A Deep Dark Secret Part 4
Aqua Rain tried to make sense of the room she found herself in.
Some of the items appeared similar to the equipment she used in her work at the weather station, but their appearance was wholly alien to her.
“Where are we,” she asked.
“Home,” Yew said, “Or as close to a home as I can have.”
Aqua Rain walked toward one of the structures. This rectangular obsidian structure had a sunken square niche near the top. A rectangular piece of obsidian jutted below the niche at a downward angle.
As Aqua Rain got close, the obsidian began to glow with a dim green light.
Aqua Rain immediately retreated.
“Don’t bother,” Yew said, “It won’t harm you. Even if you knew how to operate it, you wouldn’t understand the language.”
“What is it,” Aqua Rain asked.
Yew smiled, “It’s one of the keys to my prison. Don’t worry. As I said, you will help me.”
She turned to her left, and a door opened.
There, hanging from a beam, Cobalt waited for Aqua Rain.
“He’s right there,” Yew said, “All you have to do is collect him.”
“And why should I believe you,” Aqua Rain asked, “You already tried to manipulate me, and when that failed, you tried to kill me.”
Yew laughed, “I wasn’t trying to harm you. I was trying to reunite you.”
Aqua Rain walked toward her husband, unconscious but otherwise unharmed.
She stopped at the threshold and asked, “Where are the others,” she asked.
“By others,” Yew asked, “Do you mean your friends or the ponies with the fancy necklaces?”
“Both,” Aqua Rain said.
“Well,” Yew said, “One would be spoiling a surprise, but I can tell you a bit about the ponies you came in with.”
She smiled, “They’re on a mission to free me.”
Aqua Rain shook her head, “There’s no way they would agree to do that.”
“That’s true,” Yew said, “But they don’t know that. I had to make a concession, of course. Your friends are with them. Once they are all freed, so will I.”
Aqua Rain sat down, “And what do you expect from me? It sounds like all of the work is being done by those ponies.”
Yew chuckled, “Is that resentment I hear? I know you made a promise, but promises are made to be broken if I recall the saying correctly.”
Aqua Rain looked back at the hanging form of her husband.
“How do I know that’s really him,” she asked.
“You don’t,” Yew said, “That’s all part of the fun.”
Aqua Rain got to her hooves and began to walk toward Cobalt.
She smiled at her husband and said, “I hope I’m doing the right thing.”
After taking a deep breath, she turned around.
“No,” Aqua Rain said, “I know that I can easily get him and try and leave this place, but if I do that, then I will be no worse than you.”
Yew laughed, “Oh, don’t be hasty. We have plenty of time before your saviors return, and he’ll be right there. Waiting for you to save him.”
Aqua Rain turned back to her husband. She desperately wanted to run to him but knew not to trust Yew.
“Close the door,” she said, “Just close it.”
Yew grinned, “No. It will stay open so that you can go to him. Every minute that passes will make it that much harder to resist.”
She entered the room, “I’m actually happy that you were able to resist me. This is much more fun.”
Aqua Rain stomped on the ground, “Why are you doing this to us? What did we do to you?”
Yew rushed at Aqua Rain, stopping inches from her.
She glared and said, “You know what you did. You know what you precious ponies did to me and my kind.”
She took a step back and smiled, “Did I let my anger get away with me? I’ll make sure that it doesn’t happen again.”
Yew walked past Aqua Rain, “We have time. Let’s see which one conquers their trial first, shall we?”
---
“Okay,” Fluttershy said, “You can do this. It’s only a stairway leading into a strange and scary place.”
She wanted to turn around and call for Pinkie Pie but took a shaky step forward.
The sound of her hoof making contact with the stone echoed slightly and nothing more. The world didn’t end.
She took another step, and soon, Fluttershy found herself at the bottom of the stairs.
The stone room was bare except for a stone table with a basket in the center.
Fluttershy took a cautious step forward but stopped.
She looked down at the floor. It appeared solid, but she couldn’t bring herself to take another step. Instead, she opted to fly toward the table, or at least, she tried. Shed to.
When Fluttershy flapped her wings, nothing happened. She felt her wings cut through the air, and she felt the breeze that they created. Yet, she remained on the ground.
She returned to study the floor. The ground had a subtle shimmer to it, and it almost had the appearance of water.
Fluttershy leaned closer to the floor, and sure enough, she saw her reflection. She stared at the reflection for a minute before falling back.
Her reflection just winked at her.
“Pinkie,” she whimpered.
Fluttershy curled up as her fear began to overwhelm her.
She looked across the room to the table. The basket sat there, taunting her. It mocked her and her cowardice.
Fluttershy closed her eyes and whispered, “I have to do this. I am good enough because I love my Pinkie Pie.”
She got to her hooves and returned her attention to the floor. There was a riddle, and she was going to solve it.
---
“Spooky spooks aren’t gonna scare me,” Pinkie said as she ran down the stairs.
“I’ll get my whatever and meet up with Flutters.”
She hopped in anticipation but stopped when she ran into a gate.
The gate didn’t have a handle or any means of opening. On the other side, Pinkie could see another stone table with a small box resting on it.
Pinkie pushed at the gate, but the metal would not budge. She then tried to lift the gate but received the same results.
Tired, she rested against the wall. She noticed something curious on the opposite wall. It had a shimmer to it.
Pinkie got closer and smiled at the reflection.
“Hey there,” she shouted, “I know you’re not me, so who are you?”
Her reflection moved to the side and motioned for her to enter the reflection.
“I probably shouldn’t,” Pinkie said, “But I’m not getting anywhere just standing here. Let’s go.”
She ran toward the reflection and immediately fell backward.
“Ow,” she said, rubbing her now bloody nose, “That wasn’t very nice.”
Her reflection reappeared and motioned for her to enter the reflection once again.
“No way,” Pinkie said, pointing a hoof at her nose, “Look at what happened.”
The other Pinkie smiled and shook her head, motioning for Pinkie to enter but to do so slowly.
“Well,” Pinkie said, “I guess I could try again.”
She took a step forward and reached out with a hoof. Pinkie touched the wall and found herself suddenly pulled into the wall.
---
Rainbow Dash didn’t think she could feel more comfortable than she was right now. Though her wing had long fallen asleep, she was warm under the heavy blankets.
She saw Applejack sleeping soundly and felt the sling that protected her friend’s leg.
“It should be time for her to awaken,” Alder said.
Rainbow looked up, “Are you sure that’s a good idea? Shouldn’t she wake up on her own?”
Alder nodded, “Normally, the two of you would be resting, but this is not a normal situation.”
She walked to Applejack and gently nudged the sleeping earth pony.
“Uh,” Applejack moaned, “What time is it?”
“Careful,” Alder said, “You are still injured. I have treated you as best as I could. Now it will be up to your own body to recover.”
Applejack opened her eyes and smiled, “So, you’re the pony that helped us?”
Alder scowled, “Since you are a friend to the trees, I will ignore that insult, but yes, I assisted you.”
“Sorry,” Applejack said, “What should I call you?”
Alder tilted her head, “Isn’t Alder enough?”
Applejack laughed, “I guess you’re right, I should be getting to my hooves.”
Rainbow retracted her wing and smiled sheepishly when Applejack turned to her.
“Uh, hey,” she said.
“And what are you doing,” Applejack asked, “You had better have kept those hooves to yourself.”
Rainbow Dash stared at Applejack before groaning, “You’re still with that?”
Applejack began laughing, “Sorry, Sugarcube. It’s just too easy to mess with you. I was in a bad way, so I reckon she must’ve had you keep me warm.”
Alder nodded, “That is correct. We gave you some medicine that will help you heal.”
“And I thank you,” Applejack said.
Rainbow Dash got out from underneath the blankets and helped Applejack to her hooves.
“This is a mighty fine sling you made,” Applejack said.
“It’s good that you appreciate it,” Alder said, “Some young trees gave up their limbs for you.”
Rainbow stretched her wings, “What’s the big deal? They’re just trees.”
“Hey now,” Applejack said, “They’re not just trees. They got feelings just like we do, and I’m mighty grateful that some saplings helped me out.”
Alder smiled, “This is why I knew it was right to help. You care for the trees.”
Applejack smiled, “Well, I live on an apple farm, so trees are special to me.”
Alder stared at Applejack for a moment, “A farm? You mean that you use trees for your own gain?”
“Not exactly,” Applejack said, “Sure, we harvest the trees when they’re ready, but we make sure to treat them right. They’re not just for us to take advantage of them.”
“I,” Alder said, “I don’t know how I feel about that.”
“I understand,” Applejack said, “I imagine that around here, you only take what you need, so from y’all’s perspective, it’s borderline cruel having an apple farm.”
Alder nodded, “Yes, but I’m still conflicted. I know that you are a friend of the trees. They guided me to you.”
She took a deep breath, “I shall trust their judgment. They have always provided.”
Rainbow watched the exchange in bewilderment. As much as she wanted to call the two insane, she knew better.
“We should get to that storage place,” she said.
“What storage place,” Applejack asked.
“The building your friend was flying towards before she struck the barrier,” Alder said.
“So that’s why she fell,” Applejack said, “Sure wish we knew about that.”
She turned to Rainbow Dash and said, “I’m sorry, Sugarcube. You wouldn't be hurt if I hadn’t made you fly off.”
Rainbow Dash shrugged, “Maybe, but you’re healing up, so it worked out.”
“I guess so,” Applejack said, smiling.
“Before you go,” Alder said, “Please wait here.”
She didn’t wait for the two to respond before she walked to the back of the cave.
Alder seemed to rummage through some blankets, but she eventually got to her hooves.
“Friend,” she called, “Come help.”
Rainbow Dash stepped forward but jumped back when Alder yelled at her.
“I wasn’t speaking to you,” Alder snapped, “Friend of the trees, I need your assistance.”
“Geez,” Rainbow said, “I’m only trying to help. In case you forgot, she’s only on three legs.”
“I remember,” Alder said, “And she will be more welcome than you.”
Applejack leaned against Rainbow Dash and said, “Don’t sweat it. She’s upset about what you said. She doesn’t know you like I do.”
Rainbow rolled her eyes, “Whatever, just go help so we can get moving.”
Applejack nodded and joined Alder.
The dryad happily dressed Applejack in a heavy coat, adjusting the coat to accommodate her injured leg.
Once Applejack was dressed, Alder waved Rainbow Dash over.
“Oh,” Rainbow said, “Am I now allowed to join you?”
“Sugarcube,” Applejack said, “Have some manners.”
Alder was about to toss Rainbow Dash the coat, but Applejack stopped her.
“Listen,” Applejack said, “Let’s not fight. You brought us into your home, and you took care of me. Let’s leave here as friends.”
Alder sighed and nodded, “You’re right. I chose to help you, and that includes your friend. I. I apologize.”
Rainbow walked to Alder, “Yeah, I’m sorry, too. I want to get out of here, so I guess I’m a little cranky.”
“And I accept your apology,” Alder said, “Let me get you dressed. These coats will protect you.”
Rainbow put on the heavy coat, and she felt slightly claustrophobic with the coat covering her wings. Still, she appreciated the warmth the coat provided.
“These are pretty cool,” she said.
“Cool,” Alder asked.
“It’s a saying,” Applejack said, “She didn’t mean literally.”
“I see,” Alder said, “If you follow the path along the gorge, you will soon find yourself at the storage facility. Please be careful.”
Applejack nodded, “We will, and again, thanks for the help.”
Alder nodded and watched the ponies leave.
Rainbow Dash and Applejack stepped out into the cold and were immediately blasted by the wind. Their faces were uncomfortable, but they were still warm.
“Okay,” Rainbow Dash said, “Let’s go.”
Applejack nodded, and they slowly made their way toward the storage facility.
---
Twilight Sparkle and Rarity entered a small room, and Tapestries lined the wall, and in the center, they saw a large stone table.
“These tapestries are certainly rather crude,” Rarity said, “Though lovely in their unique way.”
Twilight studied one tapestry and then quickly looked at each of them.
“I think this might be a history,” she said.
Rarity studied one of the tapestries, “Where do you think this story begins?”
“I’m not sure,” Twilight said, “But if I were to guess, it would be this tapestry here.”
They stood before a tapestry. This had six pony-like figures on it. Three on the left appeared similar to Yew and Tulip, and on the right was a single unicorn, pegasus, and earth pony. In between was a line of trees.
“Perhaps,” Rarity said, “This is before they met?”
Twilight nodded, “I think so. Look closely at the figures.”
Rarity studied the figures, “It would appear that the ponies aren’t very content.”
She studied the dryads, “I can’t tell, but at least they don’t appear unhappy.”
Twilight nodded, “I think that before both groups met, the ponies weren’t happy, and the dryads were content.”
“I wonder what happened,” Rarity said.
“Let’s find out,” Twilight said and looked at the next tapestry.
This tapestry still had the six figures, but now the earth pony seemed to have cut down some of the trees. A gap appeared within the line of trees. One of the dryads now stood opposite the earth pony.
“Perhaps the ponies were settling near the forest,” Rarity asked, “And drew the dryads’ attention by cutting down the trees?”
“Looks like it,” Twilight said, “But it doesn’t look as though either group is angry. Do you see anything?”
Again, Rarity carefully studied the tapestry.
“The earth pony looks tired,” she said, “Perhaps they’re a laborer?”
She turned her attention to the other two ponies and gasped.
“Right there,” Rarity said, “The unicorn.”
Twilight studied the unicorn and said, “I can’t really see it, but it looks like they’re smiling.”
“No,” Rarity corrected, “That is no cheerful smile. Whoever this pony is, they were clearly a malicious force.”
“Do you think the unicorn sent the earth pony to attack the dryads,” Twilight asked.
Rarity giggled, “You’re the scholar, dear but no. I think they were sent to harvest, but there is something wrong about that unicorn.”
Neither could decipher anything else from the tapestry, so they moved on to the next.
The earth pony now lay on their side, the dryad standing over them.
“I think this is where the conflict started,” Twilight said, “But who struck first?”
“No,” Rarity said, “I don’t believe this was an attack. Look at the pony’s injury. It looks as though they were hurt with their own tool.”
“Maybe,” Twilight said, “But the dryad could have attacked.”
Rarity shook her head, “I don’t believe so. It looks to me as though the dryad is treating the earth pony’s wounds.”
She pointed to the side of the dryad, “See the bowl?”
Twilight squinted, “I think I see it, so if you’re right, the earth pony was injured, and the dryad treated them. Why would they go out of their way to immortalize this moment with a tapestry?”
Rarity sat down, “Perhaps this event was the catalyst that started it all.”
Twilight closed her eyes, “You might be right. I mean, my first thought was that they fought. Perhaps the ponies had the same idea.”
They turned their attention to the final tapestry.
All six figures sat at a large table. The dryads on the left, and the ponies on the right.
“I don’t need you to tell me what’s wrong here,” Twilight said, “There is clearly a class system. Look at the earth pony. Their seat is much lower than the others.”
Rarity nodded, “Or it might be a perspective.”
“Oh,” Twilight said dejectedly.
Rarity giggled and nudged Twilight, “Oh, I’m only teasing you. I believe that you are correct. Also, see how the earth pony isn’t near the other ponies. I believe this may be a laborer, and the other two are upper class.”
“And the unicorn still has the smile,” Twilight said, “But it looks meaner.”
Rarity nodded, “It does. This is not a nice pony. Whatever problem arose between these two groups, I would be willing to bet the bits I don’t have that they were at the heart of it.”
Twilight sat down at the table, and Rarity joined her.
“Okay,” Twilight said, “We’re here to understand. If we got the history right, the two groups were separated until the ponies started expanding to the forests. There wasn’t a conflict, but somehow a pony was injured, and the dryads provided aid.”
She took a deep breath, “That’s when both groups formally met. It appears that everyone was acting in good faith.”
She turned back to the final tapestry and added, “Except for one pony.”
The locked door gave a quiet click and gently opened.
“It appears that we figured it out,” Rarity said.
Twilight nodded but hesitated moving forward.
Rarity stopped at the door, “What’s wrong?”
Twilight sighed, “I don’t want to go up.”
She looked at the tapestry, “I have a bad feeling that this history is going to get a lot darker the higher we go up.”
“I understand,” Rarity said, “But we must learn what happened and remember that this is what somepony recorded. I highly doubt it will be completely accurate.”
Twilight nodded, “Yeah, you’re right. Let’s get to the next floor.”
They entered the spiral staircase, and the door closed behind them, locking itself instantly.
---
Rainbow Dash walked ahead of Applejack to ensure no stone troubled their path.
Applejack, for her part, was grateful for it. She’d fallen enough times and didn’t wish to squander the aid Alder gave her.
“These coats sure are something, ain’t they, Sugarcube,” Applejack shouted.
“Yeah,” Rainbow Dash shouted back, “Be careful. I think it’s icier up ahead.”
Applejack nodded, and they continued along the path Alder directed them towards.
Sure enough, Rainbow Dash found an ice patch. Or rather, it found her as she suddenly found herself on her back.
Applejack came into view and smiled.
“Well, you ain’t gonna get much walking done down there,” she said.
Applejack sat down and offered Rainbow a hoof.
“Thanks,” Rainbow said, “At least I called it, right?”
“That you did,” Applejack said, “I’ll need a hoof getting past it, though.”
Rainbow got to her hooves, and the two slowly crossed the final patch of ice.
The storage facility was a cave, and the ponies decided to take a break inside the mouth.
“You okay,” Rainbow asked.
Applejack nodded, “Yeah, whatever Alder did sure helped. My leg ain’t numb, but it ain’t hurting. I’m not fixing on putting pressure on it anytime soon, though.”
She looked at Rainbow Dash, “Just what did she do?”
“She had me gather some plant stuff and made you some medicine. Don’t ask what was in it because I don’t know.”
Applejack nodded, “Okay, let’s check this place out.”
As they entered the cave, Applejack said, “Whatever was in that medicine must have been nasty if you’re lying about it.”
Rainbow Dash stopped and mumbled, “Stupid Element of Honesty.”
“Y’all coming,” Applejack called.
“Yeah, yeah,” Rainbow said, “It’s not like you can get very far.”
Applejack shook her head, “Funny. What do you think we’ll find in this place?”
Rainbow Dash cautiously stepped ahead, “I don’t know. Alder said that her kind was stored and disposed of here. Don’t know what she meant by that.”
They walked a bit further but didn’t find anything.
“There’s nothing here,” Applejack said.
Rainbow Dash looked around and saw something curious on the wall.
“What’s that,” she asked.
Above them, an odd black box was attached to a stick.
“I don’t know,” Applejack said and stepped closer.
She jumped back as the strange box pointed at her.
“Okay,” she said, “That’s weird.”
Rainbow Dash looked up and wished that she wasn’t wearing her coat.
She took a few steps to the left and noticed the object was following her.
“Why is it watching us,” she asked.
Applejack motioned for Rainbow Dash to continue walking and nodded as the object followed the pegasus.
“I think you’re on to something,” Applejack said, “Maybe it’s guarding something.”
She stared at the wall below the object and to the side. There was nothing strange, so Applejack decided to take a closer look.
A sudden alarm caused her to back away.
Rainbow Dash ran to Applejack, and the alarm went silent.
“Now, what was that,” Applejack asked, “Did I set something off?”
“Maybe,” Rainbow said, “I think you found the entrance.”
She stood where Applejack was, but nothing happened.
Rainbow Dash looked up at the object and shrugged.
She began to turn away when the wall suddenly opened.
A blast of cold air greeted them. This air was dry. It hadn’t been stirred in a long time.
They were expecting torches but stood slackjawed as they saw a hallway lined with obsidian and lights running the length of the ceiling.
“Well,” Rainbow said, “We’re here. Let’s figure out why we’re here and get out.”
Applejack nodded, and they stepped into the hall. Once inside, the wall closed once again.
---
Fluttershy sat staring at her reflection. There wasn’t any water on the floor, but something strange was going on.
Her reflection smiled back at her and motioned for Fluttershy to enter the reflection.
Fluttershy took a deep breath and made her decision.
While trembling with fear, she stepped onto the reflection. She fell into the floor, and the room was as silent as when she first entered.
She fell and landed hard on the stone floor.
Fluttershy got back to her hooves and looked around.
The room was now inverted, with the ceiling acting as the floor.
She turned her attention to the table. It still had the basket, but the basket was still resting on the table.
Fluttershy walked to the table and spread her wings.
“I wouldn’t do that,” a voice said.
Fluttershy turned around and gasped.
“Who are you,” she asked.
Another pony, an exact copy of Fluttershy, stood on the former floor, now ceiling, smiling at her.
“I’m you,” her reflection said, “But not exactly.”
“Um,” Fluttershy said, “Hello.”
Her reflection giggled, “You’re interesting. I know this is scary for you, but you can do this.”
Fluttershy sighed, “I wish...”
“Stop that,” her reflection shouted, “She’s not here, and she’s not saving you.”
“Is that all you can do,” her reflection asked, “Cry and hope your girlfriend comes to you?”
“Um,” Fluttershy began.
“What if she needed help,” her reflection asked, “You’d leave her on her own.”
“That’s not true,” Fluttershy cried, “I. I love her.”
Her reflection walked to the table and hopped onto it, “I know you do, but you only play it safe. You’ll never take a chance. Never put yourself out there and surprise her.”
Fluttershy dropped her gaze and pawed at the floor.
Her reflection sighed, “You have so much to learn. You know that she will always be there for you, and she will always love you. The problem, and you know this, is that eventually, she’ll get worn out.”
“And what do you think she’ll do then,” her reflection asked.
She didn’t wait for Fluttershy to respond. She laughed and said, “She’ll leave you.”
Her reflection waved a hoof in the air dismissively, “Sure, she’ll feel bad, but you know how you are. You can’t even stand yourself sometimes.”
“Stop it,” Fluttershy cried, “Please, just stop.”
“Why,” her reflection shouted, “So you can use her? Don’t forget that I am you. I love her, too, and I will not allow you to take advantage of her with your weakness.”
Fluttershy stopped crying and looked up at her reflection.
“I don’t want to be weak,” she said, “I want to be good enough for her.”
Her reflection smiled warmly at Fluttershy, “That’s the problem. You already are. You’re too focused on your fear to see that.”
She flew down to Fluttershy and righted herself.
“You have to take a chance,” she said, holding a hoof onto Fluttershy’s cheek, “You know she’s worth it. Make the leap, and even if you fall short, you know she will appreciate the effort.”
Fluttershy wiped her eyes, “I know. I thought I was getting better, but I’m not. I’m still the same silly scared pegasus I always was.”
“Not really,” her reflection said, “You have gotten braver. A little bit. Most ponies wouldn’t even notice, but you feel it. You know that it’s there.”
She stared Fluttershy in the eyes and said, “You’re scared of the potential of never being afraid. You’ve seen so-called brave ponies being cruel, and you don’t want that.”
Fluttershy nodded and sat down.
“I bet Pinkie’s waiting for me at the altar,” she said, “She probably wants to run down here and help me.”
Her reflection shook her head, “Nope. She has her own lesson to learn. As much as we love our Pinkie Pie, she’s far from perfect.”
She winked at Fluttershy, “And we don’t want a perfect pony anyway, right?”
Fluttershy giggled, “I want my Pinkie Pie, and you’re right. I’ll try.”
“And you’ll fail,” her reflection said, “It happens to everypony, but as long as you never stop trying, you’ll be fine.”
She reached out a hoof, “Are you ready?”
Fluttershy smiled and grasped her reflection’s hoof.
Her stomach flipped as she, again, fell to the floor.
“Ow,” she groaned, “I hope that doesn’t happen often.”
She heard a giggle and smiled as she got to her hooves.
In front of her was the table, but the floor still shimmered.
She knew she couldn’t fly and would most likely fall if she tried stepping on the stone floor.
She gave a determined nod and took a few steps back.
She ran as fast as she could and jumped toward the table.
Her body collided with the table, and she began to slip. She clawed at the table with her forelegs, her hind legs frantically flailing in the air, and she eventually found herself sitting on the table.
After she caught her breath, she grabbed the basket. It had a simple bundle of flowers and a small box.
The room lit up, and the atmosphere changed. Fluttershy took the basket in her mouth and flew across the room.
She stopped at the entrance and turned back to the room. Fluttershy looked down at the stone floor. It had lost its shimmer, but she could see her reflection.
Fluttershy smiled and waved. A quiet giggle responded, and she happily walked up the stairs.
She arrived at the alter, and Cypress smiled warmly at her, but Pinkie was nowhere to be seen.
“Where is Pinkie,” Fluttershy asked.
“She will be here shortly,” Cypress said, “You did very well. Rest now.”
Fluttershy nodded and sat down, her eyes never leaving the stairway Pinkie went down.
---
Pinkie sat on what used the be the ceiling of the staircase. The smooth stone threatened to become a slide. As much as the idea seemed fun, Pinkie kept a grip on the metal gate.
“So,” Pinkie asked, “Where are we?”
She poked the other Pinkie Pie with a free hoof, “And who are you?”
Her reflection smiled, “I’m you, silly.”
Pinkie grinned, “Yeah, I get that, but does the other me have a name?”
“Just the same one we’ve always had,” her reflection said.
“Hmm,” Pinkie mused, “I suppose I’ll have to think of a name for you. Other Pinkie? Nope. Pie Pinkie? No. Bizarro Pinkie? Nah.”
She shrugged, “You got any ideas?”
Her reflection shook her head, “I guess we can go with the old nickname.”
“No,” Pinkie said, “Not that.”
Her reflection tilted her head, “Why not? It’ll stay between us.”
Pinkie sat down, “Yeah, I guess you’re right. Nopony other than my sister, Inky, called me that, though.”
She nodded, “Okay, then I’ll call you Di.”
Her reflection, Di, shuddered slightly, “Yeah, I still don’t like it, but it’s a name. Now let’s get to business.”
Pinkie hopped up and down, “Yeah, the sooner I’m done, the sooner I can help my Flutters.”
Di shook her head, “It doesn’t work that way. She has to figure it out on her own.”
“But,” Pinkie said, “She needs me.”
“Oh,” Di asked, “What happened to it being silly talk and that she’s fine by herself?”
“That’s different,” Pinkie said, “Flutters lives on her own. We’re stuck in a weird place, and I know my Flutters is scared.”
“You want to save her,” Di said, “But you know that’s not going to help her.”
Pinkie pawed at the floor, “I have to help her. She’s my girlfriend.”
Di smiled, “I know you want to help her. Trust me, I want to help her too, but you have to let her do what she has to on her own. You know how tough she really is.”
“I know that,” Pinkie said, “But she doesn’t know it sometimes. Get this gate open so that I can help her.”
“No,” Di said, “You’re going to wait here until it’s time.”
“Time for what,” Pinkie asked.
Di shrugged, “You’ll see.”
Pinkie groaned, “Just help me solve this silly puzzle.”
“So you can do Fluttershy’s job for her, you mean,” Di asked.
She sighed, “Okay, just say the word, and I’ll open the gate.”
Pinkie began to smile, but she suddenly asked, “Why would you do that?”
Di smiled, “If you ask, then I have to help you. But if you ask, then that means...”
Her smile turned into a grin as her sentence trailed off.
“Means what,” Pinkie shouted, “That I don’t love her? That I don’t think she can do this? What?”
Di sat next to Pinkie and said, “It’s not if you love her or not. The problem is you don’t really trust her. Oh sure, you’ll trust her with tiny things, but something this big? Nope. You have to make sure that she doesn’t mess it up.”
Pinkie shoved Di, “That’s a terrible thing to say. I do trust her. I know that she can figure out whatever silly thing is going on here all by herself.”
Di recovered and asked, “But?”
Pinkie shook her head, “Not saying.”
“You can do it,” Di said, “I know what you’re thinking, but you have to say it.”
“No,” Pinkie said, “It’s too mean.”
Di smiled, “You have to say it, and the sooner you do, the sooner you can get back to her.”
Pinkie nodded, “Okay, I do trust her, but I’m worried that she’ll get so scared that it will take a long time to do what she needs to.”
“You’re not a bad pony for worrying,” Di said, “What you need is patience, especially when it comes to her.”
“So that’s it,” Pinkie asked, “I just sit here and wait for Flutters to do her part?”
“That’s it,” Di said, “I know it’s hard for you, but be patient and trust her.”
Pinkie smiled, “Okay, I know that Flutters will get this done.”
Minutes passed, and Pinkie was beginning to feel anxious. She glanced down in hopes of seeing something.
“This is taking forever,” she cried, “Why can’t she...”
Her eyes went wide, “Oh no.”
Di smiled, “See? I told you. You don’t trust her after all.”
Pinkie shook her head. It was a lie. She loved and trusted Fluttershy. This was a special case.
That last thought scared Pinkie. How many special cases would they run into?
She glared at Di, “No. I trust her, and she’s gonna be great and solve her silly puzzle, and that’s that.”
Di smiled, “Good. You’ll figure it out.”
She suddenly glanced back toward the wall Pinkie entered from.
“Looks like you gotta go,” Di said.
She didn’t wait for Pinkie. Instead, she pushed her and waved goodbye.
Pinkie fell into the stairs hard, but she smiled when she saw the gate slowly begin to open.
She got onto her hooves, ran to the table, and grabbed the box. Once secured in her mouth, Pinkie ran back up the stairs.
Her eyes lit up when she saw Fluttershy waiting for her.
She ran to the altar and placed the box next to Fluttershy’s basket.
“You did it,” Pinkie squealed, crushing Fluttershy in a massive hug.
Fluttershy nuzzled Pinkie, “We both did it.”
The shy pegasus blushed, “I hope your test wasn’t too scary.”
Pinkie shook her head, “Not scary, just super boring.”
“And what lessons did you learn,” Cypress asked.
Fluttershy smiled, “I learned that I have to take a chance, especially for my special somepony.”
She accentuated her point by nuzzling against Pinkie.
Pinkie smiled, “And I learned to always trust my Flutters. She’ll see things through. I just have to wait.”
Cypress smiled, “You have learned valuable lessons that we dryads hold dear. To truly love is to take a risk and to have patience.”
She motioned for the ponies to head toward the rear door.
“Now is the final test,” Cypress said, “Take what you learned to heart. It will serve you well.”
“Will we need these,” Pinkie asked, pointing to the items they recovered.
Cypress nodded, “Yes, now that you have them, don’t lose them.”
The ponies nodded and carried the basket and box to the door.
The stone door slowly opened, and they saw another staircase leading deeper into the temple.
“Okay,” Pinkie said, “Down we go.”
Fluttershy took a shuddering breath and nodded.
They walked down to meet what they hoped would be their final test.
---
Rarity and Twilight reached the next floor, taking their time and taking their surroundings in before entering the room.
This room didn’t have tapestries, but instead, wood carvings hung on the walls. In the center, another round table sat. This table was made out of wood and appeared to have been made from a single large tree.
“Well,” Rarity said, “This is certainly different.”
“Yeah, I think each floor will focus on a different part of the dryad and pony history,“ Twilight said.
Rarity walked to the table and ran a hoof across it.
“This is an exquisite piece,” she said, “But given what we know about the dryad relationship with trees, I’m surprised that this is here.”
She looked around, “In fact, wood seems to be the primary theme for this room.”
Twilight nodded, “Let’s see what unfolded between the two groups.”
They walked to a carving that hung in a similar position as the first tapestry and studied it.
The wood carving depicted a forest with four dryads dancing in a town square. In front of the dryads sat a group of ponies. Along the border of the carving were barrels and carts full of produce.
“The style certainly has changed,” Rarity said, “It appears that ponies and dryads are working closer together.”
Twilight nodded, “I think the dryads’ affinity for nature helped improve the crops.”
“Not just that,” Rarity said, “Look at the ponies watching the dryads. They’re earth ponies.”
“Do you think,” Twilight began, “Earth ponies are closely connected to nature. Perhaps working with the dryads made their connection stronger?”
Rarity smiled, “It appears so. I think that the earth ponies were the laborers and had a close relationship with the dryads.”
“That sounds nice and all,” Twilight said, “But I’m sure Yew didn’t want us to see happy things. Where is that unicorn?”
Rarity carefully studied the carving. She had difficulty seeing finer details, but eventually, she found what she was looking for.
“There,” she said, pointing to a window, “There’s our unicorn.”
Twilight smiled, “I knew they wouldn’t be far away, but they aren’t smiling. They look angry.”
“Yes,” Rarity said, “And it appears their ire is directed toward the town square.”
Twilight tried to determine the unicorn’s line of sight but couldn’t tell beyond the town square.
“The question is,” Twilight said, “Are they angry at the dryads or the earth ponies?”
Rarity motioned toward the next carving, “One way to find out.”
The second carving had a darker tale to tell. This showed a downed dryad in a dense forest surrounded by other dryads. The only pony clearly visible in the carving was the unicorn.
“Oh, no,” Twilight said, “I was afraid of this.”
Rarity nodded, “Your fears appeared to be well founded. This poor dryad was clearly murdered.”
She pointed a hoof at the unicorn, “They didn’t commit the murder, though.”
“What,” Twilight asked, “Then who did?”
Rarity pointed toward the trees, just barely visible, a pony hid.
“That’s a pegasus,” Twilight said, “So you think the pegasus murdered the dryad?”
“Yes,” Rarity said, “But I think this murder was at the behest of the unicorn. I suspect the next carving will tell us more.”
“But shouldn’t we study this carving more,” Twilight asked.
“I can’t wait,” Rarity said, walking to the third carving.
“I knew it,” she shouted, “This was their scheme.”
Twilight joined Rarity and gasped at the sight.
This gruesome scene depicted a courtroom. Dryads and ponies sat in a courtroom gallery. On the left side of the carving, a group of ten ponies sat. On the opposite side, another group of ten ponies sat. The worst scene was in the window of the courtroom. Outside stood a tree, and four ponies were hanging from the tree.
“This is just awful,” Twilight said, “What happened? If this is a courtroom, which side is the jury?”
Rarity shook her head, “If I were to guess, I would say the ponies on the left are the accused, and the ponies on the right are the jury. This is not a just court.”
Twilight stared at the carving, “How can you be so certain?”
Rarity smiled, “Look at the ponies on the left. They are all earth ponies, and they are all miserable. The ponies on the right appear to be both unicorn and pegasus ponies and look at the smiles on their faces. They know what they’re doing is wrong.”
Twilight sat down at the table, “But why? What would they gain from this?”
Rarity tapped a hoof on the floor for a moment, “I think that the unicorn was not happy that the dryads and the laborers enjoyed a healthy relationship. You could see that the earth ponies were happy with the dancing dryads. Happy ponies tend to become bold, and bold ponies don’t take too kindly to being looked down upon.”
Twilight nodded, “That’s true, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the dryads treated the earth ponies as equals. That must have been something they were not used to.”
“I’m afraid so,” Rarity said, “I fear that the unicorn had the dryad murdered and blamed it on earth ponies. Then they set up this insult of a court to provide ‘justice’ for the murder.”
She took a closer look at the carving, “I can’t get a clear view of the dryads, so I can’t say how they’re feeling.”
Twilight looked away from the carving, “I don’t want to see this anymore. Let’s see the final carving.”
The scene showed a city. Within the walls, ponies gathered. Outside the walls, more ponies lived. On the bottom left were a forest and a single dryad.
“This looks more peaceful,” Twilight said, “But, considering what we’ve seen, I doubt it.”
Rarity nodded, “I believe you are correct. The class system we saw before is even more evident now.”
She pointed to the ponies outside, “Those poor earth ponies are clearly starving and exposed. And see the ponies within the walls?”
Twilight studied the carving, “They’re unicorns and pegasi.”
“Yes,” Rarity said, “But the pegasi are armed. I believe that they were the military.”
“Or a warrior class,” Twilight said, “They might have carried the will of those in charge.”
“Again,” Rarity said, “The unicorn.”
“I saw them,” Twilight said, “In their tower. I know this is not the same pony throughout history, but why are unicorns depicted so negatively?”
Rarity shook her head, “That is a good question. But we don’t have the means of knowing for certain. All we have is speculation.”
They continued to study the carving and focused on the dryad in the forest.
“I think there might have been a split between the ponies and dryads,” Twilight said.
“Perhaps,” Rarity said, “Do you think the trials might have soured the relationship?”
Twilight nodded, “Yes, and I think they took it out on the earth, ponies.”
Rarity motioned for them to sit at the table and sat and stayed quiet for a few minutes.
“Should we recount the entire history or just this floor,” Rarity asked.
“I think just this floor will be fine,” Twilight said.
She sighed, “At one time, there seemed to be a healthy relationship between the ponies and the dryads. This relationship seemed to be stronger with the earth ponies and the dryads. This might have angered the upper class ponies, so they had a dryad murdered and blamed it on the earth ponies. There was a trial or several trials, which might have caused a rift between the ponies and dryads.”
She shook her head, “Okay, the last carving showed a city. It seemed to be advanced but still with the class system as before. I think the dryads cut ties with the ponies, but we don’t know if it was from the murder or the trials. They might have seen through it, but we don’t know.”
Rarity nodded, “I believe that you are correct. There is something I need to check.”
She returned to the final carving and studied the dryad.
“I thought it was how this was carved, but look at this,” Rarity said, waving Twilight over.
“What is it,” Twilight asked.
She looked at the dryad, and Rarity was right. At first glance, it appeared as though the dryad was not fully carved, but upon closer inspection, the dryad seemed to be fading into the forest.
“Do you think that when they cut ties,” Twilight asked, “The dryads became legends?”
The sound of the far side door unlocking answered her question.
Rarity smiled, and they proceeded to the next level.
---
The ponies shivered despite the heavy coats they wore. The obsidian hall led them deeper into the mountain, and it was some time before they arrived at another door.
“I don’t see one of those weird things,” Rainbow Dash said.
Applejack walked to the door and tested it. It opened with a quiet hiss, and the ponies stared at the newly opened room.
“Maybe now that we’re inside, we’re good,” Applejack asked.
Rainbow shrugged, “Maybe, let’s keep going.”
She still kept a close watch on Applejack. The floor was level, but Rainbow wasn’t going to take any chances. Applejack noticed.
“You know that I’ll be fine, right,” she asked.
“Yeah,” Rainbow said, “I know that. Just keeping an eye on you is all.”
Applejack shook her head, “Okay, Sugarcube. Okay.”
They stopped when they saw a window. Inside were giant glass vats. They could easily hold a few hundred gallons of liquid each, and the room was lined with them.
Rainbow nearly threw up because she immediately recognized the liquid inside the giant vats.
“That’s odd, ain’t it,” Applejack asked, “This liquid don’t look quite like water. I know I’m wrong, but it kinda looks like tree sap.”
She chuckled, “I would know, what with Apple Bloom and her friends getting covered in it so often.”
Applejack shook her head with a bemused expression, “I still have no idea how they managed to get covered with sap when they were learning to be accountants, though.”
“Well,” Applejack said, “This might be what we’re here for, but let’s keep looking. Sound good, Sugarcube?”
She turned to Rainbow Dash and asked, “You okay there? You look like your fixing to lose your fixings.”
Rainbow Dash kept her eyes locked onto the vats, her mind thinking back to what Alder did to help Applejack.
“This is what they were doing,” she whispered as she backed away from the window.
“What was that,” Applejack asked.
Rainbow kept backing away until she hit the opposite wall.
“This is what they were storing,” she said, “This is what they did.”
Applejack went to her side as quickly as she could. She brought a hoof to Rainbow’s cheek and asked, “What’s wrong? What did they do?”
Rainbow’s eyes focused on Applejack. Her disgust, and fear, turned to rage.
“Don’t you see it,” she shouted, “This is what they did! This is what they were storing.”
“What are you talking about,” Applejack asked, “What’s so special about that tree sap?”
“It’s not sap,” Rainbow cried, “It’s blood. Alder’s blood.”
Applejack stared at Rainbow Dash and then turned her attention back to the vats.
“That’s...,” she began.
“Yeah,” Rainbow said, “The medicine Alder made. She knew you were in a bad way, so she used some of her blood. That’s why you’re healing up so fast.”
Applejack nodded, “So that’s why you didn’t want to tell me. I get it, RD. I do. I know that we have to get going, but I want to thank Alder again for the help.”
She walked to the window, “How many of her kind wound up in this place?”
Rainbow ran and struck the glass as hard as she could. Her hoof bounced off harmlessly, and she stumbled back.
“It doesn’t matter,” she screamed, “They died! Ponies like Alder were killed for their blood. She said that it was considered precious, but I didn’t think it would be like this.”
The two stared at the vats, each thinking about the possible lives stolen for the liquid that now sat abandoned in this facility.
“Why are we here,” Rainbow asked, “What’s the point? I know that Alder and Yew are the same. Do you think this is what she wanted us to see?”
Applejack nodded, “You might be onto something there. Yew said that she was in a prison. We assumed that it was justified. What if they locked her up, and she wound up losing her mind?”
Rainbow stomped on the floor, “I. I just want to get out of here. This is too messed up.”
“It is,” Applejack said, “Let’s keep moving. There has to be some way out of here.”
She nudged Rainbow Dash, and they continued down the hall after giving the vats one final glance.
---
“Any idea how much higher we have to climb,” Rarity asked.
Twilight stopped at the door at the top of the stair and said, “I don’t think it’ll be much higher.”
She opened the door, and they stepped inside.
This floor was little more than a simple office. In the center sat a plain desk with a chair on opposite sides, and along the wall hung four frames.
“Well,” Rarity said, “This certainly appears to be more modern. At least, by our standards, I suppose.”
“Yeah,” Twilight said, “We might be nearing the end.”
Again, they walked to the first frame.
“This might be difficult,” Rarity said.
“These are newspapers,” Twilight said, “And I have never seen these characters. All we have are the pictures.”
“And a single image can’t give us the full story,” Rarity said, “But we must persevere. Let us see what the images show us.”
They studied the image. Though grainy, a unicorn in a lab coat could be seen. The pony stood inside a lab, and they were staring intently at a beaker.
“How does a scientist help us,” Twilight asked.
Rarity stared at the image. Something scratched in the back of her mind, and she couldn’t quite place it. A detail. Hidden but equally in plain sight. Suddenly, she smiled.
“I think I know,” she said, “It’s not just the unicorn, but also the beaker.”
“What,” Twilight asked, “We don’t know what’s in the beaker.”
Rarity shook her head, “We can only assume that the article would provide more detail, but there is something curious that I just now realized.”
“What is it,” Twilight asked.
“In all of the images we have seen so far,” Rarity said, “There haven’t been any depictions of magic. We have never seen a unicorn wielding magic of any kind.”
Twilight closed her eyes, “You’re right, but what could that mean? That unicorns couldn’t wield magic back then?”
Rarity shrugged, “That question might be beyond the scope of why we’re here, but I would probably say that magic wasn’t as refined back then. If you look around, I would say that ponies back then focused more on technology rather than magic.”
“Okay,” Twilight said, “That’s interesting, but we have to keep moving. Let’s keep this image in mind. A scientist and a beaker with an unknown liquid.”
The next newspaper page depicted a group of ponies, all unicorns, showcasing a jar. Along the sides of the ponies stood pegasi.
“I believe that your warrior class idea was correct,” Rarity said, “What is that jar?”
Twilight stared hard at the unicorn holding the jar, “If only we could understand the language, we would know.”
She sighed, “My first guess would be that they are showcasing some kind of medicine, but beyond that, I have no idea.”
Rarity placed a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder, “We’re gathering the information as best we can. Please, don’t trouble yourself because there are gaps we will never fill.”
Twilight smiled, “I guess I have to know everything. Thanks, Rarity. Let’s check the next paper.”
The third paper showed a curious sight. The image was split in two. The left half showed what appeared to be a hospital ward with beds lining its walls. Dryads were strapped to these beds, each with a tube attached to a leg.
The second showed a pegasus wearing a military uniform and a squad of pegasi behind him.
“Was this a war,” Rarity asked, “The dryads might be casualties.”
Twilight looked at the image and shook her head.
“No,” she said, “The ponies wrote this paper. I doubt they would showcase anything that would make them look bad. The only thing I can think of is if there was a sudden threat that emerged. But there would have been something showing such a monumental event either here or on one of the previous floors.”
“But the dryads are still victims,” Rarity said, “And they are being cared for by the ponies.”
Twilight studied the tubes attached to the dryads’ legs and said, “They are victims, but they are not receiving aid. I think they’re being killed.”
“What,” Rarity asked as she studied the image again, “How can you tell?”
“If you see the tubes,” Twilight said, “They’re all connected to a barrel on the floor. If they were receiving medicine, then the tubes would connect above them. That’s how intravenous medication works anyway, and I highly doubt gravity was different back then.”
Rarity ran a hoof along the frame, “If what you are saying is true, what are they drawing from the dryads? Blood? To what end?”
“I don’t know,” Twilight said, “I bet the answer is somewhere in the paper, but we can’t read it. From what I can see, whatever is being drawn from the dryads is worth taking lives for.”
Rarity sighed, “Let’s see if the final paper has any answers.”
The final frame showcased a view of what appeared to be a high-level figure. This unicorn sat on a high bench with two other ponies just below. One pony was a unicorn, and the other could either be a pegasus or an earth pony, as no wings were visible.
The unicorn was holding up a scroll, a decree of some kind, and the ponies gathered were applauding.
“This is no help at all,” Twilight said, “This is either a council or a panel of judges. Either way, we don’t know what they signed or its significance.”
“This is everything there is to see here,” Rarity said, “Let’s sit down and try and piece this puzzle together.”
Twilight sat down, “There must be something special about the dryads and their blood. This we can see from the third paper, but the question is, why?”
“Why indeed,” Rarity asked, “We have been given quite a bit of information, so let’s see if we can figure something out.”
“The only reason that I can think of is medicinal,” Twilight said, “There was something about the dryads’ blood that was special.”
“Do you think blood was in the beaker and the jar,” Rarity asked.
“We’ll never know about the jar,” Twilight said, “But I do believe that dryad blood was in the beaker.”
Rarity got to her hooves and stretched her legs. After giving each paper a glance, she said, “Let’s try something. We were brought here to learn the history of Yew and her kind, but we know that so much of their history is being left out.”
Twilight nodded and waited.
“I believe that we are being directed to reach a specific conclusion,” Rarity said, “One that paints the ponies in a bad light.”
“Well, that’s not hard to do,” Twilight said, waving a hoof at the papers, “We saw how awful some of the ponies could be.”
Rarity nodded, “Yes, but we only seem to progress when we reach the desired conclusion. We don’t have enough information since we can’t read the newspapers, but we can certainly guess.”
Twilight smiled, “I get it. Since all we have speculation, let’s assume the absolute worst.”
Rarity nodded and sat back down, “Yes, these ponies captured and drained dryads of their blood. Perhaps they were slaughtered while doing so.”
She pointed to the paper with the pegasi and dryads, “There might have been a war. This would certainly help the ponies as they tried to justify their actions against the dryads.”
Twilight sighed, “By why? Why would they want to do this? What possible gain could there be?”
“I believe that you said it best,” Rarity said, “Medicine. We know nothing about the dryads. I thought they were distant relations to ponies, but what if they weren’t.”
“What do you mean,” Twilight asked, “We know that they were from the forest. Do you think they were closer to the trees than ponies?”
Rarity shrugged, “I have no idea, but I do know that plants and herbs have a long history in medicine. Perhaps it was discovered that their blood had medicinal properties.”
Twilight tapped the desk with a hoof, “Even if that was the case, it still doesn’t explain why they took such extreme actions.”
“Perhaps the dryad blood was that powerful as a medicine,” Rarity said, “I believe that the dryads were hunted down when the ponies discovered the medical qualities within the dryads, and that might be what Yew wanted us to see.”
The locked door unlocked with a quiet click, but neither pony rose from their seat.
They shared a tired glance and knew it was time for them to take a break before continuing to the next level.
---
“Are my friends okay,” Aqua Rain asked.
“Do you really wish to know,” Yew asked.
Aqua Rain glared at Yew, “I want the truth.”
Yew walked to Aqua Rain and smiled, “I know this is boring for you, but you will see soon enough. Once they come back, all will be revealed.”
She walked to Cobalt and added, “Of course, you can skip to the end and take him.”
“And if I did that,” Aqua Rain asked, “How would we get out? The only way down here is that slope, and I know you’re going to help.”
Yew shrugged, “You’re not wrong, but wouldn’t it feel good to betray the. I mean, that’s what ponies do, right?”
Aqua Rain took a deep breath, a heated conflict burning within her. After a minute, she opened her eyes.
“I’m sorry,” she said, “But I cannot betray them. We will answer for our crimes, and I will not add to them. No matter how tempting it might be.”
Aqua Rain smiled, “Besides, I know that’s only an illusion.”
Yew tilted her head, “How do you know?”
“You said that my friends are with the ponies,” Aqua Rain said, “You didn’t exclude anypony, so that tells me Cobalt is trapped with them.”
She glanced up at Cobalt, “Is that the concession you made? That you had to give up your prisoners so you could test them?”
Yew’s face darkened for a brief moment. Then she smiled, “I didn’t think you would catch that little mistake. I suppose my eagerness is causing me to be careless, but you have to understand. I am so close to being free.”
“You’ll never be free,” Aqua Rain said.
Yew ran to Aqua Rain, “And you know what that’s like, don’t you? You’re going to prison, too. You won’t know freedom again.”
Aqua Rain shook her head, “I know what you’re trying to do. I’m scared of what will happen to me, but I know that if I were to leave, my punishment would be much worse. I have to be a mare of my word.”
Yew laughed, “And hope that they show mercy?”
Her face grew cold, “Ponies are incapable of mercy. Cruelty and greed are at their core, so you might as well do your part.”
Aqua Rain sighed and sat down, “No. I will wait, and you may as well take down your illusion since I know it’s fake.”
She smiled as she saw the Cobalt illusion fade, but then she turned to Yew.
Yew’s eyes were again blackened, and as Aqua Rain stared into the dark orbs, the world began to darken.
She felt as though she were being pulled out of her body, but something wasn’t right. She felt a little nauseous.
“What are you doing,” Aqua Rain asked as she rubbed her head.
Yew took a step back, “Just testing a theory. Your connection to him protects you, but do you think it will last forever?”
Aqua Rain smiled though her head was pounding, “Forever? No, but I know that it will last long enough for those ponies to come back.”
“Then we shall wait, and we shall see won’t we,” Yew asked.
Aqua Rain walked to the corner and sat down. Patience wasn’t exactly one of her virtues, but she had to rely on it if she hoped to see Cobalt or her friends again.
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Wow it is surreal seeing this story making consistent progress again after 11 years! Happy to have ya back with us
11533958
Thanks! It's great to be back. I've been having so much fun writing these past few months, and I can't wait to work on the next part.
Also, thanks for adding PinkieShy to your favorites!
That was a good chapter.
11536113
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it.