The Magic Question

by Manaphy

Journey to Hidden Woods

Twilight had lost count of how many times she boarded a train. Most of the time, the trip was to Canterlot or the Crystal Empire, places she knew by heart. Journeys to new places were among the rarities, often bringing a mixture of excitement and dread. At least Twilight's destination, the village known as Hidden Woods, was a quiet and peaceful town from what she heard. However, those were the only things she knew about that town aside from the general layout.

There were more important things worth thinking about, most of which dealt with either her research or the problem Celestia needed assistance with. Both she and Luna were likely at the town already, traveling by themselves as to not make a commotion. By this point, keeping their mission a secret was no longer possible, though Twilight and her friends lending a hoof calmed some ponies a little. Perhaps that was one of the perks of saving all of Equestria multiple times.

Taking a deep breath, Twilight rested the back of her head against the seat. She glanced over to where her other friends were. Starlight sat right next to her, reading a book and occasionally glancing at the window, though nothing outside stood out aside from the tall cliffs. Pinkie was being her usual self, cracking jokes to cheer everypony up and sometimes gobbling up treats in seconds. Applejack, interestingly enough, was also reading something plucked from Twilight's bookshelf. Why Applejack ended up reading one of her books was unexpected, but Twilight couldn't help herself from smirking at seeing some of her reading habits spreading to her friends.

As for Fluttershy, she gazed at the scenery outside. Her head was raised as she focused on the jungles resting at the top of the cliff. There were all sorts of critters that called the mysterious jungle their home, Fluttershy perking up whenever she saw one of them. Twilight's attention then turned to Rainbow, the mare wearing a grim visage while Rarity rubbed her shoulders. And then there was Trixie, the magician jotting something in a journal of her own, likely a new spell or trick.

This wasn't helping her pass the time; Twilight needed something more than just observing what her friends were doing. Reading a book would've been enjoyable, but she recently perused through two dozen pages of a novel just a few minutes ago. And as she looked at Rainbow once more, a thought reached the tip of her mind. Twilight then turned to Starlight and gently tapped her friend's shoulder.

Starlight raised her head and smiled. "What's up?" she asked.

"Rainbow's looking more nervous than usual," said Twilight. She glanced at Rainbow, the latter's cheeks as pale as ever, then back to Starlight. "She's not usually like this. I've been on adventures with her many times, and not once has she looked this anxious. Do you know what's bothering her?"

Shrugging, Starlight pursed her lips. "What makes you think I'd know?"

Twilight released a soft chuckle. "Good point." She stood up and exhaled. "I just figured that you might've heard something from Rainbow earlier today." Stepping back, she then waved at Starlight, the latter responding in kind. "Anyway, I'm going to check up on Rainbow. I don't think it should take long."

Carefully making her way down the train car, the floor beneath her shaking, Twilight kept her focus glued to Rainbow. Maybe there was something dealing with the Ponyville Weather Team she forgot about before leaving. Then again, Rainbow took her duties seriously despite Cloudchaser occasionally keeping her in check, so an issue about that was likely out of the question.

Twilight ruffled her wings, staring at Rarity and then back to Rainbow. "Is everything okay?" she asked.

Rainbow shook her head without hesitating. "You saw her, right?" She cleared her throat. "Lightning Dust is here, and I totally bet she'd love to get revenge on us! I mean, I got her suspended from the Wonderbolts Academy! What if she does something reckless?" She gasped, mouth agape. "What if she causes something that threatens not just us, but all of Equestria!"

Twilight tapped Rainbow's head, kneeling down and gazing into her eyes. "Rainbow, there's no need to fret." She took a deep breath, her lips curling into a faint smile. "I know you're nervous, and I don't blame you. Lightning Dust didn't exactly leave on good terms with us, but I seriously doubt she'd do anything that wicked."

"That's what I've been trying to tell her, dear," Rarity added, a frustrated look adorning her face. "I think it's just some jitters before embarking on a noble quest. All of us have had those before." She resumed rubbing Rainbow's shoulders. "The unknown is truly frightening, but it can also be marvelous." As Rarity brought her hooves back to her chest, Rainbow quickly turned to the mare. "No need to worry. Even brave ponies get scared at times."

"I'm not scared of our adventure at all," Rainbow muttered, crossing her forelegs. Her cheeks tautened as she looked back at Twilight. "See, I think it's going to be awesome. It's just that Lightning isn't the kind of pony who'd see the error of her ways. She's so not like Trixie, Starlight, or Gilda."

"What makes you think that?"

"Just the way she looked at me." Rainbow pursed her lips, hooves pressed together. "It was nothing like the time I bumped into Gilda when I first saw Griffonstone. I mean, since I had a role in preventing her from making it to the reserves the first time around, I bet she's still angry."

Twilight nodded, though she kept a stern visage. She guided plenty of ponies through the steps toward redemption, and even if Lightning was uncooperative at first, Twilight couldn't help herself from feeling a little confident. "Well, if I see Lightning trotting around here, I'll try talking to her. Sound fair?"

"Yeah, but good luck on getting anywhere." Rainbow rolled her eyes, groaning as she almost hit her forehead against the back of a seat. "Back at the academy, she'd listen to nopony. Even the most stubborn of cadets got the memo they had to pay attention, but Lightning was different." She took a deep breath, chest puffed out. "So don't say I didn't warn you."

"I'll keep that in mind." Twilight touched her chest and donned a soft smile. She dealt with all sorts of troublemakers before, some of which must've been more problematic than Lightning. While pointing the mare toward a brighter future was something Twilight knew would take time, it wasn't anything worth fretting over. "And please let me know if anything else comes up."

"Got it!" Rainbow bobbed her head.

As Twilight slowly made her way back to her seat, she noticed Trixie attentively staring at her. That stern visage of hers appeared as though it was from a dream, Twilight's acquaintance usually not the kind of pony to exude seriousness. Even her melancholic moments lacked that kind of intensity.

The moment Twilight sat down, sinking into the seat's cushions, she turned to Trixie and raised an eyebrow. The two made eye contact. "What's going on?" asked Twilight. She cocked her head, lips pursed for a moment. "If you have any questions, you're more than welcome to ask."

Trixie stood up and approached Twilight, kneeling down once they were inches apart. She tugged her cape. "Hearing Rainbow Dash holding this grudge kind of makes me uncomfortable," she whispered. Her cheeks flushed, Trixie looking away from Twilight briefly. "Okay, I know I held a grudge against you. I can't deny that and it didn't work out well for me."

"You're uncomfortable because of what I did when you and Starlight first met, right?"

"Exactly." A soft sigh left Trixie's lips. "Look, I don't blame you for not trusting me after everything I've done. And you know Starlight much more than you know me." She glanced around Twilight's shoulder and waved at Starlight, the unicorn replying with a wave of her own. "It's just that—" Trixie bit her lip "—that day struck a chord with me."

"I saw how much you were hurting." Twilight donned a somber frown, head hung low.

"But at least we apologized."

In a flash, Twilight's posture perked up. Her lips curled into the faintest of smiles once more as she gently tapped Trixie's shoulder. "Yeah, I'm glad things worked out." She paused, looking to her left and right, hoping to find any traces of Lightning. Yet nothing stood out among those seated. "I'll try to be gentler with Lightning Dust."

"I wonder where you learned that from." Trixie winked at Twilight, both of them plus Starlight chuckling together. She then stood up and returned to her seat, opening a book upon sitting down. "By the way, we should soon be arriving at Hidden Woods, right?" Groaning, she rolled her eyes. "We've been sitting here for what must've been days."

"A few more minutes," Starlight answered. She turned to the window, looking out and noting the cliff right beside the train. "The map shows that this represents the southernmost point of Equestria. Just look out the window, and you should notice the cliff getting shorter when we're almost there."

"That long?" Pinkie blurted out. "Why does the map make it look so small?"

"I know, right?" Spike responded. He jumped out of his seat, arms spread out. "Maybe they call their town Hidden Woods because nopony can find it." A loud, popping noise pierced Twilight's ears as Spike cracked his knuckles. He then sat back down and sighed. "No wonder we don't know a lot about it."

Yawns left Twilight's mouth. She also yearned for the train to start slowing down for the station, wherever that was. The faint screeches that polluted the air as the train chugged along made sleeping seem impossible. And while Twilight wasn't exactly tired, especially since evening was still hours away, sleeping some of the way would've helped ease the tedium of waiting to arrive.

Twilight closed her eyes, only to open them again seconds later as thumps filled the air. She glanced behind her, noticing a turquoise pegasus with a dull visage making her way down the train cart. The mare's amber, flowing mane was somewhat familiar, Twilight certain she had met this pony before. And as the mare stretched her wings and squinted toward where Rainbow sat, everything suddenly fell into place.

"Lightning Dust is here," Twilight whispered under her breath. "That's definitely her." She rolled her shoulders and kept her gaze glued to the mare. "Alright, I just have to confront her, get her side of the story, and figure out what can be done to make this better." She clenched her teeth; if only she had a checklist with her. "Just have to remember how it's done."

Lightning stood still, muttering something to herself. It was as though she was practicing for some speech, likely directed toward Rainbow since the latter knew of her presence. She then took a deep breath and resumed trotting forward, but not before Twilight stretched a hoof out and gazed directly into her eyes.

"Can I talk to you for a bit?" asked Twilight.

Sighing, Lightning rolled her eyes and nodded. "Make it quick," she said. "If this is about who I am, then don't worry. I'm already ahead of you on that."

Twilight arched an eyebrow. "Can you elaborate on that last part?"

"I'm not cruel or anything, just cool." Lightning swiped her hoof over her mane, donning a smug grin. She leaned against one of the seats, forelegs crossed. "I still believe you have to do anything to be the best, even if that means making a tornado or leaving ponies in the dust. What I do is all about winning, okay?"

"Are you one of those ponies who think winning's everything?" Starlight questioned, a puzzled look decorating her face. "I don't think that's the only thing the Wonderbolts or whoever you're interested in look for in a pony." She paused and pressed her hooves together. "Isn't it also about teamwork?"

"That's not the way I do things." Lightning feigned a chuckle and ruffled her wings. "Captain Spitfire may seem tough, but trust me, she's a softie when you find out what she's really like. Her barking orders, criticizing how we fly, and giving us nicknames is just part of her job." She flicked her tail, giving Twilight and Starlight an indifferent look. "That and dealing with your bratty, lame friend are why I decided to go a different route."

"What would that be?" asked Twilight.

"Treasure hunting, duh!"

Twilight inched away from Lightning. She rubbed her head briefly and then shrugged. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me right! Just like Daring Do, but real!"

"Hold on a moment!" Rainbow shrieked, bouncing off of her seat and charging toward Lightning. She furrowed her brow and gnashed her teeth. "Little do you know, but Daring Do is—" Rainbow cut herself off, eyes shifting to Twilight for a second before blushing. "I mean, what makes you think you can be a treasure hunter like Daring Do?"

Lightning playfully nudged Rainbow. "Looks like Rainbow Dash's finally here," she teased. "I thought you were faster than that."

Rainbow rolled her eyes. "Enough with the jokes, Miss Reckless. Why exactly are you here?"

"Listen up, because I'm only going to tell this once." She leaned closer to Rainbow, swiftly turning her head to Twilight a second later. "So there's this rumor going around about a treasure to the south of Equestria. And as you all know, when there's treasure, there's a chance for fame and fortune!"

"That's what treasure usually is," Starlight deadpanned. She lifted a hoof up, pressing her shoulder against a window. "So what exactly is this rumor?"

"I'm glad you asked." Lightning donned a slight smirk, then took a quick breath. "From what I heard, there's a large, iron door nearby a mountain range. Behind that door is an old civilization that hasn't been inhabited in hundreds of years! And with a city that old, there's bound to be treasure!" Her eyes lit up like fireflies. "And part of that rumor says there's some old jewelry that has to be worth millions!"

"And why do you want the treasure?" asked Twilight. She raised an eyebrow. "Is it just for the wealth?"

Lightning immediately shook her head and chuckled. "Of course it's more than just that. It's about the adventure, exhilaration, and all of the awesome stuff that would've went with becoming a Wonderbolt. I might've given up on that, but I believe—"

"You weren't banned," Rainbow interrupted. She nudged closer to Lightning and sighed, her expression devoid of emotion. "Captain Spitfire said that you'd probably return after that whole mess. And she told me that after a year, you'd be able to become a trainee again, but only if ponies kept an eye on you."

"Because I'm awesome?" Lightning gently nudged Rainbow with her wing.

In a flash, Rainbow winced and gnashed her teeth. "No, it's because you're reckless. I mean, you didn't care that other ponies were in your way." Her cheeks reddened, brow sagging as she glared at Lightning. "I even told you that you could've killed somepony, but you didn't care. You would've abandoned anypony at the drop of a hat." She extended a hoof toward Lightning before the latter even had a chance to retort. "And don't say that Spitfire was encouraging that. She might've messed up once or twice, but nowhere did she suggest that putting ponies in harm's way was okay." She paused, everypony around her scuttling a few inches away from her with stunned visages. "You were reckless, not awesome. Got it?"

Blushing, Lightning slowly nodded, crossing her forelegs and wearing a sheepish smile. "Well, can I please go on with my story?"

"Sure, but don't go adding stuff about how awesome you are."

Lightning cleared her throat and then rolled her shoulders. "As I was saying, the abandoned city is special because you have to pass through the door. You might think you can fly into it, but there's this barrier keeping you out. It even hides the place from outsiders. Heck, hardly anything proves its existence."

"So how do you propose getting in?" asked Twilight. Having never read any books alluding to such a door, Twilight figured that Lightning's story was a folktale at best. Yet she wanted to discover more about the rumor, even if just for sheer curiosity. "Right now, I don't even know if this old city even exists. Who inhabited it? Why is it now abandoned? And how can you be so sure there's treasure, assuming that the city even exists?"

"Some alchemist told me about it." Lightning waved her hoof. "She seemed smart enough."

"Are you sure this alchemist wasn't just crazy?" Starlight added, slightly cocking her head. "Did this pony start the rumor, or was it somepony else?"

"No, and it wasn't a pony who started the rumor." Lightning flicked her tail and trotted away from the group. "It was some old figure wearing a black cloak. Talked a lot about an impending crisis or something, and given what happened the day after the alchemist met him, he's worth keeping an eye on." As she reached the end of the train car, Lightning opened the door and looked back at everypony. "What happened was that I tried jumping at a red centaur who almost killed me, forcing everypony with me to do the same." She glared at Rainbow with puffed cheeks. "Don't mention it to the Wonderbolts or the Ponyville Weather Team."

Rainbow shrugged. "Whatever," she muttered under her breath.

However, as Lightning left the train car, Twilight couldn't help but feel a tightness gripping her chest. The centaur was without a doubt Tirek, a name that was etched into Twilight's memories whether she liked it or not. While the cloaked figure and Tirek were likely different beings, she recalled the latter wearing one before starting his rampage. And even Queen Chrysalis feared him if the reports were true, and she was particularly nasty. Maybe it was all a coincidence; Twilight wished that was the case.

Twilight took a deep breath. "We need to catch up with her," she muttered.

"I wouldn't worry about it," said Rainbow. She placed a hoof on one of the empty seats. "Besides, there's probably just some old stuff inside." A smile appeared on her face, Twilight feigning one as well. "The most trouble she'd cause would be knocking over a vase."

"What about who started the rumor?" Trixie asked. "Tirek wore a black cloak when I first saw him, and I narrowly escaped with my life. It might be a coincidence, but those two events happening within a day of each other sounds suspect." Shuddering, her eyes widened. Her cheeks became pale. "I could hardly sleep for days after that mess, and Trixie needs enough sleep to perform her marvelous tricks."

"Wait, Tirek wore a black cloak?" In the blink of an eye, Rainbow turned to Twilight, the two making eye contact. "Is that true?"

Nodding, Twilight wore a somber look. "That's what Princess Celestia told me before Discord got involved."

Rainbow's smile vanished like a mirage, sweat dripping down her forehead. "That's bad." Nervous chuckles left her mouth. "Okay, so we can't let Lightning do anything dumb. But where do we start? I mean, it's not like she'll listen to any of us, and who knows where that door is?"

"Maybe you should fly after her," Applejack suggested. She looked behind her shoulder and stared at Rainbow. "You're plenty fast enough, so try findin' out where she went." Pausing, she then adjusted her hat. "Just don't go too far. We don't want you getting lost."

"Sounds like a plan." Rainbow sat down on the seat in front of Twilight's. "She'll learn her lesson the hard way."

"Speaking of which, could this relate to those pillars?" Starlight asked, her eyes shimmering. "They might have something to do with stealing magic."

"I hope it's not that," Twilight murmured. She took a deep breath. "But there's only one way to find out."

Without warning, a bell chimed, signaling that the next stop was just a minute or so away. It was the kind of sound Twilight hoped to hear for what felt like ages. And as her body jerked forward, screeches piercing her ears as the train slowed down, she couldn't help herself from wondering just what waited outside.

Regardless, asking Celestia and Luna about that rumor was essential.

---

Not once had Twilight thought that she and her friends would be waiting for Rainbow for the next couple of minutes, yet that was exactly what transpired after leaving the train station. Her friend hadn't wasted a second in searching the area. However, there was no telling where Lightning went after stepping out of the train, let alone if she had even departed yet. Whatever was going on, Twilight hoped that it all turned out well.

Seconds later, Rainbow merely descended by her lonesome with a glum visage.

"Couldn't find her," Rainbow muttered, touching the ground once again. A sigh left her lips, head hung low. "She must've flown away the moment the train stopped, and by that point I could only guess where she might've gone." Straightening her posture, she rubbed her head, wings spread out. "I'd have caught her if I knew where she went."

"We'll find her eventually," said Fluttershy, wrapping a wing around Rainbow. "Maybe she's going the wrong direction. From what I heard, it sounded like she didn't know too much about the rumor." She feigned a smile, Rainbow following suit. "Let's focus on meeting up with Celestia and Luna first." Her head slowly turned from left to right. "Does that sound reasonable?"

"Works for me." Rainbow paused for a moment, tapping the soil beneath her. "Maybe they'll know more about that door."

"If anypony knows whether a rumor is real or not, it's Celestia," Twilight said as a matter of fact. She turned around, looking behind her shoulder and at her friends. "The princesses should be waiting inside the inn." Reaching into her saddlebag, Twilight pulled out a map, twisting it a little and making certain that it was positioned correctly. "It's a few blocks from the train station. Follow me, everypony."

The group stayed close behind Twilight as requested, all of them studying the layout of Hidden Woods. As the name implied, there were plenty of trees growing out of the earth and reaching for the skies, the leaves surprisingly green. Cabins built from wooden logs or planks were evenly spread out with an open yard in the middle. The layout was eerily similar to Our Town, only without the scorching desert and homes that looked more like large boxes. At least the ponies out and about all had genuine smiles.

As Twilight and company continued surveying the town, she couldn't help herself from wearing a confused look. The inn should've made itself known by now, yet it either blended in with the rest of the cabins or the map was woefully outdated. Twilight gazed at the map once more, yet it insisted that the inn was right before her.

"Do any of you spot the inn?" Twilight asked, raising an eyebrow.

Trixie shook her head. "Haven't seen anything that looks like one," she said. "Maybe they just do things differently here, or it's right under our nose like any good magic trick." She rubbed her muzzle, faintly humming for a few seconds. "The sign we passed says we're in Hidden Woods, so I know we're in the right town."

"Somepony should request more variety," Rarity deadpanned. She winced, then rolled her eyes and pouted. "I can only hope their fashion sense isn't as preposterous and in need of work." Twiddling her mane, she approached the cabin that was assumed to be the inn and squinted at it, lips pursed. "What kind of inn would hide itself? It defeats the entire purpose."

"Yeah, who'd construct a town where everything looked the same?" Starlight quipped, blushing. With a sheepish grin, a series of awkward chuckles left her lips, the rest of the group all staring at her. Everypony else then joined in the laughter, genuine smiles decorating their faces for the first time in what felt like days.

Twilight ruffled her wings. "I'll go check if the inn is over there," she said, pointing to the cabin in question.

With short steps, Twilight made her way over to the structure until she was inches from the door. She took a deep breath and raised her hoof. And with a knock on the wooden frame, its rough texture poking her nerves, the door opened in the blink of an eye. Standing before her was a pegasus mare adorned with a rose-colored dress. It reeked of luxury, the flowing design working brilliantly with the mare's greenish coat. And as the mare stared blankly at Twilight, her wings opened up, eyes widened to the size of saucers.

"Another alicorn?" the mare shrieked. She gasped, her jaw dropping as low as it possibly could. Violently shaking her head for a few seconds, she then took a deep breath and grinned. "Please make yourself comfortable! I assume that you're here to meet up with the other two princesses, right?"

Twilight nodded with flushed cheeks, faintly chuckling. "That's right," she said. "My friends and I have important business with Celestia and Luna. Do you know where they might be?"

"That's simple!" The mare glanced at Twilight's friends, her grin somehow even brighter than before. "They're on the second floor, first door to your left! Just knock like you did here and let them know you're here, but please try to not make a huge commotion." With flushed cheeks, she giggled and twirled her pinkish mane. "See, not many ponies come to visit, let alone three princesses." She caught her breath and took a step back. "And your friends must be the Elements of Harmony, right?"

"For the most part," Spike answered, making his way closer to the mare. He placed his claws behind his back. "And besides, we gave them back to the Tree of Harmony a while ago. My friends now have new ways to protect Equestria."

"Oh, that's right!" Snickering once again, the mare then shuffled to the right, pointing away from the group. "Anyway, my name is Rosebud. Please make yourselves comfortable."

"Nice to meet you, Rosebud," said Applejack. She stepped inside the inn, her friends all following suit. "Quite the cozy place you got here, but how come there isn't a sign outside?" She made eye contact with Rosebud, cocking her head a moment later. "Plenty of travelers would love resting here."

"This place wasn't an inn at first." Rosebud crossed her forelegs, then swayed her tail back and forth. "I bought it after moving here years ago before deciding to convert it into an inn. All of the rooms were there, but all I needed was a desk and some other necessities. Those took out most of the budget, but I'm hoping to have a sign soon."

"I guess that explains things," Rarity said, her attention glued to the mare. "By the way, your dress is truly marvelous. The stitching is top-notch and everything about the fabric to the flower-like decorations evokes beauty. Please, you must let me know who designed this dress!" She leaned closer to Rosebud until their nostrils were inches apart.

"Thank you." Rosebud stepped back, Rarity doing the same and smiling sheepishly in return. "Anyway, this was stitched together by a newcomer to the scene. She's from Manehattan, but is both shy and sweet. I think her name is Coco Pommel, so go meet up with her if you ever want a dress."

"Coco designed this?" Rarity squealed with delight. "Oh, I'm so proud of her!"

"You know her?"

"Absolutely!" Rarity cleared her throat. "Coco is exactly how you describe her, and I've worked with her numerous times. We truly are close friends, but I can tell you the whole story after we've met with the princesses." She twiddled her mane and inched toward the stairs. "And thank you so much for helping us."

Rosebud nodded without hesitating. "That's why I'm here!"

Bobbing her head in return, Twilight then waved at Rosebud, turning around and making her way up the nearby staircase. The steps were taller than she was expecting, though not to the point where she came close to tripping. After ten flights or so, she reached the second floor, her friends all close behind. Before her was a narrow hallway that looked like the inside of a tree's trunk, virtually everything a shade of brown. At least a green carpet that ran the length of the hallway spruced things up a little.

"First door to the left, right?" asked Spike.

Twilight glanced back at Spike and nodded. Approaching the door in question, Twilight lifted her hoof and knocked on the smooth frame. She stepped back, straightening her posture and taking a deep breath. There was much to discuss with the princesses; starting with the rumor and moving forward to the matter at hoof was likely the best course of action. And just as she finished planning out what she'd mention, the door opened, both Celestia and Luna standing right before her with smiles on their faces.

"I'm glad to see you've made it," Luna said as a matter of fact. "I know this isn't a typical inn for princesses, though it was the only inn this town had." Chuckles escaped her lips, Luna's grin brightening a tad. "But please make yourselves comfortable. We'll need to rest up a little before embarking on our journey."

As Celestia and Luna stepped out of the way, Twilight and company made their way through the doorway. Despite it not being up to par with the luxuries inns at large cities provided, there was something cozy about the place that tickled Twilight's coat. The lit fireplace gave the room a comfortable ambience; it was the same story regarding the stylish furniture. At least it was far from a rotting complex with a pungent scent.

"There's one thing we've gotta say," Rainbow muttered, eyes locked onto the two princesses. "Have you heard about this iron door?"

"You will have to be more specific," said Celestia, pressing her hooves together and donning a stern visage.

"What Rainbow's referring to is a door to the south of Equestria, possibly near where we're supposed to go," Starlight added. She trotted closer to Celestia and raised her head. "Rumor has it that there's an abandoned city behind that door, and that door is the only way to gain access. The rumor was started by a cloaked figure that may or may not have a connection to Tirek." Starlight swiftly turned to Twilight. "That was his name, right?"

Twilight nodded, wings twitching a little. "That's correct," she replied. She assumed eye contact with Celestia and pursed her lips. "We met this pony who's headed for that lost kingdom, wherever it may be." Sighing, Twilight touched her chest. "There's supposed to be treasure inside, though given that this pony heard the rumor a day before Tirek attacked Equestria, I'm worried about what might be there." She paused for a moment. "That depends if the city even exists."

Celestia arched an eyebrow. She leaned closer to Twilight, the latter stepping back in return. "And who told you this?"

"Somepony named Lightning Dust," said Rainbow. "And she got it from an alchemist."

Nodding, Celestia then stood as tall as she could. She paced back and forth. Everypony except for Luna merely wore a puzzled expression. Twilight wondered just what was going through Celestia's mind. If her inaudible whispers suggested anything, Twilight assumed that the abandoned locale actually existed. The thought sent chills down her spine.

"I don't think there's anything to worry about," Celestia continued, turning back to Twilight. "However, the place you're talking about does exist. It was indeed the former home of Lord Tirek, but snowstorms ravaged the area before he assumed his new title." Freezing in place, Celestia took a deep breath. She briefly rubbed her head. "From what I recall, the legend goes that these storms were a direct effect of Tirek's crimes, almost as if nature was rebelling against him. His father and the other nobles eventually decided to abandon their kingdom and head northwest, their new home much closer to Equestria."

"Can I ask a quick question?" Trixie murmured, slowly raising her hoof with a nervous smirk.

"Of course." Celestia nodded at Trixie, the latter wiping her forehead. "What is the matter?"

Trixie took a deep breath. "How come you know so much about that place? I thought you never visited the lands south of Equestria."

Celestia made her way to Trixie, playfully nudging her wing against the wizard, the gesture earning a few faint chuckles. "That is an excellent question. And you're more than welcome to interrupt me if something doesn't make sense." She lowered her head until her eyes were level with Trixie's. "If you're as polite as you just were, I won't get frustrated."

"Oh, okay." Trixie rubbed the back of her neck. A sheepish smile appeared on her face. "It's just that since you're the Princess Celestia, I didn't want to—"

"I understand." Celestia raised her head, pursing her lips momentarily. "As I was saying, Trixie makes an excellent point. How do I know all about this place if I never visited it? I may have centuries of knowledge, but even somepony like myself should have limits." Pausing once more, she stepped back and briefly stared at everypony in the room. "The answer is that Scorpan told me about their history."

"Scorpan?" Fluttershy repeated, rubbing her cheek. "Isn't he the one who betrayed Tirek?"

"That's correct. He told me the full story, which also helped with Tirek's capture and banishment to Tartarus."

"Could this rumor have something to do with Tirek?" Applejack asked, tugging her braid momentarily. "And may this have something to do with those weird pillars?"

"There's no way of being sure until we get there." Celestia tilted her head a little, shoulders raised. "That being said, I wouldn't be surprised if there was some connection. We can investigate the ruins at some point, but right now, making sure those pillars don't cause damage is our main priority."

"We could be walking into a trap," said Luna, looking somewhat nervous. She touched her lips with the tip of her hoof. "After we arrive at Maple Village, the town with the changelings, we'll have to exercise extreme caution." She looked to her left and lowered her head. "There are beverages downstairs, so we should stock up on them before traveling across Enigma Crater."

"I've got plenty more if you need it!" Pinkie announced, her face somehow as radiant as ever. "Water, soda, root beer, and so much more! I've got 'em all in a special cooler I brought with me!" She quickly glanced back at Rainbow, trying her best to suppress a giggle. "And no, I don't have any cider, even though I'd love to have that."

"Trixie has plenty of drinks, too," Trixie added with a slight smirk. A soft giggle left her mouth, Trixie then standing tall. "But they're all just bottles of water. And since we're all in this together, you're more than welcome to have one." She twiddled her mane. "Just don't waste it all before we get to the village."

"Alright, we'll stock up on anything while we're here before heading out," Twilight said. She opened her wings and took a quick breath. Based on the notes she received, there were plenty of perils to keep in mind when crossing Enigma Crater, namely the scorching temperatures and rough terrain. It made continuing her earlier research impossible until arriving at her destination. But as much as she loathed admitting, Twilight knew she had no other choice. "Let's all do the best we can."

As the ponies stepped through the doorway once more, slowly making their way down the stairs, Twilight couldn't help herself from pondering about everything that had transpired since she first heard that rumor and everything that transpired. Maybe there was something more nefarious going on with those pillars of light; it wouldn't have shocked her if Tirek was related in some manner. Much stranger things had happened in Equestria before.

However, as Celestia mentioned, directly confronting the issue was the only way to find out.