Oathmaker

by Fangren

Chapter 4 - The Awakening

With a snap of his fingers, Discord and the others appeared at the steps of Canterlot Castle.

“Alright friends,” Discord said as Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Starlight Glimmer, and Spike all recovered from the shock of sudden long-distance teleportation, “let's make our entrance.”

---

It was not the throne room that Princesses Celestia and Luna had gathered all the others in, but rather a large study lined with shelves upon shelves of ancient-looking books. In fact, the two rulers and their five guests were making themselves comfortable around the room when the door suddenly swung open. A pair of kazoos floated inside and took up positions on either side, and started to play a rather short but grandiose orchestral piece. When it ended they flew towards each other and formed a pair of lips, then in a buzzing sort of voice announced “Presenting, Lord Discord and Lady Fluttershy!”

The very space that made up the doorway swung open like it was a door itself, giving the ponies inside the room a glimpse of a fuchsia void. Discord strutted out of it with pompous swagger, Fluttershy following embarrassedly by his side.

The air-door swung shut behind them. “...and their friends,” the kazoo-lips added halfheartedly, popping out of existence as Rainbow Dash, Spike, and Starlight Glimmer walked in with annoyed expressions.

“Hello!” Celestia greeted with an amused smile. “You're just in time. I'm glad you've decided to help us, Discord.”

Discord crossed his arms and snorted. “If I must...,” he muttered. “Though I'd still prefer to do this alone,” he added.

“I'm afraid that wouldn't be enough,” Celestia told him with a solemn shake of her head. “Now please, take a seat,” she smiled again, motioning to each of the five new arrivals. Spike and the three ponies sat or stood in the existing spots near their other friends, while Discord simply sat calmly in a plush turquoise armchair that appeared at the snap of his fingers. “Since we're all here,” Celestia continued, “I think it's finally time to share what we know about the Oathbreaker.”

“Ahem,” Discord interrupted, clearing his throat and raising a claw, “I'm sorry, but I don't believe... we've,” he turned a close and suspicious eye to Cold Reason, who stared at him in return, “been introduced.

A silent moment passed, and Cold said nothing. “Umm, this is Cold Reason,” Twilight finally explained with an awkward smile. “She's the one who alerted us to the Oathbreaker's imminent return.”

Discord twirled his beard in thought, then retreated to his chair with a level look on his face. “I see...,” he said, crossing his legs and pulling an old curved pipe from his ear. He started blowing bubbles out of it and drumming his claws on the arm of the chair, his eyes still locked onto Cold.

“Umm...right,” Twilight said, turning her focus back to her former mentor. “Princess, you were saying?” All the others looked moved their attention to the elder alicorn as well, save for Starlight who looked between Discord and Cold, then tapped her muzzle in thought.

“Thank you, Twilight,” Celestia said with a nod to her former student. She walked into the center of the room and her horn lit up with magic, and a large map of the world appeared in the air above a central table. Much like the Cutie Map it displayed all of Equestria and much of the lands beyond in miniature, though an idle touch from Pinkie Pie revealed the image to be nothing more than an illusion.

“The tale of the Oathbreaker is centered here,” Luna said with a hoof-point to the western edge of the map, which zoomed in to closer view of a desolate-looking valley nestled in a large mountain range. “The Cursed Valley, on what is now Equestria's western border.” All the ponies and Spike looked on with silent interest, while Discord simply blew a few more bubbles from his pipe.

“Though it wasn't always so cursed,” Celestia added, the illusory map shimmering and replacing the desolate valley with one vibrant and full of life. “Thousands of years ago, it was the beautiful home of a village of earth ponies, ruled by an alicorn renowned for her sense of fairness and justice.” Simple images of numerous earth ponies of various colors appeared in the valley, and above them appeared a large alicorn with rich brown skin and a mane of two deep and earthy greens.

“And for her strength in battle as well,” Luna added. “She protected that valley for countless moons, and drove off or vanquished all that dared to threaten it.”

Discord shuddered. “Don't remind me,” he said, clenching his eyes shut. “I only pulled a few harmless pranks on those valley ponies, and pow!” His disembodied eyeballs suddenly popped open in the space between Applejack and Rarity, startling them. “She knocked me for a total loop and sent me flying miles away!” The rest of his body materialized, only for him to immediately launch himself through the air on his back. He landed upside down on his chair.

“You were fortunate to receive no harsher punishment for your so-called 'harmless' pranks,” Cold Reason told him. She quickly blinked, then added “Or so I understand.”

Discord snorted in contempt, his body flowing back into a right-side up position without moving. “Well she's fortunate my beautiful chaos magic was still being shared amongst all my brethren back then,” he muttered. “Otherwise she'd have been the one unable to move for fifty moons...”

Princess Luna cleared her throat, earning the room's attention again. “Let us not dwell on what could have been, and instead continue with what was.” She motioned to the map, which shifted to show the image of the Oathbreaker seated on what looked like an ornate wooden throne and flanked by spear-wielding earth pony guards. “Though my sister and I only met her a small number of times-” images of two smaller alicorns, one white and pink and the other black and blue, both without cutie marks, approached the Oathbreaker's throne- “she struck us as a wise and much-beloved ruler. We learned many things from her.” Princess Celestia nodded.

“Yeah yeah yeah, okay,” Rainbow Dash interrupted, “I get that she was pretty awesome or whatever. But what I don't get is why she's called 'the Oathbreaker'.”

Fluttershy nodded. “It doesn't exactly sound like the name of a wise and powerful ruler.”

Celestia and Luna shared a sad look. “I'm afraid that name is the result of what happened next. You see,” the elder motioned back to the illusory image, which zoomed back out to show the entire valley again, “about two years after Equestria was founded the Oathbreaker's surviving foes joined forces to form a terrifying army of darkness.” Countless shadowy and monstrous figures appeared around the high walls of the valley. “They declared war on her and those she protected. She drove back their earliest assaults,” the image of the brown-and-green alicorn angrily flew at the shadows, driving them back, “but they had become so powerful and her might had lost its edge after a century of peace that she found herself worried for the safety of her people. She called for aide from those few she called allies,” the Oathbreaker was shown sending off a scroll, which was received by another group of images including the alicorn sisters, an aging unicorn with a starry hat, and several other ponies, “but we arrived too late.” The illusory image turned black.

“We do not know exactly what happened,” Luna continued on, “but we believe that she was tricked into leaving the valley and confronting her enemies elsewhere. It was a cunning trap; they undoubtedly had part of their forces hide nearby so that they could destroy the valley while the rest drew her attention away from it.”

“The ponies of the valley never learned the truth,” Celestia said sadly, a wave of her hoof causing the image of the valley to reappear and burst into flame, “and thought that their ruler had abandoned them in their hour of need. As she had sworn an oath to protect them long ago, they decided to put a curse on her with their dying breaths: that from then on she would only be remembered as the Oathbreaker.”

The sisters paused, and looked over the faces of their guests. All of them, even Discord, were looking silently at the ghostly images of ponies being consumed in the burning valley. Only Cold Reason looked away, and for a brief second they thought they saw a tear in her eye before she blinked and it was gone.

“We never saw the Oathbreaker again,” Luna said, her sister dismissing the illusory image with a wave of her hoof. “We...,” she shared a hesitant look with Celestia, “thought she'd...done away with herself in her grief. We were wrong.”

“Yes...,” Cold said softly, drawing the gaze of all in the room but not meeting any of them. “What I...,” she paused, “...understand...is that she was unable to do more than seal herself in stone so that she would not fail the world again. But she failed in that as well. Her seal was incomplete.”

Discord snorted. “I'll say. That seal had more holes in it than Swiss cheese!” With a poof, several cheese-like holes appeared in his body. “Nothing at all like the one I was trapped in.” Another poof, and he returned to normal.

“Wait,” Starlight spoke up, “you mean you saw her?”

Discord gave another involuntary shudder. “Unfortunately, yes,” he answered. “I felt a magical disturbance a few days ago,” he said with a narrow side-eyed glance at Cold Reason, “and popped over to see what it was. Needless to say I practically fell to pieces when I saw who it was,” he said, his body literally falling apart into its component limbs and sections. “And since she was just leaking magic I realized it was only a matter of time before the seal came undone, so I popped back home and started preparing for the worst!” His detached lion's paw grabbed his antler and pulled upward, causing his body to reassemble itself.

“Wait,” Twilight said with growing dread, “did you say leaking magic?”

“Oh yes,” Discord nodded. “Enough to form a big pool of it just waiting for someone to fall in.”

The three alicorns tensed up, as did Starlight Glimmer. “Uh, mind explainin' what that means to the rest of us?” Applejack asked, the others noticing the sudden change.

“Nothing good, I'm afraid,” Celestia replied with a grim but thoughtful look.

“I'll say,” Twilight added. “Absorbing too much raw magic can make an unprepared pony extremely dangerous. That's what caused so many problems for my friends in the human world.”

“This is why I came here to warn you all,” Cold Reason spoke up. “I knew of the flaws in the Oathbreaker's seal. I knew that her imprisoned body would soon make contact with the pool of magic that had leaked from her. And when it does she will awaken and absorb the magic. Her mind is still consumed by grief from the deaths she caused. She will not be able to control herself. She will harm more innocents unless she is stopped and sealed correctly.”

“And we thank you for warning us,” Celestia said. “An alicorn of the Oathbreaker's power, enhanced by thousands of years of built-up magical, will be difficult to stop. But thanks to you we have time to prepare, and that will surely save lives.”

Cold Reason gave her a short bow. “I did only what I deemed appropriate.”

“Well then,” Rarity spoke up with an idle fluff of her mane, “I believe we now all have an adequate understanding of what it is we're up against. So how, exactly, are we going to stop her?”

“Isn't it obvious?” Rainbow Dash replied. “We just go over there and do what we always do!”

“Well that's hardly a proper plan,” Rarity said in a huff.

“Plus, I for one am gettin' the feelin' that our usual playin' it by ear ain't gonna cut it this time,” Applejack added.

“We fear that you are correct,” Luna said. “That is why we have decided to act more cautiously.”

Twilight smiled. “Hey, I'm happy we're going into a potential disaster with a well-thought-out plan for once. What do you have so far?” she asked her elders.

“So far, we're hoping the Oathbreaker doesn't awaken before Princess Cadance and Shining Armor arrive to help tomorrow,” Celestia answered.

“You're calling in my brother?” Twilight asked in surprise.

Celestia nodded. “The shield spells they can create together may be powerful enough to contain the Oathbreaker. We'll need their help in order to keep her in one place long enough to be stopped.”

“And resealed,” Cold chimed in, earning a brief glance from Celestia.

“Any further details will have to be worked out once they're here,” Celestia continued. “Though I am curious to hear if our guest has any input,” she added, looking back at Cold. “You've already displayed a surprising amount of insight into the Oathbreaker, after all. Perhaps you know a way to stop her?”

Cold shook her head. “I do not. I would have said so if I did.”

“I see,” Celestia said, her expression neutral. “Well then...perhaps you'd like to tell us how exactly you learned everything about the Oathbreaker? We might be able to see something that you didn't.”

Cold Reason blinked, paused, blinked again. “Yes. That is...sensible. But it would require me to share several deeply personal details.”

“Oo~oo~ooh!” Pinkie squealed, suddenly darting up next to Cold with a bucket of popcorn in her hooves. “I love a good life story! Or even just a story!” Discord loomed over next to her and nodded eagerly.

Cold stared at her, then looked at the other expectant ponies. “I apologize. I am grateful for your assistance. But I am not...comfortable...-” she squirmed slightly- “sharing these details with everypony present. I will only share them with the Sisters.” She motioned to Celestia and Luna, to the surprise and disappointment of the others in the room. “Please understand,” she finished with a bow.

“Aww!” Pinkie pouted. “C'mon Coldie, you can tell us! We're you're friends!”

Cold became tense for the slightest of moments, then blinked. “I said earlier that I cannot feel,” she told Pinkie. “This includes friendship. I apologize. Please allow me to give the Sisters this information in private.”

“You heard her, girls,” Twilight said, standing up and taking a step towards the door. “Let's let Miss Reason talk to the Princesses in private. I'm sure they'll tell us if something important comes up that we need to know.”

“We will, Twilight,” Celestia told her former student as she and the others slowly and reluctantly moved to the door. “Now I'm sure rooms have been prepared for you all, so try and get some rest.”

“We'll try,” Twilight replied with a smile, loitering outside the study with the others. The seven ponies and one baby dragon started to walk away, but before she took a single step their leader stopped and scowled. “You too, Discord,” she said in a scolding voice, turning back into the study and pulling the draconequus out by the tail.

“Fine, if I must...,” Discord muttered in annoyance, allowing himself to he led away as the study door swung shut and briefly glowed with magic.

---

The moment the group got far enough away, Starlight spoke up. “So...does anypony have an idea why Cold Reason acts the way she does?” she asked. “Because I think I might...”

“Well, if it has anything to do with her not being able to feel,” Rarity said, “then I'm afraid you're a little late to the party.”

“Yeah! The really-sad-cause-Coldie-can't-have-fun party!” Pinkie chimed in.

“Well to be honest, I'm starting to doubt that whole 'emotionless' story or hers,” Starlight admitted. “I'm pretty sure I saw her actually react to something beyond just blinking back there.”

“Yeah, I noticed that too,” Applejack said. “But I don't think it means nothin'. Based on what I've seen of her I'd reckon her feelin's are a whole heapa complicated, personal business that she don't wanna talk about. Prob'ly easier to just say she ain't got none, specially cause that don't seem too far off from the truth.”

“Well said, Applejack,” Twilight said with a smile.

Starlight glowered. “Okay fine, so maybe she was just simplifying things when she said that. It's not the point I was trying to make.”

“Then what is?” Spike asked.

With a smile and the glow of her magic, Starlight pulled one of the books she'd brought in her saddlebags. “Remember what I found earlier, before Cold Reason showed up at the castle?” Both Spike and Twilight looked her way, then away as they thought back to the morning.

“The...Cavern of the Lost?” the Princess asked after a moment, her face screwed up with disbelief. Spike shivered.

Starlight nodded. “Exactly. When I was reading through 'Monstrous Myths from Before Time' for information on the Oathbreaker I came across that legend again. Some of the descriptions were pret-ty interesting.”

“Uhh, what does a cave full of lost junk have anything to do with ancient alicorns?” Rainbow asked, hovering overhead.

“Not that kind of 'lost',” Twilight idly replied, taking the old book from her student's magic with her own. A few seconds passed as she scanned the pages it had been opened to, turned, scanned, and turned back. “Huh,” she finally said, causing the friends who'd gathered around her stationary form to lean forward in interest. “According to the legend, the lost spirits of the Cavern may take the shape of the ponies they were in life if their desire for revenge is strong enough. However, their new bodies are mere shadows of their former selves – muted in color, strange in behavior, and concerned only with enacting vengeance against the ones who brought about their demise. They neither eat nor drink nor sleep, and cannot be swayed from their path.”

A frightened gasp got Twilight and the others' attention, and an already-trembling Fluttershy flinched under it. “Sorry...,” she said softly. “But...you're not suggesting that Cold Reason is some kind of...of vengeful spirit, are you?” she asked, her eyes darting around and her voice lowering almost to a whisper as though she feared the very walls themselves were listening in and would attack her for a hoof out of line.

Starlight sighed, and gave her a grim smile. “Well, it fits doesn't it? Strange behavior, only really cares about dealing with the Oathbreaker...”

“And her mane isn't exactly vibrant,” Rarity added, catching attention despite her voice being little more than a thoughtful murmur.

The next gasp to get their attention was sharper and more dramatic. “And she hasn't eaten or dranken or even slept in since we met her!” Pinkie exclaimed, hooves to her mouth in fright.

“...it hasn't even been a day yet, Pinkie,” Twilight said, her brows lowered in deadpan disbelief. “And she hasn't exactly had a chance to eat or drink anything since we met her.”

Pinkie stared at her and blinked. “But that doesn't not mean she's a spooky spirit!” she countered. “I mean, not having the chance to not-eat, not-drink, and not-sleep doesn't mean she won't not-eat, not-drink, and not-sleep! I mean-” she raised her hooves- “you'd have to catch her not-not-eating, not-not-drinking, and not-not-sleeping to prove she isn't not-eating, not-drinking, and not-sleeping!”

Twilight groaned and hooved her face. “Yes. You're right. But all that doesn't not-not mean she won't not-not-eat, not-not-drink, or not-not-sleep either! So we can't just assume she won't not-not-eat, not-not-drink, or not-not-sleep!” Her voice sufficiently raised, the Princess took a few breaths to calm down.

“Uh...anypony follow all that?” Rainbow Dash asked her other friends. A general murmur of agreement rose up from five of the six.

“...not really,” Twilight meekly admitted a moment later. She let out a long and exasperated sigh. “Look, I know Cold Reason is different. But I don't think that automatically means she's some kind of...evil spirit bent on revenge!” She looked at the skeptical looks on many of her friends' faces. “C'mon, won't anypony back me up?” she asked, looking between them before noticing one who'd been noticeably silent. “Discord?”

“Hmm?” Discord replied at a murmur, perking an eyebrow as he filed his talons longer. He 'sat up' from the reclining float he's been in, and glanced at Twilight. She raised an expectant brow. “Oh, yes, right. Well, Miss, ah, Reason doesn't seem like any spirit I've ever seen before...,” he said indifferently as he admired his sharpened talons, then ate the metal file. “So make of that what you will.”

“See?” Twilight told her friends with an emphatic point in his direction. “I of all ponies know how important it is to take old stories like the Cavern of the Lost seriously. But I also know that for all Cold Reason seems like she fits the description of a lost soul, we can't just judge her on that before we get any concrete proof. And you all should know that too.” She looked across them, and they squirmed awkwardly under her gaze.

“Sorry, Twilight,” Applejack said, rubbing one foreleg against the other. “Even if I didn't say nothin' I shouldn't'a let myself get so caught up in Starlight and Pinkie's idea so quickly.”

The Princess sighed. “I don't really blame you, Applejack. I don't blame any of you. But we can't forget to give every pony the benefit of the doubt. And besides,” she smiled lightly, “if Cold Reason really is a spirit or something, then I'm sure Princess Celestia and Princess Luna will figure it out and let us know.”

---

The conversation ended there, and the party dispersed to find the rooms they'd been given – nearly all were in the vicinity of Twilight and Spike's former dorm from the Princess's tenure as a student, which the two were staying in once again. Soon enough the full group was called to dine with the rulers before their evening ceremony, and although Twilight had reassured her friends that it wouldn't be as awkward as they expected...she was wrong. The meal was pleasant enough on the surface, but an undercurrent of tension – from both the looming situation they'd been gathered to deal with as well as the strange looks both Celestia and Luna had been giving Cold Reason since they'd emerged from the study – made any attempts at conversation become stiff. Even Discord was unable to solicit more than a few token laughs from each of his many attempts at lightening the mood, and the final one – causing the cutlery to take up arms against each other – caused Cold Reason to dismiss herself entirely with nary a bite taken from her plate.

Eventually the meal ended, the sun was set, and the moon was raised. The ponies dispersed once more to whatever place had caught their interests, with only Twilight, Spike, and Starlight lingering behind.

“Umm, excuse me, Princess Celestia? Princess Luna?” Twilight asked, approaching her elders as they started to make their way to the royal sleeping quarters. “Sorry, I was just wondering what happened during your meeting with Cold Reason. I know it was supposed to be private, but ever since then both of you have been giving her...,” she paused in awkward hesitation for a moment, “well, strange looks!”

The sister exchanged a brief but uncertain look, and Celestia sighed. “You're as perceptive as ever, my former student,” she began, “though I expect we didn't hide our thoughts as well as we should have.”

“So...something did happen?” Twilight asked in growing concern.

“She's a spirit, isn't she?” Starlight blurted out.

The eyes of the elder alicorns widened with surprise, and the sisters shared another look. “We...are uncertain how to answer you,” Luna confessed after a few moments' thought. “The one called 'Cold Reason' confessed a great many secrets about herself in the course of our earlier discussion. However, they were only revealed in the strictest of confidences. I'm afraid it simply is not our place to share them.”

“I am truly sorry, all of you,” Celestia added, stepping to the side with a hint of regret in her eyes and voice. “We cannot give you the answers you seek. But rest assured that for all her peculiarities, she is on our side. And have faith that all will be revealed with time.”

Twilight let out a faint sigh, and bowed her head slightly in deference. “Thank you. I – we – understand.”

The sisters returned the bow. “I'm glad to hear that, Twilight,” Celestia said softly. “And I hope all your friends share the sentiment,” she added with a bit of mirth and a twinkling look at Starlight, who squirmed under it.

“Now take your rest,” Luna added. “We must all be ready for when the Oathbreaker reawakens. I shall guard the night as I always have.”

And with that, the sisters took their leave. Twilight turned and led her friends out of the dining hall, Spike walking alongside her with his usual cheer while Starlight trailed a few steps behind, visibly lost in thought.

“Well, I guess that pretty much trashes the whole 'vengeful spirit' idea, right?” Spike asked, the three walking down a hall lit only by the moonlight shining in through tall windows on the left side.

“Pretty much,” Twilight replied. “I'm pretty sure they would have told us if Cold Reason was something that dangerous.”

“Yeah, if they figured it out,” Starlight said, her face falling with just a hint of irritation.

“C'mon, it's the Princesses!” Spike told her over his shoulder. “They totally would have figured it out.”

Starlight pursed her lips. “I guess. But that doesn't mean something else isn't up with Cold Reason.”

A sigh from her teacher, and all three stopped at an intersection. “Yes, Starlight. It's obvious that Cold Reason has a lot of secrets. Maybe that means she's more than just an ordinary pony, or maybe that just means she trusts the Princesses more than us when it comes to her past. Either way, we shouldn't try to pry. Let's just hope that she'll open up more once this is all over.”

The Princess of Friendship looked away before her student could respond, and left the other mare standing while she headed for a narrow stairway. “But...” Starlight said, her expression becoming dejected.

“Sorry, Starlight,” Spike said, looking from one mare to the other. “Sometimes you just gotta let things like this go.” He scampered after his oldest friend moments later.

Starlight scowled. “Fine,” she muttered, turning around and heading down the hall where the rest of the guest rooms were. “If you wanna ignore something that could be this important, be my guest. But I'm not gonna be the pony who lets herself be unprepared for this, not when we know how important looking into legends and historical figures is. In fact,” a small smile formed on her muzzle, “I think I'm gonna keep an even closer eye on little Coldie from now on. Just gotta go find the right spying spells...” She laughed a little. “Or maybe just something to make her tell the truth! Whatever makes it so she won't be able to keep a single secret from me.”

She paused in mid-step, putting her hoof down and wilting. “Then again...maybe they have a point. Maybe I shouldn't be violating Cold Reason's privacy.” She started walking again, and looked up at the high ceiling as she thought. “I sure wouldn't want everypony bringing up my past if I was trying to do something like this. I mean,” she looked back down, “I do have a lot of regrets... Maybe Cold Reason's just hiding something like that, something that she thinks will make us think less of her? That certainly fits with what Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were saying...” She stopped in place to put a hoof to her muzzle in thought.

A sudden grunt got her attention. Looking up in surprise at the torchlit hallway lined with doors, she noticed that the one just ahead of her on the right was ajar just a bit. Her curiosity piqued, she quickly looked around her and then crept forward when she saw noone around. Despite finding herself starting to quiver in anticipation Starlight snuck a look inside as quietly as she could – and she smirked in satisfaction when she saw Cold Reason within, pacing around the firefly-lit room.

Even when Starlight took an absent-minded step to the side to get a better look, Cold paid no attention. Her grey eyes were wider and more full of light than Starlight had ever seen from her before, but the smug smile Starlight had donned soon faded as she continued to watch.

“Why...,” Cold muttered between clenched teeth, her breathing heavy. “They don't...they have to...” Even having heard the words come from Cold's muzzle, Starlight had trouble believing it was the same voice – Cold's tone had changed entirely, and the voice had taken on a forceful, almost boisterous quality to it. Starlight watched as Cold stopped in her tracks, clenching her forced-wide eyes shut again and gritting her teeth, then grunting in frustration. “I can't...” To Starlight's surprise, the next two words were practically whimpered out in Cold's usual monotone. “Must...pay... why...?!” But the rest were growled angrily, and the eavesdropper gasped when her target suddenly dropped to the ground, hooves on her mouth to stifle what sounded like a scream.

Cold rolled onto her back and kicked her hindlegs, then rolled back onto her stomach. And, as she began to pound the carpet with one hoof while the other firmly covered her mouth, Starlight swore she saw tears start to stream down her face. “I can't...” Cold said in a quavering monotone. “I can't...”

Then she sniffled, clenched her eyes harder, and began to sob in earnest. “Dead...all dead...because of...,” Cold's other voice said, ending with a loud and snotty sniff. “All...all dead! All of them!” she sobbed, and sniffed, and hicced, and rolled back and forth. “No...I need to...I need to...focus...,” she said, her tone flattening as though her monotone were trying to reassert itself. “The plan...,” she said through staggered but slowing breaths, “will work. I will...ensure it. Justice. Death...or as close as I can get... Never again will...,” her voice suddenly became more forceful and haggard while her breathing became quick, “f...f...friends...” She pressed her hooves onto her eyes and was silent again, but then all at once she resumed sobbing.

Starlight, transfixed by what she was seeing, took a step into the room...and brushed against the ajar door. It squeaked, and Cold froze in place as her ears swiveled towards the sound. Coming back to her senses Starlight hastily darted away from the door and pressed herself flush with the wall outside. Her own breathing became heavier and heavier as she heard hoofsteps slowly approach...and then the door swing shut with a faint creak. More hoofsteps signaled Cold's departure, and Starlight let out her breath.

“Well that was certainly interesting, wasn't it?”

“Yeah, it was...” Starlight murmured out a reply before realizing the first voice wasn't hers. Her eyes went wide and she let out a small gasp, and looked upward to see Discord standing on the high ceiling as though it were the floor.

“Hrmm...yes...definitely interesting...,” Discord murmured, staring at the closed door and rubbing his goatee. Then, suddenly, he looked up – down – at Starlight. “Say, I don't suppose this has given you any ideas as to what she really is, does it?” he asked casually, as though they weren't outside the room of the pony they'd been spying on. “Fit in with that whole 'spirit' story you cooked up, perhaps?”

“Umm...,” Starlight said, looking around nervously. “Can we not discuss this here?” she whispered at him.

Discord frowned. “Very well,” he sighed and rolled his eyes, and then suddenly everything started to twist. Now Discord was standing on the floor and Starlight on the ceiling, and as soon as she realized this she fell...

She landed on a bed. Her bed, she realized, or the one she'd been assigned anyway, once she recovered from the dizziness and disorientation. “This better?” Discord asked, and she looked up to see him pulling a book from one of the room's shelves and flipping through it.

“Err..yeah,” Starlight answered, giving her head a shake and stepping off the bed.

“Good,” Discord said decisively, letting go of the book as though he were releasing a bird that was sitting on his finger. The book, however, flapped and fluttered through the air like some bizarre butterfly. “Now, you were saying?” he asked Starlight, resting his chin on his interlocked claws.

Starlight grimaced. “Well...she's obviously not emotionless like she says she is. Plus I didn't see her eat at all during dinner...,” she looked down slightly as her expression became more thoughtful, “and some of what she just said did seem kinda vengeful now that I think about it...”

“Then that as good as settles it,” Discord said with a snap of his fingers and an air of finality. “That... 'Cold Reason' or whatever it is is some sort of spirit bent on revenge against the Oathbreaker. One of the ponies who died when she abandoned that valley of hers, no doubt. Can't say I blame her for holding a grudge against that monster-pony to be honest,” he said with an idle sigh.

“Well, hold on,” Starlight said with a frown. “I know this all seems to fit with the legend, but how Princess Celestia and Princess Luna reacted doesn't, and...” She paused, her brow furrowing. “Hold on, I thought you didn't think she was a spirit? You said she didn't seem like any spirit you've ever seen before!”

“Would you believe I don't deal with spirits that often?” Discord replied, looking shocked and affronted. “Or ever, for that matter? The dead are the dead, after all,” he added, suddenly disappearing and reappearing on Starlight's bed, lying stiffly on his back in a black suit with a wilting white flower in his claws. “Not much room for chaos there, I'm afraid.”

“So...you do believe she's really a vengeful spirit?” Starlight asked, quirking an eyebrow uncertainly.

Discord appeared in front of her, and blew the petals off his white flower. “Well, it's certainly the best explanation I've heard so far,” he said, watching the petals float down and towards each other, combing into a larger petal when they touched each other. “As I said, spirits aren't really my domain so I'm not sure. And since you're the only other one in this accursed castle who seems to care about figuring out the truth behind that little half-pony,” he plucked the large petal out of the air and took a bite out of it, “I thought I should get your perspective on things.”

Starlight stared at him for a moment, then blinked. “Uh, thanks then? I-” she paused. “Wait, did you say 'half-pony'?”

“Hmm...well, I suppose she's quite a bit less than a full half, isn't she?” Discord said with narrow-eyed suspicion, twirling his goatee as he stared off in another direction entirely. “But you get the idea,” he said back to Starlight with an amicable smile.

“...not exactly,” Starlight warily admitted.

“Why, she's few cards out of the entire deck! A single piece of the puzzle! Only part of a complete breakfast!” he told her. “I may not know spirits, Starlight Glimmer, but I do know you ponies,” he said, standing up tall and proud. “And that,” he bent down over and whispered in her ear, pointing in the same direction he'd been staring earlier, “is not a whole pony.”

Starlight looked in that same direction, then back at Discord. “So what does it mean?”

Discord teleported a few feet away and barked out a laugh. “For once in my life, I genuinely haven't the foggiest. Isn't that grand?” he asked jovially, claws on his belly. “I've seen plenty of ponies who were only mostly whole – made many of them myself – but this is the first time I've seen a pony who was mostly empty. Why do you think I'm so keen on that spirit story of yours?”

“Huh...” Starlight said, hoof to her muzzle in thought. “I'll have to do some more research, of course, but I think this might be right after all. And I guess the next question is what do we do about it?”

Discord laughed again, pulling out a tub of popcorn from nothingness. “I'll give you a hint as to what I'm going to do,” he told her, tossing a few kernels into his mouth before tilting the tub her way.

She looked inside to see it entirely empty. “Nothing. Why am I not surprised?” she said in a deadpan tone.

“Exactly!” Discord said joyously, eating another clawful of kernels of popcorn from the empty tub. “It'll be so much more fun that way.”

Starlight glowered at him. “Well fine. But I'm gonna do something about it.”

“I look forward to it,” he told her. “But for now, I think I'll take my leave and get some well-deserved beauty sleep. Toodles!” he said, twiddling his fingers before jamming the empty tub over his head. It fell down over him, and clattered to the floor like just another piece of garbage.

A moment passed before Starlight Glimmer let out an aggravated sigh, her face falling along with her shoulders. “Great. Now I have to figure out what I'm gonna do.” Her eyes lifted as she chewed her lip a little, and she began to pace around her room. “Think, Starlight, think! What does it mean if Cold Reason really is a spirit bent on revenge against the Oathbreaker?” She paused, letting her breaths catch up to her while she stared straight through one of the firefly lanterns that lit the room. “Okay. The Princesses seemed to think that the Oathbreaker wasn't at fault for what happened to the valley she ruled, so maybe the ponies that lived there wouldn't have sought revenge against her. But no,” she resumed pacing, “those ponies had no way of knowing that, so maybe their spirits really would want revenge. But would they really wait so long for it?” she asked, pausing again and staring up at the ceiling, biting her lip again.

She grunted in frustration and started pacing once more. “I guess they had to, since she sealed herself away almost immediately. And then...I guess the spirits must have sensed that the seal was going to break soon, which caused Cold Reason to manifest to...do what, exactly?” She paused and turned her unfocused gaze upward, tapping her muzzle as she thought. “How does a spirit get revenge against an ancient alicorn? By resealing her?”

Another pause, and she hooved her face and groaned. “Duh. That's what she's been saying this whole time! Uggh,” she slid her hoof down her muzzle, then huffed as it touched the floor again. “C'mon Starlight,” she said as she walked back towards her bed, “get it together. Stop going over what you already know and start thinking about what you don't.” She stopped again, just long enough to take a deep breath. “Okay. Cold Reason wants to reseal the Oathbreaker. Is this a good thing or not? Cold certainly made it sound like the Oathbreaker was going to be dangerous...but can we really trust the word of a pony who's entire purpose is revenge?” she asked the ceiling.

She closed her eyes and gave her head a little shake. “On the other hoof, everypony's been saying how the Oathbreaker used to be a great force for good. So then...,” she furrowed her brow and raised a hoof to her muzzle again, “maybe sealing her isn't for the best.” Her face lit up in realization. “Maybe we should be trying to reform her instead! I mean, it's worked for way worse ponies than her, and it's not like the other have never dealt with magical overload before. They should easily be able to...to calm her down, or purify her, or whatever else it takes to make her good again! We shouldn't have to reseal her! And we won't,” she said, stamping her hoof on the floor.

Starlight resumed pacing again, though more quickly than she had before. For several minutes she remained silent, her eyes darting back and forth as she thought. Then suddenly they stopped moving, and she nodded to herself. “Right. I'll just have to convince everypony that that's what we need to do, and I'll try and get Cold Reason to listen to, well, reason. Maybe if she hears what really happened way back then, then...then...,” she stopped dead in her tracks, her features becoming pale.

“Oh, horseapples,” she swore. “Cold Reason was there when the Princesses told us about the Oathbreaker. And if what I heard earlier was anything to go by, Cold Reason still wants her revenge. Which must mean that either the Princesses were wrong, which is unlikely, or that Cold Reason can't change her mind and stop seeking revenge. Or,” she paused and became thoughtful again, “I've been looking at things wrong this whole time!” she said quickly, pulling the books she'd brought in front of her with her magic and opening them up. “If the Oathbreaker really had as many enemies as she seems, then for all I know one of them could've become a vengeful spirit too. Who's to say Cold Reason really was one of her subjects and not one of her enemies? If that's the case, we can't trust a word she's said!”

“We could be making a very big mistake in trusting her,” Starlight said, her eyes rapidly scanning pages as she magically flipped past them. “If nothing else, I need to be ready to stop her if something goes wrong. Maybe something that'll let me deal with spirits directly, like a banishment spell...”

Holding the books she'd brought with her open in mid-air, she started to scan the shelves in her bedroom for any title that seemed relevant. She even pinned down the book Discord had animated earlier. And soon enough, she began to read...

---

The night passed without disturbance, or so Princess Luna told them in the morning after she sleepily passed the proverbial torch to her elder sister and before she retired for a good day's rest. A banquet of a breakfast was laid out for the others.

Princess Celestia couldn't help but smile as she watched them all partake in the meal – a variety of fresh-from-the-oven baked goods ranging from plain and simple toast to implausibly ornate crullers; the finest of fruits and juices both local and exotic; piping hot hash browns still sizzling in the pan; milk and coffee and tea all made to order; and of course a wide assortment of cereals and gourmet oatmeals just begging to have things added to them. Everything was of the highest quality, but more importantly all of her guests seemed to be enjoying themselves – save Starlight Glimmer, who had deep bags under her eyes and looked ready to fall asleep face-first into her oatmeal, and Cold Reason, who was back to her usual emotionless demeanor. The two sat across from each other, only a pitcher of orange juice and a bowl of fresh mangoes between them.

Keeping one eye on the pair and hoping Discord's passionate monologue about unusual food combinations didn't lead in to a song, Celestia turned her attention to her former student, who sat closest to her side. “So, Twilight, now that you've had the night to think about it what are your thoughts on the Oathbreaker situation?”

Twilight hastily swallowed a mouthful of a very jam-laden whole-grain bagel. “Well, if you're asking what I think we should do,” as she turned her gaze to her mentor her own student perked up and blearily turned to listen in, “I guess it's the same as last night: prepare as much as we can. Obviously I don't have any experience fighting another alicorn myself, but Spike and I still did a bit of research and found a couple of general anti-magic spells that might come in handy.” She paused to take a sip of a rather sweet-smelling tea.

“Not sure how much good they'll do if the Oathbreaker is really as powerful as everybody thinks,” Spike chimed in, his focus immediately returning to the plate of specially-crafted gemstone scones he'd been given.

“True,” Twilight nodded, “but every little bit might help. That's why me and the girls are gonna do everything we can today to make sure we'll be ready to use our rainbow powers at a moment's notice.”

“I see,” Celestia said. “And what about you, Starlight Glimmer?” she asked with a small smile, turning her attention to the unicorn who'd been listening in on them. “You look like you had a somewhat restless night.”

Starlight blushed. “Oh, uh, yeah, I guess so,” she said, chuckling awkwardly and averting her gaze. She yawned. “Spent too much time looking into a few things. Not that I found much even after reading all the books in my room.”

The three to her right gave her a look of mild surprise, but before they could say anything Pinkie Pie suddenly leaned over. “Excuse me, sorry, just gotta borrow this for a sec,” she said as she grabbed an entire trough of rice cereal and a pitcher of tomato juice, then made off with them back across the table.

A silent moment passed between the four before Celestia cleared her throat. “Well, perhaps you should get some more sleep this morning. I'd rather we all be well-rested when the Oathbreaker awakens.”

“R-right, about that,” Starlight said with just a hint of nervousness. “I was wondering. What exactly is our endgame with her?”

The Princesses shared a brief look, and Spike looked from them to Starlight and back to his breakfast. “Well, ideally we're going to purify her of all that excess magic and then try to help her recover from everything,” Twilight answered.

Celestia looked at Cold Reason just a split-second before the mare leaned out of her chair, slamming her hooves on the table with enough of a clatter to immediately attract the attention of all the others. “You must not,” she told the Princesses. “Her power and mental state will prevent her from finding redemption. She will only repeat the same mistakes she made in ages past. She must be sealed away forever.”

Starlight immediately looked to Twilight and Celestia, and couldn't help but smile when she saw the former squirming awkwardly and the latter letting loose a faint sigh. “No,” Celestia replied. “I understand why you feel that way, Cold Reason, but I still believe we should try to heal the pain in the Oathbreaker's heart.”

“No,” Cold replied with force in her voice. “She must bear that pain for eternity. Healing it would do a grave injustice to the ponies she killed. She must be resealed.”

Celestia shook her head. “You're wrong. She can still do so much good for the world. We only need to help her understand-”

“She cannot understand!” Cold retorted, raising her voice in a semblance of anger and slamming her hoof on the table. Almost immediately afterward she winced, and moved that hoof to her forehead.

“Umm...uhh...,” Twilight said, looking from her sternly-staring former teacher to her almost pained-looking new acquaintance. “C'mon, we don't really need to get so heated over this right? We can just compromise, try to help the Oathmaker first and then reseal her if that doesn't work. Right?”

“...yes, you're right,” Celestia said after a tense moment, relaxing back into her seat and closing her eyes. “I'm sorry, everypony, for distracting you from your meal.” She didn't look out at her guests and servants, nearly all of which had frozen in place.

“I am not,” Cold said. She grunted lightly, then leaned back and got out of her chair. “Your approach will fail. The Oathmaker will not be redeemed.” She took her leave, ignoring the stares of the others.

Starlight's gaze narrowed. “Well if that's how it's going to be...,” she muttered before levitating a mug behind her to a stunned waiter holding a pot of coffee. He filled it up, she took a sip, and took the whole thing with her as she left the table.

The sound alone seemed to be enough to snap the others out of the stiff states they'd fallen into after seeing the argument. The tension itself, however, did not fade. Even Discord was silent as he resumed his breakfast, snorting to himself as he procured a bottle of some unlabeled sauce from nowhere and stirred it into the donut-orange juice soup he'd made for himself.

“Wow, what was that about?” Pinkie finally spoke up. “I guess Coldie musta had a hard time sleeping last night. Or maybe she just didn't like breakfast?” she pondered, tapping her chin and then leaning comically over to where Cold Reason had been sitting. She sniffed the bowl of plain oatmeal that had been left behind, then stuck her tongue out and licked it up all at once. “Yup,” she said as she chewed, flecks of oatmeal stuck to her muzzle, “this is totally boring. Not like Coldie at all. Did you forget to pass her all the fun stuff?” she asked Rarity, who was seated between her and where Cold had been.

“She didn't ask for anything...,” Rarity replied in a strained voice, trying to keep her friend from leaning too close to her meal.

“Huh,” Pinkie said, springing back into her seat with her brow already furrowed. “Guess she knows as much about breakfast as she does about trains then. No wonder she was in a bad mood. Plain oatmeal is no fun by itself,” she quickly grabbed a bowl of oatmeal for herself, “it needs to have stuff added to it!” She reached a hoof out to grab something else, only to be met by the small bottle that Discord had produced.

“May I suggest my secret sauce?” Discord asked with a blatantly untrustworthy 'innocent' smile. “It's quite the experience.”

“Sure!” Pinkie said brightly, taking the bottle and pouring a bit into her oatmeal. She stirred it up and took an eager spoonful...and her lips immediately puckered as though she'd just sucked on the world's sourest lemon.

“Oh my...” Fluttershy said softly, Discord snickering beside her as Pinkie's face contorted and tears started streaming down her cheeks.

Her face turned purple and a noise like a whistling kettle rose up, until finally she involuntarily hopped up and light blue fire shot out of her ears. Rarity and Applejack, sitting on either side of her, were forced to gasp and quickly duck to avoid getting hit.

A rather shell-shocked Pinkie, steam still coming from her ears, landed back on her seat a moment later. A moment of stunned silence followed.

“Wow, that really was an experience!” Pinkie said brightly. Discord hooted with laughter, and Pinkie soon joined him.

“Hah! That was awesome, I wanna try!” Rainbow said, quickly darting over and grabbing the unattended bottle of Discord's secret sauce.

The others soon started to laugh as well, and just like that, the tension faded from the room.

---

Breakfast ended and everyone went about their business, most of them preparing for what they'd been gathered to combat. Twilight and Fluttershy searched for Cold Reason as well, hoping to at least talk to her about what had happened, but found her room empty and no sign of her anywhere else. Despite their worry they resolved to allow Cold her privacy once more, hoping that she would turn up when she wanted to. As such, it was with heavy hearts that they met up with Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Spike to work on calling upon their rainbow powers.

A few hours passed before the royal guards fetched all nine once more, requesting their presence in the throne room. The seven who'd been working together soon regrouped with Starlight, who brought several more books along with her, and they all headed onward through the castle. It wasn't long before they ran into someone else, however.

“Cold?” Twilight asked in surprise, leading her friends around a corner only to be faced by Cold Reason and one of the guards coming down the hall from the other direction. “Where were you,” the Princess added as she trotted forward to meet the mare and her escort. “We were all worried when we couldn't find you after what happened at breakfast!”

Starlight looked like she wanted to disagree, but she said nothing. Nor did most of the others as they rejoined their de facto leader, though Fluttershy did fly over to offer a concerned “Are you okay?”

Cold Reason immediately stopped and averted her gaze. “I apologize to you both. I have done nothing to earn your concern. I would feel embarrassment and regret if I were able to. In truth I simply got lost in the castle.”

“...for three hours?” Twilight replied, quirking an eyebrow.

Cold blinked. “Yes. Approximately.”

“Finally found her wandering through the staff's quarters,” the guard added helpfully.

“Yes. I was lost. I apologize,” Cold repeated, looking at the tiled floor rather than anypony's eyes. “We should get to the throne room.”

A light snort came from Starlight that only Rainbow Dash seemed to notice. “I still don't really trust everything that pony says,” the unicorn whispered upon noticing the pegasus' inquiring gaze.

“Yeah, I hear ya,” Rainbow replied, holding up a hoof to shield her muzzle from the others.

Noticing the others moving on without them, Starlight and Rainbow hurried to catch up. The guard who had been escorting Cold Reason was dismissed, and the eight ponies (and one dragon) soon found themselves just a turn away from the hall the throne room was at the end of.

Cold darted ahead in front of the other, but soon stopped and turned around to face them. “I would like to make a request,” she said in a strong, clear voice.

“Uh...go ahead?” Twilight replied after a quick glance at Applejack and Spike on either side of her, both of whom looked just as confused as her.

“Please do not attempt to heal the Oathbreaker,” Cold said. “It will not work. And even if it somehow does she has not earned it. Justice will only come by sealing her away permanently.”

“Well...,” Twilight said uncertainly, taken aback. “The thing is...I know that's what you want...but...”

“Nuh-uh, no can do,” Applejack soon interrupted, crossing her front legs and shaking her head. “Maybe it won't work, but we wouldn't be us if we didn't at least try. I ain't gonna act like we're gonna make everything better for her, but if the truth of things really ain't as bad as what she's been thinkin' then we gotta tell her.”

“Plus we just can't just turn our backs on somepony who's been through so much,” Fluttershy added. “It isn't right!”

“Yeah!” Pinkie chimed in. “When I think about how sad she must feel,” she said, her lip trembling, “I just know we have to spread some cheer her way!”

“Like Applejack said,” Rarity told Cold, “it's really not in our natures to do otherwise, regardless of what it costs us. Perhaps you're right that we won't succeed, though I hardly see how that could be possible, but even so I can't see any justice in leaving the Oathbreaker to wallow in despair for the rest of her life.”

“So you see, Cold Reason,” Twilight finally said again, turning a soft smile back to Cold. “I'm afraid we're just going to have to decline your request. Sorry.”

Cold gave no reply beyond a piercing stare punctuated only by the occasional blink, and so Twilight turned and led her friends the rest of the way to the throne room. Spike, Applejack, Pinkie, Fluttershy, and Rarity all gave Cold some token of apology as they passed her by, while Rainbow simply shrugged uncaringly before flying off.

Only Starlight lingered behind. “Sorry,” she said in a haughty, mocking tone. “Looks like you're not gonna get your way.” She trotted off after that.

Cold blinked. “I do not understand your meaning Starlight Glimmer!” she called out, chasing after Starlight.

---

“Shining Armor!”

“Twily!”

Brother and sister embraced, and to the quiet amusement of her friends and former mentor the Princess soon began her ritual greeting with her sister-in-law as well.

“I take it this is why you brought us all back here?” Applejack asked Princess Celestia, walking into the throne room with the others and seeing that Discord was already present.

“It is indeed,” Celestia replied, her eyes still twinkling as she saw her youngers finish their greeting.

“So, what exactly is this emergency you called us out here for?” Shining asked, approaching the throne. “I mean, not that I don't like seeing all of you, but we do have an empire to run after all.”

Twilight frowned. “Oh no, we didn't call you away from anything important did we?” she asked worriedly.

She was answered by a light laugh from Princess Cadance. “Don't worry,” she said. “Nothing major is happening back home, so the crystal ponies should be fine running everything without us.”

“What about Flurry Heart?” Twilight added, her expression still distressed.

“Safe in the care of Sunburst,” Cadance told her. “If we didn't think he could take care of her,” she said, glancing at her husband.

“...we probably wouldn't have come,” Shining finished. “Normally we would've brought her with us...” he looked to his wife.

“...but this sounded a little too dangerous,” Cadance finished. “Which brings us back to what, exactly is going on,” she said, looking back at Princess Celestia.

The eldest nodded, her face becoming solemn. “I'm afraid your concern for your child was well-placed,” Celestia said. She launched into an explanation of the Oathbreaker, who she was and why she was a threat. She also introduced the couple to Cold Reason, who only gave them a simple greeting, apologized for drawing them away from their home, and said nothing more.

“Wow,” Cadance said once the explanation was finished, frowning with concern. “That's...definitely serious. I think I can see why you'd want help.”

“So what's the plan, exactly?” Shining asked Celestia. “I think I already have an idea,” he said, looking around at the others who'd been gathered, “but I wanna make sure. You want me to make a shield strong enough to contain this 'Oathbreaker', right?”

“That's correct,” Celestia nodded. “Princess Cadance will assist you, of course. The Oathbreaker will be quite powerful when she awakens, and I believe only a shield strengthened by the love you share will be strong enough to hold her for very long.”

As she spoke, Shining and Cadance leaned into each other, smiling bashfully as they touched horns. “We'd be happy to be of service,” Cadance said, not looking away from her love.

“However,” Celestia continued, “I doubt the Oathbreaker will allow herself to be contained so easily. That's why Discord, Princess Luna, and myself will distract her first. This will also allow us to drain off some of the excess magic that will be corrupting her. It's a dangerous task, which is why I'm leaving it to the strongest of us.”

Discord snorted. “And what makes you think I'll just go along with all this?”

“Aww come on, seriously?” Rainbow exclaimed, flying over into Discord's face. He didn't look impressed. “Didn't you already agree to work with us yesterday?!”

“Hrmm...yes...I did, didn't I...,” he replied, looking away and rubbing his chin. “Then again, that was before Celestia decided I was to be bait without asking me,” he added, casting a narrow glance at the Princess.

“But you're not bait!” Fluttershy told him, flying over and taking Rainbow's spot in front of him. “You're going to be fighting the Oathbreaker so the rest of us don't have to. Isn't that what you wanted?”

His eyes widened as he was stunned into silence, unable to form words under Fluttershy's pleading look. “Y-yes, I suppose it is,” he finally mumbled. Clearing his throat and haughtily drawing himself up to his full height, he snapped his claws and suddenly was wearing a set of royal guard armor. “Very well then,” he said proudly despite the awkward contouring his body was doing to fit into the armor, and the stallion he'd stolen it from running from the room in embarrassment not too far away. “I shall fight the good fight alongside the Princesses. Ah!” he suddenly opened his eyes in realization. “That reminds me. Your dear sister does know about this plan of yours, correct?” he asked Celestia.

“Of course! We came up with it together,” Celestia replied with a calm smile that seemed to take Discord off-guard. He looked away and grumbled something under his breath, then sank into the floor and disappeared.

A number of strange and awkward looks landed on where he'd been, and the room was silent save the sound of the throne's fountains for a few moments. Then Twilight stepped forward, meeting her former teacher's eyes. “So, since you and Discord and Princess Luna are going to be distracting the Oathbreaker, and Shining Armor and Princess Cadance are going to contain her,” she said, “that means the girls and I are going to be purifying her of the excess magic?”

“That's correct,” Celestia replied with a short nod. “Once the rest of us have weakened her and prevented her from escaping, the six of you will use the magic of friendship to remind her of how things used to be, and of how much good she can still do in the world.”

At the fringe of the group Cold Reason averted her gaze, though only Starlight noticed.

Twilight nodded. “We'll do our best,” she looked back at her closest friends, “right girls?”

“Heck yeah!” Rainbow shouted, raising a hoof with great enthusiasm. The other four added their own affirmations, and Twilight smiled.

“So, uh,” Starlight spoke up, garnering the room's attention, “looks like you've got this all planned out pretty well.” She shifted her body and put on an anxious smile.

“We'll be cheering you on from the sidelines!” Spike added with oblivious cheer.

“Actually,” Celestia told them, “I was hoping Starlight could help Shining Armor and Cadance with the shield spell. From what I understand you're quite talented with magic, and you did help save Equestria from Queen Chrysalis. I'm certain you'd be of great help.”

Starlight blushed and looked at the floor. “O-oh, I don't know about that...,” she said. “I mean, sure, I'm good at casting spells, but I don't think any shield I could create could compare to Shining Armor and Princess Cadance...”

“Actually, I don't think it has to,” Shining Armor told her, walking over with Cadance. “In fact, I've already got a few ideas for just how you can help us.”

“Really?” Starlight said, her facing lighting up with excitement. “I'm all ears!”

“In that case,” Celestia interrupted, her voice cutting through the room and drawing everyone's attention like the first rays of sunlight shining into a dark room. “We should all resume our preparations. I expect the Oathbreaker to awaken any day now, so we must be ready for her as soon as possible.”

The others agreed, and promptly split off into their two groups – Starlight with Shining Armor and Cadance; Twilight with her closest pony friends. Spike lingered just behind this second group, but stopped when he felt Princess Celestia land behind him.

“Uhh...didja forget something, Princess?” he asked her.

“Not quite,” Celestia replied, a mischievous smile briefly forming on her face before it faded into something solemn. “I only wanted to inform you of your role in all this...”

Spike's brow shot up in surprise.

---

And so the rest of the day passed as the morning had, without issue. The six who'd once wielded the Elements of Harmony refined their control over their rainbow powers and worked out possible courses of action to take once the time finally came. Shining Armor tutored Starlight Glimmer in the use and creation of magical shields while Princess Cadance watched on. And once her business with Spike had concluded, Princess Celestia resumed the day-to-day business of ruling Equestria – while also making a few extra preparations with her aides and advisers. Discord stayed mostly out of sight, and Cold Reason remained in her room. Those that came by to try and talk to her were only met by her continued pleas to seal the Oathbreaker up forever more.

But as time went by, and preparations finished, the tension in the palace air grew thicker and thicker. The ponies who had been gathered to defend Equestria once more were stuck waiting and waiting for something to happen... Anxieties grew and nerves were tested as they wondered when exactly, the Oathbreaker would reawaken. Tonight? Tomorrow? The day after that? None knew, and Cold Reason's repeated assertions that it would happen 'soon' did nothing to help the mood. Even Pinkie struggled to keep spirits high.

And then came dinner. Once more the ponies gathered at the banquet table, joined by Cadance, Shining Armor, and now even Princess Luna. The meal proceeded tepidly, a thin veneer of small talk and royal business masking the anxious balloon just waiting to be burst. Even at Princess Celestia's insistence none truly wanted to relax, the warning to be ready at all times taken too much to heart.

The tension seemed to be affecting Cold Reason most of all, as she sat in silence staring at an empty plate. She neither looked at nor spoke to the others, gave no acknowledgment when a dish floated by in front of her from Rarity to Shining Armor, and didn't even seem to blink. Had she been seated elsewhere then perhaps she'd have been forgotten entirely, but as it was the other ponies couldn't help but spare a glance her way now and then out of concern.

But soon the meal, too, had come to an end. “Well, I suppose we may as well get some rest,” Rarity said as she slipped out of her seat. “No point in all of us maintaining a constant vigil, correct?” The others murmured their agreement, and began to leave the table as well. Cold was the last in her seat.

“Excuse me, Miss Reason,” Rarity said, walking towards the unmoving mare, “but are you sure you're alright? Would you like some assistance returning to your room?” She gently, cautiously, raised a hoof towards Cold...only to flinch and let out a small gasp when Cold's body suddenly trembled. “Oh my,” Rarity said, overcoming her shock in seconds and moving around to see Cold's front.

Her eyes were wide, and sweat was dripping from her trembling body. “You aren't well, Cold Reason! Quick,” she turned her head and called into the room, catching the attention of all who'd been at dinner, “somepony fetch a-”

“I-” Cold mouthed, her voice hitching in her throat.

“Yes?” Rarity asked, moving her head closer while motioning with a hoof for the others to go complete her unsaid command. “Don't strain yourself, dear.”

“I...” Cold repeated, her breathing becoming faster and more strained.

A shriek came from nearby, and Rarity looked away to see Pinkie shaking up and down as though she was experiencing a one-pony earthquake. “Aahhh! I think it's a doozy!” she shouted just before her shaking body launched into the air, flipping twice around before landing on her back. “No! It's like a doozy of a doozy! Or something really, really, doozy big anyway!”

“I can second that!” Discord chimed in, flopping uncontrollably past her like a fish out of water. “Major magical imbalance happening right now!”

“It must be the Oathbreaker!” Luna declared, still near the head of the table with her sister.

And then the sound of heavy, heaving breaths cut through the rising panic and dread and frantic action. Everyone looked back to Cold Reason, still on her seat and drenched with sweat and tears. “I...I...I...!” she breathed, the words soft and yet still heard over everything else in the room.

Her entire body flickered like a candlelight, showing nothing but an empty chair for a few brief instants.

And then her piercing scream filled the room.

---

Minutes ago, in a large cavern deep inside the earth...

Drip. Drip. DripDrip. DripDripDrip. DripDripDripDripDripDripDripDrip...

A pool of water set deep into the cavern floor, lightning it up with an otherworldly glow. In the middle, a rocky spire rising up, dangerously thin at its midpoint. A statue of an alicorn, curled and crying, lying on the spire's wide top.

DripDripDripDripDripDripDripDripDripDripDripDripDripDripDripDripDripDripDripDripDripDrip...

Whether by physics or by fate, the tears running down the spire finally stripped away just the right microscopic piece of rock...

...the spire crumbled...

...the dripping stopped...

...and the statue plunged into the water below.

The light of the cavern exploded...

...and a terrible, ear-splitting, wail of despair shook the earth.

Author's Note:

Phew. Finally got to post it, sorry for the delay. As you all might have guessed, the reason why this chapter is so long (and why it covers so much time) is because I wanted it to end on that particular scene, and I needed to do more than I realized to get the story to that point. But, I don't think the chapter really suffers because of it. At the very least, it's only one chapter of build-up and planning rather than several.

I do hope you're all excited for what happens next. As I've mentioned in my blog posts, the next chapter is another long one...

But, well, tell me what you think! And make sure to look out for my next Equestria Girls oneshot, titled 'Hold On'.

Until next time!
-Fangren

Comments

[kurusagi16]

This was a good chapter so far. Looking forward to what happens next.

[PonySage86]

The Twin
Very good chapter, Cold Reason seems to have more then one pony in that little spiritual head of hers.