Prologue

"Its time, after all these years its finally time, I hope this won't hurt them to much,"

These thoughts had clouded the old gray unicorn's mind for the last six months, he'd been waiting so long for the defeat of Nightmare Moon that now as he prepared for this day he was having second thoughts. He looked in his small bathroom mirror and shook his head in disgust at his tired, silver eyes. "buck up man, you can't show up there looking like this", Looking at his phony smile in the mirror he chuckled sadly. "guess that'll have to do,"

His thoughts continued to plague his mind, as he enter'd his bedroom to gather his things for the day "I could just give it up I've waited this long, maybe I would deserve that after all I've done"

He paused in the middle of packing his saddle bag's an empty look on his face as he considered that train of thought. In the end though he shook his head and finished packing, a look of resignation in his eyes he headed out of his home located at the edge of Sweet Apple Acres heading toward the farm house he knew so well.

As he entered the open space in front of the Apple's home he heard two familiar voices,

"He's here," Scootaloo shouted, quickly followed by Apple Bloom's shout: "AJ! Doctor Past is here"

Doctor Past Search smiled and shook his head at the two filly's excitement. As he reached the front door where the girls waited, Applejack appeared from within the house with Rarity and the last of the cutie mark crusaders Sweetie Belle.

Rarity smiled when she saw him "Doctor Past thanks again for watching the girl's today,"

Past returned the smile "No problem Rarity it was my idea in the first place" He turned toward the filly's, "I've got a little adventure planned for the four of us today, you girls ready to go?"

Apple Bloom answer'd "just a minute Doc we'll be right back"

After the crusaders left to gather their things, AJ gave Past a shrewd smile "An adventure huh? that's the first I've heard of this, what'd ya have in mind?"

Past smiled and said, "Oh just a little foray into the Everfree Forest,"

Rarity's mouth fell open, but she quickly recovered "The Everfree! why would you ever take them in there?" Rarity shuddered as she remembered her own SO call "adventures" in the Everfree.

Past chuckled, "They've been hounding me to show them some ruins ever since they found out I used explore them in my youth, thinking I was like Daring Do salvaging treasure and fighting bandits"

AJ laughed "you? fight bandits? I don't think Ah've ever seen ya mad, you've probably never even been in a fight, right Past?"

Past got a distant look in his eyes, reliving an old memory and it didn't seem like it was good one, "oh how i wish that was true AJ"

"Past? are you well dear?" Rarity asked concerned.

Past blinked "Hmm? oh....oh yes I'm fine Rarity, just remembering some of my brash youth, I had my fair share of brawls in the past AJ"

Applejack looked a little shocked "Really Past, you? I'm just little surprised Ah've never known anypony as patient you,"

Past laughed "that's what growing up is for AJ, to make yourself better the further you go," Past paused for a moment, that pain from the past returning, then he slowly continued "for me what I needed to learn more than anything was to have patience and to control my temper" He sadly thought. "too bad I leaned to late"

Applejack saw the pain in his eyes and realized even though he'd been her neighbor for as long as she could remember, she knew almost nothing about his past. "I need to fix that when I get a chance" she thought.

"Enough about my past and lets get back on topic, Rarity? Do you know of any other ruins nearby besides the ones in the Everfree?"

Rarity frowned in thought "No can't say that I do, but that doesn't mean I approve of you taking the girls in there"

Past put on hurt look and teased "I see, you don't trust an old unicorn like me to keep them safe? I'm hurt by your lack of faith"

Rarity just rolled her eyes at his poor acting "Past, the Apple family and I have know you for years, you know I trust you, what I don't trust is that forest and its beasts"

Now it was AJs turn to roll her eyes "oh come on Rarity, Zacora lives in there how bad can it be and, he took me and Big Mac on a few adventures when we was foals and we came back just fine-" Applejack paused and smiled as she recalled her and Mac's adventures with Past which prompted another memory she had of Rarity and Past giving her another point for her argument. "-and as I recall you know all to well that Past's no slouch in his spell slinging anyhow" AJ's small smile grew as she watched Rarity's face grow red with embarrassment.

Rarity pulled on rigid smile and spoke with her teeth clench'd. "Why no I don't think that I do" As she spoke her eye's were daring AJ to say anything else on that topic, and while Applejack had noticed the silent threat she was also thinking. "Its so funny how upset she gets whenever we tell that story"

"Oh sure ya do, you know, when he was tutoring you-" Past interrupted. "Oh I'm sure she remembers AJ" Past chuckled as he shook his head and smiled at AJ for her support, but he figured he'd better say something to calm Rarity down and put her mind at ease or they could be here all morning. "Rarity I've been planning this for long time" and thought "longer than you know", "I swear the only thing that'll happen to the girls is a little fear at the unknown" From the look on Rarity's face Past could tell that hadn't really help his case much. So he quickly added "And I promise that they'll be be home in their own bed's tonight" he ended with a nervous smile while locking eyes with AJ, and silently pleading. "Please say something helpful!"

AJ was still smiling but thought, "Ok Past I'll give her a break" and added. "And Apple Bloom's always saying how it ain't fair that Past's never taken her on any adventures"

Rarity looked back and forth from Past to Applejack and sighed in defeat. "Alright you two, you win, but I'm going to hold you to those promises Past" Just as Rarity finished speaking the C.M.C. returned with their things and proceeded to bounce around Past.

"Come on Past we've been waiting to see those ruins for ages" Scootaloo begged.

Apple Bloom added "Ah even asked Zacora to give me some of them things that keeps them Everfree critters away from her house" she stopped bouncing and looked around "She said she'd bring 'em by this morning, where is she?"

"I see I've come just in time, just as you were making your goodbyes" Zacora followed her voice into the yard.

Apple Bloom raced over to her "Zacora did you remember them ta-talimans you told me about?"

Zacora laughed as the others reached her and Apple Bloom "Of course little Apple Bloom, I've bought them all this morn to you" Zacora pulled four Pendants out of her saddle bags and passed them out as the others caught up with Apple Bloom.

Past examined his and laughed "Zacora you continue to amaze me"

Sweetie Belle frowned "What do you mean Doctor Past?"

"These ' Talismans' as their called" he threw a wink at Apple Bloom, "are just as good as the one's good old Zale use to make"

Zacora gasped "you speak as though you knew the pony?, if so i must call you a phony"

Past who'd been examining his talisman jerked his head up "wha, what oh of course not" he forced a smile onto his face. " I'm old, but I'm not that old," he forced out a laugh "I've just seen a fair amount of his work in my travels as an archaeologist" he pointed at his cutie mark of an old building and a magnifying glass "I even found this old locket at a dig once" he pulled a worn locket out of his saddle bags,

Zacora gasped again "you hold great Zale's item, Please let me hold my masters totem!"

Past chuckled "I suppose I should have seen that coming" he reluctantly passed the locket to Zacora, who proceeded to examine every inch of it,

Looking at Zacora, (who looked like Hearth's Warming had come early) Aj asked, "um who the hey is this Zale fella your going on about?"

Past answered since Zacora didn't seem to have heard her "Zale was the best apothecary and charm maker in Equestria a thousand years ago, revolutionized the whole craft" Zacora had finished examining the outside of the locket and had been trying to force it open. " I'm sorry, Zacora you won't be able to open that, the owner had a love lock spell placed on it,"

Now it was Rarity's turn to gasp "A love lock? I didn't know those were real, I thought they were just something those romance novel authors came up with for their books"

Sweetie Belle squealed "Oh oh is that the spell that only lets the owner and the ones he or she loves unlock the items its placed on?"

Past smiled "Oh there real alright Rarity and, yes Sweetie Belle its that very spell, their just a rare find nowadays, its old magic not many unicorns know it anymore,"

Zacora frowned "but Zale didn't have a horn and this looks like something he or his family would have worn"

Past looked a little nervous "I suppose he made it and gave it to a unicorn friend of his"

Zacora frowned again but passed the locket back and said "I believe you overestimate my ability's, this charm is quite beyond my capability's"

Past looked at her pendant then the locket. "Ah yes your right that his is much stronger than yours, but let me ask you this, how old is your moon light oil?"

Zacora gave this some thought. " a year and half or so I'd say, but what makes you ask that this day?

Past Smiled "most ponies think that Zale's skills were so great that no one can duplicate his work and that's true for some pony's, but Zacora I think you can match him just replace all your 'Night Gifts'," Past chuckled at Zacora's puzzled face. "As you know all alchemical ingredient have some magic in them, did you ever think about where it came from? Sure, some of them have it naturally, but the ones you need to gather during the day or the night usually gain their magic from the sun and the moon" Past got a tired look in his eyes "though i'm sure she did her best over the years, Celestia's magic was never meant for the moon, it had its effects on the 'Night Gifts' over the years, just a few years ago i found some nightshade the grew better in the sun, and dreamclover that- "

As Past's continued to speak about his extensive knowledge of magical ingredients, everyone else study'd the effects this apparently had on Zacora, her face had shifted from puzzled, incredulous, angered, and now seemed to have settled on something between amazement and was that fear? she finally ended his ramblings with the a shaky question, "Do... do you mean to say? the 'Night Gifts' have not always been this way?"

Not sure he should, Past answered slowly , "I've noticed improvements in 'The Night Gifts' quality since Princess Luna's return"

Zacora's look of confusion returned. "you've said much this day, I must gather my thoughts on what to say" Zacora walked a little ways into the orchard a troubled look on her face. "I'll catch up with you yon forest border, I'll see you to my home in good order"

"Ah wonder wuts eatin' her" Apple Bloom voiced what everyone but Past was thinking.

Past sighed "I did it again didn't I, I said more than i should have, no matter how today goes I'll just be glad I won't have to watch what I say anymore" Past shook his head and turned toward to forest "Well Rarity you've got my Promises, we even have these talismans and an escort halfway, so if no one objects I say we get moving" The girls cheer'd and race'd to follow Past.

Applejack smiled and turned to Rarity "Well Rarity how about we track down Twi and the others and have some fun now that we have the day off?"

"Darling I tho-"

Rarity was cut off by the girls shouts from the edge of the yard "later AJ, bye Rarity"

Applejack started to smile again as she turned to look at the girls, till she noticed Past, "he looks so old and tired all of a sudden"

"what was that dear I didn't hear you over the girls"

"oh its nothin' Rarity" but she continued to watch as the small group headed toward the forest at the edge of her property. "I wonder why he looked so sad?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Past looked back at Sweet Apple Acres from the edge of the forest as they waited for Zacora to appear. As Past bought his gaze back to the forest Zacora appeared with a look on her face that said "I've got some questions and your gonna answer them even if I have to wring them out of you" Past sighed, "Yep definitely said to much earlier" "Hello Zacora, you rea-"

Zacora cut him off "Girls go on ahead and play, I've much to say to Past on the way"

Past sighed again as Zacora began asking questions he really didn't want to answer, as they they followed the filly's into the forest, He looked back again one last time just before the orchard's were out of sight. " AJ, make sure you take care of that family and those friends of yours" He turned back to the forest and went over his plans in his head again (as he evaded Zacora's questions with half-truths) and nodded, everything was ready. He hardened his silver eyes and trotted towards his goal with a determination he hadn't felt for years. "The final day of Doctor Past Search has finally arrived........... Goodbye everyone"

Foalnapped!

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"I'm sorry Twilight but I really don't think I'll ever understand you," Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes for what felt like the hundredth time since the six friends had come to Sugercube Corner for lunch "you want to go back to Canterlot for two weeks, just so you can get MORE BOOKS!, I mean you live in a stinkin' tree that's full of them,"

"Well excuse me, if I like a little variety," Twilight blushed a little and added quietly "besides I've already read them all anyway"

Dash's mouth fell open "you've read them all! there's like three hundred books in that freakin' tree! You've only been living here six months, how is that even possible!?

For your information there's four hundred and thirty seven books in that "stinkin' freakin' tree, and seeing as you've seen fit to describe my current home as smelly and freakish you can go and find your Daring Do books somewhere else," The smile on Twilight's face as she finished speaking was decidedly evil.

Having heard that there was actually four hundred books, Rainbow had been about about to say something else about Twilight's tree that probably wouldn't have helped her in newly self-inflicted problem. So she quickly shut her mouth and rethought her next response. "Dang Twi no need to get snarky, I'm just sayin' you read to many musty old books that no one even cares abou-" Judging by the look Twilight was throwing her, Dash figured that her words didn't seem to be having the effect she was going for, and though a change in tactics was in order. "I mean you've got such awesome friends now you should come and hang out more, Am I right AJ?

"Oh no you don't Ah'm not getting in the middle of this" the good-natured grin Applejack had been wearing since the little fight began turned a little mischievous "Besides I saw ya diggin' this hole, now I want to see if ya can climb out"

The look Dash gave AJ promised she'd have her revenge.

Deciding she'd like to get in on the fun Rarity added "I think Twilight has every right to be cross with you Rainbow, after all you did insult her home" Rarity's face was the complete look of reproach, but Rainbow could see the twinkle in her eye that said it was taking all she had not to smile.

Rainbow's look of vengeance settled on Rarity,

"Uh Twilight, I really don't think she really meant anything by it"

Pinkie Pie pulled out an ear horn from seemingly nowhere and held it up to her ear "I'm sorry Fluttershy I didn't quite catch that," She pulled a megaphone up from under the table "you can use this if you want,"

Fluttershy shook her head "oh no I could never use that, it'd be so loud, I'd just bother everypony"

"Okay if you say so" she put the ear horn and the megaphone under the table.

Twilight rubbed her eyes in frustration, even though she was sitting right next to Pinkie during the appearance of said items, she had failed to notice them beforehand. "I swear one of these days I'll figure out how she does that," she turned toward Fluttershy "I'm sorry Fluttershy I missed what you said to"

Everypony turned to look at Fluttershy, who proceeded curl into a ball at all the unwanted attention "I said I don't think Rainbow really meant to insult your tree I think she was just saying she didn't want you to leave for two weeks"

Pinkie had appeared next to Fluttershy as she was speaking and held up the megaphone from earlier "Hmm you were right that was a little loud," she pulled out a slightly smaller one "here try this one"

Fluttershy who was still recovering from the shock of having heard her own voice come out so loudly, only squeaked out a few unintelligible words that even the megaphone could barely pick up.

"Pinkie! its going to take all week to get her speaking normally again and she was the only one on my side!," Dash huffed.

All of a sudden there was a bright flash of light. When everypony could see again there were two letters with wax seals, indented with the image of a moon with a few clouds beneath it, One in front of Rarity and the other in front Applejack.

"Hey!?" Pinkie yelled, "who lit the fireworks without me!"

Applejack recovered next, "What the hay was that?"

Twilight answered with a surprised look on her face "Someone 'Sent' you two a letter!"

Rainbow scoffed "Uh, then what was the deal with the big light show then Twi?, I mean the letters you get from Celestia never do that and she raises the dang sun every day"

"She sends those though Spikes dragon magic, these letters where sent with a 'Sending Spell!' " Twilight said with awe.

"So what's so excitin' a bout that?" Applejack asked.

"It means a really powerful unicorn sent these to you two, Celestia uses Spikes magic because a 'Sending Spell' from Canterlot to Ponyville uses to much power,"

"You mean this pony's more powerful than Celestia!? that's awesome!" Pinkie laughed. "Hey Twilight you think they could send me to that baking contest in Baltimare"

Twilight looked indignant. "I didn't say this pony was stronger than Celestia, she could send me letters with the 'Sending Spell' but its wasteful, the 'Sending Spell' uses a lot more magic than 'Dragon Magic Sendings', don't ask me why its just how dragon magic works," Twilight paused for moment to think "I don't think anypony but the alicorn sisters could send anything from Canterlot here"

"Then where do you think these letters came from Twilight?" Rarity asked.

Twilight thought about it for a minute "I really can't say, somewhere further than the outskirts of Ponyville, I would have felt it with my magic if it were in town, but closer than Canterlot, I think if anypony besides Celestia or Luna tried a sending that distance they'd die" Twilight had a thoughtful look on her face.

"what cha' thinkin' about now Twi? Applejack asked.

"I'm trying to think of who could have sent these, since I didn't feel the starting point of the sending it means whoever sent these is stronger than me"

"So? aren't there a lot of unicorns stronger than you darling?" Rarity asked. "I mean a unicorn's magic gets stronger the older they get and your still fairly young dear"

"Actually no Rarity, there aren't that many, I mean my special talent is magic, theirs probably more out there, but I've only met four, and I can't think of a reason why those four would send you two a letter, so these are most likely from somepony I've never met,"

"Well Ah suppose we'll have to open them to find out" Applejack said.

Rarity and AJ broke the seals and opened up the letters. As they read them Applejack paled and Rarity looked like she was about to faint.

Seeing that Rarity looked about as sick as she felt, AJ assumed her letter was the same as hers and quickly spoke up before Rarity's dramatic temperament could cause a scene. "Uh Twilight would you let us use your tree house for a bit, me and Rarity would like to discuss these letters with y'all somewhere a little more private,"

"Uh sure Applejack my home is your home"

"Much obliged Twi"

Applejack got up from their table and headed for the door at slightly quicker pace than normal and it seemed like she was trying to look as though nothing was wrong, but she wasn't very convincing. Rarity on the other hoof looked like she had gotten a handle on her emotions and had plastered her best 'everything's under control' face on and followed AJ, which made the remaining four friend's even more nervous.

"The last time I saw her face like that was when we made her use our designs for our gala gowns," Fluttershy said.

"What the hay did those letters say?" Rainbow asked nervously.

"I suppose we'll find out," Twilight got up and followed her two friends out of the restaurant. The other three weren't far behind.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The trip the six friends had to the library in the middle of town, was a quite and a tense one and considering Pinkie Pie was a part of that group of ponies that was saying something! "As much as i want to lighten the mood, I can tell this isn't the time for jokes" Pinkie thought to herself.

When they finally enter'd Twilight's home Applejack collapsed onto one of the reading couches looking exhausted, as if the short trip across town had really been a hundred mile trek up a mountain, Rarity's mask of composure on the other hoof melted like wax in an oven and rushed over to Applejack and began to wail "Applejack what are we going to do?! this is worst thing that's ever happened to us, the girl's have been foalnapped!"

Applejack leapt off the couch and threw a hoof over Rarity's mouth "Quite Rarity!" Applejack looked over the room as if looking for eavesdroppers and spies until she finally stopped at Twilight "Twilight, Where's Spike?"

Twilight and the others were shocked at Applejack's behavior almost as much as they were by Rarity's outburst, almost but not quite.

Foalnapped!? they all shouted at once but that's as far as got to inquire.

Applejack shouted, it was the loudest any of them had ever heard her speak "TWILIGHT, WHERE'S IS SPIKE!?"

Twilight's eye's were wide with shock, she'd never heard her friend sound so afraid, she answered slowly "He said he was going to the gem fields to restock"

Applejack nodded "Good he should out there for a while" Applejack brought her gaze back to Rarity "Calm down Rarity we need to be smart about this, Ah'm going to pull my hoof away and we're going plan this out with the group, in a nice and calm manner, Okay?"

Rarity nodded and Applejack put her hoof back on the ground, Rarity started crying "I'm so sorry AJ, I'm just so scared"

Applejack looked like she was on the verge of crying too "Ah've never been more scared in my life than Ah am right now, but we need to be strong and calm now, more than ever before,"

Rarity wiped her eye's "Your right AJ" she took a deep breath and addressed the others "I'm so sorry, you all must be so confused, Applejack lets just show them"

Applejack just nodded mutely, she and Rarity walked over to the table in the middle of the room and placed the two letters on either side of it. The four other friends slowly approached as though the table held a wounded animal instead of two pieces of paper. They were identical and consisted of only two short paragraphs, but they fully explained their two friend actions:

I've taken Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, if you ever wish to see them again bring the Elements of Harmony and their bearers to the site of your victory over Nightmare Moon this evening.

Do not inform anyone but the bearers of this, or the Cutie Mark Crusaders as these foals call themselves will never be seen again. Just like the old fool you charged with their safety.

The effect these words had on three of the four ponies was instant, Fluttershy began to cry and wailed "Those poor girls must be terrified"

Rainbow shouted "they've got Scootaloo too!, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom was bad enough!, but their messing with the wrong mare's protégé!"

Pinkie reaction was little scary "Oooooo those meanie mcmean ponies when I find them, I'm going party cannon them into ground"

Twilight though just stood there shocked and slowly started crying, she look over at Applejack "Applejack it wasn't Granny Smith with the girls was it? Please say it wasn't her!"

The first three went silent, Rainbow, Pinkie and Fluttershy hadn't even considered the last line in the letter till now they all turned and looked at AJ. The tears she'd been trying so hard to hold back finally broke though her iron will "No Twilight it wasn't Granny," Applejack took a deep breath and sobbed "but it was still family, It was Doc Past" Applejack pulled her hat down off her head and hid her face in the brim.

Fluttershy gasped in shock. Even though she'd been crying since she read the letter her tears turned into full blown sobs and she curled into a ball.

Pinkie cried out. "no it can't be" Twilight couldn't believe it. She'd never seen Pinkie so shook up before! She always looked like everything was going to fine, even when they on their way to confront Nightmare Moon! when everyone else was panicking in the forest she had just laughed, pulled faces and even sang, but now she was pale and shaking her head in disbelief.

Rainbow Dash who'd been flying since they'd enter'd the library, had slowly dropped to the ground and quietly said. "Pasts gone?, it can't be"

Twilight looked around at all her friends "Doctor Past Search? That sweet old stallion that ran the library before I moved in, of course I'm sad he's gone, but I didn't know you all thought of him as family?"

Rarity whose tears had started falling again when Twilight had asked if it was Granny spoke up "Pasts been in Ponyville for a long time, we all love'd him" Twilight looked around and noticed that Pinkie Pie and even Rainbow Dash had started crying, Rarity continued. "But Past and the Apples have always been like family, he moved into that house on the edge of their property around the same time as Applejack, Big Mac, and Apple Bloom's parents died, he was kind of like a second father to them"

AJ had regained some of her composure though tears still fell steadily from her eye's. She gazed around the library "this is actually where Ah first met him, us Apples weren't very neighborly when we lost maw and paw, he'd been living just down the road from us for a few weeks and we'd never met him" AJ smiled at the memory and continued "Mackey and Ah'd been moping around the house during those weeks and Granny had had enough she kicked us out and told us to go have some fun like foals were suppose to" AJ stopped and shook her head ruefully "course now Ah see she was right, but at the time me and Mackey thought she was heartless, we went into town trying to find something to, and ran into some of Mac's friends, they invited him to play some hoofball, he agreed to play and told them to go on ahead then he turned to me and said: 'AJ..... Ah miss em' to, but Granny's right we can't mope forever, try and find something fun to do' then he ran to catch up with his friends"

She paused for a moment then went on slowly. "Ah felt so betrayed and abandoned, Ah just wanted to find someplace quiet where Ah could be alone and I saw this place" AJ had been pacing around the room looking at the books as she spoke, and stopped at the young readers section. "Ah came in here and laid down on one of the sofas, Ah was so angry and sad, Ah started crying thinking it all wasn't fair, but Ah wasn't alone, Ah looked up and there he was with the kindest look on his face that Ah'd ever seen and asked if Ah was OK, but Ah was so angry, Ah yell at em' said Ah was fine and to me leave me be"

Applejack had sat down in front of the fairy-tales and pulled a book off the shelf "He said something to me then that Ah've never forgotten: " 'You don't need to be Honest with me girl, I'm just some nosy pony you don't even know, but lying to yourself gets you nowhere in this world and you my friend are not fine", Applejack laughed and continued her story, "a little filly enters his library and starts crying and he starts giving her a lecture," AJ shook her head at the memory a smile on her face. "but his stern face softened and he went on: 'If you need to be alone I'll leave you be, but if you want to talk or help finding a book to help you forget your troubles I'll be at the help desk"

AJ had been looking threw the picture book she'd taken of the shelf, but stopped at a picture of knight in shining armor saving the princess from the villain. "Ah sat there for a while, thinking about what he'd said, It reminded me of Maw, she had always said to me that lies never really help anypony, I looked up and there he was right where he said he'd be, Ah got up and went up to his desk and asked If he could find me a good book, he smiled and led me to these books" She gestured to the fairy-tales. "He said when he was sad nothing made him feel better, than reading about a hero saving the day" AJ closed the book and held it to her chest and closed her tear-filled eyes picturing the memory, "Ah stayed here all afternoon, he read to me, and made me laugh just like Paw used to do at bedtime"

Applejack's voice broke "and when A-Ah was lea-leavin' for home he said: 'Applejack if you ever need a friend I'll always be here" AJ sobbed, "Even af-after all these years Ah nev-never told him, he was my hero that day"

Twilight walked over to Applejack and put her hoof over Applejack's shoulders and gave her a comforting squeeze. " AJ I'm so sorry" Twilight looked up and smiled at the others. "We'll find this unicorn, and get the girls back"

"You said it Twi!" Rainbow said as she hovered over Twi and AJ "this time we'll be the heroes and save the day," she held her hoof out to AJ and smirked, AJ smiled and smacked her hoof against Rainbows'

Rarity walked over and put her hoof around AJ's shoulders from her other side and patted Twilight's leg and they both they both squeezed her again "we'll find this ruffian no matter where he or she goes"

"I-I'll do m-my best-to help too AJ" Fluttershy had been whispering behind the three friends when Pinkie held up the the smaller megaphone from earlier

"Ah-ha! I knew this one was the right size" Even though she was still crying Pinkie smiled her famous grin and pulled all her friends into a hug. "lets go and find that meanie mcmean pony"

"The note said to meet at the old ruins in the Everfree forest this evening" Twilight said thoughtfully and smiled "That gives us plenty of time to come up with a plan"

Everyone's faces hardened with their resolve and nodded gravely. Twilight nodded and continued "here's what I've got so far-"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The sun was going down when the six friends reached the edge of the Everfree forest. They all gazed into the dark branches with a look of grim determination.

Twilight walked to front of the group and turned and faced the others "everyone ready?" Five heads nodded "lets go" Twilight turned and headed into the forest and the others followed her in, all but one.

AJ hung back and looked toward her family's orchard till she found the little house at its border. Ah'm sorry Ah'll never get to ask you about your past like I wanted to Past, but I'll make sure those promises you made to Rarity are kept! Applejack turned around and followed the rest of her friends into the forest and thought with a cold look in her eye "Ah'm gonna show this pony what happens when ya mess with the Apple family"

Magic and Memories

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"So why aren't we blasting these jerks with the elements as soon as we see them?" Rainbow asked as they walked or in her case flew though the Everfree.

Twilight sighed. "We went over this already in Ponyville,"

Rainbow blushed "Well um yeaaah I kinda tuned you out after the you outlined the plan, and started lecturing,"

Twilight rolled her eyes and, much to Dash's dismay began lecturing as they continued down the path. "The Elements of Harmony can either contain or purge chaos or dark magic depending on the strength of the target and the compatibility of it's bearers with their particular element" Twilight glanced at Rainbow to make sure she was paying attention. "You get all that Rainbow?"

Rainbow groaned. "Yeah Twi I heard ya, but what's-" Twilight cut her off. "Good glad you can listen when you want to" Pausing a moment to clear her throat she continue her lecture while ignoring Dash's groan. "The elements have only been used three times, once on a god of chaos that the royal sisters could only contain in stone, once by Celestia to contain Nightmare Moon, and once by us to purge the chaos magic corrupting Luna,"

Rainbow having had enough of the history lesson cut in. "Okay while all this is sooo fascinating, it still doesn't answer my question"

Glaring at Rainbow for her smart remarks Twilight answered. "Fine! One! We need to confirm the girls are safe before we do anything to him or her, Two! The elements only contain or purge threats to the harmony of the world, if this unicorn isn't disrupting the world or at the very least using dark magic they won't do anything to him or her-,"

Twilight cut off her tirade, suddenly coming to a halt as chill ran down her spine causing Fluttershy who was walking behind her to lightly bump into her and squeak out an apology. "O-oh sorry Twilight I should have been looking where I was going, I-I hope I didn't hit you to hard.......u-um Twilight? are you ok?"

Twilight didn't answer in fact she looked a little pale and was whispering to herself "was that a?, no, it couldn't be? The group had been heading through the forest toward the ruins while Twilight had been speaking to Rainbow so she hadn't noticed that the castle had come into sight. Shivering Twilight looked ahead at the ruined castle that had just come into view. She gasped in shock, the others looked at her, as they watched the rest of the color drain out of her face, they knew something was very wrong.

"Twilight are you okay?" Fluttershy asked.

"They know we're here and their ready for us" she answered shakily.

Rarity looked at Twilight "How could they know? and what do you mean their ready for us?"

Twilight's mouth went slack as she gaped at her friend. "You didn't feel that alarm? Better yet you can't see that?" she pointed at the ruins.

"What should I be seeing Darling?"

Twilight looked shocked for a few seconds till she remembered. "That right you haven't been trained in magic defense and detection"

Twilight started whispering to herself again and from what the others could hear it sounded like she was preparing a lesson plan "She'll need to know this for sure, then we can move on to that-"

Rarity cleared her throat trying to gain her friends attention, seeing she had failed to pierce Twilight's intellectual bubble she decided to be more direct. "Twilight that's not entirely true I've had some training in d-" She cut off as Twilight suddenly raised her head, and spoke. "Ok Rarity, I'm going to show you a simple spellsight"

Rarity sighed and smiled at her friend, and seeing as how she was going to say defense and didn't actually know any detection spells she decided to let it go. "That sounds marvelous darling"

Twilight's horn lit up with her lavender aura and she explained the spell as her purple glow fell over her eyes then faded away, she looked at Rarity and smiled "Now you try, this will let you see magic that's been hidden from normal sight" She brought her gaze back to the castle, her smile turning into a grimace. "I'll need your help leading the others though this"

Rarity had closed her eyes while her blue aura fell over them, when she opened them she gasped in shock, with her new ability to see hidden magic, the silvery light surrounding the castle was almost blinding. "Twilight? How could there only be one aura color?!" Rarity had looked at Twilight as she'd asked her question, then brought her gaze back to the ruins and shivered. "How could anypony do all this and not die of magic exhaustion?"

Twilight shook her head. "This wasn't done in a day Rarity, In fact I don't think any of this was done today, If a pony built this slowly over time, its possible, I don't think even Celestia could do all this at once" looking ahead at the castle Twilight whispered to herself "How long has this foalnapper been planning this?"

"Are you two going to tell us what the hay your talking about? Rainbow asked "What do you see?"

Twilight was still studying the various spells surrounding the castle in front the small group, but she answered. "The entire castle's been enshrouded in magic traps and perimeter alarms, the plans we came up with are worthless now" she brought her gaze back to her friends. "We're being herded, there's only one clear path to the castle, and the only way in is though the front doors" Twilight shook her head in frustration. "we won't be able to surround them, or take them by surprise, we go in their way or we don't go in"

Rainbow looked skeptical "Can't we just fight our way though?"

Twilight shook her head and sighed. "If I tried to make a new route to the castle, disabling the all these traps and alarms would take hours."

"What if I helped?" Rarity asked.

"Thanks Rarity, but it wouldn't help these are some of the most complicated spells I've ever see-","Enough Yammerin" Applejack shouted. AJ's anger and sorrow had made her usual patience almost non existent. She suddenly pushed her way though the group and started down the path. She turned her head to look back at her friends while she continued down the trail. "Them filly's need us!, lets get a move on!" With her head turned she didn't notice the slight curve in the path and started to head toward the brush on the side of the path.

Pinkie's hair started flipping around and her tail shook violently, she looked shocked for a few seconds then flew down the path after AJ and tackled her to the ground. "Pinkie what the hey are you d- KA-CRASH" Applejack's angry shout had been cut short by her stetson. Knocked loose by the tackle, it had flown ahead of the two ponies where it fell into the foliage, the flash of light and crash of thunder that followed its landing filled the small clearing, blinding five of the six friends. Twilight, who had seen where the hat was headed, had quickly closed her eyes.

When they could see again AJ's hat was blackened and smoking slightly, while the greenery beneath it had turned to ash. she swallowed and looked up at her friend. "Th-thanks Pinkie Ah owe ya one-" AJ's words were cut short for the second time that night when she looked up at her friend, Pinkie looked afraid! AJ had never seen the upbeat party mare scared before, even when they were heading though this very forest earlier that year to claim the elements and stop Nightmare Moon!

Pinkie recovered and pulled on a smile "no problem AJ what are friends for"

Twilight was heading over to where Pinkie and AJ had fallen on the path when Rarity gasped "Twilight? The spell!

Twilight jerked her head up at Rarity's exclamation, her eyes widening in shock. "It...it can't be!" She quickly ran to the edge of the path and watched in disbelief as the trap slowly reset itself. "I'm going to try and get AJ's hat so I might set it off again, just a heads up" Twilight lit her horn and slowly levitated the smoking hat into her grasp. Nothing happened. Twilight's jaw dropped as she thought. "It only goes off as things enter it, but not as they leave! This is high level spell weaving" She repaired the smoking leather with her magic and returned it to Applejack who was carefully getting back up on her hooves with Pinkie. As she continued to study the resetting spell she realized what it was and exclaimed in shock. "A Lightning trap!"

Rainbow, at the mention of lightning landed next to Twilight trying to see if she could notice the force of nature she normally only found in the sky. "Whoa! Hey Fluttershy! Check this out! There's buds of lighting down here! On the ground without a cloud!"

Fluttershy paled and shook her head.

"OH come on Shy they wouldn't even hurt a pegasus foal let alone us...." She paused and studied the little buds of energy. "That's......really weird"

Pinkie and Twilight peered at the trap, Twilight trying to see what Rainbow thought was odd while Pinkie was trying to see anything at all. Pinkie pouted. "No fair I want to see what everypony's talking about"

Ignoring Pinkie, Twilight asked Rainbow. "What's weird?"

Rainbow smirked. "ha HA I know something the mighty egghead doesn't I guess it's my turn to lecture" While Twilight smiled and shook her head, Rainbow answered her question. "These buds" she gestured to one of the faint spots of light in the trap. "Us pegasi call em fizzles, you usually only see them in wannabe storm clouds, their harmless...." She pause again. "To a pegasus anyway with our natural insulation" She studied the little buds of lightning again, then looked over at Applejack. "But for an earth pony these look like enough to make you black out for a good hour or two"

Twilight always the good student, asked a few questions. "What does a normal bud of lightning look like? And how does a fizzle compare to normal bud of real lightning?

"A bud in a storm cloud is just a lot brighter and more stable looking, fizzles usually fade in and out, the fact that these haven't at all is what makes these so strange, must be some weird unicorn magic at work. As for how they compare, fizzle are just weaker"

"Well then how do these compare to the strongest lightning you've seen?" Twilight asked.

Rainbow paled at the memory; It had been when she was training to take over for Ponyville's retiring Weather Leader, she answering quietly. "Trust me Twi, you don't want to know"

Rarity joined her four friends at the side of the trail. "Twilight? how did it reset?" Rarity asked excitedly, she was studying the trap with the same fervor she had whenever she saw a new style of clothes, examining every stitch to see how it all fit together. "I've never seen a spell reset itself before! If I could learn how to do this. Oh! the possibility's would be endless!"

While Rarity was looking over the surface of the trap, Twilight had been cautiously probing the trap with her lavender aura trying and dreading to find what she already suspected. She winced when she felt a faint line of magic at the back of the trap. Adjusting her spell-sight revealed the line to be the same silver as all the traps and heading toward their destination. Twilight shivered as her newly altered spell-sight revealed that all the traps had a line to the castle.

Twilight looked at the castle and started muttering to herself. "It couldn't be a... no, there's no way, where would they get one?, but they'd have to have one for this many spells...........maybe there's more than one unicorn? No, no, there'd be more aura colors here if there were more unicorns here, then they'd have to have one unless their completely insane"

The more Twilight muttered to herself the more frantic she became, with strands of her mane and tail randomly sticking up till it looked like she had just woken up with the worst bedhead possible. Fluttershy cautiously approached her friend, tapping her on the shoulder she asked in her quiet calming voice. "Twilight what's wrong"

Twilight took several calming breaths, before she spoke answering both Fluttershy's and Rarity's questions at the same time "It looks like it's a mage link to a unicorn or to a mage vault!" She closed her eyes and groaned inwardly and thought. "This just keeps getting better and better! I don't know what would be worse a mage arrogant or strong enough to link this many spells to themselves or a pony with a mage vault!"

Rarity looked puzzled."Twilight is that how it reset?"

"Yes Rarity it is, a mage link is when a unicorn ties their magic to their spells, then when the spell activates and discharges it's magic, the link can draw the power it needs to reset the spell" Twilight paused as she noticed Rarity's eager expression and added solemnly. "But its extremely dangerous"

The excited light that had been growing in Rarity's eyes dimmed a bit. "Dangerous?"

Twilight nodded and continued "The spell will take what it needs to reset even if you don't have enough magic at the time, most magic exhaustion deaths are caused by improper use of mage links"

"But can't you sever the link?" Rarity asked disheartened.

Wincing and rubbing her horn Twilight replied. "Yes you can, but not while its taking your magic, it causes a magic backlash that can do anything as serious as killing you, to a not so serious, but still painful headache, depending on your magic reserves and on how much magic its funneling from you at the time"

The light in Rarity's eyes completely faded. "Oh well it was nice idea while it lasted" Releasing her trademarked dramatic sigh she continued. "What was that other thing you mentioned? A mage vault?"

Twilight grinned while she explained. "Their these wonderful gems that unicorns or alicorns have attuned to their magic. Their extremely difficult to make; the only one I've ever seen belonged Celestia, but after they're finished you can store your magic in them so you can cast spells without using your own reserves, their really useful for resetting simple spells like these traps, but if you need to make adjustments or changes to a spell you need to have it linked to yourself"

Rainbow who was getting sick of all the magic lessons decided she'd better say something before Rarity; who's eyes had started to shine again at the mention of the magic gems, could get the topic going. "While all this is fascinating, can't all this explaining wait till tomorrow? Ya know like after we beat up a foalnapper and get the girls home"

Pinkie apparently hadn't heard the sarcasm in Rainbows voice "I know Dashie isn't magic super Interesting" As Dash facehoofed Pinkie continued. "But your right the C.M.C needs us, lets go!," She hopped over to Twilight, placed a hoof over her shoulders and giving her a squeeze before she continued speaking. "Twilight why don't you lead the way"

Pinkie disappeared leaving a pink smoky outline next to Twilight as she reappeared next to Rainbow leaning against her side while she stood on her hind legs with her forelegs crossed. "Then me and Dashie can go next since she can see the weatherish parts of the traps while I can't and I can feel the other bits of them" Pinkie blinked and added sheepishly. "Well I can sorta feel them" Disappearing again the party mare reappeared between Rarity and Fluttershy with her forelegs over their shoulders. "Then Rarity and Fluttershy can bring up the rear to make sure no pony gets-" She pulled out a fork and mimed sticking in a power outlet. "-Buzzzzed OH! or even worse-" She leapt backwards while covering face from an imagined explosion. "-KAW-BOOMED"

Twilight; who was still getting used to Pinkie's strange ability's, stared at Pinkie with her mouth open, while the others; who have had years to get used to her antics, just smiled and shook their heads.

Pinkie reappeared in front of Twilight and waved her hoof in front of her face. "You OK Twi?" She asked, while she worriedly looked at her dumbstruck friend.

Twilight shook her head and headed down the path while thinking. "I swear I'll figure how she does it one of these days" After they had traveled a little ways down the path, she called back to her friends. "Dash, Fluttershy, no more flying till we reach the courtyard it looks like we won't have the headroom for it till we get that far"

Rainbow landed next to Pinkie, after a while Twilight heard Pinkie quietly ask Rainbow. "Was knocking out AJ really all that trap would have done?"

Twilight made sure the path was clear before her; no need to repeat AJ's earlier mistake, before she spared a quick glanced back at Pinkie and Rainbow. She saw what AJ had noticed earlier, Pinkie Pie the unshakable goofball looked worried!

Rainbow had noticed this as well and was slightly unnerved, So as she quietly replied her voice wasn't its usual confident self. "Um yeeeaah she woulda been fine"

Pinkie reacting to Dash's voice, slid up next to Rainbow, so their heads and flanks were a mere inch apart. Staring her friend in the eye as she frantically questioned her friend while trying to keep her voice down. "What do ya mean Um? Would she have been fine or not?!"

Dash answered quickly. "She mighta had some singed fur but yeah she woulda been fine, why do you ask?"

Pinkie let out a relived breath that seemed to blow her back to a more comfortable distance before answering "My Pinkie Sense has been telling me something's not quite right here ever since we entered the forest," Pinkie shuddered. "And th-that warning it gave me for AJ, I've never felt anything like that before" Pinkie smiled and continued "But now that I know that the trap would have knock her out I can tell by how much my mane flips and my tail shakes how dangerous those trap thingy's are"

Rainbow smiled. "That's! so! awesome! Glad I could help"

Twilight smiled and shook her head as she thought. "Yes Rainbow for as much as I don't understand her, Pinkie really is awesome" Twilight's smile faded away as she brought her full attention back to the path and the traps lining it. "So much Elemental magic!" She shivered as she remembered.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Eight years ago

Twilight waved goodbye to her older brother Shining Armor from the front window of their home in Canterlot. When he turned off their street she quickly left the room heading for the kitchen at the back of the house while muttering to herself. "I thought he'd never leave" She'd been planning this little experiment for weeks ever since he'd shown the family what he had been learning in his Royal Guard training. She opened the back door and stepped into their small yard still muttering to herself. "If he'd just teach me how to do it I wouldn't have to do this"

Standing in the middle of the yard she closed her eyes as she tried to remember what his spell had looked like from the quick peek she'd stolen with her spellsight while he wasn't looking. She nodded and began to recreate her brother's spell, a sphere of light the same size as her head pulsed into existence.

"Good! Now how did he get it to dance around him I wonder?" she began to tweak the weave of the spell, trying to copy the display her brother had made weeks prior. "If only I could've seen more of his spellwork......Is it getting bigger?" It was, It had been pulsing to a slow and steady beat since it appeared, slowly growing with each beat, within its five minutes of existence it had grown to the size of a large beach ball.

"That's weird I didn't tell it to grow and Shining Armor's didn't grow at all, hmmm?"

As she studied the growing sphere, a shout from the back door she had left open drew her gaze and attention while at the same time filling her with dread. "Twily did you happen to see where I left-thrum thrum" Her panic at hearing her brothers early return was cut off at the same time as his voice by a steadily growing sound coming from her sphere which had grown to the size of a filly.

"This doesn't look good" She thought. "Maybe if I cancel this out quick I can cover it up before he notices"

She quickly readied her cancel, but an authoritative "HALT" shouted from the back porch brought her to...well a halt. She turned and spotted her brother in the doorway with the most livid expression she'd ever seen him display. He lit his horn and placed his purple shield over her sphere before giving her a nod to proceed. She quickly canceled her spell.... her world went white from the flash that followed. Her cry of surprise and her ability to hear were drowned out by the loud "CRASH-BOOM" that followed.

Blinking the spots from her eyes revealed her brother examining his dome shield and muttering to himself. "Looks like it held up well at least" As he released his shield the dirt that coated the inside of it fell and formed a steaming pile of loose dirt and charred grass the size his shield had been.

When he turned away from the new flowerbed in their yard, his expression made her wish she'd made a run for it while his back was turned. "Shining Armor I'm-"

That's as far as she got. "Twilight what the hay were you thinking! There was reason I said no! And this isn't something you can learn by yourself!"

"Well you wouldn't teach me and I wanted to-"

While she had meant to calm him down, her poor choice of words just made things worse. "YOU WANTED TO!" he roared. "Oh I'm Celestia's faithful student I can do whatever the hay I want" He glowered at her before shaking his head and calming down. "Twi there are some things that you don't need to know"

Twilight didn't like hearing that one bit and getting yelled at wasn't something she was overly familiar with, and quite frankly she didn't like it either. "Why shouldn't I know how to make some dancing lights! Like you said I'm Princess Celestia's student! Why can YOU know and I can't?!"

Armor gaped at her for a moment before asking. "Wait......dancing lights? You thought that was just dancing lights? Why would the Royal Guard teach it's trainees how to make dancing lights?"

“To help mark you in crowd……” Shining was shaking his head in disbelief. “Their not...just lights?” she asked.

He looked Twilight in the eye and said. “Do you think just regular lights: That we’d use in a crowd of ponies! Would do THAT?!” He gestured to the now lightly steaming dirt. He held up a hoof when Twilight tried to answer and continued. “Twily what I showed you those weeks ago was an offensive shield for hostile forces”

“Those orbs I had going around me were Ball Lightning” He said as he stared at the blasted soil.

Now it was Twilights turn to gape. “L-lighning?! But h-how?” she stuttered out.

“That spell mimics a storm cloud to create lightning”

Twilight frowned. “Why would unicorns need to make lightning?”

“Some creatures are resistant to unicorn magic so the Princesses developed spells to create natural forces so unicorns in the guard could help our pegasi and earth pony guards fight-” Shining Armor cut off suddenly his mouth hanging open with the thought. “How does she do that? She can always turn something into a history lesson without even trying”

His face turning red with embarrassment and anger he roared. “WHY AM I TELLING YOU THIS?! I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU DID THIS....” He paused when he saw Twilight hang her head trying to hide her shame.

Using a tip he’d learned from his marefriend he took a few deep breaths to calm down before continuing. “Twily….I’m sorry I yelled…..I..I was just so surprised when I saw that lightning and when I saw you were about to cancel your hold on it” He shuddered. “It reminded me of what my captain would've done to a recruit caught doing that….” Shining groaned. “Like she’s going to do to me do to me” He sighed and called out. “Hey Winter Breeze”

“Hey Armor” Twilight turned just in time to see a pegasi guard land and trot over to the two siblings he looked at the still warm flower bed then at Shining. “I heard that unscheduled thunder while I was on patrol” He grimaced. “Do you want to tell the captain or should I?”

Shining sighed. “Thanks for the choice Breeze, I’ll report it, go back to your patrol”

Breeze winced. “Good luck” He nodded to Twilight before taking off and returning to his patrol.

Shining winced and turned toward the house. “I have to go and report this, Twilight can you go and tell Cadance I’m sorry but I’m not going to make-”

“Why do you have to report it?” Twilight interrupted.

Shining looked back. ”Twilight unscheduled thunder is a big deal, it means some pony is messing with a destructive force of nature or somepony or something’s forced a guard to use lightning, plus if I don’t report it now, Breeze will get in trouble”

Shining chuckled as Twilight’s eye began to twitch while a look of horror grew on her face. “Twilight relax you're not in trouble-” Twilight sighed in relief as Shining turned back to the house. “-I am”

Twilight just stood in the back yard for a moment while Shining headed into the house till. “…..Wait? WHAT?!” She ran into the kitchen and shouted. “WHY ARE YOU TROUBLE?!”

Leaving the kitchen and entering the front room he answered. “I showed a unicorn-" He glanced back at his sister. "-without a Battle Magic Permit, a combat spell without an instructor’s license its as simple as that” Muttering to himself he shifted through some of their fathers old newspapers. “Where did it go?”

Even though just mere moments ago she had been relieved that she wasn’t in trouble the fact that Shining was made her argue his innocence. “But I’m the one who did the spell! I should be the one-”

Shining interrupted her; before she could get into her full on debate mode, while he was still searching. “Doesn’t matter Twi, you wouldn’t have known the spell if it wasn’t for me, and I didn’t even tell you what it really was” He paused in his search and sighed. “And I admit the only reason I showed you in the first place was because I wanted to show off” He shook his head and laughed ruefully. “While what you did was foolish Twi, I’m the one at fault” He muttered to himself as he resumed his search. “The captain's going to eat me alive.

She heard him and began to beg her face twisting with guilt. “Please Shiny let me talk to your captain!”

“No Twilight”

“Its not your fault!” she shouted.

“No Twi, it really is” He replied calmly.

Twilight getting desperate shouted. “It’s not a big deal nopony got hurt, I’m going to tell her it was all my fault!”

She headed to the front door, but Shining stopped her for the second time that day with just his voice. “YEAH TWILIGHT NOPONY GOT HURT, BUT SOMEPONY COULD’VE BEEN!”

Twilight looked back at him and opened her mouth to continue arguing, but Shining Armor just spoke over her. “Twilight unicorns don’t make and control lightning like pegasi. Pegasi form some kind of link with lightning when they make it, taming it, it does what they want at a thought, unicorns on the other hoof have to know multiple spells get it to do anything at all, My instructor put it like this ‘pegasi are directing a guard dog, while unicorns are trying to train a timber wolf!’ ”

“I would’ve been fine" She she fell silent as Shining began to tremble. "Shiny?”

“No Twi you…just don’t….I’ve been trying not to think about it, but I just keep thinking if I hadn’t stopped you when I did…Twi I’ve seen what that spell does to ponies” He shuddered at the memory. “And it was half the size of yours…...”

He stopped shaking, his eyes welling with tears as he shouted at her “YOU COULD’VE DIED TWILY!” His voice broke. “I ne-ver would’ve been able to forgive myself” He took some deep breaths and continued his voice hardening in spite of the tears falling from his eyes. “Twilight you have to promise me you’ll never do offensive spells till you're properly trained”

“I-I promise Shining” Seeing her ‘training to be a guard’ big brother crying shocked her. “Shining, I’m sorry” She whispered as her own tears began to fall. “I’m so sorry” She dropped her gaze as she realized what could’ve happened.

As Twilight gazed at the floor through blurred eyes, she heard her brother’s magic shift some things in the room. “Ah-ha there you are”

She heard him approach but she refused to look up till she felt his foreleg on her shoulder she looked up, he had on a small sad smile as he handed her a small gift bag with a heart on it’s front. “Twi can you take this to Cadance for me? And tell her I’m sorry but I’m not going to make it to our date”

She nodded.

“Thanks Twily” He gazed fondly at the little bag and chuckled. “I hope she likes it because I’m going to love it till the day I die”

He nudged her gently as he walked past her to the door and said. “Cheer up”

As he opened the front door he paused and laughed, he looked back at his moping little sister with a mischievous grin and added. “If it makes you feel better I was wrong, you are in trouble”

Twilight looked up at her brother with a strange mix of shock, relief and nervousness. “I am?”

Shining stepped outside turned around and slowly pulled the door shut till Twilight could only see his grinning face before answering. “Yep, You get to tell mom and dad how we got our new flower bed”

Twilight paled as Shining Armor closed the door and walked away, she whimpered. “W-wait S-shiny” She ran to the door and threw it open and shouted. “Wait Shiny! I’ll trade you!”

Shining already a ways down the street, laughed and yelled back causing their neighbors to shake their heads and smile in a familiar way at the infamous sibling's ruckus. “Naw I’m good sis, you made the bed, now you can lay in it!”

“Shining Pleeease!” she shouted.

Shining still laughing shouted back. “Nope! Good luck!”

Twilight winced and yelled back with small grin on her face. “You too Shiny!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Twilight sighed while a wry grin twisted her lips as she remembered that scolding. "That was the longest month of my life though on the plus side I had plenty of time to study" While Twilight had kept her promise not to use offensive spells she had still done a decent amount of research, wondering why unicorns had needed to learn Elemental magic.

"Unicorn Elemental Magic was made for combat, setting up all of these spells so their not lethal! It'd take take me forever to do this because of my inexperience with combat magic and even Shining with all his training in the Royal Guard to help him, to save up enough magic for this it would still take him at least nine months! but this pony did all of this in six months or less!

As she was thinking this she'd been walking down the forest path toward the castle looking closely for spells, when another chill went though her. She pulled up short in shock "Another alarm?! I thought I missed the last one because of Rainbow, but I didn't notice this one at all! Twilight looked ahead at the ruined castle, which suddenly seemed so much more ominous than before and shivered again, but this time from fear. "Experienced with combat magic, stronger in magic than me and Shining Armor! and has enough finesse in their spell work to make a spell I can barely detect! Just who is this pony?"

Twilight continued carefully down the path, determined to make sure there wasn't any traps along the narrow path set by the foalnapper. If there were alarms she couldn't detect, could there be traps too? Better to be safe than sorry. She also wanted to see the next alarm before she tripped it, so she could study it and see how it had been hidden from her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They had finally made it across the old rope bridge and stood in the courtyard in front of their destination,

Twilight growled in frustration, she was in a foul mood, while the path to the castle hadn't had any traps on it, she had failed to notice (despite her best efforts) two of the four alarms they had passed before they tripped them.

Rainbow Dash took to the air heading for a window above the once regal entryway doors, only to be stopped by a wall of lavender magic, "What gives Twilight?" she looked back at her friend "You said I could fly again once we reached the courtyard!"

"IF you want next time I'll let you get encased in ice" Twilight let her wall fade away and threw a nearby rock into the space in front of the window. When the rock hit the ground it had doubled in size from the ice that coated it as it fell though the trap. "This isn't a game Rainbow! What, did you think that you could just take a look inside and see everything they have waiting for us, this entire place has been covered in spells." Twilight looked back at the castle doors like they were the gates of Tartarus.

"Twilight why are you so bent out of shape?" Rainbow said with a hurt expression. "Ever since you saw this dump" Rainbow gestured to the ruins "You've looked like we're heading to our graves"

Twilight's face twisted in anger and she shouted at Rainbow. "You can't see what I see Rainbow! This is some of the most intricate and dangerous spell weaving I've ever seen!" Twilight's anger melted away revealing the fear she'd been trying to hide "I-I don't think I can stop this unicorn"

Dash dropped to the ground in front of Twilight and looked her straight in eye. "Twilight your not here by yourself, I know your used to working alone but-" Rainbow gestured toward herself and her four other friends. "We're here Twi you don't have to stop them by yourself!"

Twilight's voice broke. "I'm s-so afraid I won't be able to protect you all"

Rarity walked over to Rainbow and stood next to her in front of Twilight "Who said you would need to protect us?" The fear on Twilight's face returned to her previous irritation and she opened her mouth to speak, but Rarity cut her off. "Rainbow's right dear your not alone and we're not helpless, Pinkie and I can keep us from running into their traps and I even though I don't have your training I do know how to make spell shields and various other defensive spells"

The shock on Twilight's face was obvious. "You can? You had defensive magic training?"

"Don't look so surprised Twilight" Rarity smiled and giggled. "I've learned a few defensive spells for when I visit the big cities across Equestria for my fashion trips" her smile turned a little melancholy as she remembered. "Actually, it was Past who tutored me"

AJ, Pinkie, and Dash shared a grin, while Fluttershy winced as they remembered one of 'Past's tutoring sessions' they'd had the good fortune to witness.

Dash playfully nudged Rarity. "Ahh Past's lessons" She smirked at the seamstress. "Brings back memories, hmm Rarity?"

Rarity's sad smile melted and twisted into a grimace as Dash began to tell Twilight how she and Fluttershy first met Past.

"So I was over at AJ's....."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Three years ago

"Ah was hopin' ya could talk some sense into her for me Fluttershy" Applejack looked over her shoulder at the shy pegasus that had fallen behind again and rolled her eyes. "Come on Fluttershy she won't listen tah me so Ah thought you could talk tah her for me, you've known her forever she'll listen to you"

Fluttershy whispered as she slowly followed the farm pony to Sweet Apple Acres. "She doesn't listen to me either miss Apple"

Applejack came to a halt as she reached her destination and turned toward the quiet mare. "You say something sugercube?"

Fluttershy sighed "No miss Apple" She looked up at rainbow maned mare sleeping in the one of the Apple family's prized trees, she sighed again and lightly lifted off the ground. "I'll try"

Applejack smiled up at her. "Thanks Fluttershy I'll give ya some of our apples for the trouble and go ahead and call me Applejack"

Fluttershy looked down to return the smile. "Thank you Applejack" When she reached the sleeping mare she lightly shook her shoulder and spoke. "U-um Rainbow? You awake?"

Rainbow sleepily mumbled. "That...you... Flutter..shy?"

"Uh yeah its me"

"You need something?" she mumbled, still half asleep.

"You really sh-shouldn't sleep here its not really all that good for the trees"

Rainbow slowly opened one eye to glanced at Fluttershy then looked down at Applejack with a groggy half smile. "Bringing in Fluttershy? to fight your battles? great tactic"

"Well ya won't listen tah me so Ah figured ya might listen tah her seein' how shes your childhood friend, Ah just met ya both a few weeks ago when ya joined Ponyville's weather team and foresters"

Rainbow smirked. "I'll give you some advice Aj, if you want to win an argument don't go to Shy for backup" Rainbow chuckled as she turned away from them on her branch, yawned and continued. "And I told you before, your trees are fi....zzZZzz" she was snoring again before she finished.

Fluttershy landed quietly next Applejack and nervously said. "S-sorry but I don't think she'll listen to me now either"

AJ sighed. "Oh well" She glared up at the sleeping pegasus and muttered. "Maybe I can buck her dow-WAAAHHH! YOU BRUTE! YOU FIEND! NOOO STOP! AAAAHHHH!"

Rainbow jerked up at the sudden screams- "What the ha-*Smack*-ow!" Bashing her head on a higher branch- "Oh shoot aaahhh-*thud*-ooww!" Which lead to a quick fall to the ground.

Applejack turned toward the screaming that had yet to stop. "AAAAHHHH! WHYY-HY-HYYY!?" She gasped. "That sounds like Rarity!" AJ took off for the edge of her her property.

Rainbow quickly picked herself up and dashed after the farm pony, She shouted back at Fluttershy. "Don't just stand there Shy! They might need our help! Come on!"

Fluttershy nervously mumbled and trotted in place. "Oh dear, oh dearohdear" Before she slowly came to a gallop and called after her friend. "I-I'm C-coming Dash"

Rainbow took flight and quickly caught up to Applejack just as she reached the edge of the orchard. "What the hay is going on!" She shouted at the farm mare.

Applejack shook her head and answered worriedly. "Ah've no Idea" She gasped in fear as they rounded a bend and a small house came into view. "but it looks like its comin' from Past's property!" She picked up speed and pulled a little ahead of Rainbow

Impressed at the orange earth pony's extra burst of speed Rainbow thought. "Whoa! not bad apple farmer! But there's no way your getting there before me!" She put on some more speed and caught up with her just in time to hear AJ's quiet plea. "Oh please not again! Please let everything be alright!" Having barely heard her quiet wish Dash looked down and saw AJ's panicked eyes, and worried expression of dread.

"Whoa...she's really worried!" Dash shouted. "I'm going to check it out" Dashes powerful wing's kicked it up a notch and blazed ahead of Applejack and over Past's home heading toward the racket coming from the the backyard.

Applejack gaped as the rainbow maned mare blew past her leaving a rainbow colored trail of light. "Hoo boy! She's quick I'll give her that"

"Hey! Leave her alone!" AJ heard Rainbow shout as she reached the edge of Past's property.

"Ah'm coming Rarity!" Applejack shouted the same time she heard Pinkie shout. "Wait Dash STOP!" As Applejack was running along the side of the house she wondered. "Whats Pinkie doing here? or Rarity for that matter?" As she cleared the back of Past's house she paused dumbfounded at the scene of chaos. "What the hay is goin' on?!" She wondered.

She gasped when she saw a blood covered Rarity collapsed in a heap off to the side of the of Past's well sized yard sobbing and shuddering. "Whoa! nice try! but you'll have to do better than that!" Rainbow shouted, Applejack quickly turned her attention toward Rainbow's shout to see the mare juking left and right dodging Past's shots of magic and making it difficult to grip her with his telekinesis. She suddenly dove at him when she saw an opening attempting to tackle him, his eyes widened in shock at her speed, but he still manged to nimbly leap out of the way as she sped by. While Dash was making a quick turn and gaining some altitude after her dive, Past made and placed several bubble-like spheres around himself the size of a watermelon, before he compressed them down to the size of an apple.

He shouted up at Dash. "I don't know who you are miss, but you......need....to- OH CRUD" He quickly dove out from under one of several storm clouds that had appeared over his backyard as lightning struck his former position.

Applejack franticly looked back and forth at both sides of the yard trying to figure out what to do. "Should I go help Rarity, or go stop those two! Help Rarity! Stop them!, BUT RARITY'S HURT! BUT THEY MIGHT HURT EACH OTHER! GAAAAHHH!!!" The thoroughly confused earth pony shouted her previous thought. "What the HAY IS GOIN' ON?!"

The two combatants and the sobbing Rarity didn't seem to notice her shout, but a voice off to the side answered. "Oh hi AJ glad your here"

Applejack turned and saw a scruffy and dirty looking Pinkie laying limp on the back porch. " Pinkie!? you ok sugercube!?" she asked as she ran over to her friend.

Pinkie giggled and answered. "Oh I'm fine, I just can't move for a-" she paused and thought for a second before continuing. "-good ten minutes or so"

AJ blinked at her friend's odd and strangely specific answer and asked worriedly. "But what about Rarity?"

Pinkie rolled her eyes and snickered. "Oh she's just being over dramatic again" Pinkie moved her eyes- (which appeared to the only thing she could move besides her mouth) -toward the two dueling ponies and said quickly. "Yeah we'll be fine, but you really should stop those two before they become NOT fine, they'll be more like owwie! gaahh! IT HURTS! IT HURTS!"

AJ stared at Pinkie for a moment before shaking her head in bewilderment, thinking as Pinkie grinned up at her. "Only Pinkie could smile in a situation like this" Applejack sighed before trotting toward the back of the house and retrieved a coil of rope Past kept stored by his back door, as she passed Pinkie heading toward the fight she said. "I'm gonna want an explanation when this is over"

Pinkie laughed before answering. "Sure Applejack no problem"

Applejack cautiously approached the the pair of ponies at the end of the yard dodging a few errant magic blasts along the way. About halfway there AJ yelped and ducked under a particularly close beam of magic, growling with annoyance she shouted. "Past! Rainbow! Knock it off!"

Ignoring Aj, Rainbow dove for Past, Past dodged the tackle again while placing one of the bubbles from earlier in her path, A loud ‘Bang’ rent the air while releasing a blast of air that pushed her back into a wild spin.

Past winced and shouted. “Sorry miss I put more into that….HOW THE HAY!” Rainbow who had looked like she was about to have a heavy collision with the ground had twisted and pumped her wings to pull out of the spin inches above the ground, but she wasn’t done yet, kicking off the earth with a perfectly timed downward beat of her wings she shot up into one of her storm clouds.

Past gaped before shaking his head. “By Discord’s Chaos! Maybe I didn’t put in enough!”

Aj who had been racing toward what she had thought would be Rainbow’s crash site skidded to halt after witnessing the incredible maneuver. “ok she’s more than just quick, she the best dang flyer Ah’ve ever seen” Turning to Past she shouted. “Past! Stop! Somepony’s gonna get hurt!”

“Believe me I’d love to” He pointed up at the cloud Dash had entered. “There’s few things more terrifying than a pissed off, well trained pegasus hanging out in a storm cloud…..oh dear” ‘CRASH-BOOM’

Aj’s shout of despair as lightning stole her sight of Past was drown out by the crash of thunder. While blinking the spots from her eyes Aj franticly searched for her long time friend and neighbor she gasped when she spotted his blackened twitching form. “No” she whispered.

Aj took a few steps toward Past when a victorious cheer pulled her up short.

“I’M SO AWESOME” Rainbow shouted while pulling some loop to loops and various other tricks in some sort of victory dance. “HEY APPLEJACK YOU SEE ME CLOBBER THA-WHAT THE HEY? WHOA!” ‘thump’ Applejack had lassoed the showboating pegasus and flung her into the ground.

Shaking off her crash landing Dash glared and shouted at the farm pony. “WHAT GIVES?

Aj fixed her with a cold glare. “He’s mah friend and you better hope he’ll be all right”

“WHAT?” Rainbow shouted while she pulled herself out of the lasso.

Aj stomped over to Dash and and stuck her muzzle in her face “Ah said he’s mah friend and if he’s not ok Ah’ll pound ya good”

Dash shoved Applejack out of her face and shouted. “JEES WHAT’S YOUR PROBLEM-” she turned around and started walking away. “-crazy hill filly”

“What did you say?” Aj growled.

Rainbow kept walk away.

“WHAT DID YOU CALL ME?” Applejack shouted.

Dash looked back over her shoulder. “YOU SAY SOMETHING?” Seeing Aj's livid expression she shook her head and continued to walking away. “WHATEVER I DON’T CARE WHAT IT WAS UNLESS IT WAS AN APOLOGY”

Aj tackled the mare.

“WHAT’S YOUR DEAL YOU HICK!?”

“Ah’m gonna teach ya some manners ya cocky little-” ‘ZAP’ a silver flash engulfed the fighting mares making them both fall limp.

Past limped into their view. “Why the hay are you two fighting?”

They answered at the same time

Aj growled out.“She almost cooked ya crispy and then she ignored and insulted me”

Dash shouted. “WHAT DID YOU SAY YOU JERK? NO BETTER QUESTION WHAT DID YOU DO TO US?

Aj glared and shouted at Rainbow since it was the only things she could do. “JEES ARE YA DEAF AND ENOUGH WITH THE SHOUTING!”

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHOUTING?”

Past laughed out loud. “Oh man this is too rich” His horn lit up as he looked down at Dash. “Hold on, I’ll take care of you first”

“You’ll do no such thing!” Came a quiet half….yell?….as a set of yellow hooves landed across the prone mares.

“Oh what now?” Past looked up and froze as the fierce gaze of the yellow pegasus chilled his marrow to the core.

“How dare you!” Fluttershy’s voice was cold steel. “How dare you hurt my friend and the good ponies of this town!”

“YEAH FLUTTERSHY GET ‘EM”

Applejack gaped as she watched the timid, quiet pegasus she had met a few weeks ago pin Past in place with the most frightening glare she’d ever seen. “Fluttershy wait it’s not what ya think”

Shy brought the stare down on the two mares. “Hush you two” Dash froze while Aj’s thought’s of verbal defence of Past vanished.

Turning back to Past before he could recover she asked. “What’s going on here?”

Past answered quickly. “I’m not really sure, but I was about to fix the pegasus’s hearing and remove their paralysis”

Fluttershy paused and blinked breaking her powerful gaze. “Wait what’s wrong with Dash’s hearing?”

Past looked down in embarrassment and so he wouldn’t have to look in her eyes again. “Um my air mine deafened her when I was trying to ground her”

Though he couldn’t see it, he swore he could feel the yellow pegasus’s gaze drilling into his skull as she spoke. “And why were you trying to ground her?”

“Self Defence, when engaged by a hostile pegasus if you can, get them out of the air, she was throwing lightning around”

“Fine-” Fluttershy sighed and shook her head while Past repaired Dash’s hearing. “Then why are they paralyzed?”

“When I woke up from her lightning blast-” Fluttershy interrupted “-Wait, she hit you with her stun bolts? How are you awake?”

“Wait what?” Past and Shy looked down at Aj. “Stun bolts? Looked like she blasted ‘im with lightnin’ ta me”

Past nodded. “It would, pegasi’s stun blots are just lightning they’ve tamed with their magic” He looked at Dash again. “She’s on the weather team isn’t she?-” Fluttershy nodded. “Makes sense they're trained to tame all their lightning for safety’s sake”

“So how are you awake?” Fluttershy asked again. “Rainbow Dash’s stun can drop a pony for half a day.”

“Really?” Past looked down at the prone pegasus with modicum of respect. “She over powered my shield, I was surprised I went down at all!”

Shaking his head Past continued. “When I woke up these two were fighting and frankly I didn’t want to risk having to fight-” He looked at Fluttershy. “Rainbow Dash was it? Shy nodded. “-Ms. Dash again so I blasted them both with a paralysis bolt”

Fluttershy looked down at the two mares. “Ok that that explains them” She glanced over at the sobbing red and white mess of a pony at the edge the yard, before returning her scalding gaze to Past pinning him in place. “What about her?”

Past swallowed. “If looks could kill”

Past was about to answer when a giggling pink pony beat him to the punch. “oh she’s just crying over her mane and coat”

Everypony that could turned toward the party mare who seem to have regained the use of her hind legs during the the fight and was somehow skipping backwards toward the gathering of ponies while dragging her front half. “She’s just overreacting”

The sobbing stopped as Rarity stood and made her way to Pinkie and glared down her limp half. “Overreacting! Look at what his new training did to my coat!”

Rainbow looked up at Past and sheepishly asked. “Training?”

Past nodded “Since she became efficient in resisting a standard paralysis bolt she’s became lax in her training so I told her I’d be using mark shots” He looked over at his student and sighed. “I suppose I should have warned her a about the dye”

Dash snorted. “Wait you mean-*snk*-all this happened because she’s upset at being painted red?” Past nodded, Dash couldn't hold it any longer and burst out laughing. “Bwahahaha”

While Rarity glared at the laughing prone pegasus AJ cleared her throat. “So ya gonna undo your para-whatsit or not Past?”

“Hmm? oh right of course” Blushing Past conjured a sheet of silver light and passed it over Applejack.

When the numb feeling left her limbs Aj slowly stood and stretched before glancing at Dash who had added flailing limbs to her mirth as the sheet past over her. Aj cleared her throat to get her attention. “Uh miss Dash Ah’m sorry Ah roped ya and ….ya know attacked ya”

Rainbow stopped laughing and stood up. “No prob Aj” She pulled on a nervous grin. “You thought I hurt your friend….I’d do the same thing” She glanced at Past and sheepishly added. “My bad about the whole lightning strike and stuff”

Past chuckled “You came to the defence of your fellow pony that’s something I can appreciate” Past grinned at dash. “Just look closer before you leap in next time” Past’s smile faded as he turned to Rarity. “The real one at fault here is you Rarity”

Rarity gaped. “How is this my fault! you're the one who cover’d me in dye!”

Past sighed and asked in quiet tone.”Were you hurt?”

“Well no but-” Past interrupted slightly louder. “Could you move?

“Well yes b-” He interrupted again even louder. ”Was your magic expended?”

“No but you-” Cut off once more Rarity flinched as Past nearly roared at her. “Do care about any of these ponies that could’ve been hurt?”

When Rarity didn’t answer Past looked around and saw everyone looking at him, Fluttershy was frozen with fright, Applejack and Pinkie stared in disbelief, while Rainbow looked uncomfortable.

When he looked back at Rarity she was staring at the ground and sniffing. “I’m sorry Rarity you didn’t deserve that” He sighed. “I just…..”

Rarity looked up when Past didn't continue. When she caught his eye she glimpsed an old sadness before he continued. “Failing to act has cost me, I just wanted you to learn from this now, instead of when it could cost you more”

Rarity nodded and dropped her gaze. “I’m sorry” Taking a deep breath she met Past’s eye’s. “I’ll remember that Past”

Pinkie appeared between them standing on her hind legs. “Yay! Everything’s ok now” She placed one arm around Rarity and flung the other which still appeared to be limp around Past and gave Rarity a warm hug while Past got a twitchy pat on the shoulder. “Ooo let’s have a Everyponies Ok Party”

Past laughed. “You know Pinkie that sounds great it’ll give me a chance to learn more about these strong additions our Ponyville community” He grinned at Dash and Fluttershy.

Dash grinned back. “Are you sure? I’m-” She paused and placed a wing on across her shy friend. “We’re a lot of awesome to take in all at once”

Past shook his head and chuckled. “I’m sure you are” He turned and gestured toward his home and announced. “I’d love it if you all would join me at my home” He glanced at Pinkie. “PInkie would like to help me whip up some refreshments” Pinkie energetically nodded and hopped beside him as he started toward his back door.

Rarity smiled as she watched old and new friends chat as they walked toward Past’s home before she glanced at her hooves and noticed the red spots again, grimacing she called out. “Past now that we’re done training how do I remove these spots”

Past turned and looked back at Rarity with an apologetic smile. “I warned you there’d be some things you wouldn’t like about my training” Rarity paled as Past turned back to his home and called over his shoulder. “The Marked Shot spell bolts are designed to fade away as a fast as wound of the same size would take to heal” Rarity fainted.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“She had pink spots for weeks” Dash said with a grin. “She only went out in public to go to Past’s training sessions” As she concluded she, Applejack and Pinkie burst out laughing while Fluttershy gave her a sympathetic smile.

Rarity glared at the three gigglers. "Thank you Rainbow for sharing that" She shuddered. "That was the longest eighteen days of my life"

Twilight grinned and rolled her eyes, then she voiced a thought. "Why was Pinkie paralyzed?"

"Oh I was learning how to use my magic to force out foreign magics"

Twilight blinked. "Um why?"

Rarity answered."She heard me ask Past if the library had any books on self defense"

"Wait Past was teaching her to?!" Twilight exclaimed.

Rarity nodded before smirking at Pinkie. "Yeah Past offered to teach us the basics of magical defense after she said it sounded, I quote 'like fun' "

"Hey I was right wasn't I? That party was great! You even had fun when you woke up" Pinkie grinned and pulled everypony into a big group hug. "And it got way better after that cause everypony else started to come" Pinkie glanced at Twilight. "Well everypony but you Twi Past stopped holding them after the those two Nightmare Moon episodes"

Twilight jerked out of the group hug. "Two episodes!? What do you mean two?"

Pinkie blinked and rubbed her chin in thought nearly choking Rainbow and Fluttershy as they were still in her hug. "Hmm" Then she smiled. "You know silly, Celestia being taken was the first one, then saving Luna and getting the elements was the second"

Twilight took a beep breath and let it out in relief. "You know Pinkie most ponies would think of those as one episode since they took place in the same night"

"Really?" She tapped chin with her other hoof nearly choking Rarity and Applejack this time. "Huh always felt like two-parter to me"

Applejack pulled out Pinkie's strangling hug. "Speakin' ah which" She looked at her other friends stuggling to pull out of what remained of the group hug. "That night we learned we can handle anything tagether" Aj turned and faced Twilight as the others came and stood beside her.

Rainbow smirked. "Yeah Twi what she said, we'll always watch your back just like we know you'll watch ours, that's what friends are for"

Twilight observed her friends, noticing their love and support, the burden of fear she had felt growing as they approached the castle began to lighten. Before she could thank her friends a voice filled the courtyard. "As touching as this is I'm going to have cut this short, I have other commitments tonight, so if you'd care to join me" A silver aura engulfed the old doors of the castle and slowly pulled them open despite their creaks and squeals of protest revealing the grand if slightly rundown entryway. The six friends looked at each other, nodded in determination and slowly entered the old castle.

The Traveler’s Sorrow

by ShadowsDarkHeart

Prologue

Foalnapped!

Magic and Memories