or rather had been. Even though stone scales now covered the spot, allowing for a more reassuringly uniform texture, the phantom pain of her condition never left the dragonoid. “In my experience, fate is seldom kind enough to let death be the final release. If two of you have already been cursed the chances are better that the rest of you will follow rather than any of you actually being permitted to rest.” She stood and headed for the door. “If such is the case, I’m going to need to check that I have enough resources to make it more bearable for you all. It seems the least I can do to make up for my own involvement.” *** A pained roar and the smash of a tea bowl impacting against the far wall heralded Seath’s entrance into the grand dining room. The place was still a mess due to Green Bean and Armored Core having been interrupted in the middle of packing the Chosen Undead’s gear away but that suited Seath fine. It made it easier for him to find something that might help ease his guilt. T’was first Verdite thou ruined in the name of Vallad. Then t’was the Everlasting Dragons thou betrayed out of piteous jealousy and anger. Then t’was Gwynevere thou humored and let destroy thine own child for fear of Gwyn’s wrath! THEN t’was Lordran itself thou devastated for the sake of thine own misery! The white dragon hunted through the numerous weapons spread across the dining table. A stinging jolt of electricity stabbed at his fingers as they encountered the blade of a welcomingly familiar spear. Now, once more thou brings doom upon the innocent. No word nor act hath done the deed, this time thine very presence hath let darkness come and claim the lives of those who trusted thee. Seath picked up the cross shaped spear, feeling its lightning enchantment sizzle his skin, as if realizing it was about to claim the life of yet another ancient dragon. Defy fate and it doth punish others for thine trespasses. Surrender and return to its bosom and the cycle shalt repeat…if e’en there exists a third prong to this damnable fork it hath evaded discovery for centuries… Seath stared at the weapon for what seemed like an eternity. This was the armament of Ornstein, the means by which thousands of his kindred had met their end. It was said the noble Dragonslayer once cleaved a boulder in two, such was the sharpness of the blade. Surely there’d be no contest pitting it against an aged fossil with no scales or any protection…. None of thine acts served any benefit before. Only with thine death did Verdite flourish. Lordran may be lost, but if the same woulds’t save this land at least… Seath’s grip tightened. He only had to angle the spear forward then lean upon it, then… Then… Was the choice ever thine? Dids’t thou resign to thine death when thou accepted Gwyn’s gift? When thou turned against thine own? When thou was brought back again from the beyond? Seath did not move, he just kept staring blankly at the weapon, trying to decide what to do. This can end in only one way. To resist only delays the inevitable, and yet…yet… With an enraged roar, Seath hefted the weapon and hurled it to join his tea bowl by the far wall. Its blade pierced the crystal like cheap glass, sending a spider web of cracks out from the point of impact as it lodged itself up to the cross bar. “Wise choice. You’d have solved nothing the other way, trust me.” Seath turned at the voice, glowering as Discord grandly stepped out of the shadows. “And from what prior turmoil of conscience dost thou recount with that? Thou sought to make thine legacy as tarnished and feared as my own!” He demanded. In Discord’s hands the Chaos Bug ignited to provide some light, revealing the draconequus’ features to be twisted with a mixture of sickness and dread. “And in turn I’ve suffered similar episodes to what you’re going through, if you’re willing to believe.” Discord sighed as he summoned two armchairs for himself and the dragon. “It’s the damn curse of the ponies’ whole friendship gig. You spend long enough around them you start to question your less desirable acts. Start thinking maybe, just maybe they might have a point in wanting you to change your ways.” Seath groaned and let the chair take his weight. Mercifully, Discord had adjusted its size for his far larger and far more unusual anatomy. “T’is not their influence I fear, t’is that which hath lead to this desolate turn of events. They may seek to change me, but fate hath now demonstrated it shall not stand for such insolence!” Discord shook his head and stroked through the branches on his pet’s back. “You ever consider maybe you’re letting your past experiences tint your view of things?” He asked. Seath arched an eyeridge. “I mean sure, you did some bad stuff in the past. So have I. So has everyone. That’s the whole beauty of imperfection! Doesn’t mean you can’t try to make up for it.” Seath’s features slumped from the weight of his aggravation. “What I hath done is far worse than that. In Lordran there awaits many terrors I did personally create with the sole intent to enact mine rage and hatred upon all. T’were we to return there they shalt not hesitate to do as I commanded them in ending the lives of all they encounter.” Again Discord shrugged and snapped his tail. A bag full of plunderseeds materialized in his free hand. “See these? I planted them eons ago for similarly less than kind, but ultimately hilarious reasons. A while back they sprouted vines that choked the Tree of Harmony and nearly destroyed this town and every surrounding province. Twilight and her friends stopped them before they could grow any more but I don’t think it an exaggeration to believe that they’d have kept doing the same to Equestria as whatever you’ve done to your own home turf.” Seath stared at the seeds before Discord dismissed them back into nothingness. “I’ve also betrayed as you’ve betrayed, straight up turned my back on those that sought to give me a second chance and left them for dead, or an even worse fate. Should’ve been turned to stone for a third time for that but they insisted I be spared. Celestia probably knew the pain and regret for my actions would be even worse than a granite prison.” Discord continued, snorting in satisfaction as Seath’s doubt began to dissipate. “And yes, like you were just now, I’ve contemplated that maybe I wasn’t worthy of the trust those ponies have shown me, that maybe things would be better without me, like they used to be. And you know who talked me out of that?” Seath settled for a silent, neutral expression. If this irked Discord, the draconequus did a fine job of not showing it. “Fluttershy, the very same pony I’ve made life hell for and all but gloated over when her demise was imminent. Granted, she did resent me, perhaps rightfully so, for a while after, but when she saw how great my own torment was she forgave me, just like everyone else did…just like you did.” Discord finished with a smile, holding up the chaos bug which chittered happily. Seath responded by turning his expression to a contemptuous sneer. “T’were they to return both will be at as great a risk as I. The Chosen Undead cannot hope to complete her quest without the Lord Souls I and the Witch bare, nor will many hesitate to grab such power for themselves in Lordran’s forsaken state. More so, Fluttershy’s…reluctance towards conflict will undo her in grievously short order t’were she to be pitted against any of Lordran’s more murderous forces. ” Discord’s confidence cracked a bit at that. He brought his pet back into his arms again, then eeped and summoned her flame proof blanket when the chaos bug accidentally set his chest ablaze with her flames. “Well seeing as those unruly folk have yet to let anything as bothersome as being in different worlds and different times stop them from reaching us I think that’s a pretty moot point. If the ponies, especially Fluttershy, get it into their heads that they’re going to go and fix whatever is wrong, it’s all the more reason for me to go with them. Even Chaos Incarnate has to realize the show of charitableness they’ve exhibited is not something you just turn away, nor fail to repay. Especially not after witnessing what Pinkie did to save everyone from her own madness." Discord coughed uncomfortably. Seath’s contempt faded again. Much as he loathed to admit it, Discord did have a point. “And for similar reasons I wish not to let them suffer the same fate as Lordran…” He narrowed his gaze at the draconequus. “Thine point now, Discord. Dost thou seek to show thou and I are as similar souls, divided only by time and circumstance?” Discord looked disgusted. “Well, hopefully not that similar! I mean, you’re such a dullard! And that Shakesponian dialect is so cliché!” He smirked, much to Seath’s annoyance. “I’m trying to point out that if fate was willing to give a break to someone as checkered as I…” Discord poofed a scheme of black and red squares all over his body. “…maybe it’s trying to do the same to you. What happened is just the incentive for you to go back, face up to what you’ve done and try to amend for it.” The chaos god concluded. Seath thought to claim his theory was insane and he was an idiot, but then figured Discord might take it as a compliment. Not to mention it wasn’t like he hadn’t come up with similarly bizarre and mad theories over the course of his research. “E’en though to do so invites more terror and risks the lives of all who follow?” Discord shrugged. “That’s on them, and as much as I hate to admit it, they’ve faced danger before and come out just fine with their usual approach. All you have to do is keep us informed of what to expect and how to deal with it…and hope everyone listens.” Seath sat back in his chair and removed his glasses. It made it easier to concentrate on his thoughts when the world was just an indecipherable blur. Less information and thus less distraction for his mind. “Such words of ‘wisdom’ I’d never thought to be spoken by a former enemy of the equines.” He commented. Discord nodded with a shiver. “Believe me, it’s scary how effective this so called ‘Magic of Friendship’ deal is. Quite insidious even, despite how they drape it in all the musical numbers, cheer and good intentions.” Seath slipped his glasses back on and looked out the dining room window. Now that Celestia was provided a chance to lower the sun so that Luna could raise the moon, the vista looked far less morbid. Darkness concealed the desolation of Pinkie’s murderous efforts and the stars burned brightly over the quaintly lit town of Ponyville in the distance. “Yet where more authoritative and strict acts hath led only to ruin, theirs maketh possible a paradise preserved far longer than any known to I.” He mused. Discord nodded again in unease. “Your call on whether that’s a sign of equestrian deceptiveness or a testament to their efforts for peace and acceptance. Either way, it’s cause enough for me to stand by them for now…well that and my goal since the beginning never included letting this world fall to ruin on someone else’s terms!” Discord huffed. “If nothing else look at it this way: this is the ultimate test of whether the ponies’ methods work in any realm other than this special little bubble of happiness they’ve constructed for themselves. If they can’t match what your world is home to then they deserve to be destroyed.” Seath clenched his fists and rose. “Now I doth hear what would be expected from the mouth of an enemy.” He said, sounding almost proud that Discord hadn’t totally lost his edge. The draconequus smirked and lovingly stroked his flaming pet. “Some habits die harder than others.” He replied while standing and dismissing the chairs. “In the meantime can I trust you aren’t going to be doing anything stupid?” Seath nodded. “My madness hath abated in the wake of thine words, though be forewarned the fortitude of thine own soul shall likewise be tested to its utmost.” He stated with a darker edge to his words. Discord again did his best to hide his unease that it wouldn’t just be his friends who’d be put through the wringer. “For now, however, the owner of this mess around us seeketh to recollect what is hers.” Discord turned to see the Chosen Undead stepping into the dining room, a curious smile etching across his face that she was still in her dragonoid form. “I don’t suppose you’d be willing at some point to show me how you managed that little shapeshifting trick? The common lore among ponies is such a feat is impossible to any soul less grand than I so I’m insatiably keen to know if such is a more widely known technique among humans.” He asked. The undead looked at him warily, then to Seath even more warily. “T’is a reward, gifted to those who serve a being that hath no right to still exist. In depths lower than e’en darkness seeks to tread it hides…yet still there are few with strength and ambition sufficient to seek it out.” Seath explained with subtle resignation. “That thou hast both found it and curried such great favor with it foretells of thine loyalty if nothing else.” The Chosen Undead opted to keep her silence and not press for more questions. She’d have time enough with Seath once everyone had a plan of action…however much that thought chilled her to the core. “Hmmm, well I’ll have to make a note to stop by if I have the chance. Sounds like a romantic photo op!” Discord replied while summoning a camera and a gaudy tourist shirt. Seath’s wings fluttered restlessly at his words. “And on the subject of romance…thou swears, as one who perhaps hath the least motivation to deceive at present, t’was the Princess Gwynevere that did give unto thee the Lordvessel and her covenant’s ring?” The Chosen Undead nodded without hesitance, a sign of sincerity that Seath took to heart as he exhaled and straightened up. “Then such is a paradox I must investigate, if for no reason than for my own closure on her betrayal and abandonment.” The dragon sighed as he passed into a side room, retrieving something from one of the tables. “T’is time I give Twilight mine response.” *** “So, this is everything we all wish to take care of before we leave? Worst case scenario, there’s no loose ends if anything happens to any of us?” Twilight asked as she re-read the list she’d just finished writing. “Well, while Ah’d like to still entertain the likelihood that it ain’t as bad as that, but yeah, that’s everythin’ Ah’ll need to do to know Sweet Apple Acres and mah family will be okay.” Applejack replied. “Likewise, I’ll at least be able to go knowing all is well at Sugarcube Corner.” Pinkie replied. “That is…assuming the Cakes don’t freak out at me looking like this.” She sheepishly glanced down at her rotted hollow state. Twilight gave her a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. “I’ll have to do the same with my family and the press, so…” She sighed and raised her head in defiance of her own undead status. “They’ve understood before when odd things happened to us. They’ll do so again!” Pinkie Pie smiled in thanks for the vote of confidence. Next to her Fluttershy nervously wrung her mane. “I only hope the same can be said when I have to break the news to Scootaloo and Angel. I mean, I know they’ll make sure the cottage and the animals are fine but to leave them alone again…” The yellow Pegasus began to tear up at the thought. Rarity ran over and gave her a tight hug. “Shhhh, darling, like Applejack said, don’t think about it that way. We don’t know what’s going to happen here, we just want to make sure every avenue is covered!” Fluttershy sniffed and buried her face in her friends’ chest. “I promised I’d be there for her from now on, that I’d give her a home and the life she deserves…” Rarity placed her hoof over the pegasus’ mouth. Trixie picked at the lining of her cape in unease. “And you will, darling. Just be honest with her about what we’re going to do and that you have every intention of coming back! Just as I intend to come back to Sweetie Belle and my parents, and…well…” Rarity blushed slightly. “Spike will probably refuse to sit this one out won’t he?” Twilight giggled sadly. “Not likely. Besides, I’ll need to see if he can send and receive letters while in another realm. We need to keep some means of communication with Celestia after all, right?” She looked to the solar diarch who seemed deep in some unpleasant thought. “Perhaps. I still am undecided on whether to accompany you or not. Much as Equestria may need me, I remain confident that Luna can take care of it without me for a little while.” She said, bringing the black alicorn beside her to gasp. “Tia, you really believe I’m worthy to…” Celestia raised a hoof to silence her sister. “My place may be by your side, but just as I was able to fare without you for a thousand years there’s no reason the reverse can’t be applied. You’ve made up for your errors and proven yourself to be as worthy a ruler as I. While I hope it does not come to this, if Seath refuses to assist…” “I shalt do nothing of the sort!” Came the disdainful interruption. “Merely I required pause to…settle mine thoughts. Acting upon anger and anguish hath not served in my favor.” Seath slid into the chamber again, one hand clutched tightly around his catalyst, the other around an unseen object in his palm. “Swore before did I that I would not allow thine kingdom to fall as Lordran did, and while I cannot lie about the danger and despair that will befall thee all in following me to whence I came, if fate is to again force all down the only road it deems fit I shall do what I can to prepare thee for the perils that lay in wait.” The dragon declared. Rather than look assured, Celestia seemed somewhat disappointed that she wouldn’t be allowed to risk her neck just yet. However, she kept her silence while Twilight looked on in relief. “I knew you would, Seath.” The undead alicorn smiled as her teacher opened his hand. “What shall come of this venture I cannot say, but if I may at least bring resolution to a few of the tragedies that hath plagued my life then the effort shall be worthwhile.” Seath revealed the ring of the Princess Guard. “If I am as much a part of this as thou, then I cannot forsake what cause still remains. As I promised before, I shalt do whatever it takes.” Seath slid the ring onto his finger, watching as it magically enlarged itself to fit. While its enchantment was of no worth to him, the warmth it exuded would serve as a reminder that he couldn’t give up yet. Not while he still had at least one soul depending on him. “Again, thou hast my pledge of aid, Twilight.” He said while bowing to the alicorn. Behind him Celestia snorted and dipped her head as if scolding herself for being so averse to Seath making good on the promise he himself made to her. Luna studied her sister’s actions with great concern as the Chosen Undead stepped in likewise bearing tribute. “And until I know the truth of my own situation, you have mine.” The dragonoid said while kneeling. “For the sake of amending for my errors in your dominion, permit me to at least ease your condition as I have others like yourself.” She unfolded her hands, revealing two burning black humanity sprites. “Take these and regain at least a little more of your former selves.” Twilight blinked then smiled in thanks as she reached out and absorbed one of the sprites. “Pinkie, do the same. If nothing else it’ll help ease the blow when you tell the Cakes what happened.” Nodding, Pinkie reached out and giggled as the other sprite merged with her being. “Hee hee, that tickles!” The Chosen Undead rose and gestured for the two rotting ponies to follow. “Come, I’ll show you how to use it to restore yourselves at the bonfire, as I have often had need to do.” Twilight rolled her list up and took a deep breath. “Okay, and once that’s done we’ve got a very busy week ahead of us. In seven days’ time I want us back here, ready to venture to Lordran. Everypony, do what you have to in setting your affairs in order. While you are, I’ll inform the populace what’s going on, and after that…” She pointed a hoof at Seath. “You and I are going to have a cramming session the likes of which no student or teacher have ever witnessed before!”