0: Prologue

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The raging storm violently blew snow in all directions as far as the eye can see. The land was well hidden underneath its white blanket. The surrounding mountains were covered in the same cold powder as the ground beneath them. A large cave carved into one of the mountains was the only speck of black in the land of white. The arctic surroundings gave off an eerie feeling of loneliness to one of the two snow armor clad ponies hidden within the cave.

The larger of the pair stumbled around the dark space, practically begging for something to take his mind off his boring mission and chaotic surroundings. Even if he was severely lacking in things to do, he knew that it all came with the job and being loyal to his kind ruler, which was the only reason he would ever put up with his current conditions.

No matter how dull it seemed, there was something odd about his environment; every time he tried to tried to ignore it, the feeling returned. The nervous stallion felt the need to confirm his suspicions with his mare companion on the other side of the cave, however she was just as bored as he was and twice as cranky. After considering how many ways the conversation could end horribly, he decided to ease into it.

“Jeez, we've been here who knows how long and this place is still giving me creeps,” said the masked muffled stallion with contempt emerging in his tone as he wandered around the empty space.

The smaller, feminine pony continued to entertain herself by kicking around a rock as if her fellow occupant of the cave wasn't even there. Well, that approach didn't work, but if he gave up every time he failed, he wouldn't be a guard.

“Hey! Remember me? Swift Service? I’m kinda trying to start a conversation over here,” he said calmly as she continued to ignore him. Was he seriously trying to break the ice with a rude mare in the heart of an endless blizzard? He supposes he's been in worse situations. Still, he's never had to face a rude partner before.

“Y'know, Amber Spell,” said the male Earth pony angrily. “It would nice if you—I don’t know—acknowledged my existence, or just about anypony's existence besides yourself for once!”

“Hey, don’t you ever accuse me of something you don’t know the meaning of!” Amber shouted at him. Clearly he had upset her... somehow.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Swift asked. He would scratch his head if it wasn't so protected from the elements.

“Nothing, I just...nothing. Was there something you were trying to tell me a moment ago?” Amber asked. She was holding something back, something she didn't want to talk about. Not right now at least.

“Uh, yeah,” said Swift Service. “I was saying that this place feels pretty creepy, but I guess it might just be me.”

“No, I feel it too, I've felt it for a while, but I didn't think anything of it. Guess I didn't care enough,” Amber Spell said, massaging the back of her neck.

“Good, I’m already bored out of my mind, I don’t want to lose it too,” Swift said, his lack of social skills becoming apparent.

“What are we even doing here?” Amber Spell asked, sitting down on the cave floor. “It’s not like we have an actual mission, we’re just sitting in this cave instead of defending Canterlot from Changeling invasions or something. That Celestia, would it kill her to not be cryptic for once in her life?”

Underneath his mask, Swift Service wore a surprised expression. He couldn't believe that Amber Spell felt that way about the princess! Sure, Princess Celestia never directly stated information even if it was important, but that was a good quality in a ruler, though from Amber Spell’s reaction, he may be the only one who thought so.

“Come on, Celestia was just being a good ruler. She can’t tell us everything, despite what the protesters say,” Swift Service responded. He remembered the anti-Celestia protests he would have to break up.

“Oh no? Then can she at least tell us something? Like anything?! I mean what did she even tell us about this mission? That we are to stay here and defend this cave right? Make sure no hostiles enter this place, and to stay put until further notice? What a joke, we’re going to die out here, and it'll be the most boring and pointless death in history.”

This must have been what Amber was thinking about, the confusion and hopelessness of their mission. After that rant, Swift wasn't entirely confident in their Alicorn leader after all. What was their mission here and if Celestia trusted them enough to guard this allegedly important cave, why were they completely out of the loop? Perhaps he should change the subject before the subject changed him.

The thing was that they used to be ordinary guards until Celestia personally promoted each of them to her own special squad. They were more secret agents than guards now, but apparently Amber Spell didn't appreciate that.

“Jeez, what happened to to the rest of our squad? They really should have been back by now and messing around in a blizzard is probably the worst idea of all time.”

"You mean besides accepting this job?" Amber mockingly asked.

Ignoring his partner's apparent lack of enthusiasm, he went back to thinking about their squad. It was true that they weren't alone out here, the rest of the squad they were assigned to had gone to scout out the area a while ago and still haven’t returned. Mapping out dangers in a blizzard was a pretty dangerous job....

“Anyway, wherever they are, they’re bound to be having more fun than we are. We should have gone with them,” Amber sighed.

“And leave the cave unprotected? Who knows what could have happened?”

“Weren't you listening to me at all? You know what, forget it,” Amber sighed, sulking back into the corner with the rock.

Seeing that the conversation was over, Swift Service returned to his wonderful boredom. He couldn't help but wonder what would happen if they have left the cave completely unprotected. Would a catastrophe just happen? Could reality just begin to unravel at the seams? There were too many questions unanswered for Swift Service to have any faith left in their mission. The only thing that kept him tethered to his duty was his loyalty to the princess and even that was beginning to be put in question.

“Swift, look outside!” Amber said, her panicked voice cutting through his thoughts.

Turning around at record speed, he stared into the icy storm, searching for whatever he was supposed to be seeing. After about four seconds, he finally saw it: a lone pony walking straight through the torrent of snow; walking straight towards them.

“Is—is he a squad member?” Swift Service gasped. “Why is he alone? Amber Spell, why is he alone?!”

“I don’t know! Look, he's almost here, let’s just ask him,” Amber said, moving slowly towards the entrance.

Swift copied Amber’s movement by moving closer to the entrance as well. The fact that this pony was alone was still biting at the back of his mind, he hoped that they had a proper explanation; he was growing tired of unanswered questions.

The stallion was feet away from the opening, but appeared to be slowing down, which in the middle of a raging blizzard, was a surefire way to get killed.

“Hey! Hurry up and get in here!” Amber shouted. Apparently, she also knew this.

Becoming even slower still, it seemed that there was no way the stallion would make it on his own. Swift Service looked over at Amber Spell, who returned the look. Silently, they agreed on the same plan. Together, they marched into the snowstorm, which attacked them with everything it had. After what seemed like it took a lot longer than it should have, the two reached the third. Swift Service hooked his foreleg around the mystery pony’s left foreleg and a slight tug to the right told him that Amber Spell had done the same.

Making sure he had a solid grip on the bulky stallion, Swift Service inched forward. Amber took the lead with the right foreleg and Swift followed her lead with the left. The stallion seemed to be either unconscious or just too tired to move as they weren't helping at all anymore and became harder to move as a result.

After a short few minutes, they re-entered the cave with their guest in tow. Allowing the fellow snow armor clad pony to gently lay on the cave floor, Swift checked his pulse and found a faint beat in response. Sighing in relief, he prepared to tell Amber Spell, but paused as he watched in awe at her prod the pony’s mask repeatedly.

“Having fun there?” he asked sarcastically.

“Just seeing if he'll wake up if I do this long enough,” Amber explained with a deadpan tone.

“Yeah...well have fun doing that for hours—”

“Alright, I'm awake already, you can stop,” the pony said weakly.

Amber practically jumped out of her mask as she backed away from the stallion. Ignoring Amber's reaction, he recognized the stallion as Eye Catcher, a fellow squad member known for womanizing anything that's female. He watched as Eye Catcher stumbled to his hooves, hugging the wall to keep his balance.

“Don’t mind my scratches, if you have questions ask ‘em," said Eye Catcher.

Swift had more questions than he cared to ask anypony, so he let Amber lead their investigation.

“How about you start with explaining where the others are, or maybe you wanna explain why you’re like this first, answer in any order you’d like. I could care less.”

“Your charm is unrivaled milady, I expected you to ask my name first, or maybe buy me dinner first," said the Eye Catcher, starting a laugh that quickly evolved into a cough. His attempt at his usual "charm" was not appreciated.

“Quit fooling around, this is serious!” Swift rushed towards the stallion.

Eye Catcher turned towards Swift Service and looked ready to attack him. Swift was prepared in case any battle broke out, but hoped that it wouldn't. Instead the self-proclaimed mare's stallion sat on his haunches with his head down.

“You're right, I'm sorry, it’s just that...right now I’m just happy to be alive.”

Swift and Amber looked at each other again.

“Sure, but why? What happened to the others?”

“I think you’re smart enough to guess what happened to them if they didn't come back with me,” Eye Catcher said somberly.

His fears confirmed, Swift edged slowly towards the defeated pony.

“What happened?” Swift asked roughly.

“It was huge and i-it just came outta nowhere, I know it sounds impossible, but I’m living proof aren't I?”

It seemed odd to think of the shivering mess on the floor as the womanizing pony they trained with, but whatever happened, it must have been awful. Swift Service calmly trotted past the stallion over to Amber Spell.

“How do you want to handle this?”

“Handle what?”

Swift Service couldn't even believe those words just came out of Amber Spell’s mouth.

“What are you talking about now? We have to do something about this, so many ponies just lost their lives to whatever’s out there and we have to do something about it.”

“Look, if you want to clean up Celestia's mess then good for you, but I wanna keep my life, thank you very much.”

“Ugh, look, this isn't about Celestia—”

“Then make it about her! Send her a report with the spell and let her figure out the rest.” Without another word, Amber Spell once again went back to her corner and searched for her little rock.

Despite her selfishness and negative attitude, she had a point. The only logical thing to do in this situation would be to send an SOS to the princess. He opened his saddlebags and took out a scroll, quill and ink.

“I just had to want a challenge didn't I? Let’s see here, Dearest Princess Celestia, I’m afraid the mission isn't going well...”

1: In The Beginning

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Twilight Sparkle had restored Princess Luna, turned Discord back into stone, stood her ground against a Changeling invasion, was directly responsible in retrieving the Crystal Heart for the Crystal Empire and fulfilled her destiny by ascending into a princess, but never has she gotten into a situation quite as impossible or frustrating as this one.

“Please, I insist!” The purple princess practically shouted.

“So do I,” came the singsong reply.

“It’s the principle of the thing.”

“Ohhh, what’s a principle to a princess?”

“That doesn't make nearly as much as sense as you probably think it does.”

“Oh dear, you’re right, it doesn't! I’m so sorry about that!”

“Okay, that’s it.”

“Noooo, this is ‘it!’” said Pinkie Pie as she cartwheeled into the room, somehow holding a large cake between her hooves as she continued then abruptly finished her cartwheel in front of Twilight. “Wait, what are we talking about?”

“Ugh, it’s nothing, Pinkie,” Twilight groaned. “It’s just that Mrs. Cake won’t let me pay for these cupcakes just because I’m a princess now, can you believe it?”

“Well duh, of course I believe it,” Pinkie said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “You did a ton of good stuff for all of us little ponies and now you’re a honest-to-goodness princess on top of it? There’s no way you’re paying for these delicious cupcakes.”

“Oh Pinkie, not you too,” Twilight said, rubbing her head with her hoof. “What do you mean I've done? You and our other friends were there too.”

“I know, but we’re not princesses are we? Ooo, that would be fun though, I would make a mandatory party law that stated all ponies who don’t have at least one party per day will be invited to a punishment party, doesn't that sound fun?”

Deciding to ignore Pinkie’s “logic” Twilight returned to the extremely important issue at hoof: cupcakes.

“Please Mrs. Cake, I have more than enough bits to pay the cupcakes.”

“Nononono,” Mrs. Cake said, smiling as she shook her head. “It’s just as Pinkie said, deary. You've done a lot of kindness of out the goodness of your heart and you’re a princess, why shouldn't you at least have some free cupcakes as a reward? This isn't the first time we've given you treats on the house, why the sudden disdain?”

“Like I said, it’s the principle, it’s fine to give something nice to a friend, but just because somepony’s a princess—”

“Mrs. Cake, can I see those for an itty-bitty second?” asked Pinkie Pie as she took the box of cupcakes and held them in front of Twilight. “Here you go! You said it’s fine for friends to give each other nice things, so here I am, giving you a nice thing.”

Twilight still wanted to argue, but the smile on Pinkie’s face told her that it was useless at this point. She encased the box in her magical aura and smiled at Pinkie and Mrs. Cake as she trotted towards the exit.

“Oh, wait for me, Twilight!” Pinkie suddenly shouted from behind.

“Huh?” Twilight turned to find herself staring into Pinkie’s blue eyes. “Aren’t you kinda working right now? I mean you were holding a cake.”

“What cake?” Pinkie asked innocently.

Twilight opened her mouth, but thought better of it as she gestured for Pinkie to follow her.

“Why’d you order an entire box of cupcakes anyway, Twilight? Are you throwing another party celebrating your princessyness?”

“Don’t worry, Pinkie,” said Twilight. “I would never plan a party without your help. Besides, I don’t want anymore royal attention. I was just craving a cupcake and Spike wanted one too so I went ahead and got a box.”

“Ohh, for a second, I thought it was a gift for that Flash Sentry colt!”

The raspberry aura flicked for a second before becoming stable.

“W-what?! No! Why would I give him a present for any reason?! I wouldn't that’s why! I don’t even know him, he doesn't know me, we don’t know each other!” Red patches appeared on Twilight’s lavender cheeks.

Pinkie seemed completely unaffected by Twilight’s burst of emotion as she greeted everypony who stopped and gawked at Twilight as she trotted past them.

“Oh, not this again,” Twilight sighed. “I hope it won’t be like this every time I just trot down to Sugarcube Corner for a treat. I don’t get it, they all knew me before I got the crown, what’s so different about me now?”

“If you don’t like all the unblinking eyes, then why do you wear your crown at all?” Pinkie asked.

“While I was in the other world, I learned a thing or two about taking pride in being a good leader. It’s not that I really want a constant reminder of my princess status on my head, I just feel like it’s my duty to wear it. Besides, the other princesses wear theirs.”

“Whatever keeps your boat afloat!” Pinkie flashed a brilliant smile for all to see.

Twilight smiled at her friend’s constant happiness while she worried about her own happiness. After she had returned from the mirror world, she stayed another night for the actual princess summit, which basically went over everything she had learned about being a leader in the other world, so she didn't learn much about her future duties.

What if she actually did have to take care of her own kingdom someday? She wouldn't want to leave her friends behind while she’s being forced to rule some random kingdom. Would she be assigned royal guards like Celestia and Luna had? It’s not like she needed them, she was still an Element of Harmony after all. Maybe she could have her friends become her own personal guards. Rainbow Dash would certainly be up to it.

Obviously, Twilight was looking too into her future...again. There would be time to personally consult Celestia about her duties later, right now she apparently had to stop Pinkie from talking an apple salespony out of his business.

“—just saying that my friend Applejack, maybe you heard of her, she runs the main apple business here in Ponyville. She works really hard and her apples are the best apples in all of Equestria! I suggest you become a different farmer, like an orange farmer, or a grape farmer or—ooo—a cherry farmer!”

The salespony's looked ready to blow. Even his face was a deep shade of red. Twilight felt the need to step in and stop this before it began.

“I am sooo sorry for my friend, she’s usually not this...insensitive?” the angry pony continued to be mad for a total of five seconds before he saw Twilight’s crown.

“Oh, Your Majesty,” he said as his face returned to it’s normal shade. “It’s n-no trouble, not at all.”

“Well, if you’re sure it really isn't any trouble, then we’ll just be on our way,” Twilight said. This was one good thing about being princess, you had the power to instantly stop arguments.

Releasing a sigh of relief Twilight turned to her friend as she led her away from the apple stand.

“Pinkie Pie! What was that about?”

“What? He started it,” Pinkie countered.

“No, he most certainly didn't start it, at all! You just walked up to him and told him to stop selling his produce!”

“Hmm, y’know Twilight, you’re right,” Pinkie said. “I don’t know what I was thinking.”

“Well, I’m glad you see where you went wrong.”

“Yeah, I should have just asked you to create a law banning all ponies except for Applejack from selling apples! Will you do it?”

With how many emotions were going through Twilight’s head, it was a wonder she still had a grip on the box of cupcakes. Whatever was going on with Pinkie was nothing she couldn't deal with, but it was still very strange.

“No I won’t make such a ridiculous law, in fact I’m not sure if I can make ANY laws. I mean I've seen Celestia do the the process before but I don’t know if I can.”

“Don’t be silly, why else would the princess make you a princess if you didn't have all the cool stuff that came with the title?”

What Pinkie Pie said made sense—for once—yet it didn't answer the questions Twilight continued to wonder about. She especially had to question what the point of the summit was in the first place when all she actually did was defeat Sunset Shimmer, who conveniently appeared at the exact time of the summit. Was that supposed to happen all along? Did Celestia somehow know that was going to happen? But how could she have known?

“Pinkie, do you think Princess Celestia can see the future?”

“Wowie,” said Pinkie. “If I had asked that question you would have said, ‘Don’t be silly, Pinkie.’ Does that count as my answer? It doesn't does it? Well then my official answer is...actually I’m not sure. If she could, wouldn't she have told us by now?”

That was true, Celestia usually told them everything, didn't she? Actually, now that she thought about it.... Twilight’s face scrunched up in frustration. “If she knew she would have told us? Well, I’m beginning to have a hard time believing that. After all she knew about Luna in the moon and let her name disappear with the wind. She knew about Discord, a chaotic and dangerous spirit and just sealed him up. She even knew that her own student had gone rogue, but didn't even help her, she just pretended she didn't exist for all these years, how could she? Huh, how could she?”

Twilight lowered her head in defeat. While she studied directly under Celestia, she had seen her do questionable things. She always justified it by telling herself that surely the ruler of Equestria had a reason for everything. (It didn't hurt that she greatly looked up to Celestia.) Apparently that meant holding on to information until the situation called for it, but the fact was that when she hid important things until the last minute, lives were endangered, and that just couldn't be justified.

“Umm, Twilight?” Pinkie asked carefully.

“I know,” said Twilight. “I know. I’m sorry for saying those things, I’m sure she has her reasons, I’ll talk to her about it later.”

“That’s great and all Twilight,” said Pinkie. “But I was actually going to ask you where we were going.”

Twilight looked around and realized that Pinkie had a valid question, where were they going?

“Oh, umm, let’s just head for the library,” Twilight said, gesturing ahead. “I still have to give Spike his cupcake. And maybe write a letter to my favorite teacher while I’m at it.”

“I love receiving letters!” Pinkie agreed innocently.

It was time for Twilight’s first act as a princess: requesting an audience with Celestia. If Celestia could ask Twilight to come to Canterlot on what felt like a daily basis, then surely Twilight could ask Celestia to come to Ponyville to settle this issue. The townsponies could use another princess to gawk at anyway.

After what felt like the world’s longest walk, they finally arrived at the Golden Oaks Library. The hollowed tree shone with the rays of the evening sun. Twilight would do anything to remain in her precious Library in her precious Ponyville, which was why she was so against the idea of ruling some far-off kingdom. How Shining Armor and Cadence left Canterlot so easily to rule the Crystal Empire was beyond her. She would have to remember to ask them next time they met up.

Opening the doors with her magic, Twilight trotted inside her home with Pinkie following behind her. Taking one look at the inside of her treehouse, Twilight sensed that something was off.

“Pinkie,” said Twilight. “Do you feel anything different about this place?”

“Everything’s shiny?” Came the high-pitched reply.

Taking a second look, Twilight saw that Pinkie was right: the bark look cleaned and polished, all the books were organized, the candles were freshly lit and everything smelled like a fresh morning. (If that was even an official scent.)

“Wow, Twilight!” exclaimed Pinkie. “I didn't know Alicorn magic can make things tidy while you’re away. That explains why Canterlot Castle always looks so clean after all the crazy stuff that happens there.”

“No, what? No!” said Twilight. “I didn't do this, and I don’t know anypony else who’re able to something like this, except maybe S— ”

Twilight’s thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a purple baby dragon stumbling down the stairs.

“Twilight!” he said as he regained balance. “You’re finally here, thank Celestia, it’s an emergency!”

“Spike, who did all this?” Twilight asked, looking around her clean home.

“I did. Pretty good huh? But that’s not the—”

“You did?!” exclaimed Twilight. “I can’t believe it, normally it takes my supervision for you to even organize the books properly.”

“C'mon Twilight, I’m not stupid, I pick up on things...most of the time. But seriously Twilight—”

“And that scent,” Twilight said, taking in the fresh smell. “It’s amazing, how’d you get everything smelling like that?”

“I went down to Sweet Aroma’s scent shop and picked it up. It’s ‘Morning Sun’. Weird. Anyway—”

“I've never been there before. What other kind of scents are there? Oh, is there a ‘New Book’ scent? Because that would be just—”

“TWILIGHT!” Spike shouted at the top of his lungs.

Twilight immediately stopped talking. It was clear that Spike had something to get off his scaly chest, something very important. Though knowing Spike it was probably just something about being out of warm water again.

“I got a letter from Princess Celestia earlier, she’s coming here to tell us something really important later!”

Or maybe he had something serious to say, like that.

“What?! Why didn't you say something earlier?!”

“I tried! More than once! But you just—hey are those cupcakes?”

Twilight had completely forgotten about the pink box levitating in mid air. She telekinetically shoved the box into Spike’s arms as she ran past him up the stairs. The letter was sprawled out on the desk settled beneath the window. Owlowiscious was also perched on the desk, but Twilight ignored her nocturnal pet as she levitated the letter up to her face.

Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle,

I’m terribly sorry to request an audience with you so soon after our summit, but this is an emergency. As usual, I cannot say much through a letter, so I will just inform you that I will be visiting you in your Ponyville home later in the day to discuss the situation. It is of the utmost importance that your friends attend.

Your mentor,

Princess Celestia.

Once again, Princess Celestia displayed her cryptic nature in the form of a letter. Not only that, she stole Twilight’s princess thunder! Twilight was going to request her first audience and Celestia does it first anyway. Then again, perhaps she shouldn't be so hard on her teacher without first hearing her reasons for being the way she is, because she could bet on the fact that Twilight was finally going to get some answers.

After having read the letter, Twilight returned downstairs to find Spike and Pinkie Pie devouring the contents of the cupcake box.

“You guys!” Twilight exclaimed as she rushed to the violated box. “Those were my cupcakes too!”

Pinkie giggled and licked the frosting off her hooves. “We know silly, we left you a cupcake.”

Just as Pinkie said, there was one lone cupcake in the center of the partially destroyed and frosting-covered box.

“How thoughtful of you,” Twilight said sarcastically, levitating the lone cupcake off to the side. “Anyway, Pinkie, Princess Celestia requires all of us here when she comes to visit later. Can you go get the others and bring them here?”

“Okey dokey pony pokey!” Pinkie saluted and bolted out the door.

“Okay, Spike, I need you to—” looking around, Twilight saw that there actually wasn't much to do at all. Everything was where it should be, nothing was dirty, and there weren't any chores left for the baby dragon. “I need you to just relax and appreciate the good work you've done.”

“You don’t need to tell me twice,” Spike said, sighing. Without another word he collapsed in the middle of the floor, snoring lightly as he did so. Twilight giggled softly and trotted upstairs.

With her home clean and her friends being gathered, there really wasn't anything left for Twilight to do but wait. Although she was curious to what crazy task Celestia would have them do this week. Hopefully it wasn't too insane, she was still settling in after the events of the other world. What a crazy adventure that was. She wondered how her parallel friends and Sunset Shimmer were doing. She hoped they were doing well. She also hoped that Celestia had a good reason for leaving Sunset Shimmer in the other world by herself.

It didn't take as long as she thought for Pinkie to gather the others. Then again, it was Pinkie Pie. Nevertheless, Twilight’s downstairs now contained six ponies and one dragon. All they needed now was Her Royal Highness and they could get started. Twilight looked out the window. The sun had finished it’s descension and the moon was now located high in the sky. With that out of the way, Celestia should be arriving soon.

“How much longer are we supposed to wait? She does this every time.” Applejack spoke what was on all their minds.

“She always has her reasons, just let her be. It can’t be easy running a country and still having to make appointments,” said Rarity.

“It’s funny how the one time she was even kinda early was when we weren't even expecting her. You know, the day Twilight went totally insane over that late report,” Rainbow Dash snickered.

“Hey!” said Twilight. “I wasn't that crazy. I was just very upset at my situation.”

“Really? Because I thought you were cuckoo crazy that day, don’t you think Fluttershy?” Pinkie chimed in.

“Um, maybe...yes,” Fluttershy muttered.

“My sanity aside,” Twilight said, frowning. “ What do you guys think Celestia wants to talk to us about this time? She said it was an emergency.”

“Maybe it’s your turn to find some ancient empire to rule. Wouldn't that be awesome?” gushed Rainbow Dash.

“What?! You know I don’t wanna rule some old kingdom. The only thing I want to be the ruler of is this library,” Twilight chuckled slightly at the thought of officially being crowded the princess of books.

“I’m just saying, if a kingdom rises outta the ground somewhere, somepony's gotta rule it.”

How dare Rainbow Dash even bring up such a terrible idea. There was no way Twilight was just going to go become the princess of some strange kingdom just because her destiny says so. It wasn't like her Cutie Mark was telling her that. All it was telling her was that she was born to do magic, it was Celestia telling her about all this princess nonsense.

Twilight’s feelings weren't the only ones to consider in such a situation. If a kingdom actually did happen to need a new leader, then Twilight would have to rule it for the good of the ponies living in the kingdom. It tore Twilight apart thinking it, but the needs of the many did outweigh the needs of the few. She just hoped it wouldn't come to that.

Twilight was so busy with her thoughts that she didn't notice Applejack trot up behind her.

“Twilight?” she said. “Can Ah talk to ya upstairs for a moment.?” After recovering from nearly jumping three feet in the air, Twilight cleared her throat.

“Sure. Lead the way,” said Twilight. Applejack nodded as she trotted up the stairs without another word. Twilight followed her slowly from behind, noticing that Applejack seemed to have lost the hop in her step that she was so well known for. It wasn't like Applejack to dwell on something, she wondered what was wrong.

“What’s on your mind?” Twilight asked as they reached the top step.

Applejack looked quickly over her shoulder. “Pinkie told me about your little Celestia outburst. Ah was just wonderin' if you were alright.”

Twilight’s eyes found the floor. “I don’t really know anymore. This was never an issue before. I think what happened in the mirror made me feel like this. Seeing what Sunset Shimmer became after Celestia left her to follow her own path...I just can’t believe she would let that happen to her own student.”

“Ah really wish we could've gone with ya, sugarcube,” Applejack said, absentmindedly pawing at the wooden floor. “Ah would've had a better idea of what y’all feeling.”

“It’s okay, Applejack,” Twilight said, smiling. “You helped me a lot on the other side, I can handle the rest. I’m just wondering if I can help you with anything? You seem a bit troubled.”

“Oh, don’t fret none,” Applejack huffed. “If you can take care of your problem, Ah can take care of mine, you just make sure your head’s on straight, okay?”

Twilight knew that it wouldn't be easy to get Applejack to tell her what was wrong and that it would be even harder to get Applejack to accept her help. It didn't matter though, because Twilight wasn't done with her, not by a long shot. She just needed Applejack to think that she would let her handle it alone. For now.

“Okay,” Twilight agreed.

Applejack smiled at her friend and trotted downstairs. Once again, Twilight followed her orange friend, only this time she was met with a faceful of featherduster.

“Pfff! Ack! Spike! What was that for?” Twilight coughed.

“Oh, s-sorry Twilight,” Spike said, struggling to hold in his laughter. “I was just making sure everything stayed clean for Princess Celestia.”

“Spike? Are you sure you didn't get part of my brain when we went through the mirror?” Twilight mockingly asked.

“Haha,” Spike said, frowning at her. “Very funny Twilight, but we’ll see who’s laughing at who when the princess compliments my awesome cleaning skills.” Swishing his tail at her, he continued to tidy up the already spotless room. Twilight playfully rolled her eyes and took another peek out the window out of habit. The moon was at it’s peak, shining Luna’s light across all of Equestria. What could Celestia possibly be—

“Too shiny! Way too shiny!” Pinkie’s high-pitched shrill filled the air. Twilight turned to see what exactly was “Too shiny” and was met with the brightest glow in the entire world. Hovering in the middle of the room was a large ball of light, pulsating with power. It filled the entire room with the heat of a summer day. Twilight could stare at it for a total of three seconds before she felt an intense burning sensation in her eyes.

“What in tarnation is that?” Applejack shouted while trying to cover her burning eyes.

“I’m guessing our fashionably late guest for the evening,” Twilight responded as she looked again.

The miniature sun expanded as a blurry shape inside begun to form. The shape became solid as a tall pony with a flowing mane and tail appeared inside the ball, which shrunk until it formed a solar shell outline around the pony. The solar being descended as the sun energy disappeared until all that stood was a white Alicorn with a troubled expression.

“Hello everypony,” Celestia said, spreading her massive wings. “I apologize for never being on time for these meetings, nobody ever said running a country was easy.” Rarity tilted her head upward a the confirmation of her earlier statement.

Apparently it wasn't enough for Princess Celestia to show up late for an “emergency’, but she also has to nearly burn all of them in the process. What could she possibly be taking care of that was more important than whatever this is about anyway? It’s not like she shares her power with her sister or anything. At this point Twilight felt like she should get Celestia a question box. No doubt it would be full in less than a day.

“Princess Celestia,” Twilight said nervously. “How nice of you to nearly incinerate us instead of just trotting through the door.” Normally there was no way Twilight would ever be a smart aleck to her beloved mentor, but she assumed that nearly causing them to go blind would give her a free pass.

“Did I?” Celestia gasped. “As soon as I finished my royal business, I attempted to teleport here as quickly as I could. It seems that I underestimated the power of the spell I used. Are any of you injured?”

“Nah, it’s alright Princess,” Applejack reassured her. “Twilight did the same thin’ to us when she grew those fancy wings.”

Twilight crossed her forelegs as she said, “I didn't do it on purpose. It’s not like I asked for the wings in the first place,” she muttered the last part to herself.

“That’s a relief,” Celestia sighed. “I don’t wish to appear rude, but we really must begin as soon as possible. Are you all ready?”

“Wait,” Spike shouted, holding up his paws. “Before you guys talk, notice anything different about this place, Princess Celestia?”

Celestia craned her neck to examine every inch of the Library. “Yes, you changed the scent. Excellent touch, it smells heavenly in here.”

Spike’s scaly face fell. “All you noticed...was the smell? Well, I guess I should've known all my hard work was for nothing. I’m going somewhere that’s not here, don’t wait up.” Without another word, Spike huffed out the door. The silence that followed was short, but painful.

“Ok,” Rainbow Dash thankfully ended the lack of sound. “So how about that emergency, Princess?”

“Yes, I believe it's time to talk about that,” Celestia somberly lowered her head. “Twilight, would you be so kind as to gather the other Elements of Harmony before we continue?”

“Of course, Princess,” Twilight said, preparing her horn. She emitted a raspberry aura as she grabbed the Elements with her mind and guided them into the room. The apple of honesty, butterfly of kindness, balloon of laughter, diamond of generosity, and bolt of loyalty were placed carefully in the center of the circle of ponies. The five artifacts, alongside the crown of magic that was located on top of Twilight’s head, made up the Elements of Harmony.

“Good, we will also need your element of magic to proceed, Twilight,” Celestia said, taking a hold of Twilight’s crown with her golden aura and levitated it in midair. The other Elements followed suit, forming an outer ring around the crown. Celestia lowered her head until her glowing horn was at level with the crown. Her horn glowed a darker shade of gold as it emitted a golden bolt of magic straight into the crown. The crown vibrated as it glowed the same shade of color. The element of magic sent bolts into the other Elements as they copied their leader. The glow of the six artifacts created a giant light that threatened to repeat the incident from earlier.

“Consarn it, not again!” Applejack cried as she pulled her Stetson over her eyes.

“Don’t fret, Applejack, this will only last a moment longer,” Celestia calmly assured her as the light grew into a large plasma ball. Just as suddenly as it grew, it stopped. The light shrunk and became more solid as the shining brightness became duller and easier to look at. The color changed from gold to a radiant rainbow of colors.

“What...is it?” Fluttershy stared in wonder.

“This,” Celestia said, trotting in front of it. “Is the Heart of Harmony.”

“And just what is that?” Twilight pouted. Whatever it was, she just saw it as another thing Celestia decided to keep to herself until now.

“Before I, before Luna, before anyone you've ever met or heard of, there was the Heart of Harmony and it’s daughter. Today she is referred to as...the Queen of Equestria.” A collective gasp filled the air as all six ponies immediately understood who Celestia was referring to.

“It sounds like you all know who that is, but a refresher course never hurt anyone,” Celestia said confidently, flashing a smile. “As you may or may not know, the reason we ponies only have princesses and never queens is because we actually do have a queen, one that’s always watching over us, tallying our greatest deeds and judging our darkest mistakes.” At this point, it seemed as though Celestia was speaking to herself more than them.

“Ahem, yes well, as you were most likely informed as young fillies, the Queen of Equestria shaped our land into the world it is today, but she never could have done it if it wasn't for her creator: the Heart of Harmony. Legend tells us that in the beginning. The Heart existed alone, it lived in a world where life didn't exist. To this day, no one knows how it got there, though some would say that it was born to coexist with the force that came to be before it: chaos.”

Celestia took another short pause to bow her head before continuing. “At a certain point in time, a being emerged from the Heart, the first pony. Curious at her surroundings and life in general, she wandered the barren world for many days and many nights before she finally realized: she was all alone. Angered and saddened by this, she rushed back to her birthplace and demanded answers from the Heart. It offered her nothing in return, so she took action. She charged into the being, intent on discovering her purpose. From within, the Heart sensed her desire to create, therefore it gave her the abilities to do so. With her radiant horn, she could create and edit as she saw fit, and with her majestic wings, she could watch her little ponies from the open sky.”

“What happened next is a tale for another time, my little ponies,” Celestia said. A loud groan entered the room as the ponies protested about story time being cut short. “Back to the matter at hoof, this is merely a projection of the Heart, the real thing is located outside of Equestria. In order to protect it from those who seek the power within it, I have a rotating set of guards ensuring the safety of it at all times...but recently there was, an incident.”

All eyes were on Celestia as she continued her tale. “It seems that it has become more dangerous near the Heart than it used to be. I received a report that told of the troubles they've had there. It seems that an entire squad has gone missing in action.”

Once more, gasps of shock pierced the air as the audience of ponies reacted to the troubling news. Celestia merely nodded as if she expected their response.

“Yes, it is troubling news. Apparently all but a few ponies left to investigate their surroundings, but only one returned, and gravely injured at that. I never expected the area to remain safe forever, but I expected this to come later rather than sooner. You see, Luna and I hold more information about the Heart than anyone else, and we knew that if it came to it, we would need to activate the fail-safe.”

“Fail-safe?” Twilight blurted out.

“I've had theories about the true purpose of the Heart for as long as I can remember. I believe that it is the key to maintaining permanent harmony across all of Equestria. If we can properly channel it, it may be able to spread harmony like the Crystal Heart spreads love, which could ensure a bright and happy future for centuries to come.”

“I’m sorry Princess, but this is all starting to become a bit overwhelming, what exactly are you asking from us?” Twilight wondered aloud.

Celestia flapped her wings. “The Elements draw power from the force of harmony just as the Heart does. It’s likely that the Elements can best harness the untapped well that lies within the Heart. I’m sorry to say only you six can take this dangerous journey. You must travel to the birthplace of reality itself, the location of the Heart of Harmony. Once there, you will use the Elements on the Heart and if successful, you will create a beautiful paradise to last until the end of days. Do you understand the magnitude of your adventure?”

The group of friends looked at each other, silently asking each other if they thought they were up to the task, until Twilight stepped forward. “You’re asking something beyond words of us, Princess. You realize that?”

Celestia stared into the shining projection of the Heart as she addressed her pupil. “I do. I only hope you understand that I asked you because of how immensely important it is.”

Twilight considered this for a moment. Of course everything Celestia had said made sense, it always does. This may be the most important task anypony has ever received...ever. If it worked, they would be responsible for creating a future without violence. A dream that’s existed for centuries, and they have the opportunity to finally make it a reality.

“I do understand, and I think I speak for all of us when I say you can count on us, Princess Celestia.” Twilight looked to her friends for assurance and was more than relieved when they smiled and nodded in response.

“Wonderful,” Celestia said, activating her magic and pulling the element of magic out of the large ring, breaking the projection of the Heart as the other Elements fell to the ground. “Of course I will provide you with a map outlining your journey, along with tickets for the train that will take you most of the way,” She made the mentioned items appear out of thin air and placed them on the nearby table.

Twilight levitated her crown back on her head. “When do we leave?”

“As soon as you are able to. The train is private so there is no set time, and the travel will be a long one, so you should take as long as you need to prepare.”

“Okay, can everypony agree on meeting back here tomorrow when you’re ready?” Twilight asked her friends.

Chaotic chatter filled the room as each of them agreed to the plan of action.

“I think that’s everything Princess.”

“Good luck everypony, the future of Equestria rests in your hooves.” Celestia's horn charged with magic as her body became encased in the same golden glow as before, then as soon as it started, it was over and Celestia was gone.

Twilight looked at her friends, trying to read each of their faces. It was obvious they were all feeling the same amount of nervousness.

“Well, looks like it’s time for another adventure,” Twilight joked sheepishly.

“Yeah, except this time the fate of everything is hanging in the balance!” Rainbow Dash pointed out.

“That don’t matter none, we've done this sorta thin’ time and time again, this will be a snap.” Applejack displayed her confident nature.

“Applejack’s right, this will be easy peasy summer’s breezy.” Pinkie Pie smiled at Applejack who hastily returned the gesture.

“It’s true that this shall be more difficult than the other times, but I still think we can pull it off without a hitch.” Rarity gleamed.

“I can’t wait to tell my animal friends about the paradise we’re going to make for them.” Fluttershy positively glowed.

It was obvious that all of her friends were determined to see this thing through, which only made Twilight more determined as well. They were right, as long as they stick together, this would be over before they knew it.

“I’ll keep the Elements here as usual until tomorrow. Make you all get a goodnight’s sleep, it may be awhile before you have another one.”

“Whatever you say, Mom,” Rainbow smirked.

Twilight grimaced as she levitated the Elements away and bid her friends goodnight. Twilight trotted upstairs to prepare for bed when Applejack stopped as she was almost out the door.

“Wait, weren't you supposed to ask the princess somethin'?” Applejack pointed out.

Twilight pondered what Applejack was referring to for a moment, before she finally remembered....

“Oh, horseapples.”

2: Falling Stars

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Waking up in the morning after being told that the fate of eternal peace rested surely on whether or not you would survive a long journey to one of the most dangerous places in the entire world wasn't as easy as everypony thought it was. In fact, for Twilight Sparkle, it was downright painful. As soon as she pried her tired eyes open, she had a feeling that the rest of her day was going to be eventful, and not in the Ponyville way where her problems were usually solved within twenty-two minutes. Remembering the agreement that her friends would come to Library when they were ready, Twilight decided she should make sure everything was ready on her end. It may have been morning, but better sooner than later she always said.

Getting out of her bed was harder than she thought, she usually didn’t have to force herself to wake up, what a terrible feeling. She really should be used to this already, but it was probably the only feeling that you never truly get comfortable with. Her wings were no help either, as she gently climbed out of bed, her wings flew open and propelled her onto the ground. Ouch. Celestia told them that this would be their longest journey yet, to her that meant that it would be a long time until she got to step on her beautiful bark floor after waking up. Savouring the stable and safe feeling she received when she took a step, Twilight trotted downstairs for breakfast. Seeing as he wasn’t in his bed, Spike was probably cooking today.

The sizzle of cooking eggs confirmed her suspicions. The sight of fresh orange juice on the table was nothing to the delicious smell coming from the stove with a dragon manning it.

“How are those eggs coming, Spike?” Twilight took in the smell again, though it didn’t help that the fresh morning scent from yesterday was still lingering.

“Almost ready, just give a second. I don’t mean to brag, but it’ll be worth the wait.” Spike spread the eggs around the pan as he flashed an adorable smile.

“That’s good to hear, I have a big day ahead of me.” Twilight sat in front of the table, eagerly awaiting her breakfast.

“I know, you told me all of it when I came back last night, remember?” Spike reminded the purple princess.

“Oh yeah, I did.” Twilight was shocked that Spike was taking the news of her quest so easily considering that he wasn't going with them. Then again, she probably didn't tell him that, instead she showered and went to bed, but she was sure he read in-between the lines that said this was simply too dangerous for him.

“Aaaand here comes perfection,” Spike said as he laid the plate of steaming eggs on the table. Apparently he forgot his promise not to brag. “Careful, those are pretty hot.”

“I know Spike. By the way, thanks for cooking breakfast,” Twilight said as she blew on the eggs.

“No, thank you Twilight.” Spike positively beamed at her.

“You’re welcome...um, for what exactly?” Usually Spike threw her for a loop, but now she was just plain confused.

“For finally giving me this chance.” Spike bounced up and down in excitement.

“Um, the chance to prepare eggs? That’s not exactly new ground for you, unless you think you should cook more often, in that case I agree.”

“No, I mean you letting me go on this epic adventure with you guys. It’ll finally give me a chance to show the world what I’m really made of, you know?” Spike flexed his little muscles.

A swarm of words found themselves inside Twilight’s brain, none of them would be helpful in this situation, but they all had to be said, preferably in a reasonable and intelligent way. “What did you just say?”

Spike’s smile flickered for an instant, before regaining it’s youthful gleam as he said, “You know, our adventure! I know I've gone places with you before, but never like this. I can’t wait, but can we pick something up to eat on the way? We’re out of gems.”

Twilight groaned and rubbed the underside of her horn in frustration. “Look Spike, I don’t really know how to tell you, and I don’t know if you’ll listen, but....”

“Spit it out Twilight, as I’m about to prove, I’m old enough to handle it,” Spike said as he looked up at her with the most adorable eyes in all of Equestria as he waited for the news that followed. Twilight almost couldn't bring herself to break his dragon heart, but unfortunately for him, safety came before feelings.

“You can’t come with us."

This time, Spike’s smile didn't flicker, it was replaced by a frown. He said, “W-what do you mean? Of course I’m coming!”

“No, you’re not, you can’t. I know you've come along in the past—”

“Yeah, when you needed me to carry your bags, but I can do so much more than that, Twilight,” Spike said as he stomped his foot on the wooden floor, resulting in a loud thumping sound. “You know it too, remember in the mirror? It was almost entirely because of me that we got out of there in the first place!”

“You were an advisor,” Twilight said, choking out the words. “You gave me advice and sat in my backpack throughout everything. This won’t be something you can just sit through, Spike. This is something that not even I’m prepared for, and I refuse to let you get hurt because of it.”

Twilight was done with the conversation, but it was evident that Spike wasn't as he said, “It doesn't matter what you think I’m prepared for, it’s nothing to what I can actually do. I saved the Crystal Empire remember? Forget that I could only do it with your help, actually don’t, because it proves what we can do together, like how we can do this together if you’d just let me—”

“No,” Twilight said, her anger reflected in her eyes. “I know how much this means to you, and I understand, I really do, but if, just if you got hurt...no. I’m sorry, Spike.”

Spike stared at his feet in defeat. “I’m sorry too, Twilight.” Before she could even think fast enough to react, her number one assistant ran out the door as fast as his little legs would take him.

“Wait! Spike!” Twilight shouted as she galloped to the door just in time to see Spike running off into the town marketplace. What had she done now? That obviously could've been handled better, but she just needed to make Spike understand that it was his safety at risk. With the way Celestia described it, even her own safety was at risk! But she was required on the journey, Spike wasn't. He would understand later, but it was better to leave him alone with his thoughts for the time being.

Twilight returned to the scrambled eggs on the table, the ones Spike had so generously made for her travel, hoping to tag along in the process. Suddenly, she wasn’t feeling so hungry anymore. With a heavy heart, Twilight cast the extremely useful spell of preservation on the yellow treats and levitated them into a paper bag for later. Now that she thought about it, she would also need to cast the spell on the cupcake from last night.

“Who’s ready for an adventure?!” shouted a voice as it soared past Twilight and assaulted her ears with wind.

“Hey Twilight, am I the first one ready?” Rainbow Dash asked as she set her saddlebags on the table. “That’s cool...that’s cool.”

“Rainbow, it’s still pretty early in the morning, why are you here so soon? How’d you even know I’d be up?”

“Uh,” Rainbow said, shuffling her hooves anxiously. “Well, it didn't take long for the fastest flyer in Equestria to get ready for a little stroll across the country.”

“That really didn't answer how you knew I was up so early, now that I think about, that doesn't exactly answer why you came here so soon.”

“Uhh, hey where’s Spike? I thought the little guy would be here to see us off. Is he at the train station or something?”

The memory of the argument that occurred only a moment earlier became fresh in Twilight’s mind. The words said, the feelings hurt, the emotions running high. Most importantly, the thought that Spike thought she didn't believe in him.

“I-I don’t know. I don’t even know where he is right now,” Twilight said, her voice began to waver. “He wanted to come with us, b-but I said no and we fought a-and....”

Twilight attempted to rub the sadness out of her eyes, but it was extremely ineffective. How could she just refuse him his chance to prove himself like that? Especially considering she knew exactly how he felt; she hated it when Celestia didn't allow her to try certain spells because “she wasn't ready for the arcane power it required.”

“Whoa, I’m sorry Twilight, are you okay? Do you maybe want a wing-hug or something?” Rainbow said, extending one cyan wing.

“No, it’s fine. I think I’ll be okay, thanks anyway. You’re a good friend, Rainbow Dash,” Twilight said, using her best smile to cut through her sadness.

Rainbow quickly furled her wing and poked at the floor as she said, “Yeah, that’s me. Coolest friend around, that’s what my fan club’s been calling me lately.”

“Well it fits perfectly on you, now have you decided what reading material you’ll be bringing along?”

“What?” Rainbow snorted. “Why would I read ‘Daring Do’ when I can live her? This is my chance to live out all of her awesome adventures for myself. By the time we get back, I’ll be known all across Equestria and beyond!”

“And I thought Rarity was the dramatic one,” Twilight commented, rolling her eyes. “I know you’ll be focused on the dangerous parts, but try to remember that this is still a peaceful mission with a peaceful objective.”

“A peaceful mission with a dangerous journey,” Rainbow narrated in an action voice, rubbing her hooves together. “It already sounds like it could be the tagline for an action novel!”

Ignoring her friend’s love of danger, Twilight levitated the remaining objects into her saddlebags. “Did you want to carry your own Element? I don’t mind holding on to all of them for now, but if something happened to me, then we would lose them all at once.”

Hearing the last couple words, Rainbow stopped her monologue about cool-sounding names for adventure novels. “Hold on, you did not just say that. Twilight, nothing is gonna happen to anypony, especially you.”

“Always with the loyalty,” Twilight said happily, levitating the Element of said trait into Rainbow’s saddlebag. “But just in case, hold on to it. I’ll give the rest to the others when they show up, probably hours from now. You know, the normal time.”

“Heh,” Rainbow chuckled, shrugging. “Well, what do you want to do until then? I could even go look for Spike if you want.”

The terrible feeling resurfaced in Twilight’s heart. “No, bringing him back against his will isn't the way to deal with his problem. Besides, I have to trust that he’ll be able to handle himself while we’re gone, and I do.”

“Cool, but you still haven’t even told me what you guys were fighting about.”

“It’s nothing...so what do you want to do?” Twilight attempted to mimic Rainbow’s hovering but fell flat on her face once again. She really should have anticipated the seemingly endless laughter that came from her colorful friend.

“You still haven’t gotten the hang of that? I was practically born with it. Hey, I could teach you how to do it, you know like a private lesson.”

“You don’t need to mock me,” Twilight scoffed, picking herself up from the cold floor. “I’ll get the hang of it eventually. I think.”

Rainbow looked disappointed as she said, “Alright, but the next time you fall flat on your face, remember my offer.”

“Noted,” Twilight said, trying her best not to look beyond annoyed. “But for now let’s just go over the plan and all supplies you better have in that saddlebag a few more times.”

“Aww c’mon!”

After a few hours of going over every little detail in the plan, including going over the places on the map that Twilight outlined just in case, the remaining four Bearers of Harmony arrived soon after the other (at that point, Rainbow Dash’s brain was turned to mush anyway). After a brief recap of everything that was discussed up to that point, because Twilight didn't feel like repeating her two hour monologue, they began the trot to the train station their private train was located at.

“Something feels off, did each of you get somepony to watch over your things? Your houses, your pets, your families?” Twilight asked her friends during their march.

“Of course I did. I simply cannot leave the Boutique unprotected even for a moment,” Rarity scoffed. “My parents offered to watch it while I was gone. They said it would give Sweetie Belle the chance to discover her talent in...dressmaking. My only hope is that they don’t burn all of my orange juice while I’m gone.”

“The Apple family can look after themselves,” Applejack assured them. “The only problem was findin’ somepony to fill in for me on the farm. Applebloom wanted to do it, but she’s still just a little filly. Oh, let’s just get this over with.”

“I left Gummy in charge of baking while I’m gone,” Pinkie chimed in eagerly. “I hope he doesn’t overdo it on the frosting again, last time was so messy!”

“I let a newbie cover me on the weather team, it’ll be hilarious,” Rainbow snickered and looked at the clear sky. “Anyway, I left Tank with Scootaloo, those two really get along.”

“Angel knows the routine for the animals in my cottage, but just in case, I asked Dr. Goodall to check on them from time to time.” Fluttershy quickly glanced behind her, as if making sure her cottage was still there.

Everything was clearly in order, but something still bothered her. Was it Owlowiscious and Spike? No, at this point Owlowiscious spent more time running the library then she did and she didn't need to know where Spike was because she believed in him, right? Of course she did, it was the only way she would get any sleep for the next few nights. Spike would have to return to the library soon anyway, it’s not like he had anywhere else to go, not to mention he wouldn't just abandon Owlowiscious like that. Wherever the little dragon was, she hoped he felt her faith in him, maybe it would help him sleep too.

The thought hadn’t crossed her mind until then, but it was getting more and more difficult to leave Ponyville in order to save Equestria. Marching down the marketplace, she made note of the merchants harmlessly selling their produce. The foals and fillies just getting out of school and hurrying home. The two lovestruck ponies enjoying a nice meal together. They were the only reason she could leave at all, they were the sole reason she needed to create a paradise where those ponies could live the rest of their lives out as happily as possible.

Finally, the train station came into view. Celestia had requested a mass shutdown of all trains in and out of Ponyville until they left so that their private train was always ready for them. Hopefully they weren't causing too much distress for the ponies who really needed to take the train, which was another reason Twilight wanted to leave as soon as possible. As soon as the actual train appeared on the horizon, it was clear that Celestia had spared no expense on their travels.

“Wow,” exclaimed Pinkie. “Not too shiny, not too not shiny, it’s just right!”

The train didn't deserve to simply be called a train. It was black and sleek with a narrow tipped front. Unlike most trains, it appeared to be designed purely for stealth, as it’s sharp front was clearly for speed as the dark color was meant for camouflage. She didn't even think that machinery like that existed in Equestria.

“This train isn't very long,” Twilight observed. “Probably because this one’s for speed and stealth purposes only. Either way, it looks like we’re gonna have two to a coach if we want to be comfortable.”

“This’ll be easy,” Rainbow boasted. “Me and Twilight in one coach, aaand I dunno you guys can sort out the rest. By the way we call the front car!”

The confident Pegasus soared into the front coach, apparently leaving Applejack to decide who sat in the other coaches. “Okay, well Ah guess Ah’ll take one with Flutt—” Applejack would've finished her sentence if not for the intense look Pinkie Pie was giving her. “Pinkie, Ah’ll take one with Pinkie.”

“Really? Whatever you say, Applejack,” Pinkie said scoffing as she bounced into the train, leaving many more questions than answers. The cowpony just sighed and followed her pink friend into the black train.

“That leaves you and I, darling. I hope you don’t mind,” Rarity said, smiling at Fluttershy.

“Not at all,” Fluttershy said cheerfully, returning the smile. “To be honest you probably would've been my first choice anyway.”

“Oh Fluttershy, if there was as Element for being too kind, you would certainly be the bearer!” Rarity giggled, waltzing into the remaining coach as Fluttershy hovered closely behind her.

With that matter quickly solved, Twilight trotted inside the compartment Rainbow claimed. It was no surprise that the train was as nice on the inside as it was on the outside. A grey interior design with seats that looked too comfortable for the eye to detect, with windows that actually gave a wonderful view of the outside world.

“This thing is so awesome!” Rainbow said, gushing at the apparent awesomeness of the train. “But how do we start this thing? It’s not like the other trains.”

It was true, there was nowhere for coal to be shoveled or even proper controls. Only a small opening that lead to who knows where.

“I don’t know, it’s not like it comes with instructions or anythin—”

The rest of the mocking sentence was cut off by the sound of Twilight’s horn activating. She wasn’t trying to cast a spell, was she? What was happening? A feeling of warmth swept from her horn to the rest of her body. Her horn started glowing even brighter as the heat got hotter until a singular ball of magic emitted from the cooling horn.

“What just happened?” Rainbow asked, staring awestruck at the raspberry ball.

“Whatever just occurred, it wasn't my doing. Wait, what did just occur?” Twilight also stared at the magical bolt. For what seemed like the thousandth time in the last few days, a mysterious ball of magic began to expand. This expansion wasn't nearly as dramatic as the others, though. It grew slightly larger, followed by a high-pitched whine and dissolved into a scroll, landing at her hooves.

“A scroll? But I thought only Spike could send and get them,” Rainbow said, poking the scroll once, as if to determine if it was going to explode.

“That’s because he is, well until now,” Twilight commented, unfolding the mysterious letter to read it's mysterious contents.

Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle,

Enclosed in this scroll is the incantation for a spell that I believe you’ll find useful just in case you don’t have Spike around. It will allow you to send letters through the horns of other ponies such as myself. More importantly, if you’re wondering how to activate the train, simply power it with a certain amount of magic and you’ll be on your way. Put the spell to good use and have a safe journey.

Your mentor,

Princess Celestia.

“It says that there’s a spell in it that’ll allow me to send letters through my horn,” Twilight said intrigued. She scanned the letter for the mentioned spell, but there was nothing else in it.

“Awesome! How does it work?” Rainbow asked excitedly, peering over Twilight's shoulder at the letter.

“I dunno, it says there’s a spell in it, but I don’t see any—oh come on!” Twilight complained as her horn began glowing once again, however this time a section of the letter began to glow along with it. Lines and scribbles made themselves known as they created something on the letter. A large crest formed itself as Twilight’s horn stopped glowing. Finally recognizing what type of magic this was, she placed her hoof in the middle of the bright crest.

A warm feeling invaded her body once more as the energy made it’s way into her brain and settled there. The feeling of understand took over as she processed the new magic. Now that it was no longer needed, Twilight placed the letter with the others in her saddlebag.

“Okay, I didn't understand any of what just happened, so if you could just start from the top....” Rainbow said hopefully, massaging her head.

“It’s a special brand of magic that Princess Celestia used to use when a spell couldn't or shouldn't be taught, it had to be fed directly into the brain through a crest containing the information,” Twilight explained with the accuracy of a dictionary.

“So why doesn't everypony just do it that way instead of going through years of training like you did? Wouldn’t it just be easier to have it put in your brain?” Rainbow asked.

“It’s not that simple. First, if we just transferred magic into somepony's brain without properly training them, the magic could destroy their brain and render them a shell of their former self. It’s so dangerous that it’s rarely used, this must have been a special case. Second, not every spell can just be learned by placing your hoof on a piece of parchment. Most spells must be taught through time, patience and talent.”

“Is the reason you’re so awesome at it because you have all three?” Rainbow half asked, half complemented.

“Yes and no,” Twilight responded, blushing. “My special talent is magic, which means that no matter what I’ll always be great at magic. It’s possible that I could've absorbed the spell without training. Not to brag, of course.”

“Alright, I got it now. Does the letter say anything about getting this train started? We don’t have all day.”

“It says that this train is powered by magic, kinda like Flim and Flam’s machine. I think I just have to stick my horn in this hole, shoot some magic into it and we’re off,” Twilight said confidently, looking at said hole. It was just big enough for the average sized horn.

“Careful, if it was that simple, every train in Equestria would be magic-powered. It would sure cut back on all that pollution stuff,” Rainbow said, trying to fit her hoof in the hole.

“Are you going to power the train with your hoof?” Twilight laughed, stepping forward. “Stand back, this could get...unstable.”

Rainbow Dash hovered a fair distance away from where the magic would be taking place. With that out of the way, Twilight gently inserted her horn into the opening. Luckily, it wasn't so small that she felt like she could get it stuck, on that note, she charged up her horn. At full charge, she released the pent-up bolt into the machine, unsure of where it would lead. Removing her head from the hole, she looked around to see if anything had changed, so far nothing had occurred.

“Is something supposed to happen?” Rainbow asked the question on Twilight’s mind.

“I would say something, but I’m sure I’ll get interrupted by some—”

Just as Twilight predicted, the sound of technology activating drowned out the rest of her statement. Lines that she didn't even notice began to glow bright blue around the opening. The blue light illuminated them as the hum of the tech became the only sound in the room. The gentle sensation of the world tugging at their hooves took over as the train began to move forward. After about a second, the train picked up speed and they were well on their way.

“So that happened,” Rainbow commented, seemingly impressed.

“Yeah,” Twilight said, rubbing her chin. “I guess it did, and now we’re eagerly approaching our destination. The train ride should be about a day or two so get comfortable.” It seemed strange that the compartment for the engine was also a comfortable car for two, but since it was a fancy and private train, it must've been normal.

"I didn't know Equestria had this kind of technology stuff," Rainbow said, feeling the metal wall. "Why is Celestia keeping all the cool stuff for herself?"

"Maybe it's still in it's testing phase, this is probably one of the only finished models," Twilight said, wondering why she was still making excuses for Celestia at this point. She still had her fair share of questions for the Goddess of the Sun.

“Hey, why was this thing unlocked? Shouldn't it have had guards around it or at least been locked?” Rainbow asked, confused.

“I’m sure Celestia unlocked it beforehoof and trusted us to get in it before anypony else did. Also, if not for that letter, I would have had no idea how to get it moving. If somepony did get in before us, they would've been stuck at the station. Even if they knew to power it with their horns, the engine is probably synced to my magic,” Twilight answered confidently.

“Speaking of, Celestia sure likes unicorns,” Rainbow said, frowning. “She invented some sort of instant mail system just for ponies with horns, and she even made an entire train that only they could run.”

“Don’t take any offense to it, Rainbow. It’s just that she's always preferred magic over flight, it kinda impacts the way she does things. It may not be very smart, but she’s Princess Celestia, who’s going to tell her otherwise?”

“You could,” Rainbow suggested. “You’re an awesome princess now, you could probably take over and run Equestria if you wanted to.”

“But I don’t want to,” countered Twilight, feeling heat rush into her face. “And you know that! I want everything to remain the same as it was before any of this. Who even needs these wings or this crown? I only need my horn, that’s all I’ll ever need.” Twilight stared out the window, watching the world blur by.

“Oh, I get it,” Rainbow muttered. “Wings are for losers, it’s cool.”

Realizing what she said, Twilight turned around to face her friend. “Rainbow I didn't mean—”

“It’s fine, Twilight,” Rainbow muttered, looking out her window. Clearly, she was deep in her thoughts.

Knowing that the conversation was over, Twilight returned to the moving land outside. As her stomach lurched from sadness, she wondered what was wrong with her? For somepony with an ultimate understanding of friendship, she sure came into conflict with it a lot. She already learned that being friends with somepony wasn't easy, but surely she could be doing a much better job at it than she was right now. She heard that while she was catching up on her magic lessons, her friends had their fair amount of conflict with each other (she would’ve given anything to be there while new Fluttershy was in town), but somehow everything seemed to resolve itself before things got out of hoof.

It was as if their natural friendships with each other resolved their problems for them, like it did in the mirror world. To a certain decree it worked for her too, but it she wanted to know how to it like they did. Great, will she ever not feel like an outsider among them? Of course they were her best friends, and they would do anything for her and vice versa, but sometimes....

This seemed like a conversation she needed to have with one of them, but obviously Rainbow wasn't the one to do it with. Come to think of it, what were the others doing? They weren't even curious enough to come see what the glowing blue lights were about or to ask questions about the train or anything. It couldn't hurt to check up on them. Twilight got off of her seat and trotted towards the door leading to the other cars.

“Where are you going?” Rainbow asked aggressively, frowning at her.

“I need to talk to one of the girls,” Twilight informed her. “Maybe Fluttershy. Is that going to be a problem with you?”

“First I’m just a loser Pegasus,” Rainbow spat out, flapping her wings. “And now I’m not even a girl? Well what am I to you, Twilight?”

Twilight slapped her forehead with her hoof. She just had all the luck didn't she? “Are you really acting like this, Rainbow Dash? You’re anything but just a loser Pegasus, you’re one of my best friends. Why does any of this matter right now? Why does it matter to you?”

Hearing the proclamation that she was one of Twilight’s best friends, Rainbow lowered her head somberly and half-shouted, “You’re wondering why it matters to me Twilight? Maybe it’s because I—”

This time, Rainbow Dash fell victim to the interruption curse as the sound of explosions and screaming filled the air. Making sure her head was still attached, Twilight surveyed her surroundings. Aside from the large tear in the roof, everything seemed to be fine. Then again there was a large tear in the roof, so probably not.

“Rainbow, are you okay?” Twilight asked her friend as she picked herself off of the ground.

“I’m good,” she said, stretching her wings. “I just got knocked out of the air from whatever that was. Hey, what was that, by the way?”

“I don’t know, but you could fly out of that hole and see,” Twilight suggested, pointing to the large tear in the metal.

“Why don’t you? Afraid to use your dumb wings?” Rainbow sneered.

“Seriously?”

“Sorry,” Rainbow muttered, scratching the back of her head. “I’m on it.”

A streak of rainbow flew straight into the sky. Anxiously waiting for her to return, Twilight glanced around. So far, only the roof had been damaged, but she did wonder if the others were okay. Who knew where whatever it was had struck. Finally, the rainbow landed beside her, looking slightly battered.

“Rainbow!” Twilight shouted out, checking her injuries. “ Are you okay? What happened? Who’s attacking us?”

Ignoring the flood of questions, Rainbow pulled Twilight close. “Twilight! I don’t know what they are! They’re like some weird breed of Starponies or something, but they’re really strong and they shoot stuff, like energy or something. We gotta warn the others, now!”

Starponies? That sounded both impossible and rather interesting at the same time. But Rainbow was right, they needed to get their friends together and figure something out before anypony got hurt. Twilight opened the compartment door with her magic and galloped through with Rainbow close behind. After a second of galloping, Twilight found herself facing the remaining four of her friends, all looking scared.

“Girls, what is going on? It sounds as if the sky is falling!” Rarity panicked.

“We’re being attacked by Starponies!” Twilight informed them.

“Huh?” Was the response from multiple ponies.

“We don’t know, but it sounds like they’re trying to derail us or something,” Rainbow commented, looking out the window.

“What do we do?” Pinkie asked.

“Twilight, I think we’ll need your magic if we wanna drive them away,” Rainbow informed her. “You know what that means?”

She did, it meant she had to fly alongside Rainbow Dash as they fought the Starponies off together. Defensive and offensive magic was nothing new to her, but performing magic while flying, or just flying period was entirely new to her. She had only done something like it once, that was in the mirror world, but she was supported by the magic of friendship then. She didn't know if she could do it by herself. Scratch that, she was sure she couldn't do it by herself.

“I-I can’t Rainbow,” she said to her. “I can hardly fly at all, how can I fly while blasting magic at mysterious space ponies and protecting a moving train? This is way too advanced for me.”

“You can do it because I’ll be there right beside you,” Rainbow responded. “All you have to do is give me some backup.”

“Why can’t we help you?” Applejack asked, poking at the floor. “It would sure make things a hecka lot easier for you.”

“That may be,” Twilight confirmed her statement. “But not only can they fly and you can’t, we can’t risk you falling off the top of the train if we put you up there. I’m sorry girls, but it’s just too dangerous.”

Applejack looked disappointed at being told she couldn't be helpful. “Then what can we do? Watch from the windows?”

“I’m afraid so,” Twilight said sadly, putting her hoof on her shoulder. “Don’t worry, we’ll be fine as long as we know you’re safe.” Another explosion signalled that they needed to move, and fast.

“Alright,” Applejack agreed. “Go on, then.” She gave Twilight a playful push and a smile. Twilight gave a smile back and nodded to Rainbow. Together, they galloped to the nearest hole in the roof. Rainbow flew out as easily as she did the first time. Twilight hesitated for a moment, and flew straight through the hole into the sky.

She immediately came back to the realization that flying was much harder than it looks. The same realization she came to every time she tried it. Soaring at her coronation was easy because she was confident in herself and was fueled by the cheers of her fans and subjects. Flying in normal conditions was extremely difficult for her. She tried it at least nine times. Deciding to land on the train before she fell out of the air, Twilight looked to the sky to see what she was dealing with.

Surprisingly, Rainbow wasn't exaggerating. There were three of the mysterious winged ponies in the air, if you could call them ponies. They had black bodies with white stars all over them. Their manes and tails appeared to be made of spectral stardust. Their eyes were the worst offender, they were white with no pupils, no other color, just white.

“Creepy aren't they?” Rainbow commented, landing beside her. “Like I said, they’re really strong and they shoot this energy blast at you. Don’t let it hit you, you saw what it did to the train.”

“Yeah, thanks,” Twilight said, gulping. “They are really creepy though, but I think I can do this.”

“Okay, see you in the sky,” Rainbow assured her, spreading her wings. “And please be careful.” With that she flew directly into a Starpony, sending them both flying high into the air.

She certainly wasn't as proficient in hoof-to-hoof combat as Rainbow, but she made up for it by being great at magic so she decided to start with that. Mentally locking on to the nearest Starpony, Twilight charged up magic in her horn. Flapping her wings as hard as she could, she flew towards the monstrosity. It was a fact that the closer you were, the deadlier the attack, so she decided to get as close as she could in order for her blast to do the most damage.

Apparently it had the same idea as it flew towards her as well. If it unleashed one of the blasts Rainbow was talking about at close range, she might be a goner. They were only thirty feet away from each other, the wind didn't help cool her down. Twenty feet away, if it had a mouth, it sure wasn't using it. Ten feet away, just a little closer. Five feet and....

FIRE!

A large blast of raspberry magic erupted from her horn, hitting the Starpony with full force, knocking them both back. With the explosion and her lack of flying skill handicapping her, she glided back down to the train. One rough landing later, she searched the sky to see what became of her shiny opponent. What she saw instead was Rainbow Dash fighting off her two foes. She seemed to be handling herself well, but it couldn't hurt to help.

Readying herself, Twilight flapped her wings to get herself off the train, but only succeeded in getting a foot or two airborne before she was tackled back onto the metal roof. No doubt her starry enemy had come back for seconds. Feeling herself pinned underneath the weight of the Starpony, she blinked away, reappearing a few feet away from the crumpled heap of stars. Getting the head start on round two, Twilight charged at it.

Her head connected with it’s body and it was launched across the train. Somehow it managed to steady itself on a moving train after being thrown into the air. These things were skilled. Shaking it’s head to clear itself from dizziness, it flew at Twilight, using it’s wings to gain speed. Nearly matching it's speed, Twilight copied it's charge. Realizing too late that it was probably going to win this one, Twilight attempted to perform a u-turn, but instead was greeted by it's head connecting with her side.

Clutching her burning ribs, Twilight rolled around on the top of the train. She reached out and grabbed something so that she wouldn't roll off. Her side was hurting bad and she just wanted to lay there forever, but there was just too much at stake. She steadied herself just in time to see her powerful opponent attempt another charge. Seeing another opportunity to gain the upper hoof, Twilight blinked herself unto the back of the Starpony. Unsure of where to go with this, she panicked and stuck her hooves into it’s eyes.

The eyes felt like regular eyes probably would feel like if she had ever felt eyes before. Apparently she was hurting it because it flew around in a panic, nearly crashing into the side of the train in the process. She needed to steer this thing somewhere so that it didn't get both of them killed. Thankfully, an idea suddenly struck her. Using her wings and the adrenaline of battle, she steered them upwards, towards one of the two Starponies Rainbow was still fighting.

Reaching them faster than expected, Twilight detached herself and allowed it to fly right into it’s friend, knocking them both out of the air with a satisfied smack. Mentally congratulating herself on how well her first real fight was going, Twilight decided to assist Rainbow Dash. Charging up another spell, she flew closer to them.

“Rainbow!” Twilight screamed over the sound of wind and magic. “Get away from it!”

Seemingly hearing her, the Pegasus stopped wrestling with her adversary and bucked it away from her while flying away at high speed. The Starpony was confused for all of a second before it was hit with the force of magic and fell out of the sky. Wiping her forehead, Twilight took several deep breaths.

Rainbow flew over to her and patted her on the back which reminded her of the pain in her side. “Alright, Twilight! I think we did it. Nice flying by the way.”

“Thanks,” Twilight huffed. “It’s, ah, mostly the adrenaline. Ugh, I’m really tired right now and my ribs are killing me.”

“Well, let’s get you back to the train then, hotshot,” Rainbow chuckled, hooking her foreleg around Twilight’s shoulder and gently flew her towards the moving train.

Their friends would be glad to know that they could continue the rest of their journey safely. That is, if nothing else came to attack them. Who and what were those things anyway? She had never heard of ponies with star patterns, or anything with star patterns for that matter. This seemed like a great opportunity to test the letter spell she had gotten. Maybe Celestia could shed some light on what those monsters where.

Speaking of, what happened to them? She hoped they didn't...kill them. That certainly wasn't something she was okay with. King Sombra was a special case, she didn't think anyone knew an artifact with the name “Crystal Heart” was capable of completely tearing a pony apart just because they had a dark heart.

The train was finally in sight. Aside from a little damage here and there, it looked fine and it definitely looked good enough to finish the journey. From here on out, she hoped for a peaceful travel, because she couldn't much more fighting. How was Rainbow Dash able to boast about doing this on a daily basis—what was that sound?

The sound she was referring to was a soft hum, to anyone else, the hum could've been mistaken for anything, even for a type of instrument. She knew better though, she knew the hum of energy when she heard it. Turning her head as far behind her as she could, Twilight witnessed a scene so frightening, it made her nearly stopped her heart. Hovering there with it’s starry wings was her original opponent. She could tell by the way it could hardly open it’s eyes. It was different though, it was glowing a bright and clear white. Madame Pinkie herself couldn't have predicted what came next.

Time seemed to slow to a halt as Twilight disentangled herself from Rainbow Dash. Flapping her purple wings to remain airborne, she pushed Rainbow away her, it didn't matter what direction, as long as it was away from her. With her friend out of harm’s way, Twilight tried to follow, but she was too late.

She froze as the Starpony unleashed it’s charged blast of white energy straight at her. Time didn't unfreeze, the sun didn't shine, her wings didn't flap, nothing mattered as much as the ball of energy heading straight towards her. The last thing she saw before she was blasted out of the sky, was a bright white flash and then...darkness.

3: Old Friends, New Tricks

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Darkness wasn’t something that was necessarily welcome in Equestria. The night sky still gave certain ponies the creeps and others just called it a curse and demanded that the sun never set (of course that would burn them all to ashes, but apparently nopony really cared). She couldn’t really blame them, if she was there when Nightmare Moon took over, she would still be sleeping with one eye open and Smarty Pants.

Overall, the dark wasn’t as terrifying as everypony thought it was, but why was she encased in it? Everywhere she turned, there was absolute darkness. She couldn’t even tell what direction she was facing...if she still had a face. Why would she think that? What exactly happened that would lead her to this situation? All she remembered was a white flash. That wasn’t helpful, it could’ve been from glancing at the sun for all she knew.

“T—ight S—kle,” murmured a distance voice.

She attempted to look in the direction of the whisper, but remembered that she couldn’t see anything so it wouldn’t matter anyway. Focusing on where she assumed the voice was coming from, Twilight listened for the voice again. She got nothing in response, but there was no way she was giving up on what could be the answer to her predicament.

Suddenly remembering the horn jutting out of her head, she tried to activate it to get a light source. Once again, nothing. It was as if it wasn’t even there.

“B—re T—ight —llow —he —ly.”

With each sound, the whisper got further and further away from her.

“Wait!” Twilight shouted, finally finding her voice. “What are you telling me? Who are you? What’s going on?”

“F—et —stia,” the whisper sounded like it was strained. “Farewell, Twilight Sparkle.”

“Wait, what?” Twilight shouted into the darkness. “Why could I hear that clearly? Don’t go!”

She appeared to be speaking too late as she could no longer sense the voice’s presence. Convincing herself, she would be stuck there forever, Twilight covered her face with her hooves and sobbed. After a few seconds of feeling sorry for herself, her prayers appeared to be answered. A shining light cut through the darkness, creating a bright path for her to follow. Eager to escape her shadowy prison, Twilight galloped straight into the warm light.

Wherever the light took her, it was a place with a ceiling Rarity would refer to as “tacky.” It had no pattern whatsoever and appeared to be carved entirely from rocks. It was also dripping sand around her onto the floor. That would be uncomfortable except for the fact that she wasn’t on the floor, she was laying down on a bed that felt as though it was made out of straw.

She turned her head to see what else her little hut had to offer. The walls were also carved from rock and were decorated with torn scrolls and missing chunks of the rock. A chest was located in one corner and a rock table in the other one. The bed she was laying on was probably in one of the corners and there was nothing in the last corner. A large crudely shaped hole made up the door and small crude holes made up what appeared to be windows. Orange rays of the setting sun shone through the windows, indicating a large amount of time had passed since the fight on the time.

If she could get to the windows, she could pinpoint her location and get back to what she was doing before this. Lifting her foreleg to help her off the bed, she was met with a sharp pain in her ribs. Instantly, it all came rushing back to her, the quest, the train, the argument, the Starponies, the battle and her saving Rainbow Dash by taking the blast herself. The series of events leading up to her current situation explained her pained sides and the bandages wrapped around her midsection, but it didn’t tell her where she was.

She was blasted out of the sky, so it would make sense that she was completely lost. Now that she thought about it, it didn’t exactly explain why her wounds were bandaged. Obviously somepony lived in the rock hut she laid in, but who? Her question was quickly answered as a pony-shaped figure strolled through the opening. She didn’t notice before, but it seemed the blast messed with her vision as the pony was blurred in her eyes.

“You’ve finally awoken,” said the feminine voice. “It’s about time.”

“Who,” Twilight said slowly, squinting her eyes. “Who are you?”

“You don’t recognize me?” asked the apparently azure pony. “The Great and Powerful Trixie is offended by this!”

As she boasted about her name, it all clicked. Twilight’s vision cleared and standing before her was indeed Trixie, her old rival. She was wearing a strange vest that covered most of her body and seemed.. older. Her mane was slightly shriveled and she had barely noticeable wrinkles around her eyes. She wasn’t wearing her signature hat or cloak, so Twilight assumed they were somewhere in the chest.

“Trix...ie?” Twilight stammered. She wasn’t used to Trixie looking so official and mature.

“Recognize me now? Good,” Trixie said confidently, trotting to the chest and opening it with her pale magenta aura. “First of all, don’t move. I need to perform another healing spell and replace your bandages.”

Retrieving the new bandages from the chest, Trixie trotted over to Twilight and began to unravel the old bandages. For whatever reason, Twilight couldn’t help but notice that Trixie blushed as she gently removed the only thing covering her body. With the bandages removed, she could see why they were needed in the first place. Looking down at her stomach, she instantly regretted it. The lavender fur on her stomach had been replaced with a black scorch mark. It took every ounce of her willpower not to prod at it.

“It’s not too bad, but if you get hurt again, you’re a goner,” Trixie said coldly, lowering her head. “Trixie hates repeating herself, but don’t move.”

The pale magenta glow returned as Trixie charged her magic for the healing spell. Twilight recalled that she didn’t see much of the magic talent Trixie had to offer. Mostly because she only used it show off before, but now; she had a focused look of resolve in her eyes as she readied herself to cast an advanced spell such as healing. The magic built up until it shot itself into Twilight’s wound with a calming chime.

A wave of warmth spread across Twilight’s body, soothing her and giving her newfound strength. She didn’t even realize she closed her eyes until the satisfying warmth ended. Opening them, she found herself face to face with Trixie, who was wrapping her in the new bandages.

“As you can tell, the spell can’t completely heal this wound,” Trixie said, gesturing at the burn. “So you’ll just have to live with being bandaged for a while. The spell should help with your ribs though, how’d this happen anyway?”

Twilight stared in confusion at Trixie, who had changed so much since last time that she might as well be a completely different pony (or a Changeling). Realizing that Trixie asked her a question, she shook her head and cleared her throat.

“M-my friends and I are on a mission from Princess Celestia. It’s kinda confidential, but while we were getting from one point to another, we were attacked by these strange ponies with star patterns on their body and supernatural abilities. It was as if they could shoot nuclear energy out of their bodies, but they weren’t radioactive or anything.”

“Star creatures?” Trixie asked, looking down at her hooves. Since her last encounter with creatures from the stars made her leave Ponyville in shame, Twilight couldn’t blame her for being bashful about the subject. “Trixie has learned all that is known about star creatures since our last encounter. She has never heard of these Starponies you speak of.”

“It sounds like they’re not of Equestria,” Twilight exclaimed, rubbing her chin. “I planned to write a letter to Celestia about it before I was blasted out of the sky, do you have any scrolls? I could also write a letter to my friends to rendezvous somewhere nearby.”

“No, Trixie meant to get some while she was out, but she assumed you would awake soon; so she returned before she got the chance,” Trixie said, hastily looking out her rock hole window.

“Great, “ Twilight kneaded her forehead while she tried to think. “Can you at least tell me where we are and where I can get some scrolls so I can send out some letters?”

Trixie looked as appalled as Pinkie did when Twilight tried to explain to her that partying wasn’t everything. “Are you mad? With your injuries, I doubt you can even stand.”

Deciding to challenge Trixie’s claim, Twilight gently lowered all fours onto the sand floor. So far so good, now she just had to trot to illustrate her point. First step, good, second step good; falling on her face within the third step, bad. She tried pushing on the sand to get herself up, but it wasn’t working well. Remembering her wings, she got herself airborne and flew back on the bed.

“Heh, I guess I’m not fine after all,” Twilight chuckled.

“Indeed you aren’t, I suppose I’ll have to go get the scrolls after all,” Trixie sighed, refusing to meet Twilight’s eyes. “Stay here and don’t mess up my home.”

Before Twilight could even think about what to say next, Trixie galloped out of the door frame. Twilight was still trying to process the past ten minutes of her life. After waking from a terrible dream, she finds she was rescued by Trixie? That apparent act of heroism sounded nothing like the Trixie she knew, then again the unicorn who just galloped out of the rock house didn’t act like the Trixie she knew either. Actually, the new Trixie acted like a combination of the old and new to create somepony who didn’t seem to know who she was.

Moving on from her stranger than usual personality, what was she doing living in a rock house in the middle of who knows where? Twilight really should have gotten an answer to where they were before she let Trixie gallop off like that. If she didn’t know where she was, the scrolls would be useless because she couldn’t tell her friends her location. She just felt so useless lying in some bed when she had an important mission to get back to.

She almost had trotting down, she just needed to make it past the third step. Lowering herself down on the sand, she put one hoof in front of the other just like before. By the third step, she felt that something would go wrong if she continued. Wondering what could help prevent her disasters, she extended her wings to use as balance. She took her third step to see if it worked and to her surprise, she didn’t find herself lying in the sand. The fourth step went just as successful, and the fifth; she faltered slightly at the sixth, but it was still going well. It reminded her of trying to walk on only two legs when she became that strange creature in the mirror world.

Obviously she still wasn’t in any condition to properly return to her mission, but she needed to see what the outside looked like. Trixie didn’t even mention where she was going to retrieve the parchment, it could be hours before she saw her again. Don’t mess up her home, sure, it wasn’t like she had much of a home to mess up anyway. As she trotted out the door frame, she wondered once more what could possibly make Trixie want to live in a rock house, but she lost her train of thought when she reached the outside.

Calling it a desert would be an insult, but she didn’t know any other word to describe an endless land filled with sand. She thought the sand floor in Trixie’s home was some strange decorative touch, but it was clear that it was just the tip of the iceberg. Standing still put unnecessary weight on her weak body, so she trotted further into the sandy wasteland. The sand was illuminated by the beautiful sunset so it had an eerie red hue to it.

Any other pony with a severe injury and no idea where they were would’ve crawled back into their bed, but Twilight merely wandered deeper into the most likely dangerous desert. The hot sand burned her hooves but seeing as she had enough pain to deal with, she ignored it. Truthfully, she was just lucky that the sun was setting, if she had been out there during the day, the heat would have been unbearable.

Wandering around in a place she knew she shouldn’t be, was this how Sunset Shimmer felt when she first visited the mirror world? No, she had to remember that while they were both students of Celestia, they were very different. Shimmer probably relished the fact that she was trespassing, while Twilight was only doing it because she was curious. Though, in her own twisted way, Shimmer was also curious, hmm.

Just having these thoughts in her head was making Twilight feel less intelligent, exploring the massive desert in front of her required all of her focus. Though it was unlikely, it was possible that she would get lost in said desert, a signal or beacon of some sort would’ve been a smart idea. It certainly didn’t help that the entire desert had the same creepy red tint to it. How Trixie ever found enough rocks to create a house with all this sand was beyond her.

How Trixie did anything that she did in the past hour of her life was completely beyond her. It wasn’t that she thought Trixie wasn’t a good unicorn; a healing spell such as the one she used wasn’t too hard to learn (even if Twilight still hadn’t learned, much less master it), but for what purpose had she learned it for? The only magic she had ever seen Trixie use (when not under the influence of the Alicorn Amulet) was the smoke and mirrors type she had seen in Ponyville. Now Trixie was casually using advanced spells like she actually was a high-level unicorn! Was Twilight simply jealous or was she just lost?

No, she actually was lost, she could no longer see the rock house in the distance, just sand. It would be as simple as retracing her steps if the wind hadn’t removed any evidence that she had ever stepped hoof in the sand, alongside the fact that while she was deep in her thoughts; she had taken one too many twists and turns. Seeing as there was literally no going back, Twilight decided to keep moving forward until she found any trace of civilization.

Trotting past small mountains of sand so often that it felt like the past five minutes of her life was on repeat didn’t help with Twilight’s sanity. The closest thing to her current, completely ridiculous situation was marching through the blizzard by the Crystal Empire, but at least then she had a guide, now she was all alone. What good is it being a princess loved by all if you’re just going to die alone in the end? What would Celestia say if she found her student’s decaying remains in the middle of a desert? What would her friends think? Even worse, what if Rainbow Dash never got over Twilight’s death? Being the loyal one, Rainbow would surely blame herself if anything happened to Twilight.

Wandering through an endless desert sure had a way of bringing out your darkest thoughts, why couldn’t Twilight think of anything positive? Probably because there was nothing positive about her bleak situation. Countless red mountains of grain were spread in front of her, each one more annoying than the last simply because they never seemed to end.

She didn’t even dare to attempt to use her wings to get a bird’s eye view on the desert. Such an attempt would most likely just result in plummeting back into the sand at high speeds. Not to mention somepony with her flying experience could never get enough altitude to truly see anything in the crimson sandbox she wandered in.

What even was her goal at this point? Trot into the sunset and wait for Celestia to solve all her problems just like when she was her student? Obviously things didn’t work that way between them anymore. She had once seen Celestia’s own personal gallery of her life in the weird magical realm she went to for her transformation. Was Celestia watching over her at that very moment? Judging her mistakes much in the same way the Queen of Equestria was? It occurred to her that being watched all hours of the day was a very creepy thought. She made a mental note to never watch over her future student.

A sound like an explosion being interrupted by another explosion ruptured the silence, leaving behind very terrifying echoes in it’s wake. Twilight spun in a quick circle and fell over as a result. Getting back on her hooves, she saw nothing around her that could’ve caused the noise, which of course, greatly frightened her. The sound was too clear to have come from underground and the origin of the sound seemed to come from somewhere behind her. If only that information was actually helpful; all she knew was that she should be galloping as fast as her aching legs could carry her.

If she heard the roar again, then she would probably be able to pinpoint the location of the thing making it. Even if she figured out what made the sound; based on how loud the roar was, there was no way she would be able to defend herself against it. Even if she could properly focus her magic, she still couldn’t defeat anything larger than the average pony with her basic combat spells. After seeing how dangerous Sunset Shimmer turned out to be, Twilight finally understood why Celestia never let her focus on combat spells as a filly. If Celestia wasn’t so insistent on the subject, Twilight would’ve learned more of those instead of the mundane spells she’d been focusing on instead. None of which was currently helping her.

The exploding roar broke through her thoughts once again, nearly making her heart stop. It definitely got closer and more terrifying than last time. Her options (and possibly her time) were running out as the monster got nearer. It was clearly above ground, so why couldn’t she see it? The wind wasn’t bad enough to hide a giant monster, which brings up the possibility of a type of camouflage or total invisibility. She prayed to Celestia that it was the first one, she didn’t feel like being thrown around by an invisible monster today.

She fell forward into the sand and pushed herself back up, but froze as she heard a soft growl. Was it watching her? Judging her movements and waiting to strike like a predator would stalk it’s prey? If there was one thing Twilight Sparkle wasn’t, it was prey. She didn’t want to be the predator either, but she refused to die in the jaws of some creature.

Deciding to test how close and how hidden her stalker was, Twilight shot a flare into the air. She immediately heard rustling behind her, followed by another soft growl. It was definitely close and had some sort of invisibility. She already had one being she couldn’t see watching her, she didn’t need another one. Preparing herself with several deep breaths, Twilight turned around.

With a swish of her neck, Twilight magically slashed the ground, causing a stream of sand to fly into what seemed like air. The sand bounced off the “air” as the insanely loud roar shattered the air. Her suspicions unfortunately confirmed, Twilight took off in the opposite direction as fast as she could without irritating her injury too much. The sound of steps and the sand flying in all directions told her that it was close on her tail.

Twilight glanced behind her before she remembered that she wouldn’t be able to tell how close an invisible monster was to her. Mentally punishing herself, she realized that if she made another mistake she’d be done for. After a minute of running, Twilight felt as though she was in one of the puppet shows she witnessed as a filly, the one where the villain chases the main character around the same area over and over. The desert had the same repeating pattern as it did before, which was not helping her dire situation.

Panicking, Twilight dug a quick hole in the sand with her magic and jumped inside, quickly filling the hole back up with sand as she did so. Closing her eyes to protect them from sand, Twilight waited with bated breath for the monster to pass by. From underground, she heard the heavy steps as it wandered around her hole, somehow unaware that she was right underneath it. Her heart beat faster than a sonic rainboom as she waited for her predator to leave.

After a soft growl that sounded as though it was a warning, the camouflaged beast stomped off, more importantly; stomped away from her. After waiting a few more seconds just to be safe, Twilight dug away the sand and scanned the desert once more. Even though she couldn’t see it, she could just sense that the beast left. Sighing her hundredth sigh of relief, Twilight climbed out of the hole and thought about what her next move would be.

She had decided to try sending a flare into the sky to see if anypony would see it, when she felt it. It wasn’t an instinct as much as it was something necessary to do if she wanted to survive. Her legs moved on their own, not waiting on her brain to give the signal. What began as a gallop evolved into what Rainbow Dash would compare to her Super Speed Strut. Every injury on her body screamed at her to stop, but she knew that if she did, she would die. It was only after the explosion of sand that she barely noticed through her adrenaline stopped that she knew she could slow down. She didn’t of course, or else the beast would’ve been that much closer.

She thought it left; it wasn’t often that she was wrong about something unless it had something to do with Pinkie Pie, but clearly she was wrong to assume that the monster left. She also wasn’t sure how she knew to get out of the way when her predator attacked the spot she once stood, but she wasn’t able to question that until she got to safety. This time she was sure she could sense the beast and it was eagerly following her. Perhaps galloping away from something that obviously responded to movement was a bad idea, but Twilight wasn’t at her best today.

Taking another chance, Twilight quickly fired a spell behind her. She was satisfied by the sound of it exploding against her pursuer. She hoped it would double as the flare she needed because she no longer had the time to cast a proper one. Even though the blast should have surely stalled it, it seemed to have picked up speed and was now inches from her.

Her injuries were no longer taking no for an answer, she clearly had to stop galloping. Her instincts told her that stopping meant certain death, but her body told her that there was no other option. Another magic blast would just slow her down, which would bring her that much closer to her death. She could smell it’s breath, the scent of death; what a terrible last scent. If only she could get airborne; then again, any attempt to fly would allow the creature to snatch her out of the sky because of how slow her ascent would be.

Out of options and out of time, Twilight allowed the burn on her stomach to spread across her body as she continued to gallop only to stall her death long enough for her last thoughts. Instantly, images of her friends and family popped into her mind. She would never live long enough to be an aunt to Shining Armor and Cadence’s offspring. She would go down in history as Equestria’s worst princess, not even lasting a full year. For some reason neither of these seemed as bad as the fact that she would never fully make amends with Rainbow Dash.

A bright flash followed by a pained roar snapped her back into reality. Craning her head, what Twilight saw made her stop completely. She expected to see nothing as usual when you’re being chased by an invisible monster, but instead she saw a twenty-foot tall muscular serpent with three heads all looking confused and deadly at the same time. A hydra. The last hydra she faced had four heads instead of three, but then again that one didn’t turn invisible, or had a muscular body.

Between the legs of the serpent monster, stood an azure unicorn with a faint glow to her horn. The familiar pony looked straight at Twilight and opened it’s mouth.

“Go!” shouted Trixie.

Twilight certainly didn’t need to be told twice, but the pain in her body said otherwise. The pain in her burned stomach had basically immobilized her by now. Moving her legs one after the other was a painful task, one that she wouldn’t be able to complete in time to save her life. All of the hydra heads roared straight at her, as if reminding her that she was doomed. Another flash ruptured the desert air as the heads turned towards Trixie.

“Yes, I t-the Great a-and Powerful Trixie have challenged you, do you accept?!” Trixie shouted, rearing up in an attempt to seem bigger.

Trixie fired another blast straight into one of the heads to further illustrate her challenge. Shaking it’s heads in frustration, it focused all it’s attention on Trixie and stomped towards her. Trixie galloped away while still firing blasts of magic at it. Twilight continued to quickly limp away, self-assured that Trixie would keep the monster busy.

After a few painful seconds of limping, Twilight realized that she was getting nowhere fast. How long could Trixie could keep something like that busy anyway? How long would it be before Trixie gets stuck in the same situation Twilight was stuck in? Cornered with no hope of survival. Except that a hope did arrive in the form of a boastful azure unicorn. Now Trixie’s only hope was limping away, saving herself....

As soon as Twilight spun around and limped in the other direction, she knew she made a mistake. As soon as her horn lit up with magic, she knew she was only dooming herself. As soon as her body was engulfed in the familiar aura of teleportation and appeared facing a large hydra and tired pony, she knew her body was out of energy.

“If you’re going to pick on somepony,” Twilight coughed out, her speech slurred and raspy. “Then pick—on—me!” Not knowing where this energy was coming from, Twilight prepared another blast, one that would make the one she used on the Starpony look weak. This last resort would ultimately save Trixie’s life, but no doubt end Twilight’s.

The hydra released his devastating roar, letting them know that it was out of patience. Trixie was saying something, but Twilight could no longer hear anything except soft buzzing. Aiming her horn at the hydra’s stomach, she let go of the magic, allowing it to launch itself into the mighty beast. A bright flash became all that she could see as darkness engulfed her once more.

Considering how often she encountered darkness, Twilight probably should’ve been Luna’s student instead of Celestia. She was right back where she started, surrounded by absolute darkness with no source of light to be seen. Except, instead of being unconscious, this time, she was probably dead.

Unlike last time, she retained her memory on how she came to be here. Of all the ways to go, she never expected to die saving Trixie. Fluttershy, yes, but Trixie? Hopefully, her last spell did the job and Trixie got away, if not, then her last moments were all for nothing. Nevertheless, she was dead now, and she was not going to spend the rest of her afterlife in complete. She repeated her routine of looking around in the dark until a voice made her jump.

“You’ve r—urned, T—ght S—kle,” said the distant voice from before.

Looking in the direction of the voice Twilight searched for it’s host but it was as if the darkness was speaking to her.

“Who are you?” Twilight asked.

“My i—nity will r—main a mys—y to you,” it replied.

“You realize I can’t understand anything you’re saying right?” Twilight informed it.

The voice remained silent for so long that Twilight thought it had left her there in the darkness. Suddenly her mane began flowing, which she considered illogical as there was wind here, until she noticed that stars began appearing above her. Was she back on Equestria? Or was this her own personal Heaven? The stars were becoming bigger, which was also illogical. Now the stars were blending together to form large white spots. She tried to count how many ways this was impossible until she finally realized that the stars weren’t growing, the darkness was shrinking! Not only that, but it seemed to be drawn to a certain point like a vortex sucks in everything around it. The darkness appeared to be forming a shape similar to how Celestia can use light to form herself.

The shape manifested into a tall shadowy mare with shining eyes. It seemed to radiate power as if she standing in the presence of a divine being. It’s flowing mane of darkness seemed to flow without rhyme or reason, as if it was chaos that was barely being controlled. Now that the darkness was concentrated into this being, they were standing in infinite white space.

“I have broken free of my imprisonment for a short time,” said the shadow mare. “We have very little time to speak, so I will say that you cannot know of my identity or I will pay the price. You must trust me enough to listen when I tell you to abandon your current quest.”

Twilight considered it’s words for a moment. Wasn’t she dead? Wouldn’t that automatically mean that she couldn’t continue the quest?

“Are you telling me that I’m still alive?” Twilight asked with enthusiasm.

Even though reading it’s expression was somewhat impossible, Twilight could tell that it was surprised by her question.

“Of course not,” it responded. “Why would you...never mind, when you wake, immediately find your friends and return home.”

“I can’t, I have the opportunity to do something great for Equestria. It’s my duty as a princess and an Element of Harmony to see this through.”

“You’re allowing your desire to prove yourself as a ruler overshadow your reasoning. This is a deadly trait that will bring your downfall if you do not heed my words.”

“You seem to be composed of darkness, something that’s feared in Equestria. Do you want to see Equestria fall?”

“You don’t know anything about me, who are you to—time’s running out. If you value your life and the life of your loved ones, do not finish your quest!”

The darkness that composed the mare seemed to be unraveling itself. The white space was being consumed by the darkness. The creature’s body completely melted into it’s surroundings, all except for it’s eyes. As it’s dark body melted, it’s shining eyes grew and melded together. The eye grew more and became a large shining frame. Similar to last time, Twilight galloped into it, hoping she would go back to Equestria instead of going to Heaven.

If she weren’t so happy to be alive, she would be annoyed to be waking up to the rock ceiling again. Looking around she saw that the rock hut was the same as before, but now had a pile of scrolls filling up the corner that used to be empty. Seems like Trixie got the scrolls after all. Speaking of, Twilight didn’t see Trixie anywhere, she did survive didn’t she?

Apparently Twilight was so concerned about Trixie that she let out an audible sigh of relief when she trotted into the hut. At the sound of her sigh, Trixie shot her a snotty look that reminded her of certain ponies in Canterlot.

“Once again, you wake up in my home and once again you save my life. Make sure neither of those ever happen again. Do you understand Twilight Sparkle?”

Twilight slightly nodded her head, which was apparently enough to give her a headache. Not that she was surprised, considering all the magic she used last time she was awake.

“Good, now that that’s been said,” Trixie said calmly. Suddenly she fired magic from her horn and blew a new hole in her rocky home. “Do. You. Have. Any idea how stupid you are?! There I was, acquiring the scrolls that YOU requested from the village that you would’ve run into if you have ANY sense of direction and there you are; thinking you can take down an Ignis Hydra all by yourself and—and now you have wings and ugh!”

If Twilight’s head wasn’t already aching, it would’ve been after that scolding. Judging by the way Trixie was heaving, Twilight could tell that she wasn’t allowed to talk yet so she gave Trixie a few more minutes to calm down.

“I’m not quite used to the wings yet actually,” Twilight said, attempting to break the ice. “And I have them because I’m a princess now...surprise.”

“I know,” Trixie said through clenched teeth, her voice still laced with anger. “I’m not as out of touch as it seems. Of course, after seeing what little you can actually accomplish on your own; I’m seriously doubting that you deserve to be a princess.”

Even though Twilight wondered the same thing on a daily basis, something about hearing it out of Trixie’s mouth caused something in Twilight’s mind to snap.

“I can’t believe someone as boastful and rude as you would accuse me of not deserving my title Ms. Great and Powerful. You do realize my friends and I have saved Equestria multiple times? Once we even had to save Ponyville from you! I’m not saying I’m the most qualified pony in the world, but I’m certainly qualified enough, thank you very much.”

Trixie seemed to consider this while she stared out the window. Twilight also considered her words. Hearing herself say it made her realize that she meant every word of it, which surprised her. She thought the only way she would accept herself as a princess is if she went down in history as the princess who brought eternal peace, but apparently all she needed was to nearly die twice in the timespan of twenty-four hours.

“I was fully capable of defeating the Ignis Hydra by myself you know,” Trixie muttered quietly. “You didn’t need to risk your life to save mine.”

“I know you feel like you don’t need anyone, but everypony could use a helping hoof from time to time.”

“You misunderstand Trix—me,” Trixie said sadly, turning to face her. “Ever since you released me from the influence of the Alicorn Amulet, I dedicated my life to reaching that insane level of magic through hard work. Obviously I’m not quite there yet, but I’m definitely a better unicorn than I was that day, and a better pony in general.”

“I’ve noticed you struggling to act like a civilized pony while keeping your true self at bay. Have you ever considered that the boastful side of you is the real you—”

“No!” Trixie suddenly screamed.

Caught off-guard by this sudden outburst, Twilight accidentally became airborne and fell harshly back onto the bed.

“It isn’t and it can’t be,” Trixie said sadly, lowering her head in sorrow. “As a filly at Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns, I was always ridiculed for not being as advanced as the other Unicorns. They all laughed at me and told me that I was pathetic and weak, it didn’t take much to convince me that they were right.”

Trixie raised her head and Twilight was pleasantly surprised that there were no tears on her face. It couldn’t have been easy to admit something as heavy as that. The strange thing was that Twilight didn’t remember any accounts of bullying at her old school and didn’t remember seeing Trixie at all when she was there.

“Everyday I went home and lied to my caring mother; telling her that I was having a lot of fun and learning so much at the school that she spent every bit to send me to. It wasn’t until I came home crying one day that she learned the truth. Once she knew, I thought she would take out of the school, but instead she told me not to give up. She said that I had to prove I wasn’t pathetic or weak by becoming Great and Powerful.”

Trixie stared into the sky as if searching for her mother in the stars; Twilight often saw the same look in Applejack’s eyes. It was then that Twilight noticed that it was daylight outside. Had she been unconscious the entire night? Feeling as though Trixie was done sharing about her past, Twilight trotted up beside her.

“Trixie, I understand what it means to feel like you have to prove something; especially to yourself, but—”

“Oh, I’m sure you do!” Trixie angrily snapped at her, the sad look in her eye replaced by one of fury. “You were something of a legend at the school. All everypony ever talked about was the little unicorn who Celestia personally chose to be her student even though she nearly flunked her entrance exam. I was always being compared to you, whenever they noticed me actually I was passing, they mocked me by asking if I thought I was Twilight Sparkle. When I finally met you in Ponyville, I was insulted that my entire childhood was ruined by somepony who wouldn’t even stand up for herself. When you took care of the Ursa Minor so easily, I just had to retreat because I knew then, I knew that you were everything they said you were and more.

“I realized that I had to take my magic to the next level; your level. I tried to put in the patience to advance my magic, but back then I was so obsessed with power that I wanted it as soon as possible. Once I learned of the Alicorn Amulet, I dedicated my life to acquiring it, doing anything that would get the bits I needed. Even working on that terrible rock farm.”

“Hey, Pinkie Pie grew up on that rock farm!” Twilight interrupted.

“Is that really what you’re going to speak out about? Really?” Trixie asked, rolling her eyes. “The Amulet told me things that clogged my mind, muddled my decisions, made me see nothing but red. After you tricked me into taking it off, I could see clearly for the first time in my life. It was as if the Amulet fused with my ambition for power so much that once it was gone, it took my darkness with it. For the first time, I felt remorse for my actions; I didn’t like it. I was prepared to beg for your forgiveness, which is why I was so relieved that you were so forgiving.”

“So basically you had to become more evil in order to become good?” Twilight asked, attempting to process the thought.

“I wasn’t evil, I was just hungry for the kind of attention I never received from anyone except my mother. Anyway, once I decided to give up my selfish ways, I galloped. I galloped and galloped, determined to find somewhere I can use to make a fresh new start. That’s when the Ignis Hydra first attacked me. At the time I wasn’t good enough with magic to defend myself against an actual threat so naturally, I fled. Eventually I found a very large rock, after blasting a large hole in it, I hid inside. After a while, the Hydra just left and it wasn’t like I had anywhere else to go so I just stayed in the rock that would eventually become my home. The nearby village is the only one in all of the Badlands, so I go there for all my supplies.”

“So this place is called the Badlands?” Twilight asked.

“It’s amazing what you get out of my life story,” Trixie said coldly, letting out an annoyed sigh. “Yes, this is one of the most dangerous places in Equestria, the Badlands. The only way I’ve survived this long is by training with the old Unicorns in the village who’ve spent their whole life here. This vest I’m wearing is one that’s been crafted to boost my magic and maintain my defenses. I went out and got an extra one for you, because I know you’ll need it on your journey.”

Trixie lifted a vest identical to the one she was wearing out of her chest and fitted it onto Twilight. Even though it appeared to be heavy, the vest was relatively light and easy to wear.

“Wow, thanks Trixie.”

“It’s me who should be thanking you. You turned me into the unicorn I am today. I thought I hated you, but I now see you as a true friend. Perhaps the only one I have left.”

“I’m happy to hear you say that, Trixie.”

Twilight pulled Trixie into a short but satisfying hug.

“I’m glad I got to see you again, but I really should send a scroll to my friends already. While I was unconscious I got some new found motivation to continue my journey.”

“Right, but how do we know where to send it? Do you know your friends’ next destination?” Trixie asked.

“Actually, I got this cool new spell that I’ve been dying to try out. It’s gonna make delivering letters a breeze.”

4: The Things We Live With

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Not many afternoons go by peacefully in the Badlands and today was no exception as the sound of exploding rock echoed throughout the dangerous desert as Equestria’s newest princess apologized for what must have been the fifth time in the past hour alone.

“Oops,” Twilight Sparkle squeaked, blushing as she studied the new hole in the rock hut. “Sorry again, Trixie. Mastering that spell is harder than you made it sound.”

“I realize that, but you’re trying to do a simple revealing spell; how do you keep blowing holes in my home?” Trixie sighed and resealed yet another hole.

“I don’t know; I’ve always had trouble mastering spells but at least I could cast them. This feels like trying to push down a wall. I just don’t get it.”

“Then figure it out,” Trixie scolded. “If you really plan on leading your friends through the Badlands, then you must learn the revealing spell. Otherwise you’ll all be eaten by the Ignis Hydra in a matter of minutes.”

“Why can they turn invisible anyway?” Twilight thumped her horn.

“They absorb the heat in the air to cloak themselves,” Trixie explained. “It’s a useful ability considering that without it, they would never be able to catch their prey.”

Twilight charged up her magic for another attempt at the spell when something Trixie said clicked in her head.

“Catch their prey?” Twilight stared befuddled. “What other kind of creatures inhabit the Badlands?”

“Everything you see in your nightmares and more.” Trixie looked out to the horizon, as if she was remembering something better left forgotten.

“Those spells you taught me,” Twilight said, trotting up beside her. “Are they strong enough to protect me and my friends from those creatures?”

“In my hooves they were good enough, in your hooves they’ll be more than good enough,” Trixie reassured her friend.

“How can you be sure? I can’t even perfect a revealing spell.”

“Because...you’re Twilight Sparkle,” Trixie said happily, shooting her a warm smile. “All this time I’ve been boasting about myself and you’re the one who can do the impossible.”

Twilight looked at her hooves as she felt her cheeks turn red. Trixie let out a soft giggle as she continued to watch the horizon. Now that it was morning, the sand glittered it’s proper color. It was much easier to look at; every time she glanced at the ground when it was red, she imagined it was stained with her own blood. The thing is that it still could be. In order to continue their quest, she would have to rendezvous with her friends and lead them through the Badlands to safety. How she would accomplish this considering she hasn’t even conquered the terrible land herself, she had no idea. The spells Trixie knew where supposed to help her, but she just couldn’t understand why she couldn’t cast them. Though she did have a theory....

“You think my friends have entered the Badlands yet?” Twilight wondered aloud.

“Only one way to find out, send out a flare. The creatures won’t notice, they can’t even look at the sky; they hate the sun too much.”

Trusting Trixie’s genuine smile, Twilight gulped and harnessed her magic. Sending out a distress spell was something that she could still do, considering that she would need to do that often when she was put to Celestia’s tests when she was little. The Canterlot Maze was terrifying at night and she would often call upon Celestia’s assistance to finish her task.

She unleashed her magic into the sky, allowing it to form a small comet-like body. The small stream exploded in the sky, emitting a soft screeching sound as it did so. If her friends were anywhere near her, they would surely see her signal.

“There, I hope they see it,” Twilight said, staring at her creation.

“I’ve never met anypony as dedicated to each other as you and your friends,” Trixie proclaimed. “If anypony could ever find somepony with as little as possible to go on, it’d be your friends.”

“You know, they can be your friends too Trixie,” Twilight informed her. “In fact, come with us! If anyone was fit to lead us through this place it’s you. You could even come back to Ponyville with us!”

“I knew you’d offer this eventually,” Trixie sighed heavily. “I said I came here to find a fresh start, that’s not the whole truth. Living in a place where I could be killed in my sleep every night is my own personal punishment for myself.”

“That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard!” Twilight angrily scolded. “You’ve changed, you’ve learned the error of your ways, you deserve a second chance.”

“You what I did with my second chance, Twilight? I enslaved all of Ponyville. Does that sound like an action that could simply be forgiven?”

“I’ve already forgiven you.”

“But I still haven’t forgiven myself. My past isn’t something that can be forgotten, believe me, I’ve tried. It’s a past that I must live with and learn from; living everyday as a way to bring something positive into the world.”

“You’re not doing anything positive by imprisoning yourself here!”

“I’m preventing myself from doing something negative.”

Even reformed, Trixie was still the most stubborn pony Twilight had ever met. No matter hard she tried, Twilight knew that she would never convince Trixie to come with her. The thought of Trixie living out the rest of her days in the deadliest place in Equestria didn’t sit well with Twilight so she made a promise both to herself and to Trixie.

“Listen, my friends and I are on a mission that’ll end with eternal peace. I know it sounds impossible, but it’s possible. I know because I won’t stop fighting until I’ve earned you your freedom. When the eternal peace hits, it’ll purify the Badlands, allowing you to live out the rest of your life peacefully whether you want it or not.”

“What exactly are you trying to say?” Trixie shifted uncomfortably.

“I’m saying that as a princess of Equestria, I royally decree that I’m going to give you the happy life you deserve, one way or another.”

Trixie looked as though she wanted to say something, but decided against it and trotted into her rocky domain. Sighing with frustration, Twilight absentmindedly moved the sand around with her hoof while she let the consequences of her actions settle upon her. Of course she would try to reach her goal, but what if something got in the way? Without Trixie, she would’ve died alone in the Badlands; clearly she couldn’t survive on her own.

How would she be able to keep a promise she made against her better judgement if her flaws kept getting in the way? There was no way for her to become perfect, but if she could just overcome her obstacles then things would be a lot easier. Whatever she had to do, she should plan beforehoof instead of making things up as she went along. Trixie had made them breakfast, but Twilight’s anxiety must have absorbed all of her food, because she was hungry again. She couldn’t eat all of Trixie’s food before leaving her, so she refused to eat more of her food. At a time like this, she could really use that cupcake she had.

A loud explosion interrupted her thoughts. Caught off guard, Twilight became accidentally airborne again, but because her wounds finally healed it didn’t hurt to stay hovering. She searched around for the source of the sound, fearing that the hydra returned for revenge. She struggled to find out where it was coming from until she looked up and immediately wondered how she could of missed the colorful explosion in the sky. She paused and thought if that was what she thought it was until she realized that a colorful streak was heading towards her at high speeds.

“Twiiiiiiiliiiiiight!” shouted the familiar-sounding strip of color as it rammed into Twilight, sending her crashing into the sand. Rubbing her head, Twilight dislodged herself from the cyan blue pony who had knocked her out of the air.

“Nice to see you too, Rainbow Dash,” Twilight mumbled as she made sure her teeth were still aligned.

“Nice to see you? Really?” Rainbow Dash shouted as she hovered in the air. “I—we were so worried about you! As soon as I saw you get blasted out of the sky I tried to follow you, but that Starpony was stubborn. By the time I fended it off, I lost sight of you. I t—thought I’d never see you again.”

Rainbow Dash softly landed and stared at the sand with a sad look that spoke volumes. Twilight could tell that underneath her hard exterior, Rainbow was genuinely and deeply worried about her. Twilight leaned in and gave her friend the wing-hug she asked for yesterday, and was delighted when she returned it. Just through this show of affection, Twilight felt her injured soul repairing itself, as if the traumatizing events of the past day had never happened and they were still reading books together back in Ponyville.

“Where are the others?” Twilight asked as she retracted her wing.

“Those slowpokes are on their way,” Rainbow scoffed. “As soon as we saw your flare, I got airborne to see if I could find you from the air. Once I did, I think I got a little too excited and performed a sonic rainboom on my way over to you. Hehe, sorry.”

“It’s fine, it just startled me is all. Let’s just hope the monsters didn’t hear it or we’ll be in big trouble.”

“Monsters?” Rainbow looked around. “I don’t see any monsters—whoa! Okay, maybe I see one.”

Rainbow gestured behind Twilight. Thinking that a hydra had snuck up on her again, Twilight jumped and landed beside Rainbow. Once she saw what Rainbow was gesturing to, she smacked the top of her head.

“Ow!” Rainbow massaged her head. “What was that for?!”

“That’s not a monster, that’s Trixie.” Twilight waved her foreleg at the former trickster who had come outside.

“I am Trixie, but I also wouldn’t deny being a monster,” Trixie said coolly, rubbing one of her eyes. “Anyway, I came outside when I heard the crash, and didn’t want to interrupt your reunion.”

The thought of Trixie watching them hugging unnerved her for some reason. Embarrassed, she returned to scolding Rainbow, which had become something of a defense mechanism for her.

“Trixie is the reason I’m alive and you call her a monster? I think you should apologize.”

Twilight expected Rainbow to fight her request, but instead she just looked hurt, making Twilight feel bad too. Was she the one who should be apologizing?

“There’s no need to say sorry for expressing the truth,” Trixie continued to defend Rainbow’s statement. “When will you be leaving?”

“Soon as the others get here,” Rainbow said harshly, stepping forward. “I don’t think they’ll want to be in your presence anymore then I do.”

Twilight gasped at the rudeness of her friend, but Trixie just chuckled softly and trotted back inside.

“Huh? That wasn’t like Trixie at all. What happened to he—” Rainbow’s sentence was cut off by Twilight’s intense glare.

“Sometimes you really are the rudest pony I’ve ever met.”

Twilight trotted away from her, but only got a few feet before she was tackled by a group of colorful ponies.

“Twilight!” Collectively shrieked her friends.

“Girls!” Twilight gasped as she recovered the air that was knocked out of her.

All except for Pinkie Pie got the message and got off of her. She had to telekinetically pry Pinkie off her.

“I missed you all so much!” Twilight smiled as her soul fully repaired itself, much stronger than before.

“Missed you doesn’t even cover it, sugarcube!” Applejack wiped tears from her eyes. “We thought you were a goner, Ah could barely sleep last night.”

“You know, darling, it wouldn’t hurt to have put directions in your letter. Without that flare we never would’ve found in this uncouth sandy land. Lovely vest by the way, even though I would have chosen any other color.” Rarity constantly moved her legs so that she didn’t sink too far into the sand.

“Right, I’ll definitely make sure to include a map with my next letter, sorry,” Twilight chuckled uncomfortably. She didn’t want her friends to know that she still had no idea where to go.

“Not knowing if you were okay or not was like waiting for a surprise birthday party. Sooner or later everypony would jump out and yell SURPRISE! And here you are!” Pinkie Pie rushed forward to hug Twilight again.

“First I was worried, then I was crying, then I was worried and crying, and seeing that you’re okay; I think I might cry again.” Fluttershy softly nuzzled her.

Hearing her friends tell her how much they missed her gave her newfound confidence in their adventure. Now that they were together again, nothing would tear them apart again. Now there was just one more thing bugging her.

“Girls? Where’s my saddlebags? You didn’t lose it did you? The Elements are in there!”

“Calm down, sugarcube,” Applejack laughed. “Are y’all really worrying already? Rainbow Dash took it upon herself to keep your bags safe. She wouldn’t even let us have a turn.”

Twilight looked over at Rainbow Dash, who was sitting away from them, staring at the ground, and finally noticed that she did have her saddlebags in addition to her own bags.

“Rainbow?” Twilight spoke softly. “Can I have my saddlebags back now?”

Brought back to reality, Rainbow sat up and looked at Twilight. The look was filled with emotions that she couldn’t quite understand, but knew that they were strong. Just how badly did her insult hurt her?

“Yeah, sure Twi.” Rainbow spoke in a monotone as she removed Twilight’s bags and held them out to her. Twilight levitated them onto her and secured them over her protective vest. Upon inspection, she found that all of her supplies were still there, most importantly the Elements.

“Thanks for keeping it safe,” Twilight said awkwardly, giving her another wing-hug, but this time she remained stiff through it.

“Ahem, we’ll leave in a second, just let me say goodbye to Trixie real fast.”

She could feel the group tense up as she said Trixie’s name. She had told them in the letter that she was staying with Trixie and not to panic, but it seemed that hearing it and seeing it was a different story. As soon as she stepped inside, Trixie said, “You’re leaving now, correct?”

“Uh, yeah we are,” Twilight sighed, squirming uncomfortably. “And I—”

“You came to say goodbye and remind me of your ridiculous promise, yes, yes; hurry up and go already while it’s still daylight.” Trixie had her back turned to Twilight as she intercepted her sentence.

Realizing that Trixie had basically started and finished their goodbye, Twilight headed for the door. As she stepped outside she looked back and said, “Goodbye, friend.”

Trixie mumbled something about foolish promises as Twilight left the rock hut for what would probably be the last time. She would have to remember to keep in contact with Trixie through the letter spell.

“What took so long?” Rainbow impatiently spat.

“Took so long? She was only gone for a good minute,” Applejack reasoned.

“Was I asking you?” Rainbow snapped at Applejack.

“No, but Ah’m askin’ you to calm down. We’ve got a job to do and we can’t be wastin’ time with pointless arguments.” Applejack’s words rang true, but she also gave Rainbow a look that seemed to exchange something private between them. Rainbow seemed to understand and backed off. Twilight wondered what happened between them while she was gone.

“Okay, if everypony is ready, then we have a desert to cross.” Twilight began to trot forward, unaware of where forward would take them. The first few minutes weren’t as bad as she thought, because with her friends for company she wasn’t constantly worrying about her sanity. They asked Twilight about what happened to her while they were separated and she made sure to tell them almost everything. She decided that describing some of her moments with Trixie in detail would make Rainbow Dash angrier than she already was, so she skipped the part about risking her life to save Trixie’s.

She did make sure to tell them all about the shadowy mare in her dreams, and if they should worry about being watched. They all agreed that it was strange and that there was definitely more to this than they knew. If anymore lives were endangered because Celestia didn’t feel like sharing a few details, Twilight was going to go completely insane.

A few times she joked about how she would have done better with a brave pony like Rainbow Dash at her side, but her efforts to lighten the colorful pony’s mood failed. Her confident friend had been in moods like this before, but this one felt different. It couldn’t have been the insult because she usually brushed comments like that off. It must have been about her spending time with Trixie, but why would that upset her? Perhaps Applejack has the answer.

Now that they were all caught up, their only conversation pieces were Rarity’s quips about the sand ruining her hooficure and Pinkie just being Pinkie. It wasn’t long before the eerie mood of the Badlands killed their spirits just as it had killed (the spirits of) so many ponies before them. Even Rainbow’s face had turned more nervous than angry, although every time she noticed Twilight watching, it returned to anger.

Terrifying minutes to hours as the unusually peaceful trek through the deadly desert was still getting them nowhere. Every time Twilight sensed that they were going the wrong way, she led them in another direction, telling them that she suddenly remembered it was that way. In truth, she was completely going on instinct and was constantly worried that her friends would discover she was a fraud. Every hour that they were still in the desert was painful as she waited for one of her friends to snap at her.

The absence of the predators was probably what worried Twilight the most. Mostly, it was the feeling that a Ignis Hydra was probably watching them at that moment. They should’ve seen hordes of monsters by now, but they hadn’t even heard a peep. What were they waiting for?

“It sure is gettin’ dark,” Applejack announced, “shouldn’t we set up camp for the night?”

“Sorry, too dangerous,” Twilight responded without stopping. “If we rest in the Badlands, we’ll probably be eaten in our sleep.”

“Yeah right,” Rainbow grumbled. “We’ve been trotting for hours and we haven’t seen a single dangerous thing.”

“Hey, I’ve been wondering that too,” Twilight agreed. “It’s really weird that there are no monsters around. That’s why we have to keep our guard up, they could attack us at any time.”

“My aching hooves could use a break,” chimed Rarity. “This sand has been absolutely dreadful for my hooficure.”

“We know!” Twilight, Rainbow and Applejack collectively agreed.

“Look, this place is like the pits of Tartarus at night. If we stop, there’s no way we’ll make it out in one piece.”

“Did you see it for yourself or did Trixie tell you that?” Rainbow taunted.

“And what if she did?” Twilight turned around. “She’s been living here for months and you just got here. Following her advice should be a no-brainer.”

“Not if you’re following it blindly!” Rainbow stepped closer.

“The only one blind here is you if you won’t listen to some advice just because the person giving them is a jerk!” Twilight also moved closer.

“Please, I was friends with Gilda remember? I’m capable of taking advice from jerks.”

“Then why are you picking on Trixie?”

“Why are you so intent on defending her?! Do you like her better than us? Is that it?” Rainbow’s voice was filled with more pain than what she would’ve expected considering the type of conversation they were having. Twilight was going to comment on it when Applejack stepped in.

“Quit yer shouting!” Applejack pushed them away from each other’s seething face. “If those creatures are here then they’ll be attracted to all the noise you two are makin’! Look, we’re all tired right? The way Ah see it, if we do find one of those beasts, we’ll be fightin’ a losing battle if we go in yawnin’. We’ll set up camp, Twilight will set up a magic shield around us, and we’re going to get some dang sleep!”

“Good plan, Applejack,” Twilight said. “To ensure maximum safety, I’ll even take watch to make sure we all get a good night’s sleep.”

“That’s silly,” Pinkie blurted out. “How are you gonna sleep if you’re up all night, Twilight?”

“Don’t worry about it, Pinkie,” Twilight assured her. “If I don’t see anything dangerous then I’ll go to sleep too.”

The truth was that Twilight wasn’t eager to go to sleep so soon after encountering the shadowy mare. It was clear that the being had access to her mind whenever she unconscious, and this was a connection that she was eager to sever. One or two nights without sleeping should do the trick.

“Is everypony clear on the plan?” Twilight asked to confirm.

Each of her friends offered their own way of confirming that they understood. All except for Rainbow Dash who merely shook her head “yes.” Twilight told everypony to stand still as she prepared to cast the force field spell. Her horn lit up as a faint lavender dome flickered and solidified above them. She watched as her friends innocently put up their tents, unaware of the dangers of the Badlands. Twilight preceded to cast charms on them that would allow them to enter and leave the force field whenever they wanted.

“Defenses are up,” Twilight informed them. “You guys can sleep now while I go stand guard.”

“Okay, but don’t forget to sleep if you don’t see anything scary,” Pinkie eagerly reminded her.

“Yeah, I’ll do that,” Twilight chuckled, regretfully lying to her pink friend. Truth was that scary didn’t exist in the Badlands. Terrifying did. As she trotted away from her protective dome, she hoped that the shield would withstand any sneak attacks from a certain race of multi-headed beasts she hated. In a worse-case scenario, Rainbow Dash would probably fend off the hydras long enough for her to arrive on the scene. The problem was that Rainbow probably wouldn’t able to hit something she couldn’t see, so the chances of her actually fighting them off was unlikely. There was also the fact that Twilight still couldn’t cast the revealing spell properly. There was also the fact that—

The more Twilight thought about all the flaws in her plan, the less likely it would be that they would survive this. Her train of thought stopped when she heard an unknown noise behind her. It sounded like some sort of clicking, which for most ponies, just meant that they had a bug in their house, but for Twilight it meant that there was a giant monster behind her. When they were done here, she hoped that her problems became as simple as having a bug in her house. Praying to Celestia that this one wasn’t also invisible, Twilight spun around, igniting her horn in the process. The sight of what was in front of her made her activate her magic by accident; sending the energy in her horn flying at her enemy.

The enemy in question was some sort of giant mosquito, except much more deadly. It’s black soulless eye orbs were terrifying, but not as scary as the pincers attached to the end of the sticks it called arms; each was as big as her head. It’s rapidly fluttering wings were very insect-like in appearance, but had the sharpness of a knife. It’s head was small, but Twilight herself was proof that sometimes small heads held the most intelligent brains. It’s six frail legs were more weaknesses than strengths given how skinny they were.

It watched her for a moment that felt like hours as Twilight wondered how she would defeat this thing should it decide to attack her. Perhaps she wouldn’t had been worried about it attacking her at all if she hadn’t just accidentally launched a spell at it. Whatever she cast, it seemed totally unaffected by it, which gave her hope. Not wanting to start an unnecessary fight, Twilight slowly trotted over to the force field; never letting her eyes leave the flying threat. She was only a few steps away from safety, she was going to to make it! That is, until she remembered how bad her luck really was. Without warning, she was brutally tossed into the air and would’ve landed badly if she didn’t vigorously flap her wings at the last second.

Glancing at her attacker, she was shocked to find that the calm mosquito had certainly switched to attack mode. It’s soulless eyes were now filled with rage to match the murderous aura it was giving off. It’s pincers were primed and ready to snap her in half. It’s useless legs were glued to it’s body to avoid getting in the way.

Basically, she was doomed.

Deciding to avoid now and fight later, Twilight soared into the sky. Relying on her adrenaline to fuel her flight, she flew far away from the mosquito at her max speed. Apparently she wasn’t flying fast enough because the buzzing demon was quickly catching up to her. Just as it began to close in on her, she began a risky nosedive towards the sand.

The rapidly approaching sand terrified her more with each passing second. Closing her eyes and hoping for the best, she began to pull up. The light burn on her stomach told her that she cut it way too close there. She looked back to see if she was still being pursued. Luckily, she seemed to be safe at the moment.

THUMP!!

The tangled body in front of her told her that she may have been safe, but she could still be tried for murder. Rubbing the sore spot on her head, Twilight inspected the thing she accidentally flew into. Upon a closer look, she realized that the cyan pony was Rainbow Dash and hugged her friend out of relief.

“Ugh, what the buck, Twilight?!” Rainbow pushed the princess off of her. “I know we’re not best pals right now, but you don’t have to tackle me outta nowhere.”

Frustrated and frantic at her current situation, Twilight tried anyway she could to tell Rainbow Dash about her encounter.

“Dashed Rainbow,” Twilight stammered out. “Thank Celes—una! We gotta flap flap up to the big bug a-and hit it up and then we hit it down, and, and—”

Twilight let out a deep sigh as she tried to calm herself. After a deep breath, she looked at Rainbow’s face and was not at all surprised to see that the daredevil had a look of shock and disgust.

“Okay, Twilight,” Rainbow sighed angrily, rubbing her face with her hoof. “Here in Equestria, we have a language called english; I think you should learn it.”

Ignoring her friend’s sarcastic comment, Twilight turned to her friends who have either just woken up or never went to sleep.

“Girls, I need your help,” Twilight stated. “I’m being chased by this big mosquito thing. I think I lost it for now, but it’ll be back; it had a determined look in it’s eye—eyes.”

“Calm down, sugarcube,” Applejack interrupted. “You don’t have to explain nothin’. After you made us feel helpless back on the train, we’ve all been gearing up for some action.”

“I’m not,” Fluttershy squeaked behind Rarity. “If it’s ok with you girls, I think I’ll just stay on the sidelines whenever we run into—eep—violence.”

“Don’t be silly, Fluttershy,” Rarity said, patting Fluttershy on the back. “We all must do what we can to offer our usefulness. If that means partaking in a little roughhousing, well; you do wish to be useful don’t you?”

“Apparently I don’t!” Fluttershy huffed.

Remembering something that she packed with her before they left Ponyville, Twilight telekinetically searched her saddlebags. Finding her desired object, she levitated it in front of Fluttershy’s face.

“Of course you’re useful, Fluttershy,” Twilight said as she began to explain. “You’re so good at taking care of animals that I figured you could take care of us if we got hurt. This is royal salve I got from Canterlot. If we get hurt, it’s up to you to heal us.”

Fluttershy grabbed the container out of the air and studied the contents inside. After a moment of thinking to herself, she nodded with a small smile on her face. Smiling back, Twilight realized that she’d just royally assigned a job to someone. It felt...right, which slightly worried her. She told herself that she didn’t want to become a ruler like Celestia or Luna, but if it felt right, was it wrong?

“Big bug at 13 o’ clock!” Pinkie gestured outside the force field. Sure enough, the deadly insect was furiously slashing at the protective bubble with it’s pincers. This gruesome sight alone made her want to curl in her tent and hide, but her friends were expecting leadership, and that’s what she was going to give them.

“Rainbow Dash,” Twilight began. “Get it’s attention and keep it. Rarity, you and I are going to capture it in our auras, be prepared. Applejack, I know you brought your lasso; I need you to rope it in once we have it under control. Pinkie Pie, give us encouragement, and lots of it. Every little bit helps. Fluttershy, standby in case anything goes wrong and we need medical help. Everypony got it? Good, let’s do this girls!”

With a professional salute, Rainbow Dash flew up behind the giant bug and kicked it hard on it’s back. The impact slammed it into the impenetrable dome, and it was not happy. With a blood-curdling screech, it buzzed after Rainbow, who was much quicker than it. She made sure to fly close to the ground to give her and Rarity their opening.

“Rarity, now!”

The glow of two horns illuminated the night as the Alicorn and the unicorn encased Rainbow’s pursuer in their magic. The magenta and blue auras danced side by side along it’s skin until they joined together in an explosion of light. Now that they had it in their hold, they just needed to control it. Together, they brought it crashing into the ground, sending sand everywhere in the process. It fiercely struggled against their grasp, but they weren’t the Elements of Harmony for nothing. When it got tired of struggling, Twilight signalled Applejack for the next step.

“Go, Applejack!”

With a swish of her head, the farmer unleashed her trusty lasso on the monster. With a new prison to escape, it regained some energy to struggle again, but definitely not enough.

“Yeah!” Pinkie shouted from behind them. “You go ponies! Capture that creature, snare that serpent, wrangle that rascal!”

“Is anypony hurt?” Fluttershy eagerly asked. “Please say no, I mean; I want to help, but not if you have to get to hurt in the process.”

With the monster defeated and each of them safe and sound next to each other, Twilight was about to chalk up this mission as a success when Rainbow spoke up.

“Now what do we do with it?” Rainbow poked it a little.

“What do you mean?” Twilight obliviously asked.

“I mean,” Rainbow said, rolling her eyes. “Obviously we can’t keep it like this forever. What do we do with it?”

“I could stun it or put it to sleep, I think,” Twilight said, thinking out loud.

“I don’t think that would be the best solution,” Rainbow countered. “I think we should...y’know. Put it down.”

“It’s already on the ground,” Pinkie laughed. “Silly, Rainbow.”

“No, Pinkie,” Twilight said darkly, “Rainbow is suggesting that we kill it.”

“Oh,” Pinkie said sadly, her face falling. “That’s not a nice thing to suggest.”

“Well, out here it’s eat or be eaten!” Rainbow snapped. “Isn’t that how Trixie survived this long? She knows that there’s no good guys in war. It’s time we also figured that out.”

“This isn’t war,” Twilight shouted, “we're the good guys and nothing’s going to change that.”

“In Equestria we are, but once we leave the Badlands, once we leave Equestria, things are going to change for the worse. We have to be ready to get used to the kind of things we’re going to see out there, because it’s not going to be pretty. What happens when we aren’t fighting monsters, but other ponies?!”

“STOP!” Twilight shouted as she shook her head. Losing her concentration, she felt her grasp on the creature loosen. She tried to reclaim it, but a moment’s hesitation was all it needed to escape. Shrugging off Rarity’s aura, it took to the sky and divebombed them. Moving out of the way, Twilight shielded herself from the wave of sand that washed over her.

Shaking off the grains, Twilight flew into the air just in time to avoid a surprise attack. Looking at the ground from above, she was relieved to see that her friends had retreated back inside the dome. All except for Rainbow Dash, who had joined her in the sky. The demonic mosquito was coming back for more and they were ready.

Without communicating, they seemed to agree on an attack plan. Twilight flew in with a beam of purple light from her horn emitted straight into it’s side, and Rainbow flew in with a flying kick to it’s other side. Injured from both sides, it flew momentarily stunned for a second, then surprised her again by swatting her out of the sky with it’s pincer. As she fell to her death for what felt like the millionth time, she heard Rainbow emit a pained cry.

Hearing her friend in trouble gave her enough strength to catch herself in midair and soar upwards to assist her. Halfway up, however, she realized that Rainbow’s cry wasn’t of actual pain. It was obvious by the way that Rainbow was currently assaulting their enemy that she took no actual pain, then why did she scream? Did Rainbow really shout because Twilight had been injured? Had she already forgiven her?

That was obviously a talk for later as even though Rainbow had the lead, she still needed help. Charging up another burst of magic, Twilight got close. This was going to end differently than the fight with the Starponies, but the outcome she had in mind didn’t seem much better. Feeling that the spell was ready, she moved closer to the struggling mass of bodies and was about to tell Rainbow to move when she had a better idea. Soaring towards it hornfirst, she felt her horn pierce it’s skin (a terrible feeling), she unleashed the magic.

The explosion that followed was more gruesome than she could’ve ever imagined. As the innards of the mosquito left it’s body and she was blown away from the aftermath of the blast; she couldn’t tear her eyes away from the form of the falling beast. Too much in a state of shock to even flap her own wings, she accepted that she was probably about to die yet again. This time, however, she almost wanted her death. To her, it would be better to die now, than live with the guilt of what she had just done.

Closing her eyes, she thought of nothing, because the thought of her becoming a murderer was too much for her mind. She felt her body pause in midair and wasn’t surprised that she opened her eyes and saw Rainbow Dash carrying her safety and silently lowering her to the ground. Setting her down inside the force field, they stared into each other’s eyes for a second; a feeling of understanding due to what had occurred passed through them.

Even though her view was obscured by the sight of Rainbow’s unique magenta-shaded eyes, she still saw the horror behind her. The falling mass behind her had finally landed. It squirmed for a horrifying moment, emitting a nightmare inducing cry as it fought for life. After the longest minute of her life, her victim had given up and laid limp outside the force field.

A gasp broke the air before she realized that it came from her. Holding onto Rainbow Dash, Twilight arched her head to look Pinkie Pie.

“Well,” Twilight choked out, “I’ve seen something scary, I-I think I’m going to sleep now, i-if it’s alright with you all.”

Burying her head into Rainbow’s chest, she allowed the tears to fall onto her brave friend’s cyan coat. The last thing she remembering was falling asleep in Rainbow’s forelegs as four pairs of hooves rubbed her back.

5: Hollow Victory

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“Smart thinking bringing along a picnic, Rarity,” Twilight commented as she took another bite of her dandelion sandwich.

“Thank you, darling,” Rarity said, smiling. Her voice sounded...distant for some reason. “I only wish I had remembered to pack extra for Rainbow Dash. Did you really need to consume all the seconds?”

“You try being an awesome daredevil on an empty stomach,” Rainbow scoffed as she finished her second hay sandwich.

“I wish you’d brought more cake,” Pinkie said into her empty water glass.

“She didn’t brin’ any cake, sugarcube,” Applejack sighed while smiling.

“Exactly!” Pinkie shouted in agreement. “What’s a picnic party without picnic cake?”

“It’d be an actual picnic, Pinkie,” Rainbow said, laughing.

“I was actually very satisfied with the picnic,” Fluttershy muttered. “If you don’t mind me saying so.”

As her friends went back and forth on the quality of their picnic, Twilight reflected on how perfect this felt. It felt like they were back to doing simple things like eating meals together, and having pet playdates in the park. The activities they enjoyed when she wasn’t a princess. It was difficult having a bite with your friends when ponies kept trying to shake your hoof. The only thing that bothered her was how far away all her friends sounded. Their speech also had a certain dreamy quality to it.

Suddenly, she felt a change in the joyful atmosphere. It now felt...dark and foreboding, as if day had unexpectedly turned to night. The sand she didn’t realize she was sitting on felt more real, it was like her senses suddenly got sharper. She didn’t want to ruin the mood, but she wanted to know if her friends felt what she felt.

“Do you guys feel...that?” as she asked the question, she realized that while the sand felt real, her friends didn’t. “What’s going on?”

“Whatever do you mean, Twilight?” Rarity asked with a different tone than she usually used.

Something was definitely wrong here. Twilight stood up as she felt the atmosphere change again. This time it was accompanied by an actual change: the sky ripping apart. Right before her eyes, the sky seemed to splitting into two halves, with a blood-red line down the middle. The eerie line was quickly expanding as it emitted the sound of piercing thunder, even though there wasn’t a single cloud in the sky.

She looked at her friends again, only to be glad that they did notice it. Upon a second glance, they appeared to be looking at a certain part in the sky. She looked up to meet their gaze and was greeted by the most terrifying sight she had ever had the displeasure of seeing.

The sunny half-sky was raining, but it wasn’t raining water, or even raining blood; it was raining giant. Dead. Bugs. Not just any bug, but a bug that Twilight somehow recognized as a giant killer mosquito that she had previously encountered, but couldn’t quite remember where. One of the bodies landed on top of their picnic blanket with a gut-wrenching crunch.

Once again, her friends didn’t seem to find anything wrong with this unwanted intrusion, not even a single scream. She prodded the body and sure enough it was dead as a rock. Lifting the body with her magic, she inspected it closely until she found what she didn’t know she was looking for. The unlucky mosquito had a giant hole in it’s chest.

All at once, it came back to her: the encounter, the capture, the escape, the fight, and worst of all: the last resort. That horrible flash of magic that signalled the worst moment in her life and the complete and utter destruction of her pure soul. The gaping hole began to fill with light until it shone brighter and brighter until she was engulfed by the light, the terrible, awful light....

She woke with a small scream and a jump, landing her outside of her sleeping bag, but still inside her tent. Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, she took a peek outside and saw that Luna’s moon was still high in the sky. Sighing, she sat on her sleeping bag and went over the events of the day. The last thing she remembered was falling asleep in the comfort of her friends. They must have carried back to her tent and tucked her into her sleeping bag.

Something beside her sleeping bag had caught her eye. Looking down at it, she saw that it was a small cyan blue feather. It was obvious who it belonged to, but how did it get there? After thinking it over for a moment, she deduced that Rainbow Dash had been the one who carried her to her tent and tucked her in. She must have also spent a moment or two inside her tent before returning to her own.

She levitated the feather into her saddlebags and collected her thoughts. She discovered that coming to a conclusion when she was feeling so many emotions was impossible. In fact, she couldn’t think of an emotion that she wasn’t feeling...besides happiness. What she needed was to talk it out with someone, but it was still the middle of the night and everypony was still asleep.

“Is everythin’ okay, sugarcube?”

Well, almost everypony.

Applejack calmly trotted into her tent. Considering the events that just transpired, she had to give Applejack praise for being so calm. Her honest friend sat beside her and waited patiently for a response.

“Ugh, no it’s not,” Twilight confessed. “Why are you awake and how did you know I needed somepony to talk to?”

“After everythin’ that just happened, do you really think anypony’s asleep right now?” Applejack shook her head. “Now, to answer your second question: Ah heard you holler and figured you were awake. Besides, after the day you had, how could you not need somepony to talk to?”

“Well, I definitely need somepony,” Twilight said, confirming her statement. “And I’m kinda glad it’s you.”

“Ah appreciate your kind words, but you probably know it’s not me you need.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Don’t tell me you still don’t know,” Applejack said more to herself than to Twilight. “After Ah’m done here, Ah’m gonna have a talk with somepony else.”

“Applejack, things aren’t looking the brightest, and I could really do without secrets right now.”

Applejack opened her mouth and then immediately closed it. Twilight could tell just by looking into her eyes that Applejack was struggling with several factors that meant a lot to her: friendship, trust, respecting somepony else’s privacy and not telling somepony something that they deserved to know.

“Ah’m sorry, sugarcube,” Applejack said, finally. “It’s up to them to talk to you about it, not me.”

“That’s fair, we actually do have some things to talk about, now that I think about it,” Twilight said, glancing over at the saddlebags that contained the cyan feather.

“Good, now besides that, tell me what’s on your mind,” Applejack said quietly.

“I don’t know where to begin,” Twilight said, “but I guess I’ll start with the fact that I never want to do that ever again.”

“Ah can’t even begin to understand what it is that you’re feeling, but Ah’ll still say that whatever it is; you won’t have to feel it alone.”

“Yes, I do!” Twilight shouted.

“Wha—”

“I know you care about me and all, Applejack, but you don’t have to lie to me. Did you have to blow that thing up? Did Pinkie, or Rarity, or Rainbow? I appreciate what you’re telling me, but the truth is that I am going to have endure this on my own.”

Twilight looked away from Applejack and clamped her eyes shut to prevent the tears from escaping. She wished that she didn’t have to face it alone, but the truth just simply was that she did and nice words weren’t going to change that.

“Twilight,” Applejack said quietly, resting her hoof on her friend’s shoulder. “Ah don’t lie, and you know that. What Ah said to you is true and don’t think for a moment that it isn’t. Now, Ah know you’re stubborn, heck, nopony knows stubborn like Ah do, but just own up to the fact that we are and always will be your very best friends. What does a friend do for another friend? Anythin’ that needs to be done. If somethin’ is bothering you, Ah will do everythin’ Ah can to support you in your time of need.”

“I understand that you’ll support me, but please don’t tell me you’ll experience what I’m feeling just to make me feel better. This isn’t sadness like when you weren’t invited to a birthday party; this is the destruction of your soul. The feeling that something’s changed and you have to embrace it instead of ignoring it. Otherwise you’ll burn up and d-die.”

Twilight threw herself into Applejack’s forelegs, sobbing as she did so. Applejack rubbed little circles on her back as Twilight shivered with sadness. Now that she’s said what she’s been thinking, it was only a matter of time before Applejack picked up on it.

“You’ve given this more thought than you let on,” Applejack said confidently. “It doesn’t sound like you need comfort for the things in the past. It sure sounds like you need to be told that everythin’ is goin’ to work out in the future.”

“I don’t want to think about things I can’t change,” Twilight stated, “but I do want to talk about the events that are coming. What if this is the beginning? What if this turns me into a m-murderer?”

“Twilight!” Applejack said, taken aback. “Don’t start talkin’ nonsense. It’s not like you wanted to do it in the first place. If you hadn’t done it then who knows what might have happened. It may not be the best endin’, but it’s certainly not the worst one either.”

“I know, but once something like this starts, I don’t think it can be stopped. Just the fact that I’ve done it in the past means that I’m likely to do it in the future. My worst fear is...returning to Ponyville as a killer. What would S-Spike think? No one would look at me the same ever again.”

“If you don’t want it to change who you are, then don’t let it, sugarcube. It’s honestly as simple as that. Even if you become some battle-ready pony dressed in armor most of the time, you don’t have to let it overcome who you really are. It didn’t change your brother did it?”

“My brother wanted his violent life, I don’t want mine.”

“Your life is in your hooves and yours alone. Don’t ever forget that.”

Twilight thought that killing the mosquito would be the beginning of something awful, but everything Applejack said was reasonable. Even though she was the only one who knew how it felt, she wouldn’t go through it alone. No matter what threatened to change her next, she just had to remember the book-loving mare she was on the inside. The wings on her back were proof that she could easily overcome any changes.

“Anypony ever tell you that you’re surprising wise for a farmer?” Twilight jokingly asked.

“Heh, don’t you know that farmers are the smartest ponies of all?” Applejack said, smiling back.

After a loving hug, Twilight thanked Applejack and told her that she should at least try to get some sleep. They were going to have another long day ahead of them, whether they liked it or not. Not to mention that this was going to be their last day in Equestria...at least for a while.

Packing up the tents was a silent affair. Nopony seemed to be talkative at all, not even Pinkie Pie, which told Twilight that something was up. Either they all had Applejack’s idea of not letting Twilight experience her feelings alone, or her and Applejack weren’t the only ones who talked last night.

After they all packed and eat breakfast (which felt too much like Twilight’s nightmare to be enjoyable), they set out across the terrible desert once more. This time, no random interruptions were had by Rarity concerning her hooficure, or Pinkie talking about how she was going to throw the biggest party in the history of parties when they got back. Everypony seemed too absorbed in their own thoughts to say much at all. Considering Twilight was also lost in her thoughts, she couldn’t blame them.

She was so busy thinking over Applejack’s words that she barely noticed the Badlands at all. The likely blood-soaked sands might as well been invisible. If she could, she would have it like that all the time. Leaving this desert also represented to her. It represented leaving the sins behind and accepting the future. Any obstacle they had coming up, it couldn’t be as bad as what she had to face in this single location alone.

Glancing at Rainbow Dash, she realized that the speedster was no longer trying to avoid her gaze or feint anger. Instead she looked back with a determined gleam in her eyes. What that meant, she had no idea, but as long as it didn’t cause anymore unnecessary in-fighting; she didn’t care. Either way, they were definitely going to have a heart-to-heart later.

She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she almost didn’t notice when they had reached the end of the Badlands. She could finally see where the sand faded away to reveal actual land. This was just what she’d been waiting for: a change in scenery. Unfortunately, the Badlands had already affected her so much that not even a different area could undo the damage. Not to mention that she had to remember her promise to Trixie.

“There it is,” Twilight said, her voice raspy from lack of use.“Excuse me, there’s our exit. Finally, we can leave this...place.”

“Don’t jinx it, now,” Applejack said, smiling darkly. “We’re not quite there yet. We still have plenty of time to get attacked by a horrifying monster.”

She wasn’t sure if Applejack’s dark humor had lightened the mood, or weighted it down. Either way, she was happy to do away with the silence. Too much thinking is unhealthy.

“Well, let’s not waste any time,” Rarity said, smiling. “I’ve had enough sand for one day.”

Twilight didn’t care what awaited them, she was ready to face it. Embracing who she was now meant remembering the aspects of the pony she was before. Her confidence would get her through this like it had gotten her through so many obstacles before. They were getting closer to the end of the path.

“I wonder what kind of ponies we’re going to meet outside of Equestria?” Pinkie said, wondering out loud, bouncing with every step. “I hope their friendly.”

Just a few more steps and she’ll find out.

“Don’t get too excited,” Rarity sighed. “I’ve heard tales about the ponies outside of Equestria. They probably won’t very be friendly at all.”

Some tales were true, they learned that the hard way, but it won’t matter in a minute.

“Oh my,” Fluttershy gasped. “Mean ponies? I should’ve stayed in Ponyville.”

Don’t worry, in another step or two, she’ll find the confidence to carry on.

“Hey Twilight?” Rainbow spoke, her voice laced with concern. “Are you feeling alright?”

Of course she is, why wouldn’t she be alright? Maybe it was because her steps were slowing down, or because her eyelids were getting heavy. Was it due to the fact her thoughts were becoming blurry? Perhaps it’s because....

She should create a list of the things that were bothering her, because right now, the darkness was high on it. It wasn’t scary so much as it was just annoying now. Especially concerning the circumstances that always surrounded it’s arrival. If she was unconscious in the real world right now, she was open to attack. Not to mention that she was so close to the border....

“Alright,” Twilight shouted. “Whatever you want now, hurry up and tell me. I’m kinda in Dangerville, Equestria right now, and I don’t like being vulnerable!”

“Your friends will protect you,” said the shadow mare, trotting into view. “They’re loyal and care for your safety, which is why I should’ve warned them instead. If you continue to ignore me, your downfall is guaranteed. I didn’t know you cared so little about your loved ones.”

“Give it a rest, already,” Twilight scoffed. “We’re going to save Equestria, and you can’t stop us.”

“Listen you fool,” the shadow mare scolded. “Once you exit Equestria, you will no longer be under my protection. The choices you make from now on will be your own. All I ask is that you come to your senses before it’s too late.”

“Princess Celestia will find you,” Twilight said confidently. “Whoever you are, you’ll be brought to justice.”

“What makes you think she hasn’t found me yet?” the shadow mare asked. “Speaking of your precious idol, you will soon learn things about her that you wish you hadn’t.”

“What are you—”

“Farewell, Twilight Sparkle,” the mare said sadly, hovering in the air. “I hope that we will meet again.”

Once again, the mare’s white eyes fused together to form her exit. Without a second thought she flew into it.

“Twilight! Wake up!” a familiar voice shouted. “Please! I’m sick of watching bad things happen to you!”

“Rainbow Dash,” Twilight said drowsily. “I’m awake, just give me a second.”

“Oh, thank Celestia,” Rainbow sighed, wiping some sweat from her forehead. “It’s cool, guys, she’s awake. You can stop freaking out now.”

“We’re freaking out?!” Applejack half-asked, mostly shouted, but Rarity stopped her with a shake of her head.

“Sorry, everypony,” Twilight said, rubbing her head. “I think I fell asleep.”

“What?” Rainbow asked, dumbfounded. “You just...fell asleep outta nowhere? But that’s my thing!”

“Jeez Twi’,” Applejack sighed, shaking her head. “You should told me last night if you wanted a little sleep. I would’ve left earlier.”

“Wait, what were you guys doing last night?” Rainbow asked, suspicious.

“N-nothing,” Applejack said quickly. She struggled to hide her lying face.

“It wasn’t that,” Twilight said, snapping them back to reality. “It was the shadow mare I was telling you about before, she put to me to sleep or something. We won’t have to worry anymore though, she said that leaving Equestria meant leaving her ‘protection.’ Now can we hurry up and leave already?”

Her eagerness to leave Equestria suddenly became more clear to everypony. They all exchanged glances as they trotted towards the exit once more. She realized that maybe her friends weren’t so eager to leave Equestria. She had to admit that if it wasn’t for her desire to escape her misfortunes, she wouldn’t want to leave home either. No matter how they looked at it, they needed to finish what they started.

Three...two...one....

Twilight finally took her first step outside Equestria. Even though all she was really doing was stepping out of sand onto soil, it felt like so much more. Her friends stirred up a clamor about how they had officially left Equestria, but she didn’t hear it because she was just relishing in her newfound freedom.

“Twilight? Twilight? Twilight!” Rainbow shouted in her ear.

“Ow! Rainbow!” Twilight shouted back, rubbing her aching ear.

“Geez, Twi’, why do we keep having to shout your name? Anyway, we just wanted to check out the map.”

“Oh, the map, right.”

Twilight opened her saddlebags with magic and pulled the map out. The map accidentally pulled the forgotten cupcake out with it. She telekinetically caught the cupcake before it hit the ground and put it back in her saddlebags.

“Was that a cupcake?” Rainbow asked, looking confused.

“Yeah, it’s from a few days ago. I don’t really know why I haven’t eaten it yet, weird. Okay, let’s see this map.”

Her friends gathered around the map as she inspected their route. The only problem was that they were already off course due to the fact that they abandoned the train. She traced the route they had improvised through the Badlands.

“Okay, new route,” Twilight announced. “Let’s stop at a town up ahead.”

“For the night?” Pinkie asked. “But we just started walking.”

“Pinkie,” Twilight sighed. “We’ve been walking all day. It’s almost nine.”

Pinkie looked up at the sky to see that it was indeed dark. She couldn’t blame her, it didn’t feel like they were walking long at all.

“Oh yeah, it is,” Pinkie said, smiling. “Well, I don’t know about you girls, but I feel like I’ve been walking for days. Let’s go get some shut-eye!”

Pinkie bounced ahead, leaving five ponies to giggle at her antics and follow her. Twilight often remembered that without her friends, she would’ve gone insane long ago. The first thing she noticed about this region is that the environments weren’t so different from Equestria. They were surrounded by the same green trees and grass and the soil didn’t even feel different. Why couldn’t the whole world just be part of Equestria? She realized that it wasn’t that simple, but she couldn’t help thinking it.

If this wasn’t a part of Equestria, then what was it called? She’d never heard what the other nations were called. In fact, she never heard anything about the nations at all, in fact, where did Rarity hear those stories from? Probably the spa like all her other gossip. Either way, it wouldn’t hurt to ask later....

Who even ruled these parts? Would her status of princess count here? Are the ponies here hostile? Are there even ponies here? Too many questions swirled around in her head, which meant that once again, she was doing too much thinking. She would probably just ask the citizens of the town they were about to enter.

Now that they were out of the desert, she had a chance to really appreciate the scenery. She still thought it felt too much like Equestria, but that wasn’t too much of a bad thing. Even the rustling of the trees somehow managed to remind her of the Running of the Leaves back home. She wouldn’t even be surprised if—wait a minute. The trees are rustling an awful lot for a windless day....

“Girls, stop,” Twilight said, preparing her battle stance.

“What is it?” Rainbow asked, flying in front of her. “Getting cold hooves? It’s cool, we’re—”

“Rainbow get down!” Twilight accidentally shouted. She covered her mouth, but the damage had already been done. Twilight quickly fired a magical blast at the trees, hoping to get the upper hoof, but as she did, a figure leaped out over the blast. It slammed into Rainbow, sending her crashing into the ground. In the confused struggle, Twilight saw the glint of a knife.

Thinking quickly, she wrapped her magic grip around the attacker and slammed them into a tree. Leaves hailed down as she slammed them again, and again and—

“Twilight, stop!” Applejack shouted.

The pounding in her ears died down as she realized what she was doing. The adrenaline wore off as she gently put the pony down and moved to cover her eyes. She didn’t feel the tears yet, but she knew they were coming. Feeling a hoof carefully pat her shoulder for reassurance, she uncovered her eyes. Rainbow removed her hoof and gave her a warm smile. Fluttershy moved to check on the wounded attacker as Rarity telekinetically yanked the knife out of their grasp.

“Ugh!” Rarity groaned, holding the knife as if it were dynamite. “How dare you attack us you filthy hooligan! Didn’t your mother teach you to never injure a lady?! Who are you anyhow?”

“Well, I couldn’t tell you because hollows like me don’t have names,” said the rough-voiced pony. “As for your comment, I wouldn’t quite call the pony I attacked a lady.”

“Thanks, I try,” Rainbow said, smiling at the inverted compliment.

The colt had a gray coat and a ripped up hooded cloak so they couldn’t really see his face. His rough yet young voice definitely matched his appearance.

“Why did you attack me anyway?” Rainbow asked.

“Who else was I going to attack, the Alicorn?” he snapped, rubbing his ribs.

“Nothing more than a few bruises,” Fluttershy said, grinning at her diagnosis. “Take it easy for a while and um, don’t attack anyone else for a few days, or ever.”

“Thanks for the genius advice,” he said sarcastically. “I’ll remember that one.”

“Why don’t you stop talking and start...talking?” Rainbow chuckled at her inability to word sentences better.

“Talk about what?”

“You could start with explaining why you don’t have name.”

“Sure thing, Ms. Interrogator,” he said, rolling his eyes. “Unimportant hollows like me are called the Empties, we’re not allowed to be named because our existence is meaningless. The only reason we’re allowed to be born is so King Hollow has someone to rule. If you can call it ruling, which I don’t. See I’m not like the others who are so willing to accept their useless lives, I want something more, something real.”

“Cute story, but I’m still not hearing why you attacked us,” Rainbow said, glaring daggers at him. Her look of disgust was in sharp contrast to Twilight’s look of concern.

“You’re the first Alicorn I’ve ever seen,” he said, gesturing to Twilight. “If anyone can help you it’s you. You Alicorns are supposed to be all-knowing right?”

Did she know everything? No. Did Celestia? Apparently. Did Luna? Probably. Did Cadence? Not to her knowledge. Clearly the vote is still out on whether or not the average Alicorn is supposed to know everything. Either way, this guy could use some guidance so she has to give him something to work with.

“Well, we aren’t Alicorns for nothing,” Twilight nervously chuckled. “I can tell you didn't really mean to nearly kill my friend, so I guess I'll offer you some of my wisdom.”

“Yeah, that would be much appreciated,” he said, bowing.

What has she done? Now she has to impart wisdom on somepony? She’d imparted wisdom on ponies before, but they were foals! How did Celestia have an answer for everything? She’ll need to figure out her thought process later, but now she had needed to say something. He’ll need to know something that he didn’t know before, something to help him on his journey. Wait, she knew what it had to be.

“I know what you need,” Twilight said, smiling. “You need...a name.”

“A name?” he repeated. “But they’re outlawed for Empties like me, weren’t you listening?”

“If you don’t agree with King Whatever’s tyranny, then you’re gonna have to oppose him, one step at a time. Let’s start with a name. What kind of name would you like?”

“Heh, doesn’t matter, if anyone around here catches me with a name, I’m history.”

“Well, how do you like ‘Chaser’?”

“Chaser? What kind of stupid name is that?”

“You’re carving your own path right? This name will give you the strength to chase your dreams along that path.”

“Wow, you must be from Equestria if you can say something as sappy as that without vomiting, but sure, I’ll give your name a try. Chaser....”

Chaser looked towards the distance, as if considering all the new possibilities. He wordlessly pulled down the hood concealing his head. His shaggy mane was a lighter shade of his coat and his eyes were light green. Perhaps his hood’s purpose was to hide his eyes because the color clashed with his coat and mane. The corners of his mouth slowly turned upright to form a smile. It looked foreign on his face, but somehow it still looked nice.

“I knew meeting you would change my life,” Chaser said, still smiling. “I can’t remember the last time I said this, but thank you.”

“Lucky for you we hear that a lot in Equestria so it’s natural for us to respond ‘you’re welcome’!” Twilight replied, also smiling.

“About that, how much do you guys know about The Hollow?”

“Considering we just got here, not much.”

“Then I’ll say this as simply as I can: go back to Equestria.”

“What?”

“If the way I’ve been describing it isn’t enough to make you leave, then nothing will. The Hollow is a terrible place for everypony and if I wasn’t born a hollow then I would have already left. Why are you here anyway? Who would be dumb enough to cross the Badlands just to get to The Hollow?”

“Don’t worry, we’re not dumb,” Twilight stated, rubbing the back of her head. “We’re here on an official mission from our ruler, Princess Celestia.”

“Whoa!” Chaser suddenly shouted, startling them. “Whoa. Okay, first rule of The Hollow: don’t talk about her, got it?”

“What’s wrong with Princess Cel—”

“Shut up unless you want to be beheaded!” Chaser snapped again. “Sorry, but if you want to live to see tomorrow, stop speaking about her. It’s forbidden to discuss anything having to do with her here.”

“But why?” Rainbow asked. “What do you guys have against the Princess?”

“Some things belong in the past,” Chaser stated cryptically.

“Do you have anything useful to say about this place?” Rainbow asked angrily.

“Look, there’s a lot to be said about The Hollow, but there’s not a lot that’s allowed to be said about The Hollow. All I can really say is good luck and don’t talk about Equestria.”

“We got it,” Twilight sighed, annoyed at the lack of new knowledge.

“I gotta get going, but I hope we meet again,” Chaser said, turning around. “Hopefully not on the battlefield.”

“What’s that supposed to—” Twilight said, but stopped as Chaser galloped off into the distance without another word. “Mean?”

“Anypony else get the feelin’ that that was just a big waste of time?” Applejack asked, looking confused.

“We learned a few new things,” Twilight stated hopefully. “And now we know not to talk about Equestria around here.”

“And I guess we did help that guy out,” Rainbow muttered.

“Exactly! We—”

“Although he did try to kill me so it wasn’t much of a victory.”

“Thanks Rainbow,” Twilight said sarcastically. “What would I do without you?”

“I don’t wanna find out,” Rainbow murmured into her mane so quietly that Twilight almost mistook it for Fluttershy.

“What’d you say?”

“Huh? Oh nothing, nothing at all,” Rainbow chuckled nervously, her strange smile creeping everyone out.

“Yeah...anyway, we’re long overdue for those naps, so let’s get a move on,” Twilight exclaimed, rearing up for encouragement.

Her friends shouted in collective agreement and began galloping down the path alongside her. It would be hard to not think about Equestria while she was having fun with friends. She estimated that they were about halfway to their destination, so with a few more days, they should be done with all this. To her, the sooner the better, and the less chance for her to change any more than she already has.

The town finally came into view after a few minutes of running. All she could see was an average sized gray building so she didn’t hope too high for what kind of town it was. The only hope she kept in mind was that the ponies here were nicer than Chaser made them out to be.

“Okay, everypony slow down,” Twilight said breathlessly. “We don’t wanna freak these ponies out.”

“Sounds they’re already freaks,” Rainbow chuckled, furling her wings.

“Stop that this instant,” Rarity demanded, her head held high. “It’s beyond rude to to walk into a town of ponies whilst insulting them. Besides, these aren’t the kind of ponies you want to trifle with.”

“That’s cool,” Rainbow said, smiling deviously. “I’m probably the kindest pony you’ll ever meet.”

“I agree,” Fluttershy exclaimed happily.

“But Fluttershy, you’re the kindest pony anyone will ever meet,” Applejack said, putting her foreleg around Fluttershy’s shoulders.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Fluttershy apologized, staring at the ground.

“What about me?” Pinkie Pie asked, inserting herself around Applejack’s other foreleg. "I'm pretty kind too, right?"

“You’re still plenty kind, Pinkie,” Applejack stated, smiling nervously. “But it’s kinda hard to walk like this, do you mind?”

“No, I’m pretty sure Fluttershy is okay with you taking your leg off her,” Pinkie said blissfully.

“Uhh—”

“Shush!” Twilight said forcefully. “We’re here.”

If the region really was being controlled by a vicious tyrant, you wouldn’t know just by looking at this town. It was much quieter than Ponyville, but other than that, it wasn’t too different. Almost all the buildings were deprived of color except one light orange building that was larger than all the others. Every other building was just the same shade of gray and white.

The ponies definitely didn’t look as cheerful as the ponies from Equestria either. These ponies seemed to have a sullen look on their face at all times. None of them were too colorful, definitely no lavender or rainbow colors, but they did have light blue and light red and light...orange. Basically, there was no variation at all.

The most upsetting part had to be that no one seemed to want to talk. Whenever they passed each other, they just kept looking forward without saying a single word. Twilight could tell that it was driving Pinkie crazy.

“What’s wrong with everypony?” Rainbow whispered.

“We already know,” Twilight answered sadly. “Chaser said that King Hollow rules with an iron hoof.”

“Not just that,” Rarity said, “every major town is ruled by a Major, someone who personally enforces the King’s rules from inside the town.”

“Kind of like a mayor?” Applejack asked.

“Sure, as long as the mayor in question enjoys harshly enforcing unfair rules,” Rarity replied.

“What are you doing?” suddenly asked a voice to the right, startling them.

A light blue pony with a slightly darker shade of blue for a mane stood there, looking as sad as the rest of the town population.

“We’re just having a little conversation, heh,” Twilight said very nervously.

“You should know that public conversations are outlawed,” the blue pony said robotically. “Please stop.”

“Yes, we’re so very sorry about that,” Rarity said, walking up to him. “We were actually just telling that to this Alicorn. She’s visiting from that place and asked us for directions.”

“Yeah,” he said, glancing behind him. “This conversation has gone on too long. Farewell.”

Without another word, he turned away and trotted off.

“That was close,” Rarity said seriously. “We better get somewhere private right now. This way!”

Without warning Rarity quickly trotted towards one of the gray buildings. After briefly shrugging to each other, they followed after her. They followed her into the building and gathered around each other. All around them, ponies were doing the same thing.

“What’s happening?” Twilight asked.

“This is the only place in town where you’re allowed to have public conversations,” Rarity explained, glancing around as she did so.

“How do you—”

“Except we’re going to use it to have a private one, so we have to make it quick,” Rarity whispered quickly.

“Alright, what do you girls want to do now?” Twilight asked, taking a vote.

“Which one is the inn? I really just want to go to bed and figure this out in the morning,” Rainbow said, yawning slightly.

“The inn is one the other side of town,” Rarity whispered even faster. “However, I think they’re on to us, so we have to hurry.”

“What makes you think that?” Twilight whispered back.

“You’re an Alicorn wearing a protective vest, the rest of us are too colorful to be hollows, and we’re having a private conversation in a public conversation house. We’re extremely suspicious and the longer we stay here, the more suspicious we become.”

“So what do we do?” Pinkie asked a little too loudly.

“Shh! We should—”

“Hey!” shouted an armored guard in the corner. “No private conversations, speak up or go home! The Major isn’t in a great mood right now.”

“Who’re you to—” Rainbow shouted before Rarity covered her mouth.

“Yes, yes, we’ll just go now,” Rarity chuckled nervously. “Wouldn’t want to upset the Major, now would we?”

Without another word, Rarity galloped out the door, signalling them to follow. As they galloped out, Twilight noticed that the guards were staring at her the longest. No doubt either because of her combination of a horn and wings or because of her protective vest. Now that she thought about it, she really was just a walking red alert waiting to happen.

“Okay, they’re definitely on to us now,” Rarity said, panicking.

“Then hurry up and lead us to the inn,” Rainbow said, angrily glancing behind her.

“Fine, but you might want to avoid being airborne as long as we’re in this town,” Rarity said through clenched teeth, trotting towards the inn.

“What? No way!” Rainbow shouted, alerting several ponies.

“Rainbow, please, do it for me,” Twilight pleaded, fluttering her eyelashes.

“Ugh, fine,” Rainbow said, hesitantly furled her wings.

“Thanks,” Twilight said, smiling.

“Yeah, whatever,” Rainbow muttered.

“The Major lives in the orange house, right Rarity?” Pinkie asked, resisting her urge to bounce while walking.

“That’s correct, and it’s actually bad luck that the inn is right next to his house,” Rarity said, still glancing everywhere.

“What’s his name?”

“No one knows because no one’s ever met him. He’s handles everything through his guards, eliminating the need to ever leave.”

“Do you think he’d come deal with us personally if he hears that Twilight is an Alicorn?”

“Maybe...but it’s been a long time since he has last left, I think, I don’t know, I don’t live here.”

“Anymore?”

“Any...huh?”

“Well, you know a lot about a place you’ve never been to before, so I figured you must’ve lived here at some point right?”

“D-don’t be ridiculous, Pinkie Pie,” Rarity muttered, panic in her eyes. “You know that I’ve lived in P—that place since I was a filly.”

“How many years was that?”

“Can we finish this conversation, let me think, never?! We have to hurry, but be nonchalant about it.”

“Okay!”

They were only feet away from the inn, but another problem was already staring them in the face. The entrance was surrounded by two armored guards. There was no way they would just let her walk in.

“Drat, more guards,” Rarity growled. “Let’s see, how are we going to do this?”

“Let’s just try and act natural,” Rainbow said, trotting in place.

“Yes, the Alicorn and her expressive friends just naturally walk into the inn, it sounds more believable as a lunchtime joke than as a plan,” Rarity snapped.

“Look, there’s no other way to do this, not unless you just wanna fight our way in, but I don’t think they would give a room if we did.”

“You know what? Fine, let’s just walk right in, it doesn’t even matter anymore!”

“Calm down, Rarity,” Twilight said, patting Rarity’s shoulder. “Let’s just get this over with, okay?”

Rarity nodded slightly, trotting towards the inn. Twilight and the others followed in pursuit, acting as naturally as a battle-ready Alicorn and her friends can. Their attempt was cut short when the guards blocked the entrance.

“Hey, what gives?” Rainbow growled.

“Wouldn’t want you going to sleep before you get to meet your special guest,” said one of the guards.

“Special guest?” Rarity said, looking terrified. “S-sounds delightful, w-when will they be arriving?”

“He’ll be here shortly,” the guard replied. “Just stand right here and wait.”

“Great, just great,” Rarity muttered as they trotted in front of the inn. “It’s all over, everything we’re done so far has been for nothing because now we’re toast.”

“Rarity, calm down...again,” Twilight said maintaining her composure despite the butterflies in her stomach. “We’ll just—”

“No you won’t!” Rarity shouted. “He’s going to kill us as soon as he sees that you’re an Alicorn and there’s nothing we can do about it because he’s too strong to fight.”

“Who are you talking about?” Applejack asked. “They haven’t even told us who’s comin’ yet.”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Rarity said, smiling sadly. “The Major is coming, and he’s going to obliterate us on the spot.”

“Um, Rarity?” Fluttershy said quietly, putting a hoof on Rarity’s shoulder. “Please stop worrying. We’ll find a way to get out of this, I promise.”

“Darling Fluttershy, a friend to the end,” Rarity commented. “I hope I’ll remember you in the afterlife.”

“Okay, Rarity’s gone psycho again,” Rainbow said, pulling Twilight aside. “Which means that it’s up to us to come up a plan.”

Staring at the ground, Twilight tried to think of a way to escape their situation. The guards were everywhere so if they fled, they would be instantly surrounded. If they attacked the guards now, they would once again be surrounded. In fact, if they did anything except just stand there, they’d be instantly surrounded.

“I-I don’t know,” Twilight said. “The only thing to do is wait.”

“But that means giving up!” Rainbow said as if it was the worst thing in the world.

“Well, what do you think we should—”

The sound of a door crashing against a wall interrupted her. Looking towards the orange house, she saw that it was indeed the door of that house being opened, which means that they were out of time. Rarity began loudly sobbing, causing Fluttershy to comfort her. Pinkie held onto Applejack, shaking enough for the both of them. Twilight and Rainbow merely exchanged glances, afraid for what was about to come.

The dark sky was cloudy, were those there before? The sound of thunder began like the sound of a chainsaw revving up. Fluttershy got Rarity down to just stifles, but Pinkie’s grip on Applejack seemed to have increased in strength. A hoof exited the door frame, followed by another, with another following behind, bringing a body along, finished up by the last hoof. His body was the normal light gray, but his mane was dark yellow and short. A terrible scar covered his back, making it look as though he was blasted by a large amount of energy. His light blue eyes were cold and lacking in love. A gray horn rested on his forehead.

The unicorn practically marched towards them, chuckling deeply as he did so. The thunder seemed to chuckle alongside him. The ponies passing by stopped and stared in awe at the stallion that most of them thought was only a legend. Instead of sullen looks, they instead wore looks of fear and horror. He stopped directly in front of them and stared with his cold eyes.

“What do we have here?” he asked, his voice deep and rumbling. “A princess and her guards. You know Princess, here in The Hollow, we have a king. A much stronger title than prince or princess, don’t you agree?”

“W-who are you?” Twilight asked, covering her friends with her wings.

“Huh, if anypony except royalty had asked that question,” he said, taking a second to chuckle darkly to himself. “Fine, I’ll humor you for now. My name is Major Kuwabara. Now that you know my name, will you grant me the honor of knowing yours?”

Even though it was in the form of a question, it sounded like a demand. Twilight looked over at her friends. Rarity nodded once; Twilight nodded in return.

“My name is Princess Twilight,” she stated proudly. “O-of Equestria!”

The thunder rumbled violently, almost if it were ripping the sky apart. Several hollows gasped, but Kuwabara didn’t even flinch. Without warning, he tossed his head back and let out a deep laugh that somehow echoed around them.

“A new princess of Equestria...here of all places?” Kuwabara shouted to the surrounding ponies. “Now I feel honored, don’t you all? Come on, enjoy a good laugh at our blessing! Ha ha ha!”

The surrounding ponies forced laughter out of their throats, looking mortified as they did so. Pinkie joined in with their laughter, hers the only natural sounding laugh. The rest of them just waited for something else to happen.

“Ahhh, that was a good release of happiness,” Kuwabara said, wiping a nonexistent tear from his face. “Thank you for that, Princess. Now, let’s get down to business.”

Without warning, Kuwabara rushed forward and pulled her foreleg back. Without even having time to think, Twilight’s sight went dark as she was launched backwards. The collective gasp of her friends filled the air.

“Twilight!” Rainbow shouted above them. She heard the sound of Rainbow and someone else grunting.

“No! Stop it!” Applejack’s distinct voice filled her ears.

“Just. One. Hit!”

“Ah didn’t realize you had a death wish, now calm down!”

Kuwabara’s deep chuckle seemed to finally activate the searing pain in her body. It originated from her chest but spread to the other parts of her body. She didn’t even realize that her eyes were closed until she had to pry them open. Blinking the darkness away, she rose to her hooves. She slowly walked over to her friends, aided by Rainbow’s steady forelegs.

“Why is there an Equestrian princess in my town?!” Kuwabara screamed. “Can anyone tell me why an Alicorn and her stupid friends decided that it would be a good idea to cross the Badlands and step hoof in my town?!”

“Maybe they—”

“Silence!” Kuwabara shouted. The thunder proved to be defiant by growing louder. “The thing is...there is no correct answer, because under no circumstances should anyone from Equestria be here.”

“We’re not here to stay,” Twilight said, coughing slightly. “We’re just passing through. We’re on a mission.”

“A mission you say?” Kuwabara chuckled once more. “Well, if you don’t leave right now, your mission ends here.”

“Chill out!” Rainbow shouted. “We’re only in your dumb town because we need somewhere to rest for the night. If you’ll just let us sleep here tonight, we’ll leave tomorrow morning.”

“Hmm, you drive a hard bargain, but I think I’ll have to go the plan that I just thought of.”

“And what would that be?” Fluttershy asked, cowering behind Rarity.

“I’ll destroy you all right now!” Kuwabara shouted as he charged forward again. Before he got even halfway, he suddenly gasped and leapt backwards.

Twilight wondered why until her answer crashed into the ground at the speed of light. A single monstrous bolt of lightning hit the ground, devastating the ground beneath it. The frightened screams of ponies all around them vibrated into the air. After what seemed like an eternity, the bolt disappeared, leaving a large crater in front of the inn. She figured that nearly getting vaporized would wipe the smirk off of Kuwabara, but sure enough, his grin was as large and eerie as ever.

“So,” Kuwabara said, looking at the sky. “The Princess of the Sun attempts to strike me yet again does she?! Perhaps she’s protecting her fellow princess?”

“What are you talking about?” Twilight asked, adrenaline coursing through her veins.

“It seems that your precious ruler is protecting her subjects from me yet again,” Kuwabara repeated somberly. “If that’s what she truly desires, then I shall grant her this one wish out of respect. You may rest in my inn tonight, Princess, but when morning comes, you better be prepared.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Rainbow growled. “We’ll have our stuff packed in advance and be out of here as soon as we can. Wouldn’t want to intrude.”

“That’s good to hear,” Kuwabara snickered darkly.

Kuwabara nodded to the guards, who moved to make way for the ponies. Continuing to laugh to himself, Kuwabara marched back to his home. Shaking her head sadly, Twilight led her friends into the inn. The pony at the counter seemed to have been watching everything that was happening, because as soon as they walked in she eagerly gestured upstair. When asked which room was theirs, she told them to take any they preferred.

The room they picked only had two beds, so since they were eager to rest, they unanimously decided to all sleep on the floor. In her drowsy and injured state, the floor didn’t even feel too much different from a bed. Looking around, she saw that her friends also seemed content with their floor. She fell asleep thinking about home, as it was the only thing in her head at the moment that wouldn’t give her nightmares.

Interlude: The True Self

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Not a single cloud filled Ponyville’s sunny skies as Spike walked around the library, dusting the books and straightening the shelves. For what purpose, he didn’t know. Recently, the library had an increase in visitors when everypony wanted to hear the ascension story of Equestria’s newest princess, but since she wasn’t even there at the moment, the library hardly had any visitors. What a surprise, hardly anyone in Ponyville actually read anymore. Sometimes, it even seemed that the only books in the library were those that had some specific solution to whatever problem they were facing that day.

That was life for him in a nutshell. One of his friends messed something up, so he had to drop everything to end up doing almost nothing to help solve the problem. Not to mention that when it was him with the problem, he usually had to find the solution by himself. It may be a complicated life, but it was his, and he was pretty happy with it.

Until recently of course, when the most important pony in his life told him that he would never get the chance to really prove himself because he wasn’t tough enough to handle the danger. Even though he tried to be as useful as he could be, he’s never really helped solve a major crisis like his friends seem to do every other weekend. The Crystal Empire incident was the only exception, and that was mostly Twilight’s victory anyway.

Why does Twilight always judge him like that anyway? He isn’t the baby dragon she believes he is. He won’t start crying when things get dangerous if that’s what she’s thinking. Surely whatever Twilight and the others are doing, it can’t be too dangerous...right?

Typical, it’s only been a day since the fight happened, and he’s still mad about it. He wasn’t actually a baby, but he was still a kid. Nevertheless, he needed to find something to do besides think about Twilight. Maybe he would just go hang out with Owlowiscious. He still owes him an apology for leaving him alone in the library yesterday.

Walking upstairs, Spike looked around for his nocturnal friend, but found there was no need because he was were he’s been since yesterday: on top of Twilight’s bed. His head was turned to the wall, away from Spike, so it looked as though he was sleeping. It wasn’t a ridiculous thought since it was still the early afternoon, but Spike could that he was awake.

“Is this where you always go when Twilight’s away?” Spike asked, lightly tapping the bed.

Owlowiscious refused to respond, he just kept staring at the wall. That was fine with Spike, he didn’t need a talker as much as he needed a listener, so he just began the tirade he was holding in.

“What is it with Twilight anyway?” Spike said with as much spite as a baby dragon could manage. “I mean, I almost got killed by King Sombra and she’s telling me how dangerous it is to be on a mission? When was the last time her life was in actual danger on a mission?”

Owlowiscious still hasn’t moved a single inch. Was he just really missing Twilight? Was him talking about Twilight making it painful for the poor owl?

“Uh, sorry if I’m just making you miss Twilight more, Owlowiscious,” Spike apologized. “I guess I’m just trying to not let her words get to me. What if I have to wait until I grow up into a dragon to go missions again? What if I can’t get big enough? What if I have tiny claws forever? Can that happen? Does that happen? Help Owlowiscious! I think I’m freaking out!”

Now that Spike has screamed his name, the owl finally turned his head to face the dragon. His eyes were closed until he slowly pried them open.

“Who?” Owlowiscious drowsily said his only word.

“Oh, were you actually asleep?” Spike asked, putting two and two together. “Uh, sorry, you can just forget about the conversation we just had. It wasn’t important. I think I’m gonna go take a walk. You just...go back to sleep or something. Sorry again.”

Spike awkwardly walked down the stairs, smacking his face with his palm as he did so. Great, now he had to get out of the library. Couldn’t he just go one week without ruining somepony’s day? Opening the door to the outside, Spike took in the clean Ponyville air. He told himself that today would be different from all his other day offs. Today he prove that he’s not some useless baby dragon. He’s Spike the useful dragon assistant!

Taking the first step out of the library, he immediately wondered how he would prove that he’s capable of facing danger. Ponyville wasn’t very dangerous at all, it was mostly the areas surrounding Ponyville that were dangerous. There was the Everfree Forest, but he would prefer staying out of there unless he had a reason to go in.

Suddenly, he felt a familiar burning sensation in his stomach. The feeling he got whenever he was about to burp fire. As if on cue, a torrent of emerald flames forced it’s way out of his mouth, leaving behind a single scroll. Was this a last minute message for Twilight? In fact, how was Twilight going to receive letters without him? Didn’t think of that, did she?

Promising to laugh at Twilight’s misfortune later, Spike unrolled the scroll and read aloud it’s contents:

Spike,

You are still in Ponyville, correct?

Princess Celestia.

What a short, specific and surprisingly informal letter from Princess Celestia. Spike had a bad feeling about the letter. Sometimes she did write casual letters, but only if it wasn’t a very important subject. If he responded and this came from somepony else, it could start a terrible series of events that could become the end of Equestria. The worst part of being a kid is using your imagination to blow things out of proportion. Sighing at himself, Spike wrote short reply to the letter.

Dear Princess Celestia,

Yes.

Spike.

Summoning his flames, he sent the letter off to who he hoped was Princess Celestia. It probably should have bothered him more that Celestia seemed to know that Twilight left him behind, but he was too focused on figuring out what to eat for the next few days. Finally, his flames returned, bringing another letter along with them. Unrolling it, he prepared for a message from Queen Chrysalis saying that he had confirmed Ponyville’s location and that she was coming to take it over. Instead what he got was:

Spike,

Oh, thank goodness. Spike, I have an important task for you to accomplish. In order to account for a factor I forgot about, you must venture into the old castle located in the heart of the Everfree Forest. Located deep in the ruins is a special stone in the shape of a star that you must recover. Once you have it, take it back to the library and keep it safe for the future. Try to have someone responsible and trustworthy accompany you. I’m putting a lot of faith into you, please don’t let me down.

Princess Celestia.

Closing his mouth even though he didn’t know he had opened it, Spike reread the letter to make sure that she was saying what he thought she was saying. It was true! Celestia had actually entrusted in him a task that was super important! If he actually did succeed, then Twilight would have to admit that he was totally ready to face all kinds of danger! Even Rarity would think that he’s awesome!

Completing this quest as soon as possible was one his number one priority. He rushed inside to prepare. He didn’t want to lug a big bag across the Everfree Forest, so he couldn’t actually pack anything. Instead he quickly cooked up some scrambled eggs to eat so that he wouldn’t be hungry later. He ignored the creeping thought of what happened last time he scrambled and scarfed them down in a hurry. Finishing his eggs, he hurried upstairs to tell Owlowiscious.

“Owlowiscious!” Spike shouted, practically soaring up the stairs. “I’m going on an adventure by myself, well, me and someone else, but mostly me. Listen, I’m gonna be gone for a while. You know where the food is right? Good, because I’m closing up the library, see you...later?”

It didn’t even occur to him that the owl was still asleep until he finally reached the top stair. Sure enough, there he was; sleeping the day away. Spike felt his face growing hot from being indirectly ignored for the second time that day and simply told himself that the owl would figure it out on his own.

Nearly stumbling down the stairs, he checked off a list in his head to make sure that he wasn’t forgetting anything. He had a full stomach and himself...yeah that was everything. The only other thing he needed was someone to go with him. Since none of his friends were around, he would have to improvise.

Unfortunately, he didn’t many ponies who knew anything about the Everfree Forest. Not even he knew that much about it. In fact, when was the last time he went in there? Yeah, he would definitely need some backup. Except, he still didn’t know anypony who knows anything about the Everfree Forest. Wait, he didn’t know anypony, but he did know a zebra.

Of course! Why wasn’t Zecora his first choice? Not only did she seem to have a solution for everything, which made her an awesome ally, but she actually lived in the Everfree. Now that he had his partner in mind, he could finally set off on his Spiketastic adventure!

He confidently opened and closed the front door of the library. He eagerly marched through the Ponyville market, letting his confidence show in his strut. Even though his eyes were closed for extra effect, he could feel the eyes of the surrounding ponies on him. If he’s lucky, he might even become the talk of the town.

Did you hear about what Spike did?

So brave!

I wish he was my number one assistant.

Yup, he would easily become a superstar by dinner. Of course, Zecora would get some credit too, but it was still his quest. On second thought, he wanted to know what they thought of him right now. Opening his eyes wide, he scanned his surroundings for any unblinking eyes. To his great disappointment, he found none.

He was about to go on a potentially life-threatening hike through the most dangerous forest in Equestria and nopony cared? Wait a minute, they didn’t care because he didn’t tell them yet. He knew he was forgetting something. Well, he was pretty good at narrating things, he was even considering listing it as his second job. He positioned himself on a wooden log and cleared his throat.

“Citizens of Ponyville,” he yelled as dramatically as he could. “I, Spike the dragon, am embarking on a life-threatening mission located deep in the Everfree Forest. Don’t worry, I’m not throwing my life away, this one comes straight from Princess Celestia.”

He knew that throwing the princess card would guarantee some gasps. Although from whom, he didn’t know anymore because nopony even seemed to have heard him. They were still going on with their ordinary lives even though something not ordinary was happening to them right now.

“Did everypony hear me?” Spike asked, his voice laced with confusion. “I said—”

“We know, Spike,” said Mr. Cake, bags full of fresh groceries hanging from his mouth. “It’s just that you guys go on some crazy and random adventure every other weekend don’t you? It gets kind of stale after a while, y’know?”

“Oh,” Spike said, lowering his head until his eyes met the floor. “I see.”

“Don’t let it discourage you though, I’m sure you’ll have a lot of fun on your journey.”

“It’s not supposed to be fun.”

“Nonsense. If there’s one thing living with Pinkie Pie has taught me, it’s that you can find fun in anything. Even something as mundane as, heh, getting the groceries.”

“Yeah, thanks Mr. Cake,” Spike said, sadly continuing his walk. “See you later.”

“Remember,” shouted Mr. Cake as he waved goodbye. “Have fun!”

“Yeah, yeah,” Spike murmured to himself.

Have fun? Yeah right. Hiking through the Everfree Forest with a zebra who could only speak in rhymes wasn’t exactly his idea of fun. Maybe he would finally be able have some action. A little dragon punch there, and reptile kick there; maybe it wouldn’t be as boring as he thought.

Finally, he approached the outskirts of Ponyville. The Everfree Forest was directly in front of him and it was even creepier than he thought. Glancing behind him, he decided to take one more look at Ponyville. The friendly little town really did feel more like home than Canterlot ever did. He wondered if this was Twilight felt when she left. Deciding to put that behind him for now, he took a deep breath and began the long trek into—

“Hey, Spike,” said a familiar voice followed by the screeching of wheels.

“Oh,” he said, turning around. “Hey, Scootaloo.”

As usual, Scootaloo was riding her signature scooter, helmet on her head and for some reason; she was also wearing a sad look on her face. Normally Scootaloo looked like she was ready to take on the world, but now she just looked like she urgently needed to see Dr. Pinkie Pie for a dose of happiness.

“Sheesh, what’s wrong with you?” Spike asked, realized too late how rude it actually sounded.

“Nothing,” she muttered, shrugging. “It’s just that Applebloom is busy at Sweet Apple Acres and Sweetie Belle is trying learn how to make dresses.”

“Sounds like Applejack and Rarity,” Spike commented.

“Exactly. Since their sisters are away, they think that this is their chance to really ‘prove themselves’.”

“What about you?”

“Yeah, like I’m really gonna prove myself by doing all of Rainbow Dash’s jobs. All I need is the ability of flight. Nothing to it. At least she trusted me with Tank right? That’s...something.”

“Is he chilling at your house or something?”

“Yeah, my parents are watching him. I gotta get back, I just wanted to clear my head with a scooter ride.”

“I don’t think it worked.”

“Whatever. Why are you heading towards the Everfree Forest anyway?”

“Princess Celestia trusted me with a mission that takes place deep in the Everfree Forest. I’m on my way to ask Zecora to help me out.”

“What? Why do you get to go on an awesome mission and all I get is turtle duty?”

“Sorry, maybe next time.”

“Oh c’mon, there’s not gonna be a next time! The next time Celestia has a mission ready, she’ll give it straight to Twilight. You gotta take me with you.”

“Whoa, whoa...whoa,” Spike said, emphasizing each word. “First of all, you’re way too young for this kind of mission—”

“You realize you’re still classified as a baby dragon, right?” Scootaloo smugly interrupted.

“Second of all,” Spike said, ignoring her. “You said it yourself: You’re stuck with turtle duty.”

“I said my parents are watching him,” Scootaloo said, practically whining at this point. “They won’t mind watching him for a few more hours.”

“Third—”

“No,” Scootaloo interrupted again. “I’m going, end of story. Besides, the Everfree gets worse at night, so we gotta get going!”

Spike opened his mouth to say something, but Scootaloo zoomed past him, effectively knocking him off balance. After picking himself up, immediately saw where this could go wrong. Thanks to Twilight, he had a not well known sense of responsibility, but Scootaloo seemed to entirely go off her instincts. Exactly like Rainbow Dash.

“I said we gotta get going!” Scootaloo shouted, already looking happier than she did a second ago.

Great, she thought this was going to be fun. When was the last she entered the Everfree Forest? It didn’t matter what Mr. Cake said, finding fun in anything didn’t really apply to a terrifying and crazy dangerous forest. He jogged to catch up to her, but as soon as he got close, she zoomed ahead again.

So this was it was going to go.

“Sorry,” Scootaloo apologized, laughing as she did so. “I’ll stay still this time. Come on.”

Not even bothering to respond, Spike jogged up to her once more. Once again, she scooted ahead at high speed.

“Got you again!” Scootaloo exclaimed between laughing fits.

“Scootaloo!” Spike shouted. “If you keep messing around like this, then we’ll be goners for sure!”

“Uh, Spike?” Scootaloo said tenderly, gesturing around them.

Momentarily forgetting his frustration, Spike turned in a circle, getting a view of his surroundings. He realized that in his haste to keep up with her, he’d already brought them deep into the Everfree Forest. It was just as spooky as last time, complete with the same scary trees, horrible noises, and the suspicion that no matter what, they were being watched.

“Don’t you know better than to raise your voice in the Everfree Forest?” Scootaloo gasped in fake surprise. “The monsters might hear you.”

“Ugh, whatever, let’s just get an actual move on,” Spike groaned.

“Yeah, I’ll be serious now,” Scootaloo promised, scooting next to Spike. “Do you know where we’re headed?”

“Yup, if we’re gonna actually survive this trip, we’ll need Zecora, so let’s stop by her hut.”

“Cool, where afterwards?”

“The old castle.”

“Awesome! My school was gonna take us on a field trip there, but it got cancelled because it was way too dangerous.”

“Too d-dangerous?” Spike repeated, biting the tips of his claws.

“What’s wrong, don’t like danger?”

“I don’t like being in danger.”

“Then you’re in the wrong forest, bud.”

“That’s why we need to get Zecora, she knows this forest like the back of her hoof.”

He was certain that having Scootaloo around would get him into some sticky situations, considering her love of danger, but so far they were getting by. True they’ve only been traveling for a few moments, but in this time he could’ve easily gotten lost or eaten. In fact, Scootaloo seemed to know exactly where she was going. How many times has she been to Zecora’s place?

The solid ground helped take his mind off how they were in constant danger. It just calmed him to know that at least he the ground’s support. With nothing else to think about, he felt his mind drift back to Twilight. He wondered how they were doing on their quest. Did they run into any complications along the way? Were they all doing okay? What if something terrible happened to them? Then again, if anything bad happened, Twilight would certainly be the most collected one. Surely the others would follow her calm lead. Yes, they were doing just fine.

He had to keep in mind that doing this mission and bringing back the stone would prove to Twilight (and impress Rarity) that he was capable of doing dangerous things like they were. Then again, maybe Twilight had a point all along. He wouldn’t have been very useful on their quest if there was a lot of fighting involved. He was even relying on Zecora for a mission that asked for him! Maybe he should give this more thought later, right now he had to convince himself that stars couldn’t blink.

“Wait, what?” Spike mumbled, doing a double take at the bushes.

“What is it?” Scootaloo asked, stopping her scooter.

“Am I crazy, or are those stars blinking?” Spike asked, pointing at the stars hidden by the bushes.

“You’re not crazy for thinking those stars are blinking.”

“I’m not?”

“No...you’re crazy for thinking that there are stars out. It’s still like 3:30,” Scootaloo stated, looking slightly scared herself.

Taking a long look at the bushes, Spike saw the stars seemed to be kinda clustered together to form something. And was that a star-patterned scorpion tail? He slowly backed away and rubbed his eyes to try and convince himself that it wasn’t real. The figment of his imagination slowly walked out of the bushes, revealing it’s disturbing body. It seemed like a giant scorpion but with small white stars all over it’s black body and soulless white eyes without pupils.

“W-what is t-that?” Scootaloo asked, fear finally showing on her face.

“The most horrifying thing I’ve ever seen,” Spike quietly said more to himself than her.

The Star Scorpion let out a loud screech, effectively silencing all the other spooky noises of the Everfree. It seemed to gain pleasure from intimidating the rest of the forest, then again, it was hard to tell from it’s deadly white eyes. It slowly stalked towards them, but Spike was too terrified to move. The closer it got, the less he felt like getting out of the way. It was almost as if it were talking to him. Once it was directly in front of him, staring down with a wicked gleam, it raised it’s starry tail, prepared to strike. It didn’t matter to him, he was already dead.

I’m sorry, Twilight.

“Spike!” Scootaloo shouted, the sound of screeching wheels followed her voice. “Hold on!”

He wondered what she meant with the side of his brain that wasn’t paralyzed with fear. Suddenly, he was swept out of the way by a scooter passing by. Once the fear wore off, he realized that it was Scootaloo who saved him. Holding onto her for dear life, he released a breath he didn’t know he was holding in.

“What do we do?” Spike asked. His voice was still laced with fear, but he didn’t care.

“You’re a baby dragon and I’m a school filly. What do you think?” she began buzzing her wings, which made it hard to hold on, but considering his only other option was death, he found a way. The monster let out another screech, which was apparently Scootaloo’s cue to go because she immediately zoomed forward at high speed. They barely missed it’s tail as they sped past it. Hearing the earth break beneath it’s strike was motivation enough to go faster.

They were going at a pretty good speed considering they were on a weighted down scooter powered by wings. He glanced behind him and immediately regretted it. Somehow the scorpion was keeping up with them, and it didn’t look like it was going to give up anytime soon.

“Scootaloo,” Spike shouted over the rush of the wind. “It’s gaining on us, and it’s not giving up.”

“Don’t worry,” she shouted back. “We’ll use our sharp wit and intelligent brains to outsmart it.”

“We’re doomed.”

She sounded like she had a plan, but she continued to weave through the trees, avoiding their pursuer. It was a high speed chase, and they were the ones being chased. It wasn’t a good feeling. It felt like they were at their top speed, but the scorpion seemed like it could only get faster. Scootaloo now seemed to be going on a very specific path through the forest. Did she even say how many times she’d been here?

A patch of sand appeared up ahead. It stood out among all the green grass, making it very obvious for anypony who was paying attention. But not every scorpion. Narrowly swerving around the sand, Scootaloo stopped and waited. If the sand was what he thought it was, it could work, but if not then they really were doomed. The scorpion rushed towards them, unaware of the pit of sand in front of it. It was only feet away. Spike closed his eyes and waited for the end to come if the plan didn’t work. Before he clamped his eyes shut, he saw Scootaloo’s look of confidence and wished he could put on that kind of look in serious situations.

He heard a large squishing sound followed by a small roar. To him, that was the cue to open his eyes. Squinting at first, he only saw the scorpion in front of him, struggling viciously. Opening his eyes all the way, he saw that it’s creepy leg things were utterly stuck in the quicksand. It tried to get out, but it’s attempt was in vain, much to Spike’s relief.

“It worked?” Spike asked surprised.

“Yup,” Scootaloo stated confidently. “The more it struggles, the faster it’ll sink. Since all of it’s legs are moving separately, it’ll probably sink pretty fast.”

“It’ll just sink?”

“Not completely, but enough for it not to bother us anymore.”

“What if there are more?”

“Right, Spike, the extremely common breed of Star Scorpions are often found in forests. Besides, this is your quest after all. You ready to move again?”

A simple nod yielded the answer. With the buzzing of wings, they were off again. That was way too close for comfort. He hated being a defenseless baby dragon. If he was even a normal sized dragon then he would’ve easily beat the scorpion in a fight. If it wasn’t for Scootaloo....

“Hey, Scootaloo,” Spike muttered. “Thanks for saving me. I owe you one.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Scootaloo replied, grinning against the wind. “The most important lesson I ever learned was that you gotta do anything you can to help your friends. Even if it means putting your life on the line for them. And I learned it from the most important pony in my life.”

“Rainbow Dash?”

“Yeah.”

It seemed that Rainbow Dash was a lot smarter than everypony gave her credit for. Then again, her closest friends already knew that. Sounds like that included Scootaloo. He wished he had a dragon sibling to look up to. He had Twilight, but she wasn’t a dragon and eventually that would come with consequences.

“Shouldn’t be much longer. We’re close to Zecora’s,” Scootaloo said, eyeing the distance.

Scootaloo’s knowledge of the Everfree bugged him once more as he never said where Zecora’s hut was. Maybe Applebloom showed her around one day. No, she knew too much to have learned it from one or two casual visits.

“Hey Scootaloo. How do you know so much about the Everfree?”

“What?” Scootaloo shouted. “I can’t hear you over the wind.”

You didn’t have any problems hearing me earlier, he thought.

“Never mind,” Spike groaned.

“Okay.”

Seriously?

Nevertheless, he could see Zecora’s hut loom into view. Finally he would have an adult accompany him. Hanging with another kid was too chaotic for him. Even if Scootaloo ended up saving him, and was nice to him, and was smarter than she seemed. What would Scootaloo do in a second? Would she go with them all the way to the castle? A part of him hoped so, but another part reminded him that Scootaloo would lower his chances of completing the task. Another part wondered if he would survive without her. The final part concluded that she would just get in the way.

He practically hopped off the scooter once they were directly in front of the hut. Scootaloo gently laid the vehicle down and put her helmet on top. She treated it like it was a part of her, which it kind of was. He knocked three times on the wooden door, eager to continue his quest as soon as he could. He practically hopped in place, but Scootaloo didn’t seem happy at all. It reminded him of how she looked earlier, and he didn’t like it.

“What’s wrong?” Spike asked her.

“Well...it’s nothing,” she responded, her dishonesty showing in her eyes.

“Don’t forget which one of us lives with Twilight. Lies don’t work on me.”

“Fine, I’m just kinda afraid that you’ll just tell me to go home when Zecora agrees to go with you.”

She basically just asked the question on his mind. Would he send her home? Clearly she didn’t want to go, but Celestia only said that he bring one person. He realized that it was a pretty lame excuse, but it was true! He couldn’t bring himself to come forward and say that he wasn’t sure if he would, so he mentally willed Zecora to answer the door quicker.

Come on, come on, come on.

“Ah, Spike and Scootaloo,” Zecora said cheerfully as she opened the door. “What can I do for you?”

Thank you, he mentally thanked her for actually answering the door quickly.

“Zecora, thank goodness,” Spike said a little too happily. “Princess Celestia told me to go retrieve this stone from the old castle deep in the Everfree and I need your help to do it. Scootaloo’s been helping me out so far, but I need an expert to finish the job.”

Zecora didn’t seem to be interested in this information, instead she seemed more interested in them. She eyed him and Scootaloo for a good minute, Scootaloo especially. It quickly became uncomfortable for Spike, but he kept his mouth shut anyway. Maybe she also thought that Scootaloo should go home and she was considering how to break it to her. That was a possibility, right?

“You think my help is what you need,” Zecora finally said. “When you really should be conquering your greed.”

“Greed?” Spike repeated, confused. “What are you talking about?”

“Your selfish ways cloud your sight, from doing what you feel is right. You know that the right thing to do, is to bring along Scootaloo. I must deny your offer of partnership, so that you’ll discover true friendship.”

“So, you won’t go with us?” Spike asked slowly.

“No,” Zecora stated simply.

“Aww.”

Zecora’s words had truth to them, he did feel that leaving Scootaloo behind would higher the success rate of the mission. In the process of thinking that, he forgot that Scootaloo needed this mission to feel good about herself. What would she do if he sent her back, hang out with Tank while Applebloom and Sweetie Belle followed their paths?

“Well, if you won’t help us, how are we gonna complete the mission?” Spike questioned.

“Rely on each other, if you wish to progress further,” Zecora informed them.

His eyes met Scootaloo’s and in that moment; he could feel the sadness radiating off her. The only reason it wasn’t apparent was because it was being masked by newfound happiness. Could he really bring himself to risk what was currently the most important task of his life, all for the happiness of his friend?

“What do you say, Spike?” Scootaloo gently asked, rubbing her eyes as she did so.

Suddenly, his mind was made up.

“I guess so,” Spike muttered to the ground.

“Yes!” Scootaloo shouted triumphantly, her smile shining bright like a star. “You won’t regret it, I promise!”

“I hope not,” Spike said quietly. “Well, if we’re done here, then we have a stone to find. See you later, Zecora.”

“Beware young ones,” Zecora warned. “The prize you seek is second to none. Be true to yourself and follow your heart, unless you want Equestria to be torn apart.”

Before either of them could think, Zecora quickly closed the door.

“What was that supposed to mean?” Spike thought out loud.

“Who cares?” Scootaloo cheered happily, picking up her scooter. “We’ve got a stone to find!”

“Yeah,” Spike said weakly. “I guess we do.”

Even if he was technically okay with Scootaloo going with him now (technically because he didn’t really have a choice), he still would’ve preferred Zecora. The abandoned castle was abandoned for a reason. There could be anything in there, and the idea of two kids facing those unknown horrors was a terrible idea in anyone’s head.

Not to mention that they were currently being pursued by strange star creatures. They may have outsmarted the scorpion, but if they came into contact with one of those again, they would be in trouble.

Looking up, Spike saw that the sky had finally turned dark. It wasn’t too dark though, so it was probably only around six at the least. As if on cue, the spooky sounds coming from the Everfree seemed to increase in volume. They still scared him, but for now, he didn’t really care. His priority was the task at hand and nothing else. Except resting his eyes for a moment...

“Okay, something is wrong here,” Spike stated, staring out the window of the library. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, the grass was green. He didn’t know why something felt...off.

“You’re right, Spike,” said Twilight, walking down the stairs. “Something is wrong here. You’re not in Canterlot, where you’ve been reassigned to.”

“What?” Spike asked, panicking as he did so.

“We’ve been over this, now that I’m a princess, I don’t need some useless baby dragon as my assistant. I could have anypony in all of Equestria. Or at least I will, once you’re gone.”

“That’s...impossible,” Spike said, looking down at his trembling paws. “You would never send me away because you thought I was useless...right?”

“Wrong,” Twilight spat. “You’ve never done anything that somepony better couldn’t do. If that isn’t useless, I don’t know what is.”

“No, you’re wrong,” Spike said, stepping forward. “I’ve been something to you that no ordinary assistant could ever be: a friend.”

“Yeah right,” Twilight cruelly laughed, her voice becoming harsher. “I have plenty of friends already, I don’t mind losing one.”

“Our bond goes deeper than the title of ‘friends’ Twilight. We’re family. Nothing and no one will ever change that.”

“Ugh!” Twilight groaned in frustration, her voice no longer her own. “I’m sick of your nonsense! It’s time for you to leave. Right now!”

Without warning, Twilight leapt at him. He would’ve shielded himself, but he knew that Twilight would never harm him. Just before she reached him, she burst into a ball of brilliant light. The light floated down to the ground, hovering an inch above it. It gave off a nice, warm feeling that reminded him of how the real Twilight made him feel. Without hesitation, he walked straight into it without looking back.

“Spike, psst, Spike! Wake up already! Sheesh, you’re harder to wake than Rainbow Dash after work!”

“Huh, wha...?” Spike drowsily groaned. Quickly trying to remember what happened, Spike looked around and saw that they were still in the Everfree Forest. His arms were wrapped tightly around Scootaloo. He quickly unwrapped them and made a note to never sleep around ponies.

“You fell asleep on my back,” Scootaloo explained. “I didn’t notice ‘til you started snoring like a hydra.”

“What?” Spike gasped. “I do not!”

“Oh really? Would Twilight agree with you or me?”

“Obviously me, because I’m right.”

“We’ll see about that.”

Playfully shaking his head at their banter, he strained his eyes to see how far away they were from the castle. Thankfully, they weren’t all that far, all they really had to do was cross the bridge and they were home free. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes as he tried to remember the dream he just had...

“Huh, do you hear that?” Scootaloo suddenly asked, stopping her scooter.

Focusing on the sounds he’d been trying to ignore, Spike did hear something that was slightly different from the others. It even sounded familiar, but in a bad way, like a bad memory. It grew louder and more terrifying at the same time. His stomach dropped as he remembered what the source of the roar was.

“Timberwolves,” Spike whispered in fear.

“What?” Scootaloo asked.

“Timberwolves!” Spike screeched. The roar of the hidden Timberwolves grew louder to match Spike’s scream of distress.

“Where?” Scootaloo wondered, clutching onto her scooter for dear life. As if on cue, the distinct sound of roots being ripped out of the ground filled the air as a tree fell to their left.

“T-there,” Spike said through his chattering teeth. Another tree met the same fate as it crashed to the ground. And another, and another until finally the glowing light green eyes of a Timberwolf pierced the darkness.

Bringing one more tree with it, the Timberwolf finally made an appearance. It released one more roar and eyed it’s prey. One glance at Scootaloo told him that she was completely paralyzed with fear. Looks like it was just him and Timberwolf once again. The last time he’d faced off against one was when he was Applejack’s assistant. He defeated that one by throwing a rock into t’s throat, how would he defeat this one?

Taking charge, he switched Scootaloo and himself so that he was the one at the front. He had never driven a scooter before, but there was a first time for everything. It looked like all he had to was get them over the bridge and through the castle doors. Challenge accepted.

“Hold on!” Spike yelled, feeling the adrenaline coursing through his veins. Scootaloo weakly nodded in reply. Shoving his foot into the ground and kicking up, he launched them forward. The monstrous footsteps behind them told him that the Timberwolf was following close behind them. Kicking the ground again, he realized that he would have to pick up the pace if they wanted to live.

He found the scooter hard to control on account of his lack of experience with it and the fact that he was scooting for two people. As the steps grew louder, he began to doubt that they would survive this at the speed they were going.

“Scootaloo,” Spike shouted, getting a mouthful of wind in the process. “You need to buzz your wings so that we can get that extra boost!”

She still had an empty look in her eye from the blind fear, but she understood. Closing her eyes and hanging on even tighter, she buzzed her wings as fast as she could. It was a small boost, but it would probably save their lives.

Finally he approached the bridge. Too afraid of what would happen if he slowed down for even a moment, he sped forward not thinking of what would happen if he drove a scooter over an unstable bridge. The slightly spaced wooden panels made the drive bumpy and made the scooter even harder to control.

They were almost over when the Timberwolf finally caught up. One of it’s giant steps alone was enough to violently shake the entire bridge. He lost the control that he’d been working hard to maintain the entire journey and flew off the scooter. His back collided with solid ground, telling him that he’d at least made it over the bridge, but did Scootaloo? Tenderly opening his eyes, the first thing he saw was Scootaloo and the scooter lying next to her.

Standing up, he immediately turned and saw that the Timberwolf was struggling over the bridge. In a minute he’d be on them and now that he could compare sizes; he doubted that the castle doors could hold the beast back. Still being fueled by the adrenaline, he lifted Scootaloo onto the scooter and walked them up to the doors. Opening the doors slightly, he pushed them through and quickly closed them.

It was his turn to be the savior.

Walking slowly up to the bridge, he noticed that the Timberwolf was almost upon him. It was a good thing he had a plan in mind or he would probably just run around and panic for a few moment. Then again, he wasn’t that baby dragon anymore. Inhaling deeply, he put aside the thought that reminded him that he’d never officially attempted this. The Timberwolf was over the bridge and looked twice as angry as before. It’s howl was another indication of how annoyed it’d become.

Pawing at the ground, the wooden wolf sprinted at him, intent on blood. Letting out the breath he’d been holding, he took in another breath and waited. The Timberwolf launched itself at him, so ready to rip him apart, but he had no intention to let him.

Unleashing the held breath, he watched as the breath transformed into his signature emerald flames. The fire that poured out of his mouth now was the largest he had ever produced. And he couldn’t be prouder of himself for it. The fire consumed the Timberwolf whole and spat it out completely burned. It howled in pain and rolled around on it’s side to rid itself of it’s own nightmare, but it couldn’t undo the damage. Burned beyond healing it let out one last roar, launched itself over the bridge and ran back into the forest.

The fact that he had achieved such an amazing victory should have made him feel great, but he just felt extremely drained from the fire. Also feeling lightheaded, he stumbled over to the castle doors and pushed them open with his remaining strength. As soon as they opened, he immediately found himself being embraced by Scootaloo. He weakly hugged her back, happy that they were both alive.

“Spike, that was amazing,” Scootaloo exclaimed, pulling back from the hug. “I cracked the door open to watch and saw you spew that fire, that was so awesome!”

“Thanks Scootaloo, but I think I need a breather, can we just rest for a minute?” Spike drowsily said more as a statement than a question. Slumping into a sitting position, he sat against the door, rubbing his head.

“Okay,” Scootaloo agreed, sitting beside him against the door.

For once, the silence that followed was relaxing. Good thing too, because the last thing he needed right now was more excitement. He could use a good tale though; he enjoyed hearing those when he was tired. He realized that he still had a few questions for Scootaloo.

“Hey Scootaloo,” Spike said, “you still haven’t told me why you know so much about the Everfree Forest.”

Scootaloo’s face showed surprise at this question, as expected. She looked around and seemed to realize that there was no way out of this one. Looking down, she let out a sigh.

“Don’t tell anyone I told you, but sometimes I go into the Everfree by myself. Just to explore and stuff, you know? I guess I’ve been here more times than I can count and memorized everything by now.”

“You don’t go in with anyone? Not even Rainbow Dash?”

“No...because Rainbow Dash is the reason I go in.”

“Does she pressure you or something?”

“No, it’s because I...because she...”

Scootaloo took a deep breath and stared right into Spike’s eyes. Her eyes were filled with sadness, a look he’d probably perfected by now.

“A while ago, we went on a camping trip and I had terrible nightmares about a scary story Rainbow told me and I accidentally fell off a cliff. Rainbow saved me and told me that those stories scared her too and that’s when she agreed to be my big sister. Afterwards, the nightmares went away, but they only left because of Rainbow. I wanted to be strong enough to fend them off myself so I decided to spend my free time in the Everfree Forest to toughen me up. I thought it was working, but I just froze up when that Timberwolf attacked...now I’m a disgrace to pegasi and Rainbow Dash.”

“You’re not a disgrace, you’re a filly, it’s natural to have fears when you’re young. Trust me, I got a lot of them.”

Scootaloo let out a short laugh and relaxed her shoulders.

“Yeah, but you don’t have anything to prove to anyone. I gotta worry about impressing Rainbow Dash at everything.”

“Rainbow’s the spirit of loyalty, it doesn’t matter what you do, she’s still gonna like you.”

“I know, it’s just a feeling. I mean, don’t you ever feel like you’re gonna do something that’ll make Twilight not like you anymore?”

Finally remembering what his dream was about, Spike shook his head and chuckled.

“I used to, a long time ago. But not anymore. You should tell Rainbow about your Everfree adventures, she’d be proud. Not like Twilight, she steers me away from danger.”

“She only does that because she loves you and just wants you to be safe. After all, Rainbow isn’t too keen on me facing danger either.”

“I guess it’s impossible to have a perfect relationship with your sibling, right?”

“Yeah, I guess it is.”

Feeling a little more relaxed, Spike was suddenly glad that Scootaloo ended up coming along with him. It was nice to have a good friend that he could actually connect with on a younger sibling level.

“Do you find it as funny as I do that neither of us are actually related to our siblings?” Spike asked her, laughing to himself.

“Yeah, it’s even funnier that we’re even closer than most Ponyville families,” Scootaloo replied, sharing in the laugh.

“It feels like a curse to talk about family bonds in the castle that Nightmare Moon destroyed,” Spike said, rising from the floor. “We should probably find that stone already.”

“Yeah, let’s do that,” Scootaloo said eagerly.

The first rule for exploring ancient ruins is to not touch anything. Seeing how destroyed and dangerous everything looked, this was an easy rule to obey. The main problem would be having to actually locate the stone in the castle. Celestia didn’t provide any hints or directions so it shouldn’t be too difficult.

It would require some careful inspecting and probably some hidden stairways as well. The trick was that it couldn’t be somewhere obvious considering that if it was anypony could’ve made off with it. The best place to start would be the space in between the two staircases. This would be an optimal place to put a hidden stairway.

“Scootaloo, I think there’s a hidden stairway here,” Spike announced, gesturing to the wall.

“Here?” Scootaloo repeated, confused. “I dunno, it’d be too obvious.”

“Reverse psychology,” he replied, rubbing the wall. “There should a hidden panel around here somewhere, we just gotta find it.”

“Like this?” Scootaloo asked, copying his movements.

“Yeah.”

Together, they awkward moved around the wall, trying to locate some hidden panel. After a minute, it became weird, but everything depended on the fact that they find it, so they searched on.

“Are you sure that there’s something here?” Scootaloo asked.

“In every comic I’ve ever read, this is how they find the secret lair,” Spike explained. “Either that, or they just blast their way through.”

“Hmm, well I don’t think—whoa!”

Spike looked over and saw that Scootaloo’s hoof was firmly planted on a panel moving into the wall. Before Spike could congratulate her, the loud rumbling of the walls moving cut off his potential sentence. It felt as though the wall was making itself hollow from the inside. A large slab of wall moved slowly downward, creating a loud crushing sound as it did so. Dust flew everywhere, causing Spike to close his eyes and cover his mouth. As suddenly as it began, it ended.

Opening his eyes slowly, Spike found himself face to face with a stairway going diagonally downwards. It appeared behind the missing slab of wall from before, looking over at Scootaloo he could tell that she made the same connection. Gesturing at it with a nod of his head, Spike smiled and practically sprinted down the steps.

After the fourth step, he began to wonder if they had activated the wrong hidden staircase and were heading towards something completely different. Hopefully the princesses didn’t keep too many hidden pathways in their old castle, but if they did...

Reaching the bottom of the stairs after what seemed like an eternity, Spike took a moment to catch his breath and let Scootaloo catch up. Looking around, he gasped as he noticed that the only object in the room was the one they’d been searching for. On a pedestal was the very same star stone that they’ve been looking. It really was nothing more than a large stone carved into the shape of a star. He expected something more, but now he just felt disappointed. Hearing Scootaloo reach the bottom, he eagerly grabbed onto her shoulders.

“There it is, the star stone...thingy,” Spike said excitedly.

“Yeah, but why isn’t it more well guarded if it’s so important?” Scootaloo asked, gently trotting out of Spike’s grasp.

“I dunno, but the sooner we get it, the sooner we get congratulated by Princess Celestia!” Spike exclaimed, shaking with excitement.

He began towards it, smiling madly as he did so. He realized about halfway over to it that the pedestal was too tall for him, but he would figure that out later. He shoved aside the fact that the room was probably booby trapped.

On second thought, he probably shouldn’t had shoved that thought aside so quickly. Only a foot away from the stone, he suddenly saw nothing but light gold. Blinking several times and flailing his arms wildly, he struggled to find Scootaloo in his sea of gold. He tried to see her in the rare glimpses he had when the gold momentarily disappeared. He finally spotted her and saw that likewise she was likewise being consumed in a blue aura. After a moment longer of fighting it, he allowed it to wash over his body as his vision turned from gold to black.

“Open your eyes, Spike. There’s nothing to be afraid of.”

Obeying the hypnotic voice, Spike pried his eyes open and was tempted to shut them again because he was greeted with a dazzling pony with an emerald coat and purple flaming mane and tail. Opening his eyes once more, he glanced around the brightly colored pony and saw that they were surrounded by black. Her coat and mane cut through the darkness.

“What’s going on?” Spike croaked.

“Your noble journey is at it’s end, but it’s not quite finished,” said the unicorn mare in an angelic voice. “In order to claim your prize, you must prove that your heart is pure enough to wield the weapon that you seek.”

“Weapon, huh?” Spike asked himself. “Okay, so how do I prove how pure my heart is?”

“By defeating your shadow of course,” she explained as though it was obvious.

“Uh...say that again?”

“You must do away with the darkest and deepest parts of you in order to progress. Therefore you must defeat your shadow.”

“But, I—”

“Do not worry, if your intentions are pure, then your heart will follow. Are you ready, Spike?”

“I guess so.”

“Excellent.”

The tip of her emerald horn lit up with a purple ball of light that detached itself and hovered in midair. Without warning, the ball flew directly into Spike’s chest, creating an uncomfortable tingling sensation. The ball then exited his body, but this time it seemed to have been dyed black. It slowly expanded until it grew to a tremendous size. Once it reached its desired size, it began forming a shape. A shape that Spike recognized, although he couldn’t exactly recall why...

Until it hit him on the head.

The shape of the tail, the rough curve of the head, the angle of the spikes and the large size of the chest area. The ball was forming a fully grown dragon, but which one? He didn’t know many grown dragons, he just knew that one whose jewels he tried to eat, the one that blew smoke over Ponyville (even though he never actually met him), and—-oh no.

The dragon was him.

As if on cue, the form solidified into a giant green dragon with purple spikes and a terrifying look in its eyes. Looking into the eyes of his darkest self was like staring into a bottomless pit that was sucking him in. The grown Spike lowered its head until it was level with kid Spike.

“I am the other side of you, the darkest side,” grown Spike growled in a booming voice. “If you wish to finish what you started, you must prove that I have no effect on who you are now.”

Spike felt like someone had paused his heart. Asking him to face the part of him who almost destroyed Ponyville and Rarity? That would’ve been too much to handle a month ago, but he wasn’t the baby he was a month ago. He was the kid who felt like he was ready to face unknown dangers, the kid who took down two Timberwolves and the kid who learned that he could find fun in anything...as long as he was doing it with a friend.

“You...are not me,” kid Spike stated simply as if it was actually easy. “You are not the dragon I am today.”

“Oh, but I will be the dragon you’ll become tomorrow,” grown Spike replied. “When all of your friends have passed due to old age, you’ll be stuck with me in an abandoned cave where no one can bother you. And if they do...I would hate to be them.”

Spike clamped his eyes shut to prevent the flow of tears. The dark him had struck a chord there, he did sometimes believe that he would be all alone and angry someday. And there would be no one left to comfort him.

No, what would Twilight or Rarity say if they heard him obsessing over things like his potentially dark future? Didn’t they already learn that lesson? What he had to focus on was the present, and in order to do that, he had to defeat his own shadow.

“I am not the dragon you say I am,” true Spike said confidently. “When I become your age, I’ll probably become a hero or something. I refuse to go down as ‘Spike, the terror of Equestria’, instead I’ll go down as ‘Spike, the protector of Equestria’!”

His words appeared to have more power than he thought, because as soon as he said them, cracks appeared in the dark manifestation of himself. Light shone through the cracks as his dark self examined them. Light also appeared in his eyes and began to flow from his mouth. He let loose one last roar of pain before he burst into light just as the Twilight in his dream had. Instead of a ball of light appearing as a makeshift portal, the mystical unicorn from before appeared before him once more.

“Congratulations, Spike the dragon,” she said peacefully. “You have proven that you are aware of your darkness, and you refuse to let it overcome you. You are indeed worthy of utilizing the item you seek. Take the item and your friend and keep them both safe from the evil around you.”

“I will,” Spike said, saluting proudly.

The mystical pony giggled softly as she released a small spell towards him. The spell entered his chest like the last one, but felt nicer than the last one. Closing his eyes, he sighed happily and let the magic return him to Equestria.

Opening his eyes once more, he found himself looking at the star stone, which had relocated itself to his paws. Now that he was holding it, he still couldn’t see why it was so important, but decided that he would find out later. Glancing behind him, he saw Scootaloo silently staring at the ground with glassy eyes.

“Scootaloo?” Spike asked gently.

Hearing the sound of his voice, she looked up, smiled and ran forward to embrace him once more. Reveling in the touch of his feathered friend, he sighed happily again and returned the hug with more strength.

“Did you have to face your shadow too?” Spike asked softly.

“Yeah,” Scootaloo whispered, her voice breaking. “I’ll tell you about it later, you got the stone?”

“Yup,” he said, holding the stone out. “I don’t see what the big deal is though, but it doesn’t matter, we’re done here. Let’s go home.”

“Sure, my scooter is upstairs, let’s see if we can make it back before midnight so that we can tell Applebloom and Sweetie Belle about our awesome day.”

Spike nodded in agreement as he followed her upstairs. In that moment, he didn’t feel useless, weak and he especially didn’t feel greedy. All he felt was happiness and pride, and in the end, that’s all you really need. That and friendship, but not just some friendship; if he’d learned anything from this experience, it was that you could never have enough friendship because you never know when you’re gonna need your friend’s support.

That’s gonna make a great letter, he thought. But more importantly, wait until I tell Twilight.

6: Lightning Strikes Twice

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Twilight Sparkle was rudely woken by an intense smell assaulting her nose. If she were back home, she would just blame it on one of Spike’s attempts at cooking, but she drowsily realized a second later that she wasn’t home, and that wasn’t really Spike’s cooking. Even if it was, it’s been a while since Spike’s burned anything. She really missed Spike....

She stumbled out of bed before she realized that she’d taken the top bunk of the inn for whatever reason. She hastily glided to the floor, yelling in the process. The combined noise was enough to cause Applejack to yelp and sluggishly roll out of her bunk.

“Don’t worry, Granny Smith,” Applejack drowsily mumbled. “Ah’ll take the West orchard today...”

“Applejack, get up,” Twilight muttered while she picked herself up, still half-asleep herself. “Something’s burning and it’s not my stove...”

Leaning her head forward, she allowed gravity to take over and force her entire body onto the floor. She began to allow Luna to take her off to dreamland again, before the smell attacked her again. Picking herself up once more, she looked around until she noticed the smoke coming from the closed door. Curious at the possible danger, she grabbed hold of the knob with her magic and yanked it open just as she remembered something that she was told long ago.

Remember Twilight Sparkle, my dear student, do not open hot doors in a burning building under any circumstances.

Oh, now you remember.

A torrent of flames washed into the room, intent on devouring them whole. Thinking fast, she magically cast a shield on all six of them at once. The fire lapped all of the shields, but settled for the furniture when it couldn’t reach its desired targets. Her friends all woke with screams of panic, resulting in a slight headache for Twilight.

“Girls, calm down,” Twilight shouted over their screams and the roaring flames. “I’m protecting you with magic, but I can’t do it much longer unless you stop screaming!”

“W-what’s happening?” Rarity asked, still slightly panicking.

“Something or someone started a fire and it’s spread up here,” Twilight answered, observing the situation.

“Well, put it out,” Rainbow Dash said, showing off her genius intellect.

“Gee, you think?” Twilight sarcastically asked.

The fire was running even more rampant now that it’s spread to the wooden room, so Twilight had to keep the shields up as she cast her next spell. Closing her eyes for extra concentration, she summoned a shockwave that would probably put the flames out. Or it would break the weakened shields and burn them all. Normally she wouldn’t risk it and find a better solution, but right now she didn’t even care. Opening her eyes after a moment of keeping them clamped shut, Twilight saw that her shockwave had slowed down the flames considerably, allowing them to make a path for the door.

“Quickly, everypony get through the door, but be careful, there’s more where this came from,” Twilight shouted, deactivating their shields.

Everything became a chaotic blur as they all hurried out the door and through the hallway, dodging every flame that decorated their path. She was right: there certainly was a lot more where that came from. It was clear by the pattern that someone and not something had caused this fire, and she had an idea of who it was.

“Wait,” Twilight said as they arrived at the entrance to the inn, currently their exit.

“What?” Rainbow asked, clearly panicking on the inside, and a little on the outside. “Dunno if you noticed, but we’re in a burning building!”

“We aren’t the only ponies in this inn,” Twilight stated. “We need to rescue the others, but carefully, this place is unstable.”

“Way ahead of you,” Rainbow announced. “This place isn’t that big.”

“You guys help too,” Twilight said to the others.

“But what about you?” asked Pinkie and Rainbow at the same time.

“I’m gonna stop this at the source,” Twilight said, unknowingly summoning a determined look to her eyes.

“Are you sure you won’t require assistance?” Rarity asked.

“We don’t have time for this!” Twilight shouted over roaring flames. “Just go!”

Seeing that she really was determined, and that they were running out of time; the others disappeared into the hallways. Rainbow remained, noticeably hesitating.

“Go!” Twilight screamed, unwilling to have a conversation at this time.

“Fine!” Rainbow shouted back. “But don’t even think about nearly dying again!”

With that, Rainbow also zoomed into the hallways. Twilight chuckled at Rainbow’s comment as she trotted outside. Not because it was funny, but because she was probably about to directly disobey it. Stepping outside, the first thing she realized was that the entire town was in an uproar, and the second thing she noticed, is that she was right about the cause of the fire.

“Kuwabara!”

“Hello, Princess,” Kuwabara chuckled darkly, an evil look in his eye. “Have a nice sleep? Any good dreams you wish to share?”

“What have you done?”

“I told you to be prepared when morning comes, Princess. It’s not my fault that Equestrians are rudely unprepared at all times.”

“It’s not even morning! It’s probably barely past midnight!”

“I decided to start early.”

“You’re a monster...”

“Compliments will get you nowhere, but since I’m well-mannered unlike you Equestrians, I’ll tell you what exactly I’m accomplishing here...”

Kuwabara trotted up to Twilight and looked towards the burning inn, a sight Twilight refused to look at so she turned around. A movement that was proven useless when she was lifted into the air by Kuwabara’s yellow magic and turned towards the direction of the inn as she was dropped to the ground.

“You see, Princess,” Kuwabara chuckled as usual. “I’m not sure if you noticed, but I have a small hatred of Equestrians.”

“I didn’t even notice,” Twilight muttered sarcastically.

Her comment was met with a fierce blow to the back of her head, sending her flying into the ground. She whimpered as little as possible in response to the intense pain in her head to show as little weakness as possible. Getting up from the ground, she decided that she was definitely going to make this guy pay...

Wait, I actually just thought that?

“As I was saying,” Kuwabara said, continuing as though nothing had happened. “I had no choice but to let you stay in my town for the night after Celestia challenged me once more—”

“Challenged you? Once more?” Twilight blurted out. She flew out of the way to avoid the second hit, impressed by her own reflexes.

“You learn fast, Princess,” Kuwabara spat, smiling. “I enjoy that in an opponent. Anyway, since Celestia’s challenge lasted for the rest of the day, I decided to deal with you after midnight. That way I wouldn’t be violating the terms of the challenge. Always respect a challenge, Princess.”

“And you decided to deal with us by burning down one of your own inns?” Twilight asked, gesturing to the slowly collapsing building. “Not to mention freak out all of your citizens?”

“My citizens? Why would I care for them?” Kuwabara asked, staring at the ponies running around behind them. WIthout warning, he lowered his horn and ejected pure lightning out of it. It struck a passing pony in his side and he collapsed onto the ground. Running up to him, Twilight saw that he was convulsing violently. Unable to watch him any longer, she merely turned away.

“What is wrong with you?!” Twilight screamed, making the question sound like a statement.

“At this time you may be thinking that I’m completely insane,” Kuwabara said, frowning slightly. “But I’m not, I’m a warrior, a title that you appear to be slowly earning.”

“What?” Twilight gasped.

“I can see it in your eyes,” he whispered, smiling. “You have seen death and you want more. Want to cause more...”

“You are insane!” Twilight stated. “Just as insane as burning down a building in the town that you control, but somehow less insane than striking down one of your own residents! You know what? I don’t even care about what happened between you and Celestia, you’re going down. Right. Now.”

Twilight gave herself a running start and took to the sky. Kuwabara was powerful, but she was still the one with the horn and the wings. Struggling to avoid looking at the panicking ponies and the burning building, she focused on her target and released a purple beam of light from her head. Kuwabara dodged out of the way, leaving the beam to strike the ground and create a small crater. Grinning darkly, he cast another stream of lightning from his horn. She tried to fly out of the way, but was unable to.

The electricity surging through her wings prevented her from flying any longer. Falling out of the sky, she summoned a large magical bubble that would soften her landing. She giggled lightly as she bounced off of it. Upon reaching the ground, she almost collapsed as she remembered the lightning surging violently through her body. Remembering a technique Celestia taught her, she channeled the lightning into her horn and redirected it at Kuwabara. This time he was the one unable to dodge it. The bolt hit him in his side, sending him skidding back. She expected him to show his pain, but instead he raised his head and laughed loudly.

“Oh, Princess,” he said, but the electricity made the sentence sound slightly garbled. “You use such defensive spells in battle. Those elementary school charms will get you killed on the battlefield. You need to learn to be more offensive if you’re to survive. Take this little gem for example—”

His horn glowed yellow as he raised his head and bellowed. She heard the earth shake and looked down, terrified to see that parts of the ground were highlighted yellow too. Leaping off of the yellow pieces, she watched as they were ripped from the ground and beaten into each other to form a large molten ball of earth being held in the air by Kuwabara’s magic.

Unable to move at the sight of his insane magic, she didn’t try to dodge the ball until he had actually thrown it. The ball exploded upon touching the ground and released a large blast of energy that passed over her body, effectively shutting out every other thought except for how much pain she was in. She experienced even more pain when she crashed into the ground a moment later. She attempted to stand, but was rudely pushed back into the ground by Kuwabara’s magic.

“Strange, now I actually want to tell you about the history between Celestia and I,” Kuwabara said, grinning over her. “Call it a parting gift, I love giving those. But anyway, let’s get this started.”

Kuwabara sat down in front of her, not even flinching when she struggled against his magic. He closed his eyes and rubbed the side of his head as he rose old memories to the surface. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her friends leave the inn with a large group of burned ponies galloping out behind them. Once Rainbow’s brain seemed to process the scene before her, she attempted to fly towards them, but was stopped by Twilight’s frantic shaking of her head.

She stared into Rainbow’s eyes and tried to communicate her thoughts. The thoughts that said that this was her fight and they should calm down the ponies around them. Rainbow seemed to understand, but it was a gentle shove from Applejack that finally sold her. Nodding once, she led the others away from her and towards the other side of town.

“I got it now!” Kuwabara shouted triumphantly. “The day that The Hollow was born...”

He cleared his throat as he picked her up with magic and slammed her into the ground again. Groaning slightly, she hoped that this wouldn’t keep happening throughout the tale.

“I was serving as King Hollow’s right-hoof stallion at the time of the attack. That is, Celestia’s attack on The Hollow, then known as North Equestria.”

“What?” Twilight coughed. “This used to be a part of Equestria? But—”

The rest of her sentence was cut off by her being lifted and slammed once more. When her spine collided with the ground this time, she immediately coughed up blood. This was getting serious...

“You are so rude, Princess,” Kuwabara spat, frowning darkly, the light from the fire cast a shadow across his face. “Can’t I get through one story without you running your mouth? Anyway, when Equestria was divided into the north and the south, we resided in North Equestria while she ruled over South Equestria, which is now simply called Equestria.”

“How long ago was this?” Twilight gasped, steeling herself for another thrashing.

“Over a few thousand years ago,” Kuwabara replied.

“How old are you?”

“Over a few thousand years, obviously.”

“How?”

“That’s a side story to the main story, speaking of, we should get back to it. Now a few thousand years ago, Celestia committed a great crime that destroyed any bonds the two sides had. After she did this, she came to attack us just to rub it in our faces. King Hollow gave the order for the counterattack and I led the charge. She defeated all of our best stallions, but I wasn’t going to go down without a proper duel. I engaged in a personal battle with her and I was shocked to discover that the graceful princess could fight dirty. As I charged up a powerful attack, she saw an opening and struck my back with a powerful bolt of lightning. Giving me this lovely scar of mine.”

“If she attacked you while you were preparing to attack her, then it’s not really dirty is it?”

“It’s still dishonorable.”

“Are you sur—”

“QUIET! Anyway, once she defeated me she effectively won the battle so she allowed King Hollow to rule his side as she went off to rule hers. That was the day that South Equestria simply became Equestria and North Equestria became The Hollow, after King Hollow.”

“But what crime did Celestia commit? And why would she attack you for no reason? That sounds nothing like the Celestia I know.”

“Oh it doesn’t? Is that to say that she’s told you her side of the story? Do you know all about her past, or anything about her past at all? Or do you have to find out from someone else like you just have?”

It hurt to realize that the words that he was speaking had truth to them. After all, she had been having doubts about Celestia for a while now. If his story was true, which isn’t likely, then it would fill in the missing pieces to the one she used to call “teacher.”

“You never told me how you became immortal.”

“Immortal unless killed in battle, which will never happen to me. Anyway, I was one of the lucky ones who was infused with the Immortality Charm. A legendary spell long since forgotten by time. Only a few ponies still know it by heart, which is now the only way to know it, because the creator died a long time ago.”

“So the creator of an immortality spell...died.”

“Oh shut up, I realize the irony, it’s just that the inventor was from The Hollow and his death somewhat impacted us.”

“How, I mean, I know the caster of an immortality spell is precious cargo, but who was he?”

“That’s enough. I’ve already explained my personal feud with Celestia, now it’s time to continue our rather one-sided duel.”

Without any warning aside from that, Kuwabara tossed her into the air and blasted her with magic. As she crashed to the ground again, she couldn’t help but feel that this battle actually was one-sided. Which also happened to be what she was right now because that last blow surely fractured a rib. How would she be able to defeat someone who engaged in personal battle with Celestia over a thousand years ago? Perhaps she shouldn’t have told her friends that she could handle it on her own....

“I thought that this battle would give me some nostalgia for my battle with Celestia, but all it’s doing is reminding me of all the times I’ve crushed my enemies beneath my hooves,” Kuwabara spat as he stood over her chuckling.

His guard’s down, she thought. This is my chance to get the upperhoof!

Quickly preparing a spell so that he wouldn’t notice her horn glowing, Twilight suddenly leapt up and unleashed the blast directly in front of him. The spell exploded upon contact, sending him flying backwards. Going off her adrenaline, she took the skies again, ignoring the pain in her...everywhere. She shot off a few more blasts from the air for good measure. Her opponent was now covered in a large dust cloud.

Taking her eyes off the ball of dust, she forced herself to look at the state the town was in. The inn was basically just ashes at this point and the rest of the town wasn’t much better off. Ponies still ran around panicked, and some didn’t appear to be moving at all. Other buildings were also burning down to ashes; did Kuwabara send his guards to do that? She was so disgusted by the display that she almost got hit by the lightning stream.

Quickly looking at the dust, she saw Kuwabara with a very angry look on his face. His horn gave off a deadly glow as she felt her body being engulfed in the familiar aura. He pulled her towards him at an alarming speed. As he lifted one foreleg, she saw that he planned to hit her as she came close enough. Thinking quickly, she also waited until she was close enough to launch another direct hit in the form of an exploding orb. As it exploded, she felt herself becoming free from the magic and used the speed to catapult herself into the air.

Looking down, she noticed the scar on Kuwabara’s back where Celestia’s lightning struck all those years ago. Forming a devious plan, she gathered all of her magic into her horn. She had no idea how Celestia could manipulate lightning from the clouds, or how she could control it from such a distance, but she did understand how Kuwabara could shoot lightning from his horn. She lowered her head until her horn was pointing directly at the target.

Converting magic into elements was difficult and dangerous to do. She had only done it once when she was a filly and that was just to sprinkle water onto the flowers in Canterlot. Celestia had told her to never try it with fire or lightning because transforming it at the wrong time could result in severe damage for herself. But the time for playing by the rules has come to an end.

Remembering something that you’ve never learned in the first place was difficult, but somehow Twilight had actually managed to convert her stored up magic into pure lightning. So this was what power felt like. With an uncharacteristic roar, Twilight shot out a stream of purple lightning directly into Kuwabara’s large scar. She didn’t even think someone like him was capable of the scream of pain and terror that he unleashed. The lightning created a miniature purple light show that was difficult to look at not just because it was bright, but also because she knew that a pony was being tortured in the center of it.

After the intense light had died down, and the screams stopped, Twilight flew down gently beside the convulsing form of Kuwabara. Blood oozed from his back and side of his mouth, making it hard to look at him directly.

“Y-your lightning,” he coughed out between convulsions. “It was...purple. A-and it was p-powerful. perhaps even more powerful than.... J-just what are y-you?”

“I’m Twilight Sparkle,” she announced. “Former student of Celestia, current princess of Equestria. And I’m on a mission to bring about eternal peace.”

“Heh, g-good luck with that madness. Eternal peace is t-too calm to exist in this dynamic world we live in. But if you wanna...throw your life away, then allow me to d-do it for you!”

With an unexpected amount of remaining strength, Kuwabara tackled Twilight into the ground. He stood over her with one leg crushing her wing, effectively preventing her from escaping while causing her a great deal of pain in the process. With a grin magnified by the blood, he lowered his head until his horn was pointing at the spot between her eyes.

“Did you think a v-veteran like me would go down from a l-little lightning? Please...I’ve had enough, Princess. Once I’ve killed you, then I’ll hunt down your friends and see how much they’ll a-appreciate a little lightning.”

His horn began charging with power, definitely enough power to kill at that distance. It wouldn’t take him long, but she didn’t need any time at all. He was aiming to kill, but she was aiming to protect. He momentarily let his guard down to cough, but all she needed was a moment. Using her adrenaline-fueled magic, she roughly pulled his head back, causing him to shoot his beam into the sky. He barely had enough time to register what had happened before Twilight’s beam shot through his neck.

She didn’t realize what she had done until she forced herself to look at the blood oozing from the hole in his neck. Destroying the monster in the Badlands from the inside had been bad enough, but piercing a pony’s throat in self-defense?

Kuwabara lowered his head slowly so that his eyes met hers. The coldness that used to embrace his eyes was now replaced by fear. Clearly it was fear of the unknown that now haunted him. He had probably experienced the last few thousand years thinking that he would live to see his fated rematch with Celestia, but to be killed by her student alone? The tips of Kuwabara’s blood-stained mouth curled up in one last grin. His features relaxed as his legs gave up on him and his body stumbled forward.

Twilight slowly stood up, which was difficult on account of how badly she was shivering. She trotted away. Away from the body. Away from the burning buildings. Away from the loss of her innocence. Away.

She stared at the ground as she trotted, but it didn’t matter because all she could see was Kuwabara’s last moments playing out in front of her. The horrible sound of her magic drilling through his flesh. The way his eyes reflected his fear perfectly. It looked like she was in for another night of nightmares.

“Twilight! Oh thank Celestia,” shouted a familiar voice. The voice sounded distant even though it was right next to her. “I was kind of watching from the sky when I saw that awesome final blow you delivered. Nice one!”

Twilight drowsily looked over at Rainbow Dash, covered in ashes and burn marks, who had a large smile on her face and looked as though she was resisting the urge to hug Twilight.

“Rainbow?” Twilight rasped, her voice also sounding distant. “The others?”

“They’re safe,” Rainbow stated, looking over her shoulder. “Or at least they will be when we get out of here. We tried to calm everypony down, but...well, would you calm down if this was Ponyville?”

Rainbow had a valid point: If this was Ponyville, then she would probably be just as freaked out as these ponies. At least until she thought of a plan She knew that the town would never be the same as soon as the inn burned down, but between the multiple burning buildings, the insane panicking and the casualties, including their leader; it was clear that the town was now too far gone.

“It’s so sad,” Twilight whispered, struggling to keep her speech free of her uncontrollable shaking. “We did this, all of this. Kuwabara told me that he burned down the inn because we slept in it, and that he no longer c-cared about a town that had Equestrians stay in it.”

“Hey, it’s not like we came here with the intention of burning this place down right?”

“Right, and because Lightning Dust didn’t intend for us to fall to our death, that made it okay, right?”

“Hey, that’s...let’s just get to the others, I think you could use some serious medical help.”

It was as if that statement depleted all of her adrenaline and she was suddenly aware of all of her injuries. She didn’t think her ribs were really fractured, but they definitely hurt a lot, and her wing was killing her.

“We’ll need more medical supplies,” Twilight said, now struggling to walk through her newly realized pain.

“Yeah, we—I kinda raided a clinic and stocked up on that stuff,” Rainbow admitted sheepishly.

“What? You aided in this chaos?”

“No! The clinic was practically abandoned anyway, so I just took what we needed and...left.”

“So after you stole those supplies, you just expected everypony to ‘follow your lead and calm down?”

“Look, I’m not the one who refused help from her friends. If you’re just gonna do everything by yourself, then why even bring us along?”

“That’s not the real reason you’re mad about that and we both know it.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I definitely am mad that you seem to think you’re alone in this.”

“I’m sorry Rainbow, would you have liked to participate in the murder?!”

Twilight hadn’t felt the outburst rise up in her chest like most ponies did, she felt the outburst manifest based on Rainbow’s continued back talk and just free itself from her throat. On top of that, she didn’t realize how terrible the fact was until she said it aloud, but now that she had...what had she become?

Murderer. That’s what she was now. Sure it was necessary for her own survival, but that didn’t change how she felt about it. Celestia sealed Luna away for a thousand years, and those were the worst thousand years of her life, but the alternative was eternal night.

The worst part wasn’t even the fact that she committed the crime. To her the part that bothered her was the fact that she did it without hesitation.

“Oh,” Rainbow said quietly. “Uh, sorry, I kinda forgot about that for a second.”

“Lucky for you, because I’ll be seeing it in my nightmares every day for the rest of my life.”

“Look, let’s talk when we get to our friends; I don’t think burning buildings are very good conversation pieces.”

The burning buildings. The ones that they were currently doing nothing to extinguish. This wasn’t like them, in fact nothing about this whole situation was like them. They weren’t soldiers, they weren’t vigilantes and they definitely weren’t killers.

Until now.

Their friends were resting on the outskirts of the city, looking as tired as she felt. Fluttershy was treating injured ponies left and right, but only some of them were actually getting better. Clearly they had started fighting each other because so few of them were actually burned from the fire. Fluttershy was frantically fixing every injury she could, but no matter what she did, she couldn’t heal them all. Twilight placed a hoof on Fluttershy’s shoulder as she walked by her, and her friend seemed to get the message as she responded by collapsing into quiet sobs.

They waited for Fluttershy to calm down before moving again. They didn’t know where they were going and it didn’t matter. They would look at the map later, but right now all that mattered was that they were moving. They walked until they came across a spot that would be an ideal spot to rest for the remainder of the night. They had just woken up and were probably wide awake after what they just went through, but they needed lots of sleep for the journey.

“We rest here,” Twilight announced, suddenly stopping. “Not for too long, just until morning.”

“What if they find us?” Fluttershy asked, both looking and sounding scared.

“I think they have bigger problems on their hooves,” Twilight said coldly.

“Shouldn’t we go back and help them?” Fluttershy asked, desperate to hear any reason defending her need to help.

“That’s not our job, Fluttershy,” Twilight responded, letting her frown show.

“But—”

“Give it a rest,” Rainbow snapped, setting up her tent. “Just go to bed already.”

Fluttershy prepared to respond, but Rarity silenced her with a shoulder tap. Looking defeated, Fluttershy sadly set up her own tent. Twilight nodded her approvement at the situation and set her tent up with telekinesis. The others followed suit and soon all the tents were up, giving off the appearance of a friendly slumber party. Although today it was far from it.

“Sweet dreams,” Twilight said, preparing to enter her tent.

“Sweet dreams,” came the collective response.

As she laid down on her sleeping bag, she was tempted to rest her eyes until her dreams came to her, but she knew that tonight she would only be visited by nightmares. She could use somepony to talk to, but she didn’t want to bother Applejack again so soon after their last talk. She could talk to Fluttershy, but she didn’t want to scare her with the descriptions of the battlefield violence. Suddenly she knew just who to speak with.

She waited for a while to make sure that the others were asleep, and silently snuck up to Rarity’s tent. She carefully unzipped it and stepped inside. She was glad that she convinced Rarity to bring along the regular tent and not the tent palace that she had. Upon trotting inside, she immediately realized that like her, Rarity never really went to sleep.

“Hello Twilight,” Rarity said, yawning slightly. She was tucked inside her sleeping bag, but with her eyes wide open and her sleeping mask nowhere in sight. “Are you having trouble sleeping? Celestia knows I am.”

“I think Luna would be better for the situation,” Twilight chuckled lightly, stepping closer to her friend.

“Oh really? And what do we use you and Cadence for?”

“Nothing, we’re not goddesses like they are.”

“Says who?”

Twilight sighed softly as she looked away from her friend. Rarity was stalling with small talk, and normally she would play along for a while, but she was done with games.

“Rarity, tell me the truth about The Hollow.”

“Whatever do you mean by that, darling?”

She had never seen Rarity so calculating before. She meant no offense to her friend, but the state that she was currently in was one that was well-suited for undercover work.

“You know what I mean, the way you knew those things when you did, no spa stories could’ve given you that much knowledge about a town you’ve never been in,” Twilight stated.

“Don’t just assume that I get all of my information from the spa, talk about rude,” Rarity said, pretending to sound offended.

“Rarity,” Twilight said sternly.

“Oh fine,” Rarity sighed, giving up on the act. “Look, I don’t know how she did it, but Pinkie accurately guessed my affiliation with The Hollow. I did live in The Hollow before living in Equestria on account that I was born here.”

“So you weren’t born an Equestrian?”

“Unfortunately no, I moved to Equestria towards the end of my childhood, but before then I grew up in The Hollow. In fact, I lived in the very town that we just let burn to the ground.”

“Oh, is that why you’re having trouble sleeping?”

“I think so. I suppose I’m happy with the fact that now there’s nothing left to connect me to The Hollow, but at the same, I’m conflicted because my hometown is nothing but ashes and broken ponies. Then again, it’s not like it was much better before.”

It was easy to tell just by looking into her eyes that Rarity was in pain, and once again, Twilight could understand that pain. She’d grown up in Canterlot, so when the Changelings invaded, she was concerned more about her hometown surviving than anything else.

“It’s okay to feel sadness at the unfortunate destruction of the place where you grew up, Rarity. But, how did you move from The Hollow to Equestria at such a young age?”

“Well, my parents grew tired of their miserable life and made plans to escape to a place only talked about in whispers: Equestria. My birth was a temporary setback, one that allowed me to experience most of my childhood in The Hollow, but we fell into a stroke of luck when a once-in-a-lifetime cruise was offered to the residents. Secretly it was actually a one-way trip to some deserted island, you know, King Hollow’s barbaric way of dealing with overpopulation. Well, my parents are much smarter than they seem, they deduced that the ship was on a set path to crash into the island and they jumped off halfway into the cruise. Of course, I had to jump off too, and it wasn’t pretty. They took turns carrying me on their back as they swam away from their own lives and towards Equestria!”

Rarity took a dramatic pause like she would if she was recounting an epic tale, which in this case, she basically was. Inhaling and exhaling deeply, she prepared to continue.

“It took days, too many days, and very terrifying nights, but it became worth it when we found it. Equestria. We had been swimming for so long that our skin was...icky, and our strength was sapped, so for so long we just laid there on the warm land and laughed. We must’ve laughed ourselves to sleep that night. The next day, some nice ponies found us and took us to their local clinic. The doctor must’ve diagnosed us with so many issues on account of our being in salt water for so long, but we didn’t care, we were finally free. They treated us and gave us a free room in their inn for the night, where we asked them where we could go to live a nice peaceful life. They told us about a nice little town called ‘Ponyville’ and the rest is history.”

The first thought Twilight had after the tale was finished was that Rarity was a good storyteller, and once that was out of the way she realized that Rarity had a much harder life than she made out. She couldn’t imagine spending a single year in The Hollow, nevermind most of her childhood! Being so miserable and emotionless, no wonder Rarity had emotional episodes from time to time: she was just making up for all those years without emotions at all.

“Wow, Rarity, and I thought my Ponyville story that involved defeating Nightmare Moon was the best. Is that why your parents are always away on vacations?”

“Yes, after seeing how great Ponyville is, they decided that they wanted to see what the rest of Equestria was like. Once I was old enough to take care of my sister, they dedicated the rest of their lives to travelling. Every time they come back from their latest vacation, they show Sweetie and I all of their mementos from the trip. Their eyes light up so brightly when they talk about it; I’m so happy for them...”

Twilight couldn’t bring herself to interrupt Rarity’s episode of emotion, so she sat quietly and smiled as Rarity rocked back and forth giggling to herself. Eventually Rarity realized what she was doing and coughed lightly; patches of red appeared on her cheeks.

“And that’s my history with The Hollow, satisfied?” Rarity asked genuinely.

“Yeah, thanks Rarity,” Twilight said. “Since you only grew up that town, does that mean that you have no idea what the rest of The Hollow is like?”

“Unfortunately, yes, the most I know is that every town is named after the Major it’s guarded by. The town we just passed through was known as Kuwabara’s town, and whatever town is next will be known by that Major.”

“Does any town not have a Major?”

“Oh yes, if the town is small enough and filled with enough miserable ponies then King Hollow won’t even bother assigning a Major. I’m not sure how many of those towns there are though, when I left they were already failing. It’s so terrible here Twilight, these ponies need help, they need our help.”

“I wish we could Rarity, but we have a mission to do, and we’ve wasted enough time. Besides, as soon as the Heart of Harmony creates eternal peace, The Hollow will become peaceful as well, right?”

“Twilight, let’s face the facts; Celestia isn’t even sure if this will work and I don’t even know why we agreed to this in the first place. There’s already been so many casualties and there wasn’t supposed to be any casualties!”

“Celestia warned us that it would be dange—”

“Excuse me, darling, but I think it’s time you be perfectly honest about how much faith you really have in dear Princess Celestia,” Rarity sneered, eyes squinted dangerously as she did so.

Twilight let her jaw drop in shock. She knew that Applejack knew about her doubts, but Rarity did too? She was supposed to be the leader, a symbol for victory and success. If her image was in danger than how much of a symbol was she? Of course there was also the matter of her being seen as a friend to them first so being a symbol was already out of the question. What exactly did they see her as?

“How did you know about that?” Twilight asked defensively.

“If you wish to keep your secrets darling, then don’t tell them to an honest pony,” Rarity slyly replied.

“I thought I was telling them to my friend.”

“You were Twilight, but we’re all friends here so secrets don’t really exist, do they?”

Twilight merely responded with a piercing glare and a raised eyebrow.

“Uhh, you know what? Let’s move on from secrets,” Rarity chuckled nervously.

“No, no, it’s fine Rarity,” Twilight sighed, gently rubbing her eyelids. “You’re right, we shouldn’t be keeping secrets from each other. Especially not when the mission’s success relies on our teamwork and closeness.”

“Yes, back on that topic, I personally believe that we should set things right in The Hollow before activating the Heart. You know, just in case,” Rarity’s voice steadily decreased in volume as she spoke.

“I understand and normally I’d agree but we can’t risk our safety anymore. You really think Fluttershy can handle another one of these incidents?” Twilight asked.

“Uhh, I believe that Fluttershy has more pressing matters on her mind to be honest,” Rarity mumbled, looking nervous.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, let’s just say that you can rest easy knowing that Applejack and I weren’t just discussing your secrets...” Rarity said, chewing lightly on her hoof.

“You were talking about Fluttershy behind her back?! If she finds out—”

“Twilight it’s fine,” Rarity assured her frantic friend. “It’s nothing too major, Applejack and I just have a theory that our friend Fluttershy may have a teeny tiny little...crush.”

It certainly took Twilight a moment to wrap her head around that one. Fluttershy had a crush on somepony? Obviously Fluttershy was very kind and loving but mostly towards nature. She could imagine what a lovestruck Fluttershy looks like, although apparently Rarity and Applejack already knew.

“Fluttershy has a crush?” Twilight echoed her thoughts. “How do you know? Does everyone know? Why am I just now finding out?”

“Calm yourself, Twilight,” Rarity said calmly. “Pinkie seems to have knowledge of everything going on in her friend’s lives so she probably knows, and if there’s anyone Fluttershy would tell first, it’s Rainbow Dash. But as far as I know, only Applejack and I are certain on the matter. As for how we are certain, Applejack says that she has noticed Fluttershy acting strangely.”

“Oh Rarity, that could mean anything,” Twilight sighed in annoyance.

“I thought the same thing! Just because somepony wears last season’s clothing does not mean they’re old-fashioned right?” Rarity said confidently. “Anyhow, I shrugged it off at first and continued to do so until one day, Fluttershy came to me for my advice on current fashion. She wanted to know what I thought looked good, Twilight. When was the last time Fluttershy even mentioned fashion? After that whole Photo Finish business, you’d think she would stay far away from the current trends, but here she was, seeking my fabulous approval.”

“Look Rarity, I get that this is kind of a big deal, but our mission isn’t resting on the fifty-fifty chance that Fluttershy is dressing to impress,” Twilight stated kindly. “We need to leave this place, these ponies aren’t our responsibility.”

Sighing, Rarity mumbled to herself as her horn lit up. Twilight was slightly nervous as to why when her sleeping mask zoomed to her head and slid down onto her eyes. Yawning loudly, Rarity snuggled deeply into her sleeping bag.

“Thank you for the chat Twilight, but I really must get my sleep,” Rarity said with a hard edge to her voice. “And I advise that you do the same.”

Agreeing to end the conversation, Twilight wordlessly rose to leave. She had just stuck her hoof outside the tent when Rarity spoke up.

“And Twilight?” she said. “Don’t forget what you told us when you came back from the other world, about friendship existing everywhere. Because I think these ponies could use some.”

Merely nodding in acknowledgement even though Rarity couldn’t see her, Twilight fully stepped out the tent, leaving her friend to her sleep and Twilight to her restless night. Even more so because on the way back to her tent, Twilight thought she saw a yellow streak in the night....

Packing up the campsite the next morning wasn’t a positive experience. Pretty much nopony was in a great mood, even Pinkie’s happy moments were clearly forced. Instead of trying to pin down why, she decided to focus on what their next move was. The region that housed the Heart was known as The Gone, an area that was seldom spoken of. Princess Celestia may have mentioned it a few times, but she mostly knew it because it was marked on the map.

According to the piece of parchment, The Gone was just outside of The Hollow. If they kept going east, then perhaps they had a chance of getting there without becoming too involved in the conflict of the hollows. The more they were involved, the more time they were wasting. And more ponies would be hurt. Possibly even worse.

She glanced over at Rainbow Dash, who was humorously wrestling with her tent. Which was odd considering that she was usually great with equipment and only struggled when she was nervous about something. After getting tangled in her tent, Rainbow finally spotted Twilight watching her. She gave a weak smile and wave as red spots emerged on her cyan cheeks. Applejack trotted over, chuckling softly, and offered to help her out. Twilight turned away as Rainbow began telling Applejack where she could stick her help.

She instead watched as Rarity flawlessly packed away her tent, not even looking at it while she did so. Instead she was furiously applying makeup to her face. Twilight presumed it was because she had bags under her eyes. Rarity seemed to be too preoccupied in looking fabulous to even notice that Rainbow and Applejack had started a (hopefully friendly) brawl as Pinkie and Fluttershy looked on.

For a moment, Twilight took the time to appreciate the innocent moment her friends had created. It might be the last one they ever have. Even as Rainbow pulled Applejack’s hat over her eyes and pinned her to the ground, Twilight found it hard to interrupt, but if she didn’t stress the urgency of the mission, who would?

“Alright girls, that’s enough,” Twilight said, clearing her throat. “We need to leave before...we need to leave.”

Rainbow immediately got off of Applejack and offered her a hoof up and a smile, which the cowpony accepted without hesitation.

“We’ll finish that later,” Rainbow sneered, brushing dirt off.

“Heh, yeah, with me winnin',” Applejack retorted, flashing a confident smile of her own.

“Is everypony ready to go?” Twilight asked.

“Yups!” Pinkie shouted, sounding much happier than she did earlier. “I packed Rainbow’s tent while she was losing to Applejack so everypony’s all ready!”

“What?” Rainbow exclaimed. “Pinkie, you usually cheer me on, what gives?”

“Haha, oh Dashie, I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Pinkie replied, happily bouncing beside Twilight.

Rainbow merely rolled her eyes in reply while Applejack dabbed beads of sweat off her forehead. Twilight found that odd considering she wasn’t sweating at all during or after the fight, but she couldn’t waste anymore time wondering about it.

“Alright, let’s go then, we’ll be travelling east from here on in an effort to save our time,” Twilight explained. “I don’t want anymore...”distractions” and I think focusing on just the journey will accomplish that.”

“There we go, Twilight,” Rarity said sarcastically. “Ignore everypony in our way, even if they’re absolutely begging for help, how princess-like.”

“I’m no princess here, Rarity,” Twilight responded, marching forward.

And so the silence harshly fell upon them once more. Her dark thoughts and anxiety returned with it. Now she knew why she had appreciated the peace amongst her friends earlier, it kept her darkness at bay. The terrible memory of her taking Kuwabara’s life was fresh in her mind and wasn’t going anywhere soon.

Of course, she was even more terrified at the possibility of encountering another insane Major, which was why she didn’t want to stop at all this time. Twilight wondered if Rarity knew how badly she wanted to protect her homeland. In Rarity’s mind, she’s probably doing it because it’s the right thing to do, but deep inside her is the hollow who wants to see their birthplace freed. Twilight couldn’t really blame her for that, it must be torture having power and being unable to do anything with it.

Unfortunately, using that power would most likely result in all-out war with the hollows, and then where would they be? What did Celestia think about all this? Twilight would have to contact her later and ask her opinion, as well as question her about her past...

A loud giggle from Pinkie snapped her out of her thoughts. She glanced over to see Pinkie engaged in a surprisingly quiet conversation with Applejack, who did not look happy. She turned to face Rainbow, who busy keeping eye contact with the ground.

“Hey, Rainbow,” she whispered.

Rainbow looked up from her staring contest and managed a small smile.

“Oh, what’s up, Twilight?”

“Do you know what’s up with Applejack and Pinkie? They’ve been acting kinda weird around each other lately, and I’m afraid that it’ll get in the way of the mission.”

“Heh, you gotta stop worrying about this mission Twi’,” Rainbow responded, now staring at the sky. “You don’t have to worry about those two either, they just gotta figure out where they stand.”

“Where they stand?” Twilight repeated, confusion emanating from her voice. “On what?”

“What am I, their public speaker?” Rainbow asked, smiling. “You could ask them but you won’t get anything outta Applejack, trust me.”

“Maybe I’ll talk with them later,” Twilight decided aloud. “We all need to be on the same page for—”

“For the mission?” Rainbow snickered. “Seriously, it’s not that big a deal. If we’re gonna be creating peace then I don’t think we have to hurry.”

“But—”

“Nope,” Rainbow interrupted. “Stop worrying Twi’, we got this, we always do.”

“Ugh,” Twilight grunted. “Well...I’m glad that you and me are on the same page, Rainbow.”

“Oh, we are?” Rainbow asked, craning her head downwards.

“Yeah,” Twilight looked up at the clouds, envisioning resting on one. “I think I need to relax too, but if I don’t remind everypony about how important the mission is—”

“They get it, trust me,” Rainbow chuckled, glancing backwards.

“Well, ok then, I’ll try to relax.”

“That’s a relief, while you’re at it, I need to ask—”

“Wait,” Twilight stopped trotting. “What was that?”

“Huh? What was wh—whoa!”

Rainbow’s sentence was lost as she watched a shadow quickly move from one tree to the other. Then another shadow, and another, and another. They seemed to have trotted into a forest of moving shadows. She turned around and saw that the others also noticed their company. Rarity seemed indifferent however, as she stood in place and checked her mane. To her this was probably another opportunity to help the hollows. To Twilight, this was a waste of time.

“Okay, show yourselves or I’ll level this whole forest!” Twilight commanded.

“Not the forest!” Fluttershy yelped.

“No kidding, jeez Twilight,” Rainbow said in awe. “When did you go around leveling places?”

Ignoring her friends, Twilight began charging her magic to show that she wasn’t kidding. Of course she couldn’t just eliminate the entire forest in one attack, but if she unleashed a barrage of magic blasts from above, then surely they would show themselves by the third blast.

“We should do as she says, remember who we’re dealing with,” whispered one of the shadows. She couldn’t even pinpoint its location, but it sounded like it belonged to a guy.

“Yeah, I’d say that’s better than being blown up by a longshot,” whispered another shadow and yet another male.

“Fine, I’ll undo the spell, prepare yourselves,” replied a female shadow this time.

Twilight backed up into her friends as she slightly lowered the power of the spell. The three shadows flew out of the forest and onto the path in front of them. The lead shadow held its head high. The tip of its shadowed horn began shimmering and with a bright flash, the shadows vanished from their bodies.

The unicorn was the female, she had a brown mane done up in a messy bun, brown eyes, a marble colored coat, and a dangerous look in her eyes like she might strike at any moment. Twilight also noticed a vertical scar across her left eyelid.

The first pegasus male resembled the female with his shaggy brown mane and a darker shade of brown for his eyes. A darker shade of marble for his coat and a somewhat relaxed feel to him, like he’s always in a sleeping mood. He had no scar, but the tips of his tail appeared to be burned off.

The second pegasus male looked nothing like the two with his short gray mane and silver eyes. His coat was platinum, making him like a walking bleak blob. His eyes held a love for adventure, which was impossible for a hollow. He sported a goatee the same color as his mane.

They all wore the same type of protective vest that she wore. Were they friends of Trixie? No, that’s not likely. Although, their vests bore some sort of symbol on the front. A large multi-colored capitalized “r” that seemed to be sending a message of some sorts. The female unicorn stepped forward.

“I am Sleeping Shadow,” she said, gesturing to herself. “This is my brother, Clear Mind and our ally, Wild Side.”

“Ally? Thanks, now I feel like a part of the family,” Wild Side snorted, shaking his head slightly.

“He’s exactly like his name says,” Clear Mind stated calmly. “So please excuse him if and when he offends you.”

“And thank you for the vote of confidence, C.M.,” Wild Side said, smiling and sticking his tongue out.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, but you’re all rather unusual for hollows,” Twilight said, keeping her guard up. “Just who are you really?”

“Princess Twilight Sparkle,” Sleeping Shadow said, edging closer. “We are members of the Resistance, and we all have a few things to discuss, don’t you think?”

7: The Princess's Legacy

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What had Twilight been saying for the past few hours? No more distractions, they needed to focus on the Heart. What were they doing at the moment? Allowing themselves to be escorted to a secret base so that they could further discuss liberating The Hollow. Also known as the very thing Twilight had been against: the ultimate distraction.

On the way over to Resistance Headquarters, Sleeping Shadow and Clear Mind had explained themselves and answered any questions. At the same time, Wild Side had been flirting with Rarity, which was amusing for all of ten seconds, and apparently not amusing at all for Fluttershy.

The Resistance was formed by one female pegasus named Hurricane Heart. When Twilight asked about why they were the only hollows with names, they had explained that it was part of their rebellion and that they picked out their own names. And when Twilight asked about what Hurricane Heart was like and why she formed the Resistance, Shadow said that it would be better to see her in person and that Twilight find the answer for herself.

Apparently the Resistance had a great intel network (of which Wild Side is a part of), so they knew as soon as Kuwabara’s town had burned down. They also knew that Twilight took him down herself, which was why they wanted her to help them. Help them with what exactly, they weren’t completely sure. That’s why the three had offered to escort them to the headquarters to discuss.

Of course before Twilight could say anything, Rarity accepted the offer for all of them. Twilight decided not to object to that (although she had a few choice words for Rarity), after all, the three seemed like the type of ponies who wouldn’t take no for an answer. Or at least Sleeping Shadow did, Wild Side seemed like the kind who would shrug it off at first and then kidnap you in the middle of the night. She couldn’t get a proper reading on Clear Mind, but he appeared to be the most thoughtful one of the three. Always analyzing things with those squinted eyes of his.

“We’re here,” Sleeping Shadow announced, stopping suddenly.

Twilight nearly bumped into her. She looked closely at their current surroundings to see if they missed something and just as she thought, they were still deep in the forest.

“Your secret headquarters is in the forest?” Twilight asked, unimpressed.

“You could say that,” Sleeping Shadow said quietly, approaching a tree.

At first Twilight thought it was just a normal tree, but upon closer inspection, she saw that the tree had three long scratch marks on the bark. That meant nothing to her, but the three had clearly recognized it. Shadow lowered her horn so that it was level with the marks.

“The tree is enchanted,” Shadow explained. “It can appear and—”

Her horn began to shimmer with orange light. The tree began to shimmer with the same type of light. After a moment, the tree shimmered out of existence. Twilight heard gasps of awe from her friends and she wasn’t quite sure, but she may have gasped as well. Was it illusion magic or just a special spell? Either way, it was quite impressive.

“—disappear within the blink of an eye.”

“Are you sure because that looked more like six or seven blinks to me,” Pinkie stated with an audible bounce to her voice.

“Haha, hear that Shady? The pink one called you slow,” Wild Side chuckled, flashing his mischievous smile.

“The pink one has a name, Wild Side,” Clear Mind said, his voice barely above a whisper. “What was it again, miss?”

“I’m Pinkie Pie,” she shrilled. “The friendliest pony in all of Equestria. Ooo, I bet I’m also the friendliest pony in all of The Hollow!”

“No competition there,” Sleeping Shadow mumbled, investigating the hole in the ground that the tree left behind. “Now normally we just teleport into the base, but we should do this manually for your first time.”

“I don’t like the sound of that,” Fluttershy whispered, cowering slightly.

“Don’t be afraid, adorable one,” Wild Side said, winking. “As long as you’re not afraid of heights, high speeds, the sound of wind in your ears, or the possibility of whiplash then you’ll be fine.”

Fluttershy merely squeaked in reply and buried her head in her mane.

“Clearly she’s afraid of all those things,” Clear Mind observed. “Sleeping Shadow, you should teleport her inside, we’ll take the rest manually.”

“What?” Shadow yelped. “Come on Clear, if she can’t even handle all that then why are we taking her in the first place?”

“Because we stick together,” Twilight said. “No. Matter. What.”

“If you chase away our Alicorn friend, then have fun explaining that to Commander Heart because she will not be happy,” Wild Side snickered, eating an apple.

“Ugh!” Shadow groaned through clenched teeth. “Know what? I’ll take her, but only because you two irritate the heck out of me.”

“Oh don’t be that way, Shady,” Wild Side said slyly. “We were—”

“Save it,” Shadow grunted. “Hold on tight, Fluttershy.”

Without another word from either of them, Fluttershy and Shadow vanished in a flash of light. Clear Mind nodded, then turned to face them.

“I warned you that Wild Side would offend you,” he said. “Now I must warn you that my younger sister is still very much a child.”

“What does that mean?” Rainbow asked.

“Her patience is thin and she takes everything as an insult,” Clear Mind explained. “Be careful when talking to her or you may end up with a new frenemy.”

“Don’t be so harsh, C.M.,” said Wild Side. “After all, everyone has positive traits to balance out their negative ones. Aren’t I the positive to your negative?”

“Hmm,” Clear Mind grunted. “Anyway, if everyone would so kind as to jump into the hole, then we—”

“You want us to what?” Applejack exclaimed. “How deep is that thin’?”

“I don’t know the exact length but I can confirm that it is very deep.”

“And you want us to leap in there? Why we’d bite the dust landin’ from this high up!” Applejack snapped.

“Look cowpony,” Wild Side spoke up. “We don’t just chuck ponies to their doom for fun. Your fall will be slowed down by a series of slowing charms placed throughout the fall. That dangerous enough for you?”

Applejack slowly trotted up to Wild Side, who stood there unmoving. She moved her face to within an inch of his. The look in Applejack’s eyes was rivaled only by the look in Wild Side’s. It was like watching two unmoving walls challenge each other to move first.

“Listen flappy gums,” Applejack spat. “Ah can handle any kind of danger you throw at me. In fact, Ah’ll bet you ten bits Ah can handle it better than you can.”

“Heh, I don’t exactly have any bits, you know on account of being a hollow, but I do enjoy a challenge,” Wild Side spat back.

“Then watch me win,” Applejack whispered.

Without another word or even yelp of excitement, Applejack leapt headfirst into the dark hole.

“Applejack!” shouted Pinkie Pie, trotting up to the hole.

“Yee-haw!” came the reply from within the abyss.

“Is she...okay?” Rainbow asked, peering into the hole.

“She’ll be fine,” Clear Mind said in his usual semi-monotone. “But I really don’t recommend jumping in headfirst.”

“Whatever, recommendations are for doctors,” Pinkie scoffed as she followed suit and dove in head pointing down. “Wheeeee!”

“There goes Pinkie,” Rainbow commented.

“Your turn, gorgeous,” Wild Side smirked, winking at Rarity.

“While compliments are appreciated, you are quickly becoming extremely bothersome,” Rarity scoffed, holding her head high. Wild Side merely chuckled in response.

Rarity edged towards the hole, whimpering slightly as she did so. She shoved her head into the hole and then immediately retracted it.

“Absolutely not!” Rarity gasped. “You can’t even see the bottom, what kind of lady would just thrust herself into danger?”

“Aren’t you the one who kicked a manticore in the face once?” Twilight asked. Rarity merely stood dumbfounded at the question for a good five seconds before she too leaped into the darkness.

“Ahhhhhh!” echoed her screams.

“Who’s next?” asked Wild Side, watching Rarity go down.

“I am,” Twilight announced. She had already faced much worse than a deep, dark hole. This would be the first walk in the park since arriving in The Hollow.

“Really Twi’?” Rainbow asked, “you don’t want me to take one for the te—”

Twilight had tuned out Rainbow’s voice as she trotted a few feet away from the hole, then charged forward and dove in. The first thing that came to mind was a powerful urge to scream...so she did. With that out of the way, she noticed just how dark it was in the tunnel. She could barely even tell that she was falling, which made it all the more terrifying.

She immediately noticed when she passed through a slowing charm. The magic just captured her body and slowed her descent by a good amount. Not long after, she passed through another one, and then another. Finally, when she didn’t think her fall could become any slower, she hit what must’ve been the final slowing charm. Her theory that it was the last confirmed itself when she literally saw the light at the end of the tunnel. Flapping her wings for effect, she gracefully floated to the ground, right beside Rarity.

“Twilight!” Rarity rejoiced, giving her friend a hug. “Wasn’t the fall simply divine? I thought it would be horrifying, and it was, but then it became rather enjoyable, don’t you think?”

“Yeah, whatever you say, Rarity,” Twilight breathed, attempting to get her heart to stop beating so fast, and her breathing to return to normal.

“Who’s showing up next?” Pinkie asked, bouncing beside Applejack.

“I don’t know, probably Rainbow...Dash.”

Twilight’s sentence was slightly delayed as she looked up and saw a barrage of colors coming towards her at high speeds. Suddenly she had a flashback of Rainbow arriving in the Badlands. She became so absorbed in the memory that she forgot to move out of the way.

“Oomf!” Twilight coughed as a cyan blur assaulted her. “Ugh, Rainbow, what?”

Rainbow had landed directly on her back, forcing Twilight to awkwardly turned her body so that their faces were pointed at each other. However, upon doing so she immediately realized that their snouts were only inches away from each other. A fact that Rainbow herself seemed to notice as her famous red cheeks returned.

“Hey Twilight,” Rainbow whispered. “W-what’cha doing?”

Twilight opened her mouth to comment, but couldn’t find the sounds because she was too focused on Rainbow’s beautiful eyes. The way they complimented her coat...wait, Rainbow had asked her a question. Twilight commanded her brain to start working again.

“U-umm,” Twilight stammered. “Waiting for you to get off of uhh, me.”

“Huh?” Rainbow blurted out, blasting Twilight with the surprisingly pleasant scent of her breath. “Oh...OH!”

Rainbow flew off of Twilight faster than she could blink. Twilight fought back her mysterious feelings of disappointment as she rose to her hooves. Terrified to see her friend’s faces, Twilight slowly looked around the room. The only pony who didn’t look embarrassed was Pinkie, who as usual, had a wide grin and was giggling quietly.

“Uh, ahem,” Twilight cleared her throat. “R-Rainbow, why did you fall down the tunnel so fast? What happened to the slowing charms?”

“Oh,” Rainbow coughed, attempting to rub the red out of her cheeks. “I kinda wanted to test the spells, so I sorta flew down the hole as fast as I could without creating a sonic rainboom. Heh heh.”

“You...what?!” Twilight shouted. “Without even knowing how well the spells worked, you decided to leave your life in their hooves? You definitely could’ve died there and I think you should be thanking Celestia that you didn’t!”

At first Rainbow still looked embarrassed, then her face turned to shame, and just as suddenly, to anger. She flew down beside Twilight so that she was looking her in the eye. Although after what they just went through, Twilight found looking at her eyes to be rather...unnerving.

“So now do you understand how it feels Twilight?” Rainbow demanded, steel in her voice. “How it feels to have somepony you care about come so close to death?”

Twilight was caught off-guard by that comment. She took a step back as she forced her open mouth closed. Just what was Rainbow trying to say? She may never know because as she tried to figure it out, she heard another pony exiting the tunnel. Leaping backwards, Twilight looked up at the hole.

“Geronimo!” shouted Wild Side as he landed as gracefully as she did.

“About time, Wild Side,” Sleeping Shadow said. Twilight forgot she was in the room, in fact, Twilight forgot she was in a room at all.

“Yeah well, I had to be careful just in case the fast one broke the charms,” Wild Side spat. “But luckily, they’re still working properly. How was the trip, cowpony?”

“Just fine,” Applejack scoffed. “Just so you know, Ah would’ve jumped in even if I thought the spells were broke.”

“That’s right,” Pinkie cheered. “Applejack is just that tough!”

Applejack looked less than pleased by her personal cheerleader, but tipped her hat just the same.

“Yeah, keep talking tough ponies,” Wild Side jeered. “We’ll be getting down to business soon enough, now where’s that Clear Mind?”

“Does he even scream when going down that thing?” Twilight asked.

Wild Side opened his mouth, but closed it as the mentioned hollow landed flawlessly before their very eyes. He didn’t show any physical discomfort, and she definitely didn’t hear him make any sound at all as he came down.

“That answer your question, Alicorn?” Wild Side asked, trotting over to Sleeping Shadow.

“If that’s everyone, then I want you all to follow me,” Shadow commanded.

“Where’re we going?” Rainbow asked.

“Straight to Commander Hurricane,” Shadow replied. “She wants to meet you as soon as possible.”

As they followed Sleeping Shadow, Twilight focused hard on her surroundings in order to push away her confusing thoughts about Rainbow Dash. The best description for the base was a massive cave with a surprisingly high ceiling. The walls were smooth and black, although they appeared blue in the light. The glowing crystals in the wall and the giant illuminated waterfall were the only sources of light. The crystals seemed natural, but many of them were clearly artificially put there to even out the light, creating a balanced atmosphere.

“The crystals are controlled with magic right?” Twilight guessed. “So that the intensity of the light can be altered or even completely turned off in case of intruders.”

“Correct Princess Twilight,” Clear Mind stated.

“You can just call me ‘Twilight’” she insisted.

“As you wish.”

The next feature she noticed was the different rooms. They were trotting down a long hallway of sorts, but along the walls were entrances to different rooms with labels on the top of each. She noticed the “Training Room”, “Magic Room”, “Crystal Room” and “Meeting Room”. She wondered what the Magic Room was for, and made a note to visit it later, if she was allowed to.

They entered another wing of the base, which was immediately different from the other part because it was populated. Ponies in vests ran around the large room, each seemingly having something to do. None were very colorful, as expected of hollows, but there were definitely more rebels than Twilight had expected. She could easily count at least fifty of them. The walls in this room were different because they appeared to have been customized to hold vests and weapons. The only purpose of the room seemed to be to get your equipment and get to another area.

“I can see that you already own one of the protective vests, Twilight,” Clear Mind spoke above the chatter of busy ponies. “But as for the rest of you, I suggest you each take a vest.”

“Ooo, will it let me fly?” Pinkie asked, unable to be still.

“No,” Clear Mind said plainly. “But it’ll help protect against magic, and it has a shield char—”

“No flying, no buying,” Pinkie snapped, crossing her forelegs and sitting on her haunches.

“Pinkie, just take the dang vest,” Applejack sighed.

“Hmm, I have changed my mind about acquiring one of your goods,” Pinkie laughed. “I’ll take one in pink please.”

“My apologies, they only come in gray,” Clear Mind said.

“You drive a hard bargain, but okay,” Pinkie smiled. Applejack rolled her eyes, but wore an affectionate smile as she did so. Rarity squealed...for some reason.

“Rarity?” Twilight questioned.

“Oh, I’m sorry darling, I was just thinking of...something,” Rarity coughed.

“Uhh...”

“Hey slowpokes,” Wild Side spoke up. “Put on your vests and let’s get on with the tour, yeah?”

After trying on their vests, they moved to the next section, where Twilight immediately saw her dream job. This part had large slabs jutting out of the ground that served as desks for all the working ponies. And working they were, on maps, on reports, on various statistics. This was the intelligence room, and Twilight wanted to be a part of it.

“And this is where I work, kiddos,” Wild Side bragged.

“When you said you worked in intel, I didn’t know there was actual intelligence at work,” Twilight said, gaping at all the brainiacs.

“Yup, but I’m not the intelligence, I’m the field spy. I report it and they log it,” he continued, “I don’t get to touch any of the brainy stuff though. I have many handsome layers, but I’m no genius.”

“But I am,” Twilight whispered.

“Moving on,” Sleeping Shadow announced.

Twilight knew that her friends were going with the others, but she couldn’t tear herself away from the beauty of the Intel Room. She had just noticed the books on the carved shelves. Full of knowledge about The Hollow no doubt. None of the intel ponies were wearing protective vests either. If she got a job here, then she wouldn’t have to enter the battlefield anymore. It’s the perfect solution.

“You coming Twi’?” Rainbow asked, “or you just gonna sit here and take in all the egghead stuff?”

“Look at it Rainbow,” Twilight gushed. “I could just be a simple little analyzer. How amazing would that be?”

“Very, considering that you didn’t want any distractions in the first place,” Rainbow snickered.

“Oh...yeah,” Twilight had ironically forgotten about her strategy. If it was still in place, then they wouldn’t be anywhere near the Resistance base.

“C’mon egghead, let’s get catch up,” Rainbow teased, flying ahead.

Looking forward, Twilight suddenly found herself immersed in the beautiful colors that Rainbow left behind when she flew. What was going on? She had seen those colors so many times before and they’ve never had any sort of...effect. Shoving more strange thoughts aside, Twilight flew after her friends.

When she finally caught up, the others were learning about the rooms. There were large rooms that held sixteen beds. Eight carved in one wall, and eight carved into the opposite wall. Personal belongings would be held in saddlebags, located in a hole near your bed. If you weren’t a unicorn then you would have to have a unicorn levitate your bag to you.

For a pegasus, Hurricane Heart sure had a thing for magic, Twilight thought.

“Let’s see, there are six of you and three of us, so we could all fit in one room if you wish,” Clear Mind stated matter-of-factly.

“Don’t you three already have a room you’re staying in?” Rarity asked. “Or is there coincidentally six empty beds?”

“We’ll just take up a new room,” Wild Side replied. “You’ll need some friendly faces around here. Resistance members don’t play around.”

“Ah wouldn’t exactly call your face ‘friendly’, partner,” Applejack snorted.

“I changed my mind, I’m not rooming with the cowpony,” Wild Side sneered.

“Yes you will,” Clear Mind commanded, glaring daggers. Wild Side looked like he wanted to stand up for himself, but decided against it.

“Alright mate, I was just joking around,” Wild Side beamed. “Besides, the cowpony is only being annoying because she has a crush on me.”

“W-what?!” Applejack shouted. “In your dreams, Ah’m not into hot headed jerks. Celestia knows I can barely handle being friends with Rainbow Dash.”

“Haha, that’s because she has a crush on me too,” Rainbow snickered.

“Quiet Rainbow!” Twilight suddenly snapped.

“Huh?” Rainbow grunted.

“Yeah, everypony needs to relax because Applejack doesn’t have a crush on any of you,” Pinkie shrilled. “In fact—”

“Applejack,” Sleeping Shadow interrupted. “Please do not mention the pony you just mentioned here. We’re not like the other hollows, but we still have relatively bad blood with certain Equestrians.”

“The pony Ah just mentioned?” Applejack repeated. “Y’all mean Cel—”

“What part of ‘shush’ don’t you get?” Wild Side snapped. “Look, after Princess Prime separated Equestria by committing that crime, things have never been the same.”

“Many still believe that if she had stayed and helped instead of abandoning us, we wouldn’t be in as bad condition as we are now,” Clear Mind spat, showing more emotion than usual.

“Commander Heart takes it the hardest, so don’t mention it at all around her,” Sleeping Shadow stated, staring at the floor.

Twilight didn’t what to say or think. Kuwabara told her that Celestia had committed a great crime that permanently split Equestria, but to hear that it affected even the good hollows was just too much. How long has Celestia allowed another nation to die while keeping it a secret from the rest of her nation?

“Speaking of Hurricane Heart,” Clear Mind said, recapturing his monotone. “It’s time you met her.”

“Sounds good to me,” Twilight said, happy to change the subject.

“Great, follow us, she’s in the next section,” Sleeping Shadow explained, moving forward once more.

Upon reaching the next section, Twilight was stunned to see a solid cave wall blocking their way. Twilight looked around the room three times but saw nothing that would give away the secret of the room.

“Ok, what gives?” Rainbow whined.

“We pride ourselves in illusion magic here,” Sleeping Shadow explained as she pointed her horn towards the wall. An orange shimmer formed the outline of a large opening in the wall. The wall flicked between appearing and disappearing before it finally disappeared, leaving a large doorway, free to walk through. “And I happen to be the top of the class.”

“So you can create giant spiders, big deal, Shady,” Wild Side scoffed. “Still can’t fly, can ya?”

“Wild Side is envious of unicorns,” Clear Mind explained. “Most hollow pegasi are, especially since flying’s been outlawed. Makes us rather useless in our own eyes.”

“That true, Wild Side?” Shadow teased. “Does the sight of me make you feel useless?”

“Let’s just get on with it,” Wild Side muttered, trotting through the doorway.

Sleeping Shadow followed with a smile on her face, perhaps satisfied that she got to annoy Wild Side for a change. Through the doorway was a set of stone stairs leading to a small platform. Sitting on the platform was a white pegasus with wings she had never seen before. It was as if each every feather was specifically crafted with a purpose and came together to form a rather unique set of wings.

“Commander Heart, we’ve returned with the ‘secret weapon’” Sleeping Shadow announced, saluting as she did so.

Wild Side and Clear Mind copied her movements, and for a moment, Twilight wondered if she should do the same. She looked at her friends and saw the confused expressions on their faces match her own. She decided not to do anything, after all, Hurricane Heart wasn’t her commander.

Hurricane Heart rose and flexed her wings, showing off their beauty. In fact, the beauty of her wings almost completely masked the mess that was her body. The parts of her body that weren’t covered up by her vest was covered in scars and burns, some minor, some major. Twilight opened her mouth to comment when Hurricane Heart faced them and revealed her milky white eyes. Twilight couldn’t find any words to say after that.

“Sleeping Shadow,” whispered Hurricane Heart, her voice smooth yet coarse. “And...”

Hurricane Heart closed her eyes and flapped her wings a few times, even though she was still on the ground. Twilight looked to Shadow to see if this was normal and the knowing smile on her face said that it was.

“Oh, so we’re all here,” Hurricane said suddenly. “Excellent, welcome Princess Twilight to the secret base of the Resistance and soon, your new home.”

“Whoa,” Rainbow grunted. “We haven’t agreed to anything yet, in fact, what do you even want from us?”

Hurricane flapped her wings once more and smiled. Rainbow looked on in confusion as Hurricane stretched her legs slowly. Twilight closed her eyes for a moment to blink and when she opened them, the leader of the Resistance was no longer in front of them.

“Ahh!”

Looking up at the source of the scream, what Twilight saw had frightened her deeply. Hovering gracefully beside Rainbow was Hurricane Heart herself, wearing a satisfied face.

“What I want is to bring King Hollow down,” Hurricane whispered, enunciating each syllable.

Rainbow continued to hover silently, unable to say anything in response to the display of speed that rivaled her own. Hurricane chuckled quietly and flew back to her platform, at normal speed. Making herself comfortable, she gestured for all of them to relax. The three Resistance members immediately sat on the cave floor. Following their lead, Twilight plopped to the ground. She heard Rarity complaining quietly about sitting on the cold cave floor and tried to gesture for her to be quiet with her wing. She had no idea if she succeeded or not.

“Okay, so you guys want to know what I’m asking of you and why,” Hurricane Heart said as a fact and not a question. “Fine, I understand that you came to The Hollow for a reason and it wasn’t to be kidnapped by the secret Resistance. Therefore, I won’t bore you with a retelling of ancient history, or the reason why I’m blind or something like that. Instead, I’ll share some facts with you. For starters, its a fact that King Hollow is a terrible, evil monster. And its a fact that stopping him would benefit all of The Hollow. Now, how do we stop the King? For that, I thought we might enlist the help of the Princess and her knights.

“Look, my organization is doing just fine on its own, but after successfully operating behind the shadows for a while now, we haven’t done anything noteworthy. You’ve been here for a day and you killed one of the most fearsome Majors around and burned his town to. The. Ground.”

Twilight felt like interrupting just to say that it was actually Kuwabara who burned his own town to the ground, and that they simply let it happen. She also wanted to point out that she didn’t appreciate being known as Kuwabara’s killer, but Hurricane Heart didn’t seem like the kind of pony you interrupted so she let her continue talking.

“Without you, we are a lowly organization made up of talented unicorns, skilled pegasi, and resourceful earth ponies. But with you six...we’re the Princess’s private army, and we’re ready to make a real difference in our broken world.”

Unable to hold back any longer, Twilight sat up. A move that earned her all the eyes in the room.

“Let me ask a question, Commander,” Twilight spat. “Are you asking me to fight?”

“No, Princess,” Hurricane Heart spat back, a twisted smile decorating her face. “I’m asking you to resist. Resist the tyranny that has plagued our nation for as long as any of us can remember.”

“That confirms that you’re asking me to fight,” Twilight concluded. “And I can’t say I’m happy about that.”

“Twilight,” Rarity harshly whispered. “What are you doing?”

“Defending myself, Rarity,” Twilight replied. “I don’t know if you would have thought differently, but for me, killing Kuwabara was the most horrifying thing I’ve ever done and I would sure hate to do it for a living.”

It certainly felt good to admit that she was in constant torture due to her actions, but she was afraid of the repercussions. Then again, maybe she had immunity. If Hurricane Heart needed her so badly, then she wouldn’t risk hurting or upsetting her. Still, Hurricane had clearly been through a lot, underestimating what she would do could be a fatal mistake.

“Do I dare believe my own ears?” Hurricane asked, sarcasm dripping in her voice. “Have I gone deaf too? Did a princess just turn away at the mention of violence? What exactly did you sign up for if not a life full of war and pain? After all, that is the princess way.”

“First of all,” Twilight snapped, feeling herself lose control. “I didn’t sign up for anything, if you must know, I was practically forced to become a princess. Second, only I can choose what the ‘princess way’ is.”

“Oh, so you were forced into a life-changing event huh?” Hurricane Heart asked, the fierceness leaving her voice. “Well...we’ve all been there, but the important thing is that you form your own destiny from it. You’re a princess now, and its time that you decided what that means. Carve your own legacy from it. We can help, all you have to do is help us free our nation.”

Twilight was still fired up by the job offer, but after Hurricane’s speech (not to mention the emotion in her voice), it was hard to decline. What she wanted was to be a part of the intel branch, but what she would be getting was a position in the army. Was it worth it to save The Hollow? Would they even survive saving The Hollow? Was it worth it? Twilight had just noticed that Hurricane had appeared in front of her, extending her hoof for a hoofshake. Twilight checked on her friends. Of course Rarity’s face just screamed to accept the offer, Pinkie and Applejack held small smiles of encouragement, but it was clear that they had something else on their minds. Fluttershy’s kind eyes were clearly just telling her to follow her heart.

Rainbow’s face looked just as confused as Twilight felt inside. It looked as though Rainbow was afraid to tell Twilight to do something that would bring her pain, but at the same time, doing it would be great for the hollows. As Twilight tried to find the emotions in Rainbow’s confused face, she found herself getting lost in Rainbow’s eyes once more. But why? Shaking her head furiously, Twilight turned to face Hurricane Heart.

Well, we haven’t traveled all this way for nothing, Twilight thought. Your mission can wait, Celestia. Its time to carve out my own legacy.

As soon as Twilight’s hoof met Hurricane’s, she immediately felt as though she was signing a binding contract. Hopefully she read the fine print. Of course her friends began cheering at this small victory. She also thought she heard a whoop of joy from Wild Side. Mostly, she was focused on the triumphant look plastered across Hurricane’s face. She wasn’t sure if she could trust Hurricane, and she was very unsure on whether or not she liked her, but her intentions seemed to be pure so that counted for something.

“So, what will my knights be doing for the Resistance?” Twilight asked once the cheering died down.

“Well I suppose that’s up to them,” Hurricane said. “You were mandatory for our combat force, but if they wanted other jobs...”

“No way, sign me up for the combat force!” Rainbow spoke up. “This knight is gonna see some action.”

“Sign me up too,” Applejack said. “If you don’t got a farm for me to tend to, then Ah might as well be beatin’ Rainbow at her own game.”

“I would like to be trained as a mage actually,” Rarity announced. “I would be a battle outfit designer, but I’m afraid my designs wouldn’t be very stealth-oriented or, ahem, protective.”

“Ooo, can I be in intel?” Pinkie asked. “There’s no place I can’t get into, the Cakes told me so!”

“If that one’s gonna be in intel then I need more vacation days,” Wild Side commented.

“Um, Miss Hurricane sir,” Fluttershy muttered, using her hair as a shield. “Is there a medical division? Because...I would like to be in it, if there is one, I mean.”

“I think you’ve all made great decisions in choosing your roles,” Hurricane announced. “And don’t worry, you can all still go on missions as one unit. I know sticking together is important to you, and the last thing I want is to inconvenience you guys.”

“Yay,” Fluttershy stated. “I hate being inconvenienced.”

“Hey, Applejack mentioned a farm earlier, what do you guys do for food around here?” Rainbow asked.

“We actually do have a farm, but its managed by magic...and it’s location is secret,” Clear Mind explained.

“Okay, I...guess” Rainbow accepted the explanation.

“Speaking of, let’s throw a celebration dinner!” Hurricane Heart shouted.

“Yes, Commander,” Clear Mind agreed. “I’ll make sure the cooks know to make extra tonight. Or rather, every night after today.”

Without another word, Clear Mind made way for the opening. The revealing spell had worn off earlier, but he seemed to know where he was going anyway.

“Clear Mind, wait,” Hurricane Heart said. “Make sure you tell them, that it better be a meal fit for a princess.”

“So this is what a group dinner looks like?” Twilight yelled over the chatter.

“I’d call it more of an engaging family dinner, Princess,” Hurricane Heart shouted, chewing on her deluxe dandelion sandwich.

Having had nothing but elegant dinners in Canterlot, Twilight had to adjust to loud dinners when she moved to Ponyville, but this was beyond loud. For this dinner, it was as if the default volume was shouting. She was seated at a table that held her, her friends, Commander Heart (as she was now to called), Sleeping Shadow, Wild Side and Clear Mind. The Commander seemed to have no problem with shouting and eating at the same time, which unnerved her as it seemed both rude and impossible.

Clear Mind was his usual quiet self, even though he was eating enough for ten ponies. Shadow had obviously consumed hard cider, too much hard cider to be precise. Wild Side was using her state to his advantage as he told a barrage of jokes that were barely considered jokes or funny, but she laughed at each one.

Meanwhile, her friends were how they usually were at parties: Pinkie was the life of the party, Rainbow started having toughness contests as soon as she was done eating, Applejack was chatting with the cooks about the food, Rarity was taking her food in small servings until she was properly full and Fluttershy was sticking close to Twilight because she didn’t know anyone else.

“So...Commander,” Twilight said, finishing her food.

“Heh, it feels good being called ‘commander’ by a princess,” Hurricane chuckled, swallowing a mouthful in the process. “Continue.”

“How long have you been the leader of the Resistance?”

“Its kinda hard for blind ponies to tell time...so I don’t,” she giggled. “I understand the concept, but constantly asking someone what time it is makes me seem weak, so I just ask them to keep track of certain events.”

“Oh,” Twilight replied weakly, embarrassed by the outcome of her question. “Umm, speaking of...how do you...see, exactly?”

“Princess, you don’t have to be sheepish around me,” Hurricane stated as an order, “it just wastes time. Anyway, as I’m sure you noticed, I was born with special wings and on top of giving me borderline supersonic speed; they allow me to see things by kinda ‘tasting’ the air.”

“Huh?” Twilight and Fluttershy exclaimed in unison.

“Yeah, I’m not totally sure how it works, but by flapping my wings, I can see blurs and outlines and stuff. It was super weird at first, but once I adjusted...I just kinda accepted it. Its who I am, you know?”

Twilight looked at Fluttershy as if to say “Is that normal?” Fluttershy’s confused shrug gave her the answer she needed.

“Yeah I guess we know what that’s like,” Twilight weakly responded. “I was kind of born with a large amount of raw magical energy, and Fluttershy had a fear of heights.”

Fluttershy blushed and squeaked at the mention of her embarrassing fear, which made Twilight feel bad about saying it. It was hard to come up with small talk at a loud party.

“You guys are funny,” Hurricane chuckled. “I’m gonna go partake in one of Rainbow Dash’s toughness contests. I just know that I’m faster than her. Anyway, I’ll see you guys around, but don’t expect me to be as friendly as I was tonight. Just saying.”

Hurricane expanded her wings, flapped them a few times and flew after Rainbow Dash. Did she really want to know which of those two was faster? Absolutely not, although Rainbow would probably be talking about it later anyway.

“You sure you don’t even want to try and socialize, Fluttershy?” Twilight asked, sipping her water.

“No, that’s okay,” Fluttershy insisted. “I don’t think I’m outgoing enough for these ponies.”

Twilight was about to argue when she saw two hollows engage in a public roughhousing much like the one Rainbow and Applejack got themselves in the other day. The crowd did nothing but cheer them on.

“Yeah, that makes two of us,” Twilight agreed.

“It’s just so odd,” Fluttershy commented. “I never would've imagined that hollows could be so...emotional.”

Twilight immediately thought of the revelation she made about Rarity and shoved it aside. She knew for a fact that Rarity would cut off all her hair while she was sleeping if she told anypony her secret.

“Uh, yeah,” Twilight sheepishly agreed. “Well I suppose that if I was forced to hold in my emotions for a while, then I would love to release them in, ahem, outbursts.”

“Sounds like Rarity,” Fluttershy giggled.

Twilight nearly choked on the water she was sipping. It took several deep coughs just to convince herself that she wasn’t actually choking.

“Oh my goodness,” Fluttershy exclaimed, rubbing Twilight’s back. “I’m sorry, was my joke not funny?”

“No, no,” Twilight coughed and coughed again. “Ahem, no Fluttershy, your joke was fine. I was just thinking of something else and the water went down the wrong pipe. Yeah, that’s it.”

“Oh okay,” Fluttershy smiled. “Do you mind if I ask what it was?”

“Uhh...”

Whatever else Twilight was going to say was drowned out by Rainbow’s loud grunt of effort. She and Commander Hurricane had evidently engaged in a roughhousing session themselves and Rainbow had just lost.

“I just lost my grip, that’s all!” Rainbow shouted, face quickly turning red either from rage or embarrassment.

“I flipped you over me!” Hurricane shouted. “What part of that has to do your grip?”

Twilight couldn’t help but giggle loudly even as Rainbow dared to challenge Hurricane to another round. She wondered if they had tested their speed yet, although if they had, surely everyone would’ve known.

“Oh, were you thinking about Rainbow Dash?” came the unexpected question from Fluttershy.

Despite how innocent the question sounded, Twilight surely would have choked on more water if she was still sipping it. Instead, she felt her eyes grow wide and her mind become scrambled.

“Uhh, honestly I wasn’t...until now,” Twilight muttered.

“Did she talk to you yet? What’s going on? Oh, I want to be in the loop! I mean, if its okay with you,” Fluttershy gushed.

“Whoa, slow down there, Fluttershy,” Twilight nervously laughed. “What are you talking about? She hasn’t ‘talked’ to me. Is there something we need to talk about?”

“Oh,” Fluttershy blushed furiously. “Umm, oh my, should I say something? I have too, she’s just taking too long. Umm, can I ask you something, Twilight?”

“Of course.”

“Who would you say you had a crush on?”

If there was one question she wasn’t expecting, it was that one. Crushes? Who had time for crushes? Twilight spent all of her time either with her friends, or reading. Feeling affection for someone would probably put a dent on that schedule, and she wasn’t willing to sacrifice her friends or books for anything. Although being in a romantic relationship was an important part of life. It was essential for starting a family, after all. As long as it was serious, she had heard Rarity explain ‘playing games’ and it just sounded like an even bigger waste of time.

Regarding Fluttershy’s question, the only pony she would even consider to a ‘love interest’ was Flash Sentry, and that was just his alternate world counterpart. He was just so sweet and kind, but she wouldn’t keep going between Equestria and Canterlot High just to be with him. Talk about time wasting. She didn’t even know his pony counterpart....

“I guess no one, Fluttershy,” Twilight responded, looking down.

“You were probably thinking about that Flash Sentry colt though, right?” Fluttershy said, reading her thoughts.

“Well, I did consider him yes, but relationships are too time wasting for me. I only time for you girls and my books. Although I guess I’ll have some new responsibilities now that I’m a princess.”

“Its not really about being in a relationship, Twilight,” Fluttershy giggled. “Liking somepony is natural and its not entirely in your control. Whether you really wanna be with that pony or not, you’ll still start to notice certain things about them, and start thinking about them, and start caring for them.”

“Can we please talk about nature or something?” Twilight frantically asked, not enjoying how familiar the symptoms sounded.

“Oh, that would be lovely, but I really think we should talk about—”

“Do you have a crush, Fluttershy?” Twilight blurted out. Maybe it was her way of lifting the pressure off of her, or maybe it was her curiosity. Either way, she felt a hundred times after asking that question. Although it didn’t look like Fluttershy felt any better after receiving that question. Her eyes went wide and she immediately covered her mouth with her hoof. Twilight was about to tell her to forget about it when she spoke.

“Actually, that’s a fair question,” she said, removing her hoof. “And the answer is...yes, I do. Hehe, that felt good to say.”

“Congratulations, Fluttershy,” Twilight cheered. “Who is it?”

“Well, that depends.”

“On what?”

“Whether or not you think its okay for a mare to like another mare,” Fluttershy squeaked.

“That’s a silly question, of course it is,” Twilight stated, smiling. In Equestria, you were encouraged to love whoever you want no matter what. Well, as long as it was reasonable, and a mare loving another mare was. Same with colts as well.

“That’s a relief, because I think I have a crush on another mare,” Fluttershy squeaked in a higher pitch.

“You don’t say?” Twilight asked sarcastically. “Its fine Fluttershy, really. Now if you don’t mind me prying, who is it?” Fluttershy looked more mortified than before from the question. She quickly scanned the room, but not much had changed. Rainbow was dedicating herself to beating Hurricane at something, Pinkie was partying harder than before, Applejack was probably in the kitchen having a cook off, and Rarity was struggling to finish her cake. The party in general was as loud as ever.

“Umm, I don’t mean to be rude, Twilight,” Fluttershy announced. “But I’d rather not say for now, but when I do feel like saying, I’ll be sure to tell you.”

“That’s all I ask,” Twilight replied, undeterred either way. “Now we should probably finish our meals, it won’t be like this everyday. Although if it is, then we’re leaving immediately.”

The rest of the party went as expected. There were laughs, brawls and things that were just plain stupid. There was more food too, but it was quickly devoured. Twilight played along when she was dragged into activities, but when the party finally ended, she couldn’t be happier. Now she was preparing for bed along with her friends, which currently included Wild Side, Sleeping Shadow and Clear Mind as they all shared the same sleeping area.

“So we sleep in holes carved into the walls and call them beds?” Rarity stammered.

“Correct,” Clear Mind confirmed. “You can also place as many spells as you wish on your own bed, just for extra precaution.”

“Or if you want to prevent nighttime pranksters,” Sleeping Shadow groaned, recovering from her hard cider marathon. “Also known as Wild Side.”

“I only pranked you twice and you know it,” Wild Side teased.

“Because I immediately set up the charms after the second time,” Shadow snapped.

“I would’ve stopped on my own.”

“Enough, everyone please go to bed,” Clear Mind demanded. “Especially you, Shadow. Good luck being ‘top of the class’ with a raging hangover.”

“Ugh, I like it better when you don’t comment on stuff,” she groaned in reply as she climbed into her hole.

Everyone followed suit, eager to get some rest. Especially Twilight after the day she had. The highlight of her day was agreeing to forget about her journey for eternal peace long enough to defeat a maniac king. Even though she had doubts, she must have been doing the right thing because Celestia didn’t interrupt with her “divine intervention” like with Kuwabara. Then again, there was only one way to know for sure. Twilight closed her eyes and focused on positive thoughts as she drifted to sleep.

“Having fun, Princess?” asked Kuwabara, smiling cruelly against the raging flames behind him. “Delaying your oh-so important mission just to pursue a doomed cause. How foolish.”

“You’re wrong, Kuwabara,” Twilight shouted, hearing the lightning in the sky respond to her voice. “I’m doing the right thing, that must be a foreign concept to you.”

“Mock all you’d like, Princess. Try as you might, the truth is...you can’t save everyone.”

Twilight just noticed that there was someone behind Kuwabara, someone lying down. She had taken a step forward when she noticed that her hoof didn’t quite connect with solid ground. Instead it sunk into the ground and continued to sink until she lifted it out. She turned in a circle to take a good look at her red, burning, lifeless and endless environment. The flaming red sand triggered something in her mind, a horrible memory. She knew where she was.

“Step. Aside,” she commanded as she stepped towards Kuwabara. The Major merely chuckled, his usual response.

“As you wish, Your Majesty,” he whispered, moving aside. Without him in the way, Twilight could clearly see the pony lying injured on the ground. Twilight’s heart instantly dropped as she took in the azure coat, the protective vest and the stream of blood gracefully draping her body.

“Trixie!” Twilight shouted, rushing towards her dying friend. Kuwabara leapt in front of her, intent on stopping her. One of his many mistakes was challenging her after injuring one of her friends. Unleashing a familiar primal roar, Twilight commanded the lightning to completely fry Kuwabara. Even though lightning was invading his brain, Kuwabara still chuckled loudly and clearly.

“Killing all in your way to protect your friends,” Kuwabara commented while literally melting due to the intensity of the lightning. “What dark justice. Hope you can live with yourself...Princess.”

Kuwabara had effectively melted into a gray puddle that sank into the sand. Lightning stuck all around her, wild and free. The flashes of light further illuminated the flames, leading to the perfect image of chaos. With no more distractions, Twilight hurried over to her fallen friend.

“Trixie,” Twilight whispered, “Trixie, please answer me...”

She lowered her head and allowed the shameful tears to fall. Who was she if she couldn’t even protect her friends? Were there more? Was Trixie just the first in a long line of bodies as a result of Twilight’s failures?

“Did I do this?” she whispered, her voice breaking. “Did this happen because I couldn’t protect you? What have I done...”

Twilight looked down and realized that the flames had begun to lap at her hooves, asking permission to consume her whole. Unable to fight it, Twilight allowed them to. She welcomed the warm sensation overtaking her body. The feeling of her flesh melting off her bones and her soul leaving her body. She continued to hold her friend while the horrifying process took hold of her. The flames overtook her eyes, making it so that the only thing she was fire and the only thing she felt was fire. Was the sound of her crying the result of fire too?

No, the sound her crying was real. Twilight woke with a start as she wiped the tears off her wet face. She looked around her and saw, much to her relief, that she was still lying in her hole in the Resistance base. Everyone else was still asleep, which meant that it wasn’t quite time to wake up yet. Unfortunately, she knew that going back to sleep was impossible for her. How much longer would she be plagued by nightmares?

Deciding not to sit in bed and sulk, Twilight glided to the floor. She double checked her friends to make sure none of them were awake. That’s when she noticed that the color composition of the room was way off. There was no light pink or cool orange. Pinkie Pie and Applejack were missing. Twilight felt a small panic rising in her chest before she silenced it and told herself that they were probably just up and about in the base. Well she might as well find them since the only other option was to sulk by herself. And she was so done with that.

It surprised her how well she was able to navigate the base considering how similar everything looked. Lurking around the base while it was empty was extremely creepy because she knew that someone could be watching her from the shadows. If she hadn’t noticed Sleeping Shadow resting in bed then she would’ve already assumed that she was here somewhere...watching. After scrambling around the base for a few minutes, Twilight still had no idea where her friends were. Not to mention that she starting to get lost hersel—

“...don’t mind at all,” came Pinkie’s cheerful voice.

Needless to say, Twilight nearly had a heart attack. She had no idea what direction her voice came from so she stood perfectly still and waited to hear it again.

“Ah know that, but...Ah’m just not sure,” Applejack replied, sounding right next to Pinkie.

So they both must’ve woken up at the same time and came to the same place. How does that work? Did one of them wake the other up? What exactly were they doing?

“Why not?” Pinkie whined.

“Ah...Ah don’t know, it doesn’t seem right. How are you so sure that it’d all work out?” Applejack asked, her voice barely more than a whisper.

By now, Twilight had guessed that they were by the waterfall due to their voices coming from the area as the running water. She didn’t dare get closer though, she wanted to hear them finish this conversation.

“It’d work out because we care about each other,” Pinkie explained. “You do care about me right?”

“Course Ah do, sugarcube,” Applejack sighed. “But this is so much more than just carin’ about each other a whole lot. This could throw off the whole dynamic of our group. That wouldn’t be fair to them.”

What exactly were they talking about? Whatever was going to throw off their group couldn’t be good.

“Silly, I’ve talked with Rainbow Dash and I bet you’ve talked with Rarity,” Pinkie said in a sing-song voice. “Rainbow thinks its a good idea you know, and I bet Rarity does too.”

“Of course whoever you ask is gonna say its a good idea. Doesn’t mean that it is,” Applejack grumbled.

“Oh, I’m sorry Applejack, I thought you cared about me more than that. Guess I was wrong though, oh well,” Pinkie remarked sadly.

“Pinkie Pie, Ah like you a lot more than Ah think Ah should. Ah don’t mean that in a bad way, its just that you can do so much better than a cowpony like me. You could easily have anypony in Ponyville.”

Where they talking about liking each other as friends or... What were they talking about? Twilight wished she could get closer to hear every word, but she definitely couldn’t risk being caught at this point. She squished herself against the cave wall and listened intently.

“Applejack, ever since that day when we switched cutie marks and I got to live your life for the day, I’ve been thinking...a lot. You have such a hard life but you never complain, never ever take days off, and never, ever, sever, take your time with us for granted. You’re the only pony I know who can perfectly balance work with fun! And if there’s one thing I’m looking for in a special somepony, its somepony who really appreciates fun.”

“You really do care for me, don’t you sugarcube?”

“I really do like you, Applejack. Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cup—hrmpf!”

At this point, Twilight couldn’t resist looking just a little to see what was going on. She slowly moved her head around the corner of the wall...and quickly hid behind the wall again, covering her mouth. The sight of Applejack’s mouth covering Pinkie’s was almost too much for Twilight. For so long it had just been the six of them as best friends, but now...everything changes. Seeing them like that had really weirded her out, but she supposed she would just have to get used to it. One thing’s for sure, she forgot all about her dream.

“—cake in my eye,” Pinkie continued, voice sounding dazed and far away.

“Ah believe you Pinkie,” Applejack assured her, voice sounding equally dazed. “And even though Ah had tried to convince myself otherwise, Ah really like you too.”

“So you wanna give us a chance?” Pinkie asked, excitement rising in her voice.

“Eeyup.”

“Yippee!” Pinkie positively exclaimed. The sound of Applejack grunting slightly told her that they just hugged this time. So it was official, Applejack and Pinkie were engaged in a romantic relationship. Definitely one of the weirdest things to come out of visiting The Hollow. Still, she couldn’t help but feel happy for them. She began to wonder how they would break it to the others, but that was up to them after all.

“You shall not regret this, milady,” Pinkie announced while Applejack giggled. “So now that that’s over, when are you gonna ask out Rainbow Dash, Twilight?”

8: First Day

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“Wait, so this happened last night?” Rainbow Dash asked while devouring her oatmeal, providing devastating results.

“It sure did,” Pinkie Pie replied, eating her own dandelion surprise.

The news of Pinkie and Applejack’s new relationship quickly spread throughout their friends, even though everyone had only been awake for an hour. Currently Twilight was just eating her breakfast whilst enjoying everyone else’s reactions. The mess hall was definitely a lot quieter when a raging party wasn’t going on in it, making it optimal for actual conversations. No one knew that Twilight found out last night because that would mean she would have to explain why she was up. No one should have to deal with her nightmares but her.

“Oh, I’m just so happy for both of you,” Rarity squealed for the hundredth time. “Honestly though, it certainly took long enough.”

“Get off my back, Rarity,” Applejack responded, smiling as she finished her soup. “Ah’ve never really been in touch with my feelings. If you wanna get through to me, you’re gonna have to use action because words just waste time.”

“Excuses, excuses,” Wild Side scoffed, enjoying his biscuits. “Getting a mate before I do. You better enjoy this victory, cowpony, it’s the only one you’re getting.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Applejack muttered, leaning in to nuzzle Pinkie.

“Gross, get a room you two,” Rainbow laughed. “What about you, Twi’? Why haven’t you said anything about the too-happy new couple?”

Looking up from her breakfast, Twilight immediately saw Rainbow’s face and felt her brain immediately shut down. Last night, after Pinkie somehow discovered that Twilight was there the whole time (when asked about it, Pinkie insisted that she always knew when friends were around), she teased her about asking out Rainbow Dash. At first, Twilight had obviously called the idea ridiculous, but after thinking it over....

“Uhh,” Twilight groaned like a zombie pony. “I mean, I haven’t said anything because Rarity said congratulations enough for all of us.”

Rainbow started laughing while Rarity simply pouted and held her head up. Twilight accidentally made eye contact with Pinkie and caught a distinct wink of unmistakable encouragement. Twilight merely smiled in response.

“Actually, you haven’t said anything either, Fluttershy,” Rainbow said after calming down from laughing. “What gives? You gonna use Twilight’s excuse or make your own?”

“Oh, no reason really,” Fluttershy admitted, looking down at her grass. “I was thinking about...stuff and um, things.”

Looking around, Twilight could see that Fluttershy’s cryptic answer was confusing everyone to the point that they weren’t going to ask anything else of her. Twilight guessed that Fluttershy’s scattered brain was due to her own crush that she was figuring out how to deal with. She still didn’t know who she had the crush on, but that was none of her business anyway.

“Enough with the lovey dovey stuff,” Sleeping Shadow demanded. “You guys have to finish your breakfast. You’ll need the energy for the first day.”

“Wait, are we already starting our training?” Rainbow asked. “I thought we’d get some sort of break period first.”

“I don’t know if you’re selfless enough to think of this, but the longer we wait to train new recruits, the more The Hollow suffers,” Shadow explained, narrowed eyes firing off daggers.

“Whoa, whoa, okay I get it, we’ll finish eating,” Rainbow announced, preparing to finish her food. Hmm, usually Rainbow would challenge someone who insulted her, but she was a little different when it came to her friends (except Applejack). The thing that really bugged her was how easily Rainbow complied, like she was trying her hardest to avoid a conflict. Kinda like Twilight’s usual thought process.

“Shadow, your hangover does not excuse your rude behavior,” Clear Mind stated, peacefully eating his eggs.

“Its not about that,” Shadow said more to them than her brother. “Its about making sure you’re all taking this seriously. Although I am sorry if I came off as rude, being kind is really, really hard to do with a headache.”

“That wasn’t just rude, Shady,” Wild Side said with a mouthful of biscuits. “It was also straight up mean. Can I start calling you 'Jerky' instead of 'Shady'?”

“Ugh, I can barely stand it when you talk normally, don’t even think about talking with your mouth full,” Shadow complained. "Besides, I never said you could call me 'Shady' in the first place."

Wild Side decided to test his luck by opening his mouth wide, resulting in several groans from anyone who was watching. Infuriated, Sleeping Shadow forced his mouth closed with her magic, causing him to choke and struggle against himself. As the table erupted in laughter at Wild Side’s misfortune, Twilight couldn’t help but wonder what obstacles they’d have to face today. How hard could the training be? They weren’t even in an official training facility, and she doubted any Resistance members had been in The Hollow's military force.

Having finished her breakfast and seeing that the others weren’t going to be finished for another few minutes, Twilight stood to leave. Despite her excitement at being a member of the Resistance, she was still haunted over what The Hollow was turning her into and needed some alone time to think about it.

“Where you going, Twi,?” asked Rainbow Dash. Twilight sighed in annoyance as she turned around. Of course, Rainbow wasn’t just going to let her leave.

“Look, I’m going to go rest back at the room, but be sure to come and get me when we're ready to begin training,” Twilight explained, hoping that Rainbow would take the hint.

“Sure, except I remember what you said yesterday, when you said how you felt about killing that guy. I want to go with you, to make sure you’re not beating yourself up over it,” Rainbow said, rubbing the back of her head with her hoof.

“That’s sweet, but I’m fine,” Twilight insisted, turning to leave.

“No you’re not,” Rainbow shot back. “Don’t forget that we’re here for you, no matter what. That’s what friendship means right?”

Once more, Rainbow showed off her new found intelligence. Twilight felt bad about thinking that because she was in no way dumb. Its just that certain words shouldn’t come out of Rainbow’s mouth and currently, they were.

“I suppose friendship does have to do with that,” Twilight admitted, still facing away from her friend. “But I always attributed being there for someone to be...loyalty. Never change, Rainbow.”

Turning her head, Twilight gave her friend a genuine smile and left the room. She was hoping that her last comment would daze Rainbow long enough for Twilight to make her escape. Due to the absence of rushing wind, it appears that it was a success. She definitely did still care immensely about her friends, but everyone needed alone time. After all, it would be hard to think of Rainbow if Twilight was sitting right next to her.

Pinkie’s comment had made Twilight think everything over and she was so close to a conclusion. If she has developed a...’crush’ on Rainbow, then it probably wasn’t because of the incident with the hole. If anything, that just ‘supercharged’ her crush. Rainbow was loyal, sweet, pretty and very lovable. In fact, her negative personality traits just added to her quality in her opinion.

That aside, she still wasn’t sure what she wanted to do about these feelings. Did Rainbow even feel the same? Could the two of them even work out? She didn’t even know that she liked mares! If she was going to focus on being trained to defeat the mad king, then she was gonna have to push these thoughts aside. Only problem was that it was easier said than done.

“Princess Twilight, it is you!” shouted a rough sounding voice from behind her. As she turned around to greet the source, she realized that in all her thinking, she had barely trotted anywhere and was still very much in the hallway. Much to her surprise, the voice belonged to an earth pony with a gray coat, light gray hair and light green eyes.

The pony's eyes clashed with his coat, but in a specific way, like he was purposely special. His smile matched the roughness of his voice and looked oddly familiar. She'd met this hollow before, but she wasn't sure where. Unless....

“Chaser?” Twilight asked, remembering the poor hollow they found in the forest. “Is that you?”

“Yeah, it is,” Chaser said, trotting towards her. “How did you end up here?”

“That’s what I should be asking you,” Twilight laughed. Last time they met, Twilight had sent him off with a new name and new goals for life. Their encounter also left Twilight feeling accomplished because for the first time since becoming a princess, she’d actually helped someone.

“Oh yeah, well I don’t really have an interesting story,” Chaser explained, rubbing the back of his head. “I’d much rather hear about how an underground organization recruited a princess.”

“Well if you wanna hear that, then you better stop referring to me as a princess,” Twilight insisted. It was hard enough trying to be considered a normal pony in Equestria. Now all of The Hollow either wanted her dead or worshiped her as their savior.

“Sorry, I can imagine what that feels like,” he said. “Well then, how did the normal Twilight become a member of the Resistance?”

“Hmm, well there’s the short version and then there’s the burning town version,” Twilight joked, even though it really wasn’t funny to her.

“Huh?” Chaser grunted. The fact that he hadn’t already heard the story surprised her. Surely that must have been on everyone's mind at the party dinner.

“Yeah...I—”

“Hey, Twi,” Rainbow yelped, flying up to her. “Clear Mind said that training starts in like five minutes. We gotta...oh its this guy again. What are you doing with the Resistance?”

“Great to see you too,” Chaser scoffed. “So you guys are going to training? Just so happens that I am too; let’s head over together.”

“Sure,” said Twilight.

“Whatever,” spat Rainbow.

After a heated staring contest between Twilight and Rainbow, the element of loyalty went to get Applejack and off the four of them went to combat training. Without her alone time, it instantly became harder to figure out her feelings for Rainbow. Then again, that may have been because they within inches of each other. Did she also like Rainbow because she could be a challenge? After years of acing every test she’s ever taken, Twilight appreciated something that actually required effort. Perhaps that transferred into her romantic interests. If it did, then Rainbow definitely qualified.

“How lame for you, Applejack,” Rainbow sneered. “Been together less than twenty-four hours, and you guys already need to spend some time apart.”

“How hilarious,” Applejack muttered, rolling her eyes. “Considering that Ah’ve never had one of these relationship things before, Ah’m sure Ah can handle one day apart.”

“We’ll see,” Rainbow snickered. “Although if I were you, I’d be more focused on our training. You need to be watching when I outperform you.”

“You don’t even know what trainin’ involves, element of overconfidence,” Applejack said, glaring daggers at her rival as she did so. “And if its anythin’ like applebuckin’, Ah’ll be the best in the class.”

“Do they only care about surpassing each other?” Chaser asked, only mildly interested in their heated conversation.

“Sometimes, I really think so,” Twilight sighed, hating that she was gonna have to listen to this while training.

Luckily she only had to suffer for another minute because the training room was close to the mess hall. Thank Celestia, she only had so much sanity left and she couldn’t afford to lose anymore. Twilight stepped through the opening to the training room and took in her environment. The first thing she noticed was how large the room was, despite the fact that it was labeled a room. She guessed that this was to contain the magic spells, and flying soldiers which could be an extremely chaotic duo.

The instructor hadn’t arrived yet, so the Resistance members were merely sparring with one another. Although with the intensity some of them were displaying, she would’ve guessed instead that they were actually fighting each other. They sure took their jobs seriously, but then again, with your whole world at stake, who wouldn’t?

She couldn’t bring herself to look away from one fight between a unicorn and a pegasus. The pegasus was using her agility and flight to attack from all directions. The unicorn was countering by forming barriers around the pegasus, making it impossible for the pegasus to move for more than a few seconds at a time. Had it not been a practice match, surely the unicorn would’ve slammed the pegasus into the ground with telekinesis already. Twilight sure would’ve...

“Are we going to have an instructor, or is this just where ponies go to spar?” Twilight asked, slightly confused. “Just what is training?”

“The instructor should be here soon, right?” Chaser stated in a questioning way. Somehow he knew more and less about the Resistance than them at the same time.

“I think we still have a few minutes before they arrive, anypony wanna spar?” Rainbow asked, flashing a confident smile.

“Ah’d take that challenge, but Ah think for your sake we should spar after the lesson,” Applejack replied with equal confidence. “Ah just don’t think you’re on my level at the moment.”

“Oh please,” Rainbow scoffed, getting close to Applejack. “I could knock you off your hooves before you could even blink!”

“Slow and steady wins the race,” Applejack whispered, replicating Rainbow’s confident smile.

Twilight was prepared to tune out their arguing, but didn’t have to as a loud whistle ripped through the air, effectively quieting everyone in the room. Noticing that the doorway was the source of the screech, Twilight turned towards it. In walked a unicorn mare with short auburn hair, silver coat and orange eyes. The whistle levitated directed in front of her mouth, ready to be blown at any second. It was attached to a string around her neck. The stern look on her face sent shivers down Twilight’s spine. From directly behind her walked a friendly face: Clear Mind, looking as deadpan as usual.

“Alright everyone, I hope you all enjoyed your sparring matches, because that’s what you’ll be doing today, and yesterday, and tomorrow,” the unicorn announced. “Commander Heart has informed me that I have four new recruits today. Now, I know here in the Resistance we like to just throw new recruits headfirst into our lessons, but I’ve been told to give extra attention to Miss Princess and her court jesters over here. Now what are you waiting for? Get to sparring!”

“Sir, yes sir!” they chanted back. A moment later, the sounds of magic and whooshing wind filled the room once again. Twilight usually had respect for anyone who could silence an entire room, but for this pony, Twilight established an unusually high amount of respect in the few seconds that she’s known her. What was she in for?

“As for you jokers,” the unicorn addressed them directly, not softening her gaze. “From this point on until I say otherwise, you are the students, and I...am the master. You will address your master as Instructor Stickler and you will do so with respect.”

“And what if we don’t respect you?” Rainbow asked confidently. Not only did that comment make Twilight slam her hoof into her face, it also silenced the entire room. She hear an audible sigh come from Clear Mind, and watched him walk backwards a few paces.

“What was that...recruit?” the look in Instructor Stickler’s eyes merely intensified.

“Look, I went to the Wonderbolts Academy, where I was trained and ordered around by the Spitfire,” Rainbow said, playing it up like it was a big deal. Although she probably should’ve considered that the hollows have never heard of Spitfire or the Wonderbolts. “After going through boot camp once, I really don’t wanna do it again, so can we skip that part and get to learning how to fight?”

The room was no longer silent, rather it was now filled with whispers from the hollows who were supposed to be sparring. From the sound of it, Rainbow had just dug her own grave. She attempted to make eye contact with Clear Mind, but he had lowered his head at just that moment.

“You want to learn how to fight?” Stickler asked, enunciating each word. “Then we have to see if you’re ready first.”

“Huh?” Rainbow grunted. Twilight just noticed that Chaser and Applejack had slowly edged away from Rainbow and were now to the right of Twilight. The farmer’s eyes told her that she was just as worried as Twilight was.

“Well I want to see just what this ‘Spitfire’ has taught you,” Stickler explained, slowing forming a sly smile.

“Well, all we really did at the Wonderbolts Academy was learn how to fly better and do cool tricks,” Rainbow admitted, looking slightly frightened herself. “We didn’t really learn—”

“Clear Mind,” Stickler said, turning to face the silent pegasus. “I want you to ‘evaluate her skills’, do I make myself clear?”

Clear Mind’s face was unreadable (as usual), but even Twilight could tell that what she just said had an impact on him. He loosened up and his eyes grew wider. What did she mean by “evaluate her skills” anyway?

“Sir...,” Clear Mind hesitated slightly. He looked like he was going to say something, but then his face relaxed. “Yes sir.”

Stickler nodded once and walked forward towards the rest of the room. Twilight tried once again to make eye contact with Clear Mind, but he merely stared unblinkingly ahead. He flared his wings and darted his eyes, making him look rather intimidating. She’d never seen him fight, but she just knew that he was good. The question was, how good?

“Don’t think I haven’t noticed you wimps eavesdropping,” Stickler shouted to the whole room. Once again, every eye was on her. “As long as you’re slacking off, you may as well enjoy this little show I’m putting on. Clear Mind versus the newbie, place your bets now, I doubt there will be enough time during the match.”

The hollows erupted laughter and cheers, something Stickler clearly appreciated. She gestured for Clear Mind and Rainbow to follow her. The winged ponies obeyed (Rainbow did so nervously) and stopped in the middle of the room. The hollows rushed out of the way to form a wide circle along the walls, looking very used to doing so as they did. Stickler pulled Twilight and Applejack off to the side, not quite along the walls, but not in the way of the competitors either.

“Face your opponent!” Stickler shouted, sounding official and joyful at the same time. Clear Mind did so without hesitation, keeping his wings flared. Rainbow followed his lead, including stretching out her wings. She started to look more confident in herself.

“Now when I say to start, do everything in your knowledge of fighting to defeat your opponent. Knock them unconscious, make them yield, render them unable to fight in some way, I don’t care. Just make sure you win, am I clear?”

“Yes,” Clear Mind stated, still perfectly monotone even though he’d just be told to knock Rainbow unconscious.

“Uhhh,” Rainbow stammered, sounding like how Twilight felt. Whatever the result of the fight was, it wouldn’t be good.

“Start!”

Rainbow immediately took to the air at high speed. Considering they were in an underground cavern, there wasn’t a lot of airspace, but she could still fly around considerably. She flew around in a circle, observing Clear Mind from above. Meanwhile, Clear Mind was watching Rainbow too, but his face clearly said that the gears were really turning in his head.

Rainbow suddenly dived towards Clear Mind, but the silent strategist dodged out of the way, causing Rainbow to crash into the ground. Twilight stood unblinking as small pebbles flew past her. As Rainbow leapt up, Clear Mind rushed forward and delivered a sharp blow to her foreleg, causing her to crumble with an audible groan.

“Hey! Watch it,” Rainbow grunted, standing straight again. Clear’s face offered no apology.

Rainbow dashed backward and then immediately dashed forward with an outstretched hoof. She attempted to bring it down on Clear, but he blocked it and pushed the hoof away. He then preceded to block all the blows from Rainbow afterwards. He finally countered when he grabbed her hoof and tossed her over his body and into the ground once more.

At this point, Rainbow was becoming visibly angry. Practically launching off the ground, Rainbow tried many more sloppy attempts at attacking Clear Mind, all of which he dodged with ease. Rainbow increased in speed in an effort to hit him, which according to Clear’s face, made it easier for him. Sure enough, Clear landed one good blow on Rainbow and effectively stopped her in her tracks. As she clutched her injury, Clear delivered a spinning kick to Rainbow’s shoulder and followed up with an elaborate series of attacks that each struck a specific part of her. Her shoulder, legs, in between her wings, chest and stomach were all hit with sharp blows at high speeds...and it looked like it really hurt. Rainbow collapsed onto the ground and shuddered with pain.

“Rainbow Dash, do you yield?” Clear Mind asked, voice surprisingly monotone even in the middle of a battle.

Rainbow continued to shudder soundlessly. The sight of her...friend shivering with pain was almost too much to bear, she was about to turn away just as Rainbow tackled Clear into the ceiling. Clear had just reached out to touch Rainbow’s shoulder when she gave a shout of adrenaline and flew into him. She continued flying until she flew them into the ceiling, his body first. They crashed into it with a roaring groan of destruction. Clear Mind fell along with the debris. Unlike the debris however, Clear never hit the ground. He extended his wings mid-fall and grabbed Rainbow by the foreleg. Using either pure agility or pure adrenaline, Clear spun in a single spot in the air, spinning Rainbow around him in the process. Finally, he let go, flinging her into the ground below, allowing him to follow up with a crushing blow to the chest from the air. Rainbow remained perfectly still on the ground as Clear backed away, preparing to continue fighting.

“Ugh, I think I yield now,” Rainbow groaned, her voice sounding small and strained.

“Took long enough,” Clear Mind breathed, finally allowing some emotion to his voice. Huffing slightly, Clear Mind walked through the exit, not even taking pride in his victory. Interestingly enough, the hollows didn’t cheer either, they just stood frozen, staring at Rainbow Dash. Stickler slowly walked up to Rainbow and leaned over her.

“So, do you think you’re shown enough skill to advance to fight training?” Stickler asked, smirking cruelly.

“No,” Rainbow strained. “I’ll accept...whatever training you give me...sir.”

“That’s more like it,” Stickler whispered. She turned to the rest of the room while Twilight rushed to Rainbow’s side.

“Hope you all won your bets, not that any of you have anything to offer! Now get back to becoming the defenders of your world!”

“Sir, yes sir!”

Chaser and Applejack joined Twilight beside their fallen friend. Rainbow had a confident smile on her face, which looked horrifying because she was covered in bruises.

“So? What’d you guys think of the match?” Rainbow attempted to ask ironically, but Twilight was in no mood at the moment.

“You’re an idiot,” Twilight spat, sounding as emotionless as Clear Mind.

“Twi’,” Applejack said like a warning, looking down at her rival.

“We need to get her to the medical wing,” Chaser stated the obvious. “I heard they get ponies from training in there almost daily. This is normal here.”

“I’ll heal her,” Twilight stated, making up her mind. “I know a healing spell or two, and her injuries aren’t that bad.”

“Whatever, let’s go before I lose feeling in my legs,” Rainbow grunted, getting to her hooves. Twilight helped with her magic, but due to her current emotions she did so rather aggressively. Rainbow hissed but didn’t say anything about it.

“Want us to go find Clear Mind? See what the victor has to say about the match?” Chaser asked.

“No, you two can stay and start the training, this probably won’t take long,” Twilight said, making way for the doorway. Dragging Rainbow with her, she marched out the exit without another word being said by anyone. Ignoring everyone and everything else, including Rainbow’s constant hissing at being dragged along, Twilight made way for their room.

Finally she arrived at her destination and her first act was to violently throw Rainbow into one of the beds. Ignoring Rainbow’s cry of pain, she looked around to make sure that Clear Mind hadn’t come here as well, and sure enough; the hollow was nowhere in sight.

“What was that for?” Rainbow asked, clutching her sides.

“Stay still,” Twilight commanded, already lowering her horn. Rainbow looked terrified, and she was right to. Twilight had never used the healing spell Trixie taught her until now, and with all her anger it might do more harm than good. Nevertheless, she concentrated and quickly fired the glowing purple orb directly into Rainbow’s chest. The grunt of discomfort from her friend calmed her down slightly.

“Hey, I think its working,” Rainbow said, sounding surprised. She watched as her bruises slowly faded into nothing. “Where’d you learn a healing spell, Twi,?”

“Trixie,” Twilight spat, sitting back on her rump.

“What? For all you know, that could’ve been like...a death spell or something,” Rainbow exclaimed.

“She used it to heal me,” Twilight explained, enunciating each word. “She’s the only reason I’ve made it this far, Rainbow Dash.”

“Well, uh,” Rainbow stammered, scratching her head.

“I don’t get why you still hate her so much,” Twilight stated, calming down. “She really helped me in the Badlands and she’s changed too. She practically shuns attention now and she’s actually a good pony.”

“Evil never changes,” Rainbow snarled, pounding her hooves together. “And she’s evil, as if being an attention hog wasn’t bad enough, imprisoning our town was going too far.”

“I’ve forgiven her for that, we all have,” Twilight said. “So why can’t you? She wasn’t in control of herself at all.”

“Why are you sticking up for her so much?” Rainbow demanded, throwing her hooves to the air. “If we’re not gonna see her again, then why do you even care?”

“Well I don’t know about never seeing her aga—”

“So what, you gonna get her a house in Ponyville?” Rainbow interrupted, eyes darted. “Or I guess since you like her so much, you might as well just have her stay at the library with you. You guys can live happily ever after!”

“Its not like that!” Twilight shouted, rage quickly returning. “I don’t like Trixie that way, you dolt!”

“Sure you don’t,” Rainbow muttered. “You don’t like anypony, because you’re a princess now and you don’t have time for that stuff.”

“That’s not it either!” Twilight practically screamed, no longer able to process her words before she said them. “I am still perfectly capable of having feelings for another pony!”

“Oh, are you?”

“Yes! I happen to have them at the moment!” Twilight quickly covered her mouth with her hooves, but it was too late. The last words she wanted to say had already been said.

“So Twilight Sparkle actually does have a crush on somepony?” Rainbow asked, her anger quickly changing to amusement. “So who is it?”

“I’m not going to tell you,” Twilight pouted, really hoping that her cheeks were still lavender.

“Why?”

“Because...”

“Mare or stallion?”

“M-mare.”

“Do I know her?”

“You could say that.”

“Is she awesome?”

“I hate to say it, but yeah she really is.”

“Its me, isn’t it?”

“What?!”

For the past few sentences, Twilight forgot who she was talking to, basically leaving her mouth on autopilot. Now she knew that she couldn’t trust autopilot to keep secrets. She would question how Rainbow guessed perfectly, but the hints were rather obvious.

“You like me, don’t you?” Rainbow asked, a large grin plastered on her face.

“I...I don’t understand what you’re talking about,” Twilight stammered, hiding her face.

“Man, you’re terrible at hiding things, Twi’,” Rainbow laughed. “Just admit you like me and you know, explain why or whatever.”

“W-why should I?”

“Just do it, come on.”

“N-no.”

“Nothing bad is gonna happen, I already know,” Rainbow pointed out. “Just admit it, Twi’.”

Twilight looked up into Rainbow’s eyes, the same eyes that she had become infatuated with. Then to her wings, the wings that gave her her insane speed. Her colorful hair that made her so unique compared to everyone else. She had to admit it, it was going to drive her insane otherwise.

“Rainbow Dash,” Twilight said, slowly and carefully. “I-I like you.”

“Sorry,” Rainbow laughed. “Didn’t quite catch that, can you repeat yourse—”

“I like you!” Twilight shouted, feeling the wave of emotions crash down on her. “You, Rainbow Dash, so-called fastest pegasus in Equestria! Yeah you’re fast, but you’re also annoying, rude, borderline insane, hyperactive, I can’t even find enough negative words to describe you! Fortunately for you, there are also positive words: loyal, brave, caring, pretty, I guess ‘awesome.’ You’re the craziest pony I’ve ever met, but my life would be boring without you and the girls.”

“Mostly me though, right?” Rainbow asked, relatively unaffected by Twilight’s verbal assault.

“I hate you!” Twilight exclaimed, effectively letting out all her frustration. “And I also really like you...for some reason. But if you ever get yourself beat up again just because you can’t respect someone, I’ll tear all the feathers off your wings!”

“Okay, so that’s a new one,” Rainbow chuckled. “But I’ll try my best not to get beat up if you’ll stop almost getting killed by every enemy we come across.”

“I-I’ll try, but I’m going to be on the frontlines a lot from now on,” Twilight stated. “I don’t know how likely it is that—”

“Just say ‘okay’ egghead,” Rainbow said softly, getting closer.

“Uh, okay,” Twilight said simply.

“Good, I’ll hold you to that,” Rainbow stated, winking. “And Twi’?”

“Yeah?”

“I really like you too.”

Before she knew what was happening...she had no idea what was happening. All her brain could comprehend was that Rainbow’s lips were pressed against hers, and it felt amazing. She wasn’t sure exactly what she was feeling, but she knew that her heart was threatening to burst and her face was growing hotter than the sun. At some point, she realized that she should probably start kissing back. Unfortunately, this was her first time so she really hoped her attempt at returning the kiss wasn’t embarrassing. After who knows how long, they broke apart, mostly for air, although she suspected that Rainbow was just recovering stamina to go again.

“I bet that was your first kiss, huh?” Rainbow snickered, leaning on her back, giant grin plastered on her face.

“Of course that’s the first thing you say,” Twilight sighed, wearing an equally huge smile.

‘I’m just teasing...it probably was though,” Rainbow tried unsuccessfully to whisper that last part to herself.

“Whatever, look, we have to get back to training before Stickler beats us up herself,” Twilight exclaimed, nervously glancing at the doorway.

“Whatever yourself,” Rainbow shrugged, leaving the bed and trotting up to Twilight. “I’ve been waiting a long time for this, and I can take another beating or two.”

“That’s great for you, but what about me?” Twilight asked, raising one eyebrow. “I sure don’t wanna get beaten up by Sleeping Shadow or something.”

“Uh, good point, let’s hurry back,” Rainbow stated nervously, heading towards the door.

Twilight quickly followed, and galloped alongside Rainbow to reach the training room. As she galloped, she allowed the situation to sink in. Were she and Rainbow...an item? How exactly did these things happen anyway? Did they need to come to an official agreement or was the kiss enough? It was sure going to be tough training with all this on her mind.

When they reached the training room, they were immediately greeted by Applejack and Chaser doing push-ups. As soon as she saw them entering, Applejack immediately shook her head viciously. Chaser just looked too tired to do any sort of signal. Twilight began to back away slowly when she heard her doom calling.

“Well!” shouted Stickler, suddenly appearing out of thin air. “The Princess came running back to the castle. And she brought her servant with her!”

“Servant?” Rainbow exclaimed, sounding eager to challenge authority for the second time in the past hour. “I think I prefer ‘knight’ thanks.”

“You like the term, you gotta earn it,” Stickler spat, darting her deadly eyes. “Now both of you drop to the ground and give me about two hundred push-ups.”

“T-two hundred?” Twilight whimpered. “Why not say...twenty?”

“You’re right Princess,” Stickler smirked, complementing the permanent evil look in her eye. “Let’s make it two hundred and twenty, starting now.”

Twilight felt her jaw drop and was about to pick it up, but decided against it. In a moment her entire body would be dropping to the ground, and she wasn’t sure if she’d be getting back up. She glanced at Rainbow to see if she was having similar thoughts, but was only met with a shrug in return.

“Now!” Stickler shouted, getting way too close. After Twilight’s constant encounters with evil, she never thought she would be intimidated by a loud pony. And yet here she was, adjusting her body to perform the first of two hundred and twenty push-ups.

“First time doing physical activity, Your Majesty?” Stickler mocked, glaring as Twilight continued her push-up marathon. “Let me know if it gets too hard and I’m sure we can find you a place in intel or something.”

“Why don’t you just lay off?” Rainbow grunted in-between her push-ups.

“Why don’t you shut up before you get disciplined again?” Stickler growled back. “So far my job has included training anyone Commander Heart throws at me. I’ve never gone against what Commander has asked of me, but I draw the line at training princesses!”

“What do y’all have against princesses around here?” Applejack asked, apparently having no trouble with her push-ups. Chaser seemed too focused on his set to say anything. At least that’s what the look on his face said.

“Look, you should know that princesses have bad reputations here and to me, you’re no exception,” Stickler spat, her voice becoming verbally unstable. “A princess got us into this mess, and I refuse to believe that another one can get us out. You’d be better off staying out of our way.”

To her friends, it seemed like Stickler was insulting Twilight, but to Twilight herself...she was telling the truth. From the beginning, Twilight wanted to stay out of the action and do intel, but Commander Heart wanted her on the front-line of the war. Now she felt like she was at a crossroads. Should she back down and convince Commander to let her into intel, or should she stand up and prove that she’s ready for battle?

“Instructor Stickler,” Twilight grunted, continuing her push-ups at a faster pace, “I don’t know what Princess Cel—erm, the other princess did to cause you all to lose faith in us, but don’t judge me because of the past. I have every intention of helping you all save The Hollow, and I truly believe that the best way to accomplish that is by entering the battlefield myself. So please, just train me, I don’t care how you do it or how intense the training is, just...just make me a soldier. I want to save you all.”

Twilight continued her painful pushing process, attempting to ignore the reactions of her friends. The attempt failed as she noticed Rainbow smirk with an audible snicker. Applejack mumbled something about Twilight’s inner strength. Chaser’s eyes said a thousand words, although none of them seemed to be about her speech....

She couldn’t blame anyone for being shocked, Twilight somewhat surprised herself. She just threw away any chance she had of living the peaceful life she always envisioned. Applejack’s words of wisdom said that her newly found violent side didn’t have to change who she was. Now she was embracing it, and carving her own legacy like the Commander said. She stopped her exercise marathon for a moment to look at Instructor Stickler. For the first time, Twilight couldn’t read Stickler’s face. It was as emotionless as Clear Mind’s voice. Finally she turned away from Twilight, and instead watched the other hollows spar.

“You may stop once you’ve reached fifty...Twilight,” Stickler mumbled, still facing away.

Greatly relieved, Twilight let out a small sigh and lowered herself to the ground with a smile.

“That goes for all of you,” Stickler decided, facing them once more. Her raised eyebrows and straight mouth told Twilight that she’d finally impressed the instructor. Declaring to save an entire country will have that effect. “You can all stop once you hit fifty push-ups, then we get started for real. Building muscle is great and all, but we’re all about technique here. Muscle can wait, the way you use it can’t.”

“So what are you saying? Again? Exactly?” Rainbow grunted, the confusion seeping into her voice. Twilight wasn’t surprised by how easily Rainbow could perform push-ups, but she was jealous. Doing a push-up by itself was so boring, she needed to find a way to read and exercise at the same time.

“I’m saying that the reason we’re so big on sparring here is because it refines technique,” Stickler explained, “just look around you.”

Once more, their attention was directed at the training hollows. It was at that time when Twilight realized that none of them were very muscular, instead they were narrow and extremely quick. Some of the matches merely appeared as blurs, especially the pegasi. She also took notice of the way the unicorns fought, taking on a “blast and dodge” sort of tactic. Considering she was both unicorn and pegasus, which fighting style would she adopt?

“Okay, so everypony is crazy awesome and you want us to be more like them, we get it,” Rainbow grunted, having just finished her push-ups. “Question is...how do we do that?”

Stickler lunged forward at Rainbow and tried to land an overhead blow. Luckily, Rainbow had good enough reflexes to stop that attack, but failed to counter the hit to the stomach that came afterwards. Stickler followed up with a powerful buck that rivaled Applejack’s, knocking Rainbow backwards. Twilight’s first instinct was to rush to her aid, but couldn’t because she hadn’t reached fifty push-ups yet. Helping Rainbow was one thing, getting punished by Stickler was another thing entirely.

“What,” Rainbow coughed, rising to her hooves, “was that...for?!”

“Practice makes perfect, if you’re gonna get the technique down, you’re gonna have to train, spar, spar again and train some more in order to get it down,” Stickler stated, not at all winded from her sudden assault.

“Uhh, that’s cool and all, but that sounds like a lot of work,” Rainbow groaned, laying on her back. “I mean, we’re already pretty awesome, do we really need training?”

Forty-eight...forty-nine...fifty! With a heave of victory (and exhaustion), Twilight pushed herself on her back. Her heaving slowed into panting as she wiped the sweat off her forehead. As she got her breathing under control, she slowly realized that the conversation had gone quiet. She turned towards her friends and realized with horror that they had indeed stopped talking, and were now staring directly at her.

“Ahem,” Twilight cleared her throat in an effort to mask her embarrassment. It didn’t work. “Um, i-it’s been a while since I’ve done push-ups. Heh.”

Rainbow slammed her hoof onto her face and let it rest there. Applejack, who’d also finished her push-ups, merely shook her head and lowered her hat, a move all too familiar. Chaser continued his exercise, but she could’ve sworn she heard a snicker come from his direction.

“Yes, you do really need training,” Stickler stated, maintaining a straight face.

“Ugh, thanks a lot, Twi’,” Rainbow groaned in frustration. “Now she thinks we’re out of shape. You know Stickler, I’m a professional daredevil—”

Twilight snickered at the word “professional”. Rainbow shot her a look that clearly marked her for payback and continued.

“—so I don’t think I need all this training junk, I’m naturally in shape.”

Twilight let out another snicker, much louder this time. She definitely heard a growl come from Rainbow this time. She was almost scared...almost.

“Look, you could all be professional bodybuilders for all I care, you’re still taking my training,” Stickler demanded, her orange eyes practically radiating light. “You told me that I would have your respect, and what I need you to do with it is obey me. I need to guarantee that all of our recruits are ready to fight. We need only the finest soldiers if we’re gonna end the mad king. It’s no secret that Commander Heart wants that guy’s head on a stake.”

“Ahem,” Chaser grunted, pushing himself onto his side. “Done with my push-ups. Now that we’re all done, hows about we get down to business?”

“Down to business? Princess could barely survive her set of push-ups,” Stickler glared at her, and due to the “princess” comment, she had the courage to glare back.

“Yeah, but that doesn’t change the fact that she’s most likely going to be leading this army into battle,” Chaser said, smiling slightly as he did so. “Therefore, its only right for you to treat her as if she was any old recruit. Which, by the way, is what she’s been asking for the whole time.”

Any negative feelings Twilight had for Chaser were erased as he voiced her thoughts exactly. She was surely ready for whatever Stickler had to throw at them, how bad could it be?

“Hmm, here’s the deal, you’re going to prove to me who’s ready and who isn’t,” Stickler grinned, clearly enjoying whatever she was imagining.

“And how are we going to do that?” Chaser asked, looking unsure of what reaction he had created.

“Chaser, Applejack, you two are fine, but I would enjoy a little sparring match between the least fit...and the most fit.”

Twilight’s face dropped, as did the faces of her friends. The least fit? As unflattering as it sounded, that was definitely her. As for the most fit...Applejack?

“You all heard me, Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash, front and center!” Stickler commanded, the look in her eyes utterly terrifying.

Her heart dropping out of her chest, Twilight slowly stepped forward. Rainbow did the same, with hesitation completely covering her face. She stopped in front of Stickler and faced Rainbow. Twilight suspected that at the moment, her face was a mirror of Rainbow’s. It was bad enough fighting one of her friends, but she had no idea what Rainbow was at the moment. Although whatever they were, it certainly wasn’t good that they were already fighting.

“Recruits, stop training!” Stickler shouted to the populace. “And watch the match of the century go down right now!”

“You and Commander Heart are finally gonna spar for us?” shouted one of the hollows. His comment immediately received whoops and cheers. Twilight had to admit that even though she hadn’t really seen either of them fight, she would pay to see that match.

“No, but I’m sure you watch that in your head when you pass out from the five hundred push-ups I’m assigning you,” Stickler growled in response. That reply received even louder cheers from the hollows. The one who said the comment looked like he’d just lost a bet. “Anyway, I want you all to observe this match, because I’m sure we’ll all be talking about it for a while. Princess Twilight versus her royal knight and survivor of Clear Mind’s wrath, Rainbow Dash.”

The crowd erupted into a chorus of murmurs and quiet conversations. She wondered if it was because to the match, or because of the magic word: “princess”.

“Feel free to begin at any time ladies, I’ll be over here, and they’ll be over there,” Stickler snickered, moving aside with a spring in her step. At this point, all eyes were on them, but their eyes were only on each other.

She liked Rainbow, and Rainbow liked her too. Sparring wasn’t really bad, it wasn’t hostile, it was just to improve skill. Unfortunately, she just couldn’t justify hitting Rainbow square in the face. Could she defeat her opponent non-lethally? Well the whole match was non-lethal but...this train of thought was getting her nowhere. What was Rainbow thinking? Didn’t matter, if she didn’t make her move soon... The legs, she would go for the legs. If she could (temporarily) paralyze Rainbow, then the match would end and she would win. Good plan, Twilight, good plan.

The look on Rainbow’s adorable face made her regret devising a plan to incapacitate her at all. She would just find a way to make it up to her later though. Readying her stance, Twilight prepared to lunge forward and sweep at Rainbow’s muscular legs. Although it would go way smoother if she wasn’t so distracted by her...body. Preparing to lunge...still preparing...Rainbow has the world’s cutest ears...and LUNGE!

“STOP!” shouted a voice from the room entrance. Insanely confused, Twilight landed a few feet to the right of Rainbow...on her side. Groaning, she looked to the source and saw two hollows standing in the Resistance’s signature vest with armored helmets to boot.

“Oh, did we interrupt a match?” the slightly larger one asked. “Because—”

“Shush,” barked the more narrow one. “Instructor Stickler, we need to borrow um, a lot of your soldiers.”

“Oh? And why is that?” Stickler asked, nonchalantly.

“Because...we’re under attack.”

Right on cue, a soft explosion echoed through the room. It clearly came from above, but they were so far below that it must’ve been a very big explosion. She expected the hollows to erupt in group chatter, but they remained silent with serious expressions.

“And just what are we being attacked by?” Stickler demanded to know, instantly becoming serious.

“The report said that they were pony-like, with black bodies covered in white specks. Almost as if they were made out of the night sky.

Twilight instantly made eye contact with Rainbow, then Applejack. Their eyes gave all the confirmation she needed. They’d been found...by the Starponies.

9: Invasion

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Ponies rushing to collect their weapons. Loved ones being told that they were precious. A room full of ponies ready to risk everything to protect what mattered to them. Unsure expressions living on the faces of nearly everyone. That was what war looked like.

Twilight had watched it all go down, and was nearly sick in the process. They were only gearing up to face the Starponies, an enemy that she and Rainbow could (mostly) take by themselves. The Resistance, however, was clearly treating it like another battle in their war. It made Twilight sad to see so many hollows dedicating themselves to fighting no matter what. She looked over at Rainbow, and was met with a disgusted expression that told her everything. Applejack was choosing to look away and Chaser just stared ahead, a dead look in his eyes. Something told Twilight that his look didn’t have much to do with the soldiers.

“Don’t worry about them,” Stickler stated, appearing next to them. “They’re used to this, well I guess they live for it.”

“Yeah...we know,” Rainbow said, watching the soldiers. “Really doesn’t make it any better.”

“Yeah well,” Stickler muttered, seeming unsure of what to say next. “Anyway, you better find the rest of your friends. If you’re gonna fight, you might as well do it as a team. I gotta see the Commander, stay alive.”

Stickler walked away, towards the direction of the Commander’s office. She had no idea if she was going to see them again or not, but she was still able to walk away without even a proper goodbye. Twilight definitely wasn’t enjoying the life of a soldier so far.

“Let’s go everyone,” Twilight said, trotting towards the mess hall. If they were going to meet anywhere, she thought the mess hall would be a good place to look. Twilight would feel unsure about her guess if of course it wasn’t for the fact that after all the time her friends and her had spent together; they basically shared one mind when it came to the simple things. Even if one of those things is where to meet to prepare for war.

“You’re thinking the mess hall right?” Rainbow asked, flashing a confident smile.

“Bingo,” Twilight replied, satisfied that she was right, as usual.

Unfortunately, getting to their destination wasn’t going to be easy due to the soldiers marching both towards them and away from them. The halls of the cave were completely flooded with all the hollows preparing to defend their base, and it was not a happy sight. Seeing as they had agreed on it, Twilight was sure that Commander Heart was expecting her to lead them. Especially if she finds out that they’d faced the Starponies before.

She searched for familiar faces in the mob, but only recognized the occasional recruit from training. No sign of her friends, including the three she’d made since arriving at the base. She hoped that Clear Mind wasn’t too worked up by the match to help fight, they would definitely need him.

She saw the mess hall entrance before she saw the pink tuff of hair. Immediately followed by the purple curl and light pink mess of hair that inhabited Fluttershy. Twilight turned her head to inform the others of her discovery, but instead got blindsided by the orange streak. She fell to the floor, dazed and confused. Immediately, she rose to her hooves in fear of being crushed beneath the stampeding hollows.

“Ugh, did anyone get the number on that bus?” Twilight asked, accidentally slurring her words.

“What’s a bus?” Rainbow asked, barely keeping her voice level from the strain of laughter. “Anyway, if you’ll look over there, you’ll see me winning a bet.”

Twilight looked where Rainbow indicated and saw Applejack giving the tightest hug she’d ever seen to Pinkie, who appeared to find it quite normal. If it wasn’t for the fact that her forelegs were being restrained by Applejack’s, she surely would be hugging back.

“Oh, sorry about that Twilight,” Applejack muttered as her friend approached her. “Ah’m not really sure what came over me. Ah just guess Ah was real anxious to see Pinkie again. Nearly thought you already took off into battle.”

“I told you you’d miss her,” Rainbow snickered in triumph. “Now pay up, I got a stomach to feed.”

“First of all, we get free food here,” Applejack started, raising her eyebrow higher with each word. “Second, we didn’t make any bet so shut your loud mouth. Lastly, Ah dunno if you’ve noticed, but we’re about to go to war so—”

“W-war? S-so soon?” Fluttershy asked, injecting herself into the conversation and reminding them all of the task at hoof.

“Oh, about that,” Twilight said, looking at the floor. Last time only she and Rainbow had taken on the Starponies, meaning her other friends basically had no idea what they were up against. She didn’t allow them to fight last time, but she had no choice this time. “Let’s just say that some old enemies are seeking vengeance.”

“Did Trixie betray us again?” Pinkie asked, her eyes and mouth growing to ridiculous proportions.

“No, its not her, but I’m glad that somepony else has enough common sense to consider it a possibility for the future,” Rainbow growled, glaring daggers at Twilight. In return, Twilight glared swords at her.

“Quit being jealous,” Twilight spat, choosing to ignore the inevitable confused looks on the faces of her friends. “Look guys, these are the same abominations that caused me to be separated from you all on the train.”

“Oh yes, I wonder whatever happened to that train anyway,” Rarity wondered out loud. Now that she thought about it, what did happen to the train? Surely the alarms were going to go off when it showed up empty, but that wasn’t their problem at the moment.

“Doesn’t matter,” Twilight stated, shaking her head. “And you’re missing the point! These things are dangerous and it’d be best if you stayed away from—”

“If you’re suggestin’ that Ah stay out of the fight again then you’re losing that smart mind of yours,” Applejack barked, moving closer to Twilight. “You’re a darn good leader and all, but every once in a while you gotta think about more than just our safety.”

“If you aren’t safe then you’re in danger, and if you’re in danger then the Elements of Harmony are in danger!”

“Twilight just said ‘danger’ three times in one sentence!” Pinkie exclaimed to no one in particular. “I think she may need a new dictionary.”

Rolling her eyes, Applejack continued her point. “Ah get that if one of us kicks the bucket, not only will it be really sad, but it’ll make the Elements totally useless,” Applejack explained. “But Ah don’t want that to make us some sort of treasure to be guarded—don’t. Say. A single thing, Rarity.”

“Excuse me,” Rarity scoffed, even though she opened her mouth at the word “treasure.” “I was merely going to comment on my treasure-like qualities.”

“You can still tell me if you’d like,” Fluttershy commented, entering the conversation yet again.

“Hey!” shouted a voice that sounded as if it was always dripped in annoyed sarcasm. Twilight turned to see Wild Side moving towards them, weaving in between the soldiers. “I hate to interrupt the social gathering, but we’ve got a battle to win, and you’re kinda important in ensuring that we’ll do that.”

“Perfect timin’,” Applejack grinned, beckoning Wild Side forward. “Settle a bet would ya? Tell Twilight that we’re not precious cargo.”

“What? Of course you are,” Wild Side snarled, his face performing the rare act of frowning. “The Commander is totally convinced that you six are the key to winning the war! What, are you trying to prove her wrong?”

Hooked on the familiar feeling of being right, Twilight immediately stuck her tongue out at the cowpony.

“Well sure we’re important,” Applejack reluctantly agreed. “But the reason why we’re important is so that we’ll fight your battles, which if Ah might point out, involves fightin’. Right?”

“Yeah it obviously does,” Wild Side sighed, glancing impatiently behind him. “So let’s start fighting already! I better see you all in battlefield!” Wild Side dashed into the crowd as Applejack tipped her hat at Twilight.

“Ugh,” Twilight sighed, unclenching her teeth. “I give up. How do we get to the surface anyway?”

“The slowing charms are one-way,” said Sleeping Shadow, literally appearing out of nowhere. Twilight made a note to get a better grasp on illusion magic. Why was Shadow randomly casting illusions anyway? “Pegasi fly out in waves, unicorns teleport and earth ponies are helped out by either race.”

“What a dumb system,” Rainbow blurted out. Twilight made another note to improve Rainbow’s self-control. “Why not get some sort of working transportation system that doesn’t suck?”

“Look it’s not perfect, but we’re not exactly professionals are we?” Shadow shouted, seemingly creating anger on the spot. “Commander Heart does the best she can for us and—”

She stopped talking when another soft explosion hit. She looked up and muttered something under her breath.

“Get. Moving,” Shadow demanded, covering her horn in magic. In a flash, she was gone, leaving only the six of them and the halls full of soldiers. Although the soldiers were lessening as they all made their way to the battlefield. Twilight half-expected to see Clear Mind approach them and say some words as well, but he was still missing in action.

“Alright, Rainbow and Fluttershy, you fly up the hole,” Twilight commanded. “Rarity and I will teleport Applejack and Pinkie.”

“Uh, not to discredit your magic skills, but can y’all really take us all the way up there?” Applejack asked, looking up. “Ah mean its not like you’ve done it before, how do we know we won’t just get stuck in the walls or somethin’?”

“Oh please, what kind of unicorns would we be if we couldn’t at least get to the surface?” Rarity boasted. “We’ve seen the top, we are currently at the bottom, it’ll be no problem at all getting between the two.”

Since growing wings, Twilight’s magical potential had expanded, meaning that she would have most likely have no problem. Rarity’s split-second eye twitch however, clearly said that she was having doubts.

“Rarity’s right,” Twilight announced, adopting a confident expression. “We can do this, but we need to hurry. Fluttershy, Rainbow, you two need to take off. Without us I’m not sure how much of a chance they stand against the Starponies.”

“Alright we get it already,” Rainbow huffed. Suddenly adopting a cheeky grin, Rainbow quickly flew up to Twilight and lightly kissed her cheek. “I could say I did that for good luck, but I’d be lying.”

Motioning at Fluttershy to follow her, Rainbow flew in the direction of the hole. Fluttershy, who was sporting a shocked expression, slowly followed. Rubbing her cheek vigorously, Twilight refused to even look at the faces of her friends.

I am so going to get you back for that, Rainbow Dash, Twilight thought.

“Alright then,” Twilight sighed, clearing her throat. “Rarity, ready to do this?”

“Hold on just a second darling,” Rarity commanded, darting her eyes. “What exactly—”

“Ready Pinkie?” Twilight blurted out.

“Ready steady,” Pinkie replied, looking oblivious to the whole situation. Although in reality she was probably giggling on the inside; that seemed like a thing Pinkie would do.

“Great! See you two on the surface,” Twilight smiled, quickly charging her horn.

Twilight saw Rarity’s mouth open once more before her horn finally allowed her to blink. Although instead of Rarity, she now only saw darkness, which concerned her. Did she actually manage to transport inside the walls? Of course if that were true then she probably wouldn’t be able to think, or breathe, which she was still doing.

“Get down!”

BOOM!!

The darkness became illuminated as the leaves flew off the trees that she was standing under. Looking off to her right, she saw that she had successfully brought Pinkie with her. The party pony was on the ground, covering her ears.

“Are we done getting down yet?!” Pinkie shouted, still covering her ears.

Twilight helped her friend to her hooves and got a better look at their surroundings. They were in the forest, but the tree population was lessening as energy assaulted the ground. In fact, it looked like the night sky was falling. Starponies filled the sky while Resistance pegasi struggled just to stay in the air. It was unnerving enough seeing the mysterious Starponies again, only to be made more unnerving by the fact that they seemed to have followed her to The Hollow, and just became disturbing as she watched them overpower her allies.

The pegasi seemed to be locked in air combat with the Starponies while the unicorns cast spells from the ground. For the most part the Resistance members were holding their own, but clearly their opponents had the advantage. The energy blasts that the Starponies were known for was being used to bombard the unicorns on the ground, while they mostly relied on close combat for the pegasi in the sky. The pegasi seemed easily overwhelmed by the unnatural strength of their opponents. The efficiency of the deadly monstrosities disturbed her.

“Pinkie, do you see the others?” Twilight asked, keeping an eye on their flying opponents.

“Nope,” Pinkie announced happily, despite the sounds of war. “Oh wait, now I do. Hi girls! We’re totally doomed!”

"What in tarnation is goin' on?" Applejack asked, looking up at the sky. “Are we supposed to be fightin’ those glittery fellows?”

“They’re so...beautiful!” Rarity squealed, her eyes shining with happiness. “Can we capture one and take it back to Equestria with us? I don’t know about you girls, but I am feeling very inspired right now!”

“Why would we feel inspired?” Rainbow scoffed, hovering beside Twilight. “Anyway, there’s gotta be like fifty of them! Me and Twilight barely knocked out two of them!”

“But this time you have us, silly!” Pinkie shouted, still smiling even as the ground around them was peppered with energy blasts.

Twilight summoned a protective bubble around them. The blasts didn’t even hit the bubble, but came dangerously close. Were the Starponies aware of their presence? She disabled the shield, but kept her guard up. She wasn’t sure if the exact number was fifty, but there were definitely a lot of the mystical beings. She was also unaware of how many hollows they had on the field, but whatever the number they were barely holding their own. If they didn’t join the fight soon then they didn’t stand a chance.

“We’re wasting time, they need our help,” Twilight insisted. She extended her wings and was ready to soar into the sky when Applejack pulled on one of her wings.

“Hold it, sugarcube,” Applejack yelped, still maintaining her grip. “How are the rest of us supposed to fight those things when they’re flying?”

Rainbow smacked Applejack’s hoof away, resulting in a death glare from the cowpony. Rainbow then gestured to the active battlefield.

“Check it out,” Rainbow said. Twilight looked at where she was pointing and only saw the general frenzy of spells and pegasi. She looked a bit closer and noticed something interesting. One of the spells hit a Starpony straight in the chest. The creature froze up for a moment...and then zoomed towards the ground at high speed. The meteor slammed into the dirt and lay spread eagle before getting to its hooves. It leaped into the air, but landed straight back on to the ground.

“Did...did that Starpony just lose it’s ability to fly?” Rarity asked aloud what they were all thinking.

Without a word, Rainbow Dash flew towards the Starpony at an insanely high speed. The abomination looked up just long enough to see Rainbow’s hoof connect with it’s face at a speed almost too fast to track. The Starpony was launched a few feet and fell not-so-gracefully on to the ground. The glow in it’s eerie white eyes went out as well.

“I’m gonna guess that it did,” Rainbow huffed, flying back over to them. “By the way, feel free to admit how awesome that was.”

Twilight did have a slight urge to tell Rainbow how “awesome” that was, but instead she flew over to the fallen Starpony. Seeing it up close, she could confirm that it’s bright eyes had turned dark and it wasn’t moving...or breathing. Did that count as murder? The Starponies were sentient, but beyond that she didn’t know a thing about how they worked. Out of respect for her sanity, she chose not to label it as killing.

She needed to figure out what exactly happened when that Starpony was hit with that spell. She looked around her until she found a hollow unicorn. Illuminating her horn, she blinked directly in front of him.

“Ah!” he shouted, misfiring a spell he’d been charging. Off to the left she heard an explosion and the distant bray of a donkey. “Thanks, I think I just gave a tree the mouth of a donkey. Where’s the food gonna go? Don’t you know it’s extremely dangerous to blink in front of a unicorn?”

“Trust me, I know; once I turned a bluebird into an orange,” Twilight sighed. “That’s not important right now. How did that Starpony lose it’s flight?”

“It was hit with a mass-altering spell,” he said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Everyone learns it during training. It seems complicated, but it’s just what it sounds like. Alter a little mass here, gravity does the rest here.”

“Can you teach it to me? Right now?” Twilight asked, most likely sounding and looking insane.

“Whoa, easy there psycho,” he insisted, taking a few steps backwards. “I get that you’re the important princess person we’re supposed to be taking orders from, but you can’t just—”

“What’s going on over here?” asked Rainbow, suddenly appearing out of nowhere. Twilight looked behind her to see that her friends had followed at a slower rate. Twilight opened her mouth to explain when another explosion got a little too close. Twilight raised the shield again in pure panic.

“What’s happening?” Fluttershy cried, hiding under her tail. Was that why she kept it so large?

“Never mind that, how many unicorns know the mass spell you were talking about?” Twilight asked, struggling to maintain the shield.

“Uh, a bunch? I dunno,” the unicorn responded, looking panicked himself.

“Good enough, tell them to focus on using that spell on all the Starponies,” Twilight commanded. “We need to get them on the ground.”

“The Star-whats?”

“The flying things that are firing at us!”

“Oh I get it, although I would’ve just called them ‘Constellations’, because what if they aren’t all ponies you know? What about a Startiger or something?”

“Fine Constellations, whatever! Just spread the word about the spell!”

Twilight disabled the shield. Their unicorn friend hurried off to issue Twilight’s command. Immediately after he reached the mages, Twilight saw the unicorns launch the spells into the air. Each spell either hit a Constellation or came close to hitting it. Twilight felt a smile creep up as each creature fell to the ground.

“They’re grounding a lot of them, but Rainbow and I need to take care of the ones still in the sky,” Twilight explained, adopting a soft expression. “Can I trust you all to take care of the grounded ones?”

“You mean, can you trust us to remain safe in your absence?” Rarity giggled. “There’s no masking your worry, darling. Fortunately the answer is yes, we’ll be quite alright.”

Twilight merely smiled in response as Rarity led their friends towards the fallen Constellations, leaving only her and Rainbow. Twilight looked over at Rainbow, who returned the silent gaze. Whatever they were now, it didn’t change the fact that they were great in battle together. Twilight just hoped that her confirmed feelings for Rainbow wouldn’t get in the way of the fight, otherwise they were both doomed. Returning her gaze to the sky, Twilight extended her wings, setting free a few loose feathers in the process.

“Looks like you could use some preening, egghead,” Rainbow snickered, extending her own wings. “I could give you a personal lesson.”

“Cute,” Twilight scoffed. “But I don’t think I’d appreciate you biting my wings just yet. And while we’re at it, you better keep your hooves where I can see them, missy.”

“Fair enough,” Rainbow agreed. “Hey, you don’t really say things like ‘everypony’ anymore do you? Its just ‘everyone’ now. Why is that?”

“I...,” Twilight faltered. She hadn’t really thought about how her vocal patterns had changed recently. Did it have to do with her personality changes? “I-I don’t know, The Hollow just seems like the kind of place where you say ‘everyone’, its no big deal.”

“Whatever, let’s do this.” Rainbow ran a short distance and leaped into the sky. Twilight immediately followed her lead, entering the extremely dangerous sky herself.

As soon as she was just below the clouds, Twilight thought she was going to die...again. A blast of energy soared straight past her, shocking her emotionally. She looked for the source and saw a speeding Constellation making it’s way towards her.

Last time she fought a Starpony, it took everything she had just to defeat one of them. Now she was dealing with a large group of them and if she had trouble with one, then it was all over. She had grown stronger than she was then and was definitely more battle ready, but even then, could she win?

She waited until the Constellation got close and blinked behind it at the last second. Quickly gathering magic, she unleashed a blast that pushed it into the solid ground below. She hovered above it for a moment, looking at the eyes. They weren’t glowing! Either she’d gotten stronger or they’d gotten weaker. Both?

“Twilight!”

She turned just in time to magically panic-blast another Constellation away. It shook it’s head and charged again. Rainbow’s falling body blocked it’s path. She kicked away it’s leg and gave it another kick to it’s side. It backed away quickly, it’s eyes flickering. Rainbow lunged towards it, but this time it was two Constellations that stopped her.

“Three? Oh come on!” Rainbow exclaimed.

Twilight was preparing another burst of magic when she was knocked to the floor. Blinking a few feet away, she saw a Constellation standing where she used to be, right beside Rainbow Dash. Rainbow yelped and rolled away quickly. Four Constellations at once?

“No thank you,” Twilight thought out loud, quickly firing stun spells at them to buy time.

Gathering Rainbow in her magic, Twilight flew straight into the air. Deciding she was high enough, she released her telekinetic grip.

“Ok, so that didn’t go as expected,” Twilight blurted out. “What’s going on? These things are targeting us and specifically us. Why? Do they recognize us from before or something?”

“Not sure, but I don’t think we really have time to talk about this,” Rainbow observed, gesturing at the four Constellations soaring towards them.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Twilight sighed.

Grabbing on to Rainbow, Twilight blinked them both to the ground. Apparently she had also blinked them to their friends, seeing as Applejack nearly bucked her in the head by mistake. Luckily she kind of dodged out of the way. It didn’t hurt that Applejack fell over when Twilight appeared out of nowhere.

“Ah’m guessing y’all are having as much trouble as we are,” Applejack observed, bucking away an actual Starpony.

“Yeah, we are actually,” Twilight grunted, blasting away one herself. “I don’t get it, its like they’re all homed in on us or something! But maybe we could use that to our advantage.”

“What’chu talkin’ ‘bout Twilight?” Pinkie asked, pushing Constellations towards Applejack for her to defeat. Applejack didn’t look particularly pleased by this plan.

“No time, be right back,” Twilight insisted, closing her eyes and blinking away yet again.

Normally, she would be concerned about her magic reserves, but normally she wasn’t in the heat of battle. The area she blinked to didn’t have many Constellations, but once she appeared, all of their heads turned towards her. The hollows who were fighting them looked very confused, and a few of them were in bad shape. She did notice one hollow in particular, the one she’d been looking for.

“Sleeping Shadow!” Twilight shouted at the illusion mage.

The mage’s face displayed extreme confusion, a look she recognized on the face of everyone who had talked to Pinkie Pie for too long. Twilight made her way over to her friend, blasting Constellations out of the way in the process. Unfortunately, she still managed to receive a large burst of energy to her side. Falling to her side, she looked up in time to see Sleeping Shadow kicking away her attacker.

"When you showed up, all their focus was on you, what's the deal?" Shadow demanded, forming a magic barrier around them. Even on the other side of an energy shield, the Constellations were still trying to murder her. Luckily, this gave the hollows an easy opportunity for a surprise attack.

Arrows, spells and swords assaulted the unsuspecting villains, putting a smile on Twilight's face. Slowly, their eyes went out and they fell lifeless on the forest floor.

"Here's the deal: they're after me and my friends,” Twilight coughed, feeling where the blast hit her vest. "I don't know why, but I do plan to use it against them. Thing is, I’m going to need your help to do that.”

“What am I supposed to do?” Shadow huffed, lowering the shield. She walked around, inspecting injuries on her teammates. Occasionally, she cast a spell or two on them, leaving a soft smile on their faces.

“Did you see exactly how they reacted? The way they were too focused on me to notice their own demise?” Twilight asked, following her around the soldiers.

“If you’re suggesting what I think you are...and I thought Clear Mind was the strategist,” Shadow smirked. “Speaking of which, where is my brother?”

“Actually, I have no idea,” Twilight stammered, looking left and right repeatedly. “So, ahem, if you’re going to help then let’s get out in the open first.”

“Yeah, good call.”

Shadow motioned for her squad to follow her. The simultaneous nodding of their heads indicated that they were ready. Including Shadow, there were only four of them; two stallions and two mares. Yet all were soldiers and all were ready to risk their lives for their nation. There were a lot of bad things about war, but the one good thing was seeing ponies unite for the greater good. Nodding herself, Twilight allowed a small smile to creep on her face.

After a small amount of running, they entered a clearing. Actually it was more like the clearing considering the chaotic battle occurring within it. She felt like she had to permanently keep her head down. The good news was that all her friends were there, but the bad news was that her friends had brought along their pursuers. Rushing over to them, Twilight easily knocked aside a Constellation that made a move for Fluttershy.

“Twilight!” Fluttershy cried, smiling widely. “Oh thank goodness, we were beginning to worry. N-not that we doubt your ability to survive or anything, its just—”

“Never mind that, Fluttershy, wait, what are you doing in the middle of battle? You’re a medic right?” Twilight asked, defending her friend as she chatted. If it wasn’t for her telekinesis, talking in battle would certainly have been difficult.

“Oh yes, I am, in fact I’m only here to treat the girls in case they’re injured. Fortunately, no one’s been hurt yet,” Fluttershy explained. As if on cue, Rainbow zoomed into the ground, screaming all the way down. The small crater she left in her wake was rather comedic. “Well not terribly injured anyway. I think Rainbow Dash is used to crashing by now. No need to worry.”

“Honestly I really wasn’t,” Twilight sighed, magically pulling the daredevil towards them. “I’ve seen her come out of way worse, completely unharmed. In fact she doesn’t need medical attention at all, right Rainbow?”

“Y-you’re a dangerous pony to u-upset, you know that?” Rainbow slurred, shaking herself. “That’s better, anyway, you got a plan yet? We’re pretty even so I think we just need something to tip the scales.”

“As a matter of fact, I do have a plan, as usual,” Twilight scoffed. “And here she comes now.”

Even though she was known as the illusion expert, Sleeping Shadow was so much more. While on her way towards them, two Constellations decided to block her path. That was a mistake for them. One of them swung at her, only to hit an illusion. While it was confused. Shadow slashed it down from behind with a sword she literally pulled out of nowhere.

Not learning from it’s friend’s mistakes, the second one charged her as well. Her cheeky smile said it all as she rolled out of the way of it’s attack. It only flew another foot or two before being stopped in it’s tracks by magic. Eyeing a Constellation twenty feet away, Shadow launched her captive straight at her target. The two collided with a sickening mash, as if she was preparing a plate of mashed potatoes.

“That was aweso—ahem, I mean, these things are pretty easy as long as you have magic,” Shadow boasted, smiling all the while.

“Thanks for the advice,” Rainbow scoffed.

“So you ready for the plan?”

“We don’t even know what this plan of Twilight’s is,” Applejack growled, looking battered.

“No time to explain, we need to end this now,” Twilight demanded, nodding at Shadow. She returned the gesture and lit up her horn. Not just her horn, but her entire body began to shimmer with magic. Twilight took a step back and motioned at the others to do the same.

Shadow’s horn ejected a large ray of light into the sky. Shrouded in the ray were large projections of Twilight and her friends. All six of them were currently floating the sky, unmoving and occasionally flickering. Twilight had a theory that the Constellations weren’t just attracted to their physical appearances, but the harmonic aura that inhabited them. In order to properly trick the Constellations, Twilight ejected a burst of her own magic into the projections. The illusion of her absorbed the magic and began to shine brighter than the others. She thought she heard a scoff from behind her, but she was too focused on the Constellations to care.

“Is it working? Are they distracted?” Twilight asked, only half-panicking.

The Constellations nearest to her froze up entirely. It looked as though they couldn’t decide whether to go towards the illusions or not. Twilight held her breath and refused to move. If the Constellations weren’t fooled by them...well it wouldn’t be good for any of them.

“Hey Twilight,” Rainbow whispered, nearly making Twilight jump in the process. “Did it work?”

“I don’t know, that’s what I’m trying to find out! Now shush,” Twilight harshly whispered back.

Finally, one of the Constellations moved. It took a step towards the projections. That was a good sign. Then, another Starpony took a step, along with another, and soon it looked as though a small galaxy had swarmed the illusions. Twilight stepped forward, taking in the giant bug zapper that had captured all the annoying insects.

“Now what?” Pinkie asked.

“Now...it’s time to tip the scales,” Twilight snickered.

It would be very dangerous to be in the sky at the moment, because it was immediately filled with blasts of energy. Twilight’s beam was only one, but it was joined by Sleeping Shadow’s, the unicorn from earlier, and many other hollows. After a bit of hesitation, even Rarity joined in on the surprise attack. The beams simultaneously striking the previously unsuspecting Constellations was beautiful in a way, but it was nothing compared to the explosion.

The buildup of energy from all the magic created a multi-colored burst of energy that must have blinded everyone, because it surely blinded Twilight. Blinking the colors out of her eyes, Twilight immediately saw that their dangerous plan had succeeded. In front of her rested the fallen Constellation army. Every single one that previously surrounded the illusions had been defeated by their attack.

Twilight walked up to closely examine one. Even with their eyes void of light, the stars that blanketed their bodies still shone brightly. Twilight gently pressed her hoof to it’s body. Surprisingly it wasn’t hot at all, maybe the heat left as soon as it died?

“D-did we win?” Fluttershy (ironically) broke the silence.

Twilight turned to face her fellow soldiers. They were all injured, tired, and scared, but they were alive, so yes they won. Out of all of them, Sleeping Shadow was ironically the most tired. An illusion as powerful as that would surely make anyone tired, maybe even do something worse. Shadow acknowledged her concerned look with a simple nod, same as before. Twilight gave her a smile, and after feeling a hoof touch her side; Twilight gave a similar smile to Rainbow Dash.

“Yes, I would definitely call this a ‘win’,” said a familiar voice. Twilight turned to face someone who she’d been searching for. Ironic that he would only appear after she had given up looking.

“And just where have you been?” Twilight asked, pouting.

“We can discuss that later, Princess Twilight,” Clear Mind reasoned, casting a disapproving glance at the defeated Constellations as his monotone voice droned on, “right now, you have some explaining to do. You’re going to tell us who those creatures were, why and how they were tracking you, and how many more are coming. If you’re going to put us in danger, then you have no place being here. You understand, correct?”

What should have been a celebration after the battle turned into a grim meeting in Commander Heart’s office. Twilight looked nervously between her friend’s worried faces and the surprisingly angry expression inhabiting Clear Mind’s face. Commander Heart was keeping a relatively cool demeanor despite being told that her secret weapon was luring enemies to her base. Although to be fair, it was difficult reading the face of a blind pony.

Back at the forest, Shadow tried to convince her brother not to report them to Commander Heart. Shadow claimed that they were innocent and helped a lot when it came time to take the Constellations down. Clear Mind had oddly ignored most of what his sister said. He had claimed that despite how much they helped in defeating them, it didn’t change the fact that the Constellations showed up because of them.

Twilight was all for defending herself, but she wouldn’t find it right if she did. It was true that the only reason the Constellations were there was because of them. What someone had been killed? She still had nightmares about her last encounter with the death of another. She didn’t know what she would have done with the memory of another. Nevertheless, they all still had skills to offer the Resistance, and the rest was truly up to Commander Heart.

“Twilight Sparkle and friends,” Heart finally spoke up, the sound of her voice bouncing off the walls. “I am deeply...confused. Seriously, what’s going on here Clear Mind?”

Clear Mind’s face actually did a good job of broadcasting his emotions at the moment. Clearly, he was angry and irritated at both them and Commander Heart. She didn’t really blame him for feeling that way, he did present his case in a way that made a lot of sense. Heart was just confused for some reason and it upset Clear Mind. He couldn’t even do anything other than explain himself again, she was his commander after all.

“Commander, we’re here to discuss the future that these ponies have with us,” Clear Mind explained, “On account of the fact that they’re being tracked by a race of very powerful creatures we know nothing about.”

“Yeah I guess I understood that part,” Heart admitted. “What I really don’t get is the problem.”

“You—what?”

“I mean sure, they’re being followed by these space creeps, but they’re also the ones who took down the creeps. I mean, Sleeping Shadow would never had thought of a plan like that on her own. Besides, it was good training for the recruits, lets them know how dangerous and...random the outside world can be.”

“So you don’t think they should be punished...at all?”

“Look Clear Mind, I absolutely understand your concerns, really I do. Thing is, if they can handle what they’re bringing upon themselves, then it’s none of our business is it? I mean it gave everyone something to do beside train and go on missions.”

“But they could have been killed!”

“Yes, but they weren’t, because Twilight and her friends stepped up and took control of the situation. Think about it: A day ago they didn’t really want to be here, and yet there they were, kicking enemy butt together better than we ever could alone. Do you understand what I’m trying to say, soldier?”

“I...yes sir.”

“Good, then we’re done here, everyone back to doing...whatever you’re supposed to be doing.”

With a curt nod, Clear Mind wandered out of the room. Twilight watched him go with a sadness in her heart. She couldn’t know for sure, but it seemed like something was seriously wrong with him. Commander Heart had dismissed them so they could do what they had to. Well Twilight decided that having a talk with Clear Mind was what she had to do.

Smiling to her friends, Twilight swiftly exited the room, chasing after Clear Mind. Surprisingly, he was faster than she expected. Their two exits were mere seconds away, and yet he wasn’t anywhere in the hallway. Where did he go?

“Hey, where do you think you’re going?” asked a confident voice from behind her.

Great, someone else with superspeed, Twilight thought. She turned to face the cyan annoyance.

“I’m going to find Clear Mind,” Twilight explained. “There’s something up with him, and he needs to talk about it.”

“Oh, so we’re doing the whole ‘friendship is magic’ thing?” Rainbow Dash mocked, waving her arms in an exaggerated manner. “That’s kind of cool, count me in.”

“No, you’re going to training, this is my job, were you appointed the Princess of Friendship?” Twilight spat, feeling more annoyed every time she and Rainbow had a disagreement.

“Well no, but neither were you! Celestia never gave you an official title so for all we know you could be the Princess of Magic. I mean, at least that makes sense.”

“I think I already have enough to discuss with Celestia without getting into my title. Look, just go to—”

“No!” Rainbow shouted, surprising Twilight. “I know you’re my leader, and I know you’re the smart one, but I know to follow my instincts. Wanna know what they’re telling me? They’re ordering me to never leave your side again.”

“Wh—and why would ‘they’ say that?”

Rainbow craned her head around for a moment, as if checking for other ponies in the halls. Once she saw that they were alone, Rainbow stepped forward and pushed their mouths together. The sensation Twilight felt every time this happened was one that she still wasn’t used to. Mostly because it was illogical, after all, how could it make sense that every time she kissed Rainbow Dash she felt totally and absolutely...happy?

“They say that because I belong beside you,” Rainbow whispered, backing away from Twilight. “Bleh, can’t believe I just said something as lame as that, but you get my point.”

Twilight was completely prepared to continue their argument, or she was until that happened. Now her head was filled with the status of their relationship. Sometimes she forgot this, but she did grow up totally alone, not caring about relationships. Now she was the Princess of Friendship (unofficially) and she had feelings for a pony who relied more on instinct than logic. How did any of this come to be again?

“Sodoesthismeanwe’retogetherImeanliketogthertogether?!” Twilight blurted out in one burst. The confused and yet amused look on Rainbow’s face said that she would have to try that again. “I mean, ahem, are we like a couple now or...something?”

“Well yeah, I’d like that,” Rainbow smirked. “I mean I don’t expect you to pick me a flower every time you see one or buy me a present in every town, but other than that, yeah I’d love to have a serious relationship with a princess.”

Twilight’s lavender checks were most likely anything but lavender at the moment. She had never felt such a strong urge to hug someone before. Not only that, but if she started the hug, she wouldn’t want it to stop. Had she ever done an experiment on emotions? They were strange beings.

“Right...so now that that’s that and all...that?” Twilight slammed her hoof into her forehead just for saying that sentence. She would have to remember to do a separate experiment on nerves. Turned out that having “butterflies” in your stomach wasn’t such a bad way to describe it. “Ugh, let’s just go find Clear Mind before my brain shuts completely shuts down.”

Laughing loudly, Rainbow gestured at Twilight to lead the way. Twilight gently pushed Rainbow in an attempt to stop her laughter, only to find her laughing more. Had Twilight discovered her ticklish spot? She attempted the spot again, only to find her marefriend doubled over on the floor with laughter. At that moment, Twilight forgot about whatever they were supposed to be doing, and sat beside her grinning partner, still shaking with soft laughter. She was so caught up in the moment that it didn’t even faze her that her four friends had been watching the entire scene.

New Age of Harmony

by Spirit Chaser

0: Prologue

1: In The Beginning

2: Falling Stars

3: Old Friends, New Tricks

4: The Things We Live With

5: Hollow Victory

Interlude: The True Self

6: Lightning Strikes Twice

7: The Princess's Legacy

8: First Day

9: Invasion