> Intension
>  by MadMan
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Dark Matter
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight opened her eyes. She wasn’t sure what had caused her to wake up so suddenly in the middle of the night, but she had a prickly feeling at the back of her neck, and a nagging suspicion something was wrong. She looked around the room.

Nothing seems out of place....

Twilight’s eyes tracked around the room and didn’t immediately spot anything out of place, so she looked again. She still felt like she was missing something.

THERE!

Sitting on her desk, which had previously been blank, was a small scroll, rolled up and tied with a delicate black ribbon. It seemed to be smoking slightly, and as Twilight got out of bed and approached, she smelled a faint smell of sulphur, and saw the faint burn marks on the desk where the scroll was sitting.

So somepony teleported me a scroll.... 

Now that she had ascertained why she had been woken, Twilight’s focus turned to the scroll itself. It was fairly small, roughly six inches wide and seemed to be about eight inches long. The parchment itself looked to be very high quality, smooth and even, and edges finely cut with no fraying or tears, so whoever sent it had money, or at least wanted to appear so. But parchment like this could be bought in almost any suppy shop, so no clues there. The ribbon was a little more revealing. It was about half an inch wide, and was tied in a bow. The body of the ribbon was black, and appeared to be silk. The edges were a fine dark purple lace. Twilight eyed it carefully. She seemed to remember a textile shop in Canterlot that specialized in designs like this.

So, what she knew: It was probably from Canterlot, from a pony with high tastes and probably importance.

What in the world are they doing sending me a letter at this hour? It better be something important.

Twilight gripped the scroll with her magic and carefully untied the ribbon. She set it off to the side to reuse later. She slowly unravelled the scroll, only to find she had it upside down. Flipping it over, she began to read the small and ornate writing upon it.


Dear Twilight.

Forgive me for not revealing my identity to you, but I will explain.

I have had my eye upon you for some time now. Ever since you conquered Nightmare Moon and restored the precious Princess Luna to her own form, to be exact. I knew then you were something special, and it wasn’t just magical prowess that called Celestia to become your personal mentor. You are very intelligent, Twilight, as well as brave, and both would serve you well in this venture. I would like to give you an opportunity; an opportunity I have only offered once before.

I would like to work with you, and you with me, on a project of great importance. I believe we can be very mutually helpful to one another. I have searched long and wide to find a unicorn with such ability as yours. I have a need of you, and in return I can offer you almost anything you can imagine. Simply name your desire, and I will give it. I have great power and huge resources at my disposal, and I am willing to give a great deal in order for you to join me. If it is what you desire, I can advance your training and knowledge beyond what you have thought is possible. I can assist you to become as knowledgeable as the great Princesses.

If you choose not accept my generous offer, you may burn this letter, and put it out of your mind, and that will be the last of it. However, if you should wisely decide to accept, there is but one simple thing you must do. Next Friday, make sure you are alone at the library. Send Spike to Rarity’s, or wherever else you deem fit, just make sure we will not be interrupted. I will arrive at exactly eight o’clock. If Spike is gone and you accept, hang a lantern by the door. I will approach if it is so. If not, simply leave the doorway dark, and I will go on my way.

Hope to see you soon.

Twilight laid the enigmatic letter down on her desk and sat back on her haunches, staring at the paper quizzically. The fact somepony had been watching her for so long concerned her, but then again, it wasn’t so unexpected. She couldn’t deny, she was a very magically powerful unicorn, and it was not surprising that it had caught the eyes of one who was looking for such a thing. However, the fact that bothered her was that they would not reveal their identity, and wanted her alone, but once again, she reasoned it out. The project was obviously top secret and probably controversial. The letter was presumably from Canterlot, and whoever it was from knew the value of a good impression. Even though she was apprehensive, Twilight could think of  a good hoof full of reasons for secrecy. 

The opportunity for such learning, though..... Where could it possibly come from, if not from Celestia, or at least one working for her government? It’s just too good of an opportunity to pass up..... And besides, if they DO mean me harm, what chance do they have? I helped to defeat Nightmare Moon and Discord, not to mention an Ursa Minor all by myself.... 

Twilight continued to ruminate over this as she made her way back to bed and took refuge under the warm blankets and soft pillows. She was too tired to make such decisions, and vowed to make up her mind in the morning.


***


It was Friday, and Twilight was getting anxious as it approached eight o’clock. Spike had asked if he could go help Rarity with some new project, so Twilight didn’t have to expend any energy on that. She had hung a lantern by her doorway once the sun had gone down, and had settled down to wait. It was now four minutes until eight, and Twilight thought she was going to explode from the nervous energy building up inside of her.

She had reviewed the letter the morning after it had appeared on her desk, and had almost immediately decided to accept. The reasoning behind her decision was simple, and was much the same as what she had thought the previous night. She felt that if there was no danger and the letter was sincere, it was a marvelous opportunity to learn, not to mention help somepony with a project with implications she could only imagine. 

Twilight was watching the clock, and indeed at the exact moment the minute hand ticked over to eight, a knocking came from the door. Twilight walked to the door and pulled it open with her magic, and a little trepidation. Peeking outside, she got her first look at the mysterious benefactor. Standing outside the door was a unicorn of a deep shade of black, with a white mane, and grey eyes. A dark cloak wrapped around her neck and trailed down her back. Twilight opened the door fully and stood aside to let the unicorn in.

“Well, hello Twilight.”

“H... Hello.”

The mare walked past Twilight and began to unfasten her cloak.

“No need to be nervous, dear. I am perfectly friendly.”

“I... Yeah, sorry. I was just a bit nervous, I guess, since you never said who you were.”

The mare finally got her cloak off and hung it on a hook by the door. Twilight eyed the cloak for a moment; something about the way it hung seemed odd. However her concentration was drawn back to the mare, who had began to speak.

“Yes, I know. I sincerely apologize, but once I explain what my proposition entails, you will understand why I could not put it in a letter.”

“Alright. Well, shall we adjourn to the sitting room?”

“Yes. Lead the way, dear.”

Twilight did so, and the two mares moved to the small sitting room off the main room. Two comfy chairs waited, and the mares sat in them and got comfortable. The mysterious unicorn looked around the room, then back at Twilight and smiled.

“Well, then, let us get started. I realize I know you but you do not know me. My name is Axion, and I am a magical scholar, much like yourself. However, I prefer to focus on the scientific and physical ramifications.”

Twilight cocked her head to one side, trying to wrestle a meaning out of what Axion had just said. First, there was the issue of the given name.  

She is named after a hypothetical elementary particle, one thought to be a vital component in quantum chromodynamics and a possible component of cold dark matter. Well, I guess that reinforces what she said about being a scientist.

Second was what Axion had stated as her occupation.

“So, where I read a lot of books, you prefer to go out and actually perform the spells and experiments described?”

“Yes, as well as create my own. You’re very bright.”

“Well, that is why you said you were interested in me.”

“Very true. You are probably one of the smartest ponies in all of Equestria right now.”

Twilight blushed and turned her gaze to the floor between them.

“Oh, I highly doubt that. There are tons of more experienced scientists and scholars out there, and I bet at least some of them are a lot smarter than me.”

“You underestimate yourself, dear. Remember, you are the youngest ever to be accepted to Celestia’s school, and most of those scholars and scientists went there as well. Besides, if I thought they were a better match for me, why would I come to you?”

“I don’t know...”

“Well, I will say that intelligence isn’t the only reason I came to you. Your personality in general is perfect for me. You’re young and willing to learn, for one. So many of the scientists get stuck on their own beliefs and findings, they don’t want to be proven wrong. And for another, you have proven to be very brave, something else I hold in very high esteem.”

Twilight lifted her eyes back to Axion and found her to be smiling at the violet unicorn. 

“Well, that’s true I guess.... Thanks.”

“Not a problem at all dear. Now, let’s get down to business. I want to help you, and in return you help me.”

The way that Axion phrased her request seemed odd to Twilight.

Shouldn’t it have been, “If you help me, I’ll help you,” not the other way around? Something seems off... Maybe it was just a poor word choice though.

Axion must have noticed Twilight’s look of consternation, and quickly backtracked.

“I say it that way, because I would like to help you with whatever you desire, because once we get started on my project, it will be difficult for you to find time to enjoy yourself.”

That makes sense..... I guess.

“So, Twilight, is there anything in particular you want?”

“Um... Not really. I was just hoping to find out what your project is. Maybe afterwards I’ll think of something, but I just want to opportunity to learn for now.”

Axion laughed, a light laugh of one slightly amused.

“Yes! Thank you, Twilight! You could not have said a more perfect thing. I am completely positive now, you are the one. Then yes, we may get started. But I must warn you, it is not for the faint of heart. What we are going to achieve is completely unprecedented. We will be going where no pony has gone before.”

“.... Go on.”

“I am attempting to combine the magical force of two unicorns into one focal point, and then from there into a feedback loop through a crystal oscillator, and hopefully creating a superheterodyne regenerative circuit, which will feed into some sort of temporary reservoir, which will output one, and only one, pure wave. It not simply the combined waves of two unicorns, but one completely new, and powerful, overtone.”

Twilight leaned back in her chair as she tried to grasp the implications. When magic is combined, the power is increased exponentially, instead of in a linear function. However, it is a long-standing fact in the scientific community that power from two separate unicorns cannot be completely merged; there will always be two separate streams, powering each other. Such pulses are extremely temperamental, however, often having a sort of negative feedback and the two streams will reject each other, splitting in an unpredictable and often dangerous manner. If Axion could figure out a way to wholly combine two streams of magic, so many things would be open to ponies that were previously too dangerous or too power-intensive to try.

“What about systematic risk?”

“We will have a system that clearly defines how many times the circuit will run before output. Also, we will use very high-capacity hardware, and I don’t think we will even begin to approach the maximum level of the equipment, reducing if not eliminating the risk of meltdown.”

Twilight felt a grin spreading across her face. This was clearly a unicorn with vision and brains, and the will to use both. If they were successful, they would be hailed as the bringers of a new scientific age, one of progress and expansion beyond previous imagination. But suddenly, an intrusive thought wormed its way through her giddiness. 

“But..... Hundreds of others have all tried this same experiment, in thousands of different ways.... What makes your attempt different?”

Axion simply smiled at the bewildered librarian before her.

“You shall see soon enough, dear.”

Twilight smiled and clapped her hooves together.

“Great! How soon?”

“I am unsure. There are still a few things to get together before we may start. That is why I was hoping you may take your request now, while we have the spare time.”

Twilight leaned back in her chair and rubbed her hoof on her chin, thinking.

“I’m just not sure what I could ask for, really.”

“Well, take a little while to think about it. I’ll send you a letter in a few days time, and you may simply send your reply back with the messenger.”

"I will give it good thought."

Axion rose and made her way back to the front door. She opened it with a cloud of midnight blue fog embossed with white flecks, but before she left she turned back to Twilight, speaking with a suggestive glint in her eye.

"I can't wait to work with you. Take care."

And then she was gone, walking off into the night and quickly being enveloped in the darkness. Twilight stared after her for a moment, feeling that something felt wrong, some detail that she had missed. Shaking her head, Twilight closed the door and turned around. She moved to walk away, but paused with her hoof in the air. She looked at the empty coat hooks beside the door, studying them intently, so sure there was something out of place. Try as she might, though, no revelation was forthcoming, so Twilight shook her head and walked away.


***


"Ugh! I hate Tuesdays! They're like Mondays, but worse."

"What's the matter, Twilight?"

"Nothing, Spike. Just impatient."

"Still waiting on the letter from the scientist?"

"Yes. It's been a few days."

"Well, it'll be here soon enough."

Spike turned back to categorizing the pile of books beside him, and Twilight turned back  to the window she was gazing out of. She had patiently waited for the promised messenger, but none had yet come, so she had become impatient. She had spent considerable time thinking about what she could ask Axion for, and late one night, Twilight had a revelation. Axion had said that she had great power and resources available to her to fulfill Twilight's wish. Twilight had devised a plan to not only get something she wanted greatly and studied to great extent, but was also a way to test Axion's ability to grant it. Twilight wanted to know exactly how powerful this mysterious scientist was.

Several hours later, the sun had completed most of its journey across the sky and was preparing to relinquish its place in the heavens to the moon. The horizon to the west was glowing a multitude of colors as the sun set, turning the overhead clouds brilliant shades of red, orange, and purple. Twilight was upstairs in her study, finishing up some letters to patrons with overdue books. She had all but put out the thought of receiving any letters until the next day.

Abruptly, her attention was pulled from the letter she was writing to the nearest window. A light tapping could be heard, but Twilight couldn't see any discernible source. Moving to the window, she pushed it open, and was immediately ambushed by a bundle of black feathers. Twilight shrieked and fell the the floor, hooves over her head in an attempt to ward off a perceived attack. When none was coming, she opened her eyes and looked around. Sitting on her desk was a large crow, a letter folded and clamped in its beak.

Twilight cautiously stood and approached the crow. It sat still and quiet, eyes on her as she got closer. When she was only a few steps away, it opened its beak dropped the letter onto the desk, then hopped over to perch on a bookshelf. Twilight watched the bird for a moment, then unrolled the scroll and read it. It was short, only a few sentences, and basically said what Axion had said before; that she would give Twilight anything she asked in return to help Axion with her project. Twilight grinned and opened one of the drawers on the desk,  retrieving a pre-written response she had drafted earlier. Twilight rolled the parchment up carefully, then tied it shut with the same ribbon that had come on the first letter Twilight had received.

"CAW!"

"Oh shh...! Don't do that! You scared me!"

Twilight glared at the crow, which had picked that moment to let out a signal of its impatience.

"CAW!"

"Yes, this one is for you! Just hold on a second!"

Twilight tied the ribbon in a neat little bow, then help the letter out towards the crow. It eyed the parchment with beady black for a moment, as if trying to decided whether to take it or not. In one swift movement, it leaped off the shelf, snatched the letter from Twilight's outstretched hoof, and swooped out the window faster than the eye could follow. Twilight walked over and closed the window, then let out a sigh. She leaned against the window and closed her eyes for a moment.

Well, there's that sent. Now Axion can write back and tell me how foolish I am for asking for such a thing, or will accept and come do it. Either way, I should get quite an interesting response.

Twilight opened her eyes and turned to walk out of the study, intending on going to bed. As she snuggled into her blankets and lay her head on the soft pillows, a quiet thought slid across her mind, making her smile.

Either Axion will finally reveal exactly what her limits are, or she's going to attempt something not done in over five hundred years, just to get my help. Either way, I win. I can be quite clever sometimes.



> Evoking Ossification 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight silently paced back and forth across her study. She counted the steps from her wall to her desk, as she had done dozens of times in the past hour. She was so pent up with nervous energy it was impossible to sit still until Axion arrived. It had been a painful three days until the arranged time, when Axion was due to give Twilight her favor in return for Twilight agreeing to work on the project. Twilight was still nervous about some of the terms to their agreement, but try as she might, she couldn't justify her suspicions. Axion had been very thorough in soothing the violet librarians every objection. She seemingly had an answer for everything, but maybe that's what worried Twilight.

Twelve steps, now turn, twelve more. Now turn, twelve more....

At the appointed time of eight o'clock, a small knock reverberated from the library door, and Twilight almost tripped over her own hooves moving to open it. Twilight managed to avoid falling, however her weight fell against the door a bit harder than she meant to. Pulling open the door revealed Axion, a look of mild humor on her face.

"Excited to see me?"

"No, I just.. I meant yes, but it wasn't..."

"It's alright, dear, I can understand your excitement. You asked me something you thought nigh impossible, yet I promised, and here I am to make good on it."

"Yes, well...."

Twilight's mind was still racing, and a bit jumbled from her near fall.

Come on, brain! Cooperate!

"It is something I have long wondered about. I meant it as a test and for scientific interest, but at the same time, I quite desire it from a personal standpoint as well."

"I see. Well I can fully understand that. It is something a lot of ponies wish for. I for one have never felt the desire for it."

"I can see how it is not for everypony. But I have had some experience with it, although the alternatives just aren't the same."

"Agreed. Have you prepared the space I asked you for?"

"Yes, I have. This way, please."

Axion followed Twilight across the library, then through the small door that led down to the basement. The stairs were narrow, and there were a few cobwebs hanging about, despite Twilight's best efforts to remove them. The two mares went down the small passageway until they came out to the basement. It was one room, rectangular and empty. There had been no reason for any to come down there in years, and so the dust and cobwebs had been thick. After Axion had responded to Twilight's letter and accepted her request and detailed what she needed, Twilight had come down and cleaned it to a tolerable degree. Now off to the side sat a small table, bearing a few candles and a few pots of ink. Twilight had a few guesses as to what the ink was for, but they were long shots and she was waiting for Axion to reveal her intentions before making any guesses. Twilight walked to the table, and turned to face Axion, who was a few steps behind her.

"Well, here you go. Ten square feet of flat, empty floor space, and organic ink in three colors."

Axion walked to the table, and inspected the ink. A small dollop of red ink was lifted from its jar, encased in an orb of midnight blue magic. Axion eyed it closely for several seconds, then split the ball of ink into two smaller blobs. She eyed them closely for a few more seconds, then let them fall back into the jar. She repeated the process for the blue and black jars as well.

"You have done a fine job, Twilight. These inks are of the highest quality."

"Thank you. I followed your instructions perfectly. Is there enough?"

"Oh, more than enough. Truth be told, I needed less than half this amount. It's too bad organic ink goes bad so quickly. This might come in handy again some day, but I digress. Shall we start?"

Twilight felt her ears perk up, and her tail gave an involuntary swish of excitement.

"Yes!"

Axion let a small giggle escape her lips and looked at Twilight, one slim eyebrow lifted.

"One quick question first; I confess, I'm curious. How did you know this was possible?"

"My foalsitter when I was a filly was Princess Mi Amore Cadenza. I never thought much of it, but when I got older and learned more about the Royal Princesses and Princess Cadence's family, I got curious. After a few years of researching on my own time, I found an old book that spoke of it. There were few details, but more than enough for me to understand the basic process."

"Then you know how difficult it is."

"Yes. I never even thought of trying it on my own."

"A wise move. It can be very dangerous if not done properly."

"Yes. In the same book were several accounts of those that attempted to replicate it."

"I'm sure that made for gruesome reading."

Axion turned back to the table and lifted a measured amount of ink into the air with her magic.

"Well, I guess that's my curiosity quenched. If you have no other questions, we may proceed."

"Only one: Will this process change me fully, on the biological level like the original, or will it be simply a permanent physical manifestation?"

"A complete transformation. It will be in your genes, and the genes of any foals you might have. It will be painful, of course. I will bear no ill thought to you if you do not choose to go through with it. Are you sure you want to continue?"

Twilight nodded, not trusting her tongue to form words, as it suddenly had become glued to the roof of her mouth. For the second time in only a few minutes, she found herself at a loss for words.

I am not nervous. I knew this would be the case. I knew what I was getting into. Didn't I?

Axion nodded solemnly and turned back to her ink.

"Okay then. Let's begin."

The blob of red ink currently held in Axion's magic drifted over to the blank space of floor, and began to spread itself. At first, it seemed like a random collection of lines scribbled on the floor, as if by a foal, but soon a figure began to take shape. Twilight's eyes widened as she realized one of her most far-fetched hypothesis was coming true. She glanced at Axion, who was focusing completely on making sure each line was perfectly straight, with no excess ink anywhere.

Around the perimeter of the area was a square, perfectly symmetrical. On the inside of the square, archaic runes were written in an old language few knew even existed, and none spoke. Twilight knew a few of these from research into ancient rituals, but didn't know the meanings of any of them. After all the runes were laid around the square, a second square was formed beneath them, giving them their own separate layer. 

Next, Axion took hold of the green ink, and went to work on the inside of the inside square. A third square was formed, the corners touching the midpoints of the sides of the square around it. More symbols began to write themselves around the inside edge of this square as well.

Finally, Axion lifted a small amount of the black ink and drew a circle in the center of the pentacle, the outer perimeter barely meeting the bottom of the runes in four places. Small triangles were formed around the inside of the circle, the bases on the circle, pointing inwards. Twilight knew this was where she was to stand during the process. The entire thing was designed to better focus magical power into a single point or object placed in the middle. Twilight had read very little about these ancient formations, and had come to believe they had been rendered pointless by modern advances in crystal focal lenses, but here was Axion, making one, and dead serious about it.

Axion finished and took a step back to admire her work and let the ink dry before beginning. The red had began to dry already, and to Twilight looked nothing less than blood, a morbid thought she hurriedly pushed from her head lest it make her even more nervous than she already was. 

"There. I am finished with this step. Now we just let it dry before we can truly begin."

"Could we not dry it with magic and begin immediately?"

"No. No magic must touch this until the main spell. As these circles are used, their power is diminished rapidly with each consecutive use, and they are very sensitive. Even the smallest spell will drain it a perceptible amount, and we will need all the help we can get. As well, we cannot risk smudging it in the slightest, or it will fail."

"I see.... I've never seen any complete description in any book, much less a picture. How do you know how to make one, and all the details? Do you know what the runes mean?"

"There are other places to learn than the Royal Library. Luna might know of this, as things like this were still within knowledge when she was banished, even though it was ancient even then. However, sometime during the next thousand years, or maybe even before that, Celestia deemed it sensitive material and had it removed, along with many other subjects."

"But... Why? Isn't that what the restricted section is for?"

"Celestia decided some topics were too dangerous for even the restricted section. She has grown shrewd in her many years, and has learned from olden times. If knowledge such as this is available, eventually there are those that will use it for less than noble purposes. Even though the Princesses would be there almost immediately to put an end to any madness that could come from it, much harm could be done before then."

"So she did it to protect us?"

Axion was silent, and turned to give Twilight an odd look, one somewhere between bemused and grim.

"It was to protect, yes..."

Twilight met Axion's gaze, and considered asking if there was any further explanation. Before she could say anything though, Axion turned back to the circle and closely examined the ink.

"It seems quite dry. If you are ready...?"

Twilight felt the familiar apprehension again, but crushed it back down with force of will, and nodded. Axion noticed her nervousness, and smiled.

"Do not worry, Twilight. I understand how risky this would be ordinarily, but I urge you to remember, I am not ordinary, and neither are you. Between the both of us, I am completely confident of success."

Twilight returned Axion's smile.

"Thank you. What would you like me to do?"

"Go stand in the middle of the circle, and make sure to be as centered as you can. Do your best not to step on the lines, please."

Twilight gingerly stepped into the middle of the innermost circle, taking care to avoid all the lines and writing. As soon as she was centered, she felt a small chill run down her back and through her coat, similar to the static she feels when pulling on a thick sweater. She looked around quizzically, then turned to Axion who had walked to one side of the outer square and now had her eyes closed, concentrating. Her horn was glowing just slightly, and after a moment the runes on the outer ring began to glow a very faint red. The glow very slowly began to creep over the rest of the red ink until the outer layers were all glowing. At this point, Axion opened her eyes halfway and looked at Twilight.

"I assure you this is completely safe and under my control, but I feel obligated to tell you this is your last chance to change your mind. Once I power up the inner circle and runes, you must not leave the circle or we will experience extremely violent magical backlash."

Twilight swallowed a knot in her throat and managed to croak her answer.

"I'm fine."

A miniscule smile appeared on Axion's face and she closed her eyes again. The glow on her horn intensified, and the red glow from the outer layers behaved similarly. The feeling of static got more intense on Twilight's coat, making her hair stand on end, and a deep roar filled her ears, like a waterfall from a distance. The red glow got brighter, creating the illusion that the floor surrounding Twilight was molten. The green ink then slowly began to glow as well, starting very faintly at first, then getting more intense. Twilight was expecting the red and green to create a purple glow where they met, but there was no blending. Instead, there seemed to be some sort of barrier where they collided, neither glow encroaching on the other. The green glow kept getting brighter, until it was as bright as the red. 

Twilight looked up from the mesmerizing spectacle around her to Axion. The black unicorn had her brow furrowed, and her horn was covered in a wavering blue mist, flickering and waving as if it was on fire. The magic wasn't flowing straight from the horn to the circle, however, instead trailing down the horn and the sleek black body, then to the hooves, where it flowed gracefully to the floor, making it seem as if the unicorn was connected to the stone, a living statue. The red glow directly in front of her was shining on her face, casting shadows that played around her eyes in an odd way, making her seem almost demonic to Twilight.

The violet unicorn turned her eyes back down the the circle around her. She was expecting the black ink to start glowing like the other layers were. However, the black circle and  triangles were as cold and black as they were when they were drawn. The glow didn't seem to extend into the circle either, creating a dark circle in the middle of the shining spectrum around Twilight. She kept looking at the black lines, expecting them to do something. Before anything happened with them, though, the outer layers caught her attention again. The inscribed runes had began to seemingly float, creating an apparition of the runes still written on the floor. The squares were still stationary, but the floating runes lifted to about four feet off the ground, then began to waver, as if seen from under a layer of water. The static running through Twilight's coat had intensified as the runes had lifted, but soon the feeling was washed away, replaced with a sort of flowing, like she was under a downward blowing wind.

Then the black circle finally began to react. The black wasn't glowing with light, but seemed to get even darker instead, as if it was absorbing the light around it. It began to lift off the floor like the runes, but the difference was there was no circle left on the floor. The ink itself  was floating, raising to eye level. Then it started to constrict around Twilight, until it seemed as if it was only inches away from her. But then she blinked, and she could see that it was still the same distance from her, and the strong magic was just playing tricks on her eyes.

Suddenly, Axion threw her head back and her eyes opened wide, but instead of being the calm grey the eyes had been, instead they were solid black, blacker than black, almost blending in with the black coat, but with the same light-absorbing properties as the circle around Twilight. Axion's mouth opened as if yelling with strain, but no sound reached Twilight, whose ears were only filled with the quiet roaring of acting magic. The static feeling returned, but it was even stronger than before, the intense shock running through her muscles making it nearly impossible to move. Her eyelids began to flicker with the shock, blinking rapidly and uncontrollably. Then the current began to siphon away from the majority of Twilight's body and began to focus on Twilight's back.

It's happening...

The feeling in Twilight's back had began to feel like a burning, as if there was a hot iron inches away from her skin. The iron slowly moved closer, until Twilight felt like her skin was blistering with the heat, her coat on fire. She screamed, but couldn't even hear herself over the roar of magic. The runes around her glowed even brighter, until they were almost impossible to look at. Soon, the roar had gotten so loud it was deafening, and the light got so bright Twilight had to close her eyes. She lowered her head, and screamed again as the pain in her back intensified. The light and the noise and the pain all reached a crescendo. Suddenly, they all pulsed in unison, making Twilight's legs nearly buckle. They pulsed again, and Twilight felt her back legs give out as her back seemed to lose all sensation and her rump hit the floor. Another pulse, and Twilight was faintly aware of her front legs giving away, and she collapsed. She gritted her teeth and bit back another scream. A fourth pulse coursed through her, and Twilight fought to stay conscious. She felt a cold blackness creeping on her mind, and the pain in her back was faded behind it, but she was still aware of it. Another pulse racked her body, and Twilight was sure she was about to pass out. She felt smothered, as if under a thick blanket. 

Then, like water draining out of a tub, all the feeling began to leak away, The pain, the noise, the claustrophobia, everything began to feel very faint. Twilight knew she should have been terrified, but instead all she felt was sleepy, as if after a long day of physical exertion. She couldn't open her eyes, and her limbs felt like they were made of lead and too heavy to budge. Twilight could barely summon the energy to run a last thought through her head.

Is this .... What it feels like..... To die.....?

Through the blackness, Twilight could barely feel the pain, and all she could hear was deafening silence. She barely felt an odd feeling in her back, as if she had extra limbs sprouted out, even though they were as heavy and immobile as the rest of them. A tiny ribbon of thought flew through her mind, barely enough to register as an emotion. She felt a miniscule hint of the feeling of success, but before she could fully explore it, a last jolt of power ran through her body. Twilight felt like she should open her eyes, move a leg, or anything to enforce her mind on her body, but the blackness on her mind was too far in, too completely covering. Slowly, she felt herself slip into the sweet serenity of unconsciousness. 

Twilight opened her eyes slowly. She blinked a few times, but each time it took great effort. She kept blinking, fighting the lethargy running through her body. All other emotions were jaded, and it took all her effort to keep blinking. She clung to the thoughts that kept her eyes blinking, and used all mental ability at her disposal to make them keep going. She couldn't even process the light coming through her optic nerves to form a picture, but she kept blinking, focusing on it, on the one thing that proved she was alive. As time slowly went on, after what seemed like hours, the blinking became easier and faster, and Twilight was able to put some mental processing power to other things. The first thing she did was make sense of what she was seeing. She was laying flat on her stomach, and she was still in the middle of the circle. The lines about her were no longer black, but instead a dull grey. After a minute of assessing the grey lines in front of her, Twilight was able to move her pupils and look at the other lines. The red and green had all faded away to the same dull grey, as if all the color had been stolen by the magic. The lines looked as if they had been burned into the floor rather than drawn with ink.

Twilight closed her eyes, and repurposed the energy from seeing into moving. She was barely able to shift her front left leg, maybe an inch. But it was progress, and Twilight kept at it. Soon, she was able to move both of her front legs, and she decided to try and lift them. It was difficult, but she managed to push her legs underneath her and began to push herself up. It felt as if she was lifting the weight of the world, but she persisted. Inch by inch, her body raised into a sitting position. Her head hung low, her neck bent, but with great effort Twilight was able to lift her head. She opened her eyes, and immediately closed them as she looked right into one of the lanterns still burning on the table. She turned her head a little and tried again. This time, her eyes opened on Axion, who was sitting where she had been standing, just outside the square. Her head was hanging a little, but her eyes were open and she was smiling at Twilight. Neither of them could summon the energy to speak, so they sat looking at each other for a span of minutes. During this time, Twilight tried to move her back legs. She could feel them, but they were stubbornly paralyzed. She looked back at Axion, who had finally risen to her feet. Not to be outdone, Twilight persisted trying to stand.

After more of the greatest effort she could manage, Twilight shakily stood. She closed her eyes and rejoiced in her small victory for a moment, then opened her eyes again and looked back to Axion, who was still focused on Twilight.

"Twilight, how do you feel?"

".....Tired."

That small word came out as not much more than a whisper, and Twilight was left with too little energy to even close her mouth afterward. Twilight lifted one leg with the intention of taking a step, but sat it back down in the spot it had been. She gritted her teeth and summoned all the energy in her body into her muscles, then was able to take a step. Then she took another, and another, moving forward without a destination, happy to just be able to walk. After half a dozen exhausting steps, she reached the wall in front of her. With more great effort, she turned to her left and continued walking. Before long, she had completed a few laps of the room, and enough vitality had returned to her to have the majority of her body back under her control. She turned to look at Axion, who was standing in place, watching Twilight with a look of unabashed pride.

"You are up and moving very well. I would have guessed you would be lying on the floor for another half hour, but again I have underestimated you."

"Another half hour? I was out for half an hour?"

"A little more. You lost consciousness just after the spell was finished."

Twilight returned Axion's proud grin with one of her own.

"It was successful?"

"See for yourself."

Twilight hesitated a second before turning her head to regard her back. Where had once been a blank expanse of violet, now was interrupted by two majestic wings sprouting out of her back, just behind her shoulders and a few inches to the side of her spine. They hung limply by her sides, but as the looked at them, she became more aware of them and was able to wiggle them. She continued to wiggle them around, and was soon able to lift them. She managed to lift them straight up, then brought them down with a small woosh. She lifted them and flapped again. It was barely coordinated, but it was flapping. She felt them generate a small amount of upward force, not nearly enough to lift her, but she was confident they would soon enough. She folded them, awkwardly at first, but shifted them until they were comfortable. They still felt odd to her, but she was still getting used to the idea that they had actually succeeded.

"Axion, they're.... Beautiful."

"Indeed. They seem so natural to you, as if you were born with them. You look simply fabulous."

Twilight blushed a little bit, and felt her wings shuffle a bit involuntarily.

I'm going to have to make sure to get these under control. I can't have them giving away all my emotions like a mood ring.

"Thank you, Axion, thank you so very much. I never dreamed I would one day have wings of my own. Thank you. I owe you so much."

"It is quite amazing, isn't it? And do not worry, you can repay me by working on my project with me. But for now, you can begin by leading me to the kitchen. I am famished."

Twilight smiled widely and nodded, and walked towards the stairs leading to the rest of the library. Her mind had recovered close to completely, and was now a hive of activity. But one  excited thought kept pushing out all the others and remained the most prominent as she walked up the stairs with Axion behind her.

I have wings.... I have wings! I will fly! I will fly, all by myself! I have WINGS!!!

> Research Abeyance 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

With deliberate slowness, Twilight flew towards her destination. She flapped her wings in a measured pace, just fast enough to maintain her altitude. She looked down upon the landscape under her, nearly ten thousand feet below. Individual ponies were nearly invisible, and buildings were mere spots. Entire forests passed underneath her in seconds, trees melting into a single green mass. Few birds, if any, were near her in height, so far up was she. Even some low hanging clouds were beneath her, even though the majority were higher or equal to her. One was directly ahead of her now, so Twilight tilted her wings and let some of the wind spill out of them, lowering her altitude by about a hundred feet before leveling off again. She looked around her, taking in the position of the sun and the features of the ground below, and calculated she only had a few minutes left before she arrived at her destination. She felt a pang of sadness at this, but then remembered the papers she had in her saddlebag and all regret was immediately purged.

If this works like the algorithms suggest, a new era of scientific advancement can commence!

That thought stuck with Twilight as she began her descent. Her target was a modest stone building, set in the middle of a small forest, almost a hundred miles west of Ponyville. By hoof, it was a long journey, but by wing it was fairly easy, provided the weather was favorable. Twilight had managed to fly the distance in only a few hours, which meant that she could commute from here back to the library almost every night.

She swooped low over the roof of the humble seeming stone building, then circled around to land in front of the doors. It wasn't a graceful landing, with Twilight skidding and almost falling onto her face, but she stayed on her feet and it was a successful landing nonetheless. Until recently, most of her landing had ended on her face or flank, but over the past six months she had gotten more used to it, and it helped Rainbow Dash had given her some lessons. Now when she flew, all that distinguished her from the other pegasi was her horn and slightly clumsy landings.

Twilight slid to a stop just a few feet shy of the doors, which had already begun to open. At first she had been unnerved by Axion's self identifying and self opening doors, but had soon began to realize the ingeniousness behind them. They would open themselves, but only to those that were permitted by Axion. Twilight casually strolled in the doors, not flinching when they closed behind her. The building was composed of one room, barely bigger than her library's main room, and mostly empty. A single table sat along the opposite wall, papers stacked precariously high. Twilight walked to the table, then off to the right. She pressed a stone at roughly shoulder height that looked like all the others, but as soon as it was pushed the wall began to move, a narrow hidden doorway revealing itself. Twilight walked through this door, and down the steps behind. Down she went, until she came out into a large and brightly lit room. As wide as the building above, but twice as long, this room was packed with many scientific apparati, some complete, some simply piles of wires and metal, waiting to be assembled.

"Axion! Where are you?"

"Back here, dear!"

The reply came from the back of the room, and Twilight carefully picked her way between the various obstacles until she reached Axion. The black unicorn was standing beside a giant red jewel, with one flat surface, and the other shrouded in a large metal funnel with a multitude of wires coming out of it from numerous angles. The jewel was nearly twenty feet tall, and the funnel went from that size to a small opening that was six inches wide over an extension of about ten feet. The opening was unblocked at the moment, but the notes Twilight had found described what was needed to go there in order to complete the device. 

This contraption was what Twilight and Axion had been slaving over for the past few months. The giant jewel was the focal point to harness the two streams of magic that were to be directed to its flat surface. It had been cut and polished until there was not a single imperfection in it. The large funnel was filled with advanced and complicated circuitry, which would hopefully combine the two streams into one. All that was missing was the last piece, something to hold and store the new magic that should come out of the funnel. The pair had had some difficulties finding an appropriate container, as the force coming out would be extremely powerful, and would most likely cause a devastating explosion if the container was insufficient. Axion was currently inspecting some of the wires, but turned to Twilight when she approached.

"Ah, Twilight. It is nice to see you again. How was your weekend?"

"Very good! I found some old notes in the Canterlot archives about an old utensil used to store magical energy. It's supposedly strong enough to safely contain the power from multiple unicorns. The description is very vague, but I think that one might still exist hidden, or that we might be able to recreate it. I think that with a few modifications, it would be more than sufficient for our purposes."

"Very good! Do you have the notes?"

"I made copies. I was unsure if Celestia would approve of some of the oldest surviving writings in the archives being removed. "

"I agree. It is good you were able to take copies, although very risky. I'm sure you understand by now how sensitive the Princess is when concerning certain matters."

"Yes. Here, the copies are in my bag."

Twilight went to a nearby table and laid out the pages. They then spent much time deliberating over the notes, talking about the artifact described and what changes should be made for it to work. After several hours, they had arrived at one inescapable conclusion: A central piece of the artifact would be needed, one very secret and hidden, but seen by thousands every day. Hidden in plain sight, a small jewel with ancient and mystical powers, shrouded in legend that most had never heard, and those that had heard of it dismissed it as an old tale. Axion had first voiced the hypothesis, and although Twilight was slow to believe her, Axion was able to convince Twilight one such artifact was real.

"The Crown Jewel."

"The one set into Celestia's breastplate?"

"The one and the same."

Twilight was still and silent for a long moment. She had never realized that the shining purple jewel that was the centerpiece of Celestia's decorative ensemble was an old magical relic. The more she thought about it, the more sense it made that Celestia would want it nearby at all times. If even half the legends about it were true, it was a mighty tool indeed.

Legends surrounding the Crown Jewel, or the Sun Stone as it was often called, were as varied as they were many. It was said that it was given to Celestia when she became a Princess, and that it was the source of most of her power. It was said that it was what had enabled Celestia the power to move both the sun and the moon during Luna's banishment, and that without it she would only be able to move the sun, but that it would drain most of her energy and she would be powerless elsewhere. The legends also claimed there was a matching Moon Stone for Luna, but it had been lost long ago, which explained why Luna was so much smaller and less powerful than her sister. Twilight regarded most of these legends as outdated conspiracy theories, but here were notes saying that the Sun Stone was real, so maybe it was true there was another. Either way, they only needed one for their purposes, and they knew where to find it. However, a nagging thought came to her, and she could not see a way around it.

"But Axion, I don't think Princess Celestia would allow us to use it, even if it really is the Sun Stone, most likely because of that very reason. She would loathe to part with it."

"That is true. I am unsure how to proceed. You could possibly simply ask for it. You are her beloved pupil, possibly her most favorite out of the few she has had over the years."

"No, I don't think that would work..."

Twilight was silent for another moment, thinking.

"I wonder......Axion, what if we asked Luna?"

"About the Moon Stone?"

"Yes. Maybe she can help us find it, if it is lost and does exist. Maybe as part of us helping her find it, we can use it, and promise to return it to her afterwards."

"But, that would require us giving up what could be one of the most powerful artifacts in the Kingdom. As well, we would need it for some time, to study. And once again, I'm sure the thought of us altering something as legendary as that would give Luna pause about it. She may decide it is better left hidden."

This left Twilight silent again, this time for longer. But her brain had never failed to solve a problem yet, and soon Twilight had thought of another solution.

"Maybe we don't have to. If we had it to examine, I'm sure that between the two of us we could replicate it, or at least get close enough for it to work. That way, we wouldn't need it for near as long, and we would not need to perform experiments in it."

"No, I do not think that we could. The origins of the Stones are long hidden, and I am fairly sure it is far beyond even our power, possibly even the Princesses, to make another. We need the real one, Twilight. I can see no other way around it."

Consternation and indecision wrapped around Twilight's mind. They would either need to acquire Celestia's Stone, which would likely prove impossible, or find the lost Moon Stone, and possibly have it immediately taken.

One path ends as soon as it begins, and the other is a hard road to a dead end.

"I don't know. I think that if Luna was happy enough to have the Stone back, she might let us keep it for at least a little while. I mean, if she'd been without out it for centuries, a few more weeks wouldn't make much difference, would it? I think it's worth a try. Besides, she is slightly indebted to me and my friends from saving her from Nightmare Moon. It might be worth a shot."

At the words Nightmare Moon, Axion flinched a little and looked away. Twilight didn't think much of it,though. Many ponies were still terrified of Nightmare Moon, and even of Luna herself. She had wreaked much destruction and fear throughout Equestria in her reign of terror, before and after her banishment. What Twilight couldn't explain, however, was the small spark in Axion's eyes and the half grin on her face when she turned back to Twilight.

"Yes, perhaps you're right. It might be worth a shot. We don't exactly have any other alternatives. You should go now, it is getting late, and we have made significant progress today. Take some time off, go talk to Luna, and come back in a week. Maybe by then we will either be on the hunt for the Stone, or I will have found an alternative."

"Are you sure? There is still a lot we have to work on the machine. The oscillator still needs timing adjustments, and the superheterodyne circuit might still..."

Axion laughed lightly and laid a hoof on Twilight's shoulder, stopping her mid sentence.

"Nothing I cannot do on my own. But it will all be for naught if we don't get something to cap it all off. Besides, you deserve some time off, we've been working so hard. Now go. I don't want you flying at night, not yet. You're still new to airborne navigation."

"Yes, I suppose you're right. I guess I'll see you in a week."

"Take much care, Twilight."

Twilight had began to walk back to the entrance of the laboratory. She called back over her shoulder at Axion, now hidden behind machinery and experiments.

"I will, and you too. And I only got lost three times!"

A laugh floated back from behind the mess, and Twilight smiled as she left the room. When she exited the stone building, she saw that the sun was slightly lower than she had anticipated.

I'm going to have to hurry to get back to Ponyville before it gets dark. Well, good thing my wings are strong!

Twilight took off into the cool dusk air, reveling in her still unaccustomed-to ability to fly. No matter how much she flew, every time it was revolutionary, every time she found new feelings to bask in, and new ways to interpret the world around and beneath her. It was very relaxing, and a great time to think, which she did.


The next morning, Twilight woke thinking optimistic thoughts. She had spent most of the flight home trying to decide how she would word her request to Luna, and by the time she had gone to bed, she felt she had found a way that provided the best margin of success. She would try to appeal to Luna in the sense that the return of the jewel would help bring balance to the Princess's rule, and hopefully allowing Twilight and Axion to study the Stone would allow a major advance in technology in Equestria, ushering a new era of prosperity and security. Surely that would appeal to Luna's love for Equestria.

After waking, Twilight spent an hour writing down what she had come up with so far, and committing what she could to memory. This was definitely something best discussed face to face, rather than a scroll. After she felt she had the basis of her proposition memorized, she headed downstairs to have some breakfast before flying to Canterlot. It was a long flight compared to what she was used to, some three hours, and Twilight wanted all the energy she could get for the journey. She could smell Spike cooking, and abruptly realized she had skipped dinner last night, and was starving. Before she went down the stairs, she looked in the mirror for a moment, almost positive she would be able to see her stomach touching her spine. However, that was not the case, even though she felt like it. Twilight smiled at her own silly thoughts, and headed downstairs, following the tantalizing smell of food.

"Spike! What are you cooking? It smells delicious!"

Spike answered from in front of the stove, where he was just putting the finishing touches on two plates.

"Sauteed mushrooms and dandelion salad for you, and a sapphire sandwich for me. I realized you came in late last night and went right to bed without dinner, so I made you a double helping."

"Why thank you! You're exactly right, I was starving when I woke up, and I have a lot to do today, so I need a hearty breakfast to start the day. Studies have shown that a good breakfast can make all the difference in a busy day."

"Are you going to go work with Axion again today?"

"No Spike, I have to fly to Canterlot to talk with Princess Luna about some stuff.  Axion gave me the week off, she said I deserved some after all the hard work we've been doing."

"But Twilight, doesn't Princess Luna work all night and sleep all day?"

Twilight froze in the middle of sitting down at the kitchen table. Spike was right, Luna might be asleep by now, and almost certainly in a few hours when Twilight would reach Canterlot. She had been so focused on what she would say she completely forgot about that. Now her plans were all messed up. She would have to go to Canterlot at night to speak to Luna. 

"Well, I guess I have a day off then. What shall we do?"

"Well, I asked because Rarity came by yesterday and left a note for you. She wanted to invite you to one of her and Fluttershy's spa days, which is today."

"Oh, it is Tuesday, isn't it? Well, since I have a day off, I think I'll take her up on that. It's been a long time since I've been to the spa, which is a shame. It's so relaxing."

"Well, she said that they usually don't go until about two, so you have some time."

"Oh, good. I can relax and help you categorize and sort some books, then head over to the boutique at about one."

"Well, actually Twilight, there hasn't been much business to the library lately, and without you here to mess everything up, I've been able to sort everything pretty well on my own. I was going to take an easy day, myself."

Twilight chose to ignore his comment about her making a mess; it was true enough. She would often forgot to put books back in their place, especially if she had several of them out for reference.

"Well then. I guess you and me have a lazy morning! You want to play some board games?"

"Sure!"

Spike and Twilight finished their breakfasts, and cleaned the dishes. Then Twilight went upstairs and brought down one of their favorite board games. Spike jumped out of his seat and cheered when he saw which one she picked.

"Oh boy, Trivial Pursuit! It's been awhile since we've played each other, and I've had a lot more time to learn more meaningless trivia. I'm sure I'll beat you this time!"

Six games later, Spike had only been able to win one game, and it had been mostly luck that he got easy questions, although he was sure Twilight had missed a few on purpose to let him win. Even so, he was just happy to win. Twilight was the self-proclaimed champion of the game, and sure enough, her losses were few and far between. After the last game, Twilight began to put away the game.

"Well, Spike, good playing. You are a lot better than you used to be. You were close a few times, and even won once! But it's getting close to time for me to go meet Rarity. You don't mind, do you?"

"Of course not. You need some relaxing time at the spa. I think I'll just curl up in a quiet corner and read or something. I'll be fine for the day."

"Alright. I'll see you later!"

Twilight left the library and went out into the warm spring day. The sky was clear and blue, so she unfurled her wings and took to the sky. It wasn't very far to the boutique, but Twilight couldn't resist making a loop around town before meeting Rarity, and with wings she was able to do so and still make it there before she would have walking. Her gentle knock on the door was a hurried reply, as if she caught the seamstress when she was busy.

"Just a minute! Be right with you!"

Twilight took a step back to wait, but no sooner than she did the door was opened, and Rarity stood there, a measuring cord draped around her neck and her red rimmed glasses on.

"Oh, Twilight! So nice to see you! How may I help you?"

"I came to let you know I would accept your invitation to the spa. I have a gap in my responsibilities, and decided I would like to spend it catching up with my friends!"

"Well that is delightful to hear! Come in, I was just waiting on Fluttershy."

"Are you busy? You have your working glasses on."

"I was just fiddling with a dress, but it's not very urgent. Come in, I insist!"

Twilight followed Rarity into the shop, and through the main room the the sitting room where they sat on several large pillows scattered around.

"So, darling, how have you been? You've been so busy and secretive, none of us have hardly seen you in months!"

"I know, and I'm sorry. I just get so caught up in research that I can hardly have time to sleep anymore! It's just so exciting!"

"Well, if you could even hint at what you're working on I could share in your excitement."

"Sorry, but it's kinda secret. I promise you'll find out soon enough, though. It's revolutionary!"

"Oh, I believe you! First you show up with those magnificent wings, which I must admit I am jealous of. I know how glorious it is to fly, and I sometimes dream of having them back. Too bad the spell is as difficult and risky as you say. Then you're off all the time doing Celestia knows what at all hours! It's positively mysterious. It reminds me of a novel I am reading in which...... Was that the door? Fluttershy must have arrived."

They went to the door to find Fluttershy, who was as excited to see Twilight as Rarity had been. 

"Oh, Twilight! Have you decided to come with us to the spa?"

"Yes I have. I decided I needed some relaxing after working so hard."

"Well the spa is a better place than any. Lotus and Aloe are simply marvelous at what they do. Are you ready, Rarity?"

"Yes, darling, let me just lock up and we can be on our way."

The trio was soon on their way to the spa, where the spa ponies Lotus and Aloe were already waiting on them, having been long accustomed to Rarity's and Fluttershy's regular visits. They were pleased to have another pony to doat upon, and at Rarity's insistence they began to give Twilight the "Ambassador's Package" which consisted of the finest of their treatments.

"Don't worry dear, I'll pay for this one. And Fluttershy, I'll get yours this week as well."

"Thank you, Rarity!"

"Oh, thanks Rarity. I'll get next week's for you."

While Rarity got her horn polished and Fluttershy got her wings groomed, Twilight was ushered off into a separate corner of the room and put into a relaxing mud bath. Aloe was attending to her, and began to manicure Twilight's hooves while she reclined in the warm mud. She tsked audibly over the shape of Twilight's hooves. She remarked on it in a thick accent.

"My dear, your 'ooves are simply worn to shods! You must 'ave been working very hard."

"Oh, yes. It's been very tiring, but rewarding."

"I would agree! I 'ave heard of your exploits with your wings! Simply amazing! We shall preen them shortly, it is part of the package."

"Why thank you! I've never had them groomed before. I bet it is wonderful."

"Oh, yes! We take the utmost care in making visits to our spa as relaxing and comfortable as can be."

And indeed, the spa visit was working miracles for Twilight. She was feeling more relaxed and rejuvenated than she had in a long time. During the massage, Aloe was able to work out kinks in Twilight's muscles she didn't even know she had. The wing grooming was also incredibly relaxing, making her wings feel better than they ever had. Twilight felt that a flight from Ponyville to Canterlot would not be nearly as taxing as it would be otherwise. 

After all the massages and horn polishing and wing grooming, Twilight was rejoined with Rarity and Fluttershy on the hot tub, where they all had their hair up and were enjoying fine tea. They spent the time chatting, Twilight catching up on Fluttershy's animals and Rarity's dresses. They spent some time talking about Twilight's new wings, which was a topic both were fascinated by. Rarity was talking about the new dresses and fashions she could make Twilight to accentuate her wings, and Fluttershy was interested on what Twilight thought about flying. After what seemed to be too short of a time, the three were leaving the spa. Rarity turned to Twilight as they went out the door.

"Twilight, darling, what have you planned for the rest of the day?

"I was going to go check up on the rest of the girls. You're welcome to come, of course."

"Oh, I'm sorry, but that's fine. I suppose that dress does need to be finished soon, so I must bow out."

"Fluttershy?"

"I'm sorry, but I have a sick wolf I need to be getting back to. He has an awful cold."

"Well, that's fine. I'm just going to go to Sweet Apple Acres. I'll see you two later!"

"Bye!"

"Goodbye, Twilight! Hope to see you soon!"

They all went on their respective ways, Twilight taking to the air once again to fly to Sweet Apple Acres. She made it in less than half the time it would have taken walking, and flew loops around the orchards until she spotted Applejack, tending to some trees in the eastern field. Applejack turned to Twilight as she landed, smiling and shaking her head at the graceful wings.

"Shoot, girl, no matter how many times I see 'em, I'm still havin' a hard time believin' it."

"I know, it's a lot to get used to. How have you been? I'm sorry I haven't been around much. Lots to do, and all."

"I hear that. I got all these here trees to take care of, and it's work from sunup to sundown."

"How are the trees? The apples look like they're growing nicely."

"Yeah, we're gonna have a big harvest here in about two months. Me and Big Mac are already gettin' ready for it, gettin' all the baskets and carts together, stuff like that."

"Has Rainbow Dash been able to push enough rain here to keep them watered?"

"Oh yeah. Speakin' of her, she's napping in one of these trees around here somewhere. Lemme see if I can find her."

"Alright."

"RAINBOW! TWI'S HERE! WAKE UP!"

A grunt came from a tree twenty yards away, and after a pause a rainbow colored blur came streaking out of it to tackle Twilight in a flying Dash Hug.

"Twilight! Where you been? You said you'd let me teach you how to fly awesomely like me!"

"I know, I know, but I told you I'm busy! It's nice to see you too."

Twilight managed to untangle herself from Rainbow Dash's hug and they stood.

"Yeah, it's been awhile. I see you flying around sometimes, and I gotta say, you've gotten better. All you gotta do is work on your landings you'll have flying in the bag!"

"Hey, my landings aren't that bad! But it's true, I am still a bit awkward."

"Well, it's only six months. It's taken me years to be as good as I am today. Don't feel too bad that you can't grace the skies with wonderment and magnificence like me!"

"Since when do you use big words?"

"Since always, Applejack! I just don't use them too often or they lose their punch, just like a good trick! You do it all the time, and ponies begin to get bored of it."

During the banter, the trio had walked to a nearby patch of white chrysanthemums growing in the shade of an apple tree and settled down to talk. It went much as it had with Rarity and Fluttershy, with much chatting about daily going ons and life in general, with a good bit from Rainbow about Twilight's wings and flying habits. They spent over an hour socializing, at which point Twilight realized the sun was almost halfway from its peak to the horizon.

"Oh, dear! Girls, I hate to cut this short, but I still need to see Pinkie before dusk, because I have some things to take care of tonight. I promise I'll come back as soon as I have more free time!"

"Alright sugarcube, see ya around!"

"Yeah, see you later! We need to go flying together sometime soon!"

"Agreed! Goodbye!"

With the their farewells in her ears, Twilight took off into the afternoon air. She flew back to Ponyville and landed in front of Sugarcube Corner, and went inside to see Pinkie decorating some cupcakes. Her visit there was much different than it had been with the others, as things often were with Pinkie. Twilight was force fed some of Pinkie's new creations while the pink party pony chatted nonstop about various things, some of which making no sense to Twilight, who simply nodded and kept eating whatever was in front of her. But Pinkie was undeterred, going on and on about anything that came to mind, with sparse input from Twilight. Before long, Twilight noticed the shadows from the windows were long, and the sun was almost to the horizon. 

With much effort, Twilight finally managed to convince Pinkie she really needed to go, and promised to come to the nearest party she was able to. It was all she could do to convince Pinkie not to throw a party right then and there, but when she was able to, promised to visit often, then bade her adieu. She walked out of the shop and flew straight to the library, where she found Spike asleep. She quietly went upstairs as to not to wake him, and hurriedly packed a light saddlebag with what she would need to stay overnight in Canterlot, as she was certainly not about to fly all the way home in the middle of the night. Going back downstairs, she paused long enough to write a not to Spike telling him where she had gone and when he could expect her back. She then left and began the flight to Canterlot.

> Calloused Antiquities
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight lay on her bed in the cozy inn, and thought about what had transpired that night. The trip to Canterlot happened just as she had expected, and she had been able to make it there not long after moonrise. Once she had landed in the city, she first made her way to the small inn she was now resting in and left her luggage while she went to the castle to find Luna, and ask her favor. It had not gone quite as she expected.

Twilight sighed and rolled over, burying her face in the soft pillow. Her head was so full of new information, she wasn’t sure what to think about first. She found it hard to breathe with her face in the pillow, so she turned back over onto her back and stared at the blank ceiling and sighed again. The ceiling offered no answers, however, so she closed her eyes and sought for sleep. When the sweet surrender was not forthcoming, Twilight silently cursed her brain, even though she couldn’t really blame it for being so awake. Much had happened in the last few hours, and Twilight’s entire view of Luna and Celestia had been shifted. Twilight decided the best way to make sense of it all was to go through all that had happened since she arrived in Canterlot, starting with her arrival.

_____________________________________________________________________


Twilight landed gently in front of the small inn she had decided to stay the night at. It was small, but very lavish, and had been in business since Twilight had been a young filly, first coming to Canterlot to study under Princess Celestia. She went inside, and requested a room for the night. After acquiring her room key, Twilight went to her room and left her bags on the bed, barely taking time to look around the room before leaving. Locking the door behind her, Twilight set off and began walking towards the castle. She would have liked to fly, but she didn’t want to attract any undue attention. Although she had been the center of attention for months after her transformation, most ponies in Ponyville had grown accustomed to Twilight’s wings, and had stopped pestering her and gawking for the most part. However, Twilight was unsure how the reception would be in places where she wasn’t seen almost every day, and so she walked. 

The darkened streets were peaceful, most ponies having retired to their homes once the moon had risen. Twilight had always enjoyed Canterlot at night. The weather pegasi went around at sundown and lit oil lamps on posts, so the streets were always lit with a romantic glow. As Twilight walked to the castle, she saw several couples strolling in the flickering lamp light, walking close or just standing in embrace. As Twilight walked past the seventh or eighth couple, she suddenly realized she had never had a special somepony, or even been on a date. After she thought of that, every couple she passed seemed to seem happier, and she felt a little more lonely. Twilight decided to simply watch the flagstones in front of her as she walked. It was only a little more than a mile to the castle from the inn, but to the love-afflicted unicorn, it seemed to take forever.

Once Twilight made it to the castle, she approached the front gate to speak to the guards on duty. She was expecting at least a little resistance, or at least some identification, but as soon as she was close enough to the gatehouse for the guard to see her, he immediately began to open the gate. Twilight smiled as she walked through.

Being the Princess's personal friend definitely has it's privileges.

Twilight approached the main doors to the castle to the pair of guards there. As she did, the guard on the left nodded to her. Twilight realized it was one of Luna's guard, Anvil. She had briefly met him and his compatriot, Hammer. They were almost always seen together. They were fairly pleasant stallions, although a bit anti-social.

"Good evening, Miss Sparkle. Princess Celestia is asleep by now, how may we help you?"

"Good evening, Anvil. Well, actually, I would like to see Princess Luna. Is she available?"

"Yes, I believe she is in her sitting room. Do you know the way?"

"Not really. Isn’t it on the western wing?"

"Almost. Go through the main room here, then up the stairs on the left. Go all the way down until it ends. The door will be on your left. Would you like an escort?"

"No thank you. Have a good evening, Anvil, and you as well Hammer."

"And you as well, Miss Sparkle."

"Have a pleasant evening, Twilight."

Twilight walked past the guards and into the main hall beyond. She often come through there at night, going back to her room after a long night in the library, engrossed in some ancient dusty tome or other. However, she never quite got over her fear of it. The high windows and the towering pillars cast long and wide shadows, and even where there was light, it was pale and fleeting. The throne sat at the far end of the room, at the end of the long and narrow carpet. Half of the throne was bathed in the moonlight, and the other half shrouded in darkness. It looked unfinished, inadequate, incomplete without a Princess upon it.

Twilight briskly walked through the hall to the doorway beyond. She went through that, then immediately up the stairs on her left. They went up only one floor, then opened onto the western corridor. This hallway looked even more menacing than the room she had just left. There were few windows, and only three small lamps for the entire fifty yard stretch. Shadows encroached upon most of the hall, except for the far end, where two torches hung, presumably where the door to Princess Luna's receiving room was. Twilight headed towards it. She expected to find an ornate door, much like one to Princess Celestia's room, but decorated with motifs of the night and moon instead of the sun. Instead, she was greeted by a wooden door, very plain, instead of what she expected to be the entrance to a Princess's room. Twilight gently knocked on the inconspicuous door, and was soon rewarded by a quiet voice from the other side.

“Hello? Who is it?”

“It’s Twilight, Princess. I would like to speak to you, if you’re not too busy of course.”

The door swung open to reveal Princess Luna standing behind it smiling.

“Oh, I’m never too busy for you. Please, come in! There’s some pillows by the window, please, make yourself comfortable.”

Twilight returned Luna’s smile, and couldn’t help but admire the way the Princess’s mane flowed elegantly about her, and her smile was simply radiant. As Twilight moved past Luna on her way to the mentioned pillows, she caught a faint whiff of Luna’s perfume, and actually stopped for a moment to close her eyes and take a deep breath.

“That is wonderful perfume you’re wearing. What’s it called?”

Luna chuckled lightly, and Twilight thought she could see a minuscule hint of a blush, but against the dark coat, it was impossible to be sure.

“Thank you. I get it from the perfumist in downtown. It’s called ‘Profumo Della Notte.’”

“Oh, ‘Scent Of The Night.’ It’s very fitting for you. I really like it.”

The two had been talking as they moved to the pillows, and as Twilight eased herself onto one of the extraordinarily soft cushions, Luna sat opposite her and fixed her gaze on Twilight. Twilight had never realized how gentle Luna’s teal eyes were, or how clear. But she pushed those thoughts out of her head as Luna spoke again.

“So, Twilight, I have a feeling you didn’t come here at this hour to discuss perfumes, as enjoyable as that would be. What is on your mind?”

Twilight tried to swallow the small knot that had somehow found its way into her throat, and failing that, did her best to speak around it. She managed to say mostly what she wanted, but her voice was just a small amount quieter than she intended.

“Well, you see..... I heard a story... And wanted to know... If you don’t mind me asking, that is... About the..... Um.... Moon Stone.....”

Luna had slowly been leaning forward throughout Twilight’s mumbled words, but when she uttered the words Moon Stone, the Night Princess froze, and she regarded Twilight with a curious expression. After a moment, Luna turned away and stared out the window at the stars beginning to populate the night sky, and was silent for a while. Twilight hadn’t been sure how the Princess would react, but this certainly wasn't expected. After a pause, Luna spoke to Twilight, still looking out the window.

“Where did you hear about that?”

“From.... some old books. There were a few fragments that mentioned the Sun Stone, and provided some very compelling proof that it existed outside of the old tales. I thought if the Sun Stone was real, then maybe the Moon Stone was as well?”

Luna was silent for another long while. Eventually, she turned back to Twilight, a very distant look in her eyes. Twilight was expecting accusations, interrogation, or at least pointed questions as to how she had discovered this, but the response she got was definitely not what she expected. Luna lowered her eyes for a moment that raised them back to meet Twilight’s, and the winged unicorn thought she could see sadness in the teal orbs.

“Yes, it exists. However, whatever used to be true about it is no longer.”

Twilight was momentarily stunned, unsure of how to reply.

“What... What do you mean, no longer?”

Luna stood, and walked to the window, pushing it open. A light breeze drifted through, rustling the Princess’s mane and tail. She closed her eyes as she faced the wind, and through Twilight‘s mind a thought ran for a moment before she could quench it.

She’s so dignified.......

Twilight gazed at Luna as the gentle wind blew in, and they simply paused together, letting the wind do what it wished with their manes. It was relaxing, almost therapeutic, but the entire time, Twilight was very aware of the unanswered question. As the seconds ticked by, she got more and more anxious. After a time, when Twilight felt she could no longer stand the tension, Luna sighed, and turned to Twilight.

“The Stone itself does still exist. However, it has no power left.”

“No power? What do you mean?”

“I mean it has been drained. It is about as useful as any of the stones that make up this castle, or the roads beyond. It is nothing more than a pretty rock now.”

“That’s impossible! It’s an ancient relic of magic, mystical and powerful beyond comprehension! How can it be drained?”

Twilight was pushed into a state of disbelief. Her mind was racing around in circles, trying to find a solution to the problem her mind had just proposed to her.

This isn't happening. That Stone is our best, if not only shot of completing our  work! But maybe..... Maybe it’s power isn't what we need..... Maybe we can make do with the structure itself..... But would it work in a drained state?... 

However, Twilight’s train of thought was brutally interrupted by the words uttered by Luna.

“Maybe drained was the wrong word. The power is still there in a sense, just locked away by Celestia. She was afraid I would use it to become Nightmare Moon again. She keeps the Sun Stone with her, and the Moon Stone hidden, locked away and secret. The power is hers, and kept away from me.”

Luna had begun talking slowly, and hesitantly, but as she went on she got more confident and louder, until she was almost shouting her admissions to the skies.

“That’s why I’m so small, so weak! She took what had been given to me from fear! She didn't even ask what had really caused Nightmare Moon, she just took it at face value! It wasn't even my fault! I was just weak, and stupid! But I’m smarter now, and stronger in will and in mind. It won’t happen again, I just wish she would see that. But she has grown comfortable on her throne, and doesn't want to share it. Did you know she didn't even want me to move the moon at first? It took me nearly a month after you saved me to convince her I was still good for that!”

Tears were flowing from her beautiful teal eyes, but Luna ignored them. She stared at the stars above with accusation and pain, her voice laden. 

“I just don’t know what to do. I can’t ask her for the Stone back, she’d only become suspicious of me, or worse, treat me like an ignorant filly! I just....... I miss........ I want things to be like they were before...... Before I succumbed......But SHE.... Her words..... I could only accept it.....”

Twilight was rendered speechless and paralyzed. She wanted to move, to blink, to shift the slightest amount, but it was impossible. She felt like gasping, like crying, like crying for the injustice and imbalance, but she could not. She wanted to ask what the last part meant, but felt like she would seem ignorant. Surely it was about Celestia, but a doubt had settled on that thought. 

Twilight shook her head to clear her thoughts and focus on the matter at hand. Here was Princess Luna, the Dark Princess, Ruler and Maker Of The Night, confiding in her in the lowest and deepest manner, with secrets that would be devastating if ever released. It was enough to make Twilight’s breathing labored. It was very difficult for Twilight to imagine her Princess Celestia acting so, but at the same time, it made sense.

Princess Celestia does only what she must to be absolutely sure that Equestria is as safe as possible. Taking the Moon Stone only made sense..... Right?

A small doubt latched onto the thought before Twilight could dispel it, but she filed it away for examination later. Luna needed her attention now.

"Princess Luna, I'm sure Celestia acted only as she thought was right. I'm sure that if you just talked to her about it..."

"No, Twilight. It wouldn't help. You see her as an all-kind and all-forgiving monarch, but to me, she is my sister. She has flaws, and so do I."

Luna's tears had stopped flowing, but the sadness was still prevalent in her voice and her eyes.

"We are but ponies, Twilight. We have the same faults and weaknesses, and fall prey to the same fears, even if we pretend we don't. Celestia has a right to be afraid of me, but no reason, but I cannot bring myself to tell her. I can only imagine how she would react."

"Princess...."

"Please, Twilight. After these past few years, not to mention you saving me from Nightmare Moon, I think you've earned the right to just call me Luna."

"Yes, Pr... Luna. I just....."

Twilight looked back out the window to the vivid stars, uncountable and scattered. She tried her best to wrestle her unruly thoughts into order, but only marginally succeeded.

"It's been several years since the Elements of Harmony and I saved you from Nightmare moon, and already it has been a few years since I have sent Celestia any Friendship Reports, but it seems like just yesterday. She has always been there for me, caring and teaching, almost like a second mother. I want to believe everything she does is for the good of Equestria, and I want to believe everything you do is as well. I can tell, you are truly sorry for Nightmare Moon, and if you want, I will help you. I could probably talk to Celestia..."

"No, Twilight, please.... If you were to mention it, even confess knowledge of it, she would become suspicious of my motives, and possibly even yours. Let us just.... Drop this whole subject for now."

Twilight nodded and swallowed the knot in her throat that just didn't seem to go away.

Well, this evening certainly hasn't gone as scheduled. But, I've gained some new knowledge, and knowledge is good, right?

“Twilight, have you ever put much study into astronomy or astrology?”

Twilight was very surprised by this question, having been expecting an awkward pause lasting until she could think of an excuse to leave.

“Well, I have studied a little of astronomy, but not astrology. I thought it was all a bunch of hooey?”

Luna turned back to Twilight with a small mischievous smile, and a twinkle in her eye.

“You know, there are ponies who devote their lives to the study and understanding of astrology, and how the position of the stars can influence ponies lives.”

“I.. uh, well it’s... You know it’s just....”

“Oh, Twilight, it’s all okay. It actually is a lot of hooey, as you put it. The idea that the  relative position of the planets and stars have a special and deep significance that applies differently depending on when you were born is absolutely ridiculous. I simply cannot fathom where it came from. I simply arrange the stars in forms that are pleasing to me, and I hope that they are as pleasing to others.”

Twilight was amazed at what she had just heard, and spent a second comprehending before she finally said something. 

“You arrange the stars? I always thought they were simply.... There!”

“Come to the window. I would like to show you something.”

Twilight rose from the pillow she was on and joined Luna at the window. The stars were beginning to show in full force. There were no clouds to block the light as the stars sat in the inky blackness, ablaze with their own luminescence. As soon as Twilight was next to Luna, the Princess’s horn glowed, and three light purple circles rose from it, situating themselves in the air above the mares so that they were highlighting three stars in particular.

“Do you know this constellation, Twilight?”

“The Latavarius Triangle. It’s the first real constellation able to be seen with the naked eye of the night. It has astrological significance as being the symbol of the early riser, and is said to be the sign of those who are very intuitive”

“All that, what you just said, is all ridiculous. When I created it, I never thought a single thing like that. Would you like to hear the true story behind it?”

“Of course!”

“That was the very first time I attempted creating a constellation. I had played with single stars before, but never had tried anything more. One night, Celestia told me she thought I should try something harder. She said she was certain I could do more than play connect the dots one at a time. So I went to the top of a tall hill the next night, and stared at the sky for hours, trying to force something to happen. After a while, I felt it change. I felt something move, not just in the sky, but inside myself. I found that I had the power to create and move multiple stars at once, so of course I tried it. The first thing I did was arrange these three stars in a triangle, simply because it was the most simple shape I knew. I was so happy. Celestia said she was so proud of me. The next morning, she rose the sun, and we went out on a picnic to celebrate. We had such fun, her and I....”

Luna’s voice got very distant, and her eyes went back to the stars, and it seemed to Twilight there was the beginning of a tear swimming in one of the teal eyes. Looking back to the sky, Twilight saw the three purple circles were fading in brightness and flowing downward, like candle wax left in the sun too long. She began to understand how Luna felt, and felt very sad. Twilight looked back to the Princess, and saw that she was looking down at her. She smiled, and Luna smiled back, with only the barest hint of sadness left. Twilight blushed and dropped her eyes to her hooves, unsure of how she felt suddenly. She looked back up in confusion as she felt a light pressure on her back, and found Luna’s wing draped gently across her back. Twilight thought about how this should feel, but instead decided to see how she felt about it first.

It feels...... Natural.

Twilight stood for another second, not wanting to act hastily, before looking back at Luna, who had turned back to regard the night sky. Twilight studied her eyes, the beautiful cerulean eyes, then the rest of the face, then the neck, and the flowing, graceful mane. It seemed that all that Twilight thought was beautiful was in front of her tonight.

Twilight leaned into the embrace, slowly, carefully, until her shoulder began to contact Luna’s warm side. She felt Luna shift, moving just a bit closer, and so did Twilight, until the two were pressed against each other, sharing the view of the night as well as the embrace. Time passed, and still they stood together. Twilight began to rest her head against Luna’s neck, and Luna leaned over to reciprocate, draping her mane across Twilight’s neck and back. It was a very odd experience, one Twilight thought felt like having warm water slowly flowing down her back and over her wings. It was more comfortable than any blanket, and indeed, Twilight felt herself grow weary. She realized that she had been awake for almost twenty four hours now, and decided she could use some sleep, loathe as she was to leave.

“Luna, I really, really hate to leave, but I just realized I haven’t slept in almost twenty four hours, so I think I should be going.”

Luna removed her wing from Twilight’s back, and turned to look at her with a soft expression.

“You already have a room to stay?”

“Yes, over at the Brass Lantern.”

“Well, I also have things I need to be doing, so I guess farewell for now.”

Both mares stood awkwardly for a few moments before Luna broke the silence.

“Twilight, are you in Canterlot for much longer?”

“I wasn't planning on it, but I don’t exactly have anything else to be doing.”

“Well, I was wondering... If you’d like, you could come visit another time?....”

Twilight smiled back at Luna.

“I’d love to. I can send a letter to Spike telling him I won’t be back for another few days.”

“Would you like to come back here, say, tomorrow night? I can show you more of the night sky.”

“I would love that, Luna. I’ll come at a little after moonrise?”

“That sounds lovely. See you tomorrow night.”

“Yes, tomorrow night. See you then.”

_____________________________________________________________________


Twilight smiled into her pillow as the mental replay of the night ended. While she hadn’t really accomplished any of what she set out to do, she felt that the alternative was just as good.

Surely Axion and myself can find some other substitute for our experiment. 

Twilight felt herself being drawn into sleep at long last. She hoped that she could sleep most of the day, so she wouldn’t have to wait too long before returning to the castle. She also found herself hoping that her doze would also be accompanied by dreams. 

Hopefully ones with a figure on black, with a rippling blue mane........

> Caustic Inclusion
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight groaned and opened her eyes to see a shining brass surface not two feet above her face. She abruptly realized she had fallen asleep under the atomic stabilizer, a thought that made her very nervous now that she had figured out how it works and the amount of radiation it was capable of emitting. Twilight grabbed her pillow and blankets and rolled out from under the machine to find Axion further down the side of the room making coffee.

Falling asleep at the lab might be just the smallest bit hazardous and worries Spike, but then again, he doesn't make very good coffee....

"Oh, good morning, Twilight! I didn't see you there. I was wondering where you had curled up at."

"Morning, Axion. What time is it?"

"A bit past eleven. I just got back from getting the wiring harness for the energy capacitor from Canterlot."

"Oh, goodie. Now we can finally run some tests and figure out if any of those crystal vibrometers were worth the struggle to get them. I wished you had woken me up to go along. You know how much I enjoy visiting Canterlot."

"But dear, I couldn't find you! I assumed you were on top of the dihexic concentrator again, but when you weren't, I was out of guesses."

"Yeah, I don't plan on sleeping up there any more. Thanks for that, by the way! Ruined one of my best napping spots."

Axion laughed lightly and poured a cup of coffee, handing it to Twilight.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know you were up there! I forgot how much it shakes when it powers up. Really, dear, if you insist on sleeping here as often as you do, you should allow me to bring you a bed in here as well. Here, fresh pot. Best beans in Canterlot!"

"What happened to the beans I roasted?"

"Well, first off, roasted isn't exactly the right term. I've seen ashes less well cooked. And besides, we're all out."

"Oh. Well, thanks for getting more! We have anything for breakfast?"

"I'm afraid all that's left is that large loaf of bread."

"Well, I guess that's good enough. Plenty there for both of us, and very healthy!"

"Oh, no thanks. I ate in Canterlot."

"More for me!"

Twilight set her cup down on the counter, and liberated the loaf of bread from the cupboard it was hidden in. Biting into it, Twilight found it was just a little stale. Dipping bits of it into her coffee then eating it solved the problem, however, and soon she was fed and caffeinated and ready to face the challenges of the day, which proved to be many indeed. It was only after they had spent two hours plugging the new wires into the energy capacitor, that they realized that it had thrown off every single sensor on the device, of which there were a good hoof full. So after a short lunch break, Twilight brewed another pot of coffee and they set to work recalibrating the plethora of instruments and dials. Hours passed, and still they slaved on the devices. They had fallen behind schedule, but not very far.

Twilight had gotten so engrossed in her work, she had completely forgot about the time. There were no windows in the lab, so it could easily become nighttime and neither of the ponies within would even notice. When Twilight did finally think to check the time, it was already past seven in the evening.

"Hey, Axion, what day is it?"

Axion glanced up from the schematics she had been busy frowning at.

"I believe it's Friday. Speaking of which, shouldn't you be going? I hate for you to be out after dark, even if you have been flying the same routes for several months now."

"Oh! Oh my! I'm late, I'm late! I'm never late! Bye, Axion, see you Monday!"

Twilight gently set down the sensor she had been replacing, and opening her wings, flew over the various obstacles between her and the door. Not even waiting for Axion's goodbye, Twilight dashed out and ran up the stairs, barreling out of the small building and taking to the air again in a flash. Instead of setting a course for Ponyville, however, she aligned herself with the shining beacon of Canterlot, a mere flicker of light on the horizon, and began to flap with every bit of energy she had.

An hour and a half later, she landed on the outskirts of Canterlot. The sun had set, and the moon was just beginning to peek over the horizon. There were still a smattering of ponies about, and Twilight belatedly realized that her horn and wings would be a lot harder to see if she was in the air. So she took off again, and flew straight to the castle. Coming to the front gate, she landed in front of it just as it began to open. She smirked as she waved to the guards, by now familiar faces.

I wonder how long until they realize what's really up with my continuous late-night visits. 'After work research', please! Although, I admit, I'm curious to the social and political ramifications if the public found out that Luna is gay. Hmm... It's almost worth revealing to find ou- What are you thinking? You've finally lost it, Twi. It would be a complete political fiasco if this got out. Oh well, more for me!

By the time that particular line of thought had run its course, she was at Luna's sitting room door. She knocked lightly, even though Luna was expecting her, and she didn't get many visitors.

"Who is it?"

Twilight adopted a lower voice, like a stallion, with a thick accent like Applejack's, just a little slower, with a sultry overtone to it. It was her imitation of a high-profile politician that had been caught having relations with his foreign cleaning maid. It had become one of Luna's and Twilight's favorite jokes, for apparently the stallion had gotten his job from a recommendation from Celestia in the beginning, and Luna absolutely loved to pick on her big sister.

"You know who it is."

"No hablo ingles, senor!"

"Haha, aww yeah."

"You're ridiculous. Now get in here!"

Twilight opened the door and was barely able to close it behind her before she was enveloped in a hug and smothered with kisses by a giggling Luna. She reciprocated the kisses as best she could, and managed to guide Luna over to the pillows before they lost their balance and fell. Laying on the pillows, they simply lay together and cuddled for a while, passing the time, occasionally talking. Hours passed smoothly, yet not too fast and happily, like a bubbling stream, much like they usually did on Twilight's visits to the castle. Luna had come to accept and even approve of the lack of Royal Business sent her way by Celestia, as it gave her more time to spend with Twilight. Every once in awhile, Luna would have some meeting or some business to attend to, but more often than not Twilight could attend as well, and sometimes she could even help. She had grown up in Canterlot, after all, not to mention she was extremely bright, which makes her a surprisingly good politician. Twilight had never been very interested in politics, but seeing as it gave her more time with her beloved, she was just fine with it.

It had been nearly six months since Twilight and Luna's first kiss, which had been a month after they had first realized they both had feelings for each other. Twilight had been working with Axion the whole time, and since the lab was only an hour and a half flight from Canterlot, she would often come see Luna on the weeknights, and go to the library in Ponyville on the weekends. 

However, over the past few weeks, she had been allowing Spike to run the library almost single-clawed. He had grown a lot over the past few years, in size and temperament, and Twilight felt safe with him there alone, managing the books. He was tall enough to touch the tops of the tallest bookshelves when he walked on his hind legs, a habit he had mostly gotten out of, and he was very proud of how he towered over Twilight.

While Spike had been busy at the library, Twilight had been fairly busy with Axion. They had completed the machine as much as they could, but were still lacking the most important piece. They had been unable to fabricate any kind of receptacle for the power that was to come out of the machine. All their resources and research pointed to the Moon Stone or Sun Stone. Nothing else they could make or discover could possibly handle the immense load safely, and manufacturing something of that magnitude was very difficult, maybe even impossible. Many days had been spent on trying to figure out an alternative, but none was forthcoming. Twilight had been trying to summon enough courage to ask Celestia about the Stones, but she was nervous to admit knowledge of something she shouldn't. Their relationship isn't quite what it used to be.

Twilight's rumination was interrupted by a sleeping Luna shifting beside her. They had been quietly laying on a large pillow by the window, and apparently Luna found it very comfortable. It was just past three in the morning now, still plenty of time before the moon was to set, so Twilight felt no reason to wake the sleeping Princess just yet. Instead she stared out the window at the moon, and thought some more. Her thoughts settled on the Moon Stone. It was the only thing that would work, and it seemed too far out of reach.

I just wish I could ask about it...... But.....

A single small tear rolled from Twilight's eye. She didn't pay any attention to it, until a midnight black hoof reached up and wiped it away. Looking down, she realized Luna had woken from her nap.

"Well good morning, sleeping beauty."

"What's wrong?"

Twilight smiled and nuzzled her lover's neck.

"Tears of happiness."

Luna stood and stretched, then leaned down and kissed Twilight on the top of her head.

"If you say so."

"I do, and did."

"So, anything happen while I was asleep? I don't suppose any letters came, laden with messages of apocalyptic doom or something exciting like that?"

"While you were asleep, the western part of Equestria was invaded by the zebra tribes of the deserts, the eastern part was flooded by the ocean, the north was destroyed by the dragons, and the south was completely eradicated by a virus. Every single pony in the world was killed except us."

"Hmm. Interesting. Tea?"

"Yes, please."

"What time is it?"

"A bit past three."

Luna fixed two cups of tea on the nearby counter, and brought them back to the large pillow where Twilight still lay. They sat and drank the tea in silence for a few minutes. After it was finished, Luna finished what little paperwork there was for her to do, and then the couple sat and played various board games until it was time for the moon to set, and another morning began. They slept most of the day, as Luna usually did, and Twilight had been able to get used to doing after spending the whole night awake. 

Saturday evening found the couple out in Canterlot, simply spending a night on the town, enjoying the sights and sounds. They both used simple illusion spells so that they wouldn't attract attention to themselves. Twilight was her old self again, while Luna went as a shapely black unicorn. The evening went well, and much fun was had by both before retiring to the castle. Sunday evening was spent much the same as Friday night, with much cuddling and talking and not much of anything else. Near midnight, Twilight went to sleep so that come the morning, she could fly back to the lab and continue her work with Axion.

Monday morning, Twilight landed in front of the old building smoothly, and went inside, down into the laboratory itself. She didn't immediately see or hear Axion, so she walked deeper into the maze of machinery. She found Axion near the very back, sitting on an old couch, not doing anything and looking very morose. 

"Something the matter?"

"Well, I think I have found an answer to our conundrum, but I think you won't like it."

"You mean the Stone? What is it?"

"Are you sure you want to hear?"

"Of course!"

"Well, over the weekend I did some more calculations. I arrived at three conclusions. The first, is that we absolutely need one of the Stones, or something just as potent. The second, is that we cannot possibly make anything as powerful as the Stones without first having one. The third, is that Celestia will not willingly part with either Stone."

"So.... What does that mean?"

Twilight knew what Axion was going to say an instant before her mouth even moved, but for some reason Twilight asked anyway, hoping that her intuition was wrong. It wasn't.

"We have to steal a Stone."

Twilight took a step back and nearly tripped. Her mind had frozen, then went into overdrive. She had been expecting that response, but that didn't change the impact it had once said.

Steal? From A Princess? From CELESTIA!?

"No! Surely.... There has to be another way!"

"Search your feelings, Twilight. You know what I say to be true. It is the only way."

"It can't be... It just can't be!"

Twilight walked over to a chair and collapsed into it. Axion just sat quietly, and watched her. Twilight was thinking, harder than she had ever thought in her life. 

On one hoof, it's wrong, wrong, WRONG. Stealing, and from Celestia at that! But on the other, it might be the only way..... No, don't even think about it! It's wrong! But......

"Please, take some time off and think about it. I realize I have just presented with an idea you would see as reprehensible, but I beg you to believe me when I say it is the only way. If there was another option, you know I would choose that instead, but there is not."

"I just......"

"Take some time off, think about it. Come back in a week. By then I will have a plan, and we can either move forward, or sit still. It is your decision."

Twilight numbly nodded and walked out of the laboratory. Her thoughts were at a standstill, and she found herself flying towards Canterlot before she realized she had even left.

Luna will probably be asleep. But... I can't go to Ponyville. Why not? I don't know. I just... Can't. But.... Luna. She'll be wondering. What do I say? But I... What if.... UGH, THINK. 
.
.
.
THINK. 
.
.
.
Ugh.

Twilight's inner consternation kept her occupied until she landed near the castle. She had been debating whether to turn around, but since she was here, might as well go in. She walked past all the guards, and was in the main hall before she realized it would be busy in the daytime. Ponies were everywhere, walking in all different directions, but on the far side of the room was the pony Twilight suddenly realized she didn't want to see, but of course would be nowhere else.

Crap. Celestia. Maybe I can...

Twilight began to pick her way across the room, using the groups of politicians and other visitors to try and make it to the door she sought before she was noticed. However, the first and only known artificial alicorn was quite an auspicious spectacle, even if she was trying to be sneaky. Before she could make it halfway across the room, she was spotted by a group of younger stallions in suit jackets and ties. They looked like politicians, but they introduced themselves as journalists and began to beg Twilight to give an interview, as she had only given one after getting her wings, and it was short and contained only a bare minimum of actual information. She had since denied all other requests.

The beleaguered Twilight tried to deny their requests and move along as quickly as possible, but to her distress, some of the ponies around the small group overheard what was being said, and came to talk to Twilight as well. Soon, half the population of the room was swarming her, and the other half looking on. All the ponies wanted something different: An interview, scientific notes, how to get their own wings, to endorse their product, and so on. Twilight began to panic, as now Celestia had surely noticed what was going on.

"No, thank you... No.... Please, I must.... Excuse me.... No, I won't..... If you please..... I'm going...."

Twilight tried to move through the mob around her, but it was nearly impossible to make any headway. She made another few yards towards her destination, but the door seemed like it was miles away. After she had managed a few steps in succession and felt like escape was near, she ran into a group of particularly stubborn journalists, and spent several minutes stuck in place, denying repeated requests for interviews. They simply wouldn't accept it, and just as Twilight was considering saying yes just so they would leave, the lighting level in the room raised, and the whole crowd grew silent as they turned to the source. Celestia had risen from her throne and spread her wings, and was gazing at the crowd.

"Pardon me, loyal subjects, but if you would please allow my beloved pupil to pass, myself and her have some business to attend to."

The sea of ponies in front of Twilight split, and she was facing a pathway that lead right to the throne, the one place she wished to avoid above most others. But now she had no choice, so she began to walk down what felt to her like the highway to hell. At the end, a demon itself sat, waiting to feast on her fears and mistakes. 

After what seemed to be an eternity, Twilight reached the throne where Celestia sat, tall and regal. Twilight kept her eyes down until the very last moment, and when she finally looked up, it was with a feeling of dread. Where most ponies saw Celestia's practiced smiling indifference, Twilight saw more. Celestia turned back to the assembled crowd before her.

"My dear ponies, please excuse us. I shall return within an hour."

The Princess rose, and walked back and through the door behind the throne, with Twilight following her. She wordlessly followed Celestia through a short hallway, then turned into a large, if cozy sitting room. A small fire crackled to one side, surrounded by soft pillows. It was to these pillows that Celestia went, and Twilight did as well. They sat for several minutes, Celestia staring at Twilight, and Twilight doing her best to avoid the accusing and magnetic gaze. Soon enough, however, Twilight was looking back into that harsh gaze. 

"Good afternoon, Twilight."

"Good afternoon, Princess."

"It's been a while."

"Yes, it has."

"Too long."

"Yes, Princess."

"Please, just Celestia, or Tia as my sister calls me. Speaking of whom, I believe you have been spending a lot of time here after dark."

"Well, you see, the library here..."

"Oh, please, Twilight. I know what you and Luna have been up to, and I must say, I approve."

"You... Do?"

"Well, yes. It has been too long since you or Luna has been very sociable to my knowledge, so I think it's great that you two have befriended each other."

She knows, but doesn't know all of it... Good? Probably.

"Yes, we... Have a lot in common."

There was silence in the room. Celestia was the first to break it.

"I do apologize, Twilight. It does seem to be slightly... Awkward."

"It's fine."

"No, my dear, I'm afraid it is not, and also I fear it is my fault."

"No, please I..."

"I insist. If I hadn't... Oh, I digress. I'm guessing it was Luna who you came here to see?"

"I figured she will be asleep, but I was just going to wait until she's awake."

"Well, who am I to keep you? Please, continue. I must get back to the throne room, anyways. I'm sure you may have noticed all the ponies there on business."

Celestia rose, and so did Twilight. They walked out to the hallway, where Twilight was to go left, towards Luna's rooms, and Celestia right, for the throne room.

"I shall see you soon, Twilight. Take care."

"Yes, you too."

Celestia walked away, and Twilight let a small sigh escape her as she walked away.

That wasn't so bad.

Twilight took a few steps down the hall and stopped.

Wait.... Was she wearing the Stone? I don't... 

Twilight turned to take another look at the Princess, but she had already gone through the door leading to the throne room.

Wouldn't I have noticed something that has given me more consternation than anything the past few weeks? Surely. Her regalia.... It's usually right in the center of.... Was it blank? Was the Stone there? Maybe I was just too nervous to notice. Yeah, that's it. After all...

Twilight shook her head and pushed the anarchistic thoughts out of her head. She walked to Luna's sitting room, where they usually met, but instead of going in and making herself comfortable to await the sleeping Princess, Twilight abruptly changed direction. On a whim, she walked past the room, towards Luna's bedroom. She had only been in there a few times, but remembered where it was easily enough. Twilight gently opened the door, and stepped inside. She quietly closed the door behind her and was immediately shrouded in near complete darkness. Making her way to where she remembered the bed to be, Twilight delicately avoided any obstacles in her way. She was about halfway there when she heard Luna's voice.

"Twilight. An unexpected surprise."

"Yes. There was an unexpected delay with the research so I got the week off."

"Well, good. Please, come here. You can tell me all about it, provided I don't fall asleep again."

"Sounds good to me."

Twilight smiled to the darkness as she began to move forward again.

"Twi, dear?"

"Yes?"

"You're going the wrong way."

> Veiled Reverberations
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight sat on the edge of Luna's bed. She immediately felt a shift in the mattress, then a hoof reached around her back to pull her close. She sat in the embrace for a few long moments, eyes closed, enjoying this small comfort. She felt herself being pulled down onto the mattress. She allowed herself to be laid down, and felt Luna wrap around her. Twilight lay still for a few moments, but she could feel the thoughts gnawing at her mind, like an infectious disease. The moment was near to finally reveal to her lover the truth, and Twilight decided it was to be the whole truth. She needed somepony else to help her decide what to do, and there was none better than Luna.

"Twilight, what's bothering you?"

Twilight pushed Luna's hoof from around her shoulders and sat upright. She took Luna's hoof in her own, and braced herself. She wasn't sure exactly how this was going to sound out loud, but there was no way it could sound good.

"It's the research we're doing."

"Something go wrong again?"

"No. Well, yes. But it's more than that."

"I don't quite follow."

"I haven't quite told you everything."

A small light flared at the end of Luna's horn, then flew to the ceiling, lighting the chandelier. In the flickering light, Twilight could see Luna's troubled expression as she sat up and began to massage Twilight's hoof.

"Well, you know you can tell me anything."

"Okay..."

So Twilight took a deep breath and began her story. She started with the night the letter appeared, and then the night she got her wings. As her story went on, Luna's expression went from troubled, to worried, to amazed, then settled on thoughtful. Throughout the whole story, Twilight could tell that there were several thoughts going through the Princess's mind, but she never said anything.

When Twilight began to describe the research herself and Axion had been doing, Luna leaned forward in sheer rapture. She asked a few questions, mostly about the machine, and Twilight described in more detail about what they were attempting to do. When she was done, Luna reclined onto a pillow, temporarily dumbfounded.

"I... I thought that was impossible! Over the years, many have tried what you're trying to do, but none succeeded. Why are you so sure it will work?"

"The Moon Stone and Sun Stone. We believe they are what has been missing."

"The Celestial Stones.... I see..."

"The what?"

"That is what they are called as a pair. More of Celestia's vanity. That was her decision. About a hundred years before Nightmare Moon, she thought they needed a name."

"I see. Well, as it turns  out, we need one. At the very least, we can use the power within them to create another stone strong enough to contain the forces that will come out of the machine. If not, one of them should work adequately."

"I understand. However, you still haven't answered my question. What has you so worried?"

"Well, we need a Stone."

"Yes."

"And Celestia has them."

"Yes...."

"Well.... Axion thinks that Celestia will not allow us access. I am inclined to agree."

"You are right. Celestia will not part with the Stones. And you need one. I see where this is going. And I dare say that I have had similar thoughts."

"You.... What?"

Luna stood from the bed and walked around the room. She eventually settled behind a writing desk, and turned back to Twilight, who was still on the edge of the bed.

"Yes. You're going to try to take one, without Celestia knowing. Probably the Moon Stone. And I myself have entertained a similar disposition. I have wanted to take it very much."

"Well.... I hate to hear it put like that..."

"Oh, Twilight. It's not to worry. You know you can trust me. Besides, it's anybody's guess how many times I've thought of stealing the Moon Stone back myself. I do miss it."

"We're not stealing! We're just....."

"Borrowing without permission? Liberating? Reclaiming? There's plenty of terms, but they all mean the same thing. However, as loathe as I am to have resorted to this, I think it needs to be done."

Twilight searched Luna's eyes for any hints of emotion, but found just determination. The Princess was being completely serious.

I was expecting anger, condescension, something. But, support?

"Well, yes, I guess so."

"As it happens, I believe this can work for a mutual advantage. I simply want my Stone back. It is rightfully mine, made for me, and given to me. And you need it for research that I think is a wonderful idea."

Twilight looked up from the floor she had been scrutinizing to Luna. The Princess had leaned forward, one hoof leaned against the desk, the other on her chin. It was a familiar pose from all the meetings they had attended together. Twilight called it her 'Politician Mode.' She smiled and shook her head.

"I love it when you talk business."

"I know. Now, as it happens, I have been doing a little light plotting the past few years. I think I know where she keeps my Moon Stone. I think I can get it back."

"But, you mentioned once the power was locked away or something like that."

"Yes. I think I know how to unlock it, and then I will be truly independent of Celestia again."

Twilight stood, and walked over to Luna, kissing her on the cheek.

"Well, if you think this can work out for all of us, I am disinclined to disagree. However, when Celestia finds out, she will not be happy."

"I will handle her. She has sat high and mighty far too long. She needs to be reminded this is a diarchy."

Twilight had to resist the urge to flinch at the venom in Luna's voice. But the more she thought about it, the more sense it made.

The past few years since Luna returned, she has always been second to her sister, where she used to be, and should still be, equal to.

Twilight decided that this was going the best way it could, and to just go with the flow.

"Well, Luna, do you have a plan?"

The smile that followed would have been terrifying if Twilight didn't know that the plans behind it were in her favor.

"Oh, Twilight, you know me. Of course I do. Can you be ready in a week?"

"I think so, yes. What do you need?"

Luna smiled again, the predatory smile of one on the hunt and closing in on the prey.

"I believe you are capable of a teleportation spell?"

__________________________________________________________________________________

A week later found Twilight in Luna's room again, but on less leisurely activities. She was dressed in dark clothing, with a black band holding her mane back and out of the way. She was stretching, testing out the limits of the clothes. She was hoping not to have to truly test it, but one can never be sure. She happened to catch a glimpse of herself in a mirror beside the couch Luna was reclining on.

I look just like the time I used time travel to try and warn myself about time travel. All I'm missing is the eyepiece.

Twilight chuckled lightly to herself, and finished her stretches.

"Well, I guess I'm ready."

Luna stood and walked over to Twilight.

"Are you sure? Once we begin, there can be no stopping. The guards will be on very high alert."

"I'm sure."

"Okay. Wait here until you hear the bang. Then, go like your tail is on fire and your mane is catching."

Twilight laughed at Luna's analogy. Without another word, Luna kissed Twilight, then headed out the door, going to the eastern wall to begin the operation with a distraction. Hopefully the guards on duty would move to investigate, leaving Twilight to the rest of the eastern wing, which was where the main treasure room for the castle was situated. Luna was sure that Celestia had hidden the Stone there. 

Hiding a needle in a sewing shop.

Twilight sat by the door and waited for her signal. It wasn't a very long wait until she heard a very faint bang, quickly followed by running hoofsteps.

Going the exact opposite direction I need to go. Luna, you're wonderful.

Twilight ducked out of the door, and quickly looked around. When she saw the deserted hallway, she took off down the hall. Glancing around another corner, she continued to run down the deserted hallways until she came to a very large and very locked door. Smiling, Twilight closed her eyes and prepared her teleportation spell. Teleporting somewhere that was not visible was extra tricky, especially if the user had never seen the location before. Twilight had practiced her teleporting over the past week, and had the distances committed to memory. In a bright purple flash, she disappeared from the hall, and reappeared inside the room.

Twilight opened her eyes, then closed them again. The room was pitch black. But Twilight had been warned of this. Summoning a bit of magic, she sent a ball of light towards the ceiling, where it hung there, suspended. Opening her eyes again, she glanced around at the shelves of glittering miscellaneous items. Countless bits worth of treasure was around her, but she was looking for one. After many minutes of searching, Twilight found it, behind a stack of ancient scrolls that she was extremely interested in. But, business was business,  so Twilight had to ignore them as she levitated the Stone out of its place. 

At first, only the glittering dark blue Stone was visible in the enchanted light. Then, a large, ornate necklace followed, much like the one Celestia wore, except smaller and made out of silver rather than gold. The inlays were made of black wood, as well as the socket in which the Stone was laid. It was beautiful and dark, much like the Princess it belonged to.

Bringing the Stone to within hoof's reach, Twilight grabbed it and settled the necklace around her neck. It felt wrong, like she was trying to impersonate Luna, but she couldn't teleport and levitate at the same time. Walking back to the door, Twilight quenched the light, and closed her eyes to prepare to teleport. However, just before she released her magic, some feeling ran down her spine like a million ants. Opening her eyes, she turned and looked around the room for a moment. Nothing seemed out of place. The stacks of treasures were still glittering exactly like they were before. Suddenly, realization hit her like a boulder in a landslide.

I rescinded the light.... Why can I still see!?

Twilight quickly backed towards the door and summoned more magic, but as she released, she felt a sensation she had read about many times, but never wanted to feel herself. A faint tickling in the tip of her horn, where her magic was supposed to channel through, trying to escape and do her will, but was being blocked by an external source. 

This type of spell requires the caster to be more powerful than the victim. There can't be many unicorns more powerful than me, and definitely not so much to make such a complete block. That means...

Twilight cringed as the light flared, and a familiar and dreaded voice rang out.

"TWILIGHT SPARKLE."

Twilight gasped and fell to the floor as Celestia appeared in a flash of white light; tall, dignified, angry, and terrifying.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?"

Twilight whimpered in fear and tried to crawl away, but her back was already against the wall, and she could go no further. The Moon Stone was cold against her chest as she curled up into a ball. She was afraid, paralyzed from that fear, and could do nothing. Her mind stalled, and instead of trying to rationalize her way out of the situation, all she could think of was how dumb the whole plan was, how dumb she was, and how wrong all this was.

Wrong, wrong wrong, I'm WRONG this is wrong I shouldn't be here this was a bad idea what am I doing I should-

"I ASKED YOU A QUESTION. WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING!?"

Again, the stones underneath Twilight reverberated from the force of the vocalization, and again, Twilight couldn't answer. Celestia took several slow steps towards Twilight, and as she loomed over the terrified librarian, her eyes blazed with the fires of the sun itself, and were laced with rage incalculable. Twilight simply couldn't concentrate enough to even utter a reply, no matter how much she wanted to. 

"ANSWER ME."

Twilight whimpered again,  a wordless mutter of fear. 

This is it. The end. It's over.

"FINE. ANSWER ME NOT.  YOU WILL FACE MY PUNISHMENT REGARDLESS."

Celestia leaned down, so that her face was mere inches from Twilight's own, who had finally managed to raise her head enough to look her former mentor in the eye.

"TWILIGHT SPARKLE. GIVE ME THE MOON STONE."

"No."

Twilight amazed herself at her quiet demurral. She didn't think she would be say anything, but somehow the word had slipped out. Celestia's face showed that she was as surprised as Twilight, but also that her anger had increased at the rebellion.

"GIVE IT TO ME. YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU'RE DOING, JUST LIKE WHEN YOU-"

"When I what, exactly!? Maybe I have a very good idea of what I'm doing, just like I did then! I'm not the naive bookkeeper egghead you sent to Ponyville years ago to learn of friendship! I have grown since then, and can think for myself!"

Celestia's eyes had dilated, and Twilight suddenly felt that her moment of bravado had been ill-advised. For several months, she had wanted to say what she had just said, but now that she did, she wasn't so sure it was a good idea. Celestia spoke again, but even without the Royal Voice, it was still full of scorn and disappointment. 

"I never meant to anger you, Twilight. I cared for you. I was worried."

"That was no excuse to do what you did!"

Celestia's eyes narrowed, and her breathing became deeper.

"What was and wasn't excused is not the point. I made a decision, a decision that I made for YOU."

"I don't need you making decisions for me!"

Twilight finally made it to her hooves, and stood. Her flank was still against the door, but her head was  upright, with the Moon Stone dangling about her throat. She gazed back into Celestia's eyes, desperately trying to at least appear less afraid than she was, though she was pretty sure she was failing. Twilight lowered her voice, suddenly overcome with sorrow with the situation.

Celestia used to be more than just a friend. She was like my second mother. Yet, here we are.

"I know you cared for me, but what happened was just not what I wanted. You were so caught up in what was right that you didn't let me-"

Twilight was suddenly cut off as a cloud of azure appeared and wrapped around her. She had just enough time to see Celestia's face, overcome with rage, before she disappeared, reappearing in Luna's bedroom, where the Princess Of The Night stood, looking very afraid.

"Twilight! Are you alright? When you weren't back, I tried to go in the room, but there was a block on the door, and I realized what had to have happened. How did she know? What did she say? Did you get it?"

"I'm fine, and yes, I got it."

Twilight levitated the necklace off her neck and over to Luna. She looked at it with some trepidation as the chain floated over her head, but as the Stone settled on her chest, a look of joy came over her face and she closed her eyes. Twilight immediately felt a current flowing through her coat as Luna's magical aura multiplied. Luna's mane and tail glowed bright, and whipped around as if blown by an unseen wind, and her horn seemed to glow slightly, as did the Stone. After a moment, the tumult around the Princess died down, and Luna's appearance turned back to normal. She walked over to Twilight and kissed her deeply for several moments.

"I cannot thank you enough, Twilight. You risked a lot to get this for me, and now you're in trouble with Celestia, just for me. You are amazing."

"You're worth it."

Luna smiled again and laid her head on Twilight's shoulder.

"You're too sweet."

Twilight reciprocated Luna's affection by leaning her head against her lover's neck, and the two stayed in the position for several moments. After a time, Luna indicated she had some business to attend to, not least of all was confronting Celestia.

"I would rather you weren't here for this."

"I guess I can go back to the lab and let Axion know what happened."

"Sounds good. Tell her I will send the Stone with you in a few days. I'll send you a letter and let you know when I will come."

Twilight pressed against Luna's chest, feeling the warmness from her body and the coldness of the Stone.

"I don't want to go."

"You need to."

"Please. I want to know you're safe."

"Do you think that things would get that dangerous?"

"I hope not, but I honestly do not know. Please. For me?"

Twilight looked into Luna's eyes, then closed her own and leaned back against her.

"Okay. I should be going then, or else I never will."

"Be safe."

Twilight kissed Luna one last time, then turned without a look and went to the open window, opening her wings and flying off into the darkness. She circled the castle once, then set off south-west for the lab. 

Landing at the lab, Twilight looked up at the weathered stone and the moss, realizing she had never seen the outside of the lab at night. She was always flying away from it, and had never looked back. Now that she was looking upon it bathed in moonlight, it looked much more malevolent. Suppressing a shudder, Twilight walked in, and made her way to the lab. Opening the door, she was surprised to find the lights on, and a few of the various pieces of machinery as well.

"Twilight?"

Twilight turned to her left to see Axion step out from behind a table of instruments.

"Oh, hello, Axion. I didn't see you there. You're up late."

"I was just running some tests. You're back early. Did you think about what I said?"

"I did one step further than that."

"What do you mean?"

"I got it."

"The Moon Stone?"

"Yes."

Axion smiled wide, in a way the vaguely reminded of the nearly impossible way Pinkie Pie would, and took a few steps toward Twilight, as if to embrace her. However, at the last moment, she turned away and ran deeper into the lab, shouting back at Twilight the entire way.

"Oh, this is tremendous! Spectacular! We have been preparing for this moment for such a long time! Finally, we can see if this works! Darn it, where did I put that- Oh, here it is!"

Axion came rushing back from a the furthest corner of the lab, carrying in front of her a glass bottle with a golden and silver label.

"I was going to save this for when we actually succeeded, but I'm so happy now, I think we can afford a sip! Do you drink wine, Twilight?"

"Well, I haven't before, but I have had some of Applejack's special apple cider a few times."

"Oh, this is nothing like uncouth homebrewed concoctions. This is the finest of wines, direct from Stalliongrad, from the finest of wine makers. Not cheap, but worth every bit."

"Well, I've certainly never had fine wine."

"Well, prepare to have your world metaphorically rocked! Afterwards, we shall begin immediately!"

"Oh, well, about that..."

"Speaking of which, where is the Stone? I do not see it about you."

"Luna has it at the moment."

"Oh..."

Axion got a faraway look on her face, as if she was peering into the distance, and the bottle drooped in the air a bit. Twilight hurried to bolster the situation and Axion's spirits.

"It was her plan to get the Stone back. The plan is that she allows us to use it to make a replica to use, but first she wanted to prove something to Celestia."

"To prove she is Celestia's equal, no doubt."

"Y.. Yes. How did you know?"

"Oh, my dear, it is only logical."

Axion's smile returned, and she trotted over to a nearby table, sweeping the various tools out of the way to make room for the bottle and conjured two wine glasses out of nowhere.

"The system is a diarchy, for sure, and I'm sure Luna just wants her place back in it. Anyone who keeps up with Canterlot politics can see that even though it has been years since her return, Luna is still far from the level of power she used to have. It follows logically she would want that back." 

"Yes, that's true."

"Now, enough of this, I'm dying to try this wine! It been ages since I've had fine wine, far too long!"

A small cloud of magic covered the bottle, from which the cork was deftly removed, and two streams of the wine were gracefully lifted from the bottle and into the glasses. One floated towards Twilight, who quickly caught it with her own magic. She stared at the dark red liquid for a moment, wondering at the small amounts. There was barely enough for a single drink.

"Small amounts, I see?"

"Oh, yes. This kind of wine is best enjoyed a little at a time. Go ahead, try it, but be careful, it's very potent."

Twilight shrugged and took a sip from her glass. Immediately she was racked with coughing as fire raced down her throat. She barely was able to hold her glass upright as she struggled to breathe. She heard a small giggle from Axion, whom she looked at incredulously as soon as the coughing calmed enough to allow her.

"I told you it was strong."

"Wha.."

Twilight had to cough again and tried to speak again.

"Ahem... What is this stuff?"

"Aged wine, like I said."

Twilight shook her head and glared at the glass in front of her.

"Try another sip. It usually gets easier as you go."

Twilight gave a sideways glance at Axion and did as recommended. The second sip still contained all the fury and fire as the first one, but less pain. Though it still burned her, Twilight was able to discern a taste this time. It was fairly pleasant.

"How does it taste, Twilight?"

"Like sunshine and hatred. I think I could come to like it, but this stuff burns like Celestia's sun."

Axion merely laughed again, and Twilight noticed her glass was already empty.

"You finished yours already? I didn't see you take a sip, or even cough!"

"Yes, with experience comes ability. I am used to this. Now, I am able to focus on the taste of which you can barely distinguish. Hints of apple and pear flavors with just a teasing of ginger. Crisp."

"If you say so..."

"I do. Now that we have celebrated, back to business. Did Princess Luna ever tell you roughly when we could expect the Moon Stone?"

Twilight finished the small amount of wine at the bottom of her glass. It was enough to make her close her eyes for a moment, but luckily not to cough.

"Not exactly. She just said a few days, and she would send a letter immediately before."

"Well, not a moment to lose! Duplicating the Stone will be easy once we have it, but we must prepare! Do you remember the procedures?"

"Yes. Shall I gather the other crystals we have and find the best, or do you want to do it?"

"No dear, you do that, and I will get the stands and et cetera."

"Sounds good."

The next few days were a flurry of activity at the lab. Twilight had literally hundreds of crystals to sort through, of all different sizes and shapes. She was looking for one of medium size, and of utmost clarity. Imperfections in the proffered crystal would lower its energetic yield, thus weakening it. So Twilight used a few simple spells to find the most pure. The task took nearly two days by itself, by which time Axion had completed the platform where the replication was to happen. It was fairly simple; two pedestals about four feet apart, with various wires coming from either side. The process was technically possible without any of this, but Axion wanted to be absolutely sure that the process was to be as successful as possible. Usually, such a reproduction was somewhat less potent than its predecessor, but Axion figured that with the careful application of science, their donor stone would be nearly as good as the original. 

Another two days passed with Axion and Twilight working on the main machine, the one to do the magical combination, where the reproduced stone was to be utilized. It was on the afternoon of this fourth day that Twilight felt a magical field come to her, flowing into her horn. Knowing what was happening, Twilight cast her own retrieval spell, and a small letter appeared before her in a flash of purple fire. Twilight read it, and quickly ran to Axion to convey the news.

"Axion! Luna says that she'll come tomorrow! Right after she raises the moon!"

"That's fantastic! Only, how does she know where the lab is? And I was rather hoping that you would bring it yourself. Call me old fashioned, but I am stickler about outsiders coming in here."

"Well, the plan was that I cast a guiding spell, and she teleports here, than back to the castle when we're done. That way, she doesn't have to know the location. I have told her about your desire for secrecy. I guess I should have mentioned that part."

"Alright, I suppose I can approve of that."

"Awesome! I'll write her back and let her know."

The next day seemed like it was upon Twilight like the night never happened, but once she was awake the day seemed like it was trying to pass as slowly as possible, like Celestia herself was torturing her. Twilight busied herself with checking and double checking the various machinations on the machine, and the pedestals, and eventually dusk arrived. As soon as the sun had reached the western horizon, the small alert spell Twilight had set went off, alerting her to the impending dusk. She quickly ran outside to await the moon's raising.

It wasn't very long until the pale glow of the moon came over the horizon, and Twilight closed her eyes and cast her guidance spell. It was designed to be used between two ponies, and so Twilight was able to feel it when Luna locked on to the magical strand and began to follow it. An instant later, and muffled bang echoed throughout the small clearing, and Twilight opened her eyes to find Luna directly in front of her, in full radiance, with the Moon Stone around her neck.

"Luna!"

"Hello, my dear."

The mares embraced and shared a quick kiss, then Twilight led the way into the bare stone building. Luna looked about, obviously confused by the lack of laboratory, but before she could raise objections, Twilight smiled at her and pressed the hidden switch to open the door in the wall.

"How does it work? I never felt the magical residue from it. That's impossible!"

"You never felt the magic in it because it's not magical. It's all mechanical. Magical residues can be detected through enough empty space than it could theoretically be found from any unicorn walking past. The actual lab is deep enough that it is shielded, but this door isn't. So Axion invented this mechanism."

"Incredible!"

Luna stared at the door frame for another moment before following Twilight down the narrow stairs, having to duck her head to prevent her horn from scraping the ceiling. Once at the bottom, Luna walked into the lab with an expression of amazement, looking at the profusion of tools, machines, and other objects she could only guess at the use of. Twilight smiled at her.

"Like it?"

"It's.... Something, all right. I've never seen a laboratory quite like this."

"Ah, Princess Luna."

Both of the mares spun around to see Axion walk out from behind a bookshelf to their right. Twilight opened her mouth to greet her and introduce Luna, but was loudly interrupted by the Princess. 

Luna had reacted immediately as she spotted Axion, Spinning her horn in a small circle, the Moon Stone disappeared from her neck in a puff of smoke and Luna took a fighting stance towards Axion.

"YOU!"

> Amelioration
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight was momentarily stunned by the outburst from the Princess, and the immediate hostility. Luna had done nothing but stare at Axion with nothing less than raw, unabashed fury for several seconds, with Axion looking back with the proper amounts of fear and confusion. Twilight could practically smell the tension in the room, and she felt that if a pin were to drop it would cause an explosion. Luna's eyes were glowing a dark, vicious shade of blue, and her horn seemed not to glow, but begin to absorb the light around it, making it darker. 

If I don't get this worked out NOW, I'm afraid of what might happen...

Twilight took a step closer to Luna, to comfort her, but the instant her hoof softly landed on the smooth stone floor, Luna snapped at her.

"Stay back! 'Tis is an old and dangerous foe! Please, Twilight, go to safety!"

"No, Luna! This isn't some evil creature! This is Axion, my friend and co-researcher! I've been working with her for months! If she were evil, I think I would have noticed!"

Luna raised her head and straightened to stand upright, and the glow from her eyes faded, however her horn did not change from it's darkened state. 

"Art thou sure?"

Twilight flicked her ears at Luna's use of the Old Speech. She had not heard Luna use it in several years, since just after her first Nightmare Night.

"Yes, I'm positive. Axion, do you promise you're not evil?"

Axion took a step back and glanced at Twilight. She tried to smile reassuringly, but failed miserably.

"I p... I promise, Twilight."

"There. You see? She promised."

Luna's horn finally lost its eerie darkness, though Luna still looked at Axion with suspicion.

"Even Discord kept his promises... Though, if you are who I suspected you to be, promises would mean less than nothing to you....."

Luna took several steps toward Axion, who tried to continue backing away, but she ran into a table and could go no further. Luna walked directly up to Axion, and leaned down to look her squarely in the eyes from a mere few inches away. All three mares in the room stood completely still for a hoofful of heartbeats, then Luna finally turned away and walked back to Twilight, conjuring the Moon Stone back to her as she went.

"I accept your premise, Twilight. Axion, I formally apologize. I admit, your appearance was startling to me. Twilight never talked about what you looked like."

Axion breathed a sigh of relief, and placed a hoof on the table for support.

"It is perfectly fine, I accept your apology. Although, if I may ask, what, or who, do I look like?"

"An old foe."

Luna said no more, and neither did Twilight nor Axion ask more. Instead, Axion led them deeper into the laboratory, explaining a few of the more interesting tidbits around them, until they reached the duplication pedestals. Luna looked appreciatively at the various accoutrements, but said nothing.

"Well, here we are. This is what we shall use to duplicate the Moon Stone."

Luna examined the pedestals with a critical eye, then all the wires, then the gauges and readouts they were connected to, still silent.

"I am familiar with duplicating powerful magical stones and crystals, having done it several times myself, and I do not recognize any of this. All that should be needed are two Aldebrant's Pinnacles, and two or three wise and strong unicorns."

Axion practically leaped forward, obviously excited to finally be addressed by the Princess without suspicion or hostility.

"Ah, yes! We debated on using either Aldebrant's Pinnacle or maybe even Rikku's, but in the end we decided they were too inefficient, giving us replicated stones with too little power."

"But that is the nature of duplication, is it not? The copy is never as good as the original, it is simply scientific fact."

"Not anymore! What we have here are two copper and iron pedestals, imbued from the inside with many powerful spells, mostly for strength, but a few for magical aura enhancement. If you look here, on the top of the rim, there is a silver inlay of an old pinnacle I found awhile back in some old notes. It supposedly helps in duplication processes, much like we're doing-"

"A Faust Circle."

"Say again?"

"A Faust Circle. That's what that is called. I am impressed, I thought almost all knowledge of it had long since passed on. I have not seen one in many millennia. It certainly does more than assist in duplications. Much like Aldebrant's Pinnacle, it serves as a magical focus, guiding the magic, allowing whatever is inside it to receive more direct magical streams, rather than having the magic dissuade throughout the air around it. However, it is much more efficient than most other pinnacles."

"I see! That is fascinating! Perhaps you should come by more often, and lend us your magnificent mind and your magical knowledge."

"I will consider it. Now please, continue with the tour."

The next few minutes were fairly boring to Twilight, as the previous few had been. She simply stood quietly and allowed Axion to explain the various parts of their plan. The part about the Faust Circle had interested Twilight, but no other insights came from Luna, so Twilight just decided to ask her about other obscure magics another time. Finally, Axion wrapped up her small tour around the area, and turned to Luna.

"Well, I believe that is just about everything. Have you any other questions?"

"No, I do not. I am very impressed by what Twilight and yourself have accomplished down here, not to mention what you hope to accomplish in the future."

"Well, speaking of future accomplishments, are you prepared to try and make one of them the present?"

Axion smiled her most friendly smile, but Twilight could see the concern underneath it. All Luna had to do was decide something was amiss, or have some nagging worry about the Stone, and she could bring everything they had worked for to a grinding halt. Princess Luna looked down at her chest, to the Stone hanging there, and gazed at its midnight blue surface, lost in thought. Twilight was fairly sure Axion was holding her breath, because she was certainly holding her own. Finally, Luna's magical aura lifted the Stone on its necklace over her head, and placed it on the pedestal beside her.

"Yes, you have my permission to continue, However, I cannot allow the Stone out of my sight."

Axion was overjoyed, clapping her front hooves together and bounding over to the control panel.

"Oh, I expected nothing less! Now, Twilight, could you please bring the crystal out?"

Twilight nodded and went to a chest some ten feet away. Using her hooves, she opened the chest and gingerly picked up the red crystal within. She couldn't use her magic, as the chest had been enchanted to resist all magic tampering, to better protect its valuable contents. It was where they planned to keep their new stone once finished.

Twilight turned, and lifted the blood red gem with her telekinesis once it was free of the chest's protective spells. The gem was almost six inches long, with four equal sloped sides, shaped very similar to the diamonds on her friend Rarity's cutie mark, although this one was proportionally thicker in the middle. The center of the gem was about an inch and a half thick and four inches wide, and smoothly sloped from a flat surface to a sharp edge along the four sides. It was a magnificent specimen, almost free from any impurities. When Twilight had found it among the other crystals and gems she had been sorting through, she knew almost immediately it was the one. Light filtered through it so cleanly, one could almost imagine to see out the other side. Twilight gingerly set it on the podium opposite the Moon Stone and stepped back to beside Luna. As soon as Twilight was clear, Axion pushed a few buttons, and the podiums began to hum quietly. She faced Twilight and Luna, suddenly somber.

"In a moment, I will cast the first spell. Do you both know what to do? Twilight, I know you do. Princess Luna, do you remember the process?"

"Yes."

"Then let us begin."

Axion closed her eyes, and her magic flowed from the tip of her horn, coming to float between the two pedestals. At first, the cloud was simply a shapeless mass, but once it reached a certain size, it began to form delicate shapes, a vague circle with tendrils reaching out to first the Moon Stone, then the other. They both began to glow, and the hum increased in volume.

"Luna, Twilight, now!"

At Axion's command, Twilight and the Princess both reached out with their magic to the framework. Axion continued to shape the enchantment, while the other two gave it power. Keeping an eye on the gauges, Axion carefully directed miniscule bursts of power exactly to where it was needed with a precision unparalleled by any other means. The glow coming from the stones grew brighter, and the hum got so intense Twilight could feel it vibrating deep in her chest. She had to close her eyes to the glow, but the light seeped through her eyelids, nearly blinding her closed eyes. After several minutes of fueling the reaction, Twilight felt a pulse. It wasn't a pure magical pulse, and not a pulse in the hum, but to Twilight it somehow felt like it was a pulse in reality itself, rooted in nothing and everything. The pulse came again, then a third time, then a fourth slightly quicker. The pulsing continued, and began to speed up, as if it were a heartbeat going into cardiac arrest. Soon the beats were so close together, they felt as one drawn out force, and when Twilight thought it couldn't possibly get any stronger, it stopped, as did the light, and the hum.

Opening her eyes, Twilight looked to the pedestals, which were now radiating heat, and glowing red on the top. She could feel the heat on her face, even from several paces away. She took a few cautious steps towards the pedestal that held the new stone, trying to catch a glimpse of what they had created. The heat was such that is was impossible to get very close, but Twilight was able to see the ruby red crystal sitting within the glowing circle, seemingly unaltered.

"Did.. Did it work?"

Twilight looked at Axion, who shrugged, however Luna was able to assist.

"I do believe so. If it had failed, there most likely would have been some violent magical backlash."

"Oh."

The three mares gazed at the pedestals, still glowing, waiting on them to cool down enough to approach. When the red glow finally faded, Axion was the first to reach the crystal, and inspected it. Twilight came up behind her, trying to look over the scientist's shoulder. While the red crystal seemed unaffected, Twilight was able to see a faint pulsing deep within it.

"It's beautiful."

Twilight gently reached around Axion and touched the surface of the jewel. Finding it cool to the touch, she picked it up gently, and peered into it's depths. The pulsing was regular and smooth, like a resting heartbeat. Twilight looked to Axion, who smiled, then to Luna, who had taken several steps forward and was looking with academic curiosity. Twilight realized that Luna was already wearing the Moon Stone around her neck.

"Luna, how is the Moon Stone?"

"Unaffected, as expected. It is a very durable artifact."

Smiling at Luna, Twilight looked back to Axion.

"Well, we've done it. A suitable replacement for the Moon Stone for our experiment."

"I know! Is this not exciting? And we are so nearly prepared for the experiment itself! All we have to do is reset the instruments on the concentrator itself, and then run one last calibration, and we can move on to the truly exciting parts! Twilight, will you start with the gyrostabilizer? It was running high last time I checked."

"Right away!"

Twilight turned and placed the now powerful crystal back into it's tamper-proof case, then walked over to Luna.

"Well, we're about to begin the most intensive and crucial part in this whole scheme. You are welcome to stay and watch, if you wish, however you'll probably get a little bored."

"No, my dear, I'm afraid I actually have some business to attend to tonight. I will depart, but you must send me a letter telling me what you discover. I am absolutely riveted by this! To think, two mares are about to do something that even the great Starswirl admitted beyond his knowledge, and she's my lover at that! I am truly lucky."

Twilight blushed, the rosy red burning on her violet cheeks.

"But not near as lucky as I am to have you."

Twilight kissed Luna lightly, and as she did she heard a cough behind her. She turned and sheepishly looked at Axion, who was tapping her hoop impatiently, though her smile informed Twilight she didn't truly mind. Luna smiled, and kissed Twilight lightly again.

"I must go now. best of luck, and please be careful."

"I will."

Twilight watched with only a little remorse as Luna left, but turned back to Axion with an excited smile.

"Time to start!"

Twilight went to the giant funnel shaped device that dominated the rear of the large room, and climbed a small step ladder next to it. Axion went over to a long table festooned with dials and gauges, and looked at Twilight, waiting on her to begin. Twilight grasped her first target, a small gyrostabilizer, and carefully removing it, moved the small needle underneath back into it's position. Sometimes the needle would gravitate further to one side than it should, and being as it was to measure vibrations and movements in the focusing lens within the concentrator, that was something that needed to be accurate. Too much power input would make the lens vibrate and diffuse the beam, but too little and the experiment would not work. There was a very fine line to be tread, but Twilight felt that Axion had covered all the bases with various safety cut offs and proper instrumentation to gauge them.

"Ready?"

"Mark."

Placing the gyrostabilizer back in it's hole very carefully, Twilight looked to Axion, who was measuring the feedback on a dial.

"Good?"

"In the green. Next!"

Moving to the next device, a voltage gauge, Twilight and Axion carefully reset the readings to optimum. They continued to do the same process with each device, moving down the machine on one side, then up the other, then down the top and up the bottom. After what seemed to be the entire night spend manipulating tiny buttons, wires, needles, and switches, Twilight finally pushed the last instrument back into it's place, and immediately sat down and sighed.

"Two hundred and fourteen measuring instruments. I hope they're all reading correct?"

"They seem as if they are. Good job, and congratulations! Now, take a ten minute break, then bring me the crystal."

Twilight did as requested, taking a few minutes to sit down and drink a cup of fresh spring water. She could not truly enjoy it though, as what they were about to do had made her very anxious to begin.

We're about to do the impossible. If, no, WHEN we succeed, this will change everything. Entire books will have to be rewritten, or simply ignored. And with the new stone, with it's exponential power, we will be able to do things previously impossible. We might even be able to put a pony on the moon! Well, a regular pony, not a Princess.

Twilight looked at the clock, and realized her ten minutes were near enough to done. She left the cup on the counter and went to the chest, removing the crystal, and went over to the machine. Axion stood waiting, gazing at the machine. She turned as Twilight approached.

"Are you ready?"

"As ready as I can be to defy every magical law I've been taught."

"That's the spirit! Now, place the crystal in the cage, and I'll start powering up."

Twilight went to the small end of the large funnel, to the small harness that sat there. It resembled nothing less than a small bird cage to Twilight, about eight inches tall and six inches around at the base. Twilight was proud it was her idea. The crystal would likely jump and move around as a result of having incredible forces shoved into it, and the cage was the simplest and likely best solution. Opening the door, Twilight set the crystal in the center, and locked it shut. She stared at the crystal for a few moments, enraptured by the slight pulsing within it, then turned and went to Axion at the control board.

"Loaded and locked!"

"Good! Powering the last of the instruments up now. Twilight, come help me with this. Stand over there, near the lens readouts."

"Okay."

"Lens angle?"

"Good."

"Voltage?"

"In the green."

"Water coolant pressure?"

"Good."

Axion looked at a few more dials, and asked Twilight a few more questions, all of which were answered positively. Finally, it seemed they were actually ready to do what they had been waiting for all along.

"Well, it seems like everything is optimum. Twilight, if you please?"

Twilight followed Axion out from behind the control panel, and over to the large end of the funnel, which was dominated by a large ruby carved into the shape of a lens, exactly sixteen feet in diameter. They had initially desired a glass lens, but the time it would have taken to make would have made them wait far longer than they had wanted. Luckily, one of the few Diamond Dogs that was friendly to ponykind had happened to have a giant ruby that was large enough. All they had to do was find somepony to cut and polish it, which was easy compared to making a giant glass lens. The cost had been astronomical, but Axion seemed to have bottomless funds. Twilight had been curious about her surplus of bits, but she decided that Axion would have told her if it mattered.

Staring at the lens, Twilight admired her and Axion's contorted reflecting in the convex surface. She could barely see through it, into the mouth of the funnel behind, but ever so barely. She looked at Axion, who spoke to her without looking, gazing into the lens as well.

"Well, this is it, Twilight. Are you ready?"

"Yes."

"Okay. Then on three, two, one, NOW!"

Axion sent a beam of magic straight from her horn into the direct center of the ruby lens, and Twilight did the same at nearly the same moment. The blue beam intersected with the purple one as they collided with the surface, and sparks of every color in the visible spectrum dancing out as the beams went through, and into the funnel, hopefully being combined and siphoned into the crystal waiting at the end. The machine hummed loudly, not the heavy bass thrum of the stone duplication, but a high pitched scream of gears turning, water steaming, and huge amounts of power being channeled into a small space. The floor shook, and dust rained down upon the two mares as they kept sending magic into the machine. They didn't relent nor get distracted as the dusk covered them, or when some of the other equipment in the lab began to fall, or when the machine itself began to shake. From behind the machine, a bright red glow emanated, coming from the cage that held the crystal. Seeing this, Axion shouted to Twilight, barely audible over the commotion.

"Alright! Cut in three, two, one, now!"

Both unicorns turned their heads to the side, snapping the ribbon of magic that had linked together and to the machine. Instantly, the shrieking and the shaking that had come from the machine stopped. The lab was nearly silent, except for a faint hissing where some acid had spilled onto a wooden table. Axion took a few steps forward, and stopped, hanging her head. Twilight didn't see any of this, as she had closed her eyes and laid on the cool stone floor. Both mares were exhausted, not as much as when Twilight got her wings, but almost. After a moment, Twilight got to her feet, and Axion did as well. They both slowly walked around the back of the machine, to the cage and the waiting crystal. As they got closer, Twilight could feel a detectable drop in the temperature. As they got closer and closer, the temperature kept dropping, and soon their breath was misting and there was frost on the machine walls. The cage itself was draped in ice, with a red glow coming from within. Breaking some of the ice, Twilight opened the small door and reached in.

"Ah!"

"Twilight! Be careful!"

"I am, it's just cold."

Slowly bringing her hoof out of the cage, Twilight looked down and saw what they had created. The crystal looked much the same as before, however the pulsing within it had gone, and instead it was glowing with a deep, steady, light. Twilight could feel the power in it, like a static charge running up her leg.

"I thought it was beautiful before... Now it's...."

"Yeah....."

Both mare stared at it for several moments, enraptured by their creation.

"Twilight?"

"Yeah?"

"Something this magnificent needs a name."

"Yeah..."

They lapsed back into silence for more time, both thinking for a name. Suddenly, a word jumped into Twilight's head. It was a word she had heard once in a song, and given the meaning of the song, it seemed appropriate for the stone.

"Axion. I think I have one."

"Yes?"

"The Amaranth."

> .5
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------




My Dear Luna,


We did it! The experiment was a success! Oh, I wish you could have been here, it was so exciting! And it all went so smoothly, too! All our efforts have paid off in the way we would only dream about. Only one of the sensors malfunctioned, but as it was only one to regulate a few other instruments, it didn't have an effect on the outcome. The crystal's infusion was a wonderful success. We decided that it was a powerful enough artifact now that it needed a name, and so we have dubbed it the  "Amaranth." Just in case you did not know, amaranth is a type of red flowering plant, one that does not wilter. It's name actually translates in an old language to "undying" and I thought it would be a nice name for our crystal, which will hopefully never fail.

After we ran some tests on the Amaranth, we were very surprised to find that it was only at a quarter of its theoretical capacity! So, we carefully ran the process a second time, and after exhausting ourselves by pouring every bit of magic we could muster again, we ran more tests. By that point it was still only at fifty percent capacity! We rested for a day to recover our strength, and the next day we ran the infusion a third time. After running the diagnostics on it, however, we were shocked to find that it had only risen to sixty five percent. We are unsure as to why it did not increase by twenty five percent again, and because of that we are going to run more thorough tests to best decide if it is safe to try to attempt the process again.

I cannot wait for you to see it. Instead of the deep throbbing it has within, it instead was glowing with a steady light. It is simply beautiful, much like a certain Princess I know....

I hope that you are well, and I cannot wait until I can see you again. Simply tell me when you would like me to come, and I will. Now that all our hard work has paid off, Axion told me that we deserve a short vacation before we begin to seriously test the Amaranth, which includes physical demonstrations. I am still at the lab for the time being, although I will probably go back to Ponyville for the weekend. Axion and I are not scheduled to begin testing until the Monday the following week, so we can spend all week together, if your duties permit. I admit, I am very much hoping that it will work out that well!


With all my affection,


Twilight Sparkle

> Formidilosus
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight opened her eyes and blinked a few times. Looking out Ponyville Library's eastern window, she noticed that the sun had barely risen, meaning it couldn't be past seven. Growling her displeasure at being awake this early after a party like last night's, she rolled over and buried her head between a pillow and Luna's neck. After a moment, she felt a wing softly drape over her back, and Luna's chest move with a sigh. Buried in the soft embrace, she was able to fall asleep again.

When Twilight woke up again, the angle of the shadows told Twilight that it was nearly noon. Looking around at her empty bed, Twilight stood, and went in search of her missing Princess. She found Luna in the kitchen, drinking some tea and that week's newspaper held in her telekinetic grip as she frowned at the Sudoku page. Her back was to Twilight, who decided to see if she could sneak up on her lover. It something she had never managed to do, and was quite keen to achieve. Setting her hooves delicately on the wooden floor, Twilight inched closer to her unsuspecting prey. She was almost holding her breath as she got closer, and closer, and after several minutes of being as careful and quiet as can be, she was right behind Luna. She paused, contemplating her next move. However, the decision turned out to be for naught.

"Good try, but I knew you were there before you were halfway across the room."

"Augh! How do you do that?"

"I'm an immortal alicorn, with thousands of years of wisdom and knowledge at my disposal, and incomparable amounts of magical power. I've learned a few tricks."

"You should teach me those tricks sometime."

Luna turned from her puzzle to give Twilight a crooked grin.

"What, do you not remember last night? I'd say you actually taught me a few."

Twilight blushed to such a degree, she was sure her face was literally glowing. She did in fact remember what had happened last night, long after the rest of the ponies had left and the party winded down.

"But I..... I didn't know what I was..... I've never..."

Luna set down her tea and paper and leaned over to kiss Twilight softly.

"Fret not. You are an amazing mare, and last night was amazing. Now, I do think there is some toast and tea left if you're hungry."

Twilight's stomach answered for her, growling loudly in protest of the lack of food so far. Reaching out with her magic, she levitated the plate with toast and the glass of tea over to the table, warming them at the same time. She ate with gusto, while Luna continued with her puzzle. The couple sat in peace for several minutes, the only sounds being the crunch of toast and scribbling of a pen. Twilight was absentmindedly chewing on some toast when she happened to look at the back of the paper Luna was holding, which was actually the front, as the puzzle was on the last page. She gasped loudly and dropped the piece of toast she had been nibbling on, causing Luna to flinch in her seat, dropping her paper, which fluttered to the floor, pages scattering. Twilight scrambled after the paper, confusing Luna even more.

"Twilight, what are-"

"The paper!"

"Yes, what about it?"

Twilight finally rose from under the table, holding the front page and staring at it in horror. Luna noticed this look, and began to inch around the table.

"Twilight, dear, what is.... Oh."

The Princess had moved around the table far enough to read the front headline, big bold print that she wondered how she could have missed. Leaning closer, she began to read the horrifying article.


______________________________________________________________________________

GRIFFONS DECLARE WAR ON DIAMOND DOGS
Hundreds killed in surprise attack!
In a completely unprecedented move, the griffons, led by Major General Stormwind and under the command of Emperor Frau Farbissana, have declared war on the Diamond Dogs. Wednesday morning, the Imperial Griffon Army launched a full-scale siege of the civilian Diamond Dog city of Salam, and by Thursday evening were in complete occupation of the previously peaceful city. So far, the only information we have is that many were killed, mostly civilians, with thousands being held in prison camps. Friday morning, Princess Celestia was planning to send a Royal Guard task force to ascertain whether or not the attack was justified and prevent further hostilities, when a letter from General Stormwind arrived, requesting the she resist intervention. Legislation was passed that the letter not be released publicly. It says the following:

"Princess Celestia.
I realize that our actions have both surprised and horrified you, and must seem unjust and cruel. However, allow me to say that we are completely justified in doing as we did, as the Diamond Dogs are responsible for several recent acts of gruesome terrorism against our government that we will not allow to go unpunished. I will order my troops out of Diamond Dog land as soon as we have the group responsible, and not a second before. If you attempt to intervene, it will be perceived as a hostile act, and will be treated as such.

-Major General Stormwind, Commander of the Imperial Griffon Army."

At this time, we are unable to confirm or deny any other news about the situation, other than the griffons are not accepting requests of peace talks from the Diamond Dog government. Remember to buy next week's Equestrian Inquirer for more on this story as it unfolds!
______________________________________________________________________________



Twilight finished reading the story and set the paper down, rocking back to sit heavily in her chair. The implications of what had just happened were astounding. War had not been declared between any countries in centuries. Luna picked up the paper and read the article again, scowling darkly. She growled and tossed the paper down, shocking Twilight.

"War is declared by two nearby countries, and she sees fit not to inform me!? What is this madness!?"

"I'm sure she was going to, but was busy or-"

"No, Twilight. I commend you for trying to see light in the dark situation, but I fear my sister intentionally kept this from me, for reasons undoubtedly shortsighted and narrow minded. I must go to the castle and demand explanation."

"I'm coming too!"

Twilight stood, and she was nearly certain that Luna was going to tell her no, to stay behind, that it would be safer, but instead the Princess turned and walked towards the front door.

"If you desire. However, you know how taxing Canterlot politics can be. Are you certain?"

"Yes. As one of the Elements Of Harmony, I feel it is my duty to try and facilitate peace. I will also alert the others, if need be."

"Well, that can wait until we know if it is needed or not. Come! We have no time to waste."

Twilight and Luna dashed to the door, and once outside they opened their wings and took to the skies, aiming for Canterlot and going as fast as they could. Twilight tucked into Luna's slipstream, as the Princess was a much stronger flyer. Since Luna's wings were also marginally larger than Twilight's own, she was able to tuck in behind and maintain speed for an amount of time much longer than she normally would have. Even given the urgent situation, Twilight had the presence of mind to watch Luna as she flew and examine her flying technique. The first thing she saw was how Luna kept her hind legs bent at the knee, tucked in under her hindquarters. Twilight had always just let her legs hang, letting the wind push them back into a semi-streamlined shape, but as soon as she bent her own legs, she noticed a vast reduction in the turbulence that was whipping her tail around.

As the scenery scrolled by peacefully under the pair, they steadily approached Canterlot. Twilight couldn't quite see the palace tower over Luna's head, and soon realized why. They were heading to the highest room in the highest tower. She wondered about this for several minutes, and then remembered a handy little spell she had discovered that allowed two unicorns to talk telepathically. Recalling the specifics of the spell, she gave a brief burst of magic to power it, and released it, targeting Luna.

Luna?

Twilight saw Luna shudder a bit in the air in front of her, then glance back and replied in kind.

Twilight? I forgot about this spell, I haven't used it in ages. What is the matter?

Are we heading to the apothecary?

Yes.

Why not the main throne room?

You shall see.

Twilight continued to ruminate on this but did not answer, as they were nearing the palace anyway. Swooping into a gradual arc, Luna flew around to approach the tower from the rear. As they made their approach, Twilight saw there was a small balcony, just large enough to accommodate a few landing pegasi, or an alicorn and one other besides. Luna made an elegant landing, touching down on her hooves with nary a sound. Twilight's landing was slightly less graceful, having come in at a more downward slope, not wanting to skid on the slick tile into the room. Luna raised an eyebrow at the thump as Twilight landed, but did not comment. Leading the way, she walked into a room that Twilight thought was the most beautiful room she had ever seen. 

The ceiling was painted in the likeness of the night sky, with faint lines denoting the path of the planets and stars. The walls were navy blue, and the floor was midnight black tile. There were several shelves around the perimeter of the room with various devices for divining the night sky, but the center of the room was dominated by a large, low wooden table ringed with large and comfortable looking wingback chairs. Only two of the chairs were occupied at the moment, but the occupants were neither the ones Twilight expected, or wanted to see. One was occupied one by Celestia herself, while across from her was undoubtedly the largest griffon Twilight had ever seen. He looked to be as large as Celestia herself, and going by standard griffon physiology meant that his wings would be much larger than the Princess's as well. Both Celestia and the griffon reacted when Luna strode into the room, tall and regal as she could be without her royal accoutrements, and again they seemed shocked when they noticed Twilight. Celestia's eyes grew wide, and she set down the cup of tea she was holding, and the griffon actually jumped out of his chair, spinning to face the perceived intruders. He opened his beak, and his voice barked forth, deep and rough.

"What is the meaning of this intrusion!? We demanded that we remain undisturbed!"

Luna's reply was as smooth as the griffon's was brash.

"I'm sure there's an exclusion to a Princess and her chosen guest. Who are you?"

"I am Lieutenant General Grous! Second on command to Major General Stromwind! And Queen Celestia has bade that NONE interrupt our meeting, as it is of the highest importance!"

"QUEEN!? WHAT DOST THOU MEAN QUEEN? SISTER, EXPLAIN!"

Celestia rose from her seat and motioned for the Lieutenant General to take his. He did so, fuming, while Celestia approached her enraged sister. When she was close enough, she whispered loud enough for Twilight to hear as well.

"Due to the way the griffon hierarchy is set up, they view Princesses as nearly powerless until they have ascended the throne. As such, you and myself shall have to go by Queens when we are dealing with them, or else we will be disregarded. Please, understand."

Luna seemed to roll this information around in her head before accepting it, at which time she gazed back at Celestia with fury, although subsided greatly from a moment before.

"I understand, however our system was never set up for queens. Remember to set the title aside when this is through."

"But of course. Lieutenant, this is my sister, Queen Luna of Canterlot, and my former protege, Twilight Sparkle of Canterlot. Sister, Twilight, come join us. I fear you may need to hear what we are deliberating."

They went to the table, and Luna chose to sit beside Celestia, and Twilight sat beside her. They looked across the table to the Lieutenant Major, who seemed to be having difficulty accepting the sudden appearance of two more audience members. Nevertheless, he shuffled his wings, then began talking.

"The situation with the Diamond Dogs is not quite what the media has portrayed. We did not attack a defenseless crowd of weak civilians. They had anticipated us, and have a strong defense. Whoever it was that lead those atrocious acts of terrorism, they are being very well protected, further proof that it was a dubious Diamond Dog scheme, no doubt for our lands and resources. We have been at odds with them for centuries, as you are no doubt aware. The uneasy truce between our races was doomed to fail, it was just a matter of when and what excuse."

"And what exactly were those acts of terrorism?"

Twilight felt like the Lieutenant was upset by her question, as he shot her a glare that was withering and vile.

"Four days ago, they attempted to assassinate one of our princesses as she was on a pilgrimage. She barely escaped with her life, and will most likely never walk on land again, as they damaged her two hind legs beyond repair or healing."

The room fell quiet, a crushing and dark silence. Celestia was the first to speak, to Luna and Twilight.

"And this is not the first attack. Two weeks ago, several Imperial Guards were found in their barracks, strangled while they slept."

"But that is not the most infuriating part!"

Twilight jumped at Grous's sudden outburst, slamming his large, taloned fist on the table.

"Diamond Dogs are known to not have magic, relying on enchanted crystals bartered from unicorns or dragons. Killing five Royal Guards is a task that requires strength no crystal can achieve!"

Twilight had to restrain lowering her gaze as he said this, her mind on the Amaranth.

Not anymore....

"We think that the Diamond Dogs have recruited a rogue unicorn, one very strong in the magical ways. That is why I am here. The Queen and myself are attempting to find a way to track such a unicorn, and learn where he came from."

"I imagine you have already scoured the Unicorn Registry, Celestia?"

"Yes, sister. The only two unicorns of great power unaccounted for both disappeared hundreds of years ago, and have long since died. Gracious Charm, the inventor of several powerful mind control spells, vanished three hundred and seven years ago, and the unicorn known only as Black Star, just over a thousand years ago. The Registry has been complete ever since."

Twilight caught a small grimace from Luna as the name Black Star was mentioned, and understood. Black Star was an anonymous spellcaster who had caused a lot of trouble a thousand years ago, just before the appearance of Nightmare Moon. They had never been caught, and no motive was ever realized. One day, several building were destroyed, followed by more over the next few years, with several important members of the Royal Court killed. Then one day, mere months before Luna turned into Nightmare Moon, they stopped. There had been much speculation as to if the two were working together, but after much investigation over the next hundred years, it was disregarded, as no proof of correlation could be proven. The only evidence ever discovered was a note, found at the scene of the murder of an important Senator, signed with the name Black Star, claiming that they would bring the entirety of Equestria to it's knees. It was the last act of the mysterious Black Star, and no more clues were ever found.

"What about other unicorns, maybe born outside Equestria's borders? That's certainly possible."

Once again, Twilight felt every eye in the room swivel to her in scrutiny. After a moment, Celestia spoke.

"That is what we are afraid of. A unicorn never registered, possibly never exposed to proper teachings, free to be melded into the barbaric ways of the wild country, far from any civilization. Unfortunately, if that is so, then the only way to track them is to wait until they act again, and attempt to track their magic from there. It is risky and difficult, but may be our only action."

"Well then, that is what me must do. I cannot stand to let any more griffons die!"

"General Grous, is your purpose here to secure a unicorn team to find this rogue unicorn?"

"Yes, Queen Luna, it is."

"In that case, I may be able to assist you. Sitting right here beside me is one of the most powerful unicorns in Equestria, if not the world. She just might agree to assist you."

Twilight was confused at first, but then Luna looked at her, and understanding flooded through her, and she felt herself blush. She instinctively wanted to deny it, but she didn't. She decided to instead blush deeply and stammer her answer.

"I mean, I guess I'm good but, are there not far more able unicorns, maybe those trained for such a thing? I've never tried to track another unicorn through magic, though I know how it's done..."

"Twilight, it is entirely up to you if you choose to assist or not. However, I believe you may be one of the best options. As for more able unicorns trained in such arts, we do have a team, but they will need a leader."

Twilight made direct eye contact with Celestia for the first time since entering the room, and it made her uncomfortable. She squirmed in her seat, but she simply couldn't turn down an opportunity to assist someone in need, even if she felt out of her depth.

"I guess.... How long until the team is ready?"

"They are already assembled downstairs."

"Then I agree. As one of the Elements of Harmony, it is my duty to facilitate peace."

"Then is it done?"

"Yes, Lieutenant General. Twilight will lead the team in the investigation, and Queen Luna will oversee them from here. They will begin in Salam, and rendezvous with the field commander there, then will make their own way to wherever they see fit. Twilight will relay their progress via magical scroll to my sister, who will give it to me, and I shall send relevant information to either you or General Stormwind, depending on it's importance. Is that agreeable?"

"Indeed it is. Now, I must go. I wish to be away from the Army as little as possible. Take care, Queen Celestia, Queen Luna, and good luck, Twilight Sparkle. I look forward to seeing you again soon."

With that said, Grous stood from the table and went out to the balcony, taking off and vanishing from sight. As soon as he was gone, Celestia stood as well.

"Luna, the team Twilight is to lead is stationed in the East Barracks at the moment. Please, go to them, and see that they are ready for departure. Twilight, please make what arrangements you must and depart as soon as possible. I have much to do, if you would excuse me."

With a bright flash of light, Celestia vanished, teleporting to where ever she needed to be, leaving Twilight and Luna alone. As soon as she was certain they were not being watched, Twilight leaned over to rest her head on Luna's shoulder, who wrapped her wing around Twilight, covering her in a soft embrace. They sat in silence for a minute, at which point Twilight sighed.

"That is definitely NOT what I was expecting this afternoon to be like."

"I can agree. This seems worse than we thought. You have quite a job ahead of you."

"I know. I can just hope my team is ready for it."

"If they are who I think they are, then Tia just assigned you to the best of the unicorns in service today, the Black Berets."

Twilight immediately sat straight up in her seat.

"No way. THE Black Berets? The best of the best of the best magicians of the Royal Guard?"

"The very same."

Twilight slumped back over to rest her head on Luna's shoulder again.

"Great....."

"Something the matter?"

"Well, it's just that my brother, Shining Armour, was so into them as a young stallion. He knows almost everything there is to know about them that there is to know, and by extension, I do too. They are a rough bunch."

"Only the mentally and physically toughest unicorns can be a Black Beret, so yes, a certain uncouthness is a typical character trait. However, they are among the most loyal and selfless soldiers known, so you should have no trouble from them. Would you like to meet them?"

"I suppose. Afterward, I need to go to the lab and tell Axion about this development. I guess she will have to carry on without me for the time being."

"Yes, this definitely takes precedence. Now, take my hoof. I will teleport us to nearby their quarters."

Taking Luna's hoof in her own, Twilight felt a peculiar sensation running over her, similar to hot water being poured on her. Before it could reach the point of discomfort, there was a flash of blue, then it was over. They were now standing in a stone hallway, from the end of which voices could be heard, singing in a rough chorus.


"....But the crew stayed at their post, and the captain at his wheel!
We all endured the wrath of fate, we thought our fate was sealed!
A chain's as weak as it's weakest link, and rust had cut us through!
But strength in hooves and hearts and heads held, cause our course was true!"


Moving nearer to the door that the singing was coming from, Twilight felt nervousness clawing at her heart, though she refused to let it win. The old sailing song was rousing and strong, as undoubtedly were the stallions singing it. Just before they reached the door, however, the singing abruptly stopped. Questioningly, Twilight pushed open the door to find twenty tall, buff, and stern looking unicorns staring at her. One stepped forward to confront her, a light red giant of a pony. Twilight swallowed nervously, as her head barely came above his shoulder. His voice was shockingly smooth and mellow for a stallion of his size, though his tone gruff.

"You lost?"

"That is not the way you greet your new squad leader."

The assembled stallions all bowed as Luna entered the room, all shouting as one.

"Hail, Princess Luna!"

The stallion who had spoken to Twilight looked up, though he remained bowing.

"Our most sincere apologies! We were not alerted to the identity of our commander, Princess!"

"Please, stand. This is your new commander, Twilight Sparkle. She is more magically powerful than any one of you here, though she is not well versed in fighting arts. That is why she is not going alone. You are to give her your unquestioning loyalty and respect. Understood?"

The reply shook the floor with its volume, making Twilight cringe.

"Yes, Princess!"

"Twilight, you should get on terms with them. These stallions will obey your every command, and die for you without hesitation. You might as well be friends."

Twilight swallowed again at this. 

"I certainly hope it never comes to that...."

"I do as well. Now, I have a few things to do. Find me in my quarters when you are finished here."

And so Luna left, leaving Twilight with twenty stallions, all of whom were no less than a foot taller than her, and at least a hundred pounds larger. They all still stood rock solid, still at attention, for their commander hadn't ordered otherwise.

"Um.... You can relax now...."

A collective sigh was released, and soon the rigid statues turned back into stallions, smiling and friendly. The one who had spoken introduced himself first.

"Hello! I am Wildfire. I'm the Sergeant of this rabble, and your second-in-command. Tell me what needs done, and I see that these fools get it done."

There was some laughter at his good-natured insults.

"It's nice to meet you, Wildfire."

Leading the way around the room, Wildfire introduced Twilight to the others, starting with the biggest of them all. Twilight's head was level with his massive brick red shoulder, and his hooves were nearly as large as her head.

"This bruiser here has a proper name, but we all call him Little Bit. He's the demolitions expert. Point him in the right direction and get out of his way, 'cause let him loose and I've seen him level a small town on his own."

Twilight craned her head to look up at the hulk being introduced to her.

"Nice to meet you, uh, Little Bit. I sure hope that no town need leveling this time."

"And the same to you, Commander. And that's a shame, it's been too long since I've gone on a proper rampage."

Twilight felt her body reverberate with the bass from his voice, which was as deep and growling as a dragon's roar. Wildfire quickly moved on to the next stallion in line.

"This one here is Hawkeye. He can hit anything, from anywhere, in any conditions, from up to a mile away with them little sticks of his."

This was a light grey unicorn no bigger than Applejack's older brother Big Macintosh was, making him the smallest stallion in the room. Across his back was slung a quiver loaded with short spears, feathered on one end, large steel tips on the other.

"Evening, Ma'am. An honor to work with you. I know your brother, Shining Armour. A gallant stallion."

"An honor to you as well. And yes, my brother is certainly gallant. Mind if I ask, but how do you throw your projectiles distances of a mile?"

"With magic. I've been doing it since I was a foal, tossing sticks this way and that."

"And you can hit a pony sized target at that range?"

"Reliably."

"In a wind?"

Hawkeye snickered a little, as did a few of the stallion around him.

"In a thunderstorm, at night, uphill. Actually had to once. Remember that, Tank?"

The stallion beside him nodded. He was covered from head to tail in polished metal armour, which looked heavy to Twilight, but he bore it with ease.

"I do. Way off in the mountains, hunting that damn murderer. Wild night. Oh, pardon me, Ma'am, I'm Aegis, but they all call me Tank."

"Pleased to meet you. Is that armour really necessary here? Surely we won't be attacked."

"Ah, you're right, but it's gotten to the point I feel weird without it."

A dark green stallion beside Tank nudged the armoured soldier and laughed.

"Silly foal even sleeps in it! I'm Nightfury, covert ops extraordinaire."

"By that, he means he's really good at avoiding a straight fight, unlike a real stallion! I always prefer an open fight to all his sneaking around."

Twilight turned to the stallion that had just spoke, a brown unicorn with a light brown mane. He was very normal looking, except for his size.

"I see. And what is your name?"

"Bill."

"Bill?"

"Yupp. Nice and simple."

"Do you have a specialty?"

"Fighting."

"As I would expect from a Black Beret. Anything more specific?"

"Close range, within hoof's reach."

Twilight was about to ask the next stallion his name, when her eyes suddenly found a mare sitting in the back of the room, previously hidden behind the mountainous stallions surrounding her. She looked so normal and out of place that Twilight had to ask Wildfire if she was actually a Black Beret.

"Yes, she is. Come on, let's go say hi."

The mare had an off-white coat, and a mane of black with a single bright green streak. She was sitting calmly in the corner, smoking a cigarette, and stood when Wildfire and Twilight approached.

"This little hellion is Winter Mist."

"Good evening, Winter Mist."

"Please, just Winter. And it is nice to meet you as well, Commander. It's nice to see some estrogen injected into this testosterone fueled rage machine."

Twilight smiled. She liked Winter's sense of humor already, as well as her accent. Twilight couldn't quite place it, but it had a smooth and pleasant melody to it, drawing out some of the vowel sounds and clipping some of the consonants.

"I know the feeling. Pardon me for saying, but you seem a little out of place here."

Wildfire laughed loudly at this, as did the rest of the stallions, though Winter just smiled grimly.

"Aye, that's what we all said at first! This little mare, a Black Beret? Hah! But let me tell you, she has earned her place, time and again."

"What is your specialty, Winter?"

"Fire."

As she spoke, a small orb of green fire came from the tip of Winter's horn, and floated around the group. Some of the stallions laughed and attempted to swat it from the air, but it danced around them as gracefully as a dancer, evading all attacks, before returning to Winter's horn and vanishing.

"Controlling fire is what I'm good at. Big fire, small fire, makes no difference. I can burn a fly off the wall without singing it's wings."

Twilight talked with Winter for a few moments before being whisked off by Wildfire to greet the rest of the group, and Twilight was soon lost in all the introductions. Twenty names were soon floating through her head. Some, like Winter and Little Bit, were easy to remember from their appearance, but most of the soldiers looked too similar to Twilight, and so were harder to remember. After calling several stallions the wrong name, the Black Berets decided to put on their namesakes, which had their names embroidered on the front in gold thread. This made the proceedings much easier for Twilight, who was soon joking with the soldiers as if they had been friends for years. Soon enough, Twilight prepared to leave, and began to say her goodbyes. Just before she opened the door, Wildfire called to her.

"Commander! One moment please."

"Yes?"

"BERETS, SALUTE!"

Twenty stallion all snapped to attention, and brought their right hoof up to chest height, parallel with the floor. Twilight smiled and returned the salute, and called out one of the commands that Wildfire had taught her.

"Berets, what's your motto!?"

"MESS WITH THE BEST, DIE LIKE THE REST!"

"At ease! Good bye, and see you all soon!

"Good bye, Commander! See you soon!"

With the Black Berets farewell ringing in her ears, Twilight left them to their preparations and made her way to Luna's quarters. She was just about to open the door when it swung open of its own accord, and Twilight walked into the dark room. Abruptly, a candle flame sprang into life near the bed, and Twilight could see Luna lying on it. The Princess had a certain glint in her eyes, one that Twilight recognized very well.

"Ah, loyal subject. Please, come over to the bed."

"Of course, my Princess."

Twilight bowed deeply for a moment before walking to the bed and climbing in beside her lover.

"What does my Princess command me to do?"

"Blow out that candle."

Twilight extinguished the only light in the room, casting it into complete darkness. She felt Luna wrap a wing around her and pull her close.

"Is there anything else Your Highness would like?"

"Shut up and kiss me."

> The Primary Fallacy
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was dark when Twilight landed outside the modest stone building that hid the laboratory. The moon was rising over the treetops, and the last of the sun's golden rays had just faded. Stars were just beginning to dot the skies, scattered and infinite. The various creatures that roamed the night were awakening, signalling the beginning of their reign with various cries, howls, chirps and croaks. Twilight took a moment to pause and look to the sky. She had always been partial to the night, even long before she knew of Nightmare Moon and Princess Luna. It was peaceful and quiet, a nice time to sit next to an open window, studying, with the cool night breeze tousling her mane. She looked to the moon, not even trying to count the amount of times the pale glow had guided her back upstairs and down hallways to her bed.

Shaking her head to bring her thoughts back to the present, Twilight went through the door ahead, then through the hidden door inside. The staircase was dark, but Twilight was able to cast a small glow to guide her way. Reaching the bottom, Twilight paused for a moment in  confusion. The glow from her horn was meager, but even in the faint glow she could see the room beyond seemed empty, a concerning sight. The various tables and their mounds of instruments and gadgets were gone, replaced by shadows and a blank stone floor. Twilight looked around wildly, searching for Axion, or any hint to her whereabouts.

"Axion?"

Twilight heard only her own echo, bouncing around the cavernous room. Twilight was not one to be afraid of the darkness, but a vacant room fifty yards long and thirty yards wide that had been filled not a week previous was definitely eerie. She was about to turn around and go back to the room above and search for a note or other clue, when a reply drifted from the darkness.

"Twilight. Welcome back."

The words were undoubtedly Axion's, but they were low, halfway between a purr and a growl. Twilight had to suppress the chills that ran wild up and down her spine, and cast her glow a little brighter, pushing the shadows back a little further. However, she could still see nothing.

"Come here, darling. I desire to speak to you."

A faint red glow appeared in the very back of the room, far beyond the range of Twilight's enchanted light. The red glow wasn't quite bright enough to light up any of the source, though Twilight thought she could nearly make out Axion's outline. Summoning her courage a little, Twilight began to move toward the light. Her hoofsteps clicked faintly on the floor as she walked to the light, summoned by the ghostly beacon. When she was no more than a few paces away, the red glow flared momentarily, and two torches lit on either side, revealing Axion with the Amaranth on a silver chain around her neck, and sitting comfortably in a large chair, nearly a throne in it's size and luxury.

"Good evening, Twilight."

"Axion. What's going on? Where did all our equipment go?"

"I put it away. We have no more need of it. The Amaranth is ready."

"Ready for what?"

"To bring the world into the light, to show the civilizations that everything they know is now outdated. Ready to lead."

"But... That's not what we were creating it for."

"What we were going to use it for, then? What is the point of creating such a magnificent and awesome artifact if not to use it? What good would it accomplish locked in a lab, running experiments on for eternity? No, I plan on using it to show the world true power."

"What are you talking about? What kind of power?"

"My power. From this throne, I will seek to unite all the warring factions under a single banner, our banner, and lead them into a new age of peace, enlightenment, and wisdom!"

The Amaranth flared again, and torches lined on either side of the massive room flared into life, the dancing flames revealing the length of the walls to be draped in curtains. The curtains were white, and in the center was a black six pointed star inside a black circle.

"This shall be our symbol as we sweep aside all the petty quarrels that plague this world, uniting all under the sun to single great empire that shall last the ages and be unmatched in it's glory!"

"What about the systems we have now? They're imperfect, but they have performed well for thousands of years already! What would be so much better about this new system? And who would lead it? We already have two Princesses, who have led us successfully since time immemorial!"

"That is the flaw. The Princesses have done well, but they cannot lead with a single mind, with a single incorruptible purpose. Neither can the griffon's monarchy, or the Diamond Dog's pitiful attempt at democracy. No, this shall be a single empire, with a single Empress, and be more effective than any system before! Monoliths will be raised in our honor! As for who would lead, who else but I? I have the Amaranth, a stone of unparalleled power. Who could contest my rule, especially with you by my side?"

Twilight was stunned for a moment, trying to comprehend what she had just been told.

"By your side......?"

"Yes. You could work as my second in command and my heir, next to the Princesses, who would retain most of their present duties. We would be unquestionable in our might."

"The Princesses would never allow such an outrageous idea! What if the ponies of Equestria don't like it? It would be cruel and immoral to force them to accept your rule!"

"Morality means little in the scope of scientific and cultural progress. What matters is the ambition and the will to drag the world kicking and screaming into the light of a new day and show it, willing or not, the possibility that new day holds. I seek to end the wars, the hostilities, the injustice and the imbalance of the world, and bring about harmony and cooperation amongst all races! As one of the Elements of Harmony, can you not appreciate that?"

"What I can appreciate is the madness of this! You have no right to force this upon the world!"

"Right!? I have every right!"

The torches all flared brighter, and the flames turned a wicked shade of red, matching the glow of the Amaranth as Axion stood on her throne, raising her hooves to indicate the banners on the wall.

"I have the power, the vision, and most importantly the WILL to show this world what can be achieved if gathered under a single standard! No more quarrels over territory or resources, as all shall be shared by all! No more armies would be needed, no more raids in the dead of winter for supplies! All shall benefit from this, and that is more important than what a few old fashioned fools desire!"

"You're insane! Give me the Amaranth!"

Twilight's horn glowed as she crouched. Axion laughed, an evil and wicked laugh, and fixed Twilight with an amused gaze, as a cat would stare down a mouse trapped in a corner.

"And who will make me? You? Twilight, I offer you a place I will not offer to any other. By my side, at the head of the greatest empire ever seen. Would you turn that down for some misplaced sense of morality? Please, rethink your decision."

The torches along the walls extinguished, casting the majority of the room into darkness once more. The torches beside Axion were the only light left, casting flickering shadows around the two mares.

"Axion, you underestimate the ponies of Equestria, and the Princesses. They will raise armies against you, and you are only one misguided mare with a stone. You cannot hope to turn them away or change their minds. Your empire would be fraught with rebellion."

"I would seek not to change their minds. I will kill all who oppose me."

"You can't!"

"I can and I will! I think it is you who underestimate me, and the Amaranth! I told you, it was fully functional, and far more powerful than we first thought. With it, I can raise mountains, drain oceans, and sweep aside armies like so many leaves in the wind! I am more powerful than even the Princesses, pretentious as they are!"

"No! We will stop you!"

"I challenge you to try."

Twilight's only answer was to summon a spear made from pure magic and cast it at Axion, aiming to cut the chain holding the Amaranth around her neck. However, it never reached it's destination, halting in midair, frozen in a red haze. It didn't bounce off a magical shield, nor dissipate; it simply stopped. Twilight gaped at this supposedly impossible spectacle, unsure of what was happening. Axion provided an explanation.

"Yes, Twilight, I am even strong enough to directly manipulate magic cast by others. You cannot harm me. Now, I will offer once and only once more! Join me, or you shall be the first to experience the Amaranth's true power!"

"Never!"

Axion seemed to grow angry for the first time in their conversation. A red glow surrounded her, and she hovered above the throne, her face an ugly and contorted mask of rage.

"After all I gave you, you still refuse! I am why you are where you are today! I gave you this lab to work in, I gave you bits to indulge your silly pastimes, I gave you wings! I GAVE YOU THOSE WINGS THAT YOU SO COVET! I gave you the impossible, and so I shall take it back!"

The purple spear that Twilight had thrown turned red, and began to rotate to face her. When it was pointed straight at her, the Amaranth flashed again and the spear sped towards Twilight. It seemed to be aimed at her head, but at the last second it veered to the side, passing over her shoulder and striking the middle joint of her left wing instead. Pain lashed Twilight and she collapsed on the floor, and half of her wing fell to the floor beside her. Another red flash came from Axion, and another spear flew towards Twilight, striking her right wing. Blood splashed across the floor, and began to pool around Twilight as she lay on the floor, crying out at the pain coursing through her.

"How does it feel, Twilight? How does it feel to have something torn from you? How does it feel to be betrayed!?"

"Why? Why are you doing this?"

Twilight gasped and blinked away tears as she spoke, but she didn't really care what Axion's answer was. What she truly wanted was time, enough time to cast a communication spell to Luna, and hopefully get a warning out before it was too late. Surely enough, Axion felt compelled to speak more, giving Twilight the time she needed.

"Why? I do as I please! I need not answer why! I trusted you, Twilight! We have been colleagues, friends, for a year, and yet you throw it all in my face when you perceive my intentions are anything less than pure and noble!"

Twilight grunted, and released her spell. Almost immediately, she felt a very faint connection.

Luna?

Twilight!? What is wrong? I can sense your pain!

It's Axion. She has the Amaranth, and she's gone mad. She intends to take over Equestria, and possibly everything beyond! She.... She cut off my wings. We're in the lab, and I'm losing blood fast. Please, warn Celestia and stop Axion! Take the Amaranth, and she will be powerless.

I'm coming!

No! Get Celestia! Together, you can surely bring her down!

Luna never answered, but she didn't end the connection. Twilight felt a shiver, and realized that Luna had teleported. Over the connection, Twilight could faintly sense her yelling.

"Black Berets, awaken! Your commander is injured and in danger! Come! Focus your magic on me, we will have to-"

The rest of the words were lost as Axion threw another magical spear at Twilight, and sliced off the remainder of her right wing, leaving a small bloody stump, followed quickly by another to her left wing. Twilight cried out again, and she felt Luna react over their connection.

Twilight!

Twilight couldn't answer, as red magic had seeped from the Amaranth and enveloped her shoulders, pulling at what was left of her wings, ripping out every last magically implanted cell, snapping tendons, and tearing flesh. Twilight screamed through the pain, and felt like she was going to black out. She managed to retain just enough consciousness to feel the connection with Luna, who was now teleporting in jumps towards the lab with the Black Berets. They were coming fast and would be there in minutes, but Twilight feared they would be too long. Already, she could feel darkness creeping around the edges of her mind.

Twilight! Stay with me! We're nearly there!

Luna......

Stay awake! Talk to me!

I can't.... It hurts......

Twilight lost her concentration again as a fresh wave of pain reverberated from her shoulders, wracking her body and causing her to writhe on the cold floor, splashing in the widening pool of blood. The darkness seeped further into her mind.

She's...... My wings.....

Focus! Help is on the way! 

Luna......

Talk to me! Tell me about our first kiss!

Twilight rolled on the floor as Axion hovered over her, the Amaranth glowing, and the red magic shredding her back and shoulders.

Twilight! Tell me! Where were we?

We were on the balcony...

What were we drinking?

It was..... Tea......

What did I say?

"Aaaaaaahhhhhh!"

"This could have been avoided if you had simply joined me! This pain would need never have happened!"

What did I say!?

You told me..... That I was beautiful.....

And then?

I said.... You-

The rest of Twilight's sentence was lost as excruciating pain ripped through her, bodily lifting her from the floor and slamming her back to the apathetic floor. The pool of blood was now nearly as large as Twilight was, and she could only stare in dull fascination as it reached her nostrils, bubbling slightly as she breathed.

Twilight! We're seconds away! Stay awake!

Twilight could barely keep her eyes open as the red magic finally finished destroying her back, and left. She barely saw Axion float back to the floor, walking up to Twilight, stopping just short of the slowly growing puddle of blood.

Luna......

STAY AWAKE!

It took nearly all of Twilight's fading energy to form thoughts or words. She was barely aware of Axion staring down at her, or the cruel words that fell upon her ears.

"This is regrettable, however, it needed to be done. I cannot allow rebels. I will reign a peaceful empire, and steps will have to be taken to ensure its security."

Twilight! We're close! Just stay awake!

I.............

Don't close your eyes!

Twilight felt the connection getting stronger as Luna got closer, but her mind was so far into the darkness that it meant nearly nothing to her. The world around her was quickly turning black. Twilight tried to look around, to move her eyes, but her entire body seemed to have gone numb. After what seemed like an eternity, or maybe no time at all, the sensations that used to be pain coming from Twilight’s shoulders seemed to grow faint. Twilight would have wondered at this, were she in any shape to think about such things. Instead, she watched the dozens of bubbles that appeared in the blood around her mouth and nose each time she exhaled. With every breath, the group seemed to get a little smaller. When the group had shrank to only a dozen or so tiny, shiny, defiant orbs, Twilight thought she heard a voice. It didn’t sound like Axion’s, nor Luna’s, but Twilight was pretty sure it was a voice.

"Twilight! You're safe, the Black Berets are here. We can heal you!"

Twilight tried to speak, but couldn't get her mouth to move. Instead she sent her thoughts to Luna, who was somewhere close.

It hurts.............

Twilight! I’m right beside you. Speak to me!

Lu........

Stay with me! We can heal you!

Luna........

Twilight felt her eyes closing, slowly drifting close no matter how much she tried to keep them open, the motivation for which she couldn't remember. The numb oblivion seemed so inviting to her tortured and weary mind.

So.......... Tired.....

You can sleep soon! Just stay awake for now!

Luna....... I...........

Twilight, save your strength! You'll be alright!

Twilight felt an odd sensation in her back, as hundreds of tiny insects were crawling on her skin. 

We're trying to stop the bleeding. Just stay awake! Talk to me!

I............

Talk to me! Please, just talk to me!

Twilight's eyes finally closed all the way, and she felt the last vestiges of consciousness fading away, as did Luna.

TWILIGHT!

Luna....... I ..........

Stay with me! Please! You can make it through this!

Luna........ I love.........
















> Idiosyncratic Medicine
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight opened her eyes. A white, unadorned ceiling. She tried to turn her head and look at the rest of her surroundings, but a sharp pain that arose at the base of her neck kept her from moving. She closed her eyes and let the pain subside.

An indeterminable time later, Twilight decided to open her eyes again. This time, she turned her head very slowly to avoid provoking the pain again. Slowly, a wall came into her field of vision, and a single window overlooking a calm countryside view. Slowly rotating her head even more, Twilight discovered that her entire left side was walled by medical equipment. Memories of what had happened hit her like a brick, and she realized where she was and why she was there. 

Axion... The Amaranth..... My wings.... MY WINGS!

Twilight immediately began to turn and see when state her shoulders were in, but in her haste turned too fast and received another shocking bout of agony as her reward. She involuntarily cried out and closed her eyes, trying in vain to hold back the tears forming already. She heard a voice, muffled, as if outside a door.

"What was that? Was that...?"

A door opened, then closed again, and Twilight heard hoofsteps on tile floor approaching. Opening her eyes, Twilight saw a pretty young nurse leaning over her.

"Good morning, dear! It's so nice to see you awake. How do you feel?"

Twilight groaned and gave the most honest answer she could, using an old euphemism she once heard a farmer say after a night of heavy drinking.

"Like hammered shit."

The nurse visibly flinched at Twilight's colorful language, but didn't comment. Instead, the nurse turned to some of the machines that had colored wires running to various places on Twilight's body and studied them. Apparently, what she found was encouraging, because she turned back to Twilight with a smile.

"You had us worried, dear. You lost a lot of blood, but it seems that you will be fine. I encourage you not to move. However, if you feel up to it, Princess Luna is outside, waiting on you to wake up. Would you like to see her?"

"Of course!"

The nurse walked out of Twilight's sight, and again Twilight heard the door open.

"Princess? She's awake."

Twilight heard a loud gasp, then the sound of a gallop heading her way. Barely a second later, Luna was leaning over Twilight, tears in her eyes.

"Twilight! I'm here. How are you?"

"Well, I've definitely been better."

"I would say. The damage was.... Extensive. I was so worried that you..... You lost so much blood........ You......"

Luna's sobs had made her talking stuttered and halting, and at the end she gave up talking for sobbing, her head hanging low next to Twilight's, tears leaking from the Princess's eyes onto the pillow. Twilight tried to lift a foreleg to embrace her distressed lover, causing the pain to flare in her back, but nothing would discourage her. Clenching her teeth, Twilight left like she was ripping her back open again, but finally she was able to rest her hoof on Luna's back.

When the worst of the tears had run their course, Luna leaned up again to smile through bloodshot eyes at Twilight, who had suddenly realized how drastic the bags under Luna's eyes were.

"How long have I been out?"

"It is noon of the third day."

"And how much have you slept?"

"Uh.... About six hours?"

"Unacceptable! You need sleep! Let Celestia handle the moon for a night and you get rest."

"I'm fine. Really. I just want you to be fine."

"Luna. You are clearly exhausted. Please, just try to get a little rest."

"I've tried. Hospital chairs aren't renowned for their utmost comfort."

Twilight glanced around the room, seeing nothing that the Princess could sleep on. She was sure the nurses would be more than happy to bring up a bed for Luna, but then Twilight had a better idea.

"Come around here, on my right side."

Luna did as requested, clearly confused by the demand.

"Now, lay here beside me. Ever so gently, if you please."

"Oh, Twilight, I would love to, but your condition-"

"Is as good as it can be. Now, you need rest, and I want you near me."

"Fine. One thing, first."

Luna walked over to a nearby desk and scribbled a short note, then blasted it with magic, sending it.

"A letter to Celestia, asking her to handle the moon tonight."

Less than a minute later, a reply floated in front of Luna. She opened and read it, smiling.

"She says she'll do it. She knows about your injuries, and understands."

"Alright then. You, bed, now."

Submitting to the demands, Luna finally laid on the bed next to Twilight. They were pleased to discover there was just enough room for Luna on the bed, and so the Lunar Princess cuddled up next to Twilight, draped a wing and a foreleg over her lover, and promptly fell asleep. Twilight lay awake for a time, listening to Luna's slow breathing. Her thoughts were unruly and wild, but eventually she was able to push them all away just long enough to fall asleep as well.

Twilight woke before Luna, and glanced out the window to see the sun barely peeking over the western horizon. Carefully calculating the angle of the shadows, Twilight summarized that she had only been asleep a few hours, a hypothesis further reinforced by the clock hanging just above the window that Twilight had previously not noticed. She looked to her right, at Luna, who was sleeping peacefully. Her lips were curled in a gentle smile, and her wing and right leg were still across Twilight's chest as the Princess snuggled the one mare in all the world that had caught her fancy. Twilight felt love swell in her chest as she thought that happy thought, and the bad thoughts were banished far away for a little while longer.

A few hours later, just after night had fallen, Luna woke with a start. Twilight flinched, causing a small spasm of pain in her back.

"Luna, what is it?"

"Something is wrong..... "

"What are you talking about? Everything is dark and quiet, like most hospitals are at night."

"It's............. It's dark! Too dark!"

Luna carefully climbed from the bed, but once on her hooves she ran to the window and looked about wildly, as of searching for something dreadfully important. Twilight had no clue as to the Princess's behavior, but it was starting to concern her.

"Luna, what's the matter?"

"The moon!"

"What about it?"

"It's not there! It's supposed to be nearly full tonight, but it's not there!"

"Luna, I'm sure that there-"

"I have to go to the castle now. This is an egregious breach of protocols than cannot be tolerated!"

"I'm sure that the ponies of Equestria won't go into a panic over a single night's missing moon."

"It's more than that! The moon is the source of tides, it regulates uncountable animal's circadian rhythms, it helps various bats and birds navigate, not to mention it's my moon!"

Swirling her horn in a clockwise circle, Luna summoned to Moon Stone to her, which appeared in a glittering haze around her neck. She prepared to cast a teleportation spell, but Twilight had a sudden thought and interrupted her.

"Luna, what if it's...... Axion?"

Luna stopped, and a sudden look of fear crossed her eyes, but only for a moment.

"Then I guess we will see exactly how powerful the Amaranth really is."

Twilight tried to think of something, anything, that she could say, but she knew that Luna had to go. One way or another, something had happened which caused Celestia not to raise the moon, and Luna had a duty to find out why. Instead of further words, Luna walked over and kissed Twilight on the forehead, right next to her horn. One moment, Twilight was staring into Luna's amethyst eyes, and feeling her soft mane ripple gently over her skin, and the next all Twilight could see was a dark blue haze, and an empty room. Tears gathered in her eyes, no matter how hard she tried to keep them at bay.

What was that old saying? 'Hope for the best, expect the worst.' Right. So I'm supposed to hope that Celestia simply decided to take a nap and overslept, but expect Luna to bring news that Axion has invaded Canterlot. Great. 

Twilight leaned back into her pillow and settled down for what she felt was going to be a long wait. She glanced at the clock, but every time she did she got more and more frustrated with it's lack of progress. Eventually, Twilight gave up on the clock and tried for sleep, and when that failed, meditation. Her mind refused to cooperate, however, so Twilight ended up laying in her bed, listening to the clock tick, and growing more and more anxious. After only half an hour, however, Luna reappeared, looking more haggard and distressed than when she had left. Twilight was surprised, but hoped that her expedient return was because the whole worry turned out to be for naught.

"Well?"

"Axion."

With the single muttered word, Twilight felt her heart sink.

"What happened?"

Luna sat on the edge of the bed, and began her story.

"At an hour before sunset today, Axion appeared in the palace throne room, where Celestia was holding afternoon court. No pony knew who she was. Axion walked to the front of the room and began to address the crowd, telling them that dark days were coming, and anypony who wanted to survive should join her. Predictably, they all thought she was a loony, and a handful of guards attempted to escort her out. Well, as soon as they got near her, they exploded. Simple as that. Blood and flesh splattered all over Celestia, and several prominent council members. Obviously, all of the guards in the room immediately attacked, but one by one, they all exploded. Celestia finally decided to act, casting a magic spear at Axion, who deflected it. Deflected it! A spell cast by Celestia herself, one of the most powerful beings known! Axion finished her speech by saying that in six months' time, she would return, and Canterlot would fall. Then she simply disappeared again. Not a teleportation, which would have a magical flash or haze, or any other reaction, but simply faded out of existence. Of course, all the witnesses were told not to speak of what happened, and of course they all told every pony they knew. All of Canterlot is in chaos, and come the morning papers, the rest of Equestria will be, as well. We have a proper emergency on our hands, Twilight, and I don't know what to do."

"Well, first things first, I need healing, and fast. Doing it at nature's pace isn't good enough anymore."

"But, Twilight! Magical healing is much more risky than letting the wounds heal on their own time! I won't have you worse off than you are now."

"Time we don't have! I would be stuck in here for months, maybe even years, while we asses the damage, let it heal, and the physical therapy itself would take eons! No, I'm willing to take the risks, which are minimal compared to the reward."

"Okay..... Well, I'll go get the doctors, and we'll see what they have to say."

"Luna, just ask them about my wounds. If they find out we're planning magical healing, they'll throw a fit. No, simply be very interested in the exact extension of my wounds."

"If they aren't going to heal you, who will?"

"You will."

Luna visibly flinched at Twilight's suggestion.

"What? No, I... No, it's been too long since I.... Something could go wrong-"

"Luna, I've read many medical textbooks. Honestly, I probably know almost as much as some of the doctors here. You can use the Moon Stone to power the spells, and I will simply guide you. Easy."

"You can be very shrewd sometimes."

"Well, Equestria itself might be in danger. It's not a time to worry about the little things."

Luna didn't answer, instead grumbling and kissing Twilight on the cheek before roaming out into the hallway to find a doctor. It didn't take long, and soon she returned, a doctor on tow. He was a middling shade of brown, with a slightly darker brown mane. He smiled at Twilight as he entered.

"Good morning, Twilight. I understand you suddenly became very concerned over your injuries."

"Yes. I have received some distressing news, and I would like an assessment."

The doctor sighed, and walked over to a table to the left that Twilight couldn't see behind the machines. He picked up a clipboard and began to read out loud.

"Severe lacerations to the back and shoulders. Several snapped tendons, multiple broken and fractured bones, and severe blood loss. You're in a bit of a bind Twilight. I hope the news wasn't dreadfully important, cause you're going to be here awhile. Well, unless you heal fast. Well, maybe not that long. Wait, you're not part Atraxi, are you?"

The doctor squinted at Twilight, who had no idea what this doctor was talking about.

"Uh, what? What is Atraxi?"

"Never mind, not important. Well, unless they come back, which they shouldn't, if they're smart. Which I think they are. Anyhow, the matter at hoof. Whatever happened to your back, which we have been forbidden knowledge of, was pretty bad. It'll take about six months before we can let you walk around, let alone leave."

"That is far too long. I need to leave soon."

"Soon? How soon? Next month soon, or now soon?"

"Now."

"Uh, let me see, nope. No can do. You're barely out of critical condition, and simply sitting enough would cause you enough pain to pass out. Most likely. I think."

Twilight looked at Luna, who was looking very confused. The Princess gazed at the doctor with an expression of slight suspicion.

"Who are you, doctor?"

"Who, me? I'm the doctor."

"Doctor who?"

"That's the question, isn't it?"

The doctor looked out the window with an odd expression, something Twilight would call sadness, mixed with longing. However, after a second his melancholy mood passed, and he turned back to smile at Twilight.

"Right. Well, if my guess is right, and they tend to be, you're going to attempt magical healing."

"Uh, no doc-"

"Nope, don't deny it, I can see it on your eyes! Now, if you wish to proceed, I'm going to need to leave, because if the doctor on duty finds out I allowed this, he's going to be very upset."

"What?"

"Twilight, listen to me."

Twilight was surprised by the doctor's sudden change. The entire time he had been in the room, he had been smiling and joyful, almost as if he was glad she was there. But now, he turned somber, addressing Twilight very seriously.

"Yes?"

"I know what you're planning, and why. I just want to give you some advice. The source of Axion's power, you will never separate from her. You must find another way."

"What!? How do-"

"Remember what I said! You did it once, you can do it again!"

"Do what again?"

Luna walked over to the doctor and loomed over him, her wings outstretched and her horn glowing.

"Doctor, you had better tell me why and how you know information that was kept at the highest level of secrecy!"

"Sorry, can't. Everything has it's place in the universe, and mine is no longer here."

A small buzzing came fro the doctor's hoof, where a small green light blinked. Twilight barely saw a glimpse of something small and metal around the doctor's hoof before the lights abruptly died, casting the room into solid darkness. When they came back on, the brown doctor was gone. Twilight looked about in confusion, but Luna simply stood where she was and grinned.

"Luna, what are you smiling at?"

"Well, if that's who I just realized it might have been, we had best remember what he said."

"Who was that?

"The doctor. Who else would know exactly what they're not supposed to? Now, we know what's wrong with you, as he was kind enough to leave the clipboard behind. Do you want it?"

".....Yes."

Her mind still reeling from whatever had just happened, Twilight took the clipboard offered to her. The list was much longer than what the doctor had told her, but Twilight felt that with the Moon Stone, they had the capabilities to heal most of the damage.

"Okay, so, first thing is we need to remove the chips of bone, then repair the broken bones. I remember some spells that should do the trick, so if you will come over here, place your horn there.........."

> To Adumbrate Nothing
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight surveyed the twenty ponies in front of her. They were tall and fearless, arranged in perfect formation as they awaited her words. She rolled her shoulders, feeling the hairless skin stretch. She was still stiff from her injuries and subsequent healing, but she had only done what she felt was needed in the situation. As soon as her healing was as close to complete as herself and Luna could achieve, she had assembled the Black Berets. They were her best hope if Axion was to be found and stopped before she could use the Amaranth to cause chaos, not that she had already done that. The morning after her appearance in Canterlot, it seemed every newspaper had somehow gotten the news, and had printed a special edition about Axion. Some ponies were worried, some were practically catatonic, and others thought the whole thing was a joke. There had been some civil unrest, but nothing too serious. 

Twilight sighed as she thought about this, and gathered her thoughts, trying to decide what to say to the Black Berets. She knew that they were the ones to rescue her from the lab after Axion's assault, but they only knew the bare details of the encounter. Twilight thought that they needed the whole truth if they were to succeed, loath as she was to tell anypony the full story.

"Black Berets. I have awakened you in the middle of the night for one reason: To tell you the full expense of the threat. I'm sure you all know about Axion, her attack on me, and the debacle in Canterlot a few nights ago. Well, I'm here to tell you that she is completely serious in her threat, and very capable of making it happen. She possess a stone, called the Amaranth, that contains power rarely rivaled. With it, she might be as powerful as Princess Luna herself. Your mission is no longer to assist in the Diamond Dog and griffon war, instead you are being sent on another mission. Your task is simple, though not easy. We must find Axion, wherever she has hidden, and retrieve the Amaranth, preferably without killing her. You are the best of the best. I will maintain my position as squad commander, but I will leave most field operations to Wildfire. Any questions?"

None were forthcoming, although Twilight thought she saw a few warriors shuffle a tiny bit in place.

"Good. Dismissed."

The ranks of warriors released a mass sigh of relief as they relaxed. Wildfire walked up to Twilight, looming over her in a way Twilight still hadn't got used to. Looking up at him, she smiled her most reassuring smile, for the field commander was clearly troubled.

"Hello, Wildfire. What is on your mind?"

"Well, it's just the fact that we're going to hunt a crazy, possibly downright evil unicorn, with supposedly the power of the Princesses themselves. Even as good as we are, and in mass, I don't know if we could ever come close to that kind of power. I'm just worried that we may be on a suicide mission here."

"I have the utmost faith in you and your team, Wildfire. If any ponies in Equestria can find Axion, it's the Black Berets. As for capturing her, myself and Luna will go along, and hopefully we will have the upper hoof. She's powerful, yes, but not invincible."

"Thanks, Commander. But if you're coming too, shouldn't you learn some more battle magic? No offence, but you said yourself you're not much of a fighter."

"Very true. That is why while you are searching for Axion, Luna will be teaching me how to fight."

"Wow. Personal lessons from the Princess. Even we aren't that lucky."

Wildfire winked at Twilight before walking back to a group of worried looking Black Berets. Although she couldn't hear them, when relief washed over their faces as Wildfire spoke to them, she could guess what he was telling them.

"Pardon me, Commander?"

Twilight turned to see Winter Mist behind her, a signature homemade cigarette between her lips.

"Oh, hello, Winter. Please, just Twilight. What is it?"

"Well, I'm just a little curious. If Axion has a stone that gives her unbelievable power, where did she get it? You'd think we would have heard of an artifact like that, somewhere in old stories, like Nightmare Moon used to be."

"Well, the thing is, the Amaranth didn't exist until very recently. Axion created it."

"She.... Created it? But..... Where would she have gotten the power to create it? She would need that much power to create it, and if she already had power like that, she wouldn't have had to make the stone in the first place."

"She had help."

"Ah."

Winter seemed even more curious about Twilight's minimalist answer, but didn't ask any more questions. Twilight was hoping she would never have to reveal that it was her that had assisted Axion, especially with Luna's assistance via the Moon Stone. Twilight closed her eyes for a minute, wishing she could go to bed and have a long night's sleep. She hadn't slept much in the past few days, and it was starting to wear on her. However, she couldn't go to bed just yet, as she still had one more thing to do. Celestia had requested Twilight to come see her, although the way the letter had been worded it was more of a demand than a request. Twilight was extremely nervous about this, as it would be the first time she had seen her former mentor since she had been caught stealing the Moon Stone.

Well, I guess she does have a right to know why I was doing it on the first place.

Twilight told the assembled Black Berets farewell, and left the room. She stood in the deserted corridor for a moment, wracked with indecision and nervous feelings. However, times like this rarely remembered the faint of heart, so Twilight calmed her fears and began to trot, her hooves clicking daintily on the stone floor. Navigating the labyrinth that was the lower levels of the Old Palace, Twilight eventually found her way to Celestia's meeting room, which to her surprise was open, with flickering light coming from within. Looking through the door, she saw the Solar Princess sitting on a large pillow in front of a fire, gazing into the depths like there were answers hidden deep inside the dancing conflagration.

"Um, Princess?"

At her voice Celestia broke her meditative trance, and looked at Twilight. Her gaze was intense, but there was a hint of a smile, bolstering Twilight's spirits a little.

"Come in, Twilight. I've been waiting for you."

Twilight did as she was bid, sitting on a pillow opposite Celestia. The Princess looked at her, and Twilight tried to decide what was going on behind those eyes. Getting nothing, she gave up, waiting on the Princess to speak first.

"Undoubtedly you are curious as to why I wanted to see you."

"I was sure you had reasons."

"Yes. To put it simply, I have heard of Axion from my sister mentioning you were doing research, but now I need to know everything."

"Fair enough."

Twilight began her narrative. She wasn't quite as open about her feelings or thoughts as when she had told Luna her tale, but she didn't leave out anything important either. The entire time, she watched Celestia closely for any signs of a reaction, but none were forthcoming. The Princess was stubbornly blank, like a sheet of fresh parchment, staring into the fire without expression for the whole story. When Twilight finished, there were a few minutes of complete silence, broken only by the faint popping and crackling of the fire. Abruptly, Celestia stood and walked over to a small shelf along one wall.

"Would you like some tea, Twilight?"

"No, thank you."

Celestia quietly prepared a single cup of tea and brought it back to her seat on the pillow. She took a single sip, elegant and graceful in a way Twilight could only envy, and set the cup down. Twilight couldn't stand the silence any more; she had to know what Celestia was thinking.

"What are your thoughts, Princess?"

"My thoughts? There are many. The first and foremost is how to handle this situation. You worked with Axion for a year, yet you were betrayed suddenly and without any apparent warning. Now a mysterious and rogue unicorn with ridiculous amounts of power is threatening Equestria. Yes, there are many thoughts."

"What about... Me? I thought you would have been disappointed in me for not doing more to stop it, or maybe asking more about how she planned on using the Amaranth, or-"

"My thoughts on that particular matter are moot for the present. We have larger problems, Twilight."

"Yes, I suppose. What are we going to do?"

"You are going to gather everything you know about the Amaranth. I am going to focus on strengthening defenses around Canterlot."

"What about finding Axion? I have a squad of the Black Berets at my disposal, twenty of the very best. Surely prevention is the best defense at the moment. The Amaranth is extraordinarily powerful, as you yourself can attest. I wouldn't think you would want her ever getting close to Canterlot."

"The Black Berets? Maybe they can be useful."

Celestia seemed like she was about to say something off, but she trailed off into silence once more. Twilight was content to sit in silence for another minute, mind running, until a yawn interrupted her postulations.

"Twilight, you're tired. Go to bed. There is a meeting scheduled in the apothecary in the morning. I would like you to come, as well as the sergeant of your Black Beret squad."

"Yes, Princess. We will be there."

"Good. Dismissed."

Twilight stood and left the room without further comment, the door softly clicking into place behind her as she stepped out into the torch-lit hallway. She released a sigh that had remained deep in her chest and turned to walk away. Twilight had barely made it a few steps when a shadow in front of her writhed in its place, most unlike a shadow should. Twilight took a few steps back as the shadow rose from the floor and took on a three dimensional shape, merely a blob at first, but soon it began to sprout what seemed to be legs, and a trunk that might have been a neck. The neck began to grow a head, and the legs grew hooves and touched soundlessly on the floor. Within seconds, it had become the shape of a pony, the flat black of shadows, but rippling like water under a gentle wind. A mane and tail began to grow out of their places, light gray, almost silver, and waving in some unfelt wind. Light slits began to cross the face, becoming eyes, and holes began to appear for nostrils. Suddenly the eyes opened, pure white, and very bright. Twilight stumbled backwards, but felt her flank collide with something solid. Turning, she saw that a mesh made out of interconnecting threads of light behind her, which quickly spread to surround both herself and the shadow-pony. Facing the apparition again, Twilight found that its facial features had fully formed. The nostrils were two smaller circles of the same white light as the eyes, and the mouth was a slit of white, cocked to one side on an arrogant smirk. The eyes were slightly dimmer than before, but now two black irises had formed, with no perceptible pupils. A faint white fog seeped from the nose, coming in bursts like breath on a cold day. The mouth opened, and more fog rolled out, ebbing in the breath of the strange creature, whose voice Twilight immediately recognized.

"Hello Twilight."

"Axion! I knew you had to be behind whatever this is."

"But of course. I had the desire to speak to you once more."

"Speak your piece and be gone. I want nothing more to do with your or your shallow illusions."

"Such a shame. We would have made a most formidable team."

"What do you want? I've already told you that I will never join you."

"For now. No, my reason for being here, at least like this, is completely different. I had no plans of speaking to you. I was simply here to see someone else, and happened to come upon you here. I decided I would take this fate-given chance to deliver a message, and for you, a warning."

"What is the message, and the warning?"

"They are the same. As I said in my speech in the courtroom, I will return in six months' time. I still have hope for you, Twilight, and so I shall have enough mercy to give you the exact day I will return to take my rightful place. I do this in hope that you will run, Twilight, run far away, and have no part in the inevitable and inadvisable violence that will follow my resurgence. Remember the date of October first, my dear, and for your sake, be far away."

"And why should I take this warning seriously? What do you care for me? You used me to create the Amaranth! You care for none but yourself! Why should you care what happens to me now?"

"Like I said, I still have hope that you will see sense. Ponies like you, with both the power and intelligence to rule the land well, are rare. If you are harmed in the pitiful hostilities, I will truly be saddened."

"You care of nothing but yourself and your power! Be gone!"

The shadow representation of Axion laughed low and soft, and as it did it began to disintegrate. The mane and tail began to simply fade, as did the light wall around them. Once they were gone, the body began to wriggle and sink, like hot wax left in the sun, slowly sliding back to the darkness in between torches. The moment that the last of the shadows returned to their places, Twilight cast a communication spell, aimed at Luna. Contact came almost immediately, and Luna picked up on Twilight's fears nearly as fast.

Twilight? What's wrong?

Axion! She's up to something in the palace. I just spoke to her.

She's in the castle!?

No! It was some kind of shadow illusion. It sounded and looked a bit like her, but was made of shadows. She warned me that she would return on October first, and she wanted me to be far away. She claimed to care about my safety.

Interesting. I know about these shadow puppets, and their use. Please, come to my quarters where we can speak in private.
Twilight felt Luna cut the magic flow to her connection, and did the same. She left the hallway at a brisk trot, heading to the staircase to take her up to the Night Princess's living area. The door opened in response to her soft knock, granting Twilight access to a brightly lit sitting room. Blinking at the extra light given off by the dozen or so candles in the windowless room, Twilight entered.

"Why are there so many candles in here?"

Luna turned from the papers she had been studying at her desk.

"Shadow puppets need shadows to form. Fewer shadows mean less for the shadow puppets to form from."

"So they'll just be smaller?"

"Not exactly. Shadow puppets are created by projecting a mental image of the physical self upon shadows through magic. The shadows then take on the form that the caster sees themselves as, kind of like a mirror. The puppet will by physically identical to the caster, but made of black and grey shadows. The shadow must be of the size and proportion of the caster, and so needs plenty of shadows and magic, as the only ones capable of the spell are fully grown unicorns. In most ponies, the shadow puppet will be fully identical as themselves. However, in certain ponies with mental insecurities, it can become warped. If a pony sees themselves as weak, or small, the shadow puppet will be such. Any mental insecurity will be emulated in the shadow puppet, as they are a projection of ones own mind, and are completely incontrovertible. Did Axion's shadow puppet happen to display any irregularities?"

"No, it looked pretty much just like her. If these puppets are made of shadow, can they touch you? Can they use magic?"

"No, to either of those. They are solely shadows, simply bewitched to move and speak at the command of their captor."

"You speak as if they were alive."

"The shadows and the dark are my progenitors, Twilight, just as the light is for Celestia. I oft speak of them as my own, for they are what truly comforts me."

Luna looked into a candle's flame with an empty expression, until Twilight walked over to her and lay her head against Luna's neck, prompting the Princess to lean down and kiss her lover on the tip of her horn, eliciting a giggle from Twilight. 

"As well as yourself, Twilight."

Luna led the way over to the bed and gently pushed Twilight onto and pulled blankets and pillows around her.

"You are still weak from the healing done to your back. Please, rest. Nothing shall disturb you until it is time for the meeting in the morning."

Twilight held her forelegs straight out towards Luna, silently pleading for a goodnight kiss, which Luna was pleased to oblige. Afterwards, Twilight fell asleep, still holding Luna's hoof in her own. The moon rose to its apogee and sank, bowing out of the dark dance of the stars, yet beneath it Luna sat on the edge of the bed, fulfilling her promise to watch over Twilight. She didn't think Axion would dare appear, but one could never be too sure.

Sometime after midnight and before dawn, Luna's ears flicked at a noise, coming from the far corner, one that had somehow remained in shadows. Standing, Luna summoned a glow from the Moon Stone around her neck and thrust it into the corner. The shadows writhed and thrashed, more like tumult water than darkness, but within seconds had evaporated and allowed the corner to be revealed, empty. Summoning another candle, Luna set it in the corner and lit it, preventing a recurrence. She walked back to the bed and sat, taking Twilight's hoof in hers again. Teal eyes darted about the room, searching for any little crevice of darkness that could be potentially wielded. When none were found, the eyes wandered back to Twilight, but the mind was still on Axion.

Show your face here, wretched creature, I dare you. Here, in my bastion, in the hours of my might, I will crush you.

> Ensconce 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I don't think you fully understand the gravity of the situation!"

"And I think you're overreacting!"

Twilight fumed at the iron grey stallion in front of her. His name was Colonel Stone, and Twilight thought he was certainly living up to the intelligence of his namesake. He had steadfastly been refusing to acknowledge that Axion could present even the smallest threat all morning, even when presented with the evidence of her power.

"So she's got a fancy little stone! We've got a few thousand of the finest soldiers in all the lands! We have nothing to fear! I'd like to see this Ack-see-awn cast a spell with a blade through her throat."

"I'm afraid you're either severely underestimating Axion, or overestimating your troops."

"My troops are--!"

"You troops are excellent, no doubt. However, a blade is no good if you can't see what to hit. Axion isn't stupid, she's not about to let herself get surrounded by soldiers and not have a way out. Besides, even if she did get surrounded, she could massacre dozens of your soldiers without breaking a sweat. You have no idea what you're up against!"

"I have a damn good idea! If you remember, my force is the direct derivative of the soldiers that fought against Nightmare Moon when she attempted to take power a thousand years ago! We have combative information exclusive to us!"

"I don't think I need to remind you that the force against Nightmare Moon LOST. I'm sure that information was good then, but that was a long time ago. Our knowledge of magical techniques has advanced greatly since then."

"Bah! A lot of things can change in a thousand years, but one thing is still the same: The Royal Guard is still the best! Princess Celestia, please. Do you trust us to protect you and Canterlot thoroughly?"

Celestia looked up from the cup of tea she had been regarding with an expression of serious nonchalance.

"Of course. Axion may be powerful, but she cannot be as powerful as the Royal Guard's one thousand highly trained unicorns, much less the full five thousand warriors, and even if she defeats them, she still has me to contend with. I underestimated her once, and it shall not happen again. Twilight, please, sit."

Twilight only hesitated a moment before sitting back in her chair. Across from her, Colonel Stone sat as well, an insufferably smug look on his face. Celestia took another sip of tea before speaking again.

"We have nothing to fear from Axion. All she can do is scare ponies to cause chaos, and that is easily averted. Stone, I want you to organize a military parade. A show of force will certainly reassure the public that there is nothing to be afraid of.

"I can do that."

"Good. Now, I believe that our business here is concluded, unless anyone else has something to say?"

"I do, sister."

"What is it, Luna?"

"I have placed twenty of the Black Berets under Twilight Sparkle's authority. They were originally going to assist in the Diamond Dog and griffon debacle, but after recent developments, we were planning on deploying them to find and subdue Axion and recover the Amaranth. I was wondering if you would like to supplement our force, in personnel, intelligence, or resources."

"Not only will I not supplement, dear sister, but I object to the whole enterprise, for several reasons. First off, Twilight Sparkle has no practical military experience or general fighting knowledge. Second, why should we deploy on a wild goose chase against Axion when she has clearly stated her intent to come right back to us? And lastly, the Black Berets are a strong and effective force, but I think that only twenty of them would hardly stand a chance against Axion. She killed a half dozen of the Royal Guards without hardly trying. I would hate to see the Black Berets massacred pointlessly. No, you should not deploy."

"I respectfully disagree with your points, and the first is being fixed as fast as she can learn. Also, seeing as we have equal authority, and that the Black Berets are a organization under me, I retain the right to do as I see fit."

Celestia said nothing for a long and tense moment, staring at Luna with darkened eyes.

"Everyone, out."

The half dozen ponies around the table rose and began to leave the apothecary. Twilight stood but glanced at Luna before leaving, who said nothing but nodded. Twilight left the room with the rest of the ponies. As soon as the door closed behind her, she felt a buzzing against her mind, a communication spell asking her permission to answer. As soon as she granted the permission, she immediately identified Luna.

Go to the Black Berets and get them prepared to leave. We need to get them out of the city before Celestia decides to lock them in their rooms to prevent their deployment. I shall join you shortly.

The communication spell ended without waiting for Twilight to respond. Only a little confused, the violet unicorn set off downstairs. As reached the bottom of the final flight of stairs, she could vaguely hear singing coming from the Black Beret's barracks room, just like the first time she had met them. As she walked closer to the room, she identified the song as the same one as then, as well.


"But the crew stayed at their post
and the captain at his wheel!
We all endured the wrath of fate
we thought our fate was sealed!
A chain's as weak as it's weakest leak
and rust had cut us through!
But strength in hooves and hearts and heads
held, 'cause our course was true!"


Twilight reached the door and quietly nudged it open to find the whole squad standing in a circle, each of them holding a mug, occasionally drinking. They were all swaying, some more than others, in time with a lute being played by a stallion Twilight remembered was called Red. His signature red mane was disheveled as he leaned over the instrument, picking for all he was worth. In the pause after the chorus, every pony raised their mugs and drank before launching into the next verse with gusto.


"The ocean hit like walls of stone,
the creak of timbers like banshee's moan.
But through the resolve of the Captain’s crew,
waves broke bow and then withdrew."


Twilight smiled as she watched the congregation. She knew that she needed them to be prepared to leave at a moments notice, but they seemed so happy, Twilight figured she would let them enjoy themselves for another few seconds. At that moment, a single voice interrupted Twilight's thoughts, a beautiful soprano, and continued solo, with even Red pausing for a moment to listen.


"The mast was charred but still so strong
so sails we did raise.
The windows gone above waterline 
the water quenched the blaze.
With lightning bolts quite far aloft,
and gentle wind below,
the Captain’s crew and battered ship 
sailed into sunset’s glow!"


Amazed at the quality of the singing, Twilight took a few steps into the room and saw it was Winter Mist who had sung the verse. Although she had planned on listening to the song for another few moments, Twilight's plans were rudely interrupted when the auto-closing spell on the door pulled it shut with a resounding thud. The lute gave an off-note twang, and the ponies all turned. When Wildfire noticed it was Twilight who had entered, he reacted immediately, barking the appropriate command, which she countered with her own.

"Attention!"

"At ease."

Twilight smiled as the warriors relaxed in place, but remained respectfully silent.

"I hate to interrupt what seemed like a truly entertaining spectacle, but we have orders. Luna sent me here to tell you to prepare to depart, immediately."

"Yes, Commander!"

"That is all."

The Black Berets began to run about the room, seemingly in a random and desultory pattern, but as she watched Twilight saw armor get strapped in, bags filled, and weapons gathered at a speed she had to see to believe. Before she could completely make sense of the spectacle in front of her, it was over, and twenty armed and armored soldiers were in front of her, each with a rucksack beside them. Out of the group, Wildfire approached, adjusting his last piece of armor over his head.

"Commander, do we know where we're going?"

"I do not. I don't think even Luna knows yet. It was a sudden decision."

A troubled look came over Wildfire's face, scrunching his eyebrows together.

"That bodes ill for us all if even Princess Luna is guessing. She is always planning ahead, always one step before the rest. Did something happen at the meeting?"

Twilight hesitated for a few moments before speaking, but thankfully those few moments were enough, as the moment she opened her mouth a voice came from behind her.

"Yes, something happened. My sister has lost her damn mind. Black Berets, prepare for teleport!"

Twilight turned to face Luna, walking up to her lover and whispering.

"What happened?"

"Not now. We need to get out of the city. Black Berets, on me! Twilight, cast your teleportation spell, but target me. I will provide the guidance. I know of a place."

Twilight did as she was asked, as did the Black Berets. Luna let loose a flash of blue from her horn, and the scenery changed from the stone walled room to a lush, green forest. Twilight stumbled for a moment, then straightened to look around at her scenery.

"Wh.... Where are we?"

"Twenty miles west of Canterlot."

Twilight gawped at Luna for a moment, her mouth moving just a bit slower than her mind as she struggled to comprehend what Luna had said. 

To teleport a hundred yards alone is a feat, but Luna just teleported a group of ponies twenty miles!

"Twenty miles?"

"Yes, but I fear it is not far enough. We must jump again. Black Berets, on me!"

Once more they group sent their magic to Luna, who once more teleported them. Opening her eyes, Twilight saw what appeared to be a similar landscape around them. The green trees still stretched in every direction, as far as she could see.

"Luna, where are we?"

"Roughly forty miles west of Canterlot, in the northern reaches of the Everfree forest. Come, this way. It is not far."

Twilight moved to follow Luna, but as she walked past the Black Berets to do so, she noticed that Wildfire was sniffing the air, turning his head back and forth as if searching for something.

"Problems, Wildfire?"

"I don't think so, ma'am. I just smelled something odd. Not sure though, might just be my imagination. Either way, stay near the Princess. Berets, move out. Tank, Winter, take rear guard."

Twilight walked behind Luna as the procession walked through the woods. Several miles passed, and still they progressed in silence. Twilight's hooves were starting to ache, and hunger clawed at her belly. Several brambles had tangled in her mane, and she was growing weary of the travelling. Moving alongside of Luna, Twilight was about to ask how much further when the Princess abruptly stopped, looking left and right.

"We're here."

Twilight looked about in confusion. The small clearing they were in looked identical to dozens of others they had passed through in the past few hours. The only feature was a small rocky mound directly in front of them, about five feet tall. Twilight saw no opening, nor any other clue towards what made this clearing special, but Luna walked straight to the rocks, then around the other side. Twilight was about ask why they were there, and again her words were quelled when Luna walked around the mound, then ducked and simply disappeared. Running around the mound, Twilight saw that there was a crevasse in the bottom of the mound, opening into an underground passage just large enough for a pony to walk through. Luna was just inside, horn glowing.

"Come in. It's quite cozy."

Twilight stepped into the opening, and immediately felt cool air on her face, refreshing after the hike. Hearing the Black Berets behind her, Twilight moved deeper into the cave, which eventually opened up into a large room, easily large enough for a hundred ponies to comfortably move about.

"We should be safe here. It is hidden, not just in location but with a few spells."

Twilight moved to the middle of the room, still looking around, but her attention was drawn to the floor when her hoof contacted something other than stone. Looking down, Twilight saw what appeared to be the remains of a fire, now just bits of charred wood and ash.

"Luna?"

"Ah, yes. That is where I made a fire last time I was here."

"Last time?"

"Yes. I used to come here more often, long ago. I happened upon it while wandering around the forest, and immediately decided to make it onto a secret hideout, more of a private clubhouse, as you will. I haven't been here in centuries, but after certain recent developments, I came back several days ago and refreshed the place, and recast some of the spells around it. I thought it would make a nice place for us to hide while we formulate a plan."

Twilight looked around the cave, where the Black Berets had already set their bags down and had unrolled their sleeping bags. 

"Yes, it seems like a good place to hide. But I have a question...."

"You know you can ask me anything, Twilight."

"Why did we need to leave and hide? What did Celestia say?"

As soon as Twilight asked the question, she noticed a decrease in the rustling coming from behind her. turning, she saw that the Black Berets had overheard and stopped their unpacking. They approached as a group, and Wildfire was the first to speak.

"With all respect, Princess Luna, we would like to know as well."

Luna sighed, turning her clear, teal eyes to the ceiling.

"Basically, Celestia said that I was unfit to have my own military force, that Twilight was unfit to lead them, and that using that Black Berets to find Axion, even though she had forbid it, was tantamount to dereliction of the common good of Canterlot. She seems to think she has become a Queen, and I am her subordinate. After I regained to Moon Stone, we argued, and I got her to admit that I was still her equal, but it seems she had been trying to pacify me to simply shut me up. This has gone on since I was freed from Nightmare Moon, and frankly, I am sick of being in her shadow and doing little to nothing for the dear ponies of Equestria I so care about. My dear sister has changed a lot in my thousand years of absence."

Twilight thought she could see tears forming in Luna's eyes, and tried to think of a way to comfort the distressed Princess. However, before she could do anything, the tears had disappeared, replaced with strength and courage that were reflected in her words.

"These are dark times. We face a threat greater than we have faced in many years, possibly equal to Discord and Nightmare Moon, made greater by the fact Celestia refuses to accept the possibility of real danger. As we stand, we here in this cave seem to be the only ones who fully comprehend the threat. I ask you now, Black Berets, are you prepared to stand against a mighty and grand foe, and accept the possibility of injury or death?"

The Black Berets all snapped to attention as one, shouting their response loud enough to shake the dust from the walls.

"YES, PRINCESS!"

Luna smirked at the warriors in front of her, proud and fearless.

"I don't know why I even had to ask. Now, go about your business. We might be here a while, so you might as well get comfortable. When you finish, gather some wood for a fire and light it on the remains of the old fire. Don't worry about smoke, there's a small hole in the ceiling that lets it out."

The Black Berets saluted, right hoof across their chest, and then scattered about the room, digging around in bags or polishing bits of armor or weapons. Twilight watched them, and suddenly realized she hadn't brought any provisions of her own, and looked to Luna to say so. However, as her violet eyes met Luna's the alicorn winked and nodded her head in the direction of the cave entrance, indicating for Twilight to follow her, and began walking through the tunnel to the entrance. Before long, they were back outside, blinking in the brightness of the sun after the darkness of the cave. Twilight came alongside Luna, who was looking around at the woods, as if anticipating something.

"Luna, I just realized I didn't bring any food or bedding or anything. How long are we going to be here?"

"It's perfectly fine, the Black Berets are always prepared. They will have extra food and bedding available, and we won't be here too long anyways."

"Why? Where are we going?"

"Salam."

"The Diamond Dog city? Why?"

"I think it will be a good place to start. This whole debacle has a whiff of a conspiracy about it, and I'd bet my wings Axion is involved in whatever is going on."

"I had similar thoughts, but there's no evidence."

"Other than a few coincidences, I'd agree, but I long since stopped believing in coincidences. There are no coincidences, merely overlooked connections."

"I also wanted to ask you something else...."

"Yes?"

"What really happened that night you got the Moon Stone?"

"You mean when you retrieved the Moon Stone for me?"

Luna smiled and nuzzled Twilight affectionately before continuing talking.

"Several things happened. First off, I went deeply in debt to you, a debt I don't know if I can ever repay."

"Oh nonsense. I won't hold you to that."

"Have it your way, I feel as I do. But what I think you want to know, what happened between Celestia and I?"

"Yes. I expected open hostility or something, but afterwards she seemed kind of..... Well, normal. No pony seeing you interact would ever guess something like that had happened."

"Yes, it seemed odd to me the first day afterwards, but I think I know what she was thinking. Equestria is seen as the jewel of a peaceful and functioning country, and we must remain such, at least in appearance, or risk being seen as weak and divided, something we wish to avoid. There is no telling who or what would try to take advantage of such a perceived weakness."

"But surely there was more."

Luna sighed and sat, laying her wing over Twilight's back as she did. The dark blue feathers tickled peculiarly as they rubbed against the scars where Twilight's wings used to be.

"There was much more. We talked for hours. Well, I talked, she yelled for a bit, then talked some, then yelled some more. I do not wish to regale the entire conversation, but I can summarize it. To say that she was furious about you sneaking into the treasure room is an understatement, much less to steal the Moon Stone, especially to give it back to me. The first thing she demanded was for me to return it to her, which I politely refused. She was so mad, I thought she was going to attack me and take it by force, but luckily she remembers that I am better trained in combat, and that she would lose easily. After that, she questioned me as to why I wanted it back, and why I didn't simply come to her and ask for it back. I told her that I thought she needed to be reminded that we were equals, and that I didn't have to ask her permission to do anything. That seemed to rile her something awful, and she went on this long speech about how she still appreciated me as a Princess and her equal, blah blah blah. A forced and practiced speech, I could tell. Well, after that I told her that I didn't feel like an equal, that she had done some very clever political maneuvering that had basically cut me out of the equation. She said that she figured that after a thousand years away, I might want a decade or so to get back into the swing of things before trying to help rule a country I didn't fully understand anymore. After that, I simply lost interest. I could tell that she was simply trying to placate me. After some more posturing and empty words, I made my excuses and left. All in all, it barely felt like she cared about the fact I got the Moon Stone back by stealing it. She seemed more concerned in trying to reassure me she thought me an equal, even though we both knew she doesn't think so. Also, rather oddly, she seemed preoccupied about me, and forgot that you were included in all this as well. I don't know what she's thinking, Twilight, and it concerns me, My sister and I always used to have a bond like lodestones, but now we're just two rocks in a stream."

Twilight nuzzled at Luna's neck as the words tumbled out. She could feel her lovers pain, and wanted nothing less than to alleviate the suffering.

"Luna, if there is absolutely anything I can do, please, let me know."

Luna smiled and kissed Twilight on the tip of her horn, making the former librarian giggle and wiggle with delight.

"You can go get some rest, my love. In the morning, you get to practice."

"Practice?"

"Yes. It's time you learned how to fight."

> Abecedarian Of The Mortiferous
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Drops of sweat trickled down Twilight's forehead as she concentrated, gritting her teeth and squinting her eyes as she manipulated the magical forces writhing around in front of her, demanding they do her bidding. She grunted as the shape of the magic finally pleased her and she released it, letting it loose to do as she told it. A violet arrow sped across the empty space, ten, twenty, fifty, then a hundred yards before striking a small pile of wood at the far end of the clearing, rending it splinters. Twilight sat back on her haunches and sighed, then looked to the side at Wildfire, who had spent most of the morning having Twilight run a series of drills. They were usually straightforward, like destroy the hunk of wood, push a rock, lift a perfect sphere of water from a stream, but with twists. The hunk of wood had been small, barely a hoof's width wide, and a hundred yards away. The rock had been a boulder that had weighed a ton if it weighed a pound, and water was water, which was never easy to manipulate.

"I'm not gonna lie, kid, that was impressive. Most of us here had the same tests you did, and a lot of us failed the first time. I guess we were a bit younger than you are now, but still, impressive."

"Thanks."

"Bit tired, eh? Alright, back to the cave for lunch. Then the fun really starts!"

Twilight stood, and looked at Wildfire with suspicious eyes.

"What do you have planned for this afternoon?"

"Me? I think I'm gonna nap in the shade. You get to play with Nightfury. He's the real magical brains here. We're all good, but he's the best. Now come on, it's only a mile to the cave, let's jog it!"

Twilight groaned in protest but kicked up her heels nonetheless. Reaching back several years in her memories, Twilight remembered the techniques that allowed her to finish decently in the Running Of The Leaves in Ponyville, and set off after Wildfire. The rocky mound that denoted the entrance of the cave was a very welcome sight to Twilight, but not nearly as comforting as the wall of cool air that greeted her once she ducked inside the small crevasse. Once in the main chamber, Twilight prepared a salad and sat next to the fire while Wildfire told some of the other Black Berets about their morning.

"I'm telling ya, she hit the damn block on her first try!"

"So did a lot of us."

"Yeah, but not all of us, including you if I remember right, Bill."

"So watcha gonna do for this afternoon? The three rocks, or the toothpicks?"

"I dunno, ask Nightfury. He's gonna take over from here."

"I am?"

"Yeah. You're the one that's the technique nut here. Teach her the subtleties. She should be able to handle that."

"Fine. Also, when's Luna gonna be back? She said she wanted be the one to teach Twilight shields and the like."

"I dunno. She didn't even say where she was going."

Twilight said nothing, not wanting to interrupt the wonderful flow of nourishing of food from the bowl to her mouth. She finished chewing the last few bites, washing it down with water, using some of the water to clean the bowl before putting it back in the bag with the rest of the food apparatuses. Standing, she walked around the fire to the group of Black Berets.

"Alright, I'm done. Nightfury, shall we?"

"We shall. Take care, children, don't burn the cave down."

Twilight followed Nightfury as he wordlessly led her out of the cave. He paused just outside, letting his dark blue mane ruffle in the breeze, allowing Twilight to catch up. As soon as she was behind him, he silently set off towrds the stream she had been at earlier with Wildfire. 
Along the way, Twilight had to admire how little noise he made. They were walking on the normal forest floor of dried leaves and detritus, yet his hooffalls were as silent as if he was walking on thick moss, whereas Twilight's were loud and crunchy. They reached the stream, and Nightfury turned to Twilight with a crooked smile.

"It's amazing, I think you actually managed to step on every single dry leaf and twig on the path here."

"Well, I've never had any sort of stealth training."

"And so it shall remain for now. I'm here to teach you magic, in a whole different sense than you've ever looked at it. Have a seat beside that tree, and get comfy."

Twilight sat by the tree he indicated, and got as comfortable as she could. Nightfury sat against a neighboring tree, seemingly as comfortable as he would be on a cushioned couch.

"Comfortable?"

"Sure."

"Good. Now tell me, Twilight, what is the first and most important rule of magic?"

"That every spell we cast requires energy."

"Ding. Correct. Where does that energy come from?"

"The caster's body."

"And right again. What dictates how much energy the caster has at their disposal?"

"Each unicorn is different. Just like some ponies grow up to be taller than others, some unicorns are simply born more powerful than others. However, the caster's experience casting magic can overcome most any congenital deficit. The magic is like a muscle, the more it is exercised, the stronger it gets."

"You're on a roll here. Alright, last question, how much energy does it take to kill a pony?"

"I... Uh... I don't know, a lot?"

"Let's rephrase that. Think, what does it take to efficiently kill a pony?"

"Well, any living body needs three basics to survive: Oxygen, nutrients and water. I suppose removing the supply of one of those would kill a pony. Moving inward, the cardiovascular system circulates oxygen and nutrients around the body, as well as white blood cells, which aid in fighting off infections, so I suppose blood loss resulting from catastrophic tissue damage. Also, damage to the vital organs, especially the heart or brain, could severely injure or kill a pony. Any of those could be achieved fairly easily, in the right circumstances."

Nightfury smiled and picked a long piece of grass from the ground beside him.

"In a broad sense, you're exactly right. But you're missing the specifics, and that's what's important in this game. What does it take to kill a pony? A blade to the throat? A spear through the chest?"

Nightfury turned so he was facing Twilight and fixed her with his violet eyes, leaning forward. His voice dropped lower, and he sounded almost excited and conspiratorial.

"What about a pinched artery to the heart, or a collapsed synapse in the brain? Maybe a ruptured vessel, some fried nerves? Ponies are such delicate creatures, Twilight, it truly doesn't take much at all to kill one. I am going to teach you ways, Twilight, ways you can kill without expending much more energy than lifting an ink laden quill. What truly matters isn't how much energy you can throw at your opponent, it's how you use it. For instance, take this stalk of grass."

Nightfury took his hooves and bent the ordinary piece of grass in half, then straightened it back out.

"Are you threatened by it?"

"Uh, no?"

"Of course not. It's not that threatening at all. But with the proper application of force...."

His horn glowed purple for an instant, and the piece of grass shot from his hoof faster than the eye could follow and smacked into a tree several feet in front of them. All Twilight could see of where it hit was a tiny pale spot on the trunk, no bigger than the end of a quill.

"Go, look closer."

Twilight did as Nightfury asked. Kneeling down in front of the tree, Twilight saw that what she thought was merely a spot was in fact a hole, with only the very tip of the blade of grass sticking out.

"It's just a small hole."

"Indeed, it is just a small hole. But think, Twilight, how small are the neurons in the brain? How narrow are the valves of the heart? You can drop a building on a pony, but what really killed them was that one chunk of stone that hit them on the head hard enough to scramble those precious brain cells. That blade of grass is huge compared to them, and it just punched a hole in somepony's head more than large enough to kill them, with barely any effort on my part."

Twilight looked back at the hole with an expression of horror as she belatedly realized the possibilities of what she had just been shown.

"Do you feel threatened by it now?"

"But... This is the kind of stuff assassins use! Why do I need to know stuff like this? I just need to learn how to fight!"

"Aye, and that's what I'm teaching. You said it yourself, magic is like a muscle, and us Black Berets have spent years exercising our muscles to the max. You, exponentially less. You've used it a lot, yes, and are much stronger than most, but you still lack the brute force we can summon. You will have to fight like me, relying on being smarter than my opponent, rather than just bigger and more powerful. Besides, we also hope to keep you out of the thick of it, so the times when you will be forced to fight will hopefully be smaller enterprises. Now, I've told you the basics, now let's move on. See those rocks over there? Grab one and float it over here."

Twilight looked at the small bank of pebbles indicated, and picked one up with her telekinesis.

"Good. Now, see that branch down there, the one hanging low over the water? See that leaf near the bottom hanging down on the thin stem? Pretend it's a brain, and the leaf is the body. Try and hit the stem and clip it off, without hitting the leaf itself."

Twilight squinted at her target, barely as big around as a strand of grass and nearly twenty yards upstream. She sent the pebble flying, and just like with her block of wood earlier, she managed to hit it dead on. The leaf fluttered around in the light breeze before falling into the stream. Both ponies were quiet as they watched the leaf as it floated towards them. Once it had passed, Nightfury smiled.

"Congratulations, you just killed a pony. Easy, huh?"

"But I didn't even throw it that hard. That would have caused a nice headache, probably even cut the skin, but that would never have made it through the skull."

"It wouldn't have to."

"How? The brain is surrounded by the skull."

"The eyes are a wonderful weak spot. Soft and squishy, and have a nice fat nerve that goes through the skull and into the brain. If you have to kill with a minimum of force, it's the best bet."

Twilight shivered again as the morbid thoughts paraded around her head.

"I can see this is unnerving you, and I apologize, but you have to learn this."

"It's fine, I just.... Never wanted to have to think like this."

"None of us ever do, but we do what we have to."

They spent the rest of the afternoon conversing over the various weaknesses of the body, and how to exploit them. Twilight was proficient in physiology, and so she was able to understand most of what Nightfury told her. After several hours of the most grisly learning Twilight had ever been through, the sun was creeping below the trees, casting them into long shadows. Nightfury went from telling Twilight new things to quizzing her over what she had learned. When she was able to answer all of his questions correctly, he stood. Twilight did as well, thinking they were about to head back to the cave, but Nightfury instead went to the side of the stream. Twilight heard him mutter under his breath.

"I hate this part."

"What part?"

"Your last lesson of the day."

Twilight was unsure of how to take this sudden change in character. Nightfury had gone from the relaxed mentor to tense and serious.

"I have taught you much this afternoon, and you have learned much, but there is one last thing, something I can't really teach you, that you must experience to understand."

"What's that?"

"Have you ever used magic with the intention of harming another?"

"Well, once, I guess, but it was kind of a desperate thing."

"Tell me."

"It was the night Axion attacked me, and the Berets rescued me. Before you arrived, I sent a  magical spear at Axion. It wasn't really meant to hit her, just the Amaranth, but she caught it and threw it back at me, cutting off most of my wing."

"So then, no, you've never used magic with the direct intent of harming or killing another?"

"....No."

"Well then."

"I'm sorry?"

Nightfury turned to Twilight, his gaze wise and deep, almost sad.

"The one thing I cannot teach you, Twilight, is how it feels to willfully and intentionally attack another pony, to hurt them or kill them. With luck, you'll never have to experience that, but luck seems to have a bastard sense of humor as of late. All I can tell you is that if you do attack a pony, make sure you are in the right for it, and you have a damn good reason. You'll need that reason to console yourself later, when the regret sets in. It'll eat you alive if you let it, and I cannot allow you to succumb to that. It is a dark and lonely road, but one that can be avoided. If or when it happens, know that the Black Berets are here for you, as is Princess Luna. We have all been there, and we all know the pits of despair that follows your first fight. Talking about it is your best defense, especially with those who have been there before. Don't bottle it up, or you'll lose yourself into madness. I've lost a few friends that way."

Twilight didn't know what to say, and so she said nothing, scuffing her hooves in the dirt as Nightfury turned back to the stream.

"Now, it's time for your final test."

Twilight looked up from the groove she was wearing in the ground with her left foreleg to see Nightfury lift a frog from the bank of the stream. He levitated it to a spot directly between them, and set it on the ground. It sat there, croaking idly. Twilight eyed it with confusion, and looked to Nightfury for answers.

"It's a frog."

"Yes. A frog, vibrant and alive. It has thoughts, it has a home, it has a life."

"What about it?"

"Kill it."

"What!? Why?"

"It's the best I can do to prepare you. This innocent little frog may not be a pony, but it's a living creature, precious in its own right. I want you to use the brain vessel trick I explained to you, and kill it. Don't worry, it won't feel a thing. This is another part of the Black Beret training. We usually use something bigger, like a badger or a large bird, but this will have to suffice."

"No!"

"Why not?"

"This is cruel! I won't kill this innocent frog! He might even have a family waiting for him!"

"So will the ponies we might have to eventually kill. They might just be hired goons from Axion, with no clue as to who hired them or why. All that we need to know is that they are opposing us, and will attack us if it's in their orders. You have to do this, Twilight. We have to know that you can fight if needed, that you can kill if you have to. We are embarking on a dangerous venture, Twilight, and we need to know that you will act when it is necessary."

"I can't-"

"No more words. Do it, or go back to the cave."

Twilight sat and fumed for a minute, slowly going red in the face from the internal struggle. Nightfury turned back and watched the stream. Twilight knew that she couldn't get out of this, it was either pass or fail. She had never failed a test before, but this was something else entirely. Her internal argument raged on and on.

Just do it! It's just a frog!

No! It's an innocent little frog, it's done nothing wrong!

It's just a simple little frog! There are so many more in the stream, this one probably won't even be missed! Frogs don't really have families anyway, they abandon their eggs as soon as they're laid!

But killing for no reason is wrong!

This is for a reason! If you can't do this, kill a little frog, can you kill a pony?

If they are attacking me, maybe!

Maybe isn't good enough! The situation has escalated way beyond the acceptable range of 'maybe' and you know it!

I'm not a killer!

Well, you might need to be! To catch a killer you have to be a killer yourself!

Axion isn't a killer!

She tried to kill you.

Twilight growled deep in her throat as her consternation began to boil. She stared at the frog with a stare of malice and bottled rage at her inability to decide. The frog stared back and croaked vacantly, unaware that its life was in the hooves of this conflicted purple mare. Twilight wished that she could just avoid this entire thing, just to go hide under a rock until Axion was either dead or took over, but she knew she couldn't. She had to do this, here and now, to truly begin the path to retribution.

This is on you, Axion.

Twilight's horn glowed violet, and the frog let out a single feeble croak as it suddenly fell, lifeless. Twilight sank to the ground as if her skeleton disappeared, tears already in her eyes. 

"There! Are you happy!?"

Nightfury turned at Twilight's hoarse voice, already scratchy from her exertion.

"I will never be happy about taking life. But you passed, Twilight. Now come on, let's go get you some food."

Twilight allowed herself to be lifted and led back to the cave. She could barely see from the tears blinding her eyes. When they arrived at the underground chamber, Twilight was lead to a spot near the fire, where she was allowed to collapse in tears. She was barely aware of the hushed whispers from the ponies in the cave, but when a bowl of food was put in front of her, she was very aware of her empty stomach. Still sniffling, she ate her food, not tasting it, simply going through the motions to satisfy her stomach. Afterwards, she pushed to bowl to the side and lay back down, staring into the fire, ignoring everything else, a tear falling from her eye every couple of minutes. She could hear some of the Black Berets talking nearby, but couldn't care less what they said.

"What did you give her?"

"A frog. I didn't think she could handle anything bigger."

"Well, I'd say you were right. Somepony should go comfort her."

"Not me, I'm terrible at that."

"Why don't you go? You put her in this state in the first place."

"No way. I doubt she even wants to see me at the moment. Winter, you go."

"Why me?"

"You're a mare, you're good at this emotional stuff."

"Ugh. You guys are all so stereotypical."

"What? I'm not wrong."

"So? That doesn't mean you're right."

"Well, it kinda does."

"Whatever."

Twilight heard another pony walk up beside her, but didn't move until a blanket was draped over her. She pulled it tight and looked up to see Winter, who settled down beside her.

"Look, I know you've gotta be feeling pretty rough right about now. If you wanna talk, I'm here. I know how you feel, so just go ahead and tell me what's on your mind."

Twilight sighed, and had to restrain more tears threatening to overrun her eyes again.

"It was just a little frog, he did nothing wrong...."

"I know, Twilight, but you gotta do what you gotta do. What if it were a spy, or a thug sent to get you? It would have felt nearly the same. I know it doesn't seem to make much sense, comparing a pony to a frog, but it does. The frog was alive, and now he's not. The best thing you can do is accept it was something you had to do, and move on. You've taken a large step, Twilight, one you can never take back, but trust me when I say that you learned an important lesson today, whether it feels like it or not."

"It was just a little frog...."

Despite her efforts, Twilight could feel the tears coming again, and nothing would deny them this time, leaning into Winter's shoulder, she cried and cried. Winter put a leg over Twilight's back, and rubbed her shoulders, comforting her despairing comrade in a time of need. Twilight buried her head under Winter's neck, sobbing her heart out, whispering the same dejected sentence over and over, as if it were a curse.

"It was just a little frog....."

"It was just a little frog....."

"Just a little frog....."

> Edify Clairvoyance
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight sat in the clearing beside Luna. It was the peaceful time of early dawn, just as the sun rose over the tree covered horizon. The birds were just beginning to chirp, and the leaves were still covered with a thin layer of dew. The two mares sat in silence, letting the forest come alive around them. After a time, the sun had completely cleared the horizon, and Luna stood up.

"Well, let's get started. We have a lot to cover, and I'd like to be finished by lunch. Follow me."

Twilight followed Luna off the small hill to the clearing around the entrance to their hideout. They took positions opposite each other, about a yard apart.

"Shields are a vital part of combat. Without one, you won't last a minute in a real battle. However, it seems in recent years war has changed drastically. I'm told that yesterday Nightfury taught you the basics of magical fighting. These aren't very well known or used anymore. It's part of the reason he is so effective. Nowadays ponies use more brute force rather than skill or knowledge. Because of this, shields have changed drastically as well. The flip side of this is that the shields I shall teach you should work very well. The first thing we shall work on is the kinetic shield, used to stop or slow solid objects. Are you familiar with the concept?"

"Yes, it's pretty simple. I've used them before."

"Well then, conjure one around yourself."

Twilight did, a transparent purple bubble appearing around her. As she did, Luna levitated a stone from the edge of the clearing and held it in front of her.

"Are you ready?"

"Yes."

Without further warning, the stone launched at Twilight's shield. When it collided with the barrier, it bounced off, landing in the grass with a soft thump. Luna smiled.

"Good, you've got a firm grasp of the concept. Now, on to more difficult things. Are you familiar with a magical shield?"

"I'm familiar with the concept and cast them, as Shining Armor has taught me about all different kinds of shields, but I've never tested it."

"Well, cast one now. I shall test it. If you're familiar with the concept, it should be easy to craft a satisfactory one."

Twilight closed her eyes and cast a magical barrier around herself. It looked just like the previous one, but sparkled a bit more in the sunlight.

"Are you ready?"

"Yes."

Luna's horn glowed, and a dark blue arrow shot from her horn. It shattered against the barrier, wisps of magic dancing in the air before fading.

"Very good! It seems we will be done ahead of schedule. I'm not sure why I ever doubted you, love."

"Well, my cutie mark is in magic, and my brother's is in defensive magic. I already know a good bit about shields and the like."

"Well, come sit by this tree with me. I have more to teach you about the old ways of fighting."

Twilight sat beside Luna at the base of a large oak tree. She leaned against Luna's shoulder, who spread a wing around the pair to ward against the early morning chill still nipping at them.

"What is the best way of defending yourself from an attack?"

"Casting a shield stronger than the attack?"

"How do you know of your shield is stronger than the attack?"

"I don't know."

"Exactly. What I'm about to tell you is privileged information, not commonly taught to warriors anymore, like Nightfury's fighting. With it, normal ponies could go on devastating rampages and be nearly unstoppable to normal law enforcement."

Twilight shivered, not from the cold but from the thought of all the dangerous information she had learned the was learning recently.

"In order to defend yourself competently, you must know who is attacking you. Line of sight isn't directly important, but knowing where they are and how they are attacking you makes all the difference. Are they casting direct kinetic force at you? Are they casting a spell around you, as in setting a blaze to burn you? Are they throwing objects at you? Or are they casting spells to alter your body? This must be known in order to effectively defend yourself."

"But how can I possibly know this? An attack can be launched in a split second."

"The best method is to be fully aware of your surroundings at all times. This can be done using your innate magical abilities. Just like pegasi can tell when the weather is changing, or an earth pony can sense disturbances in the land, unicorns can use their magic to sense the world around them. This is often subconscious, and most ponies do this without realizing it is their internal magic. What you have to do is learn how to control this consciously, and use it at will. What I want you to do, is close your eyes and reach for your magic. However, instead of casting a spell, simply examine the magic. What does it say to you? What can you see of the world around you?"

Twilight did, reaching down in her mind for the nugget of power nestled among her memories and feelings that cluttered her mind. Usually, when she found it, she would grab it, and push it out her horn, changing her surroundings, reshaping matter into a pattern more pleasing to her. This time, she did as asked, and simply examined the magic flowing through her. She found it as a raging river, washing around in a seeming chaotic pattern, but the more she watched, the more sense it made. She could vaguely see how it interacted with the outside world. She could see Luna, like she would see a magnet pulling on iron filings, the Princess's power pulling and pushing on her own with proximity. Looking closer, Twilight realized that she could see through it, like a lens, and watch the world beyond. It was slightly twisted, as if the lens was distorted, but Twilight could see the tree she was leaning against in vivid detail, down to the tiny bugs in the bark. Turning the lens, she saw Luna is breathtaking detail, every hair in her coat swaying in the breeze, every gleaming feather on her majestic wings. Opening her eyes, Twilight leaning against Luna and sighed.

"Wow. That was...... Enlightening."

"Yes. With practice, you can narrow or broaden your focus, and be able to discern threats from the chaos of the world. I cannot really teach you how to do that, as the magic can tell when one genuinely wishes you ill or not. The only real way to learn to tell is against a foe who truly wished to defeat you. However, you can become better attuned with this power by meditating. As such, I want you to meditate at least an hour a day, preferably someplace quiet and away from others. Simply close your eyes, and watch the world around you."

"I can do that."

"Good. Well, it seems we are finished well ahead of schedule. I somehow managed to forget the fact that your older brother is the head of the Royal Guards, and that his cutie mark is shields, and that he would want his precious little sister to be able to protect herself."

"Yeah, every time he learned a new kind of defensive magic or shield, he would pester me until I could do it too."

"I am glad. I want you to be as safe as possible."

Twilight smiled and nuzzled Luna's neck instead of replying with words, earning a kiss from the Princess.

"So, what shall we do until lunch?"

"Well, I think we should go have a talk with the Black Berets, and get a plan figured out. I haven't yet told them about going to Salam, and yesterday I visited Canterlot, and have some news."

"We were wondering where you went."

"Yes, I went undercover for a few hours. Yesterday was the military parade, and I wanted to see how the population responded."

"How was it?"

"I'll tell you with the others, come."

Twilight loathed to relinquish the warm embrace, but they stood and went inside the cave. They emerged from the tight passage into the cavern, which was warm compared to the chilly outside. The fire was crackling merrily in the center of the room, and the majority of the Black Berets were around it. Luna went up the them and called to the others scattered around the cave.

"Berets, gather around. I have news."

Soon all twenty were surrounding the fire, their shadows bouncing and flickering in the fire light.

"Yesterday, I went undercover in Canterlot. To put it simply, Celestia is doing her best to downplay Axion's threat. Despite her best efforts, numerous newspapers in Canterlot and beyond ran the story of the mysterious mare who murdered several Royal Guards and made her threat to return in six months. As you can imagine, there was some panic. Celestia's response was to run a follow up story saying that they were merely caught by surprise, and that they shall be prepared of Axion dares to show her face again. Yesterday was the date of a military parade, in which the Royal Guards and two contingents of the army were marched around the city. It seemed to have worked, as no pony now thinks that Axion is a threat, and most think she won't even dare return. We know otherwise, but I doubt we would be able to or wise to convince them otherwise. Instead, I believe we should go to the center of action, and go meet up with Lieutenant General Grous in Salam. Axion is surely involved in instigating the hostilities. Any objections?"

There were none.

"It seems settled then. We leave at dark tomorrow. Get some rest."

Some of the ponies walked away, off to pack possessions or to take a nap. Twilight lay next to the fire, Luna beside her with one velvet wing over Twilight. They lay silently for a while, listening to the conversation of the Black Berets around them. After a minute, Twilight decided that it would be a good time to meditate, and practice her environmental awareness. Closing her eyes, she looked deep inside her mind for the river of magic, and immersed herself in it. Extending her gaze to the cave beyond, she looked around. The cave seemed smaller, but maybe it was the fact that the shadows no longer hid the edges of the room. Scattered about the room were twenty one areas of glowing turbulence, like ripples in a pond. Some of the disturbances were larger than others, some brighter, some faster, and some more energetic. Twilight spent many minutes examining each ripple, trying to determine the sources. Luna's was easy, being right next to her and outshining the rest, but the others required some thought.

That small, dim one must be Winter, she's taking a nap. Those two bouncy, flickering ones must be Nightfury and Tank, they were playing some dice game.

Twilight continued to play her own little game, going through the Black Berets as they went about their day, resting, staying entertained, or simply conversing. It was going smoothly, and Twilight was able to identify almost all of them, until she reached the last one. These ripples were placid, but blurry, as if the water was muddy. Twilight focused on the ripples coming from the pony she couldn't identify, but all she could tell was that they were troubled. Twilight opened her eyes and looked in the direction that the ripples were to find they belonged to Wildfire, who was laying on his bedroll, gazing at the ceiling with a sort of puzzled melancholy expression. Twilight stood, earning a puzzled look from Luna.

"What's the matter, Twilight?"

"Wildfire. He looks troubled. I'm going to go talk to him."

Luna said nothing, but lay her head back down and continued to look into the fire. Twilight walked over to Wildfire, who didn't seem to notice her until she was right next to him.

"Evening, Twilight. What brings you to my peaceful corner of the cave?"

"You seem troubled."

"Nah, just a bit bored. I hate this time in between missions, when all we have to do is sit around and count rocks."

Wildfire motioned his head toward the other side of the cave, where Twilight saw Little Bit sitting, looking like he was in fact counting pebbles.

"I mean more than that. You seem genuinely perturbed about something. If you don't want to talk about it, that's fine, but maybe talking in general will help."

"Well..."

Wildfire sat up and looked at Twilight with a searching gaze.

"You're a mare, maybe you can actually help, or at least soothe my aching mind."

"Ah, so it's girl problems."

"Not quite."

Twilight lay down on a nearby bedroll, getting as comfortable as she could. Wildfire returned to his previous position, staring at the ceiling as if he half expected the answers to be written in the rocks above.

"It is about a mare, but she has no idea."

"So you care for her, but haven't told her yet?"

"Pretty much."

"Why haven't you told her yet?"

"It's a bit...... Complicated. More than anything, I don't want to complicate things further, especially when we're about to embark upon a probably dangerous journey."

"Ah. I think I understand."

"Well, probably not. It's a bit more confusing than you might think."

"How so?"

Wildfire's only response was to turn his head and stare across the cave, just to Twilight's left. Turning her head, she followed his gaze to find it on Winter, peacefully asleep against the far wall. Realization ran through Twilight's mind. 

That would certainly complicate things. But I suppose that would make a bit of sense, they've definitely been through a lot together. Not to mention she's not bad looking, and very talented. Hmm. Sometimes I wish I understood romance better.

Although her mind was running full pace, Twilight's mouth was only capable of the most simple reply.

"Ah."

"Yeah."

"Have you tried talking to her?"

"Of course I have. But every time I try to tell her how I feel, I just get this feeling that I shouldn't, so I don't. On one hoof, I feel that's better. The last thing we need is some sort of silly romance to muddle the unit up. But on the other, I feel this so strongly, sometimes I just have to go out into the forest and buck a tree until it falls to help me calm down. I just don't know what to do."

"Honestly, I can't really relate. My first real romance was with Luna, and that just sort of fell into place on its own. I know next to nothing in the normal ways of romance."

Wildfire laughed lightly, as if that was exactly the answer he was expecting.

"For some reason, that doesn't surprise me. We've all heard the stories about Celestia's protege, the bookish unicorn who stopped Discord, Nightmare Moon, and saved the Crystal Empire. She's an egghead, happier among her books than anywhere else. Although, I must say, you've changed a lot. I remember the Changeling attack. I was there, alongside your brother. We never spoke, but I got to see you in action. You've grown since then. I guess we all have, especially in the last few weeks."

Twilight smiled, amused at the turn the conversation had taken.

"Yes, I remember that. I was a lot younger, mentally especially. I couldn't even fathom being betrayed, especially by a friend."

Twilight had meant to keep the conversation light, but she felt tears well up in her eyes as the memories of Axion played through her mind. Noticing Wildfire looking at her with concern, Twilight hastily rubbed the tears away and smiled again.

"Well, I wish I could be of more help. I fear that the way times are changing that love will be something sorely needed."

"Maybe you can."

"I would be happy to."

"Just talk to her a bit. Don't tell her about me, just find out more about her. Like, does she have a special somepony? Stuff that I could never ask without arousing suspicion."

Twilight smiled. It reminded her strongly of the first time Rainbow Dash had developed a crush, on one of the weather pegasi back in Ponyville, years ago. She had asked Twilight to do nearly the exact same thing.

"I can do that."

"Thanks a million.  I owe you one."

"Don't worry about it."

Twilight stood and walked back to the fire, nuzzling a snoozing Luna's wing until it lifted, allowing her to crawl underneath and find a comfortable place to nap the remainder of the day away.

> Until Exodus
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight's breath frosted in the cold night air as she stood on the frost covered hill. Luna was on her left, and Wildfire on her right. They stood, not talking, and gazed at the scene below. Not quite a mile distant stood the Diamond Dog city of Salam, but it was hardly recognizable. Nearly all the buildings around the edge showed signs of damage or had fallen, and most of the ones in the center did as well. Countless griffons circled the city, and many more were crouched on rooftops. The Diamond Dogs that had inhabited the city before were nowhere to be seen.

"So, we're going there?"

"Yup."

Wildfire shook his head at Twilight's reply and walked off the hill, going back to the rest of the Black Berets behind them. Twilight leaned against Luna's shoulder, who leaned back, the soft pressure reassuring.

"Are we so sure that this is the best idea?"

"I am. I have thought about it very hard over the past three day's journey. Either Axion was behind the Diamond Dog's terrorist attacks, or she convinced the griffons to attack, and made up a reason. It may be neither of those, it may be both. Either way, this is where we need to be. We'll have to keep a sharp eye out for anything out of the ordinary while here, there could be clues as to what's going on. But first things first, we need to go and make sure the imprisoned Diamond Dogs are being treated fairly. Griffons have a history of being.... Less than kind to prisoners of war."

Luna stood for a few more moments, then turned and went back down the hill to the Black Berets. Lifting their heavy packs and continuing down the path to the city, the party steadily approached the outskirts. Rubble cluttered the streets, and Twilight saw several dark splotches that looked suspiciously like blood. Soon, some griffons soon spotted them, and swooped overhead silently. None accosted them until they neared the city center, when a contingent of professional looking guards stepped forward and barred their way. 

"Halt! Speak your names and intentions."

"Queen Luna, Twilight Sparkle, and the Black Berets. We were sent by Lieutenant General Grous to assist."

"Come with us."

Four large griffons turned and walked towards a large tent set up in the city center. Brushing aside the front flap, Luna, Twilight, and the Black Berets walked into what was obviously the command center. The middle of the tent was dominated by  a large map of the Diamond Dog's territory. Red lines and X's were scattered about it, and a small carved wooden griffon sat on top of the spot marked 'Salam.' Ten chairs were arranged around this table, but currently only two were occupied. The first griffon was older, the graying of his white head feathers was very pronounced. The other griffon was younger, and so dark brown he was almost black. Both stood and bowed to Luna, and nodded to Twilight and the Berets. The older griffon spoke first.

"Queen Luna, it is nice to see you. I am Colonel Rin, and this is Sergeant Major Dark Sky. Lieutenant General Grous told us that you would assist us."

"We have come to assist in finding the source of the Diamond Dog's magical assistance, nothing more."

"Yes, of course. We would not ask you to fight with us. We merely want it to be a fair fight. This underhanded trickery is despicable."

"Do you have any leads?"

"No, but we have several high ranking officers of the Diamond Dog military in custody. Would you like to interrogate them?"

"We merely want to question them. Where are they?"

"They are in the courthouse just behind this tent."

Colonel Rin leaned over the table, scribbling a few sentences on a piece of paper.

"Here, this will allow you access to them. I thank you in advance for your assistance."

Luna took the piece of paper, folding it neatly into one of her saddlebags.

"We simply want these hostilities to end. I will notify you when we are finished."

"Good luck, Queen Luna."

Returning the Colonel's bow with a nod of her head, Luna left the tent, Twilight and the Berets following. They gathered in a circle a short distance from the entrance to the courthouse.

"Berets, go and check out the prisoner's keeping. Make sure they are being fed and sheltered well. Twilight and I will go talk to the officers."

The Berets saluted as one and walked away, leaving Twilight and Luna before the courthouse. It was a tall and dark building, carved from stone. Walking to the entrance, Luna showed the guards the paper from Colonel Rin, and were allowed to enter. Inside, they got directions from a guard, who said the prisoners were in the basement. Going down the dark and gloomy stairway, Luna and Twilight emerged into the wide and unexpectedly bright corridor. Two griffon guards were at each door, behind each was a prisoner. Going to the first, Luna showed the paper once more to the guards, who opened the door, closing it behind them once they walked in. The room was small, but not claustrophobic. The furniture had been removed, leaving only a small bed in the corner. The Diamond Dog was sitting on this bed, looking at them silently. Remnants of his uniform remained, medals gleaming in the light from the single torch. Luna stood in front of him, simultaneously seeming friendly and intimidating.

"What is your name?"

"Major Roul."

"Do you know why I am here?"

"Has Equestria allied itself to punish the Diamond Dogs for the griffon's problems?"

"Did the Diamond Dogs have anything to do with the attacks on the griffon princess?"

"Of course not. We are happy to be left alone, digging our holes and mining gems. We care not for the problems of the griffons, or the ponies."

"Then why are the griffons saying you did?"

"I do not know. All I can tell you is that the Diamond Dig military had nothing to do with it."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Thank you for your cooperation."

They left the room, and went on to the next. After four other Diamond Dog officers had all said the same thing, Luna began to get irritated.

"This is tripe. They could all be lying, or all being sincere. Either way, we need more concrete answers! We're getting nowhere."

"What about a truth spell?"

"Of course! Why didn't I think of that? You're a genius, Twilight. Come, it's the last prisoner."

Going into the last room, Twilight could immediately tell there was a difference between this prisoner and the rest. He still wore his full uniform proudly, a white jacket festooned with medals and a pair of white pants, both pristine. He stood against the back wall, hands behind his back, bowing as they entered.

"Princess Luna. It is a pleasure."

"And you are?"

"High General Drek. I am the commander of the Diamond Dog forces, second only to the Chancellor."

"Well then, if anyone here could help us, surely it's you."

"How might I assist you?"

"Who was behind the terrorist attacks on the griffons?"

Drek's demeanor changed immediately. His ears lay flat along his skull, and his lips curled up on one side of his mouth, revealing several very sharp teeth. He began to pace, going back and forth between the walls of his cell.

"Hardly any know of this. I was only included in it by accident, and I wanted no part. I happened to walk into the Chancellor's office while he was talking to some unicorn. They were saying something about the griffon princess being vulnerable when I walked in. The unicorn acted as though they were going to attack me, until the Chancellor told them that I was okay, and might as well be included. So I joined them and listened as they outlined this ridiculous scheme to kill the griffon monarchy, one by one. I could hardly believe it! We have been ill at ease with the griffons for generations, but lately things have been calm, and these two wanted to ruin it! I have spent many, many years meeting with griffon delegates, and here was the Chancellor, a Dog that I had always known to be level headed and logical, discussing asinine plans with some pony! Not only were these plans poorly thought out, it seemed as if they were intended to direct the griffons right back to us! I was furious. As soon as the unicorn left, I demanded to know what the Chancellor thought he was doing. He simply sat back in his chair, an odd look in his eyes, and told me, "Drek, when you have looked down the mouth of a starving manticore as long as I have, eventually you just want to cut the blasted thing's head off."

At this point, Drek seemed to grow tired of pacing. Sitting on his bed, he placed his head in his paws, narration growing softer.

"So I shut my mouth and left. I only wanted to forget the whole ordeal, and hope the Chancellor would as well, but no beans. When I learned of the attempted assassination, I immediately prepared to head to the Chancellor's office to resign. That the day of the griffon attack. I never did get to resign. So here I sit, rotting, waiting for the griffons to execute me for nothing less than being one of the highest ranking officers."

Drek closed his eyes, running his paws over his face. Twilight looked to Luna, who looked as conflicted as she felt. Not wanting to voice the thought aloud, Twilight sent a communication spell to Luna.

Are we going to try to truth spell?

No. I believe he is telling the truth. His regret is honest.

How can you tell? He might just be a very good actor.

Look at him through your magic, Twilight. It is evident.

Doing as Luna asked, Twilight closed her eyes and looked deep within to her magic. Looking at Drek again, Twilight saw that the waves coming from him were deep and slow, tinged with dark colors that filled Twilight with a deep sense of sorrow. Opening her eyes, Twilight looked at Drek, nearly to the point of tears, sitting in his small bed in full uniform, medals gleaming in the low light. Twilight felt bad for him; being dragged into a situation he wanted nothing to do with, and now sitting in a cell, future bleak.

"General Drek, my name is Twilight Sparkle. I just have one question, then we will leave you alone. What did the unicorn look like?"

"Like misery and hatred incarnate. As for her physical appearance, she was black, black as the darkest ink, with a mane white like fresh snow."

Twilight looked at Luna with wide eyes, her fears confirmed. 

Axion.

Luna stepped forward, her voice low.

"General Drek, we believe you wanted nothing to do with the attacks on the griffons. We have good standing  with the griffons. If you wish, we will talk to them, and try and secure your release, or at least extradition to Equestria."

Drek smiled at Luna, his eyes still sad.

"Thank you, but no thank you. I will face my fate here. I shouldn't have waited so long, I should have done something. I-"

The rest of Drek's words were cut off by the sound of an explosion nearby. The shock wave rippled through the floor, knocking Twilight down and causing the furniture to collapse. Dust fell from the ceiling, as well as a few small stones. A dark blue field instantly appeared around Twilight, saving her from getting several large knocks to the head as a few larger rocks dislodged from above her. Looking over, she saw Luna encased in a similar protection. Blue magic ripped the door open, and Twilight felt herself being lifted and flung out the door, Luna leaping behind her. As soon as she hit the floor in the hallway, Twilight heard a loud rumbling from inside the room. Looking back, Twilight saw the walls of the cell collapse, and then the ceiling, several tons of rock falling, crushing everything inside the room, including Drek.

"Twilight! Are you okay?"

Twilight coughed and rolled over to face Luna, who was leaning over her, wings spread over her lover protectively.

"I'm f-"

More coughing interrupted her as dust clogged Twilight's throat. Luna leaned in closer, concern rampant in her expression.

"I'm fine, Luna, really. What happened?"

"An explosion, nearby. Maybe even in this building. We have to get out of here. Whatever's happening, I don't want you anywhere near here. Can you stand?"

Twilight shook off most of the dust covering her and stood, a little shaky as the adrenaline of nearly getting crushed ran through her. Luna wrapped her in a hug, wings encasing them for a moment. Releasing from the hug, Luna started trotting to the stairs, barely under a gallop.

"Let's go. We need to rendezvous with the Berets."

Following Luna up the stairs, Twilight emerged from the basement to find the lobby they had passed through not minutes before a scene of chaos and violence. Parts of the walls had fallen in places, desks and chairs were overturned, pictures ripped off the walls and dark stains all around. Twilight took a few steps before she looked down and noticed a leg sticking out from under a large rock, red liquid seeping out from under it. Abruptly, Twilight realized that the stains around the room were blood, splattered across walls and rubble as if thrown, but from no discernible source. Looking closer, Twilight saw several griffons lay dead, crushed under rubble from the walls and ceiling. Luna and Twilight began to carefully pick their way across the room to the exit, when Twilight heard a cough. Stopping in her tracks, she looked around the room, not sure if to rush to the aid of a possible survivor, or ignore the possible trap. The cough came again, so weak she could barely hear it, but it was enough for Twilight to pinpoint the location of the noise. It came from under the large reception desk in the center of the room, which was now upside down and broken in half. Remembering her lessons, Twilight sunk down into her mind, looking at the desk through her magic. Waves were coming from under the desk, barely ripples, and a sickly shade of brown. Deciding that the ripples were that of a dying griffon, Twilight jumped across the rubble between her and the desk. She knelt down, finding a griffon pinned under the desk, bloodied and broken.

"Hold on! We'll get you out of there!"

Taking several steps back, Twilight grabbed hold of the giant desk with her magic, straining to lift it. Doubt clouded her mind as she barely was able to shift it. Another weak cough came from under the desk, followed by a weak squeal of pain. A dark cloud of blue floated from beside her, and Twilight realized Luna had joined her efforts. As soon as the dark blue magic melded with Twilight's violet, the desk suddenly launched across the room, shattering against the far wall. Twilight rushed back to the griffon's side, followed closely by Luna.

"Can you hear me? What happened? Luna, communicate with Wildfire if you can. Tell him we need medical assistance!"

Luna nodded and closed her eyes, trying to establish a connection. Cradling the griffon's head in her lap, Twilight felt a flutter of hope as his eyes opened, unfocused and looking around the room wildly.

"Hey! Can you hear me? What's your name? I'm Twilight Sparkle, and-"

"She..... She came......... Vengeance, she said...... Vengeance.................. Darkness.............. No sound, just dark emptiness..............."

"Who came?"

The eyes focused for the first time, boring into Twilight, a look of complete fear.

"Darkness............. So much darkness..................... Run."

"Excuse me?"

"RUN!"

Twilight jumped at the sudden exclamation, dropping the griffon's head as she fell backwards. The griffon continued screaming, thrashing on the ground awkwardly. The wings flailed clumsily, flinging a drop of blood across Twilight's face.

"RUN! YOU MUST RUN! RUUUN!!!"

The griffon unexpectedly stopped screaming and thrashing, the sudden stillness causing Twilight to hesitate before softly approaching again. The golden eyes were open, but unseeing, the feathered breast no longer moving. Twilight felt a wingtip brush her shoulder, and turned to find Luna beside her, wings open, glancing around the room as if she expected to be attacked any second.

"Come along, Twilight. He is dead."

Tearing her eyes away from the corpse in front of her, Twilight numbly followed Luna outside. Griffons were flying around in panic, and it was a few seconds until Twilight realized that several buildings were on fire and bodies were laying in the streets. Through the chaos, the Black Berets emerged, running full sprint towards the pair. Wildfire was the first to reach them, out of breath and covered in ash.

"Princess! Twilight! Are you okay? You said something about needing medical-"

"We're fine. Prepare to teleport!"

A flash of blue later, the group was on the hill they had looked down on the city from. Looking back, Twilight saw that the entire city was embroiled in chaos. Griffon soldiers flew in circles above the city, seeking an enemy to fight and finding none. Buildings were on fire and bodies lie in the streets. It looked to Twilight like a battle was taking place, but there were no invaders. Turning back, Twilight saw several Black Berets nursing bruises and cuts, but nothing serious. Luna barked to Wildfire, who was tying a cloth around a cut on his leg.

"Wildfire, report!"

"I don't know what happened, Princess. One second we're talking to Diamond Dog prisoners, the next there's fire and griffons falling from the bucking sky! We immediately came to find you. That's all. We never saw any soldiers other than griffons."

"Well, we believe we know who is behind the attacks on the griffons, and who is most likely behind this."

"Axion?"

"Of course. Apparently she was plotting with the Chancellor of the Diamond Dogs. I can only suppose that she is behind this as well. Double-crossing swine, I should have expected no less. Everypony, prepare to move out!"

Twilight walked up to Luna. She met her lover's eyes and saw anger, deep and old.

"Where are we going?"

"Back to Canterlot. It's time I took a closer look at the Black Star files."

Luna and the Berets turned and walked into the woods, beginning the long trek back to Canterlot. Twilight made to follow them, but something made her stop; a tingling sensation running down her spine. A faint laughter drifted on the wind, making the violet unicorn twitch her ears. Looking back at the city, Twilight thought she could just barely see a shape, barely more than a shadow, standing between two buildings on the outskirts. The laughter faded, and when Twilight blinked, the shadow disappeared. Shaking her head to rid her mind of the villainous thoughts, Twilight followed the rest of the group into the forest.

> The Insidious Gives Way To The Ambrosial
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The darkness was nearly absolute. Twilight could barely see her own hooves as she ran down the empty stone hallway, her steps silent for some reason. The end of the hallway was visible: A tall wooden door, a torch hanging on either side. Twilight ran and ran, but she never seemed to get any closer. After what seemed like hours, Twilight could run no more. Her legs buckled, sending her tumbling to the floor, hoof over flank. Twilight groaned as she lay on the cold and unforgiving floor, bruises already forming. Lifting her head, Twilight found that she had somehow reached the door at long last. There it was, just within hoof's reach. She stood, legs trembling from more than exhaustion. Lifting a hoof, Twilight gently pushed the door open. It swung open easily and silently. Nothing could be seen through the absolute blackness behind the door. Twilight thought about going in, but reconsidered. She had no idea what was in the darkness. She could just wait for Luna to come here, she can see in the dark. Twilight closed the door and turned to walk away, but only made it a few steps when something made her turn around. The door was open. She had closed that door, she was sure of it. Twilight went back to the door, and closed it, making sure to hear the latch catch before walking away again. Once again, Twilight only made it a few steps before turning, and once again, the door was open. Twilight hesitated before closing the door this time. Was there something in there, glowing faintly red? Twilight made to close the door again, this time with some force, but it wouldn't budge. The faint red glow came closer. Twilight pushed on the door harder, but it still refused to move. The red glow came closer. The door won't close, why won't it close!? Fear gripped Twilight. The door needed to close, it HAD to close, now! Close, dammit, close! The glow was nearly to the door. CLOSE! PLEASE! Twilight threw all her weight against the door, pulling with every once of her might. The door slowly began to pull to, inch by inch closing the gap between Twilight and that horrifying glow. Twilight couldn't explain why the mysterious glow filled her with such terror, only that she didn't want it anywhere near herself. The door continued it's tormentingly slow movement, the red glow crawling closer at the same rate. Twilight could feel the cold sweat running down her neck and flanks as she panicked. Finally, the door made contact with the frame and clicked shut. Twilight released the handle and fell to the floor, gasping for air as her tired muscles shook, her head hanging. Click. Twilight almost didn't want to look up. But she did. The door was open. The red glow was right there, just out of hoof's reach. Twilight gazed at it, paralyzed. Why can't she turn away? Why can't she run? A high pitched laughter mocked her weakness.

Twilight gasped and sat bolt upright, gasping for air as she tried to convince herself that it was just a dream. Just another bad dream in a long stream of bad dreams.

Dreams that are hauntingly real.

"Twilight? Are you alright?"

"Just another bad dream."

"Come, tell me about it."

Luna left the papers she had been looking at on the table she had been sitting at and joined Twilight on the large couch that she had been sleeping on. The Princess spread a wing to comfort and warm her troubled lover. Twilight shivered and snuggled up against Luna, seeking warmth in the hollow between the Princess's neck and shoulder.

"Tell me of your dream, my love."

"I was running down a hallway. There was a door at the end, but no matter how fast I ran, it never got closer. Finally, I reached it. I opened it to find it was pitch black inside. I suddenly got this bad feeling, so I closed the door and turned away. But I turned around, and it was open again. So  closed it, but it opened again, and again I closed it. It opened a third time, and this time I couldn't close it. Far away, in the darkness, I saw a red glow, coming closer. Somehow I could tell it was evil, so I tried to close the door, but it wouldn't budge. The red glow kept coming closer and closer. Finally, just as the red glow was about to reach me, the door closed. I sank to the floor, exhausted. Suddenly, the door opened again, and there was the glow, right in front of me. That's when I woke up."

"Now the Amaranth must haunt your dreams as well? I wish there was more I could do. My presence tends to deter bad dreams, but I cannot shield you completely."

"I just want you near me. That's all I need."

"As you ask, you shall receive."

Luna winked at Twilight and leaned down to kiss the violet unicorn. Twilight happily received the kiss, and settled her head again on Luna's shoulder. Her gaze landed on the table, piled with papers.

"Have you found anything else?"

"Not much. A whole month of digging through dusty old papers, and we've barely found a mention of Black Star other than his possible birthplace! Not even anything concrete!"

Twilight saw the annoyance in Luna's eyes, and snuggled against the dark blue neck.

"We still have a few months until her return. We'll find something. In the meantime, would you like to go get some breakfast?"

"Actually, I received a letter earlier. The Berets returned today. I told them that we would debrief them when you woke. We could get breakfast afterward? Or lunch, rather, as it approaches noon."

"That sounds good. Did Celestia say anything about them?"

"No, she seems content to ignore them, as she has us since we returned."

Twilight scrunched her brow as she thought. Twilight and Luna had returned to Canterlot after the attack on Salam. They had left the Black Berets at an outpost in the forest, as last time they were there, Celestia was less than happy about their utilization, but Celestia seemed to choose not to remember the night that Twilight, Luna, and the Berets had quickly left the castle after the two Princesses argued. Indeed, the elder Princess seemed content to ignore Luna and Twilight completely, and everything they did. This had troubled Twilight much more than it had Luna, who was simply glad that they were left to investigate in peace. After many long days spent searching the old papers in the Canterlot Archives, Twilight found a paper that seemed to indicate that a unicorn of absurd power that was black with a white mane was born long ago, in a small village that no longer existed. Luna sent the Black Berets to search the site where the village once stood, a week's march to the south. Now the Black Berets had returned, and Twilight desperately hoped they had found more than the impromptu scholars here in Canterlot.

"Where are they?"

"Same rooms as last time."

"Well, let's go. Sooner we talk to them, the sooner we can eat. I'm famished."

Twilight followed Luna through the halls and corridors down to the rooms the Black Berets were in. As soon as the old wooden door creaked open, Twilight could tell there had been trouble on the journey. Several of the warrior were wearing fresh bandages, and a few were limping. Wildfire approached Luna and Twilight as they entered. A piece of bloody cloth was tied around his head, partially obscuring one eye.

"Wildfire, you're hurt! How bad is it?"

"No worries, commander. Just a bump on the head."

"And what, pray tell, gave it to you?"

Wildfire sat on the floor, bending his head back until his neck popped and he sighed. The rest of the Berets abandoned the various tasks they had been doing and circled around.

"We made it to the village alright. It was right where you said it would be, not far from Trace River, on the edge of the High Forest. The buildings were long rotten and gone, but the foundations were still there. So we split up and poked around a bit.  Soon, I found one building that had somehow survived. It looked a bit sketchy, but sound enough to enter. I went towards it, but before I could reach it, I heard ponies running through the woods. I called for a regroup int he center of what used to be the village. We stood there, just listening to the sounds of hoofsteps all around us for a good minute before we finally saw them. I don't know who they are, but they seemed wild, almost feral. Their weapons were rusty and best, and their armor was not much more than some bits of cloth. It was a pretty large group, maybe a hundred or so. They seemed hesitant to attack, but eventually they did, screaming and hollering like a bunch of monkeys. Eventually, we killed enough of them to scare the rest away. We sat down and began to asses the damage, but then they came back, even more of the bastards! I don't know how many of them it would have taken to kill us, but I knew how many they were going to use. So I decided that it would be a good time for a tactical retreat, and we beat it. We took a bit of a roundabout route to make sure we weren't followed, not that I think they tried. I think we just encroached on some forest ponies' land or something."

"What can you tell me about the building?"

"Not a lot, Princess. It was an ordinary one story house. It was covered in vines, moss growing on several of the walls. Nothing special."

"Except that it was still there. That is where we will go."

"May I ask why?"

"It is a standing building in a village that was completely destroyed by fire seven hundred years ago. The news clipping I read very specifically said that every building was destroyed, and the inhabitants relocated to what was become Manehatten. We leave soon. Any Beret that is injured should stay behind, and recuperate. We shall need them at full strength as soon as possible."

"Including me, Princess?"

"Yes. Nightfury shall take your place temporarily, as I see he is uninjured. How many other are uninjured?"

"Twelve, Princess."

"Perfect. We depart at noon tomorrow."

Luna turned and left without further ado, and Twilight followed. Luna led the way up to her rooms, and once there she closed the door and turned to face Twilight with a soft expression.

"I want you to stay here."

"What? Why?"

"It might be dangerous."

"I've gone into plenty of dangerous situations and came out fine!"

"I know, but often it is not by choice you are in those situations. Now there is a choice, and above all, I want you safe."

"But I want to be with you!"

Tears were forming in Twilight's eyes, and she could see Luna's eyes were threatening the same.

"And I want you to be with me, but I want you safe more. You mean a lot to me, Twilight. You mean as much to me as the moon and the stars and the night sky. Just this once, will you stay behind?"

"Why should I stay behind when you go off to who knows what danger? I could make the same argument for you!"

"I am an immortal alicorn. Very little can happen to me."

"But it can! And if something were to happen and I wasn't there, how do you think I would feel?"

"The same as I would if it were to happen to you, which is much more likely!"

Tears were falling from Luna's eyes now, a miserable sight which made Twilight cry as well. She ran forward and tucked her head against Luna's chest. After a time, she backed up, and Luna saw steel in her eyes.

"I'll do it, but with one condition."

"What's that?"

"Promise me that you will never, ever, ask me to stay behind from you again, and neither shall I ask you."

"But, Twilight, I-"

"No buts. That's the deal. We made a promise, do you remember that? The warm summer night under a tall stand of pines? We made a promise to stay together. If something were to happen to one of us, at least we would be together. You're immortal, but not invincible. Will you make this promise?"

Luna cast her gaze to the floor, defeated.

"Yes."

"Please, Luna, be happy. Smile. Come, let's go to bed. You've a long day tomorrow."

Twilight set about preparing for sleep. She was partway through combing her mane when she paused. She noticed a new look come into Luna's eyes, one of mischief.

"What are you thinking of?"

"What am I thinking?"

Shivers went down Twilight's spine at Luna's low and sultry voice. The Princess walked beside, then behind her lover. Her wings gently touched Twilight and sent ripples across her nerves, and a light nip at the base of her neck made her knees nearly buckle. She closed her eyes and allowed Luna to gently bite her and caress her.

"I think it's a quiet night in the castle, and it's our last night together before we're parted for two weeks at best. What's say you to a little fun?"

"I..I s...Say..."

"Better yet, say nothing."

Twilight felt the caresses stop, and began to turn.

"No, no, stay there a moment. I've a surprise for you."

Twilight obeyed, and stared at the wall for a minute.

"Okay, turn."

Twilight did, and was greeted by the sight of Luna laying stretched out on the bed, socks on her legs.

"You like?"

Twilight wordlessly gazed.The socks were fine lace, dark blue with light blue across the top hems, which reached nearly the top of Luna's long legs. They were mostly sheer, leaving near none to the imagination. Luna lazily flicked one wingtip at Twilight.

"Come, my dear. Night is wasting."

Twilight was all too happy to oblige.

> The Esoteric
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The lonely moon hovered above her, casting it's comforting glow. Luna peered at the solitary building from her vantage point, hovering above the trees. It was just as Wildfire described it. The house looked old, on the verge of rotting, but the longer Luna looked, the more she saw through the illusion. The moss was growing on what would be the shady side, and the vines grew in a pattern that seemed very unnatural. The windows seemed too clear, and the door looked almost untouched by the ravages of nature. There was definitely something to find there. Luna tilted her wings and gently flapped down to the small group of waiting Black Berets.

"It seems safe to proceed. Come, quietly now."

The company crept from the shelter of the treeline towards the house. Luna cast her ears and eyes around them, but it seemed that the group that had ambushed the Black Berets previously were not nocturnal. Soon enough, Luna reached the door to the shack. She studied it closely, searching for any sign of magic that would activate when the door opened. After a minute, Luna decided that there was none, and gently set her hoof against the door and pushed. It swung open easily and quietly. The inside of the lodge looked as much as the outside did. It was mostly barren, and the table that stood on one side seemed nearly rotten through. The remnants of a throw rug adorned the center of the floor. Moss was growing on a few of the windowsills, and a vine had taken up residence in one. Luna looked down. The floor looked as though it had succumbed to the rot that had permeated the table. Luna took a step inside, pressing with most of her weight on her front hoof. The wood had a solidity that betrayed its appearance.

No squeaking. Interesting.

Luna continued inside, and was followed by Nightfury.

"Search the room, carefully. Try not to disturb anything. Tell the others to wait outside, and shout at any sign of hostiles."

"Yes, Princess."

Nightfury went outside to convey the orders, then returned inside. He looked around, taking in the simple furnishings of the room.

"Shouldn't take long. Doesn't look like much is here."

"That's what we're supposed to believe."

"You have evidence to the contrary?"

"Some. This building is magically reinforced and illusioned to appear derelict. Look carefully."

Luna went to the far corner, where the skeletal remains of a bed rested. The mattress had long degraded, leaving only rusted coils of metal for springs and a hint of a frame. . Luna peered closely, but to no avail. The rotten bed was just that. The dark Princess grunted, and looked to the rest of the room. She lifted the rotten rug, the ancient tapestry falling to pieces at her touch, revealing nothing underneath. Luna made to check the windowsills, but something made her stop halfway across the room, ears cocked and eyes searching. Nightfury paused in the middle of poking at a section of wall to regard her curiously.

"What is it, Princess?"

Luna didn't answer immediately, instead taking a few steps back, then forward again. She looked down, to the floor, and repeated the procedure a few more times. Abruptly, her horn glowed, and a section of the floor shattered, falling downwards into a hole.

"Progress, Nightfury."

Both ponies approached the hole apprehensively. What had seemed to be a solid floor had now revealed a passageway underneath, leading into the darkness below. The opening was large enough for a pony to move comfortably, or a Princess to barely fit. Luna lit her horn and stepped onto the earthen stairs leading down into the subterranean cellar.

"Wait here."

"Yes, Princess."

Luna ducked her head and continued down the tunnel, which leveled out after a few steps and continued straight ahead. Luna followed it for several minutes, at which point she came upon a split. Both branches split at an even angle, both were the same size, and both were pitch black. The dirt that was the floor offered no clues, as both seemed packed and well traveled. Luna growled softly and enhanced the light from her horn, attempting to peer a little farther into the depths. Still, neither cave path seemed like a better choice than the other, so Luna improvised. Summoning a small, dark blue arrow, Luna set it spinning. After a few seconds, it stopped, pointing down the left passage. Dispelling the arrow, Luna set off.

The dirt tunnel continued being straight, and Luna felt her trepidation rising. Every step she took and found nothing was another second wasted. The tunnel continued being unhelpful and empty. Luna squinted ahead in a vain attempt to see anything ahead. Boosting her light, Luna caught a hint of what could be an ending to the tunnel. As she approached, the Princess's scowl deepened. It was merely a dead end, the dark soil coming down to neatly join the floor. After a few spells intended to root out illusions, Luna had to conclude that this was what it appeared, and was nothing more than a waste of time. Turning back, Luna retraced her steps until she came to the split, this time taking the other branch.

After what seemed to be the same amount of distance the other tunnel had led, Luna arrived at a modest wooden door. It was bare, just plain brown wood and some simple iron binders. Luna used the same spells she had used earlier, and found that the door what nothing more than a door. Extending her spells, she found that there were no spells waiting for her beyond the door either, so she carefully pushed it open.

On the other side of the door was a small room, a small study by the looks of it. Two chairs sat on opposing sides of a small table on one side, and a third chair accompanied a writing desk on the other. The rest of the room was empty, save a small wooden chest on the far side of the door. Walking over to the writing desk, Luna found that the only object on it was a diary, covered in dust. Casting more revealing spells, Luna found that it was unprotected, and so opened it. The first page had some writing on it, but Luna was more interested in the latest entries for the moment, so she kept flipping. Oddly, the rest of the pages were blank, so Luna went back to the first page and read, her scowl deepening as she got further down the page.

"My dear Axion.

I fear I have wronged you. Long have I known of your love for me, but I feared that if I responded to your advances as I desired that we would both get distracted. Please, know that I wanted nothing more than to come to you, to take you as my own as we stood victorious atop the spires of the Royal Palace. But, I told myself that such trivial matters could wait until after our victory. Never have I been so wrong. Love is not trivial, and it seems cruel that I shall only know that while the cold breath of Death creeps down my spine.

I know now that I shall not live to see our victory, our love, or even the end of this night. I told you that my disease was weakening me, but I failed to tell you how much. My folly is indefinite, and I am sorry.

The only hope for our plan now rests upon you, my dear. Inside the chest are plans, all the plans you shall need to bring an end to the sickness of greed and corruption that has overcome Canterlot. Also, there is a picture of me, for you to keep myself with you, eternally.

I shall go now to my grave that I have already prepared, far to the north, near the mountain called Adámastos. Please, visit me sometime.

Take my thoughts and likeness, and go usher in a new future for the ponies of Equestria.

With all my love,

Black Star."

Luna immediately went to the chest and opened it, but she knew it was going to be empty before she saw it. She went back to the diary and gently lifted it, placing it on the pouch hanging around her neck. She looked around the room once more, making sure there was nothing else of note. Seeing nothing, Luna left, leaving the room to darkness once more. She began the long walk back to the entrance. In due time, she arrived to find Nightfury, still standing in the same spot he had been when she left. He held down a hoof to help Luna back up, which she took.

"Anything up here, Nightfury?"

"Nothing, Princess. As quiet as a grave. Was your venture successful?"

"Yes. Come, we can talk about it back at the castle, with Twilight."

"Of course, Princess."

Luna and Nightfury went outside, where they rounded up the Black Berets scattered around the building and set off, walking into the dark woods in the direction of Canterlot. Luna hoped the week long journey would pass quickly, as she was sure Twilight would be very interested in the journal. 

It's also been far too long since I've held her.Hold tight, my dear, I am coming.

> Deciphering Devotion
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight closed her eyes and let the chilly night air fuss with her mane. She opened her eyes and gazed at the stars from her vantage point on a balcony off Luna's bedroom. It was a clear night and the stars were shining bright, but that only served to deepen Twilight's anxiety. She was bothered by Luna's absence, that was sure, but there was something else, an elephant in the room, so to speak. The violet unicorn's thoughts were fluttering and distracted, and she had barely been able to read any of the papers she had been scouring for a clue to Axion's movements.

Instead, her thoughts were of air. How it had ruffled her mane similar to how it was at the moment, how it would pull at her coat, how it would make her eyes water at higher speeds, and how it had felt slithering about, over and under her wings. She missed flying, and all the sensations that came with. The freedom, the defiance of gravity, the adrenaline, and the delight that comes with flying could hardly be matched.

Twilight stood on the balcony for hours, staring into the night sky and reminiscing about flying. She was just about to go inside when she noticed a pegasus flying around the taller spires of the castle. She watched curiously, trying to figure out what they were up to, when they passed near enough to a lit window for Twilight to see they weren't just a pegasi. A huge grin broke her face as Luna swooped towards her, coming to land right beside her and enveloping Twilight in a hug in one fluid motion. They stayed in the embrace for several moments, neither saying a word. Eventually, they broke the embrace and just stood on the balcony, leaning against each other and observing the night. Twilight closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling of Luna's silky coat and her warmth. After a time, Twilight broke the silence.

"So, was your journey a success?"

"In a way. I found a diary from Black Star."

"Really? That's great! What's in it?"

"Just one page, to Axion. Here."

Luna opened the pouch she had around her neck and extracted the diary. Twilight took it in here telekinesis and opened it to the first page. She read the entry, eyebrows furrowed. Luna smiled as she saw Twilight slip into her academic mindset and immediately began deciphering it.

"Well, the graphology here is interesting. The writing is smaller than most, meaning that Black Star was most likely research-oriented, good concentration, methodical, and not always social. A lot of the letters are connected with a single pen stroke, meaning that he was also probably logical, systematic, and made decisions carefully, so the content here was most likely drafted first, and planned carefully. If you look here and here, you can see that he made slashes over his i's instead of dotting them. That often means that he is overly self-critical, and doesn't have a lot of patience for inadequacy or ponies that don't learn from their mistakes."

Luna smiled and looked back to the night sky as Twilight continued analyzing the writing.

"Now the actual content. This is a bit more interesting. The first sentence is about how he fears he has wronged Axion, indicating that he is anxious for her to understand his regret. He mentions his hesitation was because he didn't want them to get distracted from their goals. He's willing to make a lot of sacrifices to obtain his goals. From there it's pretty straightforward. He also mentions that he left Axion a picture, so he's apparently slightly sentimental, also indicated by him telling her where to find his grave. The last line, 'Take my likeness....'"

Twilight abruptly stopped, her mouth hanging open as she gazed at the diary, eyes unfocused as if she was looking right through it. Luna watched her for a moment, perplexed.

"Twilight?"

"Do you remember when you first met Axion?"

"Of course. She scared the stars out of me."

"Why?"

"Because she I thought she looked like an old nemesis. Near identical, in fact."

"Who would that be?"

"....... Black Star."

"Exactly."

Luna blinked twice at this statement. she had never revealed that she had actually had an encounter with Black Star, yet Twilight hadn't batted an eyelash.

"Exactly what?"

"Black Star mentions that Axion was in love with him, so-"

"Her."

Twilight shook her head once, a response to being interrupted mid-lecture.

"What?"

"Black Star was a mare."

Twilight paused for only a moment, but nothing could stop her when she was in lecture mode. She took the information in stride and continued, adapting her lecture to fit.

"Her, then. Black Star mentioned that Axion was in love with her. Axion is still operating to bring forth Black Star's plans, meaning that obviously she cares for Black Star a lot. What if she took the last sentence literally?"

"I'm afraid I'm not following, Twilight."

"'Take my likeness.' What if Axion took that literally? What if she took it to mean to change her appearance to fit Black Star's?"

Luna stood, dumbfounded temporarily.

"Axion is obsessive......"

Twilight nodded and sat, a smug look on her face.

"It would seem. Axion is unstable. Black Star's death shook her emotionally, and she probably went mildly insane. She assumed Black Star's identity, or at least appearance, and is still working to bring her plans for Equestrian domination to fruit. She can barely think for herself anymore, instead all she can think about is Black Star's dreams and desires. Textbook identity crisis."

Twilight concluded her lecture, and simply sat, looking proud of herself. Luna smiled and kissed Twilight on the cheek, then turned to go inside.

"Come on, I'm hungry. All this analyzing has given me an appetite."

Twilight laughed and followed Luna inside, where they spent the evening theorizing and dining, eating fine cheese and sipping fine wine. A few hours before dawn, Luna caught Twilight yawning, and so sent her to bed, promising to follow as soon as she set the moon and ended the night. Twilight crawled into the large bed and quickly drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

> Winter's Bereavement 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight sat upright in bed, wondering what had woken her up. She looked around the room, noticing nothing out of place. Mentally shrugging, Twilight laid back down and cuddled up against Luna, preparing to go back to sleep. Her eyes had just drifted closed when Twilight realized what had woken her up, for it had just occurred again. An echoing rumble, long and low. Twilight's ears flicked back and forth, but she couldn't quite tell what direction it had come from. Another came a few seconds after, but Twilight still failed to discern the source. Looking over, she saw that Luna was managing to sleep through all this noise, although how was beyond Twilight.

Another rumble echoed through the stones. Twilight narrowed her eyes in irritation, as this one was just as directionless as the previous. The unicorn gently slipped out of bed and walked over to the door that led to the balcony, edging around some of the leftover wine and cheese from last night. She quietly pushed it open and stepped outside. At first, she thought that the sun had risen already and Canterlot was bathed in the golden sunlight. Then, Twilight realized the the sun wasn't in the sky, and the western horizon was just starting to glow the vibrant purples and oranges of a new dawn. What was casting the golden light upon the city was then glaringly obvious.

Fires raged all along one side of the city. An entire linear section of the city was ablaze, with only one gap along the wall of fire. Twilight could hear screams now, shrill screams of those not fortunate enough to have escaped. She gasped as she beheld this terrible and hypnotizing spectacle.

What could cause all those buildings to catch fire? They're built out of stone, how cou-

Twilight thought her heart had literally stopped, so strong was the tightening in her chest as her mind caught up to the facts.

Axion.

Twilight looked down at the chaos one last time before starting to turn to go wake Luna, but something caught her eye as she did. Down one of the roads leading to the castle, about a mile distant, something gleamed. Twilight squinted at it, but the distance was still too far to be sure. Closing her eyes and rummaging around in her head for the necessary memory, Twilight remembered and cast the spell for enhanced eyesight. Opening her eyes, Twilight had to take a second to become accustomed to everything being larger. Once she had regained her coordination, she turned her sight back to the gleam, the source clear to her sharpened sight. A group of ponies, about a dozen strong, was running towards the castle, an angry look in their eyes. The gleam Twilight had spotted came from their armour, which was polished chrome. Twilight released the spell, returning her sight to normal. She looked around at the rest of the streets that led right to the castle, and saw shining armour on each of them, all heading to the castle. Realizing that they would be here any minute, Twilight turned and ran back into the room.

"Luna! Wake up! Axion is invading!"

Luna must have already been half awake to jump out of the bed as fast as she did. She ran to the door, which Twilight had left open, and only looked out for a second before returning.

"Teleport to the Black Beret's barracks!"

Luna disappeared in a flash of blue, and Twilight followed a second later. She re-materialized in the room, already filled by Luna's shouts.

"Attention! Axion is invading! Prepare for teleport! We must get out of Canterlot immediately!"

"But Princess, shouldn't we try to hold the castle?"

"Negative, Wildfire. The city is lost, even if they don't know it yet. We must evacuate now! We will regroup and form a plan later. Twilight, go to the throne room and get Celestia. We will meet you outside the southern wall, at the statue of the Vanishing Champion. Do you know it?"

"Yes, I'll be there."

Twilight nodded and closed her eyes, opening them again in the throne room. It was still fairly dark, which struck Twilight as odd considering the situation and time of day. She looked around, searching for the throne before she realized she had teleported to outside the doors. Pushing one open, she ran inside.

"Princess Celestia! Axion is invading! We have to get out-"

Twilight's words died in her throat as she beheld the sight in front of her. Celestia wasn't on her throne, but rather was beside it, a cold look in her eyes. Her mane wasn't its usual plethora of colors blowing gently in an invisible wind. Rather, it now looked and moved like a fire barely contained, seeking to burn all around it. The orange glow from her mane cast Celestia's face in partial shadows, making her seem almost evil. Though her countenance was terrifying to behold, it wasn't what scared Twilight the most. Sitting on the throne, an ugly sneer on her face, was Axion, Amaranth glowing faintly around her neck.

"Hello, Twilight."

Twilight stopped in her tracks, and immediately reached for her magic. She saw the Amaranth's glow intensify as Axion tried to stop whatever spell Twilight was about to cast, however her reaction was too slow. Twilight disappeared from the throne room, reappearing in the southern section of the city, which was as yet intact. Ponies were milling about in the streets, wondering what was going on. Twilight was about to cast her second teleportation spell, but at the last second she hesitated, calling to the masses.

"Canterlot has been invaded! Take your loved ones and nothing else and evacuate immediately!"

Twilight stuck around just long enough to see the ponies hear her announcement and begin to react, then she released her spell and was gone, popping into existence beside a tall statue of a stallion in full armour, rearing on his hind legs with his mouth open in a battle cry. Twilight looked around, but Luna and the Berets were nowhere to be seen yet. Twilight looked up at the memorial to the Vanishing Champion, taking a moment to reminisce about the times she had spent here as a filly, surrounded by a pile of books she had levitated out here to study.

She had always been enthralled by the story of the stallion behind the statue. He had been a great warrior over a thousand years ago, decades before Nightmare Moon. The griffons had invaded, and had taken a large chunk of Equestrian land under control. The troops had been demoralized, and it seemed like the griffons would soon conquer Equestria. One day, the griffons had attacked a major city, the last between them and Canterlot. It all seemed lost, the battle decided, when a single warrior appeared from the ranks of the Equestrians. He jumped into fray with a mighty yell and a complete disregard for personal safety. He butchered his way through the ranks, killing griffon after griffon until he found the commander of the army, and proceeded to kill him. The griffons saw their leader beheaded and their courage broke, breaking ranks and running away from a battle they should have won. They regrouped a few miles distant, planning their revenge. 

The warrior who was now a hero marshaled what was left of the Equestrian Army and placed them in a pass between two tall cliffs, directly in the griffon's path. Going around the pass would have taken days and their forces far outnumbered the ponies, so the griffons decided to attack the ponies stationed in the pass. It should have been a landslide victory; five hundred ponies stood against nearly five times as many griffons, but somehow, under the care and leadership of this unknown warrior, they emerged victorious. As elated as the Equestrians were that they were safe, it was a bittersweet victory, as nearly all the Equestrian soldiers died in the battle. The mysterious warrior who had led them to victory disappeared after the battle, never seen again. Many thought him dead, but his body was never found among the carnage. Some believed that he had been captured as the remaining griffons fled, and a pessimistic few believed he had lost his courage and fled the battle. Either way, he never reappeared. Though his body was gone, he had found his place in legend, embedded in the pages of history. This nameless hero was celebrated as a hero who saved Equestria, and a memorial was built in his honor and the honor of the hundreds of soldiers who died protecting their home. Twilight walked to the front of the statue and read the inscription there aloud.


"Go tell the Equestrians, passerby, 
that here obedient to their laws, we lie."


Twilight smiled as she looked up to the statue, forever shouting his defiance in the face of overwhelming odds.

"We could certainly use someone like you right now."

"We don't need him, we have you."

Twilight whirled at the voice to find Luna and the Black Berets standing there, apparently just teleported in. She smiled at Luna's words, and walked closer.

"I'm no hero. Not like him. He risked his life against overwhelming odds and never showed any signs of fear. No, he is definitely what I aspire to be, but am not."

Luna approached Twilight, nuzzling her when she was close. Twilight heard Wildfire begin to take roll of the Berets while the Princess and her lover talked.

"You are strong, Twilight. Believe in yourself."

Twilight blushed and enjoyed the nuzzle for a moment, before she realized that Luna smelled faintly of smoke.

"You smell like fire. Did something happen?"

"Not really. We teleported to a street near the southern gate, and happened to appear right beside a house that was on fire. Luckily, no one saw us, and we got out of the city unnoticed. How did you fare? Where is Celestia?"

Twilight gulped and stared at the ground, trying to form the words she needed, to tell Luna her sister had betrayed Equestria, turning her back on all that is good in the world.

"She-"

"We have to go back!"

Luna whirled around at Wildfire's words.

"Why?"

"Princess, Winter is still there! I forgot, she was visiting a friend on the southeast side of the city! We have to go get her!"

Luna stomped a hoof in frustration, sending a mild shock wave through the ground that Twilight felt in her hooves. The Princess thought for a moment, and Twilight thought for a second she would deny Wildfire's request.

"Twilight, Wildfire and Nightfury will go. A smaller group is harder to spot. I will take the rest of the Black Berets to the Withersford Ruins. Twilight, can you teleport two others with you?"

"Yes."

"Let's waste no more time. Twilight, be careful."

Twilight saw true concern in Luna's eyes, and she knew it was mirrored in her own.

"I will."

Nightfury walked over to Twilight, ready for teleporting. Wildfire turned to the rest of the Black Berets before he did, addressing them in a dark and lowered tone.

"If we ain't back by morning....."

The Beret's faces all fell into a serious mask as one, their eyes hard as they thought about what Wildfire was implicating. His scarlet eyes, however, abruptly sparkled as he smiled.

"..... Just wait longer!"

The Berets barked in laughter, however Twilight could tell it wasn't completely honest. Their smiles never quite reached their eyes, and Twilight could see Wildfire had a similar expression. They all knew that there was a possibility that those three going into the city wouldn't come back. Twilight looked at Nightfury and Wildfire in turn.

"Are you ready?"

It was Nightfury's turn to make a remark this time.

"Ready to jump into a city crawling with evil agents of an evil sorceress who wants nothing less than Equestria's downfall? Born ready."

Twilight scoffed and looked at Wildfire, who nodded. She looked at Luna one last time. Twilight barely had time to register Luna's gaze of heartbreaking worry before her purple magic ensnared them and whisked them away. They appeared just outside the southern wall, where it was still quiet. Just over the wall Twilight could see the glow of fires, and faint screams drifted on the wind.

"Wildfire, which way?"

"East a bit. It's not far, I think I can teleport us."

"Do so."

Another flash, this one of a fire red like Wildfire's mane, and they were outside a section of wall identical to the last, just a little further down. Wildfire seemed to be able to tell the difference, however, because he looked at the wall for just a second before proclaiming that it was the right place.

"The house is just across the street on the other side of the wall. We should levitate up. A strong spell like teleporting might be noticed."

Twilight nodded; this made sense. A teleport spell might not give any indications that a pony had just arrived, but any competent unicorn near where they left would be able to feel the spell reshaping the fabric of reality. Lower level spells like levitation could be felt, but at a much lower magnitude. Twilight grabbed herself and the two warriors in violet haze and lifted them, much to their surprise. They landed on top of the wall and looked over.

Things still looked fairly quiet in this part of the city. The closest burning building was a few blocks away, and Twilight didn't see any ponies in the street. At a signal from Wildfire, Twilight lifted them again and dropped down to a soundless landing in the street below. Wildfire immediately took off at a quick run, going straight towards one of the houses,  Twilight and Nightfury right behind him. He reached the front door and tested it, finding it unlocked. Pushing it all the way open, the three made their way inside. Twilight barely had time to glimpse a fairly normal looking interior before a wave of fire spontaneously erupted around them, and almost as quickly disappeared, followed by a squeal.

"Wildfire!"

"Dammit, Winter! I think I lost an eyebrow."

Winter Mist appeared from through a doorway, a smile on her face. She immediately ran over to Wildfire, enveloping him in a tight hug. Twilight noticed now the smile that Wildfire had now reached his eyes, and was truly honest. Nightfury pretended to not notice the romance in the room, and went to look out the window. Twilight saw him duck quickly, and reflexively followed suit. He whispered at Wildfire and Winter, still embracing in the middle of the room, not noticing anything.

"Get down! Patrol!"

They hit the floor so fast Twilight thought that they had to have used a gravity spell.  She then turned around and found that she could peek outside through a crack in the still barely open door. The street seemed empty at first, but then she a small contingent of soldiers came into view in the same shining armour from earlier came into view, marching down the street. There were an even dozen of them in six rows of two, and soon they were gone. They hadn't even looked to either side, so Twilight decided they were on route to somewhere, not searching the city. Twilight was about to crawl forward and see if the coast was clear when another dozen appeared, following the first. She lay there for a count of thirty seconds before looking at Nightfury, who slowly lifted his head, looking out the window.

"Clear. Let's get out while we can. they might start checking houses soon."

The group stood and made their way to the door, gathering behind, preparing for a mad sprint to the wall when Nightfury stopped them.

"Wait. What if there's more? We should go one at a time. If they see a group, they'll certainly chase. If it's just one stray pony, they might decide that it's not worth their time."

The rest of the group affirmed his idea was good, then an order was developed. Twilight would be first, followed by Nightfury, then Wildfire, then Winter. Twilight gulped as she prepared for her mad dash, checking the road once more before sprinting across the road and lifted herself so fast she staggered upon landing on top of the wall. She turned around just in time to see Nightfury do the same maneuver, landing beside her silently. They both watched as Wildfire did his mad run and lift, then they all turned to wait for Winter. She only took a few steps out of the door when a magical bolt slammed into the ground in front of her, sending her retreating back into the doorway. Looking down the street, they saw that another dozen of soldiers had come around the corner just in time to see Winter. They sent  bolt after bolt at the doorway, slowly reducing it to rubble as Winter cowered just inside, looking at Twilight with pleading eyes. Twilight racked her mind, searching for some way to help the distressed mare. Wildfire barked at Twilight.

"She's not good at teleporting, grab her!"

"I can't, she's too far!"

Wildfire yelled and jumped off the wall, barely catching himself in a red haze before he hit the ground. He waved at Winter to join Twilight and Nightfury, who remained hidden at the top of the wall. Wildfire turned with another yell and began casting a barrage of magic at the soldiers, causing them to duck before retaliating, giving Winter just enough time to get to the top of the wall. The soldiers then noticed the ponies at the top of the wall but couldn't attack them, as Wildfire was casting such a deluge of spells that they couldn't take their concentration off him for a second. A bombardment of spells shot towards Wildfire, who nearly managed to dodge all of them. He caught a bolt to the shoulder, and turned to the group at the top of the wall.

"Go! I'll make sure they don't follow!"  

Wildfire turned back to his terribly unmatched duel and kept fighting on three legs, blocking what spells he could and sending more than his fair share back. Twilight saw at least two soldiers fall under his bombardment before a hoof grabbed her shoulder. Nightfury yelled in her ear.

"He knows what he's doing! Let's go, he can handle a dozen!"

The words had scarcely left his lips when another group of soldiers ran around the corner, coming up behind the others. They immediately noticed and sent a wave of spells at the ponies on top of the wall. Twilight saw Winter and Nightfury jump off the other side of the wall  and followed them, landing in the grass just in time to hear an ear shattering report as the section of wall they had been standing on exploded. Shards of stone rained down upon the ground. Looking up, Twilight saw a very large chunk of stone bearing straight down upon them. Without thinking, she grabbed the two ponies near her and teleported, going vaguely south. They appeared, and Twilight immediately teleported them again, this time coming to the statue of the Vanishing Champion.

Twilight fell to the ground as soon as the spell let loose of her, expended. Nightfury came over to her, nudging her lightly with a hoof.

"Come on, Twilight. We have to get some distance between us and here."

Twilight drunkenly stood. Nightfury and Winter began to walk into the woods, but Twilight hesitated, looking back at the place they had been ambushed. The fire could be seen clearly, as could the section of destroyed wall, but there were no indications of any fighting. Her sluggish mind oozed a thought through the cloud of exhaustion that had suddenly fallen on her.

"But.... Wildfire?"

Nightfury's steps barely paused.

"He sacrificed his life to let us get away. If we want it to mean anything, we should avoid being caught, so let's move."

"He might still be alive! He could-"

"He was standing right next to where those spells hit. We were on the other side of a thick stone wall and it was still bad enough. Let's shift."

Twilight still hesitated, looking back at the wall and the fire.

"But what if-"

Nightfury whirled around, his eyes hard and accusing.

"Commander, this is war! 'What if' will get you killed! We need to vacate this area!"

Twilight recoiled. The Black Berets had all but stopped calling her Commander. She turned her eyes down as she realized the truth in his words. 

"You're right. Let's go. The Withersford Ruins are about three hour's march away."

Twilight made to follow, but she paused, just long enough to look back one last time. The fire was now nearly out, but the smoke could still be seen. It curled upwards into the morning sky, darkening the sun as it rose. Twilight dimly noted that the sun and the sky around it was more predominantly red than normal, and an old saying rose unbidden to her mind.

A red sun rises; blood has been spilled this night.

Twilight turned back and followed Nightfury and Winter into the Everfree Forest. As they traveled, Twilight explored the grim mindset she now inhabited. She now thought of darkness and hatred in a way she had never experienced. She was also very aware that every step she took led her further away from the city she had called home, away from the grave of a dear friend, away from the greatest threat Equestria had ever faced, and away from a dreadful betrayal. Twilight swore she would return.

There is vengeance to be had. 

> Miseria Cantare
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight lay on the wet, unsympathetic ground after tripping and falling for the umpteenth time that day. She lay face down in the thick moss, lacking the motivation to even lift her head. Twilight thought about continuing to lay there until the moss grew over her and sucked the nutrients from her flesh and left nothing but a yellowing skeleton, but a hoof nudging at her side interrupted her daydreams. Winter's voice floated down from somewhere above her and to the side.

"Come on, Twilight. We're nearly there. Come one, just a bit further."

Twilight growled to herself softly as she allowed Winter to help her up. Every inch of her body hurt, from the explosion at the wall as well as the two snap teleports afterwards. Teleporting multiple times wasn't hard, but doing one instantly after another required exponentially more energy than two separate ones. Twilight groaned again as a fresh wave of pain rampaged through her head, threatening to dump her on the ground again. She leaned against Winter's side a little more, and Winter leaned back, keeping her upright. Step by tortured step, Twilight led the trio in what she was sure was vaguely the right direction to the ruins of the capital of Equestria of old.

The sun was nearly directly above them when Twilight caught a glimpse of the high spire of the once majestic castle above the treeline. Tumbling through an especially thick clump of plants, they found themselves on an old stone road that led straight to the base of the spire. The road was wide and had been built very thick, so even a thousand years after the abandonment of the city, the road still cut a clean swath through the encroaching forest. The trees stood tall on either side and some of the stones along the edge had been disturbed by their roots, but there was still a clear line of vision from where the tired trio stood all the way past the gates to the crumbling palace. Ahead of them was a cluster of short towers, but none were even half as high as the monstrous spire that was centered behind the gate. Twilight allowed herself a small smile as she beheld the ruins. Nightfury took the lead as the three tired travelers walked down the green corridor to the castle.

The portcullis had long since rusted away, leaving just holes that threatened to trip Twilight as she walked through the gatehouse. They continued straight on, heading for the main doors of the main hall. The doors were made of thick iron so although they were heavily rusted, they were still intact. As they neared the doors, Twilight could see obvious signs that they had been forced open recently, as one hung open just wide enough to admit a pony. Squeezing inside, they followed the corridor they were now in until they came to a set of large brown doors, some that Twilight recognized immediately. Rushing past Nightfury, Twilight pushed open the doors.

Beyond was a room Twilight thought she'd never see again. It was long and oval, the ends curving in towards the door at one end and a raised dais on the other. Eight pillars stood along the sides of the room, or in some cases, what was left of a pillar. However, unlike last time, the room was occupied. On top of the dais sat the Black Berets and Luna, clustered around a campfire. As Twilight, Winter and Nightfury entered the room, they all rose as one. Smiles began to adorn some of the faces before they realized that there was one less pony in front of them than there should have been. Silence followed, deafening and accusing. Luna was the one to break it, fluttering her wings enough to fly across the room and land in front of Twilight. They wrapped in a tight hug, and Twilight realized that there were tears drying under Luna's eyes. Twilight noticed her own eyes were fairly moist, as well. After what seemed like an eternity of burying her face on Luna's warm coat, Twilight was finally released from her embrace and saw Nightfury and Winter in similar situations. The rest of the Black Berets were silent, until finally, the dreaded question was asked.

"Where's Wildfire?"

Twilight felt her heart skip a beat as she looked at Winter and Nightfury, hoping, praying, that one of them would answer. She saw them both looking at her with blank faces and knew it was down to her. She cleared her throat and spoke haltingly.

"He's..... Dead. He died so we could escape from a patrol that caught us. Without..... Without his heroic actions, we would all four be...... Dead."

More silence greeted her words. She looked at each of the Black Berets, meeting their eyes in turn. She was expecting anger, accusation, or animosity. Instead, all she saw was sad acceptance. Most eyes cast to the ground, some to the ceiling. Most had tears, glittering in the fire's light. Nightfury spoke softly, but all could hear him in the silence. Twilight could tell he wasn't used to speeches, but his words came from the heart.

"Wildfire took a risk, going back to Canterlot. We all did. He knew what he was getting into. His selfless acts deserve the utmost reverence. I owe him my life, as do Twilight and Winter. When this is all over, I'll see to it he gets a memorial. I.... He was the best Sergeant we could ever ask for."

Nightfury lowered his head and walked away, going to stare into the fire. Twilight followed him, but the other Berets stayed by the entrance, and Twilight heard soft conversation start. 

"Remember the time he got drunk and tried to braid Winter's hair?"

"Ha, yeah. That wasn't a good idea."

"I remember that one time when we were down in the badlands and we found that wild dog."

"Oh, that poor thing. I was sure Wildfire was gonna ask to bring it back with us. He fed it half his rations."

"Yeah. You know he actually secretly named it?"

"No way!"

"Yupp. I heard him talking to it, after he thought the rest of us were sleeping. Called it 'Vera."

"He always did like animals."

The reminiscing went on for hours, until the sun had set. Luna stood at that point, having sat silently beside Twilight, a wing over the depressed unicorn. When the sun had disappeared, Luna looked up, but Twilight saw her make no motions to raise the moon, choosing to instead sit back down. Twilight looked at Luna questioningly.

"Luna, aren't you going to raise the moon?"

"No, Twilight. It is a night of mourning. No moon shall shine this night."

The Black Berets heard Luna's announcement, and all conversation died down. They slowly scattered to their own corners of the once grand chamber, sitting in silent contemplation. Twilight lay her head down and tried to quieten her mind enough to sleep. After a time, when the silence was absolute, a single voice rang clear. A beautiful song was sung. It was a song of loss and infinite sadness, and Twilight loved it, even though it brought tears to her still closed eyes.




"There are no flowers, no not this time,
There'll be no angels gracing the lines,
Just these stark words, I find.
I'd show a smile, but I'm too weak,
I'd share with you could I only speak,
Just how much this, hurts me."






End of Book One.
To be continued in Book Two.



> Writer's Remarks
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wow, guys. Here we are. What was originally gonna be a medium length adventure has degenerated into an epic journey, spanning the land in search of truth and justice. I have recently redone my plans for this story, and have decided to make it a trilogy. Everyone loves a trilogy, right!? RIGHT.

In reality, this silly little story has gone way past any of my expectations, and every favorite, vote, view and comment pushes it a little further still. And I would be nowhere at all if not for you guys, the magnificent readers.

This all started with a bit of inspiration, as these stories are wont to. Not any particular inspiration, but snippets from so many sources, I won't even try to name them. Okay, I might name a few.

Past Sins - Pen Stroke This story. Enough said.

Shawnay631 This little lady. You really have her to thank for everything, as her story Truth is one of the fics that inspired me to start writing at all.  Thanks, Torch. 

THIS MAGNIFICENT BASTARD who has wrought one of the best adventure fics ever. I love epic journeys, and have sought to make one myself. Needless to say, his beats mine with all limbs tied behind his back and a blindfold on. Incredibly inspiring. 

And also, there's my buddy Winter, who so generously supplied the damn sexy cover art. 

And last but probably most, the album Sing The Sorrow by the great band AFI.  

I really hope you guys support my plan of making this into three separate stories rather than one super long story. There's so much room for development, both in characters and story line. 

I know there are mountains of questions you all want answers to, but I PROMISE, they are coming. I like stories with closure, but in due time. I also plan on going back and fixing the most common complaints, mostly about those terrible timeskips. I know, I handled those horribly, but now I feel I've progressed as a writer to the point that I might be able to do something there. The main reason I used the timeskips is because some was happening (TWILUNA) and I really felt that skipping said scene and coming back to it later would be better than making a terrible scene and ya'll running away.



Thank you.

-MadMan


[addendum 8/29/13] This guy made a wicked cool song, featuring a slightly edited version of Axion's evil monologue in the chapter The Primary Fallacy. Go see!
HACKD - Amaranth