A Cold Winter Night

Cold.

It's so cold out here.

The lavender filly wrapped the grimy brown cloak tighter around her tiny frame in a futile effort to stave off the bitter chill of the cold winter night. As she trotted along the nameless, snow covered path she reflected on her miserable situation and the events leading up to it.

Mom... Dad... she sniffled from more than just the cold, Shiny...

Fractured and confused memories flashed through her mind.

A loud crash.

A grinning stallion.

A laughing mare.

Screams.

Blood.

Her mother's warm, crushing embrace.

Blood.

Pain.

A bright flash of light.

And then... nothing.

She woke up in the middle of an empty, snow blown field somewhere outside of Canterlot with an excruciating hornache. She called out for her parents and her brother, but they didn't answer. She cried and screamed, shouting their names over and over again.

Nopony answered.

And so she left, trotting off to she-didn't-know-where. Thankfully, she had managed to procure a warm - if dirty - cloak from a passing stallion who had cared enough not to let her freeze to death...

...but not enough to help her find her way back home.

She sniffled again and tried to hold back the tears she knew were coming. In this weather, she knew the liquid would freeze before it left her eyes, and that would've been very unpleasant. She shivered as a gust of freezing wind blew past and tried to pick up her pace.

Unfortunately, the only thing she managed to do was stumble over her own hooves and fall face-first into the snow.

She picked herself up, shook herself off, gave a mighty sneeze, and continued forward. Looking around, she couldn't figure out just where she had ended up, but she could tell she was quite a ways from Canterlot. She couldn't even see the castle in the distance anymore.

The ever present cliffside city and the behemoth that was Mount Canterhorn, had been replaced by wide open plains, rolling hills and lush forests - though much of the scenery was blanketed in snow.

The filly had estimated that it had been roughly two hours since she set off on her aimless journey and so far she had only come across the one stallion. She hadn't seen any buildings to speak of and was starting to get hungry. It was also getting a lot colder as the night wore on.

She thought about resorting to the somewhat primitive act of grazing, but realized even that would be difficult to do with all the snow.

Resigning herself to the gnawing hunger, she shuddered once again and continued down the frozen path to nowhere - tears slipping from her eyes despite her efforts to hold them back.

I really hope I find somewhere to stay soon...

An orange coated unicorn filly grunted in frustration as she slammed the empty cookie jar back on the kitchen counter.

"Trixie?"

No response.

"Trixie!"

Nothing.

The filly hopped off the stool she was standing on. She blew her red and yellow striped mane out of her face and stomped out of the kitchen.

She trotted past the warm fire crackling in the fireplace and made her way to the doorway on the opposite side of the small living room.

She stopped in front of the door and gave a few sharp knocks.

"Trixie!"

She heard a muffled thump from behind the door followed by a brief shuffling of hooves against wood flooring. She took a step back as the door cracked open just enough to reveal the glare of a violet eye.

"What do you want, Sunset?" an irritated voice squeaked out from inside the room, "Trixie is very busy and doesn't have time for distractions."

Sunset Shimmer's bright blue eyes bore into the smaller pony on the other side of the door as she replied.

"You ate the rest of the sugar cookies," she stated.

"Trixie has no idea what you're talking about," she huffed and went to close the door, but an orange hoof wedged itself in the doorway.

"Trixie, we're the only ones here right now," Sunset responded with a frown, "and I definitely didn't eat any cookies."

"Well maybe you just don't remember!" she punctuated her rebuttal by slamming the door into the older filly's hoof, causing her to yelp in surprise and pain. She yanked her hoof away and Trixie took that opportunity to slam the door closed completely.

"Oh, you little..." Sunset cried indignantly. Her horn flared and enveloped the doorknob in a red aura. She turned the knob with her magic at the same time she threw all of her weight into the door, causing it to fly open.

She stumbled inside and swept her irate gaze around the room.

She looked to her left just in time to see a book fly straight for her face. She ducked the airborne book with a cry of surprise and glared at the culprit standing defiantly across the room. For a moment, Sunset Shimmer stood there, eyes locked with the younger blue coated filly as she tried to raise another book in her magic.

"Oh no you don't," Sunset growled as she charged Trixie. Caught off guard by the sudden assault, Trixie dropped the book and tried to gallop behind the makeshift stage she had built from a bedframe, some bed sheets, and an overturned dresser. She didn't even make it halfway before Sunset was on her.

What followed next was a series of angry shouts, name calling, kicking, biting, and mane pulling as the two fillies rolled around the room. They paid no heed to the mess they made as they knocked several knick-knacks over and bumped into the walls, causing various pictures and paintings to fall.

Eventually there was a lull in the fighting as the two tried to catch their breath and that was when Sunset heard it. Her ear flickered as she picked up the muffled sound of knocks against wood.

"Is that... all you've got... bacon strips?" Trixie taunted, panting as she tried to smooth out her silvery blue mane, "Trixie... is not impressed!"

"Trixie, shut up for a minute," Sunset hissed as she cocked her head to the side. After a moment she heard another soft knock, "do you hear that?"

Trixie, who now had her ears perked at attention, looked at Sunset in bemusement, "It sounds like it's coming form the living room..."

Both their eyes widened in realization.

"The front door!" they shouted simultaneously. They galloped out of the messy room and into the living room, stopping just in front of the entrance to the cottage. Trixie made to open the door but Sunset quickly pulled her hoof back.

"Wait," she whispered, "we don't know who's out there, Trixie. And besides, Uncle Scroll told us not to let anypony in while he was gone."

"Oh, come on," Trixie scoffed, "that old stallion is scared of his own shadow," she went to open the door once more, "and it's freezing out there. It might be somepony who needs help."

"Or," Sunset argued as she pulled her away from the door, "it might be some burglar trying to make sure nopony's home so they can break in."

The blue filly rolled her eyes and shoved her way past Sunset, "that's ridiculous, it's way too cold for a break-in," she once again attempted to open the door, "Trixie is opening the door and that's that."

She was suddenly tackled to the ground by a frustrated Sunset Shimmer.

"Uncle Scroll put me in charge and we're not opening that-"

She was interrupted by another small knock on the door.

"H-hello? Is s-s... somep... p-pony there?"

The two fillies turned their shocked gazes from each other to the door as the voice spoke again.

"P-please... I n-n... n... need some help. I'm h-hungry and I d-don't… don't know w-where I am... a-and it's r-r-really cold."

For a few seconds they simply stared at the door before Trixie turned to Sunset with a frown.

"That doesn't sound like a burglar, Sunset."

Rather than answer, Sunset Shimmer quickly untangled herself from Trixie and rushed to the door, throwing it open despite the frigid winds blowing into the cottage.

Standing in the doorway was a small lavender unicorn filly wrapped in a ratty brown cloak. Her indigo mane, split by violet and pink highlights, was a frazzled mess and her horn was blackened at the tip.

The violently shivering filly stared at Sunset - her face shining with tears that had frozen partway down her face - and Sunset could see a multitude of emotions in her eyes.

Fear, confusion, and a deep sadness.

An exact reflection of Trixie when she and Sunset had first met.

"C-can I please... c-c... come in? Just... j-just for a bit?" the filly asked, forcing out the words through chattering teeth.

Sunset merely blinked, at a complete loss for what to do.

"I... uh..."

"Oh, move!" Trixie growled pushing Sunset aside and stepping out into the snowy night. The lavender filly took a startled step back as Trixie trotted right up to her, sticking her frowning muzzle in her face.

"What's your name?" she demanded.

The lavender filly glanced at Sunset briefly before looking back to Trixie.

"T-Twilight," she answered hesitantly, "Twilight S... Sparkle."

Trixie nodded in satisfaction and backed away from Twilight.

"I am Trixie Lulamoon," Trixie proudly announced, pressing a hoof to her chest, "future magician extraordinaire!" her prideful expression flattened as she pointed a hoof behind her, "that's Sunset Shimmer," she said dully, "feel free to ignore her."

"Hey!" Sunset yelled, "I'm right here, and I can introduce myse-"

"Alright, now we all know each other," Trixie continued, cutting off the indignant filly, "now come on." She walked behind Twilight, who yelped as she was shoved towards the front door, "it's freezing out here and Trixie has a routine to finish practicing."

Sunset stepped aside as Trixie pushed Twilight into the cottage. She stood outside the door for a bit longer, biting her lip as she looked back and forth between the snowy path and the living room.

Eventually she sighed in resignation.

"Uncle Scroll isn't gonna be happy about this..." she muttered to herself.

"If you're going to stay out there at least shut the door, Sunset!" Trixie yelled from inside, "Trixie is freezing her tail off here!"

Sunset grunted in irritation and trotted back inside, closing the door behind her.

A Warm Hearth

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Twilight sneezed as she sat in front of the fireplace. Her dirty cloak had been discarded and she was desperately trying to get some feeling back into her legs, sitting as close to the blaze as she dared without burning herself.

After making sure Twilight was settled, Trixie had retreated back into the messy bedroom, grumbling about stage repairs and shooting dirty looks in Sunset's direction. Sunset for her part, ignored Trixie and went into the kitchen to make Twilight something warm to eat and drink.

Twilight sat and listened.

She listened to the soft crackle of the fire in front of her. She listened to the clinking of cups and plates coming from the kitchen as Sunset prepared the food and drink. She listened to the howling wind blowing just outside the cottage.

She listened to the steady, rhythmic beating of her own heart.

She closed her eyes, breathing in and out deeply as she tried to push away all the terrible thoughts and questions plaguing her young mind.

If she ever got back home, she'd have to thank Cadance for the breathing techniques.

As she sat there with her eyes closed, her body began to warm up gradually. Without realizing it, she started to slump over as sleep tried to claim her.

"So... rough night, huh?"

Twilight jolted awake, blinking rapidly as she turned her surprised gaze towards an awkwardly smiling Sunset Shimmer. As her vision cleared she could see a tray with a plate of warm croissants and a steaming mug of hot chocolate, all held in a red aura of magic.

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you," Sunset said, her awkward smile turning apologetic, "here..." she floated the tray towards Twilight, "we don't have much, but this should help warm you up at least."

Twilight gave a quiet 'thank you' and tried to take the tray in her own magic, but winced in pain as the magenta glow of her horn sputtered and died. Sunset frowned in concern as the lavender filly reached for the tray with her hooves.

"Are you okay?" she asked, glancing at Twilight's blackened horn worriedly, "that doesn't look too good..."

Twilight grabbed the tray in her hooves and set it down on the floor. She picked up the mug and stared at the contents within for a brief moment before turning back to Sunset Shimmer.

"I... don't really know what happened, but... I think I used too much magic," she answered quietly.

"Wow," Sunset replied, "what were you trying to do?"

Twilight turned back to her mug, then looked into the fireplace. She didn't responded for a moment as the broken and confused memories flooded back into her mind.

"I don't... I can't remember," she responded as her eyes started shining with tears once again, "I think it was an accident. I-I panicked and... and..."

She let out a small whimper and didn't say anymore.

"Hey, it's okay," Sunset said quickly, "you don't have to tell me anything right now. Just... eat your meal and relax by the fire, alright?"

Twilight kept her watery gaze on the fireplace as she nodded.

Sunset Shimmer stared at the downtrodden filly for a few moments before frowning in thought. She looked from Twilight to the bedroom and back to Twilight. Looking a bit closer, she could see Twilight's eyelids drooping slightly and her posture slouch just a bit.

"Hang on, I'll go get you a blanket," Sunset offered, trotting to the bedroom.

"Thank you..." Twilight muttered in response.

Sunset opened her mouth to reply but was cut off by Twilight's next words.

"...for letting me in, I mean. I don't want to bother anypony, but-" she turned to look at Sunset hopefully "-do you think I could stay here? Just for tonight?"

Sunset closed her mouth, biting her lip again as she looked into Twilight's eyes. She quickly looked away, unable to handle the desparation she saw there.

"Sure."

Twilight's muzzle widened in a grateful smile until Sunset spoke again.

"Just..." Sunset sighed, "look, we have a caretaker who's supposed to be out for the night. He'll probably be back tomorrow morning, so if you're still around by then... I don't know. We'll just have to see what he says, alright?"

Twilight nodded meekly, "Thanks again, Sunset Shimmer."

"Just Sunset, Twilght."

Twilight smiled once more before turning back to stare into the fire as she sipped her hot chocolate.

Sunset's gaze lingered on the lavender filly for a moment longer before she let out another quiet sigh and opened the door to the bedroom.

"Now watch and be amazed as the Marvelous and Almighty Trixie-"

"Are those Uncle Scroll's old newspapers?"

Trixie 'eep'd' as she staggered backwards on her two hind legs and fell off the recently rebuilt makeshift stage, knocking the bedframe over and sending a hoofful of newspaper flying in the process.

"What are you even doing with those?" Sunset asked as she stood over the prone filly.

"If you must know," Trixie replied as she pulled some stray newspaper off of her face and glared up at Sunset, "Trixie was trying to perfect her amazing paper resem... reasses... resamble-"

"Reassembly?"

"Paper Reassembly Trick!"

Sunset rolled her eyes and trotted over to the closet.

"You know Uncle Scroll doesn't like you messing with his things, Trixie," she admonished as she pulled open the closet door, "even if they are just old newspapers. In fact," She glanced back at the glaring filly still lying on the floor, "I remember him specifically telling you not to take the bed apart for your stage."

"Oh, please" Trixie scoffed, "you made just as much of a mess as I did, or did you not see all the broken whatchamacallit's and the painting on the floor?"

Sunset groaned in exasperation.

"Yes, Trixie, I know what I did and I'm gonna apologize to Uncle Scroll," she fished around the closet as she spoke, "once I get Twilight a blanket I'm gonna come back in here and start cleaning up this mess... and you're gonna help me," she added, stopping her search to glare at Trixie.

"Why does Trixie have to help?" Trixie cried, rising to her hooves, "you're the one that attacked Trixie!"

"Only because you slammed my hoof in the door and threw a book at me!" Sunset retorted.

"Well, that... you..." Trixie's mouth worked silently for a second before she huffed and looked away with a pout, "you deserved it," she grumbled, "Trixie told you she was busy."

Sunset pinched her muzzle with a hoof and sighed heavily before giving Trixie a flat look.

"Trixie," she began in a slow. measured tone, "if we don't get this room cleaned up, it won't matter whose fault it was... we're both gonna get in trouble."

Trixie just continued to pout silently.

"Trixie..." Sunset growled.

"...Fiiiine," Trixie drawled obnoxiously, "Trixie will help you clean the room."

"Thank you," Sunset cried in exasperation. She turned back to the closet and - after a few more moments of searching - pulled out a maroon wool blanket.

"I'm gonna go give this to Twilight and then we can get started," she said, trotting back to the door with the blanket.

"...Is she okay?"

Sunset stopped and turned to Trixie in surprise. The blue filly was sitting there looking at Sunset with a worried frown.

"Twilight," she repeated, "is she okay now?"

Sunset stared at Trixie for a moment, then looked back to the door thoughtfully.

"I... don't think so," she finally answered, "she was pretty broken up about something. She didn't wanna talk about it though."

"You're letting her stay here, right?" Trixie asked pointedly.

"Of course I am," Sunset muttered looking away, "I'm not gonna just throw her back out there in the cold." She turned back to Trixie speaking a little louder, "I don't mind if she stays here, but you know it's not up to me. If Uncle Scroll-"

"If Uncle Scroll kicks her out, I'm leaving too!" Trixie spat petulantly.

"Trixie, I honestly doubt Uncle Scroll will just kick Twilight out on the street," Sunset replied shaking her head, "he let you stay here, didn't he?"

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Trixie asked defensively.

"Nothing, Trixie," Sunset responded with another roll of her eyes. She turned and opened the door, "look. don't worry about Twilight, for right now. We'll figure something out when Uncle Scroll gets back."

"Will you convince Uncle Scroll to let her stay?" Trixie pleaded.

Sunset looked back at Trixie over her shoulder.

"...I'll try."

At that, Sunset trotted back into the living with the wool blanket draped over her back.

"Twilight?" she called out as she trotted closer to the fireplace.

"Hey, Twilight I brought the... oh..."

Sunset slowed to a stop as she neared the quietly snoozing filly curled up next to the fireplace. She had fallen asleep with her tail between her front hooves and, at a closer glance, Sunset could see dark lines below her eyes - making it evident she had been crying again at some point.

She also noticed the empty plate and mug resting on the tray.

"I really hope Uncle Scroll let's her stay," she mumbled to herself as she gently placed the blanket over Twilight's sleeping form. She backed away and observed the filly for a few more moments.

Satisfied that she wouldn't wake up, Sunset deposited the dishes into the kitchen sink before trotting back to the bedroom and mentally preparing herself for a long night.

An Early Meeting

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Twilight's nightmares ran unchecked through her subconsciousness that night.

She envisioned her father locked in a horrified scream, cascading rivers of a deep dark red, disembodied grins of the cruelest kind, her mother's tear-streaked face mouthing words she couldn't hear, her brother repeatedly falling to the floor over and over again like a puppet with it's strings cut.

And then there was the laughter.

It rang throughout her mind constantly. It was as cold, cruel, and twisted as it was musical. Twilight would've given anything to make it-

Twilight's eyes snapped open.

For a moment she panicked, scrambling to her hooves and backing away from... something she couldn't remember just then. Eventually the sudden panic started to ebb - her heartbeat slowing to normal levels as she remembered where she was and what had happened last night.

Fear turned to relief... which then turned to sadness as reality set in.

She wasn't home.

Far from it.

She was in some cottage in the middle of nowhere with two fillies she only just met.

And it was cold.

Twilight shivered and retrieved the wool blanket that she had tossed aside at some point. It took her a second to remember how she had even gotten the thing, but then she realized Sunset must've brought it while she was sleeping.

She tried lifting it with her magic but a sharp pain stopped her from getting too far - though it wasn't as bad as before.

Whatever I did really messed up my horn, she thought bitterly as she glared at the offending appendage.

She trotted over and grabbed the blanket, wrapping it around herself as she took in her surroundings.

It was quiet.

The fire had died down to mere embers in the fireplace and, looking around, Twilight could see that it was still dark outside - though she could barely make out the tell-tale gray of an overcast morning approaching.

I guess that explains why it's so cold...

Resigned to the fact that she wasn't getting anymore sleep, she opted to explore the cottage. A quick glance revealed three doors that led out of the living room. She remembered one door leading to a bedroom and assumed another door to lead to the bathroom. She could only guess as to where the last door led.

The walk-in kitchen to the left of the front door was fairly small - smaller than the living room which itself wasn't all that big.

Twilight stood near the darkened fireplace wondering where to go first, when her bladder made the decision for her. She trotted to a door to the far right of the back wall, opposite the front entrance. Quietly as she could, she pulled open the door and peeked inside.

The door did indeed lead to the bathroom. Setting aside the blanket, she stepped inside and took care of her business. After that was finished and she had the blanket snugly wrapped around her again, she decided to check on the other two fillies.

She trotted over to the door to the right of the entrance and gently pushed it open.

She heard the two before she saw them.

Her amethyst eyes fell upon the bed where the two fillies lay and she had to stifle a small giggle at what she saw. Sunset was curled up on the bed which would have been adorable, if not for the obnoxious snoring coming from her muzzle. For some reason that Twilight couldn't fathom, Trixie had decided to drape herself across Sunset's back and was snoring just as loudly if not more so.

How did I manage to sleep through all that? the lavender filly wondered as she stepped out and closed the door.

With those two tasks accomplished, Twilight turned her gaze to the last remaining door to the left of the bathroom near the kitchen. Her curiosity got the better of her and she made her way across the living room and stopped in front of the mysterious door. After a moment's hesitation, she tentatively reached out with a hoof and pulled the door open.

She let out a small gasp of excitement at what she saw.

She had opened the door to what appeared to be some kind of mix between a small library and a personal study. The room wasn't too big, but the walls were completely covered by numerous bookshelves that reached all the way to the ceiling.

Even from where Twilight was standing, she could see that each and every shelf was jam packed with books. Near the back of the room was a desk and chair lit by a single desk lamp. The desk was several hoof-lengths wide and covered in all manner of scrolls, books, maps and quills.

All other thoughts were swept aside as the lavender filly stood there in the doorway, simply marveling at the wealth of knowledge held within the relatively small room.

Twilight was so enraptured she didn't even hear the creak of the front door as it opened.

The old beige coated unicorn stallion who had stepped into the cottage froze as he spotted the little lavender filly standing in the open doorway of his study. He stood there in the front entrance working his jaw silently as he pondered the events that could've possibly led to this situation.

After a moment, he deduced that Sunset and Trixie had something to do with it.

He couldn't see the filly all that well in the relative darkness of the cottage, but he was able to make a few observations based on what he did see.

He couldn't see her face from where he was standing, but judging by the way the filly stood rigid in the doorway, she was shocked by something she saw in the study, though he couldn't imagine what. He noted she had his old wool blanket wrapped around her which she had either taken from the bedroom closet or - more likely - Sunset or Trixie had given her.

She also hadn't noticed him enter the cottage which meant she was either an inattentive little filly, or was extrememly distracted by what she saw.

Or both.

After another minute of observation he sighed and stepped fully into the cottage, silently closing the door behind him. He set his saddlebags on top of a nearby table and quietly trotted over to the curious lavender filly. As he got closer, he was able to make a few more observations.

He raised an eyebrow at the blackened horn atop the filly's head and also took note of her disheveled appearance. From here, he could also see the awestruck expression on the filly's face and looked from her to the study itself.

After a moment he put two and two together.

He gave a small chuckle, finally catching the filly's attention as she yelped and stumbled back from the doorway. His chuckle turned into actual laughter as she tripped over the blanket and fell flat on her back.

As she desperately tried to untangle herself from the blanket, the old stallion lit up his horn and with two small pops the blanket disappeared and reappeared next to the lavender filly.

Once she realized she was no longer trapped, Twilight stopped her flailing and quickly rose to her hooves, backing away from the older stallion in fear.

"I-I'm sorry sir, I didn't mean to intrude," she squeaked. She briefly glanced at the open doorway to the study, swallowing nervously as she returned her terrified gaze back to the stallion, "it's just that - I mean I was... all the books - and Sunset said I could stay here and... um..."

She backed further and further away as she babbled, much to the old stallion's amusement. He raised his eyebrows slightly at the mention of Sunset Shimmer.

"Sunset, eh?"

Twilight stopped in her tracks, waiting for him to make a move.

The only thing he did however, was thoughtfully stroke his gray beard and stare at her with a raised eyebrow as he spoke.

"Now that's odd," he mused in a raspy voice, "I told her not to let anypony in while I was away, and she's usually very good about obeying rules."

Twilight shifted uncomfortably, unsure of whether or not to say anything. Looking up at the stallion, she could see that he was clearly waiting for an explanation.

So she spoke.

"W-well actually, it was Trixie who invited me in, a-and Sunset gave me some food and something to drink..."

"Really now?" the stallion replied, his features stoic as he continued to eye the filly.

"Really," Twilight repeated, her voice a bit stronger than before, "they were both really nice to me... and I asked Sunset if I could stay," she took a step forward, her eyes pleading, "I was cold and hungry and didn't know where I was - I still don't know where I am."

She trotted right up to the stallion and looked into his bright green eyes as she continued.

"Please don't be mad at them, I just wanted a place to stay because it was cold outside and this was the only place I could find."

The stallion stared down at the filly for a long moment without reply, making Twilight regret her decision to speak out.

"What's your name, girl?"

Twilight blinked in surprise, but quickly hurried to answer the question.

"Twilight Sparkle," she answered meekly. When the stallion didn't say anything, she continued, "I'm from Canterlot... but I don't know where I am now, or how I got here."

"And by the look of your horn, I'd say you suffered some magical burnout recently."

Twilight nodded silently and elaborated no further.

The stallion nodded to himself slowly before focusing his attention back on the filly before him. It looked to Twilight like he had come to some kind of decision.

"Alright, little filly, I got two questions for ya," he said with a serious frown.

Twilight gulped and nodded.

"How do you feel about magic?"

Twilight's ears perked up at the mention of her favorite subject and she replied eagerly.

"I love magic! I've been studying it since I could read!" she cried happily, "my mom and dad said I had a knack... for..."

The stallion frowned as he saw Twilight's enthusiasm suddenly wither and die in a matter of seconds, leaving her with a somber expression and a slumped posture.

He quickly put a few more pieces together and sighed before giving the filly a soft smile.

"Well, you managed to answer both my questions in one go, little filly," he said trying to inject some reassurance into his voice, "I'm not too sure why or how you ended up all the way out here from Canterlot, but you can stay as long as you need to."

Twilight brightened a bit at that.

"Now that we got that settled," the stallion said, cracking his neck, "I'm feeling a bit peckish so I'm gonna get something to eat," he took a few steps towards the kitchen before he stopped and turned to look at Twilight questioningly, "you hungry, little filly?"

Twilight nodded enthusiastically and followed after him.

"Hey, mister?"

"The name's Ancient Scroll, little filly," he replied giving Twilight a side glance, "but you can call me Uncle Scroll. Trixie and Sunset always do at any rate."

"Why do they call you Uncle Scroll? You're not really their uncle are you?"

Ancient Scroll shook his head and gave her a wry smile, "That I'm not, little filly. To be honest, I'm not sure why they call me Uncle Scroll, but it grew on me, ya know?"

Twilight nodded, satisfied with the explanation. She then asked the question that had been bugging her.

"So um... Uncle Scroll?"

"Hmm?"

"Why did you ask me how I felt about magic?" Twilight asked furrowing her brow in confusion.

"Ah," Ancient Scroll said with a small smile, "that's a good question," he looked down at Twilight and winked, "one I'll gladly answer over a nice hot plate of pancakes."

An Informative Conversation

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Ancient Scroll had set up a small folding table in the living room next to the fireplace where he and Twilight now sat. Scroll had taken the liberty of replacing the wood and relighting the hearth.

Placed in front of the two ponies were two plates of pancakes - buttered lightly and drizzled with Apple Family brand apple syrup. Twilight was just about to eagerly dig in when Ancient Scroll suddenly spoke up.

"Now hold on a minute there, little filly," he said, hopping down from his chair, "we're gonna need to do something about that magical burnout and I'd rather get it taken care of before we eat. Gotta let the pancakes cool anyhow."

He trotted over to the smaller table next to the front door and rummaged around in his saddlebags for a moment before pulling out a small jar of something Twilight couldn't see. The old stallion looked it over briefly before grunting in dissatisfaction and returning the jar to the bag.

Twilight watched from the table curiously as Scroll continued to sift through the bag.

"What are you looking for?" she finally asked.

"Horn salve," Scroll answered distractedly,

"Horn salve," Twilight repeated with a raised eyebrow, "doesn't that stuff take a long time to work?"

"Now normally, you'd be right, little filly," Ancient Scroll chuckled, "but this here isn't any ordinary horn salve."

"What do you mean?" Twilight asked with a curious tilt of her head.

"Well - ah, there you are!" Ancient Scroll cried lifting up a small cylindrical container in victory. He trotted back to the table as he continued his explanation, "anyway, this salve was specially commissioned by yours truly. Made specifically to rid unicorns of magical burnout in seconds," he popped the top off of the container as he approached Twilight, "very expensive stuff, this."

Twilight leaned back in her chair warily as Ancient Scroll got closer, "And you're sure that stuff works?"

"Well it better," Scroll said with another chuckle, "I paid a lot of bits to have this made. Now hold still, this is gonna sting a bit..."

Twilight reluctantly did as she was asked and Scroll dabbed his hoof in the container, applying an orange colored creamy substance to her horn. Ancient Scroll stepped back after a few minutes to observe his work, having completely covered Twilight's horn in salve.

Twilight looked at her horn before looking back to Ancient Scroll with a bemused frown.

"That doesn't sting at all," she stated.

"Just give it a moment..." Scroll replied.

After a second, Twilight did begin to feel a burning sensation in her horn that grew exponentially worse. She hissed in pain and went to cover her horn with her hooves, but Ancient Scroll stopped her.

"Just bear with it for a tiny bit longer, little filly," he said reassuringly, "it should be over in a second."

Sure enough, the burning sensation began to lessen and disappeared entirely in seconds. Twilight, who had clenched her eyes shut from the pain, slowly opened them and looked at Ancient Scroll hopefully.

"Did it work? Can I use my magic now?"

"Hold on," Scroll replied, levitating a cloth from the table over to Twilight, "let me get this stuff off of ya first."

He wiped away the salve and tossed the cloth over to the other table where his saddlebags were, returning the container of salve along with it.

"There," Ancient Scroll said, nodding in satisfaction, "try to lift your fork."

Twilight did as she was asked - with a lot more enthusiasm this time - and her horn lit up with a soft magenta glow. The same aura wrapped itself around the fork and she lifted it with ease and no pain whatsoever.

Clapping her hooves in glee, she took the opportunity to impale a pancake and shoved the entire thing in her mouth, chewing happily. Ancient Scroll laughed at the display as he trotted around to the other side of the table and sat down. He lit up his own horn, wrapped a fork and butterknife in his green aura, and dug into his own meal.

For a few minutes the filly and the old stallion sat there in companionable silence, simply enjoying their breakfast when Ancient Scroll finally spoke up, eyeing Twilight from across the table.

"Now, little filly," he said, his tone holding an air of seriousness that made Twilight's ears perk up, "I think it's about time we got down to business."

Twilight swallowed the pancake in her mouth and nodded somewhat nervously.

Ancient Scroll leaned back in his chair as he continued.

"Believe or not, I used to be a teacher at Celestia's School way back in the day."

Twilight's eyes widened in wonder and she planted her front hooves on the table as she stood up in her chair.

"You mean Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns!?"

Ancient Scroll nodded with a smirk, "The very same."

"Wow..." Twilight whispered in awe.

Before Twilight could start asking questions, Scroll held up a hoof to forestall her.

"I'm retired now, little filly - have been for quite some time," he said, lowering his hoof back down to the table, "nowadays I spend my time either at home taking care of two brats or making maps to sell to the folk who go travelling in and out of Equestria."

"You're a cartographer, Uncle Scroll?" Twilight asked in surprise, "but don't you need to travel a lot?"

Ancient Scroll nodded, "Indeed I do, little filly. Trust me," he said with his signature chuckle, "I've been around in my day and I've seen some things your young mind couldn't even begin to imagine - and I've got a very good memory. Although..." he sighed wistfully as he turned his gaze to one of the living room windows, "I'm getting up there in years. Can't travel nearly as much as I used to..."

"Do you miss it?"

"Hmm?" Ancient Scroll turned back to the lavender filly who was looking at him sadly.

"Travelling all the time," she clarified, "do you miss it?"

Scroll snorted, "Of course I do, but we all need to settle down sometime, little filly," he looked away with a frown, "adventure's got to end sooner or later," he muttered.

Twilight wanted to console the saddened old stallion, but he shook his head and looked back at her, his grandfatherly smile back in place.

"Anyway, we're getting off topic here," he said quickly, "the point I'm trying to make is that I've been around for quite some time, and I know a thing or two about magic."

He leaned forward in his chair and peered at Twilight inquisitively.

"Tell me, Twilight Sparkle, how old are you?"

"I'm eight years old," Twilight responded, wondering where the old stallion was going.

Ancient Scroll nodded slowly.

"Just old enough to take the entrance exams for Celestia's School, then. I take it you had planned on applying for the exams before you wound up here?"

Twilight nodded, her expression crestfallen at the realization that might not be able to apply like she had wanted.

"Now come on, little filly," Scroll admonished, "don't be making that face, after all..." he smirked and tapped the side of his head with a hoof, "you're under the care of one of the greatest teachers that fancy school has ever seen."

Twilight stared at him in confusion for a moment before her eyes widened slowly as she realized the implications of his statement.

"Wait," she began eyeing Ancient in disbelief, "are you saying you..." she trailed off, unable to finish her sentence.

"I'm an old stallion who doesn't have much to do anymore except draw maps all day," Scroll continued nonchalantly, "and let me tell you little filly... it's boring work."

Twilight just continued to stare at Ancient Scroll with growing anticipation.

"Seeing you standing there in the doorway of my study all starry eyed... well..." he smiled at the filly softly, "I guess it sparked some of those old teaching instincts I thought I had left behind long ago."

"So... so does that mean... you're going to start teaching again?" Twilight asked, her smile of anticipation nearly splitting her muzzle in two.

"Well I don't know," he said with a mock frown of contemplation as he looked away from Twilight, "do you know anypony that'd be willing to learn from an old stallion like me?"

"ME!" Twilight cried instantly, hopping up and down in her seat excitedly, "I would! I bet Sunset and Trixie would too!"

He chuckled warmly at the filly's excitement.

"Well I guess that settles it then," he said, standing up from the table, "looks like I got myself three new students!"

"YesyesyesyesYES!!!" Twilight cried, hopping of her seat and bouncing around the room.

In her excitement she didn't hear the bedroom door open and two sleepy eyed fillies trot out into the living room.

"What's with all the noise?" Trixie grumbled irritably as she rubbed her eyes, "Trixie was having the most spectacular dream..."

"Uncle Scroll is gonna teach us magic!" Twilight exclaimed, bouncing in front of the two groggy fillies.

Sunset and Trixie looked at each other in bleary eyed confusion before looking over to the old stallion standing near the table.

Ancient Scroll ran a hoof through his bushy gray mane tiredly as he trotted over to, and past, a bewildered Sunset and Trixie.

"Well, it's been a long night… and an interesting morning," he mused, "now that you two are up, I'm going to bed, breakfast is in the kitchen."

They continued to stare at him in bemusement until he entered the bedroom, shutting the door behind him. They looked at each other again before turning back to the still bouncing filly.

They blinked.

"...Am I still dreaming?" Sunset finally asked.

"If you are, then Trixie is having the same dream," Trixie replied.

A Cloudy Morning

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The overcast sky had brightened considerably while Twilight and Ancient Scroll conversed and a light snow had begun to gently fall outside the cottage.

Sunset Shimmer and Trixie sat at the folding table as they dug into their pancakes while Twilight draped herself over the back of the fluffy armchair to the right of the fireplace.

"So I guess you already got to meet Uncle Scroll, huh?" Sunset asked as she took another bite out of her pancake.

Twilight nodded her head, "Mhm, he's a lot nicer than I thought he'd be. And he was a teacher at Celestia's School!" she added excitedly clapping her hooves together.

Sunset frowned and stared at her pancakes.

"Yeah, a fantastic school founded by our great and benevolent princess..." she muttered.

"I know, right?" Twilight agreed, letting out a sigh of longing, "I wish I could've applied for the exams..."

Sunset merely snorted and speared another pancake with her fork.

"Trixie doesn't see what the big deal is," the blue filly added, pouring more apple syrup onto her pancakes, "as far as Trixie is concerned, school is school. Trixie doesn't see what makes this one so different."

"Trixie," Twilight began, giving Trixie a flat look, "Princess Celestia personally funded and overlooked the construction of the school herself over three hundred years ago. She's also personally hoofpicked each and every pony that's taught there since it's founding," she suddenly gasped in realization, "that means Uncle Scroll was picked by Celestia herself!"

Trixie just sniffed and rolled her eyes as she ate.

"Yeah, it's a prestigious school with lots of history," Sunset said brusquely, "can we please talk about something else now?"

Trixie raised an eyebrow at the orange filly and Twilight gave her a look of concern.

"Is... something wrong, Sunset?" Twilight asked worriedly, "why are you getting angry?"

"I'm not angry," Sunset retorted, "it's..." she trailed off and sighed, "it's nothing. Don't worry about it, Twilight."

"Trixie thinks you looked pretty angry," Trixie muttered loud enough for the other two to hear, "did you try to get in and fail the exams or something?"

Twilight gasped and gave Sunset a pitying look, covering her muzzle with her hooves.

"What? No! I..." she growled in frustration and shoved the last pancake in her mouth before hopping down and trotting to the kitchen - her plate and silverware following behind in a red aura.

Twilight's worried gaze followed her until she was out of sight before she turned to Trixie.

"What do you think that was all about?" she asked.

"Trixie neither knows nor cares," Trixie replied dismissively, using a piece of pancake to mop up some apple syrup from her plate before popping it into her mouth, "it's none of Trixie's business anyway."

Twilight was about to respond when Sunset trotted back out of the kitchen, sans dishes.

"Are you sure you're okay, Sunset?" Twilight asked again, "If I said something I shouldn't-"

"It's fine, Twilight," Sunset interjected in an exasperated tone, "it's just something I'd rather not talk about, okay?"

She trotted in the direction of the bathroom as she spoke.

"Seriously, don't worry about it."

"Alright..." Twilight answered unsurely. She slid off the back of the armchair and into the seat, looking through the window to the gray skies outside, "I... know how you feel, I guess..." she muttered almost absently as she sat there, becoming lost in her own thoughts.

From her seat at the table, Trixie eyed the two with a frown before looking down at her own now empty plate. After a minute she dropped down from the chair and quietly made her way to the kitchen with her own dishes in tow.

There were a few minutes of silence as the three fillies went about their own business.

After using the bathroom, Sunset made her way over to Ancient Scroll's study. She opened the door and slipped inside without a word, closing the door behind her. Twilight watched all of this with no small amount of confusion... and envy.

"Are we allowed to just... trot right into Uncle Scroll's study like that?" Twilight asked turning to Trixie as she trotted out of the kitchen. Trixie cast a quick glance at the door to the study and scowled before she answered.

"Sunset is allowed in there whenever she wants because she's a 'good filly'," Trixie said mockingly, "Trixie isn't allowed because of... some things that happened before that totally were not Trixie's fault," she finished bitterly.

Twilight nodded absently, barely paying attention as she stood over the side of the armchair staring at the door with a gaze that could be interpreted as 'hungry'.

"Do... do you think I could go in?" she asked, her eyes still locked on the door.

"Don't know," Trixie replied casually, walking over to the table near the front door, "you'd have to ask Uncle Scroll when he wakes up."

Twilight sunk back into the seat, sighing dejectedly at Trixie's answer. She found herself annoyed that she'd have to wait for who knows how long before she could roam that small treasure trove of knowledge.

A few moments passed.

Trixie had procured a deck of cards from the table near the door and was now shuffling them with her hooves as she lay by the fireplace. Twilight sat in the armchair, watching Trixie quietly as she worked.

"That's pretty impressive, Trixie," she said after a moment.

"What is?" Trixie asked, not taking her eyes off the cards.

"The way you can shuffle cards like that, Twilight clarified, "Not many unicorns bother to do that without using magic because it takes a lot of dexterity that we lack, unlike earth ponies."

Trixie paused her shuffling briefly before starting again.

"Trixie has had... a lot of practice," she said quietly as she laid out the cards on the floor.

"Oh," Twilight responded tentatively, "that's, um... that's neat."

Something in Trixie's voice bothered Twilight and she decided not to pursue the subject.

"So... what are you doing?" she asked.

"Trixie is brushing up on her solitaire skills," Trixie replied, "this game can be tricky if you're not paying attention."

"Huh... I've never played 'solitaire' before," Twilight admitted, "is it any fun?"

"Trixie thinks so," Trixie answered, "it is a game where you have to look for little details and captial... capa... caplize-"

"Capitalize?"

"Capitalize on them as quickly as possible," Trixie finished, eyeing the cards intensely as she though about her first move, "Trixie enjoys the challenge."

"Huh..." Twilight said, observing Trixie and the cards with interest, "can you teach me how to play?"

Trixie looked up at Twilight and blinked in surprise before a smirk crossed her muzzle. She suddenly stood up on her hind legs and spread her forelegs out wide.

"The Wise and Knowledgeable Trixie can teach you the deepest, darkest secrets of solitaire," she announced with a dramatic flourish, "but be warned, Twilight Sparkle," she spoke in a low tone, "Trixie does not tolerate failure."

For a moment Twilight sat there staring open mouthed at Trixie's performance. Trixie for her part, maintained her pose, convinced that the lavender filly was stunned and awed by her performance.

That is, until Twilight broke into a fit of laughter.

Trixie lowered herself back to four hooves and gave Twilight a flat look.

"Do you want Trixie to teach you how to play or not?" she growled.

Twilight tried to get her giggling under control before she answered.

"I'm... I'm sorry, Trixie," she said, still chuckling, "please teach me. I'm more than willing to learn the deepest and darkest secrets of solitaire."

Trixie rolled her eyes and gathered up the cards, shuffling them once more.

"Just get down here so Trixie can tell you the rules."

Twilight and Trixie spent the next half hour or so playing solitaire before moving on to other card games.

The snow continued its gentle descent to the ground as the cold, gray winter morning wore on.

A Confounding Investigation

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Inspector Bottom Line made his way past the many Royal Guards stationed around the perimeter of the Sparkle estate. His trot was brisk and a scowl was plastered on his muzzle.

He was not a happy stallion.

He had been called out to Canterlot from his office in Manehattan to investigate a crime scene on very short notice and hadn't even had time for coffee and a decent breakfast. Unfortunately there wasn't much you could do when the Princess herself called on you personally to do your job, so he bit down on his irritation and set off to do his job.

Things were already in motion by the time he arrived. Curious and concerned onlookers were being asked - sometimes forcefully - to clear the area and all civilian traffic was being redirected away from the scene by the Royal Guard.

Before he could get too far into the scene of the crime, he was stopped by two of the guards and asked to leave the premises. The disgruntled steel grey earth pony rolled his eyes and tapped the ID that was very clearly pinned to the outside of his jacket. The two guard looked it over, glanced at each other, and wordlessly stepped aside.

Bottom Line stepped past the guards and into the the large house itself where he found the captain of the Royal Guard and the rest of the investigation team already on the scene. As he neared the captain he gave the main room a quick but thorough glance. The first thing that caught his immediate attention was how clean everything looked.

Too clean.

No obviously misplaced furniture, no sign of a struggle. Everything looked dusted, mopped, swept, and otherwise tidied up. He was contemplating taking a detour to the other rooms in the house when he saw the captain trotting up to him out of the corner of his eye.

"Chief Inspector Bottom Line?" the captain asked as she stepped in front of the stallion. Bottom Line swept his gaze over the main room once more before turning his attention to the captain.

"The one and only," he grumbled, rubbing the back of his neck with a sigh.

The mare nodded, "I'm Captain Iron Heart of Princess Celestia's Royal Guard," she said with what Bottom Line noticed was a forced smile, "it's a pleasure to meet you."

Bottom Line raised an eyebrow at the mare's name - a gesture that didn't go unnoticed by Iron Heart who rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, I get that a lot," she said dismissively. She turned and gestured for Bottom Line to follow, "I don't want to waste any more time so I'll explain the situation on the way."

Bottom Line watched for a moment as the tall pegasus mare trotted towards a set of stairs at the other end of the room, weaving her way past the several ponies trying to collect evidence.

After a moment, he let out another tired sigh, ran a hoof through his hastily combed maroon mane, and followed after her.

"It's only ten in the morning and I can already tell I'm gonna need a drink after this," he muttered to himself, "wonder if Canterlot has any cafes that can brew up a decent cup of coffee or two... or three..."

As the two headed up the stairs, Iron Heart pulled a small notebook and some photos from beneath her armor. She looked over the notebook briefly before speaking to Bottom Line.

"We got ourselves a double homicide, Inspector," she stated without preamble, "that much is certain so far. The rest... not so much."

Bottom Line's eyebrows rose slightly but he didn't say anything otherwise.

"A husband and his wife, brutally murdered sometime late last night from what the coroner tells me."

Bottom Line nodded and turned a stoic gaze and a practiced frown towards the captain.

"Details?" he asked as they turned a corner and trotted down a long hallway.

"It isn't pretty, Inspector Bottom Line," she warned, hoofing him the photos. Bottom Line took the photos and examined them closely, grimacing at the images. The first photo was of the body of an off-white mare splayed out in front of what looked like a bedroom closet that had been thrown open. Laying off to the side, just barely within the frame, was the mare's head.

Bottom Line was suddenly thankful he hadn't eaten anything before he arrived.

"Wouldn't be surprised if the Princess brought back the death penalty for this one..." he muttered with digust, "this is sick."

Iron Heart nodded with a grim frown and gave Bottom Line a side glance.

"Notice anything odd?"

Bottom Line furrowed his brow as he continued to examine the photo. In front of the body he saw the scorch marks of what looked like an explosion that originated from within the closet.

"...What the buck?"

"See for yourself, Inspector."

Bottom Line looked at Iron Heart in confusion before turning his gaze to where she was pointing. They had stopped in front of the destroyed doorway of a bedroom - the very same from the photo. The door itself looked to have been blown open from the outside and was currently resting splintered against a wall on the opposite side of the room.

Like the main room downstairs, he gave the bedroom a quick and thorough glance. There were other ponies still gathering evidence from the scene, and unlike downstairs, there seemed to be plenty to gather.

Just standing in the doorway he could see the signs of an intense struggle. the bed had been split down the middle, two dressers were smashed up against each other, and an entire row of bookshelves were knocked over, books now scattered all over the room.

And then there was the blood.

There was a bit spread across the floor here and there, but the broken bed seemed to be covered in it.

He deduced that that was were one of the bodies must've been before the medical ponies removed it. He knew there'd be more somewhere inside from the photos. Speaking of photos...

Bottom Line look back to the pictures and examined the one he hadn't seen yet. The photo showed a blue stallion all but crushed in between the two halves of the bed - blood splattered behind the body and pooling down to the floor below.

"Coming?"

Bottom Line blinked and looked over to Iron Heart.

Apparently he had been examining the scene for longer than he thought, because standing in front of the two of them was a bright green unicorn mare whose entire body was encased in a translucent yellow glow. Looking to Iron Heart, he could see the same glow surrounding her. She looked at the Inspector with an expectant raise of her brow.

He looked back down at the photos for a second before hoofing them back to Iron Heart who tucked them away in her armor.

"I'll need to sterilize you before you can enter, Inspector," the green mare stated. Bottom Line grunted in affirmation and the mare lit up her horn. After a moment, he was wrapped in the same yellow aura that encased Iron Heart and the rest of the ponies inside.

With that done he stepped into the bedroom.

"You were able to identify the victims I take it?" he asked Iron Heart as he swept his eyes over the room once more.

"The mare was Twilight Velvet," she answered, looking over her notebook, "36 years of age and mother to one Twilight Sparkle and one Shining Armor. The blue stallion was her husband, Night Light, 40 years of age."

"And the children?" he asked, trotting over to examine the closet.

"Missing. We couldn't find any bodies or signs that they had been part of whatever struggle took place here."

"I wouldn't be so sure..." Bottom Line muttered, glancing back and forth between the large bloodstain near the closet and the closet itself.

Iron Heart looked up from her notes and raised an eyebrow at Bottom Line.

"What do you mean?"

"Whose bedroom was this?" he asked suddenly.

Iron Heart gave him a bemused look before flipping through her notes.

"Sources say the room belonged to Twilight Sparkle. But I don't-"

"What can you tell me about her and Shining Armor?"

"Well," she flipped through more of her notes, "she's an eight year old filly with no cutie mark to speak of yet. Lavender fur, indigo mane with pink and violet highlights. Apparently she was a smart kid, read a lot. Liked to study magic and from what I was able to gather, it looks like she was on the fast track to being accepted into CSGU."

Bottom Line nodded, his intense stare locked on the closet, specifically the scorch marks within.

"And Shining Armor?"

"Thirteen year old colt," she replied, "light grey coat, mane striped navy and baby blue, cutie mark is a pink six pointed star inside an indigo shield with three blue stars above it. Seemed to be a strong little guy, always trying to do right by his family - especially his little sister."

She flipped to another page and gave an impressed nod after a moment, "Looks like this one was grooming himself to be a Royal Guard. Impressive drive for a colt his age."

Bottom Line had finished his inspection just as Iron Heart finished her report and he turned to face the mare as he spoke.

"Do you have any leads on where they might be? Or if they were foalnapped?"

Iron Heart shook her head, "None. Princess Celestia has already sent out a search party to look for the two, but we have nothing to go on right now. We asked around, but there were no witnesses anywhere near the scene at the time."

Bottom Line nodded to himself slowly before turning his gaze back towards the closet thoughtfully.

"What about the perpetrator?" he asked turning back to Iron Heart, "anything?"

"Absolutely nothing so far," she stated, not even bothering to look at her notes, "whatever pony did this didn't leave a single thing to link them back to the murders despite the... mess they left behind."

Bottom Line blinked.

"I... find that very difficult to believe, Captain," he said raising a skeptical eyebrow, "there has to be something, there always is."

Iron Heart frowned at the Inspector.

"We haven't been able to identify any evidence that specifically relates to another party inside the house other than the family. We searched every inch of this place and found nothing, Inspector. No fluids, fur, flesh, feathers, or weapon," she shook her head again, "not a single trace."

"Hmmm..."

He looked around the room and spotted a dark blue bespectacled unicorn stallion wearing what he recognized as the uniform of a researcher from the Institute of Magical Research and Development.

He observed the stallion for a moment as he trotted around the room, his horn aglow and his eyes roaming over every surface he came across.

"Gimme a minute," he finally replied to Iron Heart, "I'm gonna get a second opinion."

"Do what you want, Inspector," Iron Heart responded, "but I'm telling you, this isn't gonna be a simple open-and-shut case."

With that she put her notebook back in her armor and trotted away.

He made his way over to the stallion and cleared his throat, causing the stallion to cease whatever he was doing and look at him curiously.

"Can I help you?" he asked politely.

"Maybe," Bottom Line replied, "would I be correct in assuming you were brought here to identify any lingering magical signatures that might've been left behind?"

The researcher nodded in affirmation, "That's correct. Was asked to come out here by the Princess," he grimaced, "nasty business, this. But somepony's got to do it."

"I know what you mean," Bottom Line agreed with a nod, "but that aside, have you found anything conclusive? Anything we can use?"

"Well..." the stallion adjusted his glasses as he answered, "unfortunately I wasn't able to detect any foreign signatures in the room - or anywhere else in the house for that matter."

Bottom Line gave the stallion an incredulous look.

"You can't be serious," he replied with a scowl, "everypony has a magic signature they leave behind no matter how small. Every single unicorn, pegasus, and earth pony," he punctuated his statement with a stomp of his hoof, "you're really gonna stand there and tell me there was no signature left behind?"

"Not at all," the researcher replied easily, causing the Inspector's eyebrows to raise in bewilderment.

"Wha - then what are you talking about?" he growled.

The dark blue unicorn turned to look at the open closet as he clarified.

"If there was indeed a foreign signature to be found here, I wouldn't have been able to pinpoint it because of whatever happened in that closet," he looked back to Bottom Line, "you see, there was - and is - a magical signature present in this very room, probably several in fact.

"Unfortunately, one extremely powerful signature has completely drowned out any others that might've shown up in my scan," he pointed to the blackened closet, "and it very clearly originated from the pony that caused that."

Bottom Line stared at where the stallion had pointed with a contemplative frown, only half listening as the researcher continued.

"The signature that was left behind is so potent, it covers the entire house - and even a bit of the yard outside. This makes it impossible for me to pick up anything else, and the reason that's a problem is because the signature doesn't belong to the perpetrator."

"It belongs to one of the family members, right?" Bottom Line guessed.

The researcher nodded with a frown.

"Do you know who?"

"After going through the magic signature registry for everypony living in the area..." he explained pulling out several documents from some saddlebags and reading them over, "I've managed to identify the one pony this unique signature belongs to, and let me tell you, it wasn't easy."

"Who was the pony, professor?" Bottom Line repeated, already having good idea.

The researcher looked at the documents once more before turning to the Inspector.

"Twilight Sparkle."

A Lavender Filly

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It was getting late in the afternoon when Sunset Shimmer finally stepped out of the study.

One quick glance around the room was enough to confirm both Twilight and Trixie's absence from the living room. Looking over by the fireplace, she could see some playing cards scattered about and forgotten by the two fillies. She sighed in annoyance and made her way over, taking all the cards in her magic and neatly stacking them together.

Setting them back on the table, she looked over to the rack on the other side of the door and noticed both her and Trixie's scarves missing, confirming her suspicion that they had gone outside to do... something. Turning to the window, she could see that the snow had stopped falling, though the sky was still just as grey as this morning.

She was pondering whether or not to join Twilight and Trixie when the door to the bedroom suddenly creaked opened. Ancient Scroll gave a loud yawn as he trotted out of the room. It wasn't until Sunset addressed him that he saw the orange filly standing near the table.

"Afternoon, Uncle Scroll," she greeted with a small smile, "hope you slept well."

Ancient Scroll cracked his neck a few times before trotting into the kitchen as he answered.

"Oh, not too bad," he stopped and looked back to Sunset with a knowing smile, "considering the headboard was completely disconnected from the bed frame."

Sunset winced and rubbed the back of her neck.

"I knew we forgot something," she muttered under her breath. She turned to Scroll with an apologetic smile, "I'm sorry, Uncle Scroll. Trixie and I got into a fight and things got a little... intense. We tried to clean everything up," she added quickly, "but I guess we missed a few things..."

Ancient Scroll merely chuckled in response as he continued towards the kitchen.

"It's fine, Sunset," he called out, "what's important is that you and Trixie tried to fix your mistakes..."

Sunset sighed in relief, until Scroll spoke again.

"...and that you and Trixie will be going back into that room to make sure everything is compeletely clean. That means fixing the bed properly."

Sunset's relief turned to dismay and she groaned in disappointment.

"Yes, Uncle Scroll," she grumbled.

"Speaking of Trixie," Ancient Scroll mused from the kitchen, "where is the little ball of fire? And Twilight for that matter?"

"I guess they got bored and went outside," Sunset answered as she hopped up onto the armchair Twilight had occupied earlier, "I was thinking about joining them, but Twilight took my scarf."

"I see," Ancient Scroll responded as he trotted out of the kitchen with a steaming cup of coffee held aloft in a green aura, "well as long as they don't wander too far from the cottage it's fine."

He grunted as he sat in another - somewhat less comfy in Sunset's opinion - armchair opposite the one Sunset was sitting on. He blew some of the steam from the cup and took a small sip of his coffee before addressing Sunset.

"So, little filly," he began with an inquisitve raise of his brow, "what do you think of our newest addition to the cottage?"

Sunset Shimmer's eyes widened slightly in surprise, not having expected the question.

"Well..." she hesitated, trying to gather her thoughts about the lavender filly she had only just met.

"She's... very polite," she offered, "a far cry from Trixie, actually."

Ancient Scroll nodded with a small smile.

"And?"

"And if her reaction this morning to you teaching us magic is anything to go by, she obviously has a thing for it," she paused and looked at Scroll questioningly, "actually, why did you decide to teach us magic all of a sudden?"

Ancient Scroll chuckled and leaned forward.

"You want to know how I found the little filly?" he asked in a conspiratorial whisper.

Sunset raised an eyebrow and waited for his inevitable response.

"I walked into the cottage, just before the sun started rising behind those grey clouds and spotted her standing in the doorway of my study," he barked out a laugh, "by the look I saw on her face, you'd think she had stumbled upon some lost city of gold!"

His laughter died down into chuckles and he turned to look out the window briefly before turning back to a slightly confused Sunset.

"To answer your question, little filly," he continued leaning back in his chair, "it's because that little display showed me that there were still foals like her out there that were willing to learn what an old stallion like me knows."

He took another sip of his coffee and his gaze turned somewhat somber as he looked at Sunset.

"It's like I told little Twilight," he said in a quieter tone, "I'm not getting any younger, and I'd like to pass on what I know before..."

He trailed off and shook his head.

"Ah, but this is a bit too heavy to be laying on a filly your age," he said with a wan smile.

"No, I... I understand, Uncle Scroll," Sunset responded, staring at her hooves, "really I do. and I'm glad I get to learn magic from you of all ponies."

her brow furrowed and she continued to look at her hooves.

"My last teacher... wasn't as great as I thought she was... a lot worse in fact."

Ancient Scroll thought to ask the filly for more details, but ultimately decided against it. He had been trying to coax that story out of her ever since she showed up on his doorstep roughly a year ago to no avail. He supposed he'd just have to wait a bit longer.

"I'm sorry to hear that, little filly," he said genuinely, then smirked as he tried to bring Sunset's spirit back up, "you can rest assured though, I'll probably be the best teacher you'll get this side of Equestria,"

That seemed to do the trick and Sunset giggled.

"I hope so," she said meeting his smirk with her own, "Twilight isn't the only one who likes to learn about magic."

For the next few minutes, they sat in a companionable silence, listening to the crackling of the fire still blazing in the fireplace. Ancient Scroll continued to drink his coffee and Sunset stared out the window thoughtfully as snow began to once again fall outside.

"What do you think happened to Twilight?" Sunset mused, her contemplative gaze still locked on the grey sky outside. Ancient Scroll tapped the side of his cup with a hoof and hummed to himself as he thought.

"Can't be too sure, little filly," he finally answered, "but I think it might be something similar to what happened to Trixie."

Sunset turned to Ancient Scroll, her eyes widening in horror.

"You're saying her parents were-"

"I'm not saying anything for certain, Sunset," Ancient Scroll interjected sternly, "but yes, I do think it has something to do with her parents."

Sunset Shimmer looked at Ancient Scroll for another moment before turning her attention to the fireplace.

"...When she first showed up last night, I asked her about her horn."

Ancient Scroll polished of his cup of coffee before responding.

"And what did she say?"

"Well I was trying to figure out what she could've done that would've caused that magical burnout," she answered, looking over to Ancient Scroll with a bit of shame, "I knew she was sad about something, but I was just curious about the spell she tried to use."

Ancient Scroll nodded slowly, then gave Sunset another stern look.

"Being curious is all well and good, Sunset. A little curiosity is healthy for a growing young mind, but there's a time and place to give voice to that curiosity. Now tell me, was that the time and place?"

Sunset lowered her head, abashed.

"No, Uncle Scroll."

"As long as you understand," Scroll said, nodding in satisfaction, "now then, what did she say?"

"She told me she couldn't remember what she was doing, but she thinks it was an accident," Sunset replied, "she said she panicked."

Ancient Scroll stared into his empty cup with a thoughtful frown. After a minute of silence, Sunset spoke.

"Do you know what kind of spell she used, Uncle Scroll?" she asked apprehensively.

"...I think so, little filly," he responded slowly, "but if what she told me is true..."

He trailed off in thought and Sunset furrowed her brow in impatience.

"What?" she asked, "what did she tell you?"

He gave a slow shake of his head and looked up at Sunset.

"Sunset, do you remember how long it took you to travel here from Canterlot?"

Sunset blinked in confusion at the sudden question before lifting a hoof to her chin in contemplation.

"Well, I had to do a lot of stuff to get here," she recalled, "but I think it took about... two months?"

"Two months..." Ancient Scroll mouthed to himself.

Sunset looked at the old stallion with a mix of bemusement and frustration.

"Why did you wanna know that?" she asked, her impatience seeping into her voice, "what does that have to do with..."

Her question faltered as she noticed the look of awe on Ancient Scroll's face.

"That filly told me she was from Canterlot," he said, suddenly, "same as you, little filly."

He hopped off his chair and began pacing back and forth in front of the fireplace as he spoke.

"And yet she suddenly shows up here, in the middle of nowhere, lost, confused, and alone," he stopped and turned to Sunset, "now tell me, little filly, do you think she ended up here the same way you did? Or even Trixie for that matter?"

Sunset sat there for a minute as she ran several possibilties through her mind.

"No..." she said after some time, "she looked really confused about what was going on and really desperate too..."

Ancient Scroll nodded and continued his pacing.

"Here's what I think," he offered, "I think that little filly had herself a magic surge - a mighty powerful one at that. As to why I couldn't say, but I do believe that, under some kind of stress, she focused all her magic on one thing and one thing only."

"What do you think she focused on?"

He stopped his pacing once more and sat down in front of the fireplace as he looked back over to Sunset,

"Trying to get away from something."

Sunset mulled that over for a second before realization dawned on her.

"Wait," she said, eyeing Ancient Scroll incredulously, "you're saying she accidentally teleported here? From Canterlot?"

Ancient Scroll nodded grimly, "I'm saying it's a strong possibility."

"Wha - but... but that," Sunset sputtered in her bewilderment, "trying to cast something of that magnitude at her age should've killed her!"

"And yet here she is," Scroll replied, sitting back in his chair, "safe and sound in my humble little cottage on the edge of Equestria."

Before Sunset could muster up a response, the front door slammed open and Trixie sauntered inside.

"The Brave and Triumphant Trixie has returned!" she announced, floating her scarf back onto the rack. Twilight trotted in behind her rolling her eyes in exasperation.

"Trixie, running away from a pack of angry squirrels does not make you brave or triumphant," she shook her head as she levitated Sunset's scarf next to Trixie's, "why did you even try to take their nuts anyway?"

"Trixie was going to use them in her performance," Trixie huffed in response as she sat in front of the fire.

"Now how in Celestia's name were you planning to do that?" Ancient Scroll asked in amusement.

"That is Trixie's business," she responded haughtily.

Twilight rolled her eyes again and turned to Sunset who had been staring at the lavender filly from her seat on the armchair.

"Sorry about using your scarf without asking, Sunset," Twilight said with an apologetic smile, "Trixie said you wouldn't mind."

"No, it's... it's alright, Twilight," she replied distractedly, "don't worry about it."

Twilight gave her a grateful smile before trotting over and sitting next to Trixie as they warmed their hooves by the fire.

Sunset continued to watch Twilight with her brow furrowed.

"That filly is one of a kind isn't she?" Ancient Scroll mused, as he observed Twilight try to explain why it was a bad idea to provoke nature.

"...Yeah," Sunset replied slowly, "yeah she is."

A Shocking Discovery

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A week had gone by since Twilight had shown up at Ancient Scroll's doorstep and she was finally starting to settle into living with the other two fillies.

During that time, she had found out that Ancient Scroll more often than not, slept in his study, leaving the girls to take the bed most nights. Twilight however, had made the rather wise decision to sleep in the main room.

On the subject of the study, Twilight had asked Ancient Scroll if she was allowed in, to which he refused her entry.

When he saw the heartbreak in her eyes he merely chuckled his signature chuckle and patted her on the head.

"Now don't be like that, little filly," he had said with a warm - if teasing - smile, "you can go in once you've earned it."

"But... but why?" Twilight had cried petulantly, "Sunset gets to go in whenever she wants!"

"And she's been here far longer than you, Twilight," Scroll admonished, "she's earned it. She's already shown that she can be a responsible little filly and you have to do the same."

"But I am responsible!"

"I'm sure you are, little one," he said with a nod of his head, "but I have yet to see it, and until I do, you're not to set hoof in my study," he eyed the lavender filly sternly, "got it?"

"Yes, Uncle Scroll..."

Ancient Scroll observed the dejected look on Twilight's face and decided it didn't suit her.

"I'll let you in on a little secret, little filly," he whispered leaning down to Twilight's level. Twilight's didn't look up, but her ears perked up in interest. Ancient Scroll looked around as if to make sure there were no other eavesdropping little fillies about before turning to Twilight.

"I'm going to be starting my magic lessons with the three of you pretty soon-"

"Really!?"

Ancient Scroll put one hoof to Twilight's mouth and shushed the now excited filly with the other.

"Settle down, girl," he hissed, "want it to be a surprise. Now," he removed his hoof and stood up straight once more as he spoke, "the point I'm trying to make is that if you do exceptionally well in my class, you can consider your entry earned. Deal?"

Twilight nodded enthusiastically before practically bouncing away.

It had taken all week, but Ancient Scroll had finally worked out a teaching schedule and was ready to begin Twilight's, Sunset's, and Trixie's lessons. He had initially planned to get an idea of what branch of magic each filly was strong in before he dove too deep into his lessons.

To that end, he had gotten in touch with one of his old colleagues and asked them to procure a very special item.

An item no good teacher could do without...

It was on of the particularly warmer winter days that Ancient Scroll had decided to start the fillies lesson. Each of the girls were lined up outside the cottage around back waiting for their instruction as Ancient Scroll paced back and forth between the three, eyeing each and every one of them critically.

"Alright, fillies," he announced his tone formal and businesslike, "before I begin your lessons, I want to know a few things so that both you and I know what magic each of you is best at."

Sunset Shimmer raised a hoof and Scroll nodded in her direction, prompting her to speak.

"I've already taken formal lessons, Uncle Scroll-"

"Professor Scroll, while you're in my class, filly," Ancient Scroll interjected with a stern glare. Sunset nodded obediently.

"I'm sorry, Professor," she amended, "but like I said, I've already been formally taught the various branches of magic."

"And you fancy yourself an expert?" Ancient Scroll challenged, his gaze boring into the orange filly.

"Well, no. I just meant-"

"Tell me Sunset Shimmer," Scroll asked suddenly, "what do you think your cutie mark means?"

Sunset blinked in surprise and looked back at the yellow and red sun motif adorning her flanks before turning to Ancient Scroll.

"Well..." she began hesitantly, "I first got it when I helped..." she paused and furrowed her brow, staring at her hooves briefly before speaking again, "I think it means I have an affinity for fire magic."

Ancient Scroll raised an eyebrow at Sunset's sudden change in demeanor, but didn't comment on it.

"It's possible, yes," he conceded as he resumed his pacing, "but not certain. Your cutie mark could also mean that you're destined to become a savior of some kind, or perhaps a shining example - somepony that others can look up to."

Sunset gave Ancient Scroll a skeptical look but remained silent as he continued his lecture.

"A cutie mark can have several interpretations, and - when it comes to unicorns - many of them are not necessarily indicative of a specific magical talent. That said..." his horn lit up and he pulled a small black box from the saddlebags on his back. He raised it in the air so that the girls could get a better look.

"...the object in this box will tell us exactly what branch of magic each of you has an affinity for."

Twilight narrowed her eyes at the box.

An object that can reveal a unicorn's magical affinity, she thought, rubbing her chin, I know I've read about something like that before...

"Trixie doesn't need some trinket to tell her what she's good at," the blue filly scoffed, "Trixie already knows her true calling is the magic of the stage!"

Sunset and Twilight gave Trixie a deadpan stare.

"...What?" Trixie asked after a moment, "Why are you staring at Trixie?"

"Trixie," Sunset groaned with a facehoof, "stage magic isn't an actual branch of magic. What you're talking about is prestidigitation."

Trixie looked at Sunset in confusion and Sunset rolled her eyes.

"Sleight-of-hoof," she clarified, "parlor tricks that don't use any real magic."

Trixie blinked.

"...Oh."

She cleared her throat and looked away, her face reddening in embarrassment, "Trixie was aware of course," she muttered, "she just... wanted to make sure you knew the difference."

"Sure Trixie," Sunset said with another roll of her eyes.

Ancient Scroll watched the exchange with no small amount of amusement before he spoke up on the matter.

"Since we're on the subject," he said, using the opportunity to segue into the next part of his lesson, "which one of you can tell me what each of the branches of magic are?"

Both Twilight and Sunset's hooves shot up at the same time and Ancient Scroll looked between the two for a few seconds.

"Twilight," he finally decided, nodding in the lavender filly's direction, "I haven't heard from you yet. Go on."

Twilight straightened up and raised a hoof.

"There are six main branches of magic that have been recorded and categorized so far. Soul Magic, Light Magic, Dark Magic, Time Magic, Elemental Magic, and Mind Magic. Soul Magic is inherent in every tribe of pony and it's what gives a unicorn their unique magic aura and everypony their own unique magic signature. Light Magic is-"

"That'll do for now, Twilight, thank you," Ancient Scroll replied, giving Twilight an approving smile, He turned to Sunset who still had her hoof raised, "Sunset? Did you have something to add?"

Sunset nodded, "There's also Runic Magic and Summoning Magic, two other branches of magic that fell out of use over a thousand years ago."

Twilight looked at Sunset Shimmer in shock.

"I didn't know that," she muttered quietly, "two entire branches of magic and I didn't even know they existed..."

"That, little filly," Ancient Scroll answered peering at the orange filly suspiciously, "is because that knowledge is something our dear Princess keeps very close to her chest," his gaze intensified and Sunset began to squirm uncomfortably, "tell me, Sunset, how did you come to possess such knowledge?"

Sunset looked at her hooves and said nothing.

Ancient Scroll stared at her for another minute before he shook his head and sighed.

"We'll discuss this little matter in detail later," he promised, giving Sunset a hard glare, "for now, I want you girls to focus on what's in here."

He raised the small box up and it clicked open, revealing what appeared to be a large glass marble resting on a velvet cushion. He pulled the marble out of the box with a hoof and held it up as he swept his eyes across the three fillies.

"Can any of you tell me-"

"An Orb of Insight!" Twilight cried, clapping her hooves together, "I knew I had read about it somewhere before! Oh, I've always wanted to use one, but I've never even seen one up close until now! Are you going to-"

"Calm yourself, filly!" Ancient Scroll interjected, cutting off Twilight excited chatter, "give me a moment to explain how the thing works to those that haven't seen it yet."

"Sorry, Uncle - er... Professor Scroll," Twilight said, grinning sheepishly.

"It's alright, girl," he replied with a smile, "you're just excited, nothing to be ashamed of. Now then..." he turned his attention to all three of them, "as Twilight was so eager to point out, this here's an Orb of Insight. And as the name implies, it gives insight into a unicorn's magical affinity. All you have to do..."

He lit his horn and lifted the orb in his bright green aura. After a few seconds the aura surrounding the orb turned white and began to glow brighter and brighter. It eventually became so bright, the fillies had to shield their eyes.

Just before the light became too much, Ancient Scroll cut off his magic and the orb dropped back into his hoof - looking as if nothing had occurred.

"...is surround it with your magical aura and it'll do the rest."

They all looked at the little orb with awe and growing excitement.

"As you can see," Scroll continued, "I have a natural affinity for Light Magic." He held up the orb and examined it as he explained, "when the Orb of Insight comes into contact with a unicorn's Soul Magic, it 'scans' their unique magic signature and activates a specific spell according to the most prominent type of magic in the body - be it Soul, Light, Dark, Time, Elemental, or Mind," he gave Sunset a pointed look, "it even tells you if you're natural affinity is based in Runic or Summoning Magic."

"Trixie would like to go first," Trixie announced suddenly, "she demands to know what magic she can use to wow the crowd!"

"What happened to not needing some trinket?" Sunset muttered. Trixie ignored her and turned a pleading gaze in Ancient Scroll's direction.

"Can Trixie go first? Please?"

Ancient Scroll shrugged hoofed Trixie the orb, "Be my guest."

Trixie grabbed the orb and, without preamble, she encased it in a pink glow and lifted it into the air.

The orb promptly vanished.

Twilight and Sunset blinked.

"Where did it go?" Twilight asked looking over to Trixie accusingly, "Trixie what did you do?"

Trixie looked back at Twilight in confusion, "What are you talking about?" she asked, "Trixie has done nothing wrong, in fact," she looked back to where the orb had disappeared, "Trixie hasn't done anything at all! The orb hasn't changed!"

Now it was Twilight's turn to look confused.

"What are you talking about? I can't see it!" she turned to Sunset, "can you?"

Sunset shook her head with a thoughtful frown.

"You're pulling Trixie's leg and she doesn't appreciate it!" Trixie cried, "Trixie is telling you the orb is right here! Completely unchanged!"

Ancient Scroll decided to step in before things got any worse.

"I'm sorry, Twilight," he said with a half amused, half intrigued grin, "but Trixie is right."

Twilight whipped her head around to face the stallion, "What?"

He shook his head, and gave the lavender filly a knowing smile.

"While it's true that I can't see it either, the orb is still there - we're just under the illusion that it's not."

Twilight opened her mouth to respond, thought for a moment, looked over to Trixie, and her eyes widened in realization.

"Mind Magic..." she muttered in shock, "Trixie, you have a natural affinity for Mind Magic."

Trixie tilted her head in bemusment and looked at the orb. She released it from her magic and it once again became visible to everypony present.

"Well that's..." Trixie paused in thought for a moment, "Trixie doesn't really know how to feel about that," she rubbed a foreleg uncomfortably, "Trixie admits she... doesn't know much about Mind Magic..."

"Don't you worry, little filly," Ancient Scroll said reassuringly, "I'll teach you how to use Mind Magic properly and responsibly."

"But wait," Sunset interrupted, "Isn't most Mind Magic illegal?"

"Not all the way out here it isn't," Ancient Scroll answered readily, "now why don't you give it a go, Miss Shimmer?"

Sunset nodded and trotted over to Trixie. She grabbed the orb and wrapped it in a red glow that, after a few seconds, began to turn orange... then white as it abruptly burst into flames. After another second the flames seemed to twist themselves around the orb and to the fillies amazement, the blaze hardened into dark brown stone which then dissolved into water that exploded outwards and evaporated into a sudden gust of wind that ruffled everypony's mane as it blew by.

The cycle continued to repeat itself as Sunset held the orb in her magic, going from fire to earth to water to wind and back again. She eventually dropped the orb back into her hoof and stared at it in awe.

"Well, I guess that answers that question," Trixie commented, then in a quieter tone, "it was certainly a lot flashier than Trixie's."

"Elemental Magic," Ancient said with a nod and an impressed stroke of his beard, "a very versatile magic to learn, though difficult and time consuming," he smiled at the orange filly, "looks like you may have been right after all, Sunset."

Sunset nodded absently, still stunned at the results of her assessment.

"And last, but certainly not least," he said turned to an eagerly bouncing lavender filly, "Twilight, you're up."

Twilight practically bowled Sunset over in her haste to use the orb. She grabbed it and wrapped it in a magenta glow.

A low thrum filled the air as the orb blackened... and then blackened some more. Everypony watched in complete silence as it darkened to the point that it appeared as if a perfectly circular hole to the void had opened up in time and space. The three fillies stared at the orb, transfixed - feeling as though they were being slowly drawn in.

Twilight and the others were snapped out of their reverie by a loud bang and the orb fell to the snow covered ground. They blinked rapidly as they came to their senses and Twilight looked over to see Ancient Scroll staring at her with an unreadable expression - the green aura around his horn dying down.

"Dark Magic, huh?" he muttered. He trotted over to the Orb of Insight and scooped it up with a hoof, looking from it, to Twilight.

"Wasn't expecting that. Not at all."

A Hefty First Assignment

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Ancient Scroll let out a weary sigh as he roamed about his study, carefully scanning his many bookshelves as he thought about his situation.

He definitely had his work cut out for him.

He didn't regret his decision to teach the fillies magic - far from it - but he wasn't expecting all three of the girls to have an affinity for some of the most difficult branches of magic to learn, let alone teach.

This was doubly true for Twilight and Trixie.

Never in his long life would he have thought he'd be teaching Dark Magic and Mind Magic to anypony. Oh, he knew all about the two branches of magic and the dangers they posed.

What he couldn't figure out, was if it was better to learn such potentially corrupting magic at a young age or to wait until they were older.

Still, he had already committed himself to the task and he wasn't going to back down now. He'd just have to tread carefully with the two fillies.

But then there was Sunset Shimmer.

She posed another problem. She knew things about magic she had no business knowing. Ancient Scroll had stumbled across the information about Runic and Summoning Magic by pure chance during an expedition outside of Equestria, and he was sworn to secrecy by the Princess once she had found out.

So how was it that Sunset Shimmer knew such a thing?

He had resolved to talk to the filly later that evening, but first he had some textbooks to locate.

"Is there something wrong with me?"

Sunset looked across the foldable dining table to a somewhat despondent Twilight. She sat slumped over the table as she idly twirled a spoon in her magic, a bowl of mixed vegetable soup untouched in front her.

"Why would you ask that?" Sunset asked with a raised eyebrow.

"It was Uncle Scroll." Twilight responded with a sigh, "earlier today after I used the Orb of Insight he gave me this weird look. I don't know, it... it just made me feel like I did something wrong."

"Trixie doesn't see the problem," Trixie chimed in as she swallowed a spoonful of soup, "sure, the black orb thing was weird, but it didn't really seem all that different from what Uncle Scroll did. Just... y'know... the opposite."

Sunset Shimmer set her spoon down on the table and gave Twilight a concerned frown, "I get how you feel, Twilight, but I'm sure you've read about how dangerous Dark Magic can be. Uncle Scroll is probably just worried."

"Yeah... I guess," Twilight mumbled, unconvinced, "but Mind Magic can be just as dangerous, and he didn't give Trixie a weird look."

"That's probably because he knows Trixie can handle it," Trixie replied in a haughty tone, "she is the Wise and Talented Trixie after all."

"I'm sure he has his concerns about Trixie too," Sunset continued, completely ignoring the blue filly, "but, when it comes to Mind Magic, most of the danger comes from abusing its power," she tapped a hoof on the table, "Dark Magic can get you and other ponies killed if you try to use it without understanding how it works."

"I know that!" Twilight snapped as she stood up in her chair, "I've read several books on the dangers of Dark Magic," she glared at Sunset for a moment before slumping back down into her seat with a dejected look on her face, "I just didn't expect to have an affinity for it..."

"Twilight-"

"Why do I even have an affinity for Dark Magic?" Twilight suddenly cried, throwing her hooves up in exasperation, "I've never even thought about using it!"

"You don't have to, little filly," Ancient Scroll interjected, trotting out of his study with a large stack of tomes held aloft in a green aura, "Unless you deliberately try to change it - and I mean you'd really have to try - your specific magical affinity is something you're born with."

He closed the door to the study and made his way over to the table as he continued speaking.

"Many unicorns go their whole lives without ever finding out what their true magical affinity really is," he set the tomes down on the table and turned to face Twilight with a warm smile, "you should count yourself lucky, little filly."

"I don't feel very lucky," she muttered looking away from Ancient Scroll.

"Ah, come on, now," Scroll said, patting Twilight on the back, "don't you worry too much about what kind of magic you're learning. Yes, Dark Magic is dangerous, but I'll be there every step of the way to make sure nothing happens to you."

Twilight refused to look Ancient Scroll in the eye and he grabbed her face and turned it to face him.

"I promise you'll be okay, Twilight," he said with a determined frown, "as long as you listen to what I say, you'll come out of these lessons much stronger and wiser than when you started, okay?"

Twilight looked into his green eyes for a moment before nodding with a small smile.

"That's a good filly," Scroll said releasing Twilight and patting her on the head, "that goes for you too, Little Miss Lulamoon," he added looking over to the blue filly. Trixie, who had been drinking down the rest of her soup straight from the bowl, sputtered and coughed as she dropped the bowl back down on the table and glared at the old stallion.

"Trixie-" she coughed again as she pointed an accusatory hoof at Ancient Scroll "-Trixie told you not to call her that! It's demi... dama... dimeena-"

"Demeaning," Sunset finished, giving Trixie a flat stare.

"Demeaning, and Trixie won't stand for it!"

Twilight giggled at the exchange and Ancient Scroll gave a self-satisfied smile at a job well done.

"Alright, alright listen up, fillies," he announced, his tone once again that of a teacher speaking to his students, "I didn't come out here to give pep talks or make jokes," he rested a hoof on the cover of the top most book, "I came out here to give each of you your study material for the next two weeks."

He inwardly smirked at the mixed reactions he received, ranging from Twilight's cry of enthusiasm, to Trixie's groan of annoyance, to Sunset's more subdued but no less excited acceptance.

His horn glowed and he separated the stack of books, placing two books in front of Twilight, two in front of Trixie, and three in front of Sunset.

"For your first assignment, each of you is required to read and memorize the contents of these books. I'm giving you two weeks to complete the assignment, but you can come to me for any clarification or if you need more time," he looked between the three, "everypony learns at their own pace after all."

The three fillies looked over their books as Ancient Scroll continued.

"Notes are not optional and I expect a detailed summary of what you've learned each day. After you've reported to me, I will allow you time to practice what you've learned under my strict supervision and only if I feel you are ready. Is that understood?" he asked, giving them all a stern look.

He received a round of nods and 'Yes, Professor Scroll' and continued.

"Once you have read the books front to back - yes, Trixie, front to back - I will personally give you a review on the subject matter. Two days after that, I will be giving you an exam - both written and practical - on what you've learned so far."

His horn blazed to life once again and a generous stack of blank parchment, quills, and inkwells appeared in the middle of the table.

"You will be graded on the accuracy of your knowledge and practical application," he looked around the table expectantly, "any questions?"

Trixie raised a hoof and Ancient Scroll turned to her with an inqusitive raise of his brow.

"Yes, Miss Lulamoon?"

"Trixie... may or may not have some trouble with some of the... bigger words in the book," she admitted as she scanned the pages of one of the books she was given. Ancient Scroll nodded knowingly and trotted next to Trixie, resting a reassuring hoof on her withers.

"I understand, Trixie. Twilight and Sunset already have experience with this sort of thing, so they'll help you if you need it," he turned to the other two fillies, "right, girls?"

Both Twilight and Sunset were already engrossed in their respective textbooks and only gave a noncommittal grunt or a short 'uh-huh' in response without looking up. Ancient Scroll shook his head and turned back to Trixie with a gentle, understanding smile.

"Well, I'll also be available if you need some help," he reassured, "like I said, Trixie, everypony learns at their own pace so don't worry too much, alright?"

Trixie bit her lip nervously for a few moments before giving him a hesitant nod.

"Thatta girl," he said, patting her on the withers once before straightening up and lifting all three of the bowls from the table with his magic, "oh, and Sunset?" he called out as he started towards the kitchen. Sunset looked up from her textbook with a mix of annoyance and curiosity.

That look quickly changed to one of worry and nervousness when she saw the look on Ancient Scroll's face.

"I'll be seeing you in my study tonight," he said, giving her a hard look, "we have a lot to discuss, young lady."

A Concerned Princess

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Day Court had become rather hectic in the last few days.

Of course, there was always some kind of drama or other going on when her little ponies came to seek her counsel - especially when it came to the nobles - but now that a murder - multiple murders - had taken place right under Princess Celestia's muzzle?

In one of the richer neighborhoods no less?

Well, that was more or less the only thing anypony had been able to talk about for the last week or so. Ponies were in an uproar over the situation, and because the victims were from one of the more prominent families, the nobles made a lot more noise on the issue.

They screamed about injustice, the sad state of the Crown, and hidden plots to take down the noble houses one family at a time.

Some of the fools were even whispering that the Princess herself had a hoof in it.

Needless to say, these accusations were as untrue as they were aggravating. But Princess Celestia didn't blame them - she couldn't, really.

There hadn't been a crime as serious as this in several hundred years, after all - not in Canterlot anyway.

The Princess had made sure of that.

But now there had been, not one, but two murders and a possible foalnapping, and the news had already made it's rounds that the culprit had completely escaped detection.

The ponies of Canterlot had not taken this well.

Paranoia had started to build up in the city, with ponies afraid for their lives, afraid they would be the next victims. Unfortunately, the press did nothing to help the situation at hoof - indeed they only seemed to want to exacerbate and escalate the problem. There were all sorts of rumors and speculation about what had happened in the Sparkle household.

A lot of it was completely outlandish and none of it was good. There was one article that had caught Celestia's eye however. Apparently, one of the less laudable papers circulating around the city were saying one of the foals had committed the crime based on a leaked photo combined with some of the information already available.

According to the article, the two siblings were secretly being abused by the parents and had finally snapped, accidentally killing the mother and father during a magic surge. It went on to say that in a panic, they had fled the house in the dead of night.

Absolutely preposterous.

Celestia had seen the official reports for herself and, while there was clear evidence of a magic surge taking place around the time of the murder, there was absolutely no evidence the surge was the cause.

The cause of death, the positions of the bodies, and the blood staining the floor relative to the scorch marks in and around the closet all made it clear that the surge and the murders had no connection.

No.

The investigation had nothing to go off of in regards to the culprit or their motive, but from what she had been told and what she had read thus far, Celestia was almost certain the mother had tried to protect the filly and, in a way, she may have succeeded.

That brought her thoughts to the the filly in question.

Twilight Sparkle.

The Princess had actually met Twilight in the past, though she doubted the filly remembered the meeting at all.

In fact, she was sure she didn't remember.

She had originally heard about Twilight Sparkle from a rather controversial article the filly had written speaking out against the stigma surrounding Dark Magic and how it could be used to benefit pony society.

This was surprising for a couple of reasons.

For one thing, the filly had actually made some legitimately good and rather detailed arguments in favor of the rather frowned upon branch of magic.

For another, she was only six when she wrote and submitted the paper.

The article itself was written as an entry in a contest a notable thaumatology magazine was having at the time. Anypony could enter and the winner received a cash prize, their article featured in the magazine, and a personal meeting with Princess Celestia herself.

What many ponies didn't know about that contest was that Celestia reviewed each and every entry before it was sent to the publisher. Unaware of this fact, Twilight's parents had reluctantly submitted the paper and, of course, Celestia had looked it over.

Like Mind Magic, Dark Magic as a whole wasn't outlawed in Equestria - there were indeed some spells that helped more than they hurt, though few in number - but many of the sub branches, such as Necromancy and Blood Magic, were illegal to teach, study or use.

Celestia herself had had to deal with many corrupted Dark Magic users in the past, and a lot of them were responsible for the death and destruction that had once plagued the land of Equestria in millennia past.

One of the most prominent examples had been her own flesh and blood sister.

Naturally, her past experiences with Dark Magic had left her with a severe distrust and disdain - if not outright hatred - for the practice. So when Twilight's article had reached her desk, she had promptly burned it to cinders, bypassed the publishers, and called for a personal meeting with the filly and her parents.

It was a shame, really.

The little lavender filly was brilliant, one of the brightest minds Celestia had seen since Starswirl.

Perhaps even more brilliant than the wayward protege that had gone missing over a year ago.

Unfortunately, Celestia couldn't and wouldn't allow Dark Magic to be seen as anything other than a blight on society - one that she allowed to a certain degree solely because ponies had a nasty habit of confusing 'forbidden' and 'ill-advised'.

Her aforementioned protege was a prime example.

She allowed just enough of the practice to satiate the average scholar, but anything beyond that was highly illegal and met with very harsh consequences for the pony that was caught.

No.

Celestia refused to allow Dark Magic to be seen in any kind of positive light, lest history repeat itself.

To that end, she made use of another branch of magic - one that she herself was particularly adept in.

One that she had a very high affinity for.

She had invited Twilight and her parents to meet with her in her own private sitting room with the pretense of congratulating the filly on writing such a phenomenal paper, and that's just what she did.

Right before she wiped hers and her parent's memory of the entire event as well as their current meeting.

With that done, all she had to do was simply implant a few false memories here and there and send them on their way, none the wiser.

Was it immoral?

Was it unethical?

Was it a grave abuse of her power as the sole ruler of Equestria?

Perhaps. But it was a necessary evil, or so she felt after centuries of having dealt with the lies, betrayals, and manipulative tactics of those who threatened to violently end her rule in blood and fire.

Yes, many ponies in Equestria were blissfully unaware of the darkness hidden just below the surface, and Celestia had managed to keep it that way for centuries.

That is, until now.

Now a violent crime had been committed right in the heart of the capital city of Equestria and ponies were starting to notice that their perfect little world was not so perfect after all.

This posed a problem for the Solar Princess, but the situation was not so dire that she couldn't suppress it - at least not yet. She had handled problems of this nature before and had grown quite adept at stopping them in their tracks.

She would just have to apply her subtler talent more liberally.

In the meantime, this killer needed to be caught, questioned, and if need be, executed - far from the public eye of course. Wittingly or not, this pony was causing dissent among the populace, and that was something the Princess would not abide.

They needed to be brought to justice before they struck again and Celestia would do anything in her power to see it done.

It was, and always would be, for the sake of her little ponies after all.

A Struggling Trixie

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It had been three days since Ancient Scroll had given the three fillies their assignments.

Sunset had been making steady progress learning more about the fundamentals of Elemental Magic and Twilight seemed to be blazing through her own books, though she had seemed a bit distracted and somewhat melancholy the last few days.

This left a floundering Trixie to fall far behind the other two due to her lack of experience with studying.

It was on a particularly frigid night that Trixie sat at the folding table, yawning as she read through the same paragraph for the fourth time. She sniffed and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes as she tried to concentrate on finishing the page, but it was to no avail.

Trixie groaned in exasperation and slumped over the book.

"How?" she grumbled to herself, her voice muffled by the book she was resting her face on, "how do they do this day after day, for hours?" she raised her head suddenly and glared at the book, "No," she growled defiantly, "no complaints, Trixie won't fail and become some kind of... of... talentless hack."

The others had gone to bed awhile ago, having already reported their progress to Ancient Scroll for the day. Trixie, seeing how little progress she herself had made in comparison, had opted to stay up later studying - if for no other reason than a stubborn desire to put herself on equal terms with the two smarter fillies.

The problem was that Trixie had never been to good with bigger words, and both her books on the safe and responsible use of Mind Magic were full of them.

That was the biggest hurdle Trixie was currently facing right now.

For as much as she complained, the little blue filly had the drive to learn and, while maybe not as profound as Twilight's, she also had a rather good memory... just not a head for complicated vocabulary.

Another hurdle Trixie had to overcome was her unwillingness to accept help from the others. Twilight and Sunset for their part, never really offered to help anyway, as focused on their own studies as they were. Trixie didn't fault them for it though, she was sure they'd help if she'd asked.

The problem was that she didn't.

Maybe... Trixie thought as she stared at the open book, maybe I should ask for some help after all...

She frowned thoughtfully for a moment before sighing and closing the book.

I may as well. I'm already far enough behind the other two as it is.

Leaving her books on the table, she stepped down from her chair and cast a glance over to the armchair, where a quietly snoring Twilight Sparkle lay curled up under the wool blanket she had been using.

Twilight might have some ideas on-

Her thoughts were interrupted when she noticed the lavender filly beginning to twitch under the blanket, her face scrunching up in discomfort. She rolled over and Trixie could just make out a muffled whimper.

Is she having a nightmare? Trixie thought worriedly. She slowly trotted over to Twilight wanting to make sure the filly was alright.

"Donmmngh..."

Trixie froze, her ear twitching as she listened.

"Mmmgh... mmmomnn..."

Twilight moved again so that she was facing Trixie and Trixie's heart skipped a beat.

Twilight's eyes were wide open as she stared at Trixie, tears streaming down her face.

"Where's daddy?"

The two stared at each other silently, Trixie frozen in shock. After a moment, Twilight gave another unintelligible mumble and closed her eyes, snuggling deeper into the blanket.

The blue filly stared at Twilight for another moment, still stunned at what she had just witnessed. Several questions ran through her mind, chief among them was what exactly the lavender filly had gone through.

She ruminated on the issue for a minute more before heading off to the bedroom, deciding it was best just to leave Twilight be for now.

I'll ask her and Sunset for help in the morning, she thought with a yawn, right now I need sleep, badly.

Unfortunately, Trixie had trouble getting to sleep that night - Twilght's wide, teary eyed expression of horror replaying itself over and over again in her head.

"You alright there, little filly?"

Trixie turned her red-eyed gaze to a worried looking Ancient Scroll as she poured herself a bowl of honeyed oat clusters.

"Trixie is fine," she muttered, "just a little tired after a long night of studying her flank off."

"I don't know, Trixie," Twilight said with a frown as she levitated a carton of milk over to Trixie, "maybe it wasn't a good idea to spend the entire night reading."

Trixie eyed Twilight silently for a moment, causing the lavender filly to raise an eyebrow.

"Is something wrong?"

Trixie blinked and shook her head.

"It's nothing..." she mumbled before looking back to Twilight with a scoff, "and that's rich, coming from Bookworm Sparkle."

Twilight gave her a flat look, "That aside," her look changed to one of concern, "I'm used to late night reading, but you only just started seriously studying."

Sunset Shimmer, who had been reading through one of her books as she ate, picked that moment to speak up.

"She's right, Trixie," she agreed, not taking her eyes off the page, "it's good that you're actually taking this seriously, but you have to pace yourself or you'll burn out."

"Of course Trixie is taking this seriously!" the blue filly cried indignantly, slamming the carton of milk down on the table, "Trixie will never become a good magician one day if she doesn't work hard!"

"Easy there, little filly," Ancient Scroll said resting a hoof on Trixie's shoulder, "we've all seen how hard you've worked over the past few days."

"But that's just it!" Trixie yelled, standing up in her chair, "Trixie put in so much effort and has barely anything to show for it!"

She fell back to her haunches with a huff.

"Both of you are miles ahead of Trixie by now and Trixie is still..."

Twilight and Sunset stared at Trixie in surprise before glancing at each other. After a minute, Twilight looked back to the dejected filly.

"Why didn't you just ask for help, Trixie?" she asked, furrowing her brow, "we would've helped you, and Ancient Scroll said he'd help too."

Ancient Scroll nodded, taking a sip of coffee, "that I did, little filly. I told you, I'd be here if you needed sometime or advice."

"...Trixie doesn't know," Trixie said, looking away as she rubbed a foreleg, "she just... I just feel like it wouldn't mean anything if I didn't do it on my own."

She looked back to the two other fillies sheepishly, "I was going to ask you for help today, actually," she lowered her head, "like I said, I haven't made much progress and I want to catch up with you two."

Twilight jumped down from her chair and trotted over to Trixie's.

"What are you-"

Trixie was cut off as a pair of tiny lavender hooves wrapped her in a brief hug.

"Like I said, Trixie," Twilight said with a reassuring smile, "you just have to ask."

"Yes, alright, Trixie understands!" the blue filly cried, face burning red with embarrassment as she tried to push Twilight away, "can you please release Trixie now?"

Twilight giggled as she let go of Trixie and trotted back over to her seat. Ancient Scroll observed the exchange silently, a smile playing across his muzzle as he took another sip of coffee.

"What were you having trouble with anyway?" Sunset asked suddenly, giving the blue filly a quizzical look.

"Well..." Trixie began uncomfortably as she poked at her cereal with a spoon, "Trixie... isn't so good when it comes to bigger words. She has problems reading them and doesn't... really know what a lot of them mean."

"Ah, that's right," Ancient Scroll replied with a nod, "I remember you mentioning something along those lines before," he tapped his chin for a moment before slipping off of his chair and trotting towards his study, "well, that should be a simple enough problem to fix."

"What do you mean?" Trixie called out, "how are you going to fix it?"

"You'll see," Ancient Scroll responded over his shoulder, "just gimme a minute."

With that he trotted into the study, closing the door behind him. Trixie turned back to Twilight and Sunset with a bemused frown.

"What's he going to do about Trixie's problem?"

Twilight giggled and Sunset just rolled her eyes as she returned her attention to her book. Trixie looked between the two and furrowed her brow in irritation.

"Why won't you tell Trixie what's going on?" she asked jabbing a hoof at the two, "you obviously know, what he's planning, so... out with it!"

"Relax, Trixie," Twilight said, raising a placating hoof, "Uncle Scroll will be back in a second, just let him tell you."

Trixie opened her mouth to argue, but the sound of a door opening behind her made her turn around. Ancient Scroll trotted out of the study with a few very thick books held in his magical green aura.

"Alright, little filly," he said in a much too chipper tone for Trixie's liking, "As I said before, your problem is an easy one to fix. All you need..." he reached the table and set the books down in front of Trixie, "...is a little study aid."

Trixie looked over the book covers and grimaced.

A dictionary, a thesaurus, and an encyclopedia.

Trixie gave Ancient Scroll a flat look.

"This is how you're going to help Trixie?" she gestured to the books, "with even more reading?"

"Yep," Ancient Scroll replied with a smirk, "'know thy enemy' as they say. If you want to tackle those big words, you're gonna have to learn about them first."

Trixie groaned, slamming her head into the table.

"Don't worry, Trixie," Twilight chimed in happily, "I'll help you with the cross-referencing," she jumped down from her chair and grabbed Trixie in another crushing hug, "ooh, it'll be great!"

"Oh joy," Trixie deadpanned, "Trixie can't wait."

A Broken Sunset

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"So you were a personal student of the Princess herself you say?"

Ancient Scroll stroked his beard, eyeing the filly with a thoughtful expression. He fully intended to have Sunset Shimmer explain herself the day he had given the fillies their first assignment, but had ultimately decided against it at the last minute.

He wanted her to at least get a hoof in the door with her studies before broaching the topic. So to that end he waited a few days and had decided that was enough time to get her comfortable before their talk.

She had opted for the most part to stay silent about her life before showing up at his door a little over a year ago. Back then she had been an angry, bitter little filly that didn't really say much at all and snapped when she did. Thankfully she had mellowed out since then, although Ancient Scroll could still see occasional signs of the anger, hurt, and betrayal she showed when they had first met.

But now, the filly had revealed that she had knowledge of some very classified information. He himself had never understood why the Princess had classified the information on Runic and Summoning Magic - especially when she allowed at least the limited use of Dark and Mind Magic - but he knew unlawful access to said information could have severe consequence for even a filly like Sunset.

Scroll was worried for the filly, very worried.

It was for this reason that he decided it was time for Sunset Shimmer to tell him the truth about herself. And what she had revealed...

"I..." Sunset sat on her haunches staring at her hooves while Ancient Scroll looked on from the chair behind his desk. After a moment she sighed in resignation and looked up at Scroll apologetically.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you, Uncle Scroll," she said, her voice colored with shame, "I was afraid you'd give me up to Celestia," she stared at the old stallion with pleading eyes, "you're... you're not gonna do that, are you?"

Ancient Scroll was about to respond when Sunset cut him off, her voice becoming slightly panicked.

"Please don't send me back to Canterlot, Uncle Scroll!" she cried suddenly taking a step backwards towards the door, "I don't know what she'll do to me!"

"Calm d-"

"She's not a good pony, Uncle Scroll," she continued in a shaky voice, "I-I found some things out... things I w-wasn't supposed to see..."

Ancient Scroll stood up from his chair, disturbed at Sunset's sudden and drastic change in demeanor.

"What are you on about, filly?" he asked warily, trotting towards a distraught Sunset.

Sunset wasn't listening anymore, trapped within her own thoughts as she continued to let the words spill out of her mouth.

"D... did you know Celestia had a m-magical affinity f-for Mind Magic?" she asked, looking at Ancient Scroll with a broken smile, "b-because I didn't... not until... until she..."

She sat there, staring past Ancient Scroll at something he couldn't see - her eyes cloudy and distant.

"Sunset, I-"

"I'M NOT GOING BACK TO THAT WHORSE!"

"AND I'M NOT GONNA MAKE YOU!"

Sunset blinked, releasing the built up tears in her eyes as she stared at Ancient Scroll in shock. Scroll grabbed the filly in a warm embrace, gently stroking her mane.

"Look, Sunset," he said softly, "I don't quite know what went on between you and the Princess or what you went through to get here - or even why you decided to come here of all places, but it's obvious you're still hurting something fierce," he pulled back to look into the orange filly's eyes, "I'm not gonna send you back to Canterlot, and I won't pry anymore - not until you're ready to tell me, alright?"

Sunset nodded silently, pressing her face into Scroll's chest - her own heaving as she sobbed quietly.

Twilight chose that moment to step away from the closed door.

She had a lot to think about.

Her and Ancient Scroll both.

The following afternoon saw Ancient Scroll and the three fillies trotting out to an open field nearby the cottage where Sunset Shimmer was set to finally apply what she had learned in the past few days.

She had just finished with her second book on the proper application of Elemental Magic and would be the first of the three fillies to actually try casting a spell, much to Twilight's and Trixie envy.

With Ancient Scroll's approval, Sunset had chosen to create a miniature pool of water using earth manipulation and the snow piled around them.

"Alright, little, filly," Ancient Scroll announced as they stopped in the snow covered clearing, "this is your show. Let's see how far you've come."

"Trixie doubts you'll pull it off on your first try," the blue filly mocked, "but I suppose anything is possible."

"Don't listen to Trixie, Sunset," Twilght said with an encouraging - if oddly strained - smile, "just focus and you'll be fine."

Sunset nodded to each of them before turning her attention to open field ahead of her. She took a deep breath before closing her eyes and lighting up her horn. For a few moments, nothing seemed to happen and Trixie laughed.

"Hah!" she scoffed, "Trixie knew it was impo-"

Sunset stomped a hoof and, with a loud and sudden whump, the ground in front of them all gave way and left a hole seven hoof-lengths wide and four hoof-lengths deep.

Trixie's mouth dropped open.

"...Wow," Twilight whispered, eyes wide with awe.

Ancient Scroll merely nodded in approval at the display.

Sunset paid them no attention as she refocused, lighting her horn once more. She began levitating piles of snow into the hole, and with a grunt, packed it down as best she could. She let the aura around her horn die out as she slumped to the ground, her forehead shining with sweat despite the cold weather.

As she sat there breathing heavily, she cast a glance back at the others. Trixie looked impressed despite herself, Ancient Scroll gave her an encouraging nod, and Twilight... flashed her another oddly strained smile. Sunset raised an eyebrow, but otherwise ignored it as she turned back around.

This next part should be easy, she thought, if my cutie mark is anything to go by...

Her horn flared to life once again and the air around the hole began to distort slightly. The others watched as steam began to rise from the large pile of snow within the hole. As this went on, they started to notice the snow disappear in and around the hole and water begin to take it's place.

Twilight glanced over to Sunset to see a grimace on the orange filly's face as she concentrated on heating the snow slowly and carefully. As she looked closer, her eyes widened.

Tears were streaming down Sunset's cheeks and the aura around her horn began to spark dangerously.

"That isn't good..." Ancient Scroll muttered with a frown, "filly's putting to much power into the spell."

Twilight and Trixie looked at the stallion in surprise, and back to Sunset worriedly.

Sunset's horn sparked again and the grass and plants that had been revealed below the melted snow began to smoke. The snow within the hole had already melted and steam continued to rise from the now rapidly heating pool of water.

"Um, Trixie thinks it might be a good idea to stop her now," Trixie said, backing away nervously.

Ancient Scroll nodded and stepped forward.

"Alright, little filly," he called out, "that's e-"

"NO!"

everything plant and tree nearby burst into flame.

Twilight and Trixie cried out in surprise and galloped behind Ancient Scroll as he lit his horn. The boiling water rose from the hole, forming into a large orb wrapped in a green aura. Ancient Scroll grit his teeth with effort and enveloped his horn in a second layer of magic. The orb of water rose higher.

Twilight and Trixie watched as streams of water shot out of the orb and hit the flames around them, snuffing them out instantly with a loud hiss. A scream caught Twilight and Trixie's attention and they looked over to Sunset who had fallen to the ground, writhing around in agony as her horn flared brighter and brighter.

"She's having a magic surge!" Twilght cried in alarm as she turned to the sweating stallion, "Uncle Scroll what do we do?"

"Ah, horseapples," Ancient Scroll growled. He put out the last of the fires before turning to the screaming orange filly. Without taking his eyes from Sunset, he spoke to Twilight and Trixie.

"You girls need to hightail it back to the cottage, I'll take care of - Trixie get back here!"

Trixie ignored Ancient Scroll as she galloped towards Sunset.

Sunset Shimmer's eyes were wide and shining with the same bright light as her horn. Tears flowed down her face as she continued to scream in pain.

That is, until she felt a pair of hooves grab her face.

Running purely on an instinct Trixie didn't know she had, her horn blazed bright pink and she touched it to Sunset's.

What happened next, neither Twilight nor Ancient Scroll could say, but from Sunset's perspective, everything seemed to ebb away.

Her pain, her fear, her anger, her hurt.

They all seemed to be slowly leaking out of her mind, leaving her thoughts clearer and clearer by the second. Eventually her screams died down to whimpers, which eventually quieted to soft breathing as she fell into a deep sleep - the aura around her horn dying down and vanishing all together after a second.

Ancient Scroll and Twilight stood stock still, silenced by shock as they witnessed the event.

"Trixie!" Twilight shouted, running over to the blue filly as her magic aura faded and she fell to the ground.

She reached the two unconcious fillies, looking from them to Ancient Scroll in a panic.

"What do we do, Uncle Scroll?" she cried, her eyes shining with tears of worry, "are they gonna be okay?"

Ancient Scroll trotted over and examined the two with a frown. After a moment he sighed in relief and gave Twilight a worn but confident smile.

"They'll be fine, little filly," he said ruffling her mane, "just need a bit of rest is all. I think we all do after this." He nudged the lavender filly in the direction of the cottage, "why don't you head back? I'll pop back in with the other two in a moment. Just gotta get my strength back real quick."

Twilight sniffed and nodded, giving Sunset and Trixie one last look before she turned and galloped back to the cottage.

Ancient Scroll watched her go for a moment before turning to Sunset, a look of guilt crossing his face.

"You did it again, Scroll," he muttered to himself, "you couldn't wait until she was ready to tell you... just like..."

He trailed off with a sigh, shaking his head.

"When are you gonna learn?"

He lit up his horn and the three of them popped out of existence.

A Distracted Twilight

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Twilight entered the cottage just as Ancient Scroll popped into the middle of the living room, breathing heavily from the combined exertion of the water manipulation and mass teleportation spells.

"My age is catching up to me..." he grumbled as he fell to his haunches. Twilight levitated off her borrowed scarf and galloped over to where Ancient Scroll and the others were.

"Are you okay, Uncle Scroll?" she asked as she slowed to a stop in front of the winded stallion.

"I'm fine, little filly," he panted, giving her a reassuring smile, "just gimme a minute and I'll be good as..."

He trailed off as his gaze idly swept over the unconscious blue filly, eyes widening in alarm.

"Uncle Scroll?" Twilight asked following his gaze, "what's - what happened to Trixie!?"

Various patches of fur had been singed off when Trixie had made direct contact with Sunset during her surge, showing heavily scarred skin underneath. Ancient Scroll had already known of the scars, but it seemed Twilight had only just noticed - much to his dismay.

"Uncle Scroll?" Twilight asked, turning to the stallion for an explanation, "what happened to Trixie? Did Sunset do this?"

Ancient Scroll grimaced and turned away, unable to look at the worried filly.

"...Uncle Scroll?"

He was quiet for another moment before giving a weary, resigned sigh and turning his gaze to Trixie.

"...No, little filly," he said quietly, "those scars are old."

Twilight's eyes widened and she stared at Trixie, her mind racing with possibilities and scenarios.

"What... how did she-"

"Don't ask, little filly," Scroll said with a shake of his head, "it's not for me to say. You'll have to ask her yourself," he gave the blue filly another once over as Twilight sat frowning at her hooves in thought.

"Some small burns, but nothing serious, thank Celestia," Scroll muttered as he observed Trixie, "some ointment and fur growth tonic should fix her right up."

Twilight flinched at the mention of Celestia.

Ancient Scroll grunted as he began lifting Trixie onto his back.

"Look after Sunset for me a moment, would you, filly?" Ancient Scroll asked, "I need to take care of Trixie."

At that, he trotted off to the bathroom, leaving Twilight alone with a sleeping Sunset Shimmer and her own thoughts.

Her thoughts.

She didn't even know where to begin with her thoughts.

It had been a total of five days since they all began their assignments. Normally, Twilight would've just been finishing up her first read through of both her books and begun her extensive note taking procedures for her second read through, but she had been distracted.

Ancient Scroll had given her one book on the dangers of Dark Magic and how to avoid them, and another book on Dark Magic fundamentals. She had only ever read about how dangerous the practice could be and had never taken the time to explore it in any way.

As it was, she had only just started reading through the book on Dark Magic fundamentals for the first time when everything started to fall apart.

She had been able to more or less suppress her thoughts on her own situation thus far, but reading through her second book had begun to pull those thoughts to the surface, as a lot of the subject matter regarding Dark Magic was rather morbid.

It had begun to remind her of what she suspected became of her family. Her memories of the events leading up to her arrival all the way out here were still hazy, but she had her suspicions of what had occurred.

She was also starting to get homesick.

Twilight had asked Ancient Scroll about how she had ended up near his cottage. He had explained that, during a magic surge she couldn't quite remember, she most likely teleported all the way from Canterlot to a secluded area just shy of the Unknown West.

That was his guess anyway.

Twilight was stunned initially, she couldn't fathom the kind of power it would've taken to pull something like that off and she was certain the attempt would've killed her outright.

Yet it was the only thing that made sense, given what she did know of her situation.

Either way, she missed her family, she missed her home in Canterlot, and - as afraid of the answers as she may have been - she wanted to know what happened to her parents and brother.

The nightmares weren't helping either.

She had been plagued by horrible images of half remembered events that she was unable to recall when she inevitably awoke. She may not have remember the dreams, but the fear and sadness stayed with her.

All of these thoughts and feelings made it almost impossible for her to concentrate on her studies and she found herself falling behind more and more.

And now she had new issues to worry about on top of the ones she already had.

Up until yesterday, she had been content with minding her own business and dealing with her own problems, but that had changed when she overheard Ancient Scroll and Sunset talking in the study.

Twilight had wanted to ask Ancient Scroll for some advice on how to clear her thoughts and focus. Her anxiety had been getting to the point where not even Cadance's breathing techniques were helping. Sure, she was able to keep up a relatively positive attitude around the others - and there were even moments where she was genuinely happy.

But she was beginning to feel the strain of hiding her stress.

So it was that she had decided to consult Ancient Scroll on the matter, only to stop just short of the doorknob when she heard Sunset's panicked voice.

She hadn't caught everything that was said, but what she did hear shocked her deeply.

Namely that Sunset Shimmer had had some kind of personal relationship with Princess Celestia and that the Princess had done something awful to Sunset. And from the sound of Sunset's voice, Twilight could tell that whatever it was, was very bad.

What was Twilight supposed to think?

She had never personally met the Princess, but she had always assumed, like everypony, that the Princess was a kind and benevolent ruler with a strong devotion to her subjects, and here Sunset was, outright calling her a bad pony.

And then there was Trixie.

Twilight didn't know much about the filly. Setting aside her illeistic tendencies and apparent conceit, Trixie never really talked about herself in any meaningful sort of way - none of them, including Twilight herself, did now that she thought about it.

Despite some of Trixie's more irritating qualities, Twilight had come to enjoy the blue filly's company and was beginning to see her as a friend. Sunset on the other hoof, had always seemed more distant to Twilight. There was just something about the orange filly that seemed to push Twilight away, which made it difficult to form any kind of bond between the two.

Now, as she sat in front of the fireplace looking over a slumbering Sunset Shimmer, she had time to reflect on the other two. She found herself feeling guilty that she hadn't tried to learn more about the other two fillies. She felt awful that she couldn't help Sunset during her magic surge and equally as bad when she saw Trixie's scars.

Of course she couldn't have known - they had been covered by her fur and Trixie had never said anything about it, but Twilight still could've just asked. She could've gotten to know Trixie - and Sunset - better and maybe then they might've said something.

Maybe she could've said something about herself.

Then they might've all been able to deal with their problems together, as friends.

It was then and there that Twilight decided.

Once Sunset and Trixie were better, she would do her best to push aside her own problems and reach out to the others, no matter how long it took. And once they all became friends...

Then maybe...

Maybe they would help her find out what happen to her family.

A Meeting of Two

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A large and dilapidated castle sat deep within a dangerous forest.

It was old.

Impossibly old.

And it was broken.

Several of its walls had collapsed and bright moonlight could be seen shining through various holes in its roof. Much of the furniture, paintings, and literature left within had not stood the test of time. Dust, cobwebs, mold, and rot were a common sight amongst its once hallowed halls.

It was a wretched sight.

Yet for all its many imperfections, it was no less imposing.

Some might've even said its decrepit appearance made it more so.

However, age had not rotted away all of the castle's secrets with its fetid touch just yet.

There was a time, long since past, when Equestria was a much darker and far more volatile place.

War was rampant and unending.

Prisoners were captured and killed on an almost daily basis.

It was a daunting time in Equestria's history, and there were many times where complete annihilation seemed to be just beyond the horizon.

But two sisters, through their bravery, loyalty, and passion, managed to overcome all the odds and pull their beloved nation from the brink of disaster time and again. Even when all hope was lost and their very own castle had been taken in a coup by the griffon-minotaur alliance, they still refused to falter.

They had made contingency plans years prior to the invasion.

One such plan included the construction of a bunker of sorts, hidden a few miles below the castle. It was here that the two sisters had bided their time, gathering their forces in secret and waiting for the opportune moment to strike.

The entrance, hidden away outside the castle perimeter, had never been found by the invading forces and - in the dead of night - the sisters, along with a few select soldiers, had slipped past defenses, slaughtered the occupants, and retaken the castle.

After some residual 'cleanup' following the reclamation of the castle, a very long and bloody war had finally come to an end.

The sisters stood victorious, hailed as heroes to the ponies of Equestria.

That is, until a civil war between the two sisters finally took its toll on the castle.

The older sister eventually claimed victory over the younger and, whether from grief or a desire for a new beginning, the older sister decided to abandon the war-torn castle and create a new capital on Mount Canterhorn to the north.

The bunker deep below the old castle remained, forgotten and untouched in the centuries that followed. Thanks to several enchantments made by the sisters themselves, every room, every hall, and every prison cell within the bunker remains as pristine as it was in ages past.

It is in one such room - the war room to be exact - that a sharply dressed unicorn stallion sat, nervously glancing anywhere but at the blank faced thestral mare in front of him. His blonde mane was disheveled and his normally immaculate white coat was matted in fear induced sweat.

The thestral in question sat behind a large desk at the back of the room, hooves steepled and gaze unwavering. Her slate grey coat and black leathery wings almost invisible in the dim light and her draconic icy blue eyes boring into the stallion seated in one of the many chairs surrounding the long table in the middle of the room.

"You've put us all in very bad position, Blueblood," the mare said after a few moments of silence. Her voice was as smooth as silk and as cutting as a razor blade.

Blueblood swallowed.

"I have ponies all over Equestria, from Manehattan to Appleloosa, carrying out their missions without fail or complaint. Whether it be information gathering, propaganda, sabotage, or recruitment, everypony I've sent out thus far has reported back successfully."

She rested her hooves on the desk as she leaned forward, her carefully neutral expression firmly in place.

"And then there's you."

"Please I-"

Blueblood.

Blueblood snapped his mouth shut.

Please refrain from speaking out of turn.

He felt an icy cold something gently wrap itself around his heart.

I am very upset with the current turn of events and I'd rather not have to take it out on you while you still have some use. Understood?

The terrified stallion nodded frantically, his wide eyed gaze locked on the thestral mare in front of him.

She hadn't moved an inch.

"Good."

The thing around Blueblood's heart released its grip and the stallion quietly sighed in relief.

"Now then," the mare leaned back in her chair as she eyed Blueblood critically, "I have a few... question I'd like to ask you regarding your utter failure in the task I had given you."

Blueblood said nothing.

"First and foremost," she began, "you were to seek out and capture anypony with the potential to aid us in our endeavors - and you were supposed to do it discreetly," the mare's brow furrowed ever so slightly as she spoke.

"Not only did you fail to capture the only target we could find in the city, but somehow, the parents ended up dead and now Canterlot is on high alert for the first time in centuries."

The sweating stallion squirmed under the thestral's increasingly intense gaze.

"I gave you everything you needed to get the job done efficiently, and you still failed. Why is that, Blueblood?"

Blueblood opened his mouth to reply but the mare cut him off.

"I'll tell you why, Blueblood," her brow furrowed further into a cold glare, "the reason you failed is because you decided it was a good idea to employ two psychopaths on the cheap and pocket the rest of the bits I had so generously donated for a professional."

The stallion's eyes widened as the icy grip on his heart returned.

"Oh yes, Blueblood," the mare said, her expression once again unreadable, "I'm well aware of how much of a scumbag you are. You don't even need the bits, as high up in the noble ranks as you are."

She slowly shook her head.

"I could've just as easily made you use your own bits," she stated, "but I didn't, because if I had, our all powerful Goddess of the Sun would've traced the deed right back to you, and then where would you be?"

She chuckled humorlessly.

"Most likely a smoking pile of ashes dumped in a trash bin somewhere."

Blueblood whimpered but still said nothing, keenly aware of the thing's hold on his heart.

"We can't afford this kind of attention, Blueblood - not when we still have so much to do. On top of that, we aren't monsters."

The stallion cried out as the grip tightened.

"These murders were a tragedy, and that poor filly is now lost and alone somewhere without anyone to look after her - something I plan to rectify once we've located her whereabouts."

The cold grip inside Blueblood finally vanished and Blueblood slumped over, breathing heavily.

"While I won't outright kill you for your insubordination, I fully intend to see to it that your punishment is extraordinarily painful," she leaned forward, steepling her hooves once again as she looked straight into Blueblood's teary eyes.

You will beg for death, Blueblood.

She ignored the horrified look on Blueblood's pale face as she leaned back and reached a hoof below the desk. She reached into a drawer beneath and pulled out out a small photo.

"Now, on to the next question," she said, tossing the photo on the table in front of Blueblood, "who is this colt and why do we have him locked in a cell instead of the filly I asked for?"

Blueblood turned to the photo in front of him.

It was a picture of an unconscious unicorn colt with light grey fur and a two toned navy and baby blue mane. The surroundings were to dark to see, but the colt was clearly bound in chains and wearing a magic nullifying ring around his horn.

He gulped nervously and looked back to the mare, who gesture for him to speak.

"F-From what I was told..." he stammered, "the c-colt is the target's b-b... brother - Shining A-Armor, I believe was his n-n... n-name."

"I see," the mare said thoughtfully, "and why was he brought here?"

"Well..."

He hesitated.

Blueblood.

"The two ponies I hired grabbed him when the target fled!" he cried in a panic, "they brought him to me and I had him brought here. I figured he was better than nothing! Please don't-"

"Silence, Blueblood. I'm thinking."

Blueblood shut his mouth abruptly.

The mare was quiet for a few moments as she contemplated the situation.

"Were you able to find out what his magical affinity is?" she asked after a minute.

Blueblood nodded shakily.

"A-Apparently, he has a strong affinity f-for Light Magic."

The thestral mare hummed to herself in thought, idly tapping the desk with a hoof.

"...I think we can still make this work," said slowly, "it may take some time, but..."

She nodded to herself and looked back to Blueblood.

"It's not ideal, but we can still use him - if for no other reason than to lure the target to us."

She stood up from the desk and trotted towards the door on the far end of the room.

"Red Storm, Fell Wind."

A tall maroon coated unicorn stallion and a dark green pegasus mare stepped out of the shadows behind Blueblood who yelped in surprise.

"Yes, my lady?" the unicorn replied in a gruff yet cultured tone.

"Whad'ya need, boss lady?" the smaller pegasus responded cheerfully.

The thestral mare glanced at them from over her shoulder, her teal mane falliing to one side of her face.

"Make sure the colt is given a proper room with food and drink if he needs it. You can release the chains, but keep the ring on his horn."

She trotted to the entrance of the war room and pushed the door open.

"And send that wretched stallion to the Black Room," she added, almost as an afterthought, "Tell Abela to keep him alive and intact. We still need him... for now."

She trotted out into the hall, ignoring the stalllion's pleas for mercy as the two subordinates dragged him back into the shadows.

"I just need a little more time," she muttered to herself, "a little more time and I can put somepony worthy on the throne."

She cast her determined gaze down the path ahead.

Just you wait, gramps.

I will blacken the cursed Sun.

A Miraculous Surge

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"...think they'll wake up, Uncle Scroll?"

Black.

An endless comforting sea of darkness.

Trixie didn't know what was going on or where she was, but that was okay.

She was calm.

She was content.

Perhaps more than she'd ever been in her life.

"...oken up by n..."

She could hear voices, but they were far away and unimportant.

The only thing that mattered right now was the darkness, wrapping her in a comforting embrace like a mother would it's ch-

Mother.

"I DIDN'T MEAN IT!"

Twilight gave a startled yelp and scrambled backwards as Trixie suddenly shot up from the bed she was lying in, panting and shaking as she frantically looked about the room.

She suddenly stopped and whipped her head around to face a wide eyed Twilight and a grimacing Ancient Scroll. She continued to stare at them as her look of panic changed to one of confusion.

"What happened to Trixie?" she looked around once more, "Trixie doesn't remember going to bed. What-"

She spotted Sunset Shimmer asleep on the other side of the bed.

Memories suddenly came rushing back to the blue filly and her eyes widened in shock as she looked at Sunset.

"What... what did Trixie do?" she turned to Twilight and Ancient Scroll for answers. Twilight in turn, looked to the old stallion for the same answers.

Ancient Scroll stroked his beard in silence as he thought on the matter.

"Well..." he began, "what do you think happened, little filly?"

Trixie blinked and turned to Sunset Shimmer once again, furrowing her brow in thought.

"Trixie... doesn't know. Trixie wasn't thinking, she just... acted," she looked back to Ancient Scroll with a worried frown, "is she going to be okay?"

Ancient Scroll nodded with a small smile.

"She'll be fine, girl," he assured, "just give her a bit more time to rest. In the meantime..."

His smile turned to a curious frown as he looked at Trixie.

"I may not know exactly what you did, little filly," he said slowly, "but I'm willing to bet my bottom bit that there was some latent Mind Magic at work."

Twilight and Trixie gaped at the stallion.

"Wha - but... that's impossible!" Twilight cried incredulously, "you can't just tap into your latent magic and pull a successful spell out of your horn like that - not without practice! It takes years of extensive-"

"And how exactly did you manage to pull off a teleportation spell that would've killed a full grown unicorn with four times your skill?"

That stopped the lavender filly cold.

"I... that - we don't know if that's what happened for sure," she mumbled looking away, "and that was just a normal magic surge..."

Ancient Scroll shook his head and gave Twilight an admonishing frown.

"Now don't lie to yourself, little filly," he said sternly, "you and I both know that wasn't any normal surge."

Twilight shifted uncomfortably.

"And besides, just what do you think a magic surge is, little filly?" Ancient Scroll challenged with a raised eyebrow.

Twilight huffed indignantly. She puffed out her chest and raised a hoof as if to give a lecture.

"A magic surge happens when a unicorn - a foal usually - loses control of their Soul Magic due to-"

"Any magic."

Twilight blinked.

"...what?"

"Now, usually it is primarily Soul Magic that's prone to go out of control, as that magic is the most strongly tied to our emotions," Ancient Scroll continued in a lecturing tone to match - and surpass - Twilight's, "however, that doesn't mean other types of magic aren't affected.

"Though it's rare, magic surges of any other type can occur in the right - or wrong - conditions," he had started pacing at some point, lost in the lecture as he was. Trixie had hopped off the bed and now stood next to a starry eyed Twilight as they watched and listened to the old stallion.

"If you'll remember the little fiasco that happened just yesterday-"

"Wait, yesterday?" Trixie interjected in surprise, "what do you mean yesterday? Trixie's been out for a whole day?"

"Oh, right," Twilight said, grinning at Trixie sheepishly, "we forgot to tell you. You and Sunset Shimmer were completely out of it until now," she cast a quick glance at the still sleeping orange filly, "well... Sunset's still asleep, but we tried to wake you both up and neither of you would even budge. So we just put you two in bed and waited."

Trixie looked at Twilight a moment, before turning a worried gaze to Sunset Shimmer.

"And... she still hasn't woken up..."

Twilight noticed a bit of fear hiding under the worry, and she trotted over, giving Trixie a quick hug and reassuring smile.

"Don't worry, Trixie," she said, stepping back, "Uncle Scroll said Sunset was going to be okay, so let's just trust him, alright?"

Trixie kept her eyes on Sunset for another moment before nodding. She turned to say something else, but Twilight had already shifted her attention back to Ancient Scroll.

"What were you saying about yesterday, Uncle Scroll?" the eager lavender filly asked.

Scroll nodded, "It may have looked somewhat similar to a normal magic surge born of Soul Magic, but the incident yesterday was a prime example of an Elemental Magic surge - one of the more dangerous surges if you ask me.

"They're all dangerous of course, but you saw how quickly things could've gone from bad to worse if Trixie or I hadn't acted when we did," at this, he flashed Trixie a proud smile.

Trixie's face grew red and she looked away,

"Anyway," Scroll continued, "that's all beside the point, because what Trixie did wasn't a magic surge."

"It wasn't?" Twilight asked, brow raised in surprise. Trixie made a similar exclamation at the same time and Ancient Scroll chuckled.

"Nope," he said simply, "what Trixie did was much more uncommon and - interestingly enough - happens only to foals," he began pacing again, the two filly's eyes following him as he trotted back and forth.

"Thaumatologists haven't quite pinned down how it works just yet, but there have been instances of unicorn foals unconsciously tapping into their latent magic without the effects of a surge to pull off some amazing feats of magic that even adult unicorns struggle with. However, like I said before, it's very uncommon."

He gave Trixie an impressed nod before turning an inquisitive eye to Twilight.

"Your case is more than a bit strange though, little filly," he said, half to himself.

Twilight nodded with a frown, already seeing where Ancient Scroll was headed.

"If what you think happened to me did actually happen," she surmised, "then I shouldn't even be alive."

He nodded and continued.

"It's not just that, girl," he said stroking his beard as he spoke, "your little stunt showed both the characteristics of a surge and what thaumatologists call a 'magic miracle'.

"By the blackened horn I saw when we first met, I could clearly tell whatever magic you had cast had gone out of control, as that only happens when a unicorn bites off more than they can chew - and when that happens, nasty, and often deadly, magical feedback is sure to follow."

He shook his head and looked at Twilight in wonder.

"But that didn't happen to you - not exactly anyway," he tapped a hoof on the floor for a few seconds, trying to collect his thoughts, "like Trixie, you were able to pull off a magic miracle, but it seems as though it was only at the last second."

He looked Twilight in the eye with a grim expression.

"You very nearly died, little filly."

Both Twilight and Trixie shuddered involuntarily at the thought.

"Another thing I don't understand though," Scroll continued, "is why your... miraculous surge, was born of Soul Magic."

"What do you mean, Uncle Scroll?" Twilight asked in bemusement.

"One thing those folks over at the Institute have figured out, is that, while they don't know the how or why of it, they do know that magic miracles are always born of a unicorn foal's latent magical affinity."

"And my latent magical affinity is Dark Magic..." Twilight deduced with a contemplative frown, "that... doesn't make any sense."

Trixie looked between the two in confusion, before a thought came to her.

"Can unicorns have two magical affinities?"

Twilight and Ancient Scroll stared at the blue filly.

"...What?"

Trixie continued to look on in confusion as the other two unicorns glanced back at each other with wide eyed expressions.

"That..." Twilight began nervously, "that should be impossible... shouldn't it?"

Ancient Scroll frowned at his hooves.

"...Maybe not, little filly," he said slowly. He suddenly trotted towards the bedroom door, "I need to check something a moment."

After a moment of hesitation, Twilight followed after the stallion.

Trixie sat there in bewilderment as the door closed behind Ancient Scroll and Twilight.

"What did Trixie say?"

A Hoof in Friendship

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Ancient Scroll trotted into his study and made to check one of his many bookshelves when a small voice jolted him out of his thoughts.

"Um... Uncle Scroll?"

The old stallion turned back to the doorway to see Twilight standing there, shifting her hooves nervously. A moment later, Trixie appeared beside her, and they both looked to him questioningly. After a moments thought, he sighed and motioned for them to enter.

Twilight beamed as she practically skipped inside with Trixie following more sedately.

"You can stay while I'm in here, but don't touch anything unless I give the go ahead," he said giving Twilight a stern glare as she reach for a random book from one of his shelves. Twilight chuckled sheepishly and lowered her hoof back to the ground.

Ancient Scroll nodded in satisfaction and returned to searching his bookshelves.

"So, um..." Trixie began, watching Twilight wander around the study, "what exactly are you looking for, Uncle Scroll?"

"'Clover's Guide to Magical Oddities'," he answered absently, "could've sworn I had a copy around here some - ah, here we go!"

He levitated the book off the top of one of the shelves and trotted over to his desk. Trixie made her way to Twilight and jabbed her in the shoulder to get her attention. Together they followed Ancient Scroll to the desk.

He set the book down and pulled it open as he seated himself in the chair behind the desk. Twilight and Trixie glanced at each other, then to Ancient Scroll, who already had his muzzle buried in the book.

They were too small to see over the desk and there were no other chairs in the room, so the two fillies simply sat on their haunches in front of the desk and waited for Ancient Scroll to finish doing whatever he was doing.

After a few minutes of watching the stallion mutter to himself and occasionally flip to another page, Trixie frowned and turned to Twilight.

"Trixie doesn't think Uncle Scroll is going to finish anytime soon," she whispered. Twilight in turn, shushed Trixie as she continued to watch the muttering stallion with rapt attention. Trixie looked back to Ancient Scroll to see his horn light up as he levitated a few more books from the shelves without looking.

She rolled her eyes and rose to her hooves.

"You can stay and watch him read books all day if you want, but Trixie is getting bored."

Twilight absentmindedly shushed her again and Trixie just shook her head as she trotted out of the study. The sound of the door shutting behind the blue filly startled Ancient Scroll enough to look up from his book.

He blinked and looked at the recently closed door, then to the lavender filly in front of him. He thought for a moment and sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Look, Twilight, I might be at this awhile," he said with a gentle smile, "why don't you go with Trixie?"

"But," Twilight tried to protest, "but what about-"

"Don't worry, little filly. I'll let you know when I find the answers I'm looking for," he nodded his head towards the door, "now go on, you and Trixie find something else to do until I'm finished up here."

Twilight tried once more, but Ancient Scroll just shook his head. She sighed in defeat and trotted out of the room. Outside the study, she spotted Trixie just as she was coming out of the kitchen with a daisy sandwich in her magic.

Well, I guess now is as good a time as any...

Trixie sat down at the table with her sandwich and as Twilight got closer, she could see a few books on the table in front of the blue filly. One of the books was open and Trixie was scanning through the pages as she ate. Twilight trotted over and hopped into the seat opposite Trixie.

"So..." Twilight began awkwardly, tapping her hoof on the table, "you decided to come out here and read instead?"

"Trixie has nothing better to do, so she might as well get some more studying done," Trixie answered without looking up, "also she was hungry."

"Oh, right," Twilight said rubbing the back of her neck, "you haven't eaten anything since you passed out."

Trixie gave a noncommittal grunt and otherwise ignored the lavender filly as she continued to read.

Twilight frowned.

Why is this so hard all of a sudden? I talk to Trixie all the time!

"Um..." Twilight hesitated a moment before continuing, "so... did you need some help?"

"Trixie requires no assit... asess... a-"

"Assistance?"

"No assistance at the moment, thank you," Trixie finished as she flipped to another page.

"Alright," Twilight responded glumly, "just... y'know, you did ask for help so... I'm here if you need anything."

Trixie paused her reading and looked up at Twilight with a raised eyebrow.

"Don't you have your own magic to study?"

"Well... yeah," Twilight replied tentatively. She looked away, rubbing a foreleg, "but I figured it might be a good idea to take a break with everything that happened," she looked back to Trixie, "besides... Dark Magic is... well, it's not really a fun subject to read about when you have the problems I do."

"Really?" Trixie asked, raising both her eyebrows in surprise, "and... what kind of problems do you have?"

"I'd rather not..."

Twilight cut off her immediate response and looked at Trixie contemplatively.

No... this could be my chance to open up! Then maybe...

Twilight nodded to herself and took a deep breath, much to the blue filly's confusion.

"Actually, Trixie," Twilight began, looking at the other filly with a determined frown, "I think it is time I told a little about me - you and Sunset, when she wakes up."

Trixie stared at Twilight for a moment with a thoughtful expression before marking the page she was on and closing the book.

"...Trixie is listening."

Twilight allowed herself a small smile of victory before responding.

"Well... I grew up in Canterlot..."

Twilight proceeded to Tell Trixie more about herself and her family.

She told her about how she was born to a low ranking but well respected noble house, which made Trixie frown for some reason. The dour expression turned to an intrigued one as Twilight told her about some of the things she saw and places she had been to as a smaller filly.

It was when she started talking about her personal studies regarding magic the she faltered.

"I... didn't really think about it before," Twilight said, her head lowered in thought, "but with all the studying I did at home, I never really got out and made any friends at all..."

"Trixie isn't surprised," Trixie responded with a sniff, "when we first started our assignment, you completely ignored everypony around you for an entire day."

"What?" Twilight said indignantly, "It wasn't that bad... was it?"

Trixie gave the lavender filly a flat look.

"Trixie had to literally drag you to the table for dinner because you wouldn't respond after Trixie yelled your name no less than five times," she leaned forward and tapped a hoof on the table for emphasis, "even then you still had your muzzle in that book!"

For a long moment, the two fillies stared at each other - Trixie with an exasperated frown and Twilight with a look of shock.

"I don't even remember that," Twilight finally said.

Trixie glared at her for another second before she snorted and burst into laughter.

Twilight soon joined her and together they sat there doubled over in hysterics.

"I..." Twilight gasped out between laughs, "I don't know why that's... that's funny, but-" her sentence dissolved into more laughter.

"It... it wasn't!" Trixie choked out, "but - but the look on your face!" she pounded a hoof on the table before slumping further into her chair, "Trixie... Trixie can't!"

The sound of their guffaws echoed through the house for another few minutes before dying down into chuckles and eventually stopping altogether as they tried to catch their breath.

"Oh, sweet Celestia," Trixie exclaimed, wiping her eyes, "Trixie needed that."

"You and me both," Twilight replied, nodding in agreement. She then grimaced and, after some hesitation, gave Trixie a serious look.

I don't want to kill the mood, but I need to do this.

"I hate to do this when we were having a good time, Trixie... but-"

"You're going to tell Trixie how you got here, aren't you?"

Twilight blinked in surprise as Trixie gave her a morose look.

"I saw it on your face when you showed up here," she continued, "Trixie knows that look, Twilight Sparkle. Something really bad happened, didn't it?"

Twilight stared at the blue filly across the table for a time, before slowly lowering her head with a small nod.

"I don't... really remember everything yet, but some... some bad things happened. I panicked and... I think I accidentally cast a teleportation spell, which is how I got here..." she paused, trying to collect her thoughts. She closed her eyes and exhaled deeply before looking back up at Trixie.

"I... think my parents... a-and brother are... " her voice became strained as she tried to force the word out, "I think... I-I think somepony..." she grit her teeth and clenched her eyes shut as they began to tear up despite her best efforts to calmly explain.

I can't!

I can't do it!

I want to tell her, but-

"You think somepony killed your family."

Twilight froze.

She slowly turned to Trixie, shocked at the filly's blunt statement. Trixie gave Twilight a sad frown and the lavender filly could see a look of understanding in the other filly's eyes.

"You don't have to say it, Twilight Sparkle," she said, sliding off of her chair. She trotted over to Twilight and rested a hoof on her shoulder as she spoke, "Trixie knows... I know a thing or two about losing family."

Twilight continued to stare at Trixie with watery eyes.

"I... may not have ended up here the same way you did, but..." Trixie looked away, the expression on her face conveying some kind of inner struggle, "well... let's just say I've been hurt too, just... in a different way."

Twilight sniffed and wiped her eyes.

"R-really?"

Trixie nodded, before an unsure look crossed her face.

"I... Trixie is glad you decided to tell her more about yourself, Twilight Sparkle..." she said gratefully. She gave a slow shake of her head, "...but Trixie... isn't ready to do the same - not yet anyway," she looked down, guilt evident on her face, "Trixie is sorry."

"It's alright, Trixie," Twilight replied, giving her a warm - if teary - smile, "I do feel a lot better now that I told somepony."

"Oh," Trixie uttered in surprise, "well, that's... good. Trixie is... glad she could help."

There was a moment of uncomfortable silence as Trixie shifted her hooves awkardly, not sure what to do at this point. She was about to leave when Twilight suddenly spoke.

"Um... Trixie?" she asked quietly, "are... are we friends?"

Trixie didn't answer right away, taken aback by the sudden question as she was. She looked at Twilight and nearly flinched at her pleading gaze. She cleared her throat and looked away.

"Trixie... supposes she could be your friend... for now."

"YES!"

"Wha-"

Out of nowhere, Trixie found herself tackled to the ground by a laughing lavender filly.

"Unhoof Trixie at once!" the blue filly cried as she struggled to free herself from Twilight's grip, "Trixie warns you Twilight Sparkle, she will not hesitate to-"

"Thanks, Trixie."

Trixie stopped her struggles and looked at Twilight, who was giving her an earnest smile.

"You're the first real friend I've ever had, and I wanted to say thank you."

Trixie sputtered briefly before turning away, face red with embarrassment.

"W-Well of course," Trixie announced dramatically, "naturally you'd be honored to be the friend of somepony who's as Great and Powerful as Trixie!"

Twilight giggled as she rose to her hooves. She then frowned and turned her gaze towards the bedroom.

"I just hope we can all be friends..." she muttered.

"Did you say something, Twilight Sparkle?"

Twilight turned to see that Trixie had returned to her seat at the table and was reading through her book once more. Twilight chuckled and shook her head as she trotted into the kitchen to make her own daisy sandwich.

"It's nothing, Trixie."

A Filly's Resolve

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Ancient Scroll closed the book he was scanning and yawned.

He had been researching Twilight's odd magical circumstances for the last hour and a half or so, and by the clock on the wall, he could see it was getting late in the afternoon and that evening was quickly approaching.

He grumbled as he looked at the clock.

For all his research, he hadn't made much headway into what was going on with Twilight's magic.

He couldn't understand it.

In the seventy two years he had wandered Equestria and the lands beyond, he had never once heard of a unicorn having two affinities. And if the filly did indeed have two, who's to say she didn't have more? She might've been some kind of as of yet unseen magical prodigy for all he knew. His research hadn't turned up anything on the subject at hoof after all.

He had seen - and done - some pretty unbelievable things in his time.

He had been the top instructor at Celestia's School for over twelve years, he had traveled to the farthest reaches of Equus and back, he had seen magical constructs the size of mountains, taken down dangerous cults, ended a rebellion before it began, and walked the literal path to oblivion and come back alive just to name a few things.

He had even come across another filly years ago who not only had the strongest affinity for Soul Magic he had ever seen, but could tap into it's full power at will.

And she wasn't even a unicorn.

He had seen the best of ponies fall and the worst of ponies reform their ways.

But he hadn't seen this.

And what of the Orb of Insight?

If the filly did have more than one magical affinity, why did it only show her affinity for Dark Magic?

Princess Celestia herself was the creator of the Orb of Insight, and they were never wrong about a pony's affinity, yet there was evidence - circumstantial as it was - that showed the contrary might be true.

He sighed and rubbed his temples.

Just how in Equestria did these three fillies find me all the way out here?

That was actually another thing that bothered him.

What were the odds that three completely different fillies with completely different - yet similarly tragic - circumstances wind up stumbling across his humble cottage on the outskirts of Equestrian soil?

Granted, it wasn't the first time he had taken in a wayward filly with nowhere to go - Sunset Shimmer in particular was actually very reminiscent of that filly from so long ago - but to have all three of them show up within the span of roughly a year of each other?

No.

He was beginning to think there was some kind of higher power at work here.

The entire reason he had chosen to live out here was because he had wanted to spend the rest of his remaining years as a hermit, and this area was as secluded as an area could possibly be short of living in the mountains.

Apparently it wasn't as secluded as I thought if mere fillies could find it, he thought with a wry chuckle.

He would've believed that the three showing up when they did was mere coincidence - though an unlikely one - if not for the feeling... the near certainty Ancient Scroll had that these fillies would be crucial to the future of Equestria.

He, with his wizened old eyes, could see the raw magical potential oozing out of every pore in their little bodies, and was almost convinced they would go on to do great things when they grew older.

It was enough to make him wish he could live long enough to see what they accomplished.

Well, I suppose the opportunity to hone their magical talents will have to be enough for now.

The wrinkled old stallion stood up from his desk, let out a tired groan, and stretched his legs - popping a few joints in the process. With a wave of his horn, he replaced the books back to their proper places on the shelves and made his way to the door.

I should probably see what those fillies are up to, he thought as he opened the door, hopefully they haven't gotten into too much trouble.

Sunset Shimmer stirred.

She rolled over a few times before sitting up in the bed and giving a wide mouthed yawn. She rubbed her eyes with a groan as she looked around the bedroom.

It took her a moment to realize what had happened before she fell asleep, but once she did her eyes widened in horror. She threw off her blanket and hopped out of bed. Galloping to the door, she flung it open and frantically whipped her head left and right looking for the other two fillies and Ancient Scroll.

"Trixie? Twilight!" she quickly trotted the rest of the way out of the room as she continued to search the cottage, "Uncle Scroll?"

The living room was empty.

"Oh no," Sunset muttered, shaking her head in disbelief, "no no no no..." she fell to the floor, covering her head with her forelegs as tears streamed down her face.

"Did... did I really..."

She heard a door open.

"Sunset?" came an old raspy voice, "well I'll be. Finally woke up did ya?"

Her head snapped in the direction of the familiar voice and she found herself locking eyes with the smiling old stallion as he stepped out of the study.

Before Ancient Scroll could say another word, one of his forelegs was wrapped in an embrace by a crying orange filly.

"I-I'm so sorry, Uncle Scroll," Sunset sobbed, "I... didn't... d-didn't mean for it to h-happen!"

"Sunset-"

"I just... t-the heat... I c-couldn't - couldn't think," she sniffed as she buried her face in Ancient Scroll's leg, "and then... and t-then I heard her voice-"

"Sunset Shimmer listen to me!"

The filly silently looked up at Ancient Scroll with wide teary eyes. The stallion drew Sunset close in a one legged - but no less comforting - hug as he spoke.

"Everypony's okay, Sunset," he said softly, "we all made it out fine, so don't worry so much alright?"

He chose not to mention Trixie's burns lest the filly feel any worse than she did.

"B-but... the others," Sunset replied with another sniff, "where are they?"

Ancient Scroll looked around the empty living room and, sure enough, there was no Trixie or Twilight to be found. He did however, spot the empty rack next to the front door and smiled reassuringly as he looked back down at Sunset.

"Looks like they stepped out for a bit while you were asleep," he said with a chuckle.

Sunset nodded and sighed with relief as she stepped away from Ancient Scroll. He smiled warmly before suddenly looking away with a guilty frown.

"And... don't blame yourself, little filly," he said in a quieter voice. Sunset looked at him in confusion.

"What do you mean, Uncle Scroll," she said with a bemused frown, "it was my fault that the fire..."

She trailed off as Ancient Scroll shook his head.

"None of that would've happened if I hadn't brought up those painful memories, Sunset," he trotted over and gave the filly another hug - this time with both forelegs.

"This is my fault, little filly," he whispered, "and I'm so sorry for that."

Sunset stared up at the old stallion, not knowing what to say. After a moment, she let out a sigh and smiled at Ancient Scroll.

"Uncle Scroll... I don't-"

At that moment the front door opened and the other two fillies stepped inside with Twilight in the lead. She was speaking with Trixie and neither of them seem to notice Sunset or Ancient Scroll watching them at first.

"...so it's all about timing, Trixie," Twilight was eagerly explaining to a bored looking Trixie, "you can't just expect the squirrel to - Sunset!"

Twilight had finally spotted the orange mare and together with a now wide eyed Trixie, they galloped over to Sunset and nearly knocked her over as they both tackle hugged her at once.

"I'm so glad you're okay!" Twilight cried, squeezing the filly for all she was worth.

"Trixie thought she..." Trixie shook her head and hugged Sunset harder, "well, it doesn't matter what Trixie thought now. You're alright and that's enough for Trixie!"

"Girls... can't... breath..."

The other two filly's eyes widened and they quickly stepped back with sheepish chuckles. Sunset took a moment to catch her breath before eyeing the two with a look of guilt.

"I'm sorry for what happened, girls," she shook her head, "that shouldn't have happened. I nearly could've... you girls could've been badly hurt, or worse, and nothing I could do would make up for that."

"Sunset," Ancient Scroll said with a stern frown, "I told you, it wasn't-"

"No, Uncle Scroll," Sunset interject with a shake of her head, "it was my fault."

She looked back at the two confused fillies before lowering her head.

"I... I need to get over what happened with... her," she looked back to Twilight and Trixie, her eyes full of a newfound conviction, "I almost hurt the only other ponies I care about because I couldn't handle my own problems, and I don't want that to ever happen again."

"Sunset..." Twilight muttered softly, her own eyes full of understanding.

"Trixie may not know all the details," Trixie said with a playful huff, "but if it means no more fiery magic surges, then Trixie approves."

Sunset nodded with a smile.

"Trust me, Trixie," she assured, "it won't happen again, I'll make sure of it."

"Good," Trixie replied levitating her scarf off and trotting over to the bathroom, "now, if you'll excuse Trixie, she has twigs to remove from... various places."

For a moment, they all watch her go - Twilight and Sunset giggling as they heard her mutter something about squirrels from Tartarus.

As Trixie entered the bathroom, Twilight turned to Sunset with a proud smile.

"I'm really glad you decided to face your problems head on, Sunset," she said earnestly. Sunset sighed and started trotting towards the kitchen. Twilight replaced Sunset's scarf on the rack before following behind.

"I don't really have a choice now," Sunset replied after a moment, "it's gotten to the point that I can't even do magic without..." she shook her head, "well... it doesn't matter, because it's not gonna happen again."

Twilight nodded and looked at the orange filly with an unsure frown. After a moment's hesitation she decided to speak.

"Sunset?"

"Hmm?"

They entered the relative privacy of the kitchen and Twilight shifted her hooves nervously.

"I... also decided to come to terms with my problems, and I promised myself I'd tell you and Trixie about them," she looked at Sunset hopefully, "I figured we'd all be able to deal with our problems together... as friends, y'know?"

Sunset eyed Twilight with an unreadable expression, making the lavender filly squirm inwardly. It took a minute, but Sunset eventually gave a slow, thoughtful nod.

"I... guess you're right, Twilight," she said with a tentative smile, "maybe it would be good to get this off my chest finally."

Twilight breathed a quiet sigh of relief and smiled at Sunset.

"Trust me, Sunset, I felt a lot better after I talked to Trixie."

"You already talked to Trixie?" Sunset asked with a raised eyebrow.

Twilight nodded, "Yeah, while you were asleep."

"Ah," Sunset responded with a nod of her own, "that... makes sense, I guess."

Twilight looked around the kitchen a moment before turning back to Sunset Shimmer with a shrug.

"I ate earlier, but with all the running around I did with Trixie outside, I'm already pretty hungry again," she lit up her horn and began gathering the ingredients for a daisy sandwich, "should we talk over a late lunch?"

Sunset nodded with a small smile, "I'll get the drinks."

She trotted over to the fridge and turned back to the lavender filly.

"Milk or orange juice?"

A Personal Discussion

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Trixie finally stepped out of the bathroom just as Sunset and Twilight were taking their seats at the foldable table, sandwiches in hoof.

"Didn't you already eat?" Trixie asked Twilight as she trotted over to the others.

Twilight paused mid bite and waved Trixie over.

"Oh, hey, Trixie," she called out, "I got hungry again after a certain somepony got us chased all over the place by angry squirrels."

Trixie groaned in exasperation as she pulled up another seat.

"Trixie is telling you, there's something... off about those squirrels!" she cried indignantly, "Trixie swears one of them winked at her!"

"Yeah okay, Trixie," Twilight said with a roll of her eyes, "anyway, Sunset was just about to tell me what happened to her in Canterlot," she cast a questioning glance in Sunset's direction, "it's okay if Trixie hears too, right?"

Sunset nodded, taking a bite of her sandwich as she answered.

"It's only fair, and I'd rather not have to explain it again," she stared at the partially eaten sandwich, lost in thought, "it'll be hard enough talking about it once."

Trixie glanced at Sunset worriedly before looking around the room.

"Where's Uncle Scroll?"

"He said he was going out to get groceries," Twilight answered, taking a bite of her sandwich. She frowned thoughtfully, "now that I think about it..." she turned to the others with a raised eyebrow, "where does Uncle Scroll go to get groceries anyway? Isn't this place supposed to be in the middle of nowhere?"

Trixie went to answer, but stopped short and gave a quizzical frown of her own.

"Trixie actually doesn't know either," she said half to herself, "she never thought ask."

Sunset rolled her eyes.

"There's a small village about five miles into Unknown West. It's where Uncle Scroll goes to buy groceries and sell his maps."

"And how exactly did you know this, Sunset Shimmer?" Trixie asked, eyeing the orange filly suspiciously.

"I asked."

Trixie blinked.

"Oh... well... Trixie supposes that makes sense."

"If he's trotting all the way out there, he'll probably be gone for awhile," Twilight said with a look of concern, "are you sure you don't want to wait until he comes back?"

Sunset shook her head in response.

"I want to get it out while I'm still feeling up for it," she looked away for a moment before turning back to Twilight and Trixie, "if... I'll try to tell him myself later, but if I can't... one of you can tell him instead."

"Alright well... if you're sure, Sunset," Twilight said, she herself wearing an unsure expression.

Sunset nodded and took a deep breath as Trixie got comfortable in her chair.

"Well..." she began, "I once had the honor of being the Princess' personal protégé."

Trixie's eyes widened and she gasped in surprise.

Twilight said nothing and waited for Sunset to continue.

Sunset gauged their reactions and found Twilight's a little odd, but continued nonetheless.

"I know, it sounds amazing right?" she raised her hooves dramatically, putting on a mock starry eyed expression, "a personal student to Princess Celestia? The Princess Celestia? Goddess of the Sun, Eternal Ruler of Equestria? I can't believe this is happening!"

She lowered her hooves and chuckled mirthlessly.

"You know, for the first few years, it really was a dream come true," she looked at the other two fillies with a sad, wistful smile, "I applied for CSGU when I was eight, showed an above average aptitude for magic, and I guess the Princess saw something in me she liked, because she trotted right up to me and outright asked if I wanted to study under her."

Trixie and Twilight sat in awed silence for moment.

"...Wow." Twilight finally whispered.

"I know right?" Sunset said, giving a small smile at the memory, "imagine how I felt! I was speechless!" she giggled, "I think I even fainted at one point."

Her smile soon turned sour and she turned her gaze to the window.

"To this day, I still don't know what she saw in me."

She sighed and turned back to Twilight and Trixie.

"Like I said, the first few years were everything I could've hoped for. I got to live in the castle, study magic almost everyday with the Princess, sit beside her in Day Court," she smirked at the other fillies, "I even got to help her raise the Sun once."

"No way," Twilight said immediately.

"Trixie doesn't believe you," Trixie said almost at the same time.

Sunset chuckled at their reaction and nodded again.

"It's true," she shifted so they could see her flank, "that's actually how I got my cutie mark."

"Waitwaitwaitwait," Twilight interjected suddenly. She jabbed a hoof in Sunset's direction, "how does that work?" she asked incredulously, "moving an entire star takes an incomprehensible amount of both Soul and Elemental Magic.

"As far as we know, the Princess is the only being on the planet with enough control over both to accomplish something like that," she shook her head in disbelief, "and you're telling me you got a cutie mark for doing the same?"

"What? Of course not!" Sunset shot back, "Princess Celestia did all the lifting, I just helped guide the direction of the Sun's ascent!"

Twilight realized she had stood up in her chair and sat back down with a huff.

"That's still a ridiculous feat of magic..." she muttered somewhat enviously.

"Trixie is just amazed the Princess even let you help," the blue filly added.

"I was too," Sunset agreed. She went to continue, but stopped suddenly. She lowered her head and tapped a hoof on the table with a contemplative frown, "actually, now that I think about it..." she muttered more to herself, "that was around the time everything started to go wrong."

"What do you mean?" Twilight asked curiously.

Sunset gave the filly a grim look as she answered.

"It was about that time that Celestia started getting... distant."

"Distant?" Trixie repeated.

Sunset nodded in response with the same grim expression.

"She was nice enough before - almost like a mother, but that all changed when I got my cutie mark," she lowered head with a sad frown, "after that... I don't know, there was something strange between the two of us - almost like she was trying to push me away without me noticing or something."

"That's kind of weird," Trixie commented.

"It was really weird!" Sunset snapped.

"Sunset, calm down," Twilight said, raising her hooves placatingly, "I know you're upset, but you don't need yell at Trixie."

Sunset continued to glare at the two for another second before she sighed and slumped further into her chair.

"You're right, Twilight," she turned to Trixie with an apologetic smile, "sorry, Trixie. Remembering all the time I spent with Celestia and knowing what she did - what she was hiding from me..." she gave a despondent shake of her head, "I just feel betrayed, y'know? I looked up to her."

"A lot of ponies do," Twilight said, nodding in understand, "I can't imagine what it would've been like to be betrayed by the one you idolized."

"No, you can't," Sunset replied darkly, "you really can't - neither of you can. And that's another reason why I decided to talk to you both about this," she rapped a hoof on the table for emphasis, "I need you two to understand just how terrible Princess Celestia really is."

"Well," Trixie said tentatively, "Trixie is listening."

Twilight hesitated for a moment before giving an unsure nod.

"I... I'll be honest, Sunset," she said, shifting uncomfortably in her chair, "I'm... not really sure how I feel about... all of this."

"Don't worry, Twilight," Sunset responded with a wry smile, "after I'm through with my story, you'll know exactly how to feel."

A Hidden Path

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Sunset Shimmer couldn't put her hoof on what it was exactly, but something was wrong.

Something had felt wrong for the past week or so, and it had everything to do with Princess Celestia.

At first glance, she seemed like her normal, kind and motherly self... but not.

There was something... different in her eyes and whenever she would smile at Sunset when they were together, she couldn't see or feel any of the usual warmth.

Sunset didn't like it.

She was beginning to feel uncomfortable around the Princess, and she didn't know why.

She didn't know why things had changed between the two of them - she only knew that they had.

And she was going to find out why.

Sunset was on her way to the Princess' bedchambers one evening to confront her about her odd behavior, when she turned a corner and spotted her speaking to one of the Royal Archivists in hushed tones further down the hallway.

Curious, she decided to wait and see what transpired between the two. She strained her ears, but couldn't pick anything up. She grit her teeth in annoyance and was about to risk getting closer, when Princess Celestia suddenly stiffened and broke off the conversation.

Sunset panicked and hid behind one of the large pillars she was standing behind.

She heard the rapid beat of her own heart in the ensuing silence.

A silence that lasted a bit too long for Sunset's liking.

After what felt like an eternity, she heard the sound of hoofsteps getting further away and chanced a peek. Sure enough, the Princess and the Archivist were making their way further down the hall.

Despite the close call, her curiosity had still gotten the better of her, and Sunset opted to follow after them.

Something's not right, she thought as she tailed her Princess, Princess Celestia is up to something.

The Princess' recent coldness towards Sunset, combined with the hushed conversation she had just witnessed was enough to raise a few red flags for the orange filly. She didn't know what the Princess was planning to do, but she had a strong feeling it wasn't anything good.

After a few minutes of trotting down long walkways, they finally reached a large set of double doors that Sunset remembered led to the Royal Archives. She furrowed her brow, wondering what Princess Celestia could be up to.

Celestia spoke to one of the guards briefly before she opened the door and trotted inside. Rather than follow her in, the Archivist chuckled to himself and trotted down another hallway - much to Sunset's confusion.

Weird old stallion...

Sunset waited in the hall for a minute before trotting up to the door and quietly slipping inside - the guards doing nothing to stop her.

It's not like she wasn't allowed in, she was the personal student of the Princess after all and the Princess had allowed her entry in order to retrieve study material on occasion.

Once inside, she scanned the room and spotted the Princess making her way to the far side of the room. Sunset quietly - if somewhat frantically - hid behind a nearby bookshelf and peered out at the Princess with narrowed eyes.

It didn't seem as though Celestia had noticed her because she continued her trot unbidden. She eventually stopped in front of a nondescript wall between two rows of shelves, looking as if she was searching it for something Sunset couldn't see.

After a moment the Princess nodded to herself and lit up her horn. It briefly flashed with a golden light and, to Sunset's astonishment, several lines of strange symbols appeared in a large circular pattern, glowing the same golden color of Celestia's magic.

The glowing text faded after a few seconds and the surrounding wall vanished with a soft hiss, leaving a rather circular looking pathway that was just large enough for the alicorn - and a small filly - to walk through.

With a flick of her tail, the Princess trotted through the entrance and out of Sunset's line of sight.

I need to see what's in there.

Sunset waited a few seconds to see if Princess Celestia would emerge. She took a quick look around the Archives, but didn't see anypony in sight. With a determined scowl she quickly trotted to and through the entrance to the mysterious pathway.

What she wasn't expecting, was for the wall to suddenly and quietly materialize behind her the moment she was through, making her cry out in surprise involuntarily. She slapped a hoof over her mouth and snapped her gaze to the path ahead.

Statues.

That was the first thing Sunset noticed about the surprisingly large hallway.

Lining either side of the hall were statues of various shapes and sizes - not unlike those on display in the Royal Gardens.

These statues however, unnerved the filly.

Seeing no sign of the Princess in the dimly lit stone corridor, she took a moment to inspect some of the 'artwork' on display. There were some statues of different ponies Sunset didn't recognize, however many more of them were of strange and frankly terrifying creatures Sunset had never seen.

Creatures with sharp horns and even sharper claws. Creatures with rows and rows of razor-like fangs and eyes that seemed to blaze with murderous intent despite being made of stone.

One statue in particular caught Sunset's attention just from how odd the creature was.

It looked like somepony had chopped the limbs off of various animals and tried to sew them back together to make this abomination.

As if to mock every other horrifying stone creature Sunset had seen, this one wore something that looked like a mix between a silly grin and a defiant smirk.

The ponies weren't that much better in Sunset's opinion.

Every one of them looked... off to the filly in some way or another.

Whether it was how some of them were emaciated to the point of looking downright skeletal, or how others stared straight ahead blankly or had smiles that seemed just a little too wide and were filled with just a little too many razor sharp teeth.

Every statue in the hallway made Sunset Shimmer uneasy, but the thing that made her skin crawl and her fur stand on end, was the eerily life-like quality that all of them had. Each and every one of them - even the weird mismatched creature - looked like they could pop back to life at any moment and tear the filly to shreds.

Sunset shuddered and quickly trotted past the statues and further down the hall. Her hoofsteps echoed on the stone floor and she was getting more and more nervous as she went - the oppressive silence not helping in the slightest.

There's only one path, Sunset thought as she nervously scanned the path ahead, and I wasn't that far behind the Princess when she went in...

She stopped and looked around, now fearful of what she couldn't see as opposed to what she could.

...so where is she?

She stood there for a minute, shaking slightly as her nerves began to overwhelm her.

Come on, Sunset, she thought to herself, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, you're already in this deep, you might as well see where all of this leads.

She started down the hall once again with a little more confidence.

And who knows, maybe I'll find out why the Princess is acting so weird.

She passed by a few more of the grotesque statues and began to notice the path widening out slightly. She finally came to a stop in front of a pair of large and intricately designed double doors.

"Wow..." Sunset whispered with wide-eyed awe.

The door itself was massive - at least three times as tall as Celestia and roughly four or five ponies wide. Like the entrance back near the Archives, the doorway was oddly circular in it's design and the double doors looked to be made of some kind of dark brown wood with a silvery metal lining.

There didn't seem to be any kind of doorknob or anything that Sunset could see, however both doors were covered by a giant silver cog-like device that bore a small hole in the middle.

Is this for a key of some sort?

One major thing that stood out to the curious filly, were the odd symbols etched into the metal lining as well as the device - what Sunset had decided was a 'lock' of some sort.

"What do these weird symbols even mean?" she muttered thoughtfully.

"That, My Faithful Student, is a very powerful and very complex Runic Seal."

Sunset cried out in alarm as she spun around to face the white alicorn sitting just a few hoof-lengths away. The Princess gazed at the orange filly with a patient, motherly smile.

That just made Sunset's heart hammer all the faster.

"P-Princess! I... I didn't - I mean I-I saw you talking with somepony in the..."

Oh no you don't, Sunbutt. Not this time.

ʎɐꓷ ʍǝN puɐɹꓭ ꓯ

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The light of the morning Sun slowly made it's way to the window of Sunset's room.

As it hit the filly's face she clenched her eyes shut tightly before blinking rapidly and turning away from the glare. After another moment of trying to get comfortable she gave up and sat up in her bed.

The tired filly let out a big yawn and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. With that done she threw off her covers and hopped out of the bed, ready to begin the day. Her stomach growled, but she ignored it and headed into the bathroom to freshen up.

As she stood in the shower, she thought about her studies on the different branches of magic and what she'd be learning about that day. Maybe the Princess would f̢̀҉͢͏ì͢͠҉͡n̴̨̛͘͞a͏͜ĺ͢l̴͢͜y̵ ̴̴̢̕l͘͡͞e̵̛͜t̷̵̡́ ͢͏͘͝҉h̵̨ȩ̷́͘r͏ ̵̸͜͝l̸͢͡͡ȩ͡a̡̛͘ŗ̸͝n҉̵ ̸̨̧a̕b͡o҉͏u̡̨͘̕t̶̡́̕͟ ̶̧͟͜D̴̢̀͘͞a̧̕͢r̷̢k̵̛ ́͘̕M͢͡͞a̶͘͜͢͡g͜͞i̷͡c̴̛͡.̸̴̧̛ teach her more about Soul Magic. She did have a couple of books on the subject that she hadn't read yet.

She set the thought aside as she finished her morning routine and stepped out into the castle hallway. One of the Royal chefs passed by her with a trolley of covered breakfast dishes. The mare gave a friendly wave which Sunset happily returned, taking a brief moment to breath in the delicious aroma of hay bacon and eggs in the process.

She smiled and continued on her way to Celestia's private dining room for her own breakfast.

She passed a few more ponies in the hall on her way, mostly the castle staff and the occasional guest waiting to meet with the Princess. The door to the Royal Archives opened suddenly and a busy looking earth pony stallion staring at a clipboard stepped out. Sunset barely managed to avoid running into the stallion and he looked up at the noise.

"Oh, sorry about that, little one," the stallion said with an apologetic smile, "didn't see you down there."

Sunset just smiled and shook her head.

"It's fine mister," she replied with a small giggle, "I wasn't paying attention either," she looked at him a moment and frowned. S̨͝h̶̡é̸̴̸̕ ̡͡c̷͏̷ǫ̶̢͘ų̸̀l̵̛͠͞d̢͏'̢͘v̀̀͡e̸̡̛͜ ҉s̡̛͠҉ẁ̡͞o҉̡́͟r̕҉̸̡͟ņ̀͢ ͘͜s̷͢҉̀h͠ȩ̶̕͝ ̸҉h̴͜͞a̢d͢͏ ̴̢s͟͡ȩ̸͟͞e͢͞n͟͟͜͜ ͝҉̷t̢͘͜͡h͘͡í̕͞s̵͜ ̢̀͏s̀t̴̀͟͟͝a̶̧͟͞l̸̡͟͞ļ̕͜͏į̀o͟҉̢n͏͏ ̡҉̸s͜͠o̶̧̕̕͡m̨͟͢è̴̢w̷̴̧҉h҉̷͝é͞҉r̵͏̷̛͘è̡̛͞-́̕͡ She gave an apologetic smile of her own, "I guess we both have to watch where we're going, huh?"

The stallion chuckled and nodded in return.

"I guess so, little lady," he replied trotting past the orange filly, "you have a good day now!" he called out.

"Thanks, mister," Sunset responded, waving at the stallion, "you too!"

She continued her trot to the dining room and eventually reach the room without anymore distractions. She knocked a few times, stepped back a bit, and waited.

"You may enter, My Faithful Student."

Sunset put a hoof to the door and pushed it-

Don't listen to her, Sunny.

Sunset blinked.

What?

She looked around the hall briefly, but didn't see anypony other than the stone faced guards on either side of the door. She gave a quick shake of her head and pushed the door the rest of the way open. She took one last look out into the hall as she stepped inside the dining room.

"Is something the matter, Sunset?"

Sunset Shimmer looked ahead to see a concerned looking Princess Celestia sitting at the far end of the long dining table in the middle of the room. Sunset couldn't put a hoof on why, but h̀͢͡ȩ̸̕͟͝r̨̧͏͠҉ ̕͜c̶̨̨͘͜ơ̡͝n҉̶̕c̶͢e͘͡͞͞r͏̸ń̸͘͟ ̕͝͞d̨̨̕į̢́͜͟d̛͞n̸̢͟͠'̨͠t̢͞҉ ̀̕̕s͢͏̀͡͠e̕͏̵͞è̵̛͡͞m҉̶̛̀ ̷͘̕͠g̨͞e̴͞n҉͝͏́͜ú̴͞i͘n̴̶̸e̸̷͟͞ Princess Celestia seemed more radiant than normal this morning.

Sunset shook her head and trotted the rest of the way inside.

"It's nothing, Princess," she replied dismissively, "just really hungry is all."

"Well, I think we can fix that," the Princess said with a light chuckle. She gestured to one of the empty seats next to her, "come, My Faithful Student, have a seat."

Sunset smiled and trotted over to the seat next to her mentor. Breakfast had already been served and Sunset's stomach growled once more as she seated herself.

"I trust this morning has treated you well so far, my Student?" Princess Celestia asked casually, taking a graceful sip of coffee.

Sunset nodded as she heaped a stack of pancakes onto her plate, "it's been fine," she responded, "haven't really done much other than get ready and come straight here."

What? No good morning for the kindly old librarian you always visit before breakfast?

"Well, that's good to hear, Sunset," the Princess said, lifting a fork of hay bacon to her mouth. She failed to notice Sunset's brief look of confusion as she spoke, "any particular plans for the day?"

"Well..." the orange filly replied slowly, "I was hoping you could teach me more about Soul Magic."

That's not what you wanted to learn~

Sunset couldn't stop herself from scowling at the odd voice she was certain was in her head.

What are you talking about? Who are you?

Oh, I'm nobody special. Just an old codger out to shake things up a little.

"Sunset?"

The filly snapped her attention back to Celestia who was now frowning at the filly worriedly. Sunset gave a sheepish giggle and absently jabbed at a pancake with her fork.

"Sorry, Princess, what were you saying?"

Celestia eyed the filly for another moment before answering - her gentle smile back in place.

"It's quite alright my Student," she said with another small chuckle, "I was merely stating that there was still much to cover in regards to Soul Magic. I think you could use a few more lessons on the subject - maybe more about it's close relationship with Elemental Magic."

Ask her about last night, Sunset.

Sunset's brow furrowed slightly as she listened to the Princess.

What? Why?

She didn't feel a need to ask about last night. It was a perfectly normal night that she spent studying like usual.

That's a load of horseapples and you know it. Ask her about last night.

"What do you think, Sunset?" Princess Celestia asked, bringing the filly back to attention, "does that sound like a good idea?"

"Oh, um... yeah, that sounds good, Princess," Sunset replied, smiling weakly, "I'd love to."

Celestia's smile dropped into another frown.

"Are you sure you're okay, my Student?"

"I'm fine, really," Sunset replied quickly, "I'm still a little tired and... I don't think these pancakes are agreeing with me."

Ask her, Sunset.

Sunset Shimmer hesitated, biting her lip nervously.

She didn't like where this was headed.

"Um... Princess?" she began tentatively, "can... can I ask you something?"

"Of course you can, My Faithful Student," Celestia answered, smiling warmly, "you know I'm here if you need anything."

Sunset smiled gratefully before mustering up her courage and asking the one question she was beginning to fear the answer to.

"I..." she swallowed and tried again, "I... spent the whole night last night studying in the castle library... right?"

A flash of something crossed the Princess' face, but it was gone before Sunset could identify what it was and her motherly smile was once again in place.

"Indeed you did, my Student," she giggled airily, "I had to send on of the servants to come get you for dinner."

She's lying.

A sudden pain shot through Sunset's head and she had to resist bringing a hoof to her temple.

"A-And you're sure that's all I did?"

Celestia narrowed her eyes slightly, a small frown replacing her smile.

"Yes, I'm certain, Sunset," she leaned a bit closer to the grimacing filly, "what's gotten into you?"

"N... Nothing, Princess," Sunset responded, clenching her teeth as another stab of pain shot through her head, "like I said, I-I think there w-was something in those p... pancakes that didn't-"

Remember, Sunset.

The filly groaned in pain and slumped forward onto the table, clutching her head. Celestia's eyes widened in alarm and she stood up from her chair.

"Sunset!?"

"I... I don't feel so good, Princess..."

Come on, Sunny you're almost there! Just remember!

T̨̧̕h̵͢͢҉̷ę͜ ҉̷̷̢͞R̴̨͟͝͡ǫ̸́͞ý̷̢͢a͡҉͏̧l҉̛̕͡ ̷̨͘͠͡A̶̷r̵̨̛͠͞c̢̀͘͢h̨͟͜͝i͢͡͏v̕͜͢͞é̸s̴̵̛͡.̧̛́̕

"Hang on, Sunset. Help is on the way, just-"

Just a bit more!

Á ̵v҉a̧n̶̕i̧͡s̕͝͡h̵͘͠in҉g ̀ẁ̕a̴͏l̡l̨̕.̴͏

"Sunset...? Sunset!"

A ̶ha̧l҉l͢ẃay͟, s̡o̡m̵e ̛s͜ca͠r̢y s̷t̸atues͡, and̀.̴..́

...a giant door?

Sunset Shimmer didn't even feel herself hit the floor as she blacked out.

A Horrifying Vision

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"P-Princess! I... I didn't - I mean I-I saw you talking with somepony in the hallway and I... I was curious and-"

Sunset cut herself off as she heard Celestia's light-hearted chuckle. The Princess shook her head and looked at the filly in amusement.

"It's alright, my Student," she assured, "I know how curious you can be," she gave a wry smile, "and I must share some of the blame as well. I... wasn't being particularly conspicuous standing in the middle of the hallway like that."

Sunset eyed the Princess warily.

"So... you're not mad?" she asked hopefully.

"Well, I am disappointed," Celestia replied with a stern frown, "you should know not to stick your muzzle into places you know it doesn't belong, Sunset."

Sunset lowered her head, pawing at the ground with a hoof.

"I-I'm sorry, Princess," she muttered abashedly, "I was worried."

Celestia looked at Sunset quizzically.

"Worried?" she asked with a raised eyebrow, "about what?"

"About you!" Sunset suddenly cried, glaring at the Princess, "about us!"

Celestia was slightly taken aback but didn't say anything as the orange filly continued.

"You've been acting really weird towards me lately, and I wanted to know why!"

"Sunset, that's not-"

"It's true! It's like you're... you're..." Sunset shook her head, "it's like I'm one of those foreign dignitaries you don't like, but have to put up with and pretend to like anyway!"

Celestia furrowed her brows as the filly continued.

"I just wanted to know what I did wrong!" Sunset fell to her haunches and looked down at her hooves as her eyes began to tear up.

"I was gonna ask you why you hated me all of a sudden..." she muttered.

Celestia quietly observed the crying filly for a few moments, a contemplative frown crossing her face. After a minute, she made her way over to Sunset and sat down beside her, giving her a kind smile.

"Oh, Sunset," she said softly, "I don't hate you..." she hesitated briefly before speaking again, "I've just been... preoccupied lately."

Sunset sniffed and looked up at the Princess questioningly.

"W-What do you mean?"

Celestia rubbed Sunset's back reassuringly before rising to her hooves.

"I've been worried about the future," she cast a side glance in Sunset's direction, "and about what it means to be a Princess... to rule a nation as vast as Equestria for as long as I have."

"Oh," Sunset answered, not quite understanding, "so... so it's not my fault? You really don't hate me?"

Celestia smile and shook her head.

"Of course I don't hate you, My Faithful Student," she replied, "I could never hate you. I love all of my little ponies, and I'd do anything to protect them," she rested a hoof on Sunset's shoulder, "that, I feel, is what it means to be a Princess."

Sunset thought for a moment and nodded slowly.

"I... guess that makes sense..." she agreed. She idly swept her gaze around the hallway and her eyes once again landed on the eerie statues.

She shivered involuntarily.

"Um, Princess," she asked, eyeing one of the stone ponies, "what is this place?"

Princess Celestia looked from Sunset to the statue she was looking at and sighed.

"This, My Faithful Student, is known as the Hall of the Damned."

"The Hall of the Damned?" Sunset repeated in confusion, "what does that mean?"

The Princess slowly trotted away from the large door, motioning for Sunset to follow.

"When I said I'd do anything to protect my little ponies, I meant it," she said stoically, "all these statues you see here..."

She stopped in front of a particularly scary looking statue of something that looked like a cross between a wolf and a pony. She inspected it a moment before turning her attention to the filly.

Sunset found herself squirming uneasily under the Princess' gaze.

"...each and every statue here was once a living, breathing creature."

The orange filly's eyes widened in horror and she took several frantic steps back from the nearest statue. Celestia nodded as though she expected such a reaction.

"These creatures once posed a dire threat to Equestria long ago," she began slowly pacing around the scared filly as she explained, "but thanks to the tireless efforts of the brave ponies of the past, myself, and... another," she grimaced briefly before her stoic expression returned, "we were able to beat back the darkness that threatened our land and the ponies who lived in it."

Sunset glanced from the Princess to the statues. Her fear began to wane, curiosity taking it's place.

"So..." she surmised, "you turned all the bad ponies and monsters to stone?"

Celestia suddenly let out a bark of laughter that startled the filly.

"Oh no, my Student," she said with a wry chuckle, "these are just the ones we couldn't kill."

Sunset Shimmer stared at Princess Celestia.

"...Kill?"

The Princess nodded gravely.

"You have to understand, Sunset," she continued, "Equestria was not always the shining symbol of harmony that it is today. Back then, things were... different," Celestia looked off to the side as though lost in a memory, "those were darker days, My Faithful Student, and I had to do a lot of things I'm not proud of for the sake of my nation."

"And that door?"

The Princess turned back to Sunset and found her glancing back at the large sealed door. The orange filly looked to Celestia with a combination of nervousness and curiosity in her eyes.

"You said it was bound by a 'Runic Seal'... what kind of magic is that?" she turned back to the door, "I don't recognize it from any of my studies."

"You wouldn't," Celestia agreed with a nod, "that seal is a rather fine example of Runic Magic - a practice that has been lost to time."

"Runic Magic?" Sunset asked, facing the Princess. Her eyes widened in realization, "is that what you used when you made the wall disappear?"

"Very astute, my Student," the Princess complemented with a proud smile, "there were Concealment Runes etched into that wall that could only be activated and deactivated with my unique magical signature."

"Amazing..." the filly muttered in awe, "why haven't I heard of this magic before, Princess?"

Celestia's smile fell into a slight frown.

"As I said, it was lost to time-"

"But you still remember how to use it!" Sunset cried enthusiastically, "you could teach-"

"Absolutely not, Sunset Shimmer," the Princess interjected sternly, "there's a reason the practice died out so long ago."

Sunset shrunk back at the Princess' hard gaze.

"Why did it die out?" she asked meekly.

After a few moments, Celestia's frown softened and she sighed in resignation. She turned to stare at the sealed door as she spoke.

"There was another branch of magic that died out along with Runic Magic," she said quietly, "the other practice known as Summoning Magic."

Sunset didn't say anything, but her ears perked up at the notion of learning more.

"Like Soul Magic and Elemental Magic, Runic Magic and Summoning Magic were closely related to each other and quite a few of their spells and enchanments overlapped with each other."

She turned back to the eager filly with a blank expression that wiped Sunset's own grin off of her face.

"And, like Soul Magic, anypony could make use of these branches of magic - be they unicorns, earth ponies, or pegasi."

Celestia stepped closer to a now unnerved Sunset and lowered her head so that she was eye-to-eye with the filly as she spoke - her tone eerily flat.

"Do you know what those ponies of long ago chose to use this magic for?"

Sunset could only shake her head, not trusting herself to speak.

Celestia's horn suddenly sparked to life and - before the orange filly had a chance to do or say anything - the Princess vanished and everything within Sunset's vision cracked and shattered like a stained-glass window.

She was no longer in the Hall of the Damned.

She wasn't even in the castle anymore.

She was in a desert, surrounded by dry, cracked dirt and sparse, dead, blackened trees that stretched on for miles in every direction. An acrid stench hung in the air that made her nose run and her eyes sting.

Her ears were picking up a strange sound she couldn't quite place - something that sounded like low guttural growls that would occasionally turn into inequine shrieks that sent chills down the filly's spine.

Sunset Shimmer tried to move.

She tried to scream.

She couldn't do either.

This is what happens when ponies are left to do as they please with magic.

Sunset's eyes would've widened if they could at the sound of Celestia's voice coming from all around her. Without warning her vision shifted of it's own accord and she found herself facing a large gathering of cloaked ponies several yards away.

They were all standing in a large circle and the filly could hear low, incomprehensible chanting coming from each of them. Through a gap in the bodies, Sunset could see some kind of large magic circle sporting complex lines and runes beginning to glow an ominous red.

Watch carefully, My Faithful Student...

The circle started emitting a deep thrum that seemed to grow louder and louder in tandem with the ponies chanting.

Then everything went silent.

Sunset couldn't even hear the sound of her heart bashing itself against her ribcage - though she could certainly feel it.

This is what I had to protect my ponies from.

The ground began to shake violently.

Not just outside threats.

The circle of ponies began to scatter.

But the threats they posed to themselves as well.

The glow coming from the magic circle grew to an intensity that practically blinded Sunset.

This is what it means to be a Princess, Sunset Shimmer.

The ground exploded.

Every pony that couldn't get away in time was flung through the air and those that did were knocked to the ground by the result shockwave. The explosion died down and for a moment, everything was quiet once again - save for the pained moans and agonized screams of the ponies that didn't quite escape.

Then she heard it.

The growls and shrieks she had heard before were back, and they were getting louder. Where the magic circle used to be, was now a large, seemingly bottomless hole that cast an orange light from below. Every able bodied pony still near the hole began backing away at the sounds coming from the infernal looking pit.

Sunset could only watch in mute horror as one unfortunate pony who tried to turn and run was suddenly impaled through the back of his head by a sharp scaly black limb and dragged into the hole.

That was the cue for everypony present to gallop away screaming.

The filly tried in vain to scream again as she witnessed what looked like hundreds of monsters of all shapes and sizes crawl their way out of the pit and bound after the retreating ponies.

What followed next was nothing short of a bloodbath.

Ponies were caught and torn limb from limb, impaled, disemboweled and eaten alive. Not one single pony escaped the slaughter and the creatures themselves did nothing but growl, shriek, laugh, and gorge themselves.

And Sunset Shimmer stood frozen right in the thick of it.

The filly lost track of time as she continued to watch the brutality on display.

She lost track of a lot of things.

So lost was she that she didn't even notice the massive scaly maroon colored arm that reached up out of the pit and slammed into the ground - crushing pony and monster alike with it's sheer size.

The deafening roar that rose from the pit caught her attention however, and she slowly turned to face whatever new horror was coming out of the hole - not registering the fact that she was able to move again.

First came the black horns - they themselves as big as an average house - then the rest of the scaly head rose up from the depths and a bright green slitted eye the size of a full grown pony swept it's gaze across the scene.

A dragon.

No, that wasn't quite right.

As it lifted itself out of the hole, Sunset could see many things wrong with the beast. It had the scales, face, claws, and wings of a dragon, but it's lower half looked like it stretched on and on and on further down into the pit.

Sunset stared at the massive dragon like creature unblinkingly and the creature itself seemed like it was staring back. The few ponies that were still alive continued to scream in pain and the monsters continued to slaughter and feed as the filly and dragon beast started at each other.

Then it opened it's maw without warning and Sunset finally screamed as a jet of white hot flame washed over her. She thrashed and flailed as she felt her skin melt away, the sheer agony enough to drive her mad.

And then it was over.

The world shattered once again and the filly was safe and sound in the Hall of the Damned.

Not that she noticed.

Celestia stood in front of the filly, looking over her with a worried grimace.

"...Sunset?"

Sunset didn't respond.

"Oh dear," Celestia muttered, "I believe I might've gone too far."

Sunset continued to stand there staring straight ahead - her eyes clouded and unseeing as she played the gruesome scene over and over and over again in her head.

The Princess sighed and gave the filly an apologetic frown.

"Forgive me, My Faithful Student. I got carried away and..."

Sunset didn't react.

"You can't even hear me right now, can you?"

Nothing.

She shook her head and touched her horn to Sunset's.

"I truly am sorry," she lit her horn, "for now, this is the best I can do."

Her horn flashed and the horrible visions in Sunset's mind vanished along with everything else.

A Sad Story's Conclusion

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Twilight and Trixie stared at Sunset Shimmer from across the table as she finished her tale.

Twilight had covered her mouth, tears openly streaming down her face, while Trixie just stared in wide eyed shock. Sunset was trying to keep it together for the sake of finishing her story with mixed results.

She wasn't outright crying like the lavender filly, but her eyes were moist with unshed tears and she was shaking visibly with the effort not to break down right then and there.

"Trixie is... Trixie doesn't..." Trixie trailed off and slowly shook her head in disbelief, "Trixie doesn't know what to say..."

"How could... why would the Princess do something like that?" Twilight whispered with a sniff, "I don't understand."

Sunset didn't respond for a few moments as she tried to get herself under control enough to speak again. Twilight and Trixie waited for Sunset while she took some deep breaths and a large swig of orange juice. She slammed her cup back down on the table and spoke suddenly.

"I still don't know for sure why she did what she did, but now that I've taken some time to think back on it," she wiped her eyes with a hoof and looked at the other two fillies, "it almost sounded like she was deliberately trying to scare me - to teach me some kind of lesson."

"But why though?" Twilight said, stomping her hooves on the table indignantly, "why did Princess Celestia resort to such... heavy-hoofed tactics just for a lesson? What was even the point?"

Sunset was about to give her answer when - to Twilight and Sunset's surprise - Trixie cut in.

"She probably wanted to scare Sunset into not doing something," Trixie said quietly, not meeting the other fillies eyes. The orange and lavender fillies looked at Trixie for another moment before Sunset lowered her head, brow furrowed in contemplation.

"That... that makes sense," Sunset muttered. She slowly nodded and looked back up at the other two, "she didn't want me to learn Runic or Summoning Magic, and I think she thought I might try to learn more about them anyway."

"So she tried to scare you away with an illusion - some kind of terrifying memory from the past," Twilight finished with a grimace, "and she definitely went too far."

"Trixie agrees," the blue filly added, directing a glare at the table, "for the Princess of all ponies to show something like... like that to a foal," she clenched her teeth in anger, "it's dep... depora... daplo..." she shook her head fiercely and slammed her hooves into the table in front of her, "it's unforgivable!"

Twilight and Sunset stared at Trixie with widened eyes, taken aback by the sudden fury in her voice.

"Trixie..." Twilight began to ask in concern, "are you-"

"Trixie is fine!" she snapped. She turned to face Sunset, trying to get back on the topic at hoof and the attention away from her, "what happened after you blacked out?"

"Well..." Sunset answered tentatively, casting a wary glance at Trixie, "I woke up in the castle infirmary. Princess Celestia was there looking worried-" she scoffed "-though now I'm not sure if it was because of my health or because she was afraid that I remembered what she did."

"And then?" Trixie pushed, "what else happened?"

"I started to freak out when I saw Celestia, but then the voice stopped me - told me to calm down and act normal."

"That's another thing I don't get," Twilight interjected, "what was that voice? Did you find out why you were hearing it or where it came from?"

Sunset shook her head with a bemused frown, "I never found out who's voice it was, and I haven't heard it again since I left the castle."

"Weird..." Twilight muttered. Sunset nodded in agreement and continued her story.

"Anyway, it took some time, but eventually I was able to convince the Princess that my panic attack was a severe case of nosocomephobia-"

"A severe case of what?" Trixie cut in, confused.

"A fear of hospitals," Twilight absently clarified before addressing the orange filly, "and she believed you?"

"I'm... actually not sure," Sunset replied, "but she didn't bring it up again."

Sunset's stomach growled softly and she looked down, remembering that she had yet to finish her late lunch. She picked up the sandwich and took a bite before continuing.

"I couldn't stay around Celestia after that," she said through a mouthful of daisy sandwich. She swallowed and started again, "every time I saw her I would start to have another panic attack and have to leave before she noticed.

"I could tell she was starting to get more and more suspicious, so I did what the voice told me to do... I left," she polished off her sandwich and idly gazed at the gently falling snow outside the window, "one night, I just grabbed some things I'd need for a long trip and slipped out of the castle without a word to the Princess."

She turned back to the others with a resolute frown.

"I never looked back."

Trixie gave Sunset a look of approval, but Twilight was more concerned.

"What about your family?" she asked, "why didn't you go back to them?"

Sunset chuckled humorlessly in response.

"I don't have a family, Twilight," she said, giving the lavender filly a sad smile, "from what I was told, my mom died during child birth and my dad gave me up to an orphanage when I was barely a month old - or that's what my caretaker assumed anyway. That's where I had been living before the Princess took me in."

"Oh..." Twilight replied with a melancholy frown.

Sunset's smile turned reassuring, "Don't worry too much about it, Twilight. I'm not broken up about it or anything," she looked at the table with a slight frown, "I mean yeah, it kind of hurts knowing that my mom died and my dad may not have wanted me, but I never knew either of them so I can't really be all that sad about it, y'know?"

"I... I guess so..." Twilight said, looking unconvinced.

Trixie remained conspicuously quiet on the matter and, after a minute decided to change the subject entirely.

"What about that weird door you saw in the hallway?" she asked, "did you find out what was behind it?"

"No," Sunset replied with another shake of her head, "I never got the chance to ask. I was a little... distracted at the time, remember?"

"Oh... right."

"That reminds me..." Twilight chimed in, tapping her hoof on the table thoughtfully, "why was the Princess so fixated on 'what it means to be a Princess'?" she frowned as she looked at the orange filly, "she said she was worried about the future and thinking about what being a Princess meant.

"Is she afraid something bad's going to happen at some point in the foreseeable future?"

"I'm not sure," Sunset replied with a shrug, "but now that you mention it, she did seem like she was trying to get me to understand what a Princess had to go through, I'm just not sure why."

"Well Trixie still thinks the whole thing is a load of horseapples," Trixie added with an indignant huff.

"Watch that mouth, young lady," an old raspy voice called out sternly as the front door swung open.

The three fillies turned their attention to the old stallion trotting into the cottage with varying looks of surprise.

"Uncle Scroll!" Twilight exclaimed, hopping out of her seat and making her way over. After a moment, Sunset and Trixie followed behind her.

"Hey, girls," he said with a smile as he levitated his saddlebags off his back and into the kitchen, "I miss anything important while I was out?"

Twilight went to answer, but Sunset cut her off.

"Not much," she replied casually, "we were just talking while we ate some lunch. I'll tell you about it later."

"A bit late for lunch isn't it?" Ancient Scroll asked raising an eyebrow, "Sun's just about to hit the horizon - not that you can see it out there."

Sunset shrugged.

"I hadn't eaten since I woke up, and Twilight was hungry too."

"Ah, I see," Ancient Scroll replied with an understanding nod, "fair enough," he trotted into the kitchen, "help me put some of these groceries away, would you, girls?"

Trixie and Twilight began making their way over to where Ancient Scroll was, when Sunset suddenly stopped Twilight, putting a hoof on her shoulder. Twilight looked over to the orange filly questioningly.

"I just wanted to say thanks, Twilight," Sunset said with a grateful smile, "you were right, I do feel a lot better now that I told you girls," she turned her gaze to the kitchen entrance, "I think I should be able to tell Uncle Scroll about it myself."

"That's good to hear, Sunset," Twilight responded, returning Sunset's smile, "I'm glad you decided to share that with us. I know how painful that must've been."

Sunset nodded in response and without another word, they both followed Trixie into the kitchen.

A Morning Trot

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With no pegasi controlling the weather this far outside the Equestrian mainland, the cold winter was slowly and naturally beginning to give way to a still somewhat chilly spring. It had all but stopped snowing, though the remaining snow covering the land had yet to melt.

The day following Sunset's story marked somewhat of return to normalcy for the three fillies. After a warm breakfast by the fireplace, Trixie had chosen to pick up her studies again while Twilight and Sunset opted to take a trot outside of the cottage. It was during this trot that Twilight told Sunset about her worries regarding her family.

"So you really think these mysterious ponies..." Sunset trailed off, unable to finish the sentence for fear of upsetting her friend. Thankfully Twilight understood and gave melancholy sigh as she nodded.

"I want to say that I wish I could remember but honestly, I'm still not sure I want to know," she said, keeping her eyes on the snowy path. She gave a slight shudder that had nothing to do with the cold air, "what I do remember terrifies me, but I know I can't keep avoiding the issue forever."

She turned to Sunset and flashed her a hopeful smile as she continued, "I was actually hoping you and Trixie could help me find out more about what happened to them - when we get the chance I mean."

"If we get the chance, sure," Sunset replied with a reassuring smile of her own. She then frowned and looked ahead of her, "If your family is still out there, they probably miss you as much as you miss them," her frown deepened, "and if they're gone..."

"If they're gone," Twilight finished, hanging her head, "then I might as well consider you, Trixie, and Uncle Scroll my new family."

Sunset froze in her tracks.

"W-What?" she stammered, taken aback, "what are you talking about? Don't you have any extended family?"

"Just an uncle who I haven't seen since I was a newborn foal," Twilight answered. She shook her head slowly, "from what my mom told me awhile back, him and my dad had a violent falling out years ago and he moved somewhere outside Equestria - near the griffon territories I think," she shrugged, "I have no idea where he is now."

"And that's it?" Sunset asked worriedly, "you don't any other family?"

"Not that I know of," Twilight said with another shake of her head, "my family may have been of minor nobility, but it was starting to die out as a house long before I was born - or that's what my dad told me anyway."

"Wait, you're nobility?" Sunset exclaimed in surprise.

"Oh, right," Twilight stopped and gave her a sheepish grin, "I mentioned it to Trixie, but I never told you."

"No," Sunset replied, still a bit stunned, "no you didn't."

"I wouldn't worry about it too much," Twilight said dismissively as she began trotting forward again, "like I said, my family was well respected back in the day, but it's since died out to the point that my immediate family and uncle are the only ones left... if they're still alive that is."

"Huh," Sunset responded thoughtfully. She shrugged and turned to the lavender filly with a warm smile, "well, if you ever need help finding out about your parents or brother, I've got your back, and I'm sure Trixie will say the same."

Twilight gave her another grateful smile as they continued along the sparsely forested path. They maintained a companionable silence as they observed the white scenery. Leafless, snow covered trees on either side of the two creaked and groaned in the slight breeze that blew by.

Twilight watched with a raised eyebrow as a squirrel poked its head out of one of the trees and eyed them warily. After a minute it seemed to nod its head in affirmation of... something, and disappear back into the tree.

"Maybe Trixie was onto something after all," Twilight muttered to herself.

"what was that?" Sunset asked curiously.

"Nothing, Sunset," Twilight said with a quick shake of her head, "don't worry about it."

Sunset raised an eyebrow, but shrugged it off in the end. The path ahead of them curved slightly and they soon came across a low bridge resting over a small river. They both silently agreed to take a rest by the river and made their way over to the bridge.

"You know," Twilight mused aloud as they sat near the edge of the bridge, "it's nice to just be able to come outside and relax once in awhile."

Sunset nodded before turning to Twilight with a look of bemusement, "don't you and Trixie come out here all the time?"

"We never make it this far," Twilight said with a small chuckle, "Trixie always manages to rile up some wild animal nearby and get us chased all the way back to the cottage."

Twilight and Sunset shared a small laugh before turning to stare out at the river. After a moment Twilight spoke up.

"Hey, Sunset?" she asked quietly.

"Yeah?"

"Do you ever miss them?" she turned to face Sunset, "your caretaker from the orphanage and the other orphans, I mean. I'm assuming you weren't there by yourself... were you?"

"No, there were others there with me, and of course I miss them," she answered with wistful sigh. She look off into the distance, as though lost in a memory, "I never even stopped by before I left Canterlot."

Sunset turned to Twilight to see her wearing a disapproving frown.

"Hey, don't look at me like that," she said raising her hooves defensively, "I had a lot on my mind at the time!" she lowered her hooves and hung her head, "and besides, I didn't know if Celestia knew I had left or if she had anypony out looking for me... so I just hightailed it out of the city as soon as I escaped the castle."

Twilight's disapproving frown softened and she nodded in understanding.

"I guess you're right," she replied, "it's just sad though, not being able to say goodbye."

"Yeah," Sunset agreed, "yeah it is."

"Do you think you'll ever go back?"

Sunset was quiet for a long time and Twilight could tell she was mulling it over. She turned her gaze back to the river, content to let the orange filly think about her answer.

"Well..." Sunset finally began, "you're planning on going back as soon as you get the chance, right?"

Twilight continued to stare out at the slow moving stream, as she though about her own answer before giving a slow thoughtful nod.

"Yeah," she said without turning to Sunset, "I think I'm gonna have to if I want any real answers."

"Then..." Sunset replied hesitantly. After a second she shook her head and looked back to Twilight with a determined expression, "then I'll go with you."

Twilight finally turned to Sunset, her eyes widened in surprise.

"You don't have to do that, Sunset," she said, "if the Princess catches you-"

"I already told you I'd help you find out about your family," Sunset cut in sharply. Her conviction faltered for a moment, "to be honest, I really don't want to go back, but I do want to see Summer Breeze and the others at least one more time."

She schooled her features and looked at Twilight again, "If you go back to Canterlot, I'll be right behind you."

Twilight's shocked expression fell away and was replaced by a thankful smile as she hugged the the older filly.

"Thanks, Sunset," she said quietly, "that means a lot ot me."

Sunset gave an awkward chuckle and patted the lavender filly on the back.

"just... do your best to avoid the castle when we go, alright?"

Twilight pulled back and nodded.

Sunset shivered and swept her gaze across her surroundings.

"Well I think that's enough nature for today," she gave Twilight a questioning glance, "want to head back?"

Twilight nodded her affirmation and the two fillies began their trot back home.

A Quick Lesson

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Twilight sat a respectable distance away from the open fireplace as she read through the last few pages of her book on the dangers of Dark Magic and how to avoid them.

Once she and Sunset had come back from their walk, they had taken Trixie's example and returned to their studies. Both of them felt they could finally focus on their tasks now that they had dealt with their worries - at least for the time being.

With all the drama that had occurred in the last few days, Twilight had decided to start her studies from scratch. She spent the rest of that day and half of the next day re-reading through her book on the dangers of Dark Magic. She was sitting in front of the fireplace late in the afternoon doing just that when she felt a tap on her shoulder.

She looked up to find Trixie standing over her with one of her own books on Mind Magic in her pinkish aura. Twilight eyed the book for a second before addressing the blue filly.

"Did you need some help with something, Trixie?" she asked with a slight tilt of her head.

Trixie didn't say anything for a moment as she scanned the book being held in her magic. Twilight furrowed her brow and tapped her hoof impatiently as she waited for Trixie to respond.

"Trixie-"

"Trixie has gotten better with some of the larger words and their meanings," Trixie said suddenly, not taking her eyes away from her book, "but she still struggles with some of these concepts," she finally looked at the lavender filly as she spoke, "can you provide some ases... asi... assistance?"

"Sure thing, Trixie," Twilight said, rising to her hooves and trotting next to Trixie, "what did you need?"

Trixie floated the book in front of Twilight and pointed a hoof to the passage in question.

"Here," she explained, "Trixie is trying to understand the process of converting memories to mana when giving or taking them from other ponies."

Twilight read through the passage and nodded with a frown.

"Yeah, this is a bit of a tricky concept," Twilight agreed. She turned to Trixie with an impressed raise of her brow, "still, I'm glad to see you were able to make it to this point on your own, Trixie."

"Well of course," Trixie replied, looking somewhat offended, "Trixie may not be as smart as you or Sunset, and she might have trouble with bigger words, but she's not an idiot."

"You're right, Trixie," Twilight said nodding with an apologetic smile, "I didn't mean to imply that you were. I'm just happy that you're getting used to studying."

"Well," Trixie sniffed and gave a self-satisfactory smile, "Trixie may not look it, but she has a good memory."

"That's good for this kind of thing," Twilight said with a knowing nod, "it helps when you need to put something into practice."

"Yes, yes, Trixie is amazing," Trixie pointed to the passage impatiently, "now you were saying?"

Twilight blinked and looked back at the book.

"Oh, right... sorry," she said with a sheepish chuckle. She cleared her throat and straightened up, "well, Trixie, what you need to understand is that memories are very complex things that take just about every part of your brain to piece together. Even then, memories are unreliable most of the time," she paused and glanced at the blue filly, "are you with me so far?"

"Trixie is listening," the blue filly said, gesturing for Twilight to continue as she absently marked points down on a piece of parchment Twilight could've sworn wasn't there a second ago.

"Right... as I was saying," Twilight eyed the floating parchment curiously before continuing, "memories are unreliable most of the time, so to counteract this, unicorns in the past have come up with a way to perfectly preserve a memory using Mind Magic - the Memory Transfer spell.

"This spell is extremely invasive and, like many Mind Magic spells, can permanently damage yours or another pony's brain if not done correctly. If done correctly however, the result is the acquisition of a memory that can be recalled flawlessly at anytime for as long as that pony's brain functions."

Trixie nodded silently as she continued to write.

"This is where things get a little harder to explain," Twilight explained as she paced back and forth in front of the fireplace, "you see, when the spell is cast, both ponies need to have their minds completely open to each other."

"And if you simply try to just take a memory?" Trixie asked curiously.

"That's not how the spell works. If one pony tries to forcefully take or give an actual memory from another pony who wasn't prepared for it, well..." Twilight grimaced in disgust, "they would fail and the results would more likely than not be akin to a botched lobotomy."

Trixie winced and Twilight nodded before she resumed her pacing.

"Anyway, once both ponies have opened their minds to each other - which I might add is important for a lot of Mind Magic spells - the pony who's giving the memory needs to think of that memory. Once that's done, then you cast the Memory Transfer spell.

"Once the spell is cast, one of two things will happen depending on who's giving and who's receiving the memory. If the caster is receiving the memory, their mana is directly projected into the mind of the pony giving the memory.

"If the caster is giving the memory to somepony else, the same thing happens but the entire process is done within the caster's mind and the end result is transferred from the caster to the receiver. As I said, this is a very invasive process and can have potentially fatal repercussions for the unprepared.

"Once inserted, the mana kind of..." Twilight struggled to find an explanation Trixie would understand, "kind of... scans the memory within the brain and that's where the memory-to-mana conversion process comes in.

"After the scan is complete, the mana within the brain creates a sort of 'magic copy' of the memory in question. That 'copy' is then transferred from the giver to the receiver and is stored as pure mana rather than an actual memory in the brain."

Trixie finished her notes and gave an intrigued nod.

"This is actually more interesting than Trixie thought," she mused, "Trixie can think of a number of times where this spell would've been useful..."

"Well..." Twilight began hesitantly, "the spell itself isn't exactly perfect - far from it actually."

"What do you mean?" Trixie asked with a raise of her brow.

"I'm not one hundred percent certain on how it works, but when the spell creates a magic copy, it automatically tries to fill in any gaps in the memory with the likeliest scenario. The more a pony remembers about an event, the more accurate the magic copy."

"Not only that," Sunset suddenly interjected from where she was studying at the table, "but if you were adept enough with Mind Magic, you could create a copy of a false memory and place it over the real memory."

She glared at the textbook in front of her, "this is one of the reasons why the Memory Transfer spell is banned from use unless given explicit permission by Princess Celestia," she gave a derisive snort, "must be nice to be the one making all the rules."

"Right... well," Twilight turned her concerned gaze from Sunset to Trixie, "I hope the explanation helped, Trixie."

Trixie gave Sunset a worried glance of her own before looking back to Twilight.

"Yes, Trixie thinks she can handle the rest from here," she replied with a nod and a grateful smile, "thank you, Twilight Sparkle."

"Anytime, Trixie," Twilight responded, returning Trixie's smile, "let me know if you need anymore help."

Trixie nodded and took the book and her notes with her back to the table where Sunset was sitting.

Twilight gave her one last smile before laying back down by the fireplace and returning to her own studies.

A Past Mistake

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The following evening found Sunset once again back in Ancient Scroll's study.

After giving herself a couple of days to wind down, she had finally mustered up the nerve to recount the full story to the old stallion. Surprisingly, she found it easier to talk about than before - most likely due to the fact that she had taken some more time to reflect on the event when she wasn't studying.

That didn't mean she wasn't nervous about Ancient Scroll's reaction.

So it was on that late night that she sat in front of Scroll's desk, the stallion himself leaning forward - hooves steepled and eyes closed in contemplation. Sunset shifted uncomfortably as she waited for Ancient Scroll to respond.

For a long time Ancient Scroll sat there, mulling over everything he had heard. Sunset couldn't take the tension and opened her mouth to speak when Scroll suddenly spoke first.

"You know," he began, "you weren't the first filly that I took into my care, Sunset."

Sunset slowly closed her mouth and blinked.

"I wasn't?"

Ancient Scroll shook his head and rose from his chair.

"It was about... oh, I'd say about seventeen years ago now," he trotted over to one of his shelves and idly scanned through each of the books as he spoke, "found her wandering the road just outside the Equestrian border - poor thing was darn near starving to death."

He seemed to find what he was looking for and lit up his horn. The glow of his bright green aura wrapped itself around a thin, tattered looking journal. He floated it over to Sunset who took in her own red aura and inspected it curiously.

It was indeed an old and worn dark brown journal of some sort. By the look of the scuff marks and dog eared pages, Sunset could tell the thing had seen some extensive use. She narrowed her eyes in concentration as she tried to read the name on the cover. It was extremely faded, but she could just make it out.

"Frigid... Gale?"

Sunset looked at Ancient Scroll in confusion as he himself sat back down at his desk.

"Filly was a lot like you - or rather you were a lot like she was," he chuckled wryly, "I'd imagine she isn't much of a filly anymore," he shook his head, "anyway, Frigid Gale was very similar to how you used to be when you first showed up - almost eerily so, actually."

"Really?" Sunset asked with an intrigued raise of her brow. Ancient Scroll nodded with a wistful smile.

"Indeed, little filly. When I found her, she had the same look in her eyes that you did," he looked off into a random direction behind Sunset and frowned, as though recalling a particularly bad memory, "angry, bitter, hurt... betrayed."

Sunset turned a contemplative gaze back to the tattered journal as Ancient Scroll continued.

"The biggest difference between the two of you - besides your tribe I mean - was that you eventually learned to cool your head and open up," his wistful gaze turned somewhat forlorn, "she started to do the same... but never quite made it that far."

"What happened?" Sunset asked curiously, "why didn't she change?"

The old stallion didn't answer for a second, but then gave a heavy sigh and turned to Sunset, the guilt and regret on his wrinkled face making him looks years older than he already was.

"I thought three years ought to be enough time for her to open up to me," he shook his head sadly, "not only was I wrong, I was a complete and utter idiot about the whole thing."

"What do you mean?" Sunset asked worriedly as she trotted a bit closer to the desk, "what did you do?"

Before Sunset had a chance to really peruse the pages inside the journal, Ancient Scroll took it within his own magic and flipped it open to a specific page. He levitated the book to Sunset's eye level and the orange filly could see a few hastly scribbled lines and what she might've guessed were tear stains dotting the page.

I told him.

I finally broke down and told him.

And just like everyone else, he didn't believe me. I promised I wouldn't try to tell anypony anymore. I swore I wouldn't. But I thought he was different - I thought he'd be more understanding.

He wasn't.

None of them ever are.

I'm leaving.

I'll find a way to change things on my own, through my own power.

And if you ever read this gramps, I want you to know that her time is coming. I don't know when and I don't know how, but I do know that it'll be within my lifetime and that it'll be by my own hooves.

I swear it.

Goodbye, gramps.

And I'm sorry.

Sunset finished reading and looked back to Ancient Scroll.

"Would you believe she wrote that when she was ten?" he asked with a rueful chuckle, "she was always such a dramatic little filly..."

Sunset didn't reply,

She wasn't sure what to think.

She was almost certain the filly - Frigid Gale - was referring to Celestia based on what was written and her own experiences with the Solar Monarch, and from the sound of it, she had also bore witness to Celestia's true nature.

Ancient Scroll nodded solemnly at the unsure expression on Sunset's face.

"Like you, I had urged her to tell me more about what had happened to her before I came along," he looked down at his desk for a moment before looking back to Sunset, "out of respect for the filly, I won't go into details... but she was hurt and betrayed by the Princess, much like you were - or so she finally told me."

He laughed mirthlessly.

"She poured her heart out to me, and like the wretched fool I was, I didn't believe a word of it. Told her she was just blaming the Princess for all her misfortune - asked her to tell me what the real problem was. And what does she do?"

He snapped the journal shut and floated it over to his desk. He stared at it for a good minute before continuing in a quieter and slightly choked voice.

"The blasted filly decides to gallop off on some ill-conceived quest for revenge against the Princess."

"What!?" Sunset cried incredulously, "that... that's crazy!"

Ancient Scroll nodded sadly in response.

"I imagine she wasn't in a right state of mind when she left, and it was all because of me - because I wouldn't listen to her."

Sunset slowly shook her head, still stunned at the revelation. From the passage she read in the journal, she could tell Frigid Gale had been distraught and angry over Ancient Scroll's words. She probably saw his outright denial of Celestia's involvement as another betrayal.

But revenge?

Sunset herself had never even thought about revenge, only getting as far away from the alicorn as possible. It was insane to think a ten year old filly could take on an eternal alicorn princess with the power to move the Sun and Moon.

"Do you... did you ever find out what happened to her after she left?"

"No, little filly," he said with a shake of his head, "I tried searching for her for years, but I never found her," he gave the journal one last weary look before levitating it back onto the bookshelf, "if she's still alive out there, I have no idea where she is now."

He focused his attention back to Sunset as he spoke and Sunset could hear the immense sorrow in his voice.

"What happened with Frigid Gale was my fault, and I made the same mistake again when I tried to ask you about your past before you were ready to tell me," he hung his head, guilt and regret once again making their way onto his features, "I very nearly lost you and the other two fillies because of that."

Sunset shook her head in denial and took a step forward,

"Uncle Scroll, I told you, that wasn't-"

"I remember what you said, Sunset," Ancient Scroll interrupted, "but the fact remains that none of that business would've happened if I'd kept my trap shut," he gave Sunset a resolute frown, "whose fault it was is neither here nor there.

"My point is, I'm not letting what happened with Frigid Gale happen with you - or either of the other fillies for that matter," he stood up from his chair and trotted over to Sunset, "if you say Celestia hurt you, then I'll take your word for it."

Sunset looked up at Ancient Scroll as he placed a reassuring hoof on her shoulder.

"So... you believe me about what happened with Celestia?"

"Well, I just said as much, didn't I?" he said with a kind, grandfatherly smile, "and besides, this is too big a coincidence for me to dismiss both yours and Gale's claims," he suddenly frowned and looked away, "this does raise quite a few questions, though."

"About what?" Sunset asked with a confused tilt of her head. Ancient Scroll hesitated before shaking his head and giving Sunset another gentle smile.

"Don't you worry about it for now, little filly," he nodded his head towards the door, "now, go on, Sunset. The other two are probably already asleep by now and you should be getting to bed too."

Now that Ancient Scroll had mentioned it, Sunset realized she was tired - extremely so actually. She gave a lazy nod of agreement and turned to leave.

"Good night, Uncle Scroll," she said with a small wave. She stopped briefly and looked over her shoulder at the old stallion with a tired but grateful smile, "and thanks... for listening to me."

"Anytime, little filly," he replied with a small wave of his own, "you and the others can come talk to me whenever you need."

Sunset nodded and trotted the rest of the way out of the room, quietly shutting the door behind her.

The smile fell from Ancient Scroll's face once Sunset had gone and he gave a heavy sigh. He opened a drawer beneath his desk and pulled out an old photo of a somewhat younger beige unicorn stallion playfully ruffling the teal mane of an embarrassed looking thestral filly. He smiled at the picture for a moment before letting out another wistful sigh.

"What happened to you, Gale?"

An Effort to Learn

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After listening to each filly's daily progress report over the last few days since they started their assignments again, Ancient Scroll had felt they were all making good headway into learning each of their respective branches of magic.

To Ancient Scroll, it seemed like each of them had somehow gained a massive boost in morale. They were practically tearing into their assignment with renewed vigor and Scroll himself couldn't be happier as a teacher.

When it came to studying, Ancient Scroll had found that not even Sunset could hold a candle to her lavender coated junior. Twilight hadn't gotten very far in her studies before and directly after Sunset had suffered her magic surge, but rather than pick up from where she left off, she had chosen to start her studies over from scratch.

The very night he had come back from his trip into town, she had gone into his study to tell him as much. A surprised Ancient Scroll had asked her why and she had given the following answer.

"I was distracted by my problems and couldn't focus on my studies," she shook her head and eyed the old stallion resolutely, "when I can't concentrate, the information doesn't stick as well, so I'm starting over and doing it right."

Ancient Scroll frowned slightly, giving Twilight the impression that he didn't approve of the idea. Inwardly however, the stallion had nothing but pride to show for the filly's decision.

Still...

"Are you sure you'll be able to finish both books on time if you do this?" he asked, "I know I said that I'd give you more time if you need it, but you strike me as a filly who doesn't like to miss a deadline."

Instead of the nervousness and hesitation Ancient Scroll was expecting, the lavender filly just waved a hoof dismissively at his concerns.

"I've finished twice as many books in a shorter amount of time," she said casually, "trust me, Uncle Scroll, it won't be a problem."

Ancient Scroll couldn't help but give a hearty laugh at the filly's confidence. He gave Twilight the go-ahead to restart her studies, curious to see just how true her claims were.

As it turned out, she had read through both books once for the simple pleasure of reading, and had gone back and read through them again for actual study. She already finished the first book a second time - writing very extensive notes in the process - and was halfway through the second reading of her second book.

All in the span of three days.

Within those same three days, Trixie had made a decent amount of progress as well - though still not as much as Twilight or Sunset. With some help from Twilight and her 'study aids', she had gotten better with the more complex vocabulary.

This went a long way in helping her read through her textbooks on Mind Magic and as the days went by, she found herself having to rely on the lavender pony less and less. As she became more invested in Mind Magic, she started thinking about how it could help her on the stage. She had even brought the topic up with Twilight on one of their trips outside the cottage.

"So let me get this straight," Twilight began eyeing Trixie skeptically, "instead of using prestidigitation in your magic shows, you want to try using Mind Magic?"

Trixie nodded with an eager grin and wrapped a hoof around Twilight's withers.

"Trixie's been reading about the amazing things one can do with Mind Magic," she turned to the frowning lavender filly with a toothy grin, "and she thinks it could really bring that oomph that Trixie's looking for!"

"I don't know, Trixie," Twilight said with an unsure expression, "most Mind Magic has to be done one-on-one and in close proximity to another pony for it to work," she shook her head, "the only real Mind Magic I can think of that would work for the sort of thing you're talking is about is Illusory Magic, but-"

"Exactly!" Trixie exclaimed ecstatically, "that's what Trixie wants to focus on! The only problem is..." Trixie finally removed her hoof from Twilight and backed away almost meekly, giving Twilight a sheepish grin, "Trixie would... need somepony to practice on."

Twilight just gave Trixie a flat look.

"Oh come on," Trixie begged, falling to her knees and grabbing at Twilight's forelegs, "Please, Twilight? Pleeease?"

"Trixie!" Twilight cried in exasperation as she pulled herself free, "first of all, even if I were to say yes, you'd still have to ask Uncle Scroll for permission first. Second" - she poked the blue filly in the nose - "the casting of any decent illusion takes a lot of mana - doubly so if you want to cast something that would be considered 'crowd pleasing'."

"Wha - you... but..." Trixie sputtered indignantly as she rose to her hooves, "just what are you implying, Twilight Sparkle? Are you saying Trixie can't handle a simple illusion spell?"

"Well... I mean," Twilight rubbed the back of her neck, "we're still just unicorn fillies, Trixie. Our mana wellsprings haven't fully developed yet so there's just some things we won't be able to do - unless we have a magic surge, but that-"

"What about those magic miracles Uncle Scroll was talking about?"

Twilight froze in mid sentence.

"Apparently we both managed to pull one off and do spells that were way beyond what we should be able to do. And we survived."

"Well..."

Twilight didn't know anything about magic miracles until Ancient Scroll had brought it up, so she couldn't really make an argument against Trixie. She snapped out of her thoughts just in time to see Trixie trotting away.

"Wait, a minute," she called out, chasing after the blue filly, "where are you going? Trixie!"

"Back to the cottage!" Trixie called out from over her shoulder. She was still clearly affronted by what Twilight had said, and it showed in the way she stomped off in the other direction, "Trixie will show you just how talented she really is!"

Twilight slowed to a stop and sighed.

"I didn't mean it like that, Trixie..." she muttered to herself.

Trixie however, had taken Twilight's words as a challenge. True to her word, she had gone back to the cottage and immediately began to double down on her studies. She flipped through her books until she found a passage on a particular spell she thought would be extremely useful if she could pull it off.

"Never let it be said that Beatrix Lulamoon didn't put in the effort," she muttered with a determined grimace. With that statement, she decided to put all her focus into learning the spell, despite the difficulty. Lighting up her horn, she grabbed a telekinetic hold of her quill and parchment and got to work.

It was also around that time that Sunset had come into Ancient Scroll's study to finally reveal her history with Princess Celestia. He in turn had felt it only fair to tell the filly a bit about his own past with Frigid Gale in return. He had a few things to think about regarding the Princess after that, but decided to keep those thoughts to himself for the time being.

He had received another surprise the following afternoon when Sunset had requested to retry the exercise she had failed due to her surge. Ancient Scroll was hesitant at first, but eventually agreed to let the orange filly try again - albeit reluctantly.

Thus, the three fillies and Ancient Scroll once again found themselves in another clearing - this one further away from any flammable greenery. Everypony present was understandably nervous, including Sunset herself, but she resolved to do better.

She steeled herself against the pain of her past and prepared the necessary spells.

"Come on, Sunset, you can do this!" Twilight called out from further back, "you're better than you were before!"

"Trixie admits, she was impressed before," the blue filly added, "you almost managed to pull it off in one try despite Trixie's excep... expatate... expectations!" she jabbed a hoof in Sunset's direction, "you're stronger than Trixie gave you credit for, so don't disappoint her this time, Sunset Shimmer!"

"Don't rush it, little filly," Ancient Scroll chimed in, "take as much time as you need and concentrate. You'll get through it this time, just have confidence."

Sunset gave a nod and a small smile at the encouragement she received and turned to the task at hand. She put on a determined frown and tried to push the nervousness aside as she lit her horn. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the Earth Molding spell she'd need for the actual pool.

She stomped a hoof and - just as before - a large hole gave way, forming a basin for Sunset to dump the snow into. Looking around, there was less snow to work with than before, as it had slowly but surely started to melt in the face of the oncoming springtime. Thankfully there was still enough for what was needed.

Sunset levitated piles of snow into the makeshift basin and once again had to stop to take a breather.

"Keep it up, Sunset! You got this!" Twilight yelled out, "just put all your focus into the spell!"

Sunset took a few more deep breaths and rose from her haunches as she prepared the Thermal Manipulation spell to melt the snow.

Focus on the spell...

She closed her eyes and tried to concentrate on slowly increasing the temperature in the area surrounding the basin.

Come on, Sunset... focus...

The air began warp and shift as the heat increased and the packed snow start to lessen as the water rose. She began to tremble with the effort of maintaining the spell.

Don't think about the-

Screams of ponies as they're eaten alive.

Rivers of blood staining the dirt.

White hot fire sloughing off your fur and skin.

Sunset's eyes snapped open and she inhaled sharply. The trembling escalated to violent shakes and the red aura around her horn began to spark as she fought to maintain her hold on the spell.

She was also desperately trying not to throw up in the process.

"Sunset!" Twilight cried, having noticed the orange filly's sudden change.

"Should... should we start running now?" Trixie asked worriedly.

"No!" Sunset yelled as she tried to get the spell under control, "I've got this! Just... just gimme a minute!"

She took a few shaky breaths, closed her eyes briefly, and opened them again - this time choosing to focus on what was going on in front of her instead.

It took a few minutes, but the spell slowly began to stabilize and Sunset was successfully able to create a miniature lake using only her Elemental Magic.

The others went to congratulate her on a job well done, but their cheer turned to concern when they approached and noticed the filly was still shaking. Twilight slowed her trot and observed Sunset with a look of worry.

"Sunset? What's wr-"

Sunset doubled over and vomited all over the snow laden ground.

"Sunset!"

She hurried the rest of the way over to the orange filly just as she finished losing her lunch.

"Sunset are you alright?" Twilight asked as she stood over a panting Sunset Shimmer.

Sunset didn't respond.

She just continued to pant as she wiped her mouth - silent tears running down her face.

"Do you need a minute, little filly?" Ancient Scroll asked as he trotted over, frowning in concern.

Sunset nodded and wiped her eyes.

"Yeah, I..." she sniffed, her voice slightly raspy from the ordeal, "I think I'm gonna hold off on Fire Magic for awhile..."

Ancient Scroll nodded in understanding and turned to the other fillies.

"Alright come on, you two," he said ushering them back to the cottage, "give the girl some space for now."

As before, Twilight gave Sunset one last look of worry before making her way back to the cottage along with Ancient Scroll. Trixie remained where she was and stared at the orange filly silently for a moment.

Sunset sat there lost in her thoughts and didn't notice Trixie step up next to her until she felt a blue hoof rest itself on her shoulder. She looked over to Trixie in surprise and saw the blue filly looking back with a sympathetic smile.

"Whatever you saw, it's over now," Trixie said reassuringly, "Just keep telling yourself that, Sunset. It's not much, but it helps... trust me."

With that, Trixie gallop ahead to catch up with Ancient Scroll and Twilight.

Sunset was left to stare after her as she pondered on what she just heard.

An Odd Introduction

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Shining Armor was bored.

He had no idea how long it had been since he woke up as he hadn't seen the Sun in quite some time. His 'room' was little more than a dimly lit stone dungeon with a bed, a desk, and a chair.

Rather than the traditional iron bars or steel door you'd find in a normal however, this 'room' had no door.

All four walls were solid stone.

No chance of escape.

He had figured out the trick by now.

It was a bit of fancy Elemental Magic by one of the unicorns that were part of whatever group had foalnapped him. It wasn't like he could do anything about it anyway with the anti-magic ring around his horn.

Well, the food they brought him regularly was surprisingly good at any rate.

But good food wasn't enough.

It wouldn't set him free.

It wouldn't tell him where he was or why he was here.

...It wouldn't bring his father, mother, or little sister back.

And so he lay on his uncomfortable bed, with nothing but his ever darkening thoughts to keep him company. When he had first woken up in this room, he was a wreck.

The confusion, anger, despair, and fear had nearly broken the colt, but with unfathomable effort and the will of an immovable mountain, Shining Armor had just managed to cling to his sanity. He may have bore firsthoof witness to the brutal slaughter of his parents, but he had been knocked out before he saw what happened to his sister.

That was important.

That meant there was a chance, no matter how slim, that his little sister was alive - that she hadn't been...

The grip he had on his sanity was still tenuous at best, so it was in his best interest not to think about it.

Either way, he felt he had done well, considering he hadn't been told a single thing since his awakening. He had yelled at, begged, bargained with, and even attacked the ponies that had come to give him food or drink.

He had learned very quickly not to attack anypony again.

It didn't help anyway, as they had remained as tight-lipped as ever.

But he was beginning to get their game.

They were trying to break him down with the silent treatment. The only time anypony ever showed up was to give him food and drink. In and out - didn't say a word, didn't stay for more than a minute at most.

He wouldn't let them win though.

He was stronger than that.

He had overcome his grief for the sake of his sister.

He would break out and see the Sun again.

He was lying to himself.

The silent treatment was working quite effectively.

He wasn't strong, he had no will to escape, and he certainly hadn't overcome his grief.

On the contrary.

He had sunk so far into his grief that he felt nothing but numb. He lay on his bed not because he didn't have anything to do, but because he couldn't be bothered to do anything even if there was something to do.

Shining Armor wasn't bored.

No.

Apathetic would've been a better word for what Shining Armor was.

He didn't even flinch when a teal maned thestral mare he had never seen before walked right through the solid wall and sat on the bed next to him. For a long time she didn't say anything, opting to idly sweep her gaze around the barren room. She didn't even seem to acknowledge that Shining Armor was there.

Not that he particularly cared much.

"Wow... this place sucks."

Shining blinked and slowly directed his dull-eyed gaze towards the mare. The thestral was still inspecting the surroundings with a look of disdain.

"If I had known this is where they put you, I would've had them send you somewhere else."

Shining Armor just stared at the mare with utter disinterest.

"And you've been here for..." she tapped her chin as she thought, "I think it's been a little over a week now."

The colt blinked again and went back to staring at the ceiling.

The mare finally turned her ice blue eyes to Shining Armor and frowned in concern.

"Geez, kid," she muttered, "you really don't look too good-"

"Why are you here?"

Shining had looked back to the mare with a slight frown of annoyance.

It was the thestral's turn to blink. She stared at the colt for a few seconds before letting out a bark of laughter.

"Ha! So the kid speaks!"

Shining snorted and shifted his position so that he was facing away from the laughing thestral.

"Well that's my first mission accomplished," she said, still chuckling, "now for introductions."

She jabbed the colt in the back with a hoof making him cry out in surprise and making the mare laugh even more.

"What do you want!?" Shining Armor yelled indignantly.

"A name," the mare said, not even batting an eye at the colt's tone, "your name specifically."

Shining eyed the mare suspiciously for a brief moment before giving another annoyed snort.

"You're clearly one of the ponies giving orders," he reasoned with a grimace, "shouldn't you already know my name?"

"I do," the mare said with a casual shrug, "tell me anyway. Oh," she booped the now thoroughly irritated colt on the nose, "and I'm not technically a pony."

"And I don't particularly care," Shining Armor shot back as he batted her hoof away, "but if you're gonna make a big deal out of it, my name is Shining Armor."

"Great!" Shining yelped as the thestral mare wrapped a foreleg around his withers and pulled him into a one legged side hug, "name's Gale - Frigid Gale to be precise, but you" - she booped him on the nose once more with her other hoof - "can just call me Gale."

"Alright already!" the red faced colt cried, pushing himself away from the chuckling mare, "anypony ever tell you you're way too clingy?"

"Not if they know what's good for em'," she replied easily. She hopped off the bed and cracked her neck a few times, "anyway, I wanna show you something now that the introductions are over," she trotted towards the stone wall she had come through previously, "think of it as a sort of... apology for not coming to see you sooner."

When Shining Armor didn't move the mare looked back towards him with a raised eyebrow.

"What, don't tell me you actually like this place?"

Shining Armor remained seated on the bed as he eyed Frigid Gale warily.

"So that's it?" he asked, his voice heavy with skepticism and suspicion, "you keep me locked in here for over a week without any explanation and now I'm suddenly allowed out just like that?"

"Yep," Gale replied with a smirk, "I'm not just one of the ponies giving orders, I'm the pony giving orders," she paused, "thestral giving orders," she waved a hoof dismissively, "whatever. Point is, I'm the one making the rules and I say you get to leave this crappy cell." She started trotting towards the wall once more as she spoke, "So are you coming or what?"

She didn't wait for an answer as she vanished through the wall.

Shining Armor stared after her for a moment before shaking his head and trotting after the mare.

"At the very least, I might be able to get some answers," he muttered.

The thought was enough to bring a bit more color back to his dull cerulean eyes.

A Brother's Decision

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As he reached the wall he had seen Gale trot through, he hesitated briefly before stepping through himself. As he emerged from the room, he notice two things immediately.

The first was Frigid Gale and a maroon coated unicorn stallion standing directly in front of him. Well, the unicorn was standing and from the looks of it, he had just finished casting a spell because Shining caught a glimpse of an orange colored aura right before it died down. Gale on the other hoof, was sitting on her haunches with an amused grin.

The second thing Shining Armor noticed was how similar the corridor was to his prison - stone walls and dim lighting via wall mounted sconces. He looked down both ends of the corridor and saw much of the same in both directions, though he could just make out a staircase going further down at the end of the path to his right.

"Glad you decided to join us after all, kid."

One of Shining's eyebrows twitched at the name but he didn't say anything about it. He turned his attention to the tall unicorn stallion instead. The maroon unicorn's expression gave nothing away. His white mane was slicked back and like his magic aura, his eyes were a brilliant shade of orange.

"And who is he?" the colt asked warily.

"Him?" Gale said gesturing to the stoic looking stallion, "that's just Red Storm, he's harmless - most of the time."

Shining continued to eye the stallion but Red Storm didn't seem to pay the colt any mind. His bright orange eyes didn't appear to be resting on any one thing for long and he gave Shining the impression he was looking for something the colt himself couldn't see.

The stallion glanced at Frigid Gale when she jabbed him in the shoulder.

"Come on, Storm," she chided, "you're weirding the kid out."

"Apologies, ma'am," the stallion said in a surprisingly gruff voice that didn't seem to fit his rather wiry stature. Gale rolled her eyes and rose to her hooves.

"We're wasting time," she began trotting down the corridor towards the staircase, motioning for the colt and stallion to follow, "I wanna get this show on the road."

Red Storm followed without question or hesitation and Shining Armor trotted after them a bit more reluctantly.

"Where are we going?" Shining asked after a few moments of trotting along in silence, "you said you wanted to show me something?"

"Patience, kid," Gale replied glancing at the the colt from over her shoulder, "I know you got questions, but just hold on for a bit and you'll get your answers."

Shining Armor wanted to press for more information, but he was a smart colt - maybe not as academically brilliant as his little sister, but he knew when to keep his mouth shut and listen.

Discipline like that was a must for a Royal Guard after all, and that's what he aspired to be - even now.

Frigid Gale led them down the staircase where they reached another corridor, this one well lit to Shining's surprise. As they continued down the hall, they passed several busy looking ponies moving to and fro, traveling from door to door. Some of them stopped to give Frigid Gale a salute or a simple nod to which Gale gave a nod of her own. Shining Armor even saw a few griffons here and there.

What he didn't see however, were other thestrals like Frigid Gale.

"What do you know about Celestia, kid?"

Shining blinked in confusion at the sudden question. He looked to Gale who had taken on a more serious look as she trotted.

"I... don't really know much about the Princess herself," he admitted, "most of what I know has to do with her Guard."

"A regular Colt Scout, are ya?" she said with a chuckle, "big dreams of defending our Perfect Monarch and her kingdom."

"Not really," Shining answered. Frigid Gale turned to the colt with an intrigued raise of her brow.

"Oh?"

Shining Armor shook his head.

"I wanted to join the Guard so I could protect those I care about, like my family," he glared at the ground, "not that I have a family to protect anymore."

Frigid Gale observed Shining silently for a moment, a look of pity briefly crossing her face. It disappeared before anypony could see and she turned to face the path ahead.

"And you don't know anything about Celestia," she surmised, "well that's-"

"Actually..."

Gale turned back to Shining Armor expectantly.

"I don't know a lot about Celestia," he said shaking his head, "but I don't really trust her either."

That made Frigid Gale stop in her tracks.

"Really now?" she said, immense interest seeping into her voice, "do tell."

Shining Armor raised an eyebrow at the mare's reaction but continued nonetheless.

"A couple of years ago my sister entered a contest for a magazine she was subscribed to. She wrote a paper," he scrunched up his face, "I... can't remember what it was about, but I remember mom and dad were worried about it for some reason..."

"And?" Gale pushed, "go on, what happened next?"

She furrowed her brow when she noticed the colt staring off to the side with a vacant expression. She grabbed his face and turned towards hers.

"Hey, come on, kid," she said in a soft understanding tone that caught Shining off guard, "I know it's tough losing your family, believe me, but I need you to focus on the here and now."

Shining Armor pulled away from Gale and glared at her. He opened his mouth to question how she could possibly know, but froze at the look on her face.

He saw it in her draconic eyes.

She did indeed know the pain of having your family suddenly and violently ripped away from you.

He closed his mouth and gave a dejected sigh.

"...My parents submitted the paper and four days later we received a personal invitation to the castle to speak with the Princess herself," he frowned thoughtfully, "I thought it was weird because we hadn't received anything from the ponies who run the magazine."

"And you went with them?"

"No," Shining said with a shake of his head, "I was in school at the time, but when they got back from the castle, I knew something was wrong. Very wrong."

"What happened?" Frigid Gale asked. She began trotting forward again as they spoke.

Shining grimaced at the memory.

"I got back to the house before they did, and when I asked about how the trip to the castle went they all looked at me like I was crazy. I asked about the article, but they had no idea what I was talking about," he snorted, "I know they went to castle, they were picked up by Royal Gaurds!"

"Hey, hey calm down, kid," Gale said, raising a placative hoof, "so you think Celestia had something to do with their weird behavior?"

"I don't know for sure," Shining replied, "I dropped the subject because I knew it would've been pointless if they didn't remember, but I never stopped thinking about it. I tried sending a letter to the Princess through official channels, but it was returned almost immediately exactly as I had sent it with a form letter attached saying she was unavailable to take anymore letters that day or something."

"Sounds pretty suspicious," Gale said with a knowing nod, "especially since that's not how the regular mailing system works in Canterlot."

Shining Armor was about to reply when Red Storm suddenly spoke up, startling the colt.

"We've arrived My Lady."

"Finally," Gale said turning back around to face a large metal door, "you can go now, Storm, I'll take it from here."

"As you wish, ma'am," he replied. Shining Armor watched in awe as the maroon unicorn stepped back into a shaded corner of the corridor and vanished.

"Neat, huh?" Frigid Gale said with a wink, "that's Shadow Magic for ya."

Shining Armor frowned.

"Dark Magic..."

"You got a problem with it?" Gale asked curiously.

Shining Armor shook his head.

"Not particularly, it's just..." he let out a melancholy sigh, "my sister was interested in it for awhile. That's actually what the article was about," he looked off to one side, the blank look from earlier making a return, "...I hope she survived."

"What if I told you she did?"

Shining Armor's head snapped in Gale's direction and the thestral mare could see an almost manic desperation flare up in the colt eyes.

"Don't joke about that," he whispered, "if you're messing with me-"

"I'm not," Frigid Gale replied solemnly, "and the proof is just beyond this door."

Shining made to push the door open, but Gale held him back with a hoof.

"Easy there, kid," she said, cutting off his protests, "let me go first."

She stepped forward and place a hoof to the door. Shining watched as her hoof glowed a light blue, and after a second, the door followed suit - strange symbols lighting up around the glowing hoof.

Eventually the light died down, the symbols disappeared and Shining heard a soft click. The door slowly swung open and Shining didn't even hesitate as he rushed inside.

"Twily?" he said sweeping a frantic gaze around the surprisingly small room, "are you-"

"She's not here you bonehead," Gale admonished as she stepped into the room. Shining Armor stopped and took a closer look around. The room was small, circular, and very well lit. It almost reminded the colt of an office, what with the many cabinets surrounding the walls. There was a single desk and chair in the back that he hadn't noticed before.

An old female griffon glared at the colt from over a pair of thick rimmed glasses.

"A pleasure to see you as always, Gale," the mare said, not taking her eyes from Shining, "tell me, what is this... brat doing here?"

"He's with me, Astrid," Gale replied casually, "I'm just here to show him something, then we'll be out of your hair."

The gray coated, white feathered old griffon clicked her beak a few times before rising from the chair.

"Very well," she said walking around the table, "and what can I get for you, Gale?"

"I need that orb the Doctor modified."

Astrid nodded and walked over to a specific row of cabinets. She traced a talon across each of them until she found the one she was looking for. Opening the cabinet, she pulled out a small black box and walked back over to Frigid Gale. Shining watched the whole thing with both curiosity and mild irritation.

"Here we go," Gale said, taking the box from the griffon, "this is that proof I was talking about kid."

She clicked open the box and pulled out a very familiar looking orb. Shining gave the thestral mare a bemused frown.

"Isn't that an Orb of Insight?" he asked skeptically, "how is that supposed to help me find my sister?"

"This isn't just any old Orb of Insight, kid," Gale replied, hoofing it to the colt, "One of the brainiacs down at the labs modified it to track magical signatures - don't ask me how, I have no idea how he did it."

Shining Armor took the orb into his hooves and his eyes widened at the gently pulsating magenta glow within.

Even if he couldn't sense it, he'd know that glow anywhere.

"Twily..."

Gale nodded.

"That's the residual mana we managed to recover from your house after..." she rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly, "...y'know."

Shining Armor's ear twitched and he narrowed his eyes at Gale.

"And why were you at my house?"

"Reasons," she replied with a shrug, "what's important is that as long as the mana in that orb is glowing, your sister is alive."

The colt once again suppressed the urge to ask more about her statment and instead focused on the fact that his sister was actually alive somewhere.

"Do you know where she is?" he asked.

"If I did, you wouldn't be here," the mare replied. She continued on before Shining could ask what she meant, "the search for your sister is still ongoing even as we speak."

Shining mulled over her words, the questions in his mind piling higher and higher with each thing Frigid Gale said.

"Why are you looking for my sister?" he finally asked, "what do you want with her and why am I here instead? Who even are you guys?"

"I'll be happy to answer... most of those questions," Gale said, taking the modified orb from Shining and placing it back in the box, "but first, I need you to do me a favor."

Shining narrowed his eyes again.

"What kind of favor?"

"Oh, don't be like that, kid," Gale said with a roll of her eyes, "this'll be beneficial for the both of us."

After a few moments of glaring, Shining Armor huffed and sat on his haunches.

"I'm listening."

Gale nodded and hoofed the box back to Astrid who placed it back in the cabinet.

"I'd like you to work with us to find your sister-"

"I'll do it."

Frigid Gale blinked in surprise.

"That's it?" she asked with a raised eyebrow, "don't you want to know the details?"

"Of course I do," Shining said with a resolute frown, "but you obviously want her for something, you're not going to hurt her, and I want to see my sister again - to know that she's safe," he gave a single nod, "that's good enough for me... for now."

"And how do you know we aren't going to hurt her?" Gale challenged.

"Because you" - he pointed a hoof at Gale - "won't allow it."

"Oh, really?" Gale shot back, inwardly impressed with the colt's insight, "and what makes you say that?"

"You could've hurt or killed me at anytime, but the only reason I got hurt at all was because I attacked first," he shook his head and gave the mare a look that almost seemed appreciative, "I could also see that you were actually worried about me back in the room."

He looked Frigid Gale straight in the eye - his own cerulean eyes shining bright with the newfound hope of finding his still living little sister.

"If nothing else, I think you care about foals at the very least."

Gale stared at the colt incredulously for a few moments before she let out an amused snort.

"You know what?" she said pulling the colt into another one legged hug and ruffling his mane, "I like you, kid!"

Shining pulled himself out from under Gale's leg and the mare chuckled before giving him a solemn frown.

"But seriously though, kid, you need to hear the details if you're gonna help," she said motioning for him to follow as she opened the door, "this isn't some small time operation I'm running here. There's more at stake than just the safety of your sister - a lot more."

Shining nodded as he stepped through the doorway.

"I don't care, as long as I can see Twilight again."

"It might take longer than you think," Gale warned.

"As long as I'm not just twiddling my hooves, I can deal with it," he hung his head, some of his earlier sadness coming back, "she's the only real family I have now."

Frigid Gale looked at the colt for several moments, an unsure expression making it's way across her face. After a moment she let out resigned sigh and placed a reassuring hoof on his shoulder.

"We'll find your sister, kid," she said with a warm - if slightly strained - smile, "I promise."

Shining Armor returned the smile and Gale ruffled his mane again before trotting forward.

"Now come on, let's see about getting you a better room."

An Exciting Annoucement

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It had now been five days since the three fillies had begun their studies anew. Spring was officially here and the days were slowly getting warmer and warmer. Patches of dirt, grass, and some of the newly blooming flowers could be seen amidst the still melting snow.

Ancient Scroll had decided it was time to see where each of the fillies strengths and interests lie within each branch of magic they were learning. To this end, he called all three of them into his study after breakfast to discuss the matter.

"I take it you've already decided on what you want to focus your studies on, Trixie?" Ancient Scroll guessed, noting the self-satisfied smirk on the blue filly's face.

"As a matter of fact, Trixie has!" she answered proudly. The filly stood up on her hind legs and waved her hooves dramatically, "Trixie will become the greatest practitioner of Illusory Magic Equestria has ever seen!" she pointed a hoof at Ancient Scroll as Sunset rolled her eyes and Twilight facehoofed, "and she will start by perfecting the difficult and complex art of the Decoy spell!"

"Wait, that's what you ran off to learn?" Twilight cried incredulously, "Trixie, the amount of mana required to maintain even an imperfect decoy for more than a minute would tax an average adult unicorn!"

"Perhaps," Trixie replied with a sniff, "but perhaps Trixie isn't just your average unicorn."

"The strain would knock you out for days if not outright kill you!" Twilight argued with a stomp of her hoof, "this is exactly what I was talking about before! Your mana wellspring isn't developed enough for complex spells like that yet!"

"And just how do you know that, Twilight Sparkle?" Trixie shot back, getting in the lavender filly's face, "have you personally done a thorough examination of my mana level?"

"Well... no," Twilight conceded reluctantly, "but, still-"

"Would you two knock it off?" Sunset cried in exasperation, "it doesn't matter if Trixie has the capability to pull off a Decoy spell or not, you'd still have to get the okay to even try it from Uncle - er - Professor Scroll!"

"You can drop the Professor bit, Sunset," Ancient Scroll said with an amused chuckle, "it's not catching on like I hoped it would anyway," he turned to the other two fillies to find them glaring daggers at each other, "as for you two..."

Twilight and Trixie yelped in surprise as they were suddenly lifted up in a green aura and placed directly in front of a stern faced Ancient Scroll.

"That'll be enough of that," he set them back down in front of the desk as he spoke, "Trixie raises an interesting point about a magical examination."

"She does?" they both asked simultaneously with equal surprise.

Ancient Scroll nodded.

"Up until now, I've relied on my keen sense of judgement when it comes to gauging a pony's magical potential, and it hasn't steered me wrong yet," he leaned back in his chair and eyed the two fillies thoughtfully, "but I think an actual examination of your magic might yield some interesting results - and it'll give me the chance to use something I picked up awhile back."

"What is it?" Sunset asked curiously.

"I'll tell you later," Ancient Scroll said with a dismissive wave of his hoof, "but it'll be neat, trust me on that. Anyway," he turned his attention back to Twilight and Trixie, "from what I can gauge, Trixie might just have what it takes to pull off a Decoy spell despite her age, so I'll allow it."

"What? Seriously?" Twilight cried, looking from Ancient Scroll to a smug looking Trixie, "but I... but she..."

The lavender filly's mouth flapped uselessly for a few moments before she sighed in resignation.

"Well, if Uncle Scroll says you're ready then I won't argue anymore," she narrowed her eyes at Trixie, "but don't overdo it, Trixie," she warned, jabbing a hoof into Trixie's chest, "If it feels like you're about to pass out, stop the spell."

"Trixie will be perfectly fine," the blue filly replied confidently as she batted Twilight's hoof away, "when it comes time to show her skills, Trixie will blow you away with the most spectacular performance you've ever laid eyes on!"

Twilight gave another sigh an shook her head while Ancient Scroll let an amused smile play across his face. He turned to Sunset with a slight frown.

"And what about you, Sunset?" he asked, "have you decided what you enjoy about Elemental Magic or is there anything in particular you want to focus on?"

Sunset bit her lip as she thought about what to say.

"Well..." she began tentatively, "from my own examinations, I found out that I actually do have a talent for Fire Magic specifically... but..."

"But you want to distance yourself from it for now," Ancient Scroll finished solemnly. When Sunset gave a small nod, he shook his head, "that's fine for now, Sunset, but you're going to have to face your fears sooner or later."

"I know, Uncle Scroll," Sunset replied, staring at her hooves, "I know that, but... I just... need some time right now, that's all."

"I understand," Ancient Scroll said with a sigh, "is there anything else that's caught your interest in the meantime?"

"Well, actually," Sunset said perking up a bit, "I've been reading about Earth Magic in-depth and I'm interested in a lot of the spells I've seen. I think I'd like to try some more of them next."

"Anything in particular?" Scroll asked. Sunset shook her head.

"Not yet, but I'll let you know when I find something, Uncle Scroll."

"Fair enough," Ancient Scroll turned to the lavender filly who began speaking before he had the chance.

"I want to learn more about Shadow Magic."

Scroll's eyes widened in surprise.

"Really now?"

Twilight nodded resolutely.

"Out of all the Dark Magic I've read about, Shadow Magic is one of the least corruptive sub branches and my books actually recommend it as a good practice for beginners," she smiled as she though about what she had read, "not only that, but there's actually several Shadow Magic spells that provide a much more mana cost-effective alternative to some Soul Magic spells."

"Like what?" Trixie asked curiously.

"Well, like Shadow Step versus Teleportation for example," Twilight explained, "while you can only move from shadow to shadow with Shadow Step, it's just as fast as Teleportation and costs way less mana to use."

Trixie gave an intrigued nod.

"It may cost less mana to use," Ancient Scroll added, "but it still seems a bit out of your league at the moment, little filly."

"Oh, I know," Twilight replied, "but I'll be learning that the first chance I get. For now though I think I'll focus on Light Absorption and Shadow Cloaking."

Ancient Scroll worked his jaw silently for a moment before giving a slow, reluctant nod of approval.

"I'll allow it, but you need to make sure not to overdo it, little filly," he warned, "I'm sure you've read about what happens to those who use nothing but Dark Magic for too long."

"Yeah, I... I'll be careful, Uncle Scroll," Twilight said, grimacing at the memory of the rather nasty side effects of prolonged Dark Magic use she had read about.

Ancient Scroll nodded in satisfaction and stood up from his desk.

"Alright then, girls, now I've got some exciting news for ya," he said, clopping his hooves together. Each of the fillies perked their ears up in curiosity and he continued with a smirk, "I think it's about time we all had a... well let's call it a 'family outing' shall we?"

Twilight's excited reaction and Sunset's curious expression were what he was expecting, but he raised an eyebrow at Trixie's nervous frown. He made note of it as he continued his explanation.

"Spring's here and Faranda Way Village is having their annual Spring Festival to celebrate," he said, planting his hooves on the table, "and I thought, since we never ended up celebrating Hearth's Warming, we could all go to the festival instead."

He looked around at each filly, "Since the town's so close to the Equestrian border, they've integrated various food, drink, and games that different races outside of Equestria have brought over the years, so it's as much a cultural exchange as it is a celebration of changing seasons."

Twilight clopped her hooves together in excitement at the chance to learn about different cultures. Sunset looked off to the side as she thought about the various foods she would get to try, and Trixie...

"You okay, little filly?"

Trixie jumped slightly and looked over to a concerned looking Ancient Scroll.

"Oh, yeah... Trixie can't wait..." she muttered half-heartedly, "sounds like fun."

Twilight and Sunset picked up on the hesitation in Trixie's voice and glanced at each other worriedly.

"Trixie..." Sunset began, "if you don't wanna go-"

"No-no," Trixie said, shaking her head and giving them a weak smile, "Trixie is fine with it. We haven't had a trip like this since... well, I don't think we've ever had a trip like this," she gave a chuckle that sounded just as half-hearted, "it'll be something Trixie can look forward to doing with all of you."

The others all looked at each other again with frowns of worry and concern.

"Alright, little filly," Ancient Scroll finally said, "if you're okay with it, the festival starts in two days, so we'll be leaving for Faranda Way Village then."

Trixie nodded and turned to leave the study.

"Well, Trixie's tired so she'll be taking her leave now if that's everything."

"But it's still-"

Trixie trotted out of the room and slammed the door shut behind her.

"...morning," Twilight finished with a frown.

"Uncle Scroll, is she gonna be okay?" Sunset asked the old stallion, "she obviously doesn't wanna go."

"I have a hunch..." Ancient Scroll said slowly as he started at the door, "and if my hunch is correct, we need to keep a close eye on that filly."

"Why?" Twilight asked, "is she going to do something bad?"

Ancient Scroll shook his head.

"I'm not too sure, little filly..."

He looked down at the two worried fillies with a grimace of his own.

"...but my gut says something bad is going to happen if we're not paying attention."

An Explanation of Unicorn Magic

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Later that same day after lunch, the three fillies were called back into Ancient Scroll's study for the mana evaluation he had mentioned earlier.

Twilight and Sunset were of course curious to see just what this thing was that he had picked up, but Ancient Scroll noticed that Trixie still seemed out of sorts from his announcement. He frowned slightly as he laid eyes on the blue filly, but continued on regardless - making a mental note to talk to Trixie one-on-one later.

"Alright, girls," he began, sweeping his gaze over each of them, "now that you've got something in your bellies, it's time for that evaluation I promised, but first," he eyed the three contemplatively before continuing, "I'm sure you all know the answer to this question by now, but humor me for a bit."

He leaned forward and clasped his hooves together over the desk as he continued.

"Who here can tell me how magic works when it comes to unicorns and how mana is measured?"

Twilight's hoof shot up first, quickly followed by Sunset's.

Trixie didn't even bother as she looked off to the side distractedly.

Ancient Scroll gave the blue filly a brief side glance before turning his attention to Sunset.

"Alright, Miss Shimmer, let's hear it," he said with a nod of encouragement.

Twilight huffed and lowered her hoof as Sunset began her explanation.

"Unicorns use magic to actively influence the world around us, unlike earth ponies and pegasi who use their magic passively and instinctively," she explained, "while the mana of earth ponies and pegasi is suffused through magical 'veins' spread throughout their bodies, unicorns pull mana from a magic 'wellspring' within our chest. We pull mana from this wellspring using our horns as a natural conduit to cast spells."

"Very good," Ancient Scroll responded with a proud smile. He turned to the eager lavender filly, "and the measurement of mana, Twilight?"

Twilight grinned, standing up a bit straighter and raising a hoof.

"Mana for unicorns, pegasi, and earth ponies is measured in thaums, but a unicorn's wellspring has a unique measurement for depth - lyms. The higher the thaum count, the more mana a pony has. The higher the lym count, the deeper a unicorn's wellspring. A lot of mana means you can put more power into spells, and a deeper wellspring means a higher mana overflow threshold."

Ancient Scroll nodded in approval before looking back to Trixie, who had been staring at nothing in particular.

"Trixie."

The blue filly snapped out of whatever thoughts she had been ruminating on and turned to Ancient Scroll, blinking owlishly. Ancient Scroll's frown deepened and the other two fillies eyed Trixie worriedly.

"Trixie, why don't you go lay down for a bit and get some rest," Ancient Scroll suggested, "we can pick this back up when you're-"

"No," Trixie cut in, shaking her head to clear her thoughts, "Trixie is... fine. Just some... stray thoughts is all," she tried - and failed - to give them all a reassuring and confident smile, "you can continue with the lesson, Uncle Scroll, Trixie is all ears."

"Okay then..." Ancient Scroll replied, thoroughly unconvinced, "tell me, Trixie, what is mana overflow and how does it affect unicorns?"

Trixie said nothing for a moment as she closed her eyes and hummed to herself in thought. After a minute she open her eyes, cleared her throat and began speaking.

"Mana overflow happens when the mana used to cast a spell surpasses a unicorn's mana overflow threshold," she paused to collect her thoughts before continuing, "a unicorn having more mana than their wellspring can hold isn't a problem in and of itself, as the exa... excess mana is released passively through small pores in the body and dissolved into the ata... atma... atmosphere."

Sunset looked impressed as Trixie continued and Twilight just smiled, remembering how Trixie had told her about her good memory. Ancient Scroll himself was happy to let Trixie continue her explanation as long as it kept her mind from wandering to whatever she had been thinking about before.

"The real problem occurs when a unicorn starts trying to cast a spell with more mana than their wellspring can hold," as she got more into it, Trixie began to make dramatic gestures to go along with her explanations, "when that happens, the active mana traveling from the wellspring begins to overload the horn and that could have det.. de.. tri... detrimental effects on the brain."

Trixie tapped her own horn as she began to strut about in front of the other two fillies.

"This could range from simple magical burnout to sudden brain death depending on how much mana was pumped into the spell, however," the blue filly suddenly stopped and jabbed at the other two fillies, "this can be easily avoided by dialing back the mana you use to when casting that particular spell."

"Excellent work, Trixie," Ancient Scroll said, practically beaming with pride, "you know, you don't give yourself enough credit, little filly."

Trixie huffed and stuck her muzzle in the air haughtily - though the others didn't miss the red tinging her cheeks.

"T-Trixie has no idea what you're talking about!" she scoffed, "she gives herself all the credit she deserves!"

Ancient Scroll chuckled softly. He knew the truth of the matter, how the blue filly was constantly pushing herself to try and keep up with the other two fillies. In reality, Trixie was just as brilliant as the other two, but for all her bravado and self-aggrandizing, she lacked the self-confidence to see herself for the smart filly she really was.

"Alright I think that's enough of the basics for now," he said, lighting up his horn and opening the door across the room from his desk, "before I get to the magic evaluation, I need to speak with Twilight alone for a moment, so Sunset, Trixie? If you girls would?"

Sunset and Trixie looked at Twilight with curiosity and confusion and Twilight could only reciprocate the feeling with a shrug. The blue and orange filly glanced at each other, gave a shrug of their own, and trotted out of the room before Scroll gently shut the door.

Twilight turned back to Ancient Scroll to find his gentle smile had been replaced with a slight frown as he gazed down at the lavender filly. She swallowed nervously and squirmed under his stare, afraid she had done something wrong.

"Y-You wanted to tell me something?"

Ancient Scroll continued to eye Twilight for another moment before he sighed and spoke in a solemn tone.

"Remember when I told you I'd let you know when I discovered something about your... situation regarding the miraculous surge?"

Twilight blinked in confusion before her eyes widened in sudden realization.

"Did you find anything out?" she asked, stepping closer to the desk, "is there something wrong with me?"

"Well, not exactly, little filly," Ancient Scroll replied slowly, "nothing's wrong, but your situation is definitely a... unique one."

"And?" Twilight pushed, "what did you find out?"

"I can't say anything for sure without running a few tests," he said with a shake of his head, "that's actually part of the reason I decided to do this magic evaluation, but from what I can guess, you have a lot of mana, little filly," he leaned forward over his desk and eyed the filly critically, "a lot of mana - almost to a dangerous degree."

Twilight began to shift uncomfortably as she thought about the implications.

"I couldn't find anything on the odd phenomena regarding your magical affinity - in fact all I really have right now are educated and uneducated guesses, but I believe the only way you could've survived that surge is if you somehow forced your wellspring further open at the last second to accommodate for the increase in mana output."

Twilight fell to her haunches and furrowed her brow in thought.

"But how is that possible?" she muttered, "unicorns shouldn't have control over their wellsprings at all. They grow and develop on their own, naturally over time."

"I'm not too sure, filly," Ancient Scroll responded, "there is a theory floating around in the thaumatologist community that magic miracles are possible because the still developing wellspring has a sudden 'spasm', causing it to expand temporarily, but the theory doesn't explain the sudden increase in mana."

He shook his head and looked at Twilight, stroking his beard contemplatively.

"I think it's different with you, though," he continued, "I think with you, the mana needed is already there, and your wellspring..." he went quite for a moment before sighing in defeat, "I don't know, little filly. Like I said all I have are guesses at the moment."

Twilight sat there, mulling over everything Ancient Scroll had said.

"Do you..." she hesitated and Ancient Scroll raised an eyebrow. She looked down at her hooves before looking back up and speaking once more, "do you think we'd have anymore luck if we were to go to Canterlot?"

Ancient Scroll hummed to himself and gave a slow nod.

"I suppose we would," he said carefully, "they do have some facilities open to the public over at the Institute and we could browse some of the books they have there," he eyed Twilight warily, "what brought about the idea?"

Twilight rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly.

"Oh, nothing in particular," she said with a nervous chuckle, "I just thought Canterlot would be a better place for research what with the Institute of Magical Research and Development being located there."

"I see..." Ancient Scroll answered with a raised eyebrow. He wasn't fooled however.

He knew exactly why Twilight had brought up going to Canterlot.

Nevertheless he decided not to call the filly out on her lie and instead motioned to the door.

"Well, we'll discuss this more later, little filly," he said as he leaned down beneath his desk to open one of the drawers, "in the meantime, can you get the other two for me?"

He continued to root around in the drawer as he spoke.

"I believe it's about time we got this magic evaluation underway."

An Interesting Evaluation

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Ancient Scroll had finally found what he was looking for while the girls had filtered back into the room and he addressed each of them with a bit of excitement.

"You girls are in for a treat," he said with a hint of anticipation in his voice, "I've been meaning to find a use for this old thing, and now..."

The three fillies looked on curiously as he placed something on the desk in front of him. Ancient Scroll raised an eyebrow at their non-reaction before realizing they couldn't see over the desk.

"Oh, right," he said with a sheepish chuckle, sorry about that, here..."

He lifted the object in his magic and brought it down to the fillies eye level so that they could get a better look. Their reactions ranged from intrigued to confused and in Sunset's case, surprised.

What Ancient Scroll had shown them, was a horn ring. It shone a bright silver in color and was marred by a single tiny chip on one side. At first glance, it seemed like any other anti-magic horn ring.

But that was only at first glance.

Upon closer inspection, Sunset had noticed small engravings surrounding the outside of the ring. Carved into the ring were strange symbols.

Strange and familiar symbols.

"Uncle Scroll," Sunset said, eyes widened in surprise, "this ring..."

"Yep," Ancient Scroll finished, "you're correct on that one, little filly. That is indeed ancient Runic script."

Twilight looked from the ring to the old stallion in shock.

"You managed to get your hooves on an ancient artifact?" she asked in bewilderment, "I thought the Princess had seized all the artifacts in Equestria?"

Ancient Scroll gave a somewhat mischievous chuckle as he dropped the ring into Sunset's hoof.

"She didn't get her hooves on this one, little filly," he said with a wink, "found this one myself in some underground ruins beneath the Badlands years ago," he stared at the ceiling as he idly stroked his beard, "had a nasty run-in with some changelings, but I managed to make it out okay in the end," he reminisced, "clever little buggers, those changelings... much more than I gave them credit for at any rate."

As the old stallion rambled on about his past adventures, Trixie turned to Twilight.

"What on Equus is a changeling?" she whispered. Twilight's only response was to shake her head and shrug helplessly. Sunset meanwhile, was busy looking over the ring she was given and paid Ancient Scroll no mind.

"...all the way to Saddle Arabia to get the blasted thing appraised! And it was not cheap, let me tell you-"

"Um, Uncle Scroll?" Twilight interjected, "this is all very interesting, but weren't we supposed to be doing an evaluation?"

Ancient Scroll blinked and looked towards the bemused fillies.

"Oh, yes... yes you're right, sorry about that, little filly," he cleared his throat and floated the ring from Sunset's hoof and into his own, "now then..."

Without preamble, he placed the ring on his own horn. The moment it was in place, the runes began to glow a bright green. The girls gasped as the glowing runes expanded and elongated, wrapping themselves around Ancient Scroll. They encircled the stallion for a few seconds before coming together in the form of a slowly rotating magic circle in front of him.

The fillies watched in awe as Ancient Scroll brought out a blank piece of parchment and placed that on the desk. He closed his eyes briefly, and when he opened them again, they were completely enshrouded in green light. The circle once again broke apart into several lines of runes which shrank and lowered down to the parchment.

There was a sudden flash and the glow died down. After a minute of stunned silence, Ancient Scroll lifted the parchment off the desk and lowered it down so the girls could see. Imprinted on the parchment were softly glowing runes that, even as they watched, began to reform themselves into a readable script.

The light faded, leaving three simple lines for the fillies to read.

Ancient Scroll

Thaum Count: 752Ꮦ

Lym Count: 774Ꮭ

Trixie looked up from the parchment to give Ancient Scroll an unimpressed raise of her brow.

"That's it?" she asked flatly, "all that flair and pizzazz for three simple pieces of information you could get at any small town clinic in Equestria?"

Ancient Scroll rolled up the parchment and set it back on the desk with a shrug.

"Originally, the ring was supposed to give all sorts of information - including magic affinity," he replied, "but according to the appraiser, it was damaged at some point and only reveals the thaum and lym counts of a unicorn - unfortunate yes, but just perfect for what we need, and besides," he raised his own eyebrow at Trixie, "do you see any clinics around here?"

Trixie just looked away with a small pout.

"I still think it's fascinating," Twilight added, eyeing the ring with immense interest, "it's actually a lot faster than the methods we use nowadays and you only need the ring and a piece of parchment."

"It is convenient," Sunset said with a nod of agreement, "even if it only shows a small amount of information."

"What Trixie doesn't understand," the blue filly commented, turning to Ancient Scroll, "is what the numbers mean."

"Trixie," Twilight said rolling her eyes, "it shows what they mean right on the-"

"That's not what Trixie meant," Trixie replied, shaking her head. She pointed a hoof towards Ancient Scroll, "do the numbers that showed up mean he has a lot of mana or is it an average amount or what?"

"Well," Sunset answered, putting a hoof to her chin, "the average thaum count for an adult pony is between 400 and 600 thaums and the average lym count for an adult unicorn specifically is around 650 lyms."

"So it's above average then," Trixie surmised.

Sunset nodded, "It isn't all that surprising. Mana wellsprings expand naturally overtime to fit the natural increase in mana as we grow older, and Uncle Scroll is pretty old," she turned to Ancient Scroll with an apologetic smile, "no offense, Uncle Scroll."

"None taken, little filly," he replied with a chuckle, "you're right about that after all."

Twilight said nothing and sat on her haunches looking contemplative. She was snapped out of her thoughts when Scroll spoke once more.

"Here," he floated a piece of parchment over to each of them, and the ring over to Sunset specifically, "why don't you girls give it a go?"

"How does it work?" Sunset asked, eyeing the ring curiously as it floated in her own red aura.

"Just pop it onto your horn and it'll do the rest," he said with a tap of his own horn, "just make sure you have the parchment ready."

Sunset stared at the ring for another moment before she shrugged and placed the ring on her horn. She inhaled sharply at the sensation and the other two fillies watched as the earlier scene played out once more with Sunset. This time however, the glow was the same shade of red as Sunset's own aura.

Twilight for one, was grateful that Sunset didn't notice the glow.

The rather ominous looking red light sent a chill down both Twilight and Trixie's spines.

After a few moments, Sunset placed the parchment flat on the floor and the runic script imprinted itself onto the paper. The glow dimmed and all three of the girls leaned down to see the results.

Sunset Shimmer

Thaum Count: 409Ꮦ

Lym Count: 355Ꮭ

"Is... is that good?" Trixie asked with a bemused frown.

They all looked towards Scroll for a verdict. He leaned back in his chair and stroked his beard as he cast an impressed glance at the orange filly.

"The mana count is actually very impressive for a filly your age," he replied, "most foals your age would fall somewhere between 200 and 300 thaums, yet here you are with enough mana to rival the average adult unicorn. The wellspring depth however..." he tapped a hoof on the desk thoughtfully.

"It's about average for where I'm at right now, but the lower lym count means I have a lot of mana leakage," Sunset finished, putting a hoof to her chin, "that means I'll have to be careful how much mana I put into my spells..."

Twilight remained sitting quietly as she looked at the ring on Sunset's horn nervously - something that didn't escape Ancient Scroll's notice.

As Sunset lost herself in her thoughts, Trixie took the opportunity to swipe the ring off her horn.

"Trixie's turn!"

"Ah - hey, Trixie!" Sunset cried angrily, "you could've just asked!"

Trixie ignored the orange filly as she placed the ring onto her own horn. The room was briefly lit by a pink glow as the horn ring did it's work and before anypony knew it, it was over and the results made themselves clear on the parchment.

Beatrix Lulamoon

Thaum Count: 317Ꮦ

Lym Count: 413Ꮭ

They all stared at the parchment with varying degrees of surprise, none more so than Trixie herself whose eyes had gone wide at the result.

"Wow, Trixie..." Twilight finally said with some awe, "I guess Uncle Scroll was right. Even with these numbers it's still risky, but if you're careful, there's a chance you could do that Decoy spell after all."

Trixie nodded absently before rapidly shaking her head.

"T-Trixie knew she was talented all along, so this is no news to her!" she gave Twilight another smug look, "and to think, Twilight Sparkle, you had the nerve to doubt Trixie's abilities."

Twilight just gave a shrug and a small chuckle in response.

Sunset glanced at Trixie with a slight smirk of amusement.

"You never told us your full name was Beatrix," she teased. The blue filly rounded on Sunset with a glare.

"And do you have a problem with Trixie's full name?" Trixie challenged. Sunset laughed and held up her hooves placatingly.

"No, no," she said, still chuckling, "I think it's fine... Beatrix."

Trixie was about to give an indignant retort, when Ancient Scroll spoke up.

"Come on, girls," he admonished as he floated the ring off of Trixie and over to an anxious looking Twilight, "there'll be plenty of time for fooling around later, were almost done here," he turned a solemn, knowing gaze to Twilight, "are you ready, little filly?"

Twilight swallowed nervously and nodded.

She tentatively levitated the ring onto her horn and it began to glow a bright magenta color. As the runes floated around her, Ancient Scroll noticed that it seemed to take a bit longer to form the magic circle - almost as if the Runic spell was having a hard time deciphering the information. Eventually the magic circle appeared and Twilight laid out the parchment.

The Runic script imprinted to the parchment and with the spell complete everypony gathered around to look.

Twilight Sparkle

Thaum Count: 507Ꮦ

Lym Count: 0000Ꮭ

Twilight blinked.

Sunset's jaw had dropped open in disbelief, and Trixie just gave a confused tilt of her head.

"Trixie doesn't get it," she said with a bemused frown. She turned to Twilight and tapped the ring on her horn, "did this thing suddenly break?"

Ancient Scroll frowned as he levitated the ring off Twilight's horn and inspected it with narrowed eyes.

"It is an old device, granted," he muttered before turning to the lavender filly with a contemplative furrowing of his brow, "but I don't think that's the issue..."

"What do you think it means, Uncle Scroll?" Sunset asked, "I mean, you can't just not have a lym count. Every unicorn has a lym count from the day they're born."

"I don't know," Twilight said, looking from Sunset to Ancient Scroll with increasing worry, "maybe... maybe the ring is broken?"

Ancient Scroll stared at Twilight with an unreadable expression long enough for the filly to shift uncomfortably. After a moment he sighed, rubbed his temples, and floated the ring back into the drawer beneath his desk.

"I don't really know what this means for sure, little filly," he said tiredly, "but it seems I might have some more research to do."

He turned back to Twilight with an unsure expression. It looked to the lavender filly like he was trying to decide on something.

"Is there something else, Uncle Scroll," she asked hesitantly.

"Well..." he hummed to himself before shaking his head, "ah, to Tartarus with it," he muttered before looking at Twilight, "if I can't find anything in my collection, then I suppose we can take a trip to Canterlot for some new books."

Twilight and Sunset's eyes widened in shock and they gave each other quick glances full of equal parts excitement and apprehension.

Trixie didn't fail to notice the looks and furrowed her brow as she looked between the two.

"What?" she asked the other two, "is Trixie missing something? Why is it a big-"

"We'll tell you after we're done here, Trixie," Sunset promised. She turned to Ancient Scroll, "are we done, Uncle Scroll?"

"Hmm?"

Ancient Scroll, who had been staring at his desk with a contemplative frown, looked up at Sunset's question.

"Oh, yes," he said distractedly. His horn lit up and he absently began pulling some books from different shelves, "you three are free to go for now. Don't forget to keep me updated on your studies."

With that he waved them out the door and they took that as their cue to leave.

"Will you two please tell Trixie what is going on here?" the blue filly asked impatiently as she witnessed the two give each other more nervous looks.

The three of them trotted out of the room and Twilight motioned for them to head towards the bedroom.

"Don't worry, Trixie," Twilight said giving Trixie a solemn look over her shoulder, "I meant to tell you about this anyway, but I don't want Uncle Scroll to know the real reason I wanted to go to Canterlot - at least not yet."

A Troubled Filly

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"Of course Trixie is coming with you," the blue filly declared as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, "did you think Trixie would just leave you two to fend for yourselves?" she scoffed and put on a cocky smirk, "you two need Trixie to keep you from getting in trouble."

Twilight giggled at Trixie's bravado and Sunset just shook her head.

"Thanks, Trixie," Twilight said with a grateful smile, "that means a lot, and you're right," she put a hoof on Trixie's shoulder, "we'll probably need all the help we can get."

"Ha!" Trixie replied with a snort, "Trixie is all the help you'll need."

Twilight chuckled and began making her way towards the bedroom door.

"Well, I'm going to get started on learning those spells," she said over her shoulder, "thanks again, Trixie."

She trotted out of the bedroom and closed the door, leaving Sunset and Trixie alone. Trixie looked at the now shut bedroom door with a slight frown.

"Hey."

She turned to Sunset and saw her wearing a small frown of her own, concern clear in her expression.

"Are you sure you're okay with this, Trixie?" Sunset asked, "earlier this morning, you-"

"Trixie told you, already," the blue filly interjected sharply, "she's fine, Sunset Shimmer," she turned away from the orange filly, "you don't need to worry about Trixie."

"But I am worried, Trixie," Sunset replied, taking a step towards Trixie, "we all are. It's obvious you don't want to go to that festival, and you don't have to go."

Trixie didn't say anything, merely keeping her back turned to Sunset.

"Trixie..."

Silence.

She tried to get Trixie to respond a few more times before giving up with a sigh.

"Alright, fine," Sunset conceded, "I'll leave you alone for now, Trixie," she gave the blue filly a stern look, "but we're not done here. I know I don't show it very often, but... well..." she rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly, "I... I care about you Trixie. So does Ancient Scroll and I'm sure Twilight does too."

Trixie didn't say anything, but a twitch of an ear told Sunset she was listening.

"I know you've only been here a few months, and I know Twilight only just showed up recently, but you can trust us," Sunset continued, "seriously, Trixie, you can talk to us about your problems. I don't exactly know for sure what happened to you before you got here" - Trixie flinched - "and Uncle Scroll only had some guesses, but I was worried even back then."

Trixie chanced a look over her shoulder, but quickly turned back around when she saw Sunset's worried grimace.

"You were a mess when you got here, and to this day I still don't know why - only that Uncle Scroll thought it may have had something to do with-"

"Don't."

Sunset cringed at the hurt in Trixie's voice. She eyed the shaking filly sadly.

"Trixie, I just-"

"Leave me alone... please," Trixie said in a small voice.

Sunset opened her mouth, then closed it again with another sigh and trotted out of the room without another word, shutting the door behind her.

After a moment of silence, Trixie sniffed and slowly made her way to the closet. She stepped inside, pushing aside random odds and ends until she reached a dirty brown drawstring pouch at the very back. Using her magic, she pulled the pouch open and lifted out the contents - a heavily torn and tattered purple cape and hat, both adorned with stars.

She sat on her haunches, hugging the grimy cape and hat close to herself. Silent tears streamed down her face as she lifted the last of the contents out of the pouch.

A small note - torn, crumpled, and stained dark brown from long since dried blood.

The following morning was a bright, sunny, and - most importantly - warm one, much to Twilight's delight. She had asked Sunset if she wanted to take a morning trot down to the nearby river again. Sunset had agreed to go, but when she went to ask if Trixie wanted to come with, she was told by Ancient Scroll that Trixie had decided to sleep in.

And so it was that Twilight and Sunset trotted down the dirt path, marveling at the changes spring had brought to the scenery. The snow had all but completely melted and, while many of the trees had yet to sprout any leaves, the surrounding grass was a lush green and some of the flowers were already in full bloom.

Twilight inhaled deeply through her nose and let out a contented sigh.

"I love spring," she mused, looking around her with an appreciative smile, "everything just feels... new, y'know? Like the world's been given a fresh start."

Sunset nodded with a small smile of her own.

"It's nice, for sure," she agreed, "but I've always been a fan of summer myself."

"Really?" Twilight asked curiously.

"Yup," Sunset replied with another nod, "summer is when nature is at it's peak," she waved a hoof at her surroundings, "the sunshine, the wildlife, the flora... they're all in their full glory during summer."

"Huh," Twilight responded thoughtfully, "I never thought about it that way..."

"Yeah," Sunset replied with a somewhat wistful sigh, "Summer Breeze would always take me and the rest of the foals at the orphanage to play out near the lake just outside of Canterlot."

"I think I know what lake you're talking about," Twilight said with a nod, "it was near some woods - Lake Canter, right?"

"That's the one," Sunset confirmed with a chuckle, "we would always go early in the morning before it got packed with tourists from out of town."

The two continued their idle banter as they made their way closer to the bridge covering the river. Once they reached the bridge, they each sat down and quietly gazed out at the lazily flowing stream.

After a moment Twilight gave a soft sigh and turned towards the direction they had come.

"I wish Trixie could've come with us," she said with a frown, "I wanted all three of us to take a trot outside for once - especially since it's so nice out."

"Yeah, well..." Sunset grimaced, "she's got some problems of her own to deal with right now, so it's probably best to leave her alone for the moment."

"What do you mean?" Twilight asked, turning back to Sunset with a furrowed brow, "is it about how she was acting the other day?"

"I don't know, Twilight," Sunset replied shaking her head, "I think she's hiding something. Maybe it has something to do with that town."

"You think she's been there before?" Twilight guessed.

"Possibly," Sunset responded, "she definitely didn't want to go to Faranda Way, that's for sure."

Twilight nodded in agreement.

"I just wish she would tell us why instead of trying to brush it off and act like nothing's wrong."

"You and me both, Twilight."

Another few minutes passed by in silence before Twilight suddenly spoke up.

"I saw those scars under Trixie's fur."

Sunset snapped her gaze to Twilight and found her staring out at the river with a frown as she continued.

"There were a lot of them, Sunset," she finally turned to the orange filly, staring at her with a solemn expression, "what happened to her?"

Sunset Shimmer didn't say anything for a moment, returning Twilight's stare silently. She eventually gave a resigned sigh and shook her head helplessly.

"I don't know for sure, Twilight," she answered, "she never told us what happened to her before she got here," she turned a contemplative gaze to the river in front of her, "all I know is that Uncle Scroll was about to leave on one of his errands one morning and when he opened the front door, she was lying there, holding a dirty pouch and bleeding all over the place."

Sunset shuddered at the memory, ignoring Twilight's gasp of surprise.

"She was already unconscious when Uncle Scroll brought her inside, and she didn't wake up for a long time. I tried to help take care of her, but Uncle Scroll wouldn't let me," she scrunched up her face, "he took her into town to get help... he also took the pouch for some reason."

"And... what happened next?" Twilight asked tentatively. She was beginning to worry about Trixie more and more as Sunset went on.

She was also curious about what that pouch held.

Sunset shrugged as she answered Twilight's question.

"I don't know," she replied, "I stayed at the cottage while Uncle Scroll was in town. He came back and told me he'd be staying in town for a couple of days while the doctors helped Trixie."

"And he didn't take you with him?" Twilight asked furrowing her brow in bemusement.

"No," Sunset said with a shake of her head, "he told me to stay and watch the cottage," she snorted, "thinking back on it, I'm pretty sure he just didn't want me to see Trixie in her condition."

Twilight bit her lip nervously before asking the question pushing its way to the forefront of her mind.

"And... the pouch?"

"Uncle Scroll never told me what was in it," Sunset responded with a shrug, "and when I asked, he told me not to worry about it and not to go snooping."

"So... you still don't know what's in there?"

"Nope," Sunset replied, "I only know what Uncle Scroll told me."

"And what did he tell you?"

Sunset looked at Twilight with an unsure frown before straightening up and giving the lavender filly a stern glare.

"Don't tell Trixie I told you this," Sunset said in a low voice, "in fact, don't bring it up at all."

Twilight nodded meekly and Sunset continued.

"Uncle Scroll told me that whatever happened to Trixie might've had something to do with her parents."

Twilight's eyes widened in shock.

"What..." she faltered and tried again, "what are you talking about? What could've happened with her parents?"

"I don't know," she said with a frown, "Uncle Scroll didn't go into detail."

"But-"

"Look, Twilight," Sunset said, cutting off the lavender filly, "let's just drop it for now," she rose to her hooves and began making her way off the bridge, "I don't know any more and I don't want to think about it right now. Like you said, it's a nice day out, so let's just enjoy it, alright?"

Twilight, now more concerned than ever about her blue coated friend, wanted to press the issue, but decided against it at Sunset's stern frown.

"...Alright, Sunset."

"Good," Sunset responded with a small smile, "Trixie will be okay, Twilight," she assured, "we just have to give her some time."

Twilight nodded with a smile and Sunset began trotting the path back to the cottage. Twilight watched her go for a moment and frowned thoughtfully before following after the orange filly.

If Sunset can't tell me anymore, and Trixie, and Uncle Scroll won't tell me anything, maybe there's another way I can find out more...

A Fractured Friendship

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The morning was bordering on afternoon when Trixie finally awoke.

She felt much better than she had when she had first gone to bed, and for that she was grateful. She climbed out of bed and stretched her legs, looking about the room idly as she tried to fully wake up. Her eyes fell upon the closet for a brief moment and she furrowed her brow in thought.

Why do I feel like I'm forgetting something?

She was sure she had put everything back the way it was after...

She shook her head and trotted towards the bedroom door.

Well, whatever it is, I'm sure I'll remember it later if it's really that important.

Trixie stepped outside the room to find the other two fillies sitting at the table with their muzzles in their respective textbooks. They looked up when they heard the door close behind the blue filly.

"Hey, Trixie," Sunset greeted with a careful smile, "you sleep good?"

"Trixie slept quite well as a matter of fact," Trixie replied with a nod. She looked away uncomfortably for a moment, "admittedly, Trixie was feeling... out of sorts yesterday," she looked back to the other two with a reassuring grin, "but she's feeling much better now."

"That's great, Trixie!" Sunset replied with a more relieved smile, "I'm glad to hear it."

"It's good to see that you're doing okay, Trixie," Twilight agreed with a nod, "we were worried about you."

"Well, worry no more, Twilight Sparkle," Trixie said as she made her way to the kitchen, "Trixie is once again her Glorious and Radiant self."

As Trixie passed by Twilight, she noticed the lavender filly giving her an odd look, but when she turned to ask about it, Twilight had already gone back to reading. Shrugging it off, she trotted the rest of the way to the kitchen to make herself some brunch.

After a few quite moments of food preparation, Trixie finally spoke up from within the kitchen.

"Is Uncle Scroll still in his study?"

"No, he left a little bit ago," Sunset called back, "went into town to help prepare for the Spring Festival tomorrow."

"Oh... right," Trixie muttered with a grimace, "of course."

Twilight's ear gave a slight twitch and turned a worried gaze towards the kitchen doorway.

"Is everything alright, Trixie?" she asked, "are you... still sure you want to go?"

"It's alright, Twilight Sparkle," Trixie assured as she trotted out of the kitchen with a bowl of mac and cheese, "Trixie just... doesn't like crowds, that's all," she took up a seat at the table and levitated over her own textbooks from the other table near the front door, "Trixie will deal with it when the time comes."

"Alright, if you say so, Trixie," Twilight replied with an unconvinced frown. She went back to her book and the three of them spent the next few hours or so studying in relative silence, occasionally asking each other a question or getting something to eat or drink.

Eventually, Trixie snapped her book shut with an exaggerated sigh.

"Trixie thinks that's enough for now," she exclaimed, rubbing her eyes tiredly, "she needs a break... badly."

Sunset looked over to the clock hanging on the far wall and nodded, marking her page and closing her own book.

"Yeah, I guess I could use a break too," she dropped down from her seat and turned to the lavender filly, "Twilight?"

Twilight gave a slight shake of her head as she focused on the notes she was taking.

"I'm good."

Sunset raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything about it and instead turned a questioning look to Trixie.

"So what did you want to do?" she asked curiously.

"It looks warm out, so Trixie is going for a trot," Trixie answered as she head towards the front door. She stopped and turned to Sunset with a raised eyebrow, "are you coming, Sunset Shimmer?"

"Well I already went with Twilight earlier," she said with a shrug, "but I guess I don't mind going again. And besides," she added with a smirk, "I want to see what the deal is with you and the squirrels."

Trixie groaned and trotted out the door with Sunset following right behind.

"Trixie swears those blasted rodents have it out for her! Aren't they supposed to hibernate in the winter or some...

The door clicked shut and Twilight was left alone in the living room. She eyed the door for a few moments before sliding out of her chair. She looked around the room, her tail flicking back and forth nervously. A small pang of guilt stabbed at her as she thought about what she was planning to do.

I know Uncle Scroll told Sunset not to snoop, but... I'm worried about Trixie.

She sat on her haunches as she continued to rationalize her decision.

This is my chance to learn more about her, and maybe I can find something I can use to help... although, she did seem to be okay earlier...

Twilight groaned and shook her head in exasperation at her own indecisiveness. She took a few deep breaths to calm herself down and set her face in a determined frown.

"I have to do this," she muttered to herself, "I want to help her, but I can't if she doesn't tell me anything," she trotted towards the bedroom door.

Hopefully she'll forgive me once I explain that I only want to help.

She gave another nervous flick of her tail as she opened the door and stepped inside the room. She swept her gaze around the bedroom and furrowed her brow in thought.

"If Trixie still has that pouch, it's probably in here somewhere..." she said quietly. Her eyes stopped on the closet and, after a moment's thought, she trotted over and opened it.

I'd imagine the likeliest place would be the closet...

She stepped inside the rather spacious closet and looked left and right.

As it turned out, she didn't have to look very hard.

From what Twilight could see, it was clear that several things had been shoved aside recently to get to something near the back wall. To Twilight's surprise, that something just happened to be exactly what she was looking for. She carefully stepped over all the random things on the floor and made her way to the dirty brown pouch.

As she stared at it, her heart began to race in her chest and the nervous flick of her tail intensified.

I... I shouldn't...

she licked her lips, a small amount of sweat beginning to build on her forehead. She was becoming more unsure by the second as she sat there in front of Trixie's private keepsake.

I know I shouldn't... but...

Before she could talk herself out of it, she lit up her horn and pulled the pouch open. She let out a shaky breath, pointedly ignoring the slight tremor in her legs and the rapid beating of her heart as she lifted the contents out of the pouch.

She blinked in confusion as she eyed the torn and dirty cape and hat, not quite sure what to make of them. As she brought them towards herself for a closer inspection she noticed something fall from beneath the cape and hit the floor. Looking down, she saw it was a tiny wrinkled piece of parchment paper. Curious, she dropped the outfit and floated the crumpled piece of paper closer to get a better look.

She unfurled the bloodstained note and looked it over.

HOOFDINI, YOU NO GOOD HACK!

I KNOW THIS IS YOUR FAULT! EVER SINCE YOU SHOWED YOUR UGLY MUG, ME AND THE MISSUS CAN'T GET THE BRAT TO BEHAVE NO MATTER WHAT WE DO!
WELL YOU KNOW WHAT? IF YOU LIKE THE USELESS, UNGRATEFUL, SORRY EXCUSE FOR A FOAL SO MUCH, TAKE HER! WE DON'T NEED A KID WHO WON'T DO WHAT HER PARENTS TELL HER ANYWAY.

YOU'D BE DOING US A FAVOR.

~LUCIANO LULAMOON

Twilight's eyes slowly widened in horror as she read the note. She let the note drop to the floor once she had finished and slowly backed away, tears making their way down her face as she thought about the implications of what she had just read. She let out a surprised yelp as she backed into something soft and unmoving.

She whipped her head around to see an expressionless blue filly staring back at her.

"Trixie!" Twilight cried as she stumbled backwards, "I... I didn't mean - it's... I'm so sorry I just..."

Trixie ignored Twilight's rambling as she trotted past the lavender filly. Twilight watched silently as Trixie levitated the cape, hat, and note back into the pouch without a word.

"...Trixie I didn't-"

"It was a lot colder outside than I thought it was," Trixie said quietly, though Twilight didn't miss the slight quiver in her voice, "my scarf wasn't on the rack, so I came in here to find it."

Twilight went to take a step towards Trixie but froze when the blue filly glanced at her from over her shoulder. Just from that one glance, Twilight could tell.

She was absolutely livid.

Trixie turned back to her pouch as she continued speaking.

"Then I remembered what I had forgotten before, though I guess it's too late to fix it now, isn't it, Twilight Sparkle?"

"Trixie, please," Twilight pleaded, "I was just worried about y-"

"Get out."

Twilight flinched and backed up a step, tears now freely flowing from her eyes.

"But... Trixie... I just wanted to-"

"GET OUT!" Trixie screamed as she rounded on the startled lavender filly. Even through Trixie's fury, Twilight could tears of her own streaming down her face, "I TOLD YOU I WASN'T READY! WHY DIDN'T YOU JUST LISTEN!?"

"I... I didn't - ah!"

Twilight let out a startled cry as she was shoved out of the closet by a pink aura. The closet door slammed shut and Twilight sat there in stunned silence as she listened to the muffled sobs coming from within.

After a moment, she shakily rose to her hooves and slowly trotted out of the room, gently closing the door behind her. It was at that moment that Sunset came into the cottage alongside a tired looking Ancient Scroll. They both stopped their conversation as they noticed the lavender filly standing there with her head hung low and tears falling from her face.

"Twilight?" Sunset slowly trotted over to Twilight with a worried frown, "Twilight, what's wrong? What happened?"

When she didn't answer, Ancient Scroll made his way over with a grimace of concern.

"What's got you in such a state, little filly?" he asked softly.

Twilight sniffed and finally looked up at the two with watery eyes.

"I... I messed up, Uncle Scroll," she sniffed again, fell to the floor, and - to Sunset's and Ancient Scroll's alarm - began sobbing uncontrollably.

"I-I... I think Trixie... I think T-Trixie hates me!"

A Bitter Pill

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Though the snow had melted and days were becoming warmer, winter had yet to fully relinquish it's hold and that evening was rather chilly. Twilight had been inconsolable over the afternoons events and Ancient Scroll, along with Sunset Shimmer, had decided to give the lavender filly some space until she was able to speak about what happened.

They found Trixie much the same.

The two had tried to enter the bedroom, but the door had been locked from the inside and they could hear the blue filly weeping from within. In light of this, Sunset and Ancient Scroll had left the two distraught fillies alone for the time being.

Eventually night had fallen and, while Trixie had still refused to come out of the bedroom, Twilight had calmed down enough to tell them what happened. As they listened to the lavender filly in the privacy of Ancient Scroll's study, both Ancient Scroll and Sunset were understandably disappointed.

"This is why I told you to drop it, Twilight," Sunset admonished with a frown, "you knew she wasn't ready to tell you about what happened."

Twilight didn't say anything, her still moist eyes firmly directed at the floor.

"She's right, little filly," Ancient Scroll added, "you can't force an issue like this," he shook his head sadly, "and now you know why I didn't tell Sunset about it."

"I just wanted to know more about her," Twilight muttered, keeping her head low, "if I knew what was wrong, then maybe she would feel better talking about it, like me or Sunset."

Sunset shook her head and put a hoof on Twilight's shoulder.

"I may have been able to share my problems - and I'm glad I did, Twilight," Sunset spoke, giving Twilight a sad frown, "but from what we can guess, Trixie's problems probably run much deeper than either of ours," she looked back to the old stallion behind the desk, "if Uncle Scroll's guess is correct, then Trixie's been dealing with her pain for far longer than either of us."

Ancient Scroll nodded and took that opportunity to speak up.

"Forcing the issue out into the open like that wasn't the way to go about things, little filly," he leaned forward in his chair and gave Twilight a stern look, "even if she hadn't caught you going through her stuff, she would've known something was going on if you had tried to talk to her, and then you'd be in the same situation you're in now anyway."

Twilight winced and lowered her head further. She had been so focused on getting Trixie to talk about her problems that she hadn't thought about how the actual conversation would go.

Only In hindsight did she realize this plan was doomed to fail from the start.

"...I'm sorry," Twilight said in a small voice, "I didn't mean to upset Trixie, really. I just wanted to help my friend."

Ancient Scroll's frown softened and he sighed as he rose from his chair. He trotted over to the now silently crying filly and lowered himself so that they were face to face.

"Look at me, Twilight," he commanded in a soft tone.

Twilight sniffed and slowly brought her head up to face Ancient Scroll.

When he had her attention he rested his hoof on the filly's head, the stern frown back in place.

"I'm not the one you should be apologizing to," he chided, "I know you didn't mean to hurt her, but you did, and now you have to find a way to fix things between the two of you."

"But," she sniffed again, "but how? She was... w-was so mad. I don't th-think she ever wants to talk to me again."

"Don't be so sure," Ancient Scroll replied with a small shake of his head, "there will be more opportunities to talk things out with Trixie properly," he tapped Twilight's chest with a hoof, "but it's up to you to figure out what to say to make things right."

"Just do like I said before and give her some time first, Twilight," Sunset added as she stepped up next to Ancient Scroll, "if you're patient and watch carefully, you'll know when it's the right time to say something - although at the very least you should apologize the first chance you get, even if she doesn't forgive you right now."

Twilight flinched, the last statement hitting her like a knife to the heart. Nevertheless she nodded silently and wiped away the tears from her eyes.

"Do you understand what you did wrong?" Ancient Scroll asked.

Twilight nodded.

"And you know not to do it again?"

Another nod.

"That's a good filly," Scroll said, patting Twilight's shoulder with a reassuring smile. He straightened up and trotted back over to his desk as he continued, "this is a lesson everypony learns at some point in their life. Once you and Trixie patch things up like I know you will, you two will be that much closer as friends."

"You... you really think so, Uncle Scroll?" Twilight asked, giving the stallion a hopeful, almost pleading look, "Trixie was the first real friend I ever had. I don't want to lose her."

"And what does that make me?" Sunset teased, causing Twilight to blush, and paw at the floor awkwardly, "of course you're my friend, Sunset," Twilight clarified, "but it was Trixie that I asked to be my friend originally."

Sunset chuckled and wrapped Twilight in a quick hug before backing off with a small smile.

"Don't worry about it, Twilight," she said, shaking her head, "I know what you meant."

Ancient Scroll gave a small chuckle of his own before speaking.

"To answer your question, little filly," he continued, "I'm certain things will work out between you and Trixie, trust me. I've seen ponies reconcile their friendships over worse offenses than this."

Twilight finally gave a small hopeful smile at that.

"Now off to bed with the both of you," Ancient Scroll said, glancing at a clock on the far wall, "we've still got to leave early tomorrow if we want to make it to the festival on time."

Both Sunset and Twilight bid Ancient Scroll a goodnight before trotting out of the study and back into the living room. Sunset's ear twitched and she stopped just outside of the doorway with a frown.

"Sunset?" Twilight asked, eyeing the orange filly in bemusment, "what's wrong?"

Sunset turned a narrow eyed gaze towards the bedroom door on the far side of the living room.

"I... could've sworn I heard the bedroom door shut just now."

Twilight scrunched up her face in confusion and followed Sunset's gaze. She turned back to Sunset with frown a moment later.

"I didn't hear anything."

Sunset stared at the door a moment longer before shaking her head and trotting over to the lit fireplace.

"Nevermind," she said dismissively, "anyway, I'll sleep out here with you tonight so I don't bother Trixie."

"Really," Twilight asked in surprise as she grabbed her wool blanket, "alright then, um..." she looked at the blanket, then back to Sunset awkwardly, "did... you want to share the blanket?" she asked holding it up.

"I'm good," Sunset replied as she threw another log onto the fire, "I can sleep just fine without a blanket, and the fire should be enough to keep me warm."

"Oh... alright then," Twilight said with a shrug. She hopped onto the armchair and wrapped the blanket around herself, taking a few moments to get comfortable, "good night, Sunset."

"Night," Sunset replied as she curled up in front of the fire.

Twilight had a bit of difficulty sleeping as all of her thoughts were focused on what she would say to Trixie - how she would apologize to the blue filly. Eventually she began to drift off to sleep, only to snap wide awake again at the sound of Sunset's earsplitting snores. The lavender filly slapped her hooves over her ears with an irritated groan.

This is gonna be a long night.

A Heart to Heart

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"Alright, fillies! Rise and shine!"

Twilight groaned and tucked herself deeper into her blanket as she tried to block out the chipper voice. The owner of said voice wasn't having any of it and with a pop, the lavender filly suddenly found herself minus one thick, warm wool blanket.

Grunting in annoyance, Twilight cracked open a bleary red eye to glare at the old stallion trotting about the living room.

"Ah, glad to see you've joined the world of the living, little filly," Ancient Scroll said with a wink, "just in time too, Sunset just got out of the shower so you can start getting ready."

Twilight blinked a few times before turning her tired gaze to the window. She gave another groan of dismay and flopped her head back onto the armchair when she saw that the Sun wasn't even up yet - far from it from what she could tell.

"Come on," Ancient Scroll joked as he packed his saddlebags, "surely a studious little filly like yourself has had to wake up early after pulling an all-nighter before?"

"No," came Twilight's muffled reply, "I haven't actually."

"Ah well," Scroll responded with a shrug, "first time for everything. Now up with ya, come on."

Twilight let out one last irritated groan before dragging herself off the chair and trotting lazily towards the bathroom. As Twilight enter the bathroom, Sunset left the bedroom, followed by a tired and surly looking Trixie.

"And how are we feeling this fine morning, Little Miss Lulamoon?" Ancient Scroll greeted cheekily.

Trixie just grunted noncommittally, unable to muster up the energy to argue with the old stallion.

"Did you need anymore help, Uncle Scroll?" Sunset asked, trotting over to Ancient Scroll.

"Nah," Scroll replied absently, "you go on and make yourself some breakfast, litlle filly. Make it quick though, once you and the other girls have eaten - and Trixie's gotten ready - we're hitting the road."

Sunset nodded and headed into the kitchen where Trixie was already grabbing some cereal. A few minutes of silence ensued as Ancient Scroll continued to pack while Sunset and Trixie ate breakfast.

Twilight stepped out of the bathroom looking cleaner and slightly more awake than she had previously. She made her way to the kitchen to get something to eat, but faltered slightly as she caught sight of Trixie sitting at the table.

She winced and lowered her head, quickly trotting her way past the blue filly. Trixie gave her a brief glance out of the corner of her eye, but didn't say anything otherwise. Sunset looked between the two before turning to Ancient Scroll worriedly. Ancient Scroll merely shook his head and went back to packing.

Trixie quickly finished the rest of her cereal and made her way to the bathroom just as Twilight was coming out of the kitchen with her own breakfast. The lavender filly watched her go with a frown and sighed dejectedly as the bathroom door closed.

"You can't put this off, Twilight," Sunset chided as Twilight pulled up a chair, "things are just gonna get more awkward between you two until you apologize."

"I know," Twilight replied with another sigh, "I just... don't know how yet."

Sunset swallowed a spoonful of cereal and raised an eyebrow at Twilight.

"How about a simple 'I'm sorry, Trixie' or 'I was wrong to do what I did' or something?"

"Yeah, I... guess I could say that," Twilight replied without much confidence, "but I don't feel like that would be enough."

"Don't try to overthink it, little filly," Ancient Scroll added, snapping his saddlebags shut, "you'll know what to say when the time comes."

Twilight idly swirled her spoon around in her cereal bowl as she thought about what Ancient Scroll said.

"I hope you're right, Uncle Scroll," she muttered.

A few more minutes passed and Trixie exited the bathroom. With their breakfast and morning routines finished, Ancient Scroll floated three smaller saddlebags over to each filly. Sunset raised an eyebrow at the bags and looked to Ancient Scroll in confusion.

"When did you get us all saddlebags?"

"Got them awhile back, a little bit after Twilight showed up actually," Scroll flipped open Twilight's saddlebag with his magic and pulled out a dark purple scarf, "I know it's a bit late what with winter being over, but I got this in town not too long ago."

Twilight took the scarf in her magic and wrapped it around her neck, giving Ancient Scroll a grateful smile.

"It looks great, Uncle Scroll," she said, feeling the material, "thank you."

"Ah, not a problem, little filly," he said, floating Sunset's and Trixie's scarves over to the other two fillies, "besides, there's still a bit of chill left over, and you're all gonna need these for the first leg of the journey - least until the Sun comes up. Now come on-" he pushed the front door open "-we gotta move if we're gonna make good time."

The three fillies levitated their saddlebags over their backs and followed Ancient Scroll out into the somewhat frigid early morning. They all headed left down the path and began the long trot to Faranda Way Village.

The barren dirt path gave way to a sparsely forested one as the four continued their trek to the village. The Sun had yet to fully rise, but that didn't stop a certain lavender filly's gaze from wandering around, marveling at what she could see through the relative darkness. This was the first time she had been past the river and she was drinking in her new surroundings every chance she could get.

That, and trying desperately not to make eye contact with a certain blue filly.

The trip had been mostly quite up until now, but it was a very awkward silence for everypony as Twilight continued to avoid any communication with Trixie. Trixie for her part, was content to ignore the lavender filly, and so the silence dragged on.

Eventually Sunset had had enough and not-so-gently nudged Twilight. Twilight looked over to the orange filly with an irritated scowl - one which Sunset returned as she jerked her head in Trixie's direction. Twilight irritated scowl changed to a nervous frown as she looked over to Trixie.

She gave Sunset a pleading look, but the orange filly just shook her head before gesturing to Trixie once again. Twilight sighed in defeat and made her way over to Trixie. She hesitated a moment before opening her mouth, but before she could get one word out, Trixie spoke first.

"So you finally grew a spine and decided to confront Trixie, did you, Twilight Sparkle?" the blue filly said without even a glance towards Twilight. Twilight flinched - her ears flattening as she rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly.

"Yeah, I..." Twilight sighed, "I'm sorry, Trixie. I know it doesn't excuse what I did, but I really did want to help you. I just wanted you to be able to talk to me about your problems."

"And Trixie dis... distinctly remembers telling you that she wasn't ready to talk about those problems," Trixie shot back, finally turning to face the lavender filly with a scowl, "how did you know about Trixie's pouch anyway?"

"Well," Twilight's eyes flickered in Sunset's direction briefly and she looked back to Trixie with an apologetic frown, "Sunset kind of... told me what happened when you first showed up at Uncle Scroll's cottage."

"Did she now?" Trixie replied, narrowing her eyes at the orange filly. Sunset saw this and rolled her eyes.

"It wasn't like it was some big secret, Trixie," Sunset remarked, "you never said I couldn't tell her."

Trixie eyed Sunset for another moment before snorting in irritation and turning to Twilight once more.

"Well nevertheless," Trixie continued with a glare, "you had no right to go through Trixie's things, Twilight Sparkle."

Twilight cringed and nodded meekly, "I know, Trixie and like I said, I'm sorry. I... I just felt like you were never going to talk to me about it, so I figured if you weren't going to talk to me, I'd find a way to talk to you instead."

"That's no excuse," Trixie responded with a shake of her head, "Trixie has every right not to tell you or anypony else about her past, and if you were Trixie's friend, you'd respect that, Twilight Sparkle."

Twilight's eyes widened briefly before she turned away and stared at her hooves guiltily - eyes shining with the beginning of fresh tears.

"Trixie, I... no..." she hesitated and shook her head rapidly. She wiped her eyes and turned back to Trixie with a determined frown, "you're right, Trixie. It's like Uncle Scroll said, I shouldn't have tried to force the issue before you were ready to tell me."

She looked at the old stallion in front of her, and Ancient Scroll gave her a knowing nod over his shoulder. She looked back to Trixie and continued speaking.

"I really did want to help you with your issues... but..." she hung her head in shame, "but I... was also curious about the pouch, and I think that's the reason I actually ended up going through with it," she looked back to Trixie hopefully, "can you ever forgive me, Trixie?"

Trixie didn't say anything for a long time as they trotted along and Twilight began to get worried.

"Trixie?"

Silence.

"Trixie, please," Twilight pleaded, "I'm sorry about what I did! I won't do it again, I promise!" she trotted ahead - and in front of - the blue filly, causing her and the other two to stop, "I know I wasn't being a very good friend, but... I..." Twilight trailed off as she watched Trixie's face go from unreadable to unsure.

Twilight backed away and wiped her eyes again as she observed the blue filly.

"Trixie?"

After a moment Trixie gave a resigned sigh followed quickly by a groan of exasperation.

"How much longer until we get to town, Uncle Scroll?" Trixie asked suddenly, turning to Ancient Scroll. Twilight and Sunset both looked at the blue filly in confusion as Ancient Scroll answered.

"I'd say we got about another two hours of trotting to go at this pace," he replied with a raised brow, "why?"

Rather than answer Ancient Scroll's question, Trixie looked back to Twilight with a smirk, catching the lavender filly off guard.

"You want to know more about Trixie, right?"

Twilight nodded unsurely.

"And... you've already seen Trixie's note," Trixie said, the smirk falling off of her face.

Twilight gave another tentative nod.

"Then Trixie supposes there's no point in hiding it anymore..." Trixie said with a dramatic sigh. She looked between Twilight and Sunset with a soft smile, "...not from her friends anyway."

Twilight's eyes widened in shock and she looked at Sunset to find her with the same expression. They both looked back to Trixie.

"You mean, you're going to tell us?" Twilight muttered in disbelief, "after what I did?"

"Indeed," Trixie answered with a nod. She gave Twilight a stern glare, "Trixie will forgive you this once, but know this, Twilight Sparkle. If Trixie doesn't wish to speak about something, you will respect that, got it?

"I got it, Trixie," Twilight said, nodding with a grateful smile, "I promise it won't happen again."

"Good," Trixie replied with a satisfied nod. After a moment, she looked away with a thoughtful frown, "Trixie... I overheard you, Sunset, and Uncle Scroll talking last night, and..." she looked back to Twilight, "and I thought about it for a long time. I thought about it so much that I didn't get any sleep."

She shook her head and gave a wry chuckle before looking between the other two fillies.

"I realized that you two were also the only friends I had... have, and I don't want to lose that either. Besides," Trixie puffed out her chest proudly and confidently as she spoke, "Trixie is stronger than the weak little filly she used to be and she won't be defeated by something that happened a long time ago."

She faltered and looked away momentarily.

"Well, it wasn't that long ago," she conceded quietly. She quickly regained her composure, "but it's over and done with regardless!"

Twilight and Sunset gave each other another look and, unnoticed by any of the fillies, Ancient Scroll gave a small smile of his own before turning back to face the path ahead.

"Are you sure about this, Trixie?" Sunset asked with a concerned frown, "like you said, you're not obligated to tell us anything you don't want to."

"On the contrary, Sunset Shimmer," Trixie said with a shake of her head, "once I share my story with you two, we won't have to worry about keeping secrets from each other anymore, so it's better this way."

She inhaled and exhaled deeply before locking eyes with the two fillies.

"Now then," she waved a hoof dramatically, "allow Trixie to tell you the tragic tale of Beatrix Lulamoon!"

A Foal Called "Beatrix"

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Beatrix shivered.

No matter how many times they made her sleep in the basement, she never got used to the chill that seeped down through the floorboards. The lack of a blanket and the cold cement floor didn't help matters either.

On top of that, it was Tuesday night.

Father's game night.

Even if she had a comfy blanket to keep her warm, the constant raucous laughter and crude jokes coming from right above her would've kept her awake regardless. Beatrix didn't complain though, she wouldn't dare.

She had long since learned that lesson.

Besides, she knew Mother would come downstairs to sort things out like she always did. Sure, the yelling would intensify and there might be the occasional sound of hoof against muzzle, but like clockwork, it would inevitably quiet down and Beatrix could get some sleep - uneasy and uncomfortable as it was.

Tonight was no different.

Beatrix grimaced as her Father made a particularly lewd joke that the rather loose floorboards did nothing to drown out and sighed tiredly at the boisterous laughter that resulted. She idly watched a mouse scurry past where she was laying as she tried to ignore the constant stomping of hooves above.

At least Father didn't make me deal the cards this time.

Beatrix shuddered at the memory of the last time she was 'invited' to one of her Father's games. Things hadn't been going well for him that night and he had a tendency to take his frustration out on whoever happened to be the dealer at the time.

Her horn ached just thinking about it.

Still, she did end up learning all sorts of card games as a result, and had even procured an old deck of cards her Father had thrown away in a fit of rage. While she hated participating in them whenever her Father and his friends where involved, she couldn't help but be intrigued by the games themselves.

Beatrix was snapped out of her thoughts as she heard the tell-tale sound of the bedroom door opening from upstairs.

Mother...

"Heads up, Lucy," Beatrix heard a gruff voiced stallion mutter, "here comes the Missus."

The other stallions chuckled as Mother stomped down the stairs.

"Every time, Lu," Mother growled as she made her way over to the table, "I'm gettin' real sick of having to come down here every bucking time to tell you and the rest of you geldings to keep it down!"

"Ah, buck off, Abby," Father muttered absently, "I'm not in the mood to deal with you tonight."

"You tell her Lu!" one of the other stallions - Short Order if Beatrix remembered correctly - cried, causing the rest to break out into a fit of laughter. Beatrix's ear twitched as she heard the sound of a hoof banging against wood quickly follow by several cries of indignation.

"I don't care what you're in the mood for, Lucy," Mother snapped, "I got to get up early tomorrow and I'm not gettin' any sleep with the lot of you hollerin' all night!"

"Well why don't you just buy some of those fancy earplugs you're always going on about?" Father replied casually.

"Banish it to Tartarus, Lu!" Mother yelled, "you know we don't got the bits to spend on things like that!"

"Then I guess you're just gonna have to deal with it, Abby," Father responded, causing another round of laughter from his friends. There was a sudden whump followed by a pained grunt and the sound of a body hitting the wooden floor.

The laughter stopped abruptly.

Beatrix didn't hear anything and for a moment, she thought it was over.

Then she heard the sound of a chair shifting across the floorboards and she clinched her eyes shut, knowing what would happen next.

Beatrix heard the beat of several hooves shuffling along the floor. If she had to guess, Father's friends were most likely backing away from Father and Mother - as they too knew what was coming next.

They of course, never got involved, opting to watch the show unfold rather than do anything to stop it.

To them, it was a sport to be enjoyed.

To Beatrix, it was a recurring nightmare she desperately wished would just end.

Another loud whump and a feminine cry told Beatrix it wasn't meant to be.

And so she lay there - shivering and whimpering in the cold, damp, darkness of the basement as she listened to her parents beat each other senseless while the other stallions cheered and jeered from the sidelines.

After what seemed like an eternity, she heard a body hit the floor once again and this time, she didn't hear it get back up. By the sound of the many disappointed groans, she surmised Mother had won.

Again.

Beatrix wasn't surprised - Mother was an earth pony who was a full head taller than Father and had an even meaner streak than he did. Father was a unicorn - not that that meant anything in these fights.

He was always too drunk to realize he could even use magic.

"The buck are ya'll still doing here!?" Mother screamed, "get out of my house before I actually geld you!"

Beatrix sniffed and wiped her eyes as she listened to the distinctive thumping of multiple hooves make its way towards the front door. She heard the front door open and the sound of cursing stallions shuffling out before the door slammed shut again.

"Bucking parasites..." Mother muttered. Beatrix waited for her Mother to head back upstairs and, from the sound of it, that's what she was doing.

But then she stopped.

Beatrix's eyes widened and her heart began to race as the steady clop of hooves moved closer to the area just above the basement.

"BEATRIX!"

The filly in question cried out in alarm at both the sound of her Mother's voice and the sudden stomp of a hoof against the floorboards directly above her.

"I know you're awake down there, girl!" Mother called out, "get your sorry flank up here and clean up this mess!"

"Y-Yes, Mother," Beatrix called back as she rose to her hooves and quickly trotted up the stairs. She pushed open the basement door and poked her head out just in time to see her Mother trot the rest of the way upstairs. The turquoise earth pony mare stopped at the top of the steps and turned to glare at the filly with cold copper eyes.

"That entire room better be spotless when I come back down here in the morning, got it?"

Beatrix nodded meekly before scurrying the rest of the way out of the basement. Mother snorted in irritation and trotted in the bedroom, muttering about her jobless husband before slamming the door shut behind her.

Beatrix looked from the closed door to the small dining room before her. She wrinkled her nose at the thick smell of cigar smoke and alcoholic cider permeating the air.

Naturally, Father and his friends had left quite the mess for the blue filly to clean. Discarded half smoked cigars, several unfinished mugs of cider - some knocked over and spilling the foul smelling liquid on the table and floor - and countless playing cards scattered everywhere.

Letting out a resigned sigh, she carefully stepped around her unconscious Father and headed into the kitchen to grab the cleaning supplies. She knew by now that Mother would expect her to clean far more than just the dining room and so she got to work, knowing she wouldn't be sleeping at all tonight.

But Beatrix didn't complain.

Yes she feared the wrath of her Father and did everything in her almost nonexistent power to appease him, but she'd sooner punch her Father in the face and call him a filthy gelding than anger her Mother.

And so it was that Beatrix spent the rest of the night making sure the dining room and surrounding area was clean enough to eat off of.

She just hoped her Father didn't wake up before she was done.

An Unexpected Encounter

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Beatrix cried out in both pain and alarm as she felt a hoof smash into her side, sending her rolling across the dining room floor.

"Wake up, you lousy layabout," Mother said as she pulled on her work shirt, "I told to you this place was supposed to be spotless when I came back down here, and instead I find you sleepin' when you're supposed to be workin'."

Beatrix just rolled over and gave a pained groan in response.

"Unfortunately, I don't have time to deal with you right now," Mother continued with a shake of her head, "so you're gonna make this whole house shine like it was Canterlot bucking Castle, you understand me, girl?"

Beatrix whimpered in pain.

"DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME!?"

"Yes, Mother!" Beatrix cried as she tried to rise to her hooves, "I-I'll make sure t-the... the whole house is clean!"

"Good," Mother said with a satisfied nod. She made her way to the front door, making sure to give Father a good hard kick to the face as she passed, causing the auburn coated unicorn stallion to yell and curse, "I'll probably be back sometime this afternoon, but I don't know for sure so you better hop to it, girl."

With that said, Mother trotted out the door.

"That nag is bucking crazy," Father growled as he stood up and rubbed his jaw, "don't even know why I..."

He trailed off as his eyes settled on Beatrix. He let out a bark of laughter as he observed the filly trying to limp back over to the cleaning supplies she had dropped when she fell asleep.

"She musta got you good, huh?"

Beatrix didn't say anything as she lit up her horn and wrapped the broom in her pink aura. She had just begun sweeping the floors when she suddenly felt the broom wrested from her magical grip and before she realized what had happened she was on the floor clutching her horn in pain.

"Don't you ignore me, Beatrix," Father growled, "I asked you a question!"

Beatrix cracked a teary eye open and saw Father standing above her with the broom held in his cerulean aura and a glare in his same colored eyes.

"Well?"

Beatrix swallow and gave a small nod.

"Y-Yes, Father," she responded as she grit her teeth from the agony, "M... Mother told m-me to clean the house."

"Well I suppose you better get to it, then, girl," Father responded dropping the broom on top of Beatrix, "don't wanna make the nag mad do you?"

"N-no, Father."

As Father trotted into the kitchen, Beatrix remain curled up on the floor for another minute nursing her horn before struggling to her hooves. She tried to take the broom back in her magic, but the blow to her horn caused it to throb painfully and the pink aura to sputter out.

Without a sound of complaint, Beatrix clumsily took the broom into her hooves and resumed her now arduous task.

It was bordering on afternoon when Beatrix finally finished her chores for the day. Thankfully the painful throb of her horn subsided and the pain in her ribs soon followed. She had been able to use her magic again after about half an hour so and the rest of the cleaning went by much more quickly.

All the while she made sure to stay out of her Father's way which, thankfully, wasn't hard to do. Barring the occasional shouted command or nasty comment, Father more or less kept to reading the newspaper, rooting around in various places for wayward bits -- forcing Beatrix to re-clean some areas again -- or going upstairs to do who-knows-what.

Beatrix herself wasn't allowed upstairs so she didn't really know what went on up there. The only time she had been allowed up was when Mother had brought a pony over to fix the plumbing in the basement. Even then she had to stay locked in the small upstairs closet in the hallway so she didn't see anything of note.

She never did figure out why she had to stay quite and hidden, but like always she didn't complain about it.

Eventually one of Father's acquaintances arrived looking slightly nervous, but Beatrix paid it no mind as her Father stepped outside and closed the door. Over the next few minutes she heard the sound of her Father's voice getting louder and louder, but still couldn't make out what he was saying through the front door.

That was fine though.

It was none of her business after all.

On top of that, she was almost done cleaning, and soon she'd be able to go downstairs to the basement and play solitaire until Mother got home.

She was just putting away the cleaning supplies and heading down to the basement where her old deck of playing cards were hidden, when she heard the front door open and Father curse loudly as he stormed into the house.

"I can't believe that no good dirty son of a..."

His tirade dissolved into angry grumbling as he trotted upstairs. Beatrix watched him go with a worried frown and after waiting for a few moments, she was about to resume her trek downstairs when her Father came back down.

"The putz... making me head all the way into Hoofington," he growled, "said the bits were gonna be delivered to my door in a nondescript--"

He stopped and turned to Beatrix -- looking as though he only just realized she was there. Beatrix stood there, shifting her weight from hoof to hoof uncomfortably.

"Is... there something wrong, Father?" she asked meekly.

Father furrowed his brow thoughtfully before shaking his head and trotting towards the hat rack near the front door.

"Come on, girl," Father said as he levitated a dirty black trilby on top of his messy baby blue mane, "we're going into town on a little... errand."

Beatrix's eyes widened in shock at her Father's statement.

"You're... you're taking me with you into town?" she asked somewhat incredulously.

"Don't get too excited ya little blue headache," he sneered, opening the front door, "you think I'd trust you alone in the house?" he laughed mockingly, "I'd sooner invite a klepto over for dinner!"

Beatrix shuffled her hooves uncomfortably. It wasn't the insult that bothered her - she had gotten used to those - no, she had something much bigger to worry about...

"But..." Beatrix hesitated before continuing, "but what about Mother? What if she comes home and we're not-"

"Buck her," Father answered casually as he trotted outside, "she ain't the Princess, she don't control what I do. Now get the buck out here so we can go."

Beatrix bit her lip as she looked back into the living room before quickly following her Father outside. They both left the rather rundown two story house and began the relatively short trek out of the slums and into Hoofington proper.

Beatrix didn't say anything, choosing instead to cast nervous glances down every alleyway and street corner. The afternoon Sun was beating down from overhead, but that brought Beatrix no comfort in a place like this. Father looked down at Beatrix with an amused smirk as she trotted closer to his side almost involuntarily.

"Hey, brat."

Beatrix looked up at her Father and saw him jerk his head in the direction of one the alleyways she had been eyeing.

"That alley back there?" he began nonchalantly, "awhile back, three foals nicked some food from one of the local gangs and beat it into that alley," he looked down at Beatrix with a twisted grin, "you wanna know what happened to 'em?"

Beatrix shook her head fearfully, but Father continued on regardless.

"Some of the boys from the gang followed 'em into the alley, but when they got there, they found the brats split open like watermelons!"

Father let out a loud bark of laughter at the horrified look on Beatrix's face. Beatrix herself was trying not to lose her lunch as she shuddered, her fearful wide eyed gaze lingering on the alleyway behind them.

"Folks say it was the Razor Twins that got 'em," Father continued, "crazy freaks like to prowl around here from time to time looking for ponies to slaughter for their amusement. They show up out of nowhere, gut the poor saps, and vanish like they weren't even there."

Father leaned down to Beatrix's eye level with that same twisted grin, "so you better make sure you stay close, girl," he whispered, "don't want that cute little belly of yours split right down the middle do ya?"

The only response Beatrix gave was a terrified whimper.

Father just laughed again and trotted ahead - Beatrix struggling to keep up. Neither of them spoke the rest of the way and, eventually, they started to pass by nicer looking houses and a few stores here and there. Beatrix breathed a quiet sigh of relief as they finally made their way out of the slums.

As they traveled further into Hoofington the crowd of ponies became thicker and thicker around them. Beatrix - not used to being around so many ponies - began to grow more and more anxious, sticking closer to her Father.

Father led Beatrix down one street, then another, and two more before they came to a somewhat secluded spot near a small convenience store. Beatrix was thankful that were fewer ponies trotting about, but was jabbed sharply in the side by her Father before she could get too comfortable.

"Stay here, Beatrix," he commanded, sweeping a narrow eyed gaze up and down the street, "daddy's got something to take care of," he seemed to spot what - or rather who - he was looking for and trotted off, "I'll be right back."

"Father, wait! Don't-"

Beatrix reach a hoof out to her Father, but he was already crossing the street.

If he had heard Beatrix, he didn't show it as he continued making his way to an alley further down the street where a navy blue pegasus was waiting.

"...leave me here."

She slowly lowered her hoof and looked around nervously - her tail flicking back and forth in agitation. She got the occasional odd glance from ponies passing by as she stood there waiting, but they otherwise ignored the blue filly.

Beatrix looked back towards the alley her Father had entered after a few minutes, but he was nowhere to be seen.

A few minutes turned into half an hour and Beatrix was extremely worried by now. It took all she had not to go running into the alley after her Father - the only thing stopping her being the story of the Razor Twins.

She tried to calm herself by watching ponies pass by, but that did nothing to help. She looked towards the alley once more and was about to throw all caution to the wind and follow her Father, when her ear suddenly twitched.

Music?

Her ear swiveled in the direction of the odd, somewhat whimsical tune and she turned her head towards it's source. At first she couldn't see what was causing the noise, but by the gradual increase in volume, she could tell it was getting closer, so she waited.

It turned out she wasn't the only one that was curious, as she saw several ponies stop and turn their gazes towards the sound as well - some murmuring in confusion and some in growing excitement.

Eventually Beatrix saw the source of the music make its way down the street and she gave a quiet gasp of awe.

Coming down the street was a tall grey unicorn stallion with sharp azure eyes, a top hat, and - most prominently - a grandiose black moustache and goatee adorning his face. What caught the stunned blue filly's attention - and indeed the attention of the other ponies - was the large wagon the stallion was pulling along behind him.

Attached to the wagon were all sorts of random bells and whistles that confounded and intrigued Beatrix.

The stallion strode down the street with an air of confidence and assuredness that Beatrix had never seen before now. The whimsical melody continued to blare from a horn attached to the wagon and as the stallion passed her by, Beatrix couldn't help but follow after him and his wagon - absolutely enthralled by the spectacle.

She cast a glance at the large purple banner covering the side of the wagon and her eyes widened in wonder as she read the flowery yellow print.

HARRY HOOFDINI'S SPECTACULAR MAGIC FEATS TO ASTOUND AND AMAZE THE MIND!

A Bold Decision

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Beatrix continued to follow after the strange unicorn as he made his way deeper into the city.

Any lingering thoughts of her Father's whereabouts were completely wiped away by the arrival of this mysterious stallion and his equally mysterious wagon. Every once in awhile the stallion -- Harry Hoofdini if the banner was correct -- would smile and wave to the growing crowd of ponies or give a tip of his hat and a wink.

There was a moment where Beatrix could've sworn he looked right at her with a slight frown, but when she tried to look closer, he was already back to smiling and waving at the other ponies.

He eventually arrived in Hoofington City Square and unhooked himself from the large wagon. Beatrix watched as he trotted around to the back and -- making sure all eyes were on him -- he gave the back of the wagon two sharp taps.

With a loud click followed by a drawn out creak, the wagon began to unfold before the ponies eyes. The side of the wagon facing the crowd detached and slowly lower itself down to the ground to form the stage and the inside of the wagon was hidden behind a large red curtain. Beatrix tried to push her way to the front of the crowd to get a better look.

She made it to the front just in time to see Hoofdini trot onto the makeshift stage and address the crowd. The stallion waited until the murmuring had died down before clearing his throat.

He opened his mouth to speak, froze, and completely disintegrated, leaving only his top hat to unceremoniously fall to the ground.

The entire crowd went into a frenzy, however Beatrix just stood there in open mouthed shock. There was no indication that Hoofdini had used any magic. His horn hadn't sparked to life to cast any sort of spell, and yet he was gone -- vanished right before Beatrix's very eyes.

"Alright, settle down, settle down folks!" cried a voice from somewhere in the crowd, "I'll be there in a minute! Just... give me... a bit of room would you?"

From the sound of it, the pony was trying to make their way through the crowd and to the front -- much like Beatrix herself had earlier. The blue filly grew even more confused when she started hearing loud gasps and cries of surprise from the other ponies, but it soon became clear what the commotion was all about.

Pushing his way through the crowd and trotting past a stunned Beatrix, was none other than Hoofdini himself. The unicorn stallion trotted back to the stage and turned to face the crowd once more.

"Terribly sorry about that, folks," Hoofdini said with an apologetic smile. He levitated his top hat back onto his head and surveyed the crowd -- his apologetic smile becoming a sheepish grin, "tends to happen sometimes when I get nervous. This is my first show in Hoofington after all!"

After a moment, some of ponies in the crowd began to stomp their hooves unsurely. Others were a bit more enthusiastic, seeing the stunt for what it was -- part of the act. Beatrix was one such pony and she excitedly stomped her hooves along with the others.

"Ah, but forgive me, friends," Hoofdini said with a chuckle, "I haven't even properly introduced myself yet!" he removed his top hat and gave a deep bow as he spoke, "My name is Harry Hoofdini, renowned stage magician and weaver of miracles the likes of which you've never seen!"

At the last statement he gave a flick of his hoof and the hat collapsed into a velvety black cloth. He placed the cloth over his other hoof briefly and yanked it away to reveal a small flock of doves that flew above the crowd -- much to their astonishment. Again, Beatrix had seen no trace of magic being used to accomplish the feat.

"Oh, bother," Hoofdini said, watching the birds with a disappointed frown, "that was my last flock of doves," he shook the cloth as if to see if anymore doves would emerge and yelped in surprise when several more flew out. He watched them fly away before turning to the crowd and shrugging sheepishly, "my mistake, I guess that was the last of them."

Many of the ponies in the crowd chuckled at his antics and a few even stomped their hooves in appreciation.

"No matter," Hoofdini said dismissively. With another flick of his hoof, the black cloth solidified into a top hat once more and he replaced it back onto his head, "I've plenty more tricks up my sleeve -- not that I'm wearing a shirt mind you."

He lit up his horn for the first time since the show had begun and from behind the curtain emerged a long table with various odds and ends. Beatrix -- as small as she was -- wasn't able to get a very good look at what was atop the table and Hoofdini had kept it near the back of the stage.

"Right then!" Hoofdini said with a clop of his hooves, "for the majority of the show, I'll need an assistant," he swept his gaze around the crowd with a raised eyebrow, "any takers?"

A few ponies raised their hooves half-heartedly, but the majority held back -- either untrusting of the magician or too embarrassed to be seen on stage.

"Oh, come now," Hoofdini chided, "don't let a little thing like stage fright stand in the way! Everything is perfectly safe and wholly sound, I assure you."

Beatrix observed the ponies around her. Everypony was whispering or muttering in small unsure tones, casting nervous glances at the stallion on stage. She looked from the crowd to the patiently waiting magician. She then cast her eyes downward towards her hooves, biting her lip worriedly.

Maybe I could...

She shivered at the thought of standing in front of such a crowd -- exposed to possible failure and ridicule from ponies she didn't know.

But really, what did she have to lose?

She was already a failure in the eyes of the only ponies that mattered, and she was used to ridicule by now. What were a few more nameless ponies in the grand scheme of things?

She furrowed her brow in thought, unaware of the side glance Hoofdini was giving her.

I've only been to the city a few times anyway.

She swallowed, clinched her eyes shut and slowly raised a shaky hoof.

And besides, I probably won't get another chance to see something like this. So--

"Ah, now there's a filly with some guts!"

Beatrix's eyes snapped open in bewilderment and she looked back up at the stage. Sure enough, Hoofdini was looking straight back at her with an encouraging grin. She frantically looked from the stallion on stage to the other ponies in the crowd and balked at the raised eyebrows and curious stares she received.

She turned back to Hoofdini with wide eyes and swallowed nervously once more.

"You... you want m-me to come on to... to the stage?" she asked in a small voice.

"Well why not?" Hoofdini replied jovially, "you did raise you're hoof after all! Now come on up here so we can get on with the show!"

Beatrix stared at Hoofdini in disbelief for another moment before shaking her head rapidly.

No, I... I wanted this. I have to...

She quickly began trotting to the stage -- her head hung low and her breaths shaky. Once she was onstage Hoofdini scanned the crowd and frowned in confusion. He lowered himself down to Beatrix's level and spoke in a softer tone so that the crowd couldn't hear.

"Say, filly," he whispered, "what's your name?"

The blue filly continued to stare at her hooves as she answered.

"It's um... it's Beatrix." she replied quietly, "Beatrix Lulamoon."

"Beatrix, eh?" Hoofdini replied rubbing his chin thoughtfully, "and your parents," he asked, "can you point them out to me?"

He raised an eyebrow when the filly shook her head.

"They're not--"

Her eyes widened in horrified realization.

Father doesn't know I'm here, and I still don't know where he is!

She turned to look above the crowd, out to the streets beyond, but she saw no sign of her Father anywhere.

"Are you okay, Miss Lulamoon?"

Beatrix snapped her fearful gaze back to Hoofdini who gave her a concerned frown.

I shouldn't be here. I should be looking for Father... but...

Another thought occurred to the little blue filly -- one that left her with a mix of horror, sadness, and another emotion she couldn't quite place.

but what if... what if he abandoned me?

That strange emotion bubbled up within her and began to push the other emotions aside.

He did leave me all alone, and he didn't come back.

Beatrix frowned and looked back to Hoofdini.

"My parents... Father w-went to go... take care of something," she finally answered, remembering what her Father had said before he left, "he'll be back, he said so."

"I see..." Hoofdini furrowing his brows. He opened his mouth to say something else, but decided against it -- shaking his head and straightened up once more, "well then, Beatrix, what say we get this show going, eh?" he said with another encouraging smile.

Beatrix nodded meekly and Hoofdini turned to face the waiting crowd. He stood up on his hind legs and spread his hooves out dramatically.

"Sorry for the holdup ladies and gentlecolts!" he exclaimed, "just had to get some introductions out of the way! And speaking of introductions, allow me to introduce my assistant for the remainder of the show..."

With a flourish, he gestured to the uneasy blue filly sitting behind him.

"The Timelessly Adorable and Ever Delightful Trixie!"

A Spectacular Show

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"T-Trixie?" Beatrix cried in bewilderment, "but... but I don't--"

"Now, now Beatrix, this is you're time to shine," Hoofdini said with a wink at the filly, "and if you're gonna shine, then you need an appropriate stage name, don't you think?"

"Well..." Beatrix began with an unsure frown, "I... guess so..."

"Come on, Trixie," Hoofdini urged as he gestured to the crowd, "embrace the name! Let the world know that Trixie Lulamoon has taken to the stage, and that she's here to entertain!"

Beatrix looked out over the crowd of ponies and was surprised to see that a great many of them were cheering and stomping their hooves. She could even hear a few shouting words of encouragement.

Needless to say, the filly was overwhelmed.

Never in her life had she received so much positive encouragement -- or indeed any positive encouragement. It was a strange feeling and without realizing it, Beatrix found herself wearing a genuine smile for the first time that she could remember.

"There's that smile I was hoping to see."

Beatrix turned to Hoofdini and he gave a nod and a soft smile of his own as he spoke.

"Look at that crowd, Trixie," he said turning to do just that, "look at how enthusiastic they are. They want to see a performance, they want to see something spectacular -- something they've never seen before!"

He looked back to Beatrix with a wide grin.

"And then there's you, my dear," he said gesturing to the awe-struck filly, "when I first laid my eyes on you, I saw a filly who looked like she had nothing -- a filly desperate for something to cling to, and now look at you! Brimming with enthusiasm just like those ponies out there!"

He once again faced the crowd and waved a hoof dramatically.

"Keep up that enthusiasm, Beatrix Lulamoon!" he cried, "there is nothing more contagious than exuberant enthusiasm!"

The ponies redoubled their cheers, spurred on by the showpony's speech, and Beatrix's spirit soared at Hoofdini's words. No longer did she dread being abandoned by her Father, no longer was she a scared little filly fearing the wrath of her Mother, no longer was she the shivering sniveling mess sleeping beneath the floor.

No.

As of this moment, she was Trixie Lulamoon -- assistant to Great and Powerful stage magician, Harry Hoofdini.

"Alright, folks! I believe we've kept you waiting long enough!"

He lit up his horn once more and a large box wheeled itself out from behind the large red curtains.

"This one's an oldie but a goodie, ladies and gents!" Hoofdini said to the crowd, "for this performance, I'm going to use this box to make my adorable assistant disappear!"

Trixie... can you hear me?

The ponies in the crowd began muttering in skeptical tones, but Trixie wasn't paying attention.

Her ear flickered and she furrowed her brow in confusion.

"Now I know what your thinking, folks!" Hoofdini continued, "and I assure you, this--" he tapped his horn "--will not be involved in any way!"

Trixie...

Trixie shook her head and looked over to Hoofdini who was still explaining the trick to the crowd. She had missed the explanation because of the odd--

Trixie, it's me, Hoofdini. If you can hear me, stay calm and don't panic.

Trixie eyes widened in shock and her heart began to race.

"H-Hoof--"

Trixie, I know this is surprising, but I need you to stay... calm. I am speaking to you via Telepathy. All you have to do is think about what you want to tell me and I'll hear it.

Trixie looked back to Hoofdini and, sure enough, the stallion was still talking up the crowd. She had to squint and look closely to see it, but she could just make out a translucent white glow coming from Hoofdini's horn.

You can... read my mind?

Not in the way you're thinking, Hoofdini replied, I can only hear the surface thoughts you direct at me. I'll only be using telepathy to give you instructions. We need to be quick about this, so try not to ask too many questions and follow along with what I say. Can you do that, my assistant?

Trixie briefly mulled over what she had heard. She had no idea how Hoofdini was able to communicate directly to her mind and had several questions she wanted to ask.

But right now, she was supposed to be Hoofdini's assistant, and she didn't want to disappoint the only pony who had been nice to her -- who had given her a chance to be something more than she was. She looked over to Hoofdini who was glancing at her over his shoulder.

She set her face in a determined frown and nodded silently.

Hoofdini gave her a small smile and turned back to the crowd.

"Now, just to prove that there will be no use of my horn," Hoofdini continued, "I will be making use of an anti-magic horn ring."

Now, Trixie, this is an actual anti-magic horn ring. In order to demonstrate it's authenticity I'm going to ask you to wear the ring briefly. It's not going to be pleasant, but neither will it hurt. It's perfectly safe, but it will block off all access to your magic until it's removed. Are you okay with this?

Trixie gulped nervously but nodded nonetheless.

I can do it.

Excellent, Hoofdini replied as he levitated a small wooden box over, Now before I do this here's what I need you to do...

Hoofdini explained to Trixie how the disappearing box trick worked while simultaneously showing off the horn ring to the audience. Once he had finished his explanation, Trixie gave him an unsure frown.

She felt and odd mix of disappointment and amazement at learning the secret behind Hoofdini's disappearing box trick. Hoofdini saw this and gave her a small smile.

Trixie, I can tell you're confused on how to feel about what I've told you, but always remember this. A stage magician is only an actor -- a showpony if you will -- and the secret to showponyship isn't about what you actually do, but what the audience thinks you do.

Trixie contemplated what Hoofdini had said while the stallion in question address the audience.

"Now, I will have my assistant demonstrate the horn ring's authenticity for all you skeptics out there," Hoofdini turned to the blue filly with a questioning raise of his brow, "Trixie, are you ready?"

Trixie shook herself out of her thoughts and nodded. Hoofdini nodded in turn, took the ring out of the box and placed it onto Trixie's horn.

Trixie gasped in surprise and shuddered at the unpleasant sensation.

"Now then," he removed his hat and -- reaching a hoof inside -- he withdrew a white plastic ball, "try to levitate this if you would."

Trixie eyed the ball and tried to lift it with her magic, but her pink aura only sputtered and died. Hoofdini nodded in satisfaction before removing the horn ring -- much to Trixie's relief.

"You see, folks?" Hoofdini exclaimed levitating both the ball and the box back to the table, "one hundred percent authentic!"

The audience seemed satisfied and Hoofdini gave them a wide grin before nodding to Trixie.

You know what to do.

Trixie nodded back and trotted over to the box as Hoofdini placed the horn ring onto his own horn.

"Now that everything is in place, my assistant will show that the box is solid and completely empty!"

Trixie did just that -- opening the large black box from the front to reveal nothing inside. She then rotated the box, knocking on each of it's walls to demonstrate how solid they were before turning it so that the door was facing the audience. Remembering what Hoofdini had said about showponyship, she tried to get into it by waving to the audience and flashing a big smile.

She had been afraid of standing in front of so many ponies and had feared being laughed off the stage once she was up there. But now that she was actually making a conscious effort, she had realized her fears were unfounded. For the first time in her life, she was enjoying the task that was given to her.

She was actually having fun, despite the countless eyes watching her.

"Now if you would please step into the box, Trixie?"

Trixie complied, entering the box and giving the crowd one last wave before Hoofdini shut the box. He rotated the box a few times before speaking to the audience.

"If all goes well, then my assistant will have completely vanished from the box," he stopped the rotation as he spoke, "and now I open the box to reveal..."

He paused for dramatic effect before pulling open the door.

"...absolutely nothing!"

Sure enough, the box was completely devoid of any small blue fillies. The crowd gasped in amazement and stomped their hooves in approval of the trick. A few were still skeptical of the act and muttered their own theories about what had happened to the filly, but Hoofdini paid them no mind.

"Alright, settle down, folks," Hoofdini said after a moment, "another spin and I'll have my assistant back in a jiffy."

He closed the door and gave the box another spin.

"And now, ladies and gentlecolts," he exclaimed, preparing to open the door, "I give you..." he pulled open the door, "Trixie!"

The box was still empty.

"Now wait a minute. That's not right..." Hoofdini muttered in a confusion mirrored by the increasingly worried crowd. He stepped inside the box, scanning it briefly before turning to the crowd with a horrified expression.

"She's gone!"

The crowd's murmurs became cries of shock.

"Now, now folks," Hoofdini said raising his hooves placatingly, "I'm sure I can bring her back, I just need to--"

The door slammed shut.

The crowd grew silent as the box spun itself around a few times.

It slowed to a stop.

The audience waited in stunned silence.

After a few seconds, the door creaked open to reveal a waving blue filly. The crowd began to cheer, but it died down quickly when one of the ponies noticed something wrong.

"Where's Hoofdini?" the pony cried.

The other ponies looked at each other and murmured in confusion. Trixie played the part of the confused and scared little filly as she stepped out of the box and looked around. She turned back to the now empty box, only to yelp in surprise as the box once again slammed itself shut and spun around a few more times.

Several ponies in the crowd gasped and others waited to see what would happen with bated breath. The box slowed to a stop and Trixie tentatively trotted up to the box and, after a moment's hesitation, pulled the door open.

She smiled and turned to the crowd, giving a dramatic wave of her hoof towards the open box that now housed a bowing Hoofdini. The audience stomped and cheered and shouted their astonishment at the feat as Hoofdini stepped out of the box. He turned and winked at the little blue filly and Trixie giggled in return.

"That wasn't so bad now was it?" Hoofdini asked.

Trixie shook her head and gave a wide smile in response.

"It was a lot of fun!" she replied, "I... I get it -- what you said about show... show... pony--"

"Showponyship, my dear Trixie," Hoofdini finished, "and I had no doubt in my mind that you would understand," he smiled at Trixie again before turning to the crowd, "now why don't you give your audience a bow?"

Trixie nodded and together they gave a deep bow to the still cheering audience.

That's when Trixie felt it.

She didn't know what it was, but something was happening.

She frowned at the odd sensation and missed what Hoofdini said next as she tried to focus on that feeling.

"...not over yet, ladies and gents!"

It was warm -- a gentle warmth that spread throughout her body and, oddly enough, seemed to center itself around her flanks.

"...next trick might be a bit gruesome, folks, but I guarantee..."

The feeling grew warmer and warmer and Trixie's eyes slowly widened as she began realize what was happening.

...have here a long thread of needles that I will...

With a growing smile, she turned her head towards one of her glowing flanks to see the appearance of her--

"WHAT THE BUCK DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING UP THERE, GIRL!?"

Beatrix's terrified gaze snapped towards the audience and she stumbled back in horror.

Standing right in front of the stage was Father -- his cerulean eyes blazing with fury.

Just like that, the glow died out.

The feeling was gone.

The gentle warmth ripped away and replaced with cold dread.

A Small Spark

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Hoofdini looked between his frightened assistant and the rude unicorn stallion standing in front of his stage with a frown.

He levitated the threaded needles back to the table behind him as he trotted over to the auburn coated pony. The angry stallion himself only had eyes for his assistant and hadn't even seen Hoofdini approach.

"...told you to wait for me and I come back to find you gone!" the stallion was yelling to the shaking blue filly, "thought I was gonna have to search this whole bucking city to find you, and let me tell you, girl, things are not going to be pleasant for you when Abby finds out what you--"

"Excuse me, sir."

Father snapped his gaze to the tall grey stallion trotting over to him and glared.

"My name is Harry Hoofdini and I'm terribly sorry to interrupt, but my assistant and I were in the middle of a show before you so rudely cut in," Hoofdini said, planting himself in front Beatrix, "tell me, what business do you have with young Beatrix here?"

"Business?" Father replied incredulously. He pointed a hoof in Beatrix's direction, "that's my daughter up there, you two bit hack! And the only business I have is to get the little troublemaker back home so me and her Mother can teach her a lesson about obedience!"

Hoofdini's ear twitched at the sound of a small whimper coming from behind him. He turned to see Beatrix shrinking away with a look of dread -- tears beginning to run down her face.

Suddenly it clicked for the magician and a flash of anger crossed his features before he set his calm demeanor back in place. He turned back to the other stallion and spoke in a measured tone.

"Very well, Mister..."

"The name's Lu," Father finished, "that's Luciano to you, ya hack."

"Luciano then," Hoofdini continued with a small nod, "If you must take my assistant away, I've no right to stop you. Before you enact whatever terrible punishment I'm sure you have planned for the poor filly however, would you allow me a brief word with her?"

Beatrix looked at Hoofdini through wide watery eyes -- a bit of surprise and curiosity breaking through the fear and dread.

"A brief..." Father shook his head, "buck you! I got places to be, and I ain't leaving without the little runt!"

"Really now?" Hoofdini replied with a raised eyebrow, "you seemed perfectly fine with leaving her alone on a street corner before. Surely a few more moments of her time couldn't hurt?"

"Oh it's gonna hurt when I knock all your teeth in pal!" Father responded, starting to climb onto the stage. Beatrix cried out and backed away further, but Hoofdini held his ground and raised another eyebrow.

"Surely you're not going to cause even more of a scene than you already have?" Hoofdini replied looking past Father, "not in front of these fine folk I hope?"

"Wha--"

Father turned around to see several ponies in the crowd glaring at him -- a few looking like they were ready to charge the stallion if he made a move. The rest just looked scared or unsure. He growled and looked back to Hoofdini who frowned at him.

"These ponies came to see a magic show, Luciano, not a street brawl," Hoofdini continued, "and I'm fairly sure they don't appreciate the vitriol you've been spouting towards me and -- more importantly," his calm demeanor fell away and was replaced with a scathing glare, "your own daughter."

Father didn't say anything as he clenched his teeth and gave the magician a venomous glare of his own.

"Please," Hoofdini said, schooling his features once more, "a few minutes is all I ask -- not so unreasonable a request if I may say so."

Father was about to respond when a voice behind him spoke up.

"Let the stallion speak, plothole!"

"Yeah ya jerk!" cried a colt from somewhere in the crowd.

"That poor filly..." a mare muttered.

"You disgust me!" shouted another stallion.

The outraged voice grew in number and Father ground his teeth in frustration and whipped around to face the crowd.

"Would you all just shut the -- ooph!"

Father stumbled back as he bumped into what felt like a solid brick wall. He looked up...

and up.

And his angry glare turned to open mouthed shock as he took a step back to fully take in the massive brown coated, blonde maned earth pony stallion standing before him. The giant stallion leaned down to Father's eye level and stared at him with a lazy half lidded gaze.

"Name's Apple Granita, stranger," the stallion said in a deep rumbling drawl, "ah'm a proud member o' the Apple Family visitin' the big city on an' errand fer mah Ma."

Father didn't say anything -- still struck dumb by the sheer size of the pony. Granita straightened up and turned his sleepy gaze to the stunned blue filly huddled near the red curtains as he continued speaking to Father.

"While ah was in town, ah thought ah'd take some time ta see the sights -- maybe bring Ma back a souvenir or two, an' then ah go an' stumble upon this here magic show," he cast a side glance at Father, "ah figured ya don't get ta see sumthin' like this everyday, so ah decided to take a gander, an' ya know what? I was enjoyin' mahself."

Before Father could react, Granita raised a foreleg and brought it down on the smaller unicorn's back -- slamming him to the ground and pinning under a gigantic hoof. The unicorn cried out in pain, but the larger stallion ignored him as he continued to speak as though nothing had happened.

"Ah enjoyed watchin' Mister Hoofdini an' his adorable assistant perform their fancy magic tricks," he finally turned his full attention to the unicorn beneath him -- though his half lidded expression hadn't changed, "but then you came along an' started makin' a fuss, scarin' that there poor filly who -- if ah heard correctly -- is your own daughter."

"Get... the buck... offa me you dirty backwater son of a -- gah!" Father cried out again as the large earth pony applied more pressure. He lowered his head down to Father's and the unicorn stallion's eyes widened in fear at the cold fury he could see behind the facade of lazy disinterest.

"Like ah said, stranger," Granita continued in his slow lazy drawl, "ah'm a proud member o' the Apple Family, and the thing you hafta understand about us Apples is that we hold our own above all else."

Father went to say something in response, but Granita silenced him with another push of his hoof.

"Now ah may be just a simple earth pony born an' raised in the country -- an' this may be none o' mah business -- but ah can't just sit around twiddlin' mah hooves when somepony is treatin' their kin like the dirt beneath mah hooves... an' speakin o' the dirt beneath mah hooves..."

He ground his hoof into Father's back on last time before straightening up and looking down on the auburn unicorn.

"Yer gonna stay right where you are until Mister Hoofdini an' the Little Lady finish their chat," he then turned and spoke to the patiently waiting magician, "ya'll go ahead an' do what ya need ta do. Ah'll make sure he don't do nuthin' ta stop ya."

"I appreciate the gesture, friend," Hoofdini replied with a kind smile. Granita nodded and gave a sleepy smile of his own -- once again ignoring the struggling stallion beneath him.

Beatrix, who had quietly watch the events unfold with a mix of nervousness and awe, turned to look at the tall grey magician who was trotting towards her with a warm smile.

"Sorry about the wait, my dear," Hoofdini said -- his smile turning somewhat apologetic, "had to have a small chat with your... father first."

Beatrix gulped and nodded silently before looking over to where her Father was.

"Is... he gonna be okay?" she asked in a small voice. Hoofdini raised an incredulous eyebrow at the question and briefly glanced at behind him before turning back to Beatrix.

"He'll probably be fine, but I hardly think the stallion deserves such sympathy from a daughter he's mistreated so badly."

"Well, um..." Beatrix shifted uncomfortably -- refusing to look Hoofdini in the eye as she spoke, "it's... it's just that Mother might get angry if Father got hurt. Father might..." Beatrix visibly shuddered, "Father might blame me, and then... a-and then Mother would... s-she would..."

Hoofdini's eyes widened as Beatrix curled up into a ball and shivered -- refusing to say anymore. He lowered himself so that he was face to face with the crying filly.

"Look, Beatrix," he began quietly, "I know you're terrified of your parents. I can see that clear as day, but you can't roll over and give in to your fear."

Beatrix sniffed and turned to the magician.

"Believe or not, I was in the same position as you are now when I was a lad," he said with a gentle smile.

"Y-You were?" Beatrix whispered -- her eyes wide with disbelief, "but... but you're not like me. You're... so con... confa..."

"Confident?" Hoofdini finished with a small chuckle, "believe me, Beatrix, it wasn't always that way," he looked off to the side with a small grimace as he relived old painful memories, "I was much like you were once. Scared, alone, fearing for the day my father would finally go too far and..."

He paused and shook his head before turning back to Beatrix.

"Well that doesn't matter now. What does matter is that I realized that I couldn't live in fear all my life, and so I set out to conquer it," he patted Beatrix on the shoulder before standing back up, "I never had the chance to show you or the other ponies here, but I've attempted and accomplished wonderous and dangerous feats.

"I've built up my reputation through performing dangerous and deadly feats and -- while I must advise you not to follow in my hoofsteps in that regard -- through these feats I was able to conquer the fear I had held onto for so long, becoming the stallion you see before you."

Beatrix listened with rapt attention, finding herself bolstered by Hoofdini's words.

"What I want you to do, my adorable assistant, is to remember," he continued, poking the filly in the nose, "in your darkest moments, always remember the thrill you felt on this stage today. Always remember the enthusiasm of the crowd -- how it affected you and brought about your own enthusiasm."

He turned and gestured to the crowd of ponies -- several of which were shouting words of encouragement to the little filly. Apple Granita gave his own encouraging nod and Beatrix's scared frown slowly began to change as she turned back to Hoofdini.

"Never forget the vibrant, confident little filly who entertained these good ponies," he leaned closer and gave Beatrix a small wink, "never forget that you were Trixie Lulamoon -- assistant to the Great Hoofdini."

He looked back to the audience before turning to Beatrix and speaking a bit more quietly.

"And most importantly, remember this," he whispered, "if I can move past my fear and accomplish this much, then I've no doubt you can do the same. It may take some time to heal the scars inflicted upon you, but no matter what your parents do, no matter how much they may hurt you, never give in to the fear and pain."

He rested a reassuring hoof on Beatrix's shoulder and nodded.

"Conquer your fear, Trixie."

Beatrix watched Hoofdini as he straightened up and trotted over to address the crowd. She finally noticed that she had stood up at some point without realizing it. As she stood there watching Apple Granita finally remove his hoof from her Father's back and witnessing her Father curse the stallion and the rest of the crowd, she allowed herself a small smile.

Turning back to Hoofdini, she tried to imagine herself standing there -- powerful, confident, and charismatic. To her surprise, the image came easily, and it gave her hope.

It gave her a small spark of courage.

It wasn't much, but Trixie knew that if she held onto that small spark, it could grow into a blazing inferno one day.

A Filly's Rebellion

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From the moment Hoofdini had finished his talk, things had already begun to change for the little blue filly.

Unfortunately, a couple of speeches -- as empowering as they were -- weren't enough to completely dispel years of abuse and torment. The fear was still there, but Hoofdini's words had dulled it somewhat, and to Trixie, that was more than enough for now. It was a foundation she could use to build up her courage.

And then maybe...

Well, she didn't know what she'd do right then, but whatever she decided to do, she would do it with her head held high.

That, at the very least, would be something to strive for.

Trixie though about all these things and more as her father led her away from the stage and back to her house in the slums. Hoofdini had decided to end the show there for the day, but Trixie had overheard him mention to the crowd that he would be in town performing for the next four days. Upon hearing that, Trixie had chosen a short term goal to strive for.

She promised herself she would see Hoofdini again before he left town, no matter what it took.

Although she herself didn't realize it at the time, Beatrix "Trixie" Lulamoon had finally found the drive to accomplish what she set out to do.

But reaching even her short term goal would prove to be easier said than done.

The First Day

Trixie lay curled up within the basement, trying to ignore her sore ribs and the pain in her blackened eye. It had been a full day since she and Hoofdini had performed on stage, and just as she had feared, her mother was already home by the time she and her father had arrived. Sure enough, her father blamed Trixie and her mother had acted accordingly.

The beating had been as terrible as she had imagined, but after it was over and she was locked in the basement for the night, she found that the spark that had grown inside of her hadn't gone out.

That alone was enough to lift her spirits and she was able to fall asleep with a small smile on her face despite the terrible pain.

Once she had awakened she had tried to leave the basement only to find that it was still locked. She had tried to call out to her parents, but received no answer.

And so she waited.

At the very least she had her deck of cards to play with, but her card games soon gave way to boredom. The boredom in turn, caused her to think about her predicament.

With her newfound determination, she had originally planned on sneaking out of the house while her mother was at work and her father was asleep, but with the basement door lock, all she could do was wait for another opportunity.

She wondered what kind of spectacular tricks Hoofdini was performing today. She wondered if he had found a new assistant to help him and somewhat bitterly wondered if the assistant was more adorable than she was.

She frowned at the thought.

That wasn't like her.

She had never been the jealous type before. She had never really gotten the chance to see how other foals -- or ponies in general -- lived, so what would have to be jealous about?

She put the thought out of her mind for the moment and went back to her cards.

When her father had finally opened up the basement door that afternoon she made to leave, only to be pushed back down the steps. When Trixie had asked why, the only response he gave was to throw a dirty brown bag down at her hooves and slam the door shut before locking it once again.

She opened the bag to reveal some kind of foul smelling leftover vegetable dish.

She looked from the bag to the lock basement door, and that's when it dawned on her.

They were going to leave her locked down here like some kind of prisoner.

Was this some kind of punishment for what happened in town? Did they know she had been planning to sneak out? Whatever the reason was, Trixie knew one thing for sure.

She had to find a way to get out of this house and into the city before it was too late.

The Second Day

Trixie's stomach growled.

She had been fed twice yesterday during her... incarceration, and normally that would be enough, but she wasn't able to keep her dinner down. She had tried the door again, but still found it locked tight. It was only the second day down here, but she was already beginning to get used to the isolation. If she was being honest, she preferred it.

It was better than the beatings and she wasn't forced to do any chores. She could deal with the boredom, but she couldn't embrace the complacency while she still had a goal to accomplish.

And so she planned.

She spent most of the morning searching the basement for anything that would help her escape. Any kind of hole she could crawl out of, or some kind of tool she could use to break the door.

She was looking through one of the old cardboard boxes when she suddenly heard the basement door open. She yelped in alarm as she was dragged out of the basement by her mother and into the living room.

It was an absolute mess.

There were empty boxes of take out all over the couch and floor, spilled mugs of cider, newspapers ripped apart and thrown everywhere, and all kinds of stains that Trixie couldn't identify on the carpet and furniture. The filly was completely baffled by the mess. She had just cleaned the entire place only a couple of days ago and now it looked like a tornado had hit.

Apparently her father had some kind of party late last night while her mother had left to do... something. When Trixie had dared to ask what, her mother had only shaken her until she felt like she was going to hurl and thrown her to the ground. Whatever had happened, it seemed as though Trixie had somehow managed to sleep through it.

Her mother had of course, demanded her to clean the mess.

Trixie didn't know what it was.

Maybe it was the indignity of being locked in the basement finally getting to her.

Maybe it was the fact that she had been left alone with nothing but her thoughts to keep her company.

Maybe she just wanted to be brave like Hoofdini.

Or maybe she had finally snapped and gone crazy.

But she refused.

She turned around, looked her mother dead in the eye, and gave a flat "No."

She observed the shocked, dumbfounded expression on her mother's face and she almost laughed.

It felt good -- great even.

It was as if some great weight had been lifted from her shoulders, and the feeling was practically euphoric.

So lost in the act of defiance was she, that she barely registered her mother's enraged screams. Oh, she felt the blows dealt by her mother and they were painful -- extremely so -- but when it was all said and done, and she was literally thrown back into the basement, she didn't care.

She had finally done it.

Trixie had defied her mother.

As she lay, bruised and beaten in that basement, she closed her teary eyes and smiled brightly.

That small spark grew into a tiny flame that day.

The Third Day

Time was running out.

Trixie tried to ignore her various aches and pains and focus on finding a way to escape. She had done what she never thought herself capable of, and though she didn't regret saying no to her mother, the pain made it hard to concentrate on other things.

After another thorough search of the basement she concluded that there was nothing down there that would help her. And with the door locked she wasn't strong enough to...

Wait...

She didn't have nearly enough physical strength, but her magical strength should at least be enough to unlatch the lock on the other side of the door. The thought to try something so simple hadn't even crossed her mind with everything that had happened to her so far.

She had never attempted to telekinetically handle anything she couldn't see, but she knew that basement door like the back of her hoof. And so, she waited and listened for her opportunity -- for a time when neither of her parents were going to be around.

Unfortunately both her parents had other ideas.

Late that morning, as she was pacing the length of the basement, both her parents came in and once again, dragged her out to clean. Emboldened by her last act of defiance she refused once again to painful results.

This time however, they didn't relent.

She was asked to do various tasks time and again, and time and again she refused to do what was asked of her -- focusing only on what Hoofdini had said about not giving in to the fear and pain.

This went on for most of the day, until Trixie was in so much pain she literally couldn't move.

Her parents were furious.

They hadn't injured her so much that she couldn't work, but the constant assault overtime had worn the filly down and now she was useless. In fact, they were beginning to realize that physical punishment wasn't working anymore, and while Trixie's mother couldn't fathom why, Trixie's father had an idea as to what caused the change.

After locking Trixie back in the basement for the rest of the day, he explained his thoughts to his wife. Like Trixie, her father had overheard Hoofdini mention his stay in town and was waiting for the chance to get back at the pompous sack of horse manure.

And with that thought in mind, Luciano Lulamoon set out to Hoofington proper to have a little chat of his own with Mister Hoofdini.

A Breaking Point

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The Fourth Day

Trixie had spent the rest of yesterday doing little other than laying about the basement. Her entire body throbbed painfully and she was much too sore to do anything else. When she awoke the next day, the pain had subsided somewhat, but the soreness hadn't abated at all.

On top of that, she was beginning to lose hope.

While she still had the will to defy her parents, her drive to accomplish the goal of seeing Hoofdini was beginning to falter. In her current state she could barely move, let alone escape. Not to mention today was the final day Hoofdini would be in town before moving on, and then she would lose her chance to see him again -- possibly for the rest of her life.

As she ruminated on these ever darkening thoughts she heard the door slowly creak open and the steady clop of hooves make their way down the steps of the basement. She turned her tired gaze towards the source of the noise and saw her father standing there -- an unreadable, almost disinterested expression on his face.

To Trixie's confusion, he also had a large dirty brown pouch with him. Before she could ask what was going on, her father spoke first.

"You know something, Beatrix?" he began conversationally, "I never wanted a kid."

Trixie blinked.

"Your mother? She never wanted a kid either," he continued, "but me?" he chuckled and shook his head, "I never even wanted be with the broad. It was supposed to be a one night stand sort of deal, y'know? Bang her then leave her, but it didn't work out that way."

He trotted over to one of the boxes and dropped to his haunces -- making himself comfortable. Trixie watched him with a small worried frown, not sure of what to make of the situation. She was too confused to really be affected by his words, so she just laid there and waited to see where he was going.

"Your mother didn't let me go," he continued, "the moment she found out she was pregnant she tracked me down and practically dragged me back here to this dump," he chuckled again and looked off to the side, "bet she's regrettin' it now."

He shook his head and looked back to Trixie.

"I woulda just up and left the crazy nag, but the thing is, I had nowhere else to go. I was little more than a bum livin' on the streets myself. The nag may have had more than a few screws loose, but at least I had a roof over my head."

Trixie struggled to her hooves and eyed her father warily, though she didn't speak.

"Before I know it, I'm the one thing I never wanted to be... a father," he snorted, "I don't even know why that Tartarus damned mare even keeps me around when all I do is bum around the place and spend her money -- not that I'm complaining about that."

He shook his head again and turned to fully face the bemused filly.

"And then there's you."

He stood up and trotted over to Trixie as he spoke.

"For over seven years we've had to put up with a child we never wanted, and you know why?" he asked, to which Trixie responded with a nervous step back and shake of her head.

"The reason we even bothered to look after you instead of say, give you up to an orphanage or toss you in an alley somewhere, was because we thought you'd be useful."

At her father's words, Trixie began to feel that odd emotion she couldn't place slowly rise within her and she frowned. Her father however, took no notice of this and continued on.

"And while it was a nightmare taking care of you for the first few years, things began to get better," he said as he paced about the basement, "you became old enough to understand what you needed to do, and you did it."

He stopped and glared at the filly.

"But now things have change for you, haven't they, Beatrix?" he stepped closer to Trixie, causing her to take a few more steps back -- her soreness momentarily forgotten, "now you don't want to be useful. Now you want to fight back against the terrible parents who beat their child and make her work herself to exhaustion, because that's what we are, Beatrix -- terrible parents."

Trixie tried to take another step back and yelped in surprise as she bumped into the wall behind her. She looked from the wall to her father with growing dread.

She didn't like the look in his eye.

"Oh yeah, me and your mother are fully aware of how awful we've been to you your whole life, but like I said, we didn't want a kid, we wanted somepony who would do what we told them, when we told them without question.

"But now that you've decided you don't want to do what we tell you, your useless!"

Trixie flinched as her father yelled out his last words right in her face. She clinched her eyes shut, preparing for the thrashing.

But it never came.

She opened one eye, then both in surprise as her father backed away -- an impassive look once again spread across his face.

"So me and the Missus talked it over, and we've come to a decision," he smirked and lifted up the brown pouch in his magic, "you see, I tried to have a little talk with your magician pal yesterday."

Trixie's eyes widened and she spoke before she could stop herself.

"W-What did he say?" she asked frantically, "did he--"

"Shut. Your mouth." Trixie's father hissed.

Trixie complied out of reflex.

"Now, like I was saying," he cleared his throat, "I tried to give that low-life street performer a piece of my mind, but that overgrown backwater hick got in the way again!" he growled before calming himself once more.

"Here's the interesting part though," he said, pulling open the pouch, "before I left to go see the schmuck, I found these in a bag outside our door."

Trixie gasped in shock at what her father had pulled from the bag. Held in the stallion's cerulean magic was a large lavender magician's hat with a matching cape -- both adorned with stars. By the look of it, Trixie could tell both the hat and cape were brand new.

"Found a note too," her father continued, pulling the note from within the hat, "says it's from the hack himself, and it's addressed to his 'favorite adorable assistant' no less," he chuckled and smirked at the filly, "now ain't that precious?"

"Can..." Trixie gulped and stepped a little closer, not taking her eyes from the gift, "can I--"

"Have it?" her father finished, "sure thing, let me just make a few..."

RRRIP

"...adjustments..."

RRRIP

"...so it fits better."

RRRIP

"There we go."

Trixie looked from the thoroughly torn and tattered hat and cape, to her father -- her eyes tearing up in sorrow and... something else.

"Now then," rather than give Trixie the ruined costume, he shoved it back into the pouch and tossed the at the shaken filly's hooves, "about that discussion your mom and I had."

Trixie stared at the pouch.

"We've decided that it would be in our best interest if we didn't have you around anymore, useless as you are now."

Trixie looked from the pouch to her father.

"This works out for all of us, see?" he continued, "You can run off to that hack of a magician, and we don't have to spend your mother's hard earned bits taking care of you. It's a win-win."

Trixie blinked.

"So," her father stepped aside and gestured to the stairs, "the door's open, get the buck ou--"

Luciano Lulamoon fell to the floor, twitching and frothing at the mouth.

Trixie watched silently as Luciano gurgled and twitched, barely aware that her horn was emitting a soft, continuous pink glow. She didn't quite understand what was going on, but that strange emotion had completely overtaken her. After moment, she finally registered that she was casting some sort of spell -- but she didn't stop.

It was odd.

As Luciano's eyes rolled up into the back of his head and he stopped moving altogether, all Trixie could think about was how strange it was that she had been able to cast a spell at all. She had never had the chance to learn any spells.

Her magic seemed to cut itself off, but she paid that no mind as she look over to the dirty brown pouch at her hooves. As if in a trance, she levitated it onto her back and slowly trotted up the stairs -- her soreness all but forgotten.

She didn't see Abilia Lulamoon anywhere once she made it out of the basement, but that was fine because the front door was already open and the morning sunlight was inviting her to come outside and leave this terrible place.

So she obliged, not caring why the door was open -- only that it was open.

As she stepped outside, she stopped to take in her surroundings.

Now that she was finally beginning to come to her senses, she realized what that emotion was.

Hate.

She hated her father, her mother, this city, and her life.

She found that the hate had passed though. Most likely used up when she...

What did she do?

Before she had anytime to dwell on it, she was startled out of her thoughts by a loud, almost musical laugh coming from an alley near her house. Trixie looked in the direction of the noise, a curious frown on her face.

She took a step towards the alley, but froze when she heard the laugh again.

She wasn't sure what possessed her to start trotting towards the noise, but something about that laugh intrigued her. It really was a beautiful sound, and she found herself wanting to hear it again.

She slowly made her way to the alley -- all thoughts of what had just occurred in her home pushed aside by the melodious sound of the laughter.

Trixie picked up the pace slightly and eventually reached her destination, smiling in anticipation as she turned the corner and--

Why was the smell of copper so strong?

Why didn't she notice it sooner?

Who was this smiling orange pegasus mare and what was that behind her?

Trixie took a shaky step back and squeaked as she bumped into something solid. She looked up to see an orange unicorn stallion wearing a soft smile -- a soothing gesture, had it not been for the dangerous gleam in his cold green eyes.

She looked from the stallion to the mare with wide eyed fear. Despite the gender and tribe difference, she could barely tell the two apart. They both had the same coat color, the same green eyes, the same bright green manes and--

Trixie felt the bottom drop out of her stomach.

Blood.

That's what the smell was.

A body.

That's what the thing behind the mare was.

The Razor Twins.

That's why they looked the same.

Without a word, the stallion shoved Trixie forward and the mare stepped aside as the blue filly stumbled forward and fell.

She opened her eyes and scrambled backwards with a scream -- desperately trying to put some distance between her and the splayed open body.

She recognized that turquoise coat and those milky copper eyes.

As she stared at the corpse, she began to hyperventilate -- her heart trying to beat it's way out of her chest. She flinched violently as a hoof rested itself gently on her shoulder. She continued to stare at the body even as she heard a soft melodious voice whisper in hear ear.

"Look familiar, little lady?"

A Final Farewell

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Trixie was scared past the point of thinking.

Somewhere deep down, she knew she wasn't getting out of this situation alive, so she sat there. She stared at the body of her mother before her -- its image burning itself into her mind.

She almost didn't hear the mare's next words.

"Oh, dear," the mare exclaimed, turning to her brother in mock worry, "I think we've scared the poor filly out of her mind, Razor Blade."

The unicorn stallion didn't respond, instead trotting over to where Trixie was and grabbed a hold of her face, turning it this way and that. The filly didn't speak or make any sudden movements as she was inspected, instinctively falling back on old habits from back when her mother had been especially brutal in her treatment.

The stallion -- Razor Blade -- raised an eyebrow and turned to his sister, shaking his head.

"Oh?" the mare responded with surprise and amusement, "you mean like some kind of cornered animal?"

Razor Blade nodded with a smirk.

Trixie had enough of her faculties to be somewhat confused regarding the siblings communication. The mare seemed to be responding as if Razor Blade was speaking, but he wasn't.

"Well now, you've been through quite a lot, haven't you, dear?" the mare cooed as she stroked Trixie's mane with a wing, "now I wonder what could have caused you to act in such a way..."

The terrified filly whimpered in response and winced as she felt something solid catch in her mane. The stallion's attention was drawn to the pouch now hanging around Trixie's neck and with a flare of his horn the pouch was wrapped in a neon green glow.

"No! Don't touch -- AHH!"

Trixie cried out in pain as the mare sudden raked a wing across her back. The filly didn't know what had happened, but it felt like the mare had left a trail of fire wherever her wing touched. She tried to blink away the oncoming tears as she turned around to see what the mare had done.

At first she didn't see anything out of the ordinary -- her fur as soft and full as it ever was, but then her eyes widened in horror as several trails of blood oozed through her fur, staining it red in long thin lines.

She let the tears spill from her eyes as she cried out again -- her fear redoubling as the mare wrapped her in a comforting embrace.

"There, there little lady," the mare whispered reassuringly, "let it all~ out. Thaaat's it."

Trixie continued to cry as the stallion removed the pouch from her neck and pulled the contents out.

"Find anything good, Razor Blade?" the mare asked conversationally.

"P-Please..." Trixie croaked, "I... I just -- GAAH!"

Several more lines of red appeared across her flank and she fell limp against the mare's forelegs, unable to stand from the pain. The mare meanwhile, continued on as if nothing had happened.

"Go on," she pressed, eyeing the costume curiously, "show me what was inside, I wanna see."

Razor Blade floated the torn hat and cape over to his sister and she looked both of them over before turning to Trixie with a raised eyebrow.

"Aspiring to become some sort of magician, are you?" she asked. Without waiting for a response, she gave the costume one last look before tossing the hat and cape into a puddle of mud nearby, "sorry to say this, dear, but you won't get anywhere with those old things."

"NO!" Trixie cried, reaching for the costume.

Her cry turned to agonized scream as the mare slowly dragged both her wings across each side of her barrel.

"Now, now little lady," the mare admonished, "you know it's rude to yell in a pony's ear. They're so sensitive after all."

The mare finally let go of Trixie and she fell to the ground, crying from the pain wracking her small frame. The filly was scared, but it had originally been a familiar fear. She had though she was back in familiar territory -- being brutally punished by her mother and father.

A small part of her thought that this wouldn't be much different, despite the body of Abilia Lulamoon right in front of her, clearly showing otherwise. She though she'd be able to handle whatever torment these ponies put her through because she had dealt with it before.

She was wrong.

The pain was nothing like what her mother inflicted -- it was worse. Much worse. Her mother had never cut the filly like this mare seemed to be doing -- though Trixie had no idea how and couldn't be bothered to find out at the moment given the immense pain she was in.

"What's that, Razor Blade?"

The sound of the mare's voice snapped Trixie out of her pain addled thoughts and she looked over to the pegasus through watery eyes. The mare had trotted over to the stallion and they were both looking over what looked like a small piece of parchment paper.

After a moment of reading, the mare's eyes widened and she gasped before looking over to Trixie pityingly. She trotted over to the filly and Trixie tried to scramble away, but the searing pain thwarted any attempts and she found herself in another embrace by the mare.

"Oh, you poor filly!" the mare cried dramatically, stroking Trixie's mane once again, "alone! Unwanted! No place to go!" her voice turned motherly, making Trixie shudder in fear and disgust, "well don't you worry, little lady. Aunt Razor Wire and Uncle Razor Blade will take very good care of you."

Razor Blade trotted over to the corpse of Abilia and eyed it briefly before turning to his sister. The mare turned to her brother and she furrowed her brow before looking over to the body as well.

"I see..." she looked back to Trixie with a thoughtful frown, "that explains it," she jerked her head towards the body, "that was your mother wasn't it?"

Trixie said nothing, fearing another assault, but the mare ignored her and nodded to herself in satisfaction.

"That explains why you looked as though you recognized her," she gave the filly a toothy grin, "well, given what my brother and I just read, it looks like we did you a favor, dear! Here, take a look..."

The mare -- Razor Wire -- turned and nodded to her brother. Razor Blade nodded back and floated the note over for Trixie to read. Her eyes widened in shock and Razor Wire shook her head in disgust.

"What terrible ponies! Wouldn't you agree, dear?" she asked the filly, "aren't you grateful that we killed your mother for you?"

Trixie didn't respond.

"You are grateful... aren't you?" the mare asked again, an edge of irritation in her voice.

When Trixie continued to stay silent, the mare shove her away and Trixie fell to the ground with a pain grunt. Before she could make an attempt to get back up, she was caught off guard by another vicious swipe of Razor Wire's wings.

And then another.

And another.

Trixie curled up on the ground, trying to protect herself from the mare's attacks, but every swipe she tried to block with her legs only ended up cutting into the limbs instead. The mare continued to slash at the filly -- her mouth set in a snarl and her eyes wide and furious.

"Why... aren't you... grateful?!" she growled with each swipe, "we've... done... so much... for you... and this... is how you thank us?!"

Trixie could only respond with more screams of agony and silent prayers that the assault would end.

The mare suddenly froze mid swipe.

Trixie barely noticed as she lay on the ground, bleeding and sobbing.

Razor Wire turned to her brother, who was looking towards the street outside the alley with a grimace. The pegasus mare blinked and turned to look at whatever had caught her brother's attention. Her eyes widened in surprise before she smiled coquettishly.

"Well hey there handsome," she purred, "haven't seen you around her before. Come here often?"

Trixie fought through her pain to see who the mare was talking to and when she turned to face the new pony she froze.

Standing in the opening of the alleyway was a familiar tall grey unicorn stallion sporting a top hat, a moustache and goatee, and a grim scowl.

The look in his eyes promised retribution.

Trixie was so shocked she momentarily forgot about her heavy injuries.

She couldn't believe it.

She refused to believe it.

She endured so much to see him again -- fought so hard to speak to him one more time before he left, and here he was, like some comic book hero coming to save the damsel in distress.

Both the Razor Twins trotted over to the stallion -- Wire with a lascivious grin and Blade with a disapproving frown.

"Now don't be shy, handsome," Razor wired teased, "why don't you come a little closer so I can get a betterrrr lllllllooookkk aaaatttt yyyyyyoooooo..."

Trixie blinked in confusion.

She tried to shift her position to get a better look at what was happening, but stopped when her body screamed in protest. From where she was lying, it had looked like the twins had slowed to a stop mid trot.

But something about the way they just stopped was... off.

Like they were completely frozen.

Not to mention the pitch of the mare's voice getting lower and lower before stopping all together.

It was honestly one of the strangest things Trixie had ever seen.

Then she noticed Hoofdini just in time to see the white glow of his horn fade.

Did Hoofdini do something to them?

She was broken out of her thoughts as she saw Hoofdini making his way over to her -- trotting right past the two frozen ponies without so much as a glance.

On the way, he levitated the pouch that Razor Blade had discarded over to him -- as well the hat and cape Razor Wire had thrown aside.

"That won't hold those two for long," Hoofdini said gravely, "I need to get you out of here before the spell runs its course."

"H-Hoofdini," Trixie rasped, "I... I tried to come see--"

"Don't talk right now, Trixie," Hoofdini said urgently as he replaced her hat and cape back in the bag, "you need to save your strength," he frowned in thought, looked back to the frozen twins, and cursed silently before looking back to Trixie with a look of... guilt?

"I... I'm sorry, Trixie," he said, hanging his head, "I wanted to visit you one more time before I left -- make sure you were okay y'know?" he smiled wryly, "I guess it was a good thing I did."

That was when he noticed the blood spattered note next to Trixie.

He picked it up and looked it over, gritting his teeth in anger as he read through it.

"Those... I can't..." he sputtered in indignation before letting out a sigh and replacing the note in the bag alongside the ruined costume. Trixie watched him with half lidded eyes.

She was beginning to get tired for some reason, but thankfully the pain was beginning to fade somewhat. Hoofdini turned his attention back to Trixie and his widened in what Trixie thought was fear.

That's strange. Why would Hoofdini be afraid?

"This is bad," he muttered, "there's no time to get you to a hospital and the spell is going to wear off any--"

He whipped his head around to face the twins, cursing as they slowly began to move once again. He turned back to Trixie and removed his hat with a resigned sigh.

"Hoov... dini?" Trixie slurred, "Wha..."

"Shush now, Trixie," Hoofdini said with a gentle yet pained smile, "I'm going to get you out of here if it kills me," his hat expanded in size as he spoke, "you remember the disappearing box trick you helped me pull off?"

Trixie nodded with a small smile.

"Good," Hoofdini replied as silent tears began running down his face, "that's good, Trixie. Just... just keep thinking about that trick -- about how excited the crowd was."

Trixie did just that, her smile growing a little wider as the memory washed over her.

The hat continued to expand until it was large enough to cover the entire filly. Hoofdini wiped his eyes, stood up, and set his face in a determined frown. He set the pouch on top of the filly and Trixie unconsciously wrapped her hooves around it, her smile still in place. Hoofdini gave a kind, apologetic smile of his own before frowning once more.

"I don't know where you'll end up, but I do know that you'll be safe. I guarantee it," he muttered as he levitated the now massive hat over the filly, "farewell, Trixie. Hopefully we'll meet again sometime in the future, my adorable assistant."

A white light flashed from within the hat and a large rotating magic circle appeared below the filly. Hoofdini slammed the hat down on top of Trixie just as the Razor Twin completely broke free of his Stop spell. He turned to face the twins as the hat shrunk back to it's original size.

The twins looked around in confusion before turning to Hoofdini.

"What..." Razor Wire shook her head and glared at the grey unicorn, "what the buck did you do?" she growled, flaring out her wings, "do you want me to flay you alive?"

Hoofdini chuckled as he levitated his hat back onto his head.

"Terribly sorry, my dear," he said with a smirk, "had a bit of business to take care of, but I can assure you I'm all ears now if you'd like to talk."

Razor Wire glared at the stallion for a moment more before straightening up and giving a smirk of her own. She gave a small flick of her wings and several strands of near-invisible wire embedded themselves into the walls, creating a web that blocked off the alleyway entrance.

"You know, what?" the mare asked licking her lips, "I think I would like to talk, handsome."

Razor Blade said nothing, opting to stand back and let her sister handle the situation as watched with a twisted grin.

Hoofdini looked from the twins to the web of wires blocking the only exit. He cracked his neck and adjusted his top hat before setting himself in a defensive stance.

"Fighting really isn't my forte," he said, glaring at the mare standing before him, "I'd much rather make a grand escape myself -- and if I'm being honest, I most likely could."

His horn lit up and his entire body flashed white as the image of a giant ethereal ticking clock appeared above him. The clock spun a few times before vanishing a few seconds later -- much to the twin's confusion.

To further add to their bewilderment, the grey stallion now looked as though he was flickering in and out of existence and when he next spoke, it sound as though his voice was coming from everywhere at once.

"Instead of running away however," he boomed, "I think I'll stay here and teach you a lesson about how to properly treat a foal!"

Elsewhere, far from the bustling city of Hoofington, a large magic circle suddenly appeared above the ground and deposited a severely wounded blue filly in front of the door to a small cottage in the middle of nowhere.

The door opened to reveal a thoroughly shocked old stallion and an equally shocked orange filly.

A Terrible Realization

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Trixie finished her story on a quiet note.

The rest of the group was silent as they ruminated on what had befallen the blue filly in the past. Ancient Scroll was the first to speak, looking ahead with a grimace.

"Well, little filly, I did have my suspicions," he said with a slow shake of his head, "but it seems I was more correct than I ever wanted to be."

Sunset nodded in agreement.

"I'm sorry, Trixie," Sunset said turning to the blue filly, "I don't really know what else to say. What happened to you was horrible."

Trixie nodded and gave Sunset a side glance as she replied.

"Trixie has had... time to come to grips with what happened in the past," she looked away, "she's better... for the most part."

"Yeah," Sunset responded, "when Ancient Scroll finally brought you back from the village, you were a wreck -- and you wouldn't tell us anything about what was wrong," she frowned at Trixie, "you had us both worried to death for a long time."

"That you did, girl," Ancient Scroll added, turning his head to look at the two fillies, "for the longest time you barely ate, slept, or did much of anything really," he turned back to the path in front of him and grimaced, "given what you just told us, it's no wonder you spent hours locked in the bedroom crying your little heart out."

Trixie merely nodded in response.

"Well..." Sunset began after a rather awkward moment of silence, "do you feel better after finally letting it out?"

"To be honest, Sunset Shimmer," Trixie replied turning to the orange filly, "Trixie doesn't... feel as relieved about divulging her darkest secrets as she should."

"What do you mean?" Sunset asked in confusion.

Trixie struggled to find the right words to explain.

"Trixie doesn't regret her decision to tell you girls about herself, but..." she was silent for a moment before she sighed, "but she doesn't really feel any different about what happened."

"Well I don't blame you one bit," Ancient Scroll chimed in, "life like that, it's a wonder you recovered as much and as quickly as you did, little filly," he looked over his shoulder and smiled at Trixie, "you're a strong one, Trixie. Don't ever let anypony tell you otherwise."

Trixie blushed and looked away, but Sunset could see the small smile on her face.

"Still though," Ancient Scroll mused, "based on what you told me about how you... dealt with your father--"

"I was angry!" Trixie snapped defensively, "he... that--"

"Calm down, little filly!" Ancient Scroll interjected, "again, I don't blame you -- not in the slightest. The stallion had it coming, the way he and your mother treated you..." he shook his head and snorted in disgust, "no, Trixie, I don't begrudge you that one. What I was wondering about was the magic you used."

"Trixie still doesn't know what happened," the filly replied, "all she really remembers was getting really mad and the next she knows, Trixie is casting some sort of spell."

"And that's what intrigues me," Ancient Scroll said with a nod, "it seems the fiasco with Sunset's magic surge wasn't the first time you performed a magic miracle."

"What? Trixie didn't..." Trixie furrowed her brow before giving the old stallion an incredulous look, "you mean that's what that was?"

"Yep," Ancient Scroll said with another nod, "don't really think it could be anything else," he chuckled wryly before shaking his head, "in the end, it was a child's miracle that did him in."

"Huh..." Trixie fell silent as she contemplated Ancient Scroll's words and what she had done back then. Sunset eyed the blue filly curiously before turning to Ancient Scroll. She had already known about the odd occurrences known as magic miracles from back when she had studied under Celestia, but she hadn't actually witnessed one herself -- at least not technically.

She wasn't fully aware when Trixie had supposedly stopped her surge by using a magic miracle. The sound of a snapping twig broke Sunset out of her idle thoughts.

Her ear twitched and she turned to look behind her with a bemused frown. Twilight had stopped a few steps behind them and was staring at the ground with an odd look Sunset couldn't quite place.

"Twilight?"

The tone in Sunset's voice caused Trixie and Ancient Scroll to stop and turn as well. Sunset herself, trotted back to the lavender filly -- a small frown of concern on her face.

"Twilight, are you okay?" she asked.

Twilight blinked and looked at Sunset and the others as though she only just realized they were there.

"Oh, um... yeah..." she said somewhat absently, "sorry about that girls," she looked at Trixie with an apologetic frown, "and I'm really sorry about what happened to you Trixie. I can't even imagine what kind of nightmares you must've had about what happened."

Trixie shuddered.

"Trixie still has nightmares, Twilight Sparkle."

"Yeah, I... guess that makes sense," Twilight responded quietly before speaking up once more, "speaking of nightmares though..."

She trailed off and stared at her hooves.

Trixie and Sunset looked at each other in confusion before turning back to their lavender friend.

"What about nightmares?" Sunset asked.

Twilight spoke once more without looking up.

"Remember those nightmares I told you I was having back when I first arrived?"

Both the other fillies nodded.

"Well, I don't remember much from any of them," Twilight continued, casting a pointed look towards Trixie, "but there's always one thing that sticks with me when I wake up."

"And... what's that?" Trixie asked tentatively.

"The laughter."

Trixie eyes widened in shock, but it was Sunset that spoke first.

"That's right," she whispered, "you did say you had a strong suspicion that you're family was..."

Twilight nodded slowly, her face paling slightly.

"A-And one other thing I remember about that night," she said with a shaky voice, "w-was that there were t... t-two ponies," she fell to her haunches and gripped her head with her hooves, "a-and one of the ponies was a mare... and she was laughing and... and the stallion was smiling a-and... and--"

Sunset took a step back and turned to a grim faced Ancient Scroll.

"Uncle Scroll, I think she's..." she turned back to the lavender filly who had gone strangely silent, "I think Twilight is remembering!"

Ancient Scroll nodded and trotted over to Twilight as she sat there staring at the ground -- her eyes wide and unfocused. Trixie looked between each of the others before settling her frantic gaze back on Twilight.

"Is this... Trixie's fault?" she whispered in horror.

"No, Trixie," Sunset replied trotting up next to Trixie, "I think... I think this was bound to happen sooner or later," she watched as Ancient Scroll's horn flashed and Twilight fell into his hooves, fast asleep, "it might be like what happened to me when Celestia... did what she did," Sunset continued, "we just have to let Uncle Scroll handle it from here."

Trixie swallowed and nodded with an unsure frown. Sunset turned to the blue filly -- not sure whether to ask what was on her mind or not. Eventually she did decided to speak up.

"Do you..." she began hesitantly, "do you think it was them? The Razor Twins?"

Trixie thought about her answer for a moment before slowly nodding.

"I do," she said with a solemn frown, "I don't actually remember the last bit of what happened just before I woke up in the village hospital all that well -- and Twilight might not remember her own nightmares, but I remember mine," she turned to face Sunset, "and in my nightmares, I hear the laughter too."

Before Sunset could respond, Ancient Scroll trotted past the two fillies with Twilight resting atop his back.

"Too close to the village to head back home," he said eyeing the path before him. Trixie and Sunset followed his gaze and, sure enough, they had found themselves on a large hill overlooking the village in the distance.

"From the look of it, I'd say we have about half a mile left to go," he guessed, "we'll head into town and find a place for the poor filly to rest. Then we'll see about what to do next."

Trixie and Sunset nodded before all three of them continued down the hillside.

A Recovered Memory

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Twilight was ecstatic.

Hungry, tired, but ecstatic nonetheless.

It had taken all day and good bit of the night, but through constant practice she had finally managed to properly cast a Transmogrification spell. Using every ounce of concentration she possessed, she managed to turn an apple into an orange, then a pear, then a peach, and back into an apple again -- by no means an easy feat for a filly her age.

She was so excited, she gathered her entire family together to witness the accomplishment -- despite the fact that everypony else had already been in bed at the time. Through careful use of the puppy dog stare, she convinced them all to gather in her room and proceed to begin her demonstration.

Then it all went wrong.

The only warning any of them got was the sound of splintering wood followed by a loud bang. They all turned to the bedroom door just in time to see it fly across the room and smash against the opposite wall.

Before she could fully comprehend what was going on she heard her mother scream and then found herself pulled backwards into a tight embrace by a pair of light grey forelegs. A loud, melodious laugh drew the lavender filly's attention to the doorway.

Two ponies casually trotted into the room -- a pegasus mare and a unicorn stallion. Twilight's initial panic was momentarily overridden by the sheer strangeness of the two.

Aside from one having wings and the other a horn, and the slight differences in the shape of their muzzles, she could barely tell the two apart. They both shared bright orange coats, dark green eyes, a bright -- almost neon green -- mane and tail, and malicious grins.

They briefly surveyed the scene before turning to each other with matching smirks.

"How did you get in here?" Night Light demanded, taking a threatening step towards the two, "Who are you two?"

The pegasus mare just laughed again in response.

"Are you suuuure you wanna know, stud?" the mare asked playfully, "I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you, y'know?"

The orange unicorn turned to the mare with a disapproving frown.

"What?" the mare asked seeing his look, "how many times am I going to get a chance to use that line?"

Twilight Velvet slowly backed herself into the open closet behind her as the mare spoke -- her hooves wrapped tightly around her children.

"Mommy, what's going on?" the lavender filly asked nervously, "who are those ponies?"

"I don't know, dear," her mother whispered, "just stay quiet for now and let your father handle it."

Twilight nodded and buried herself further into her mother's chest. Shining grit his teeth and glared at the two intruders. He knew as much as the rest of them about what was happening, but he didn't like the mares words.

He knew something bad was about to happen.

Unfortunately, Twilight's question had drawn the attention of the two strange ponies and they turned to face the three. The mare furrowed her brow in thought and nudged her twin.

"Hey," she asked, "isn't she the one we're supposed to be looking for?"

"HEY!"

The two turned back to the blue unicorn stallion before them as he stomped a hoof.

"I don't who you are, and I don't how you got in," Night Light growled, "but I'll be damned to Tartarus before I let you lay one hoof on my family!"

The orange pegasus and her unicorn twin stared at Night Light with unreadable expressions.

For a few heartbeats, nopony spoke.

Then the mare smiled.

"My name is Razor Wire, and this here is my brother, Razor Blade. He's not much of a conversationalist, but he does know some neat tricks."

The mare's smile widened into a toothy grin of anticipation and she glanced at her brother before turning back to Night Light.

"Wanna see one?"

Before any of them could react, the orange unicorn stallion cracked his neck a few times before his horn flashed.

Twilight wasn't quite sure what happened next.

Some kind of large magic circle appeared on the hardwood floor in front of her father. It pulsated with an eerie red light and strange symbols the lavender filly didn't understand.

Night Light tried to scramble away from the circle but before he could get too far, the magic circle flashed brightly and the floor beneath it fell away.

Twilight, her mother, and her brother looked on in horror as a long spindly black arm rose from the hole in the ground and grabbed a screaming Night Light in it's claw before slamming him into Twilight's own bed. The impact split the bed right down the middle and Twilight winced at the sickening crunch that resulted.

All sight and sound seemed to disappear for the lavender filly -- save for the gruesome sight on the bed and a cold, cruel laugh that seemed to echo through the room. The arm had retreated back into the hole and the floor closed itself back up, but Twilight didn't see that, as she found her vision engulfed by a pair of wide, teary arctic blue eyes.

It took Twilight a moment to realize she was being forced to look into her mother's eyes and another moment to realize her mother was speaking to her.

"D-Don't look, sweetie," she cried frantically. Twilight could feel her mother shaking as she spoke, "just... j-just keep your eyes on mommy, alright? Can you do that?"

Twilight cast a scared glance to her brother to see him staring at the twins across the room -- tears streaming down his face and his mouth set in a furious snarl. She looked back to her mother and gave a small nod.

"O-Okay."

She was scared and confused.

There were several other emotions welling up within her that had never experienced before and she couldn't begin to place them all. So rather than try to understand what she was going through, she tried to ignore the two twins and let herself be comforted by the presence of her mother.

"Hey, kid."

Twilight turned to the orange mare despite herself. The mare was looking in their direction with a scowl, and at first, Twilight thought she was looking at her, but then she spoke again.

"I don't like the way you're looking at me, brat," the mare said taking a steps towards them. She shook her head and snorted in irritation, "this is why I hate dealing with colts -- always looking for a fight."

She flared a wing out and took another step forward, only to be stopped by an orange hoof on her shoulder. She turned to see her brother shaking his head and giving Shining Armor a pointed look.

"What? Why not?" the mare asked with an annoyed frown, "let's just..."

The stallion shook head again and smirked at his sister. The mare's eyes widened in response and she gave a smirk of her own.

"Alright fine, we'll take the brat too," she said, turning to Shining, "this is our first trip to the capital, so we might as well grab ourselves a souvenir for the road."

She continued her trot forward and Twilight Velvet pushed herself further back.

"NO!" she cried, pulling Shining Armor closer to her, "DON'T YOU TOUCH MY S -- ghk!"

Twilight felt her mother go rigid and she looked up in confusion.

"...Mommy?"

Twilight Velvet had frozen mid shout and both Twilight and Shining cried in surprise as their mother fell on top of them. The two sibling scrambled out from under her and turned to see what had happened.

Twilight finally screamed and tried to back away, but only hit the back wall of the closet behind her.

All the emotions she was trying to ignore -- both familiar and unfamiliar -- assaulted her mind at once and she suddenly found it hard to breath. she shivered violently as she looked from her mother's body to the head that had fallen off and rolled to a stop few hoof-lengths away.

The gravity of the situation had finally caught up to her -- smothering her thoughts under its oppressive weight.

Her father was dead.

Her mother was dead.

Her brother...

She heard a scream of rage and turned to see Shining Armor charge the pegasus mare -- his horn lighting up to fire off some kind of spell. Twilight just stood there and watched as her brother's body suddenly locked up and he fell over -- the aura around his horn fading out.

She looked to the orange stallion and saw the bright green glow of his horn fade as well.

"Well," the mare said as she trotted over to the colt and prodded him with a hoof, "that was... interesting," she looked over to Twilight Velvet's body, then at the pulped body of Night Light and rubbed the back of her neck.

"Huh..." she turned to her brother, "didn't that pompous dirtbag say something about being 'discreet'?"

The stallion just shrugged.

"Yeah I guess it's fine. We never leave anything behind anyway," she looked around the room, "well, anything that has to do with us at any rate. Besides," she turned back to the bed with a smirk, "I did tell him what I'd have to do if I gave him our names."

Her brother rolled his eyes and gestured to the lavender filly cowering in the closet. The mare followed his gaze and blinked.

"Oh, right," she muttered, "almost forgot in all the excitement."

She began trotting over to Twilight with a gentle welcoming smile that only frightened the filly more.

"Now don't be shy, dear," the mare purred, "my brother and I are gonna take you someplace niiiiice and safe."

Twilight shook her head rapidly, her eyes wide with fear and her breathing quick and erratic.

The mare's smile slipped into a frown and she trotted closer.

"Look dear, we're on a tight schedule here and to be honest, I hate this city," she said, "I don't want to be here any longer than I have to, so you can either come out of that closet on your own, or I'm gonna drag you out, understand?"

Twilight didn't answer.

The mare's voice was getting further and further away.

She felt sick.

She wanted her mommy and daddy to hold her and tell her it was okay.

She wanted her brother to protect her like he always did.

She wanted these evil ponies to go away.

She wanted all these bad feelings to go away.

She didn't want to be here.

She wanted the pain to stop.

But the pain didn't stop.

In fact the pain was getting worse and worse by the second. It continued to grow until it was all she could feel -- all she could think about. She heard a loud ringing in her ears and her vision darkened for a split second and she screamed before everything went white.

She felt something shift inside her and the pain vanished.

Twilight blacked out before she could register the relief.

A New Family

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Twilight awoke with a gasp.

She sat up and looked around in a panic for a few moments. The room she was in looked like a rather small bedroom with off white walls and a hardwood floor. She took note of the large bed she had been lying in and her panic was slowly being drowned out by confusion.

There was a dresser near the bed with various small knick-knacks atop it and a few picture frames as well. Looking to her right, she could see a set of stairs leading down to a lower floor. Another thing that caught her eye were the various paintings adorning the walls -- all of which depicted strange and fantastical settings she had never seen before.

As she took in her surroundings, her heart rate began to slow and her panic and confusion was replaced with curiosity.

Where am I?

She looked back to the dresser and picked up one of the smaller picture frames in her magic. She brought it closer and her eyes widened in wonder. The somewhat faded photo depicted a large feminine cat like creature sitting in a chair by a window in what seemed to be this very room.

She looked around the room and saw that the chair used in the photo was now placed in a far corner of the room and had been replaced by the bed she was now lying on. She looked back to the photo with growing interest, having never seen anything like these cat like beings before.

The large cat sat looking at small bundle of... something held in it's arms with warm motherly smile. Looking a bit closer, Twilight could see the tiny sleeping face of a kitten poking out of the blanket in the larger cat's arms.

A mother and... her child?

Twilight placed the picture back on the dresser and turned to look out the very same window she had seen in the photo. From the position of the Sun, she could tell the morning had already given way to afternoon.

She could see several thatched roofed houses and some various shops and stands -- not unlike a lot of the other smaller towns and villages elsewhere in Equestria.

But the lavender filly could definitely spot some significant differences right off the bat. For one, while there many of the familiar buildings she had seen before, several others were of a completely foreign design that the filly didn't recognize. Some had oddly shaped roofs or were made of different materials that she hadn't seen used before.

She was momentarily confused by all the colorful banners and streamers that hung from the buildings before remembering that she and the others were supposed to be headed into town for the Spring Festival.

So this must Faranda Way Village...

She turned her attention to the streets below and saw that the citizens roaming about were just as varied as the buildings.

The majority of the townsfolk she saw were ponies, but there were all sorts of other creatures as well. Some of them she recognized from books she had read on the other races within Equestria -- such as diamond dogs, the occasional buffalo, and several griffons.

There were some other races that she hadn't seen as well -- like a larger creature that looked similar to a buffalo but with larger horns and a lot more hair and large bulls that stood on their hind legs and had massive muscular arms instead of forelegs.

What she didn't see were any of the cat like race that was depicted in the photo she had seen. As wonderous as she found the town, the thought of the photo and what was depicted in said photo brought back some painful memories.

Memories she had just realized she could now recall perfectly.

They're really gone...

The lavender filly slowly curled herself into a ball on the bed and wrapped her tail around herself -- stroking it with shaky hoof.

Mommy... Daddy... Shiny...

She stared straight ahead -- not bothering to stop the tears that began to fall from her eyes.

My family's gone.

I don't have a reason to go back to Canterlot anymore...

As distracted by her sorrow as she was, Twilight took no notice of the tall cat that had just walked up the stairs and into the bedroom. The molly cat silently eyed the filly with a pitying look before planting herself in the chair, dusting off her dress and folding her legs.

"You're ruining my sheets with your tears, little one."

Twilight yelped in surprise and turned to face the cat that had walked in unnoticed.

"W-Who -- what are--" shook her head and wiped her eyes before trying again, "Who are you?"

The female cat chuckled at the filly's shocked expression.

"I'm the one that so graciously allowed you and your friends a place to stay while you're here in town," she waved a hand around the room, "this is my humble abode," she then gestured to herself, "I'm what you would call an Abyssinian and -- while I've gone by many names over the years -- you can call me Rouge, little one."

Twilight observed the tall female cat curiously. She had a lithe build with a dark grey coat and white hands, hind paws, and what little chest fur Twilight could see under the rather lavish violet dress. Her slit eyes were a bright yellowish green color and even from a distance, the lavender filly could tell by them that the feline meant no harm.

She had never heard of Abyssinia or these Abyssinians and she found her current curiosity warring with her sorrow at the loss of her family. It was such a strange feeling that she didn't know quite what to say for a few moments as she shifted around on the bed uncomfortably.

Looking for something to say, she remembered Rouge mention her friends.

"You said my friends were here," she asked, "where are they?"

Rouge flicked an ear and smirked at the filly.

"I'd be glad to tell you, little one," she said with another small chuckle, "but first, don't you have something else you would like to say?"

Twilight blinked and furrowed her brow in confusion.

"I... oh!" her eyes widened briefly before she blushed in embarrassment, "I-I'm sorry," she said grinning sheepishly, "thank you for letting us stay here."

"It's no problem at all, little one," Rouge said with a kind smile, "you and the other can stay here as long as you need -- and to answer your question, the others mentioned they'd be out and about checking out the festivities."

Twilight returned the smile with one of her own before frowning once more. She sat there for a moment trying to figure out what to say next, but before she could decide, the grey Abyssinian spoke first.

"Tell me, little one -- Twilight Sparkle if I heard the old one right," she said, tilting her head slightly in thought, "what has you in such low spirits?"

"Oh, um... well..." Twilight looked away with an uncomfortable frown and sighed. She had hoped to avoid the topic, as the pain was still fresh in her mind, but then she thought back to when she had told Sunset and Trixie.

She knew nothing about Rouge, but by the look on her face, Twilight could tell she was sincere in her concern, so she decided telling her wouldn't hurt.

"I... just remembered what had happened to my family, and..." she swallowed and pushed on, "and they... they're all... gone."

"Gone?" the molly cat asked in confusion, before her eyes widened in realization, "Oh! Oh, I'm so sorry, my dear," she said with a sad frown, "I didn't mean to bring up such painful memories."

Twilight shook her head.

"It's okay," she replied, "I only just remembered recently, and I've learned that it's better to talk about your problems rather than hide them."

She thought back to Trixie and Sunset with a wistful smile.

"I'm sure that I'll feel much better about all of this once I can tell my friends and Uncle Scroll about it," her wistful smile faded, "I guess they really are all I have left..."

"And what's wrong with that, little one?"

Twilight turned to Rouge in bemusement.

"What do you mean?"

The tall cat rose from the chair and made her way over to the bed -- her dark grey tail idly swaying back and forth as she spoke.

"From what I've seen of your friends and caretaker, you all seem to be very close," she said as she sat down next to the filly, "they were extremely worried when they brought you here, and they've made sure to check up on you every half hour or so."

Her kind smile fell into a small grimace as she rubbed one of her hands.

"The small blue one seems to be... especially protective of you."

Twilight observed the cat for a moment before furrowing her brow.

"What did Trixie do?"

Rouge's smile returned and she shook her head.

"It's nothing to worry about, little one," she replied, "she was just worried for your safety -- nothing wrong with that. More to the point," she rested a comforting hand on the filly's shoulder, "you've suffered through something no child your age should ever have to deal with, but remember this..."

Twilight's ear twitched as she heard a door open from somewhere below and the two of them turned their gazes towards the staircase.

"Roooouge, are you in here? Is Twilight awake yet?"

"Trixie, keep it down! What if Twilight's still asleep?"

"I think the both of you need to tone it down."

Rouge chuckled again and turned back to Twilight as she continued.

"You may have lost your original family -- and they may always be closest to your heart -- but you've already gained a new one that I'm certain cares about you just as much, blood or no."

Twilight stared at the cat and felt more tears welling up in her eyes. She wiped them away and nodded with a small, grateful smile.

"I guess that's true," she agreed, "I... I did tell Sunset that all of them may as well have been my family already."

"See?" Rouge replied, patting the filly on the back, "you've already accepted them as an important part of your life."

Twilight nodded and turned back to the staircase just in time to see a certain blue filly bound up the stairs and into the room.

"Twilight!" she cried, galloping to the bed, "Sunset! Uncle Scroll! Twilight's awake!"

"Hey, Trixie," Twilight greeted as the blue filly hopped on the bed and bowled her over with the force of her hug. Sunset and Ancient Scroll trotted into the room at more sedate pace, but were no less happy to see the lavender filly awake.

"How is she handling things, Rouge?" the old stallion asked as Sunset made her way to the bed and hopped up next to the other two.

"I think she'll be just fine now that the rest of you are here," Rouge answered as she got up from the bed and walked over to the stairs, "in fact, I'll leave you all here to catch up."

"Glad to hear it," Ancient Scroll said with a grateful smile, "and thanks for all your help."

Rouge just waved a hand dismissively as she descended down the stairs.

"There was no doubt in Trixie's mind that you'd be okay, Twilight Sparkle," the blue filly said with a sniff, "and she was right, as usual."

"Sure, Trixie," Sunset replied with a roll of her eyes before turning to Twilight with a worried frown, "but seriously though, are you okay, Twilight?"

"That's something I'd like to know as well," Ancient Scroll added sitting atop the bed next to the others, "you were in pretty bad shape before we brought you here, little filly."

Twilight nodded to each of them with a smile.

"I'm fine now, everypony," she answered, "I talked a bit with Rouge and she helped me... understand some things."

"Like what?" Trixie asked curiously.

"I'll tell you in a bit," Twilight said, jumping off the bed, "but first, is there anything to eat?"

A Brother's Plan

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Shining Armor sat in the dining hall across from the dark green pegasus mare that was supposedly taking care of him that day.

Really though, the mare's actual task was just to make sure the colt didn't go anywhere he wasn't supposed to, and Shining knew it. Still, at the very least, Frigid Gale had allowed him to roam about the underground bunker outside of his new room -- albeit with several restrictions and an assigned caretaker.

He had had a few caretakers in the past few days and none of them had been particularly pleasant to be around -- though this particular mare seemed to be somewhat different.

Where most ponies and griffons he met here didn't bother to do more than put up with the colt, this mare seemed somewhat more open and friendly -- a welcome relief as far as Shining was concerned.

Though he did enjoy the mare's company -- especially when compared to the others -- he also couldn't help but feel that there was something... off about her, though he couldn't figure out what.

The pegasus just radiated... something that made Shining uneasy.

Regardless, he pushed past the uncomfortable feeling and tried to befriend the mare if for no other reason than to get more information about Frigid Gale and the rest of his captors.

He may have been free to roam about and talk to the others, and he may have offered to help in the thestral's endeavors, but he was still a prisoner, and he didn't forget that.

So it was that the two sat across from each other and spoke over a hot meal in the
hall. The mare had introduced herself as Fell Wind and they had been getting to know one another up until this point.

"So what's your deal, kid?" the mare asked, swallowing a mouthful of steamed vegetable soup, "why the long face?"

"I'm being held against my will and being called 'kid' by every single pony and griffon I meet doesn't help either," Shining responded flatly. Fell Wind laughed and shook her head.

"Yeah, I guess that does suck," she said with a chuckle, "still though, you'll get used to it, kid."

Shining snorted and roughly bit into his hayburger. The great quality of the food was actually another thing the colt found odd, but this was a mystery he was content to let go for now.

The pegasus mare shook her somewhat messy black mane out of her face and eyed Shining curiously.

"You know," she began, "you should lighten up a bit more. It isn't all that bad here."

"Really?" Shining asked -- his tone dripping with skepticism, "you all more or less live in a hole in the ground and the default expression around here seems to be a permanent scowl, so I'm sorry if I don't believe you."

"Okay so ya got me there," the mare said with a shrug, "but the whole perma-frown thing that a lotta folks got going on here is more because of what they've gone through."

"What do you mean?" the colt asked curiously.

"What I mean," Fell Wind began quietly, "is that directly or indirectly, many of the ponies and griffons here have had their lives bucked over in one way or another by our Eternal Sun Goddess."

She leaned back in her chair and swept her gaze over the several other ponies and griffons in the hall as she spoke.

"Needless to say, none of them are too happy, and the boss lady promised them a chance to do something about it."

"So let me get this straight," Shining responded incredulously after a moment, "everypony here is willing to throw everything away and attempt to stage some kind of... coup against Princess Celestia -- a Goddess who can control the Sun and moon -- all because some mare showed up and promised them a better life?"

Fell Wind turned back to Shining with a frown that made the colt flinch involuntarily.

"She didn't just 'show up', kid," the mare said grimly. She turned away and a shadow pass across her face, "she's gone out of her way and nearly killed herself to save a lot of us here from some bad stuff -- stuff I don't even want to think about."

"And... what about you?" Shining pressed, "were you one of the ones she saved?"

Fell Wind hesitated a moment before giving a slow nod.

"She... she pulled me and Red Storm out of a pretty bad spot awhile back," she said, turning away with a far off look, "wouldn't be here eatin' the best veggie soup I ever had if it weren't for her."

Shining was quiet for a moment as he thought about her words.

The first impression Shining had gotten about the thestral mare wasn't exactly a good one. She seemed friendly and easygoing on the surface -- but like with Fell Wind herself -- she had this air of wrongness about her that put the colt on edge.

He could clearly tell that Frigid Gale had been through something terrible -- he had seen it in her eyes when they had met. But at the same time she seemed... too aloof, as though she was trying to distance herself from everypony.

And yet here Fell Wind was, talking about her as if she was some sort of savior.

It didn't make any sense to Shining.

If she was truly as caring as they said, why hadn't she come to see him when they first brought him here? Why was he made to suffer alone in an empty room with his only the memory of his parent's violent deaths to keep him company?

Another thing he had been noticing the longer he was here, was how distracted she seemed -- as though she always had something else on her mind and couldn't be bothered to deal with what was in front of her.

Shining already had a pretty good idea of what was always on the thestral's mind just from the few interactions they had with each other. It was also something else he could see in her eyes whenever somepony mention the Princess.

She was obsessed with Celestia.

He wasn't sure what the Princess had done to her, but whatever it was, the thestral mare had it out for her. He hadn't dared to ask Frigid Gale herself what had happened -- mostly because whenever he tried to ask somepony else, he was either pointedly ignored or threatened with violence should he ask again.

With all of this in mind, Shining could only come to one conclusion.

Frigid Gale was not a good leader.

Sure, she had charisma, but that wasn't enough. With what he was able to discern about the mare, everything she did just seemed to come off as her working towards an agenda -- revenge if Shining was putting the clues together properly.

With that kind of motivation, Frigid Gale could never truly be a good leader and she was bound to get somepony killed further down the road if she hadn't already. If Fell Wind's word were to be believed, a lot of the ponies and griffons under Frigid Gale seemed to be fairly loyal.

Fell Wind herself almost seemed to revere the thestral mare with the way she talked about her.

But was the same true for everypony?

There was a difference between a loyalty to the cause and a loyalty to the leader.

How many were actually loyal to Frigid Gale herself?

Shining knew there was good in the mare, but it was buried under all of her obsessive hatred for Celestia.

He looked at Fell Wind with a contemplative frown, idly tapping his hoof on the table.

If Frigid Gale could get past her hatred, Shining had no doubt she could be a great leader. She had the charisma, she could inspire ponies like Fell Wind to action through her own actions, and while he hadn't seen her command any actual forces, she did seem to have a good head on her shoulders.

Shining Armor was by no means a military genius -- and even if he was, he had no experience. He hadn't even finished a full year in the Junior Reserve Captain's Training Corps. yet, but he had done enough independent study on the Equestrian Military and military tactics in general to give his sister a run for her bits.

On top of all of that, he had his own ideas about what made a good leader, and the first step in good leadership was building trust. Through trust came loyalty -- the kind of loyalty that would have your squad follow you to Tartarus and back no matter how bad things got.

Shining didn't believe for a minute that a pony with Frigid Gale's motivations and attitude could garner that kind of loyalty from every single pony and griffon here. She had some loyalty, sure, but he doubted she had the trust of everpony.

But maybe...

"Hey, kid, I got something on my face or what? What's with all the staring?"

Shining snapped out his thoughts and only just now realized he hadn't taken his eyes off the pegasus mare this entire time.

"Oh, uh..." Shining rubbed the back of his neck and smiled sheepishly, "sorry about that. I... just had something on my mind."

"Huh..." the mare eyed him for a moment before shrugging, "ah well, whatever. Hey you gonna finish that?" she asked pointing to the almost untouched hayburger in front of the colt. Shining looked over to her bowl to see that it had been completely drained of soup and wordlessly pushed his own plate over to Fell Wind.

"Nice!" she cried grabbing the burger, "was dying for one of these."

"Then why didn't you just grab one at the counter?"

The mare's only response was to shrug and take a massive bite out of the burger. Shining Armor just shook his head and looked away. After a minute, he glanced back at the pegasus and sighed.

"Um... Miss Wind?"

"Ugh," Fell Wind replied making a face, "do me a favor and never call me that again, alright, kid?"

"Sorry," Shining said with a slight blush, "Fell Wind then?"

The mare nodded and he continued.

"I was wondering," he hesitated for a moment, "do you know when I'd be able to see Frigid Gale again?"

The pegasus mare tapped her chin and hummed to herself in thought.

"Weeellll..." she muttered, "she's gonna be pretty busy for the next couple of days, but you could probably catch her during lunch tomorrow if you're quick. Why? Did you need to ask her somethin'?"

"Yeah, kind of," Shining answered with a nod, "it's nothing too important, I just had a few things I wanted to discuss about helping out with... whatever you guys are doing."

"What?" Fell Wind asked, tilting her head in confusion, "didn't she tell you?"

"Not really," Shining said with a small shake of his head, "she said she was going to, but she never got around to it, so I'm still kind of in the dark."

"That's weird," Fell Wind muttered before looking back to Shining Armor with an easy grin, "well like I said, she does come in here for lunch every so often so you can try to catch her then."

Shining nodded and thanked the mare before hopping down from his seat.

"I'm going back to my room for the day," he said trotting to the dining hall entrance, "I've got some things to think about."

He turned and yelped in surprise as the dark green pegasus landed in front of him.

"That's cool and all," she said as she polished off the hayburger, "but I still got a job to do, remember?"

"Oh, right," Shining muttered with an irritated scowl, "alright then."

The two of them headed out the door and Shining let Fell Wind lead as he trotted behind, lost in thought.

Shining knew Frigid Gale was up to something, and though he didn't know what exactly, he was sure his sister was important for whatever it was. Though he did agree to help find her, he wasn't just going to let the mare use her and toss her away like some kind of tool.

No.

If she was going to find Twilight, Shining was going to make sure she did it because it was the right thing to do, not because she was an important piece of the puzzle.

And so he planned.

Maybe if he used his not inconsiderable knowledge of all things military, he could get closer to Frigid Gale -- possibly get more chances to talk to the thestral mare.

Maybe he could even convince her to abandon her ridiculous revenge scheme altogether -- and if not, then at the very least convince her to pay more attention the ones supporting her.

Maybe he could actually make Frigid Gale the leader these ponies and griffons deserved.

Before he did anything however, he need answers, and after putting a few pieces together himself, there was one very important question in particular the thestral mare needed to answer.

An Acquired Taste

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Twilight was in absolute awe.

She had seen some of the town from the window, but trotting down the streets, surrounded by all the ponies and other races she had never seen was an entirely different experience altogether.

Upon the lavender filly's request for food, Ancient Scroll had suggested they head outside and sample some of the exotic foods from the various stalls lining the roads.

Everypony else had whole-heartedly agreed and with a cheerful goodbye and one last thank you to Rouge, Twilight now found herself surrounded by sights, sounds, and smells that baffled and intrigued her.

Many of the citizens and visitors wore odd clothing Twilight had never seen before, but she could tell from the bright and flamboyant colors and whimsical design that they were most likely worn in honor of the festival itself.

Her ears swiveled this way and that as she tried to pick apart the various songs that were playing throughout the village -- many of them strange and foreign to the slightly overwhelmed filly, but no less pleasant.

Any lingering sadness she had been feeling was slowly starting to ebb as Twilight took in her surroundings -- not to mention the growing hunger she was feeling from the several delicious smells assaulting her nostrils.

"So what do you think, Twilight?" Sunset asked, nudging the filly in the shoulder, "pretty crazy right?"

Twilight nodded absently her head swiveled about, trying to take everything in at once.

"It's incredible..." she muttered, "this town is a far cry from any other place I've visited in Equestria..."

"I've no doubt, little filly," Ancient Scroll added as he eyed one of the food stalls, "I don't think you'll see a more culturally diverse town in all of Equestria."

He motioned for the fillies to follow him to one particular food stall run by a large female griffon in a strange black chef's hat.

"The fact that it's right on the border of Equestria, coupled with centuries of trade and tourism, made this town what it is today," he explained, "you meet all sorts of interesting creatures out here -- each one with their own stories to tell."

"You sound like you really like this place, Uncle Scroll," Twilight observed. Ancient Scroll nodded with a small smile.

"That I do, little filly," he answered, "one of the reasons I decided to settle down where I did."

"But if you like it so much, why not just live in the town?" Sunset asked with a bemused tilt of her head.

"Ah well," Ancient Scroll replied with a chuckle, "I like my solitude a little too much to actually move here, but I do like to visit from time to time, and there's a good market for cartographers like myself to sell their maps here."

Twilight nodded in understanding before turning to Trixie with a raised eyebrow.

"Trixie?"

The blue filly jumped slightly and whipped her head around to face Twilight.

"Huh?" Trixie answered distractedly, "did you say something, Twilight Sparkle?"

"Well I just noticed you've been pretty quiet," Twilight replied with a frown, "is everything okay?"

"She's also been pretty jumpy too," Sunset added looking over to Trixie with her own worried frown, "what's up, Trixie?"

"T-Trixie has no idea what you two are t-talking about," the clearly nervous blue filly stammered, "she's... perfectly f-fine."

Ancient Scroll stopped in front of the food stall and bent down to put a reassuring hoof on Trixie's head.

"It's alright to be nervous, Trixie," he said softly, "from what you've told us about your life, you've hardly ever been around other ponies let alone all these new creatures you've never seen before."

He rubbed her head before rising once more, "I know it might be a nerve-wracking experience for you right now, but just give it some time and you'll get used to it, trust me, little filly."

Twilight and Sunset exchange sad, knowing looks before looking back to Trixie. The blue filly visibly swallowed and gave a small nod.

"There you go," Ancient Scroll said with a kind smile before turning to the griffon chef leaning on the counter of the stall with a knowing smirk.

"Sorry about that, Dahlia," Ancient Scroll said with a sheepish smile, "been saddled with the task of taking care of these three since you and I last met and this is their first time in the village -- well first time for two of them technically."

The large black and brown griffon eyed the three fillies with some interest before letting out a deep chuckle and turning back to the old stallion with a friendly grin.

"Well I've gotta say, Scroll," the griffon said in a rather gruff voice, "I wasn't expecting ya to take in anymore kids, but now I see you've got three of em'."

Twilight furrowed her brow in confusion and turned to Ancient Scroll.

"Anymore?" she asked, "what's she talking about, Uncle Scroll?"

Ancient Scroll shot the bemused grffon a look before giving a resigned sigh.

"Ask Sunset for the details if you want, little filly," he said with a shake of his head, "don't quite feel up to talking about it myself at the moment."

Twilight and Trixie turned to the orange filly in question and Sunset looked to Ancient Scroll before shaking her head.

"I'll tell you girls later."

The two confused fillies looked at each other before giving a shrug. They let the matter drop for now, choosing to focus on the griffon before them.

"Ah, geez, sorry about that, Scroll," Dahlia said, rubbing the back of her neck with an apologetic frown, "shoulda realized that woulda been a sore subject."

"It's fine, Dollie," Ancient Scroll said with a dismissive wave of her hoof, "it's all in the past now. Setting that aside though," he smirked an turned a mischievous eye towards the three fillies, "we came here to get the girls something to eat, and I figured this would be a good chance for them to get a taste of some traditional griffon style cuisine."

The three fillies looked between each other nervously before Twilight and Sunset's eyes widened in horrified realization.

"Uncle Scroll," Twilight said incredulously, "you can't seriously be talking about... I mean that's just... what?"

Trixie looked between Twilight and Sunset with a confused frown.

"What?" she asked, "What's the big deal?"

"Trixie," Sunset explained -- her face turning a slight shade of green, "the primary diet of a griffon consists of meat."

"Trixie is aware," the blue filly said with a bemused raise of her brow, "but she still doesn't see the big deal."

The other two fillies stared at Trixie.

"...What?" Trixie cried.

"Trixie," Sunset asked tentatively, "have you... eaten meat before?"

"Trixie's eaten meat, yes," the blue replied casually, "fa... Luciano brought one of his griffon friends over once and they made Trixie eat something the griffon called a 'medium rare steak'."

Trixie stared off in a random direction -- her gaze turning wistful.

"I hadn't eaten anything in two days and that was the first thing Luciano and the griffon gave me to eat. I still don't understand why they found it so funny -- it was one of the most delicious things I had ever eaten back then."

She turned and swept her eyes across some of the other stalls somewhat hungrily.

"Actually, Trixie thinks she can smell some of that 'medium rare steak' right now. Can we--"

She turned back to see everypony wearing horrified looks and blinked.

"Um... did Trixie say something wrong?" she asked worriedly.

After a moment, Ancient Scroll shook his head and gave the blue filly a sad smile.

"No, filly," he replied, "you didn't say anything wrong -- just surprised us, that's all."

Dahlia furrowed her brow in anger.

"What kind of clucked up son of a--"

"Don't worry about it, Dahlia," the old stallion interjected, "it's clear Trixie knows what to expect -- though I wish she had experienced it under... better circumstances."

He turned to Twilight and Sunset with a reassuring smile.

"Despite, Trixie's... situation," he grimaced momentarily before putting on another smile, "she has a point regarding meat."

"But Uncle Scroll," Twilight argued turning to the stallion, "ponies aren't supposed to eat meat! My mom said it could kill us!"

"What?!" Trixie cried recoiling in shock.

"Yeah," Sunset added, "not to mention that a majority of animals in Equestria are at least somewhat sapient," she shook her head, "it's just wrong on every level."

"I-It is?" Trixie whimpered, "I... I didn't..."

"Now, now, calm yourself, little filly," Ancient Scroll said leaning down to give the crying blue filly a hug. He and Dahlia looked to each and Ancient Scroll nodded before turning to the other two fillies with a sigh.

"I'm sorry, girls," he said with an apologetic smile, "you'll have to forgive an old stallion. I forget that you fillies haven't experienced the world like I have. The thing you have to understand, and I'm sure you're parents didn't want you to know this, but ponies actually can and do eat meat."

"What?"

"Seriously?"

"R-Really?"

Ancient Scroll nodded to each of them.

"It's not very common -- and too much of it is very detrimental to a pony's health -- but it's possible to ingest meat and some ponies -- like myself even find it palatable, thought it might be a bit of an acquired taste for some."

"And besides," Dahila added with a small smile, "the animals in Equestria are unique. Most critters outside of this country don't behave the same way, and the only thing guiding them is pure instinct."

The griffon walked over to and behind a large black curtain behind the stand as she spoke.

"Your Princess forbade the hunt of any sapient creatures by other sapients ages ago, so all meat served in Equestria is imported. I brought the meat I use from a city in the Griffonian Kingdom myself."

Twilight and Sunset sat on their haunches, contemplating what they had just been told. Trixie sniffed and stepped away from Ancient Scroll as she wiped her eyes.

"S-So..." she looked at the stallion hopefully, "Trixie's not some kind of freak?"

Ancient Scroll shook his head and patted her on the shoulder.

"Not even close, Trixie," he said with a small chuckle, "you and I just have just... expanded our horizons when it comes to food, that's all."

Trixie smiled and turned to where the griffon was.

"What are you doing back there anyway?"

"I'm a chef," the griffon called back, "what do you think I'm doing?"

Trixie and the others turned to Ancient Scroll for an explanation.

"While it's perfectly okay to eat meat in moderation, it's still frowned upon in Equestria," Ancient Scroll explained, "even here in the village, there's still some ponies and other herbivore races who find it distasteful, so the griffons and other meat eating races do all their cooking behind those curtains so as not to offend."

The three 'oh'd' in realization.

"So what do you think, girls?" Ancient Scroll asked, straightening up, "you willing to give it a try?"

"I... I'm gonna pass this time," Sunset replied uncomfortably, "maybe at some point in the future when I've had more time to think about it, but not right now."

"Fair enough," Ancient Scroll responded with a nod, "as I said, it's not for everypony and I'm sure many wouldn't be on board," he turned to Twilight with a raised eyebrow, "what about you, little filly?"

Twilight chewed on her lip for a moment in indecision. She glanced at the black curtain where she could see the smoke now rising from behind it. She inhaled the scent wafting overhead and swallowed -- finding the smell not unpleasant. Giving in to her curiosity, she turned back to Ancient Scroll.

"I think... I'll give it a try," she said with a hesitant nod.

Ancient Scroll smiled and turned to Trixie.

"And I'm sure you've already decided?"

Trixie nodded absently, not having taken her eyes off the black curtain.

The four ponies sat at the stand patiently for another few minutes as the griffon cooked -- the smell of grilled something becoming more potent by the second. Twilight's stomach growled and she found herself inhaling through her nostrils much more deeply without realizing it.

Trixie was practically shivering with anticipation, and even Sunset looked a bit interested, though she still kept her distance.

After a moment, the griffon stepped out from behind the curtain holding a large tray.

"Alright," Dahlia exclaimed, "for those of you feelin' a bit more carnivorous today, I got your fix right here," she set the tray down on the stand counter, "Lamkyck Kebabs with green peppers, onions, and olives."

Ancient Scroll levitated one of the kebabs down to Twilight and Trixie. Twilight didn't know what the meat consisted of and turned to the griffon with an inquisitive frown. Dahlia chuckled and gave the lavender filly a smirk.

"Do you really wanna know, kid?"

Twilight was about to answer yes, when she turned to Sunset who was shifting nervously.

"Please don't, Twilight," Sunset pleaded, "I really don't want to know."

Twilight then turned to Trixie who was already almost done with her first kebab and reaching out to the tray with her magic for another. She turned back to her own kebab and gave it another curious sniff before biting into it.

"Well?" Ancient Scroll asked after a few moments, polishing off his own kebab, "how is it?"

Twilight didn't answer for a moment, instead adjusting to the wildly unfamiliar taste on her tongue.

"I... don't know," she said swallowing and taking another bite, "I don't have a frame of reference for the taste since I've never eaten meat before, but..."

She took in the soft consistency of the meat and the spiciness of the green pepper and found that, while she couldn't really place the taste at all, she enjoyed it... immensely.

"It's good," she decided, finishing the kebab and grabbing another, "really good!"

Dahlia nodded with a self-satisfied smirk.

"Of course it is, little lady," she gloated, "I just might be the only griffon in town who can turn a pony into a carnivore with her cookin'."

Ancient Scroll chuckled and yanked a third kekbab away from Trixie just as she was about to take a bite.

"Hey!" Trixie whined "Trixie wasn't done with that!"

"Sorry, filly," the old stallion said putting it back on the tray, "I think that's enough for now. Remember, too much meat isn't good for a pony and we don't want you getting sick do we?"

"Trixie supposes that's fair," the blue filly said with a pout, "she's still hungry though."

"Not me," Sunset replied eyeing a Twilight with a grimace as the lavender filly devoured her second kebab, "I don't think my appetite survived this experience."

"Well, then," Ancient announced with a crack of his neck, "I believe we'd best be moving on then," he turned and gave the griffon a nod, "it was good to see you again, Dollie."

Dahlia nodded in turned.

"Don't be a stranger, Scroll," she replied with a wave, "come back into town sometime and we'll see about getting these fillies somethin' with a bit more bite."

Ancient Scroll chuckled and led the fillies away from the stand. Twilight waved back to the grffon and turned to Sunset with a contented smile.

"I think you should've tried at least one, Sunset," she said to the orange filly, "they really were amazing."

"Trixie agrees," the blue filly added trotting next to the other two, "that was way better than the 'steak' Trixie had before."

"Yeeaahh... no," Sunset answered with a small shake of her head, "I think I'll stick to a strictly herbivore diet for the time being."

Twilight looked to Trixie and they both shrugged.

"Suit yourself."

A Reunion of Sorts

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Ancient Scroll and the three fillies made their way through the crowded streets of Faranda Way as they decided on what to do next.

"So girls," Ancient Scroll said, looking around, "they've got all sorts of games, booths, dancing, singing, and I think there was even supposed to be a play at some point," he looked down at the three curious fillies, "anything in particular you'd like to do?"

"Trixie wants to know where she can get one of those fancy looking masks," the blue said, pointing to a buffalo calf wearing a white mask that depicted an odd creature with horns and an exaggerated frown.

Sunset looked at mask with distaste before turning to Trixie.

"Really?" she asked with a raised eyebrow, "I think it looks kind of gaudy."

"Trixie thinks it's adorable," the blue filly replied, "you agree with Trixie right, Twilight Sparkle?"

"Uh-huh."

"See?" Trixie continue, giving Sunset a smug grin, "Twilight agrees. It looks like you just poor taste, Sunset Shimmer, isn't that right, Twilight?"

"Uh-huh."

"Come on, Twilight," Sunset argued with a roll of her eyes, "you don't seriously believe that thing is adorable, do you?"

"Uh-huh."

"Really?" Sunset replied finally turning to face the lavender filly, "how do you... Twilight?"

"Uh-huh."

Sunset and Trixie gave Twilight a flat look.

Twilight hadn't been paying the slightest bit of attention to either of them -- her attention entirely taken up by a nearby stand where a violet pegasus stallion appeared to be selling various books.

"Ah," Ancient Scroll said, following the filly's gaze, "should've known that'd catch your eye, little filly. You can go take a look if you'd like."

"Uh-huh," Twilight murmured again as she made her way over to the stand.

Trixie snorted and shook her head.

"Trixie doesn't understand that filly and her fascination with books," she turned to Ancient Scroll with raised eyebrow, "why is there even a bookstand here anyway?"

"Oh, it's not such an uncommon thing, Trixie," Ancient Scroll explained, "there's ponies and other creatures that come from all over, and you'd be surprised at how many would love to get their claws, hooves, paws, and hands on some foreign literature."

He looked over to the stand were the lavender filly was now pointing to different books and badgering the uncomfortable looking bookseller with endless questions.

He chuckled before turning back to Trixie.

"You can find some pretty rare books at some of these stands. I mean, who knows," he said with a wink, "maybe you could even find a book on how to succeed as a showpony."

Trixie hummed to herself and turned a contemplative gaze back to the bookstand. As the blue filly tried to decide whether or not to join Twilight at the stand, Sunset's own gaze wandered to the other sights around the festive town.

"You there!"

Sunset's ear twitched and her eyes widened in surprise.

"Yes you!" an enthusiastic voice cried from somewhere to her left, "you look like a pony who could use a bit more luck in their life, wouldn't you say, brother?"

"Indeed I would oh brother of mine," spoke another voice, "and I believe we have just the thing for this poor down-on-his-luck stallion!"

Sunset turned in the direction of the voice and her brow furrowed at what she saw.

Across the street and a little ways up the road, was a bemused navy blue earth pony being pulled along by a lanky pale yellow unicorn stallion in a blue and white striped vest, black tie and flat straw hat.

It looked like the earth pony was being herded to a small empty stand in front of a larger wagon where another identical lanky yellow unicorn stallion wearing an identical blue and white getup was waiting with a toothy smile.

The navy blue stallion tried to speak, but he couldn't get a word in edgewise, as the twin unicorns never stopped talking for more than a few seconds.

"Now, now don't be shy, my good sir," spoke the unicorn attending the stall, "everypony has days when they just can't seem to catch a break..."

"But that's where we come in!" the other unicorn finished, pushing the earth pony stallion in front of the stand before appearing next to his twin. Together they removed their hats and lowered themselves into a deep bow before speaking once more.

"I'm Flim..." said one twin.

"...and I'm Flam..." said the other, before they replaced their hats, straightened up, and waved their hooves dramatically.

"...and together we're the world famous FlimFlam Brothers, at your service!" they both announced simultaneously.

The earth pony looked between the two in bewilderment. Both unicorn were nearly indistinguishable from each other -- the only real difference being the slight change in their red and white mane and tail styles. Another more subtle difference was the timbre of their voices, with Flim sounding younger than Flam.

Many ponies would've failed to pick up on this little detail, but one increasingly suspicious orange filly could've told the difference in her sleep.

The navy blue stallion opened his mouth to speak once again, but once again he was cut off before he had the chance.

"Now I know what you're thinking, stranger," Flim said wrapping a foreleg around the stallion's withers, "who are these devilishly handsome stallions and how could they possibly help a poor fellow like me?"

"Well, actually I wasn't really--"

"Well fear not, good sir," Flim continued, "for you see, my brother and I hold the key to your good fortune!"

"And all it takes to unlock the treasure box of bountiful blessings is five measly bits!" Flam finished, coming up on the confused stallion's other side.

"But I--"

"You heard him right fella," Flim said as he and his brother reappeared behind the stand, "only a mere five bits and you'll practically be drowning in prosperity!"

"Money!"

"Mares!"

"Prestige!"

"Power!"

"Happiness!"

"Horseapples!"

Flim and Flam blinked and looked around in confusion.

"Down here, bits-for-brains!"

The two brothers peered over the stand and flinched at the sight of the glowering orange filly standing before them.

"Well, well, well," Flim said nudging his brother with a nervous smile, "look who it is, dear brother of mine."

"Why, I'll be darned," Flam replied with an equally nervous chuckle, "if it isn't our favorite little filly, Sunset Shimmer!"

Sunset narrowed her eyes at the two unicorn stallions.

"So tell me, fellas," she said in a mocking tone, "how exactly do you plan to help this 'poor stallion' with his luck, huh?" she lifted her forelegs up onto the stand and looked it over before turning back to the two sweating twin brothers with a raised eyebrow, "I don't see anything on the stand... maybe whatever you're selling is in the wagon?"

She trotted around the back of the stand and towards the wagon before the brothers stepped in front of her.

"Now, just hold on there, little lady," Flam said with another nervous chuckle, "we'd be happy to show you what we have to offer of course, right Flim?"

"Right you are, Flam," Flim replied with a nod, "but I'm afraid you'll have to wait in front of the stand... like everpony... else?"

He trailed off at the filly's flat look.

"Flam, help me out here, brother," he whispered to his twin, "you were always better at dealing with her."

"Ah, it's no use, dear brother," Flam responded with a resigned sigh, "we've never been able to put one past the kid, and besides, she knows us like the back of her hoof."

"Um..."

The three of them turned back to the bemused earth pony stallion behind the counter as he spoke.

"Can I... go now?"

"Yeah," Sunset replied, trotting back around to the front of the stand, "If I were you, I'd get out of here while you still have all your bits."

The stallion looked between the three and the two brothers looked at each other before Flam dismissed the stallion with a wave of his hoof. The earth pony gave them one last unsure frown before trotting away.

"Well, there goes our first..." Flam said.

"...and only customer..." Flim finished.

"You sure you don't want to use another word?" Sunset replied giving the two a disapproving frown, "like sucker, rube, patsy, or how about chump?"

"Oh come on, Shimsham," Flim complained, "this was a... relatively harmless--"

"Scam?"

"Business venture," Flam corrected with a frown, "we figured we'd start small and try our hoof with games of chance and work our way up from there -- go back to the basics, you know?"

"I'm sure," Sunset responded with a roll of her eyes, "I swear, it's been more than a year and you two haven't changed a bit since the last time I saw you."

"Now that's not true," Flim said with an offended huff, "we've become much better salesponies since then, isn't that right Flam?"

"You bet your bottom bit, brother," Flam replied with a nod, "we're on the fast track to becoming successful entrepreneurs, mark my words!"

Sunset shook her head and went to make another scathing remark when she heard a familiar voice speak up behind her.

"So that's were you trotted off to," came a raspy voice, "you've gotta give me fair warning before you go gallivanting off like that, little filly."

Sunset turned to see Ancient Scroll, Trixie and Twilight trotting towards her -- Twilight and Trixie's saddlebags looking noticeably more full.

The blue and lavender fillies visibly flinched as they spotted the two brothers behind the counter.

"W-Who are they?" Twilight asked, "do you know them Sunset?"

"Yeah, I... guess you could say that," she answered looking back at the two with a scowl, "much to my displeasure."

"That's hurts, Shimsham," Flim responded, holding a hoof to his chest dramatically, "and here I thought we were all friends? I feel betrayed, don't you, brother?"

"I can feel the knife digging it's way into my back, brother," Flam replied wrapping one hoof around his brother's withers and covering his eyes with the other.

Sunset snorted and turned back to the others.

"Just ignore them," she said, waving a dismissive hoof, "they're both a couple of con artists who don't know the meaning of the word 'integrity'."

"Really now," Ancient Scroll responded, eyeing the other two unicorn stallions with an idle stroke of his beard, "from the sound of it, you seem to know them pretty well, little filly."

"Well, yeah," Sunset replied, rubbing the back of her neck. She turned back to the two brothers with a small wistful smile as she spoke.

"I wasted almost two months of my life trying to keep these two out of trouble."

A Tale of Two Brothers

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"So... these were the ponies you traveled with after you left Canterlot?" Twilight asked, glancing at the two salesponies nervously.

"Yep," Sunset replied as she trotted over the other two fillies, "I met them almost as soon as I got out of the city."

"Ah, what a fateful meeting it was, wouldn't you say Flam?" Flim exclaimed as he leaned on his twin.

"Oh most certainly Flim," Flam replied with a knowing nod, "why, the poor filly was a wreck when we found her wandering the road outside of the city!"

"Being the upstanding gentlecolts that we are," Flim said, ruffling Sunset's mane -- much to the filly's annoyance, "we couldn't just leave a filly like that to fend for herself of course, right brother?"

"Indeed not Flam old boy!" Flim responded with an indignant snort, "Why, we'd be rudely remiss!"

"Terribly thoughtless!"

"Completely careless!"

"Needlessly neglectful!"

"Downright derelict in our duties as dashing do-gooders!"

"Okay, we get it!" Trixie shouted, "you wanted to help Sunset!" she rubbed a temple and gave an irritated groan, "Trixie is getting a headache just listening to you two..." she muttered.

"This coming from you of all ponies?" Sunset remarked with a raised eyebrow.

"And just what's that supposed to mean, Sunset Shimmer?" Trixie retorted, narrowing her eyes at the orange filly.

"Oh, nothing," Sunset replied innocently, "just that I would've thought the Great and Powerful Trixie would've gotten along better with the World Famous FlimFlam Brothers, that's all."

Twilight couldn't help but giggle at Trixie's sputtered response and she turned to listen to Sunset as she spoke again.

"And anyway," Sunset continued, "that's not how I remember the meeting at all."

What do you mean?" Twilight asked curiously, "what happened?"

"These two dunderheads saw my saddlebags and thought I'd be an easy mark because I was a filly," she chuckled darkly, "they both found out very quickly that I wasn't exactly a... stable foal back then," she turned back to the twins with a cheerful smile, "isn't that right, fellas?"

The two identical stallions visibly swallowed and looked away.

"I-I'm... quite sure I have no idea what you're referring to, i-isn't that right, brother?" Flim said with a nervous tug of his vest.

"C-Certainly, dear brother of mine," Flam replied pawing at the ground with a hoof, "the only thing I r-remember is the adorable and helpless little filly we helped get back on her hooves."

Sunset chuckled again and turned back to Twilight and Trixie.

"But in all seriousness though," she said with a grateful smile, "these two really did help me out when I needed it and I owe them just as much as they owe me," she glanced back at the brothers from over her shoulder, "and they do owe me."

"I still say that manticore taming gig had some merit..." Flim muttered.

"Alas, it wasn't to be, brother," Flam replied, patting his brother on the back with a sigh, "Sunset may have had the right of it on that one."

"Well now!" Ancient Scroll said with a hearty laugh, "sounds like you three had yourselves quite an adventure!"

"Believe me, Uncle Scroll," Sunset responded with a frown, "it wasn't exactly an 'adventure' I'd like to repeat any time soon."

"So... what are you two doing here in town?" Twilight asked curiously, "isn't this town supposed to be far from any other place in Equestria?"

"An astute question, little lavender lady!" Flam answered, "you see, my brother and I ran into a bit of... trouble in the last few towns we visited..."

"And we thought it'd be a good idea to... lay low for awhile," Flim finished.

"Why am I not surprised?" Sunset remarked with a sigh, "what did you two do this time?"

"Hey now," Flim replied waving a defensive hoof, "don't be so quick to pin this one on us, Shimsham. It wasn't our fault... this time."

"Really?" Sunset responded with a skeptical raise of her brow, "and whose fault was it?"

"Well it's like this," Flam began rubbing the back of his neck, "we had stopped in Detrot to set up shop and things were going fairly well for us."

"We practically had a crowd of ponies eating out of our hooves in fact!" Flim added.

"But apparently we were doing too well," Flam continued, "it seems we caught the attention of some... unsavory types."

"Unsavory types?" Trixie asked, "the only unsavory types Trixie sees here are you two."

"Funny," Flam deadpanned, "but no. These ponies were bad news."

"Seriously shady."

"Definitely dubious."

Quantifiably questionable."

"Absolutely--"

"Just get to the point!" Trixie cried -- ignoring the snickering fillies behind her.

"They came to us after we had closed up shop for the day and offered a... job of sorts," Flim continued.

"Said we had a way with words," Flam finished, "and that they could use a couple of charismatic ponies like us to spread some kind of message."

"They told us we'd be paid quite a sum of bits for our services," Flim said, furrowing his brow as he remembered the conversation, "and we almost agreed to do it too."

"And you didn't?" Sunset asked incredulously, "you two are always jumping at the chance to make bits."

"I know," Flam agreed with a nod before putting on an uncharacteristic grimace, "but like we said, there was something about these ponies that rubbed my brother and I the wrong way."

"For one, they wore these large concealing cloaks so we couldn't see their faces..." Flim added.

"They tracked us down at night when there were hardly any other ponies around..." said Flam.

"And when we refused, they started getting... aggressive," Flim finished with a shake of his head, "some of the business decisions we make may not always be on the up and up..."

"But even we know when to back out of a shifty deal like that," Flam finished.

"That is very peculiar..." Ancient Scroll mused, stroking his beard contemplatively, "no, I don't like the sound of that at all..."

"What do you think those ponies wanted, Uncle Scroll?" Twilight asked worriedly.

"Nothing good, I'm sure, little filly," Ancient Scroll replied.

"That was our thought exactly," Flam said pointing to the old stallion, "Flim and I managed to beat a hasty retreat, but it turns out the shady fellows were more relentless than a pack of angry squirrels!"

"Trixie can attest to how relentless angry squirrels can be," the blue filly muttered with a frown.

"No matter where Flam and I went, they always managed to find us. It got to the point where my brother and I had to leave Detrot, which was a shame because our patented Shower-in-a-Can products were selling like hotcakes!"

"Shower... in a can?" Twilight mouthed in bewilderment, "how does that... how would you even--"

"We left the city," Flam continued, "but we still couldn't shake them. They ended up follow us from Detrot to Manehattan to Hoofington!"

"We even tried to hide out in a little town called Ponyville thinking they wouldn't bother to look for us in such a backwater village..." Flim said.

"But for some reason it was even worse there!" Flam cried, "the town was practically crawling with these guys!"

Ancient Scroll hummed to himself in thought as he listened to the two brothers.

"We eventually wound up in Canterlot where we finally managed to give em' the slip," Flim said with a shake of his head, "but we couldn't do any business there--"

"Gee, I wonder why?" Sunset muttered.

"--so we moved on, this time choosing somewhere a little more... isolated," Flam continued, ignoring the orange filly's remark, "and so here we are."

"So when you were telling me how you wanted to 'go back to the basics' and 'work your way up from there'," Sunset responded with a frown, "was that all just a load of--"

Sunset..." Ancient Scroll chided. Sunset folded her ears back but continued nonetheless.

"Er, was that all a lie?" she finished.

The two brothers glanced at each other briefly before looking back to Sunset.

"Well..." Flam muttered, "not... exactly."

"After all the galloping around my brother and I did," Flim said with an earnest frown, "we thought it'd be for the best if we stayed here in town for awhile to brush up on our skills."

Flam nodded in agreement.

"We actually just arrived here not too long ago, and we heard from a few ponies in town that there was a business guru somewhere around here," he looked down one of the streets as he spoke, "we figured a little sales advice couldn't hurt so we're keeping an eye out for him while we're here."

"So if you two want to becoming better salesponies," Twilight asked, furrowing her brow, "why are you still out here apparently ripping ponies off?"

"We're doing no such thing!" Flam replied with an offended scoff, "we're simply offering these ponies something they didn't know they needed until now!"

Sunset glared at the two.

"...We needed the bits to pay off the innkeeper," Flim admitted, "and with all the potential customers roaming about during such a festive event, we couldn't resist."

"That's what I thought," Sunset replied with a nod before turning to Ancient Scroll, "Uncle Scroll, do you think you could--"

"Say no more, little filly," Ancient Scroll replied snapping his saddlebags open and floating out a small pouch, "I'm already ahead of ya."

The twins watched in confusion as the old stallion pulled out a hoofful of bits from the pouch and placed them on the empty stand in front of them. Ancient Scroll spoke up before either twin could ask about the bits.

"I know the innkeeper here," Ancient Scroll said with a disapproving frown, "she's a nice old dog and doesn't deserve to be strung around like that. Take that and go pay her off, now," he jerked his head in the direction of the inn, "and don't let me catch you swindling anymore of the townsfolk out of their bits."

He leaned forward an glared at the two nervously shifting unicorns.

"Because I also know a griffon in the town guard and I'd be more than happy to introduce the two of you, got it?"

"Yes sir!" Flim cried, grabbing the bits.

"Understood, clear as crystal!" Flam agreed folding up the stand. They shoved the stand in the wagon and nodded to Ancient Scroll with a tip of their hats and matching nervous smiles.

"A pleasure to meet you and the littles ones," they said simultaneously, "and it was a treat to see you again, Sunset!"

"Don't be strangers now," Sunset replied as she waved to the two with a smirk.

With that, the twins hitched themselves to the wagon and trotted off down the street.

"Well that was certainly... an experience," Twilight muttered after a few moments of watching the two.

"Good riddance as far as Trixie is concerned," the blue filly added with a snort, "if she had to listen to those two for moment longer, Trixie doesn't know what she would've done, but it wouldn't have been pleasant."

Sunset just shook her head and turned to Ancient Scroll.

"Thanks for that, Uncle Scroll," she said with a grateful smile, "they're good ponies deep down, they just need a... push in the right direction."

"Ah, think nothing of it, little filly," Ancient Scroll replied with a chuckle, "I could see as much for myself."

"Well now that that's over..." Twilight said opening up her saddlebag.

She turned to Sunset with a toothy smile as she pulled out several books from the bag.

"Let me show you what I got at the bookstand!"

A Festival to Remember

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Ancient Scroll and the three fillies continued to enjoy the festivites as the day wore on.

Twilight had become enthralled with the foreign cultures of various different races both within and outside of Equestria. At her request, the next stop had been to a tailor shop that specialized in traditional equine clothing from all over the world.

Each of them had left the shop with their own preferred traditional wear. These included Sunset's highland dress with a tartan skirt, a white blouse and a black vest from the country of Trotland, a bright orange Neighponese yukata that Twilight wore, and a festive golden yellow anarkali suit from Reindia that Trixie had practically squealed over.

Ancient Scroll had decided to go without any outfit -- much to the fillies disappointment.

With that done, they moved on to the various games and competitions around town. Trixie had participated in a game of darts where she won the very same mask she'd seen before.

Twilight and Sunset had competed in a griffon game of cross bow shooting that ended in a tie and an argument with the booth owner that Ancient Scroll had to break up.

All three of them tried and failed at a goldfish scooping game that the azure filly swore up and down was rigged. The last game they played for the day was a sort of mix between bingo and trivia that had several festival goers answer questions related to both spring and the many cultures around the world.

Twilight, who had already skimmed through the various books she had bought on different cultures and traditions, won the game by a landslide. The prize had been a large basket of different snack foods and candy from all over the world -- a prize which was swiftly confiscated by Ancient Scroll until they returned home.

Needless to say, the three fillies hadn't been happy with the decision.

After the games were done, the four decided to join in on the singing and dancing taking place in the town square. Sunset and Trixie had been invited onstage where they attempted to sing a duet while Twilight danced in the crowd.

Ancient Scroll had once again opted to sit on the sidelines, citing his advanced age as the reason he couldn't dance and sing with the rest of the group.

By the time they all finished, the afternoon had slowly given way to evening and the only events left were a traditional Yakyakistanian play being put on near the town hall, the large fireworks display just outside the town, and the massive potluck which Sunset had been eagerly anticipating all day.

Night had fallen and the large stage in town square had been taken down and replaced with a long table positively overflowing with food and drink.

There were all sorts of unique dishes on display and the fillies sampled almost each and every one. Twilight and Trixie had even managed to convince Sunset to try one of the more enticing griffonian platters. Although reluctant at first, the orange filly had wound up enjoying the meal much to her surprise.

Unfortunately, it seemed meat didn't quite agree with Sunset and Ancient Scroll had ended up taking her back to Rouge's for the night due to a stomachache. Worried for their friend and feeling somewhat guilty, Twilight and Trixie had decided to follow the two back to make sure Sunset was okay.

Now the each of the fillies found themselves upstairs with Twilight and Trixie watching over a bedridden Sunset. They had all removed their costumes and Ancient Scroll had remained downstairs to talk with Rouge, leaving the fillies to talk amongst each other.

"We're sorry, Sunset," Twilight said with an apologetic frown, "Uncle Scroll said too much meat was bad for a pony so I only gave you a bit, but it looks like not everypony can handle even that small amount."

"No it's -- hurp -- it's okay, Twilight," Sunset replied with a weak smile, "none of us knew it was gonna be that--"

Twilight and Trixie winced as Sunset brought the wastebasket near the bedside to her face and vomited.

"Trixie understands how you feel, Sunset Shimmer," the azure filly said with a sympathetic frown, "she's eaten some things that made her sick for days."

"I've only been sick a few times in my life," Twilight added, "but I don't think it's ever been this bad..."

"Ugh..." Sunset lowered the basket back to the floor and closed her eyes, resting her head on the pillow, "you know, I think I read somewhere once that it shouldn't be possible for ponies to throw up..."

"Well be glad we can, Sunset," Twilight said with a wry smile, "otherwise you'd be much worse off than you are right now."

"Yeah," Sunset muttered, "I guess so..."

"Maybe the dish just wasn't cooked all the way or something," Trixie suggested.

"No, I don't think that's it, Trixie," Twilight responded, shaking her head, "you and I ate the same thing, and we're fine."

"True," the azure filly conceded, "but it still might be just the piece that Sunset ate."

"I... guess that could be the case," Twilight admitted tentatively, "but I think it's safer to assume Sunset's stomach can't handle meat like ours can."

Trixie simply shrugged in response.

There was a brief lull in the conversation in which each of them took a moment to reflect on the days events.

"Still," Twilight said after a moment, "all things considered, today has been one of the most fun I've had in a long time."

"Trixie agrees," the azure filly replied with a grin, "honestly, this might be the best day of her life. The only thing that could've topped it would've been when she was onstage with Hoofdini, but..."

Trixie's smile dipped and she trailed off. The other two eyed her worriedly, but before they could say anything, she shook her head a second later and her smile returned.

"Trixie had a lot of fun today."

"Yeah..." Sunset replied as she stared up at the ceiling, "I still can't believe I ran into those two."

"You mean the FlipFlop Brothers?" Trixie asked with a grimace.

"FlimFlam Brothers," Sunset corrected.

"Trixie knows what she said."

Sunset shook her head.

"Well anyway," she continued, "they might be crooks, but they're definitely passionate about what they do. I just hope they can learn to do it honestly."

"I'm still wondering who those mysterious ponies were that were chasing them all over Equestria," Twilight mused, "it seems kind of ridiculous to go that far for just a couple of salesponies."

"Maybe," Sunset responded, "but those two brothers are extremely good at what they do when they set their minds to it."

"Didn't seem all that great to Trixie," the azure filly muttered.

"That's true," Sunset replied sitting up slightly and facing the other two, "I'm not sure what that was all about. Usually they're much better at getting ponies to cough up their bits than that."

"Maybe they were just tired from their trip?" Twilight suggested, "I mean, they did say they were trying to lay low and find somepony to help them learn more about how to be better salesponies."

"Maybe..." Sunset replied looking away with a thoughtful frown, "it's still weird though."

"Good evening, little ones."

The three jumped in surprise and turned to face the tall Abyssinian who had just silently made her way upstairs.

"Don't do that!" Trixie cried, holding a hoof to her chest, "you nearly scared Trixie out of her skin!"

"My apologies, Trixie," Rouge said with an amused titter, "it wasn't my intent to frighten you. Silent steps are a trait all of us Abyssinians share I'm afraid."

"W-Well," Trixie stammered, "Trixie was just... surprised, that's all. Nopony said anything about being frightened."

"Trixie," Sunset deadpanned from the bed, "you literally told her you were almost scared out of your skin."

"Trixie doesn't recall." the azure filly replied with a huff.

Rouge tittered again before turning to the orange filly.

"How are you feeling, Sunset?" she asked kindly, "better I hope?"

"I think I'm doing okay," Sunset replied with a small nod, "I did throw up earlier, but I think that actually helped."

Rouge nodded before giving the filly a quizzical frown, "I was always under the impression that equines couldn't regurgitate."

After a moment she shrugged and gave a small shake of her head.

"Well in any case," she continued, "I originally came up here to tell you that your uncle and I have prepared beds for you all downstairs whenever you're ready to turn in for the night."

"Oh, thank you," Twilight replied with a smile, "but Uncle Scroll isn't really our uncle, we just call him that."

"Really?" Rouge asked with a bemused tilt of her head, "why?"

The three fillies looked at each before turning back to the tall cat with matching shrugs.

"We don't really know," Sunset answered, "we just do."

"Alright," Rouge replied with a confused frown, "well, let us know when you're all ready for bed."

"We will," Twilight replied with a nod, "thank you, Rouge."

With one last wave, Rouge headed back downstairs.

They each watched her go before Trixie spoke up with a yawn.

"Trixie thinks bed sounds pretty good right about now."

"Yeah," Twilight agreed, "I'm pretty tired myself after everything we did today."

"Hold on, Twilight."

The lavender filly turned to Sunset with an inquistive raise of her brow. Sunset turned away from the window she been staring out of and look at Twilight with a frown.

"Today was pretty great and all," she said, hopping off the bed and trotting over to Twilight, "but isn't there something you're forgetting?"

Twilight furrowed her brow in thought.

"I... don't think so," she finally replied, "not that I can remember."

Trixie looked from Sunset to Twilight before her eyes widened in realization.

"That's right!" she exclaimed facing the lavender filly, "you were supposed to tell us about what happened to you earlier when you woke up."

"Oh..." Twilight muttered with a grimace, "right..."

"Do you... still want to?" Sunset asked hesitantly, "we can wait until tomorrow if you--"

"No, no," Twilight interjected, shaking her head rapidly, "I promised myself I would tell you girls what happened and that's what I'm going to do."

"Well, Trixie is all ears," the azure filly said with a nod and an understanding smile, "the Thoughtful and Understanding Trixie is here to listen to your woes without judgement."

"Yeah, we're here for you Twilight," Sunset added before she frowned, "do you... really remember everything now? Like, everything?"

Twilight nodded with a solemn frown.

"I won't lie to you, Sunset," the lavender filly replied, "it's not... it's absolutely horrible and I..."

She fell silent and looked away for a moment before taking a deep breath and turning back to the other two fillies.

"Well, I might as well start with when I first learned the Transmogrification spell..."

An Uncertain Answer

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It had gotten late in the night and the festivities outside had died down some time ago, leaving everything quiet and serene. In the silence of the night, the three fillies and Ancient Scroll slept in several cots laid out for each of them downstairs.

Or at least, most of them slept.

Trixie wanted to sleep, but she couldn't.

It wasn't the beds that were the problem -- though they were little more than little cots on the living room floor, they were still fairly comfortable. It wasn't Sunset's terribly loud snoring -- Rouge had given them both something to take for that after Twilight had made a complaint to Ancient Scroll.

The problem wasn't so mundane.

The reason she couldn't sleep was because of what Twilight had told them earlier. She really had remembered everything, and she had managed to tell them everything, even though it had obviously hurt to do so.

Now that she had heard both Twilight and Sunset's stories, she couldn't help but compare them to her own -- specifically regarding their parents.

Sunset was raised in an orphanage and had never even known her parents.

Twilight loved her family and they were all ripped away from her by the same monsters that killed Abilia Lulamoon.

Trixie... still wasn't quite sure how to feel about her own situation regarding Luciano and Abilia.

She was certain she despised them, and overtime she had realized that she was glad they were gone... but she still wasn't sure if it was okay to feel that way given how they died.

Trixie had killed Luciano in a fit of cold rage and, looking back on it, she felt no remorse for the deed.

Did he deserve it?

Of course he did, and Abilia deserved the same -- or so Trixie told herself.

But was it okay to feel that way? She was only a foal after all and she was sure regular ponies didn't feel this way about murdering ponies -- let alone a foal feeling this way.

What about if another pony wronged her in some terrible way? Would it be okay to kill them too? Would it get easier and easier until she didn't care who she hurt or killed?

Wouldn't that make her just like Luciano and Abilia?

Wouldn't that make her just like the Razor Twins?

What would she and Twilight do if they ever ran into the two murderers again?

Trixie had no desire to avenge the death of Abilia, but they did nearly kill Trixie herself -- and if they really had killed Hoofdini...

And then there was Twilight.

She had all the reason in the world to want revenge against the twins, but would she go through with it?

If she had the power to, would she be willing to kill her family's killers?

She couldn't help but think back to the Razor Twins and how they had killed Abilia, almost killed Trixie herself, and -- now that Twilight had all but confirmed their involvement in her family's murder -- possibly killed Hoofdini as well.

The thought pained her... greatly, but it was nothing she hadn't already considered and agonized over countless times before. After all, she had passed out from what she now knew was blood loss before she could see what had become of him.

Still, there was some hope left.

Just because the Razor Twins were alive didn't necessarily mean Hoofdini was dead. For all Trixie knew, the magician could have easily escaped the twins.

Trixie had decided then and there, to trust that Hoofdini had made it out okay and was alive and well, putting on more spectacular shows somewhere out there in Equestria.

She would believe that until she was proven otherwise.

"Trixie?"

Trixie turned to the cot opposite the one she was laying in. Twilight had turned to face her with a worried and somewhat contemplative frown.

"I guess you couldn't sleep either, huh?" she asked with a wry smile.

"No," Trixie replied with a shake of her head, "Trixie has too much on her mind."

Twilight sighed quietly and turned to face the ceiling above as she spoke.

"Yeah, I know what you mean," she muttered, "after telling you both about what happened, I couldn't stop thinking about it."

"You were pretty upset by the end of everything," Trixie said with eyeing the lavender filly, "are you okay now?"

"I don't know, Trixie," Twilight answered with a shake of her head before looking back to the azure filly, "it's a lot to take in. I'm never going to see my family again and... I don't think I'll ever stop being sad about that."

She looked away for a moment before turning back to Trixie with a small smile.

"I know I have you, Sunset, and Uncle Scroll to look after me... and that might be enough... for now." her smile faltered and she looked away again, "I just wish I didn't have to lose mom, dad, and Shiny to meet you all..."

They were both quiet for a moment and Trixie reluctantly decided to ask the question that had been on her mind.

"Twilight, do you..." she hesitated and Twilight looked over to her with a raised eyebrow.

"Do I what?" she asked curiously.

Trixie opened her mouth, closed it, and opened it again.

"What would you do if... if you ever met those two again?" the azure filly asked, "the Razor Twins I mean?"

Twilight was quiet for a long moment.

It got to the point where Trixie thought she might've made a mistake in asking. She was about to apologize and move on to something else when Twilight suddenly spoke again.

"Well..." she finally replied, "what would you do, Trixie?"

"Me?" Trixie asked in surprise, "why would you ask m... why would you ask Trixie such a thing?"

"Well, why not?" Twilight responded, "from what you told us, they killed your mom too."

"Twilight," Trixie answered with a frown, "Trixie's mother was a horrible pony. Her and Trixie's father both," she shook her head, "Trixie had a lot of time to think about how she feels, and she's decided that she doesn't regret what happened to them."

Twilight looked at Trixie sadly before she sighed and turned away.

"Yeah," she murmured, "I guess that makes sense after what they did to you..."

"You still haven't answered Trixie's question, Twilight Sparkle."

Twilight winced and looked back to see Trixie wearing an expectant frown.

"I..." Twilight swallowed, "I'm not sure what I'd do, Trixie. It's not like I haven't thought about it since I remembered, in fact I was just thinking about it earlier."

She went back to staring at the ceiling.

"...In reality, I'd probably try to run away out of fear," she continued, "but I don't know if I'd make it."

"Would you try to fight back if they attacked you?"

"I don't know, Trixie," Twilight replied, furrowing her brow, "maybe."

"Would you try to avenge your family?" Trixie asked, deciding to throw caution to the wind, "would you kill them if you had the power?"

"I don't know!" the lavender filly cried as she glared at Trixie, "I thought about it, okay? I thought about taking revenge on them for what they did to my family, but I don't think I could. I'm not that kind of pony, Trixie."

She grit her teeth in frustration before shifting her cot so that she was facing away from the azure filly.

"I want to say that I would," she muttered quietly, "I want them to pay for what they did, but I don't think I have it in me to do it myself."

Trixie stared at Twilight's back for a moment before looking at her own hooves.

"...I think I would've killed them if I had the chance."

Twilight turned back to the azure filly in surprise, but Trixie didn't notice as she continued.

"If I had a loving family like you did, and that was taken away from me," she clenched her teeth in anger, "I would've done everything I could to make sure the pony responsible suffered for it."

"Trixie..."

"I know it's wrong, Twilight," Trixie continued with a shake of her head, "I know I shouldn't feel this way, but I can't help it."

"It wouldn't be worth it, Trixie."

Twilight and Trixie both turned to the other cot across from them to see Sunset eyeing Trixie with a disapproving frown.

"Twilight's right not to even attempt it," the orange filly continued, "all revenge will do is get you killed."

"Trixie knows revenge isn't the answer, Sunset," Trixie replied, "but she can't help but feel this way regardless."

"And would you still feel that way if say, you dragged us into it and got us killed in the process?" Sunset retorted.

Trixie blanched at the thought and looked away.

"...No," she said quietly after a moment, "no I wouldn't."

"I didn't think so," Sunset replied with a knowing nod, "revenge is not a road you want to take, Trixie... ever. It does nothing but hurt you and those close to you."

Sunset turned away, her eyes growing distant.

"There was this one colt I knew back at the orphanage who learned that lesson the hard way..."

She went quiet for a time.

Twilight and Trixie looked at each other worriedly before turning back to the reminiscing orange filly.

"Um... Sunset?" Twilight asked in concern, "are you okay?"

"Uncle Scroll told me about the filly he had taken care of way back before I stayed with him," Sunset replied suddenly, "according to him, this was years ago."

Twilight blinked in confusion before her eyebrows raised in realization.

"That's right," Twilight replied, "Dahlia mentioned something along those lines and you said you'd tell us about it."

Sunset nodded and turned back to the other two.

"The filly's name was Frigid Gale," she began, "apparently the Princess did something really bad to her, like with me."

"What did she do?" Trixie asked curiously, "was it as bad as what she did to you?"

"I don't know," Sunset replied, "all I do know is that it was bad, very bad. Bad enough for her to run away from Uncle Scroll and try to get revenge on the Princess."

"Wait," Twilight said holding up a hoof, "you're telling me she actually tried to get revenge on Princess Celestia?"

"I know," Sunset answered with a nod, "I couldn't believe it either, but Uncle Scroll showed me her journal and it's all there. From what I read, it sounded like she was serious."

"Trixie... doesn't know if she'd go quite that far," the azure filly muttered, "even Trixie isn't that stupid."

"Revenge is a stupid idea to begin with," Sunset responded, "this is what I'm talking about. If you or Twilight were to face the Razor Twins as you are now, they'd kill you in an instant -- and they'd probably enjoy it."

She shook her head and looked between the other two fillies before laying back down and pulling her blanket back over herself.

"The best thing you could do is try to let it go," she continued, "I know it won't be easy, and it might take some time, but you'll live longer if you do."

The orange filly turned away from the two and was quiet once more, making it clear she was done with conversation. Twilight and Trixie turned to each other before laying back down on their own cots.

Each filly contemplated Sunset's words as they got comfortable. Trixie tried to take her words to heart, but when she put herself in Twilight's position, she found she couldn't agree with the orange filly.

She still couldn't help but feel the same deep down.

Twilight had agreed with the orange filly for the most part, but at the same time, she couldn't help but feel the slightest hint of bitterness at the back of her mind.

Sunset had never known her parents, and so hadn't felt the pain of losing them. It was easy to say that revenge was wrong when she hadn't experienced that kind of heartache.

Yes the Princess had done something terrible to Sunset, but in Twilight's opinion, it didn't compare to losing all of her loved ones -- not even close. Contrary to what Sunset had said, the lavender filly didn't think she'd ever be able to just let her family's murder go.

She thought back to Trixie's question of whether or not she'd take revenge if she had the power to. The more she thought about it in fact, the more uncertain she became.

She may have been against revenge as she was now, but given the chance and the power to do so...

Would she take justice into her own hooves?

A Chance Meeting

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Ancient Scroll had initially planned to leave before the Sun had risen, but held off due to Sunset's unforeseen stomachache. That meant the other two fillies got to sleep in, much to their relief.

It wasn't until late that morning that Sunset was well enough for the trek back home. Ancient Scroll suggested she rest a little more, but the filly had insisted she was fine despite still looking a bit green.

So with that, the four of them packed away their belongings and the various things they had obtained during the festival and headed out of town after one last farewell and thank you to Rouge.

The majority of the trip back to the cottage was uneventful, with most of the time being taken up with idle banter about the festival. Eventually they came to the small bridge above the river and passed by a lime green earth pony mare and an off white pegasus stallion trotting the other way.

As Ancient Scroll and the fillies passed by, the mare stopped and turned to look back at them with narrowed eyes. After a moment she nudged her companion and pointed a hoof in their direction when she had his attention.

"Does that filly look... familiar to you, Foggy?" she whispered as she watched the fillies go.

The stallion frowned and turned to the group briefly before turning back to the mare.

"Which one?" he asked, "none of em' look familiar to me, Flib."

"The little lavender one," the mare said, gesturing to Twilight, "there, see? I swear I've seen her somewhere before..."

"I dunno, Flib," the stallion muttered, narrowing his own eyes, "but now that you mention it, the orange one actually does look kinda familiar," he hummed to himself thoughtfully before shaking his head, "nope, can't place her."

"...I'm going to ask them," the mare decided, already trotting after the group.

"Wait, Flib don't--"

"Excuse me!" the mare cried, "sir, do you have a minute?"

The stallion facehoofed and let out an aggravated groan.

"Every time with this mare," he grumbled as he trotted after his companion, "every buckin' time. Can't keep her muzzle out of other ponies business to save her life..."

Ancient Scroll and the others turned to face the incoming mare curiously.

"Can we help you, Miss..." the old stallion trailed off expectantly.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry, sir," the mare said as she stopped in front of Ancient Scroll, "my name is Flibberty Gibbets and this is my husband, Foggy Skies," she gestured to the pegasus stallion that had just trotted up beside her.

"A fine afternoon to the both of you," Ancient Scroll greeted with a nod and a small smile, "what can an old stallion like me do for the two of you?"

"Well..." the mare's gaze flicked to the bemused lavender filly before she looked back at Ancient Scroll, "I couldn't help but notice--"

"Flib here thinks she's seen the purple one before and wants to know her name," Foggy Skies interrupted in a flat tone.

"What -- I... Foggy!" Flibberty sputtered in indignation, "I'm perfectly capable of explaining myself thank you very much!"

"You'll have to forgive her," the pegasus stallion continued, ignoring his wife, "she can't help but stick her nose into every pie she can get her hooves on."

"No, no it's... alright," Ancient Scroll replied somewhat warily. He turned to Twilight with a raised eyebrow, "you want to tell them your name, little filly?"

Twilight looked between Ancient Scroll and the couple with a confused frown.

"Um, okay?" she replied, turning to the curious mare, "my name is Twilight. Twilight Sparkle."

The mare gasped and clapped her hooves excitedly.

"Ah-ha! I knew it!" she cried, "I knew I had seen your face somewhere before!"

"Y-You have?" Twilight responded, taking a surprised and slightly nervous step back, "but... I don't think I've ever seen you before."

"Oh you wouldn't have, dear," the mare replied with a dismissive wave of her hoof, "after all, I haven't met you personally."

Twilight looked back at the other two fillies who both shrugged in response -- just as confused as she was. The lavender filly turned to Flibberty once more with a frown.

"Then... where have you seen me before?"

"In the Canterlot Times of course!" the mare answered with an excited grin, "you're that filly that went missing awhile back during that that horrible murmmph!"

Flibberty turned to glare at her husband who had covered her muzzle with a hoof and gave the mare a disapproving glare of his own.

"For Celestia's sake, Flib," he growled, "learn some bucking tact, would you?"

Trixie and Sunset gave each other worried glances before turning to a stunned Twilight.

Ancient Scroll furrowed his brow as he observed the couple.

"I take it you two hail from Canterlot then?" he asked, "what brings you all the way out here?"

"Sorry for all of this, sir," Foggy answered with an apologetic smile, "we're actually on our way to visit some relatives in Faranda Way. We tried to make it to the Spring Festival, but we hit a snag on the way here and missed it."

Flib pushed her husband's hoof away and gave him one last glare before turning to the old stallion with a smile.

"The whole city is in an uproar about the..." she glanced at Twilight and winced at the pained look on her face before looking back to Ancient Scroll, "...terrible event that took place recently, so we figured it was a good time to leave Canterlot and visit my aunt and uncle, what with the festival going on and all."

"But instead we missed it because Flib here decided to chat it up with every stallion and mare we came across on our way here," Foggy added bitterly as he frowned at his wife, "you knew we were on a tight schedule, Flib!"

"Oh who cares?" Flib replied with a flippant toss of her sandy brown mane, "we may have missed the festival, but we found something even better!"

Twilight yelped in surprise as she was lifted off the ground by the ecstatic earth pony mare and spun about.

"We found the Twilight Sparkle!" she cried happily, "you know what this means right, Foggy?"

"Ma'am," Ancient Scroll said with a disapproving frown, "can you please put the filly down?"

The lime green mare looked from the uncomfortable and slightly dizzy lavender filly to the frowning beige unicorn stallion.

"Oh," she lowered Twilight to the ground with a sheepish chuckle, "sorry about that. I'm just a little excited because we found Twilight Sparkle!"

Ancient Scroll shook his head and turned to the more ground pegasus stallion.

"If I may ask," he asked, "why all the excitement?"

Foggy Skies looked at his overenthusiastic wife and gave an exasperated sigh as he looked back to Ancient Scroll.

"The reason my wife is acting like a five year old filly in a candy shop is because there's a reward for any news of the little purple filly's whereabouts," he explained, "and it's a pretty big one too."

"Two hundred and fifty thousand bits!" Flib squealed, "straight from the Royal coffers of Princess Celestia herself!"

Each of the filly's jaws dropped in disbelief.

"That's... quite a sum," Ancient Scroll muttered in shock, "from the Princess herself you say?"

"One hundred and twenty-five thousand, actually," the pegasus corrected, "half for the filly and another half for the colt."

"Wait, the colt?" Twilight interject as she pushed her way in front of Ancient Scroll, "what colt? What was his name?"

"His name?" Foggy replied, putting a hoof to his chin thoughtfully, "let's see... I think it was... Gleaming Shield? Something like that."

"Do you mean Shining Armor?" Twilight asked, her eyes widening with hope.

"That was it," the pegasus replied with a stomp of his hoof, "Shining Armor. Folks say the both of you went missing that night."

Twilight fell to her haunches.

"Shiny..."

She felt a hoof rest on her shoulder and she turned to see Sunset giving her a reassuring smile.

"This means he might be out there somewhere, alive."

Twilight nodded and a smile spread across her face briefly before falling into an unsure frown.

"Twilight?" Trixie asked with a concerned frown, "what's wrong? Aren't you happy knowing your brother is alive?"

"I don't know if he's alive for sure, Trixie," Twilight said with a shake of her head, "it's been so long since..." she trailed off and shook her head again more rapidly, "I'm happy that he might be alive somewhere -- extremely happy, and I want to find him as soon as possible if he is alive... but what about you two and Uncle Scroll?"

She looked between each of them before speaking again.

"I want to find him, but I don't want to just abandon you all either."

"Well, little filly," Ancient Scroll said after a moment, "if you think he might be alive out there, it's more than worth a try to find him, and I'm willing to help you every step of the way," he looked down at the other two fillies with a smirk, "and I'm sure these two wouldn't let you go alone even if you asked."

"Trixie would sooner chew off her own hooves before she let's you search alone," the azure filly said with determined frown.

"What she said," Sunset added with another reassuring smile, "we won't leave you hanging, Twilight."

"You'll all... help me look for my brother?"

They each nodded in turn and Twilight smiled gratefully.

"D'awww~"

They all jumped in surprise and turned back to the earth pony mare who was grabbing on to her annoyed husband and staring at the fillies -- her eyes sparkling.

"That's... so... adorable!" she turned to her husband, "isn't that just the sweetest thing you've ever seen, Foggy?"

"Sure," the pegasus stallion grumble flatly, "I'm absolutely drowning in the saccharine cuteness of it all."

"Um... excuse me, Miss Gibbets?"

The mare turned to Twilight and the lavender filly shuffled her hooves uncomfortably.

"Could you... not mention that you found me out here?" she asked hopefully, looking back to the others as she spoke, "I don't want to have to leave my friends and Uncle Scroll."

"What?!" the mare cried, "but... but... the bits..." she turned to her husband, "the bits, Foggy!"

"Flib, do you really want to tear this filly away from her friends?" he asked with a raised eyebrow, "I mean look at em'."

She blinked and turned back to the three fillies to see them each putting on their best puppy dog face.

Ancient Scroll barely suppressed a snort of amusement.

"I... but -- but... one hundred and twenty-five thousand bits..."

The stares intensified.

"But..."

More staring.

"Just let it go, Flib," Foggy said with a sigh, "your dad's already swimming in bits anyway. We don't need anymore than we have."

"Oh, come on, Foggy!" the mare retorted, turning to her husband, "you know I hate asking daddy for money!"

"Flib..." the white pegasus chided.

"Ugh, fine," Flibberty conceded as she started trotting away, "we'll leave the filly alone, are you happy?"

"Yes," Foggy replied simply before trotting after his wife. He stopped and gave the old stallion one last apologetic smile.

"Sorry again," he muttered before looking to the lavender filly, "hope you find your brother, little lady."

Twilight nodded back with a smile and the pegasus stallion moved on. Ancient Scroll and the three fillies continued on their way back to the cottage. Trixie looked back to the couple as they trotted further away before snorting and turning back around.

"What a nag."

"Oi," Ancient Scroll admonished, "watch that mouth, little filly."

Twilight giggled before her smile turned thoughtful.

Then she frowned.

Then her eyes slowly widened in horror and she stopped trotting all together.

"Are you alright there, little filly?"

The rest of them stopped and turned to Twilight worriedly.

"Twilight?" Trixie asked trotting closer to her friend, "what happened? What's wrong?"

Twilight turned to the azure filly and Trixie reeled back in shock as tears began streaming down the lavender filly's face.

"I-If my brother's alive..." she said in a shaky voice, "...then... I... I think the Razor Twins... I th-think they might've taken him."

She fell to her haunches once again -- this time unable to stand from the shock of her realization.

"I think... they took Shiny..."

A Mystery Unfolds

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Twilight was a mess.

Ancient Scroll and the three fillies had made it the rest of the way home, with and throughout the rest of the trip, neither Sunset nor Trixie could ease Twilight's fears about her brother's well-being.

Ancient Scroll himself had waited until they arrived back at the cottage later that afternoon before addressing the issue. Once they had all put away their belongings and everpony was settled in, he brought Twilight into the study to talk about the situation. He had planned to talk alone, but the lavender filly insisted on having Sunset and Trixie with her.

It was now that the four of them sat in the study with Ancient Scroll in his chair and the fillies in front of the desk. The old stallion stared at the lavender filly with a contemplative frown before letting out a heavy sigh.

Ancient Scroll hadn't heard the full story of what happened to the lavender filly on the night of her parent's murder, but the couple they had met earlier had all but confirmed that the filly's parents had indeed been killed.

Now he had to do something he really didn't want to do for Twilight's sake.

He had to get more information.

"It pains me to do this to you, little filly," Ancient Scroll began, "but if I'm going to help put those fears of yours to rest, I'm gonna need to know more about what happened to you," before Twilight could speak he raised a hoof and continued, "now you don't need to tell me everything if you're not ready, but I do need to know more about what happened regarding your brother."

He adjusted his chair and eyed the lavender filly intensely as he spoke.

"What makes you so sure those twins have him?"

Twilight opened her mouth, then closed it and looked over to the other two fillies. Sunset gave her a nod and an encouraging smile, and Trixie gestured for the lavender filly to continue.

Twilight nodded nervously and turned back to Ancient Scroll. She had told the other two fillies the whole tale, so she decided it was only fair that Ancient Scroll hear it as well.

Twilight hadn't gone into the full gory details about what had happened -- not even when she told Trixie and Sunset -- but she told just enough to paint a decent picture of the scenario. She reluctantly began to recount the events to the old stallion, who listened intently and silently.

Ancient Scroll took a few minutes to contemplate what the lavender filly had said after she had finished her story. Twilight had to take a few moments to calm herself -- Sunset and Trixie consoling the filly with words of comfort and reassurance.

After another few minutes, Ancient Scroll spoke up.

"Are you alright now, little filly?" he asked with a frown of concern.

Twilight wiped her eyes and gave a small nod -- though she didn't look at the old stallion.

"I'll be fine as soon as I know Shiny is okay," she replied quietly, "I want to see my brother again..."

"Well, from what you told me, little filly," Ancient Scroll responded, "I can make a few guesses as to what happened."

"Do you think he's gonna be okay, Uncle Scroll?" the lavender filly asked, giving Ancient Scroll a desperate look.

"Well, let's look at the facts," the stallion said as he leaned back in his chair, "from what I've heard, it seems like they wanted to get their hooves on you for some reason or another."

"But why though?" Sunset asked in confusion, "what did they want with Twilight?"

"I couldn't tell you for sure, little filly," Ancient Scroll replied, "but I get the feeling it has something to do with her magic."

"My... magic?" Twilight responded with a bemused frown, "what do you mean?"

"What I mean, Twilight," Ancient Scroll answered, "is that -- just from what I've deduced -- there's something awfully strange about the way your magic works," he leaned forward and steepled his hooves on the desk in front of him, "and that brings me to the motive -- not specifically of those Razor Twins -- but possibly the pony they were working for."

"So... you think they wanted to foalnap me and... hoof me over to some other pony?" Twilight asked after a moment.

Ancient Scroll gave a solemn nod.

"I thought about about what both you and Trixie have said about those two, and they don't seem like the type who would go around making plans to foalnap colts and fillies -- not normally anyway."

"But didn't they want to take Twilight's brother?" Trixie asked with a raised eyebrow, "Twilight told us they said something about a souvenir."

"Indeed," Ancient Scroll conceded, "but that seems as though it was more of a spur-of-the-moment thing, and -- again from what you and Twilight have told me of the two -- they most likely would've..."

He trailed off and turned to Twilight, only now realizing how quiet the filly had been up until now. He sighed again and addressed the lavender filly.

"I'm sorry, Twilight," he said with an apologetic frown, "I think I'm getting carried away with trying to figure this out."

"No, it's okay, Uncle Scroll," Twilight replied after a minute, "you... I know you're just trying to help me. I don't want to talk about this -- about... those two -- but I really want to know if Shiny is okay," she stared at the old stallion with eyes filled with unshed tears, "I have to know if he's going to be okay."

Ancient Scroll eyed the filly for another moment before giving her a sad smile.

"The three of you are a wonder, you know that?" he looked to each of them in turn as he spoke -- a hint of pride in his voice, "you have to be some of the strongest fillies I've ever known."

Not knowing how to respond, each of them shifted awkwardly and looked away -- their faces turning various shades of red from the praise. The stallion chuckled in amusement and continued on.

"Well, if you're okay, little filly," he said as he turned back to Twilight, "then I'll pick up where I left off."

He cleared his throat and began.

"So it's as I was saying. I'm fairly sure those twins wouldn't have kept Twilight's brother for long given how unpredictable and violent they seem to be," he paused and tapped his chin before giving Twilight an inquisitive frown, "did they say anything at all that might've alluded to them working under somepony else?"

Twilight frowned thoughtfully and her eyes widened in realization a moment later.

"I think they did actually," she said, turning to the old stallion, "they said..." she paused and winced at the unpleasant memory before continuing in more subdued voice, "...I think they said something about a... 'pompous dirtbag' and 'being discreet'."

"Well that's it then!" Ancient Scroll replied banging a hoof on the desk and startling the fillies, "that more or less confirms that they were working for some other pony."

"So then..." Sunset added with a contemplative frown, "that means there really was somepony out to get ahold of Twilight for some reason, but they failed."

"Exactly," Ancient Scroll said with a nod, "and I'm willing to bet the pony knows about the filly's odd magical capability."

"So there's somepony that wants me for my magic," Twilight said before shaking her head, "but that still doesn't explain what happened to Shiny."

"That's the thing, little filly," Ancient Scroll said, "if they had gotten their hooves on you, I fear to think what may have happened to your brother -- as I still do -- but since you obviously escaped, it's possible the pony who tried to have you foalnapped may have taken your brother from the twins instead."

"Wait, wait, wait," Trixie interject, "Trixie still doesn't see how that's a good thing. He might be alive and this... other pony might've taken him, but even if they did, they're still a bad pony."

"You're right about that, little filly," Ancient Scroll replied with a grave nod, "this is all mere speculation, and we still don't know if the poor colt is alive and well."

He sighed and slumped down in his chair as he rubbed a hoof down his face. He turned and gave Twilight an apologetic frown.

"I'm sorry, Twilight. I was hoping I could find a way to determine whether or not your brother was okay," he said with a slow shake of his head, "but all I've done is pile on even more worries and an even bigger mystery."

"It's..." Twilight bit her lip and looked away before letting out a melancholy sigh, "I don't... I need to think about this. Just... all of this," she looked back to Ancient Scroll with a weak smile, "thanks for trying to help Uncle Scroll. Really, thank you."

With that, Twilight turned and quickly trotted out of the study -- pushing right past the other two fillies. Sunset and Trixie watched her go and turned back to Ancient Scroll once they heard the distant sound of the bedroom door open and close.

Ancient Scroll sighed again and rubbed his temples.

"Trixie thinks that could've gone better," the azure filly commented.

"No kidding," Sunset muttered before eyeing the old stallion worriedly, "what now, Uncle Scroll?"

"Now?" Ancient Scroll repeated as he stood up from the chair, "now I need to do some thinking of my own, little filly."

He trotted over to the door and stopped just in front of it -- turning to the fillies with a determined frown.

"There's more to this situation than what we discussed here... a lot more if my guesses are correct," he pulled the door open and motioned for the fillies to follow him out as he spoke, "I aim to find out as much as I can about what in Tartarus is going on -- I owe the poor filly that much."

Ancient Scroll, Sunset, and Trixie trotted out of the study and into the kitchen where the old stallion began preparing lunch for the three. Sunset and Trixie set up the foldable table as he worked and the old stallion continued to speak from the kitchen.

"I'm going back into town tomorrow," he announced, "and I'm probably gonna be gone for a couple of days."

Sunset and Trixie looked towards the kitchen in surprise and Ancient Scroll continued speaking before they could comment.

"I know Twilight's hurting something fierce and she may not be up to it," he called out, "but I want you two to see if you can convince her to focus on her studies. It might help take her mind off of things, and I want you both to do the same.

"I'm giving you all permission to access my study whenever you need while I'm gone, but Sunset?" he stepped out of the kitchen to look at the filly.

"Y-Yeah?" Sunset replied, still somewhat taken aback by the sudden announcement.

"Make sure you keep an eye on the other two. You're in charge," he frowned at the azure filly, "that means you need to do what she says and stay out of trouble -- you and Twilight both, got it?"

Trixie huffed and looked away.

"Trixie understands..." she grumbled.

"Good," he replied with a satisfied nod before trotting back into the kitchen, "don't go outside unless it's an emergency, make sure the doors and windows are locked at all times and most importantly, don't open the door for anypony -- not even me. I have my own way of getting in if I need to."

"I understand, Uncle Scroll," Sunset responded with a confused frown, "but what's all this about? What are you gonna do?"

"I'm going into town to call in a few favors," Ancient Scroll answered as he trotted out of the kitchen and over to the table with three daisy sandwiches, "it'll take me some time, but it'll be worth it. I'll let you girls know about what I have planned once I get back."

He placed the lunch down onto the table and turned to stare out the window with a resigned sigh.

"I think it's about time I paid more attention to what's going on outside my little cottage."

A Favor for a Favor

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Ancient Scroll made his way down one of the busier streets of Faranda Way Village.

He had left Sunset in charge before heading out and now he was here in town, on his way to meet an old friend. Sunset had asked him why he didn't stay in town and he had told her he liked his quiet life alone -- though that had changed somewhat with the arrival of the three fillies.

While it was true that he did indeed like his solitude, what he hadn't told the filly, was that he did used to live here in town, many years ago.

He had, in fact, been born here.

This was where he had spent the majority of his foalhood, and he still had a lot of old friends here -- friends that he had done a lot for in the past. There were a couple of such friends he was on his way to visit this very moment.

He passed by a few of the local grocers and a bakery before turning down another street. He continued into a different part of the village where a lot more of the diamond dog population lived. Many of the abodes were built partway beneath the ground -- some of the doorways being closer to a cellar door than anything else.

Ancient Scroll had always found the design of the neighborhood rather odd, but intriguing nonetheless. It also seemed to have grown along with the diamond dog population since the last time he had visited.

He shook himself out of his musings as he neared the one building he was looking for. It was one of the older buildings in the area and was one of the few places in the neighborhood that was completely above ground.

Stepping up to old brick house, he knocked on the dark wooden door and waited a few moments. He heard a loud snort and some unintelligible mumbling from somewhere inside that became louder as the occupant neared the door.

After another moment the door opened, revealing a very large and very old black and grey husky. The dog blinked a few times before looking around with a bemused frown.

"Come on, Yoji, I know you aren't completely blind," Ancient Scroll quipped, "look down you old lummox."

The husky's frown deepened as he lowered his head to face the old stallion. He blinked again and squinted at Ancient Scroll with one piercing blue eye -- the other milky white and unseeing.

A brief second passed before a wry smirk spread itself across the old dog's scarred face.

"Well would ya look at that," the husky said with a deep chuckle, "the Grim Reaper's finally come to collect my soul and drag me down to Tartarus."

"That's about the long and short of it, Yoji," Ancient Scroll retort with an amused snort, "you'd best be prepared to pay up."

The husky let out a wheezing laugh in response and waved the old stallion inside as he retreated back into the house. Ancient Scroll followed him in and shut the door behind him. The house itself was rather small and spartan, with only a few pieces of furniture.

This included a main room with a fireplace, an armchair, one dresser with a few odds and ends on top of it, and a small table with one wooden chair near the back. The kitchen was also fairly small and more or less the same as Ancient Scroll's in terms of design.

There was one back room that the old stallion assumed had all of the husky's personal belongings in it.

"So what brings you back to these parts after all this time, Scroll?" the husky asked -- his voice coming out in a low rumble, "I take you ain't just here to reminisce about the Journey are ya?"

"Nah," Ancient Scroll replied as he pulled out the wooden chair, "wish I could, Yoji, but life just got a bit more complicated for me."

"Oh, really?" the old dog replied, taking a seat in the armchair, "how complicated are we talkin'? You going back out there? At your age?"

"It's nothing like that," Ancient Scroll replied with a shake of his head. He paused and frowned thoughtfully, "well, actually, it might be a bit like that, but it isn't gonna be nearly as dangerous as it was back then."

"How do ya figure?" the husky asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I got little ones to take care of along the way," the old stallion answered with a shrug, "they aren't quite ready for that kind of adventure just yet."

The husky's eyes widening in surprised and he gave Ancient Scroll a teasing smirk. He opened his mouth to make witty remark, but Ancient Scroll spoke first.

"You know I'm not the romancing type, Yojimbo, never was," Ancient Scroll said flatly, "I don't got a mare waiting for me at home and the kids aren't mine by blood."

"Huh," Yojimbo said with a bemused frown, "I guess that sounds more like you. Always did well with the pups from what I can remember."

"Not always, old friend," the old stallion muttered as he stared at the unlit fireplace, "not always."

The old husky's ears perked up at Ancient Scroll's response and he frowned, but didn't comment.

"So how'd you meet em' then?" Yojimbo asked instead, "don't tell me they just fell into your lap?"

Ancient Scroll looked at his old friend and chuckled. His chuckle soon turned into full on laughter and the husky tilted his head in confusion.

"Actually," Ancient Scroll replied as his laughter died down, "that's exactly what happened, Yoji!"

"...You're pullin' my chain, right?" the old dog replied incredulously, "don't you live out in the middle of nowhere these days?" he shook his as he stared at the unicorn, "how did a couple of pups just fall into your lap? That don't make a lick o' sense, Scroll."

"Believe me, Yoji," Ancient Scroll said with a wry chuckle, "I'm still just as surprised as you are," he turned and stared out a nearby window as he sifted through his memories, "three little fillies showed up at my doorstep -- all of them within about a year of each other."

His wistful smile fell slightly as he continued.

"They've all been through a lot, Yoji," he said quietly, "when they first showed up, none of them were in good shape."

Yojimbo said nothing, for a moment before rising from his chair and walking into the kitchen.

"Sounds to me like you dug yourself into a deep hole and found some interesting little gems, Scroll," the husky finally replied.

"Don't I know it," the old stallion replied with a snort, "they're certainly something special alright."

Ancient Scroll heard Yojimbo let out a small bark of laughter before he stepped out of the kitchen with two mugs of alcoholic cider.

"Guessing you're still not a fan of the hard stuff?" the old husky asked with a smirk.

Ancient Scroll shook his head with a smirk of his own before taking the offered mug in his magic. He took a small sip before turning to Yojimbo.

"I'll be honest with you, Yojimbo," Ancient Scroll said with a solemn frown, "I actually did need a favor from you -- a financial one."

Yojimbo downed his hard cider and licked his chops before fixing the unicorn stallion with a level stare.

"How much we talkin', Scroll?"

"Thirteen thousand bits."

Yojimbo leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes for a moment. He hummed to himself contemplatively before opening his eyes and frowning at Ancient Scroll.

"Quite a hefty amount o' biscuits, old pal," the husky replied evenly, "I can think of very few things you'd need that many bits for in town -- you are spending it in town aren'tcha?"

"Was planning on it, yeah," Ancient Scroll replied with a nod, "I've actually got another favor to call in and the bits are a bit of a failsafe."

At that, the old husky gave a hearty laugh.

"Now I get it!" he said, still chuckling, "whatever you're plannin' to do, it's gotta be big if you're askin' him for help!"

"That obvious, huh?" Ancient Scroll said with a wry smirk, "well you're right about that one, old friend."

His smirk fell away and was replaced with a grimace.

"I've got a filly who's going through something bad, Yoji," he continued, "and I'm trying to get her the help she needs."

Yojimbo eyed the stallion with an unreadable expression. Neither of them spoke for a moment as Ancient Scroll sipped more of his cider. After another minute the husky suddenly nodded and stood up from his chair once more. He walked over to the door in the back, opened it, and stepped inside.

Ancient Scroll finished off his cider as he waited for the husky to return. Yojimbo eventually did return with a small pouch that he tossed to the stallion who caught it in his magic.

"Consider this a favor for a favor, Scroll old pal," the husky said with a toothy grin.

Ancient Scroll gave Yojimbo a bemused frown.

"And what's this favor you're asking for?"

"If you're gonna see old Den with that kinda cash, then there's only one thing I can think of that you'd need from the guy."

He walked back over to the chair and planted himself back down in the seat. He leaned forward and his toothy grin grew a little wider.

"You can say what you want, Scroll," the husky said with a hint of mirth in his gravelly baritone voice, "but you won't fool me. Dangerous or no, you're headin' out on another Journey."

He leaned back and crossed his large arms as he smirked at the stallion.

"I want in."

Ancient Scroll frowned.

"Look, Yoji," the unicorn stallion said with a sigh, "it's really not what you think--"

"Don't care, old timer," Yojimbo interjected, "I still want in. Besides, I wanna see these pups for myself -- see what makes em' so special," he slowly shook his head, not breaking eye contact with Ancient Scroll, "you get the bits, I get to go. That's the way it's gonna work, got it?"

Ancient Scroll worked his jaw silently as he contemplated the large old husky sitting across from him. Eventually he let out a sigh of resignation before shaking his head.

"Never change, do you, Yoji?" he muttered with a chuckle, "alright, you got yourself a deal you big lout."

Yojimbo grinned victoriously before standing up and heading towards the front door.

"Well, what are you waiting for, partner? We got us a hot date with a cold griffon and I don't wanna be late!"

A Serendipitous Gathering

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Night had only just fallen when Ancient Scroll and Yojimbo made their way back into the heart of town.

Ancient Scroll had initially arrived in Faranda Way later than he had wanted to and had intended to stay at the local inn for the night. When he mentioned this to Yojimbo, the old dog had scoffed and offered to take him in instead.

With that settled, the two of them had set out to the northern outskirts of town where Den lived.

"So why didn't I see you at the Spring Festival the other day, Yoji?" Ancient Scroll asked as they made their way up a gently sloping hill, "took the girls with me and we all had a pretty good time. Tried to find you in the crowd but I couldn't spot you anywhere, old friend."

"Ah, that," Yojimbo answered with a shrug, "decided not to join in this year. From what I heard, it was supposed to be pretty lackluster compared to the last few," he shook his head and gave the stallion a lopsided grin, "doggone it though, Scroll. If you were already in town that day you shoulda stopped by. I mighta joined you for a drink or two while the pups were out havin' fun."

"Yeah, you're right," Ancient Scroll replied with a sheepish grin, "probably should've stopped by, but I didn't think to at the time. Sorry about that, Yoji."

"Ah, forget about it," the old husky replied with a dismissive wave of his paw, "you're here now ain'tcha?"

"Guess that's true," Ancient Scroll said with a nod and a grateful smile, "even if it was for a favor, I'm glad I was able to come visit... again..."

Ancient Scroll slowed to a stop and furrowed his brow as he spotting somepony else making their way up the hill further away. He looked from them to the large wooden cabin further up the hill and back to the stranger.

"Hey, Yoji," Ancient Scroll muttered.

"Yeah, I see em'," Yoji replied narrowing his eyes, "who is that?"

Ancient Scroll shook his head in response.

It wasn't all that strange for other townsfolk to come all the way out here to visit the crotchety old griffon during the day, but it was rare. He would occasionally trade some of the various goods he had picked up on his many travels, but not many liked to do business with the old bird due to his reputation.

Both Ancient Scroll and Yojimbo knew Den personally, so it wasn't that strange for them to visit the griffon at odd hours of the day.

But a stranger?

Ancient Scroll doubted the griffon had many friends given his demeanor, but it was always possible. Though he couldn't see them all that well, Ancient Scroll could tell the stranger was clearly a biped by their tall appearance and oddly graceful stride.

"Come on," Ancient Scroll said as he began trotting up the hill once again, "I'd like to see what this is all about."

"You and me both, buddy," Yojimbo replied as he followed the stallion.

They continued up the hill and made it to the cabin just in time to see the stranger about to knock on the door before they froze. The stranger whipped around to face the stallion and dog coming up the hill with wide eyes.

"Hey there, good evening," Ancient Scroll greeted with a friendly nod, "don't mind us, we're just..."

Ancient Scroll stopped and frowned in bemusement as he got a closer look at the stranger.

"Rouge?" he asked in confusion, "is that you?"

At the sound of the old stallion's voice the Abyssinian visibly relaxed.

"Oh thank goodness," Rouge breathed, "it's only you, Ancient Scroll. You and..."

Once she spotted Yojimbo her features flattened into an impassive mask.

"Yojimbo."

"Rouge?" the husky replied as he crossed his arms with an amused smirk, "is that what you're going by these days?"

"I happen to like the name," Rouge responded coolly, resting a hand on her hip, "it's rather cute if I do say so myself."

"So you two know each other then, I take it?" Ancient Scroll asked, raising an eyebrow as he looked between the two.

"Oh, sure," the husky replied scratch his chin absently as he continued to eye the cat in amusement, "remember when you and I parted ways for a week back in that one minotaur town way back when?"

"That one..." Ancient Scroll murmur in confusion before raising his brows in realization, "you mean Bovin? The capital of Minos?"

"Yeah, that's the place," Yojimbo replied flippantly, "so get this. Almost as soon you left, I met up with Rouge here in one of the taverns."

"Really now?" Ancient Scroll replied, turning a curious gaze to the Abyssinian in question, "first time I heard about any of that."

"Well, you never asked," Rouge said with an easy shrug, "I was down on my luck, he showed up and bought me a drink, things escalated from there."

"In what way?" the old stallion asked with an intrigued raise of his brow.

Yojimbo chuckled mysteriously and shook his head.

"Let's just say I've still got scars left from the encounter and leave it at that, old buddy."

Ancient Scroll was about to ask for more details when he was cut off by a loud gruff voice from behind them all.

"I swear to the King, if you three don't shut you're traps, I'm personally going to send each and every one of you rolling down this hill in body bags!"

They all turned to face the old and rather short black and brown griffon standing in the doorway of the cabin. The griffon rubbed his eyes and glared at each of them in turn before settling his gaze on Ancient Scroll.

"Nice to see you too, Denny old boy!" Yojimbo called out jovially.

"Scroll?" Den asked, completely ignoring the old dog, "what are you doin' way out here?"

"Hey, Den," Ancient Scroll said with a wave and a sheepish grin, "I know I haven't seen you in a dog's age--"

Yojimbo snorted.

"--but I kind of need a favor and you're the only one I can ask."

"So that's it then?" the irate griffon replied, raising an incredulous eyebrow at the stallion, "I don't see you for how many years and when you finally show up the first thing you do is ask for a favor?"

"Even I have to admit that is a little cold, Ancient Scroll," Rouge added with a disapproving frown.

Ancient Scroll rubbed the back of his neck as he made to apologize, but the griffon's attention had already been turned towards the tall cat.

"And just who the cluck are you?" he growled in irritation, "I don't do trades after the Sun sets so you might as well--"

"I'm terribly sorry to interrupt, Mister Hardbeak," Rouge interjected, "but I'm afraid I'm not here for a simple trade."

"Then what are you here for?" Den snapped, "I got a nice warm bed with my name on it and yet I'm out here wasting my time on you sorry lot! Whatever you're business is, it better be clucking important because..."

Yojimbo shook his head as the old griffon continued to rant and rave at the sour faced Abyssinian.

"There he goes," he muttered to Ancient Scroll, "how long you think he's gonna take this time?"

Ancient Scroll's only response was to facehoof and sigh heavily.

"I think..." Rouge yelled over the griffon, "that you'll find this worth your time, Mister Hardbeak."

"Oh?" the griffon replied with a skeptical raise of his brow, "and just how do you figure that, kitty cat?"

Rouge's eye twitched slightly but she continued on nonetheless.

"I know for a fact that you have something I'm very interested in obtaining at the moment," she reached into a pocket in her dark blue dress and pulled out a decent sized pouch, "and I'm willing to pay quite a lot for it."

She shook the pouch a few times and the others heard the tell-tale jingle of several bits within.

"Okay," Den muttered, "I'm with you so far..."

"Actually," Ancient Scroll added as he pulled out his own pouch of bits, "that's kind of what I wanted to talk to you about as well, Den. That favor I need from you--"

"Now just hold on a feather pluckin' minute," Den interjected as he glared at the two, "before I say anything else, what exactly is it that you two are plannin' to buy from me?"

Rouge and Ancient Scroll looked at each other for a moment and then to Yojimbo as the husky suddenly gave a loud wheezing laugh.

"And just what are you laughin' at, pooch?" Den growled.

"Oh, jeez!" the old husky gasped as he tried to stifle his chuckles, "I can't believe this!"

"Can't believe what exactly?" Rouge asked with a frown, "what has you so full of mirth all of a sudden?"

"Hey, Den!" Yojimbo exclaimed, ignoring the Abyssinian, "these two both wanna buy your Vardo!"

Den's eyes widened and he turned to the stallion and molly with a glare.

"No," he stated with a sharp shake of his head, "no way, no how. That caravan's been in my family for generations and I ain't givin' it up to anyone!"

For a moment, there was absolute silence.

Then Ancient Scroll and Rouge looked at each other with raised eyebrows before turning back to Den and holding up their pouches.

"I've got thirteen thousand bits."

"Twelve thousand five hundred."

The griffon swiped both pouches.

"Vardo's out back. Don't care who takes it, it ain't my responsibility no more."

With that he retreated back into his cabin and slammed the door.

Silence filled the air for the third time that night before Yojimbo doubled over in laughter.

Ancient Scroll sighed again and shook his head.

"I bet that greedy old bird planned this from the start," he muttered, "talked about the thing like it was some kind of gift from King of Griffonia himself for years, only to sell it off in the blink of an eye."

"I've lived in this town for awhile now," Rouge mused with a frown, "and this is the first time I've actually seen a griffon live up to their avaricious stereotype."

"Oh, trust me, Rouge," Ancient Scroll said with a chuckle, "not all griffons are greedy, but this one's as covetous as they come."

"That reminds me," Yojimbo added as he stood next to Ancient Scroll and eyed the tall cat with an inquisitive frown, "I've lived here for awhile myself, but I've never seen you around."

"That doesn't surprise me," Rouge responded simply, "if you live in the diamond dog neighborhood then we're more or less on opposite sides of the village, not to mention I don't go out much."

"What I'd like to know," Ancient Scroll said, raising an eyebrow at Rouge, "is what in Equestria you need the Vardo for?"

"I have my reasons," Rouge replied, looking away with a small frown, "there's someone I need to see, and I'd need to travel quite a distance to see them. I figured it would be nice to have a mobile home to travel around in."

"Oh?" Ancient Scroll replied, "where are you headed?"

"I don't really think that's any of your business," Rouge replied in a snippy tone.

"I beg to differ," the old husky said with a smirk, "seems to me like you both own that caravan now," he crossed his arms and looked between the two, "so then, how are we gonna resolve this little impasse?"

They were all silent for a moment as each of them mulled over what to do. Eventually Rouge sighed and turned to face Ancient Scroll and Yojimbo.

"Canterlot."

"Eh?" Ancient Scroll replied with a surprised raise of his brow.

"I need to see an... old friend in Canterlot," she clarified with a frown, "there's a certain something I've been looking for and I think they might have it."

Ancient Scroll and Yojimbo glanced at each other before the old stallion looked back to Rouge.

"Well now," he finally replied with a growing smile, "wasn't expecting that."

"Yeah well," the Abyssinian folded her arms against her chest and looked away somewhat uncomfortably, "I would imagine you don't see very many Abyssinian's in the heart of Equestria."

"That you don't," Ancient Scroll agreed with a knowing nod, "so what say you travel with me and Yoji here instead?"

Rouge snapped her gaze back to the old stallion incredulously.

"What?" she cried, "why would I do that? I told you I was headed to Canterlot! Unless..."

Ancient Scroll nodded.

"That is indeed my final destination as well," he responded with a small smirk, "so if you don't mind sharing a caravan with an old dog, his old stallion friend, and three adorable fillies, then I'd be more than happy to travel with you."

"Come on, Kat," Yojimbo added as he nudged the unsure Abyssinian, "it'll be a blast, trust me!"

"The last thing I'm going to do is trust you," Rouge replied flatly before giving the husky an icy glare, "and if you call me Kat again I will claw your eyes out, pooch."

She extended four very sharp claws to make a point and Yojimbo backed off with a hearty laugh.

"That aside," Ancient Scroll continued as he gave his diamond dog friend a disapproving frown, "what do you say, Rouge? You up for some company on your cross country trip?"

Rouge retracted her claws and folded her arms once more as she thought.

"I did enjoy having the little ones around..." she shook her head and gave Ancient Scroll a nod and small smile, "alright, why not?"

"Haha!" Yojimbo cried as he slapped Ancient Scroll on the back, "just like back in the old days eh, Scroll?"

Ancient Scroll couldn't help but chuckle at the old husky's enthusiasm.

"It isn't gonna be exactly like the old days, Yoji," the stallion replied, "I guarantee you."

"Ah, it'll be close enough," Yojimbo replied with a dismissive wave of his giant paw. "and besides--"

They all jumped at the sound of a window being slammed open.

"WILL YOU THREE JUST TAKE THE BLASTED CARAVAN AND GET THE CLUCK OFF MY DOORSTEP?!"

The window slammed shut and they all stared at it before looking back to each other.

"So uh..."

Both Ancient Scroll and Rouge turned to Yojimbo as he spoke.

"How are we, y'know," he said, rubbing the back of his neck, "how are we actually supposed to move the thing?"

Ancient Scroll chuckled and looked back to Yojimbo with a confident grin.

"You just leave that to me, old friend."

A Helpful Chat

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Twilight sat alone in the bedroom trying to read one of the books she had bought from the festival.

Ancient Scroll had come in earlier and told her he was heading into town again on an errand. Focused on her brother's well-being as she was, she paid it no mind and instead had stayed in the bedroom with her own thoughts.

She had still been agonizing over where Shining Armor was and whether or not he was okay, when Sunset had suggest reading something to take her mind off of things. As much as the lavender filly loved to read, she had initially doubted that would work.

Nevertheless, she had bought some new books and figured now would be as good a time as any to start reading them in earnest. Both Trixie and Sunset had opted to leave her alone for the rest of the day at Sunset's suggestion and while she was grateful for the solitude initially, she was soon beginning to miss the company.

So it was that she sat there on the bed that night, reading the same passage on the migration habits of the caribou tribes in the far northeast for the sixth time now and not really taking in any of it.

She sighed and shut the book.

She set it aside next to the other four books she had been trying to read and rolled over on to her back to stare at the ceiling. She couldn't focus on any of the books with these thoughts constantly running through her head, and that galled the lavender filly.

She already knew ruminating on things beyond her control was pointless, but she couldn't help it. She had always been that way and -- while her friends and Ancient Scroll had been a great help in curbing that habit -- it hadn't gone away completely and she didn't think it ever would.

She frowned and closed her eyes.

If she couldn't stop thinking about the situation, she might as well try to approach it in a different way.

A more productive way.

Rather than pointlessly worry about where Shining Armor was and whether or not he was okay, she instead thought about what she could do about it.

What could she do that was still within her power?

What did she have at her disposal?

Assuming he was alive, how would she even go about finding him and if she did, what would she do?

Twilight clenched her teeth and growled in frustration.

She didn't know enough to make any sort of plan of action, and on top of that, she was apparently well known in Canterlot. She had found out that ponies were actively looking for her and her brother.

Her eyes widened in realization.

If ponies were looking for her brother, then -- again, assuming he was alive -- they would most likely bring him back to Canterlot if they found him. Up until now, Twilight had assumed getting found and being dragged back to Canterlot would only hinder her and ruin any chance of staying with her friends and Ancient Scroll.

But would that really be the case?

If she was brought back to Canterlot, maybe she could both find out more about what happened to her brother and beg the Princess to let her stay with...

No.

That wouldn't work.

If that traveling couple was to be believed, the Princess herself was sponsoring the search for her and her brother. If she were on her own, she would gladly allow herself to be taken back to Canterlot to face the Princess and finally get some answers.

But she had friends that she had to think about, now.

Even if she did find a way back to Canterlot, she doubted she could keep it a secret from Sunset, Trixie, and Ancient Scroll. They would all insist on coming with her and -- contrary to what they had planned previously -- she felt she couldn't put Sunset at risk for a chance that Shining Armor might be in Canterlot... or could she?

No, she couldn't.

She desperately wanted to see her brother, but at the same time, she'd never forgive herself if something happened to Sunset or Trixie in the process.

She couldn't sneak out and travel all the way to Canterlot on her own, she didn't believe for a second that she could make it -- especially since she herself was also being targeted by the ponies who might've taken her brother.

The thought of letting them capture her so she could see Shining Armor briefly crossed her mind before she stamped it out and dismissed it as an incredibly stupid plan that would most likely get her killed more than anything else.

It was as she gave another groan of frustration that Sunset opened the door and trotted into the room.

"Hey, Twilight," Sunset greeted tentatively, "you uh... you feeling any better?"

"No," came Twilight's muffled response as she buried her face in a pillow, "no I'm not."

"Oh," the orange filly replied with a frown, "so the books didn't--"

"They didn't help, Sunset," Twilight interject, finally turning to face the other filly, "thanks for trying to help, but I just can't stop thinking about my brother,"
she looked away and sighed, "I don't know what to do..."

"Twilight," Sunset began as she trotted closer to the bed, "the way we are now, I don't think there's anything we can do except trust that Uncle Scroll will take care of it."

"And just how is he planning to take care of it?" Twilight shot back with a frown, "he doesn't know where Shiny is either."

"That might be true," Sunset conceded, "but he's not a foal. He's been around for a long time and knows a lot, so unlike us, he may have a way to find out."

Twilight stared at Sunset for a moment before looking away with a thoughtful frown.

"I... guess that's true..." she shook her head, "but what is he actually gonna do to help?"

"Well, apparently," Sunset began with a bemused frown, "he said he was gonna 'call in some favors' from some ponies in town."

"Favors?" Twilight asked with a raised eyebrow, "what favors?"

"Dunno," the orange filly replied with a shrug, "he didn't say, but I'm certain it has something to do with finding out more about what happened to your brother."

"Really?"

Sunset nodded and hopped onto the bed next to Twilight who made room for her to sit.

"Uncle Scroll said there was something more going on with what happened to you and your brother, and he wanted to find out more about it," she gave Twilight a confident smile as she spoke, "he has some kind of plan, but he said wouldn't tell us until after he gets back."

That Ancient Scroll had some kind of plan in place did quite a bit to ease Twilight's mind and she smiled slightly at the thought that maybe they had a chance after all. Her smile didn't last long though, and she soon turned away from Sunset with a frustrated sigh.

"Still, I wish there was something I could do to help," she muttered morosely, "if he's alive, he might be in trouble, and I want to be able to help him if that's the case."

Sunset gave a thoughtful frown of her own before smiling at the lavender filly.

"Maybe there is something you can do, Twilight," Sunset replied.

"What do you mean," Twilight responded with a mix of hope and bemusement, "what can I do?"

"Uncle Scroll asked us to continue our studies while he was gone," Sunset explained, "I was gonna try to convince you to do that to take your mind off of your brother, but maybe I don't need to."

"Okay..." Twilight replied with a confused frown, "and... why not? I love a good study session, but I don't think even that would--"

"Nonono, that's just it!" Sunset exclaimed, "don't study to take your mind off of your brother, do it to help him instead!"

"I'm... still not following you, Sunset," Twilight said flatly, "how are my studies supposed to help my brother?"

"Twilight, do you believe that your brother is alive?" Sunset suddenly asked with a solemn frown, "I mean deep down, do you really believe he made it?"

Twilight opened her mouth to respond, but paused and closed with a contemplative frown. She didn't speak for several moments and Sunset was beginning to think she wouldn't answer, when she finally spoke up.

"I..." Twilight hesitated before nodding to herself, "my brother is really strong, Sunset -- in more ways than one," she looked Sunset straight in the eye as she spoke, "I do believe that, wherever he is, he's alive -- maybe not well -- but alive."

"Good," Sunset replied with a bright smile, "then you can help him when the time comes to find him."

"How though?" Twilight responded with a hint of aggravation, "you keep saying something about using my studies, but I don't--"

"Twilight," Sunset interjected in an exasperated tone, "use what you're good at. You have a knack for magic and, if that evaluation was anything to go by, you're way more powerful than Trixie and I when it comes to raw magical strength."

Twilight blinked.

"I--"

"Not to mention how smart you are," Sunset continued, "I was good enough at magic to be chosen as Celestia's protege, but even I can't hold a candle to you when it comes to studying."

Sunset placed a hoof on Twilight's shoulder and gave her an encouraging smile.

"We may not know where your brother is right now," she said softly, "but I'm sure we'll find him. All I'm suggesting is to make sure that you're prepared for when we do find him."

Twilight was quiet for several more moments, looking from Sunset to her own hooves.

"So..." she began slowly, "you're saying I should keep studying so that if something comes up, or my brother is in trouble, I'll be prepared to handle it?"

"Exactly," Sunset answered with a nod. She then gave the lavender filly a small smirk, "and I may have forgotten to mention this, but Uncle Scroll did say we could use his study while he was gone."

Twilight's ear perked up at that and she felt a wide grin creeping up on her despite herself.

"Yeah, I thought that'd get your attention," Sunset said with a giggle. She patted Twilight on the back, "so you feel any better now?"

"Yeah... yeah I do," Twilight said after a moment, before turning to her friend with a grateful smile, "thanks, Sunset."

"Anytime, Twilight," Sunset replied with a nod and a smile of her own, "I told you we wouldn't leave you hanging and I meant it."

Twilight smiled again and was about to reply, when they both heard a startled cry quickly followed by a loud thud and several crashes from outside the door.

They both winced and Twilight turned a questioning gaze to Sunset. Sunset groaned in annoyance and shook her head as she jumped down from the bed and trotted over to the door.

"I told Trixie not to use the plates for her stupid stunts," she muttered, "probably used the good ones too..."

Twilight couldn't help but laugh at the situation. She lowered herself off the bed and followed after Sunset.

"Uncle Scroll isn't gonna be happy is he?" the lavender filly said with an amused smirk.

Sunset returned the smirk with one of her own as she opened the door.

"Nope."

A New Lesson Plan

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Twilight was a very happy pony.

She still worried for her brother and that worry was always somewhere within her mind, but for right now, she could say she was happy. Ancient Scroll had just left on his errand in town, and the moment he was gone, the lavender filly had made a beeline for the study.

As per Sunset's responsibility, she followed the excited filly into the study with Trixie on her heels -- though Twilight paid them no mind. Instead she scanned the bookshelves looking for... something.

She didn't even know where to start, she just knew that any number of these books could give her access to knowledge she couldn't have even dreamed of -- at least that's how she felt at the moment.

She knew Ancient Scroll had traveled all over the world in his time, and had no doubt that she'd be able to find some new and exotic books she'd never seen before and couldn't get anywhere in Equestria.

Sunset looked on in amusement, having already been used to going in and out of the study at her leisure. While she wasn't nearly as ecstatic as Twilight, Trixie did take the opportunity to look around the shelves with some interest.

"So," Sunset asked from near the desk in the back, "have you found anything interesting, Twilight?"

Twilight, who was looking over three different books held in her magic, only gave a noncommittal 'uh-huh' in response. Sunset went to ask again, but decided to leave it be and see what Trixie was up to instead.

"And what are you looking for?" Sunset asked curiously as she trotted over to the azure filly, "anything good?"

"Well..." Trixie narrowed her eyes at the book being held aloft in a soft pink glow, "Trixie isn't really sure."

"What do you mean?" Sunset replied as she moved closer to get a better look at the book, "what'd you find?"

"This," Trixie held out the book for Sunset to read, "Trixie thinks it might help with her studies on Mind Magic, but..."

Sunset read the title of the worn looking brown book with a raise eyebrow. It almost looked like a journal, not dissimilar to that of Frigid Gale's.

"...'Pathokinesis: A Study on Changeling Mind Magic'?" Sunset looked back to Trixie with a furrowed brow, "Trixie, where did you find this?"

"Trixie found it in one of the drawers of Uncle Scroll's desk," the azure filly replied as she flipped through the book, "she didn't know what path... patho... kin... pathokinesis was, and she was curious."

"Lemme see that," Sunset replied yanking the book out of the indignant filly's magical grip, "if this was in Uncle Scroll's desk, then he probably didn't want you to see... it..."

Sunset frowned in bemusement as she skimmed the pages of the book.

"These... this looks hoofwritten or possibly hornwritten," she muttered, "I'm not sure, but it's... did... did Uncle Scroll write this?"

"Trixie doesn't know," the azure filly replied as she took back the book from Sunset, "but it has piqued her interest and so she shall read it."

"Trixie, I don't think that's a good idea," Sunset replied with a disapproving frown, "seriously, you should at least ask Uncle Scroll if it's okay first."

Trixie huffed and went to argue, but then stopped and narrowed her eyes slightly at Sunset.

"Very well," Trixie finally replied as she floated the book back on the desk, "Trixie will ask Uncle Scroll when he returns. She will know the secrets held within that book, Sunset Shimmer, mark her words."

"Yeah, okay Trixie," Sunset responded with a shake of her head, "whatever you say."

She turned back to see what Twilight was up to and was surprised to see she was already muzzle deep in a book. As she made her way over to the lavender filly, she could see a stack of several books next to her.

"What'cha reading, Twi?"

Trying to talk to Twilight when she was reading was normally like trying to chat up a brick wall, but the sheer unexpectedness of the nickname was enough to pull the lavender filly out of her reverie.

"Twi?" Twilight asked, turning to the orange filly with a raised eyebrow.

Sunset merely shrugged in response.

"Why not?" she replied simply, "rolls off the tongue pretty well in my opinion."

Twilight looked at her for another moment before giving a shrug of her own and turning back to her book as she spoke.

"Well, to answer your question," she explained, "I was looking through some of these books to try and find some kind of magic that would be useful for tracking."

"Yeah, that makes sense," Sunset replied with an understanding nod, "something like that would make it easier to find your brother obviously."

"That's what I was thinking," Twilight replied, nodding in agreement, "so far it's been surprisingly difficult to find a spell like that, but I think I may have just found something that can help."

"Really?" Sunset asked, trying to get a peek at what the lavender filly was reading, "what'd you find?"

"Well..." Twilight glanced back to Sunset nervously before looking back her book, "it's... kind of dangerous, and not exactly legal per se..."

Sunset raised a wary eyebrow at Twilight and waited for her to continue. Twilight swallowed and grinned sheepishly as she explained.

"From what I've read, you can apparently use Blood Magic to--"

"Blood Magic?!" Sunset cried in horror, "Twilight, that's--"

"I know, I know!" Twilight interjected, raising her hooves defensively, "I know how illegal and dangerous it is, Sunset, trust me!" she lowered her hooves and gave Sunset a pleading look, "Just hear me out on this one though, that's all I ask."

"I don't know, Twilight," Sunset replied uneasily, "Blood Magic is one of the deadliest branches of Magic known to ponykind--"

It was at that moment that Trixie chose to trot back into the study, momentarily distracting the other two fillies.

"Trixie has returned," the azure filly announced, "what did she miss?"

"Wait, when did you leave?" Sunset asked with a confused frown.

"Trixie only left a bit ago to use the bathroom," Trixie replied as she made her way over to the others, "you should pay more attention, Sunset Shimmer."

Sunset looked at Trixie for another moment before shaking her head dismissively.

"Well, whatever," she turned back to Twilight with another disapproving frown as she spoke, "Twilight here was just telling me about how little she values her own life."

Twilight rolled her eyes before giving Sunset a flat look.

"Sunset," she said with a hint of irritation, "you act as if I haven't already read through the dangers of Dark Magic what, three times now?" she shook her head, "trust me, I know the risks of using Blood Magic."

"Then why?" Sunset replied, "why even think about it?"

"I have my reasons," Twilight answered with a small grin. She straightened up, raised a hoof, and began to speak, "first of all, while Blood Magic can be extremely dangerous to both caster and those it's cast upon, its corrupting effect takes a bit longer than most other branches of Dark Magic and is therefore more easily manageable.

"Secondly, it shouldn't be all that hard for me to learn, given my apparent affinity," her countenance turned somewhat somber, "finally, and most importantly, Blood Magic can give me access to some of the most powerful Divination, Communication, and Enhanced Tracking spells available."

She gave Sunset another pleading look.

"It's risky -- very risky, but it might be worth it."

Sunset sighed and pinched her nose with a hoof before looking back to Twilight with a worried frown.

"Twilight, I know you want to do everything you can to find your brother, and I know I said to use what you're good at," she said with a slow shake of her head, "but this? This is too much. It's more than you can handle right now -- not to mention the many, many horrible consequences if something goes wrong or you get caught."

"Trixie can't believe she's saying this," the azure filly added, "but maybe Sunset's right, Twilight Sparkle."

Both Twilight and Sunset looked at Trixie in surprise and saw she was looking back at the lavender filly with concern.

"Trixie doesn't really know anything about Blood Magic," she explained, "but from the way you're both talking about it, it sounds like Twilight could get herself killed doing it," she shook her head and trotted closer to Twilight, "Trixie can't and won't allow that to happen."

"You see?" Sunset said, turning back to Twilight, "even Trixie thinks it's a bad idea."

Twilght looked between the two before biting her lip and turning away. She contemplated their words -- her face scrunching up in indecision for a moment. Eventually she sighed and turned back to the others.

"Maybe you're right, Sunset," she conceded, "I just... saw an opportunity and... jumped on it, y'know? Besides, I don't even think Uncle Scroll has any books on Blood Magic anyway."

"He probably doesn't," Sunset agreed, "and even if he did, I doubt he'd keep them out in the open for us to read."

"True," Twilight said with a nod, "I'll just keep looking for something else -- some other, less dangerous spells I could use in the meantime."

"Good," Sunset replied before trotting to the door, "I'm gonna get something to eat. You want anything?" she offered to Twilight.

"I'll join you after I clean some of this up," Twilight replied with a small smile, "I'm hungry, but I'll decided for what when I get out there."

"Suit yourself," Sunset replied as she made her way out, "just don't take too long."

"Oh, wait for Trixie," the azure filly cried as she followed Sunset out, "she's absolutely starving after being cooped up in here for so long!"

"Trixie, it hasn't even been that long..."

Twilight watched the two of them go before turning back to the pile of books she had been reading. She frowned and levitated one of the books from the pile, inspecting it carefully.

Twilight focused her magic and, without a sound, the book changed back to it's original form -- it's dark green cover changing to a deep maroon with gold lettering and metal plated edges.

'Cosmic Awareness: A Theory' became 'Carmen Sanguinarium: The Bloody Arts'.

Twilight eyed the name with distaste but put on a determined frown nonetheless. She hadn't expected to find something like this in Ancient Scroll's study and to be fair, she didn't think anypony else would've noticed it -- it was hidden behind a rather powerful Transmogrification spell after all.

But Twilight knew a Transmogrfication spell when she saw one.

She had studied the spell inside and out, learned every single facet right down to the smallest little detail. She wouldn't have been able to dispel the Transmogrification through the normal process -- even with her rather abnormal magic power.

Since she couldn't break through it, she instead decided to work around it. Like carefully picking a lock, she had poked and prodded the enchantment until she had it figured out, and she had to do all of this without letting Sunset catching on -- a harrowing process, but she had done it.

She had hoped she could convince the orange filly to agree with her plan, but wasn't surprised when she didn't. Twilight did indeed know the risks of learning Blood Magic, but she was certain she could handle it if she was careful. and she wouldn't pass up this opportunity.

Thankfully Sunset had mentioned that Ancient Scroll would allow them to take books out of the study as long as they were maintained and returned to their proper places -- well for Sunset and Twilight anyway.

Trixie wasn't allowed to due to last night's incident involving the plates -- the good plates.

Twilight chuckled as she remembered the event before lighting up her horn and placing the spell back on the book and laying it back down on the pile of books she planned to read later.

She levitated the books onto Ancient Scroll's desk and hummed to herself as she trotted out of the room.

Neither Twilight nor Sunset had noticed that there was another book missing from that desk.

A Practical Application

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Afternoon eventually gave way to late evening as the three fillies continued their studies.

It had been somewhat cold that night, so the fireplace was lit and a softly glowing blaze illuminated the main room.Trixie had managed to catch up to the other two fillies in her studies and despite not having taken Ancient Scroll's exam yet, all three of them had decided to move on from their beginner textbooks and into more advanced lessons.

Whenever she thought she could get away with it, Twilight had excused herself to do a bit of extra reading. It was during these times that she was especially thankful she was a speed reader, as she had not only managed to read through the various spells she had been interested in, but a bit more as well.

As it turned out, she found Blood Magic just as interesting as Shadow Magic if not more so.

Trixie meanwhile, had a harder time getting any extra reading done and had just opted to wait until the others were asleep. Sunset had ended up finding some other new materials to read and had taken a renewed interest in Earth Magic.

She had found some books on two variations of Earth Magic which included Crystal and Metal Magic. In her search for more information she had also found out about an entire empire made of crystal that existed over a thousand years ago to the far north.

She shared the knowledge with the other two fillies, but as interesting as it was -- and as curious as they were about what had happened to the empire and its ponies -- it ultimately wasn't as important as their studies.

Since Trixie wasn't allowed to remove any books from the study, all three of them had decided to work there instead of at the table were they usually sat. They were all getting ready to finish for the night when Trixie suddenly spoke up.

"Trixie didn't say anything earlier because she thought it might've been her imagination, but..." she looked about the study nervously, "does anypony else... feel like they're being watched?"

Twilight and Sunset looked at each with matching frowns and turned back to Trixie.

"You know what?" Sunset replied, "I kinda do now that you mention it."

"Yeah," Twilight agreed sweeping her own gaze around the room, "in fact, I think I've been feeling that way for awhile now. I couldn't place the feeling earlier, but that might've been it."

"Well, if we're all feeling it," Sunset deduced as she stood up, "then it can't be a coincidence."

"Should... should we investigate?" Twilight suggested hesitantly, "I mean, if there really is somepony watching us from somewhere, they might try to break in."

"Trixie suggests we stay in the study instead," the azure filly responded.

"Somehow I don't think that'll help, Trixie," Sunset replied with a single shake of her head, "we can all feel the sensation of being watched even in here."

"Okay fine," Trixie snapped, "then what do you suggest we do, Sunset Shimmer? Trixie's already almost died once and she'd rather not repeat the experience!"

"Trixie, calm down," Twilight said as she trotted over and put a reassuring hoof on the azure filly's shoulder, "freaking out won't get us anywhere."

Trixie was about to argue, but stopped as Twilight's hoof made contact.

She was shaking like a leaf.

It was only then that Trixie remembered that she wasn't the only one who had a brush with death. Granted she wasn't severely wounded like Trixie was and her attackers wanted her alive, the experience was still a nightmarish one.

Trixie looked into Twilight's eyes and under her forced calm, the fear was clear as day. The azure filly sighed and looked away.

"You're right, Twilight Sparkle," Trixie conceded quietly, "so what do we do then?"

The three of them were silent as they contemplated the situation -- that ever-present sensation of being watched looming over them and making them shiver.

"Well," Sunset finally said, "I don't think we should just waltz out into the main room if there is somepony out there."

"R-Right," Twilight agreed with a nod, "should... one of us take a peek outside?"

They all looked at each other, silently begging one another to volunteer. After a moment, Sunset groaned and trotted to the door. She took one more look back to the others who had unconsciously huddled next to each other. Twilight and Trixie stared back at Sunset nervously and the orange filly turned back to the door with a quiet sigh.

As her red aura enveloped the door handle, Twilight suddenly called out in an urgent whisper.

"Sunset, wait a minute, I think I might be able to help."

Sunset turned to Twilight just in time to see her grit her teeth, clench her eyes shut, and light up her horn. Her eyes widened in surprise when the aura around Twilight's horn changed from a softly glowing magenta to a bubbling dark violet to an inky black froth.

Trixie backed away nervously and Sunset eyed the lavender filly warily. She wanted to say something, but decided to trust that Twilight knew what she was doing instead.

For a few heartbeats, nothing happened.

Then Trixie cried out in surprise as Sunset's body began to fade further and further out of existence until there was nothing left but a barely visible silhouette. Sunset looked down at herself at Trixie's outburst before looking back to Twilight.

"Don't say anything or use any magic," Twilight whisper quickly as the glow from her horn died down, "my Shadow Cloaking spell isn't that powerful yet, so speaking or using magic while cloaked will break it."

Twilight and Trixie couldn't see any of Sunset's features, but the orange filly nodded and turned back to the door. She quietly pulled the door open wih a hoof and stepped out of the room.

The first thing Sunset noticed was that the fire had gone out, leaving the main room all but shrouded in darkness.

This brought an odd mix of both fear and relief.

Twilight's spell had not only rendered her nearly invisible, but also had the added effect of masking her hoofsteps. The already dark room had made her more or less completely invisible.

A quick scan of the darkened living room revealed nothing out of the ordinary, and Sunset breathed a quiet sigh of relief. She went to check the bedroom and stopped. Her ear twitched and she turned back towards the fireplace.

Somepony was standing in the middle of the room.

Somehow, Sunset barely managed to stifle a scream as she took several panicked, but still silent, steps backwards. Her breathing picked up and she was sure her pounding heart would give her away, but the pony shaped shadow didn't seem to notice her -- or if it did, it didn't react.

She couldn't make out its exact features in the dark, but they seemed to be looking around, as if searching for something. Sunset stood frozen near the bedroom door -- her mind racing with questions.

Who was this pony?

How did they get in?

What did they want?

Both Sunset and the stranger suddenly stiffened as they heard two voices coming from behind the door to the study. The voices were quiet, but in the absolute silence, Twilight and Trixie may as well have been shouting.

"Do you think Sunset found anything?"

"I don't know, Trixie, but she has been out there for awhile..."

"...What if she does find something... or somepony?"

Sunset didn't hear a response, but she did see the intruder turn towards the door to the study.

The orange filly's mind went into overdrive as the intruder quietly made their way to the door. She didn't know what they wanted, but she was certain it couldn't be anything good.

She couldn't let them get a hold of Twilight or Trixie.

She had to do something.

She had to act now.

Her heart hammering loudly in her chest, Sunset quickly sorted through the list of spells she had learned trying to find one that would help her incapacitate the intruder. She'd be exposing herself to the stranger, but she felt she didn't have a choice and there was no way she was going to hide while the intruder attacked her friends.

Still hoping the darkness would hide her, Sunset lit up her horn and prayed.

The mysterious pony froze.

After a moment they looked about frantically -- their breathing becoming heavier and heavier. Eventually they fell to the floor as they desperately gasped for air. Unfortunately they found little to none, as a certain orange filly was rapidly thinning the air around them.

It wasn't Sunset's intent to kill the pony, but rather render them -- her if the sound of the breathing was anything to go by -- unconscious. As the intruder tried to rise to their hooves, the door to the study slammed open and smashed her in the face. The blow sent her stumbling backward and she fell to the floor once again.

"Sunset!" Twilight cried, "are you -- who is that?!"

Trixie yelped in surprise as the lavender filly backpedaled directly into her and they both fell in a heap.

"Trixie! Twilight!" Sunset yelled as she kept up her spell, "one of you get the lights!"

Twilight and Trixie just lay on the floor staring at the wheezing pony in stunned silence.

"GET THE LIGHTS!"

Twilight scrambled to her hooves and fumbled around in the dark until she found the light switch. She hit the switch and the main room was bathed in a soft amber light from the lamps.

They all stared at the unmoving pony on the floor. Sunset instantly cut off her magic and rushed over to the pony in a panic.

The mysterious pony turned out to be an earth pony mare.

"Nononono," she muttered as she looked the mare over, "please tell me I didn't--"

The pony twitched.

Sunset let out a sigh of relief and trotted over to the others. She sat next to the two and together they all stared at the mare in shocked silence. Each of their hearts trying to return to a normal pace.

"She's suffering from asphyxiation," Sunset observed, "she won't take long to recover, we need to do something before she wakes up."

Twilight nodded absently, but it was Trixie who stepped forward. The other two fillies watched in confusion as Trixie lit her horn and touched it the mare's forehead.

The azure filly's horn flashed and she stumbled back in surprise as the mare's eyes snapped open and she inhaled sharply. After a second the mare relaxed and her eyes slowly closed once more. From the steady rise and fall of her chest, they could tell she was breathing normally again.

"W-What did you do?" Twilight asked as Trixie trotted back over to the other two.

"Deep Sleep spell," Trixie muttered, "Trixie picked it up during her studies because she thought it would help with the nightmares."

"You can't cast that spell on yourself, Trixie," Sunset added, "it won't work."

"Trixie knows that now, Sunset Shimmer."

As they spoke, none of them took their eyes off the sleeping mare in front of them. They had all calmed down enough to take stock of their current situation. An earth pony mare had somehow gotten into the house unheard with the front door and all the windows locked.

As they all sat there trying to understand how this had all happened, Trixie suddenly spoke up.

"Hey," she said, as she frowned at the unconscious mare in bemusement, "is it just Trixie, or does this pony look familiar?"

"You know what?" Sunset replied furrowing her brow, "she kinda does now that you mention it."

"Yeah," Twilight said, her eyes widening in realization, "in fact, I do recognize this mare!"

Sunset and Trixie turned to Twilight with a questioning look before turning back to the lime green earth pony mare.

"Wait..." Sunset muttered, "isn't she--"

"It's the nag!" Trixie cried in both anger and confusion, "why is she here? Why -- how did she even break in?!"

"I don't know how she got in, Trixie," Sunset responded before turning a worried frown in Twilight's direction, "but I'm pretty sure I know what she was after."

Twilight stared at Flibberty Gibbets' sleeping form with wide eyes and slowly shook her head -- a chill running down her spine.

"She was after me."

A Tense Situation

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It had been a panicky few minutes since Trixie put Flibberty Gibbets to sleep.

According to Sunset, the Deep Sleep spell was indefinite until recast on the sleeper. They had decided to leave the mare where she lay, as she was too heavy to lift both physically and magically -- at least for any longer than a few seconds or so.

With that established, the three fillies took a moment to calm down and discuss the situation rationally. Now they all sat in the middle of the study as they conversed about what the next step should be.

"Okay," Sunset began, "Uncle Scroll likely won't be here until sometime tomorrow, either late in the morning or early in the afternoon, at the earliest," she looked between the other two fillies, "so that means we have to take care of this by ourselves."

"What's to take care of?" Trixie asked with a flip of her mane, "Trixie's already taken care of it. Why not just keep her asleep until Uncle Scroll gets back?"

"Trixie," Twilight answered, frowning at the azure filly, "there's other factors to consider. We have a good idea of what her motive was given how she reacted when she found me, but we still don't know how she got in or what her plans were after she captured me."

"Not to mention she might have accomplices waiting for her -- who's to say her husband's not around too?" Sunset added with a grim frown, "I don't have that feeling that somepony's watching us anymore, but if there is another pony out there, that doesn't mean they're gone."

"Exactly," Twilight agreed pointing a hoof at Sunset, "for all we know, she had a pony, or ponies, that were able to... I don't know, Teleport her inside or something."

"I don't know if that's the case, Twilight," Sunset replied with a shake of her head, "she wasn't in the living room when I first went out there. I was about to head into the bedroom and I heard a hoofstep behind me. When I turned around, there she was standing in front of the fireplace."

"Hmmm..."

Twilight tapped her chin as she thought -- her worry temporarily being quashed by the mystery of Flibberty Gibbets' break-in.

"Trixie doesn't like the idea that there might be other ponies around," Trixie added nervously, "shouldn't we... hide or something?"

Twilight blinked and shook her head before turning to Trixie.

"You're right, Trixie," she replied with a nod, "if there are accomplices, they'll most likely make some kind of move when they realize... what was her name again?"

"Flibberty Gibbets" Sunset answered.

"Thank you," Twilight replied before turning back to Trixie, "anyway, when they realize Flibberty Gibbets failed, whoever she came with might decide to do the job themselves."

"That's a pretty reasonable deduction, Twilight," Sunset commented, "seriously, you're handling this a lot better than you did earlier."

"I read a lot of mystery and suspense novels in my free time back when..." Twilight paused -- a flash of pain crossing her face before she continued, "thinking about those novels is helping me stay calm right now."

"That's great and all," Trixie interjected, "but what do we do?"

They all went silent as they mulled over possible plans of action, until Twilight spoke.

"Trixie may have had the right idea earlier," she said, furrowing her brow as she stared at her hooves, "we do need to hide, but not in the house.... maybe..." she suddenly turned to Sunset, "Sunset, you've been here the longest, do you know if there's any other way out of the house?"

"Not that I know of," Sunset replied with a dubious look, "but even if there was, why would you suggest we go outside? If there's somepony else out there, they'll spot us for sure."

"Not necessarily," Twilight said with a confident grin, "that Shadow Cloaking spell turned out to be far easier to cast than I originally thought, and I have plenty of magic left to cast it on all of us."

"So... what," Trixie said with a bemused frown, "you make us all invisible, we sneak out of the house, and we find a place to hide for the night?"

"Yep," Twilight answered with a simple nod, "it's the only thing I can think of right now."

"Well that sounds like as good a plan as any," Sunset responded with a frown, "but we can't just waltz out the front door, and there's no other exits that I... no, wait a minute..." Sunset tapped her chin with a hoof and looked around the study, "I think..."

Twilight and Trixie watched in confusion as Sunset got up and began searching the bookshelves.

"Um, Sunset?" Twilight asked, "what are you--"

"Uncle Scroll used to be some kind of adventurer, right?" Sunset explained as she continued looking about the room, "from they way he talks about it, you'd think he was some kind of protagonist out of an adventure novel or something."

"Okay..." Trixie replied with a raised brow, "Trixie doesn't understanding where you're going with this, Sunset Shimmer."

The orange filly trotted over behind Ancient Scroll's desk as she spoke. She paused and turned to the back wall with a contemplative frown. On the wall was a large, forest green banner with a golden silhouette of a tree displayed on the front.

The giant banner reached all the way to the ground and Sunset narrowed her eyes suspiciously as she stared at it.

"Well, Uncle Scroll told me awhile back that he and some friends of his from way back when had built this cottage from the ground up." she said, her tone of voice becoming somewhat excited, "so what if he put in some kind of... secret door somewhere for quick escapes?"

"What?" Trixie responded incredulously, "that's ridiculous! Why would Uncle Scroll have a secret door?"

"Trixie's right, Sunset," Twilight agreed, "Uncle Scroll doesn't really seem like the type, and besides, if he had a secret door for emergency escapes, why wouldn't he tell us about it in case there was an actual emergency? Like now?"

The three fillies ears all perked up and they froze as they heard something beyond the door to the study. None of them said a word as they listened for all they were worth. Each of their hearts raced once again as they eyed the door with matching fearful gazes.

There was more shuffling and the unmistakable sound of hooves on hardwood flooring.

Twilight turned back to where Sunset had been standing at the sound of shifting cloth and saw the orange filly pulling back the large banner. The lavender filly wanted to ask what she was doing, but didn't dare speak for fear of whoever was out in the living room overhearing.

She felt a tug on her foreleg and turned to see Trixie jerking her head towards the desk. Twilight nodded and they both quietly made their way behind the desk where Sunset was.

Sunset Shimmer herself was busy searching the wall behind the banner for... something -- anything that would help them escape their plight. She eventually threw the banner back over the wall in frustration -- finding nothing behind it.

That's when they heard somepony trying to turn the door handle.

Trixie nearly cried out, but Twilight shoved a hoof over her muzzle as she gestured for her and Sunset to hide beneath the desk. Sunset took one last looked around the room and followed Twilight under the desk when she heard the intruders banging on the door.

Twilight shivered and looked to her other two friends. Trixie's face showed absolute terror and even Sunset looked scared witless.

More banging.

Twilight's mind raced.

She had never been good in tense situations, and this scenario reminded her too much of the night her parents were murdered. She tried to be strong earlier, tried to lay out a plan, and it seemed like a good one.

But now they were all trapped and at the mercy of whoever had decided to break in.

She couldn't do this -- not again.

Her body shook with the effort not to just break down and cry. Silent tears were already flowing down her cheeks as it was and she couldn't stop shaking. She heard a whimper and turned to see Trixie holding as tight as she could to Sunset who had her own eyes shut and was muttering something incoherently.

And just like that, a moment of clarity hit the lavender filly.

She had friends now, friends who were just as scared as she was.

Friends who become more than just friends -- friends who had become family.

And Twilight wasn't going to lose her family.

Not again.

There was a muffled voice from behind the door and the sound of a horn lighting up, but Twilight ignored that and focused on her own spell. Her horn once again blackened with Dark Magic and she grit her teeth with the effort of casting her Shadow Cloaking spell.

Trixie and Sunset looked at Twilight and their eyes widened in understanding.

All three fillies vanished from sight just as the door slammed open and a loud, deep voice boomed out angrily.

"ALRIGHT YA BASTARDS, HAND OVER THE PUPS OR I SWEAR I'LL BURY YOU SO DEEP INTO THE GROUND YOU'LL FORGET WHAT THE SUN LOOKS LIKE!"

A Timely Return

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The three fillies screamed.

They couldn't help it, the voice was too loud -- too sudden and unexpected and their nerves were already completely frayed. The moment the sound left their mouths, the enchantment vanished.

"THAT'S RIGHT! YOU BETTER BE... scared?"

For a few heartbeats there was only silence save for the whimpering of three very scared fillies, and then...

"For crying out loud!" a familiar raspy voice cried angrily, "you've gone and scared the fillies half to death you crazy mongrel!"

Twilight, Sunset, and Trixie's ear pricked up at the sound of the voice and they all looked at each other with wide disbelieving eyes.

"Is..." Twilight whispered, "is that..."

"Yes it's me, girls," the voice assured. They heard the sound of hooves trotting into the room, "sorry about the scare, but--"

"UNCLE SCROLL!"

The fillies all shouted at once as they peered out from behind the desk. Before the old stallion could properly react, he was assaulted by three pairs of forelegs that wrapped tightly around his own.

Ancient Scroll smiled with both warmth and relief as he listened to each of the fillies babble incoherently -- presumably about what had happened while he was away.

"Alright, alright, settle down now," he said with a chuckle, "you all can tell me about it in a minute, but first..." he turned to a sheepishly grinning Yojimbo, "there's somepony -- or rather somedoggy I want you to meet."

The three looked at Ancient Scroll in confusion before following his gaze to the doorway. Standing there was one of the biggest diamond dogs they had ever seen. To be fair they hadn't seen many diamond dogs before him, but the fact remained, this one was incredibly intimidating.

"Heya... name's Yojimbo, but you can call me Yoji if you want," the husky began awkardly, "sorry about, y'know, freakin' you out like that," he rubbed the back of his neck, "thought you pups were in trouble."

The fillies looked back to Ancient Scroll with unsure frowns and the stallion chuckled again.

"Come on now, girls," he said with a smirk, "he's been a good friend of mine for many years now. He's a bit ruff around the edges, but the old mutt won't bite, trust me."

They heard an exasperated groan from the doorway and when they turned to look, the husky was giving Ancient Scroll a flat look.

"Really, Scroll?" he deadpanned, "I thought we were done with the dog puns?"

"Not a chance in Tartarus, old friend," Ancient Scroll replied with another smirk, "I still get too much amusement out of them."

Twilight and Sunset relaxed somewhat as they witnessed the banter between the two friends, though Trixie was still a bit wary of the diamond dog. Ancient Scroll shook his head and turned back to the girls with a serious frown.

"Now that introductions are out of the way, we need to talk about what happened here tonight," he said as he took a step back from the fillies.

"Alright, but..." Sunset gave Ancient Scroll a bemused frown, "why are you here now? Did you know about the break-in already?"

Ancient Scroll nodded gravely.

"That I did, little filly," he answered, "I rushed back here as soon as I could once I found out."

"But how?" Sunset asked, "how did you know so fast? And how did you get here so quickly? The break-in didn't even happen that long ago."

Ancient Scroll turned and began trotting towards the doorway as he replied.

"We'll discuss it in the main room," he said as he motioned for the fillies to follow him, "i'll tell you all about it while we wait for Rouge to return."

"Wait, Rouge is here?" Twilight cried happily as she and the other two fillies hurried after the old stallion.

"Well no, not yet," Ancient Scroll answered, "but she should be soon. I've got a lot to talk to you girls about, but we need to figure out what happened here first."

As they all made their way into the main room, the fillies could see the still sleeping form of Flibberty Gibbets suspended in midair near the fireplace. She was completely enveloped in shining white, slowly rotating chains made of magic -- much to the fillies amazement.

"Ah, that's right," Ancient Scroll said with an amused chuckle, "you three have never seen me use Light Magic before, have you?"

"What kind of spell is that?" Twilight muttered as she trotted closer to the captured mare, "it looks like some kind of Binding spell, but... there's something... odd about it."

"So you noticed it, did you?" Ancient replied, trotting next to the lavender filly and eyeing the suspended mare, "should have figured you would."

"What did you do to the spell?" Sunset asked as she joined the two in observing Flibberty Gibbets, "that clearly isn't a regular Binding."

Ancient Scroll was silent for a moment, looking as though he was having an internal debate. After a moment he sighed and turned to the two curious fillies.

"Well, I wasn't gonna tell you girls about this until I though you were ready, but I guess now's as good a time as any," he said, shaking his head once, "for all I know, you might already know of it, but," he turned back to the mare, "this little number is actually something I created years ago through a process known as spellcrafting."

"Spellcrafting..." Twilight repeated with a thoughtful frown, "I... actually think I've read about that at one point, but for some reason, I can't really remember..."

"I've never heard of the process," Sunset added, putting a hoof to her chin, "but it sounds pretty self explanatory to me."

Ancient Scroll nodded with a slight smile.

"Indeed, little filly," he said, not breaking his gaze away from the trapped earth pony, "as the name implies, it's a process by which you can either mix and match existing spells to create new ones, or build them from the ground up -- something I wouldn't recommend unless you've done several years worth of thaumatological study."

"That sounds... like a lot of fun actually," Twilight mused, a small smile crossing her muzzle as she thought about the possibilities, "I'd like to try that."

"That's something you won't be trying for quite some time, little filly," Ancient Scroll replied seriously, "spellcrafting isn't something to mess with if you're unprepared. It's a very difficult and dangerous process that even somepony with a talent for it and years of experience can struggle with."

"So what does this spell do?" Sunset asked, eyeing Ancient Scroll's spell.

"This spell is a mix of Light and Mind Magic I created for just this sort of occasion," the old stallion explained, "it not only renders you completely immobile, but forces you to tell the absolute truth if directly asked a question," he then turned and smirked at the two fillies, "I call it the Chains of Revealing Light."

Twilight and Sunset glanced at each other with raised eyebrows.

"But we're getting ahead of ourselves," Ancient Scroll said with a shake of his head, "we can question Miss Gibbets here once Rouge returns, but for now, I'll tell you how we got back here so fast."

They all trotted to the table where Trixie and Yojimbo were already sitting and conversing with each other -- well Trixie was sitting. Yojimbo opted to stand near the table while they talked.

"...so the trick is to hold your ground and stare em' dead in the eye," Yojimbo was explaining to the azure filly, "you can't show the little rodents any weakness or they'll walk all over you. You gotta let em' know this ain't their territory any--"

"What are you two talking about?" Sunset asked, giving the two a bewildered look.

The filly and diamond dog turned to the three approaching ponies.

"Yojimbo was just giving Trixie a few... pointers, that's all," Trixie replied with grin, "he's actually pretty knowledgeable about... things."

"Really?" Twilight asked, turning a curious eye to the husky, "what kinds of things?"

"Oh, all sorts of things, girl," Yojimbo replied proudly, "I been around. Seen a lot traveling with the old coot there."

"Yes we've seen quite a bit over the years," Ancient Scroll agreed with a nod, "but now isn't the time for stories, Yoji. We need to let the fillies know what's going on."

"Right, you are, pal," the old dog replied with a solemn frown before turning to one of the windows, "here's hoping our angry little kitty gets back safe and sound."

"Angry little kitty?" Twilight asked with a confused tilt of her head, "you mean Rouge?"

"Yup," Yojimbo replied with a smirk, "feline's got one heck of a temper, I'll tell you that much."

Trixie made to comment, but Ancient Scroll cut her off as he spoke first.

"Back to the topic at hoof," he said with a pointed frown in Yojimbo's direction, "we -- Yoji, Rouge, and I -- were all set to turn in for the night over at Yoji's house, when I felt my security spell go off."

"Security spell?" Sunset asked with a raised eyebrow, "what security spell? I didn't hear or see anything when Flibberty Gibbets showed up."

"You wouldn't have, little filly," Ancient Scroll replied with a knowing nod, "it's... something of a silent alarm that goes off whenever there's an intruder. It activates the moment they set hoof inside the house by sending a sort of... ping directly to my location. Think of it like the echolocation of a bat -- the cottage sends a signal out and I receive it."

"Alright, I'm following you so far," Sunset replied with a single nod, "so what you're saying is that the moment that mare entered the cottage it alerted you with a silent signal and you responded?"

"Exactly," Ancient Scroll confirmed, "the signal has radius of ten kilometers so it was more than enough to reach me. Once I received that signal, a magical 'anchor' was formed between Yoji's house and my own cottage."

"I get it," Twilight responded quietly, her eyes widening in both understanding and awe, "an 'anchor' makes it much easier to Teleport long distances because you're essentially setting up the teleport ahead of time at a fixed location. It cuts out a lot of the work you'd normally have to go through when casting a regular Teleportation spell and thus, drastically lowers the mana cost.

"Normally, you'd need somepony on standby to activate the 'anchor'," Twilight eyed her caretaker with a newfound respect as she continued to explain, "but you somehow managed to make it so that the 'anchor' activates on it's own through a 'trigger' that itself is activated whenever there's an intruder."

As Twilight spoke, Yojimbo turned a questioning gaze to Trixie who only shrugged in response. The azure filly more or less got the gist of the explanation, but didn't quite understand how it all fit together.

"But, if that's true," Sunset added, looking at Ancient Scroll with the same admiration as Twilight, "how did you manage to make the 'trigger' differentiate the intruder from a guest or one of us?"

"Through an almost excruciating amount of trial and error, little filly," Ancient Scroll replied, "this security spell is something else I created, but unlike the Chains of Revealing Light, this spell was made completely from scratch."

"Did you make a name for this one?" Twilight asked curiously.

"FIlly, by the time I finished creating that blasted spell I was so frustrated I didn't even bother," Ancient Scroll answered, rubbing a hoof down his face, "you can give it a name if you want."

As Twilight tapped her chin in thought, Ancient Scroll decided to move on.

"We're getting off topic again," he said with a shake of his head, "basically, since the 'anchor' was connected to the entirety of Yoji's house and we were all there, I decided to Teleport us all back to the cottage," Ancient Scroll glanced out the window with a frown, "unfortunately, something was blocking me from actually Teleporting inside and we all ended up a little ways away."

"Good thing, too," the old husky added, tapping his nose, "I sniffed out a couple of ponies scopin' out the place nearby and we got the jump on em'."

"I knew it," Sunset muttered, "so there were other ponies out there..."

"Yes there were," Ancient Scroll said with a nod, "but though we had the element of surprise, they still managed to get away and on top of that, we weren't able to get a very good look at who they were."

"Rouge did though," Yoji added with a deep chuckle, "spotted em' as they were tryin' to escape and took off after em' shoutin' all kinds of stuff that would make your little ears burn," he laughed out loud, "and here I thought cats were supposed to be stealthy!"

"We decided to let Rouge handle the ponies out there while Yojimbo and I checked on the three of you," Ancient Scroll smirked and glanced back towards the sleeping mare, "imagine my surprise when I come home to find Miss Gibbets fast asleep on my floor."

"You can thank Trixie for that one," Twilight said as she gestured to the azure filly with a proud smile, "she used a Deep Sleep spell to knock her out."

Ancient Scroll turned to Trixie with an impressed nod and a proud smile of his own.

"Well done, little filly," he said warmly, "couldn't have done it better myself."

"W-Well of course," Trixie replied with a flip of her mane and a red tinge in her cheeks, "Trixie is a natural with Mind Magic you know," she cleared her throat and looked towards the other two fillies, "and besides, as amazing as she is, Trixie can't take all the credit."

"Oh?" Ancient Scroll raised an eyebrow as he turned to the others, "and what does she mean by that I wonder?"

"Well, um..." Twilight shfited in her seat and seeing this, Sunset rolled her eyes and spoke on the lavender filly's behalf.

"Twilight cast a Shadow Cloaking spell on me so we could find out if there was somepony in the house, and I... well..." here she hesitated before frowning and speaking again, "I... incapacitated Flibberty Gibbets by thinning the air around her until she passed out."

"Risky," Ancient Scroll replied with a nonetheless impressed nod, "but well done all the same," he swept his gaze across each of the three fillies with a warm smile, "I have to say, I'm proud of each and every one of you girls. If this had been an exam, you all would've passed with flying colors."

Each of the fillies either smiled or looked away in embarrassment at the praise.

It was then that there was a knock on the front door. Ancient Scroll and Yojimbo glanced at each other before the husky nodded and quietly walked over to the door. Just as he was about to throw it open a feminine voice called out.

"It's Rouge. If you're in there, Scroll would you please let me in?"

Yojimbo looked back to Ancient Scroll before opening the door to reveal a tall grey and irritated looking Abyssinian holding an unconscious mocha brown unicorn stallion by the neck. She threw the stallion into the house and stepped inside before Yojimbo closed the door.

"The rest of them fled like the cowards they are, but I managed to catch one."

There was moment of shocked silence before Yojimbo clapped his paws together and beamed at them all with a toothy grin.

"Alrighty then! Let the interrogation begin!"

A Mare's Interrogation

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"Rouge?"

The Abyssinian blinked and turned towards the lavender filly that had just spoken. Her irritated scowl turned to a warm smile as she addressed Twilight.

"It's good to see you again, little one," Rouge greeted, "although I do wish we could've met once more under better circumstances," her gaze turned sad, "I imagine this must have been a horrible experience for you and your friends."

Twilight nodded as she stared at her own hooves before looking back up to Rouge with a small smile.

"It's alright though," Twilight replied as she looked over to where Ancient Scroll was conversing with Yojimbo, "Uncle Scroll came back in time and my friends and I are safe. That's all I care about right now."

"Really?" Rouge responded with a skeptical raise of her brow, "are you sure that's all you care about?"

"What do you mean?" Twilight asked with a bemused frown, "as long as I have Uncle Scroll and my friends I... oh..." she bit her lip and looked from the unconscious unicorn stallion to the suspended Flibberty Gibbets, "I... guess I do wanna know why these ponies are after me."

"And you're sure their after you specifically?"

Twilight looked back to Rouge and slowly shook her head with a scowl.

"Why else would they be here?" she asked, "I don't really see how--"

"Wait a minute, Twilight," Sunset interjected as she trotted over to the two, "we actually can't rule out that they might be looking for Trixie and I. Remember, I went missing from Canterlot Castle, and Trixie... she... y'know..."

"Oh... right," Twilight muttered, "well maybe, but somehow I doubt they'd send somepony all the way out here for Trixie given where she lived and who she... yeah..." she shook her head, "well in any case, they were definitely after one of us."

"Don't be too sure, little ones."

Twilight and Sunset looked towards Rouge who in turn was eyeing Ancient Scroll as he cast the Chains of Revealing Light spell on the brown unicorn stallion.

"I don't know the old one personally," Rouge continued, "but from what I've heard just being around him and the mutt, they've both been to many places and done many things over the years," she looked back to the two fillies, "it could be entirely possible that they may have angered someone they shouldn't have during their many travels."

"I guess that's true," Sunset conceded, "and he probably has all sorts of unique artifacts hidden away somewhere that somepony might want to get their hooves on, too."

"Well, I don't know about that," Twilight replied before tapping her chin with a hoof, "though he did manage to find that ring in those ruins."

"Ring?" Rouge asked, her gaze suddenly hard, "what ring do you speak of?"

Twilight took a step back surprised by the sudden urgency in Rouge's voice.

"Um, it was... something he said he found in some ruins beneath the Badlands," Twilight explained nervously, "it was some kind of ancient horn ring that was supposed to give all kinds information about a unicorn, but it was broken and only gave the name, lym count, and thaum count of the unicorn."

Rouge's expression softened and she let out what sounded to Twilight and Sunset like a disappointed sigh.

"I see..." she muttered, looking away from the two fillies, "that's unfortunate."

Twilight and Sunset gave each other a worried glance before turning back to Rouge.

"Are you... okay, Rouge?" Sunset asked, "you got kind of intense there for a minute."

"No, it's nothing, little one," Rouge said with an apologetic smile, "I apologize for my outburst. I just... there's just been something on my mind of late, think nothing of it."

Another worried glance passed between the two fillies.

"If... you say so," Twilight finally replied.

The conversation fell into an awkward silence and Twilight looked around for something to distract herself with. After a moment she frowned in bemusement.

"Hey," she asked nopony in particular, "where's Trixie?"

It was just then that she saw the azure filly trotting out of the restroom with a loud yawn. That reminded Twilight of her own exhaustion and she suddenly remembered just how late it was. Now that all the excitement had died down somewhat, she was beginning to feel the strain of staying awake for so long.

"We should--" Twilight let out a big yawn of her own "--we should probably see if Uncle Scroll is ready to question those two yet."

"A good idea," Rouge agreed as she straightened up and turned to where Ancient Scroll and Yojimbo were standing, "let us go, shall we?"

Twilight and Sunset nodded before following her over to the others.

"Ah, Rouge, Twilight, Sunset," Ancient Scroll said as they all approached, "you're just in time. Trixie's back so now we can begin," he turned to Trixie and nodded, "Trixie, if you could wake Miss Gibbets for me?"

Trixie nodded with a tired smile and lit up her horn. It flashed a bright pink and the earth pony snapped awake with a snort.

"W-What? Where did... who?!" the mare sputtered in confusion as she frantically looked about the room, "w-where am I? Why can't I m-move?! Foggy help me!"

The fillies stumbled back in surprise at Flibberty Gibbets' sudden panicked outburst. Ancient Scroll's brow furrowed in thought.

"Well, I think that right there answers a few questions right off the bat," he muttered before speaking in a louder voice, "Miss Gibbets, please calm down."

"What," she blinked and looked down, finally acknowledging the others in the room, "you? What are you doing here? Where am I and why can't I move? What did you do to me? I'll have you know, my father is a Canterlot noble! When he hears about--"

"Miss Gibbets please," Ancient Scroll said in a loud firm voice, "I will be happy to explain the situation if you just calm down and let me speak, okay?"

Flibberty went to say something else, but then close her mouth and nodded silently -- though her gaze still showed signs of anger, fear, and confusion.

"Thank you," Ancient Scroll said with a grateful smile, "now then, do you know where you are and why you're here?"

"I have no idea where I am or how I even got here," Flibberty replied almost instantly, "how could I possibly know why I'd be here?"

She blinked and frown in confusion.

"Fair enough," Ancient Scroll replied with a nod, "to answer some of your questions, Miss Gibbets, you were found trespassing in my home by these three fillies," he gestured to Twilight, Trixie, and Sunset, "they apprehended you and now you're in our custody."

"Wha -- why would I... I didn't..." she looked around once more, her scared and confused gaze sweeping across each of the creatures present, "w-where's Foggy?" she glared at the old stallion, "did you do something to Foggy?"

"I don't know where your husband is, Miss Gibbets," Ancient Scroll replied, "the only one we found trespassing was you -- well, you and this stallion here," he nodded his head towards the still unconscious unicorn stallion floating besides Flibberty Gibbets, "there were others outside the cottage, but they got away."

Flibberty Gibbets looked towards the stallion and frowned.

"I'd like to ask you just a few more questions, Miss Gibbets," Ancient Scroll continued, "then you're free to go."

Flibberty Gibbets turned back to Ancient Scroll and sighed in resignation before giving the old stallion a scowl.

"Fine," she growled in irritation, "ask your questions then."

"Thank you for your cooperation, Miss Gibbets," Ancient Scroll said with an apologetic smile before it turned to a serious frown, "did you or do you currently have any intention of harming and/or foalnapping any of these three fillies?"

"What? No! To all of that!" she cried in indignation, "what kind of mare do you think I am?! I already promised my husband I wouldn't tell anypony about Twilight, so why would I try to foalnap her?"

She stopped her tirade and frowned again.

Something was odd, but she couldn't quite put her hoof on what it was.

"That's good to hear, Miss Gibbets," Ancient Scroll said with a smile, "I appreciate that you were willing to hold true to your words."

"Well, of course," Flibberty replied with an offended snort, "I'm not happy about giving up so many bits, but I never go back on my word. Now can you finish asking your questions so I can go? I'm sure my Foggy is incredibly worried about me."

"Very well," Ancient Scroll replied with a nod. He looked back to the unicorn stallion as he spoke, "do you know this stallion, and if so, what was the connection between you two?"

"I do recognize him actually," Flibberty replied narrowing her eyes at the brown stallion, "Foggy and I were having lunch at this fabulous restaurant in town. I was telling my husband about what a waste it was to give up all those bits not telling the Princess about Twilight, and this stallion stops at our table and just... stares at me with this creepy look.

"Foggy managed to shoo him off, but he kept staring at me even as he left, and then he... smiled," she shivered, "it was probably the creepiest thing I've ever seen."

"And... that's all you remember?" Ancient Scroll asked, "nothing else happened with this stallion?"

"Not that I can remember."

Ancient Scroll eyed the mare for a moment longer before nodding in satisfaction.

"Alright, Miss Gibbets," he said with an air of finality, "I believe that'll do for my--"

"Hold a moment, Scroll," Rouge interjected, narrowing her eyes at the mare, "there's one more question I'd like to ask."

"Oh, come on!" Flibberty whined, "seriously? I just want to get back to my Foggy!"

"I'm sorry Miss Gibbets," Ancient Scroll replied with another apologetic smile, "just bear with us for one more moment."

"Aright! Fine! Go ahead!" Flibberty Gibbets cried in frustration, "not like I can do anything about it anyway!"

"Apologies once again," Ancient Scroll said before turning to Rouge, "the spell won't work unless I'm the one asking the question just so you know."

"Then ask her if she remembers anything strange happening to her this evening."

Ancient Scroll nodded and repeated the question to Flibberty.

"Now that you mention it," the mare replied thoughtfully, "Foggy and I were asleep at his aunt and uncle's house when I heard a noise just outside the window. I wasn't sure what it was, but it made me nervous so I went to investigate. I stepped outside and asked if anypony was there. After that... I can't remember."

"What was the last thing you do remember?" Ancient Scroll asked.

"Waking up in these weird magical chains," she replied, looking at said chains in annoyance.

Ancient Scroll nodded and turned towards Rouge and Yojimbo with a questioning raise of his brow.

"I am satisfied," Rouge answered to his unspoken question, "she is obviously innocent in all of this."

"Like Rouge said, the lady's clear, there really ain't much for me to say," Yojimbo added with a shrug before turning to the captive unicorn stallion with a savage grin, "this one's gonna be interesting though."

"Well that settles it then," Ancient Scroll replied with another nod before turning to Flibberty Gibbets, "you're free to go, Miss Gibbets."

With that his horn flashed white and the chains around the earth pony mare vanished. Before the mare could fall she was wrapped in a bright green aura and gently set down on the floor.

"Again, I'm sorry about all this," Ancient Scroll said as he looked towards the three very tired fillies, "but you have to understand, there are some... very bad ponies after little Twilight here, so we have to make sure she's safe."

Flibberty Gibbets looked towards the lavender filly and couldn't help but smile in amusement. Each of the fillies had taken to sitting on their haunches and wobbling slightly with the effort of trying to stay awake and alert despite the tilt of their head and the drooping of their eyelids.

She turned back to Ancient Scroll and nodded solemnly.

"I don't know what's going on," she said with a frown. "but whatever's happening, you better keep that filly safe or I will go back on my word and tell the Princess about her, got it?"

"Fair enough," Ancient Scroll replied with a chuckle, "you have my word, Miss Gibbets," he then frowned in concern, "are you going to be okay getting back to town this late?"

"Bah, I can take care of myself," Flibberty Gibbets replied with a dismissive wave of her hoof, "I was just caught unprepared this time, that's all," she trotted over to the front door but was stopped by a voice as she went to open it.

"Do be careful out there, Miss," Rouge called out, "there were two others I failed to catch, and though they ran, they could still be around."

The mare nodded and opened the door the rest of the way before stepping outside and closing it behind her. After a minute, Yojimbo turned to Rouge with an inquisitive frown.

"You got a good look at the other two, right?"

Rouge nodded and turned to face the captive stallion.

"I did, though they managed to escape while I was dealing with this one."

"What'd they look like?" the husky asked, "they might still be in town, and since we have to go back anyway I figure we might as well get the details in case we run into em'."

"Well, it was... rather odd," Rouge replied with a bemused frown, "they were both unicorns, yellow and very tall."

Sunset's ears perked up.

"They were both wearing striped vests and these weird straw hats, but the weirdest part was that they both looked exactly the same."

"Wait a minute..." Sunset muttered, "are you serious?"

As Rouge finished her description, she noticed Ancient Scroll and the three fillies giving her incredulous looks.

"What is it?" she asked in confusion, "did you know these two?"

Twilight and Trixie turned their worried gazes to Sunset who scowled and narrowed her eyes in anger.

"What the buck were the FlimFlam Brothers doing here?"

An Uncovered Scheme

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"FlimFlam Brothers, huh?"

Yojimbo crossed his arms and furrowed his brow as he looked at the orange filly.

"Don't see anything good coming from those two with a name like that," he commented, "who are they?"

"A couple of con artists that fancy themselves savvy salesponies," Ancient Scroll answered with a disappointed shake of his head, "they're old... acquaintances of Sunset's we met back in town during the Spring Festival," he frowned in bemusement, "don't know why in the blazes they were with this stallion though..."

"Were they seriously trying to foalnap Twilight?" Sunset asked with an angry, incredulous snort, "that's... that's just low! Even for them!" she scowled at nopony in particular before letting out a small sigh, "and honestly, it doesn't really make any sense..."

"Maybe..." Twilight yawned before speaking again, "maybe they found out about the reward for finding me? You did say they would jump at the chance to make bits."

"Well yeah," Sunset conceded as she turned to the lavender filly, "but they wouldn't stoop to foalnapping!"

"Trixie isn't so sure, Sunset Shimmer," Trixie added, furrowing her brow, "with how many bits they'd be getting, I wouldn't put it past them."

"Why don't we just ask our friend here for the details?" the husky interjected as he jerked a thumb over to the captive unicorn stallion, "he's gotta know something, right?"

"A fine idea," Rouge agreed with a nod, "I'm quite curious to know what this stallion's intentions were myself."

"Well then," Ancient Scroll began as he trotted over to the other stallion, "I suppose I should--"

"Wait, Uncle Scroll!"

Ancient Scroll turned back to Twilight with an inquisitive raise of his brow and the lavender filly eyed the brown unicorn stallion nervously.

"Is he... he can't use magic... can he?" Twilight asked, "does that--"

She blinked and squinted slightly before her eyes widened in realization. The stallion in question was already wearing a horn ring she hadn't seen until now.

"Oh," she muttered as she gave Ancient Scroll a sheepish grin, "I uh... guess you already have that covered."

"Indeed," Ancient Scroll said with a small chuckle before turning to the unicorn stallion with a frown, "now then..."

His horn flashed bright green and the other stallion snapped awake with a yelp before frantically looking around just as Flibberty Gibbets did before. After roughly a few moments taking stock of his situation, he frowned.

"Horseapples..." he muttered in a low gravelly voice.

"By that exclamation, I'm going to assume you're guilty of something, so I won't mince words," Ancient Scroll said with a grimace, "what is your name and what are your intentions?"

"Sound Mind," he replied immediately, "I was sent out to this area to capture Flim and Flam -- by force if necessary. During my mission I came across valuable information regarding Twilight Sparkle's whereabouts and my intent is to capture the filly alive and unharmed."

The stallion's eyes had widened as he spoke.

"You!," he growled, giving Ancient Scroll a hard glare as he struggled in his chains, "what the buck did you do to me?! What is this spell?!"

Ancient Scroll's gaze hardened and he turned away from Sound Mind to address Sunset.

"Well, little filly," he said, his countenance softening a bit, "it looks like those two were prisoners rather than accomplices."

Sunset glared at the struggling stallion before turning back to Ancient Scroll with a satisfied nod.

"I knew something was off," she turned to the other fillies, "it's like I told you, they may be money grubbing frauds, but they're good ponies at heart. They wouldn't do something like this -- not even for all the bits Twilight was worth."

Trixie merely shrugged in response, too tired to actually say anything.

Twilight on the other hoof, frowned contemplatively.

"Wait a minute..." she muttered, "he said he was after the FlimFlam brothers, which means..."

"Aye," Ancient Scroll finished with a scowl, "it means that whatever ponies were trying to track down Flim and Flam, are also the ones trying to get their hooves on you, little filly."

"But why?" Twilight cried in frustration, "what do they want?"

"Well, he's right there," Yojimbo said as he turned back to Sound Mind, "we can always just -- OI! WHAT THE---"

At Yojimbo's sudden shout, the others whipped around to look at the husky before following his shocked gaze to the captive unicorn. The stallion's eyes were enshrouded in a black fog and he stared at them all with a triumphant grin.

"You aren't getting anything else out of me, old timer," he said before turning to Twilight with a manic grin, "and now we know exactly where you are, girl!"

Twilight's eyes widened in fear and she took a startled step back. At this, Sound Mind let out a mocking laugh that sent chills down the filly's spine. As the stallion laughed his coat began to darken gradually and Rouge's brows shot up in alarm before she turned to Ancient Scroll.

"SCROLL, STOP HIM!" she cried, "HE'S ABOUT TO--"

"WE WILL BLACKEN THE CURSED SUN!"

With that cry, Sound Mind's body darkened to a completely black silhouette. With an earsplitting crack, the chains binding the stallion vanished and Sound Mind himself shattered like glass -- his mad laugh echoing throughout the room.

The pieces faded to nothing before they hit the ground and the room fell into a shocked silence. After a moment Yojimbo cursed loudly and stomped off to stomped off to the opposite side of the room in aggravation.

"W-What just happened?!" Twilight cried in horror and confusion. She turned to Ancient Scroll, "Uncle Scroll, what did he just do?!"

Ancient Scroll grimaced and shook his head before responding, his gaze angry and a bit sad.

"The Tartarus damned fool went and killed himself with Dark Magic so we couldn't question him," he explained, "I should have expected that," he stomped a hoof in frustration, "Blast it all, I really should've expected that."

"But... but he had an anti-magic horn ring on," Sunset added, "how could he just... do that?"

"There are ways around a horn ring if you know the right way to cast a spell -- especially when it comes to Dark Magic," he rubbed a hoof across his face and sighed heavily, "I didn't take that into account and I really should have..."

"That stallion was crazy," Trixie muttered, "how could you just... kill yourself like that? Trixie... Trixie doesn't understand."

"It happens sometimes, little one," Rouge said, leaning down to put a comforting hand on Trixie's shoulder, "there are some who've suffered so terribly that they feel they have no other choice -- no other way to escape the pain."

"But Trixie," Trixie shook her head and continued with an angry scowl, "I've suffered a lot and I never wanted... that! I don't think any of us did!"

Sunset and Twilight both nodded in agreement and Rouge smiled at each of them in turn.

"That's because you're all stronger than that," Rouge replied, "each of you have the power to push through your pain and keep going, even when it still hurts. Although..." she grimaced, "I don't believe that stallion killed himself because of his pain -- at least not entirely."

"What do you mean?" Twilight asked with a bemused frown.

"I think he killed himself for what he believed in," Rouge replied, "he had a goal -- a duty to fulfill -- and he didn't want to compromise that, so rather than give us the information we wanted, he chose to end his own life."

"But... but that's stupid!" Trixie cried, "why didn't he just try to find another way to escape?"

"Maybe he did, maybe he didn't," Rouge replied before standing up once again, "either way, it is what it is and there's nothing we can do about it any longer."

"Well, at the very least we managed to get a bit of information from the stallion," Ancient Scroll interjected as he and Yojimbo made their way over to the others, "I'm fairly sure I can infer what their goal is from his declaration at the end."

"'We will blacken the cursed Sun'..." Rouge muttered, putting a hand to her chin in thought, "what would that mean?"

"Well I'm not quite sure what he means by 'blacken'," Ancient Scroll replied, "but I think he might've been referring to the Princess when he mentioned the 'cursed Sun'."

"So... what," Sunset asked in bemusement, "whatever group he was part of is trying to do something to Celestia?" her eyes widened in realization, "wait, are they trying to start some kind of rebellion?"

"Now there's a thought," Yojimbo commented as he folded his arms with a frown, "why would anyone want to rebel against your Princess? From what I've heard, she's supposed to some kinda saint or somethin' right?"

"Wrong," Sunset replied with a grimace, "she isn't as kind and caring as she wants you to believe, trust me."

"Huh," Yojimbo replied before giving a shrug, "well, guess I'll just take your word for it then," he turned to Ancient Scroll, "what say you, old pal? Think it really is some kind of rebel force out to bring down the Sun?"

Ancient Scroll didn't reply. The old stallion was staring into the unlit fireplace -- a slight frown on his face.

"Hey, Scroll," Yojimbo called out with a concerned frown of his own, "you okay buddy?"

Ancient Scroll blinked and looked back to the old dog. He turned to see the rest of the group looking at him worriedly.

"Ah, sorry about that, folks," the stallion said with a sheepish chuckle, "just got a bit caught up with my thoughts is all," he cleared his throat before answering Yojimbo's question, "In any case, it's a strong possibility," Ancient Scroll continued, "but it's still only a guess -- a likely guess -- but a guess nonetheless."

"And we didn't find out what any of this has to with me," Twilight added with a frown, "on top of that, we still haven't found any clues about what happened to my brother."

"We also need to leave," Trixie interjected, turning from Twilight to Ancient Scroll with a worried look, "you heard that crazy stallion, he said they know where Twilight is now."

"Ah!" Ancient Scroll exclaimed, stomping a hoof in realization, "that reminds me!" he turned to each of the fillies with a grin, "I had almost forgot to tell you all what my actual plan was, "he frowned, "and now that we know what we do, I think it's more important than ever."

The three fillies looked between each other before turning back to Ancient Scroll.

"More important that we do what?" Sunset asked, "what was your plan?"

Ancient Scroll smiled and open his mouth to speak before being swept up in a side hug by Yojimbo along with Rouge who yowled in indignation.

"Get ready pups!" Yojimbo boomed with an excited grin, "we're all goin' on a road trip!"

Twilight, Sunset and Trixie stared at the husky incredulously.

"Are you serious?" Sunset replied flatly.

"As a heart attack, girl," Yojimbo answered with a smirk, "old Scroll here's got everything all set up. We just have to get back to t -- OW!"

Yojimbo released Ancient Scroll and Rouge as he rubbed an arm and scowled at the Abyssinian.

"Don't. Do that," Rouge growled as she retracted her claws, "at least not without warning."

"Alright, alright, sheesh," Yojimbo grumbled, "cats, I tell ya..."

Ancient Scroll chuckled before addressing the three fillies.

"Yoji's right though," he explained before turning to Twilight, "I'm planning to take us all across Equestria to Canterlot to find some answers about your brother's whereabouts as well as take care of a few other things."

"Wha -- but... but we can't go there!" Twilight cried, "they'll be looking all over for me!" she gestured to the orange filly next to her, "and somepony might recognize Sunset!"

"Just leave that bit to me, little filly," Ancient Scroll replied with a reassuring smile, "I'm not gonna just let you trot into Canterlot looking like you do now," he winked at the lavender filly, "there's a spell to fix that little problem."

"Really?" Twilight asked, her worry momentarily replaced by intrigue, "what kind of spell?"

"I think we'd best save this for after the little ones have had their rest, Scroll," Rouge cut in, eyeing a dozing azure filly, "it is rather late after all."

"I suppose you're right, Rouge," Ancient Scroll agreed as he turned from the cat to the fillies, "we'd better be getting you all to bed for the night."

"What? No!" Twilight responded, taking a step back, "what about the spell? Or what if there's more of those ponies out there waiting to--"

"Don't you worry your little purple head, pup," Yojimbo interjected with a confident smirk, "Scroll, Rouge, and I will keep watch for the night. So you just focus on catching some sleep, alright?"

"My coat is lavender, not purple," Twilight retorted sourly as she hopped onto the cushy armchair near the fireplace, "but fine, I'd rather be alert and awake when we leave anyway."

"Sleep does sound amazing," Sunset said as she nudged Trixie awake, "besides, I'm pretty sure Uncle Scroll and the others can handle things."

With that, Sunset trotted towards the bedroom with Trixie following wordlessly behind. Ancient Scroll summoned a blanket for Twilight and the lavender filly got comfortable as she curled up in the chair. She though about asking Ancient Scroll what spell he was going to use again, but was fast asleep almost as soon as she laid her head down.

The three adults smiled at the adorable display before Yojimbo cracked his neck and turned to Ancient Scroll.

"Welp," he whispered, "I'm gonna go patrol around cottage, make sure no one else is sneakin' around," he looked over to Rouge, "you comin' with?"

Rouge, who had been sitting at the table, thought for a moment before giving a slow nod.

"I suppose so," she replied before giving the old dog a smirk, "I'd be more likely to spot any other intruders far before you ever could."

"Bah," Yojiimbo replied with a dismissive wave of his paw, "my nose is all I've ever needed to get the job done."

The two continued to bicker as they stepped out of the cottage and into the night.

Ancient Scroll chuckled and shook his head as the door closed behind the two. He turned to look at the sleeping lavender filly and frowned thoughtfully before lighting the fireplace with a flick of his horn and sitting himself down on the other chair.

He once again turned to stare into the flames as he mulled over his own thoughts.

He was still upset about the needless death of Sound Mind, but there was nothing he could do -- the stallion had made his choice. He was even more upset by the fact that he hadn't been able to get anymore out of him.

If they had been able to glean anything else, then he might not have even had to risk the trip, but maybe it was for the best.

It was as Sound Mind said, they knew where Twilight was, and Ancient Scroll would be damned to Tartarus before he let them take the filly.

No, they couldn't stay here anymore.

They had to leave for Twilight's sake if nothing else. Besides, he had a few other out of the way places they could stay if they needed to.

There was also something else that was bothering him.

If there was a rebellion going on right under the Princess' muzzle...

Could that little filly from so long ago be involved in some way?

Was it possible she was still alive and had found others who shared her goals? If that was the case, then that would mean she'd also be trying to capture Twilight... but still...

He couldn't help but hope.

A Colt's Ideals

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It had been a few days since Shining Armor had decided on his plan of action and he still hadn't had a chance to speak with Frigid Gale.

Every time he went to the dining hall, he hadn't seen the thestral mare sitting anywhere. He was beginning to get frustrated because he was still in the dark as to what was really going on.

He tried asking his caretakers, to no avail. The only actual responses he would get were to ask Frigid Gale herself or to buck off and not to ask questions he didn't want to know the answers to.

But he did want to know -- that was the problem.

He was dying for answers to what was going on and what it had to do with his sister. Unfortunately all he could at the moment was continue his morning workout routine in his still rather spartan bedroom and complain to himself silently.

At least he was in an actual bedroom this time around, and it was fairly spacious. He had moved what little furnishings there were to the middle of the room and set about galloping laps around the outer area, trying to rid himself of his frustrations as he worked up a sweat.

It was around his sixteenth lap that there came a sudden knock at the door.

He slowed to a trot and headed towards the door. He stopped for a moment to catch his breath before pulling the door open, revealing the largest, stockiest, pale blue earth pony mare he'd ever seen.

"Um..." he began awkwardly, "can I... help you?"

She stared at him for a moment, her hard hazel eyes boring into him. He frowned and stared right back at back at the mare.

"Can I help you?" he repeated more firmly.

The mare eyed for another second before giving the colt a smirk.

"Well, you've got a pair on ya at the very least," she finally said in a soft, airy voice that didn't fit her frame in the slightest, "good to know, kid, you'll need that kind of attitude if you're gonna hang around here for very long."

Shining Armor furrowed his brow and said nothing, still somewhat caught off guard by the mare's voice. The mare chuckled lightly and her smirk turned to an amused grin.

"It's the voice, right?"

The colt blinked and shook his head rapidly.

"Well I... no, I didn't mean --- it's just..." he groaned and looked away, a red flush showing easily on his light grey face, "sorry about that, I just... didn't expect it is all."

The mare openly laughed and Shining winced in embarrassment.

"It's fine, hon," the mare said after a moment, "nopony ever does, and the reactions never get old," she smirked once more and held out a large hoof, "name's Stone Heart."

Shining looked from the offered hoof to the mare it belonged to, then back to the hoof. He tentatively raised his own hoof to meet hers and she smiled.

"Relax," she said as she lowered her hoof, "I ain't gonna bite. Seriously, what happened to that bravado you were showin' just a second ago?"

"I don't know," Shining replied, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly, "I just... you just caught me off guard I guess. Wasn't expecting somepony like you to answer the door -- not that that's a problem or anything, just... y'know... ugh."

Shining covered his face with a hoof as the mare laughed again.

"Again, don't worry about it," Stone Heart replied, still chuckling, "it's not you, hon, I just have that effect on ponies," she shook her head and turned around as she spoke, "anyway, I came here to tell you Gale wanted to see you," she blew her navy blue mane out of her face and began trotting down the hall, "I'm supposed to take you to see her so let's get goin' already."

Shining's eyes widened and a victorious smile crossed his face as he followed after Stone Heart.

"So what's your story, hon?" Stone Heart asked casually as they made their way down the hall, "how'd a colt like you even wind up here?"

"Didn't Frigid Gale tell you?" Shining asked with a bemused frown, "with how long I've been here, I would've thought that'd be common knowledge by now."

"Well it ain't," the large mare replied, "Gale didn't really tell us anything about you, just that we needed to make sure you were watched and comfortable."

"Naturally," the colt replied with a roll of his eyes, "well I'm not really comfortable talking about it right now," he lowered his gaze to his hooves, speaking in a quieter tone, "it... it still hurts to think about."

"Ah, shoulda figured," Stone Heart replied with a knowing nod, "got a chip on your shoulder, do ya?"

Shining frowned at the mare.

"No, it's alright I get it, hon," she said raising a hoof defensively, "a lot of folk here are like that. Don't wanna let anypony in or talk about their issues."

"So I've heard," the colt muttered before turning to Stone Heart, "and what about you?"

"Me?" Stone Heart replied, looking down at the colt with a raised brow, "you wanna know about little old me?"

Shining raised his own eyebrow in response.

He'd hardly call the mare 'little', not that he would say that to her face.

"Well, why not," he replied instead, "you'd be the second person to tell me anything," he shook his head in exasperation, "with how tight-lipped everypony is around here, I'm beginning to wonder how this place even functions."

"Ah, we do well enough," Stone Heart replied, "orders come down from the top, we follow em', simple as that."

"But that's not good enough," Shining replied with a frustrated shake of his head, "you need open communication. You need to be able to gauge the morale of those beneath you. You need to know if you can trust them to have your back and they need to know that you'll do the same for them."

He snorted angrily and looked away as he ranted.

"Without proper communication, the whole operation falls apart," he said quietly, "I'm sure these ponies and griffons would open up a bit more if Frigid Gale would just stop and spend some time around her troops -- listen to their problems y'know?

"It's all about building trust. There needs to be trust between commander and troops and between the troops themselves. You can't have real trust without proper communication."

"We're not a military organization, hon," Stone Heart replied after a moment, "that just isn't the way we do things."

"It doesn't matter," Shining continued with another shake of his head, "military or no, she's still in command of a lot of ponies and griffons. You're all relying on her to lead you to victory and if she doesn't take the time to interact with her subordinates, you'll all fail when it counts the most -- whether it's from outside elements or a tra--"

"Ya might wanna zip it now, hon," Stone Heart whispered as they reached a large black double door at the end of the hall, "we're here and the boss is just inside. Also..."

She gestured to the hall behind Shining and the colt turned to see several ponies eyeing him warily -- some dangerously.

"If it helps..."

He turned back to Stone Heart to see her staring at the door with a solemn frown.

"If it helps," she whispered before looking down at the colt, "I do agree with you," she leaned closer and smirked, "but try to take your own advice and open up a bit will ya?" she winked and straightened up "show em' how it's done, hon."

She gave him one last smile before turning and trotting back the way they came. Shining blinked in confusion and called out after her.

"You're not coming with?" he asked.

"Nah," she called back with a wave, "boss asked for just you. Good luck, hon!"

Shining watched her go for another moment, and furrowed his brow. He had all but forgotten he'd asked the mare for her story during his rant and never got to hear it. He let out a heavy sigh before turning to the double doors.

"Alright Shining Armor," he muttered to himself, "don't be intimidated, just say what you need to say."

He gave another sigh before pushing one of doors open and trotting inside.

As he stepped into the room, he shivered.

It was freezing in here and he feel it even through his coat -- as though the chill had settled into his very bones.

He decided then and there that he didn't like this place.

"Oh, hey kid!"

Shining looked ahead of him and finally noticed the room itself. It was large and dimly lit -- the overhead lighting casting an eerie amber glow over everything.

A large, long table sat in the middle of the room and there was a raised platform with a desk at the end of the table near the back. It was there that Frigid Gale sat leaned back in her chair as she waved merrily to the colt.

Shining also noticed Red Storm and a burly grey and white griffon each sitting at the long table. Red Storm paid him no mind, but the griffon eyed him incredulously. He turned to Frigid Gale and it looked as though he would say something.

He apparently thought better of it and closed his mouth as he turned and glared at the colt. Shining Armor swallowed nervously and put on a determined face before trotting further inside the room.

"Nice to see you again after so long," the thestral mare greeted as Shining approached, "you can just take a seat next Red Storm over there."

Shining nodded silently and trotted over to the offered seat. He hopped onto the chair and glanced at the stoic red unicorn next to him. Red Storm's attention however, was focused on the thestral mare as she spoke again.

"Alright so now that everyone's here we can get started," Gale exclaimed as she clapped her hooves together excitedly, "but for those of you who haven't been in here yet, allow me to welcome you to the the War Room!"

There was no reply.

Frigid Gale huffed and leaned against the desk -- her head propped on a hoof.

"You guys are no fun, you know that?" she complained before sighing and rolling her eyes, "alright fine, straight to business then -- at the very least I have some good news for you all anyway..."

She steepled her hooves on the desk and smiled at them all.

Shining stiffened in his seat.

Something had changed.

He couldn't tell for sure, but that strange bad feeling he had been getting from the thestral mare had multiplied tenfold. Her smile was pleasant but her eyes were incredibly cold. He saw the griffon tense up just as he did and that just confirmed to the colt that there was something wrong here.

Red Storm didn't react at all.

It was then that Shining realized getting through to Frigid Gale would be harder than he thought.

A lot harder.

The colt turned to face Frigid Gale and his eyes widened in disbelief at the thestral mare's next words.

"We did it, guys... we found her."

An Overdue Confrontation

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For a moment, no one spoke as they took in the meaning of what Frigid Gale was saying.

Shining Armor was eventually the first one to speak, his desperate need to have his suspicions confirmed pushing aside his unease.

"Are you saying you found my sister?" he asked as he stood up in his chair, "you actually found Twiley already?"

"Yes we did," she confirmed with a nod, "just yesterday in fact. Although," she reached down and pulled what looked like a letter from her desk, "the news was delivered to us only about an hour ago."

The griffon chose that moment to speak, rising from his chair as he address Frigid Gale.

"Just how were you able to locate her so quickly?" he asked, "if I remember correctly, all the search teams we sent out were dispatched to several of the major cities across Equestria," he leaned forward as he spoke, "based on the letters we've received back, many of them only just arrived at their destination."

"And sending them all was a waste of time it seems," Gale replied, "as it turns out, she wasn't in any of the cities -- far from them in fact."

"Where is she?" Shining demanded, "where's my sister?"

"You'd best watch that tone, fledgling," the griffon growled, as he glared at the colt, "I don't know what you think you're even doing here but--"

"Abern."

The griffon's beak snapped shut and he turned to face the thestral mare.

"Leave the kid be," Gale continued as she cast a side glance at the griffon, "he's just worried about his sister, his outburst is perfectly understandable."

Abern open and closed his beak a few times before before letting out a soft but angry snort.

"Understood," he turned his gaze back towards Shining with a frown of distate, "but why is he even here? The fledgling may be the target's brother, but what use is he?"

"This fledgling is our ticket to getting Twilight Sparkle to cooperate with us peacefully," Frigid Gale replied, "and a willing cooperation is something I'd very much prefer."

Shining grit his teeth but didn't comment. He had already known they were going to try and use him for something like that so Frigid Gale's words weren't any big surprise.

The thought of him and his sister being used in such a way still angered him though.

Abern eyed the colt for another moment before looking away dismissively.

"Understood."

Gale nodded once in satisfaction and turned to Shining Armor.

"To answer both your questions," she continued, "one of our scouts was sent far out west to retrieve a couple of ponies to aid in our operations," she paused for a moment to scan the letter in her hooves, "apparently the scout stumbled across some ponies who had met the filly on their way to town."

She stared at the letter for another moment before setting it down on the desk and idly tapping it with a hoof as she thought.

"I mentioned that we found her, but it would be more accurate to say that we found the general area where she's located," she frowned, "the letter didn't give any specifics and there's still a lot we don't know."

She leaned forward and steepled her hooves.

"We don't know how long she'll be in the area or whether or not she's traveling with anypony else -- though the odds of that are very likely."

"So what are we waiting for then?" the griffon asked impatiently, "we need someone out there ASAP before the target has a chance to flee from our grasp once again."

"I've already sent Fell Wind out to confirm Sound Mind's report," she replied evenly, "she knows to look for Twilight Sparkle while she's in the area and if we're lucky, the stallion's already captured the filly."

"And we can trust this Fell Wind to get the job done if Sound Mind does fail?" the griffon asked with a raised brow.

Frigid Gale stared at Abern.

Shining Armor could've sworn the griffon shrunk a few inches under Frigid Gale's icy gaze.

"Abern," Gale began quietly, "I know you haven't been with us for that long, but trust me when I say that if the filly really is in that area, Fell Wind will find her," her gaze intensified and Abern began to shiver involuntarily, "Fell Wind has successfully completed more missions than any other pony, griffon, or diamond dog here save for myself and Red Storm here."

She glanced at the silent unicorn stallion before turning back to Abern with a glare that could freeze an open flame.

"I trust that pegasus with my life, Abern," she hissed, "and if you're smart, you'll do the same, understood?"

"Yes, ma'am," Abern replied with a single quick nod, "if you say the pegasus can capture the target, I'll take your word for it."

"Good," Frigid Gale replied with a nod, "now where was I?"

Shining Armor frowned as he observed the griffon.

Though he tried to hide it, Shining could clearly see that Abern was biting back his anger and indignation at Frigid Gale's words.

This is what the colt had been worried about.

Shining could tell the griffon would be trouble later down the line, but Frigid Gale had completely failed to notice the lingering resentment coming from Abern.

How many others felt the same as Abern?

Did Frigid Gale know?

Did she even care?

If Gale's strong reaction was anything to go by, she and Fell Wind really did trust each other completely. Now the colt just had to figure out how to convince her to gain that kind of trust and commitment with all of her subordinates.

He was snapped out of his musings by Frigid Gale's next words.

"Ah, right," Gale suddenly exclaimed, "now that we've gotten that bit of news out of the way, I can move on to the reason I called you three here specifically."

She looked from Red Storm to Abern.

"I have a high priority assignment for the two of you," she explained, "and it's going to be dangerous."

"Just name it, and I'll get it done," Abern replied with a slight nod.

Red Storm merely nodded in understanding.

"Let's hope you can," Frigid Gale responded before pulling out two manila folders from her desk, "you two are going to be staying in Canterlot for the next few weeks or so."

"What? Why?" Abern cried in alarm, "you do realize how conspicuous a griffon would be in a place like Canterlot don't you?"

Shining was almost sure Frigid Gale would berate Abern, but the thestral mere gave an amused chuckle.

"You have nothing to be worried about regarding that, Abern," Gale assured, "griffons living in the Equestrian capital aren't as uncommon as you might think."

Her amused smile fell away to be replaced by a business-like frown.

"In fact, the reason I'm sending you is because there's a griffon there who has something I need and I think you might be able to persuade her to give it to me. On top of that, I thought it was about time I placed some agents within Canterlot to gather some intel on what's going on from the inside -- hence the extended stay."

"And just who is this griffon?" Abern asked with a bemused frown, "are you implying that I know her?"

"I think you do, yes," Frigid Gale answered with a nod, "it's all there in the mission statements, so i suggest you take a look later," she turned to face Shining Armor while still addressing Abern, "in the meantime I'd like to speak with the kid alone so you and Red Storm are dismissed. You have your orders, carry them out."

"Understood," Abern replied before taking the folder and rising from his seat.

"As you say, my Lady," Red Storm answered as he stood up from his own seat.

Together they both made their way to the double doors and exited the room. The doors clicked shut behind them, leaving Shining and Frigid Gale alone. Shining Armor shifted uneasily in his seat at the lingering silence before jumping slightly at the sound of a loud yawn.

"Horseapples, I did not get enough sleep last night," Gale muttered as she rubbed her eyes, "that took more outta me than usual..."

"What are you talking about?" Shining asked curiously.

"Ah, it's nothing. Don't worry about it, kid," Frigid Gale replied with a dismissive wave, "more importantly, a little birdy told me you wanted to talk?"

"Wha... what -- I mean yes!" Shining sputtered indignantly as he stood in his chair -- all his previous fear of the mare forgotten, "you said you'd tell me what was going on and I still haven't heard anything!"

Frigid Gale just nodded knowingly.

"That's true, I did tell you I'd explain some things about what was going on," Gale admitted, "but I haven't really been able to get around to it until now."

Shining found that hard to believe, but he held his tongue. He had regretted his little outburst as it was and anymore yelling wouldn't help his situation.

He had to remain calm.

Now that he finally had a chance to get some answers, he wasn't about to waste it. With a heavy sigh, he sat back in his chair and tried to put on a passive face as he spoke.

"I know there's going to be some things you can't or won't tell me," the colt began, "but there is one thing I'd like to know above everything else."

"Oh?" Frigid Gale replied with a raised eyebrow, "lay it on me, kid. What's on your mind?"

Shining's gaze hardened as he stared the mare in the eye.

"I was too emotional to realize this at the time," he said in an even tone, "but if you really were out to foalnap Twiley and your ponies were snooping around my house after everything had happened, you'd obviously have to know that my parents were murdered that night."

Frigid Gale visibly winced.

"I don't want to beat around the bush, so I'll be blunt..." Shining Armor leaned forward. While his own glare was no match for Gale's it was very impressive for a foal, "...did you have my parents killed just so you could get your hooves on my sister?"

The thestral stared at Shining Armor with an unreadable expression for a good minute. Shining never once broke his gaze away from Gale as he waited for her to answer.

After what felt like an eternity, Frigid Gale sighed and broke eye contact with the colt. She frowned and rubbed a foreleg nervously.

"I... guess I bucked up, huh?"

"Explain."

She gave another sigh and looked back to Shining Armor with a guilty expression.

"Look, It wasn't supposed to end like that," she replied, "a subordinate of mine was suppose to go in and grab your sister without anyone knowing what was up until it was too late."

"And instead, two murderers broke in and slaughtered my parents in front of me and my sister," Shining growled, unable to keep the anger and hurt out of his voice, "Twilight is the only real family I have left now!"

"I KNOW, OKAY?"

Shining reared back in his seat, completely taken aback by Frigid's Gale's cry.

"Kid -- Shining Armor, I..." Gale clenched her teeth and looked away from the colt, "I'm sorry alright? This is why I didn't wanna talk you," she slumped over the desk and covered her head with her hooves, "I knew it was gonna end up like this..."

Still somewhat stunned by the thestral's sudden change in demeanor, Shining tried to regain control of the situation.

"So, instead of owning up to it like an adult, you just avoided me?" Shining asked angrily, "my sister and I are alone, Gale. The only other living relative we have doesn't even live in Equestria, the least you could do is give me some answers for why my parents had to die."

Frigid Gale didn't say anything, her face obscured by the desk.

"Was it for revenge?" Shining asked pointedly, "is that why I lost my family?"

Still no response.

"So that was it then," the colt surmised, "my parents died and my sister's gone because you couldn't just--"

The temperature in the room dropped several degrees and Shining shuddered.

"I'm sorry about your family, Shining Armor, really I am..."

Frigid Gale raised her head and looked at the colt.

In that moment, Shining could see all the unfathomable rage and pain the mare was holding onto in those ice blue eyes.

"I bucked up, and I admit that it was my fault your parents died," she continued in a quavering voice, "but I can't and won't let guilt stop me from doing what I need to do."

"But why?" Shining pleaded, "your fixation on revenge is already getting innocent ponies killed, Frigid Gale!"

"I know that, kid," Gale replied with a grim frown, "and I'll be happy to pay the price for that once I have Celestia's head on a pike -- and not a moment before."

Shining glared at the thestral.

This wasn't going at all how he had planned and now it seemed as though both of them were no longer in a mood to talk.

"I'll bet you've never seen or even heard of another creature like me, have you, kid?"

Shining blinked at the sudden question.

It looked like Frigid Gale was willing to talk after all.

The colt shook his head, not trusting himself to speak.

"Yeah, didn't think so," Gale replied with a bitter smile, "not many ponies know about thestrals, Celestia made sure of that."

"What do you mean?" Shining asked, confused as to where this conversation was headed, "are you saying the Princess did... something... to..."

As his mind put the pieces together, he stared at Frigid Gale with a look of horrified realization.

Frigid Gale chuckled mirthlessly at Shining Armor's expression.

"What? You didn't know your Kind and Benevolent Sun Goddess was a genocidal monster?"

A Lesson in Equestrian History

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Shining Armor couldn't believe it.

He had known there was something off about the Princess, but the murder of an entire race? No, something had to give, there had to be more to it than that, and now was his chance to find out.

Shining Armor regained his composure and steeled his nerves.

"You're telling me that Princess Celestia... wiped out your entire race?" Shining asked carefully, "why? What possible reason could she have for--"

"It's because we were strong and she was -- and is -- completely crazy, kid," Frigid Gale interjected as she pounded a hoof on the desk. Shining winced at the absolute hatred that dripped from her voice, "thestrals were some of the most magically powerful creatures in Equestria aside from the Princesses once upon a time, but that meant buck all in the face of her insanity."

"I dont -- wait..." the colt blinked, "...did you say Princesses?"

Frigid Gale nodded gravely.

She stepped out from behind the desk and trotted over to the table where Shining Armor was sitting.

"Get comfortable, kid," Gale said as she sat down in the chair opposite Shining's, "you wanted answers? I'll give you answers, but first I want you to understand just what kind of villain we're up against."

The colt swallowed and put on a determined frown.

"What proof do you have that the Princess is the monster you say she is?" Shining asked, "I mean, I know Equestria's history hasn't been all sunshine and rainbows -- some of what I've read about the history of the Equestrian Army was pretty bad -- but Princess Celestia being responsible for the death of an entire race?"

"I don't have any proof for you," Frigid Gale replied with a shake of her head, "at least not on me right now, so you'll just have to take my word for it."

Shining Armor thought about it for a moment before he gave a slow nod.

"...Fair enough."

Gale nodded back and leaned back in her chair.

"To answer your question, yes, kid," she began, "there used to be two Princesses -- the Solar Princess Celestia, and the Lunar Princess Luna. Like you said, Equestria didn't used to be -- and still isn't in some places -- a paradise of love, tolerance, and Harmony."

Shining frowned but nodded silently and Gale continued.

"I can guarantee I've read all the same books on military history that you have, kid -- probably more -- and let me tell you, they're all a crock of horseapples."

Shining's frown deepened, but still he didn't say anything.

"History in general has been heavily revised by Celestia to fit the squeaky clean image she's been trying to hold on to for the last few centuries," Gale said with a disgusted frown, "but the truth of the matter is that Equestria was constantly warring against threats from within and outside its borders.

"Sometimes these wars would go on for decades at a time... and Equestria wasn't always the one in the right."

"How do you know all of this?" Shining finally asked. "if history really was revised like you said, then how would you have gotten your hooves on that kind of information?"

"I've got connections," Frigid Gale replied curtly, "just shut up and listen for now."

Shining Armor's brow furrowed, and he went silent once more.

"Now then," Gale continued, "back when Equestria was in a constant state of war, Celestia was a lot more... hooves on when it came to running her kingdom and protecting her little ponies, and her sister was right there with her, fighting alongside her every step of the way."

The colt opened his mouth to comment, but Frigid Gale cut him off.

"Yes, kid, Princess Luna was Celestia's younger sister," she said impatiently, "she once controlled the Moon as Celestia controls the Sun. Despite the turmoil of war, the two sisters were extremely close.

"Through their loyalty, bravery, leadership, and the bond they shared with each other, Equestria managed to prevail far more often than not. Over time, the two Princesses came to be known as heroes to their subjects, with some going so far as to call them Hero Queens and as stupid as I think that title is, they certainly deserved it... most of the time."

As Shining Armor listened he couldn't help but become intrigued by the story, and Frigid Gale noted with some hidden amusement that the colt was quite literally on the edge of his seat.

"Of course, there were times where both Princesses did things that weren't so heroic," the thestral mare continued, "among some of their more... atrocious deeds were torture, the razing of entire towns, public executions... and in Celestia's case, genocide.

"Still though, for all the horrible acts they committed, both sisters managed to remain good in the eyes of the general public."

Up until this point, Frigid Gale had been somewhat enjoying herself, much to her own surprise, but it was at this point that she put on a solemn expression as she spoke.

"Eventually, the Griffonian Kingdom and the Empire of Minos formed an alliance against Equestria in an effort to take the country once and for all by seizing it's captial which, at the time, was located south of Mount Canterhorn where the Everfree forest is now.

"The war between Equestria and the Griffonian-Minos Alliance was one of the longest and bloodiest wars in Equestria's history and even with all of the Princesses strength, the Alliance took the capital and we very nearly lost."

"I remember reading about that," Shining Armor interjected as raised a hoof to his chin, "supposedly Princess Celestia's Royal Army ousted the invaders in a surprise attack on the Everfree Castle, though it was completely destroyed in the process, leaving no evidence of the castle or the city remaining."

Frigid Gale actually laughed at this, much to Shining confusion and irritation.

"I told you, kid," she said, still chuckling, "those books are complete garbage when it comes to historical accuracy," she frowned again, "what actually happened wasn't nearly as flashy or heroic and the castle wasn't destroyed -- at least not yet, and even then, not completely."

"It's true that the Alliance had taken over the Everfree Castle," Gale conceded, "but the invaders weren't ousted, they were slaughtered, each and every one of them by the Princesses own hooves."

Shining wanted to be horrified, but he found his curiosity too strong to overcome. Rather than asked what actually happened, he waited for Frigid Gale to explain, and she did.

"Celestia and Princess Luna knew an attack on the capital was imminent and so they planned for it. They built an underground bunker before the attack, and when the Alliance came to invade, they evacuated the citizen of Everfree City and waited.

"It wasn't until after the Everfree Castle was taken that the Princesses struck. They took a few soldiers and snuck into the castle, systematically killing every griffon and minotaur they came across until they reached the throneroom where they fought the generals of both the Griffonian and Minos armies in a deadly duel.

"The Princesses won the duel and killed off the rest of the Alliance soldiers scattered throughout the town. From that point onward the war drastically shifted in favor of Equestria and with newfound morale, the Equestrian Army rallied and crushed the remaining Alliance forces.

"The reclamation of Everfree Castle more or less signaled Equestria's victory over the Alliance, and after negotiating the terms of surrender for Griffonia and Minos, peace finally returned to Equestria... for a time."

Shining sat back in his chair as he thought about what Frigid Gale had told him. Some of the details seemed to match up with what he had read, but a lot of it was far worse than he had ever imagined.

And then there was Princess Luna.

If what Frigid Gale had said was true, then Princess Celestia had somehow managed to completely erase her own sister from history. The mere thought sickened the colt and he wondered just what on Equus could've caused the Princess to do something like that.

On top of that, there was barely any information at all about what happened after the war against the Alliance -- though it looked like he would soon find out.

"The next part of what I'm about to tell you is a history that's been carefully recorded by my family for generations, and it isn't something that I divulge lightly, kid," Gale continued with a serious expression, "I've only told three other ponies about it, and one of them practically laughed in my face."

She leaned forward and gave the colt a look that sent shivers down his spine.

"Don't make the same mistake."

Shining nodded quickly and Gale leaned back once more with a satisfied nod of her own.

"Equestria was peaceful for a couple of centuries after the war with the Alliance, and it seemed like that peace would last forever to some ponies, but then the Lunar Princess fell in love."

Shining's eyebrows raised in surprise, not having expected the sudden turn of events.

"Yeah, that's how I looked when I found out," Frigid Gale responded, a wry smirk briefly making it's way to her face before she frowned again, "anyway, from what I was told, a mysterious stallion claiming to be from an empire far to the north arrived in Equestria and began to court Princess Luna in secret.

"After some time had passed, the Princess fell for his charms and they began an illicit relationship hidden from the eyes of Celestia and the rest of the public. It was apparently during this time that Luna had found out she had an affinity for Dark Magic."

"Really?" Shining Armor couldn't help but ask, "wouldn't she have known about that already given how old she would've been?"

"You'd think so," Frigid Gale answered with a shrug, "but it turns out Princess Luna had never once used Dark Magic. I personally think it was because her sister had forbidden it due to all the Dark Mages that had been around at the time.

"Getting back on topic, the story goes that the stallion greatly encouraged Princess Luna to make use of Dark Magic and helped cultivate her ability with it. Eventually Celestia found out about the stallion and their relationship.

"She drove the stallion from Equestria and back to his own land and harshly forbade her sister from seeing him again. Though she found out about the relationship, Celestia still didn't know about Princess Luna's use of Dark Magic.

"Princess Luna resented her sister for her actions against the stallion she loved, and it didn't take long for that resentment to grow into outright hatred. This hatred caused the Lunar Princess to delve deeper and deeper into Dark Magic.

"Driven by rage, sorrow and the influence of Dark Magic -- Princess Luna adopted the moniker of Nightmare Moon and attacked her sister. Though both sisters survived the battle, no one actually knew how the battle ended."

Frigid Gale paused and let out a tired sigh. She cracked her neck a few times before eyeing the colt sitting across from her. Shining Armor had been hanging on Frigid Gale's every word and had all but forgotten his anger towards the thestral mare in the face of the overwhelming amount of information.

Gale chuckled and shook her head before speaking again.

"Regardless of who won, the action would spark a civil war that raged on for a decade, and the thestrals would pay the heaviest price once it was over."

A Sun Goddess' Wrath

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Shining Armor didn't really know what to say at this point.

A lot of what Frigid Gale was telling him sounded ridiculous, but he was so enraptured by the story, he couldn't help but believe it in the back of his mind. Still he had questions that he wanted answered -- especially about this mysterious stallion -- but he decided he'd save those questions for when the mare was finished. Until then, he sat in his chair and listened intently as Frigid Gale spoke.

"After the battle with her sister," Gale continued, "Nightmare Moon fled the Everfree Castle and seemingly disappeared from Equestria. What she had actually done was fly to the far north where the Crystal Empire lay, braving the freezing winds to be with the stallion she loved.

"When Nightmare Moon finally arrived, the stallion had revealed himself to be none other than the Crystal Emperor Sombra. Nightmare had wanted to stay in the Crystal Empire with her beloved, but Sombra had convinced her to take revenge upon her sister and together they plotted to overthrow Celestia for the sake of their love and a better future for ponykind."

Shining frowned at this.

There were some things that didn't add up about this Sombra and frankly as far as the colt was concerned, his actions and intentions were incredibly suspect. Nevertheless he held his tongue and listened to the rest of the story.

"They spent months gathering support and allies for the incoming war against the Sun Goddess. Among these allies were the changelings in the Badlands to the south, and the thestrals hidden away to the far west."

"What are changelings?" Shining asked curiously, "and if the thestrals were hidden away, how did Pri -- er, Nightmare Moon find them?"

"We have some documents on changelings you can look up later, and I'm getting to how Nightmare Moon found us," Gale explained impatiently, "now if I can continue?"

Shining Armor motioned for her to do just that.

"Thank you, now as I was saying," she cleared her throat before speaking again. "While Emperor Sombra went in secret to negotiate with the Changeling Queen, Nightmare Moon had disguised herself and hid amongst the Equestrian populace. She went about various towns spreading ill rumors and propaganda about Celestia and after some time, some of the ponies began to listen.

"Eventually her travels brought her to some as of yet unknown woods to the far west of Equestria. Curious, Nightmare Moon traveled through and past these woods and found an entire nation unknown to both her and Celestia.

"She had stumbled upon a small nation of creatures known as thestrals -- similar in many respects to ponies, but far more predatory in nature."

Frigid Gale paused long enough to give Shining Armor an amused grin.

"Fun fact about thestrals," she said with a smirk, "apparently we're descended from the legendary wendigos that were said to ravage the land way back before even the Princesses time."

"What? Really?" Shining asked incredulously, "how does that work?"

"Dunno," Frigid Gale replied with a shrug, "but it's true."

"What makes you so sure?" Shining challenged, "you have some kind of evidence?"

Frigid Gale gave the colt a saccharine smile that set his fur standing on end. Her ice blue eyes and teal mane suddenly seemed to glow a bit brighter in the dim light of the room. At the same time the temperature seemed to drop even lower than before.

"Oh, I have evidence, kid," she finally replied, "want me to show you?"

"I'll..." Shining gulped nervously, "I'll take your word for it."

At that, the temperature returned to merely being chilly and the weird glow disappeared from Frigid Gale's eyes and mane.

"Alright then," Gale replied jovially, "back to the story."

Shining gave a quiet sigh of relief as Gale continued.

"For whatever reason, the actual name of the thestral nation was forgotten over the years, but from what I'm told, Nightmare Moon often jokingly referred to it as Bat Country."

Shining raised a brow at the name and Frigid shrugged in response.

"Yeah I don't know," she replied, "in any case, the thestrals welcomed Nightmare Moon with open hooves and in turn it was said she enjoyed their company greatly. She learned of our heritage and soon forged a friendship with our race. Out of gratitude for our hospitality and a 'desire to see us rise to greatness' she cast some sort of spell that awakened our wendigo blood.

"Though we were a relatively small nation compared to many of the other races, we became really powerful. We had full control over Soul Magic and could use it like unicorns do as well as access to a special kind of Magic inherited from our wendigo ancestors."

Shining tried to hide the growing unease he felt as he listened to Frigid Gale talk about her apparent abilities. Frigid Gale thankfully took no notice and moved on with her story.

"After a time, she told us about her plan to take Equestria and of course we agreed to help her. By the time Nightmare Moon returned to Equestria, Sombra had successfully formed an alliance with the changelings. Some of the ponies of Equestria agreed with our cause, but not nearly enough to be of any help.

"Trying to gain support within Equestria's borders proved to be a mistake. Word had gotten to Celestia that there was a pony going around inciting a rebellion. Celestia didn't take this well and did some digging, finding out that it had in fact been Nightmare Moon.

"Outraged by her sister's actions, Celestia immediately gathered her forces and launched a surprise attack on the Crystal Empire just as Nightmare Moon and Sombra returned."

Frigid Gale stopped here and tapped the table with a hoof. She looked away with a thoughtful frown and shook her head before turning back to Shining Armor.

"As much fun as this little history lesson has been, it's getting way too long and I've got other things I need to do, so I'll just give you the important bits from here on out."

Shining let a disappoint frown cross his muzzle but didn't complain. He figured he probably wasn't going to get all of his answers right now, but at the very least she might give him something he could use against her.

"Long story short," Gale continued, "Sombra and Nightmare Moon were able to call upon their allies and turn the tide of battle -- pushing the fight all the way back to Equestria with the combined might of the Crystal Army, the changelings, and the thestrals.

"In a matter of weeks, Nightmare Moon had Celestia backed against a wall -- that is until she requested aid from the Griffonian Kingdom and the Empire of Minos. Both nations launched another surprise attacked and beat back Nightmare Moon's forces.

"From there it became a stalemate that lasted several years with no side gaining any sort of advantage over the other. As the fighting wore on, Celestia became more and more... unhinged I guess would be a good word.

"The fight was taking it's toll on her and she decided to end it before her sanity completely wasted away. She lured Nightmare Moon into a trap at the Everfree Castle and they battled each other one on one. That was the battle that destroyed the castle and the town surrounding it."

Frigid Gale slowly shook her head and scowled at the table.

"During the battle, Celestia caught Nightmare Moon off guard and used the opportunity to unleash her secret weapon. She used the Elements of Harmony to banish her own sister to the Moon."

"The elements of what?" Shining asked in confusion, "and she did what with them?"

"She used the Elements of Harmony to banish Nightmare Moon," Frigid Gale repeated, "I don't know exactly how they work, but they're ancient artifacts that have the power to stop Disharmony in its tracks -- or that's how it was explained to me anyway.

"Celestia and her sister had used them in the past to stop all kinds of threats to Equestria, but for some reason, they stopped using them once all the wars started breaking out."

Shining worriedly noted that Frigid Gale's hooves were digging into the table and he could swear the temperature around him was starting to drop again.

"Here comes the fun part of the story," she practically hissed, "after Celestia banished Nightmare Moon to the Moon, she went insane with rage and basically went on a killing spree."

"What?" Shining cried incredulously.

"Oh, yeah," Frigid Gale replied, malice once again lacing her voice, "your lauded Sun Princess became some kind of Goddess of Vengeance and slaughtered as many thestrals, changelings, and Imperial Crystal soldiers as she could get her hooves on. She didn't even touch the ponies of Equestria.

"The changelings were able to hide long enough to escape Celestia's wrath and Sombra used some kind of really powerful Dark Magic spell to seal the entire Crystal Empire away from the world before Celestia could even get to him. That only left the one race that couldn't escape in time."

"The thestrals..." Shining muttered in horror.

"Bingo," Gale replied, "as powerful as we were, in Celestia's current state we didn't stand a chance. Once she killed all the thestrals remaining in Equestria, she found our home and laid it to waste, burning our entire nation to the ground."

Shining felt a lump rise in his throat as Gale spoke.

"I was told she laughed as she did it," Frigid Gale said as she stared off in a random direction, "our nation continued to burn and she just laughed and laughed, and laughed."

Shining's hooves began to shake, images of a broken door, a smashed and bloody bed flashing across his mind. The thick scent of blood and the sound of cruel feminine laughter filled his nose and ears.

"So after that she returned to Equestria and was hailed as a hero by her little ponies," Gale continued, with a bitter laughter, "a bucking hero! Can you believe it?"

Shining Armor fought to push the memories back down with enough success to focus back on what Frigid Gale was saying. It was important that he hear every word that Frigid Gale had to say.

He could return to his room and have his mental breakdown later.

"That genocidal nag may have wiped out the vast majority of the thestral race," Gale growled, "but she didn't get all of us. As far as I know, my family along with a few others managed to survive the slaughter and escape.

"We managed to make it to a remote piece of land just outside of Equestria and eventually we were able to rebuild our society. For awhile things were good, we had made a new home within the forests to the west and while we only ever managed to maintain a small woodland village, we were happy -- even called it Bat Country in honor of the true Princess."

Frigid Gale's eyes flashed dangerously and she clenched her teeth in rage as she spoke her next words.

"Then somehow -- and to this day I still don't know how -- that nag found out about our little haven! I was only a foal when that monster strode into our village. She didn't say a word, she didn't demand anything, she just roamed through our village with her blank expression as she burned every last thestral to a crisp.

"Oh sure, we tried to fight back. but it didn't help, our wendigo blood had weakened over the ages and we weren't strong enough to stop her from killing every last one of us. The only reason I survived was because my dad hid me away near the forests edge before galloping back to the village."

Frigid Gale was crying silent tears of anger as she spoke and that lump in Shining's throat returned.

"I called out to him, screamed his name, but he didn't look back. Mom was already gone, he just told me to run, I didn't so he used the last of his Soul Magic to teleport me so far out of the forest I could barely see the tree line.

"By the time I made it back it was too late. There were no thestrals left and Celestia was gone, right along with village."

"I... I don't..."

Shining trailed off.

He honestly didn't know what to say to the thestral mare. While the murder of his parents was horrfic, she had lost just as much if not more. and all of this done by Celestia herself.

"So now you know why I can't stop," Frigid Gale said, regaining her faculties, "this is why the Solar nag needs to die, no matter the cost."

Shining made to speak but Frigid Gale pushed ahead.

"You want to know what my plan is?" Gale snapped, "my plan is to cast Celestia down just as Princess Luna tried to do as Nightmare Moon all those years ago, And bring back the true Princess to rule in her place, and I need your sister to help me do it."

Before Shining could respond, Frigid Gale rose from her seat and trotted to the door.

"This conversation is over, kid," she growled, "I'm in a crappy mood and I need a drink... or three."

She opened the door and shouted to one of the ponies in the hall. After a moment, a burly grey unicorn trotted inside.

"Take the kid back to his room and let the Doc know I'm cancelling my visit for today."

The stallion nodded and motioned for Shining Armor to follow him. Shining hesitated for a brief moment before slowly stepping down from his chair and following behind the stallion.

This wasn't how he expected his first visit with Frigid Gale to go.

Not at all.

After everything he had heard, he didn't know what to make of the thestral mare. It was too much too fast and he needed time to process it all. Perhaps it was a good thing Gale had ended the meeting when she did.

It gave the colt time to sort out his incredibly jumbled thoughts and feelings.

As he trotted down the hall and back to his room, one thought rose above all others in his mind.

How am I going to get through to her by the time she finds my sister?

A New Way to Travel

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"So this is a Vardo?"

Trixie gave the large caravan an appraising look as she trotted around it.

After a quick breakfast, each of the fillies, Ancient Scroll, Yojimbo, and Rouge had packed up a few of their belongings and made their way back to Yojimbo's house in town. Ancient Scroll had managed to park the Vardo just outside before the events of last night.

"Trixie admits, it is one of the largest wagons she's ever seen," Trixie conceded, stopping in front of the Vardo's entrance, "but aside from that it doesn't seem like anything special..."

"Then why are you ogling the thing like a present on Hearth's Warming Eve?" Sunset retorted as she trotted around to get a better look herself, "and it's not a wagon, it's a caravan."

"Trixie doesn't see the difference," the azure filly replied with a huff, "it looks like a wagon, just... bigger."

Sunset just shook her head and trotted over to talk to Rouge.

The caravan itself was indeed very large -- the walls, roof, and back door were made of a sturdy dark brown wood. It had two smaller window on each side and two lowered swinging doors in the front that led to a small raised platform with a wooden railing just outside -- the opening covered by a large vanilla colored curtain.

There were four giant spoked wheels, a chimney on one side near the roof, and no place to hitch a pony in the front, much to the fillies initial confusion.

"The difference between a wagon and a caravan," Twilight explained, trotting over and sitting next to Trixie, "is that a caravan is exclusively made to be lived in while you're on the road, hence the larger size."

The lavender filly looked from Trixie to the Vardo with an anticipatory grin.

"I talked to Uncle Scroll about it before he went to the market," she continued, "he says there's some kind of old Runic enchantment that makes it so that the inside is bigger than the outside!"

"Really?" Trixie asked, her brows raising in sudden awe. She looked back to the caravan with newfound respect, "Trixie may have spoken too soon..."

Twilight nodded and clopped her hooves together in excitement.

"From what Uncle Scroll told me, It's already furnished with different things, like beds, a bathroom, a kitchen, and even a small sitting room with a shelf to put books!"

"Well then why are we still out here?" Trixie asked as she stepped closer to the Vardo's door, "Trixie wants to see the inside for herself!"

"Trixie, no," came Sunset's stern voice, "Uncle Scroll said to wait until he and Yojimbo got back with the supplies."

Trixie turned to face the approaching orange filly with a scowl.

"Oh come on," Trixie complained, "a single peek won't hurt, Sunset Shimmer."

Sunset went to argue, but Twilight spoke first.

"Can we please just take one look, Sunset?" Twilight begged as she stood next to Trixie, "I really wanna see the inside."

Sunset looked between Twilight and Trixie's pleading faces and groaned in annoyance.

"Fine," she relented, "but only if Rouge agrees to come with us."

"It's fine with me, little one."

Sunset jumped slightly and rounded on the cat with narrowed eyes -- doing her best to ignore the two giggling fillies behind her.

"You're doing that on purpose, aren't you?"

"I'm quite sure I have no idea what you're talking about," Rouge replied with an innocent smile, "now let's get a look inside shall we?"

Rouge stepped behind the caravan and opened the door in the back. Twilight squealed with glee and she rushed inside with Trixie right behind her. Sunset and Rouge both follow after them in a more relaxed manner, though Sunset's eyes widened in wonder at what she saw inside.

When Twilight had mentioned that the Vardo was bigger on the inside, that had been no joke. The back door opened up to a thin sort of hallway with three doors on either side and an open space where the stove and the rest of the kitchen was. Twilight and Trixie were already throwing doors open to see what was inside.

"Twilight, Sunset!" Trixie cried, poking her head out of one of the rooms, "there's an entire bedroom in here, and it's almost as big as the one back at the cottage!"

"And this sitting room is only a tiny bit smaller than the study!" Twilight called back from inside the room, "the bookshelf is huge and it's built into the wall!"

Rouge chuckled and headed further in to check out the kitchen area. After taking a peek into the other rooms, Sunset decided to take a look at the bathroom. As she opened the door, she was slightly disappointed to see that the bathroom wasn't anything particularly fancy compared to the rest of the Vardo.

It was rather claustrophobic really, with a toilet, a sink and nothing else. Honestly Sunset didn't really know what else she was expecting. With a shake of her head, she closed the door and trotted over to the swinging doors in the front.

She stepped out onto the raised platform and looked over the railing with a frown. Usually there was some kind of harness to hitch a pony to the front so they could pull the wagon or caravan, but Sunset didn't see one anywhere.

"This caravan is a marvel."

Her ear gave a surprised twitch, but Sunset didn't otherwise react to the soft voice behind her. Rouge quietly walked out and stood next to the filly as she mused aloud.

"Yeah," Sunset agreed, still not taking her eyes off the ground, "it kinda reminds me of the cottage actually."

The Abyssinian hummed and nodded in response.

"From everything I've seen so far, this Vardo is worth far more than we paid for it," Rouge said, staring out at the rest of the neighborhood with an amused grin, "I honestly cannot fathom how that crotchety old griffon could've parted with this for such a paltry sum -- not that I'm complaining of course."

"Where's the harness?" Sunset asked, turning to the Abyssinian, "how are we supposed to move the thing if we can't pull it?" she furrowed her brow, "for that matter, who here is even going to pull it?"

Rouge chuckled at Sunset's questions and flashed her a knowing smile.

"The old one removed the harness entirely," she answered, "according to him, we won't need it."

"What?" Sunset replied with a bewildered expression, "what does he mean 'we won't need it'? How are we supposed to move it then?"

Rouge tapped her chin thoughtfully, as if deciding whether to answer the question or not. Eventually she shrugged and turned back to the curious filly with a smirk.

"I'm not very familiar in the ways of unicorn magic," Rouge explained, "but apparently Ancient Scroll can cast a spell to make things move on their own."

Sunset frowned in confusion for a moment before raising her brows in realization.

"Of course," she said, slapping a hoof to her face, "of course he'd think to use a Come-to-Life spell, but wait..." she frowned again and looked back towards the inside of the Vardo, "in order for that spell to work, you'd have to give a basic set of instructions. After that, it's out of the caster's hooves until they cancel the spell."

She turned and stared at the railing, furrowing her brow in thought.

"It could work for this type of thing," she muttered, "but given what's it being used for, it wouldn't be the most ideal solution. Maybe he modified the spell somehow?"

Rouge shook her head and left the filly to ponder the old stallion's magical methods. She walked back into the caravan just as Twilight stepped out of the sitting room muttering to herself. The look on her face as she trotted past was so similar to Sunset's that the molly couldn't help but laugh.

The laughter snapped Twilight out of her musings and she turned to look at Rouge in confusion.

"What's so funny all of a sudden?" she asked.

"Oh, it's nothing, little one," Rouge replied as her laughter died down to small chuckles, "I'm just beginning to realize how similar you and Sunset Shimmer can be, that's all."

"Okay?" Twilight responded with an uncertain raise of her eyebrow, "well anyway, is Trixie still in the bedroom?"

"I'm not sure--"

Their conversation was cut off by a loud snore that the closed door beside them did nothing to drown out.

"Are you serious?" Twilight groaned in exasperation. She pushed the door open to reveal an empty room save for four cots spread haphazardly across the floor.

On one of those cots was an azure filly splayed lazily across her stomach her mouth open and drool hanging from her mouth. Rouge stepped inside after Twilight and smiled at the display.

"That is one of the most adorable things I've ever--"

Another loud snore ripped through the room and the Abyssinian ear twitched slightly -- her warm smile turning to a deadpan frown.

"...Nevermind."

Twilight shook her head and snorted in annoyance.

"Trixie!"

"GAH!"

Trixie snapped awake and looked around, blinking in confusion. Her gaze settled on the amused cat and unamused lavender filly in the doorway. She stared at them for moment before putting on a sheepish grin.

"Is it time to go yet?"

Twilight sighed and was about to turn and trot back out of the room when she heard Sunset call out from the platform outside.

"Uncle Scroll's back!"

Rouge and the three fillies headed for the back door and stepped outside to greet the old stallion and husky.

"Oi!" Ancient Scroll called out, grunting with the effort of holding several heavy looking bags in his magic, "could use some help here!"

Yojimbo walked towards the Vardo, with two large wooden boxes in his massive arms with seemingly no problems whatsoever.

"Honey we're home!" he called out to Rouge, "did ya miss us?"

Rouge ignored the husky as she grabbed some of the bags out of the Ancient Scroll's bright green field of magic.

"I let the--" Rouge gave a surprised grunt of her own as she took the bags from Ancient Scroll "--I let... the little ones into the caravan... while you were out," she adjusted the bags in her hand and let out a heavy sigh as she and the old stallion made their way back to the Vardo, "I hope you don't mind."

"Nah, it's... fine," Ancient Scroll grunted, "figured they'd wanna... take a look before I got back... anyway."

"What are you slowpokes waiting for?" Yojimbo yelled from up ahead, "we ain't got all day!"

Ancient Scroll and Rouge looked ahead to see the husky waving to them with a smirk as he leaned against the side of the caravan -- the three fillies rummaging through the boxes on the ground next to him.

"Give us... a minute... Yoji," Ancient Scroll called back, "we're not all musclebound meatheads like you are."

That just made the old dog laugh out loud.

Rouge shook her head and sighed as she followed Ancient Scroll.

"This is going to be one interesting trip..."

A Clever Disguise

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The trip out of town was made in the Vardo -- much to the fillies delight.

Sunset had found out that Ancient Scroll had indeed modified the Come-to-Life spell to both last longer and take more specific instructions. They were now on their way back home to pack the last of what they wanted to bring on the trip.

After the ponies, diamond dog, and Abyssinian had gotten comfortable in the caravan, Ancient Scroll had called the fillies into the sitting room for something important. He sat on the built-in armchair while the three fillies sat together on the couch opposite Ancient Scroll.

"Now then," Ancient Scroll turned to Twilight, remember when I told you I had a spell to take care of your little notoriety problem?"

Um..." Twilight tilted her head in confusion for a second before realization hit her, "oh right! You mentioned you had something that would disguise me?"

"Aye," Ancient Scroll answered with a nod, "in fact, I think it'd be best if we made sure all of you were incognito for the duration of this trip."

Twilight, Sunset, and Trixie glanced at each other with varying degrees of worry and excitement. On one hoof, that fact that they even had to disguise themselves made them uncomfortable, but on the other hoof they couldn't help but be intrigued by the idea of hiding their identities like some sort of spies right out of a fictional novel.

Sunset Shimmer in particular seemed to be rather enamored by the idea.

"How are you gonna do it?" Sunset asked.

"Will we get to choose our disguise?" Trixie asked.

"Is it really gonna hold up for the entire trip?" Twilight asked.

"Girls, just give me a minute and I'll explain," Ancient Scroll replied with a placating wave of his hoof, "all your questions will be answered, don't worry," he lowered his hoof and nodded, "now then..."

He furrowed his brow in concentration and lit up his horn. Each of the girls cried out in surprise as the old stallion was suddenly engulfed in a bright green flame. It only last a second, and when it was gone, there was a completely different stallion in front of the fillies.

Ancient Scroll had gone from his old beige coated, green eyed. grey maned self to a younger looking navy blue, amber eyed, blonde maned unicorn stallion.

"What--"

"Uncle Scroll, what did you just--"

"Trixie demands to know what--"

The fillies outbursts were cut off by the stallion's amused laughter.

"Relax, girls," the stallion said in a lighter, much less raspy voice, "I'm still Ancient Scroll, this is just a spell I picked up awhile back," he frowned and put a hoof to his chin, "well, it was actually more of a biological function, but I managed to break down how it worked and turned it into a spell."

Twilight, Sunset, and Trixie sat there staring at the changed stallion in shocked silence.

"...I have questions, Uncle Scroll," Twilight finally replied.

"I'm sure you do, little filly," Ancient Scroll responded with a knowing smirk, "we've got a bit more time before we make it back to the cottage, so how about I tell you a bit about the race I based this spell off of?"

The filly gave each other another glance and got comfortable as they listened to Ancient Scroll.

"Now, as I said before, this spell isn't like any other disguise spells you may have seen or heard about," Ancient Scroll explained. His horn flashed a bright green and he returned to his old self once again, "as I said, this was originally a biological function -- specifically that of a changeling."

"You mentioned changelings before," Twilight commented curiously, "what are they?"

"Changelings are a curious race," Ancient Scroll replied, "if you were to ever see one, I'm sure the term 'bug pony' would come to mind, but they're far more 'bug' than they are 'pony' I can assure you. They have a solid black chitin shell instead of fur, sharp fangs and horns, bug-like wings and filmy blue eyes."

Ancient Scroll took note of the eager look in Twilight's eyes with an amuse smile, but frowned slightly in confusion when he noticed Trixie sharing the same look. The changelings were interesting creatures to be sure, but he hadn't expected Trixie to take such an interest.

Nevetheless he continued.

"Changelings are shapeshifting emotivores that use a combination of their natural and magical abilities to feed off of different emotions -- love being their preferred source of sustenance."

"Love?" Sunset commented, raising a skeptical eyebrow, "really?"

"Really," the old stallion replied simply, "it's one of the healthiest and tastiest things they can eat. They can get these emotions any number of ways, but due to the nature of what they are and what they eat, many of these ways involve lies and deceit -- hence the shapeshifting ability."

"So how were you able to learn enough about these changelings to be able to create a spell based on their biological functions?" Sunset asked with a bemused frown, "I don't see how that could be possible unless you either studied them extensively or you knew one personally."

"As a matter of fact, I did know one personally," Ancient Scroll confirmed, "one of them had gotten separated from their hive and cut off from the hivemind. I helped him return. He and I became good friends along the way and he taught me a few things."

"Did you say hivemind?" Twilight asked somewhat nervously, "changelings have a hivemind?"

"Indeed they do, little filly," the old stallion replied, "they have hives run by a single Queen. That Queen both directs the hivemind and lays the eggs. As far as I know, the majority of the hives are located deep in the Badlands, though I've also heard there are some smaller hives elsewhere."

"And just how did you manage to convert biology to magic?" Sunset pushed, "that seems... well... kind of unbelievable," she narrowed her eyes at the old stallion, "you're not a changeling... are you?"

"Me?" Ancient Scroll asked taken aback by the question, "nah, I'm no changeling, little filly. How I created this spell is between me and my changeling traveling companion, but I assure you, I'm one hundred percent pony."

"Prove it."

"Wha -- Sunset!" Twilight cried indignantly, "learning a spell based off of changeling biology doesn't automatically make him a--"

"I can't prove it -- at least not right now."

Twilight whipped around to face the stallion with wide eyes, but before she could say anything, Ancient Scroll continued.

"I could tell you all kinds of things about changelings, but without an actual changeling to compare me to, everything I say could be a complete lie -- it's not, but you have no way of knowing that," he shook his head and gave Sunset an apologetic smile, "you'll just have to take my word for it, little filly."

Sunset bit her lip and stared at her hooves.

She was conflicted.

She really didn't like the fact that Ancient Scroll might've been lying to her -- to all of them all this time. Yet at the same time, what if he was telling the truth and he had somehow managed to actually do what he said he had done? It seemed impossible...

...but maybe it wasn't?

"Trixie doesn't see what the big deal is."

Sunset snapped her gaze to the shrugging azure filly.

"So what if Uncle Scroll was a changeling?" she continued, "even if he was, he still cares about us, and that's all Trixie really cares about. Besides," she grinned excitedly, "that just means we can learn more about changelings than any other pony."

"While I don't believe for a second that Uncle Scroll is a changeling," Twilight added tentatively, "I... won't rule out the possibility that he could've been replaced by one."

As Trixie and Twilight discussed the issue, Sunset looked back over to the old stallion with a contemplative frown.

"Hey, Uncle Scroll?" Sunset asked after a moment.

"What is it, little filly?" Ancient Scroll replied with a patient smile.

"...Can you cast that Shapeshifting spell on me?"

Twilight and Trixie stopped their conversation and turned to Sunset with matching looks of surprise. Ancient Scroll furrowed his brow and nodded.

"If that's what you want, I can do that," he said as he lit his horn once more, "just know that since I haven't cast this spell on any of you yet, I won't know what you'll end up looking like -- though once it's been cast the first time, I can give you all the same form again."

"That's fine," Sunset replied with a determined scowl, "Trixie's right. Even if you are a changeling, you haven't done anything to hurt us," she gave the old stallion a small smile, "I don't want to think of you as anypony but Uncle Scroll, so just... go for it."

"I... thanks, little filly. It means a lot to hear you say that," Ancient Scroll said, giving the orange filly a grateful smile of his own, "this'll just take a moment. The spell is static and will last for the duration of a week before it wears off and I have to cast it again."

He nodded and his horn flashed green. One burst of green flame later, and in Sunset's place was a unicorn filly with a maroon coat, fuschia eyes, and a violet mane and tail with a single fuschia colored streak. Her cutie mark had even changed from a stylized red and yellow sun to a thick yellow four pointed star surrounded by a yellow halo.

The other two fillies gaped at their changed friend.

Ancient Scroll gave a nod of satisfaction and turned to the others with a smirk.

"Well what do you think, girls?" he asked playfully, "quite a change, isn't it?"

They both continued to stare at Sunset in disbelief for another moment before Twilight finally spoke up.

"So... um..." she looked back to Trixie for a second before turning back to Sunset with an uncertain smile, "how do you feel, Sunset?"

"I feel... fine?" Sunset blinked and furrowed her brow in bemusement at the slightly higher pitch and tone of her voice, "oh wow, that's gonna take some getting used to."

Sunset had always had a slightly deeper tone of voice for a filly and she had been made fun of for it in the past, but overtime she had grown used to it, and had even come to like it. This, she decided, would be an interesting change of pace.

"That's all Trixie needed to know," the azure filly rounded on Ancient Scroll, "it's Trixie's turn."

"Trixie wait," Twilight interjected, "maybe we should--"

"It'll be fine, Twilight Sparkle," Trixie replied, turning an accusing eye towards the lavender filly, "I trust Uncle Scroll, don't you?"

Twilight opened her mouth, closed it, and sighed before giving Ancient Scroll a long look. She eventually frowned and turned back to Trixie with a single nod.

"Of course I do."

"Alright then!" Trixie cried happily, "it's time for Trixie's brand new debut!"

Ancient Scroll chuckled as his horn flared to life again. The transformation took only a second to finish and a completely new filly rose and struck a pose before the others.

"Well? How does Trixie look?" Trixie asked with a slight Trottingham accent in her voice, "fabulous? Amazing? Great? Powerful?"

"...Huh," Twilight commented.

"'Huh'?" Trixie repeated with an unamused scowl, "that's all you have to say, Twilight Sparkle?"

"Well, I mean," Twilight rubbed her chin and narrowed her eyes slightly, "it's definitely... interesting, seeing your colors reversed and all, but that combined with the voice is just so... weird."

Indeed, Trixie's coat had become a shade of bluish-grey that was just shy of being completely white, and her mane and tail were now a deep azure color. Her eyes had changed from their violet color to a brilliant gold.

"Well Trixie thinks she looks positively amazing," Trixie replied as she admired her new look, "and she rather likes the voice too."

"If you say so," Twilight replied with a roll of her eyes. She turned to Ancient Scroll with a nervous smile, "alright I guess it's my turn."

"Ancient Scroll frowned slightly.

"Are you sure you're okay with this, little filly?" he asked in concern, "you don't look too comfortable with the idea."

"No, it's fine, Uncle Scroll," Twilight replied with a shake of her head, "I know this needs to be done, it's just..." she sighed and turned her gaze downward, "I really wish it didn't have to be, y'know?"

"I understand," the old stallion replied, "but believe me when I say it's for the best -- at least for now."

Twilight gave a silent nod and clenched her eyes shut as Ancient Scroll cast his spell. After a few seconds, she tentatively opened one eye, then the other and turned to face the other two fillies.

"Well?" she asked nervously, "how do I look?"

The other two fillies looked at each other with raised eyebrows before turning back to Twilight.

"I don't know, Twi," Sunset replied carefully, "it doesn't really seem like... you."

"Trixie agrees," the light blue filly added, "the new coat doesn't fit you at all."

"W-What do you mean?" Twilight asked before raising her brows in surprise, "wait... is... is that my voice?"

The sound of her voice was much like Sunset's was before, only with a slight accent she couldn't readily identify.

Ancient Scroll chuckled as Twilight looked herself over. Her coat had become a stark black color while her mane and tail were a bright silver with a yellow and orange streak. Her wide and dismayed eyes shone a deep orange color.

"I... I... don't," she looked back to Ancient Scroll, "ponies don't normally have black coats!" she cried, "this'll make me stand out even more!"

"I have to admit, black coats are a rarity," Ancient Scroll replied, "at least, here in Equestria they are. Thankfully you have the perfect coat color and accent to pass for a pony from Trotland."

Twilight blinked.

"Trotland?"

"Oh yeah," Ancient Scroll answered with a knowing smile, "many of the ponies in Trotland have dark or muted coat colors, and that slight Trottish accent will make the disguise all the more believable."

Twilight lowered her head and slowly nodded once.

"I... guess that makes sense," she conceded. Her frowned turned to a small smile and she looked back to Ancient Scroll, "and I did buy that book on pony nations outside of Equestria," she clopped her hooves together as her excitement grew, "this might be fun after all!"

"That's the spirit, little filly," the old stallion replied, "just have fun with it."

It was at that moment that they all heard a knock on the door, before it opened to reveal Rouge.

"We've arrived at the..."

She stared at the three changed fillies with an unreadable expression before turning a questioning eyebrow to Ancient Scroll.

"Disguises for the trip," the stallion replied with a simple shrug.

Rouge nodded in understanding and said no more on the matter.

"We've arrived at the cottage," she finished, "it's getting late so I'd advise taking as little time as possible to get your affairs in order."

"Thanks, Rouge," Ancient Scroll replied with a grateful nod, "we'll be out in a moment."

Rouge gave them all one last smile before heading out and closing the door.

"Well you heard her, fillies," Ancient Scroll announced before rising out the armchair and turning to each of them, "let's get our stuff and get out of here."

The three fillies all hopped off the couch and followed Ancient Scroll out the door as they chatted excitedly about their new looks.

"Ah, before I forget..."

The fillies turned to Ancient Scroll curiously and the stallion turned back around to face the three with a smirk.

"No good disguise is complete without an alias."

A Filly by any Other Name

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Trixie was less than happy.

Night was fast approaching and while the three fillies didn't have too much to pack outside of kitchenware and the foldable table, they were helping Ancient Scroll move several books and other various things from his study into the Vardo.

The old stallion had all told them to take a break and decide on their false names while he, Rouge, and Yojimbo finished packing. It was now that they sat around the bedroom trying to figure out what they'd call themselves.

Trixie was unfortunately having some reservations.

"I don't see why Trixie should give up referring to herself as anypony other than Trixie," the light blue filly complained, "Trixie isn't well known like you or Sunset, why should she have to change her name?"

"Because then there'd be almost no point to the disguise," Twilight groaned in exasperation, "Trixie we've already gone over this. It isn't a good idea to do it at all, but If you absolutely have to refer yourself in third pony, just do it with a new name!"

"But Trixie doesn't want to!" Trixie whined, "do you know how long it took Trixie to remember to call herself Trixie in the first place?"

"Yes, I do," Sunset interjected with a roll of her eyes, "and to this day I still don't know why you started doing it."

"Of course you wouldn't, Sunset Shimmer," Trixie retorted with a huff, "Referring to yourself in third pony is empowering! It let's ponies know that you're important and gives you more stage presence!"

She stood up on her hind legs and wave her hooves dramatically as she spoke.

"When ponies see Trixie on stage, I don't want them to just see regular old me, I want them to see the Great and Powerful Trixie!" she lowered herself back to the floor, "staying in character all the time is just a sign of Trixie's dedication."

"Did you read all that in a book?" Sunset asked flatly.

"So what if Trixie did?" Trixie shot back haughtily, "it's still true no matter where Trixie heard or read it."

"Alright, look," Twilight said, turning to Trixie, "I know it might take some time to get used to, but why not make the effort? After all, if you can do it again, wouldn't that show even more dedication?"

"Maybe..." Trixie replied, still somewhat unconvinced.

"Think about it like this," Twilight pressed on in a sudden spark of inspiration, "what if you finally make it big and suddenly a 'new' magician explodes onto the scene?"

"What?" Trixie replied with a baffled expression, "why would that--"

"Nonono just listen," Twilight continued as she wrapped a foreleg around Trixie's withers, "what if this 'new' magician becomes super popular and starts a rivalry with the Great and Powerful Trixie?"

"Trixie still doesn't see where you're going with this, Twilight Sparkle."

"What if," Sunset added with a sly smile as she caught on to what Twilight was saying, "in an absolutely spectacular display, this mysterious rival magician is revealed to be none other than the Great and Powerful Trixie herself!"

Trixie sat in contemplative silence for all of about a minute before she slowly nodded her head with a growing smile.

"It's... It's brilliant!" she cried, squeezing the black coated filly in a hug, "Trixie never thought to do something so... bold! She loves it!"

"So you'll take on a new name then?" Sunset asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Trixie will do it!" the light blue filly announced, "for the sake of the show, Trixie will become the Dark and Mysterious Blue Moon!"

"Blue Moon, huh?" Sunset mused, rubbing her chin, "I like it, though I think Twilight here has the whole 'dark and mysterious' thing covered."

Twilight rolled her eyes as the maroon filly smirked at her.

"Hilarious, Blood Red Shimmer," Twilight shot back, "I don't need to be reminded of how... not me this coat and mane color is."

"Oh, come on, Twi," Sunset replied with a chuckle, "it won't be so bad once you get used to it."

Twilight just harrumphed and looked away.

"So what about you, Sunset?" Blue Moon asked, "have you decided on a name yet?"

Sunset hummed in thought for a moment before turning her gaze to her false cutie mark. She frowned in thought and looked back to Blue Moon.

"I think I'll go with..." she paused and gave a satisfied nod and smile, "...Radiant Corona."

"Kind of... lofty isn't it?" Twilight commented with a raised eyebrow, "sounds like a name a noble would have -- and I would know."

"And beside that," Blue Moon added, giving the maroon filly a flat look, "it's a mouthful. Just shorten it to Corona."

Sunset wanted to argue.

She liked the name, but it was a bit of a mouthful to say and Corona did roll off the tongue better than Radiant Corona. Of course, it didn't really matter in the end since this was an alias.

"Alright, I'll go with just Corona for now," Corona replied, "but if anypony asks for a full name, I'm going with Radiant Corona."

"I guess that's fine," Twilight said with a shrug, "everypony, except for Trixie--"

"Blue Moon," the light blue filly interjected.

"Sorry," Twilight replied before turning back to Corona, "everypony except for Blue Moon just calls me Twilight."

"And speaking of," Blue Moon said as she raised an eyebrow at the black filly, "what is your name gonna be?"

"Yeah, I've gotta hear this one," Sunset added with a smirk, "is it gonna be something as 'dark and mysterious' as you are?"

Twilight groaned in aggravation and shook her head.

"I don't know," she replied rubbing her face, "maybe..."

She was about to throw out a random name when she suddenly remembered she was passing for a foreign pony. Thankfully the books she had bought from the festival were still in the bedroom. She floated the books over from the dresser and scanned them briefly.

Corona and Blue Moon looked at each other and shrugged as they waited for Twilight to find what she was looking for.

"Interesting..." Twilight muttered as she skimmed through one of the books, "some of these names seem to be the same as those the griffons use. It's almost like they took pony and griffon names and mashed them together..."

She furrowed her brow and after another minute of incoherent muttering, she nodded and snapped the book shut. She placed all the books back on the bed and turned to the other two expectant fillies with a smile.

"It seems Trottish ponies -- and a lot of other pony nations outside Equestria -- have unique given names and take Equestrian pony names as their surnames," she explained, "so in light of this, my new moniker will be Fia Starshine."

"Fia Starshine..." Blue Moon repeated thoughtfully, "Tri -- Blue Moon is okay with the name."

"I'm fine with it, too," Corona agreed with a shrug before turning to Blue Moon with a bemused look, "now that I think about it though, the name 'Beatrix' is kind of out there for a pony too."

"Don't ask Blue Moon," Blue Moon replied with a shrug of her own, "she has no idea where Luciano and Abilia got the name."

"Well in any case," Fia said as she trotted to the door, "we've got our names down, so we should go back and tell Uncle Scroll."

"Right," Corona agreed, following behind Fia, "I kinda wanna see what Uncle Scroll, Rouge, and Yojimbo think."

"Who knows," the light blue filly replied as she trotted alongside Corona, "right now the only thing Trix -- Blue Moon cares about is dinner."

They all stepped out of the bedroom just as Ancient Scroll and Yojimbo were removing the last of the books he had decided to take with him. Blue Moon suddenly stopped in her tracks as she looked from the books to the still open doorway behind her.

"Um..." she began with a nervous chuckle, "why don't you two go ahead, T -- Blue Moon forgot to get her pouch from the closet."

"Alright," Corona replied without looking back, "hurry up though, it looks like Uncle Scroll and the other's are just about ready to go."

Fia frowned slightly and followed Blue Moon back into the bedroom.

"Trixie," she called out, "are you -- eep!"

Fia cried out as Blue Moon suddenly and roughly yanked her further into the room.

"It's Blue Moon," the light blue filly hissed, "and keep it down, Twil -- Fia Starshine!"

"What?" Fia asked in confusion, "why? Aren't you just going to get your pouch?"

"Yes but... well..." Blue Moon fidgeted uncomfortably and sighed before motioning Fia to follow her into the closet, "look, you have to keep this a secret from Uncle Scroll and Suns... Corona, alright?"

Fia mulled over the idea and nodded after a moment.

"Alright, as long as it doesn't put any of us in danger," Fia agreed, "your secret is safe with me."

Blue Moon smiled and headed the rest of the way into the closet to retrieve her pouch -- Fia following behind curiously. Blue Moon reached the pouch and pulled it open.

"Remember when we first went into Uncle Scroll's study after he left?"

"Yeah," Fia said with a nod, "we..."

Her eyes widened in sudden realization but she quickly schooled her features before Blue Moon noticed.

"We all went in there to find more books to use for our studies."

"Right," Blue Moon replied as she pulled something out of her pouch, "well, Trix -- Blue Moon found this one book that S... Corona said might've been written by Uncle Scroll."

"Uncle Scroll wrote a book?" Fia cried excitedly as she eyed the book Blue Moon had just removed, "is that it? Lemme see!"

Before Blue Moon could protest, Fia grabbed the book in her magic and looked it over enthusiastically. After a moment she frowned thoughtfully and gave an impressed nod of her head.

"This is amazing," she muttered as she skimmed through the pages, "so this is the type of magic the changelings use... and it looks like Uncle Scroll wrote notes on how to adapt the magic for use by ponies..."

"So... you're not mad that I took the book without asking Uncle Scroll first?" Blue Moon asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Hmm?" Fia muttered absently, the majority of her attention still focused on the book, "oh... no. Not at all. I did the same thing actually."

Blue Moon blinked.

"You did?"

"Mhm," Fia replied, "in fact..."

She levitated the book over and into the pouch before trotting out of the closet. Curious, Blue Moon followed Fia out of the closet with her pouch and raised both her brows in surprise.

The black coated filly lifted a green book out from under the bed and showed it to Blue Moon.

"Remember when I talked to Sunset -- er, Corona, about using Blood Magic?"

"Yes..." Blue Moon replied, eyeing the book warily, "Blue Moon also remember telling you learning about Blood Magic was a bad idea."

"There is no such thing as evil knowledge, Blue Moon," Fia replied with a sagely nod of her head, "only evil practice."

"Did you read that in a book?" Blue Moon asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I did," Fia replied easily, "this one as a matter of fact."

With that, Fia's horn flashed and the green book changed back to a red one with gold plating.

Blue Moon gasped as she read the title and shot Fia an incredulous look.

"Twilight, you can't read this!" she whispered, "Sunset told you it was dangerous!"

"It's Fia Starshine and Corona, remember?" Fia replied as she changed the book back and placed it in Blue Moon's pouch, "and I've already read through most of it."

"But... but Fia!" Blue Moon sputtered, "you can't! You'll... die or something!"

"No, Blue Moon," Fia responded, giving Blue Moon a serious look, "I'm not planning on using a lot of what I've read in here, and even the spells I do want to use are too far out of my league right now. I'm not so dumb as to try and cast any of these before I'm ready, I'm just reading up on them for the moment."

"Oh," Blue Moon replied uncertainly after a moment. "Tr... Blue Moon supposes that's fine."

"Trust me, Blue Moon, I'll be okay," Fia said with a reassuring smile. She turned and trotted back to the bedroom door, "now let's go before Uncle Scroll and Corona get suspicious."

"...Alright, Fia Starshine," Blue Moon finally replied, "as long as you don't try anything."

Fia looked back at Blue Moon with a confident grin as she opened the door.

"I won't do anything reckless, Blue Moon. I promise."

A New Journey

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Packing everything Ancient Scroll and fillies would need from the cottage had taken a good few hours and it was well into the night by the time they had finished.

Everyone had decided to unpack the kitchenware first and leave the rest of the unpacking for tomorrow, which left several boxes to be piled up in the sitting room. Thankfully there weren't too many as Ancient Scroll had only taken what he felt was necessary from the cottage -- many items of which were various books.

Once they had pack everything into the Vardo, Ancient Scroll had locked down the cottage with a series of complex spells that intrigued and mystified the fillies watching. With that done, everyone stepped into the caravan and they were off.

Before the Vardo had gotten too far however, Ancient Scroll had put the fillies to bed for the night and called Rouge And Yojimbo into the rather cramped sitting room for a discussion on what to do next. He took the opportunity to explain the situation regarding the fillies in full detail and they all proceeded to decided on a plan of action from there.

"Alright, so our final destination is the Royal Capital of Canterlot," Ancient Scroll explained to the cat and diamond dog sitting on the couch opposite him, "we'll need to make several stops on the way, as I can only keep the spell moving this thing active for so long before it needs to be cast again."

"Not to mention the restocking of supplies," Rouge added, folding her legs and crossing her arms in thought, "and it might not be a bad idea to gather more information about what's going on in Canterlot before we get there."

"So we know what to expect," Ancient Scroll agreed with a nod, "that is a good idea."

"That's great and all," Yojimbo said as he leaned forward and rested his arms on his knees, "but where are we actually headed from here? Where's the next closest town?"

Ancient Scroll hummed contemplatively before rising out of his armchair and trotting towards the many boxes.

"Well technically the next closest town is Faranda Way Village," he said with a chuckle, "but we're more or less going in the opposite direction, and if I remember correctly..."

He rummaged through one of the boxes until he found what he was looking for. His horn lit up and a few large rolled up scrolls floated out the box wrapped in his green aura. He nodded and trotted back over to the armchair, unfurling one of the scrolls to reveal that it was actually a detailed map of Equestria. Rouge and Yojimbo gathered around as he traced a hoof across the map

"...the next closest town should be... here," he tapped the part of the map that showed a sketch of a small town further east of Faranda Way past a small forest, "about two hundred thirty miles east of Faranda Way, past this forest, is the town of Little Trot. That'll be our first stop."

"Have you been there, Ancient Scroll?" Rouge asked with an inquisitive raise of her brow, "is there anything you can tell about Little Trot?"

"I've only stopped by briefly so I don't much about the town," Ancient Scroll replied with a small shake of his head. He glanced over to Yojimbo, "but Yoji here actually has some family in Little Trot."

Rouge turned her attention to the husky who gave an affirmative nod.

"Yup, got a nephew who moved out there with his wife a few years back," he replied, "haven't heard from him in awhile, so I don't know what he's doin', but if he's the same dog I remember, I think he'd be willin' to help us out. As far as I know, the rest of the folk there are pretty friendly."

"Alright," Rouge said with a satisfied nod, "it sounds like a plan."

There was a brief moment of silence as Ancient Scroll used a few small tacks he had found to pin the large map to one of the walls. After a minute, Yojimbo leaned back on the couch and folded his arms. eyeing the stallion curiously.

"Hey, Scroll?"

The stallion in question turned a questioning gaze to his canine friend and the husky continued.

"What exactly is your plan," he asked pointedly, "in Canterlot I mean?"

"I'm assuming you'd want to find out more about what happened to little Twilight--" she paused and let out a small amused chuckle "--I'm sorry, I meant little Fia Starshine and her brother, but surely that isn't all, is it?"

"Finding out more about what happened to Twilight and why these ponies are looking for her is a big part of why I decided to go to Canterlot," Ancient Scroll comfirmed as he trotted back to his chair. "but I'd also like to find out more about the Princess herself."

"Oh?" Yojimbo replied, raising an eyebrow, "gonna see if what the Sunny pup said about Celestia was true?"

Ancient Scroll nodded solemnly.

"It's not that I don't believe Sunset -- far from it in fact," he responded, "but I need to know for myself just what the Princess is playing at with all this cloak and dagger business."

"I'm actually not too familiar with this Princess of yours," Rouge replied with with a frown, "but from what little Corona told you, I think she has ruled for far too long and seen far too much. To do something like that to a mere child..." she slowly shook her head and gave Ancient Scroll a grave look, "her mind is addled, Scroll."

She adjusted her position on the couch, crossing her arms as she spoke.

"She cannot continue to rule as she has been. I don't know who these mysterious ponies are, and I don't approve of their methods, but I would completely understand if their goal really was to bring down the Sun Princess."

"But wait," Yojimbo said with a bemused frown, "doesn't Celestia raise the Sun? If they knock her off the throne, what'd happen to that big ball of fire in the sky?"

"I'd think they'd have some sort of plan for that," Ancient Scroll replied, "assuming they aren't complete idiots who hadn't though ahead, that is."

"Well, whatever the case," Rouge said as she rose from the couch, "We can't let them take Twilight. I'm unsure of their plans for the little one, but I believe it would be wise to err on the side of caution as we travel."

"Indeed," Ancient Scroll agreed, "and that's exactly what the disguises are for."

"A fantastic move on your part, Scroll," Rouge responded with a smile. She made her way to the door and quietly pulled it open, "now if anyone needs me, I'll be in the kitchen making myself a midnight snack."

"Oh, can you get me--"

"Make it yourself, Yojimbo."

Yojimbo gave a disappointed huff and leaned back on the couch as Rouge closed the door behind her. After a few moments of silence he turned back to Ancient Scroll with a smirk.

"I think she likes me."

"I think you've lost it."

They both shared a small laugh before Yojimbo took on a more serious expression.

"Seriously though, Scroll," he said solemnly, "you think those pups are gonna be okay once we really get going? I mean, as happy as I am to be on the road again with my oldest buddy, I've got concerns of my own about all of this."

"I know what you mean, Yoji," Ancient Scroll replied with a nod, "I get the strong feeling these ponies aren't ones we want to mess with," he idly stroked his beard as he thought, "as for the fillies... I'm sure they'll be okay. They're tough girls who've survived through some of the harshest things life has to throw at a pony."

He stopped stroking his beard and slowly turned his gaze to one of the boxes.

"There was one other thing I wanted to check while we were in Canterlot," he said after a moment of silence, "at first it was just out of curiosity, but now that I know there's somepony after Twilight, I think it's all the more important to find out."

"And what did you want to find out?" Yojimbo asked curiously.

Ancient Scroll didn't answer right away as he lit up his horn. One of the boxes shifted slightly and a small black box suddenly yanked itself out and over to the old stallion. He dropped it into his hooves and opened it, revealing the smooth translucent orb within.

"Twilight's mana wellspring isn't normal," he finally explained, "aside from a thaum count that would put many adult ponies to shame, her wellspring is a complete mystery to me."

"You do realized the average diamond dog would have aboslutely no idea what you're talking about, right?" Yojimbo said with a small smirk.

"Well then it's a good thing you're not an average diamond dog isn't it?" Ancient Scroll shot back with a chuckle, "there was a reason I drilled all this into that thick skull of yours, Yoji."

Yoji scoffed and leaned forward in his seat.

"So what going on with the pup's magic?" he asked, getting back on topic, "you said it wasn't normal?"

Ancient Scroll nodded as he looked back to the Orb of Insight.

"From what little I've managed to glean, it almost seems as though Twilight's wellspring... broke during her miraculous surge," he shook his head in bemusement, "no, that's not right... it's more like... there was some kind of... limiter that snapped when she cast the Teleportation spell -- at least that's the likeliest explanation I could come up with for what happened."

He sighed and placed the glass orb back inside the box before closing it. He stared at the box briefly before speaking again.

"I have no idea what happened to her wellspring, but that's not the only mystery I've run into with the filly," he looked from the box to the old dog across from him, "there's something fishy about her magical affinity as well, but I haven't been able to find even a hint as to what it may be."

Yojimbo scratched his chin as he hummed in thought.

"Well, it sounds like there's a lot more to the pup than meets the eye, eh?"

Ancient Scroll nodded and set the box on a small table between them.

"That there is," he replied, "and I'm willing to bet those ponies out there know more about what's going on with her magic than I do. Whatever it is they're trying to accomplish, i'm fairly certain Twilight -- or more specifically her magic -- is supposed to play an important role."

"And are you gonna find out what that role is?"

Ancient Scroll sighed tiredly as he rubbed a hoof across his face.

"Honestly, old friend... I'm hoping none of us ever have to find out."

A Foreboding Feeling

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Ancient Scroll's modified Come-to-Life spell allowed the Vardo to move along autonomously at a speed of about thirty five to forty miles an hour. It was only slightly faster than a pony's gallop, but it could maintained for several hours at a time.

At this pace, Ancient Scroll had deduced that the trip to Little Trot would take maybe five or six hours -- seven to nine if he counted the forest. It was still extremely early in the morning, to the point where the Sun was still a few hours from rising yet.

Rouge had offered to keep watch outside of the Vardo while Ancient Scroll and Yojimbo slept for the rest of the night. As she stood on the wooden platform, she idly stared out at the darkened grassy fields as they rolled by -- her form hunched over the railing and her tail slowly swishing back and forth contentedly.

She allowed herself a small smile as she thought about what lay ahead of them all.

Rouge had quite a bit to think about regarding their current situation, but she found that those thoughts had taken a backseat to the anticipation she was feeling. Ancient Scroll had told her a little about himself and his travels and the more she heard, the more envious she became.

Rouge's mother had moved to Equestria and settled down in Faranda Way Village while she was still pregnant with Rouge herself -- or so she was told a long time ago. Over time, she became curious about where she and her mother had come from. Her mother would never talk about it whenever Rouge would ask -- always skirting around the little kitten's questions.

Her mother had passed from a rare illness when she was still relatively young and she took that opportunity to leave Equestria to find out more about herself and her people. Whether it was out of pure curiosity or a desire to escape her mother's death -- not even she knew anymore.

Unfortunately the journey hadn't gone as well as she had intended.

She realized only too late that she had been far too young and naive for such an undertaking. A series of unfortunate events caused her to cut the trip short and she barely managed to return to Faranda Way Village with nothing but the clothes on her back.

Thankfully she was able to reclaim her old family home and find successful work as a painter. She told herself she would never travel again and hadn't left the village since -- that is, until now. She had met various acquaintances -- both friendly and not -- on her travels and it was only recently that she heard one of them had set up shop in Canterlot.

She had also heard that particular acquaintance was in possession of something that could help her find out more about where she came from and that was when she decided to break her vow and travel once more.

She figured a trip within Equestria would be far safer than the one she had taken outside its borders, and -- if she was being completely honest with herself -- she missed traveling greatly, despite all the hardships it had wrought.

It was for that reason that she secretly envied Ancient Scroll and Yojimbo.

They had suffered hardships of their own during their travels, but overall, their journey was much more successful than her own, not to mention much more how she had imagined a real adventure should be.

It may not have been the same, or what she was expecting, but Rouge really was glad to be on this trip -- and despite how she might complain about the oversized mutt, she was doubly glad to have them all along for the ride.

Her ear twitched at the sound of one of the doors opening inside the caravan, though she didn't turn her gaze away from the scenery. She heard a tiny yawn followed by the sound of hooves trotting closer to where she was standing.

"Rouge?"

At the sound of the voice the molly finally turned her head to see a tired and bemused looking maroon filly making her way over.

"Ah, good morning, little one," Rouge greeted with a small smile, "you've risen awfully early," she turned back to the open dirt road before her, "the Sun won't be up for another couple of hours or so."

"Yeah, I... had a nightmare," Corona replied, rubbing her eyes as she stepped outside and stood next to Rouge, "can't remember what it was about, but I don't think I'll be getting back to sleep anytime soon."

"I see," Rouge replied sadly, "I'm sorry to hear that, little one."

Corona raised herself up and leaned against the railing -- staring out at the dark path along with Rouge.

"It's fine," she answered dismissively, "it happens, nothing to worry about."

Rouge nodded in response and the two stood there in comfortable silence as they gazed out at the land. After a few moments Rouge spoke up without looking at the filly.

"So how are you finding the trip so far?" she asked curiously, "Ancient Scroll had mentioned to me that you've done some traveling yourself."

"Yeah, I did," Corona replied with a nod, "though so far, this is a lot better than what I had to endure back then with those two morons," she turned and smirked at the cat next to her, "their wagon was loud and clunky and a huge pain to sleep in, literally."

Rouge chuckled good-naturedly.

"Surely it can't have been that bad."

"You have no idea," Corona said with a chuckle of her own, "this Vardo is a mansion compared to the wagon the FlimFlam brothers were using," Corona gave a soft smile as she turned back to the scenery, "on top of that, the company is a lot better now. I appreciate what those two did for me, but they weren't exactly easy to get along with -- not like you and Yojimbo."

Rouge didn't say anything for a moment, though the swaying of her tail became a bit more energetic.

"It... makes me happy to hear you say that, little one," Rouge finally replied, "I have to admit, I didn't really interact with anyone all that much back in the village," she gave the filly a slight grin, "it is nice to be in such good company."

Corona grinned back and they both turned to see a large treeline further in the distance. Corona frowned slightly and gave Rouge a worried look.

"Are you sure it's a good idea to travel through the forest at night?" she asked, "I don't know why, but I have a bad feeling about going through there."

Rouge hummed to herself as she eyed the upcoming trees before her.

"I think I know what you mean, little one," she finally replied, "I can't see anything dangerous, but it always pays to be wary -- especially at night in the wilderness."

She went quiet again as she decided on what to do.

"It looks like the forest is still about half an hour away at least... which means it'll still be dark out when we arrive," Rouge muttered, "I'll wake Ancient Scroll and ask him what we should do once we're closer to the forest's edge."

"Alright." Corona replied hesitantly, "do you... mind if I stay out here with you for awhile?"

"Not at all, little one," Rouge answered with a shake of her head, "you can stay as long as you need to."

"Thanks," the filly replied with a grateful smile, "I don't really have much else to do right now anyway."

Rouge nodded and another silence fell over the two of them -- this one somewhat more tense as they observed the incoming forest. Neither of them knew what lie ahead, but they both somehow knew they were going to run into trouble on the way.

"I'm... kind of scared, y'know?"

Rouge turned an inquisitive gaze to the maroon filly as she spoke.

"Of going back to Canterlot I mean," Corona clarified, "I know we have these disguises and everything, but I still feel like Celestia would see right through them if she caught us," she shivered slightly, "I think... I think I've more or less gotten over what she did to me, but... I'm still scared of her."

"I imagine you would be," Rouge replied with a scowl, "what that Princess of yours did to you was unforgivable," she then gave Corona a reassuring smile, "if it makes you feel any better, Ancient Scroll, Yojimbo, and I will do everything in our power to make sure that none of you girls come to harm."

Corona nodded absently, her thoughts still preoccupied with the idea of meeting the Princess again. Rouge frowned slightly, but didn't say anything more, instead facing the path ahead once more.

As the two of them focused on the potentially dangerous forest ahead, neither of them noticed the shadow of a pegasus flying overhead in the opposite direction -- its sharp eyes diligently scanning the ground below.

A Bump in the Road

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Ancient Scroll's horn flashed once and the Vardo rolled to a stop near the forest's edge.

Rouge had awoken the old stallion a bit ago and now she, Corona, and Ancient Scroll were just outside the caravan observing the treeline for any potential signs of danger.

So far they hadn't seen any, but that hadn't stopped their fur from standing on end.

"Well, what do you think, Ancient Scroll?" Rouge asked with a concerned frown, "Even with my sight, I'm unable to see any kind of threat within the forest, but little Corona here tells me she senses some hidden danger."

"Well I don't know for sure," Corona conceded, "It's not that I can sense some kind of danger, I just have a really bad feeling is all. I just don't think it's a good idea to enter the forest right now."

Ancient Scroll stroked his beard thoughtfully as he gaze out at the forest ahead. He took several moments to answer, but he eventually turned to Rouge with a serious expression.

"Do you think you and Yoji could scout ahead into the forest and see if there's anything out there?" the old stallion asked, "if there really is something out there, I think the both of you would be better suited to finding out what it is than I would."

"But you have magic on your side, Uncle Scroll," Corona pointed out, "and there's no way you wouldn't know how to defend yourself from whatever might be in the forest."

"The little one is right, Ancient Scroll," Rouge agreed with a nod, "I wouldn't sell yourself short. Your abilities certainly would come in handy should trouble arise."

Ancient Scroll shook his head and looked at Corona with a small smile.

"It's not that I can't protect myself," he corrected, "it's more that somepony needs to be here to protect you three fillies in case something does happen."

"Ah, that does makes sense," Rouge replied, nodding in understanding, "very well, old one, I will go ahead and search for any dangers lurking in the forest."

"I appreciate it, Rouge," Ancient Scroll responded with a grateful smile. He turned and headed back into the caravan, "I'll go wake Yoji and let him know the situation."

As the old stallion left, Corona turned to Rouge with a worried frown.

"Should I go wake up Twil -- er... Fia and Blue Moon?"

Rouge thought on it for a moment before giving a slow nod.

"I believe that may be a good idea for now," Rouge answered, "if there's something out there that means us harm, we don't want to be caught unaware."

Corona nodded and made her way back inside. Rouge watched her go for a moment before turning back to face the trees just ahead. She frowned and narrowed her eyes slightly -- her tail flicking back and forth in agitation.

"We've only just begun the journey and we may already be facing problems," she mused quietly, "this promises to be a very interesting trip indeed..."

She turned her head at the sound of heavy footsteps followed by a long loud yawn coming from behind her.

"Bit early to be runnin' into trouble already isn't it?" Yoji commented as he stepped out onto the platform next to Rouge, "barely got any sleep at all."

"Well you'd best hurry and wake yourself up," Rouge replied, not taking her eyes from the forest, "we need to be alert for any threats in the forest."

"Yeah, that's what the old coot told me," Yoji responded as he cracked his neck a few times, "it's weird though. I've been through this forest a few times and it's always been pr..."

Rouge frowned and turned to the old husky in confusion.

"Yojimbo?" she asked warily, "what's wrong?"

Yojimbo didn't answer.

He gave a few sniffs and growled slightly -- his one good eye scanning the area ahead.

"I know your nose ain't as good as mine, but you can't tell me you don't smell that," he muttered.

Rouge narrowed her eyes and gave a sniff of her own before widening her eyes.

"Blood..."

Yoji nodded grimly.

"And it's fresh."

"Rouge? Yoji?"

The cat and dog turned to see a concerned Ancient Scroll, a worried Corona, and a tired looking Fia and Blue Moon all standing just inside the Vardo behind them.

"What's going on?" Fia asked, "Sunset -- Corona told us there might be a problem?"

"Blue Moon needs more sleep before she can deal with another crisis," the light blue filly muttered with a yawn, "the Sun isn't even out yet. Can't it wait until later?"

Yoji gave a small chuckle before turning to Ancient Scroll with a serious frown.

"There's something out there, Scroll," he said matter-of-factly, "I don't know what it is, but something in that forest is bleeding... a lot."

"I can smell it, too," Rouge added, "but I still can't see anything, which must mean whatever is out there must be further inside the forest."

The pair's words snapped the two tired fillies out of their sleep deprived stupor and all three of the girls turned nervous gazes to Ancient Scroll.

"Uncle Scroll, what's going on?" Fia asked more urgently, "what are they talking about?"

"I don't want to worry you all too much," Ancient Scroll repilied with an apologetic but grim frown, "but we might have a problem on our hooves, little filly," he nodded in Rouge and Yojimbo's direction, "they're gonna scout ahead and check the forest for us while I stay here and make sure nothing happens to you girls."

"Alright," Corona replied tentatively, "but what do you think it could be, Uncle Scroll?"

"Maybe it's just some wild animal that got ahold of it's prey?" Fia suggested with a nervous smile, "I mean, it is a pretty large forest and--"

Everyone whipped their heads around to face the forest as a sudden inequine shriek rang out in the distance immediately followed by a very equine scream. It was suddenly cut short and for a few moments, no one spoke a word.

"...That didn't sound like any wild animal Blue Moon has ever heard," Blue Moon finally whispered in a shaky voice, "that sounded more like somepony was..."

Yojimbo's frown deepened and he suddenly heaved himself over the railing of the platform and hit the ground below at a dead sprint.

"Rouge, you comin' or what?!" he cried as he booked it towards the forest.

"Yoji, wait a blasted..." Ancient Scroll tried to call out, but the husky was already too far away, "horseapples. Now I remember why we'd gotten into so much trouble back then..."

He shook his head and turned to the Abyssinian.

"Rouge can you--"

"I'll make sure he doesn't get himself killed," Rouge interjected with a nod, "just make sure you keep the little ones safe."

Ancient Scroll nodded in return and Rouge leapt over the railing and took off after the reckless husky. The old stallion then turned back to the fillies with a grave expression.

"Girls, I want you to stay in your room until I say it's safe to come outside, do you understand?"

"But what are you going to do?" Blue Moon asked worriedly, "you're not staying out here, are you?"

"That I am, little filly," he replied, "I need to make sure nothing gets the jump on us while Rouge and Yojimbo are investigating whatever happened in the forest."

"But--"

"Now, don't you worry about me, Blue Moon," Ancient Scroll said, his grim frown softening a bit, "I may be an old stallion, but that's only made my magic stronger. Just get back to your room, the three of you, and wait until I give the okay to leave, alright?"

Blue Moon wanted to say more, but Fia put a hoof on her shoulder and shook her head sadly.

"Let's just do what Uncle Scroll says for now, Blue Moon," she said quietly, "I'm just as worried as you are, but there's nothing we can do right now."

"She's right," Corona added, turning back towards the inside of the caravan, "Let's let Uncle Scroll handle it from here."

Blue Moon looked between the other two before turning back to Ancient Scroll -- a look of indecision briefly crossing her face. After a moment she frowned and nodded.

"Alright, Uncle Scroll," she finally replied, "just... don't die okay?"

"I'll be fine, little filly," Ancient Scroll promised before looking to Corona, "you're the oldest filly out of you lot, Corona. That means it's your responsibility to make sure Fia and Blue Moon don't do anything reckless, got it?"

Corona turned her head to look back at Ancient Scroll and nodded with a determined frown.

"I won't let you down, Uncle Scroll."

"There's a good filly," the old stallion replied with a grateful smile, "now get going, all of you."

Fia and Blue Moon hesitated a moment longer before turning to follow Corona back inside. Ancient Scroll's smile sank back into a serious frown once more as he watched them go. He sighed and turned back around to face the forest. His horn suddenly sparked to life with a brilliant white aura and he gritted his teeth in concentration.

With a bright flash of light and a high-pitched thrum, a shining white dome expanded outward to cover the Vardo and the area roughly forty yards around it. The dome pulsed a few times before fading away.

Ancient Scroll gave a soft grunt as the wavering white light around his horn shifted to a bright green glow. A large circle of bright green light about the same size as the dome faded into existence. It flashed once, then twice, then died down after the third time leaving a large, slowly rotating magic circle that faded back out after a few seconds.

He let the light fade from his horn and fell to his knees as he panted heavily for a moment. After he had caught his breath, he stood back up and shook himself to get rid of the slight disorientation the casting of the spells had caused.

"Haven't used those spells in ages," the old stallion muttered to himself, "forgot how much that takes out of me, but it'll be more than worth it if it saves our hides..."

Though he had greatly limited the range to save on mana, Field Perception and Pure Barrier were two powerful Soul and Light Magic spells Ancient Scroll had used countless times in the past to save himself and his companions in tight situations.

He had wondered if this was a bit much for the current circumstances, but given the ponies coming after Twilight and the blood curdling screams in the forest, he decided not to take any chances.

As he sat on the small wooden platform focusing his enhanced senses on the area around him, he couldn't help but worry for both his old and new friends as they scoured the forest for the source of whatever had caused the screaming.

He sat up a bit straighter and grimaced as he resisted the urge to look back towards the darkened forest once again.

You two had better make it back to this caravan in one piece...

A Deadly Struggle

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There was definitely something wrong in this forest.

Now that he was within the actual forest, Yojimbo didn't know how he had missed the fetid stench settling over the area like a thick blanket. He had smelled it before, back when he, Ancient Scroll and the rest of the gang had traveled to some of the darkest corners of Equus.

Undead.

If there was one, there was bound to be more, and that also meant one other thing -- one thing that bewildered the old dog in how out of place it was...

There was a Dark Mage somewhere nearby using Necromancy.

As the old husky quietly stalked his way through the dark forest he couldn't help but wrinkle his snout in disgust. The rotten fetid stench of the dead became more and more overpowering the further in he went.

His working eye was more or less useless for seeing through the thick, dark foliage and he couldn't smell anything other than the stench of the dead, so he relied on his ears to alert him to any sign of danger.

"There you are."

Yojimbo's ears perked up at the sound of the urgent whisper coming from behind him. He turned and was greeted with the sight of a pair of predatory yellow-green eyes that almost seemed to glow in the darkness of the forest.

He grunted softly and turned back to face the path ahead.

"About time you showed up," Yojimbo whispered back, "it looks like the pup was right about the trouble -- way more right than I would've liked actually."

"I can tell as much now that we're actually here," Rouge muttered, "if the scream was anything to go by, someone was attacked only moments ago, so if that's the case, why does it smell as though I'm surround by something long since dead?"

"That's the trouble I was talkin' about," the old dogs replied as he continued through the trees, "there's some fool going around raising the dead. I should've recognized that howl, but it's been so long since I heard it, I had completely forgotten."

"Raising the..." Rouge's eyes widened in horror, "how is such a thing even possible? And why would they even do something like that?"

"Magic," Yojimbo growled, "it can do some amazing things, but sometimes you get a unicorn who goes off the deep end and decides they don't wanna play by the rules anymore."

"Through all my travels and my years of living in Equestria, I've never heard of anything like this," Rouge replied quietly.

"Then you should count yourself lucky, kitty," the husky responded, "Corrupt Dark Mages are bad news -- real bad news," he shook his head, "from what the old coot told me, Celestia was supposed to have wiped them all out ages ago. What in Tartarus is one doing all the way out here?"

Rouge ignored the name and the two of them let the conversation die as they pushed past more trees. Through some unspoken agreement, Rouge acted as the eyes while Yojimbo acted as the ears.

They both stopped.

"The smell of blood is getting--"

The husky shushed Rouge and cocked his head to one side. He sniffed a few times and listened for a moment more before motioning for the cat to followed him as he made a sharp right through some thick underbrush.

Upon clearing the underbrush Yojimbo stopped and cursed silently. Rouge soon followed behind and reeled back in horror, barely managing to bite back a scream.

The mutilated corpse of a mare lay before the two -- its eyes glassy and frozen in a look of pure terror.

It looked as though something had eaten its way through the pony's neck and barrel, and Rouge had to force down the bile rising in her throat at the sight. She had seen some horrible things in her life when she was traveling about, but death surprisingly, had not been one of them -- not like this anyway.

Yojimbo leaned down and inspected the body. Though he couldn't make out much in the dark, he could smell that same stench on the mare.

"This isn't good..." he muttered, "I think this mare was from Little Trot."

"No..." Rouge whispered, her eyes tearing up slightly, "then... then that would mean--"

The fetid smell suddenly spiked in intensity.

An ear piercing howl rang out.

Then another.

Then two more.

Yojimbo didn't hesitate.

Drawing on years old experience, he snapped a massive arm out to his left without looking and grabbed the neck of a screaming pony that had burst out of the underbrush next to him and Rouge.

The pony struggled in his grasp as it glared at him with hollow eyes -- snarling and howling and gnashing it's teeth. Three more ponies burst forth from different angles and Rouge leapt into action -- though her reaction was more of a fight or flight response.

Adrenaline shot through her veins and she chose to fight.

The husky grunted and dug his claws deeper into the pony's neck. He turned and threw the pony into another charging straight for him -- sending them both sprawling.

Rouge danced around a crazed pony trying to chomp down on her and ducked another trying to leap at her. In her panic induced assault, she reached out and slash at whatever flesh she could get her claws on.

Her claws caught the leaping pony in the barrel and it went tumbling head over hoof as it landed.

The two ponies attacking Yojimbo had recovered and were now scrambling to take a bite out of the large dog once again. Yojimbo sidestepped one and grabbed the other by the neck and forehead. With a snarl, he tensed the muscles in his arms and pulled, ripping the head from body with a sickening squelch.

He tossed the corpse aside and dodged out of the way of another charge made by the remaining pony. He heard a yowl to his left and looked over just in time to see one of the other ponies sink it's teeth into one of Rouge's arms.

Rouge hissed in both pain and anger as she brought her other claws to bear. She grabbed the pony's face with her free arm and tried to pry it off, with little success.

"No, you stupid cat! You gotta--" Yojimbo stepped around another attack with ease and, just as before, grabbed the remaining pony by the neck "--you gotta separate the head from the body!" he growled as he tossed the pony at the other trying to take advantage of Rouge's predicament, "go for the neck!"

Rouge gave no indication that she had heard the husky, but she pulled her free claws from the pony's face and dug them deep into it's neck. The pony made a strangled gurgling noise before it let go of the cat's arm.

She wasted no time in finishing it off with another swipe of her claws -- the slash heavy enough to cut right through the surprisingly brittle neck bone. She ignored the falling body and turned to the other two recovering ponies.

She yelped in surprise as the large husky smashed into the pony that had risen first. He knocked it over again and with another snarl, he raised his fist and smashed it back down into the pony's skull -- Rouge flinching involuntarily as she heard the muffled crunch of the impact.

The pony twitched once, then went still.

For a moment, the cat stood there, panting heavily as she watched Yojimbo rise from the defeated pony. He turned to Rouge and his eyes widened in alarm.

"ROUGE MOVE!"

Rouge heard a howl of rage directly to her right and she snapped her head around to face the threat. Time seemed to slow for an instant and in that moment, Rouge could see everything about the pony.

While she could certainly tell it was a pony, it's features were horrifying. Most of it's fur, mane, and tail were missing -- the flesh beneath it grey and rotted. The face was sunken and skeletal and it's eyes were a milky white. She could also clearly see that it's teeth were yellow, jagged, and bloody.

The moment passed and Rouge took several quick steps back. The pony howled again and jumped at her with it's mouth open and waiting. Rouge shrieked and did the one thing she was instructed to do -- the one thing her panicked mind clung to at that moment.

She went for the neck.

The pony hit her full on and she fell with it so that it was on top of her. With supreme effort on her part, she held it by it's throat with both claws. It's snapping, snarling face slowly drew closer, but before it could get too close, she gave one last angry yowl and forced the pony to one side.

She managed to catch it off guard and it soon found itself on the ground with Rouge sitting atop it instead. She ignored it's attempts to batter her with it's hooves and slashed at it's throat repeatedly -- slicing away more and more flesh with each vicious swipe.

After a few more swipes, the undead pony stopped it's struggles and fell limp beneath the severely shaken cat.

For a minute there was complete silence, save for the sound of Rouge's heavy panting.

Then she slowly stood up and backed away from the pony. She didn't stop until she was about a yard away and once she did, she turned a wide eyed gaze to a grimacing Yojimbo standing a little ways away.

"I... I didn't..." Rouge swallowed, "what did... were those ponies--"

"They were already dead, Rouge," Yojimbo said with a slow shake of his head, "it may not seem like it right now, but you did right by them and their loved ones."

Rouge didn't say anything as she stared at the dead ponies, a single slow nod being the only indication that she had heard the old dog at all. He walked over to the shivering cat and looked her over. His gaze lingered on the bleeding wound on her arm he frowned.

"You can freak out about what we had to do here later, but for now you have get that patched up," he said as he motioned for her to follow, "we need to get back to Ancient Scroll and tell him what we found, then we need to get to Little Trot fast."

That seemed to snap Rouge out of her stupor and she turned to Yojimbo with an incredulous look.

"We can't--" she winced in pain and looked at her open wound. She tore a large piece of the dark blue tunic she was wearing and used it as a makeshift bandage as she spoke, "we can't go there now!" she hissed, "there might be more of those... things in town."

"And that's why we're going," Yojimbo replied curtly, "Ancient Scroll and the pups can wait outside the village, but I'm going one way or another."

"Why?" Rouge asked in bewilderment, "why would you risk something so dangerous?"

Yojimbo snorted and turned to walk back the way they came.

"Because my family might still be alive somewhere in that Tartarus damned town."

A Lurking Danger

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Within the parked Vardo, Fia paced the floor of the bedroom worriedly.

The three fillies had hidden themselves away in the room like Ancient Scroll had asked, but none of them were happy about it. They all wanted to be out there with their caretaker to help with whatever threat might be lurking in the forest -- even if some of them were more scared than others.

"Twilight would you--"

"Fia," the black coated filly corrected without breaking her nervous stride.

Blue Moon rolled her eyes and huffed in exasperation.

"Fia, would you please stop pacing around?" the light blue filly asked irritably, "Blue Moon is worried too, and you don't see her wearing a hole in the floor."

Fia sighed and slowed to a stop -- facing Blue Moon with an apologetic frown.

"I can't help it, Blue Moon," Fia replied, "I know Uncle Scroll said he could take care of himself -- and I do believe he can -- but we don't know what's out in that forest," she shook her head and resumed her worried pacing, "what if it's some deadly new animal we've never seen before? Or... or a corrupt Dark Mage?"

She stopped and fell to her haunches with a horrified expression.

"Or what if it's the Razor Twins?" she cried "what if they came back for me and Trixie?!"

"Blue Moon," Corona corrected as she trotted over to the distressed filly, "and while, all those things are possible, they're highly unlikely, Fia."

"How?" Fia shot back as she rounded on Corona, "how are they highly uniikely? We already know there's dangerous ponies after me, and it's completely possible they might've sent the Razor Twins to finish what they started!"

"I guess that could be true, but--"

"And if what Uncle Scroll said was true, and they are trying to take down the Princess," Fia continued, "who's to say they haven't employed some kind of... of... evil Dark Mage?"

"Well... maybe... but I don't think--"

"Nononono, this isn't good. There's too much we don't know, and there could be any number of--"

"Fia!"

"WHAT?!"

Corona flinched back from the shout, but quickly recovered.

"You know as well as I do that even if it was the Razor Twins or a corrupt Dark Mage, Uncle Scroll would be able to handle it," Corona moved closer and rested a comforting hoof on Fia's withers, "you saw the spells that were cast from the window, right?"

Fia nodded, not looking in Corona's direction.

"From what I could see, it looked like some kind of Barrier," Fia replied, "and judging by the color, it was a Light Magic based spell."

"Right, and I couldn't see what the second spell did," the maroon filly responded, "but I'm sure it was something that would help Uncle Scroll to protect both us and himself from whatever might be out there."

"But what if that second spell wasn't Uncle Scroll's?" Blue Moon challenged, "what if it was some other pony attacking the Vardo?"

"Blue Moon, you're not helping," Corona hissed as Fia began to panic again.

"I'm just saying," Blue Moon, replied with a shrug before giving Corona a level look, "you keep saying 'Uncle Scroll will do this' and 'Uncle Scroll will do that' and 'Uncle Scroll will take care of it'," she shook her head, "Blue Moon trusts Uncle Scroll with her life, but Uncle Scroll can't do everything, Corona."

"I know that," the maroon filly retorted, "I'm not saying he can, I'm just saying he's reliable! He's taken care of all of us as best he can and--"

Corona's response was interrupted by the sound of the bedroom door being thrown open. She and Blue Moon turned to see an open doorway and a missing black filly. The two glanced at each other before rushing out of the room after Fia.

"Twi -- Fia, wait!" Corona cried, "we're suppose to... oh..."

She slowed to a stop as she and Blue Moon reached the outer platform of the caravan. They trotted up next to an abashed -- if somewhat relieved -- looking Fia and a stern faced Ancient Scroll.

"Hey, Uncle Scroll," Corona said with a weak laugh, "it's good to see everything is... okay?"

Ancient Scroll sighed and shook his head.

"I told you fillies to stay in the room," he admonished before focusing his gaze on Corona, "and I told you to watch these two."

"I know," Corona replied as she hung her head, "sorry, Uncle Scroll, we were just... having a conversation and... Fia got worried about you."

The old stallion's features softened slightly and he turned to Fia.

"I told you I'd be okay, little filly," he said resting a hoof on her head, "I'm more worried about the three of you staying safe."

"I know," Fia replied quietly, "but there was that spell outside, and then the second spell... and I didn't know if it was yours or somepony else's and..." she trailed off and stared at her hooves, "...I'm sorry, Uncle Scroll."

"No, don't be, little filly," Ancient Scroll responded with a sigh, "I supposed a bit of that was my fault. I didn't think to tell you girls I was casting spells out here, and with the nature of our... situation, I should've done so."

"So... that second spell was yours then?" Blue Moon inquired.

"Indeed it was, Blue Moon," Ancient Scroll answered with a nod, "both spells were mine."

Corona gave Blue Moon an 'I-told-you-so' look and Blue Moon snorted and looked away.

"Blue Moon isn't taking back what she said, Corona," Blue Moon huffed, "her point still stands even if the spell was Uncle Scroll's."

"And what point was that, exactly," the old stallion asked curiously.

Before either filly could answer, Ancient Scroll's ears perked up and he snapped his head towards the forest. Seeing this, the girls moved closer to Ancient Scroll and turned each of their nervous gazes to the treeline as well.

Ancient Scroll was about the warn the fillies to head back inside, but the words died in his throat as he saw a grim faced Yojimbo making his way out of the forest and towards the caravan.

The fillies gasped in horror and dismay.

As he approached the Vardo, they could all see that he was carrying Rouge in his arms -- much to her apparent annoyance. What caught their attention was one of the arms folded across her chest. It was wrapped in a cloth that -- from what the fillies and Ancient Scroll could tell -- did little to staunch the flow of blood.

Ancient Scroll in particular took note of how tired and dazed she looked.

Ancient Scroll's horn flashed white briefly and the Pure Barrier became visible for a split second before vanishing with a soft hiss. His horn sparked again and the giant glowing magic circle on the ground reappeared for another second and faded away.

With that done, he leapt off the platform and rushed over to the approaching husky.

"Head back inside, girls!" he called out, "I'll be back up there in a minute!"

"But what about Rouge?" Fia called back.

"I'll take care of her, don't you worry!"

The old stallion turned his attention back to Yojimbo and Rouge, unaware that the fillies hadn't moved in the slightest. They were far too worried about what was going on at this point to retreat back to their room. Instead, they just stood on the platform and observed the situation with growing concern.

They watched as Ancient Scroll looked the wounded Abyssinian over briefly. They saw Yojimbo remove the blood-soaked cloth and Ancient Scroll immediately light up his horn. It became enveloped in a soft white glow that wrapped itself around Rouge's open wound.

They couldn't quite see what was happening from where they were standing, but Rouge's face seemed to regain a bit of life despite still being somewhat pale.

"What is he doing?" Blue Moon muttered to the others.

"It looks like used some kind of Light Magic based Healing spell," Corona muttered back, "I'm not too familiar with Healing spells so I couldn't tell you what he used, but it looks like it worked."

"What happened to her?" Fia whispered in horror before turning to the others, "something obviously attacked them in the forest!"

"But what?" Corona replied worriedly, "what attacked Yoji and Rouge?"

"Blue Moon can't hear what they're saying," the light blue filly grumbled in frustration, "they're probably talking about it right now, but Blue Moon can't hear a thing."

Sure enough, Yojimbo had set Rouge back down and they were both conversing with Ancient Scroll with grave looks.

"Girls," Corona said nervously, "we should probably head back inside before they finish talking."

"Too late," Blue Moon muttered.

Just as Blue Moon spoke, Ancient Scroll and the other two adults turned and spotted the three fillies still standing around on the platform. Ancient Scroll frowned as he, Rouge, and Yojimbo made their way back to the Vardo.

"I'm sorry, Uncle Scroll," Corona started, "but we couldn't just go back inside after seeing what happened to--"

"Nevermind that, little filly," the old stallion interrupted, "we've got bigger problems now."

"What kind of problems?" Fia asked, her panic beginning to rise once again, "is it the Razor Twins? Are they here to try and capture me again?" her terrified look turned to one of anger as she saw Rouge clutching her closed yet still blood covered wound, "did they do that to Rouge?"

"I'm afraid not, little one," Rouge replied with a solemn shake of her head, "this was caused by something that was arguably much worse."

"Worse?!" Blue Moon cried, "what could be even worse than the Razor Twins?!"

As Rouge and Yojimbo continued on to the back of the Vardo where the door was, Ancient Scroll stopped and turned to the three fillies with a grim scowl.

"It looks like there might be a corrupt Dark Mage roaming about nearby."

A Belated Realization

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The Vardo slowly made it's way through the single path splitting the dense foliage within the forest.

Ancient Scroll was no genius when it came to Healing spells, but he had picked up a few over the years that would help greatly in a pinch. It was thanks to these spells that he was able to disinfect and close the wound on Rouge's arm.

Unfortunately none of his Healing spells could regenerate the blood she had lost and, once he had requested some privacy, he had performed an on-the-fly blood transfusion using a bit of Blood Magic -- something he found highly unpleasant, but necessary at the moment.

The Abyssinian was now resting in the sitting room while Ancient Scroll and Yojimbo stood vigil on the platform just outside the caravan as it moved through the thick forest.

Ancient Scroll's plan was that the fillies stay out of sight until both he and Yojimbo gave the okay to come out once more. The old stallion had kept the girls busy by having them watch over Rouge while she rested.

Thankfully none of them had run into any more undead in the past couple of hours or so, and they had eventually made it out of the forest just as the Sun was starting to rise. There had been no more incidents since they had started back on their path to Little Trot, though the smell of the undead still lingered according to Yojimbo.

After another hour or so of traveling across the open fields, Ancient Scroll could make out various buildings in the distance -- along with a few wisps of smoke rising high into the sky here and there.

Ancient Scroll furrowed his brow in concern as they moved closer to the town.

"This isn't good..." he muttered, "I don't know what in Tartarus happened in that town, but it looks like whatever -- or whoever -- caused this did quite a bit of damage."

Yojimbo remained silent as he kept his good eye locked onto the town ahead, the clenching and unclenching of his paws the only indication of his anxiety regarding the situation.

"Yoji," Ancient Scroll began cautiously as he gave the tense husky a side glance, "you might have to accept the fact that--"

"We might be too late," Yojimbo finished with a grimace, "I know, Scroll. Don't worry about me."

The old stallion nodded and returned his gaze to the town.

They didn't speak again until they were just outside the gates of Little Trot. Now that they were closer, they could see that the town wasn't in as bad a shape as they had initially believed. It looked like a few buildings had suffered from a recent fire, but the majority were still whole and untouched.

What they didn't see however, were the townsfolk of Little Trot.

Ancient Scroll brought the Vardo to a stop a few yards away from the town. Without waiting for Ancient Scroll to make any sort of comment, Yojimbo hopped over the railing and took off towards the gate.

Ancient Scroll sighed and headed back inside the caravan. He gently pushed the door of the sitting room open and poked his head inside to see the three fillies piled on top of each other in the armchair and sound asleep.

Rouge sat awake on the couch, staring out the window. A single twitch of her ear was the only sign she gave that she had heard the door open. Ancient Scroll couldn't see the look on the cat's face as she continued to look out the window and her voice was quiet as she spoke.

"I have to thank you again for helping little Blue Moon and Corona with their rather noisy sleeping habits," she said with a hint of amusement in her voice, "I was able to get some decent rest because of it."

Ancient Scroll chuckled a bit as he stepped inside the room.

"Ah, it was nothing," he replied as he glanced at the quietly sleeping fillies, "to be honest, I should've done something about that ages ago, but I found it rather adorable so I didn't bother."

"It seems you and I have some differing opinions on what constitutes adorableness," Rouge responded, finally turning to the stallion with a smirk, "but that aside, I'm guessing you didn't come here to talk about how cute the fillies are when they're sleeping."

Ancient Scroll nodded with a small frown.

"I came back to see how you were feeling," he replied, "and to tell you that we've reached Little Trot. Yojimbo's already gone ahead to check on the town and presumably find out what happened to his nephew."

"Ah... I thought as much," Rouge answered with a single nod, "well I'm not quite sure what you did, but as far as my health is concerned, it appears I'll be okay for the time being," she frowned and turned away from Ancient Scroll with a slight shudder, "though it'll take me some time to process this morning's... excitement."

"I completely understand," the stallion replied, "I'm sure it wasn't easy for you. From what Yojimbo told me, I'd imagine you don't have much experience fighting for your life like that?"

Rouge shook her head slowly.

"I've been in fights before, but never anything like... that," she responded with another shudder, "it was an experience I'd much rather not have to go through again if I can help it."

"Well hopefully you won't have to," Ancient Scroll said, trotting over to the window. He gazed out at the scenery for a moment as he spoke, "I had thought all this madness was long since purged from the land of Equestria under the Princess' rule, but apparently I was very wrong."

He hung his head and gave a melancholy sigh.

"I've seen a lot of suffering in my lifetime, but all of it had been in the lands outside of Equestria's borders. Never once did I entertain the thought that corrupt Dark Mages still existed.

"Nor did I ever believe that Celestia might not be the perfect Princess she appeared to be, or that foals could go through so much pain and heartache in their young lives."

Ancient Scroll looked back to Rouge with a wry smirk.

"It's funny, looking back on it," he mused, "I'm very well traveled -- both within and outside of Equestria, but never once in my travels around Equestria did I ever see even a hint of the disharmony around me," his smirk dropped into a frown and he looked away again, "just goes to show how blind I really am..."

He went quiet as he ruminated on his thoughts. Rouge watched him with a sad expression for a few moments before speaking up softly.

"We're... not so different in that regard, Ancient Scroll," she responded, "when I left my little corner of Equestria, I was certain I could handle anything the world threw at me. I had assumed everywhere was like Equestria -- happy, peaceful, and full of Harmony. I found out only too late that I was wrong... very wrong."

"Really now?" Ancient Scroll replied, turning to Rouge with an inquisitive raise of his brow.

Rouge nodded with a solemn frown.

"The world can be cruel, no matter where you are, Ancient Scroll," she said morosely, "I believe we've both learned that lesson the hard way."

"Maybe you have, Rouge," Ancient Scroll answered with a slow shake of his head, "but I had to hear how cruel Equestria could be from three... four little fillies who did nothing to deserve the hoof they were dealt in life."

"And though you did not suffer as they had, the knowledge still haunts you, does it not?"

Ancient Scroll thought for a moment before giving another slow, thoughtful nod.

"I suppose it does..."

Rouge smiled mirthlessly and shook her head.

"When it comes to life lessons, you're never too old to learn," she said before turning to the sleeping fillies with a sad frown, "...or too young it seems."

"As much as I hate to agree with you," the stallion replied, eyeing the fillies himself, "the evidence speaks for itself."

For a few moments neither of them spoke as they each mulled over their predicaments -- both current and past.

"So what are you planning to do now?" Rouge asked after a minute, "with the threat of a corrupt Dark Mage so near, we can't very well take the little ones into Little Trot, can we?"

Ancient Scroll hummed in thought as he looked from the fillies to the window.

"I was planning on keeping them hidden in the Vardo until we could determine that it was safe to enter the town," he answered with a stroke of his beard, "I had also planned on joining Yoji in determining the state of the town, but with him gone and you still recovering, I didn't want to leave the fillies alone..."

Rouge tilted her head and frowned before glancing at the still snoozing fillies on the armchair. She then addressed the stallion with a simple shrug.

"You know what? Maybe we should take them with us into Little Trot," she suggested, "if you want to protect something, keep it close at hand, right?"

Ancient Scroll was about to argue the point, when he stopped himself and actually thought about it. If he needed to defend himself or the fillies he was fairly sure he could do so without too much effort on his part as he still had quite a bit of mana left -- despite this morning's exertions.

He was about to answer the Abyssinian with an affirmative when the door opened and a grim faced Yojimbo stepped inside.

"I need you in town, Scroll. There's somethin' you gotta see."

A Horrible Aftermath

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Ancient Scroll and Rouge looked at each other with matching frowns of concern before turning back to Yojimbo.

"What did you find, Yoji?" the old stallion asked, "are the townsfolk okay?"

"A lot of em' made it to safety," the husky replied, "but a lot of em' also didn't make it. The citizens are cremating the bodies as we speak."

Ancient Scroll nodded slightly before giving the old dog a wary look.

"...And your nephew?"

"He was one of the ones that made it out, thankfully," Yojimbo answered before slowly shaking his head, "the wife... wasn't so lucky..."

"Oh, dear," Rouge muttered in dismay as she put a hand to her face, "I'm so sorry to hear that, Yojimbo."

"It ain't me ya need to worry about, Rouge," Yojimbo replied, "but that's beside the point right now, we need to go, Scroll. These folks really have some kinda story to tell."

"What about the corrupt Dark Mage?" Ancient Scroll asked as he trotted to, and through, the door with Yojimbo, "was there any info?"

"That's part of the story," the husky answered, "I'll let the mayor tell you about it."

"Wait, you two," Rouge called out, causing the stallion and the husky to turn, "what about the little ones?" Rouge asked, gesturing to the fillies who still hadn't woken.

Ancient Scroll turned a questioning look to Yojimbo, who shrugged in response.

"From what I can tell, we got here after everything went down," Yojimbo replied, "it ain't pretty once you get further into town, but it's safe for you and the pups to come with."

"Alright, then I'll wake them and we'll meet you there," Rouge responded with a nod, "just don't wander too far so we know where to find you."

Ancient Scroll and Yojimbo nodded before heading the rest of the way out. Rouge watched them go for a moment before turning to the three sleeping fillies. She was certain they were going to see some things they weren't going to like, but if what she had heard about them was true, they'd probably seen worse.

"Come on, little ones," Rouge said, trying to coax the fillies awake, "we're here, you need to wake up now."

Fia grumbled a bit and went to shift her position so that she was more comfortable, but in doing so, she dislodged Blue Moon who had been lying atop the black filly. Blue Moon yelped in surprise as she lost her balance and tumbled off the armchair.

The shout caused the other two to jolt awake and in Corona's haste to sit up, she knocked Fia to the floor as well, the filly landing right next to Blue Moon. As the three blamed each other for the mishap, Rouge couldn't help but giggle slightly at the situation.

The moment passed and Rouge once again put on a serious expression as she spoke to the three fillies.

"That's enough, little ones," Rouge said with some finality, "we've made it to Little Trot and Yojimbo says it's safe for all of us to enter the town."

"So what happened?" Fia asked worriedly, "is everypony okay?"

"I'm not too sure, Fia," Rouge replied with a shake of her head, "I only know that the threat has apparently passed, and some made it through while others... did not."

"Oh..." Fia responded with a sad expression, "well... at least some of the townsfolk are okay."

"Indeed," Rouge said as she made her way to the door, "we must be thankful for even small blessings. Now come, all of you."

The four of them headed out the back door of the Vardo and continued on towards the town gate.

"Oh, wow," Fia muttered as they all passed through the gate, "what happened here?"

"A fire, obviously," Blue Moon responded to Fia's rhetorical question, "Blue Moon can see that plain as day."

"Yeah, I know there was a fire, Blue Moon," Fia replied with a roll of her eyes, "I wanna know what caused the fire."

Corona remained quiet as they trotted along.

"I want to know where all the ponies are," Blue Moon continued as she swept her gaze across the street, "did they all leave?"

"I believe they're further up ahead, along with Ancient Scroll and the mutt," Rouge answered, "Yojimbo told me the inner part of Little Trot would not be pleasant to see, so be prepared, little ones."

The fillies turned from Rouge to each other with worried looks. The rest of the trek into town was made in relative silence as the group observed their surroundings.

As they moved further and further into town, they started to see more scared or injured ponies, blackened and destroyed buildings... and more bodies lining the streets. Some bodies were mutilated while others were burnt black, making it clear something horrible had happened.

The three fillies stopped in their tracks as they approached. Rouge's ear twitched and she turned to see the fillies frozen on the spot with varying degrees of horror showing on their faces.

She cursed inwardly as she saw silent tears stream down Fia and Corona's face. Blue Moon just shook violently as she murmured something to softly to hear. For what felt like an eternity, they all sat their in silence, save for Blue Moon's constant murmuring.

Corona slowly shook her head as she began backing away from the gruesome scene.

"Girls wait," Rouge began, holding out a hand, "don't--"

Despite Corona's initial retreat, Blue Moon was the one that turned and sped off down the road first.

Before Rouge could do anything, the other two followed right after her -- Fia sobbing uncontrollably and Corona screaming incoherent words in her terror.

"Girls wait!" Rouge cried as she made to follow after the traumatized fillies, "don't run off on your--"

"Rouge!"

The Abyssinian whipped around to see Ancient Scroll and Yojimbo hurrying towards her.

"Ancient Scroll, I'm so sorry!" Rouge called out, "if I had known it would be this bad... I didn't -- I didn't think--"

"None of us did," the old stallion replied as he rushed past the distraught molly, "come on, we can't let them just gallop off on their own."

"Gah, I'm such a damned idiot!" Yojimbo growled as he followed after Ancient Scroll, "shoulda known the pups wouldn't be able to handle somethin' like this!"

Rouge hesitated a moment before running after the other two.

"I'm so sorry, little ones..."

Further up ahead, the three fillies galloped blindly through town, too desperate to escape what they had seen to pay much attention to where they were going. Whether it was by pure luck, coincidence, or some long buried instinct to stick close to one another, each of the fillies managed to stay together despite their jumbled and tormented thoughts.

They weaved in and out of streets and alleyways, surprising passing ponies as they sped by. They hadn't seen any sign of Ancient Scroll or the others since they galloped off, but they wouldn't have noticed or stopped if they had.

Eventually Corona, who was in the lead, stumbled backwards with a muffled ooph! after slamming into another pony she hadn't seen. The pony gave a soft grunt of surprise and took a few steps back from the impact.

"Whoa, whoa, slow down, kid," the pony -- a mare from the sound of the voice -- said, "what's the rush?"

The other two fillies scrambled to a stop in front of the mare. They all turned their tear streaked faces towards the pony who looked back at each of them with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh, geez, what happened to you all?" she asked with a grimace of concern, "don't tell me you all lost somepony in the attack too?"

At that, the three fillies latched onto the stranger and broke down crying once more. The mare's eyes widened and she look around frantically -- unsure of what to do in this situation. Eventually she sighed in resignation and awkwardly patted Corona on the head.

"Aw, come on. girls," she said in what she hoped was a reassuring voice, "I'm not sure what happened to you all, but whatever it was, I'm sure you'll... get over it eventually. It... just takes time, y'know?"

The mare was suddenly distracted by a flash of bright green as Ancient Scroll appeared out of thin air a little further down the street. The stallion looked around him and spotted the mare and the three fillies.

"There you are!" he cried in relief as he trotted over to the mare, "you scared me half to death, the lot of you."

The mare narrowed her eyes slightly as the stallion approached.

"Hey, buddy, what's your deal?" she demanded, "what do you want with these fillies?"

At the mare's words, the three fillies gave her a confused look before turning around to see Ancient Scroll heading towards them.

"Uncle Scroll!"

The three fillies dislodged themselves from the mare and rushed over to hug the old stallion. He returned the hug as best he could before turning his attention to the surprised mare before him.

"I'm terribly sorry about this, Miss," he said with an apologetic smile, "these fillies here saw some things in town they shouldn't have, and they were... understandably upset and got away from me."

"Oh... uh..." the mare rubbed the back of her neck uncertainly, "it's cool... I guess," she then gave Ancient Scroll a disapproving frown, "just make sure you keep an eye on the kids, alright? I took care of the creep that caused all this, but who knows if he has friends around here or something."

Ancient Scroll furrowed his brow in bemusement.

"You took care of the... wait," his eyebrows shot up in surprise, "you're the mare the townsfolk were talking about?"

"The ponies in town are talking about me?" the mare asked in surprise, "well that's... probably not good actually," she sighed and looked away with a sour expression, "the boss lady is gonna kill me when she finds out..."

Ancient Scroll raised an eyebrow at the mare and the other fillies -- finally having calmed down somewhat in Ancient Scroll's presence -- looked on in confusion.

"Everything alright there, Miss?" the old stallion asked.

"Hmm?" the mare replied distractedly, "oh, yeah... everything's cool," she paused and turned back to the stallion with a thoughtful expression, "say, maybe you can help me."

Ancient Scroll raised an eyebrow and looked at the fillies who looked back, just as bemused. He turned back to the mare with an inquisitive look.

"I can certainly try," he finally answered, "what do you need?"

"I'm actually looking for somepony," the mare explained, scratching at her black mane absently, "it's super important that I find her."

The stallion frowned slightly.

"And... who exactly is it that you're looking for?" he asked somewhat warily, "if you don't mind me asking."

"A filly."

The three fillies tensed and Ancient Scroll's frown deepened.

"Lavender fur, violet eyes, indigo mane with a pink and purple streak in it, no cutie mark," she eyed the fillies around the old stallion, "about their age actually," she said as she pointed a dark green hoof at Fia and Blue Moon, "goes by the name, Twilight Sparkle, have you heard of her?"

"Afraid not, Miss," Ancient Sroll replied with a carefully neutral expression, "but I'll be sure to let you know if I see you again."

"Oh, cool!" the mare replied happily, "yeah, I'll probably be here a bit longer helping out around town while I look for her. Oh," she held out a hoof, "name's Wild Evergreen by the way."

Ancient Scroll smiled and met her hoof with his own.

"A pleasure to meet you, Miss Evergreen," he replied, "and thank you for finding the little fillies here."

"They kinda found me, actually," she said with a chuckle before spreading her wings, "well I gotta split, but like I said, I'll be here for awhile, so lemme know if you find Twilight Sparkle."

Ancient Scroll nodded silently and the mare took off.

As soon as she was out of sight, Corona turned to Ancient Scroll with a panicked look.

"Uncle Scroll that was--"

"I know, little filly," he looked down at a shaking Fia with a grim frown, "I was planning on staying here and helping out the townsfolk, but now I think it'd be best to move on as soon as possible."

He turned to his left and saw Rouge an Yojimbo heading their way.

"It looks like I'll have to tell you girls about what happened here once we're back in the Vardo."

A Strange Tale

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As the group met back up, Ancient Scroll informed Yojimbo and Rouge about the encounter they had with Wild Evergreen. They stayed in town long enough for Yojimbo to give his condolences and goodbyes to his nephew before heading back to the Vardo.

Most of the walk to the caravan had been made with only a few words said between the adults here and there. The fillies themselves had remained largely silent on the way back, still too shaken up to hold any kind of meaningful conversation.

"Once again, you have my sincerest apologies, little ones," Rouge said for the third time during the trek back, "had I known things would be so bad, I would never have brought you down that way."

"It's... it'll be fine, Rouge," Corona spoke for the other two silent fillies, "we just weren't prepared for..." she trailed off into silence for a moment and shuddered before speaking again, "we'll... probably be okay soon. Just... give us some time."

Blue Moon and Fia remained quiet, but each of them nodded slightly in agreement. Rouge herself wasn't convinced, her uncertainty not helped by the fact that though they had calmed down, they were still crowded tightly around Ancient Scroll as they trotted along.

"I can't believe we ran into one of the ponies lookin' for the purple pup so soon," Yojimbo commented as they neared the caravan, "how'd they even know we were around here?" he thought for a moment and frowned, "wait... did that crazy pony we caught tip them off?"

"He did say they knew where the filly was," Rouge replied before turning to Ancient Scroll, "but that aside, if you really did run into one of the ponies after her, why not try to gain information from her?" she asked, "you could've pressed for information given she didn't know who the fillies really were."

Ancient Scroll stopped and pulled open the back door to the Vardo and waited for everyone else to step inside. Once they were in, he trotted in himself and closed the door before finally responding.

"The reason I didn't bother to ask for more details was because I'm almost certain she would've given me some sort of excuse," he trotted to the front of the Vardo and stepped out onto the wooden platform, "while I think I could've gotten away with asking a question or two, I didn't want to risk it -- especially if she would've just lied anyway."

He lit his horn and for a few moments, the entire caravan glowed a soft green. He remained quiet as he worked the Come-to-Life spell and eventually, he cut off the flow of the magic as the Vardo began to back away from and move around Little Trot. He made sure the caravan was on the right track before talking once more.

"She may have let slip that she was working under somepony else," he turned to look at the Abyssinian with a solemn expression, "but after hearing what I did about her, I believe that -- had she any reason to suspect we were on to her -- she would've tried to kill me."

"So... what?" Yojimbo asked, "you played the fool?"

The stallion nodded.

"The mare sounded friendly enough, but there was something very wrong with that pony, Yoji," he replied, "I'm not sure if the fillies felt it, but I certainly could."

Rouge, Yojimbo and the three fillies mulled that over and after a moment, the Abyssinian spoke.

"So what did you hear about her?" she asked curiously, "you and Yojimbo never told us what happened."

"Right," Ancient Scroll said with a nod, "well, I didn't actually manage to get the full story, but Yoji here knows all the details," he looked towards the three morose fillies with a concerned frown, "did you girls want to come along for the tale?"

Corona glanced back at the other two fillies and by the looks on their faces, it was clear they weren't up for it. Corona turned back to Ancient Scroll and shook her head.

"I think we're gonna just... go back to our room for now, Uncle Scroll," she answered slowly.

"I understand," the stallion replied with a sad smile, "take all the time you need, fillies. Just let me know when you're ready and I'll tell you all about it."

The three fillies each muttered some sort of thanks before heading off to the bedroom. Ancient Scroll turned back to Rouge and Yojimbo, silently motioning them to follow him into the sitting room.

Once they were all inside, he closed the door and trotted over to the armchair. The molly and husky took a seat on the couch in front of him.

"I'm sorry we didn't get to stick around like you wanted, Yoji," Ancient Scroll began, looking somewhat guilty, "in a town that small, I'm sure we would've run into that mare again, and I didn't want to stay long enough for her to find out who Fia really was."

Yojimbo remained silent for a second, before letting out a heavy sigh and giving the stallion a level look.

"Honestly, I think you're being way too paranoid, old pal," he replied, "but I know you're just trying to look out for your own, so I won't say anymore about it. I do want to come back here to check up on my nephew though, he was pretty broken up when I left," he looked away, "I think I managed to comfort the pup well enough, but who knows..."

Ancient Scroll gave the husky one last apologetic look before turning his attention to Rouge.

"Well at any rate, that pegasus mare calling herself Wild Evergreen was quite a character from what little I did hear about her," Ancient Scroll explained, "but getting back to the Dark Mage for the moment, the stallion responsible for the outbreak of undead in town wasn't even from Little Trot."

"I suppose that makes sense," Rouge commented with a nod, "I'm certain someone in Little Trot would've realized there was a corrupt Dark Mage living in town."

"Right," Ancient Scroll agreed, "well it seems there wasn't much information about the stallion. He just showed up in Little Trot the day before and stayed at the inn."

"Everything was kibbles n' bits for the first day," Yojimbo continued, "the bastard didn't do anything but stay in his room from what the innkeeper says. Then out of nowhere, he hears this insane laughter coming from behind the door and suddenly the whole place lights up like the Sun exploded. The next thing anyone knows, dead ponies are poppin' outta their graves like daisies."

"There's a cemetery just beyond town," Ancient Scroll said, picking up the explanation, "it isn't too big, so there weren't nearly as many undead as in say... a place like Tambelon, but it was still enough to get a lot of innocent ponies killed in the attack. Many didn't see it coming until it was too late to stop."

"So then that mare -- the one you saw, Scroll," Yojimbo added with a nod to the stallion, "folks say she just happened to be flying overhead and saw what was happening in town. The way they tell it, you'd think that pony was some kind of one mare army.

"They say she didn't even say a word -- just swooped down out of the sky and tore the things limb from limb in the blink of an eye with nothin' but her hooves. But the strange and frankly kinda creepy part, is that she had this dead. blank look in her eyes as she did it, but once she was done it was all jokes and smiles -- at least, that's what the ponies who actually saw her fight up close say."

Ancient Scroll nodded.

"It's like I said," he finished, "I don't know what happened to that mare, but something isn't right about her. It seems she eventually found the stallion responsible, and killed him. The moment he died, the undead died with him and that was that. Nopony knows where he came from or why he did what he did, but it'll be awhile before the town recovers."

"Well that's... quite a tale," Rouge finally replied with an uncertain frown, "at the very least he won't be able to hurt anymore innocents."

"I'll say," Yojimbo responded with a yawn, "turns out that pony who did 'im in was pretty gruesome about it. They found half the stallion in the giant fountain in town square, and the other half somewhere in the marketplace."

Rouge grimaced at that.

"...Perhaps it is for the best that the little ones weren't here to hear this."

"I think you're right about that one, Rouge," Ancient Scroll replied with a grimace of his own, "the Sun only just rose for the day and this is most likely going to ruin the rest of it for them."

"If I hadn't brought them out there, then they wouldn't have--"

"We're all to blame for what happened back there, Rouge, not just you," Ancient Scroll chided, "if anything, it's more mine and Yojimbo's fault for not warning you four as soon as we found out how bad it was."

"Yeah, that one was on us," the husky added, "I was too caught up with what was happening with my nephew and the rest of the town to give it any thought."

"Hmmm..." Rouge replied, looking away, "I still feel responsible either way. The poor girls..."

Yojimbo frowned and decided to change the subject after a moment.

"So, where we headed next, Scroll?" he asked, turning to the old stallion, "we're still plenty stocked up on what we need, so we don't have to stop for supplies just yet, but I'd still like to be able to stop in at a tavern for a drink or two."

"Already?" Rouge asked with a disbelieving raise of her brow, "rather early for a drink isn't it?"

"Hey, I've been through a lot already today," the old dog said with a shrug, "can't blame me for wantin' somethin' strong to wash down all that drama."

"Well... I suppose we do still need some information about Canterlot," Rouge replied after some thought, "with how close Little Trot still is to the border, I doubt we would've found out much there, but the next town may have something we can use."

"Indeed, although the next place we go won't be a town exactly," Ancient Scroll responded, before turning to the old dog with a playful smirk, "our next stop is actually a tavern. A roadside tavern."

Yojimbo's eyes widened slightly.

"The roadside tavern," the stallion continued.

"You ain't talkin' about--"

"The Sour Apple," Ancient Scroll finished with a nod, "if there's any info to be had all the way out here, that place would be our best bet to find it."

"Ha!" Yoji cried jovially, "I haven't been there in ages!"

"Same here," the stallion replied, "it'll be good to see old Apple Core again."

Rouge looked between the two reminiscing friends in bemusement.

"I take it you two have some... history with this place?"

"You can say that," Yojimbo answered, "Apple Core is a great guy. Done a lot for us in the past."

"That he did," Ancient Scroll added, "he's another old friend that traveled around with Yoji and me. He actually returned to Equestria before either of us did so he could spend time with his family. Eventually we found out he opened up a family owned tavern in the area."

"Yup," Yojimbo continued with an eager grin, "best hard cider and apple whiskey you'll ever drink, and don't let the name fool ya -- the hospitality those ponies show is damn near legendary."

"Well then," Rouge answered with a small smile of her own, "it seems I have something to look forward to after all."

"I hear ya," Yojimbo replied with another yawn, "but in the meantime, I think I'm gonna grab me a nap. It's been a heck of a morning."

"I'll agree to that," Ancient Scroll replied, rising from his chair, "haven't had a decent rest in awhile now."

"Well then you two go ahead and sleep," Rouge said as she rose from the couch, "I don't need much sleep myself and I've already rested this morning."

"Thanks, Rouge," Yojimbo drawled, making his way to one of the large cots they had moved into the sitting room, "you're one in a million you know that?"

Rouge rolled her eyes and walked to the door.

"I'll tell the little ones where we're headed and let you two know if anything urgent comes up."

Ancient Scroll thanked her and she stepped out of the room, quietly closing the door behind her.

A Reluctant Confession

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It was shaping up to be a grey morning as a blanket of clouds made its way over the horizon along with the rising Sun. The Vardo had left Little Trot and the forest behind and was now moving along a path surrounded by rolling green hills and the occasional roadside birch here and there.

After going back to ask Ancient Scroll, Rouge had informed the fillies of their next destination and that they'd reach it sometime later in the afternoon. In the meantime, the fillies took some time to catch up on their studies.

Though this was more a distraction from the events of earlier than any real desire to learn.

Roughly two hours had passed since then, and the silence hadn't gotten anymore comfortable than when they had started their studies. Each filly couldn't help but ruminate on their own horrible experiences after what they had seen.

They all knew somepony had to say something, but none of them wanted to be the first to bring anything up -- not that they even knew what to say. After a few more minutes of increasingly uneasy silence, Corona sighed and bookmarked the page of the textbook she was reading.

"We can't keep doing this."

Fia winced and gave Corona a quick hesitant glance before going back to her notes. Blue Moon didn't look up from her book at all as she responded.

"Blue Moon has no idea what you're talking about Corona," the light blue filly replied dismissively, "nopony is doing anything."

"Exactly!" Corona shot back as she rose to her hooves, "it's obvious what happened earlier is still bugging all of us," she hung her head and glared at the floor, "I don't know about you two, but up until then, I thought I had gotten over... what happened with Celestia."

She fell back to her haunches with a heavy thud.

"I guess I wasn't as 'over it' as I thought I was..."

Fia finally set her quill down and turned to face Corona with a pleading look.

"Do we really have to talk about this right now?" she asked morosely, "I don't wanna think about what happened back--"

"But you are thinking about it," Corona interjected, giving the black filly a sad but stern frown, "all of us are, and I'm starting to think we won't stop thinking about it until we talk about it."

"Well Blue Moon is perfectly content to continue her reading, thank you very much," Blue Moon replied, pointedly not taking her eyes away from her book.

"But why?" Corona pressed, "we were all fine with talking about what happened in the past before!" she looked between the other two with a frustrated expression, "what changed? Why can't we talk about it now?"

For a few heartbeats, nopony answered and Corona sighed.

"I thought we agreed not to keep secrets from each other anymore -- that we were gonna share our problems rather than keep them inside?" she turned a somewhat accusatory look to Fia, "was I wrong to think that?"

Fia winced again and turned away from Corona's piercing gaze with a look of guilt.

"Blue Moon doesn't remember making any such promises," Blue Moon replied trying to sound dismissive.

"T... Blue Moon," Corona groused, "you told us about what happened to you so that there wouldn't be any more secrets between us, remember?"

Blue Moon buried her muzzle further into the book she was trying -- and failing -- to read.

"T-That was... different," she muttered lamely, "a-and it wasn't really a promise or anything..."

"Then why tell us at all?" Corona pushed, "you can't tell me you didn't feel at least a little bit better once you talked about it."

"No, Sunset Shimmer," Blue Moon snapped, rounding on the maroon filly, "I did not feel any better after telling you what happened to me!" she looked away with a frown, "I thought that maybe..." she sighed, "it seemed to work for you and Twilight, so I figured maybe I could finally feel better about it... but I don't."

Corona reigned in her shock at Blue Moon's outburst and turned to Fia for help. The black filly eyed Blue Moon with a sad frown before returning Corona's look with one of sad realization.

"I think..." she hesitated before continuing, "I think Sunset's right, none of us have gotten over our problems. I think we just kind of... pretended like we did."

She shook her head and turned to watch the cloudy sky outside as a light rain began pelting the window. After a brief moment of contemplative silence she lowered her gaze and addressed the other fillies with a melancholy but determined frown.

"When we..." she faltered before starting again, "when we saw all those bodies in town, it felt like I was... back at my house again, watching those two..." she swallowed and tried to push past the lump in her throat, "It felt like I was watching my mom and dad die all over again."

She looked from Corona to Blue Moon. Corona gave her a look of understanding while Blue Moon refused to return Fia's look.

"I bet it was the same for you two, wasn't it?" she asked pointedly, "you both felt the same way I did."

Corona nodded and trotted over to join Fia by the window.

"I tried not to show it, but I almost had a panic attack when I saw those buildings that were burnt from the fire," Corona began, "and then... and then there were the burnt ponies," she paused and shivered at the memory, "when I saw them, I immediately thought about what Celestia showed me. I actually started to feel like I was burning alive again."

The two heard a loud groan of frustration and turned to see Blue Moon glaring back at them.

"It was my mother, okay?"

Fia and Corona gave the light blue filly a bemused look and Blue Moon gave a resigned sigh before explaining.

"Those nightmares I keep having?" she began, "some of them are about what the Razor Twins did to me, but most of them are about my mother."

Fia frowned momentarily before remembering what Blue Moon had told them about that day.

"But... I thought you said you didn't--"

"I know what I said, Twilight Sparkle," Blue Moon said sharply, cutting the black filly off, "and I lied," she huffed and turned away from the two, "I hated Abilia and Luciano. They hurt me and didn't love me at all -- and because of that, I don't regret what I did to Luciano."

She looked back to the others, praying they would understand what she was trying to say.

"But I think that's because I was the one that did it," she went to take a step forward, thought better of it, and sat back down, "I wasn't ready to see... what I saw when I turned into that alleyway."

She shuddered visibly.

"She was terrible, but... she was still my mother. I didn't... seeing her like that, I don't know, it was like..." she paused, struggling to find the right words to convey her feelings on the matter, "I don't know! I just... haven't been able to get what I saw out of my head, even after all this time."

She let out another frustrated groan and fell silent. Fia glanced at Corona and frowned thoughtfully before giving a slow nod.

"I... think I know what you mean, Trixie," she said tentatively, "maybe it was some kind of... instinct or... or a natural response or something."

"What do you mean?" Corona asked with a confused frown.

"When the Razor Twins showed Trixie her mother," Fia explained, "maybe... maybe the only thing Trixie's mind focused on was the fact that somepony had... done something horrible to her mom."

Fia looked back to Blue Moon for confirmation.

"Like... everything that Trixie's mother had done to her up to that point didn't matter in that moment."

"Right! That's it!" Blue Moon cried as she pointed to the black filly, "that's exactly what it was!" she calmed down and continued, "when I... when the Razor Twins showed me what they did to my m... Abilia, the only thing I could think about was that she was dead and that they had killed her."

"So wait," Corona replied trying to understand, "are you saying that you would've been fine if you were the one that killed her, like with your dad?"

Blue Moon's eyes widened and she began fidgeting uncomfortably as she thought about her answer.

"I dunno... maybe?" she muttered uncertainly, "I was... really angry with Luciano and... well... by the time I left the house, the anger was more or less gone," she looked back to Corona helplessly, "I don't really know what I would've done."

Not liking the direction the conversation had been heading, Blue Moon shook her head and decided to get back to the original topic before the other two fillies could ask anymore about it.

"Anyway, that's what I... that's what Blue Moon remembered when she saw all the bodies in Little Trot," she said as she trotted over and laid back down next to her book. She flipped it open and began reading once more, "now if you don't mind, Blue Moon is going to get back to her studies."

"And... I'm guessing you still don't feel any better for having told us, do you?" Corona asked sadly.

"No, I don't."

Corona and Fia briefly looked at each other with matching frowns of worry before the maroon filly sighed and returned to her spot on the floor. Fia watched silently as Corona removed the bookmark and started on her studies alongside Blue Moon.

"So... that's it then?" Fia asked with a look of disappointment, "we're done?"

"I guess so," Corona answered. She looked up from her book and gave Fia a genuine, if somewhat weak, smile, "Blue Moon may not feel any better, but I think the talk helped me sort out my feelings about what happened -- at least a little anyway."

"Yeah, same here," Fia agreed somewhat half-heartedly as she trotted back over to where her notes were and levitated the quill from the inkwell, "I guess it was better than how things were earlier..."

Blue Moon glanced over to Fia and Corona and gave another quiet sigh before turning back to her book -- another frown crossing her muzzle. She had tried again to talk about her past and her feelings on what happened, and yet again, it didn't seem to help in the slightest. She was left to wonder once more...

Why? What made her different from the other two? Why couldn't she at least try to move on, like Hoofdini had done?

Did it just take more time?

If that was the case, how long would it take for her to finally rise above the nightmares and live her life free of the pain of her past?

The time may come sooner than you realize, Beatrix Lulamoon.

Blue Moon shot to her hooves with a shout of surprise, startling the other two.

"Trixie, what is it?" Fia asked worriedly, "what happened?"

"I..." she looked from Fia's worried gaze to Corona's look of concern. From their expressions, Blue Moon could tell that neither of them had heard the voice she had, "I... It's nothing," she finished, laying back down, "Blue Moon just... found a really exciting spell she could learn, that's all."

"Really?" Fia asked with an intrigued grin, "what spell did you find? Maybe I can help!"

"Nono, it's alright," Blue Moon replied hastily, "I'll... B-Blue Moon will tell you more about it later."

"Oh... alright, then," Fia responded with another disappointed frown as she returned to her notes, "well, let me know if you need any help learning it."

"Yeah," Blue Moon replied with a nervous smile, "Blue Moon will be sure to do that."

As the light blue filly went back to her book, Corona noted the slightly bewildered and fearful look on Blue Moon's face. She frowned and reluctantly went back to her own studies -- her gaze lingering on Blue Moon for only a moment longer.

It was obvious something else was going on with Blue Moon, but Corona decided not to press the filly for details right now -- feeling it would only lead to another argument.

Still, she couldn't help but wonder.

An Old Friend's Tavern

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Morning had finally given way to late afternoon.

The light rain from earlier had long since passed, though the blanket of clouds had yet to dissipate. As the Vardo neared its next destination, the scenery had changed from rolling green hills to a wide open pasture with tall snowcapped mountains that could be seen off to either side of the road in the far distance.

Ancient Scroll and Yojimbo had both woken up a couple of hours ago. They had decided to fill the last of the trip to the tavern with idle banter about the old days as they stood out on the platform.

Fia and Corona were still engrossed in their studies -- having finally tackled them in earnest rather than as just a distraction. Blue Moon on the other hoof, desperately wanted a distraction from her own thoughts and had joined Rouge in the kitchen where she was making a small lunch for everyone.

Somehow, a simple question of when the food would be ready turned into an impromptu cooking lesson for the light blue filly. It was as all of them finished their meals a little later that Ancient Scroll announced their arrival to the tavern.

The Vardo slowed to a stop in front of the large wooden two story building and with no small amount of eagerness, the group hopped out of the caravan and made their way to the entrance.

"Well here it is folks!" Yojimbo grandly gestured with a wave of his paw, "the finest tavern ever established by any living creature this side of Equestria! I present to you... The Sour Apple!"

When the fillies first heard the name of the next place they were stopping, they hadn't expected much. Now, as they stood in front of the tavern, they could only gape in amazement at the large structure before them.

The building itself seemed to be made of some kind of dark wood, not unlike that of the Vardo. it had a large second story balcony, several elongated windows on either side of the front door, and a wide wooden sign just above the entrance that had the words 'The Sour Apple' carved right into it.

The sign showcased a stylized apple that replaced the 'O' in 'Sour'. Overall, it was an impressive piece of architecture and the fillies' open stares made Ancient Scroll chuckle as he trotted forward.

"Come on, girls, let's get a move on," he said, motioning for them to follow, "you keep standing around with those mouths hanging open and you're going to catch flies."

They all snapped their mouths shut and Blue Moon grimaced in disgust at the thought of what the old stallion had just said. Nevertheless, she and the other two fillies followed after Ancient Scroll and the other two adults.

Yojimbo pushed the door open, stepping into the tavern with a bright toothy smile.

"Apple Core, you withered old stallion!" he called out, "where the devil are ya?"

As the others stepped in behind the loud husky, Fia 'eep'd' in surprise and took a startled step back. While there weren't a lot of patrons sitting at the many tables scattered about, the few ponies, griffons, and diamond dogs that were there all stared at the group with varying looks of confusion, irritation, or amusement.

"Wassat?" came a grizzled voice from further inside, "who's callin' me now?"

Ancient Scroll and the others turned their attention to a tall rust colored earth pony stallion behind the bar near the back of the tavern. The stallion in question turned to the newcomers with a bemused and somewhat grouchy looking frown.

He adjusted the dark brown stetson he wore over his short cut, deep red mane and squinted his cobalt eyes, trying to get a better look from where he stood.

"Who the buck -- wait just a darn minute..." his eyes widened in surprise and a welcoming grin made its way onto his wizened old face, "well damn me ta Tartarus! If it ain't the pooch an' the scholar!" he gave a hearty laugh, "well don't just stand there cloggin' up mah doorway, come in, come in!"

At his words, the group walked or trotted the rest of the way inside, the other patrons returning their attention to whatever it was they were doing -- much to the fillies' relief.

"It's been far too long, Apple Core," Ancient Scroll greeted as he and Yojimbo made their way to the bar.

"Shoot, yer tellin' me!" the rust coated pony replied with a chuckle as he leaned over the counter, "how long's it been now? Nineteen, twenty years since ah last saw yer faces around here?"

"Sounds about right," the husky replied as he pulled up a stool, "haven't done too much since then -- that is, until this coot decided he'd had enough of the hermit life and dragged me along for a roadtrip."

"No kiddin'?" Apple Core replied, directing a curious raise of his eyebrow towards Ancient Scroll who had just taken his own seat, "ah thought ya'll were done with livin' life on the road?"

"First of all," Ancient Scroll answered, rolling his eyes, "Yoji was the one that practically forced me to take him along, and second, this isn't a Journey like last time," he frowned slightly, "at least, it's not supposed to be anyway..."

"Interestin'," Apple Core replied with an intrigued nod. His eyes briefly scanned the area around the two and he raised another eyebrow, "an' when did ya plan on introducin' me ta the rest of yer travelin' companions?"

"I believe the old one and the mutt may have been to caught up in their reunion with you to introduce the rest of us properly."

Ancient Scroll and Yojimbo started slightly and snapped their gazes to their immediate left where Rouge had taken a seat at some point. Rouge smirked as she continued -- her tail flitting back and forth playfully as it hung over the edge of the stool.

"If Yojimbo's outburst was anything to go by, you must be Apple Core," Rouge said with a nod towards the old bartender, "it's a pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise," Apple Core replied with a grin and a tip of his hat, "don't get too many Abyssinians around these parts so this is a bit of a treat."

Rouge's eyes widened in surprise, but before she could make any sort of comment, Apple Core turned his attention to the three uncomfortable looking fillies standing nearby and frowned. It was clear the fillies didn't know what to do with themselves in such an adult oriented environment.

"Say, Scroll," Apple Core muttered, "when did ya become a parent?" he turned to the beige stallion with a small smirk, "and who's the lucky mare?"

Ancient Scroll gave a small groan of annoyance and shook his head.

"It's like I told Yoji," he answered, "the fillies aren't mine by blood, and I don't have a special somepony," he turned to address the three, "alright girls, come over here so I can introduce all of you."

They all made their way over to where Ancient Scroll sat and looked up at the tall rust colored earth pony nervously.

"Come on now," Ancient Scroll coaxed, "he may be a bit gruff, but he's got a soft spot for foals. He won't hurt any of you," he looked back to an amused Apple Core, "this here's Fia, Blue Moon, and Corona," he said, gesturing to each filly in turn, "somehow, they all managed to find their way to my little cottage in the middle of nowhere."

"An' you bein' you," Apple Core guessed, "ya couldn't turn em' away, could ya?"

"Not a chance," Ancient Scroll replied firmly, "they had nowhere else to go, and the nearest town to where I live doesn't have any kind of orphanage."

"Fair enough," Apple Core replied with a hearty laugh, "Ah suppose if they were gonna wind up anywhere, it was probably fer the best they wound up at your doorstep."

He then turned a kind smile towards the three fillies who had yet to speak at all.

"It's like Scroll here says," he said reassuringly, "ah ain't gonna bite or nothin', and I don't want ya'll thinkin' we ain't got nothin' fer foals to do. In fact..."

He frowned and tapped his chin thoughtfully. After a moment he smiled and disappeared behind the counter, causing Fia, Blue Moon, and Corona to look at each other in confusion. Apple Core came back a moment later with three mugs that he placed on the counter.

The mugs frothed over with a drink none of the fillies recognized. They each pointed a questioning gaze to the rust coated pony who only grinned at them in turn.

"Go on an' take em'," he pushed holding out two of the mugs to the fillies, "on the house fer the three of ya."

The girls looked at each other once more before Blue Moon and Corona took the mugs in their magic. Fia took the third one from the counter and they all took a moment to stare at the frothy amber liquid within.

"What is this?" Blue Moon asked, eyeing her mug warily, "It's not alcoholic... is it?"

"What? No!" Apple Core replied. letting out a surprised bark of laughter, "don't tell me ya'll never had apple cider before?"

All three of them shook their heads.

"I've had apple juice," Fia replied as she sniffed the contents curiously.

"Well this is kinda like that," Apple Core replied with a shrug, "except about a hundred times better."

"That good, huh?" Corona muttered, "well I do like apples, so it can't be all that bad."

With a shrug, she raised the mug to her muzzle -- the other two fillies following her example a moment later. Tentative sips soon turned to eager gulps and before any of them knew it, the cider was gone.

Ancient Scroll and the others looked on with varying levels of amusement as each of the fillies finished their cider.

"Blue Moon demands more!" the light blue filly cried, shoving the now empty mug in Apple Core's face.

"Blue Moon, don't be rude," Fia chided before turning to the old bartender with an apologetic look, "but, um... I'd also like some more if that's okay."

"Yeah," Corona added with an enthusiastic nod, "this stuff is amazing!"

Apple Core chuckled and took the mugs before heading back behind the counter.

"Alright, alright, but this is the last free round," he relented, "after this, it's comin' outta Scroll's pocket, got it?"

The fillies nodded eagerly, completely oblivious to the flat look Ancient Scroll was giving the rust coated stallion.

As he came back with the refilled mugs, Apple Core looked past the group and his face lit up.

"Ah, just the girls I wanted to see," he said, to the groups' confusion, "Apple Seed! Apple Stem! Come on over here a moment!" he called out, "I want ya ta meet some ponies!"

Ancient Scroll and the rest looked over to where Apple Core was facing and spotted two earth pony foals making their way over to the bar. One was a tan coated filly with a short black mane and tail, and cyan eyes. The other was a slightly older looking peach coated filly with a longer sandy blonde mane and tail, and amber eyes.

The two fillies wore bright red neckerchiefs emblazoned with the same stylized apple that was on the sign above the entrance. They each had large platters balanced on their backs and seemed to have no problems keeping the mugs atop the platters without them spilling over.

"Ya said ya wanted us ta--"

The tan filly stopped short as she noticed the other three fillies. She blinked and turned to Apple Core with a raised eyebrow.

"Who're they?" she asked pointedly, "are these the ponies ya wanted us ta meet, Pa?"

"That's right," Apple Core replied with a nod, "why don't ya'll introduce yerselves to the new fillies?"

The tan filly turned a calculating gaze back to the three fillies. Fia nervously pawed at the ground, Corona merely raised an eyebrow, and Blue Moon gave the tan filly a calculating look of her own.

After a moment the tan filly smiled and nodded in satisfaction.

"It's mighty nice ta meetcha," she finally said, "mah name's Apple Stem," she gestured to the quiet peach coated filly next to her, "this here's mah older sister, Apple Seed. She don't talk too much normally, but if ya can manage ta get her goin', she never shuts up."

Apple Seed blushed and gave her younger sister a glare, but didn't say anything. Apple Stem ignored her and continued talking.

"So... who're ya'll supposed ta be?" she asked tilting her head slightly.

"It's nice to meet you too, Apple Stem," Corona answered with a pleasant smile of her own, "my name's Corona."

"I'm... my name is Fia. Fia Starshine," Fia replied hesitantly.

"And I am the Amazing and Talented Blue Moon!" Blue Moon announced with a dramatic flourish, "future showpony extraordinaire!"

Fia facehoofed and Corona rolled her eyes. Apple Seed let out a small giggle at the display while Apple Stem just raised an eyebrow in bemusement.

"Okay then..." Apple Stem replied uncertainly, "well it was nice meetin' ya an' all, but we got ourselves a job ta do, so we'd best get back to it."

She made to trot back towards the table when she was nudged in the side by her sister. Apple Stem turned to the peach colored filly with an annoyed frown and Apple Seed in return, jerked her head towards Apple Core.

Apple Stem looked to the tall stallion and her eyed widened in realization.

"Oh," she muttered before clearing her throat, and giving the expectant stallion a sheepish grin, "was... was there somethin' else ya needed, Pa?"

"Actually there was," he replied with a nod, "ya'll know where yer Ma got to?"

"Um... ah think she's upstairs right now feedin' Apple Slice," Apple Stem replied, "why? Did ya want us ta go get her?"

"Nah, ah got somethin' else fer you two ta do," Apple Core answered with a shake of his head, "I want ya'll ta take these fillies an' find somethin' fun ta do upstairs while I talk to the adults," he gave Ancient Scroll a significant look -- one the beige stallion returned with a solemn nod, "we got a lot ta catch up on."

"What?"

Blue Moon and Apple Stem glanced at each other, surprised at having spoken simultaneously. Apple Stem turned back to her father with a bewildered expression.

"But..." she started, "but what about the--"

"Don't you worry none about the customers, Apple Stem," the rust coated stallion interjected, "Ah can take care of em' fer awhile. You an' Apple Seed just focus on keepin' our guests entertained fer the time bein', alright?"

"Yes, Pa," Apple Stem replied with a sigh. She turned to the other fillies and nodded towards the staircase to their left, "come on, ya'll, ah'm sure we can find somethin' ta do."

Fia, Blue Moon, and Corona glanced at each other and shrugged before polishing off the rest of their apple cider and placing the mugs back on the counter where Apple Core collected them. With that done, they followed the sisters up the stairs.

The adults watched them go for a moment before Apple Core's voice brought their attention back to the bar.

"Well it looks like we all have quite a bit ta talk about," he announced as he trotted further back to where the tap and bottles were, "and from the look ya were givin' me, ah suspect not all of it is good news."

"Ya don't know the half of it, Core," Yojimbo replied with a chuckled and a shake of his head.

"Indeed," Rouge added, "just in the past few days we've been through a lot."

"Well then..."

Apple Core eyed the various alcoholic beverages on the shelves near the back wall before turning back to the others with a smirk.

"How strong do ya want yer drinks?"

A Frothy Mug o' Scuttlebutt

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True to his word, Apple Core had taken it upon himself to both tend the bar and deliver the drinks. Things were a bit slower when it came to service, but the patrons didn't seem to mind.

Still, there were so few customers that he was able to spare enough time to talk with his old friends and the Abyssinian. The three took the time to update Apple Core on the most recent happenings in the area, and the more Apple Core listened the graver his expression became.

Ancient Scroll had left out a lot of the details regarding what happened with the three fillies themselves, and made sure to use their false names while they were still surrounded by potential eavesdroppers -- pausing every now and then when a customer would come near.

The old beige stallion hadn't had much to drink, only sticking to two mugs of hard cider -- both his preference and limit when it came to most alcoholic beverages. Rouge and Yojimbo had held back as well at Apple Core's own request -- reminding them that they were supposed to be taking care of the fillies.

The late afternoon dragged on and by the time the three were finished with their tale, it was creeping towards evening.

After their story concluded, Apple Core let out a heavy sigh.

"It's a darn shame what happened ta Little Trot," the rust coated stallion responded after a moment, "knew some good ponies from there. Ah'll hafta check on the town when ah get a chance."

He shook his head and looked at the three with a grim frown.

"And now, ya'll are tellin me yer on some trip to Canterlot to find out more about... what was it?"

"We're trying to find out more information about what's going on in Canterlot as well as any kind of news we can find," Ancient Scroll replied, "I won't lie to you, old friend, but I will say that there's some other things we have to do there that I'd rather keep quiet for now."

"Ah getcha, Scroll," Apple Core replied with a knowing nod, "wouldn't want word gettin' around that little Fia is in the area, now would we?"

Ancient Scroll furrowed his brow and sighed in resignation.

"Should have known better than to try and keep secrets from you," he muttered before addressing the bartender in a normal voice, "look, Apple Core, I'm not sure how much you figured out from the story, and I'm sorry I had to keep the filly's identity a secret, but you've got to understand why I did it."

"Oh, I understand, Scroll," Apple Core replied with a shrug, "and believe me, after everything I've heard, ah don't blame ya in the slightest fer keepin' it a secret," he then gave the beige stallion a level stare, "just because ah value honesty over most other virtues don't mean ah don't understand the need for secrecy every now an' then."

He gave the patrons sitting at the various tables a significant glance before returning his gaze back to Ancient Scroll.

"If ya wanna keep secrets, it ain't never a good idea ta say more'n ya need to in this or any other bar or tavern."

"That's true enough," Rouge replied, "you never know who might be on the lookout for the information you want to keep hidden."

"Speakin' of information," Yojimbo added with a raised eyebrow, "how much do you know that we didn't already tell you, Core?"

"Well, to be perfectly honest -- ah, gimme a minute..."

Apple Core prepared another drink at one of the customers' request and delivered it to their table before returning to his original spot he glanced around briefly before continuing in a hushed whisper.

"...now, as ah was sayin', a lot of what ya told me about Fia lines up with some of the things ah've been hearing from the customers from Canterlot."

"Oh?" Rouge inquired curiously, "this must be quite the hotspot to get patrons from Canterlot all the way out here."

"Naw, this place ain't that popular," Apple Core replied with a small chuckle, "but ah do get the odd Canterlot pony from time to time, and a few of em' stopped by here not too long ago."

"Really?" Ancient Scroll responded, leaning forward and resting a foreleg on the counter, "any relevant news you can share?"

"Well normally ah don't share personal details about mah customers," the rust colored stallion replied slowly, "but seein' as how most of what they said weren't nothin' personal, ah could tell ya what ah heard."

"Then by all means," the unicorn stallion urged, "don't hold back."

Apple Core nodded and began.

"The ponies over in Canterlot are scared witless from what I understood," the old bartender explained with a shake of his head, "the folks that came around these parts had a lot to say about what was goin' on in the city."

"And what'd they say?" Yojimbo asked as he finished off his glass of apple whiskey, "anything useful?"

"Well -- oh, pardon me a moment," Apple Core stopped to serve a griffon who had walked up to the counter. The patron gave the group a nod of greeting before returning to his table, "sorry 'bout that, folks," Apple Core continued, "accordin' to the ponies, some bad business involvin' the double murder of a unicorn couple had the city in a frenzy."

"I'd imagine so," Ancient Scroll responded with a grimace, "from what I know about Canterlot, very little happens in the way of even minor crimes, and this..."

"Now hang on a moment, Scroll. It gets worse," the old bartender interjected, "if what those city folk said was true, things in Canterlot are beginnin' to go to Tartarus in a hoofbasket."

"How so?" Ancient Scroll asked with a concerned frown, "things are already bad enough as it is."

"Yeah," Yojimbo said with a concerned frown of his own, "I'm all for a little danger and intrigue, but with the pups involved in all of this, we don't need anymore than we already got right now."

"Well if that's how ya'll feel, then yer gonna hate what ah have ta say next," Apple Core replied with solemn frown, "seems there was another murder in Canterlot recently."

"Wha -- are you serious?" Yojimbo growled as he shot up from his stool.

He turned an irritated look towards Rouge who had tapped him on the arm. She pointed to the tables behind him and he glance in that direction before giving a small huff and returning to his seat.

"I'm startin' to think those fillies of yours are a magnet for trouble, Scroll," the husky muttered to the stallion next to him, "if our luck keeps up like this, we're gonna have a tough time keepin' them safe."

"Don't I know it, old friend," Ancient Scroll agreed before addressing Apple Core, "what can you tell us about the murder, Apple Core?"

"Not too much about the murder itself, ah'm afraid," Apple Core replied with an apologetic shrug, "all ah know is that it was a griffon livin' in the city that got done in, and that nopony knows who the killer is."

"That isn't good," Rouge replied, "assuming the Princess hasn't caught the murderers of that poor filly's parents yet, I'm sure ponies aren't going to be too happy about the situation with this recent murder."

"That's puttin' it lightly," Apple Core replied with a grimace. Another patron called out to him and he made his way over to their table with more drinks before returning to the bar, "folks in Canterlot were already jumpy about the first murders, now they're losin' their minds.

"Story goes that the Princess is doin' everythin' she can to reassure the ponies, but ah personally don't think puttin' the city on lockdown until the murderer is caught is the right way to go about things."

"For cryin' out -- she put Canterlot on lockdown?" Yojimbo cried in disbelief, "she's lost it!"

"Well apparently it ain't gone quite that far yet," Apple Core conceded, "but there's certainly rumors floatin' around that she's plannin' on it. Fear and paranoia's gotten so bad that folks are startin' ta leave the city all together. From what I hear, the Royal Guard is already out in full force patrollin' the streets an' lookin' fer any kinda trouble."

"Wow," Rouge muttered, "ponies... don't take too well to strife do they?"

"Not in Canterlot, they don't," Ancient Scroll replied with a sad shake of his head, "I only realized this after I left Equestria, but Celestia did the city no favors by coddling all of its ponies like foals. None of the ponies there have ever experienced anything like this in... centuries I think. Same goes for the other towns surrounding the capital."

"Ah reckon yer not wrong there, friend," Apple Core agreed, "ah don't think the ponies of Canterlot are wired fer this sort of trouble -- heck, ah'm pretty sure most of the towns close to Canterlot ain't doin' too well with the news either."

"It seems the ponies have less faith in their Princess than I realized," Rouge commented, "a peace that's lasted for centuries, only to be brought down by a few murders in the capital city. One has to wonder how she managed to keep the majority of her Kingdom at peace for so long if this was all it took to send it into a downward spiral."

"You know what?" Ancient Scroll muttered thoughtfully, "you're right. From what Corona told me about Princess Celestia, she has the power to bring her subjects under control, and there hasn't been any kind of problems of this magnitude in centuries, and yet everything is crashing down around her."

"Just what are you gettin' at, Scroll?" Yojimbo asked with a bemused raise of his brow, "you sayin' there's some kind of conspiracy or somethin'?"

"I don't know, Yoji," the beige stallion replied with a slow shake of his head, "I'm just having a hard time believing that a peace that's lasted so long was this fragile to begin with. I think there might be more to this than what we know so far."

"So what are we going to do then?" Rouge asked, "do we still head for Canterlot?"

Ancient Scroll didn't reply for a moment, lost in thought as he was.

"...I have my own reasons for wanting to go to Canterlot," he finally answered, "but at the end of the day, I'm doing this to help Fia," he turned to fully face Rouge as he spoke, "I think I'll let the fillies know what's happening in Canterlot and leave it up to them to decide whether or not we should still go."

"Ah don't know if that's a wise decision, partner," Apple Core interjected with a frown, "in fact, ah think it's a plumb crazy idea. With what little ya told me about the fillies' situation, ah don't think ya should risk it."

"You're probably right, Core," Ancient Scroll conceded as he turned back to the bartender, "but after everything that's happened to her, Fia deserves some answers, and I think Canterlot is our best bet at finding those answers."

"And besides," Yojimbo added with a smirk, "the pups are in good paws. We can handle anything that fancy city can throw at us."

"I'm not too sure myself," Rouge responded with a worried frown, "we've already lost the little ones once, and that was in a small town. Canterlot is supposed to be quite a large city. You said it yourself, Yojimbo, with all the problems we've run into so far, we may have a difficult time trying to keep the little ones safe while we're there."

"We're off to a bad start, I'll admit," Ancient Scroll replied, "but the important thing is that we learn from our mistakes," he turned to Apple Core with a determined nod, "my decision still stands. If the fillies still want to go to Canterlot after what they've heard, then I'll support that decision and we'll do everything in our power to make sure they stay safe."

Yojimbo gave a nod of agreement and after a moment, Rouge did the same. Apple Core eyed the three with an unreadable expression for several long seconds before huffing and shaking his head in exasperation.

"Ah still reckon ya'll are makin' a big mistake bringin' those fillies into Canterlot right now," he replied, "but ah know it's important to ya, so ah won't say anythin' more about it," he looked Ancient Scroll and Yojimbo in the eyes, "just be careful you two."

He leaned closer and whispered his next words.

"Ah've always thought there was somethin' fishy about the Princess, and if there is some kinda rebel group out there tryin' ta take down the Princess, that just makes me all the more suspicious."

He leaned back once more and spoke in a normal tone.

Just make sure you an' the fillies don't get yerselves caught up in all of their nonsense."

Ancient Scroll let out a wry chuckle and gave the bartender a sad smile.

"I think it's a bit too late to worry about that, old friend."

A Rare Play Date

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While Ancient Scroll and the others had remained downstairs to have their chat, Fia, Corona, and Blue Moon headed upstairs with the Apple Family sisters to find something to occupy themselves.

Once they reached the top, they saw that the entire upper floor of the tavern was set up like an inn, or an apartment. The floor consisted of a long hallway with several doors on either side of the wall, and an opening at the end of the hall with two more doors.

"So are ya'll sisters or sumthin'?" Apple Stem asked, trying to start a conversation, "and was that yer Grandpa back there?"

"Well we aren't really--" Corona began before Fia cut her off.

"We're not related like you are, but we might as well be sisters," Fia replied, before turning back to Corona and Blue Moon with a small smile, "and Uncle Scroll isn't our grandpa -- or our real uncle -- but he might as well be, right?"

Corona and Blue gave each other a thoughtful glance and Blue Moon returned Fia's look with a slow nod.

"Blue Moon... supposes that's true," the light blue filly replied with a growing smile of her own.

"Yeah, I can agree with that," Corona added with a shrug, "we honestly haven't known each other for that long, but we've been through a lot together," she frowned slightly, "and we have... a few things in common."

Apple Seed furrowed her brow as she observed the maroon filly's small change in expression, but didn't comment otherwise.

"Huh," Apple Stem mused as they made their way to the end of the hall, "ah can respect that. Pa always said that family ain't just about the blood ya share, but the experiences that bring ya closer together."

Apple Seed nodded in agreement.

"I guess that's true," Fia commented, "your dad is a nice pony, Apple Stem."

"Don't ah know it!" the tan filly responded, beaming with pride, "Ma an' Pa are the greatest parents ever!"

As they reached the end of the hallway, Apple Stem trotted towards one of the doors and began pulling it open, completely missing Fia's weakened smile in the process.

Apple Seed however, took note of the change and frowned once more -- though she still made no comment.

"So if yer not sisters," Apple Stem continued as she stepped inside the room, "then how'd ya'll meet?"

She stopped in the middle of the small room and turned to the others in confusion when she didn't hear a reply. The three other fillies remained in the doorway, fidgeting uncomfortably. Apple Stem raised an expectant eyebrow as she waited for one of the fillies to respond.

"Blue Moon would rather not say, if it's all the same to you," the light blue filly finally answered as she trotted further into the room.

Fia nodded silently as she followed Blue Moon inside. Corona and Apple Seed were the last to enter before the peach colored filly closed the door behind them. They had entered what was clearly a bedroom, and a rather nice one at that.

Two large windows partially covered by vanilla curtains lined the back wall. On either side of the room were two twin sized beds, a dresser, and a small lamp. The last notable thing the three fillies noticed was the large ornate tan and dark brown rug in the middle of the hardwood floor.

After a brief glance around the room, Corona decided to speak on her two friends' behalf.

"Sorry, Apple Stem," she said with an apologetic smile, "telling you how we met would mean telling you some other stuff that we... don't really wanna talk about."

"Aw come on," Apple Stem replied with a small pout, "why not?"

Apple Seed trotted over and put a hoof on her sister's shoulder. She shook her head once before giving the younger filly a disapproving frown. Apple Stem opened her mouth to argue with the quiet filly, but seemed to think better of it and just let out a huff of disappointment instead.

"Alright, alright ah won't ask," Apple Stem grumbled, "are ya happy?"

Apple Seed nodded with a satisfied smile.

The disturbingly familiar exchange caused both Fia and Blue Moon to shudder involuntarily and they looked away. Corona looked at the black and light blue fillies worriedly before turning back to the two sisters.

"I don't mind telling you about some of the other stuff we've done since we met, like..." Corona hesitated a moment before her face lit up, "there was this festival we went to not too long ago."

"Right! The Spring Festival in Faranda Way Village!" Fia added, jumping on the change of subject, "there were all kinds of neat things there!"

"Blue Moon agrees," Blue Moon said before frowning in thought, "although she distinctly remembers Fia winning a large basket of snacks that we never got to eat."

"Hey yeah," Fia replied with her own frown, "Uncle Scroll took the basket away and said we couldn't have any until later after dinner."

"Well... maybe he brought the basket with him when he left?" Corona guessed with a shrug, "we'll have to ask him. Some of those snacks looked amazing."

"The Spring Festival, huh?" Apple Stem muttered, tapping her chin as she listened to the fillies talk, "ah think ah've heard of that," she turned to her older sister, "didn't some folks from Canterlot come in a few days ago complainin' about how they missed some kind of festival?"

Apple Seed nodded.

"Yeah, an' one of them had this really funny name," the tan filly continued, "what was it again? Filbety Gadgets?"

"Flibberty Gibbets," Apple Seed corrected in a soft voice, "her name was Flibberty Gibbets."

"Wait," Fia replied, "Flibberty Gibbets was here?"

Apple Seed turned to Fia and nodded.

"She came in with her husband Foggy Skies an' the husband was complainin' about how they missed the Spring Festival because his wife wouldn't stop talkin' to the other patrons about random things that didn't matter. He got drunk and started talkin' to everpony who came near about how unfair his life was and how he never should've married into money."

Fia blinked and turned back to her two friends who merely shrugged -- just as bewildered as she was.

Apple Seed paid them no mind as she continued speaking.

"Ah remember because the wife ignored him until he started shoutin' an' then they got into this big ol' argument in front of everypony in the tavern. Pa had ta break it up, and he ended up kickin' em' out because it was gettin' worse an' they wouldn't stop. It was pretty funny an' all the patrons wound up cheerin' when they left."

As Apple Seed continued to ramble on, the three fillies turned a questioning gaze to Apple Stem.

"Hey, it's like ah said," Apple Stem said with a shrug and a small smirk, "once she gets goin' she don't stop," she turned and poked Apple Seed in the foreleg, causing the older filly to falter and look at her younger sister in confusion.

"Yer doin' it again, Apple Seed," Apple Stem said flatly.

The peach colored filly furrowed her brow and looked at the other three bemused fillies across from her. Her eyes widened and her face reddened slightly before she turned her attention to her hooves.

"Sorry about that," she muttered, "got carried away... again."

"No, it's alright," Fia replied with a giggle, "it was a pretty interesting story."

Apple Seed gave her a small smile, but didn't say anything more.

"So ya'll know those ponies then?" Apple Stem asked curiously.

"Oh, we know them alright," Blue Moon answered with a roll of her eyes, "that Flibberty Gibbets mare was a real--"

"Nice lady," Corona finished, shoving a hoof over an indignant Blue Moon's muzzle, "sure, she was a little... overenthusiastic, but she seemed pretty nice other than that."

"Yeah, ah know what ya mean," Apple Stem agreed with a nod, "they both got a temper though, ah'll tell ya that much," she grimaced before giving the three fillies a curious look, "ya don't gotta tell me how ya'll met, but can ya at least tell me where ya'll are from?"

Corona glanced back at the other two fillies who nodded before returning her attention to Apple Stem.

"Yeah, I guess so," the maroon filly answered with a nod, "I'm from Canterlot."

She gestured to Fia and was about to reveal where she and Blue Moon had come from when she remembered they were supposed to be incognito. She scrambled to come up with a story and she smiled when she found one.

"Fia here actually arrived in Equestria and moved to Canterlot a few years ago. She and her family are originally from Trotland."

"Wow," Apple Stem replied with an intrigued look towards Fia, "we get all kinds of creatures from outside of Equestria, but ah've never seen a foreign pony until now. Ah guess that explains the black coat an' the funny accent."

"Oh, yes," Blue Moon mocked, throwing a hoof around Fia's withers, "our little Fia Starshine is sensitive about her unique coat, so try not to make it a big deal."

Fia rolled her eyes and pushed Blue Moon away.

"It's fine, really," she said with a sigh, "I'm used to it."

Blue Moon chuckled before raising a hoof to her chest and addressing the two Apple sisters.

"Blue Moon hails from the beautiful city of Trottingham," the light blue filly exclaimed, "she is well on her way to becoming the greatest showpony who ever lived!"

Apple Stem turned to her sister with a look of confusion. Apple Seed returned the look with a shake of her head before turning back to the light blue filly with an amused smile.

"So... what?" Apple Stem asked, turning to Blue Moon once again, "yer gonna be some kinda fancy stage pony?"

"A magician, actually," Blue Moon clarified, "and I plan to put on the most amazing shows you've ever seen!"

"Really?" the tan filly asked, with a hint of excitement, "do you know any tricks?"

Blue Moon smirked at the intrigued filly.

"Do you happen to have any playing cards?"

And so it was that Blue Moon entertained the Apple sisters with the various tricks she had practiced. The two sisters had even provided a makeshift stage and some props made from different things around the room.

Some of Blue Moon's tricks worked and others failed to hilarious results, but in the end, they always managed to get a smile or a laugh out of the two. Fia and Corona watched and commented the whole time -- sometimes even joining the light blue filly as assistants.

They hadn't realized it until now, but it had been quite some time since Fia and Corona had played with other fillies their age like regular fillies were supposed to, and it felt great. Blue Moon herself had never even had the opportunity to do such a thing. The closest she could think of was going on walks with Twilight back at the cabin.

The three fillies knew in the back of their minds that they'd have to leave eventually, so they enjoyed the company of their new friends as much as they could while it lasted, and as they all played together, the cloudy day gave way to a cool grey evening.

A Sister's Decision

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By the time Ancient Scroll and the others finished their business and the old friends had caught up, it was well into the night. The rain had stopped momentarily, but came back later that evening with a vengeance -- bringing a storm with it.

After making sure the Vardo was protected from the storm, Ancient Scroll had taken Apple Core's offer to stay the night at the tavern at a greatly reduced cost. Yojimbo and Rouge had taken their own rooms while Ancient Scroll and the fillies shared a room.

Before they had gone to bed, Ancient Scroll took the opportunity to let the girls know what the situation was in Canterlot.

"I won't lie to you, girls," Ancient Scroll explained, "things may have become more dangerous with both the fact that there may be another killer and the increased alert around the city."

"And that means Celestia and the Royal Guard will be on the lookout for anypony and anything suspicious..." Corona muttered unhappily, "just perfect. As if I wasn't already nervous enough..."

Fia shivered and snuggled deeper into the blanket the three fillies were sharing on the large bed next to Ancient Scroll's.

"Do you think it was the Twins again?" she asked nervously, "I mean, I can't see who else it would be."

Blue Moon went to say something in response to Fia's statement, but stopped herself and frowned, turning to stare at the dark ceiling above with a grim expression.

"I'm not too sure, little filly," Ancient Scroll replied from an armchair near the bedroom window, "it's a possibility, but I'm confused as to why they'd stick around. From what you told us, they hated the city."

"Maybe they were on order's from that rebel group?" Corona suggested, "or maybe it was somepony else from that group? Who else would have a reason to kill a pony... or griffon?"

"Who knows," Ancient Scroll replied with a sigh, "the only thing I do know for sure is that staying in the city undetected by Celestia might be a bit more difficult than we thought -- even with the disguises."

Corona eyed Ancient Scroll for a moment before turning a concerned look towards Fia.

"What do you think?" she asked the black coated filly, "I'm... still afraid of Celestia, and I feel like she'll know who we are as soon as she sees us, but that might just be me being paranoid."

Fia thought about her answer.

She still wanted to find out more about her brother, and Ancient Scroll said Canterlot might be their best bet to get more information. She also hadn't forgotten about her own issues in regards to her magic and had been looking forward to finding out more about what was going on with that.

But was it still worth the risk?

It wasn't just hers and Ancient Scroll's life she was putting in danger, but those of her friends -- ponies she was very much beginning to see as her own sisters. She decided to look at the pros and cons of returning to Canterlot in its current state.

On one hoof, she'd most likely be able to find out more about the strange circumstances surrounding her magic with the many resources available in the city. There was also the fact that she and the other two fillies were completely disguised to the point where even Corona's cutie mark had changed.

Despite Corona's concerns about Celestia, Fia was confident they wouldn't be detected by anypony other than the Princess herself, and as long as they didn't do or say anything overtly suspicious, she was sure they wouldn't be caught.

On the other hoof however, there was another killer -- or possibly the same two killers -- on the loose in the city. Fia wasn't sure she could handle another situation like what happened on that night at her home.

She also had to remember that there was no guarantee she'd find out more about Shining Armor's whereabouts, so for all she knew, their efforts may be wasted on that end. On top of that, Ancient Scroll had mentioned that there was a rumor that Celestia was going to lock down the city until they found the culprits.

But then she remembered something important -- something Rouge had told her when she asked a little while back. She turned back to Ancient Scroll to voice her concern.

"Rouge told me she was going to Canterlot to find somepony," she said to the old stallion, "if we decide not to go, how is she going to get there?"

The other two fillies looked towards Ancient Scroll expectantly, curious to know what he had in mind.

"Well..." Ancient Scroll hesitated, stroking his beard as he looked out the window, "she and I had a little chat about that very thing a bit ago..."

"...And?" Blue Moon pressed, "what happened? What did she say?"

"I don't think I told you girls this," the stallion explained, "but Rouge and I both paid for the Vardo, so it technically belongs to both of us," he turned his gaze away from the rain spattered window to look at the fillies, "she says she still wants to go to Canterlot, so we talked about it, and came up with a solution."

"What are you gonna do, Uncle Scroll?" Fia asked with a tilt of her head, "would we have any other way to get back if she took the Vardo?"

Ancient Scroll looked away with a grimace.

"We wouldn't be going back to the cottage while those rebel ponies are still out looking for you," he continued, "but there's actually a place we could stay up in some mountains nearby."

"The mountains?" Blue Moon asked, raising an eyebrow, "do you have some kind of secret hut up there or something?"

"Yeah, something like that," the old stallion replied with a knowing smirk, "it's definitely a secure location, don't you worry about that," his smirk fell away and was replaced with a frown, "unfortunately getting there would be a bit of a hassle."

"What do you mean?" Corona asked, "would we not be taking the Vardo?"

"Rouge doesn't have any real way of using the Vardo without the Come-to-Life spell," Ancient Scroll answered with a shake of his head, "the only way she'd be able to use it is by hiring out some ponies to pull the caravan, but she'd be hard pressed to find any around here, and she decided looking wouldn't be worth the effort."

"So what's she gonna do then?" Fia asked worriedly, "if we're still taking the Vardo, how is she gonna get to Canterlot?"

"If we decided to split up, Apple Core offered to take her as far as the next town over," the stallion replied, "it isn't too far and he says he knows a pony who can get her the rest of the way to Canterlot."

"Oh," Fia replied letting out a quiet sigh, "well that's a relief."

"That's all well and good," Corona interjected with a frown, "but if we're keeping the Vardo, then how would getting to this secret place of yours be a hassle?"

"The path we'd be taking up the mountain isn't fit for a caravan -- especially one as big as the Vardo," Ancient Scroll explained, "not to mention the trail is rather dangerous."

"Exactly how dangerous are we talking?" Blue Moon asked, narrowing her eyes.

"The first leg of the journey up the mountain wouldn't be too bad," Ancient Scroll replied, "but further up, the paths get narrower with steep drop offs and rockslide hazards. Some of the wildlife there is fairly dangerous as well."

"Oh," Blue Moon responded with a deep frown, "that sounds... pretty dangerous..."

"Indeed it is, little filly," the stallion replied before giving the light blue filly a reassuring smile, "but as long as you all stay close and do what I say to the letter, I can promise you'll all be just fine."

"So... do we just abandon the Vardo then?" Fia asked, "you said we couldn't use it to travel up the mountain so..."

"You let me worry about that, little filly," Ancient Scroll said with a dismissive wave of his hoof, "in the meantime, you three still have a decision to make."

"Oh... right," Fia replied, looking at her hooves, "Canterlot..."

If Fia was being honest, she was rather curious to see this 'secret hut' in the mountains. For a brief moment, she thought about abandoning the trip altogether so they could go see the place.

She quickly pushed the thought aside. They might be safe, sure, but she also knew she wouldn't find the answers to any of her questions if they just gave up and hid in the mountains for the rest of their lives.

She made her decision, but she refused to put her own decision above everypony else's.

"I know what I want to do," Fia finally answered, looking from Blue Moon to Corona, "but before I say, I wanna know what you two want to do first."

"Blue Moon says we go for it," the light blue filly replied almost instantly, "we already made it this far, so we might as well continue, and besides, these disguises are practically perfect."

"Are you sure, little filly?" Ancient Scroll asked with a furrowed brow, "you have the least reason to go out of anypony here."

"Blue Moon has spoken!" Blue Moon exclaimed dramatically, causing the other two to giggle slightly.

Fia then turned to Corona expectantly. Corona fidgeted nervously for a moment before setting her face in a determined frown and looking back to Fia.

"I'm still in," Corona replied, "it's like Blue Moon said, as long as we're careful and avoid Celestia, we should be fine with these disguises," she turned away and a small, wistful smile crossed her muzzle, "and maybe I can get a chance to see Summer Breeze and the other foals at the orphanage one more time."

"Then that settles it," Fia announced with a firm nod before looking to Ancient Scroll, "we all still want to go to Canterlot."

"You're all certain?" Ancient Scroll responded, the warning and worry clear in his voice, "we may not know what we're getting into here."

"I'm sure," Fia replied, "If there's even a chance that we can find anything out about my brother, I want to know. And even setting that aside, I wanna know what's going on with my magic, I haven't really used too many spells lately aside from Telekinesis because I've been afraid of what might happen."

"You used that Shadow Cloaking spell without any problems," Blue Moon pointed out.

"Right," Fia nodded, "but that was an emergency. I don't want to risk something weird or dangerous happening if I try to use too much magic."

"Fair enough," Ancient Scroll replied with a sigh, "so you're all in agreement then?"

The three fillies nodded in affirmation.

"Right then, I'll let Rouge and Yojimbo know," he responded, rising from his chair, "make sure you fillies get a good rest because we're leaving bright and early for the next town over tomorrow."

With a quiet round of 'good night', Ancient Scroll left the room. Fia and Corona settled in and got comfortable, looking forward to the best sleep they'd have in the past few days.

Blue Moon took a bit longer to relax.

She had managed to distract herself well enough earlier, but now that things had settled down, her thoughts wandered back to the mysterious voice she had heard in the caravan.

She wasn't sure where it had come from or why it had already known her name, but the voice sounded confident, regal, powerful. Despite her fear and confusion, Blue Moon couldn't help but be somewhat envious of the voice deep down.

She wondered if she'd hear it again, and what it would tell her if she did. In fact, the more she thought about it, the more her fear lessened and her curiosity grew. She remembered from Corona's story that she had heard a voice in the castle.

Was this the same voice she was talking about?

Somehow Blue Moon doubted it.

Still, she began to think she should tell Fia and Corona about it, even if they didn't believe her. Corona had been right after all, Blue Moon did want to be open and truthful to her friends about her problems, but she found that she still had trouble actually doing so.

She wanted to change that, and she would, starting with this. At the very least, Corona might be able to offer some insight as to what was going on with the voice, and what to expect. It was then that she decided to confront the two about it tomorrow when they were alone.

With that plan in mind, she snuggled deeper into the blanket and closed her eyes, eager to finally get a good night's sleep.

A Mysterious Voice

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True to his word, Ancient Scroll woke the girls early the next morning so they could get ready for the trip to the next town.

All of the fillies were still groggy -- even Corona, who was normally a morning pony -- but they all did their best to shake off the sleep regardless. Both Apple Stem and Apple Seed greeted the other fillies with an air of enthusiasm Fia found rather disturbing given how early it was.

Fia was most certainly not a morning pony.

The storm had long since passed during the night and the Sun could be seen just barely peeking over the eastern horizon when they all stepped outside. Apple Core had let the group purchase a small stock of apple cider -- both hard and non-alcoholic -- which Yojimbo was more than happy to store in the Vardo.

After everything was said and done, and all the fillies had said their goodbyes, Ancient Scroll started up the caravan and the group was off to their next destination. He informed the fillies and his fellow adults that the next stop would be a quick one to Hayton Fields -- a small farming village that was only about an hour away.

The village was the last stop before they had to travel northeast through another forest. The Farhoof Forest -- while less dense than the unnamed forest they had gone through before -- was much larger and would take at least two days of travel by caravan to get through.

After that it was another week or so of travel before they hit another settlement. With this in mind, Ancient Scroll had planned to use a generous amount of bits to stock up on more supplies in Hayton Fields.

As the Vardo left the tavern and made it's way further east, the group took some time to rearrange the interior of the caravan to better prepare for the extended journey ahead.

While the adults were busy unboxing and decorating the sitting room, Blue Moon took the chance to talk to Fia and Corona about her unique issue as they worked on fixing up the bedroom.

"Blue Moon heard a voice inside her head, speaking to her yesterday."

Corona's magic faltered for a moment and she very nearly dropped the bookshelf she and Fia were setting up on top of the black filly. Fia yelped in surprise and had to put more magic into her Telekinesis to stop the rather heavy bookshelf from crushing her.

"Oh, geez!" Corona cried, as the red aura of her Telekinesis mingled with Fia's once more, "sorry, about that, Fia. Blue Moon over there just... caught me off guard."

"It's alright..." Fia grunted, "just... focus on the bookshelf right now..."

Once the bookshelf was set up against the wall, both Fia and Corona gave Blue Moon their full attention. Blue Moon herself was on the opposite side of the room where she had just finished setting up a long thin desk Rouge had brought from her house.

"Now what was that about a voice?" Fia asked as she and Corona made their way over to where Blue Moon was, "you said you heard a voice inside your head?"

Blue Moon sighed and turned to fully face the approaching fillies.

"It happened after we had that... talk yesterday," she explained, "Blue Moon was trying to read her book, and out of nowhere she hears this voice talking to her."

"I knew something was up!" Corona exclaimed gesturing to Blue Moon, "that's why you freaked out all of a sudden!"

"Wait, hang on," Fia added with a bewildered frown, "if you were hearing voices, why didn't you tell us before?"

Blue Moon pawed at the ground and looked away nervously.

"Well..." she muttered, "Blue Moon noticed that you two couldn't hear anything, and she didn't want you to think she was crazy or anything."

"Blue Moon," Corona replied flatly, "did you forget that I had a voice talking in my head? I don't think I told you this, but that voice stuck around for at least a week or so before I left the castle."

"And all that time you never figured out who or what it was?" Fia asked with a raised brow.

"No," Corona replied with a frustrated huff, " aside from when I woke up and when I left, it never told me anything useful. It mostly just made stupid and annoying jokes at my expense and crude comments about Celestia's flank and... just more random nonsense that didn't mean anything."

"Well, this voice wasn't like that," Blue Moon interjected, "it was a lot more... refined? Commanding?" Blue Moon struggled with her description for a moment before shaking her head, "it wasn't like the voice in your head, that's for sure."

"So what did it tell you?" Fia asked in concern.

Blue Moon shuffled her hooves uneasily before letting out another sigh of resignation.

"Blue Moon was... worrried about some things," she frowned, "no... I was wondering when I'd be able to get over what happened to me and at least try to move on, like you and Sun... Corona, and it was like the voice knew what I was thinking."

"Blue Moon," Corona shook her head and put a hoof on Blue Moon's shoulder, "Trixie, we talked about this before. While you do have to move on eventually, you don't have to force it before you're ready. If you're having trouble, talk to us."

"Yeah," Fia added with a nod and a reassuring smile, "Sunset, Ancient Scroll, and I -- and I bet even Rouge and Yojimbo -- will be there for you if you need anything."

"I know that already, believe me," Blue Moon replied, removing Corona's hoof, "I know I'll probably get over it at some point, it's just frustrating and hard to talk about right now."

"Well, why not start with what this voice said?" Fia suggested, "what was it?"

"...It said the 'time may come sooner than I realize'."

"What the hay does that mean?" Corona asked with a confused tilt of her head, "the time for what?"

"I don't know," Blue Moon replied with a shrug, "the time for me to finally get over my past, I guess."

"That sounds... kind of ominous," Fia muttered with a contemplative frown, "I don't like the sound of that," she turned a questioning gaze to Corona, "you're the one who's had a voice in her head before, what do you think?"

"Me?" Corona asked incredulously, "I have no idea! Like I said, the voice in my head was crazy and it didn't say anything ominous or cryptic like that -- well, other than when I first heard it -- but other than that, it was all just jokes and random comments."

"Oh," Blue Moon replied a bit dejectedly, "I was hoping you'd be able to tell me what to expect in case I heard the voice again..."

"Do you think you will?" Fia inquired curiously, "I've never heard any voices, so I don't know how these things work, or if there even is some kind of process."

"Process?" Corona asked, turning to the black coated filly with a raised eyebrow, "why would there be a process? Do you think there's some kind of network of mysterious beings putting voices into ponies heads on a regular basis?"

"N-No, of course not! That'd be ridiculous," Fia replied, her face reddening slightly, "I'm just saying there might be something more to this that we don't understand is all."

"Well in any case," Corona responded, turning back to Blue Moon once more, "I get the feeling that voice might try to use you for some kind of evil purpose or something, so if you hear it again, don't listen to it and tell us or Uncle Scroll about it."

"And... what if it's not?" Blue Moon asked tentatively, "what if it's really trying to help me?"

"With how you described the voice, I doubt that's the case," Fia answered, "but if it sincerely wants to help you move on from what happened to you, then... um..." she turned to Corona for help and the maroon filly shrugged. Fia looked back to Blue Moon with an uncertain shrug of her own, "I don't know, I guess you'll have to use your own judgement."

"Seriously though," Corona added with a stern frown, "I really wouldn't listen to it if I were you. Whenever I thought the voice in my head was trying to help, it just ended up getting me into some kind of trouble -- and those were just stupid pranks. This sounds like it might be a lot more serious."

"...Alright," Blue Moon conceded, "I'll... Blue Moon will think about what you girls said and what she should do about the voice. But I did have one question."

"Yeah?" Corona replied curiously, "what is it?"

Blue Moon looked Corona in the eye as she responded.

"If the voice you were hearing tried to trick you and was so unhelpful, then why did you listen when it told you to leave?"

That caught Corona off guard and she took a step back. She stared at Blue Moon for a moment before sinking to her haunches and turning her gaze to her hooves.

"I... was in a bad place," she explained, "I had a really bad panic attack and I was freaking out and crying and... well, it was just really bad." she slowly shook her head and looked back up at the other two, "when the voice told me to leave, it sounded... I don't know... sincerely worried, I guess."

"Really?" Fia asked with a sad look, "was it that bad?"

Corona nodded with a grimace.

"I was a mess, and I guess the voice took pity on me or something, because when I decided to leave, it helped me sneak out of the castle undetected," Corona furrowed her brow, "now that I'm thinking about it... it actually did mention something ominous just before I made it out of the castle."

"What was it?" Blue Moon asked? "was it like the voice I heard?"

"Well," Corona scrunched up her face in thought, "it... I think it said something about Celestia... yeah," she nodded once, "it said not to worry about Sunbutt -- that she'll get what's coming to her soon enough and that when the time comes, I might be able to meet him face-to-face."

"What?" Fia cried incredulously, "how do you just forget something like that?"

Corona merely shrugged in response.

"It was a while ago," she replied, "and I was kinda panicking at the time."

Fia wanted to say more, but couldn't find the words and closed her mouth with an annoyed grunt.

"You said 'him'?" Blue Moon asked, "it was a stallion's voice?"

"Yeah," Corona replied, "and he sounded really old."

"Well then," the light blue filly responded, "if that's the case, we definitely heard two different voices because the one I heard was the voice of a mare."

Fia shook her head and sat down, frowning deeply.

"That's... this is all too weird," she muttered to herself, "I need some time to think... just what on Equus is going on? All of this -- my family, these rebel ponies, these voices, the Princess, my magic... I just... ugh!"

She shook her head, rose to her hooves, and began pacing the room. The other two fillies watched her mutter to herself incoherently -- their task of fixing up the bedroom all but forgotten in the face of Blue Moon's confession and the resulting conversation.

"Um... Fia?" Corona tried, "are you okay?"

The black filly didn't respond, completely ignoring Corona as she continued her increasingly frantic pacing and muttering. She turned and trotted over to the large box of books they had yet to put on the bookshelf.

Still muttering to herself, she absently began to float the books out of one of the boxes around the room in a steady stream and place them onto the shelf -- in alphabetical order Corona noted.

"Blue Moon thinks the stress is finally getting to her," Blue Moon whispered to Corona, "maybe we should leave her alone for awhile?"

"Good idea," Corona agreed with a nod, "wanna go get something to eat?"

Blue Moon nodded in response and the two fillies stepped out of the room, not taking their worried gaze off their frazzled friend until the door closed behind them.

A Conducive Exchange

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Wild Evergreen felt good.

It was always nice to help out ponies in need, even if that meant getting her hooves dirty to do so. In her opinion it was always worth seeing a smile of gratitude on a pony's face when she went out of her way to lend a hoof.

At least, for those that deserved it.

When she was told to search this area for any sign of her target, she hadn't even known Little Trot had existed initially. That quickly changed once she saw the town being attacked by undead of all things.

Wild Evergreen didn't like the undead.

Of, course not many ponies did, but for Wild Evergreen, they were something to be dealt with as soon and as swiftly as possible. She was ordered not to draw attention to herself, and normally she would've followed that order to a tee.

The attack on the town however, warranted Wild Evergreen's full attention. She wouldn't just stand by as innocent ponies were killed and eaten. So she acted, swooping in and wiping out as many of the undead as possible while she looked for the monster that caused it all.

It was safe to say the Necromancer wouldn't be raising anymore dead.

Wild Evergreen may have more or less done the complete opposite of what the boss had told her to do, but she still thought it was worth it in the end. She killed a Necromancer, she saved the town -- for the most part, she even stayed to help those suffering in the aftermath.

She was sure Frigid Gale would understand.

Still, it wouldn't have been a good idea to spend any more time in Little Trot than she did, so late the next day, she said her goodbyes to the grateful locals and flew further west.

She had been flying for quite a while when she finally spotted another town on the horizon -- this one a bit larger than Little Trot. It looked rather odd and out of place from her perspective, with strange buildings she hadn't seen before.

Wild Evergreen didn't dwell on it though, she had a job to do after all.

After a few more minutes, she reached the town gate and landed at the entrance. Upon landing, she trotted into town, taking in the odd sights around her. She had never seen such diversity in a single place like this.

Sure, the bunker had quite a few griffons and even some diamond dogs here and there, but it was nowhere near the level of this town. Wild Evergreen found herself awed and pleasantly surprised by the fact. It was nice to see ponies and other races living in Harmony like this.

It was certainly a far cry from where she grew up, that's for sure.

She was snapped out of her musings by a pair of laughing foals and a diamond dog pup chasing each other across the road. She took a step back to let them pass and smiled as she watched them go.

"Adorable, aren't they?"

Wild Evergreen turned to see a female diamond dog approaching her from the direction of a large building nearby. She appeared to be a rather tall and old looking golden retriever and Wild Evergreen noted that she walked with a bit of a limp.

After a moment, the pegasus mare looked back towards the children who had stopped chasing each other and were now wrestling in the dirt. Her smile grew a bit softer and she turned back to the dog with a nod.

"Yeah, they sure are," she replied, "are you taking care of them or something?"

"Oh, just for a bit," the golden lab replied, smiling warmly as she eyed the children, "I'm just watching for some friends of mine while they're out."

"Oh, that's cool," Wild Evergreen replied, "tryin' to do right by your friends, lookin' out for the kids... I can respect that."

The old retriever chuckled and her expression turned to one of intrigue and amusement as she looked at Wild Evergreen.

"I take it you're fond of children?" she asked curiously.

"Me? Not really," the dark green pegasus replied, shaking her head and turning back to the foals and pup, "I just like to see everyone getting along like this... ponies, diamond dogs, griffons..." she gave a single shake of her head and chuckled slightly, "I even see a few minotaurs and yaks walking around."

"Ah, so you're not from around here then," the old dog guessed with a raised eyebrow, "that explains the look of wonder I see in your eyes."

"Yeah, I guess you could say that," Wild Evergreen answered slowly, "the place where I work has it's fair share of diversity, but everyone there is so freakin' dour all the time, kinda gets depressing after awhile, y'know?"

"I can only imagine," the retriever responded, nodding in agreement, "one can't be truly happy if they're surrounded by unhappy people. If it bothers you so much, you should try to get those around you to open up -- share their worries and concerns."

"Hmm..."

The golden retriever frowned in bemusement at the pegasus mare's thoughtful expression.

"Did I say something wrong?"

"Huh?" Wild Evergreen replied distractedly, "oh no, you're cool. It's just... what you're saying reminds me a little of this colt I know," she chuckled again, "he said something similar to me once."

"I see," the old dog replied, "he must be a nice young colt."

"Yeah, he's a good kid," Wild Evergreen answered with a small grin, "bit naive, but his heart's in the right place," she then frowned and looked at the retriever curiously, "say, I didn't catch your name, lady."

"Oh! Forgive me," the retriever replied, "I've been so caught up in our conversation, I had forgotten to introduce myself," she straightened up and smiled at Wild Evergreen, "my name is Tessa. I actually run the Dog's Day Inn -- the establishment you see behind me."

She stepped aside and gestured to the large multi-storied brick building Wild Evergreen had noticed earlier. It was an impressive and unique looking building with rounded windows and a roof made up of three large and somewhat flat looking slate covered cones.

Wild Evergreen whistled in appreciation and turned back to Tessa with an impressed nod.

"Looks pretty swanky," she commented, "kinda like one of those fancy inns you'd see in Las Pegasus."

"Well thank you for saying so," Tessa replied with a small giggle, "but the prices are nowhere near as high, I assure you," she smiled at the mare politely but expectantly, "and to whom did I have the pleasure of speaking to?"

"Oh, right. Name's Wild Evergreen," the pegasus mare answered, "you can just call me Evergreen."

"Very well then, Evergreen," Tessa replied with a nod and another kind smile, "are you planning on staying in Faranda Way Village for long?"

"Nah... well maybe," Wild Evergreen replied with a shrug, "it depends."

"On what, if I may ask?"

"On how long it takes me to do my job. I'm actually looking for somepony," Wild Evergreen answered, absently sweeping her gaze across the street, "maybe you've seen her."

"I see a lot of people," Tessa said with a small shrug of her own, "thankfully I have a fairly good memory for a dog my age. Who are you looking for?"

"A unicorn foal named Twilight Sparkle," the dark green mare explained, "lavender coat, indigo mane and tail with violet and pink streaks, and no cutie mark yet. She might be traveling alone, but I'm not sure on that. You haven't seen her have you?"

Tessa thought for a long moment, bringing a paw to her chin and furrowing her brow. Eventually she sighed and shook her head.

"No, I'm afraid I haven't seen anyone like that Miss Evergreen," she frowned in concern, "why the search? Did something happen to her?"

"Yeah, I guess... kind of?" Wild Evergreen rubbed the back of her neck as she tried to explain the situation to the old retriever, "from what I was told, her parents were murdered awhile back. Apparently she was so scared, her magic surged and she Teleported away from the house, and now she's missing."

"Oh, how horrible!" Tessa whispered, holding a paw to her face, "the poor dear."

"Yeah, it sucks pretty bad," the mare agreed, "but it ain't all bad. That colt I mentioned earlier? He's her brother, and I'm trying to find and... y'know, reunite them again."

Tessa slowly shook her head and muttered something under her breath before turning her attention back to Wild Evergreen.

"Well I hope you managed to find the... wait a minute," she furrowed her brow in thought, "you said her name was Twilight Sparkle?"

"Yeah, that's right," the pegasus answered, "lavender coat and all that. Why, did you remember something about her?" she asked, taking a hopeful step towards the old retriever, "if you know anything you gotta tell me."

"Well... I may not have seen the poor filly myself," Tessa answered in a slow contemplative tone, "but I did hear that a 'Twilight Sparkle' was participating in the Spring Festival we had here a few days ago. It seems she won some big event during the festival, and got quite a tasty prize for it."

"Really?" Wild Evergreen pressed, taking another step forward, "did you hear anything else? Was she alone, or with somepony or someone else?"

"Indeed she was, now that I think on it," Tessa replied with a nod, "as a matter of fact, the old stallion she was with is an old friend of mine -- goes by the name of Ancient Scroll," she chuckled, "that stallion is one of the good ones let me tell you... it's a shame I didn't get to see him during the festival."

Wild Evergreen's eyes widened in surprise for a brief second before flattening into a more neutral expression.

"Interesting..." she replied evenly, "did they happen to be traveling with anypony else?"

"Let me think..." Tessa responded, humming to herself in thought. She snapped her fingers and nodded once, "I believe a few of the festival goers that stayed here mentioned a little blue filly and an orange filly that had a rather... bountiful red and yellow mane and tail. Unfortunately I didn't catch their names, but I hope I was able to help at least a little."

"Nono, it's cool, trust me," the dark green pegasus replied with a dismissive wave of her hoof, "you've been an awesome help, I think I got all the info I needed for now."

"Oh?" Tessa responded, giving Wild Evergreen a relieved smile, "well that's good to hear. Here's hoping you're able to bring those two poor souls back together again."

"Huh?" Wild Evergreen asked in confusion, before her eyes lit up in understanding, "oh, right, you mean her brother. Yeah, I'll make sure they're able to see each other again," she stepped back and opened her wings, "anyway, I think that's all for now. It was nice talking to you, Tess but I gotta go."

With that, she took off before Tessa could reply. The golden retriever stared off after the pegasus with a slight frown of worry. Her ears perked up and she turned towards the children who were making their way back over to her. She smiled and went to greet them, but couldn't help but grimace and turn her gaze back to the sky once more.

She hadn't noticed it when she was talking to the mare, but now that she was gone, an uneasy feeling settled in her stomach -- and she began to wonder just who Wild Evergreen really was.

...Why do I suddenly get the feeling I've made a terrible mistake?

A Discordant Harmony

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It was still morning.

Celestia had risen the Sun only a couple of hours ago, yet she was already dreading the rest of the day. Things had been getting out of hoof lately -- far out of hoof, and she didn't know why.

Ever since the murder of young Twilight Sparkle and Shining Armor's parents, everything she had worked for -- all the peace she had worked so hard to maintain for so many years -- was crashing down around her.

The media was in a frenzy, ponies were becoming scared and distrustful of each other, and worst of all, it wasn't just the radical nobles that were beginning to blame the Princess anymore.

In fact, said radical nobles were beginning to gain support from even the common ponies, and they were gaining it fast -- too fast. Again though, Celestia couldn't blame them.

Not when another murder had happened in her city and the culprit had escaped yet again.

She wasn't sure if it was the same killer as before or not, but the whole situation did not bode well. She hadn't had time to put any of her plans into action to rebuild the now rapidly degenerating peace in Canterlot before this new headache had arisen.

There were also the rumors floating around, supposedly saying that Princess Celestia was going to lock down the entire city until the Guard caught the murderers. She had neither made nor even hinted at any kind of lockdown whatsoever.

She had indeed increased the number of Royal Guards on patrol around the city, but that was to be expected given the current circumstances. Now that it had come to this however, she was beginning to think a city wide lockdown might not be such a bad idea.

The problem was that the fear and paranoia of the citizens was getting out of control.

Whereas before she could -- and tried to -- explain away any kind of strange or dark occurrences before with relative ease, now it was becoming a lot more difficult. She had her hidden talent of course, but she was starting to actually worry it wouldn't be enough.

It was getting to the point that ponies were actually packing up and leaving the city.

She thought she still had time to make plans, to put things into their proper places, to maintain Harmony through a potentially necessary combination of both honest and dishonest means.

Celestia was in fact, running out of time.

It wouldn't be long until the Disharmony and dissent spreading throughout Canterlot reached the other cities nearby, if they hadn't already. On top of that, she still had other things to worry about.

For one thing, Celestia hadn't yet found them.

She hadn't yet found the ones who would take her place and safeguard Equestria's future in the dark days she knew were drawing ever closer. After what had happened all those years ago, she knew she could no longer be the Warrior Princess her ponies needed or deserved.

She had long since hung up her armor in favor of a more peaceful and diplomatic approach to ruling.

Celestia didn't regret her decision, but she did wonder from time to time if it was too late to be the truly kind and benevolent Princess she strived to be for so many years. There were times she wondered if it was too late to undo the damage her biggest mistake had done to her own mind.

Just like always however, she quickly pushed her dark ruminations aside and focused on what mattered to her the most -- protecting her little ponies.

That led her to her current dilemma.

She herself could no longer use the awesome might of Harmony to protect her subjects lest she repeat what happened back then. She shuddered at the mere thought of what would happen were she to try to use that power once more.

No.

She needed others to take up that mantle in her place -- ponies untainted by the horrors of the True Disharmony of old. She had thought Sunset Shimmer to be one such pony, but the moment the filly received her cutie mark, Celestia realized she had another destiny awaiting her.

A destiny the Solar Princess had no desire to see her fulfill.

It was for this reason that -- rather than punish the filly for her prying -- Celestia had instead decided to lead Sunset into the Hall of the Damned. It was for this reason she had tried to impress upon Sunset the truth of the darkness of Disharmony lurking just beneath the light of Harmony.

Unfortunately Celestia had overestimated the filly's mental fortitude and drove her away in the end. By the time she had realized Sunset had left, it was too late -- she was already out of the city.

To this day, Celestia still didn't know how the filly had managed to both break free of her Mind Magic and completely escape the city undetected. She did however, have a sneaking suspicion Sunset had had some kind of outside help.

In any case, her missing former protege was a minor concern that could be dealt with at a later time. Far more important right now, was catching the one, or ones, responsible for the murders and restoring peace and order to her city.

Still, as much as she tried to concentrate on her duties, she couldn't help but wonder just how the situation had gotten as bad as it did so quickly. She had mulled the thought over again and again, asking the more trustworthy ponies in her Court if there had been any strange goings on aside from the murders.

It turned out there was indeed some odd behavior among her little ponies.

According to her Royal Aide, Raven Inkwell, there were reports of ponies acting irrationally -- causing irksome but ultimately benign problems in the city. That in and of itself didn't bother Celestia.

What did pull at her attention, was what all these ponies shared in common.

A voice.

According to Raven and the Captain of her Royal Guard, when questioned, the ponies would always state there was a voice inside their head making them do the things they were doing.

Celestia decided the statements were too consistent to be dismissed as outright insanity. She contemplated what this could mean, and soon enough came up with a possible explanation that both horrified and angered her.

The moment she realized what may have happened, she made her way back to the Hall of the Damned with both fury and dread in her heart and mind. She returned to the Royal Archives and entered the secret passage once more. She made sure to seal the entrance behind her before stomping further into the Hall.

"DISCORD!!!"

Her furious scream, amplified by the Royal Canterlot Voice, echoed through the large hall -- the sudden noise bouncing off the walls and fading into silence.

Celestia growled deep in her throat and trotted over to the statue of the mismatched creature. She stopped in front of the lifelike statue and stared at it, as though trying to melt the very stone with her gaze.

The statue only smirked back defiantly.

Celestia narrowed her eyes.

"I know you can hear me, villain."

A loud, boisterous laugh rang out in Celestia's mind, interrupting her thoughts.

"A villain? Me?" the voice laughed again, "are you seriously casting me as the villain, Sunbutt? Really?"

"What have you done to my subjects, Discord?" Celestia pressed, ignoring the creature's question, "there's been multiple reports of ponies hearing voices they can't explain and you're the only one I know, aside from Luna and I, that has the power to cast such a massive Telepathy spell even in your current state."

"Now, now, such flattery of the enemy is unbecoming of you, Celestia," the creature mocked, "what would your sister think?"

One of Celestia's ears gave an errant twitch but her face remained otherwise impassive save for a grim frown.

"Oh, but I'm getting ahead of myself," Discord continued, "we haven't spoken in so long, Princess! What's it been, four... five thousand years?" You should really come down and visit more often. It gets a bit lonely in this musky old hall. I tell you, what I wouldn't give to at least be set up in some sort of nice garden inst--"

"Enough!" Celestia snapped, "what have you done to the citizens of Canterlot, Discord? What is your goal? Why act now after so many years?"

"Oh, calm down, Sunbutt. I'm not planning some big escape or anything like that. I'm just trying to get the attention of an old friend is all," the creature interjected, "but honestly, Celestia, why spoil our little reunion with useless semantics? Have a seat! Let's talk awhile! How's little Sunny doing these days?"

"I didn't come here to banter with you, creature," the Princess hissed, "you... wait..."

Celestia trailed off and frowned thoughtfully.

"Something wrong, Princess?"

She once again ignored Discord as her eyes slowly widened in horrified realization.

"It was you..."

"Hm? What was that?" the mismatched creature asked innocently, "You'll have to be a bit more specific, Celly, I've done a lot of things in my time."

"You broke the Memory Swap spell I had placed on Sunset," Celestia replied, accusation clear in her voice, "you were the one who talked her into leaving the castle."

"I neither confirm nor deny that statement, Sunshine," Discord answered, a smirk clear in his voice, "I will say that it's about time she cheesed it out of this boring old castle anyway."

"Do you realize what you've done?" Celestia said, shaking her head with a scowl, "because of your interference, that poor filly may have permanent mental scarring."

"Oh, I'm sure she's doing just fine," the creature replied flippantly, "who knows, maybe she even made some friends. More importantly..." his voice suddenly took on a venomous edge, "there wouldn't even be any risk of mental scarring if a certain paranoid Princess hadn't let a certain innocent little filly think she was being burned alive just to make a point."

Celestia grimaced, but didn't say anything in response.

"Oh, yes, I saw your little show, Celestia," Discord continued with a sneer Celestia heard more than saw, "and I must say, it was quite the spectacle! It's a pity I wasn't there during the actual ritual. Had I not been a mere hunk of rock at the time, I could've prevented that whole fiasco..."

"I did what I had to do to protect my ponies, Discord," Celestia retorted firmly, "you were -- and continue to be -- a menace, and had I the power to do so at the time, I would've killed you myself."

"Oh come off it, Celestia," Discord replied with a scoff, "I wasn't nearly as bad as even a quarter of the baddies you and your dear sister faced back then. All I wanted to do was have a little fun. Sure there were a few... hiccups here and there, but I certainly didn't go around traumatizing little fillies with visions of their own death."

"You've done far worse than that and you know it," Celestia shot back, "I've seen countless ponies driven to insanity and suicide because of your thoughtless actions!"

"Perhaps," Discord answered matter-of-factly, "but that doesn't make your actions any more justified, Celestia. Besides, I was perfectly fine with being reviled as a monster. You on the other hand... I expected better from you."

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, I think you know exactly what it means, Princess," the stone draconequus replied, "you may have trapped me and shoved me into a dark hole away from society, but I still see things. I still know things."

He chuckled darkly.

"I know how desperately you try -- and fail -- to cling to your degrading moral standards despite the fact that you're almost literally supposed to be a shining light of love, tolerance, and Harmony."

"That's not--"

"I also know your little plan to clean up the mess you made so long ago will fail... spectacularly."

Celestia's brows shot up in surprise and a hint of fear at that and she took a step towards the statue.

"What?" Celestia whispered, "how can you possibly know..."

"Really, Princess?" Discord asked sardonically, "Think about it, you tried to harness the power of Harmony in a way it was never meant to be used, and you're still suffering from the consequences even now."

"I... I had to do it..." Celestia muttered, taking a hesitant step back and hanging her head, "she needed to be stopped... I had no--"

"I'm not talking about Luna."

The Solar Princess snapped her head back to the unmoving statue with a confused look, but Discord paid her no mind as he continued.

"You knew those little trinkets were nearing their breaking point, and you chose to use them anyway. As a result of your thoughtless actions, the power of Harmony is no longer safe to use -- at least not by you."

Celestia resisted the urge to glance towards the large ornate door at the far end of the hall and instead eyed Discord with a frown of grim determination.

"That might be the case, Discord," Celestia argued with a set frown, "but I've long since found another way to keep the power of Harmony alive until I can--"

"Find the right ponies to replace you," Discord finished in a mocking tone, "yeah, I know, and I'm telling you, your plan is going to fail, Celestia."

"Why? What makes you so sure?" Celestia questioned, trying to hide the rising fear in her gut, "I've managed to keep my little ponies from falling into the clutches of Disharmony thus far," even to her own ears, it sounded like she was trying to convince herself rather than the statue in front of her, "There's... there's still time... I can still fix this before it's too late..."

"Denial, how cute, Princess!" Discord responded, letting out a bark of laughter, "really now, are you that blind to what's happening around you? Your ponies are restless, scared, and angry, your city is in near turmoil, and even as we speak I'm pretty sure there's other forces out there actively working against you!"

Celestia grit her teeth and looked away.

"I have it under control," she muttered, "I just need a little time and everything will fall into place."

"Oh, for the love of -- you don't have anymore time!," the stone draconequus cried in exasperation, "I wanted to dance around the issue and frustrate you some more, but it's no fun because now I'm the one getting frustrated, so I'm gonna spell it out for you, Sunbutt."

Celestia made to respond, but Discord bowled over her attempt.

"That Runic patch job you did to keep the Elements active and working all this time? It's failing."

"You're lying," Celestia responded in a quiet shaky voice, "you have to be. Everything's been fine up until now."

"Up until now is the key phrase here, Celly," Discord replied, "fact is, the Elements have been slowly losing their power for the last... oh I'd say two hundred years or so, but something happened recently that pushed them over the edge. Now I wonder what it could've been?"

"The murders," Celestia replied, falling to her haunches, "I don't understand, even that shouldn't have been enough to... unless..." her jaw dropped open and she stared at the statue in disbelief.

"No..."

"Now you're starting to understand just how chaotic the situation's become," the statue responded with a light chuckle, "Harmony is coming to an end, and it's going to happen soon. I can feel it, Celestia."

He laughed merrily.

Any creature touched by True Disharmony can feel it in some way -- even if they aren't aware of what that feeling is. Frankly, I'm surprised you were able to ignore it for so long."

Celestia slowly shook her head and backed away from the statue. She could've sworn she saw a crack in the stone that wasn't there when she first entered the hall.

"They're stirring, Celestia -- the ones that'll bring about a glorious age of Chaos and Disharmony to Equestria and the lands beyond once again! Oh, I can't wait!"

"This isn't over, Discord," Celestia replied, her features suddenly flattening into a mask to match that of the stone Discord was currently trapped in, "I will fix this no matter what I have to do. I will not let True Disharmony reign in Equestria again -- not while I still draw breath."

"Good luck, Princess," Discord responded happily, "anything you do now is probably just going to exacerbate the situation, so I say go on, give it your all! Don't give up, Sunbutt! Be the best Princess you can be!"

Celestia gave the wildly laughing draconequus one last baleful glare before lighting up her horn and vanishing in a flash of golden yellow light. After a moment, Discord's raucous laughter died down and he sighed happily.

Messing with Celestia never got old, and the ancient being of Chaos couldn't wait to do so in person. He was looking forward to seeing what the Princess would do -- not that anything she could come up with would be enough.

The artifacts were dying, the linchpin to Celestia's entire plan was already broken and useless, and Discord himself had long since destroyed that infernal Tree. Now there was nothing left to stop his inevitable return, and he wouldn't be the only one to rise once more.

When the time came -- and it most certainly would -- there would be some very strong competition for Celestia's throne.

An Inconclusive Test

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Thankfully Fia had calmed down after finding and reading through two books on mana fission and mana conversion theory.

When Corona had asked if Fia really understood everything in the books, Fia had responded that she didn't, but that the challenge eased her mind -- and that she would get it eventually with time, patience, and a lot of notes.

Ancient Scroll and the rest of the group had all eventually reached their destination and the trip to Hayton Fields had been as quick as Ancient Scroll had said it would be.

The group had only been there for all of about two hours or so, gathering supplies from the locals before they were off again. They could already see the seemingly endless treeline of Farhoof Forest as the Vardo left the small farming village.

By the time they had finished their business in Hayton Fields and entered the forest, the Sun was hanging high overhead -- the afternoon sky bright and clear. The warm rays of the sun shined through the foliage of the numerous tall birch trees that made up the massive forest.

Meanwhile, within the large caravan itself, the group had finally managed to get each room furnished and stocked with almost all the comforts of home. Cots were placed less haphazardly, bookshelves, drawers, and dressers were set up and stocked with books, clothing, and other various things.

Desks and chairs were placed in both rooms, the kitchenware stored in the kitchen, and to top it all off, they didn't have to worry about any of the furnishings being disturbed by rough terrain, slopes, or the Vardo tipping over for whatever reason due to the same Runic enchantment that expanded the interior.

The Farhoof Forest didn't have a clear cut path like the last forest they traveled through, but the space between trees was just wide enough that they didn't have to worry about it. According to the map, there were various clearings scattered about the forest that they could use to stop and rest during the day or night if they needed to.

All in all, the trip had been going smoothly so far and now that the unpacking was finally finished, Ancient Scroll took the opportunity to start teaching the fillies again -- something he hadn't been able to do with all the drama in the past few days.

He was pleasantly surprised and impressed to see that the girls had not only found and started reading the next books he had been planning to give them, but in Corona's case, she had also branched out into the more obscure variants of her respective school of Magic.

Unbeknownst to both the old stallion and Corona, Blue Moon had taken up her own independent studies late at night and was learning quite a lot.

Ancient Scroll had decided to find out what each filly had learned individually, but first, there was a test he wanted to perform. He searched through the desk he had placed in the sitting room until he found what he was looking for and made his way to the fillies' bedroom.

He opened the door to see Blue Moon and Corona on one of the cots discussing something about a recipe and Fia sitting at the long desk with her muzzle buried in a book and a deep frown of concentration on her face -- quill flying across a piece of parchment held in her magenta aura.

He didn't want to pull the filly away from whatever she was reading, but he needed her for the test regardless.

"Did you need something, Uncle Scroll?"

The stallion turned to see that Blue Moon and Corona had stopped their conversation and were looking at him expectantly. Making no move to step further inside, he smiled and nodded towards the black filly.

"Sorry to interrupt, girls," he said, replying to Corona's question, "just need to borrow Fia for a bit."

At the sound of her false name, Fia's ear twitched and she looked over to the doorway in bemusement. Her confusion turned to curiosity when she saw it was Ancient Scroll standing in the entrance.

"Oh, hey, Uncle Scroll," Fia greeted as she floated her book and notes back down to the table, "what's going on?"

"Nothing much, little filly," he answered, opening the door a bit further, "but I'd like you to join me out on the platform if it's not too much trouble."

Fia raised an eyebrow and turned to the other girls who just shrugged. She turned back to Ancient Scroll with a small shrug of her own before hopping off of her chair.

"Alright," Fia finally replied, "what for?"

"I finally found some time to do a bit more digging into what's going on with your magic," the old stallion replied as they both stepped out of the room and trotted down the short hall, "I still haven't found anything conclusive, but there's something I want to check."

"Oh!" Fia's eyes widened and she gave Ancient Scroll a hopeful look, "do you think it'll help?"

"I'm not sure," Ancient Scroll answered with a shake of his head, "to be honest, this test might raise more questions than it answers."

It was as they stepped out onto the platform that Fia finally noticed the small black box in Ancient Scroll's magic.

"Isn't that the Orb of Insight?" Fia asked in confusion, "what are you planning to do with that?"

"I'm using it for the test," Ancient Scroll explained, opening the box and pulling the glass orb out with a hoof, "I wanted to test whether or not your magical affinity fluctuates. It's actually something I had been meaning to do for awhile, but never got around to."

"Huh," Fia frowned contemplatively as she eyed the orb, "is... is something like that even possible?"

"I don't know, little filly," Ancient Scroll said with a shrug, "but if it is, I'm certain it'll be a huge breakthrough in thaumatological studies," he gave the black filly a playful smirk, "who knows, filly, you might even become famous in the world of thaumatology."

"I don't really.... well...." Fia trailed off with a thoughtful hum, "that... might be pretty neat actually," she sighed and shook her head, "but I don't think that'd be a good idea right now."

Ancient Scroll chuckled and hoofed the orb to Fia.

"Well you got me there, little filly," he took a step back, "now if you would..."

Fia nodded and focused her attention on the orb. Her horn glowed softly and she bathed the orb in a magenta colored aura. Just like before, the magenta color vanished and the orb began to blacken until it was just a small circle of infinite darkness.

"Hmmm...." Ancient Scroll observed the black orb for a moment longer before addressing the filly, "alright that's enough for now."

Fia cut off her magic, letting the orb fall back into her hoof before turning back to Ancient Scroll with an unsure look. Ancient Scroll trotted over and took the translucent orb back from Fia before replacing it in the box.

"Well," Fia asked tentatively, "what do you think it means?"

Ancient Scroll didn't answer at first, choosing instead to stare at the box with an unreadable expression.

"...Uncle Scroll?"

"Hm? Oh!" Ancient Scroll blinked and turned to a nervous looking Fia with an apologetic smile, "sorry about that, little filly. Didn't mean to ignore you there, just got caught up in my thoughts is all."

"It's alright," Fia replied with a small smile, "so, what do you think?"

Ancient Scroll looked back to the box as he answered.

"I think we'll need to wait and see what we can find out once we get to Canterlot," he explained, "it's clear to me that something changed about your mana wellspring that night, and I'm starting to wonder if that miraculous surge of Soul Magic was actually a miraculous surge at all."

"What?" Fia asked in confusion, "what else could it have been?"

"Well... let me ask you this, little filly," Ancient Scroll replied, "how did you feel when your magic started going out of control? I don't mean your emotions -- I can already imagine that -- what I mean is physically, how did you feel?"

Fia frowned and lowered her head in thought.

"...My head started hurting really bad," Fia began quietly, "then the pain got worse and my whole body started to hurt. It was so bad I thought I was gonna die, but then I felt something... weird happen inside me and the pain just stopped. I think I blacked out right after that."

"Can you describe the weird feeling at all?" Ancient Scroll asked, "I don't want to make you any more uncomfortable, but any kind of information might help."

"I know," Fia replied with a nod, "and to answer your question... it's hard to describe," she paused, scrunching up her face in thought, "it was like... I don't know, like something inside my chest was being squeezed really tight all this time and I didn't even realize it until the squeezing sensation stopped."

She looked back at Ancient Scroll with an uncertain frown as she finished her explanation.

"Does that make sense?"

"...Yes and no," Ancient Scroll answered slowly, "I had a theory regarding your wellspring's actual mana capacity, and your explanation seems to coincide with that," he shook his head, "the effects of a magic surge are always felt in the mind, and what little thaumatologists have managed to document about magic miracles suggest their effects are felt directly through the wellspring."

"But my whole body started hurting," Fia pointed out, "what does that mean?"

Ancient Scroll hummed quietly and trotted over to the wooden railing. He looked out at the numerous birch trees passing them by as he gathered his thoughts.

"I'm starting to think we're focusing on the wrong thing, little filly," Ancient Scroll answered after a long moment. He gestured to the tall birch trees around the caravan, "well... not so much the wrong thing per se... it's more like we're not seeing the forest for the trees."

"Huh?" Fia asked with a bewildered tilt of her head, "what are you talking about, Uncle Scroll?"

"Out of every type of Magic available to us, Soul Magic is unique in that it's more or less what makes a pony a pony," Ancient Scroll explained, "it's the root of every other type of magic a pony possesses."

The black filly binked in confusion at the sudden explanation. It wasn't that she minded the impromptu lecture, she just wasn't expecting it. Nevertheless, Ancient Scroll went on.

"Soul Magic is physiological in how it can shape and change who we are as we grow older. It's as vital as any organ and without it, not only would unicorns not have access to any other type of magic, we wouldn't live very long either -- and that goes for all tribes, not just unicorns."

Fia nodded slightly in response. She was already aware of everything Ancient Scroll was explaining, but it seemed the old stallion was on a roll and the filly didn't want to interrupt.

"At it's core, Soul Magic is pure mana made malleable, so when we use it, we're more or less directly manipulating our own life force to cast spells without the natural impurities that build up over time from the use of other types of Magic.

"While it's true that other types of Magic can change and shape us as well, none of these other types of Magic can change and shape as deeply and naturally as Soul Magic can."

The black coated filly frowned in bemusement as she caught on to where Ancient Scroll was going. She still made no comment however, and Ancient Scroll continued on unabated.

"This is only another guess mind you," Ancient Scroll finally turned to fully face Fia, "but while I do think there's still something odd about your magic, I think the change in your wellspring was only a part of something bigger."

Fia sat on her haunches, her bemused frown deepening.

"So... are you saying my body is changing?" she raised an eyebrow, "was this all some kind of big lead up to a talk about puberty and how I shouldn't be scared of it?"

A loud bark of laughter rang out from somewhere inside the caravan, but the two paid it no mind.

"No, little filly," Ancient Scroll replied with a chuckle and a shake of his head, "I'm not talking about puberty and you know it."

Fia couldn't keep a straight face anymore and fell into a small fit of giggles. Once it was over she looked back at Ancient Scroll with an apologetic smile.

"Sorry, Uncle Scroll, I know it's serious, but I couldn't help it."

"Nah, don't you worry none, little filly," Ancient Scroll replied with another small chuckle, "in fact, I'm glad you can find a bit of humor in all of this," his features became serious once more, "but as I was about to say, I think your surge of magic and that squeezing sensation back then was a direct result of some kind of drastic change within you."

"And you think that's why it was Soul Magic instead of Dark Magic?" Fia guessed. "because it was some kind of... deeper, more natural change?"

Ancient Scroll nodded.

"Like I said, it's only a guess at this point, and I wouldn't know what kind of change would even be occurring," Ancient Scroll cautioned, "I might be completely wrong. Honestly, I'm still not sure why I'm speculating, it does us no good without the proper resources to test out the theory."

"But that's another reason we're going to Canterlot, right?" Fia asked, trotting next to Ancient Scroll and looking out at the forest, "so we can get those resources."

Ancient Scroll nodded and turned to stare out at the trees along with the black filly.

"Here's hoping we get the chance once we're there."

A Filly's Talent

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As the afternoon slowly melted into evening, the lowering Sun cast seemingly endless shadows through the trees in the forest.

The group had stumbled upon the first glade they had seen since entering Farhoof Forest, and it was there that Rouge had suggested they stay for the rest of the evening. Ancient Scroll agreed, and so they had set up a small camp in the large clearing.

While the adults were more or less comfortable with the idea of camping out, the fillies' reactions were a bit more varied. Blue Moon was wary of staying in one place out in the open, but also genuinely interested in the experience.

She had never actually been camping before and despite her misgivings, she was eager to do so. Corona on the other hoof, seemed thrilled at the idea. As it turned out, she had been camping several times as a younger filly back when she was living at the orphanage, and loved every moment of it.

Fia by comparison, was not keen on the decision. Like Blue Moon, Fia had never been camping before, but unlike, Blue Moon she felt a lot more ill at ease. She felt exposed out in the wilderness, especially when she thought back to their current situation.

She hadn't forgotten how they had all accidentally run into one of the ponies looking for her in Little Trot, nor had she forgotten the night they had captured that crazy stallion. There were ponies out there looking for her, and it was only now that they had stopped in this relatively spacious forest, that she realized she wanted to keep moving until they reached the next town.

For the sake of everyone else involved however, she kept her concerns to herself and went along with the rest of them.

While they had still been on the move, Ancient Scroll had set about reviewing the fillies' progress regarding what they had learned on their own so far. What he heard impressed him, and he was astonish to learn that Fia had taken a genuine interest in mana fission and conversion theory -- something he himself struggled with from time to time.

After listening to their reports, he decided it was time for some more practical application. Once they had finished setting up camp, he rounded the fillies up and went about explaining the guidelines -- Rouge and Yojimbo sitting off to the side and watching with some interest.

"Now then," Ancient Scroll explained, "seeing as how we're in a bit of a delicate situation right now, we're not going to be doing anything too bright and flashy. And... actually..." he turned a cautious gaze to Corona, "how are you dealing with your aversion to Fire Magic, little filly?"

Corona looked away with a small grimace -- her expression slightly ashamed. She gave no verbal answer, settling for a slight shake of her head as a response.

"I see..." Ancient Scroll replied quietly before speaking up once more, "well we don't want to cast any Fire Magic in a place like this at any rate," he moved on with his explanation, pacing in front of the three fillies, "rather than tell you what to cast, I'm going to let you decide."

"Really?" Fia asked in surprise, "but we never got to actually take any kind of proper exam -- practical or otherwise. Didn't you already have something in mind, Uncle Scroll?"

"Indeed I did, little filly," Ancient Scroll answered with a patient smile, "but that was before all this craziness happened and threw a massive wrench in my plans for you three."

"Yeah, no kidding," Corona muttered, "it's just been one thing after another..."

"Exactly," the old stallion replied with a nod, "I haven't been able to teach you girls like I wanted, and I plan to rectify that during our travels. So with that in mind..." he swept a calculating gaze across each of them and stopped on the light blue filly before him, "you mentioned before that you've completely memorized the process of casting a perfect Decoy spell?"

"Naturally," Blue Moon replied confidently, "Blue Moon learned how to do that spell ages ago."

"Show me."

Blue Moon's cocksure grin faltered for a moment before she firmly set it back into place, desperately hoping nopony had noticed.

"Gladly." Blue Moon replied, stepping forward and turning to face the others, "bear witness to the fruits of Blue Moon's tireless labor!"

The confident smile dropped off her face in favor of a more determined frown. She set her legs and closed her eyes as her horn flared to life. At first, nothing happened save for the brightening of the pink aura around Blue Moon's horn.

As the moment dragged on, Corona and Fia glanced at each other before turning back to Blue Moon with slightly worried expressions. Ancient Scroll looked on with a passive expression as he waited for Blue Moon's spell to complete.

"You think the pup's gonna be alright?" Yojimbo whispered to Rouge, "she's lookin' pretty strained out there."

Rouge grimaced, but otherwise said nothing in response, instead choosing to focus her attention on the struggling filly.

A few more moments passed and Ancient Scroll was about to call off the demonstration, when Fia suddenly gasped.

"Look!" she cried, "I think it's working!"

Her outburst was unnecessary, as the rest of them could see what was happening just fine. Blue Moon's body began to glow with a soft pink, pulsating light and with a sharp intake of breath, her eyes snapped open. With a quiet hiss, a shape began to take form next to the light blue filly.

Within seconds, it went from a shimmering amorphous blob, to something with a more defined shape that vaguely resembled a foal, and finally formed into a solid looking replica of Trixie Lulamoon -- complete with an azure coat, silvery blue mane and tail, and violet eyes.

With her spell complete, Blue Moon cut off her magic and slumped to the ground panting and sweating with exhaustion. She turned to observe her work and smile victoriously. The other two fillies stood amazed at the feat Blue Moon had managed to pull off.

"She actually managed to do it," Fia muttered, a smile growing on her face as she turned to Corona, "she did it, Corona!"

"Yup," Corona replied with a smile of her, "although I don't know whether or not Uncle Scroll will accept it since it's Trixie's original body..."

"What?" Fia responded with a frown, "that wouldn't be fair though, I mean... look at it!" she gestured to the unmoving azure decoy, "it's a perfect copy!"

"I'll be the judge of that, little filly," Ancient Scroll interjected as he moved past the two and towards Blue Moon and her decoy, "let's see just how well Blue Moon did shall we?"

As Ancient Scroll approached, Blue Moon pulled herself back to her hooves and stepped aside. She dramatically gestured to the decoy with a smile that came off as more nervous than proud.

"W-Well," Blue Moon said expectantly, "what do you think? Is it not the most perfect decoy you've ever seen?"

Ancient Scroll hummed to himself as he trotted around the stationary replica. It made no movements and stared straight ahead with an unblinking mechanical gaze.

"Kinda creepy isn't it?" Yojimbo muttered with a frown, "how it just kinda stares like that?"

"Hush," Rouge hissed, jabbing the husky in the side, "it's her first time with the spell, be nice."

After another few seconds of quiet observation, Ancient Scroll stopped in front of the decoy. He gave it one last look before turning his attention to an uneasy Blue Moon.

"Um..." Blue Moon shifted from hoof to hoof nervously, all bravado gone in the face of her sudden uncertainty, "did I... did Blue Moon do it right?"

Ancient Scroll looked back to the blankly staring decoy and gave a slow thoughtful nod.

"It isn't perfect," Ancient Scroll finally replied. Blue Moon winced, but the old stallion continued, "when you form the spell, you have to remember to visualize yourself as you are, not as you were."

The light blue filly's heart sank at hearing that she had forgotten something so obvious, yet Ancient Scroll continued on with his assessment.

"Also keep in mind that a decoy needs a purpose, you were so focused on making the decoy look as real as possible that you neglected to give it any instruction during it's construction, however..."

Blue Moon's ears perked up and she looked back to Ancient Scroll to see him giving her a proud smile.

"Aside from that and some minor illusory blemishes here and there," he said, gesturing to the decoy, "I'm proud to say that, for your first time casting the spell -- and as a filly no less -- you've done a fantastic job, Blue Moon."

"R-Really?" Blue Moon replied incredulously before schooling her features, "well of course, Blue Moon succeeded. With all her hard work and effort, was there ever any doubt?"

"Not in the slightest," Ancient Scroll replied with a chuckle, "another thing I ought to point out, and something nopony seems to have noticed, is that the decoy is still here."

All three fillies looked from Ancient Scroll to the unmoving decoy in confusion before it suddenly dawned on Fia what the old stallion was referring to.

"Blue Moon..." she turned to the light blue filly with a look of awe, "how long has that decoy been active?"

Blue Moon gave Fia a bemused look before glancing back to the decoy. She shrugged and turned back to Fia.

"Blue Moon has no idea, maybe a minute? Two minutes? Why?"

The decoy suddenly chose that moment to fade away to nothing with another soft hiss.

"Exactly three minutes and forty-five seconds, Blue Moon." Ancient Scroll answered as he watched the decoy disappear, "and you don't even look any worse for wear."

"So that's... impressive then?" Blue Moon asked, her confused look turning hopeful.

"Very," Ancient Scroll replied, turning back to the light blue filly with a smirk, "it looks like you have a particular talent for Illusory Magic, little filly."

At the word 'talent', Blue Moon couldn't help but wince and glance at her blank flank. She hadn't forgotten the warmth she'd felt when she had almost gotten her cutie mark back then. She let a bitter frown cross her muzzle as she recalled the memory.

Blue Moon might've had a knack for casting Illusory Magic, but it clearly wasn't her special talent.

An Impressive Demonstration

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Fia and Corona went to congratulate Blue Moon on a job well done and both grew a bit concerned when the light blue filly only responded with a silent and somewhat subdued nod of thanks.

They didn't dwell on it however, as Ancient Scroll had decided at that moment to call Corona up next for an assessment. The other two fillies watched Blue Moon quietly trot back to the overturned log where they had been sitting.

"Hey," Corona whispered to Fia, "try to find out what's wrong with her."

Fia nodded silently, her face etched with concern for her morose looking friend. She followed after Blue Moon while Corona trotted into the center of the large clearing. She looked from Fia and Blue Moon, both of whom had just sat down, to a politely expectant Rouge and an amused Yojimbo, to Ancient Scroll himself.

The old stallion stood by near the others and frowned slightly as he observed Blue Moon.

"Blue Moon."

The filly in question looked up at Ancient Scroll curiously.

"I know I said I'd let you choose what you wanted to show," the stallion continued with an apologetic frown, "but I suppose I got a bit too curious to see how you'd do with the Decoy spell, so I apologize about that. If you'd like, you can try another spell."

"No, it's okay, Uncle Scroll," Blue Moon replied with a shake of her head, "that was the one I would've chosen anyway."

"You sure, little filly?"

Blue Moon nodded once and turned back to watch Corona, who was eyeing the filly worriedly.

"Alright, I'll let it go then," Ancient Scroll responded before turning to Corona, "as for you, little filly," he called out, catching Corona's attention, "what have you got for me?"

Rather than respond verbally, Corona let out a deep breath and lit her horn. The others watched with bated breath as the maroon filly stood stock still -- her eyes closed, her horn flaring, and her face hard as granite.

A deep rumble was the only warning any of them got before Corona was suddenly and quickly sucked into the earth -- the ground where she stood seconds before looking completely undisturbed.

"Sunset!" Fia cried as they all stood up in alarm. She snapped her gaze to Ancient Scroll, "Uncle Scroll! Sunset is..."

She paused, a confused look on her face as she observed the stallion's calm and rather impressed expression. She and Blue Moon looked at each other with bemused frowns before Fia turned back to Ancient Scroll.

"Uncle Scroll?" Fia asked, warily, "what happened to Sunset?"

Ancient Scroll's reply was cut off by another deep rumble and a shout of surprise. Fia and Ancient Scroll turned to see Blue Moon desperately trying to pull herself free from the grip of Corona. The maroon filly had risen partway out of the ground and latched onto one of the Blue Filly's forelegs with a toothy grin.

"Miss me?"

"Agh! Sunset!" Blue Moon cried in shock and irritation, "unhoof Trixie this instant!"

"Corona," the half buried filly corrected with a cheeky grin, "remember, we have aliases for a reason Blue Moon."

Blue Moon growled in annoyance and went to take a swing at Corona with a hoof, but the filly ducked it and sunk back into the ground with a mirthful giggle. A moment later there was another short but deep rumble and Corona shot up out of the ground back where she started.

It took a second for Corona to notice the loud boisterous laugh coming from further behind the other two shocked fillies. She and the rest of the group focused their attention on Yojimbo who was doubled over in laughter.

"Fantastic!" he cried between guffaws, "she's a natural, Scroll! A real diamond dog in a pony's skin!"

Rouge rolled her eyes and Ancient Scroll grimaced at the analogy, but didn't respond. He shook his head and turned back to Corona with an impress smile.

"Well done, Corona," he complimented, trotting over to the maroon filly, "I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it certainly wasn't an Earth Swimming spell."

"It sounded fun," Corona replied with a shrug, "and it seemed like something that was within my capabilities to do, so I went for it, and I'm glad I did."

"That was pretty amazing, Corona," Fia commented as she and a surly Blue Moon made their way over to the filly, "I didn't know you'd gotten that far in your studies of Earth Magic."

"Yeah, this was one of the more recent spells I studied while we were traveling," Corona replied with a nod, "I figured it would be useful to know at some point."

"Blue Moon, supposes that was impressive," the light blue filly added begrudgingly, "but was that really necessary?"

"Yes," Corona replied with a mischievous smirk, "yes it was. Seriously, Blue Moon, lighten up a little," she waved a hoof out at the many trees surrounding the clearing, "nopony that's out to get us knows who we are, so we might as well enjoy the wilderness and being together and whatnot."

Blue Moon harrumphed and trotted back over to the log to watch Fia's demonstration. Corona sighed in disappointment as she followed after the brooding filly. Ancient Scroll grimaced as he watched their retreating forms, before turning to Fia.

"What do you suppose is going on with that filly?" he asked, "I noticed she was acting a bit funny just after her assessment was finished."

"I don't know," Fia replied with a frustrated huff, "she won't tell me, but I think it has something to do with her past again," she looked towards Blue Moon and her expression turned sad, "I thought we were done with all the secrets and hiding things from each other..."

"Sometimes a pony just needs their space, little filly," Ancient Scroll responded with a shake of his head, "normally us equines are all about sticking together and sharing our problems, but that can change in the right -- or wrong -- circumstances."

"...I guess you're right," Fia replied thoughtfully, "I'll try to talk to her later tonight."

"Suit yourself," Ancient Scroll answered before stepping back towards the others, "now then... I'm interested to see what you've got to show us, little filly."

Fia gave a confident nod before trotting closer to the center of the clearing. She inhaled and exhaled deeply before pouring mana into her horn. It glowed with her signature magenta colored aura before quickly fading to the frothing black aura of Dark Magic.

Blue Moon and Corona looked on in both worry and fascination as that same aura traveled down her horn and passed over her entire body before sinking into her shadow. Fia shuddered slightly and shook her head as she cut off the magic around her horn.

"What's this?" Ancient Scroll muttered curiously, "is this what I think it is?"

"What?" Blue Moon asked, turning to the old stallion in bemusement, "what did she just do?"

Ancient Scroll didn't reply at first. He narrowed his eyes slightly and focused his gaze on Fia before chuckling in amusement a moment later.

"Just watch this, little filly," he finally answered, "it'll be a treat, I'm sure."

Blue Moon wanted to say something else, but Corona nudged her in the side and when she turned to look, the maroon filly pointed in Fia's direction. Blue Moon followed her gaze and blinked.

Fia hadn't moved from her spot, and nothing seemed to have happened, yet the other two fillies could tell something was off. They couldn't put their hoof on what it was -- at least, until Fia took a step to the left while her shadow stayed right were it was.

They all stared in wonder as Fia's shadow rose up out of the ground, mirroring Fia in every way.

Fia looked at the shadow.

It looked back.

Fia turned to face the others.

The shadow did the same.

Both their movements were in complete sync with each other, albeit mirrored.

"I found a book in Uncle Scroll's study specifically about Shadow Magic and I was curious to see if I could do this spell," Fia explained -- her shadow mimicked her every gesture, "I'm... not really sure what real use it has, but I still think it's pretty neat."

"Huh," Corona responded thoughtfully, "I guess that is pretty neat."

"Blue Moon thinks her decoy was better," the light blue filly muttered, "at least you could make it do other things instead of just copy you."

"That's not necessarily the case, little filly," Ancient Scroll replied, "Shadow Animation is a very tricky spell with lots of variations on how it's done. Some variations are absurdly complex and at the highest levels, can even allow the shadow to act independently from the caster. Others, like Fia's Copycat variation, are much easier to use and don't require a lot of focus."

Blue Moon looked back over to Fia who was making wild gestures and giggling as her shadow copied everything she did. After a moment of observation, she hummed in thought and turned to Rouge and Yojimbo.

"What do you think?" she asked, "about the spells we all used I mean?"

"I must admit, I don't know anything about magic or how it works so I may not be the right cat to ask," Rogue replied, walking over to where Blue Moon and Corona were sitting, "but it all seems very impressive to me. Even if I can't understand how it's done, I feel that all of you are very talented in what you've chosen to do."

"What she said," Yojimbo added, plopping himself down onto the log next to Corona. He lightly nudged the maroon filly and smirked, "although my favorite was definitely that earth... something spell. What'd Scroll call it?"

"It was an Earth Swimming spell," Corona replied with a small chuckle, "it lets me move around in the ground like water."

"Yeah well," Yojimbo responded, giving a hearty chuckle of his own, "with a spell like that, you could put us diamond dogs out of a number of businesses!"

The husky's genuine laugh was joined by Corona's now uncomfortable chuckle. She didn't know whether or not Yojimbo realized just how much of a real possibility his statement could become.

"So what do we do now, Uncle Scroll?"

The group all turned to see Fia making her way back to the rest of them, her shadow once again normal and stuck to the ground.

"Well, little filly," Ancient Scroll replied, gauging the position of the Sun, "it looks like it's just about dinner time, so why don't you, Corona, and Yoji get a campfire started while Blue Moon, Rouge and I get a meal going?"

"Sounds good to me," Yojimbo replied with a nod and an eager smile. He turned to the black and light blue fillies, "you girls wanna help me get some firewood?"

"Sure, I can do that," Corona answered with a shrug. She looked at the trees around her with a contemplative frown, "we'll need a lot of wood. Birch doesn't burn for very long."

"Alright," Ancient Scroll said with a nod, "we'll leave it to you then."

With that, Ancient Scroll, Blue Moon, and Rouge headed back to the Vardo to get dinner started.

"Are you sure you wanna do this, Corona?" Fia asked, turning back to Corona with a look of concern, "what about... y'know..."

"What about what?" Corona asked with a confused raise of her brow.

"Your whole thing with... y'know... fire," Fia clarified in a small hesitant voice, "isn't that... gonna be a problem?"

"Oh, right," Corona replied with a grimace, "well... fire in general does make me uneasy, but it's not all fire I'm afraid of, Fia. It's mostly just when I'm trying to cast Fire Magic spells. Besides, we're not gonna be starting fires right now. We're just getting the wood for the fire."

"But... back in Little Trot--"

"That was different," Corona replied curtly, "that was completely different."

"Oh..." Fia muttered, "well, if you're sure then, I guess we'd better get to it."

Corona nodded before turning to the old husky with an eager grin.

"Lead the way, big guy!" she exclaimed, gesturing to the forest before them.

Yojimbo gave the maroon filly a concerned frown before shaking his head and smiling back.

"Why don't you lead the way, pup," he replied with a smirk, "apparently you're the expert when it comes to firewood."

Corona and Yojimbo continued their pleasant banter as they moved further into the forest, Fia nervously following close behind.

A Campfire Tale

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The Sun had just set by the time Fia, Corona, and Yojimbo had made it back to camp with the firewood. Thankfully, the three hadn't run into any trouble on the way, much to Fia's relief.

Inside the parked Vardo, the other two ponies and Abyssinian were still working on dinner. Ancient Scroll stepped out to help Yojimbo set up the campfire while Corona and Fia went in to check on Blue Moon and Rouge in the Vardo's kitchen.

"Anything out there that we should be worried about?"

Yojimbo grunted as he leaned down and used his massive paws to quickly and deftly dig out a pit for the fire. Once that was done, he straighted up and turned to Ancient Scroll as he responded.

"Not that I could see or smell," the old husky replied with a shrug, "sure, you had your occasional forest critter, but I think me being there was enough to make em' back off."

"Hrm," Ancient Scroll responded thoughtfully as he set about arranging the pile of birchwood within the newly dug pit, "that's a bit surprising actually. Given our track record so far, I could've sworn something was going to go wrong."

"Don't tempt fate, Scroll," Yojimbo replied seriously, "you know where that's gotten us in the past."

Ancient Scroll frowned and gave a slow nod, his gaze lingering on the pit in front of him.

"I suppose you've got a point there..."

The two of them were silent as Ancient Scroll finished his work. After the setup was done, he and Yojimbo backed away from the pit and Ancient Scroll's horn flashed to life for an instant. With a loud fwoomph, the arranged birchwood caught fire and the two stood in front of a blazing campfire.

For a minute or two, they both just stood there, watching the fire as it sparked, popped, and flickered in the pit -- their contemplative expressions lit by a bright orange glow as they silently reminisced about times long since past.

Eventually Yojimbo gave a soft chuckle and shook his head before turning to his equine friend.

"Ah, look at the two of us," he commented with a wry grin, "a couple of old fogies standin' around a fire thinkin' of better days. How cliché is that?"

Ancient Scroll gave a small chuckle of his own, his wrinkled eyes still locked on the fire as he replied.

"I have to admit, this does make me feel as old as I probably am," he answered with a sardonic smirk that quickly turned serious as he continued, "but you have to remember, Yoji, not all of those days were better -- far from it."

Yojimbo scoffed and rolled his eyes as he turned away.

"Come on, Scroll, I'm tryin' to be positive here," he responded in an exasperated tone, "we're out here on the road again, we got good company, we got a nice warm fire and a nice hot dinner on the way. Least you could do is enjoy the peace and quiet while it lasts."

Ancient Scroll sighed and finally turned to the old husky with an apologetic frown.

"Yeah, you're right, Yoji," he replied, "sorry for being so dour. All of this business with Canterlot, the Princess, these mysterious ponies... everything. It's just got me in a bit of a mood I guess."

"I getcha," Yojimbo replied with a nod of understanding, "we might miss the old days from time to time, and going on a trip like this has been pretty exciting no doubt, but there was a reason we came back to Equestria and settled down."

Ancient Scroll merely nodded in response as he stared into the campfire.

"Well don't you two look grim?"

Ancient Scroll and Yojimbo turned to see Rouge approaching with a large plate of smoked salmon -- each of the fillies following behind her with their own smaller plates piled with various steamed vegetables.

"Heya, Rouge," Yojimbo greeted with a lazy wave, "I'll be damned to Tartarus if that don't smell good."

"Yes well, it's one of my mother's recipes," Rouge replied with a small smile, "and with Ancient Scroll's help, it turned out quite a bit better than I expected."

"And what about Blue Moon's contra... con... con... ugh! I thought I was over this!"

"Did you mean to say 'contributions'?" Fia suggested, taking a seat by the fire.

"Yes, Blue Moon meant contributions," the light blue filly grumbled bitterly as she and Corona seated themselves next to Fia, "seriously, what were all those dictionaries and thesauruses and speech practices even for?"

Rouge gave a lighthearted chuckle and moved to sit down next to Yojimbo and opposite Ancient Scroll and the three fillies.

"If you're trying to fix a long standing problem with your speech, then you're bound to have relapses every now and then," Rouge explained, "it's nothing to fret over, little one."

"Are you speaking from experience?" Corona asked, digging into her steamed carrots, "you sound like you're speaking from experience."

"I am, in fact," Rouge confirmed with a nod, "believe it or not, I used to have a lisp when I was a little kitten," she grimaced, "I despised it, but everyone else just thought it was cute -- which only made me despise it even more."

"I can imagine," Fia responded with a small giggle, "thinking about it, that does sound really adorable."

"Well, Blue Moon hopes this goes away completely, soon," the light blue filly groused before turning a curious gaze towards the old husky, "what about you, Yojimbo? Did you have any weird or annoying things to deal with?"

"Me? Nah, nothing like that," Yojimbo replied with a shake of his head, "if anything, I was the annoying one, always goin' around biting anyone I didn't like as a pup, chasin' all sorts of critters into the neighbor's houses... just bein' a little mongrel in general really."

He looked away with a far off expression, absently taking a bite out of his smoked salmon as he spoke.

"Ah, those were some of the best days of my life I tell ya..." he said with a wistful smile, "and then there's the adventures I got roped into with the old coot over there," Yojimbo turned to the fillies with a hint of mischief in his eyes, "hey, you pups wanna hear how Scroll and I met?"

The fillies paused in their eating. They looked at each other, then to a grimacing Ancient Scroll, and back to Yojimbo with eager nods. Ancient Scroll sighed heavily and gave a slow shake of his head.

"Oh boy," Ancient Scroll muttered, "here we go..."

"So this was back maybe forty... forty-five-ish years ago," Yojimbo began, "back then, I was in this... uh..." he faltered before giving a small shrug, "well let's just say the dogs I hung around with weren't very nice. Real mean, real dumb, but they were my pack and I had nowhere else to go.

"I was just a small time grunt, barely worth anyone's attention at the time. Lived in one of the rougher subterranean neighborhoods. I took my orders from the pack leader and in return, me and the rest of the gang got fed. It wasn't a very complicated life and I was fine with that."

Yojimbo frowned,

"Then this one dog -- akita, went by the name Baku if I remember right -- he comes into town and starts makin' all these claims about a better neighborhood under his leadership, and takin' the scum of society -- like me and my pack -- out of the picture for good. Real piece of work, this guy.

"Bastard had a real smooth tongue, could talk a cow out of it's hide if you gave him a few minutes and a skinning knife."

"Come on, Yoji, really?" Ancient Scroll chided with a disapproving frown, "you're talking to fillies around a campfire, not your buddies at the bar."

Yojimbo glanced at the uncomfortable fillies and chuckled sheepishly, "sorry about that, pups. Got a bit carried away with my story there. I'll try to keep it a bit more foal friendly."

He cleared his throat and continued.

"So... like I was sayin'," his frown returned, "Baku managed to get a bunch of support from the richer folk in town and before any of us knew it, we were bein' pushed out."

"Pushed out?" Fia asked in confusion, "what do you mean 'pushed out'?"

"Out of town, pup," Yojimbo replied somewhat bitterly, "out of our homes, out of our jobs... just... pushed out, like pieces of--"

"Yoji."

"Sorry, sorry," Yojimbo said, raising his paws defensively, "old story tellin' habits die hard, alright?" he shook his head and sighed, "anyway, long story short, this guy started kickin' out the riffraff from the older, rougher neighborhoods.

"Sounds like a noble thing to do on paper right?" Yojimbo chuckled mirthlessly, "turns out this guy's solution to gettin' rid of the riffraff was to not only kick em' out, but take em' down... permanently."

"He started killing poni -- er -- dogs?" Corona asked with a horrified look, "you don't just... you can't just kill the ponies, or dogs you don't like!"

"That's exactly what my pack leader said right before the bastard killed him," Yojimbo replied as he glared into the fire, "did it right in front of all of us like some kind of public execution. Of course the rest of my pack tried to go after him, but he had the town guard and the support of those greedy, arrogant little..."

He clenched and unclenched his fists for a moment before relaxing once more. The fillies eyed Yojimbo with looks of worry and pity, but the old dog waved off their concerns.

"Now don't gimme those looks," he said with a snort, "this was ages ago now. Yeah it still hurts to think about, I'm not gonna lie, but it's a distant hurt. Don't affect me like it used to."

"If you say so," Fia replied, unconvinced, "then... what happened next?"

"This oblivious egghead of a stallion shows up, that's what happens next," Yojimbo replied with a smirk, "this idiot unicorn walks right through all this chaos and bloodshed with his face buried in a map," Yojimbo let out a bark of laughter, "didn't even give us the time of day at first."

All eyes turned to Ancient Scroll, who rubbed the back of his neck and shrugged.

"I wasn't exactly the most attentive pony growing up, you have to understand," he explained, "got me into trouble more than once."

"Yeah, I bet it did," Corona replied flatly, causing the other fillies to giggle.

"Alright, as funny as this is, I wanna finish the story," Yojimbo interjected, "we're gettin' to the good part."

He gave Ancient Scroll a toothy grin before turning back to the fillies.

"We didn't get ponies down where I lived, see?" the husky explained, "they don't normally go waltzing into underground towns like Scroll did. So when everyone finally noticed him, all the fighting just stopped.

"We all looked at him until he finally noticed where he was, and what's the first thing he says?" the old dog paused for dramatic effect, "'does anypony have an extra quill? Mine just broke'."

The group broke out into a round of laughter at Ancient Scroll's expense and after a few moments Yojimbo continued.

"Seriously though, that little distraction saved my life," Yojimbo said with a chuckle, "woulda been impaled on a spear if Scroll hadn't shown up when he did. And let me tell ya, the stallion can fight."

"Fight?" Blue Moon turned to Ancient Scroll with a raised eyebrow, "you had to fight?"

Ancient Scroll nodded with an unamused frown.

"For some reason this Baku fellow thought I was here to 'liberate the scoundrels from their deserved fate' and had his minions attack me, so I fought back."

"Yeah he did," Yojimbo added, "threw a bunch of fancy magic around like it was nothing and took out the entire guard almost single handedly."

"I didn't kill them," Ancient Scroll clarified at the fillies looks, "I only stunned or knocked them out is all."

"Didn't stop Baku from cheesin' it outta there as fast as he could," Yojimbo replied, chuckling darkly, "didn't make it that far before the folks in town that suffered got to him, but he tried."

Yojimbo stretched and cracked his neck a few times before leaning forward.

"The rest is history," he concluded, "without its leader, my pack broke up, and with nowhere to go, I decided to follow Scroll here. Been friends ever since."

"Wow..." Fia muttered after a moment of awed silence, "that's... some story."

"Ain't it?" Yojimbo replied with a smirk, "gets better every time I tell it if you ask me," he turned to Rouge and his smirk fell into a deadpan frown, "or maybe I'm actually losing my touch here."

Confused, the others followed his gaze and the fillies couldn't help but laugh. The Abyssinian had fallen asleep at some point with her legs crossed and her plate had fallen to the ground -- half eaten fish dropped onto the dirt.

Ancient Scroll chuckled and collected the plate and fish before rising to his hooves.

"Well, I suppose it was about time we turned in anyway."

A Question of Cutie Marks

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After dinner, the fire was put out, Ancient Scroll had awoken Rouge, and the group headed back into the Vardo for the night.

With a wide yawn and a parting wave and 'good night' to the others, Rouge retreated to the sitting room to get some proper sleep. The stallion and husky made their way to the platform to further discuss the day's events and plans for what to do once they all reached the next town.

The fillies had of course, laid down for the night in their own room. They hadn't however, gone to bed just yet. True to her word, Fia had chosen the quiet moment to bring up Blue Moon's odd behavior during the assessment.

"Hey... Trixie?" Fia asked, sitting up and turning to the light blue filly in the cot next to hers, "can we talk?"

"It's Blue Moon," came a flat reply, "and no, Blue Moon is tired and wants to go to bed."

"Oh... alright then," Fia replied, "I won't try to push you, Trixie. I know we agreed not to keep secrets, but I also remembered that it wasn't a good idea to force somepony to talk... like we tried to do the last time we talked."

"Yeah... we did kinda do that, didn't we?" Corona added from the opposite side of Blue Moon's cot, "sorry about that, Trixie. We were all still in a bad place and I just wanted the awkwardness and tension to go away."

Blue Moon let out a muffled grunt into her pillow, but said nothing in response.

Fia opened her mouth to say something else, but paused and looked over to Corona. The maroon filly gave Blue Moon a disappointed look before sighing and returning Fia's look with a slow shake of her head. She adjusted her position so that she was facing away from both of them and said no more on the matter.

Fia frowned and settled back down in her cot, resigning herself to the fact that Blue Moon wasn't going to say anything for now. After a few minutes of complete silence, save for the soft breathing of the three fillies, there came a quiet, but heavy sigh.

"Hey... Sunset?"

"Hmm?"

Blue Moon turned her face slightly so that one eye was on the maroon filly as she spoke.

"What was it like for you?" Blue Moon asked, "when you got your cutie mark I mean, what did it feel like?"

Fia stiffened slightly but didn't speak.

"What did it... well..." Corona turned to fully face Blue Moon with a slightly confused and slightly thoughtful expression, "to be honest, Trixie, I don't really know. I was so awed by what I was helping Celestia do, that I hadn't even noticed it had appeared until it was already there."

"Oh..." Blue Moon replied, burying her face into her pillow once more, "nevermind then."

"Trixie, what's wrong?" Corona asked in concern, "why'd you wanna know what it felt like?"

"It's about your own cutie mark isn't it?"

Blue Moon and Corona both turned to see Fia giving Blue Moon a sad, understanding look.

"I remember what you said about almost getting one," the black filly continued, "I had no idea how cutie marks worked -- and to be honest, I didn't really care -- but the way you described it makes it sound like something... I don't know... profound. Something worth waiting for."

"And that... sorry excuse for a dad took that away from you," Corona finished with an angry snort, "I didn't even know you could stop a cutie mark from appearing."

"Well you can," Blue Moon responded quietly, "the feeling I had when I was about to get my cutie mark was one of the greatest things I'd ever experience. Joining Hoofdini up there on that stage made me happy for the first time in... ever, but it was that warm feeling I felt..."

she shook her head and sniffed, tears threatening to spill from her eyes as she spoke.

"I didn't even realize how much not getting my cutie mark hurt until Uncle Scroll metioned how I had a talent for Illusion Magic," her voice hitched and she turned her teary gaze towards the ceiling of the caravan, "now I just feel like... like I missed out on something r-really important and I don't even... I d-don't even know if -- if I'll be able to--"

"You'll get your cutie mark, Trixie."

Blue Moon sniffed again and looked over to Corona.

"H-How do you know?" Blue Moon argued, "I already lost it once, w-what if -- if I never..."

"I may not have known that you could stop a cutie mark from appearing," Corona replied, "but I remember something Summer Breeze told me once back when I didn't have my own cutie mark yet," she gave Blue Moon a comforting smile, "she told me that cutie marks were connected to Harmony, and as long as Harmony existed, a pony would always get their cutie mark."

"But... what if Harmony didn't exist anymore?" Blue Moon challenged, "then I'd never get my cutie mark."

"Harmony can't just disappear, Trixie," Fia answered with a single shake of her head, "it's like... it's like air. You can't see it, but it exists, and it's everywhere."

"So... so you really think I'll have another chance to get my cutie mark again?" the light blue filly asked, a hopeful smile tugging at her lips, "I'm not going to be a blank flank forever?"

"Of course not," Corona replied, "in fact, I don't think there's ever been a case where a pony never got their cutie mark. If I remember correctly, the longest a pony's ever gone without a cutie mark on record was... fourteen years?"

"I could be stuck without a cutie mark until I'm fourteen?" Blue Moon cried.

"No, I don't think so," Fia replied calmly, "I remember reading about that same thing. Nopony knows why it took so long, but it was the only case of it's kind to ever happen. That's why it was such a big deal."

Blue Moon was quiet for a moment as she thought on the information.

"Who was the pony?" she finally asked.

"it was some pegasus colt in Cloudsdale," Corona replied with a shrug, "don't remember his name."

"Same here," Fia added, "it was old news years before I was even born."

"Huh," Blue Moon replied before giving the black filly a curious look, "what about you, Twilight Sparkle?"

"What about me?" Fia asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, you don't have your cutie mark yet either," Blue Moon pointed out, "aren't you worried about getting it, or what it'll be once you do?"

"Not really," Fia answered matter-of-factly, "it'll happen when it happens, and I'm fairly sure it'll have something to do with magic like with most unicorns."

"I guess that makes sense," Blue Moon responded slowly, "I'd still like to know what my cutie mark is going to be."

"Well, based off of what you told us, I think I have a pretty good idea," Corona said, putting a hoof to her chin thoughtfully, "I'm pretty sure that whatever your cutie mark is gonna be, it'll probably have something to do with being a showpony."

"Hey, yeah," Fia agreed, "it did almost appear after you performed that show with Hoofdini, so it only makes sense that it would have something to do with being on stage."

"You... you both think so?" Blue Moon asked, her hopeful smile making a brief return before falling once more, "but... I've been practicing for awhile now, and I'm still nowhere near Hoofdini's level."

"You'll get your chance again, someday, Trixie," Corona replied with a warm smile, "I don't think a cutie mark is something you can just force to appear. Just do what you like to do and you'll get it eventually."

Blue Moon once again turned her eyes towards the ceiling with a frown. After a minute she gave a slow hesitant nod before giving another quicker and more confident one.

"You know what?" Blue Moon exclaimed, sitting up, "you're both right. Trixie just needs to keep being Great and Powerful and eventually she'll have the greatest cutie mark ponykind has ever seen!"

"That's the spirit," Corona replied with a chuckle, "but you should probably keep it down, Loud and Obnoxious Blue Moon. We're supposed to be asleep, remember?"

"Jealous," Blue Moon huffed as she settled back into the cot, "you just can't match up to the wonder that is Trixie, nor the mystique that is Blue Moon."

"Yeah okay, Blue Moon, whatever you say," Corona muttered with a roll of her eyes. She turned away from the other two as she got comfortable again, "I'm gonna get some sleep now, and you both should probably do the same."

"You're probably right," Fia agreed with a yawn, "good night girls."

Corona and Blue Moon muttered their own 'good night' and within minutes the relatively quiet night was filled with the soft snores of the three tired fillies.

A New Teacher

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"You want to do what?"

Shining Armor gave the sleepy looking unicorn stallion who had just entered his room an incredulous look. He had seen this stallion around before, though they hadn't spoken until now. One thing that stood out about the unicorn to Shining Armor was how he always looked like he never got enough sleep.

Whenever he saw the golden coated, brown maned stallion, he had a half-lidded, baggy-eyed gaze and a slow gait. He also took an uncomfortably long time to respond when spoken to and when he finally did, he spoke in a slow, deep, deliberate, drawl. Shining Armor had in fact noticed that a lot of things this stallion did were slow and deliberate.

It was because of this that the colt was now regretting his reflexive outburst at the stallion's news. Shining Armor had to stand in the doorway for a good half a minute before the unicorn stallion spoke again.

"It ain't like ah wanna do this, kid," the stallion finally replied, "but the orders are comin' from up top so ah got no choice. Miss Gale wants me ta teach ya more about Light Magic seein' as how it's your affinity an' all, an' ah know the most about it out of anypony here."

"But why though?" Shining asked, "don't get me wrong, I may not be nearly as into magic study as my sister, but I can appreciate proper magical education. Why now though? Frigid Gale hasn't mentioned anything about wanting to teach me Light Magic -- or that it was even my affinity."

The stallion slowly blinked and stared at the colt impassively for several long moments before he finally replied.

"Look, kid," the golden unicorn continued with a sudden yawn, "ah don't know what Miss Gale is thinkin' an' it ain't mah place nor mah desire to know. All ah'm here to do is teach ya about Light Magic an' gauge whether or not ya have a head fer it -- though given it's yer affinity, I'd assume ya would."

Shining Armor frowned but bit back his annoyance for now. He had no idea what Frigid Gale was playing at, wanting him to learn Light Magic. He knew he had an affinity for that particular branch of Magic, but hadn't really cared to learn more about it beyond a few useful Healing spells here and there.

Learning more about Light Magic wasn't what annoyed him however. What did irritate him was the fact that he hadn't managed to figure out how to deal with Frigid Gale yet. As far as Shining was concerned, these lessons would only be a distraction from what he was trying to accomplish.

Then there was his actual 'teacher'...

Shining had decided he didn't care much for the stallion. He seemed lazy and disinterested in just about everything around him. The colt had noticed that whenever there was any major work being done around the base, the golden unicorn was conveniently absent.

Shining Armor honestly doubted the stallion would make a good teacher.

"Oh, name's Peach Pit by the by," the unicorn stallion said suddenly, "ya'll can just call me Peach... or Pit... don' really care which. Either one's fine by me."

"Peach Pit?" Shining Armor asked curiously, "sounds more like an earth pony name."

After another eternity Peach Pit replied with a wry chuckle.

"Ah'd imagine so, seein' as how ah was raised by earth ponies," he responded, "hard as it is ta believe lookin' at me now, I'm a country colt, born an' raised."

"Yeah I... never would've guessed," Shining replied flatly before letting out a resigned sigh, "alright, what do I have to do?"

"Just follow me an' ah'll show ya," Peach Pit replied, taking a step back out of the room before turning and trotting away down the hall, "don't dawdle now, ah ain't got all day."

Shining Armor somehow doubted that. Nevertheless he begrudgingly followed after the stallion and together the two of them headed down the hall and to a spiral staircase that led them further down. They passed the floor Shining recognized from when Gale had escorted him to see the evidence that his sister was alive, and kept going.

Further and further down they went and Shining was beginning to wonder just how deep this place ran. At this point he imagined they were either in a large multi-story building or somewhere deep underground, and Shining had the distinct feeling it was the latter.

"So... just what do you know about Light Magic, kid?" Peach Pit asked as they continued to descend, "ever practice it before?"

"A few times, but not extensively," Shining Armor replied, "I don't really know too much about it to be honest."

Peach Pit gave a slow understanding nod after a moment.

"Ah suppose that makes sense," he replied, "colt yer age probably don't have the patience to learn just how useful an' powerful Light Magic can really be."

They finally reached the bottom of the staircase after several long minutes of descending and Peach Pit stopped at a large set of dark mahogany double doors with large brass knockers on either side. He turned his sleepy gaze towards Shining and grinned.

"As far as magical affinities go, you an' me got lucky, kid," he said before turning back to the door and pushing it open, "from what ah heard, you were lookin' to become one o' them Royal Guards, right?"

He stepped through the large doorway and Shining followed after him as he continued to speak.

"Upholdin' justice, defendin' the Crown and protectin' the folks ya care about from harm," Peach Pit chuckled, "yeah, ponies with an affinity fer Light Magic tend to be that way. Noble, just, always lookin' out fer others," he gave an amused chuckle, "I mean shoot, kid, it's all right there in yer name."

Shining Armor raised an eyebrow at the tired looking unicorn as they trotted down another hall -- this one much darker than the others he had been down. Curious to see where the stallion was going, he remained silent.

"I'm generalizin' o' course, but it really does tend ta work out that way," they turned a corner and continued down the dark path, "really though? There ain't no better magic affinity ta have if ya wanna protect somethin'. That's what Light Magic excels at, kid."

"It does?" the colt asked in surprise, "I've only read enough about Light Magic to know that it has some of the most powerful Healing spells of any branch of Magic. I didn't bother learning much more than that because a lot of it looked like it was out of my league."

"Now don't go sellin' yerself short just yet, kid," Peach Pit replied as they reached another set of double doors at the end of the dimly lit hallway, "Light Magic might be a bit more difficult to learn, but it certainly ain't the most difficult -- not like Elemental Magic or Time Magic," he shuddered slightly, "oof, just thinkin' about Time Magic makes mah head spin."

Shining Armor chuckled a bit despite himself. If he was being honest with himself, he was beginning to warm up to the weary looking unicorn. There was something about his slow, easygoing manner of speech that put him at ease the more he listened.

The colt actually found it a bit odd just how quickly he had grown accustomed to Peach Pit.

"As long as yer willin' ta learn what ah've got ta teach ya," Peach Pit continued, "ah guarantee ya'll will come out a better spellcaster than any old Royal Battlemage could ever be."

He set a hoof on one of the doors and glanced down at the colt with a lazy smirk.

"Gotta be strong if ya wanna protect that sister o' yours when ya finally find her, right?"

As the golden unicorn stallion pushed the door open, Shining Armor realized then that he may have been wrong in his initial assessment of everyone here. While a majority of the ponies and griffons he had seen and met were surly and brooding, Shining had managed to find some very colorful and even friendly characters in the mix.

It reminded him that there was still hope for Frigid Gale and the rest of her organization, he just had to find out how to approach the monumental task of bringing out the good in the vengeful thestral mare. He had thought long and hard on what she had told him, and realized that he couldn't just take Gale's word for it.

He needed more information from a different source, but he had no idea how he was going to find out -- that is, until Peach Pit fully opened the doors before him.

Shining Armor gaped at the room on the other side of the doorway.

The room was massive.

Not only was the room stupidly large, but even from the entrance, he could see endless rows of shelves holding various boxes of differing shapes and sizes, an absurd amount of books on display, and ponies restlessly moving to and fro between all of it. He could see several sets of stairs leading up four different floors where there were even more shelves full of odds and ends.

At one end of the room there was a large open space with rows upon rows of long desks and tables stacked with more books, parchment, and odd gadgets the colt couldn't describe. There were ponies, griffons, and even the occasional diamond dog all reading or working tirelessly on something or another.

"Ah don't much like this place," Peach Pit mused, observing the frantic activity within the room with a slight frown, "bit too noisy fer me, but ah suppose ah'll have ta get over it," he turned to Shining Armor, "this is where we'll be spendin' most of our time fer the next few weeks or so while ah show you the ropes."

Shining Armor didn't reply, still stunned and somewhat intimidated by the sheer scale of the place.

Peach Pit chuckled and looked back to the large room.

"I may not like all the hustle an' bustle that goes on in here," he commented, "but even ah can't deny that it's a mighty impressive sight."

He trotted inside and gestured for the awestruck colt to follow.

"Kid... welcome ta the Old Archives."

A Vision of the Moon

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Trixie was completely content.

How could she not be?

She had a nice, quiet life in a small cottage out in the wilderness and a grandfather and two sisters who cared for her as much as she did for them. To top it all off, she was apprentice to the greatest stage magician who had ever lived.

What pony wouldn't be content with a life like that?

These were the thoughts running through Trixie's head as she and her two sisters sat at the table discussing what they had all done the previous day. For some reason, Trixie couldn't remember what it had been, and she found it hard to focus on what the girls were saying, but that was okay.

She was just happy for their company -- if she were to focus on the feeling, she would even call it... relief.

But why? What reason would she have to be relieved?

A feeling began to rise within Trixie and she quickly brushed the thought aside before that feeling had a chance to take root. She didn't know what that feeling was, but somehow she knew it would be better to keep it locked away.

Thankfully she was distracted by a familiar beige coated unicorn trotting into the main room. Trixie turned to the old stallion with a smile and a wave. She made to greet the stallion and paid no attention to the fact that her own voice sounded off.

The stallion seemed to understand her well enough either way, and she found herself nodding as the old unicorn spoke. Apparently they were supposed to have guests over for dinner tonight.

Her two sisters seemed excited by the news, but Trixie couldn't help but frown.

Something was wrong.

That feeling was coming back.

She tried to push it back down to no avail. The feeling would not be quelled this time, and it only grew worse as she heard a knock at the door. She tried to tell her grandfather not to open the door -- to tell whoever it was to go away -- but the stallion didn't listen.

As he trotted closer to the door, Trixie was suddenly able to put words to the feeling.

Uneasiness.

Trepidation.

Dread.

Foreboding.

All of these words would've sufficed for what the filly was feeling at the moment. She tried to rise from her seat at the table, but she couldn't move. All she could do was watch as her grandfather pulled the door open to greet the guests.

A shadow slipped inside, but Trixie paid it no mind as she witnessed one of the guests -- an orange pegasus mare -- flare out a wing and hit her grandfather in the chest. The beige stallion stumbled backwards and fell to the floor wordlessly, blood pouring from his mouth and his organs exposed through his open chest cavity.

Trixie screamed out anguished words she herself couldn't understand and tried once more to move, but she remained seated at the table. She barely noticed as the orange pegasus mare stepped into the cottage, followed soon after by another orange pony -- this one a unicorn stallion.

They trotted in front of the distraught filly and Trixie was forced to look them in the face. She couldn't distinguish their features, nor could she place their names, but in her mind, she knew who they were.

They teased and taunted her with cruel words. She didn't understand what they said, but the horrible meaning was not lost on her, and she could only cry in response to such verbal abuse. The pegasus mare was shouting something angrily and Trixie heard one particular word as clear as a bell.

Mother.

The two orange coated ponies stepped aside and, as if bidden by some unseen force, Trixie's gaze slowly drifted towards the flayed open body of her grandfather.

No, that wasn't right.

That wasn't her grandfather, that was a mare.

Why was there a mare where her grandfather should've been?

Mother.

Trixie stared at the mare's turquoise coated body and glazed over copper eyes in mute horror for another moment before a scream caused her to turn in her chair. While she wasn't looking, the orange ponies had made their way to the other side of the table.

The unicorn stallion had trapped one of her sisters in their magic and the pegasus mare was laughing her beautiful laugh as she raised a wing towards the other sister. Trixie cried out and tried to force her body into some kind of action, but could only scream in frustration and despair, firmly rooted to the chair as she was.

She looked towards the pegasus mare just in time to see her bring her upheld wing down.

I believe I have seen enough.

Everything froze.

Trixie blinked and looked around. No longer was she sitting at the table trapped in her chair as she bore witness to the slaughter of her sisters. Gone was the body of her dead mother, gone were the twin ponies, gone were her sisters and the entire cottage.

She now found herself standing in a clear open field of tall grass that swayed gently in a soft breeze. Looking up, Trixie could see countless stars dotting the night sky and a full moon glowing brightly and beautifully.

She stared transfixed at the sight, her mind still trying to separate the serene setting from the horror that was her situation only moments ago.

"Beautiful, is it not?"

Trixie let out a surprised yelp and whipped around to face the voice. She took several frantic steps back as she saw something slowly make its way out of the shadows. As it moved closer, Trixie stopped her backtracking and gaped open mouthed at what she saw.

Trotting leisurely towards the filly was the most intimidating, regal, and graceful looking pony Trixie had ever seen. Her coat was black as the void and her ethereal mane and tail billowed and shone like the night sky above.

Her horn was long and sharpened to a point and even with her wings folded, Trixie could tell that this mare had an impressive wingspan.

She was strikingly tall -- at least as tall as Celestia -- and the majority of her body was covered in silvery blue armor that seemed to be engraved with all manner of strange designs and symbols.

The alicorn mare stared at the Moon as she slowly made her way to Trixie.

"Yes, the night sky is a beautiful thing," the mare mused, "it can bring peace and serenity to those who seek it. It can calm the mind in times of turmoil and inspire the hearts of ponies to create, to wonder... to love."

She stopped a few hoof-lengths away and turned her draconic icy blue eyes towards the stunned filly. Trixie continued to stare at the alicorn silently. She only vaguely realized she had fallen to her haunches.

"You need not fear me, youngling. I am not here to hurt you," the mare said in a voice that was somehow both soft and firm, "I merely wished to see you for myself... and to give you both a message and a request."

"W-who... who are you?" Trixie asked in a shaky whisper, "where... w-where am I? What's going on?" her eyes suddenly widened in realization, "you... you were that voice in my head! What do you--"

"Silence."

Trixie's mouth snapped shut and she whimpered slightly at the mare's stern look. The alicorn's expression softened a bit and she sighed before turning her gaze skyward once more as she spoke.

"I will not give you my name -- not yet," the dark alicorn replied before giving the azure filly a side glance, "but know that I am a... friend, of sorts," she turned to fully face Trixie, "I have seen your dreams, filly -- as well as those of the ones you consider sisters. I know how you all suffer from your pasts."

"You've... seen all of our dreams?" Trixie asked, trying to gain a bit more courage, "I don't understand, are we in a dream right now?"

The mare nodded and gestured to the grassy field around them.

"This -- all of this is my domain," she explained, "here, I rule supreme," the alicorn gave a wry chuckle, "I suppose you could call me the Mare of Dreams, at least for the time being."

She looked to Trixie, her expression turning serious.

"But I plan to become more than just a spirit roaming the Realm of Dreams," she raised an armored hoof and pressed it to the filly's chest, "I want to help you -- all of you, but I need you to do something for me first."

Trixie was torn.

On one hoof, she found she really wanted to trust this mare. She was intimidating to be sure, but her cold draconic eyes held no malice in them -- at least, not that Trixie could see. On the other hoof, she remembered Sunset's warning about being manipulated into doing something evil.

She bit her lip and stared at her hooves. For several heartbeats she didn't say anything and the black coated mare seemed content to wait for her answer. After a few moments, Trixie looked back up at the mare.

She forced herself to stare into the alicorn's eyes.

Another minute went by and Trixie gave a firm nod.

"Okay, I'll do it," she announced, "what do you need Trixie to do?"

"A wise decision, young one," the mare replied with a smile and a satisfied nod, "you will not regret it."

She stepped back and stood up straighter -- flaring out her wings.

"Very well, Beatrix Lulamoon! Open thine ears and listen close, for this is what I require of you..."

An Enemy Approaches

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The morning had been relatively uneventful so far.

Ancient Scroll had spent some of the morning helping the fillies with their studies, but soon left to do other mundane tasks that needed doing and left them to independently study the material on their own.

Rouge had opted to remain in the sitting room whiling away the hours with a book. Yojimbo was splayed out on his own cot -- the sound of his surprisingly soft snores filling the sitting room.

He himself had chosen to sleep in that morning and with several more hours of tedious travel through the forest left to go, no one complained. With little else to do themselves, the fillies continued their studies as Ancient Scroll had told them to.

Both Fia and Corona had noticed Blue Moon acting oddly all morning. It was nothing overt, but every once in a while they would catch the filly staring off into space or muttering to herself. Whenever they had asked however, the light blue filly would just wave their concerns away dismissively, stating there was nothing wrong.

It was about half an hour after Ancient Scroll had left the room that Corona had finally decided to confront Blue Moon about her strange behavior. She had her suspicions, and she decided now was the time to voice them.

"So, Blue Moon," Corona began, eyeing the filly carefully from where she lay on the cot, "have you been hearing that voice at all since the last time you told us about it?"

"Blue Moon hasn't heard a thing," the light blue filly replied from the desk where she was reading, "in fact, she's starting to wonder if it really was just her imagination."

"Are you sure?" Corona pressed, "because I heard you talking in your sleep last night."

Blue Moon tensed and Fia looked up from the notes she was taking with a curious frown. Corona ignored the reaction as she continued.

"I woke up to use the bathroom and when I came back into the room, I heard you muttering something about a voice," Corona explained, "I couldn't understand the rest, but I definitely heard something about a voice."

Blue Moon remained silent.

Fia furrowed her brow and set her quill on the desk as she focused all her attention on the suddenly quiet filly.

"Blue Moon," Fia asked warily, "did you actually... see the pony that voice belonged to in your dream?"

More silence from the light blue filly.

"Blue Moon," Corona continued with a concerned frown, "I know we agreed to give you some space and let you tell us about your issues when you were ready, but if there's actually somepony out there speaking in your head and telling you to do things--"

"It was the Mare of Dreams."

Fia blinked in surprise and turned to Corona. The two exchanged confused looks before turning back to Blue Moon.

"Mare... of Dreams?" Fia asked with a raised eyebrow, "that's what the voice called itself? Sounds like something out of an old ponytale story."

Blue Moon shook her head and finally turned to face the other two.

"It's not," she argued, "she's real, and--"

There was a loud yet muffled whump and the three of them yelped in surprise, stumbling a bit as they felt the Vardo lurch to a sudden stop.

"What was that all about?" Fia asked in bewilderment, "what's Uncle Scroll doing?"

"I don't know," Corona replied as she hopped off the slightly raised cot, "but I suddenly have a bad feeling."

Blue Moon nervously looked between the other two fillies and rose from the low seat at the desk. She was somewhat grateful for the distraction, but for the most part, the sudden stop made her worry.

"Maybe we should just let Uncle Scroll take care of whatever it is?" she suggested, "we may have just hit a large rock or something,"

"No, I don't think so," Corona replied, making her way towards the door, "I think it might be something else, come on."

With that, she pulled the door open and stepped out of the room, Fia following right behind her. Blue Moon watched them go with a worried expression for a moment before finally trotting out after them both.

Ancient Scroll was completely baffled by this sudden turn of events.

Baffled, but not caught off guard thankfully.

He had finished cleaning the dishes only moments ago and came out here onto the platform to take in the peaceful forest passing him by. The part of the forest they were traveling through had thinned out and he could clearly see the sky.

His gaze happened to drift towards that sky just in time to see a dark shape rushing towards the caravan at a blinding speed. Old as he was, Ancient Scroll's mind was still just as sharp as any younger unicorn -- sharper even.

His physical reflexes may not have been what they used to be, but his mental and magical reflexes were a completely different story. The instant he realized what was about to happen his horn flared to life.

Speed Casting was something Ancient Scroll excelled at.

All of his other skills involving magic were honed from years of both extensive study and practical application during his numerous and often deadly adventures. Speed Casting however, was something he was naturally gifted with, but rarely used when he didn't have to.

It was extremely draining when used in excess and left him tired and vulnerable after a certain amount of time. Regardless, in his quick thinking, he drew upon his gift and in a single moment, cut off the Come-to-Life spell while almost simultaneously throwing up a partially formed Pure Barrier spell around the front of the Vardo.

The shield went up just in time to catch the heavy impact of what the old stallion was surprised to see was a hoof. He grit his teeth and grunted as the blow landed, the sheer force reverberating through his mind.

He shook his head and glared at the attacker as they backed off and landed several yards away. His glare turned to a look of shock as he registered who the attacking pony was. Standing directly in the caravan's path was a familiar dark green pegasus mare -- her face a mask of cold determination.

"Damnation," the stallion muttered, his glare returning, "this isn't good."

His ear twitched at the sound of multiple doors opening at once within the Vardo.

"What in Tartarus was that, Scroll?" Yojimbo cried irritably, "nearly knocked me off the cot--"

"We got trouble, Yoji," Ancient Scroll interjected, not taking his eyes off the slowly approaching pegasus, "you and Rouge take care of the fillies."

"What's going on, Uncle Scroll?" Corona asked worrriedly, "we're not being attacked or something, are we?"

"Yes we are, now all of you go back to your rooms and stay with Rouge and Yojimbo."

"Wait hang on," Fia cried in a panic, "who is it? Who's attacking? It's not the Razor Twins, is it?"

"It's that Wild Evergreen mare," Ancient Scroll replied distractedly -- his attention still focused on the mare nearing the platform, "no more questions, just go!"

Before any of them could protest, Yojimbo scooped them all up and headed back into the room. Rouge went to follow after, but stopped in the doorway and turned to the old stallion one last time.

"Be careful, Scroll," she warned, "if that impact was anything to go by, she isn't a normal pegasus."

"You're telling me," Ancient Scroll muttered, "mare hits harder than some of the burlier earth ponies I've met in my time..." he shook his head and glanced at the concerned Abyssinian, "don't worry about me, Rouge, I can handle the mare. Just make sure the fillies stay safe."

Rouge nodded and retreated into the room with the rest of the group. Ancient Scroll turned back to the mare and sighed in resignation.

"Well, I'm a bit out of practice, but..."

With a grunt, he leapt over the railing and landed on the ground in front of the platform. As he moved to meet the pegasus mare his horn once again flashed and a shimmering white barrier enveloped the caravan once more.

"You're the mare that was helping out the townsfolk back in Little Trot," Ancient Scroll called out, stopping a couple of yards away from the dark green pegasus, "Wild Evergreen, right?"

"Not important, old timer," the mare replied , "I know you have the filly I'm looking for hidden away in there. Give her up or I'm taking her by force."

"Oh come on now, girl," Ancient Scroll replied with a scoff, "I may be an old timer, but even I know that line never works. And besides, what makes you think I have the filly you're looking for anyway?"

"I'd say your reaction makes it pretty clear," Wild Evergreen retorted, trotting closer to the stallion.

"You attacked my caravan unprovoked," Ancient Scroll answered, taking a few careful steps back, "of course I was going to defend myself and those under my care. There are foals in there, Miss Evergreen."

"Fair enough, but I know for a fact she's in there, Ancient Scroll," the pegasus mare replied with a vicious smirk, "and from what I've heard you've been taking good care of her," she shook her head, "real nice of ya to do, but your job's over now."

Ancient Scroll grimaced and cursed inwardly. Nevertheless he let the mare speak as he shifted his stance slightly.

"I don't know how you managed to disguise her so well, but seeing as how I'm not a unicorn, I don't really give a buck about the details," she stopped a few hoof-lengths away from the stallion and absently pawed the ground a few times, "either way, I'm taking Twilight Sparkle, and if I have to smash your skull in to do it, I will."

The old stallion chuckled slightly before giving the mare a grim frown. His eyes flashed dangerously and his horn sparked and chirped with the beginnings of a powerful spell.

"The filly stays with me, Miss Evergreen."

An Intense Duel

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A slight shift of a hind leg and the pegasus mare was charging with the speed and force of a cannonball.

Fast! Ancient Scroll thought, almost too fast... but...

Ancient Scroll's body disappeared in a brilliant flash of light and Wild Evergreen's hoof went sailing through empty air at top speed. She didn't even have time to register that she'd missed before another flash of white light sent her flying in the opposite direction.

With a cry of surprise and anger she hit the ground, rolling a few yards before righting herself and skidding to a stop. She glared at the old stallion who leisurely trotted back to where he stood only moments ago.

"A speed most pegasi would kill for, as strong as any earth pony, and an impressive resistance to magic to boot," Ancient Scroll commented with a genuinely impressed nod, "you're really something else, Miss Evergreen. If it weren't for the obvious lack of a horn, I'd think you were some kind of lesser alicorn."

"Flattery won't keep you alive, old timer," the mare shot back before taking to the air, "I'm here to do a job and you're in my way."

With a heavy flap of her wings, Wild Evergreen launched herself further into the sky and off to the stallion's left, disappearing behind the trees. Ancient Scroll looked on with a cautious curiosity, wondering what the violent mare would do next.

Pegasi couldn't use magic quite like unicorns could, but both they and earth ponies did have their own instinctual magic.

It was a rare thing to see -- extremely so in fact -- but with some natural talent and a supreme amount of effort, a pegasus or earth pony could learn to tap into the mana in their veins to perform feats reminiscent of a unicorn's magic -- albeit limited to their own instinctual magic.

With what he had seen of this mare so far, Ancient Scroll wouldn't have been at all surprised if Wild Evergreen had learned to do just that.

An odd chirping sound reached Ancient Scroll's ears and they twitched and swiveled to the right.

His nostrils flared at the sudden smell of ozone.

His eyes widened in surprise and he snapped his gaze to the side just in time to see Wild Evergreen shoot out of the trees -- her wings completely enveloped in what looked like bright golden yellow lightning. Her furious golden eyes shone bright with that same energy and Ancient Scroll momentarily found himself caught off-guard.

When did she--

Ancient Scroll had no time to finish his thoughts.

Even with his Speed Casting he only barely managed to raise a Natural Barrier. The mare flew past Ancient Scroll, her wings grazing his bright green bubble of magic and causing dozens of streaks of lightning to dance across its surface for a few seconds.

The beleaguered stallion grunted as Wild Evergreen made another pass.

Then another.

And another.

"ENOUGH!"

The instant the pegasus had made her next pass, Ancient Scroll dropped his Natural Barrier and sank into the earth -- Wild Evergreen's lightning infused charge passing just overhead.

The mare stopped mid charge and scanned the ground. She grit her teeth and let the lightning surrounding her wings dissipate as she rose a bit higher into the air.

"Betcha weren't expecting that were you, you old bastard!" she taunted, "well there's more where that--"

She narrowly ducked a beam of light that shot out of the trees nearby, then dipped and swerved erratically to avoid several more. She frantically looked left and right, trying to find the source of the unexpected assault, only to cry out in surprise as the thin beams of white light she thought she had avoided curved back around and shot after her again.

She cursed and took off in a random direction, too distracted by the homing lasers of light to notice the old stallion trotting back out into the clearing -- his eyes and horn aglow with an ivory light. Several miniature magic circles slowly rotated above him -- one for every laser that followed Wild Evergreen.

He kept his gaze locked on the desperately dodging mare as she flew this way and that. One of the beams would occasionally hit her and she would cry out in pain and anger, but they never managed to actually stop the mare.

With a slight shift of her wings, the pegasus rolled to one side to avoid an oncoming laser and happened to spot Ancient Scroll on the ground as she came out of the roll.

She gave an angry snort and flew into the thicker part of the forest -- the many beams of light following close behind. As soon as she disappeared into the trees, Ancient Scroll cut off the spell, the magic circles above him blinking out of existence. He then took a step back and sighed.

"Getting too old for this," he muttered somewhat bitterly, "that took a bit more out of me than it should've."

His horn glowed once more and a large, green magic circle formed on the ground around him briefly before disappearing again. With that done, he sat on his haunches and waited. He looked up as Wild Evergreen suddenly burst through the top of the trees and flew higher and higher into the sky.

He watched in concern as the pegasus mare flew to and fro gathering nearby clouds at a breakneck pace.

That wasn't natural lightning she used before, Ancient Scroll frowned, she was somehow able to electrify her own mana and attack me with it directly. Rare but not unheard of...

The bigger question in Ancient Scroll's opinion was how she had learned to do such a thing in the first place. Did she have a teacher, or was she self taught?

His frown deepened as the gathered clouds darkened and gave off an ominous rumble.

While the mare's mana lightning attack was powerful, it had nowhere near the strength of a natural bolt of lightning. The old stallion wondered if she was attempting to strike him down with an actual lightning strike.

He grimaced and lit his horn, adding another Pure Barrier on top of the one he had already cast over the caravan. He winced and rubbed his horn as he returned his gaze back to the clouds.

"This isn't good," he murmured as the dark grey cloud drew closer, rumbling and flashing with the natural lightning no doubt held within, "I need to end this... now."

He gave another sigh of resignation and shook his head.

"It's a good thing the girls aren't around to see all this..."

He raised his head and shouted out to the approaching mare -- his voice magically enhanced.

"WHAT IN BLAZES ARE YOU THINKING?" he shouted incredulously, "ARE YOU TRYING TO CAPTURE THE FILLY OR KILL HER?!"

Wild Evergreen flew out from behind the large cloud and over to the old stallion, stopping mid air just a few yards away.

"Of course I'm not trying to kill the filly you moron! The boss needs her alive," she replied with an annoyed frown. She looked back to the deadly looking cloud hanging overheard and smirked before looking back to Ancient Scroll, "I'm not an idiot, you idiot. This cloud ain't for you, it's for me."

Ancient Scroll furrowed his brow in confusion.

Then it dawned on him.

"Are you insane, filly?!" he cried in disbelief, "you'd really go that far just to take me out of the picture? You say you aren't an idiot, but I've yet to see any evidence pointing to the contrary!"

"Meh, it ain't like I haven't done this before," Wild Evergreen replied matter-of-factly, "and I'm doing this because it's the fastest way to get you out of the picture, old timer," she shook her head and looked back to the cloud as she spoke, "you're a lot stronger than you look, I'll give you that."

She fully turned to face the cloud above and glanced back at the stallion from over her shoulder.

"I've done this before, but I don't really get to do it as often as I'd like," she said with a smug grin, "thanks for makin' this fun, you old coot."

Without another word, she launched herself towards the cloud at top speed. She vanished into the dark grey haze and the cloud darkened even further.

Ancient Scroll fell back to his haunches and rubbed his temples with another weary sigh.

"This is gonna put me out of commission for awhile, but I have no choice at this point," he muttered irritably, "gonna delay our trip by quite a bit..."

The cloud darkened from dark grey to black. The flashes grew more frequent and intense and the rumbling increased in volume.

Then the cloud suddenly dissipated, leaving a dark green pegasus to float in a clear sunny sky.

Ancient Scroll looked up at the manically grinning, violently twitching, electrically overcharged mare with tired eyes and slowly shook his head.

"You're going to ruin your mana veins with stunts like this, filly," the old stallion said with a sad frown, "whatever your boss's plans are, I doubt they're worth all this."

He looked back up to the mare with steel in his eyes.

"Alright then, whelp," Ancient Scroll challenged, "strike me down if you can, I'm not going anywhere!"

That was all the motivation the pegasus needed it seemed.

"You asked for it, old timer!" she called back in a voice distorted by the intense current running through her body, "I ain't a cannibal, but I do love me the smell of a deep fried pony!"

With a manic laugh and another series of violent twitches she cleared the distance between herself and Ancient Scroll in a single blinding flash. The spell the stallion had cast earlier kicked to life and Wild Evergreen's assault was slowed to a complete stop mere inches from the stallion -- lightning and all.

For a heartbeat, the two stared at each other, the mare's expression frozen in a look of utter disbelief. Ancient Scroll grimaced and his body shook with the effort it took to hold the mare in his Chrono Trap, yet he didn't stop there.

With her resistance, this won't hold her for long...

Taking a risk, he dropped the two static Pure Barrier shields covering the Vardo to reduce some of the strain on his mana and stepped forward towards the frozen mare. He touched his glowing horn to her forehead and closed his eyes, opening them a moment later to reveal both glowing with a bright green light.

I have you to thank for thinking of this one, Trixie...

"I think it's time you took a bit of a rest, Miss Evergreen," Ancient Scroll grunted, "I know I'm gonna need one after this..."

The glow of his horn intensified briefly before completely dying out. There was no visible effect on Wild Evergreen at first, then Ancient Scroll stepped to the side and released the Chrono Trap field.

The mare resumed her charge and hit the ground, sliding several yards across the dirt before coming to a stop in front of the caravan -- small arcs of electricity playing across her prone form. Aside from an occasional twitch or spasm, Wild Evergreen didn't move.

Ancient Scroll fell to his knees and panted heavily, his limbs shaking and his horn throbbing painfully.

"Uncle Scroll!"

He could barely muster up enough strength to turn around -- his extremities feeling like lead weights dragging him down -- but turn he did. The severely exhausted stallion was greeted with the blurry, darkening image of three very worried fillies galloping towards him.

He managed a small relieved smile before resting his head on the ground and closing his eyes.

"Uncle Scroll!" he heard Fia cry from somewhere nearby, "you... y-you're not... please tell me you aren't gonna--"

"Relax, little filly," Ancient Scroll murmured tiredly, "I'm not... gonna kick the bucket just yet," he let out a soft sigh, "just... need some rest is all."

"Alright come on, pups, you heard the stallion," Yojimbo said from somewhere above, "he put up one Tartarus of a fight. Give him some space."

Ancient Scroll suddenly felt himself being lifted up and tucked under something warm and furry, but he was too exhausted to care about it at the moment.

"I'll put Scroll to bed," he heard the husky explain, "then we can find out what to do about Little Miss Super Soldier over here."

One of the fillies said something in response, but Ancient Scroll didn't hear it.

As his consciousness faded, so too did the noises around him.

A Risky Choice

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"I don't like this."

Blue Moon gave Corona a side glance before looking back to the sleeping form of Wild Evergreen, saying nothing in response to her sudden declaration. It had been about fifteen minutes or so since Ancient Scroll's fight with the pegasus mare had concluded.

The rest of the group sans Yojimbo and Ancient Scroll himself stood just outside the Vardo trying to figure out what to do about Wild Evergreen. Much like Blue Moon did with Flibberty Gibbets, Ancient Scroll had put Wild Evergreen under a Deep Sleep spell, though this one was far more potent than Blue Moon's.

Even with the old stallion all but dead to the world, the spell itself still held strong, ensuring the mare wouldn't wake until Ancient Scroll had woken up and dispelled the enchantment... which left Blue Moon with a decision she hadn't yet told anypony else about.

"I don't like it either, Corona," Fia replied nervously, "you saw how powerful she was, we all did," she shook her head, "I don't think any of us can detain her -- at least not without Uncle Scroll's help, but what are we supposed to do?"

Indeed, though Ancient Scroll had told the three fillies to stay in their rooms, Fia and Corona had worked together to convince Yojimbo and Rouge to let them see what was going on from within the relative safety of the caravan.

Unbeknownst to Ancient Scroll, the three fillies had seen most of the battle play out.

"If I'm not mistaken," Rouge replied, leaning down to get a closer look at the dark green pegasus, "it appears the old one has already done the work of detaining the vicious mare for us."

"I guess that's true. I don't think she'll be breaking out of that spell anytime soon," Corona conceded before shaking her head, "but that doesn't solve the overarching problem. She's obviously part of that group that's trying to foalnap Twilight for who knows why. On top of that, she already knows Twilight is traveling with us, even if she doesn't know which one of us she is."

"And without Uncle Scroll, we can't move the Vardo either," Fia added, "I never thought to ask exactly how he performed his modified Come-to-Life spell and we're all still too small to pull the caravan ourselves. Even if we could, there's no harness."

"This is indeed a rather dire situation I admit," Rouge concluded as she stood back up and turned to the fillies, "but I trust that Ancient Scroll will have some plan once he's awake and well enough to use his magic again."

"But how long is that gonna be?" Fia pressed, "he used a lot of really powerful magic in that fight."

"I'm afraid you're asking the wrong feline, little one," Rouge answered with a helpless shake of her head, "I don't even know what I saw out there, let alone the extent of the effects it had on Ancient Scroll."

Unnoticed by the others, Blue Moon continued to stare at the unconscious pegasus with an unsure expression. After a moment she closed her eyes and let out a small, quiet sigh before nodding to herself with a determined frown.

Well, I guess it worked out like she said it would. Now I just have to hope the actual spell works...

As the other two fillies and Rouge continued to discuss what to do about the situation, Blue Moon suddenly spoke up.

"Blue Moon... may have a solution to our little problem."

The rest of the group turned to Blue Moon in surprise.

"What do you mean?" Corona asked curiously, "you have an idea?"

Blue Moon nodded and turned to Wild Evergreen.

"Blue Moon has been... studying some rather... advanced Mind Magic, and she thinks this is the perfect opportunity to test it out."

"Tr... Blue Moon, you can't just go using ponies to test out new spells," Fia replied sternly, "at least not without their consent. That's just... wrong."

"May Blue Moon remind you that this nag tried to kill Uncle Scroll and foalnap you, Fia Starshine?" Blue Moon shot back with a raised eyebrow.

"I... well, that's..." Fia sputtered before shaking her head and glaring at the smirking filly, "j-just because she's a bad pony doesn't mean you have to be! And besides, an untested Mind Magic spell? Blue Moon, that's really dangerous."

"Says the filly who wanted to learn Blood Magic not too long ago," Corona added, causing Fia to wince as a pang of guilt shot through her, "honestly, Fia," the maroon filly continued, "I'd completely agree with you normally, but at this point I don't think we have many other options right now."

Fia opened her mouth to argue the matter further, but sighed instead and turned to Blue Moon with an unhappy frown.

"Alright fine," she conceded, "what's this spell supposed to do anyway?"

"Well, according to the Ma... the book Blue Moon read regarding the spell," Blue Moon explained, "Blue Moon can apparently project herself directly into a pony's sub... subcons... sub... consciousness, and kind of... tweak things," she gave Corona a pointed look, "things like memories."

Corona's eyes widened in disbelief as she caught on to what the light blue filly was implying. After a second she rapidly shook her head and frowned at Blue Moon.

"No, Blue Moon. I know what you're thinking and I appreciate it -- really I do -- but that's... it's too dangerous," the maroon filly replied, a small hint of uncertainty making it's way into her voice, "telling you about what I saw is one thing, but to actually see it for yourself..."

She shivered involuntarily and looked away before continuing in a quieter voice.

"I don't want you to go through that, Trixie," she turned back to Blue Moon with a weak, but grateful smile, "thanks, but... I think I'll try to deal with that on my own."

"But... if this works, you wouldn't have to be afraid anymore," Blue Moon argued, "you could cast Fire Magic again," she turned to Fia with a pleading look, "and you wouldn't have to worry about--"

"I'm sorry, Trixie, but I agree with Sunset on this one," Fia interjected with a firm frown, "your issues are just as bad as both of ours, and all you'd be doing is adding on to them. Neither I nor Sunset want you to have to deal with all of that on top of your own problems."

The light blue filly stared at the two of them in dismay before falling to her haunches and turning her disappointed -- almost hurt -- gaze to the ground.

"That... that was the biggest reason I decided to go through with all of this..." she muttered quietly, "I finally had a chance to do something useful to help you and you both just..."

She trailed off and continued to stare at the ground. After a moment, Fia and Corona gave each other worried glances before turning back to Blue Moon.

"Trixie?" Fia asked tentatively, "are you--"

"I'm fine," Blue Moon snapped before rising to her hooves and turning to face Wild Evergreen, "I can use this Mind Walking spell to go in and remove Wild Evergreen's memories of meeting all of us. I can also find out more about that group that's going after Twilight."

"T... Blue Moon, I don't know if this is a good idea," Fia replied after a moment, "you don't know what she's been through or how the spell will affect--"

"I know the spell inside and out," Blue Moon replied curtly, not taking her eyes off the pegasus, "I..." she paused and exhaled slowly before continuing in a calmer tone, "Blue Moon studied the spell very thoroughly. She knows what she's doing."

"But what if something goes wrong? What if you... I don't know, get trapped in her mind or something?" Fia pushed, "Uncle Scroll isn't here to fix things if they go south, and even if you know what you're doing, something bad could still happen."

"The spell has a fail-safe," Blue Moon replied, "if something bad happens to the projection, Blue Moon will simply be kicked back to her own body."

"Do you even have enough mana to maintain the spell?" Fia asked, furrowing her brow, "how much does it take anyway?"

"Blue Moon's mana is suf... sifis... sufficient for the task," the light blue filly replied confidently, "you don't have to worry about that."

"I don't know..." Corona replied, looking unsure now that she knew just what kind of spell Blue Moon meant to cast, "I'm starting to think this is a bad idea after all, but I did vouch for you, so... just be careful, okay?"

Blue Moon nodded in response and looked up at Rouge who had made her way over to the light blue filly.

"I have my own misgivings about this decision, little one," Rouge commented, eyeing Blue Moon with a worried expression, "the mind can be -- and often is -- a terrible place. I know little of Mind Magic, but what I do know, is that the mind is not something to take lightly."

She leaned down to look Blue Moon in the eye -- an expression of motherly concern on her face.

"If you must do this, tread lightly and try not to lose yourself in pursuit of your goals, little one."

Blue Moon held Rouge's gaze for a moment longer before nodding once and turning to her friends... her sisters.

"Blue Moon is going to do this, and prove to you both that there's nothing to worry about," she looked back to the pegasus mare and spoke in a much quieter voice, "I can handle this... I know I can."

Ignoring any further protests, Blue Moon trotted up to Wild Evergreen's sleeping form and breathed deeply before lowering her horn to the mare's forehead.

She told me I could handle it, and I won't let her down.

Not her, and not my sisters.

Her horn blazed to life and the world around her fell away.

A Matter of the Mind

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For a few moments, or maybe an eternity, Trixie -- or rather, the concept of Trixie -- didn't know which way was up or down.

It had no sense of time, no sense of direction, no sense of self. It was merely a consciousness lost in a roiling sea of thoughts and feelings. In this state it could see raw emotion, it could smell and taste memory, hear and touch the threads of sanity woven throughout the chaotic sea that was the subconsciousness.

And for a time, that was all it knew.

It would've screamed had it the mental capacity to do so.

One thing it did know on a deeply instinctual level, was that if all this madness continued, it would be lost -- broken and buried under the endlessly confusing and conflicting sensations it was experiencing even now.

What was its name again?

It was getting harder and harder to remember.

The bottomless abyss was drawing nearer, sucking it into its endless depths, never to be seen again, never to think, or feel agai--

"FOCUS, BEATRIX LULAMOON! IF NOT FOR YOURSELF, THEN FOR THE SAKE OF THOSE COUNTING ON YOU! REMEMBER WHAT YOU ARE! REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE!"

A voice.

It... no, she knew that voice.

That boundlessly confident, infinitely regal, imperiously commanding voice. It was impossible to ignore, and she didn't want to. She desperately needed something to cling to -- something to pull her out of the bottomless depths of the subconscious mind.

She didn't belong here.

She was more than a mere concept -- a mere consciousness destined to be tossed and turned and dragged under by this churning sea.

She was a pony.

She may have been small -- a pony not nearly old enough to be called a mare -- but she had already seen some of the best and worst the world had to offer. She had a family waiting for her, she had a hero whose hoofsteps she had yet to follow in, she was Great, she was Powerful, she was--

Trixie Lulamoon's eyes snapped open and she inhaled sharply.

She looked around in a panic, panting, sweating and shaking with fear and confusion. She felt her heart beating a mile a minute and her eyes were wide and frantic.

After several moments of nothing happening, she gradually began to calm down -- her heart slowing to a normal speed as she took in her strange surroundings. She was in what appeared at first glance to be a small empty room.

The walls were made of some kind of light grey stone and the room itself was brightly lit, though looking around, Trixie could see no obvious source. She took a moment to look herself over.

She no longer had the light blue, almost white, coat of her disguise. Rather, she was back to her normal azure self -- well, normal wasn't the right word. She was shocked to see that her body was somewhat transparent, fading in and out slightly at random intervals.

She raised a hoof and stared at it in equal parts horror and amazement.

That's when it all came back to her.

She had cast the Mind Walking spell to enter Wild Evergreen's mind and erase her memories of her and the other fillies.

No, that's not her real name...

Trixie furrowed her brow in bemusement.

This mare... her real name is... Fell Wind, but... how do I know that?

A moment passed and Trixie decided to chalk it up to an effect of the Mind Walking spell.

"W-Who are you?"

Trixie whipped around to face the voice that had spoken and took a surprised step back at who she saw. Curled up in a far corner of the empty room was a fully grown, dark green pegasus mare with a black mane and tail, and wide golden eyes that stared at the azure filly with fear and mistrust.

She was a pitiful sight.

Even from a distance, her coat looked ragged and coarse. Her mane and tail were ratty and unkempt and many of the feathers in her wings were either bent at odd angles or missing entirely.

Her face was gaunt, golden eyes sunken and lifeless, and the rest of her body fared no better. She was terribly thin to the point where Trixie could see her ribs through her thinning dark green coat.

Trixie felt sick.

She didn't know what to expect when she entered Fell Wind's mind, but it most certainly wasn't this.

"F-Fell Wind?"

"H-How... how do you know m-my name?" the broken looking mare demanded in a weak voice. She tried to stand, but it seemed the effort was too much and she sunk back to the ground, wincing in apparent pain, "who a-are you? How did... d-did you get in here?"

"I..."

Trixie found herself unable to come up with anything to say to the pegasus. She was still trying to recover from the shock of her current situation and couldn't focus enough to gather a coherent thought.

"You know what? It doesn't matter," the mare said after a long moment of silence. She turned from Trixie to stare at the far wall -- her demeanor suddenly cold and apathetic, "you're probably just another brat trying to escape, though I don't know why in Tartarus you'd come here of all places. I ain't in any condition to help you, kid."

She ruffled her tattered wings and chuckled mirthlessly.

"I don't know what kind of 'special talents' got you thrown into this place, filly, but they won't--" she broke into a fit of heavy coughing before she continued "--they won't help you. They'll catch you eventually, and when they do, well..." she turned to the stunned filly before her, "...let's just say you're gonna wish you looked as healthy as I do now."

She let out another mirthless chuckle before falling into another coughing fit. Trixie slowly shook her head and took a hesitant step forward.

"What's going on here?" the filly asked. She looked around the grey room before returning her attention to Fell Wind, "where is this place, and what happened to you?"

Fell Wind gave the filly an odd look before snorting in irritation.

"Great, another amnesiac, just what I needed," she muttered, shaking her head and looking back to Trixie, "look kid, I don't know how you got in here, but for your own sake you need to leave before they--"

The click of a lock and the sound of tumblers shifting about brought both their attention to the large metal door Trixie had failed to notice upon her arrival.

"No..." Fell Wind whimpered, the fear Trixie had seen earlier before making a return, "nonononono... it's not time yet. It can't be that time already!" she snapped her terrified gaze to Trixie, "hey, I don't know who you are, but forget what I said before! You gotta help me!"

The door was suddenly thrown open and two dark shapes rushed in. Trixie yelped in both surprise and fear, clenching her eyes shut as they closed in. She opened them a second later when she heard frantic screams coming from behind her.

She turned to see Fell Wind desperately struggling in the grip of the black, vaguely pony looking shapes.

"No! Let go of me!" the struggling mare cried, "it's not time yet! I got at least another hour or something! Please don't--"

One of the shapes struck Fell Wind in the face and the other in her stomach, causing the mare to double over in pain. She slumped in their grip and the two shapes immediately began dragging her towards the entrance. She looked up at Trixie and the filly saw a rapid shifting of emotions play across her face.

First was confusion, then surprise, followed by hope and a hint of desperate determination.

"Red... Storm..." Trixie heard her mutter weakly as she and the two shapes passed her by, "Stormy... find him... please..."

That's all she was able to get out before the dark pony shapes pulled her through the doorway, the metal door slamming shut behind them.

Trixie had no time to register Fell Wind's request before the room began warping and twisting violently.

"W-What?" Trixie cried in alarm, "what's--"

She screamed as she felt herself being yanked backwards through the twisting, darkening mass that was once an empty grey room. With a surprised grunt, Trixie hit solid ground and rolled to a stop.

She groaned and slowly rose to her hooves.

"What the hay..."

She blinked and rapidly shook her head a few times before looking up to see what had happened. It took her a moment to realize her voice had gained a tinny, echoing quality, but even when she did, that took a backseat to what she was seeing.

The space all around her was as black as the void, but it wasn't empty. Surrounding the filly were countless motes of light of varying sizes and intensities. It was as though she was in the very night sky the Mare of Dreams had shown her in her own dream, and she found this as breath taking as that had been, if not more so.

She did say the spell was inspired by her love of the night and her own ability to dream walk...

An odd sound caught Trixie's attention and she turned to see the light nearest to her giving off a strange warbling hum as it flickered and sputtered rapidly. After a moment it stabilized and was once again silently and brightly glowing like the rest.

The azure filly eyed the small mote of light warily before turning her attention to the rest of the starry looking abyss before her. As she took it all in, she thought on what she had just seen.

It was a memory the filly realized. Not only that, but it was a memory that she had somehow managed to interfere with. She had a presence there -- at least to Fell Wind. Whatever those pony things were, they didn't seem to realize Trixie was even there.

Trixie didn't know how to feel about this.

Now that she had had a direct influence on that memory, would Fell Wind recognize the filly if she were to see her in the real world? Did Trixie already manage to screw something up?

No.

It didn't matter.

She closed her eyes and tried to remember what the Mare of Dreams had told her about the spell. It was all a matter of will. If you willed yourself not to be seen, then you wouldn't be. By default, no being other than the owner of the memory could see you unless you willed it.

That explains why those things didn't react to me when they came in.

In order to change or completely erase a memory, all you had to do was will it's existence to change or disappear. In these instances the owner of the memory has no power to stop you, for they themselves are still part of that memory.

Trixie had all the power in this situation.

The thought caused a chill to run down the filly's spine and her heart to beat a little faster -- nevermind the fact that she didn't have an actual heart or spine in her current ethereal state.

Still, the feeling was there.

She was scared.

Despite how young and inexperienced Trixie was -- or perhaps because of it -- she knew this was far too much power for anypony to hold, let alone a small filly like herself.

This shouldn't have happened.

The Mare of Dreams had to more or less sear the knowledge of the spell into Trixie's mind, as it would've been completely beyond the filly otherwise. Once she had figured it out, however, she realized that the spell didn't even really take all that much mana to use if done correctly.

For her to just be given this much power...

What could the Mare of Dreams have possibly been thinking?

What was her plan?

What were her goals?

Trixie had been given a task to accomplish, but wasn't told why she'd needed to accomplish it. She didn't know what the mare's endgame was, but she was that much more afraid of and awed by the ebony alicorn.

She would even go so far as to say she respected the Mare of Dreams.

Trixie shook her head, setting the thoughts aside for the moment and focusing on the task at hoof. She needed to find the right memories and erase them so she could get back to the others. She also needed to see if she could find out more about these rebel ponies.

But what about Fell Wind herself?

Trixie frowned at the thought. The pegasus mare had tried to kill Ancient Scroll and foalnap Twilight... but she was also clearly suffering from something that happened to her in the past, just like Trixie, Sunset, and Twilight.

Would it be right to just erase what she needed and leave Fell Wind to suffer these horrible memories alone? Looking at Fell Wind in that weakened state had been like looking at herself back then, and despite the mare's actions, Trixie couldn't help but feel sorry for the mare.

The filly could both empathize and sympathize with Fell Wind, and the more she thought about it, the more convinced she became that just leaving her like this was the wrong thing to do.

Trixie had the power to help her, and she would use it. Her friends... her sisters might not have wanted her help, but memory or no, Fell Wind had begged the filly to do just that.

With a set frown of conviction, Trixie closed her eyes once more and concentrated.

With a thought, the mote of light that was the memory she had stumbled into previously appeared before her again, but rather than enter, she used that memory to locate the one closest to it.

As much as she didn't want to, Trixie would have to go into the memories if she wanted to erase them. She didn't like it, but that was how the spell worked and she was willing to do it for the sake of the obviously hurting mare.

After a second, another mote of light appeared and merged with the one already in front of her. She opened her eyes with a victorious grin and stepped forward towards the light.

"Just like Twilight, Sunset, and the Mare of Dreams, the Great and Powerful Trixie will not fail you, Fell Wind."

With those final words, Trixie pushed herself forward and everything went white.

A Helping Hoof

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Trixie reappeared in a hallway lit by several bright lamps hanging from the walls overhead.

The hall itself wasn't too large, but it was quiet -- almost eerily so.

Another thing Trixie took note of were the doors lining either side of the hallway. They all were the exact same as the one Trixie had seen Fell Wind get dragged through. The place immediately set the filly on edge, her hackles raising at the sheer wrongness she suddenly felt.

She didn't have any time to dwell on the sensation, as a familiar cry of fear brought her attention to the end of the hall where she could see a familiar dark green pegasus mare being dragged through another door.

As the door closed behind them, the hallway where Trixie stood began to twist and warp like the room. Rather than be forced out of the memory however, Trixie closed her eyes and concentrated on Fell Wind.

After a second, the scenery shifted and Trixie found herself in another hallway. Another sound, this time a choked sob, drew her gaze to the left where she spotted Fell Wind and the two dark pony shapes further down the hall.

They were making their way to a large pair of double doors at the end of the hallway. Trixie scrambled to catch up to the two before they made it through and just barely made it as they passed through the doors.

The next area appeared to be another brightly lit hallway, but this one was much longer than the others and had no doors on either side. Trixie was not a pony prone to claustrophobia, but the long narrow hallway made the filly extremely uncomfortable all the same.

She made sure to stay on the heels of the shadowy ponies as they continued their relentless march with their prisoner in tow. Trixie had made sure beforehoof to will herself invisible to everypony within the memory, including Fell Wind herself.

Trixie remembered that she could affect everything around her by simply willing it to change, but in order to actually erase a memory, physical contact with the memory's owner -- the ego as the Mare of Dreams called it -- was required.

She could just erase the memory now and be done with this creepy place, all it would take is a touch. All she had to do was touch Fell Wind, and with a single thought from the azure filly, the memory would be gone for good.

As she thought more about it, Trixie couldn't help but feel like that was the wrong thing to do. She couldn't put a hoof on why, but it seemed more important to at least try and communicate with the ego before doing something so drastic -- so permanent.

Trixie struggled with these feelings for another few moments before being distracted by the sound of incoherent muttering. She looked over to Fell Wind's limp form and saw that the mare was staring straight ahead of her with a distant look in her eyes.

"Needles? No... she did that last time... it'll probably be that electrode thing again..." Fell Wind visibly shuddered, "I hate the electrode thing... I keep telling her it's not real lightning... I keep telling her I don't know how it works... but she never listens... she never listens... I keep telling her..."

Broken.

That must've been what a broken pony sounded like.

That could've been what Trixie sounded like not so long ago.

She couldn't take anymore.

"Stop!"

Fell Wind flinched in the grip of the shadow ponies and snapped a wide eyed gaze to Trixie. Trixie returned her gaze with a pained, sickened expression of her own.

"Please... just stop already," Trixie continued in a soft voice, "I don't wanna hear anymore..."

"Y-You?!" Fell Wind cried, frantically looking from Trixie to the shadow ponies and back to Trixie again, "what are you doing here? I told you to go find Red Storm!"

"I can't do that," Trixie replied, wiping the gathering tears from her eyes before looking back to Fell Wind, "I have to stay with you."

"Why?!" Fell Wind nearly screamed, "I can't help you! Red S--" her jaw snapped shut and she briefly glanced at the shadow ponies still dragging her along before turning back to Trixie with defeat and resignation in her eyes, "I can't help you, kid. I don't even think I'm gonna live much longer."

"You're wrong."

Fell Wind cried out in shock as she fell to the ground. Confused, she looked around, only to find she was completely alone with the azure filly.

The shadow ponies were nowhere to be seen.

The ragged pegasus stared at Trixie from her position on the floor, her mouth dropped open in disbelief. Trixie stood over the mare with a steely expression and a grimace of determination.

"You might not be able to help Trixie, but she can definitely help you," she held out a hoof, "Trixie won't let you die here, Fell Wind."

Fell Wind stared at the offered hoof before slowly looking back up at the azure filly.

"Who... what the buck are you?"

"Trixie is glad you asked," the filly replied, grabbing hold of the mare's hoof and pulling her up, "you are in the presence of the Noble and Heroic Trixie! Vanquisher of evil shadow pony things and savior of actual ponies everywhere!"

Fell Wind unsteadily rose to her hooves and stumbled a bit before she was finally able to stand up straight. She gave Trixie a dubious look before looking around the empty narrow hallway.

"Well, I guess you did vanquish the evil shadow pony things," the dark green pegasus conceded before nodding at the filly, "thanks for that."

With those words, Fell Wind turned and quickly, if unsteadily, trotted back the way they had all come.

"Hey, wait a minute! Wait for Trixie!" the azure filly cried as she trotted after the retreating pegasus, "where are you going?"

"Where do you think?" Fell Wind replied as though it was the most obvious thing in the world, "I'm gonna go find my older brother and get us the buck outta here--"

She slowed to a stop as another coughing fit overtook her. Trixie looked on with an uncertain frown, torn as to whether she should just end the memory now or let it continue and see where it went.

Should she tell Fell Wind about what she really was? Should she tell her about what was really going on?

What would that do to the ego that was Fell Wind? What effect would it have on the actual Fell Wind if she were to find out what was going on and what Trixie was doing?

Trixie, not liking the scenarios that were playing out in her head, decided to keep the truth a secret for now. Still, she was growing more worried as Fell Wind's loud, rasping coughs became bloody. Fell Wind seemed to ignore it as she continued to try and explain.

"We--" more coughing "--we have to leave, now. Before she finds out what happened."

"Before who finds out what happened?"

Fell Wind wiped some blood from her mouth and turned to Trixie with a look of utter hatred on her face.

"Moon Gazer," she spat, "if that nag catches us, it's over. We're dead. Done for. We may as well not have even existed."

Trixie could see that the pegasus was shaking, though whether it was from fear or anger, she couldn't say. It was probably both if her reactions were anything to go by. Fell Wind snorted and turned away from the filly before resuming her unsteady trot.

"Is... is she really that bad?" Trixie asked hesitantly.

"Worse," Fell Wind replied, "she's bucking crazy, kid. She goes on and on about how ponies are evolving and how she'll do whatever it takes to 'accelerate the evolutionary process'," she shook her head, "she's a monster that doesn't have a single ounce of empathy or compassion in her body."

Trixie nodded absently as she thought about her own parents. Fell Wind continued on, regardless of the filly's inner musings.

"She has a foal you know," the pegasus mare said suddenly, "little filly about your age, maybe a little younger. Moon Dancer I think her name was. Nice kid," she grimaced and muttered in a quieter voice, "at least she was anyway..."

That caught Trixie's attention.

Had she been an ordinary filly living an ordinary life with loving parents, Trixie would've asked how such a supposed monster could find somepony who loved her enough to have a foal. Unfortunately, growing up like she did and being told what she had by her own father, Trixie knew better.

What happened to Moon Dancer?" Trixie asked before giving Fell Wind a bemused frown, "and why are you even telling Trixie this?"

"Because I want you to understand just how bucked up that mare is," Fell Wind replied with a grave frown, "I want you to understand why it's so bucking important that we leave."

She turned to Trixie with a strange look before speaking again, "you know, this is the first time I've talked to anypony in a long time. Hay, this is the first time I ever even felt like talking in a long time."

"I guess Trixie just has that effect on ponies," the azure filly replied with a nervous chuckle.

The dark green pegasus eyed the filly for a moment longer before giving a shrug, which caused her to wince in pain. As they neared the double doors from before, Fell Wind spoke up again.

"I don't know if Moon Gazer's little 'helpers' are still wandering around out there, but we should be careful all the same."

"Trixie wouldn't worry about them," the azure filly replied confidently, "'vanquisher of evil shadow pony things, remember?"

"Uh-huh," Fell Wind replied absently, "just don't do anything stupid, kid."

Trixie frowned at the mare, who in turn ignored the offended filly as she made to pull open the double doors.

They didn't budge.

Author's Notes:

We'll get that story in the next chapter, don't worry, guys. I'm personally looking forward to telling it.

On another more important note, this'll be the last chapter I write before tossing the story into the rotation along with all my other stories. This means I won't be updating it everyday anymore. This also means however, that all of my other stories will get a chance to update a lot faster.

While I do feel kinda sad about stopping my daily updates on TTtB (I've been doing this pretty consistently for like what, a little over three months now?) I think it might be for the best overall.

I'll still (try to) post everyday, but this time I'll be posting a different chapter for a different story each day instead. On paper this sounds like a good idea to me, but we'll see how it plays out.

As always, thanks for the support, patience, and understanding guys.

Oh, a little aside regarding this chapter...

I initially wanted the evil pony in the memory to be Cadence. I wanted it so bad it hurt, but even in my dark and twisted version of Equestria I couldn't think of a good enough justification to have Cadence of all ponies dishing out torture, so I ended up scrapping the idea.

A Drastic Change

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Fell Wind tried once more to pull the double doors open, and failed once again.

"What the buck?" she muttered, repeatedly pulling on the doors in a futile effort to get them open, "these doors don't even lock, so why can't I open them?"

Trixie, who was standing a little ways away, winced as she remembered the words of the Mare of Dreams. Though the ego existed as its own entity in the mind and could mentally separate itself from a memory, it couldn't escape its confines.

Not without help anyway.

Thus, Fell Wind was currently trapped within that hallway. After all, an ego couldn't access a memory it didn't have to begin with, and Fell Wind had no memory of leaving this room with Trixie.

Within Fell Wind's mind, Trixie herself had the power to alter or remove memories -- something she did just by being there. If one had the know how, they could even add completely new memories without affecting the old ones through a Mind Magic spell known as Memory Weaving.

The Memory Swap spell could also be used to implant false memories, but -- while more stable than Memory Weaving -- false memories implanted by a Memory Swap spell were fairly easy to circumvent by any unicorn with a decent knowledge of how Mind Magic worked.

On top of that, the process put a lot of pressure on the caster, as they had to do all the work of creating the memory on top of transferring it to the one the spell was being cast on. Memory Swap was a spell that was far more suited to simple transfer of existing memories rather than the creation of new ones.

Memories created through Memory Weaving were less stable during the creation process, but once that was done, they were much harder to remove or overwrite. The spell also put a lot less strain on the caster and the process was less risky overall, though it was by no means an easy feat.

Unlike the Memory Swap spell, Memory Weaving could only be done during a Mind Walk and it relied more on the ego itself rather than the caster to work properly. The magic towed the line between memory manipulation and dream weaving -- ergo the name of the spell.

The fact that it was the ego creating the false memories rather than the caster is what made them so difficult to dispel in the first place, as they were being created directly within the subconscious mind by the pony's own subconsciousness.

For all intents and purposes, the memories being created by the ego were as real as they came to the one being affected by the spell.

Essentially, Trixie would hoof the reins of memory creation to Fell Wind's ego and while Fell Wind was creating her own memories, Trixie would more or less act as a stabilizing force, making sure the memory didn't unravel.

It was a difficult piece of Mind Magic, but it was doable so long as Trixie could maintain at least a modicum of focus on keeping the memory stable. If there was one major flaw of the Memory Weaving spell, it was the ego itself -- or rather, what memories the ego chose to create.

While the spell was limited to Fell Wind's existing knowledge and didn't allow for events outside the realm of possibility, that still left any number of things that could happen.

Trixie couldn't use her magic to influence the memory while the Memory Weaving spell was in effect. She'd have to rely on her words and actions within the memory to create a desirable outcome.

The azure filly may have had all the power within Fell Wind's subconscious mind when it came to altering and erasing existing memories, but she found a strange sort of solace in the fact that she had no real control over newly created memories outside of dropping the spell altogether.

She also took solace in the fact that if a memory did end up unraveling at the seams, or if she decided to end the spell, the ego would be no worse for wear. It would simply just forget the memory even existed at all.

Still, Trixie wanted to avoid that if she could. Repeated creation and erasure of a memory over a long period of time would eventually have a possibly permanent negative effect on the mare's already questionable mental state.

With all this information in mind, Trixie pushed down her nervousness and concentrated again. Rather than her horn glowing with her normal pink aura, her entire ethereal body briefly glowed a bright pink.

"Oh... it's open," she heard Fell Wind say in confusion, "that was... weird."

Trixie opened her eyes to see Fell Wind poking her head outside the doors. After a moment, the mare motioned for Trixie to follow before quietly stepping through the doorway.

Trixie let out a quiet sigh before trotting out after Fell Wind. Once the filly was in the previous hallway she began to feel a noticeable pressure weighing her down slightly, as though something was trying to compress her into a smaller size.

It wasn't too bad, but she had to focus somewhat on that feeling to keep it at bay. Her momentary distraction caused her to fall behind and she hurried to catch up with the pegasus.

She looked around the hall and saw nothing but metal doors on either side of the wall. The two of them passed by the entrance of the hall Trixie had initially appeared in and kept going towards the opposite end of the hallway.

"Looks like we're safe for the moment," Fell Wind muttered as they turned a corner and proceeded down another lengthy hallway, "if Moon Gazer's shadowy goons aren't here, then they're probably patrolling the halls in the second building."

She let her gaze wander over each door they passed and Trixie was content to let her do so while she concentrated on that strange pressure.

"So... about that kid of Moon Gazer's..."

Trixie looked up to see that Fell Wind had fixed her eyes on the path ahead, her face set with a grim frown.

"You said she used to be nice, but not anymore?" Trixie asked with a curious tilt of her head, "what happened?"

"Her mother happened," Fell Wind replied with a look of disgust and anger, "she changed the filly just by bringing her here, and not in a good way. I'm also pretty sure she did it on purpose."

"What do you mean?" the filly pressed, "what did she do?"

The weakened pegasus sighed and looked at Trixie with an indecisive frown. She looked as though she wanted to say something, but instead just turned her gaze back to the path ahead as she told her tale.

"It was around the time I was first brought to this Tartarus forsaken pit that I saw the filly." Fell Wind explained, "back then, she was just a nerdy filly with super thick taped up glasses.

"Apparently, Moon Gazer initially brought the filly here under the pretense of a 'bring your daughter to work day' event. Told all of us here to 'show her little satellite how much of a joy it was to be part of such a groundbreaking project'."

She snorted and shook her head.

"We all did it of course," Fell Wind said bitterly, "we disobeyed, we got signed for an extra 'appointment' with Doctor Moon Gazer," she shuddered, "just one of her 'appointments' is bad enough to make you beg for a quick death, and when I say beg, I mean beg."

Trixie felt her stomach turn though she didn't currently have one. The way Fell Wind had uttered the word uneased the filly greatly. Fell Wind herself paid Trixie's discomfort no attention as she pushed on with her story.

"So we all put on a big old smile and acted like we cared whenever the filly came around," the pegasus allowed herself a small smile as she remembered the filly, "at first I found her annoying, with her thousands of questions and happy-go-lucky disposition, but after a bit, the kid grew on me, y'know?"

Her wistful smile dropped into an angry frown.

"She was really the only one I talked to around here," Fell Wind said quietly, "and the kid didn't show it, but I think she knew how annoying everypony thought she was. She was a smart kid, and I don't think her mother did her any favors by bringing her back here again and again.

"Eventually I realized she was starting to catch on that something wasn't right around here, because one day she asked me a question I didn't expect to hear."

The pegasus went quiet for a moment and Trixie gave her a nervous frown.

"What... did she ask?" the filly finally asked in a tentative voice.

"She asked me if 'her mom was a bad pony'," Fell Wind let out a mirthless chuckle, "the look on her face when she asked that nearly broke my heart, kid," she slowly shook her head, "I couldn't do it. I couldn't tell the filly her mom was a monster that locked up and brutally tortured mares, stallions, and foals for the sake of her twisted 'research'."

Fell Wind suddenly stopped and hung her head. Trixie, couldn't see her face from where she was standing, but she could see that the mare was shaking.

"That right there," Fell Wind continued in a voice suddenly choked with emotion, "that was my biggest mistake, kid. I... should've told her... I should've just told the kid the truth about her mother then, but I felt too bad for her and I was too scared of getting punished by Moon Gazer."

She stomped a hoof in frustration.

"I told her not to worry about her mom," the mare said through gritted teeth, "I told her she was only trying to create a better future for all the ponies out there... and she believed me."

Trixie wanted to say something to comfort the hurting pegasus, but Fell WInd moved on before she could, both physically and verbally.

"That was when things started to change for the worse," Fell Wind said in a grave tone, "that was when she started to change for the worse."

"How?" Trixie asked, a hint of trepidation in her voice.

"Moon Gazer started bringing the filly in more and more, and each time I saw her, she looked a little more... tired? Weary? Haunted?"

Fell Wind grimaced as she struggled to find the right words. Eventually she gave up and shook her head.

"I don't know, the filly just looked absolutely miserable, and whenever I asked about it, she'd just clam up until I talked about something else," Trixie saw the mare shudder again, "then things started getting creepy."

Trixie was afraid to ask, so she didn't -- not that it mattered, because Fell Wind pushed on regardless.

"Whenever she came to visit me, she had that same tired look, but this time when I asked, she'd smile and talk about how interesting a pony's body was. She'd talk about the amazing untapped potential hidden within the veins of mana that ran through earth ponies and pegasi.

"She was starting to sound more and more like Moon Gazer, and with each visit, she looked and acted more and more off. Within a month, she went from being a complete sad sack to her normal happy-go-lucky self again, but it wasn't right.

"She still had that tired, haunted look, but now she'd just smile while she happily told me how great her mom was for doing so much to help ponies. She told me that she had started helping her mom with the project... as an assistant."

Trixie looked at Fell Wind with a horrified expression, but Fell Wind didn't notice. She was staring straight ahead as she walked, her jaw set and her movements stiff.

"I broke down then and there, kid," the pegasus continued, "consequences be damned, I told her about how terrible her mother really was, and you know what? She didn't believe me," she chuckled again, "that two faced, heartless nag somehow convinced her daughter that she was doing right by all of us with her experiments."

"Did you tell her exactly what she was doing?" Trixie asked in a horrified whisper, "did you tell her what she did to you?"

"Oh I tried, kid," Fell Wind replied, "I got punished... bad. But I told her anyway, not that it helped. By then she'd already seen for herself what Moon Gazer was doing to the ponies here... and in some cases she had even helped do it."

"No..."

Fell Wind gave a single slow nod.

"One day, she came to visit me covered in blood and grinning like a madpony," the pegasus let out a shaky breath, "she was talking about what a great job she had done that day and how her mommy was so proud of her work..."

She turned to Trixie with a look of cold fury in her eyes and tears flowing freely down her face.

"That was the day I completely gave up on Moon Dancer... and also the day I swore to kill that mare with my own hooves."

A Subtle Approach

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As the two ponies neared the end of the hall, Trixie ruminated on the story she had just heard.

Another filly, the same as Trixie or any of her sisters forced into a horrible situation by her own mother. While it wasn't exactly the same thing, Trixie could again relate to this Moondancer. She didn't know the details of what had happened, and didn't understand everything Fell Wind was talking about, but she got enough.

Moondancer's mom had made her daughter do some terrible things, that much the azure filly was certain of. Shaking her head, Trixie turned to Fell Wind and tried to break the heavy silence by broaching another topic.

"So... Fell Wind," Trixie began hesitantly, "you never told me where we actually were."

"What? Why?" Fell Wind replied, raising an eyebrow at the filly as she limped along, "you know full well where we... oh, right. The amnesia," the mare finished, rolling her eyes, "alright, look... this isn't a place any foal should be... heck, this isn't a place anypony should be."

Trixie merely cocked her head to one side and Fell Wind groaned in annoyance. She stopped in front of a single brown door, making Trixie stop as well, and turned to fully face the azure filly.

"You know Mount Canterhorn, right?" Fell Wind asked, "that really tall mountain where Canterlot is?"

Trixie nodded, a curious expression on her face.

"Yeah, we're in that mountain -- well, below it really." Fell Wind explained, "I don't know exactly where we are in the mountain, but when I was first brought here, it was through a bunch of caves full of crystals and whatnot."

"So... this is like... some kind of underground laboratory beneath Canterlot or something?" Trixie asked, making a mental note to inform Ancient Scroll and the rest of the girls later.

"More or less," Fell Wind said with a shrug, "pretty cliche, right?"

"Hmm..."

Trixie lowered her head and furrowed her brow in thought for a moment before looking back up at Fell Wind.

"Did... do you know if Celestia had something to do with this?" the filly asked, "like... was Moongazer doing all this on her orders?"

"You know what?" Fell Wind replied as she rubbed the back of her neck, "I really don't know, kid. I mean, I'm assuming she had to have some kind of idea, seeing as how all of this is taking place right under her city."

"Oh," Trixie answered with a disappointed frown, "I guess that makes sense."

"Well in any case, we need to keep moving," the mare said after a moment, "I wanna make sure Stormy is okay, and the longer we wait, the more chance we have of galloping right into a shadow pony patrol."

Trixie scoffed and puffed out her chest.

"Trixie told you she could... uh..."

The filly's words died in her throat and a thrill of fear ran down her spine. In her casting of the Mind Weaving spell, she had failed to remember that she couldn't magically interfere with the memory Fell Wind was creating.

"Oh, that's right," Fell Wind replied, giving Trixie a look that was both thoughtful and relieved, "apparently you have that whole 'vanquisher of evil shadow pony things'... thing, going on."

"Well... actually," Trixie said with a nervous frown, "at the moment, Trixie can't... ah... that is... she doesn't... have enough strength to vanquish the evil shadow ponies right now."

"Are you serious?" Fell Wind replied, furrowing her brow, "you're kidding, right? The area outside this door is practically swarming with those things. If they get ahold of either of us... that's it," Fell Wind started to shake uncontrollably, her breathing picking up slightly as she spoke, "we'll be taken to see Moongazer, and I don't think I have it in me to survive another 'appointment', kid."

"I-It's okay," Trixie answered, trying to reassure the increasingly terrified pegasus, "I'm... I'm sure if we're careful, we could... avoid them," Trixie furrowed her brows in thought as sweat started to bead on her forehead, "um... is there... anywhere we could hide up ahead?"

Fell Wind turned to look at the door for a moment before slowly nodding.

"Yeah," she replied hesitantly, "this is one of the exits that lead to the next building where my brother is being held. It opens up to one of the underground pathways beneath the mountain."

"So we're going to be trotting through the caves themselves?"

Fell Wind nodded in response.

"It's still kind of a hallway, but there's all sorts of crevices and rocks we can hide behind," the pegasus mare explained, "though if one of those things spots us, it's over. The shadow ponies are made of shadow, and they can be hard to spot in those dark caves. On top of that, they can travel from shadow to shadow."

"So... if they spot us..."

"They can just pop right out of the shadow of whatever rock we're hiding behind and grab us," Fell Wind finished, looking at the door with no small amount of apprehension, "I don't know about you, kid, but in my condition, I'm not gonna be able to do much if they catch us."

"Well... maybe... maybe they won't be patrolling right now," Trixie tried hopefully, "I mean, it's possible, right? There's always a chance that--"

"No. There's no way in Tartarus they're not out there," Fell WInd replied firmly, "they're always out there. That's basically where they live."

Trixie's ears flattened against her skull and she gave the door a fearful look. She had hoped she could convince Fell Wind that there was nothing out there so that there really wouldn't be, but, unable to come up with anything meaningful, even Trixie herself could tell the attempt was a weak one.

She'd have to deal with events as they happened.

She heard a loud, deep exhale and turned to Fell Wind. From the look on her face, Trixie could tell the pegasus was trying to gather whatever courage she could muster to get through the harrowing situation that awaited them both.

"Okay, I gotta do this," Fell Wind muttered, staring at the door with a determined frown, "I'm never gonna rescue Red Storm if I just sit here shaking like a foal."

With one last calming breath, Fell Wind grimaced and pushed open the door. The odd pressure on Trixie suddenly increased and the filly nearly cried out in surprise.

Thankfully she was able to push back the pressure and stifle her cry into a small gasp, and it was a good thing she had.

Just standing in the doorway, Trixie could see dozens of shadow ponies flitting about in the distance of the dark cave before her. Fell Wind had been right, though, there were indeed several rocks, holes and crevices to hide in or behind.

Fell Wind didn't give Trixie anytime to gawk as she quickly pushed the filly out the door and quietly shut it behind her. Trixie stumbled forward slightly before righting herself and following Fell Wind behind a large rock near the exit of the building they had just left.

"So what do we--"

Fell Wind held up a hoof to shush Trixie before standing up on her hind legs and peeking over the rock. Her eyes narrowed as she tried to suss out some sort of pattern in the patrol of the shadow ponies.

The pegasus mare winced, her raised position putting undue strain on her still painfully sore legs and barrel. Still, she remained that way for another minute or so as she scanned the path ahead.

Eventually she nodded to herself and lowered back down to a crouch before turning to the curious azure filly.

"Alright, I think we should be able to move past them if we're careful," Fell Wind whispered, "we'll need to be quick and quiet, and if we're gonna do this right, you need to listen to every word I say and pay attention to every gesture I make."

"Okay," Trixie whispered back, "but what kind of gestures should Trixie be looking out for?"

Fell Wind spent the next few minutes explaining and demonstrating different signs and gestures to the filly, which Trixie did her best to memorize. After she was fairly certain she had everything down, she gave Fell Wind a curious look.

Ever since they had made it out here, it was as though a switch had been flipped. Trixie couldn't put her hoof on what exactly had changed about Fell Wind, but she seem more... self-assured, more alert, more in control of herself.

There was a sort of confidence and grim determination in her eyes that the filly hadn't seen before. At first, Trixie was confused at the sudden change, and then a thought hit her.

"Were you some kind of... Royal Guard or something before you came here?" Trixie asked, "because all of this feels like something a Royal Guard would do."

"I didn't come here, kid, I was dragged here against my will," Fell Wind clarified with a dark frown. She then snorted and gave the filly a smug grin, "and believe me when I say those Royal Pansies are nothing compared to the group me and my brother were a part of before all this."

"Really?" Trixie asked with an intrigued raise of her brows, "what kind of group was it? What was it called?"

"Not now, kid," Fell Wind hissed, "let's just say that my brother and I aren't exactly from Equestria and leave it at that for now," she saw the dejected look on Trixie's face and sighed, "look, if we make it out of here, I'll tell you all about it, alright?"

Trixie nodded with a small smile and Fell Wind nodded in return. The mare peeked out from behind the rock once more and Trixie waited for her to make some sort of move. The filly swallowed nervously before shaking her head and setting her expression into a determined frown.

Remember, Trixie, if things go bad, you can always drop the spell.

They waited for a few more tense seconds before Fell Wind snapped a hoof out and forward.

"Alright, let's move."

An Unbending Will

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With the way Fell Wind shot from behind the rock to the crevice in the opposite wall a little ways ahead, it was almost as though she had never had any issues trotting in the first place.

Though, from the slight wince Fell Wind showed upon sidling up to the cave wall, Trixie could see that it hadn't been as easy as Fell Wind made it seem. Trixie watched her every move, waiting for the signal to follow after her.

Fell Wind peered out from behind the wall for several seconds before motioning for the azure filly to follow. The crevice Fell Wind had hidden in was just deep enough for the two of them, so when Trixie quickly but quietly dashed to where the mare was, she didn't have too much trouble getting in and around her.

With Trixie securely behind her, Fell Wind once again peered out from their hiding spot to search for the next one. There was another large rock big enough for the both of them, but it was much further than the crevice had been and there were two shadow ponies between them and it.

"Damn it all to Tartarus," Fell Wind muttered as she retreated back into the crevice, "I can make it, but..."

"What's wrong?" Trixie whispered with a worried frown, "are there shadow ponies over there?"

"Yeah, two of them," Fell Wind replied quietly, "I could make it, but I don't think you'll be able to, kid."

"Trixie can do it."

Fell Wind eyed the filly with a dubious frown.

"Look, kid," Fell Wind whispered, "you've been a big help, getting me away from those shadows and making it all the way here, but--"

"Trixie made it into your room without you noticing, didn't she?" Trixie argued back, "and besides, the shadows don't notice me at all, remember?"

She had put on the most confident face she could muster, but inwardly, Trixie knew she was taking a gamble. For this to work, Fell Wind would've had to believe the filly could get away with trotting right past the shadow ponies.

She watched Fell Wind's expression go from doubtful, to thoughtful, and finally she nodded as if coming to a decision.

"Alright, you've got a point," she conceded, "I don't know how you do it, but you're basically invisible to these guys."

"And you really believe that Trixie can do it?" Trixie pressed, giving the pegasus a pointed look, "or are you just saying that?"

"Nono, I believe you," Fell Wind whispered, raising a hoof, "you're no ordinary filly, I can at least tell that much."

"Good," Trixie replied with a satisfied nod, "now if you'll excuse Trixie..."

The azure filly took a deep breath and trotted past Fell WInd. She stepped out of the crevice and into the open, heading straight for the other rock just up ahead.

She didn't stop, trotting quickly but confidently to her destination for Fell WInd's sake. Though she was nowhere near the level of a professional showpony, Trixie still knew a thing or two about putting on a performance, and this is all that was -- at least that's what she told herself.

It isn't about what you actually do, but about what the audience thinks you do...

With that in mind, she shoved down her nervousness and continued onward. A shadow pony suddenly stepped out of Trixie's blind spot and for a few heart-pounding seconds, the filly thought she was done for.

Then it trotted right past her and continued on its patrol.

Trixie however, didn't stop until she made it behind the other rock. She reached it just as the second shadow pony passed by, and once she was sure she couldn't be seen, she fell to her haunches and let out a shuddering breath.

She closed her eyes and tried to calm her nerves -- tried to will her legs to stop shaking. She had done it, and it was all thanks to Fell WInd's honest belief that she could.

The filly felt oddly touched by that fact.

She finally opened her eyes and nearly yelped in surprise when she saw Fell Wind crouched right next to her. As it was, she started violently and let out a little gasp as her focus on the constant pressure of the Memory Weaving spell momentarily slipped.

She quickly brought it back under control, but not before noticing Fell Wind flinch slightly and bring a hoof to her head. At the same time everything around them flickered and paused for a few seconds.

Fell Wind shook her head and looked at Trixie in bemusement.

"What the buck just happened?"

"W-What do you mean?" Trixie asked, trying to look as innocent as possible, "I'm... Trixie is just waiting for you to tell her what to do next."

The pegasus gave the filly an odd look, but shook her head once more after a moment.

"Whatever," she replied, waving a hoof, "look, that was all sorts of impressive, kid," she flashed Trixie a small smile of acknowledgment before her frown returned, "that actually makes things a lot easier for me."

"That's good," Trixie responded, "so... what should Trixie do then?"

"Well that depends," Fell WInd replied, peering out from behind the rock, "how does your little invisibility trick work? How long can you do it for?"

"Ah... well..." Trixie wracked her brain for an explanation, "that's... a secret!" she nodded, "yes, it's Trixie's greatest secret, but you don't need to worry. Trixie can stay invisible to those shadow ponies for as long as she needs to."

"A secret, huh?" Fell Wind muttered as she eyed the filly. Much to Trixie's relief, Fell Wind shook her head and went back to scoping out a secure route past the shadow ponies, "you unicorns and your magic, I swear..."

Trixie breathed a quiet sigh of relief, and her ears perked up as the mare spoke again.

"If your invisibility is as reliable as I hope it is, you should just be able to trot right past these things and head for the entrance to the next building," she turned back to Trixie with a nod, "I'll be following right after you."

"What?" Trixie hissed, "but what about you? What if you get--"

"I'm not gonna get caught, kid," Fell Wind replied, "just relax and let me worry about me, alright?"

Trixie still wasn't convinced, but nevertheless, she nodded.

"Good, now get going," Fell Wind responded before jerking her head towards the path further up, "I'll be right behind you."

Trixie swallowed nervously before tentatively stepping out into the open once again. She took a second to gauge the distance between herself and the next building. beyond the large rocks and shadow ponies, Trixie could see a large metal structure not too much further ahead.

It looked like the facility was built directly into a cavern wall and rose from ground to ceiling. She could just barely make out a door on the opposite end of the darkened path.

Trixie looked back to Fell WInd who silently but urgently motioned for her to go on ahead. Turning back to the task at hoof, she set her face in a determined frown before trotting forward once more.

It was working.

Trixie didn't relax in the slightest, but sure enough, none of the shadow ponies she passed paid her any mind. Bolstered by this, she moved more quickly and with a bit more actual confidence than she had before.

She glanced behind her just in time to see the silhouette of a pegasus dart into another crevice. The filly was relieved to see that Fell Wind had kept her word and was right behind her.

A few more minutes of trotting passed and before she knew it, Trixie had found her way to the brown metal door. She stopped in front of it and turned to check on Fell Wind's progress.

She frowned as she scanned the cave for the mare, not seeing her anywhere she looked. The filly began to get worried as two minutes turned into three, then five, then seven.

The spell is still active and the memory is still stable, so she has to be here somewhere...

After another minute of waiting by the door and watching the shadow ponies patrol back and forth, Trixie decided to head back to where she had last seen Fell Wind.

Trixie trotted off to the left and over to the crevice nearby. She looked inside and her eyes widened in alarm before she rushed in and knelt beside Fell WInd.

The mare was lying on the ground, desperately trying to hold back a series of violent coughs. Her body jerked and heaved with the effort and behind the hoof covering her mouth, Trixie could see small drops of blood hitting the ground.

"Why--" more muffled coughs "--why did you come back, kid?" her body heaved again as she silenced another cough, "I'll... I'll be fine in a second just go and--"

"No."

Fell Wind gave Trixie an incredulous look, but the filly ignored it and leaned down to look the pegasus mare in the eye.

"Fell WInd, you are not as sick as you think you are," Trixie said with absolute conviction, "trust Trixie when she says that your sickness is all in your head."

The mare looked at Trixie as though she had lost her mind, but Trixie continued on regardless.

"Trixie knows how crazy she sounds, but it's the truth," the filly pushed, "you're only weak if you think you are. You're only sick if you think you are. You are as powerful as you make yourself out to be."

"Kid, what... what are you talking about?" Fell Wind replied with a bewildered frown and another fit of muted coughs, "that's the most ridiculous load of--"

"You want to know why Trixie is invisible to those shadow ponies?" Trixie interjected, "you want to know how she got into your room and how she made the shadow ponies who captured you disappear?"

Trixie straightened up, turned around, and trotted right out into the middle of the cavern where several shadow ponies were patrolling. Fell Wind looked on with widened eyes.

"Trixie can do these things because she knows that she is Great and Powerful," the filly announced, paying no heed to the shadows around he and addressing Fell Wind directly, "she knows without a doubt that she can do anything she puts her mind to!"

She stomped a hoof and gestured to the shadow ponies.

"These things hold no power over Trixie!" the filly announced, "they don't have to hold any power over you either, Fell Wind!" she trotted back over to the stunned pegasus as she continued, "it's the same with that sickness you think you have. It doesn't exist, Fell Wind... not really."

The azure filly held out a hoof to the dark green mare. Fell Wind looked from it to Trixie with a look of uncertainty. Trixie pushed back her nerves and gave Fell Wind an encouraging smile.

"Stop lying around pretending to be sick and go save your brother."

A Fleeting Hope

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Fell Wind wasn't sure what to think at the moment.

Trixie had been unlike any other foal the mare had ever seen -- and she'd seen some pretty interesting foals in her time. This one however, seemed to defy all logic and bend the world around her to her will... with just her will alone.

She proclaimed herself to be Great and Powerful, and so the world made it so.

And now here the filly was, saying Fell Wind could do the same. It was a ridiculous notion, but looking up at Trixie with her confident smile and outstretched hoof -- on top of seeing her just waltz right through the patrol without being spotted -- Fell Wind couldn't help but believe at least a little that it was possible.

Even as she began to believe Trixie's words, she could feel the terrible pain from her violent coughing fits fade and she even felt a bit stronger than she had before.

Stunned at the revelation, Fell Wind ignored Trixie's offered hoof and rose to her own four hooves, the filly stepping back in surprise. The pegasus mare looked about herself and saw that her coat had gained a little more shine and that she was noticeably more filled out -- no longer just literal skin, fur, and bones.

Fell Wind's eyes widened in disbelief before she grinned and yanked a yelping Trixie into a hug.

"It worked!" she cried, heedless of the shadow ponies around her, "your stupid speech actually worked!" she pulled back to look the bewildered filly in the eye, "I tell ya, you're something else, kid. I don't know how your crazy unicorn powers work, but this is the best I've felt in ages!"

Trixie frowned briefly before her expression slowly shifted to one of reassurance.

"Trixie told you, didn't she?" Trixie replied, stepping away from the mare, "almost anything is possible when you believe it is."

"Guess you were right about that," Fell Wind responded before turning to the shadow ponies, "now I believe it's time for us to get the buck out of here and over to the next building to save my brother."

Trixie nodded happily and the two of them trotted the rest of the way to the door where Trixie had just been only moments ago -- the shadows as heedless of the duo as Trixie and Fell Wind were to the shadows.

Once they had reached the door, Fell Wind raised her hoof to push the door open, but stopped just short. She turned to look out at the oblivious shadow ponies flitting about the cavern and slowly shook her head in awe.

"Bucking crazy..."

Trixie meanwhile, followed Fell Wind's gaze and frowned once more.

The filly wasn't normally one to constantly worry about anything and everything she did, at least not anymore -- she had done everything she could to try and put that part of herself behind her for good -- but something suddenly nagged at her about what she was trying to do.

She couldn't tell exactly what it was, but ever since Fell Wind had hugged her, something had felt... wrong. Despite her conviction to help the mare, She began to feel as though what she was doing was wrong in some way -- like she was going to regret doing all of this later somehow.

Since she couldn't place the feeling properly, she ultimately chocked it up to nerves and followed Fell Wind inside the building as the mare pushed the door opened and stepped inside.

As the two trotted inside, Trixie felt the pressure of her spell increase threefold and she nearly buckled under the strain -- the spell suddenly gripping her in a vice. The filly grunted and clenched her teeth, trying to fight off the smothering weight of the Memory Weaving spell.

Trixie was so focused on maintaining control that she didn't notice when Fell Wind slowly begin to back away, her expression a mix of terrible fear, sadness, and guilt.

"No... w-why the buck are you here?"

The question brought Trixie's attention back to Fell Wind and, still straining to maintain her grip on the spell, she followed the mare's horrified gaze.

The sight very nearly shattered her focus completely.

What the filly had thought would be another hallway was in fact a large, wide open circular room with metal doors lining the stone walls at regular intervals. In the middle of the room was a thick pillar surrounded by a spiral staircase leading upwards into another large room above it.

The first thing Trixie had noticed upon refocusing her attention on her surroundings however, was the terrifying cacophony of mad ranting, anguished screams, and chilling laughter of stallions, mares, and Trixie could've sworn she even heard a foal or two somewhere in all the maddening noise.

The horrible sound echoed throughout the large circular prison unceasingly -- each and every shout, laugh, and scream coming from behind the many doors surrounding the filly.

That wasn't what held Trixie's attention however.

What had nearly caused the azure filly's spell to unravel was the sight of the other filly resting alone on the ground near the spiral staircase in the middle of the room.

Her coat was a faded yellow and her mane and tail were an amaranth red with two streaks of light grey violet and purple. The filly had no cutie mark and her mane and tail were cut in a strikingly similar fashion to Twilight's.

In fact, Trixie was shocked to see that the filly could've passed for Twilight's twin sister had they the same mane, tail, and coat color. She also saw that the filly seemed to be a bit smaller than her and possibly a bit younger.

Seeing her there, Trixie could only come to one unpleasant conclusion.

This must be Moon Dancer...

The mysterious filly looked perfectly at ease surrounded by the tortured wails and shrieks of the ponies behind the doors. She laid there wearing a contented smile -- her eyes closed and humming a tune Trixie didn't recognize.

"I'm sorry..."

Trixie snapped her gaze back to Fell Wind to see her staring at the filly with wide teary eyes. The mare fell to her haunches -- all hope and confidence wiped away as though it was never there to begin with.

The only thing Trixie could see now was guilt and despair.

"I'm so sorry, Moon Dancer..." Fell Wind whispered again, "I should've done more... and now it's too late."

As if in response, Moon Dancer opened her dark purple eyes and her contented smile widened into a toothy grin when she noticed Fell Wind sitting there.

"Oh, Hi Windy!" Moon Dancer cried happily, waving a hoof, "did you come to see your brother again?" her smile sank into a bemused frown, "wait... where's mama's shadow ponies? Weren't they supposed to come with you?"

Fell Wind took a step back as the filly rose to her hooves and trotted closer.

"I... they..." Fell Wind struggled with her words, trying to find some kind of convincing lie, "they're... ah... on break, yeah... t-told me to... go on ahead and they'll... uh... meet me here."

Even through her continuing struggle with the spell, Trixie managed to gape at the mare. It was like another switch had been flipped and Fell Wind was now more akin to a scared little foal trying to hide a bad deed from her parents -- and all this fear from a filly who was younger than even Trixie herself.

Moon Dancer narrowed her eyes suspiciously -- her head tilting ever so slightly.

"The shadow ponies don't need to take breaks, Windy... they're made of shadows."

"R-Right, yeah I ah... I meant... y-y'know... they... t-they, uh..." Fell Wind swallowed and took another step back, her face twisted in mortal fear and her voice suddenly small and pleading, "please don't tell your mom I'm here, Moon Dancer..."

The filly's frown deepened and for a heart stopping moment, Trixie was sure the filly would refuse Fell Wind's request. Then Moon Dancer suddenly smiled and the azure filly felt the pressure increase exponentially.

She let out a loud gasp and fell to the floor, curling in on herself as she desperately tried to push back the pressure that was beginning to crush her ethereal form. Somewhere far away, she could hear Moon Dancer laugh and Fell Wind scream for mercy.

"...very late for your scheduled checkup, C-38."

Everything flickered and warped for a brief second as Trixie's focus faltered. Her widened, terrified eyes locked on to the scene before her and she found herself facing another mare.

This mare was surprisingly short, only a few hooves taller than Trixie. Her coat was a golden yellow and her magenta colored mane cascaded down one side of her face, partially covering her horn rimmed glasses.

Dull, sunken, and cold violet eyes bored into Fell Wind who had been shoved down onto the floor by two shadow ponies that hadn't been there a moment ago. The pegasus was now looking up at the smirking mare -- her own eyes showing pure terror as she struggled in the grip of the shadow ponies.

Trixie winced as the world around her flickered and twisted again.

Moon Dancer was now hopping up and down, giggling with joy next to the mare. The mare herself lifted Moon Dancer in a baby blue aura and set her down on her back before addressing Fell Wind once more.

"I'm not quite sure how you managed to escape, but we have a lot of time to make up, and I'll not be delayed a moment further," a thick bubbling black aura encased her horn and the shadow ponies began to sink into the floor, taking Fell Wind with them.

"NO! DON'T TAKE ME BACK THERE, PLEASE!" Fell Wind cried, tears streaming down her face as she sank further and further into the black ooze covering the floor beneath her, "I WON'T TRY TO ESCAPE AGAIN! I JUST WANTED TO SEE MY BROTHER! PLEASE DON'T DO THIS! I'LL DIE! I'LL--"

The world distorted again -- the pausing and flickering getting worse as Fell Wind's fear mounted. Taking no notice of the strange occurrences around her, Fell Wind suddenly turned to Trixie, her already wide and frantic eyes widening further.

'TRIXIE! DON'T LET THEM TAKE ME! USE YOUR WEIRD MAGIC! MAKE HER DISAPPEAR! MAKE HERMMmmfff!"

Her words became a muffled scream as her muzzle dipped beneath the ooze. The last thing Trixie saw before the world ripped itself apart was Moon Dancer clapping her hooves as though she had just seen a grand performance...

...and Moon Gazer's shocked expression as she stared back at Trixie.

A Task Worth Doing

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Trixie found herself thrown to the ground -- or rather, what passed as the ground in the pitch black, mote filled mindscape.

Her ethereal form rolled a few times before it stopped a few hoof lengths away from where she had been standing before she entered the memory. She quickly scrambled to her hooves and looked over to the memory motes she had connected were, eyes widened in shock.

The large mote of light she had been ejected from began to shrink and she heard that same warbling from before. The noise was louder and, after a moment of humming, shrinking, and flickering, the mote seemed to shiver and split itself into two, one of the pieces drifting apart and moving away into the distance.

In the span of only a few seconds, everything had returned to how it was before Trixie enter the memory.

For a minute or two, the azure filly just sat there staring at the memory mote, stunned at what she had just seen. Everything had been going so well, and she was making actual progress with helping Fell Wind grow more confident and hopeful.

She had almost had it.

Fell Wind had very nearly come close to finding her brother and with the way things were going, Trixie had begun to think Fell Wind would escape, but then everything had come crashing down around them... literally.

Moon Dancer had shown up in the Memory Weave spell.

Trixie didn't know if Fell Wind's mind had conjured her up out of some sort of repressed fear or if there was something else going on, but when Moon Gazer had shown up -- and Trixie was certain that's who the mare had been -- the azure filly knew one thing for sure...

Moon Gazer had seen her.

She had seen Trixie.

It wasn't just some odd quirk of the spell, mere coincidence, or even Fell Wind's sudden cry for help that had caused the mare to notice Trixie, she was sure of it.

Moon Gazer was somehow here, in Fell Wind's mind along with Trixie herself. Trixie couldn't help but shudder at the thought that the mare was lurking somewhere in the pegasus mare's mind.

Was she using Mind Magic like Trixie?

No, she couldn't be.

If that were the case, then shouldn't she be somewhere here in this open mindscape made to look like the starry night sky? The filly looked around her nervously, but the only thing she saw was more of the same black void dotted with countless motes of light in every direction.

She was alone.

Trixie shivered again and clenched her eyes shut, trying to block out the image of that other filly and her mother. She instead thought about what she should do from here.

Should she try to cast the Mind Weaving spell once more?

No, upon taking stock of her remaining mana, she discovered the spell had taken more out of her than she had thought. She didn't have enough left for another prolonged Mind Weaving spell.

Should she just erase the appropriate memories and be done with it like she had originally planned?

After what had happened at the end, she was very tempted to do so, but building frustration stayed her from actually making that decision. She had almost gotten through to the mare, only to fail at the last second.

She opened her eyes and swept a contemplative gaze over the countless memory motes surrounding her.

What should she do?

What would Ancient Scroll do?

What would Twilight and Sunset do?

What would the Mare of Dreams do?

She frowned as she thought about the mysterious mare. What had she even given her all this power for? She had mentioned something about some terrible event happening to Twilight further down the road, but hadn't said what it would be.

The only thing she knew was that she was suppose to use this Mind Walking spell when that time came.

That was it.

That's all she'd been told.

The way the Mare of Dreams had built it up, it sounded as though she was going to divulge some great scheme, but in reality, all she did was give the frustrated filly some vague idea of what she was supposed to do and force the knowledge of a few spells into her memory.

Remembering her own studies on how Mind Magic worked, Trixie made sure to take them willingly of course, but it still hadn't exactly been a pleasant experience.

Now here she sat, in the mindscape of the crazed mare that had tried to kill Ancient Scroll and foalnap Twilight. Not only had she wasted a ton of time trying to save this mare, but she had completely and utterly failed at it.

What was she doing?

Trixie shook her head and closed her eyes again, focusing on finding the memory that held the knowledge of how Fell Wind had found out about her and the other two fillies.

She didn't have much more mana left to do anything else, and she had wasted enough time trying to help the mare. She needed to help her sisters more and she'd been an idiot not to do that first.

After a minute, she heard a soft hum as the memory mote she was looking for and opened her eyes to see a new mote slow to a stop in front of her. Wasting no more time, she stepped into the light and everything faded to a bright blinding whiteness briefly before her vision returned.

Blinking away the spots in her eyes, she looked around at where she had ended up. She found herself in a very familiar looking town amidst all sorts of odd buildings and various different creatures that walked the streets.

With a start, she realized she was back in Faranda Way Village.

"Nah... well, maybe. It depends."

"On what if I may ask?"

One of Trixie's ears twitched and she turned towards the familiar voice. Her eyes landed on none other than Fell Wind herself, standing just a few yards away talking to a female diamond dog.

Trixie's eyes widened and she frantically looked for a place to hide. She spotted a small ice cream stand being run by a short stocky earth pony mare not too far from where Fell Wind was standing.

She scrambled to hide behind the stand and once she had made it, she peeked her head out from behind, narrowing her eyes as she listened in on the pegasus and diamond dog's conversation.

"...and tail with violet and pink streaks..."

Trixie frowned.

She's talking about Twilight...

As she listened to Fell Wind describe Twilight, her mind wandered back to the Fell Wind she had seen only moments ago. She couldn't help but compare the pegasus mare she saw before her now to the one she had seen then.

She looked so pathetic and broken back then, and looking at her now, she wouldn't have even begun to think something so terrible would've happened to Fell Wind had she not seen it for herself.

"...colt I mentioned earlier? He's her brother, and I'm trying to..."

Trixie's attention snapped back to Fell Wind and her jaw dropped at what she had just heard. Her ears perked up and she listened harder, trying to glean more from the conversation.

"...you said her name was Twilight Sparkle?"

"Yeah, that's right, lavender coat and all that."

Trixie listened for another minute longer, but didn't hear anything she didn't already know. She started to panic when she saw that Fell Wind was about to take to the sky. She frantically galloped towards the mare, desperate to stop her from getting away.

"Wait!" Trixie cried as she charged Fell Wind, "hang on!"

Fell Wind faltered and turned to the azure filly in confusion. As Trixie got closer, Fell Wind's eyes narrowed briefly before suddenly widening in recognition.

"Wait a minute," she muttered, her face a mask of disbelief, "I... I know you... you're that--"

Trixie heard none of this as she practically slammed into Fell Wind in her rush to get to the mare before she took off. She planted a hoof on Fell Wind's chest and exerted her will over the memory.

Fell Wind's mouth opened to speak, but before she could say anything else, everything froze as though time had suddenly stopped. For a brief moment, there was absolute silence...

And then the world shattered.

Trixie's eyes slammed shut, her entire being rocked from the sheer impact of her action. She heard a loud sucking sound and felt herself being dragged forward a little ways before she was suddenly and violently blasted backwards -- the sucking sound giving way to something akin to a small explosion.

For the third time since she had entered Fell Wind's mind, Trixie was thrown out into the mindscape, but this time when she recovered, she saw that the memory mote was completely gone.

She had done it.

She had done what she originally came here to do. Not only had she successfully -- if violently -- removed the memory, but she had found out that Twilight's brother was indeed alive and in the hooves of the ponies who were after her.

She had killed two birds with one stone, and despite everything that had happened to her up to this point, she allowed herself a wide victorious smile. The only thing she had to do now was try and find out where the bad ponies' base of operations were and they'd have everything they'd need to find Twilight's brother.

She rose to her hooves, and closed her eyes, ready to jump into another memory mote and return to reality with all the information she needed. When nothing happened she frowned and concentrated harder, squeezing her eyes shut.

Then she felt an odd tugging sensation.

Her eyes snapped open in alarm as she began to feel herself lift upwards, slowly at first, then with increasing speed. She flailed about in a panic, but could do nothing to stop her rapidly accelerating ascent.

"What's going on? What is this?" Trixie cried in confusion. A realization dawned on her a moment later and her already wide eyes widened further, "No! Not now! I was so close! I--"

Trixie's ethereal form vanished in a flash of light.

A Return to Reality

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A day.

It had been more or less a full day since Blue Moon had cast her spell, and both Fia and Corona had been worrying nonstop for their friend. When she had first cast the spell, they had both nearly had a heart attack.

Blue Moon had leaned in next to Wild Evergreen -- horn aglow, there was a bright flash of pink... and Blue Moon had fallen over like a puppet with her strings cut.

It had taken a good half an hour or so for both Rouge and Yojimbo to convince the panicking fillies that Blue Moon was alive and well -- at least, they knew she was alive at any rate.

Either way, neither Wild Evergreen nor Blue Moon had woken in several hours and as it got later in the day, the others were forced to move them into the stationary caravan for the night.

Ancient Scroll had yet to wake from his own slumber, but it was much clearer to see that the old stallion was okay. Magical exhaustion, while not nearly as severe as magical burnout, still required a large amount of rest, and Ancient Scroll would be out for a while longer.

Fia had taken this opportunity to scour Ancient Scroll's collection of tomes to see if she could find anything on Blue Moon's Mind Walking spell, but to both her and Corona's surprise, suspicion, and worry, they hadn't found a single book detailing such a spell.

So all they could do in the meantime was wait and worry.

Yojimbo had suggested splitting up Blue Moon and Evergreen, but despite her misgivings, Fia had opted against the idea. It was her reasoning that separating the two might have adverse affects and the black filly wasn't willing to risk finding out if that was the case.

And so it was that everyone had gathered in the sitting room, Blue Moon and Wild Evergreen taking up two of the cots next to each other. They had observed the occasional twitch from the borderline comatose duo, but neither of them had made a sound.

Nighttime had well and truly fallen as Fia and Corona watched over the two. They both sat a little ways away, books open to pass the time and twin mugs of the apple cider they had picked up from Apple Core's tavern resting on the floor next to each of them.

Fia did her best to try and focus on the book she was reading, but she couldn't help but take notice of Corona's constantly shifting gaze. Every now and then, the maroon coated filly would look up from her own book to give Blue Moon a contemplative look.

After about ten minutes of this, Fia couldn't take it anymore and sighed before closing her book and giving Corona a pointed look.

"Corona, we can't just stare her awake, y'know," the black coated filly said flatly, "I'm worried about Blue Moon too, but we can't do anything right now except wait."

"She's right, little one," Rouge added from the armchair, her own book in hand and a mug cider on the small table in front of her, "a watched pot never boils, and fretting so much will not bring the filly out of her current state."

"Yeah, the pup's fine as far as we can tell, just need to wait for her to wake up," Yojimbo said from his spot on the couch. He looked up from the book he had begrudgingly chosen to read while they waited and glared at the dark green mare on the other cot, "the little lightning bug can stay that way though. Makes much better company that way if you ask me."

"No, that's not it," Corona replied to each of them, slowly shaking her head as she eyed the pale blue filly on the cot, "it's the spell she cast," she turned to Fia with a furrowed brow and a concerned frown, "where did she learn it if not from any of Uncle Scroll's books?"

"I... I don't know," Fia admitted, turning her own bemused gaze towards Blue Moon, "but she said she had more or less learned the spell inside and out."

"Exactly," Corona replied with a nod, "how? And from who?"

"You think she was taught by somepony?" Fia asked, turning back to Corona with a look of surprise, "she's been with us the whole time, though. Who could've taught her to do something like that?"

"I don't know," Corona answered uncertainly, "but... doesn't this Mind Walking spell strike you as something above what Tr... Blue Moon is capable of -- above what any of us are capable of right now?"

"Well, I don't think it'd be that hard to learn," Fia muttered, taking a sip of her cider to hide a small offended frown, "Trix -- er... Blue Moon is a lot smarter than we normally give her credit for, and she's just as diligent as we are when it comes to studying magic, if not more so sometimes."

Fia set her mug down and turned back to Blue Moon as she spoke.

"If she can learn something like that, I'm sure we could too," she concluded, "it's just a matter of how she learned it. It would've had to have been from... a... book..."

Corona raised an eyebrow as Fia trailed off, her eyes widening momentarily.

"Fia?" the maroon filly asked warily, "are you okay?"

Rather than answer, Fia furrowed her brow in thought.

"Maybe... was it from that book?" she muttered, "it was focused on Mind Magic, and I didn't get that good of a look at it, so it might be possible..."

"Fia?" Corona asked again, somewhat annoyed, "what is it? Did you find something out?"

"Maybe," Fia replied distractedly, rising to her hooves and quickly trotting past a surprised Corona, "I'll be right back, I'm gonna go check something real quick."

"But... wait, Fia! What..."

Corona called out to the other filly, but Fia was already closing the door behind her. Rouge and Yojimbo glance at door, then to each other. The husky merely shrugged and went back to his book while Rouge looked over to the annoyed maroon filly.

"What was that all about?" Corona muttered grumpily, "if she found something out, she could've at least told me what it was..."

Rouge chuckled lightly before addressing Corona.

"If it bothers you so much, why don't you just go after--"

A loud, sharp gasp from the direction of one of the cots drew everyone's attention and they all turned to see Blue Moon shoot up from where she lay, her horn sparking a few times before dying down.

She shuddered and held her hooves to her temples, letting out a groan of pain and exhaustion. Corona, Rouge, and Yojimbo all gave various cries of surprise as Blue Moon's horn sparked brightly once more.

This time however, the bright spark Blue Moon's horn discharged caused her disguise to fall away in a flash of green flame, revealing Trixie beneath the facade.

Trixie groaned again and fell backwards onto the cot. Seemingly unconscious once more. So sudden and unexpected was Trixie's reaction, that the others didn't notice Wild Evergreen's face twist in pain and her body give a few violent spasms before settling back into a peaceful state.

For a few moments, no one moved or spoke -- all of their eyes wide and locked on the two cots. It was around that time that Fia threw open the door and trotted back into the room, a book held in her magenta aura.

"I think I may have found something on what happened to..."

She paused and looked at the trio in confusion before following their wide eyed gazes to the cot where Trixie lay. Her own brows shot up in surprise and she quickly trotted over to the azure filly.

"T-Trixie?" she cried incredulously before turning to the others, "what happened? Why is her disguise gone?"

"I don't know!" Corona replied, raising her hooves defensively, "she suddenly woke up and her horn was flashing, and then poof! Her disguise just... vanished!"

Fia was quiet for a moment, her mind working to process what could've transpired while she had left -- the book she had brought with her now forgotten on the floor behind her. She turned back to Trixie just in time to see her shift on the cot.

The azure filly groaned again and cracked her eyes open. She slowly sat up once more, blinking rapidly and shaking her head before looking around in confusion.

"Trixie is... wait," she blinked again and turned to see the others staring at her with various looks of shock and confusion, "so... Trixie is back, then?"

The response she got was to be pulled off of the cot and into a tight hug by the other two fillies. She gasped for breath and weakly patted Fia on the back.

"Trixie is... glad you missed her, but... she can't... breathe!"

The other two fillies released her and stepped back, both throwing incoherent, half formed questions her way all at once. This lasted all of a minute before Rouge and Yojimbo intervened on Trixie's behalf.

"Alright, that's enough of that," Yojimbo announced, walking over to the fillies, "come on, girls, give her some space. Let her breathe a little will ya?"

"Agreed," Rouge said, from where she sat, "Trixie has no doubt been through much on her journey through the--"

Rouge was cut off by another loud gasp that was quickly followed by a pained grunt. She and the others turned to see that Wild Evergreen had awakened. The dark green mare looked much like Trixie did when she had first awoken.

She was sitting atop the cot, her eyes clenched shut and her hooves clutching her head in obvious pain. She shuddered and gave an agonized and drawn out groan before shaking her head and snapping her eyes open.

Wild Evegreen's body suddenly seized up with a sharp intake of breath, relaxing again a second later. She blinked a few times and shook her head again before frowning in confusion.

The others watched with various reactions ranging from wariness to confusion to trepidation as the dark green pegasus finally took in her unfamiliar surroundings.

"Where the buck..."

Her eyes settled on Trixie and stayed there.

Trixie's breath hitched in her throat as Wild Evergreen continued to stare at the filly blankly. After a moment the filly raised a shaky hoof and gave the mare a weak and nervous smile.

"T-Trixie is... u-um... glad... to see you're o-okay... Fell Wind."

An Unforeseen Consequence

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Something wasn't right here.

Fell Wind's thoughts were a jumbled mess, and the powerful migraine she had experienced, hadn't helped either. Strangely enough however, it had disappeared almost as soon as it had arrived, leaving her confused and unsure. She was supposed to be in her cell, but instead she was...

Where was she?

The room looked cozy, and the bed was comfortable, but she hadn't been in a proper bed since... she couldn't even remember how long. Fell Wind tried to remember the last thing that had happened to her before she woke up.

She had been lying in her cell, still trying to recover from her latest appointment with Moon Gazer, when a filly suddenly popped into existence from out of nowhere, scaring the mare half to death.

She said some things to the filly, but then the shadow ponies showed up and dragged her away. The filly showed up again and... the shadows disappeared -- she made them disappear.

Then there were more words, and the door to the hallway wouldn't open and... that was it. Anything else she tried to remember after that only caused her migraine to spike drastically, and each time it ebbed and disappeared, she felt as though more of her memory ebbed and disappeared right along with it.

Rather than try to remember anymore, she instead swept a confused gaze over her surroundings.

"Where the buck..."

She spotted the azure filly and stopped cold.

It was her.

The filly from her memory, here and looking just as she did back at the underground facility. As Fell Wind stared, she searched what memories she could. trying to remember the filly's name.

"T-Trixie is... u-um... glad... to see you're o-okay... Fell Wind."

And just like that, the memory of the filly was thrown into sharp relief. The kid's name was Trixie, and she had all but saved the mare from what may very well have been her very last appointment with Moon Gazer.

Was she the one who had brought her here?

How would she have even done such a thing?

Just how much time had passed since then?

With a start, she finally realized she didn't feel an ounce of the constant pain, weakness, and sickness that wracked her frail and battered body. Ignoring Trixie for a moment, she inspected her own body and was shocked to see that she was in perfect health, save for the amnesia and agonizing migraine that would pop up whenever she tried to remember anything beyond meeting the filly in the hallway.

In fact, she felt far stronger than she ever had before.

As Fell Wind puzzled over this strange new development, Trixie and the others watched her with confused looks of their own. Fia trotted closer to Trixie and leaned in to whisper in her ear, not taking her eyes away from the wide eyed and increasingly frantic mare.

"What on Equus did you do to her, Trixie?" she hissed, "she's freaking out! I thought you said you could handle this?"

"W-Well, I... Trixie got rid of the memory, but..." Trixie stumbled over herself, trying to find an explanation for what had happened, "maybe I... when Trixie went to erase the memory of when she first heard about us, there might've been... an explosion?"

"An explosion? In her brain?" Corona asked flatly, "Trixie, what the buck are you talking about?"

"I don't know!" Trixie cried, becoming just as panicked as the mare sitting on the bed across from them, "I don't know what this is! She was about to escape, a-and I panicked, and... and... before that, there was this other spell, and it--"

"Wait a minute, hang on," Yojimbo interrupted, switching his disbelieving gaze from Fell Wind to Trixie, "other spell? What other spell? Trixie... what in Tartarus did you do?"

"WHAT THE BUCK IS GOING ON HERE?!"

The others whipped around to face Fell Wind, the mare now standing rigid atop the cot with her wings outstretch from sheer agitation and stress. Her gaze was locked on the azure filly, her expression a mix of bewilderment, fear, and anger. She jabbed a hoof in Trixie's direction as she continued to rant and rave.

"How did... why am I... how the buck did a kid like you get me out of that Tartarus damned facility? Where's my brother? Did he get out too?" the pegasus mare looked about the room as if expecting him to pop up at any moment, "Red Storm? Stormy? Are you here?"

She hopped off the bed and quickly made her way to the door, pushing the fillies out of the way in the process.

"Whoa whoa, hang on there," Yojimbo cried, moving to stop the mare from leaving, "we can't just let you waltz outta here without--"

Yojimbo only had a moment's warning before Fell Wind lashed out at the husky with one of her hind legs. On reflex Yojimbo sidestepped the blow, but that left Fell Wind to dial back one of her front hooves and slam it into the door.

With a loud splintery crack the door flew off its hinges and into the wall on the opposite side of the hall outside the room. Wasting no time, Fell Wind rushed out and down the short hall.

She didn't make it halfway before the burly husky was on her. She yelped as she was dragged away from the back door of the caravan by her back leg and towards Yojimbo. With one more yank, the husky pulled Fell Wind close and wrapped his arms around her barrel, lifting her up and pinning her against his chest.

Fell Wind may have been far stronger than the average pegasus and just as strong as some of the strongest earth ponies, but Yojimbo was in a class of his own when it came to physical strength.

"Nuh-uh," he grunted as he held onto the struggling mare, "we still got business with you, Sparky," he turned his head slightly towards Rouge and the fillies who were standing just outside the doorway, "go tell the old coot, nap time's over! He needs to get his butt out here, now."

"But what can he do?" Fia cried as she watched Fell Wind struggle, "even if we wake him up now, he's not gonna be able to cast any magic! He's still weak!"

"Gah, damn it all to Tartarus," Yojimbo growled before addressing Trixie, "you gotta do something then, pup! You're the one with the crazy Mind Magic!"

Trixie watched Fell WInd as she desperately struggled and loudly cursed her canine captor. She felt a sharp pang of guilt rise up in her gut, realization all of this had been her fault.

She had messed up and done something that may very well have been irreversible to the mare she had originally intended to help. Regardless of her feelings on the matter however, Fell Wind was still a danger to her and the others, especially in this state.

She had to do something before the mare remembered she could control mana lightning.

"Fell Wind!"

The mare in question ignored Trixie as she fought against Yojimbo's iron grip. Trixie frowned and tried again, shouting over the mare.

"RED STORM ISN'T HERE!"

All at once, the fight left the mare and she hung limp in Yojimbo's arms. Fell Wind turned her head as far as she was able and looked back at Trixie. The azure filly expected anger, but what she got instead, much to her surprise, were desperate, tearful eyes looking back at her.

"I gotta find him," Fell Wind replied in a quiet shaky voice, "you don't understand, kid... he... Red Storm ain't well in the head. Even before that mare got ahold of us, he... he had problems. He needs me."

Trixie made to respond, but Rouge spoke up first.

"That may be the case, Fell Wind," she said, calmly walking over to the trapped mare, "but running around in a blind panic won't get you any closer to finding out what happened."

"But--"

"No, you need to calm down and think about this rationally," Rouge admonished, "I know things are... strange for you right now, but things will work out much better if you work with us," the feling gave Fell Wind a warm smile, "what do you say? Will you at least let us see what we can do to help?"

Fell Wind bit her lip and looked away from Rouge. For a long time she didn't say anything, her silence making the fillies uneasy. Corona nudged Trixie and nodded towards Fell Wind when she had her attention.

Taking the hint, Trixie stepped up next to Rouge and addressed the quiet pegasus. She didn't know anything about Red Storm other than that he was Fell Wind's brother, but she still had to try and convince Fell Wind that everything was okay, even if Trixie herself didn't know if it was true.

"Fell Wind, I think your brother got out just fine," Trixie began, trying to sound confident, "you told me yourself that you were both part of some super amazing team that was better than the Royal Guards."

Fell Wind's ears perked up and she turned to Trixie with a look of surprise, which quickly shifted to one of wary suspicion.

"When did I tell you that?" she demanded, "I never told anypony about... my life outside Equestria."

"It was when we were trying to escape," Trixie replied, thinking quickly, "you didn't really tell me much about it, but my point is, if Red Storm is as strong as you, then I don't think he'd have any problems escaping."

Fell Wind went quiet once more, and after another long moment, she let out a sigh of resignation.

"...Put me, down already, would ya?" she finally muttered, the fight leaving her voice entirely, "I'm not gonna try anything."

Yojimbo looked from Fell Wind, to Rouge who nodded once. He gave the pegasus one last wary look before carefully setting her down. True to her word, Fell Wind made no sudden movements, only wiping her eyes and turning around to fully face the others. She gave them all a calculating look before settling her gaze on Trixie.

"Kid, I don't know how you got me out of that facility," she narrowed her eyes, "and you better believe I got questions... lots of questions... but before that... thanks. If it hadn't been for you... I might've died in that place," she shivered involuntarily, "...or worse."

"Oh ah, well... I uh..."

Trixie smiled uneasily, the guilt at Fell Wind's misplaced gratitude slamming into her like a hoof to the face. She didn't have time to dwell on it however, as Fell Wind continued on.

"I ain't finished yet," Fell Wind interjected, cutting off Trixie's stammered reply, "it's not that I'm worried about whether or not Red Storm is alive -- I have no doubt he's still kicking."

The others looked at each other in confusion, but turned their attention back to Fell Wind as she spoke again.

"If he did manage to get out of that facility, it's gonna be everypony else that suffers the consequences."

A Mare from the Land Beyond

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The three fillies, the feline, and the husky once again gathered in the sitting room.

Fell Wind sat on the chair opposite the others, her wings twitching in agitation every so often as she cast anxious glances to the busted doorway. Fia and Corona gave each other worried looks, but Trixie wasn't paying the slightest amount of attention.

As they waited for Fell Wind to explain, the azure filly was desperately trying to come up with a plausible story as to why she was able to do what she did, why so much time had passed between then and now without her aging, and how she was able to get Fell Wind out of that facility when she herself didn't even know where the thing was exactly.

Trixie was snapped out of her thoughts as Fell Wind finally spoke.

"Okay, so Red Storm and I aren't exactly from Equestria," she paused and furrowed her brow, "well, technically we are from Equestria, but the land we grew up in may as well have been on a completely different continent."

"Are you... from the Badlands?" Fia asked, her curiosity getting the better of her, "I thought that place wasn't inhabitable by normal ponies."

Fell Wind chuckled and shook her head.

"No, I ain't from the Badlands, kid," she gave the black filly a wry smirk, "I'm from a much tougher place than that."

The group gave collective looks of bemusement, Yojimbo furrowing his brows in thought as he repeated Fell Wind's words under his breath. After a second his eyes widened and he turned back to Fell Wind in disbelief.

"No barkin' way..." he breathed in awe, "are you telling me you and this brother of yours are from the Equestrian Outlands?"

"Is that what ponies call it here?" Fell Wind asked with a raised eyebrow, "well, if by 'Equestrian Outlands' you mean the 'land beyond the Celestial Barrier', then yeah, ya got it in one, pooch."

The various looks of confusion only grew at the revelation and Fia turned to Yojimbo for an explanation. Yojimbo was about to oblige when another, raspier voice spoke up from the doorway.

"The Equestrian Outlands," came the voice as a familiar beige unicorn stallion stepped into the room, "the 'land beyond the Celestial Barrier', is a place known only to a select few, and for good reason."

Everyone in the room turned to the old stallion who had just arrived with a mix of different expressions ranging from joy to relief to confusion to worry and trepidation.

"UNCLE SCROLL!"

The three fillies rushed over to Ancient Scroll and nearly bowled the stallion over with their collective hugs. Ancient Scroll himself returned the hugs without taking his narrowed eyes off the dark green pegasus.

"It's great to see you again, girls," Ancient Scroll said, momentarily lowering his gaze to give the fillies a warm smile. He frowned when he finally took notice of Trixie's coat, "Trixie? What happened to your--"

"we'll explain later," Corona interjected before looking over to Fell Wind nervously, "right now there's some... more important things going on."

Ancient Scroll's frown deepened and he turned back to Fell Wind with a wary expression.

"I suppose that's true," he muttered before speaking in a normal tone, "now, then, would any of you mind filling me in on why the sitting room door is smashed against the wall and Miss Evergreen is here talking about those blasted wastes?"

"Miss Evergreen?" Fell Wind replied in confusion before turning to the others, "did this old coot just call me Miss Evergreen? Who the--"

"Oh, don't mind him, dear," Rouge replied quickly, "you... just look like a mare he had known awhile back," she turned and gave Ancient Scroll a significant look, "I know the similarities are uncanny, but I assure you, she is not the same mare, Ancient Scroll. This is Fell Wind, and she has... a severe case of retrograde amnesia."

Ancient Scroll eyed Rouge for a moment, taking in the information before giving a slow nod.

"I... see," he turned back to Fell Wind with an apologetic smile, "please forgive me, Fell Wind, I tend to get a bit confused in my old age," he then frowned, "tell me, Miss Wind--"

"Ugh, just call me Fell Wind, please," the pegasus mare interjected as she scrunched her face up in distaste, "Miss Wind just sounds... blegh."

Ancient Scroll gave a slight smile.

"Fair enough, Fell Wind," he replied with a small chuckle, "my name is Ancient Scroll, and I'm the one taking care of these fillies."

As Ancient Scroll gave his name, the rest of the group realized none of them had actually introduced themselves to the mare. Rouge was the first to rectify the matter.

"It seems we never did tell you our names, did we?" she said, smiling sheepishly at Fell WInd, "my name is Rouge," she then gestured to each of the others in turn, "the big one is Yojimbo, these are Fia and Corona, and you already seem to know of little Beatrix Lulamoon."

Ancient Scroll raised an eyebrow at Trixie, who was very pointedly looking elsewhere, a slight sheen of nervous sweat showing on her forehead. The old stallion made a mental note to ask about what had happened between Trixie and the mare later. For the moment he looked back to Fell Wind with a polite smile.

"You'll have to excuse my bluntness, Fell Wind," he said with another apologetic smile, "but what exactly do you remember, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Well, before I woke up in that bed over there," Fell Wind replied, gesturing to the cot, "I was... in a pretty bad situation," she looked away for a moment before nodding towards Trixie, "but then the kid swooped in out of nowhere and saved me."

"Oh?" Ancient Scroll responded, giving Trixie a pointed look that the filly tried to ignore, "...is that so?"

"Yeah, she's something alright," Fell Wind answered with another nod, oblivious to the growing tension, "the last thing I remember is trying to open a door in a hallway, and then... nothing."

Ancient Scroll hummed to himself as he continued to stare at Trixie. It was clear to everyone present that his mind was working to unravel the mystery of what had happened. After a minute his eyes widened before narrowing in disapproval as he looked at the azure filly.

Trixie, seeing his reaction, merely whimpered and seemed to shrink in on herself.

"...I believe I may know what's wrong, Fell Wind, and I think I might be able to help," he finally replied, addressing Fell Wind while keeping his eyes on Trixie, "but before that, I'd like to know more about why you were talking about the Equestrian Outlands."

Fell Wind furrowed her brow and stole another glance outside of the room before letting out a resigned sigh and turning back to Ancient Scroll and the others.

"Fine, but I'm gonna make it quick," she conceded, "I need to find Stormy before he does something stupid -- oh, and sorry about the door by the way," she shrugged, "kinda freaked out and busted it down."

"It's quite alright," Ancient Scroll replied dismissively, "it'll be an easy fix, now about the wastes?"

"Right," Fell Wind said, nodding, "the land beyond the Celestial Barrier--"

"Wait!" Fia cried, looking between Ancient Scroll and Fell Wind in frustrated bemusement, "what is this 'Celestial Barrier' you keep mentioning?"

"I'll explain it later, little filly," Ancient Scroll replied distractedly, "now let's listen to what Fell WInd has to say, shall we?"

"Anyway," Fell Wind grumbled, annoyed at the interruption, "that place is a nightmare. Monsters and demons attacking constantly, really crappy living conditions, dreary and depressing creatures everywhere you look, and nothing but rocky desert as far as the eye can see."

"Did you... say monsters and... and demons?" Corona asked, eyes widening in horror, "like, actual demons?"

"Straight out of Tartarus," Fell Wind replied easily, "there's a reason that whole region is locked behind a Barrier," she shook her head and continued, "my brother and I were both Hunters in the town that we lived in."

"Hunters?" Fia asked with a slight tilt of her head, "what does that mean? What did you hunt?"

"We went out into the desert and hunted the more dangerous monsters and demons before they could attack our home," Fell Wind replied. Her expression turned dour as she spoke, "a mission we were on went south and I got myself in some real deep manure. My brother went through some things no creature should have to go through to save me..."

She went quiet for a moment, her expression distant and filled with heavy guilt. She came back to reality a second later.

"It... it messed him up bad," she said quietly, looking down at her hooves, "and it was after that, that I decided to leave those wastes with my brother. The journey was brutal, but we just barely managed to make it across the Barrier and into Equestria proper."

She looked up and gave them all a bitter smile.

"We thought we had reached the freaking promised land when we arrived," she chuckled lightly, "we were wounded, tired, hungry, and thirsty, but we made it into a nearby town where we were helped by some of the townsponies.

"Everything was looking good, and it looked like we could finally start a new life away from that desert," her smile fell and was replaced with a pained grimace, "but then my brother had an... episode."

"An... episode?" Ancient Scroll asked with a troubled frown, "what kind of episode?"

"The kind where a lot of good, innocent ponies die and we have to leave town."

The others sat in complete silence as they let Fell Wind's words sink in. Something about the mare's story pulled at Fia. She felt something niggling at the back of her mind as she thought about this Red Storm pony, and she couldn't help but feel a familiar fear slowly churning in her gut.

She couldn't quite place the feeling or why the whole situation made her think back to the night her parents died, but she tried to ignore it as Fell Wind continued her story.

"It wasn't that long after we fled that we ran into her," Fell Wind hissed, her eyes narrowing and her face contorting into a snarl.

"Her?" Trixie asked before her eyes widened, "wait, you're not talking about--"

"Moon Gazer," Fell Wind spat, "she showed up out of nowhere and promised us some kind of sanctuary. We had nowhere else to go, and she sounded sincere," she gave a derisive bark of laughter, "we were idiots... bucking desperate idiots."

"I think I know where this is going," Yojimbo muttered from his seat on the couch, "and I don't like it one bit."

"We followed the nag all the way to the region near Canterlot," Fell Wind shook her head as she remembered the trip, "I still don't know how she did it, but somehow she was able to keep Stormy's episodes under control."

"So he didn't... y'know..." Fia shifted uncomfortably, "he didn't... kill anymore ponies?"

"Not while we were travelling with Moon Gazer he didn't," Fell Wind replied before looking off to the side with a glare, "then, when we got close to Canterlot itself, she drugged us or something at some point and I woke up in some cell."

"And that's when she started doing terrible things to you and your brother," Trixie finished quietly, "I'm sorry, Fell Wind, I didn't know..."

"It ain't your fault," Fell Wind replied, breathing out a weary sigh, "it's hers, and if I ever see that nag again..." she smashed a hoof into the floor, leaving a sizable dent in the wood and causing the fillies to flinch, "...she's gonna wish she had killed me."

As she finished her story, the others all looked at each other, trying to figure out exactly what to say. Ultimately it was Ancient Scroll that spoke.

"It sounds like you and your brother have gone through quite the ordeal, Fell Wind," he said, before stepping back towards the entrance, "I'd like to talk more about this and how Trixie was able to help you escape captivity, but I believe it'd be best to do something about your condition first."

He turned and started to make his way out of the room before stopping and looking back to Fell Wind and Trixie both.

"If you'll follow me to the fillies' room, I'd like to examine you for a moment," he focused an intense gaze on Trixie who took a nervous step back, "and I believe I'll need this little filly's help."

With that, he motioned for the two to follow and trotted out of the room. Fell Wind looked from the retreating stallion to Trixie before giving a shrug and following after Ancient Scroll.

"Well whatever," she muttered, "as long as I can find Red Storm I don't care what I need to do, memory loss or not."

Trixie hesitated for a moment longer, looking back to the other two fillies for some kind of help. Fia stepped back and looked away, her ears flattening. She bit her lip in indecision before letting out a sigh and fixing the azure filly with a stern frown.

"I told you this was a bad idea, Trixie," she said before her features softened somewhat, "but I know you just wanted to help. I can't really do anything if Uncle Scroll decides to punish you... but I can at least be there."

"And it's not like I can really say anything," Corona added, moving next to Trixie with a wry smile, "I was kind of on board with the idea, so I should be there too I guess."

"I..." Trixie's eyes began to tear up, but she quickly wiped them away, "thanks, you two. I just... when I saw what happened to Fell Wind, I couldn't just do nothing," she hung her head, "but I just made everything worse."

"Maybe, maybe not."

The three fillies turned to look at Rouge, who was eyeing the broken doorway with a thoughtful expression. When she noticed them staring in bemusement, she smiled and nodded towards the entrance.

"Don't mind me, little ones," she responded, "I'm merely thinking aloud. You should go before Ancient Scroll gets any more upset than he already is."

Trixie swallowed before turning back to the doorway. She felt a hoof rest on her shoulder and looked back to see Corona giving her an encouraging nod. Trixie took a calming breath before nodding back and the three of them made their way out of the room.

Scared as she was, Trixie couldn't help but wonder just what Ancient Scroll was planning to do.

A Terrible Discovery

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Fia and Corona trotted into their room, with Trixie following reluctantly behind.

They immediately spotted Fell Wind lying in one of the cots, her eyes closed in apparent slumber. Ancient Scroll stood next to the pegasus mare with a deep frown -- his body hunched over and his horn glowing bright green.

Fia went to say something, but both Corona and Trixie stopped her short, neither wanting to disturb whatever process the old stallion had started.

So they all sat back and waited until Ancient Scroll finally noticed them. It took the better part of five minutes before the glow of his horn died down and he let out a heavy sigh.

They watched as he rubbed his temples, closed his eyes, and softly groaned wearily.

"Ah what a fine way to wake up," he muttered as he shook his head. He addressed Trixie as he continued to rub his temples, "I'm not one hundred percent sure what you've done to this mare, little filly, but whatever it was, it's done quite a number on her mind."

Fia and Corona glanced over to Trixie, who winced, flattened her ears and hung her head low. She looked up and at the dark green mare a moment later with a look of worry.

"Is... is she going to be okay?" she asked quietly, "Trixie didn't mean to hurt her, Trixie just... she... I just wanted to help her."

Ancient Scroll eyed the azure filly critically for a moment before giving another small sigh and looking back to Fell Wind. He stood their for a moment before falling to his haunches and speaking once more in a clinical sort of tone.

"As far as I can tell," he explained, "her limbic system, the region of the brain responsible for memory, has suffered some very... significant magical damage."

Trixie eyes widened in horror and she took a shaky step back.

"Did... d-did I... is she--"

"She'll live, filly," Ancient Scroll interjected, his face grim, "I've managed to fix the damage done, but..."

"But what?" Trixie asked desperately, "what happened to her? Trixie doesn't care if you punish her, she deserves it, but at least tell Trixie she's going to be okay!"

"Like I said, little filly," Ancient Scroll repeated, "she'll live, and there's no physical damage that'll impair her, but the damage done to her memory is extensive -- far more than I've seen in quite some time."

He looked from Fell Wind to Trixie with a somber, if thoughtful, look.

"I have no blasted idea what spell you used to pull this off, but I never want you to use it again, Trixie," he said, his expression settling into a disapproving glare, "all of Fell Wind's memories -- from the time she met you, to the time she woke up here, are completely gone."

They all stared at Ancient Scroll in shock before Corona and Fia slowly turned to a stunned Trixie.

"You... you mean... permanently?" Trixie nearly squeaked in horror, tears building in her eyes, "she's... s-she's never getting them back?"

"Whatever went wrong with your spell caused some sort of chain effect that triggered when she tried to recall the affected memory," Ancient Scroll explained, "the more she tried to remember, the more widespread the effect became."

He turned back to Fell Wind And tapped her forehead with a hoof as he spoke.

"Instead of recovering the memory, trying to recall it would only destroy it -- and I say that for a reason," he cast a side glance at the azure filly, "if I were to describe what I sensed when I probed her mind, it would be something akin to several blasted out holes in her memory."

Trixie fell to her haunches heavily as she stared at the old stallion, her eyes now streaming silent tears of regret and dismay at what she had done. Nevertheless, Ancient Scroll relentlessly continued his explanation despite the effect it was having on the filly.

"I mended what I could, and was able to stop the reaction," he said, trotting away from the mare and towards the fillies, "but she's permanently lost months, or possibly years of her past as a result of your spell, Trixie."

That was it.

Unable to take anymore, the filly in question gave a single choked sob before galloping out of the room. Fia and Corona called out and tried to go after Trixie, but Ancient Scroll cut them off.

"Don't," he commanded with a shake of his head before looking in the direction Trixie had gone, "she's aware of the dire consequences of her well intentioned actions, and its clear she regrets them... deeply."

He stood there a moment more before trotting back over to Fell Wind.

"I've no doubt what she's done is going to haunt her, and to me that would be punishment enough," he said before sitting back down next to the pegasus mare, "but all the same, I'm going to have to restrict her study of Mind Magic -- at least for the time being... although..."

He frowned contemplatively.

"I have no idea where or how she even learned such a spell," he muttered, "to have been able to insert herself directly into the memory should be far beyond a foal's capability -- even I don't know if I would've been able to pull it off, not without years of study anyway."

Fia and Corona shared a significant look that Ancient Scroll just happened to catch out of the corner of his eye. He turned to the remaining two fillies suspiciously.

"You two know something about what Trixie did," he stated more than asked, "I want details, fillies... now."

Fia swallowed nervously while Corona merely sighed in resignation.

Trixie galloped past the sitting room, ignoring Yojimbo's and Rouge's cries of alarm, and threw open the back door of the Vardo with her magic.

She continued to sob loudly as she fled from the caravan and galloped out into the night. The filly didn't know where she was going, but she needed to get away from Ancient Scroll, she needed to get away from her friends, she needed to get away from Fell Wind.

She needed to get away from her own terrible mistake.

The distraught filly sped past the long since snuffed out campfire and furtther into the thicket of trees, unaware of the calls of both Rouge and Yojimbo who were following after her.

She had been right all along. This kind of dangerous magic wasn't something anypony should have. She was an idiot to think she had the spell mastered just because the Mare of Dreams fed the knowledge directly into her mind.

Just because she knew how to use the spell didn't mean that she wouldn't make mistakes. She was a filly -- a gifted filly granted, but still far too young and inexperienced to be handling magic like this.

The Mare of Dreams had been crazy to let her have this kind of power, and now look where it had gotten her. She had caused somepony permanent brain damage just as she had feared she would ever since she started learning Mind Magic.

She had never told any of the others about this fear, and hardly thought about it herself, but it had been there. Now that fear had become reality and she couldn't take it back or make it better.

Now she had to live with what she had done to the mare, and she didn't think she could forgive herself for it. Her chest ached from the weight of what she had done and her lungs burned from galloping at full speed for so long, but she didn't stop.

At least, until she felt herself being lifted off the ground and wrapped in a pair of furry limbs.

"No! Let me go!" she cried as she thrashed about uselessly, "let me go! I can't go back! Not now! Not after..." she let herself go limp. She sniffled and spoke again in a hoarse voice, "not after what I did... I can't show my face to Fell Wind again."

She was suddenly pulled into a gentle embrace and, looking up in confusion, she found herself looking into the understanding and warmly smiling face of Rouge.

"I'm not sure what you've done, little one," Rouge said calmly as she continued to embrace the filly, "but running out into the forest alone at night is no way to act."

"B-But... but I--"

Rouge put a furry finger to Trixie's lips for a moment before gently setting the filly down on the ground.

"Whatever terrible thing you've done can't possibly be enough to warrant us losing you in this forest," the Abyssinian continued, "I'm sure Ancient Scroll and your sisters would be devastated if they found out you got lost... or worse."

"They're..." Trixie sniffed and hung her head, "they're not gonna want to be my sisters after this, a-and Uncle Scroll probably hates me too," she sat down and wiped her eyes, "I should've never listened to that stupid Dream Mare."

Rouge furrowed her brow in confusion before putting that thought aside for the moment. She may not have fully understood the gravity of the situation, but the filly was clearly hurting and needed help.

"I'm sure Twilight and Sunset have come to consider you family just as much as you have them," the feline assured, lowering herself down to Trixie's level and looking her in the eye, "you three may not have known each other for all that long, but you've all been through so much together."

"And I ruined that because I was stupid and reckless," Trixie replied with another sniff, "I just wanted to help and I messed things up and now Uncle Scroll is mad at me and Fell Wind is permanently brain damaged and--"

"Beating yourself up over it ain't gonna do you any good, pup," came a gruff voice from behind the two, "you gotta face your mistakes head on with your tail untucked and your head held high."

The filly and feline both turned to see Yojimbo leaning against a nearby tree. When he noticed he had their attention he shrugged.

"Well, that's what my pop would always tell me anyway," he continued, "good advice though, and it's advice I still follow to this day," he straightened up and walked over to the others as he spoke, "yeah you may have messed up something fierce, Trixie, but you gotta own up to that mistake and move on."

He lowered himself down on one knee and gave Trixie a toothy grin as he ruffled the filly's mane.

"As long as you learn from your mistake, you'll be a better person -- er, pony for it in the end," Yojimbo finished with a chuckle, "trust me, I know from experience."

"But I... what I did to Fell Wind--"

"is apparently so terrible that you had to run out here in the dark," Yojimbo finished, shaking his head, "I get it, you messed up bad, but you need to learn that problems can't be solved by running away, pup."

He jabbed her in the shoulder and smiled a moment before his expression turned serious.

"Now come on, Trixie," he said, rising back to his feet, "let's get back to the Vardo."

"But I--"

"No buts," Rouge admonished, rising to her feet as well, "we'll all go talk to Ancient Scroll together, and you're going to tell him exactly what's on your mind, little one. He and the other girls will understand, trust me."

Trixie was silent for a long moment, her head hung low and her ears flat against her skull as she thought about their words. Eventually she looked back at them with a resigned, if still somewhat nervous, nod.

"Great!" Yojimbo exclaimed, scooping up the filly and starting back the way they came, "now let's get out of here already, this forest gives me the creeps this late at night."

Rouge chuckled and shook her head before following after the old husky.

A Truth Uncovered

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Ancient Scroll eyed the book Fia had brought to his attention with a heavy frown. After a moment he sighed and pinched his nose as he floated the book over to the nearby desk.

"Oh, Trixie," he muttered to himself as he shook his head, "if you'd just asked, I would've been happy to teach you all about changeling Mind Magic."

"Really?" Corona asked, her eyes slightly widening in surprise, "isn't that kind of magic like, y'know, more dangerous than pony magic?"

"Not necessarily more dangerous," Ancient Scroll replied with another shake of his head, "just different is all. Though emotions do have a part to play in the casting of pony magic, we've never actually found a way to harness magic to specifically control emotions like the changelings have—at least not until I wrote that book."

He turned back to a still slumbering Fell Wind with a grimace before addressing Fia and Corona once more.

"It's their unique biology that allows them to use Pathokinesis—or Emotion Magic—so effectively," he continued, "unlike general Mind Magic, which changes emotion indirectly by directly altering the mind in drastic ways, Emotion Magic can twist and manipulate emotions in a much more direct and visceral manner without permanently affecting or harming the mind."

"Wait," Fia replied with a frown, "so Trixie—"

"Didn't get that spell from this book, no," Ancient Scroll finished, "in all honesty, things probably would've turned out better if she had used a spell from that book," he sighed, "but no, I don't know how Trixie learned this 'Mind Walking' spell."

"And that's not all," Corona added, "she mentioned something about a second spell too."

"A second spell?" Ancient Scroll asked, "what second spell?"

"We don't know," Fia replied with a shake of her head, "we didn't get a chance to find out, but..." she glanced towards Corona, "I think Sunset might have an idea as to how she learned the spell."

Ancient Scroll raised an eyebrow and turned to the filly in question. Corona winced and rubbed the back of her neck.

"Well, maybe not how she learned the spell so much as who she learned it from," she corrected, "it's gonna sound weird, but... you see, Trixie—"

Just at that moment the door opened and Rouge and Yojimbo stepped in, followed by a hesitant Trixie.

"Brought our little wayward pony home for ya," the husky exclaimed, leaning down to ruffle Trixie's mane before pushing her towards the others, "she's got some things she wants to say."

Trixie stumbled forward and looked back to the cat and dog with a pleading expression. Yojimbo merely stood back up and winked at the filly before walking over to and leaning against one of the walls, his arms crossed as he waited expectantly. Rouge gave Trixie one last encouraging nod before taking her place on one of the other cots in the room.

The azure filly sighed in resignation before turning back to Ancient Scroll and the other two fillies. Ancient Scroll furrowed his brow and waited for the filly to speak, the other two fillies doing the same, but with much more nervous expressions.

"Trixie... I... I'm sorry," Trixie began, her ears flattening, "I didn't mean for all this to happen, I just wanted to help make sure Fell Wind didn't capture Twilight," she cast a glance at the sleeping mare before continuing, "nopony had any ideas, so I suggested one, a-and I thought it was a good idea, at the time anyway."

"It most likely would've been, had you the experience required for such an endeavor," Ancient Scroll pointed out, giving the azure filly a level look, "instead you were reckless and took it upon yourself to do something that was far beyond your current level."

Trixie hung her head and said nothing in her defense. Ancient Scroll's expression softened for a split second before going back to that of a stern mentor. He decided to move on with his own line of questioning.

"What I want to know," he continued, "is how on Equus you were able to cast such a spell in the first place. Not even I could do such a thing without having studied for years," he shook his head and glanced at Corona before looking back to Trixie, "Corona thinks somepony might've taught you how—"

Trixie's breath hitched in her throat and she turned a look of betrayal in Corona's direction, causing the maroon filly to wince and look away. After a second Corona frowned and turned back to Trixie, her expression telling Trixie she had thought it was the right thing to do.

Ancient Scroll raised an eyebrow at the exchange, but decided not to comment, instead continuing from where he left off.

"...But that only raises more questions," the old stallion said slowly, "how would you have gained another teacher when you've been with me and everypony here the whole time?"

Trixie looked away and bit her lip nervously, her tail twitching in agitation as she thought on what to say. Eventually she gave another heavy sigh of resignation. She figured it would be best to just tell Ancient Scroll and let him sort it out.

After all, it had been because she listened to that Mare that she had gotten ahold of this magic to begin with.

"...A few days ago, just before we got to the Sour Apple," Trixie began morosely, "Trixie... heard a voice in her head."

She paused to see if Ancient Scroll would say anything, and when he didn't, she continued.

"Trixie... can't remember what the voice said, but... the night before, Fell Wind attacked us, Trixie had a dream."

"A dream?" Ancient Scroll repeated, furrowing his brow in bemusement, "what kind of dream?"

"Well..." Trixie shifted uncomfortably for a moment before replying, "in the dream, I was visited by this... strange mare," she frowned thoughtfully, "she was really tall, and powerful, and pretty, and dark, and had all these stars in her mane and tail, and she had a really long and super sharp horn and these huge wings!"

"Trixie," Ancient Scroll pressed, setting aside those very troubling details for the moment, "please continue if you would."

"Right, s-sorry," Trixie replied with a slight blush, "well anyway, she called herself the Mare of Dreams, and she was the one who taught Trixie how to use the Mind Walking spell."

"That... doesn't make any sense," Ancient Scroll muttered more to himself as he thought, "how did this Dream Mare manage to..." his eyes suddenly widened in realization, "of course! If this mare had direct access to your mind, it wouldn't be a stretch to assume that she imprinted the spell within your memory!"

"So that's how she was able to pull it off," Fia muttered with a slight frown, "I never thought about something like that..."

"And what about that other spell?" Corona asked, "I'm guessing you learned it the same way?"

"The Memory Weaving spell," Trixie replied with a single nod, "that spell was... a bit more difficult to understand," her tone turned tentative, "but yes, the Mare basically gave me these spells."

"But why?" Fia asked, frowning in bemusement, "why would this mare just give you spells? Why you? Why now?"

"I..." Trixie hesitated for a moment as she looked past the disguise and to Twilight Sparkle. Her mind went back to what the Mare of Dreams had said about the lavender filly, "...I don't know. She didn't tell me," she finally replied, "I think she has some kind of plan, but she didn't tell me what it was."

That, at least, was partly true.

"Well, in any case," Ancient Scroll replied after a moment, "I don't believe any good will come of these plans of hers, and using you to further whatever goals she may have does not bode well. From what little I was able to gather, that Mind Walking spell is dangerous and in no way should've been given to you to handle."

"I know," Trixie replied, looking back over to Fell Wind with a guilty expression, "I wish I hadn't learned it, but it's too late now."

"That it is," Ancient Scroll replied with a contemplative frown, "if the spell has been imprinted in your memory, then there isn't anything I can do right now."

"You can't just, I don't know, erase it from her memory or something?" Corona asked with a bemused tilt of her head, "it doesn't seem like it'd be that hard."

"On the contrary, little filly," Ancient Scroll replied with a slow shake of his head, "I imagine this spell is extremely complex in it's design, and to imprint a spell of that magnitude no doubt took a large amount of power and finesse—something I don't possess at the moment."

"What? But you... oh, right," Corona responded, remembering what the old stallion had gone through just yesterday, "I almost forgot about that."

"Right," Ancient Scroll said, "and even if I did have the power to remove the imprint, I don't know how the spell works, and trying to remove a spell I don't understand would be a very unwise decision."

"So... what, you'd have to study the spell first?" Fia asked with a worried frown, "but... I checked all the spellbooks here, and none of them mention that spell at all."

"I know, little filly," Ancient Scroll replied with a sigh, "I've never encountered this spell before, and I don't even know if a record of it exists. The soonest I'll be able to find out is when we get to Canterlot."

At that, the room fell into a heavy silence—every one the room wrapped in their own thoughts on the matter. Eventually Rouge stood up from the cot she had been sitting on and brushed off the front of her dark violet dress.

"Well, since no one has anything else to say for the moment, I think it's about time we all got something to eat," she suggested, "I'm sure Trixie and Ancient Scroll are starving after not having eaten for so long."

The two in question looked at each other before looking back to the Abyssinian.

"I... suppose you're right," Ancient Scroll slowly replied, a small smile spreading across his muzzle, "I am a bit peckish," he glanced at Trixie one more time before focusing his gaze once more on Rouge with a nod, "alright, we'll discuss the rest later," he turned to the three fillies before him, "for now, let's all get something in our stomachs, shall we?"

Fia and Corona nodded eagerly and Rouge chuckled before heading towards the door. She stopped next to Yojimbo, who had been oddly silent during the entire exchange.

"Are you okay?" Rouge asked the quiet husky, "you've been rather subdued all things considered."

"Nah, I'm fine," Yojimbo replied with a dismissive wave of his paw, "just not good in conversations like these, so I figured I'd let them talk it out," he pushed himself off the wall he had been leaning against and flashed the feline a toothy grin, "dinner sounds great though—especially if it's bein' made by you."

Rouge rolled her eyes and gave the husky a flat stare. Yojimbo just chuckled deeply and raised his paws in defense before walking out of the room after Ancient Scroll, Fia, and Corona.

"That mongrel, I swear," Rouge muttered under her breath before starting to follow after the others, "still, it's nice to feel appreciated I suppose."

"Um... Rouge?"

The Abyssinian stopped in her tracks and turned towards the small voice behind her. Trixie stood a little ways away, looking lost and a little afraid. Rouge frowned and made her way over to the filly before leaning down to her eye level.

"What is it, little one?" she asked softly, "something is still bothering you, isn't it?"

Trixie nodded before looking into Rouge's eyes.

"I... what if... what if there comes a time when I have to use this magic again?" she asked, "if I did it to save a friend... do you think they'd forgive me?"

Rouge opened her mouth to response and stopped. She furrowed her brows contemplatively and spoke again in a careful, but warm tone.

"That depends, Trixie," she replied with a motherly smile, "if it truly would be to save a friend, and if there's no other way... then if they truly did care about you as much as I know they do, I'm certain they'd forgive you."

"You think so?" Trixie asked hopefully, "you think they'll know that I tried my best, a-and that I only did it to protect them?"

"I do," Rouge replied simply before rising to her feet, "now come on, let's get out there before Yojimbo and the others get impatient," she turned to leave and stopped, looking back to Trixie over her shoulder with a smirk, "perhaps you can show them all what you've learned in the kitchen."

Trixie smiled after a moment and gave a haughty huff and a single nod.

"Trixie will show them that her culinary skills are not to be underestimated!"

With a small chuckle, Rouge walked out of the room, Trixie following close behind her. The door closed behind them, cutting off their chatter and bathing the room in relative silence. Fell Wind frowned contemplatively as she lay in her cot, staring at the ceiling.

The mare had a quite a lot to think about.

A Lost Mare's Decision

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When it came time for bed, the fillies weren't quite sure what to do.

Trixie was fine with staying in their room with Fell Wind, but both Fia and Corona weren't so keen on the idea. Yojimbo and Rouge were also against it, so Ancient Scroll decided to have them all stay in the sitting room for the night.

Ancient Scroll had already fixed the door, and, not tired in the slightest, offered to keep an eye on Fell Wind. In the end, everyone present was unsure of what to make of the pegasus mare and her situation.

As it got later in the evening and the rest of the group had long since gone to sleep, Ancient Scroll himself sat at the desk in the fillies' room, his troubled gaze pointed in the direction of a book he had stopped trying to read awhile ago.

Rather, he was trying to figure out how to approach the events that had recently passed, and the events that were still to come, whatever they may have been. Memory or no, the mare was still dangerous, and keeping her around might've only caused trouble.

Not to mention she was from the Outlands.

Out of the many places Ancient Scroll had been in his long life, he had never once been beyond the Celestial Barrier. Like with Runic and Summoning Magic, he had learned of the Barrier by sheer coincidence. What he had heard about the lands beyond was enough to forestall any journey he may have wanted to make.

At one point he had told Yojimbo about his discovery, and the husky had actually attempted to venture past the Barrier in a foolish bout of curiosity. It had been pure luck that he had come back from that nightmarish place soon after with only a broken arm, a few lacerations, and one working eye.

Though it had been Yojimbo's fault for going despite Ancient Scroll's many warnings, the old stallion still hadn't forgiven himself for telling the rash husky about it in the first place.

He had known the Equestrian Outlands were fairly unknown outside of the small community of ponies living near the area, and after Yojimbo had come back, he and Yojimbo had decided to keep the stallion's discovery a secret.

And now, not only had an Outlander managed to make it into Equestria proper, but they had taken her in and now she was resting in their caravan.

What's worse, there may have been another, more unstable Outlander trotting around out there, and if these two managed to make it out of that No Pony's Land, then it was possible there may have been others that had made it as well that they may have needed to watch out for.

Ancient Scroll gave a weary sigh and closed his book before rubbing his temples in frustration.

"Rough night, huh?"

If Ancient Scroll was a lesser stallion he would've jumped at the sudden voice, but as it was, he had actually been expecting it somewhat. The spell he had cast earlier had only been a minor Sleep Inducement spell that wore off after a certain amount of time after all. With a wry chuckle he responded to the voice.

"You have no idea," he replied without turning around, "I've only just woken up from a very stressful event, and I'm already getting a headache."

"Oh, I have an idea alright," the voice said with a snort, "in fact, I think I know it a lot more about it than you do, old timer."

"...I suppose you would," Ancient Scroll replied with a slow nod before turning to face the mare who had spoken, "and how are we feeling this evening, Fell Wind?"

"Well apparently I'm missing a huge chunk of my memory that I'm not getting back thanks to that filly, I've probably long since lost track of my very dangerous and very unstable brother, and I don't have a clue where I am... so, y'know... not too bad."

She dropped her sarcastic smirk and replaced it with a dark frown.

"How do you think I'm feeling, gramps?"

"Confused and frustrated I'd imagine," Ancient Scroll replied without missing a beat, "only natural given what you've been through."

Fell Wind snorted again and flopped back down on the cot, her thoughtful gaze shifting to the ceiling above.

"...I don't know whether to strangle that filly or hug her," the mare said quietly after a long moment, "I don't really know what happened between the facility and waking up here, and even if I were to find out, it wouldn't mean a bucking thing because I still wouldn't remember."

She sat back up and eyed Ancient Scroll seriously.

"From my point of view though, that filly saved me from that nightmare," she shook her head helplessly, "I overheard you all talking, and I know it wasn't really her that busted me out... but the memory of her saving me from what might've been certain death is still there, and it still feels so real."

She slowly lowered her gaze to her hooves as she spoke, her mind going back to that memory.

"It's like... I know it's a false memory, but I still don't feel like it is," she scrunched up her face in frustration, "I just... can't shake the gratitude I feel towards the filly, and I've tried, believe me."

Ancient Scroll leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and hummed thoughtfully.

"Well," he finally replied, "it's like you said, you don't have any memories beyond that of Trixie saving you from your no doubt terrible fate. To you, that only happened a few hours ago... and now you're here."

He furrowed his brow as he returned his gaze to Fell Wind.

"I think it's more that you know you should be angry, but you just can't fully bring yourself to be mad over events you don't even remember," the old stallion surmised, "that, coupled with the immediate and visceral memory of your 'rescue' at the hooves of the filly is leaving you with conflicting emotions."

"What, are you a therapist all of a sudden?" Fell Wind snarked, "seriously?"

"I may have dabbled a bit in psychology back in my younger days," Ancient Scroll replied with a small smirk. It didn't last long and his expression soon turned solemn once more, "but setting that aside, you need to think about what you want to do now that you know the truth, and how you really feel about the situation... and about Trixie herself."

Fell Wind remained silent as she tried to take in the stallion's words. After a minute she slowly lowered her head back onto the pillow and closed her eyes. For a long time, the pegasus mare just laid there in a contemplative silence—Ancient Scroll content to wait at the desk.

"Buck it."

The mare opened her eyes and sat up in the cot before turning to Ancient Scroll once more.

"There's no use worrying about what I can't—and won't—remember," Fell Wind said with a shake of her head, "whatever happens, or whatever I end up finding out about myself or what I did, I'll just deal with it when the time comes."

"And Trixie?" Ancient Scroll asked with a raised eyebrow, "what do you plan to do about her?"

"I..." Fell Wind paused and let out a heavy sigh, "I don't know what or even why she did what she did—sure as buck ain't happy about it—but... whatever it was, it sounded like she was real broken up about it."

"That she was," Ancient Scroll replied with a knowing nod, "still is, in fact. I don't think she'll ever forgive herself for what she did to you."

"I don't know if I can forgive her either," Fell Wind agreed with a nod of her own, "but I've decided I'm not going to get mad about it. Somehow I get the feeling she wouldn't have done that unless she felt she had to."

"Oh?" Ancient Scroll replied with another raise of his brow, "and what makes you say that?"

"I dunno," Fell Wind replied with a shrug, "when I saw her in that facility, I could tell she genuinely wanted to help me. She's an earnest kid, old timer, and I just can't stay mad at her for seeing what I was going through and wanting to help me escape that. She's a foal, and foals make mistakes."

"This was a rather severe... mistake, you realize," Ancient Scroll responded, his eyebrow still raised questioningly, "most ponies wouldn't be able to just shrug off what that filly did like that."

"Yeah well... I'm not most ponies," the mare retorted with another shrug. She then frowned and looked away, "compared to what my older brother and I went through in that facility, a little memory loss is nothing. I'll just make new memories."

Ancient Scroll eyed the mare critically for a few moments before speaking again, his tone suddenly wary.

"And what are you going to do now?"

"I don't know that either," Fell Wind answered, rubbing the back of her neck, "I need to find my brother, but I don't know how long it's been since I've seen him, and I have no idea where to even begin searching."

"Why not head to Canterlot?"

Fell Wind stiffened for a second, and, realizing his mistake, Ancient Scroll went to apologize. Before he could however, the mare visibly relaxed, though her wings twitched slightly in agitation.

"Why Canterlot?" she asked, her gaze steely and her tone guarded, "what would I find there?"

Ancient Scroll internally debated continuing this line of conversation, and ultimately decided to do so, figuring it would be worth it if it helped her find her brother.

"I'm not sure if you ever got a look at the actual city—"

"I didn't," Fell Wind interjected curtly, "I was drugged and unconscious the whole time I was there."

"Fair enough," Ancient Scroll replied, raising his hooves placatingly, "but like I was saying, Canterlot is the capital city of Equestria. Not only is it where the Princess of Equestria resides in her castle, but it's also a central hub for all sorts of knowledge and information."

"And if I just so happen to run into that mare again, while I'm looking for my brother," Fell Wind finished with a dangerous smile—her slightly twitching wings giving off a faint chirping sound and barely visible electric current, "we can both get... reacquainted."

Ancient Scroll grimaced at the display, but didn't say anything. If the mare wanted to try and get revenge for what she'd been through, it wasn't any of his concern.

"Wait," Fell Wind muttered suddenly, cutting off the current running through her wings, "how do I get to Canterlot?"

"Much further east of here past the forest," Ancient Scroll replied, "once you get to Ponyville, you should be able to spot Mount Canterhorn to the north. We're actually headed their ourselves on an... errand of our own."

"Great! I'll just stick with you guys then!"

Ancient Scroll blinked.

"Ah... now I'm not so sure that's a good id—"

"Oh come on," Fell Wind pleaded, leaning forward in the cot, "just until we get to Canterlot, then I'll be out of your mane, promise!"

Her wide eyed, pleading look faded somewhat.

"And besides... I don't really have anywhere else to go. I don't know the first thing about Equestria. Stormy and I only followed after that mare, and we didn't really pay any attention to the landmarks," she gave a melancholy shrug and looked away, "I might've known more before my memory was wiped... but..."

She trailed off meaningfully and Ancient Scroll sighed in defeat before rubbing his temples once more.

"Alright... alright, you can come with us until we reach Canterlot," he conceded, "just... don't cause us any trouble, okay?"

"You got it!" Fell Wind replied, perking up, "you won't even know I'm here. I'm a pretty chill mare once you get to know me, y'know?"

Ancient Scroll gave the dark green pegasus a flat look.

"This coming from the mare who, only two days ago, threw herself into a thunderhead and tried to kill me with a suicidal lightning attack?"

It was Fell Wind's turn to blink.

"...I did what?!"

Ancient Scroll chuckled at Fell Wind's reaction and shook his head. His smile faded and he gave Fell Wind a level look, causing the mare to tilt her head in confusion.

"You and I had a bit of an... altercation before you woke up," he explained, "I think it'd be best to fill you in on what little we do know about you now, rather than you finding out when it's less convenient for you... and us."

Fell Wind raised an eyebrow, but nodded all the same.

"Alright, whatever you say, old timer."

A Noble Cause

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Trotting through the streets of Canterlot's shopping district always made Moon Gazer irritable—the presence of so many ponies in one place grating on her nerves without fail. Even this early in the morning, countless ponies milled about here and there, window shopping, making pointless conversation, and just generally contributing nothing to ponykind.

At least, nothing that would matter in the long run.

That was Moon Gazer's problem with other ponies, and really, all sapient creatures in general. Few, if any, thought about how their actions, beliefs, and ideas would affect the future. They were all stuck in the present, content to blindly worship their Sun Goddess even as the world gradually fell to Disharmony around them.

Moon Gazer had traveled all across Equestria and beyond in her youth, and had seen the signs of Harmony's waning influence first hoof, but these ponies... they didn't even notice, trapped in their bubble of contentment as they were.

Moon Gazer despised contentment, it was one of the biggest killers of progress, and Moon Gazer wouldn't and couldn't abide that.

And who's fault was it that they remained blissfully ignorant and unaware of the coming storm? Who was it that kept them sheltered and stagnant, never to evolve beyond their current existence and tap into their true potential as a superior race?

It was all thanks to the very Princess they adored.

It was because of Celestia that Moon Gazer had to work in the shadows, hidden deep in the caverns below Mount Canterhorn. Oh, she had tried to convince the Princess to fund her projects in the past. She had prepared documents of her findings, charts, graphs, lectures, demonstrations...

And she refused to hear a word of it.

Not only did she deny the one thing that could possibly save the equine race from their eventual fate at the claws of Disharmony, she had demanded she cease her research on pain of death.

Well, that settled it.

By that point, Moon Gazer had already gone too far, sunk too much time, effort, and bits into her projects to stop now, so she didn't. Instead she continued in secrecy—finding a small cave that had led deep into the mountain by sheer luck.

Not only was the massive cavern empty, isolated, and big enough to fit a small town in, it was also practically overflowing with ambient mana. It was almost as if some higher power had wanted the mare to continue her research unhindered, and she would've believed it was so, had the very notion not been so utterly ridiculous.

What started out as a passion project quickly became an obsession, and—making use of her affinity for Dark Magic and her not insignificant knowledge of Mind Magic—she procured the means to begin building her own hidden research facility.

Then came the test subjects.

It took several years of hard work, manipulation, and subterfuge, but Moon Gazer had acquired both the equipment and a number of ponies—very few willing—to use to further her studies and gain insight into what she had called a pony's 'evolutionary trigger'.

Once she had that, the equine race wouldn't need to worry about the plague of Disharmony that was slowly but surely encroaching upon the land of Equestria. As the number of test subjects grew, Moon Gazer realized she alone would not be enough, and required an assistant, but didn't trust anypony to get the job done without screwing things up or exposing her work to the public and, most importantly, the Princess.

So rather than choose one, she decided to create one instead. Thankfully, she had quite a large host of male subjects to choose from by that point, so insemination was far from an issue.

A year later, Moon Dancer was born and, with some tricky, but ultimately successful long term Mind Magic, she had a loving father. For the first six years or so, Moon Gazer allowed the foal to live a normal life in Canterlot, visiting every so often in order to remain a constant in Moon Dancer's life.

She was particularly pleased to see that the filly took to science as well as Moon Gazer herself had at that age—possibly even more so. The time eventually came to mold Moon Dancer into the perfect assistant, and she did so with splendid results.

Things had gone well for Moon Gazer over the next few months. She had made significant progress in her research regarding the evolutionary trigger, and had come close to creating a solution that would increase the rate at which a pony evolved exponentially.

But then she came.

A mare unlike any she had ever seen, had somehow single-hoofedly broken into her facility and stolen two of her most valuable subjects. She tried to take more, but Moon Gazer had managed to put a stop to anything else she would've done.

She had also destroyed some of the more important research documents and equipment, setting Moon Gazer back by a large amount. She had been furious, but beneath the fury, there was intrigue.

The mare clearly wasn't a pony—or at least, not a normal one—and if she ever got a chance to see her again, she'd have a very interesting subject to work on. On top of that, Moon Gazer had decided that the escape of her subjects wasn't an entirely bad thing.

She had, after all, taken precautions in case of such an event, and could find out where they were at any time. Rather than immediately go after them however, she chose to gather more data via a Mind Splicing spell she had created.

It had actually been another stroke of luck that the subjects had escaped when they did, as they were the first two she had tested the spell on just before that bat-like mare had broken in.

She had been able to plant a little piece of her own consciousness into their minds, which—while not perfect by any means—allowed her to observe the two and what they witnessed from within at her leisure.

Or at least, that had been true until just last night.

While she could still feel part of her consciousness inside of one of her subjects, she could no longer feel it in the other, and she had caught a glimpse of why. It turned out her spell had been completely undone by a mere filly.

She didn't understand how or why, but she needed to find this filly. Such power over Mind Magic in a foal was unprecedented, even in the foals she had collected back at the facility.

As she thought about the filly and what she could contribute, a small smile crept upon her muzzle, her irritation at the ponies around her slowly ebbing away and being replaced by anticipation.

She was certain that if she could find this filly, she'd also most likely find her wayward subject as well. Even if she didn't there were many ways to track her down, she'd just have to be patient.

As she made it past the shopping district and into the middle class section of the residential district, she couldn't help but chuckle to herself. She had never considered herself a lucky mare—seeing the many setbacks in her plan as rather ill luck.

Looking back on both past and recent events however, had caused her to reconsider. She had found the perfect place for her research and still had yet to be discovered even after all these years and she had gained the perfect assistant without any problems.

Even when that bat pony had raided her facility, taken two of her subjects, and destroyed important parts of her research, there had been a silver lining. She now knew of a possible new variant of pony with extraordinary ice based magic, her Mind Splicing spell had been a successful... for the most part, and even when that failed, she had discovered another extraordinary pony in the process.

On top of all of that, one of her missing subjects had finally returned to Canterlot, though it seemed it had caused a bit of a disturbance in town. That was fine though, after all, Moon Gazer wouldn't let something like the mistakes of her test subjects get in the way of scientific progress.

She'd bring Subject C-38 back into her care soon enough, along with two new subjects once she figured out where they were. As of now though, she had to focus on retrieving Subject C-37, and she had to do it quickly before it caused any more trouble in town.

After all, she hadn't finished fine tuning C-37 just yet.

A Hoofful of Worries

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Fia, Corona, and Trixie—who had decided to forgo her disguise, each stood in the doorway of their room.

The plates of pancakes each held in their magic auras had all but been forgotten as they stared at the snoring green pegasus splayed out haphazardly in the cot she had been occupying since last night.

After about a minute of silent stares, it was Fia that spoke first.

"Well," she muttered, not taking her eyes off the mare, "her snoring isn't nearly as loud as the two of you, at least."

Neither Trixie nor Corona responded, the two of them too baffled to reply. It was at that moment that the door to the sitting room opened across the hall and Ancient Scroll stepped out.

He went to make his way to the kitchen, but stopped and backed up a step once he saw the fillies standing in their doorway.

"Morning, fillies," he called out, trotting over to where they stood, an amused smile creeping across his muzzle, "bit surprised to see Miss Fell Wind looking so vulnerable I take it?"

"Hey, Uncle Scroll?" Corona asked, turning a quizzical frown towards the old stallion, "why is she still... y'know... here?"

"What do you mean, little filly," Ancient Scroll asked with an innocently confused frown of his own, "she was tired after her ordeal, so I let her sleep in the cot."

"Well, I mean... okay," Corona replied, furrowing her brow and looking back to Fell Wind, who rolled over onto her side and redoubled her snoring, "...but when is she going to leave? Doesn't she have anywhere else to go?"

"Yeah," Fia added as she and Corona trotted over to the table and set their plates down, "didn't she have a brother to find?"

Fia paused as she went to sit down, her own words ringing in her ears. She flattened her ears and looked back to the sleeping mare, her expression both sad and understanding.

"Indeed she does, little filly," Ancient Scroll replied with a nod, "and it seems we're going to be helping her accomplish that goal for the time being."

"What?" Corona asked in confusion, "Uncle Scroll, what are you... wait," her brows furrowed and she looked back at Fell Wind who mumbled something incoherent and threw a pillow over her head, "are you... are you telling me she's coming with us?"

"That's the long and short of it, yes," Ancient Scroll replied with a nod, "she's headed for Canterlot, the same as us. She asked us to give her a ride, and I couldn't really say no, now could I?"

"But... Uncle Scroll..." Fia asked, glancing over at Trixie, who was still standing by the doorway silently eyeing Fell Wind with an expression the black filly couldn't quite place.

The distracted filly let Fia take her plate from out of her magic and placed it on the table with the other plates before looking back to Ancient Scroll, "...is that really a good idea?"

Ancient Scroll didn't miss the apprehensive tone in Fia's voice, nor did he miss the significant glance towards Trixie. He cast his own worried glance at the azure filly before sighing and looking to Fia once more.

"I know you're worried, Fia," Ancient Scroll said quietly, "believe me, I understand, but she isn't like she was when I fought her. She's—"

A loud, annoyed groan erupted from the cot, catching everypony's attention.

"If you guys are gonna talk about me, can ya do it somewhere else?" the sleepy pegasus grumbled, wrapping the pillow around her head tighter, "and close the door behind you, would ya?"

"You do realize this is our room, right?" Corona replied giving Fell Wind a flat stare, "and didn't you sleep for like... a day or something?"

"Don't care, need more sleep," Fell Wind respond, her voice muffled by the pillow, "now shoo."

"Unbelievable," Corona muttered, shaking her head. She scowled and turned to Ancient Scroll, "well... she definitely seems different from when she first showed up, that's for sure."

Though it might possibly have worked out for the best in the end, the words of both Ancient Scroll and Corona brought Trixie no comfort or reassurance.

It wasn't that she was afraid of Fell Wind—not after what she had seen, but it was that crushing guilt that just wouldn't go away.

The need to help still remained, even after her terrible mistake, and—while she had nothing to do with the decision—this was the perfect opportunity to make it up to the mare without messing things up any worse than they were.

"Trixie thinks it's a good idea," the azure filly suddenly spoke up, surprising the group. Trixie winced as everypony's gaze fell upon her, but she continued nonetheless, "if her brother is in Canterlot then we need to get her there as fast as possible."

"...You're right," Fia eventually replied with a troubled frown, "if he's really as unstable as Fell Wind says—"

"Seriously, come on!" Fell Wind groaned again, "sleeping here!"

With a collective sigh and in Corona's case, a roll of the eyes, the group trotted out of the room and shut the door. With that done Ancient Scroll chuckled and shook his head.

"'Won't even know I'm here', indeed," he muttered before turning back to Fia with a frown, "I believe you were on to something there, little filly."

Fia nodded and continued from where she had left off.

"Remember how there was another murder in Canterlot?" she asked, "what if Fell Wind's brother was the killer?"

"Oh, right," Corona replied, her eyes widening in realization, "I hadn't even thought about that! If Celestia finds out, he'll probably be put to death or something!"

"Or worse," Trixie replied with a shudder, "Moon Gazer might find him first."

The three fillies went quiet at that, and Ancient Scroll grimaced.

"I guess you're right Trixie," Fia conceded, "it's probably best that we help her get to Canterlot as soon as possible. I don't want to make finding my own brother any harder than it's already probably gonna be."

"And I really don't want Celestia finding out I'm back in Canterlot because a guard got curious," Corona added with a shiver, "I still don't know what she'd do, but I'd rather not find out."

"I suppose that settles it then," Ancient Scroll exclaimed, turning and trotting towards the kitchen, "we'll need to tread very lightly now that we know this Moon Gazer is out and about around Canterlot somewhere."

"Right," Trixie mumbled to herself, "hopefully that was just my imagination before..."

"What was that, Trixie?" Corona asked with a curious tilt of her head, "you say something?"

"Trixie said nothing," the azure filly replied, following after Ancient Scroll, "now I believe we have a breakfast to..."

She stopped suddenly and the other two fillies looked at her in confusion. It took a moment, but the realization finally dawned on the them.

"Oh, horseapples," Corona groaned with a facehoof, "we forgot the pancakes."

"Language, filly!" Ancient Scroll called out from in the kitchen, "and just go grab them from the room, that mare isn't gonna bite."

"We don't know that for sure," Corona grumbled as she pulled the door open and trotted back inside the room, "she did pretty much barbecue herself with her own lightning."

"I heard that," the mare growled into her pillow.

"I don't care," Corona retorted, trotting back out of the room with the plates.

She closed the door and made her way down the hall just in time to hear Fia asked Ancient Scroll a question she herself had been wondering since the old stallion woke up.

"So now that you're awake," Fia asked, trotting out onto the platform after Ancient Scroll, who now had a plate of his own pancakes, "are we going to be leaving soon?"

"That we are, little filly," Ancient Scroll replied with a nod, before popping a fork full of pancake in his mouth, "I just need to wait a bit more for my mana to regulate, then we can shove off for the next destination."

"And what exactly is the next destination again?" Trixie asked, "another farming town?"

"Lopendale," Ancient Scroll replied, "a small mining town at the base of Mount Hackamore north of the Farhoof Forest."

"So... we're gonna be hiking up the mountain then?" Fia asked with a frown, "I thought we couldn't take the Vardo into the mountains."

"Mount Hackamore isn't very large or steep as far as mountains go," Ancient Scroll replied, "so the Vardo should be able to handle the trip, but we're not going through the mountains either way."

"Then we're going around them?" Corona asked, joining the others out on the platform. She floated the other fillies' pancakes over to them before turning her attention back to Ancient Scroll, "is that it?"

"You got it, filly," Ancient Scroll confirmed with a small smile, "it might take a bit longer, but it'll be far easier on the caravan, and the path is relatively isolated as well—though it'll be some time before we actually arrive near the mountain range."

"How long until we get there?" Fia asked, digging into her own pancakes, "we still have about another day left of travel before we make it out of the forest, right?"

"That's right," the stallion replied, "after that, it's about a week's travel north, assuming we don't run into anymore problems along the way."

"Which we will," Trixie muttered, "Trixie is almost sure of it."

"Oh come on, Trixie," Fia said, nudging the surly filly in the side with a small grin, "we're bound to catch a break sooner or later," her grin fell into an unsure frown and she looked over to Corona, "...right?"

Corona merely shrugged and swallowed a large chunk of pancake before answering.

"I'm with Trixie on this one," she answered, "everywhere we go, there's always some kind of problem going on."

Fia huffed and looked to Ancient Scroll for some reassurance. The old stallion noticed her pleading look and chuckled before ruffling her mane.

"Don't worry, little filly," he answered with a playful smile, "we'll get our peace and quiet soon enough. I hear Lopendale has some fantastic natural hot springs that drain the stress right out of your body."

"Trixie admits, that... does sound nice," Trixie conceded with a thoughtful look, "she's never been to a 'hot spring' before."

"I haven't either," Fia added, "but I read about them back when I lived in Canterlot. They are supposed to be really relaxing."

"Well, here's hoping some crazy evil pony doesn't decide to let their mane down and take a soak while we're there," Corona joked, "with our luck I wouldn't doubt that happening for a second."

The three filly shared a small laugh and Ancient Scroll gave a small chuckle of his own before polishing off his pancakes. He stared out at the surrounding forest, watching the light from the morning Sun shine through the thick foliage.

He frowned.

Though he tried to remain cautiously optimistic, he couldn't help but quietly agree with Trixie and Corona. There was bound to be more trouble on the horizon, and he wondered if he and the fillies would be prepared when the time came.

One could only hope.

A Talk with Trixie

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The morning had grown late, and Ancient Scroll had finally felt magically fit enough to get the Vardo up and running. With the incident involving Fell Wind behind them—at least for the most part—they were able to continue making their way through the forest.

Camping equipment had been packed up, the caravan had been sufficiently cleaned, and Ancient Scroll had once again fired up the modified Come-to-Life spell that carried the Vardo across the forested path.

By the time they were actually on the road, late morning had given way to early afternoon. There was still roughly half a day's travel left before they passed through the forest, and Ancient Scroll hadn't planned on stopping until they reached the forest's exit.

With nothing else to distract him, Ancient Scroll took it upon himself to clear up and take care of a few things regarding what had happened that night... starting with Trixie.

It was now that they both stood out on the platform—Ancient Scroll levitating the book Trixie had swiped from his library between them.

Trixie eyed the book, her ears flat and her expression guilty. Ancient Scroll silently looked at the filly with a disapproving scowl for a moment before sighing and shaking his head.

"Trixie—"

"Trixie knows it was wrong!" the filly blurted out suddenly, "it's just... you weren't there to ask, and the book was really interesting and... and... she wasn't going to use the spells to do anything bad, really!"

She lowered her head and pawed at the wooden floor of the platform.

"She was just... curious," she muttered quietly, "that's all, honest."

Ancient Scroll closed his mouth and stared at the filly with a thoughtful frown. He furrowed his brow after a minute and gave a small, almost imperceptible smile.

"Did you learn anything useful?" he finally asked, surprising Trixie, "I've documented quite a few changeling based spells in this book, and many of them would be fairly difficult to pull off without some sort of understanding of how emotions affect magic and vice versa."

Trixie's open mouthed surprise turned to a proud smile as she puffed out her chest.

"Trixie will have you know, she's already memorized the chapter concerning emotions, magic, and how they affect each other," she boasted, "and she even managed to learn a few spells too... although she hasn't had a chance to test them out yet..."

"That's all well and good, little filly," Ancient Scroll said with a nod, "I would've much preferred it if you'd have waited until I got back and asked me before taking the book, but on that front, what's done is done I suppose."

He lowered the book to Trixie's eye level and the filly looked between him and the book, a bemused expression on her face.

"Since you've already delved into the strange world of changeling Mind Magic, you may as well complete your studies—as long as you make sure to read up on the dangers and precautions of using such magic."

Trixie nodded dumbly as she took the book in her own magic and looked at it. She turned to thank Ancient Scroll, but was stopped by a raise of his hoof.

"I'm not done, filly," he continued with a frown, "I was initially going to ban you from learning any more Mind Magic for the time being, but at this point, I believe that would be detrimental, so instead, I'm going to be shifting the focus of your studies to learning how to use Mind Magic responsibly."

Trixie lowered her head in thought and slowly nodded after a moment.

"Trixie... I think that's a good idea," she finally said, her voice growing quiet once more, "I don't want anything like what happened with Fell Wind to ever happen again."

"I'm sure you don't," Ancient Scroll replied just as quietly, "and to ensure an incident like that doesn't happen again, I'm drilling you on safeties and precautions—something I honestly should've done ages ago."

Ancient Scroll sighed and looked away, his own face betraying a hint of guilt.

"That... was also a bit of folly on my part as a teacher," he conceded, "I know how dangerous and sensitive Mind Magic can be, and I should've focused more on it's proper use as a whole."

He looked back to Trixie with a scowl, causing the filly to wince slightly.

"I've amended my decision in the hopes that you genuinely understand the consequences of such rash actions," Ancient Scroll said, giving the filly a level stare, "and I expect you to carefully and wisely consider how they'll affect others in the future, am I understood?"

Trixie nodded rapidly.

"Trixie understands, Uncle Scroll," she said quickly before grimacing and looking away, "she'll... make sure to ask you if the spell is safe to use first."

"Good," Ancient Scroll replied, nodding in satisfaction, "now then—"

"Hey, old timer!"

Both Ancient Scroll and Trixie turned just in time to see Fell Wind trot out onto the platform. The mare stopped briefly when she spotted Trixie, and the filly looked back nervously.

For a heartbeat, the mare and the filly stared at each other.

"Yo," she said, giving Trixie a single nod before turning to Ancient Scroll, and unfurling her wings, "hey listen, I'm gonna stretch my wings for a bit, maybe see how long we got left until we're out of this Tartarus forsaken forest."

Without waiting for a reply, she flapped her wings once and shot off into the sky with all the force and speed of a cannonball being fired from a cannon. The two watched her go until she was out of sight before Trixie turned to Ancient Scroll.

"She... she's not mad at me?"

Ancient Scroll frowned thoughtfully before looking down at Trixie.

"That mare is... well it's complicated, little filly," he said with a sigh, "I think she still has some residual issues with you, but she's trying not to let it bother her."

"Oh," Trixie replied, her ears flattening, "I guess that makes sense..."

"Oh, don't be like that, Trixie," Ancient Scroll replied rubbing the filly's mane, "I'm sure things will work out between you two in the end, but the both of you are gonna have to work this out sooner or later."

"I know," Trixie answered with a small sigh of her own, "I'm not looking forward to it though."

"I doubt Fell Wind is either," Ancient Scroll said with a small chuckle, "but like I said, I'm sure the both of you will come to an understanding in time."

His understanding smile was then replaced with a grimace as he shifted topics.

"Now like I was about to say before we were distracted," he began, "I want you to tell me more about this... 'Mare of Dreams'."

One of Trixie's ears gave an errant twitch at the name and she frowned. She opened her mouth, closed it, sighed, then tried again.

"Trixie doesn't know a lot about the Mare of Dreams," Trixie began, "she just... showed up while Trixie was having a... really bad nightmare. She didn't give me her name, she said it wasn't time or something like that."

"And you said this mare had both wings and a horn?" Ancient Scroll pressed, "and it wasn't Princess Celestia?"

"No," Trixie confirmed with a shake of her head, "the mare was black and wore this crazy looking armor with... stuff written all over it."

"Stuff?" Ancient Scroll replied with a raised eyebrow, "what kind of stuff?"

"Trixie doesn't know," the filly replied, throwing up a hoof in bemusement, "it looked like those Runic things you and Suns—er, Corona were going on about."

Ancient Scroll hummed in thought and remained silent for a few moments.

"So she implants a powerful and dangerous spell in your mind and fails to explain anything other than said spell's name and function..."

He went silent again, causing Trixie to shift nervously. After another moment he eyed the azure filly again and furrowed his brow.

"I don't think you're telling me everything, little filly," he finally said, "You yourself told me she might've had a plan she wants carried out, and she wouldn't just hoof you a spell like that without explaining at least in part what she wants you to do with it."

Trixie found she couldn't argue with that, and relented.

"I really don't know her plan, Uncle Scroll," the filly answered, "but she did tell Trixie one thing."

"And what's that?"

Trixie looked off to the side, towards the entrance into the caravan. Her expression turned worried and she looked back towards Ancient Scroll.

"She told Trixie that there would be a time when something terrible happens to Twilight, and that Trixie would need to use the Mind Walking spell to save her... but she didn't say how, or what that terrible thing would be."

Ancient Scroll's gaze drifted away from Trixie as he thought, reaching a hoof up to idly stroke his beard. This mare, if she was to be believed—and Ancient Scroll had no reason to at this point—then there really was something to worry about in the future.

But what on Equus would warrant such a potent Mind Magic spell?

Ancient Scroll couldn't fathom the answer, but the possibility scared him more than he would've liked to admit. Yes, he didn't have any reason as of yet to believe this mare—this... alicorn that had invaded Trixie's mind, but it wouldn't hurt to remain cautious of her supposed prediction.

"Um... Uncle Scroll?"

The stallion blinked and looked back down at Trixie, who was looking towards the sky. He followed the filly's gaze and saw the outline of a pegasus quickly flying in their direction.

"Is that..."

Ancient Scroll's unfinished question was answered soon enough, as the outline grew clearer and a dark green pegasus began to descend towards the Vardo.

Ancient Scroll and Trixie took a step back as Fell Wind landed on the platform. The mare shook her messy black mane out of her eyes before looking at the two with a grim expression.

"Guys... we got a bit of a problem."

A Royal Obstacle

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Fia was worried... very worried.

When Fell Wind had come back from her short flight, she had apparently come across something just outside of the forest. She had told Ancient Scroll, and the old stallion had gathered everyone in the sitting room to discuss the matter.

As it turned out, not only did Fia have to worry about the bad ponies who were trying to foalnap her so they could do... something, but apparently now she had a regiment of Royal Guard actively searching for her outside of Canterlot.

"Why are they searching all the way out here?" Corona asked incredulously from her seat on the couch next to Rouge, "wasn't Celestia supposed to be threatening to lock down the city or something?"

"Apparently not," Trixie replied with a frown. She looked over to Fell Wind, who was lazily sprawled across one of the cots opposite from where the azure filly sat on the floor, "you said they formed some kind of... blockade just outside the forest?"

"More or less," Fell Wind replied, waving a hoof in the air absently, "and there were a few of them spread across the forest's treeline."

"How do we know they're looking for Fia?" Rouge asked, taking a sip of cider from a steaming mug, "if I recall, there was a murderer on the loose in Canterlot not too long ago."

"Wait what?!"

The others all snapped their attention towards a wide eyed Fell Wind, "you said there was a murderer in Canterlot? Nopony said anything about a murderer!"

"Well... technically there might have been three," Fia corrected, shifting uneasily next to Corona at the topic, "we're not sure if was the same two that..."

She trailed off and Corona quickly picked up where she left off, trying to forestall an uncomfortable silence.

"We only heard about it not too long ago," the maroon filly replied, "but why are you so worked up... about... oh..."

Her eyes widened in realization and she winced at Fell Wind's troubled frown.

"Canterlot is supposed to be where the Princess of the Sun is, right?" Fell Wind suddenly asked, turning to Ancient Scroll, "so I imagine it doesn't get a lot of killer ponies... right?"

"None actually," Ancient Scroll replied, shifting in his armchair, "at least, not until recently. Nopony would've dared to commit something even remotely close to murder in the capital city. Nopony would be daft enough."

"Nopony, but my brother," Fell Wind replied, before turning to Fia with a bemused furrow of her brow, "but... you said there were two other killers?"

The rest of the group exchanged worried glances before looking at Fia. The black filly noticed their looks and sighed before turning to Fell Wind with a grim look.

"They were twins," Fia explained sullenly, "they called themselves the Razor Twins, and—"

"The bucking Razor Twins made it into Equestria?!"

Fia blinked in surprise at Fell WInd's sudden outburst, the others responding similarly. It was Ancient Scroll that spoke first.

"Judging by your exclamation I take it you've heard of them," the old stallion surmised before frowning deeply, "and when you say they 'made it into Equestria'... you wouldn't happen to mean—"

"Yeah," Fell Wind interjected with a grave nod, "those two are from the land beyond the barrier like me and my brother," she shook her head, "they're even more messed up than my brother."

"Yeah we... we know," Corona replied quietly as she cast both Trixie and Fia a side glance, "believe me, we know exactly how insane those two are, but how do you know them?"

"Those two were fugitives back in my hometown," Fell Wind answered, sitting up in the cot and staring at her hooves with a frown, "it... wasn't what you'd call a utopia, and most of the townsfolk weren't exactly upstanding citizens..."

She grimaced and looked back up at the rest of the group as she spoke.

"...but even among the worst that town had to offer, those two stood out as the most vile ponies to ever trot the earth.

"Nopony knew why they decided to leave town, but none of us complained or really looked into it," her grimace became a bemused frown, "but how do you all know them?"

"They killed my parents right in front of me," Fia replied dully, "and they foalnapped my brother."

"They killed my mother in an alleyway," Trixie replied, her tone much the same, "and they almost killed me... and... and maybe..."

She hung her head, her ears flattened, and didn't say any more. Fell Wind looked between the two now despondent fillies with a sad, understanding expression.

After a moment she looked away, rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly.

"Ah, geez," she finally muttered before turning back to the fillies with an apologetic frown, "sorry to hear about that, you two. I... that... that really bucking sucks."

Yojimbo, who had been quietly leaning against the wall by the door, snorted, but didn't say anything more.

Rouge and Ancient Scroll glanced at each other with matching troubled frowns before the Abyssinian spoke, intending to get everyone back on track and away from the grim topic.

"From what I've gathered," Rouge said, turning to Fell Wind, "you believe that your brother might be behind the most recent incident in Canterlot?"

"If he's in Canterlot, then it's a strong possibility," the dark green mare replied with a nod, "especially if she was involved."

"You mean Moon Gazer?" Fia asked worriedly, "do you think it was her that got... y'know..."

"I hope so," Fell Wind answered, her gaze hardening, "if not, I'm definitely gonna make sure the job gets done."

"Is that a good idea, though?" Corona asked, frowning thoughtfully, "if you start murdering ponies in the city, Celestia is gonna notice, and then it's over for all of us."

"Not only that, little filly," Ancient Scroll replied with a thoughtful frown of his own, "if they've got an entire regiment of Royal Guards wandering about outside the city, they might not just be on the lookout for Fia."

"And who's to say they don't have more Guards searching other parts of Equestria?" Yojimbo chimed in, "it's like Rouge said, they might not even be looking for Fia at all."

"Yojimbo has a point," Rouge replied, "in the state Canterlot is in at the moment, I wouldn't be surprised if that addled Sun Princess commanded a country wide search for the culprit—assuming they got away and made it out of the city."

"Maybe they're looking for Fia, maybe they're not," Corona interjected, looking between the two adults, "but just sitting here wondering about it isn't gonna help us get past the Guards posted outside the forest."

"Maybe we could go around?" Fia suggested, "they can't cover all of the exits, the forest is too big."

Ancient Scroll nodded in agreement.

"That it is, filly," he turned to the pegasus mare, "well Fell Wind, how about it? Is there another way around? Preferably somewhere northeast?"

"It ain't gonna be so simple," Fell Wind answered with a shake of her head, "they've got a ton of magic barriers and detection spells set up all across the forest's edge."

"What kind of barriers and detection spells are we talking about here?" Ancient Scroll asked, "and just how do you know? I can understand the barrier spells, most can spot those a mile away, but most detection spells are nearly invisible to the naked eye."

"I was a Hunter," Fell Wind responded with a simple shrug, "I was trained to spot these kinds of things," she then frowned, "but I don't recognize the spells they're using."

Ancient Scroll leaned back in his chair, humming in thought and stroking his beard contemplatively. The others all remained silent, each wracking their brains for a solution to their current dilemma.

"Why not just... pass through like normal travelers?" Trixie finally said, "it's not like we're wanted fugitives."

Corona cleared her throat and Trixie rolled her eyes.

"You're a runaway filly, not a fugitive, Corona."

"Knowing Celestia, I just might be," Corona shot back with a scowl, "and there's also the matter of a certain missing lavender unicorn filly."

"Well, she's not lavender now, is she?" Trixie retorted, "you're both disguised so Trixie thinks it shouldn't be a problem if we just waltz right through and tell the Guards we're just small town ponies on our way to see the big city."

"The problem with that," Fia said, turning to Trixie, "is that we don't know if their detection spells can see through our disguises."

"And they probably can," Corona added, "I remember Celestia telling me once about the extensive anti-espionage courses Royal Guards go through during training. It's one of the main reasons I'm worried about going to Canterlot even with these disguises."

"And you didn't mention this earlier because?" Trixie growled in annoyance.

"It slipped my mind!" Corona cried, throwing up her hooves, "I had completely forgotten about it the last time we had talked at the tavern."

"I could always just take 'em out," Fell Wind offered, cutting the two arguing fillies off, "I could probably do it without being detected."

"That might be a bit too risky for a go-to plan," Ancient Scroll replied, shaking his head, "no, we'll save that for a last resort. I know a few dispelling spells that might be able to break through their barriers and detection spells, but I need to know what I'm working with before anything."

"Is there some way we can get close enough to see the wards without getting caught?" Fia asked, "if we could do that, then maybe we might be able to find a way around them and you could use those spells."

"Maybe... but we'll need to be careful," the old stallion replied with a slow, thoughtful nod. He turned back to Fell Wind, "think you could use your fancy Hunter training to find us a discreet path to one of the focal points of the barriers?"

"Yeah, I can do that no problem," Fell Wind replied with a shrug, "you want me to go now?"

"If you don't mind," Ancient Scroll replied, "the sooner we get this planned out, the better," he lit up his horn and pulled a few books from the bookshelf, "I'm gonna brush up on a few spells that might help."

"What about us?" Fia asked, "what do we do?"

"Continue your studies for now," Ancient Scroll replied, placing the books on the table and flipping on open, "I'll let you girls know when I have something worked out."

FIa went to say something else, but Corona interjected, pushing her and Trixie towards the door

"Alright, Uncle Scroll," she replied, "we'll get right on it, just let us know if you need us to do anything else."

"Will do, little filly," Ancient Scroll replied distractedly.

Deciding that the conversation had been concluded, Fell Wind hopped down from the cot and trotted out the door after the three fillies, making her way to the platform outside.

Rouge and Yojimbo opted to stay and help Ancient Scroll figure out a solid plan of action for when they reached the forest's edge.

There was still more than a few hours before they were close and Ancient Scroll would not be caught up in another mess if he could help it.

A Foreboding Path

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By the time the caravan had reached what Ancient Scroll had discovered was the last clearing before the exit, Celestia had already set the Sun on its course below the horizon.

In the waning light of the setting Sun, a dark green pegasus quickly and quietly zipped through the underbrush at an incredible speed.

Fell Wind flew low to the ground, dodging trees left and right as she scanned her surroundings for any sign of a path wide yet hidden enough that they could use. She hadn't had much luck in her search, much to her own annoyance.

It wasn't until several hours of flying later that she had spotted another clearing in the trees near the forest's exit. It wasn't large enough for the entire caravan, but it was just wide enough for the group to travel on hoof.

She backtracked along the path, trying to find out where it led, and to her satisfaction, it wasn't too far from the clearing the Vardo was currently parked in.

Happy with her find, Fell Wind landed on the platform of the Vardo and made her way back inside to tell the old stallion what she had found.

Ancient Scroll himself had just finished pouring over the last tome he'd been reading through when Fell Wind stepped into the sitting room.

"Ah, Fell Wind welcome back," Ancient Scroll greeted, floating the book back over to the shelf, "I take it, finding a clear path proved harder than expected?"

"You could say that," the pegasus mare grumbled before lightening her tone somewhat, "anyway, I managed to find a smaller path that leads all the way to the edge of the forest, but we'd have to hoof it. The path's not big enough for the caravan."

"I see," Ancient Scroll replied thoughtfully, "well, if there aren't any other paths, I suppose we have no choice," he paused and tapped his chin before looking back to Fell Wind with a raised eyebrow, "and what of the focal points?"

"Good news? The path leads right to one of the anchors holding their Barrier spell together," Fell Wind replied before grimacing, "bad news? Aside from the Guard acting as the anchor, there's three other Guards... and one of them's got some pretty fancy looking armor."

"A captain then, is it?" Ancient Scroll muttered with a troubled frown, "just our luck. And there are three Guards protecting the anchor? It must be the linchpin to the entire spell..."

"Oh, sweet!" Fell Wind replied happily, "so we just gotta take 'em out and—"

"It won't be that simple," Ancient Scroll interjected with a shake of his head, "captains are no joke, Fell Wind. I know how confident you are in your abilities, and after fighting against you, I'm sure you could easily take out the grunts without a problem, but captains are in a league of their own."

"Oh, really?" Fell Wind replied with an eager smile, her wings twitching in anticipation, "sounds like a fun time to me."

"No, Fell Wind," Ancient Scroll chided, "even if you manage to take out the captain, they'll just send more Guards after us, and if that happens, we'll have a lot more to deal with than just a simple roadblock."

Fell Wind huffed and looked away. Her eyes settled on the large husky sitting on the couch and studying a large map in front of him.

He looked up and met her gaze for a second before giving a small shrug and grinning at the mare.

"Take it from an old dog who's been 'the muscle' for a lot longer than you've been alive, girl," he began with a smirk, "sometimes it's better to just hold back and let the brains of the operation do their thing."

At Fell Wind's flat look, he gave a hearty laugh before shaking his head.

"Come on, soldier girl," Yojimbo chuckled, "they must've taught ya some kind of discretion when dealing with threats out there in the Outlands during that Hunter training of yours?"

"Of course they did," Fell Wind replied, shaking her mane out of her face and scowling at the old husky, "I just prefer the direct approach is all. Nothing wrong with that."

"Oh, I hear ya," Yojimbo agreed with a knowing nod, "nothing beats a good beatdown every now and then, believe me I'm one hundred percent with ya on that one," his smile turned to a slight, disapproving frown, "but it's important to know when to hold back too."

"Yeah, yeah," Fell Wind muttered, looking around the room, "hey, where's the cat lady?"

"Rouge went out to do some scouting of her own," Ancient Scroll answered as he trotted towards the entrance, "while you were out, we discussed a few plans for making our way past the blockade."

"And?" Fell Wind asked with a raised eyebrow, "what'd you guys come up with?"

"Nothing concrete yet," the old stallion replied, standing near the doorway as he responded, "can't really make a full plan without all the details, but we did decide it would be best to make our move around nightfall."

"Makes sense I guess," Fell Wind agreed after a moment, but then frowned in thought, "but the Guards are already gonna be on high alert as it is, won't it be even worse at night? And what about the caravan? How are we gonna get that through?"

"As I said, we haven't worked out all the details yet," Ancient Scroll replied with a shrug, "that aside, Rouge should be back any moment, and the fillies are still studying in their room."

He trotted out of the room, motioning for Fell Wind to follow as he continued speaking.

"We don't have a lot of time before night falls and I'd like to scope out this path you found," Ancient Scroll continued, "I want to see what advantages we can gain, if any."

He slowed to a stop and hummed in thought.

"You know," the stallion mused aloud, "if we can't come up with another suitable plan, I suppose we could simply wait them out," he turned back to Fell Wind who stood just behind him, raising an eyebrow as he spoke, "watch their movements, learn what we can, and make a move as soon as they've left the area."

"Eh..." Fell Wind replied, rubbing the back of her neck, "I've been on missions like that before, and they... kinda suck... like, really bad. Not a fan to be honest."

She lowered her hoof and her expression grew serious.

"And besides, I don't wanna waste anymore time in this forest—especially if my brother really is in Canterlot and had a relapse."

"Fair point," Ancient Scroll replied, once more resuming his trot towards the backdoor of the Vardo, "it was simply a thought that had occurred to me. Still, if nothing else works out, it might be a plan we may have to fall back on, so I'd at least keep it in mind."

"Noted," Fell Wind replied dully, "really hope it doesn't come to that though."

"Let's hope not," Ancient Scroll answered with a nod, "while I have enjoyed the scenery quite a bit, I'd also like to move on... ah, give me a moment."

Ancient Scroll stopped just before they reached the backdoor and turned his head back the way they came.

"Oi, Yoji!" he called out, "let Rouge know we went to check out a path Fell Wind found through the forest when she gets back!"

"Got it, Scroll," Yojimbo called back from within the sitting room, "just be careful out there!"

With that said, Ancient Scroll nodded and the two ponies made their way outside the Vardo and deeper into the woods.

A few moments after they left, the door to the three fillies' bedroom cracked open and Fia's head poked out. She looked towards the backdoor for a minute before stepping out of the room and quietly closing the door.

She raised the book she had held in her magic and looked it over once more before nodding in satisfaction. She made her way towards the platform wearing a frown of determination on her face.

While there was no way in Tartarus she'd attempt to try Blood Magic anytime soon, there were other, less dangerous Branches of Dark Magic the filly could delve into.

Both Corona and Trixie had fallen asleep sometime during their study, and Fia had decided to take the opportunity to practice a few more Dark Magic spells that might help Ancient Scroll and the others during... whatever they planned to do.

She had already known their plan was going to take place sometime tonight, and had made a plan of her own to surprise Ancient Scroll with a few really useful spells she had been reading about.

Truth be told, the filly had been feeling somewhat magically pent up from having used so little magic over the past few weeks, and was itching to use some kind of magic.

In reality, the idea of helping Ancient Scroll and the others had merely been an excuse she told herself in order to justify the additional practice without Ancient Scroll's consent.

Fia knew it was wrong, but lately her desire to actually cast the spells she had been reading about had grown more and more.

She had kept quiet about it, fearing Ancient Scroll and the other two fillies would think the worst, but it had gotten to a point where she needed to cast something, and besides... how would she get better if she didn't practice?

Practice made perfect after all...

A Successful Spell

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Destruction Magic.

There was still much debate among thaumatologists when it came to categorizing many spells and general sub branches of magic.

While there had been no changes or additions to the main branches of magic, it wasn't a surprise to see a new sub branch of magic being created every few decades, and Destruction Magic was perhaps one of the most recent sub branches to pop up in the last forty years or so.

Celestia, of course, always had the first and final say in what new magic was to be sanctioned and used by the masses, but generally many types of magic made it into one category or another.

The problem was that there were always arguments over the misplacement of a particular sub branch of magic, and among one of those sub branches that were the subject of intense debate was Destruction Magic.

Dark Magic was fairly easy to categorize all things considered. If it had a clear visible negative effect on a pony's own morals or behavior, then it was generally considered Dark Magic, Mind Magic aside.

Destruction Magic however, was a bit harder to place. Some thaumatologists believed that prolonged use of Destruction Magic made ponies more prone to violent behavior and thus, deemed that it belonged as a sub branch of Dark Magic.

Still, others believed that the rather unstable nature of Destruction Magic was to blame and that it belonged under the branch of Soul Magic. Ultimately Celestia had ruled in favor of making it a dangerous sub branch of Dark Magic, and that was that.

It did nothing to stop the debates, and every so often a pony from the Institute would petition the Princess to have sub branches like Destruction Magic reconsidered for another main branch.

Fia had only recently come across Destruction Magic in her studies, and was intrigued by what she read. After some critical thinking on the subject, the filly was of the opinion that Destruction Magic was closer to Soul Magic than Dark Magic.

It seemed to Fia like several thaumatologists, as well as much of the average student of magic, often confused Destruction Magic with Combat Magic, which itself often got mixed up with some of the more explosive Elemental Magic spells.

Magic could be a very complicated thing indeed.

Nevertheless, from what Fia had read, Destruction Magic at its core was as its name suggested—magic that existed for the sole purpose of destruction.

Physical, magical, spiritual, and in some cases, even conceptual—everything reduced to nothing, It was due to this that Fia could see where those who wanted to lump it in with Dark Magic were coming from, but destruction in and of itself was not evil.

It wasn't something that corrupted a pony—rather, it was something a corrupted pony might cause, but that wasn't the same thing. The filly suspected Celestia already knew this, but chose to categorize it as Dark Magic anyway.

Once Fia had come to the conclusion that Destruction Magic had been incorrectly categorized, she felt a lot more comfortable working with it, after all, no corrupting effect meant she could use Destruction Magic for as long as she needed, given she was careful about it and didn't cast anything beyond her ability to control.

It may not have been Dark Magic in Fia's opinion, but it was still dangerous.

The reason for the black filly's interest in Destruction Magic had everything to do with the aspect of breaking down and eradicating other spells, something Destruction Magic would allow her to do thoroughly.

To that end, she had grabbed an apple from the kitchen and Transmogrified it into an orange. It was so simple for the filly at this point that she was able to do it almost without conscious thought.

The Transmogrification spell wasn't the important part however, it was merely cast in order to test out the much more complex Mana Disintegration spell.

As far as Destruction Magic went, it was a fairly tame—if deceptively difficult—spell, causing no great or lasting damage if it failed, so that's what she would start with.

Then she'd move on to the spells that actually deserved to be placed under Dark Magic.

Fia had meant to stay on the platform to test out her spell, but realized it would be too risky, so out of a fear of getting caught in the act, she had opted to sneak out of the caravan entirely.

There was still a bit of time left before the Sun completely made it over the horizon, and Fia was glad of that as she trotted into the thicker part of the forest a little ways from the clearing where the Vardo was parked.

Satisfied that she was a reasonable distance away and well out of sight of the caravan, she sighed and turned her attention to the transformed apple in her magic.

"Okay... here goes..." Fia muttered nervously.

Figuring it would do no good to delay, she immediately got to work. She set the orange on the ground and stared at it for a moment, her brow creasing slightly.

She had read that the Mage Sight spell was highly recommended for this particular spell, as it allowed a unicorn to 'see' the mana holding a spell together.

Most unicorns studying magic learned this spell at one point or another, as it was a useful spell for those who wanted to see their work on a fundamental level. On top of that, it cost almost nothing to use when it came to mana.

Despite the spell's simplicity—or perhaps because of it—many unicorns took it for granted, largely abandoning the spell once they had gained enough confidence to cast spells without it—Fia herself having been guilty of this very thing.

In fact, the only ones that really used Mage Sight beyond their foalhood were those whose jobs required it specifically.

Fia herself had stopped using the spell some time ago, opting to trust her own knowledge and memory to cast the spell properly.

The Mage Sight spell also provided to a certain extent, the ability to see a pony's magical signature, and it was this fact that made Fia remember just how useful—and relevant—the spell could be.

To her credit, Fia hadn't even needed to use it past her first six months studying magic on her own. She wasn't sure about Trixie, but being Celestia's student, Fia was almost certain Corona knew the spell, though she hadn't seen her use it either.

Fia then made a mental note to ask Trixie if she learned the spell and if not, to teach it to her. She also made another mental note to use the spell more often in the future.

In any case, this type of spell required an extremely delicate touch. After one more quick read through, the filly set the book containing the spell aside.

For the sake of safety and time, Fia cast the Mage Sight spell for the first time in she didn't even know how long.

All color around the filly became dull and faded save for the 'orange' in front of her. With her Mage Sight activated, she could see the countless 'threads' of mana wrapped around the apple.

The filly furrowed her brow in concentration and lit her horn once more. This time she focused on removing each and every thread from the apple—a rather slow and grueling process for somepony that wasn't used to casting the spell.

She watched intently as the threads began to lift and dissipate one by one—slowly at first, but quickly picking up speed as the filly became more comfortable with the spell.

She didn't know how long she spent removing the threads of the Transmogrification spell, but she finally finished her task some time later, panting from exhaustion as the magenta light from her horn died down.

Tired, but happy with her work, she picked up the apple with a hoof and took a large bite. As she ate, she took a look around and frowned.

It had gotten late.

While she was distracted, the Sun had made its descent below the horizon and the forest was bathed in the soft glow of the light from the rising moon.

Fia's eyes widened in alarm and her heart began to beat a bit faster. She hadn't meant to be out this long, and the other adults were most likely back by now and looking everywhere for her.

But... she wasn't all that far from the camp, and judging by how high the moon already was, she had to have been out here for at least an hour or two.

She wasn't that well hidden... was she?

Realizing that Ancient Scroll or the others should've found her by now, Fia began quickly trotting back in the direction she had come, an increasingly worried expression making its way onto her face.

All the satisfaction she had gained from casting her spell successfully evaporated in the face of her mounting worry.

Both the book and the unfinished apple lie forgotten far behind her. She had nearly reached the clearing once more when she suddenly heard commotion from up ahead.

Her eyes widened in fear and her canter became a gallop. Her ears twitched as she tried to make out what she was hearing, but she couldn't from where she was... then she saw them.

Royal Guards.

With a surprised yelp, she scrambled to a stop just before the clearing and hastily hid in the underbrush. With a shaky breath, she peeked her head out and scanned the camp with wide, horrified eyes.

Fia looked on as dozens of ponies in gold painted armor swarmed the clearing. They moved about the camp with purpose, sweeping their sharp eyed gazes over every nook and cranny.

One pony covered from head to hoof in wicked looking gold and violet armor barked out some kind of orders the filly couldn't quite make out from where she was.

Nevertheless, the soldiers scrambled to obey, the unicorns lighting up their horns as they trotted around the camp, the path, pegasi taking to the skies and flying off in different directions, and earth ponies simply continuing to search the area on hoof.

Fia looked upon the scene with both fear and confusion, her heart now hammering in her chest. One single prevailing thought filled her mind. One very important question she desperately needed to know the answer to...

Where was the Vardo?

A Half Made Plan Undone

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Captain Iron Heart sighed tiredly.

Ever since the second—technically third—confirmed murder in Canterlot, she hadn't had even a semi decent night's sleep in what felt like ages.

The Princess had been running her and her subordinates ragged trying to find the culprit. They had no leads to go on at this point, and still weren't even sure whether or not it was the same criminal who murdered those poor foal's parents.

Speaking of the orphaned foals, they had yet to find them either. It was all but confirmed that they had disappeared, either through foalnapping or other means, and they were nowhere to be found within the city.

Eventually, with the trail in danger of going cold and both Inspector Bottom Line and the Princess at their wit's end, it was decided that the Royal Guard was to spread out and search across Equestria.

Now this bothered Iron Heart for a few reasons.

One of the big reasons was that a lot of the Guard had already been dead on their hooves from all the extra patrols and trying to keep the increasingly rowdy citizens in line.

Another big reason was that, while there were enough Guards to spare for a search outside the city, it was only just enough. The Guard was stretched to the limit and if Iron Heart was being completely honest, she was beginning to question Celestia's methods... as well as her sanity.

She hadn't seemed like herself lately, and at first, the pegasus Captain had chalked it up to stress regarding the killer and her citizens. To an extent, she still believed that... but there was something else that was bothering her about the Princess.

Iron Heart had been in the military for nigh on thirty-five years, and had been a captain for five of those years. In that time, she had been in close proximity to the Princess for quite some time.

While it wasn't her place to make mention of what went on within the walls of the castle and, more specifically, the throne room, that didn't stop her from making her own silent observations.

And over the years, Captain Iron Heart had observed a lot.

On the surface, Celestia seemed every bit the kind, compassionate princess she appeared to be. Recently however, Iron Heart had begun to see a different side of her.

Princess Celestia tried to hide it, and to anypony that wasn't Iron Heart, it would've seemed as though nothing was out of the ordinary regarding the Princess' demeanor.

The problem was that Iron Heart had noticed something different. The Princess went about her duties as she normally did, but Iron Heart began to notice that there was a certain anxiousness to her actions and a hardness in her eyes that hadn't been there before.

She seemed more on edge and whenever she would speak to any of her staff, her tone was slightly more clipped. There had also been times where Iron Heart would lose track of the Princess entirely, as if she had completely disappeared, only to return a few hours later as though nothing had been amiss.

These oddities, among other things, gave Iron Heart pause, and made her wonder just what was going on with Celestia, and whether or not it had anything to do with the growing unrest in Canterlot.

In any case, she had order the Captain and her subordinates to search for the killer outside Equestria, but she had also put a strange emphasis on locating the filly whose parents were murdered, as well as the student that had disappeared over a year ago.

In all honesty, Iron Heart had completely forgotten about Sunset Shimmer with how little she had been spoken about in the castle since she vanished.

It was because of these orders that the slate grey pegasus Captain had set up a blockade, having some of her unit search the forest for any sign of the killer or the fillies while the rest maintained the wards, detection spells, and barriers around the forest.

There were other regiments set up elsewhere, but upon traversing this part of Equestria, Iron Heart had gotten a gut feeling Farhoof Forest held something important, and so she remained.

With another soft sigh and a shake of her white and gold streaked mane, Iron Heart ruffled her wings and glanced over to the other two Guards standing near the unicorn Guard maintaining the magic circle that was the main anchor for the massive barrier that wrapped around the outer edge of the forest.

They stood still as stone, watching for any sort of sudden change in their situation. She allowed herself a small, proud smile at having personally trained her soldiers as well as she had.

That smile dropped into a hardened frown when she spotted sudden movement through the trees.

Fell Wind and Ancient Scroll had made their way down the path the dark green pegasus mare had discovered and where almost near the end when Fell Wind suddenly spoke up.

"Wait... hang on, old timer," she whispered, stopping in her tracks and scanning the area with a frown, "something ain't right."

"What do you mean?" Ancient Scroll whispered back.

"I don't know," Fell Wind replied before crouching low and moving forward at a more cautious and quiet pace, "wait here a minute..."

Ancient Scroll frowned and nodded once, quietly making his way over and into the underbrush. Fell Wind watched for a moment as the old stallion's horn flashed and he quickly faded into the scenery, almost completely hidden from view.

"Nice," the mare whispered with an impressed raise of her brow, "way to think ahead."

Ancient Scroll made no response and the mare shook her head in amusement before frowning and returning her attention to her surroundings once more.

Fell Wind stepped off the open path and continued forward through the trees, annoyed that her dark green coat—which would have been perfect cover in any other forest—made her stick out like a sore hoof with all the white birch wood surrounding her.

She could only hope that the close proximity of the trees to each other would keep her at least somewhat hidden. She hadn't heard or seen anything in particular, but she felt as though something wasn't right.

As she continued to move silently, she wracked her brain, trying to find out what it was she was missing. She glanced left and right, her eyes darting one way, then another, not finding anything of note.

Then she froze.

There was something—or somepony watching her. She had felt this sensation before, and knew exactly what it meant. A unicorn somewhere was using magic in an attempt to scry her location.

The spellwork was somewhat sloppy, allowing the 'stalker effect' to bleed through and let Fell Wind sense the caster's intent to observe. Nevertheless, the clumsy attempt had been enough to get the job done.

They had found her.

"Oh, buck me!" the mare hissed, through clenched teeth, "bucking unicorns and their bucking magic! Buncha bucking cheaters, the lot of 'em! Seriously, where the buck were they hiding this whole—"

Fell Wind, there's somepony trying to scry the nearby area, you need to get out of there!

Fell Wind frowned at the sudden voice of Ancient Scroll inside her head. She was no stranger to Telepathic communication, but it was something that had always irked her—especially when it was done without warning.

Still, this was an emergency, and it was better than Ancient Scroll exposing himself. She spread her wings and shot off into the trees, keeping her altitude low as she responded.

Yeah, I already felt it. They already know where I am, the cheaters. What about you?

There was a moment of silence before Ancient Scroll 'spoke' once more.

Still hidden, I was able to counteract the Scrying spell just as it hit. Thankfully the range wasn't that long, so the others should stll be safe...

Another pause.

...I hate to ask this, Fell Wind, but I need a favor—

What you need is a distraction, right? Fell Wind interjected as she weaved in and out of the trees, I'm already on it, old timer. Just get back to the caravan and make sure everyone's alright. I'll try to lead whoever's out there away.

After a moment, Ancient Scroll replied, his tone slightly hesitant.

I... alright... thanks Fell Wind. I owe you one.

Damn right you do, now get out of here and get back to the kids before they do.

Right, stay safe out there, Fell Wind.

Rather than reply, Fell Wind chuckled and shook her head before shooting into the air and above the trees with a heavy beat of her wings.

She came to a stop a few dozen hoof-length in the air and scanned the forest below. The dark green mare smirked before taking a deep breath.

"THE ROYAL GUARD SUCKS, AND ANYONE WHO SAYS OTHERWISE CAN BITE MY FURRY FLANK!"

Then she waited.

And waited.

A sudden rustling somewhere below and behind her made Fell WInd's ear twitch and she smiled in satisfaction. She turned just in time to see three pegasi Guards fly out of the trees and make a beeline towards her, their faces grim and determined.

Fell Wind gave them a toothy grin and a mock salute before speeding off in the other direction. She looked back to see them following right behind her and chuckled before facing forward once again.

"Brains the size of walnuts, these guys..."

Ancient Scroll cut off his Telepathic spell and dropped the glamour he had been using to hide. With a grimace he lit up his horn and vanished in a flash of bright green light.

An instant later he was back on the platform of the Vardo and already making his way towards the sitting room.

"Yoji, we've got a problem!" he called out, pushing the door open, "is Rouge back... yet?"

He trailed off and slowed to a stop as he looked around the room and only found the Abyssinian present. Rouge, who had been sitting on the couch nursing a cup of cider, placed it on the table and stood up.

"I'm back, Scroll, and Yojimbo isn't here at the moment," Rouge explained, brushing off the front of her dark blue tunic before giving the old stallion a troubled frown, "Sunset and Trixie are in their room... but Fia... Twilight, she..." she looked away, her frown turning somewhat guilty, "we... may have a problem of our own, old one."

Ancient Scroll's own frown deepened and he took a step forward.

"Rouge... what happened to Twilight?"

Rouge took a deep, shaky breath and returned Ancient Scroll's worried gaze with a level stare.

"We... can't find her."

A Search Gone Awry

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Corona watched Trixie pace back and forth with a mix of both worry and annoyance.

The azure filly continued to mutter to herself angrily as she trotted about their room. Corona wanted to say something—wanted to tell Trixie to knock it off, and that it wasn't helping matters at all—but honestly, the maroon filly couldn't blame her.

"I can't believe she'd just... disappear like that!" Trixie finally shouted in indignation, "I thought she was supposed to be the smart one, but no! She just goes galloping off to who-knows-where to do who-knows-what when nopony's looking! It's... I can't... aagh!"

She snorted angrily and suddenly rounded on Corona, jabbing an accusatory hoof in her direction.

"And I thought you were supposed to be the responsible one?" she growled, "why didn't you stop her from leaving?"

"Wha—seriously?" Corona responded, taking an incredulous step back, "you're gonna blame me? That's not fair, Trixie!" she stomped a hoof, her own indignation rising, "I might be older and more responsible sure, but that doesn't mean I can keep an eye on you two every second of every day! And I wouldn't even have to if you two just listened to me!"

"Oh, don't even try to turn this around on me!" Trixie replied, marching right up to Corona so that they were mere inches apart, "all you ever do is rely on Uncle Scroll to solve everything for you! The only time you look out for us is when Uncle Scroll's not around! Every other time it's 'oh, Uncle Scroll will take care of it!' or 'let's see what Uncle Scroll has to say'!"

"That's horseapples!" Corona cried angrily, "and even if it were true, why shouldn't I let Uncle Scroll handle things? He's the adult here, and one of the only responsible adults I know! Is it so wrong that I finally have another adult in my life that I can actually trust for once?"

Trixie's glare faltered for a moment, her retort dying in her throat. Corona took the opportunity to continue her rant, albeit in a somewhat more controlled tone.

"We've been through a lot—we're still going through a lot... but in the end, we're still just foals, Trixie," Corona said, giving the other filly a level stare, "if it weren't for Uncle Scroll, where do you think we'd be right now?" her hard gaze softened into a melancholy expression, "where would you be right now, Trixie?"

Trixie winced and turned away with a shudder. If it hadn't been for the old stallion, she knew exactly where she'd be—what would've happened to her had she not wound up on Ancient Scroll's doorstep that morning.

"Exactly," Corona continued, as if reading Trixie's mind, "we owe a lot to Uncle Scroll, and yes, I might rely on him a bit too much sometimes, but it's only because I know he'll do everything he can to look out for us. I know that he'll know what to do when we don't."

"And what about when he's gone, Sunset Shimmer?"

That stopped the maroon filly cold and, for a moment, all she could do was stare at Trixie with an uncomprehending expression. Trixie simply stared back, waiting for her answer with an expectant frown.

"Uncle Scroll can't take care of us forever," Trixie continued, "when he's gone, what will you do then? my parents are dead, Twilight's parents are dead, and you were already an orphan, so where does that leave us?" she took a step forward, causing Corona to lean back slightly, "Will you step up and take care of me and Twilight on your own?"

Trixie watched as Corona fumbled for an answer, and found that she couldn't help but feel a bit guilty. She knew it wasn't fair to put all the responsibility on Corona's shoulders like that just because she was older, but something about the way she was talking about Ancient Scroll sparked something in the azure filly.

An adult she could finally trust.

It had been those words, that had set Trixie off. She knew Corona had lived in an orphanage before, and the way she talked about it, Trixie could only assume that she had lived a relatively decent life despite having no parents.

She had at least had the caretaker of that orphanage.

Trixie never once had an adult she could trust, not until Hoofdini came to Hoofington. Even then, she had only known the stallion for a brief period of time. Not nearly enough time for any sort of meaningful bond of trust to form between the filly and the showpony.

This should've just driven Corona's point home for Trixie—should've been cause to make her agree with what Corona was saying—but instead she found herself feeling... bitter. She didn't know why she felt this way, but the resentment had caused her to lash out and say the one thing she knew would hurt the maroon filly standing before her.

Seeing Corona's lost and anxious expression had made Trixie regret her words almost instantly, but they had been said, and she couldn't take them back. But then something unexpected happened—the other filly reacted in a way Trixie hadn't seen coming... she smiled.

It was a slightly wavering smile, but still held a confidence and conviction that caught the azure filly off guard.

"If... when Uncle Scroll," her smiled dropped slightly before rising again a second later, "when he's gone... I'll find some way to take care of you... both of you. I have at least a little experience traveling, and the FlimFlam Brothers were actually pretty good at roughing it when they needed to, so I picked up a few things from them."

Trixie tried to find the words to speak. She wanted to apologize, but the words wouldn't come for some reason.

"Sunset... I—"

"No, you're right, Trixie," Corona replied, cutting Trixie off with a shake of her head, "he might still be around for a long while, but Uncle Scroll isn't gonna be there for us forever, and we don't really have anypony else to rely on, except maybe Yojimbo or Rouge, but there's no guarantee they'll take care of us. Even if they were willing to, we're still gonna have to learn to take care of ourselves sooner or later."

"Sunset..." Trixie eyed the other filly for a moment more before hanging her head, "I'm sorry, I just... I don't know."

"It's fine, Trixie," Corona replied in a reassuring tone, "we're both probably just upset about Twilight going missing," she then looked over to the closed bedroom door with a troubled frown, "I know we got way off topic, but shouldn't we have heard something from Rouge or Uncle Scroll by now?"

"Trixie doesn't know," Trixie replied, perking up at the change in subject, "do you think we should go out and take a look?"

Before Corona could answer, the door to the bedroom opened and Ancient Scroll stepped inside, his face both stern and full of worry. In an instant the two fillies were in front of him, asking questions about Fia and what was going on outside.

"Calm down, you two," Ancient Scroll said, raising a hoof, "I'll tell you what happened in a moment, but first I need you both to listen carefully and follow my lead, alright?"

The two fillies looked at each other in bemusement before turning back to the older stallion with simultaneous nods. At this Ancient Scroll gave a nod of his own and sighed heavily before straightening up and looking between the two with a frown.

"Alright, here's what I need you two to do..."

Yojimbo growled deep in his throat—a bad habit when he was on edge.

He prowled the forest as quickly and quietly as his large bulk would allow him to, thankful that it was getting too dark to see. As the Sunlight waned and dusk approached, he opted to use his powerful nose to sniff out the filly he was looking for.

The problem had been that there were too many scents covering Fia's own.

The smell of ponies and metal were all over the place and Yojimbo wondered how in Tartarus they had all managed to avoid all the Guards for as long as they did. Chalking it up to pure luck, he continued to prowl about, trying to pinpoint the filly's scent.

After about an hour of searching and dodging around passing patrols, he was beginning to think Rouge might've been a better choice for the job. This was compounded by the fact that he could see even less than the average pony could due to his visual handicap of only having one working eye.

If it got any later, he'd have to turn around and head back, something he really didn't want to do.

It was as he was struggling with whether or not to return to the Vardo that he spotted it.

A flash of magenta light bright enough to see in the far distance through the thicket of trees. Wasting no time, he attempted to make a beeling straight for the source of the light, but he soon found out he hadn't been the only one who'd seen the light.

"Hey, did you see that?"

"Yeah, I did... alright you two, on me, let's check it out... and for Celestia's sake, Heavy Hitter, keep a lid on it this time."

"Yes sir!"

"Ugh... just... move out, recruit. Why do I always get the rookies..."

Yojimbo's ears perked up as he listened to the Guards. By the sound of it, there had been a total of three, and they were close... too close. Yojimbo growled again, silently cursing his luck as he thought about what to do.

At this rate, he wasn't going to make it to Fia in time—at least, not without alerting the Guard. He could distract the soldiers instead, lead them away from the filly, but then where would that leave Fia?

If only he had—

Yoji, what's your status? Any change in the situation?

The husky let out an involuntary grunt of surprise before shaking his head and grimacing as he slowly made his way forward.

Got some good news and some bad news, Scroll. Good news is that I found the pup, bad news is that three of the Guards spotted her as soon as I did. Kinda in a bind here, old buddy.

There was a pause before the voice of Ancient Scroll spoke again.

Do you still have the caravan's scent?

"Yeah, but it's faint. These Guards are makin' it real difficult to sniff anything out other than... well... Guard.

Alright... keep the Guards away from Twilight and lead them back here to the caravan. I've got a plan, but it's risky.

Yojimbo's grimace deepened.

This situation was beginning to feel a bit too familiar to the old adventure worn husky. While he would've normally embraced the rush of nostalgia with a smile, this wasn't the time nor the place.

What do ya got in mind, Scroll? And what about the pup?

Just focus on getting those Guards away from Twilight, I'll get in contact with the filly in a moment. I've already informed Fell Wind of the plan, and she's trying to distract as many of the Guards as she can. I'll send her over to your location once—

...Scroll?

No response came.

Scroll? Ancient Scroll! Can you hear me?

Nothing but silence answered the husky.

"Ah... damn it all!" Yojimbo growled before lunging forward after the Guards, "you better not have screwed up already, you old fool!"

Oh yeah, this is beginning to feel a lot like the old days...

A Captain's Mistake

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Captain Iron Heart made her way down the main path of the forest, her sharp eyes snapping left and right for any more signs of movement in the trees.

It may have just been her imagination, but Iron Heart took no chances when she thought she had seen something in the forest.

The moment she noticed it, she had excused herself from her post, replacing herself with one of her more seasoned veterans. From there, she had given an order to one of the unicorn Guards to scan the forest.

As it turned out, they had found activity in the form of a wayward pegasus that had most certainly not been of her own regiment, or indeed any Guard at all.

Again, taking no chances, she redoubled the security of the blockade and went to investigate herself. Thus, she made her way through the forest—eyes peeled and wingblades at the ready.

From then on, she had one of her most powerful unicorn mages cast a Scrying spell in different parts of the forest at regular intervals while keeping her updated via Telepathy.

Unfortunately, only the one mage could properly cast the spell, and even then, within a very limited range, so she had to send out more Guards to search along with them.

If there had indeed been somepony else in this forest, Iron Heart had to wonder how they could've missed them.

Though to be fair, the forest was immense and the search had been slow and methodical, sweeping from one end of the forest to the other. In fact it was only now that they had made any kind of significant progress since they had started a few days ago.

The thought made Iron Heart sigh inwardly.

At the very least, her hunch had been right, and there was something or somepony here, now she just had to find out who or what it was.

It was a little over an hour and a half of searching the forest before she received any noteworthy news from the mage scanning the forest.

It seemed a large caravan had been found in a clearing not far from her location. Nopony had been spotted outside the caravan, but they assumed there had to be somepony there.

A mental path was drawn through the forest and into the clearing via the Telepathy spell, and Iron Heart made haste in heading to that location.

As she ordered the mage to inform the rest of the squads in the area, she allowed herself a small smile of satisfaction. It had been a long shot, but she took comfort in the fact that her gut feelings had never steered her wrong, yet.

They were running out of time.

The plan was risky, but now that Ancient Scroll knew the Guard had brought a mage who could cast a Scrying spell, there was no telling when they'd find the Vardo.

With the Guard closing in, the old stallion had been forced to improvise. He could've cast his own Scrying spell, but if that had triggered some kind of ward or other magic based trap the soldiers had against magic, it would look suspicious, and that would interfere with his plan.

His plan, at this point, was to take Trixie's suggestion and cooperate with the Guard as innocent passersby. At best, he figured they would let them pass in peace or escort them out of the forest.

He didn't want to think about the worst.

And then there was the one wrench thrown into that plan—the one thing that made this much more complicated than it needed to be.

The wayward filly.

If there was even the smallest chance the Guard was looking for Fia, he didn't want to expose her in any way, but at the same time, he couldn't just leave her out in the forest if the Guard decided to force them to leave.

It was also because of this reason that he didn't risk Scrying Fia's location either. The mage that had cast the Scrying spell may not have done so competently, but that didn't necessarily mean he didn't have a way to counteract Ancient Scroll's own attempt.

No, he wouldn't risk it, and instead trusted Fell Wind and Yojimbo to keep Fia safe for the moment.

And so it was that he put the other parts of his plan into action. Unfortunately the plan required that Ancient Scroll and the others act as though they had no knowledge of or affiliation with the crazy pegasus that had been provoking the Guard.

The old stallion wasn't too worried about Fell Wind, and he had already informed her to look for Fia once she had lost the Guards on her tail.

He had hoped to use himself as bait for most of the Guard since they had already figured out they were there, and also reapplied Trixie's disguise in the meantime.

The disguise spell had its basis in changeling magic, and therefore made it harder to detect, but it wasn't a fail-proof solution.

Changelings hadn't been seen around the more populated areas of Equestria in a few centuries, and he prayed the Princess hadn't incorporated changeling detection spells in the Royal Battle Mage's training curriculum.

As Ancient Scroll, the remaining two fillies, and Rouge all waited for the Guard to arrive, Ancient Scroll had once again contacted Yojimbo to check on his progress.

He was relieved to hear that the husky had found Fia, but less so when he was informed that the Guards had also found her. He had begun to give Yojimbo instructions on what to do next... but then things hadn't quite gone to plan...

Ancient Scroll and the others sat in the sitting room as they waited for the inevitable confrontation with one or more of the Royal Guard. Corona and Blue Moon watched worriedly as Ancient Scroll sat in the armchair, his eyes closed in concentration.

No one among the group made a sound, too afraid to disturb the stallion as he tried to get in touch with Yojimbo via Telepathy. Rouge sat with the two fillies on the couch—her arms crossed and her gaze occasionally shifting towards the open doorway of the sitting room.

The tense silence continued for another few minutes before what felt and sounded like a sudden rush of air passed through the caravan and through each creature in the room.

To Rouge, it was an odd occurrence, but had no effect otherwise. To Ancient Scroll and the fillies however, the effect was much more drastic and immediate.

Rogue flinched slightly as Corona and Blue Moon suddenly squeaked in surprise. Ancient Scroll for his part flinched as well before his eyes snapped open.

"What the hay was that?!" Blue Moon cried, latching onto her horn with both hooves. She looked over to Ancient Scroll with a bewildered and panicked expression, "I... I can't... my horn! I can't feel my magic!"

"Me either," Corona added in a somewhat calmer, though no less scared tone, "i-it's like... like the connection to my own mana's been... severed."

It was true.

Ancient Scroll tried to channel the mana from his own wellspring into his horn, but nothing happened. He grimaced and turned his narrowed eyes towards the doorway.

"Well, fillies," he announced as he rose from his chair, "it looks as somepony's finally arrived, and it seems she's brought quite an interesting little trinket with them."

"What do we do?" Blue Moon asked, looking from the doorway to Ancient Scroll, "Should we stay in the Vardo? Or—"

"That's exactly what I want you all to do," Ancient Scroll interjected, glancing back at the others, "I'll go out to meet her alone, and if need be, I'll come and get the rest of you."

He turned his full attention to Rouge as he spoke, his serious expression turning somewhat apologetic.

"You remember our cover story, right?"

"I remember, Ancient Scroll," Rouge said, nodding stiffly, an almost imperceptible blush marking her face, "I will act accordingly, as will the little ones."

Despite the gravity of the situation, both Corona and Blue Moon couldn't help but snicker behind their hooves at Rouge's expense, knowing full well what each of their roles were supposed to be.

Ancient Scroll gave a single nod and a grateful smile before trotting out of the room. He made his way down the short hall and towards the platform, reaching it just as something dropped down from above and landed before him with a heavy thud.

Ancient Scroll scrambled away from the platform with a surprised grunt, instinctively reaching for magic that wasn't there. He inwardly cursed as the tall armor clad pegasus charged forward in the blink of an eye, slamming into the stallion and pushing him all the way across the hall.

He hit the backdoor with a cry of pain, and before he could regain his bearings, he was pulled forward and down. He grunted again as he was thrown down to the floor and pinned to the ground.

Within a span of roughly six seconds, the taller pegasus mare had completely immobilized Ancient Scroll. The stallion now lay flat on his stomach—his face pressed against the ground, and a wingblade placed just above the base of his skull.

Ancient Scroll was many things, but a fool was not one of them.

He knew when he was beat, and even had the blade not come into play, he wouldn't have resisted. That would've gone against his plan in any case.

"State your name and your business traveling this forest," a low feminine voice growled menacingly just above his ear, "answer quickly or things are gonna get a lot worse for you."

"The name's... Ancient Scroll, ma'am," Ancient Scroll grunted, "just an...old stallion traveling with... his family on a road trip is all."

"Family?" the mare above repeated, furrowing her brow, "on a road trip? What—"

"GRANDPA!"

A wing shot out and towards the direction of the sudden voice partway before it faltered. The mare's eyes widened in horror when she finally realized she had almost thrown an incredibly lethal bladed weapon into the eye socket of a small frightened filly.

The little maroon filly and another filly with a silvery blue coat both squealed in terror and quickly shuffled back into the sitting room. The mare glanced at her own partially extended wing in disbelief before shaking her head and retracting it.

"Oh sweet Celestia," she breathed in a shaky whisper before calling out to the two fillies, "W-Wait! I'm sorry! I didn't mean—"

"Excuse me, ma'am," came an irate voice below the mare, "now that you've nearly killed one of my grandchildren, do you think you could let me up? I'm not as spry as I used to be, and you're not doing my back any favors."

Author's Notes:

Sorry guys, this chapter ran a little longer than I would've liked and I wanted to get this out there tonight rather than tomorrow morning (even though it technically is tomorrow for some of you)

Next chapter is the last flashback chapter, Pinkie Promise.

On another note, I just recently watched the Sounds of Silence episode of season 8 of MLP, and now know that Kirins are officially a thing... and that they can use magic and burst into angry flaming hellspawn., this opens up many opportunities...

Opportunities that I definitely plan to take advantage of at some point in the future by some means.

What I'm saying is, expect at least one Kirin to make an appearance at some point in this story... and probably my other stories.

KIRINS ARE A THING NOW! *makes very unmanly squealing noises of glee*

A Reluctant Push Forward

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Wracked with guilt as Iron Heart was, she still had a job to do.

To this end, she had gathered the group of ponies and the Abyssinian just outside the Vardo. She lined them up and looked them over, her face unreadable save for the very slight wince upon seeing the fearful faces of the two fillies.

She found she couldn't meet their eyes for long, and seeing the glares of the two adults didn't help matters either.

Pushing down the sudden bout of self-loathing for the moment, she paced in front of the group as she spoke—her voice loud and authoritative.

"You all have my sincerest apologies for the... debacle earlier," she said, her commanding tone faltering a bit, "I assure you it was not my intent to harm either of your foals."

She stopped and hung her head.

"I admit, that was... not the best way I could've handled the situation," she raised her head with a set frown, "I won't make excuses, only apologies."

Iron Heart waited as they all looked at each other, as if having some silent conversation she wasn't aware of. She blinked in surprise when she noticed one of the fillies—the maroon one—looking in her direction and raising a hoof.

"Yes?" Iron Heart replied, somewhat caught off guard, "you had a question?"

The filly nodded and looked the captain up and down as though searching for something.

"W-What did you do to our magic?" she asked, her tone both unnerved and accusatory, "when I try to draw mana into my horn it doesn't work. You're not a unicorn, so you shouldn't be able to nullify our magic with your own."

The filly cast a quick glance at the old stallion before returning her gaze to Iron Heart, her eyes narrowing slightly as she continued.

"Are you using some kind of artifact to block our magic? Or maybe all magic within a certain range?"

Iron Heart's eyes widened in surprise at the filly's accusation. She hadn't expected that to be the question coming out of the filly's mouth.

Nevertheless, she couldn't help but chuckle slightly, impressed by the filly's insight. She seemed to be the smart, studious type... much like she was told the lavender filly they were supposed to be on the lookout for was.

The thought nagged at the captain, but she pushed it aside, knowing full well that had the filly been using magic to disguise herself, her 'gift' from the Princess would've dispelled it in an instant.

She shook her head and reached into a pocket inside her armor and pulled out a smooth, flat white stone a little smaller than her hoof.

"That's it?" the silvery blue unicorn filly blurted out incredulously when she saw the seemingly benign stone, "you jammed our magic with a small rock?"

"That isn't just any stone, little filly," Ancient Scroll replied with a grimace, "what the lady has there is known as null stone."

"Null stone," the maroon filly muttered thoughtfully before her eyes widened in recognition, "isn't that the stuff some of the most powerful anti-magic horn rings are made of?"

"It certainly is," Iron Heart replied just as Ancient Scroll was about to, "though in my opinion, it has far more use as a simple stone than a ring."

The fact of the matter was that Iron Heart was right in a way. Once cultivated into a horn ring, the effects of null stone were reduced to nullifying the magic of the one unicorn who wore it.

The trade off for that was that the effects were concentrated into a single point, making them more potent. As a stone however, it had a much wider—though still somewhat limited—range of effect, and it didn't just apply to unicorns either.

Null stone in its natural state had a subdued effect on the innate magic of pegasi and earth ponies, to the point where pegasi couldn't fly for very long or that earth ponies would feel a bit of weakness and some sluggishness.

Where the stone truly shined however, was when it was being used against a unicorn. Null stone was exceedingly difficult to find in Equestria, and it was even more of a daunting task to mold it into a horn ring, but the effects the stone had on unicorns were worth the effort.

If need be, the effects of null stone could be muted by a special material that was normally woven into small pouches used to store said stones when not in use—a pouch Iron Heart just so happened to possess.

"That's... but that..." Blue Moon sputtered indignantly, "that's just unfair!"

"Is it?" Iron Heart asked, raising an eyebrow, "I think not, considering the power unicorns have at their disposal normally."

"Just let it go for now, Blue Moon," Corona said with a resigned sigh. She turned her attention back to Iron Heart, a scowl crossing her face, "so what now? Are you gonna arrest us? Turn us into the Princess for traveling through the forest?"

Rather than answer right away, Iron Heart observed the filly. Her tone was angry and accusatory, but it was clear to the pegasus captain that the filly—Corona if she had heard right—was scared.

In fact, if it hadn't been for her own blunder, she would've said the filly was almost unreasonably scared. She noticed the shaking in her legs and the quaver in her voice increase when she mentioned the Princess.

The captain made a mental note of her reaction before moving on.

"I'm not going to arrest you on the spot," Iron Heart finally replied, "but I will warn you that there is a very dangerous... individual on the loose in this forest."

A thought struck her and she narrowed her eyes.

"The four of you wouldn't happen to know anything about this individual would you?" she asked suddenly, "or might have at least seen them? We're on the lookout for what some of my scouts have described as a dark green pegasus mare with a black mane and tail."

"Can't say that I've seen such a mare, ma'am," Ancient Scroll answered readily, "wish I could be of more help, but we haven't run into any trouble at all... until now that is."

"It is true," Rouge added with a curt nod, "the trip had been rather pleasant, at least until you charged into our caravan, attacked my husband unprovoked, and nearly killed our granddaughters."

Iron Heart paused for a heartbeat before clearing her throat and replying with as much grace as she could, trying all the while to hide her shame.

"I see," she continued, "be that as it may, I still have a duty to uphold, and while I'd like nothing more than to let you continue your travels at your own leisure, I believe it would be wiser to expedite your journey through the forest."

Without warning the pegasus captain let out an ear piercing whistle that, from the sheer volume, most likely carried quite a distance.

The sound left the fillies' ears ringing and it took a moment before they realized they were suddenly surrounded on all sides by more pegasus Guards, and a few unicorn and earth pony Guards as well.

It was as though they had all been hiding in the trees this entire time—or at least that was Ancient Scroll's guess, as he hadn't seen them appear either.

Blue Moon yelped in surprise while the others simply looked around with various expressions of bemusement or nervousness. Their attention was brought back to Iron Heart as she spoke again.

"As an apology, and because I believe it to be the safer option, I will have a contingent of Guards escort you the rest of the way out of the forest from here."

"What?!" Blue Moon and Corona shouted in unison.

"B-But we can't just leave!" Blue Moon cried, "what about Tw—"

"What about Fia?!" Corona yelled over Blue Moon, trying to salvage the other filly's near slip, "she's still missing! We can just leave her out there!"

"A missing filly?" Iron Heart replied, turning to Ancient Scroll with a frown, "there was no mention of a missing filly. Why?"

Ancient Scroll exhaled through his nose and met Iron Heart's questioning gaze with a grimace.

"We... were about to go out looking for her when you showed up," he replied, "what with being attacked, I might have forgotten to mention it."

A sudden realization came to him and he inwardly cursed his own mistake. If Yojimbo came back now with Guards hot on his tail it would cause all sorts of problems.

Problems they most certainly did not need right now.

"We... actually have another one traveling with us," he admitted, "a diamond dog by the name of Yojimbo. The old dog is... very protective of the fillies.

"He went out to go looking for our lost little filly earlier, and he... might've done something rash if he ran into any of your Guards in the forest."

"Oh?" Iron Heart replied with a scowl, "and why would he do that?"

"He doesn't know too much about how things work this side of Equestria," Ancient Scroll answered smoothly, "he may have thought the Guards were a threat to the filly," he shrugged, "I'm not sure what goes on in that brain of his at times, but please don't be too hard on the fellow if you see him."

Iron Heart eyed the stallion coolly for a moment before speaking again.

"Do you have any idea where this Yojimbo is right now?" she asked, "or when he'll be back?"

"I'm not sure, Miss," Ancient Scroll replied with a sad shake of his head, "if he hasn't gotten himself lost, he should be back within the hour."

The captain mulled this over for a moment before turning to the waiting Guards behind her.

"Fast Strike, Wind Whisper, Quick Silver, White Star," she commanded, "I want the four of you to see these good ponies—and Abyssinian—out of the forest ASAP."

The two pegasi and two unicorns in question each snapped a crisp salute with matching shouts of 'Yes ma'am' before positioning themselves at various points around the caravan.

Iron Heart nodded in satisfaction before turning to address the remaining soldiers.

"The rest of you are to assist me in locating the missing filly," she said before looking back towards the worried group of travelers, "we'll find her, Ancient Scroll, and if the diamond dog comes back, and if he's willing to cooperate, we'll be sure to send him your way."

Ancient Scroll wanted to grit his teeth in frustration, but held back. The situation was less than ideal, but none of them really had a choice but to go with it and hope the Guards didn't find Fell Wind with the filly.

Ancient Scroll knew Yojimbo well enough to know that he'd pick up on what the stallion had done and play along.

This wouldn't have been the first time something like this happened, so the old stallion wasn't too worried about his little lie to the captain.

"Very well," he replied, "the filly's name is Fia, she has a black coat and a silvery white mane with an orange streak. Might be a bit hard to see her now, but you'll know her once you do. Bring her back safe if you would."

"On my honor as the Captain of the Royal Guard, Mister Scroll," Iron Heart replied before nodding towards the Vardo, "now if you and the rest of your family would return to the caravan?"

As Ancient Scroll explained to the captain how they'd be moving without a harness, the two fillies looked at each other nervously, neither of them having to say a word about how worried they were.

Within the span of about five minutes, they were loaded up and moving out with their escorts while Iron Heart remained behind in the clearing along with several of her Guards.

It was not how Ancient Scroll had envisioned what was supposed to be a relatively safe trip through Farhoof Forest, but it couldn't be helped.

Whatever happened to Yojimbo, Fell Wind, and Fia was out of his hooves now.

A Reckless Delivery

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Fia's discovery upon arriving at the campsite had her hiding behind a tree further back desperately trying, and failing, not to hyperventilate.

Several horrible scenarios of what could've happened to the others played through her mind, fueled by her overactive imagination.

Other thoughts were reserved for berating herself for how stupid it had been of her to come out here in the first place when she knew there were Royal Guards roaming about.

It had been a miracle she hadn't been caught... yet.

She stayed behind the tree for another few moments, putting a hoof to her chest and taking deep breaths as she pulled it away. It took several repetitions, but eventually she managed to calm down to a level where she could think rationally.

Okay think, Twilight, you're a smart filly. Just assess the situation and plan accordingly.

The thought did little to comfort or quell the nervousness she felt, but it at least gave her a bit of focus. Making sure she was still well hidden amongst the trees, she closed her eyes and mulled her next move over.

She didn't know all that much about the Royal Guard—at least, not nearly as much as her brother—but she had learned a few things from Shining Armor about how they operated.

Fia decided to go forward with the assumption that they were all looking for her, and that they were pulling out all the stops to do so.

Earth pony patrols, scanning spells, pegasi scouts, and all manner of other issues arose in her mind, making her whimper quietly with worry.

As much as she hated it, she also had to continue under the assumption that the others may have been captured and were being sent to Canterlot, which means the Vardo was most likely being moved out of the forest.

It probably hadn't happened too long ago, so she could probably catch up if she was careful. As far as the Guards in the clearing were concerned, there was a fair mix of pegasi, earth ponies and unicorns.

Her main problem were the unicorns and what spells they may have been using to search for her. It was that thought that pushed her towards the decision to move further away from the clearing.

For all she knew, they could have any number of spells to cancel out magic or magically scan for her location, and it would be all downhill from there.

For just a moment an idea crossed her mind.

What if... what if I tried to Teleport?

She found the idea as attractive as it was repulsive, causing a little shiver of unpleasantness to run down her spine. She quickly rationalized that even if she succeeded, both the noise and the flash would give away her general location.

Fia doubted she could make it anywhere close to where she had before when she escaped from her home, and that wouldn't exactly have been ideal anyway.

Still...

No... it's not worth the risk.

She rapidly shook her head before cantering away from the clearing as quietly as possible, wracking her brain for other ideas even as she made her escape.

She continued to move in the opposite direction of where all the Guards were for another few minutes, thinking of a plan all the while.

The best she could think of was to cast a Shadow Cloak spell to cover her retreat, but she didn't trust herself to stay completely quiet in this situation.

Her low growl of frustration turned into a quiet 'eep' of surprise as a slightly raspy yet familiar voice rang out within her head.

Can you hear me, little filly?

Fia whipped her head left and right, frantically searching for the source of the voice, only to stop and blink in confusion for a moment, then widen her eyes in realization as what was happening and who was causing it finally dawned on her.

Uncle Scroll?

There was a beat of silence, and then...

Indeed it is, little filly, and I'm glad I was able to get in touch with you, and when we meet up again, we're going to have some words about your 'evening stroll'.

Fia winced and flattened her ears, not looking forward to that particular talk. They perked back up when she heard Ancient Scroll speak again.

That can wait, though, do you know where you are right now? Have the Guard spotted you at all?

Fia started to shake her head before she realized there was nopony there to see that, and replied mentally instead.

I came back to the campsite not too long ago, but it was full of soldiers. Uncle Scroll, what's going on? Are you all okay? Where are you?

Rouge, myself, and the other fillies are fine, Twilight, but we've been forced to move on by the all the Guards, and are being escorted out of the forest.

What?! But—

Don't worry too much, little filly. The captain of the Guard was using null stone to block out our magic so I couldn't get in touch with you.

Fia frowned and slowed to a stop just behind some underbrush.

She hadn't much bothered to learn about null stone—what little she did know mostly being due to the self-explanatory nature of the name and the fact that it was used as a material for powerful anti-magic horn rings.

Null stone blocked magic, there wasn't really any need to know much more than that. She put the thought out of her mind as Ancient Scroll continued his explanation of the situation.

Yojimbo went out to find you, but he got caught up with the Guard. I've told him to continue heading towards the clearing.

But what about the Guards?

I told him about the Guards as well. They won't be a problem for him as long as he behaves himself. I'm more worried about Fell Wind, as I told her to meet up with you after she lost the Guards chasing after her.

Almost out of reflex, Fia perked her ears up and looked around, as though expecting the pegasus in question to drop out of the sky and land right next to her.

She felt both shocked and vindicated when Fell Wind proceeded to do just that.

"Yo, finally found ya," Fell Wind greeted with a mix of relief and amusement. She completely ignored Fia's yelp of terror at her sudden appearance, "now let's get outta here... oh, and try not to scream, don't wanna get caught by the Guard again."

Before Fia could protest, she found herself wrapped in a pair of dark green hooves and lifted into the air. Despite Fell Wind's warning, Fia let out another yelp, this one of surprise and indignation.

"What are you doing?" she cried, squirming in the grip of the much stronger pegasus, "put me down!"

"No can do, kid," Fell Wind replied easily, "Old stallion's orders, I gotta get you away from the captain's group and as close to the caravan as possible without getting spotted, so you're gonna have to deal."

"What?" Fia replied in bewilderment, "what are you talking abo—"

Twilight? Twilight, can you hear me, filly?

Fia blinked before furrowing her brow.

Uncle Scroll, what's going on? Fell Wind found me and she said something about getting me close to the Vardo.

Ah, there's a bit of good news then. I would've just informed you to go to the clearing with Yojimbo, but I didn't want to risk it with all those higer level mages around the captain.

Fia went to respond, but was distracted as Fell Wind suddenly gave a hard flap of her wings and pushed forward at a pace just under 'breakneck'.

The black filly fought to bite back a scream and just barely managed as the pegasus swerved, dodged, and ducked out of the way of incoming trees.

After a moment, Fia's heartbeat slowed back down to a somewhat regular pace and she finally gave Ancient Scroll a mental reply—now being able to form rational thoughts once more.

You didn't want them to see through the disguise, which makes sense, but then how did Sunset and Trixie manage to trick the captain if she had a null stone?

Fia heard Ancient Scroll give one of his signature chuckles, though found it odd that he had done so mentally. That thought was pushed aside as Ancient Scroll spoke again.

Apparently, null stone doesn't work on changeling magic—though I'm not so sure that's a good thing... but it's working in our favor for the moment, so I won't worry too much about it. In any case, Sunset and Trixie are still disguised so there's no need to worry there.

Fia breathed a small sigh of relief before frowning quizzically.

Wait, so if my disguise wouldn't be revealed, why not just go with the captain?

Because I don't know if those unicorns know any spells to reveal a changeling and as I said before, I don't want to risk it.

Oh... I guess that makes sense...

Right. There's a couple of unicorn Guards escorting us, but they seem to be recruits, so I'm not expecting too much out of them. When Fell Wind drops you off, be sure to act the part of the scared filly looking for her grandpa.

Fia scrunched up her face in confusion.

O... kay?

Ancient Scroll chuckled again, and when he next spoke, his voice was just a little too chipper.

That'll do, Twilight. I need to take care of a few things on my end, but I'll keep the Telepathic link open in case something happens. I also sent the image of our current path to Fell Wind, so she'll know where to go. If you or Fell Wind need anything, just think it at me.

Fia wanted to say something about how ridiculous—and frankly, somewhat convoluted—she thought this plan was, but decided against it and just shook her head instead.

If she was being completely honest, she thought Ancient Scroll was being a bit paranoid, but if it kept her away from being revealed and sent back to Canterlot in the hooves of the Guards, she wouldn't complain... too much.

"So how come you're trying not to be spotted?" Fia called out to Fell Wind, opting to voice the other question on her mind, "what are you supposed to do in all this?"

"Stay out of sight, make my own way out of the forest, and meet you guys once you've got a good distance away from the Guards," she called back over the wind rushing in both their ears, "that's what I get for being the scapegoat."

She chanced a look down at Fia, only to see the filly looking back up at her in confusion. Fell Wind laughed and shook her head.

"Nevermind, we're coming up to the caravan now," she continued, looking back up at the path ahead, "just be ready to make with the lost, scared filly routine, alright?"

Fia followed Fell Wind's gaze, but couldn't make anything out in the darkened forest. In fact, she wondered just how Fell Wind could even see well enough to avoid all the obstacles.

"How can you tell?" Fia asked curiously, "can you actually see the Vardo up ahead?"

"Yup."

Fia waited for an explanation, and frowned when she didn't receive one. She cried out in surprise as the dark green pegasus put on an extra burst of speed.

The filly wondered what had gotten into Fell Wind, when she happened to catch the glint of something shiny further up ahead in the light of the moon.

It took her a moment, but as they got closer, she could just make out the golden armor of the Guards through the trees, and the sound of the caravan as it moved along the open path out of the forest.

When they had gotten close enough, Fell Wind leaned in and whispered in Fia's ear.

"Alright, that's your cue, kid," she said with a wink that Fia couldn't see, "make some noise."

"Wha—"

Fia shrieked as her world was suddenly sent spinning. It only lasted a second before she landed in some bushes near the pathway.

Her momentum sent her rolling out of the bush and stumbling right into the path about a yard ahead of the oncoming caravan.

The commotion was enough to catch the attention of the Guards, and they rushed over to investigate, completely missing the pegasus mare hiding in the trees and wearing a wide victorious grin as she watched the events unfold.

The filly had landed just as planned—dazed, but unharmed by the rough arrival.

"Ha!" the ecstatic pegasus whispered loudly, "nailed it!"

She pumped a hoof in the air before turning and zipping off into a more isolated part of the forest to make her escape.

The entire plan had been far from perfect, but it had worked so far, and Fell Wind—along with the others—could only hope that their luck continued to hold until they were all out of the forest and away from the Guards.

Fell Wind herself had no worries about getting out of the forest. Once she was out, all she'd have to do is bide her time until the others made it out as well.

The only thing she'd have to deal with was the boredom.

A Not-so-Fond Farewell to the Forest

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Fia knew it was coming.

She had prepared for a lecture from Ancient Scroll about her admittedly foolish actions, but what she hadn't prepared for, was the earful she received from Corona and Blue Moon.

In fact, Ancient Scroll barely had to say anything at all. He expressed his disappointment certainly, but he didn't have the heart or the energy to scold the black filly too harshly.

Corona and Blue Moon had no such issues holding them back and were all too glad to make their displeasure known to Fia.

Aside from a few words about running off to cast potentially dangerous magic alone, he largely let the other fillies do the scolding.

Rouge also had quite a bit to say, surprising everypony there. It seemed the normally soft spoken Abyssinian had been just as worried as Ancient Scroll and the other fillies, if not more so.

Yojimbo still hadn't yet caught up with the caravan, so he naturally had nothing to say on the matter... for the moment.

The berating had gone on for quite some time, but despite Fia's cowed and sullen demeanor, she was still relieved that everypony had made it out okay and that she was back with her friends... her family.

By the time things had calmed down, the Vardo had almost reached the edge of the forest and the barrier just past that.

The rest of the ride was spent discussing what had transpired from all sides, with Ancient Scroll being careful not to mention anything incriminating with their escorts just outside.

Eventually they reached the blockade and the caravan was stopped short by the Guards still patrolling the border.

With a quick explanation of events, a message was sent via Telepathy from one of the mages informing Iron Heart that the missing filly in question had been found and that they had all made it to the forest's edge.

The next hour or so was spent in equal parts hushed conversation and tense silence as Ancient Scroll, Rouge, and the fillies waited at the blockade for Iron Heart and her team to make it back to the barrier with Yojimbo in tow.

Each moment they spent near all the Guards and the massive amber colored barrier that stretched across the forest's edge and rose above the trees made the fillies a little more nervous about being discovered.

Thankfully however, their fears were somewhat laid to rest as the arrival of the Captain was announced. Fia, Corona, and Blue Moon stayed in the caravan while Ancient Scroll went out to meet the Captain and the husky.

"Mister Scroll," Iron Heart called out as she made her way over to the stallion, "I believe this is the companion you told me about?"

She stopped and turned to face Yojimbo, who trailed a little ways behind, two Guards trotting on either side of him and the rest of Iron Heart's squad taking up the rear.

"That he is, Captain," Ancient Scroll confirmed, eyeing the somewhat irritated looking diamond dog for a moment before giving Iron Heart a cordial smile, "hopefully he didn't cause too much trouble for you and your squad?"

"Oh come on, Scroll, you know me," Yojimbo called out with a smirk, "I've been nothing but a saint!"

Ancient Scroll snorted in amusement while Iron Heart merely rolled her eyes and turned back to the old stallion.

"He didn't cause any trouble for us, no," Iron Heart replied, "he might be... boisterous, but not much more than what I used to deal with back home with my kid brothers."

"Well," Ancient Scroll replied with a chuckle, "glad to hear it, at any rate. Thanks for bringing the big lug back to us."

"It was the least I could do after... well..."

Iron Heart grimaced and Ancient Scroll nodded, his expression turning serious and his eyes hardening slightly.

"I don't want to tell you how to do your job, Captain," Ancient Scroll admonished, "but you ought to pick your battlefields with a little more care," his expression softened somewhat, "you'll find no enemies here."

Iron Heart tensed for a moment—her jaw clenching and a harsh rebuttal on the end of her tongue. After a second, she relaxed and let out a long sigh before looking back at the caravan.

"I suppose you're right," she conceded, turning back to the stallion before her, "I've been at this a long time, and though the Princess tries to hide it as best she can, I know for a fact that Equestria isn't as peaceful as ponies want to believe it is."

"From the rumors I've heard, I can imagine they're finding that out first hoof," Ancient Scroll replied with a knowing nod, "believe me, Captain, I'm fully aware of the harsh reality we truly live in. All the same though, I do hope you show a bit more restraint in the future."

"I aim to," Iron Heart replied before looking away, "what happened earlier was... eye-opening," she looked back up at Ancient Scroll with a set frown, "I think some leave would do me a bit of good—maybe pay my own family a visit."

"I think that'd be a good idea," Ancient Scroll said with a nod, "Been a while since you've seen your kin I take it?"

"You have no idea," Iron Heart muttered quietly before speaking a bit louder, "but first things first. I have a job to do, and until it's done, there won't be any time off for me."

"Understandable," Ancient Scroll replied, watching Yojimbo pass by him. The husky gave him a subtle nod, and Ancient Scroll returned his attention to the Captain, "now if you don't mind, Captain? I think the family and I'd best hit the road again."

"Right," Iron Heart replied, shuffling her wings and trotting over to the mages maintaining the barriers, "I won't hold you up any longer then."

She barked out an order, and a split opened up in the barrier, just large enough for the caravan to fit through. She turned back to Ancient Scroll one final time, giving him a nod and a small smile.

"You all have a good evening," she paused a moment and frowned before speaking again, "and if you're headed anywhere near Canterlot, be careful. Things in that area are a bit... volatile at the moment."

"Will do," Ancient Scroll replied with his own frown, "thank you for the escort, Captain," after a second, he added, "and good luck finding your pegasus."

With that, Ancient Scroll and Yojimbo returned to the Vardo and a few minutes later, the caravan hummed to life. They all passed through the barrier and out of Farhoof Forest with no more incident.

By this point it had gotten late, and by the time Ancient Scroll and Yojimbo entered the Vardo, the fillies had already gone to bed for the night, and Rouge had settled down in the sitting room with another mug of cider and a book.

As they made their way further and further from the forest, Ancient Scroll and the other adults began to wonder where Fell Wind was.

They got their answer in the form of a loud thud as something landed on the platform outside and a far-too-loud greeting erupted from the dark green pegasus herself.

Thankfully her shout didn't wake the fillies, which didn't surprise Ancient Scroll all that much, given how worn out they most likely were from the day's events.

Still, the old stallion had to wonder how Fell Wind had made it past the barrier when it was created with pegasi in mind.

"Oh, that?" Fell Wind had said with a chuckle and a smug smirk, "I was a Hunter, so it wasn't really a problem."

With that less than satisfactory answer given, the mare retreated to the sitting room and took up the couch for the night, forcing Rouge to move to her own cot with no small amount of annoyance.

It looked like things were returning to normal for now, much to everyone's relief. With the forest finally behind them, he turned his thoughts towards the long journey ahead.

It'd be another week or so before they reached their next destination, and before that it'd be all grassy hills, valleys, and farmlands.

They'd have to pass through the western countryside and head north into the more mountainous region if they wanted to reach Lopendale.

Iron Heart hadn't needed to warn Ancient Scroll about the region around Canterlot. That was the whole reason he was taking the roundabout route through the mountains in the first place.

With any luck, their path forward from here on out would be clear of any more problems. Ancient Scroll had had enough misadventures to last awhile. and was more than ready for those hot springs once they had finally reached Lopendale.

The night had grown old and the moon had started its slow descent in the sky, getting ready to make way for Celestia's Sun to rise in a few hours.

The still darkened forest had grown quiet and peaceful despite the many ponies in heavy armor still wandering its many trees.

Beyond the occasional clink of metal, the only sounds that could be heard were the squeaks, chirps, and hoots, of the forest's nocturnal wildlife.

The massive barrier surrounding the entire eastern edge of the Farhoof Forest was visible even from the west end and lit up the night sky with its bright amber glow.

It was especially visible to anyone flying overhead, as the dark shape quietly soaring through the sky above the forest discovered.

A pair of piercing, predatory eyes, icy as the peaks of the Frozen North, narrowed as they spotted the barrier in the far distance.

With an an irritated huff, the creature doubled back the way they came and descended, landing silently just outside the forest's western edge.

The creature took a moment to scan the treeline and frowned before groaning in annoyance.

"This is gonna take forever," the slate grey thestral grumbled. "for his sake, I hope that barpony knew what he was talking about."

Frigid Gale sighed heavily after a moment.

She hadn't felt good about what she'd had to do to get the stetson wearing pony to talk, but the old bastard was stubborn and left her no choice.

She needed information, he had what she needed, simple as that. That didn't mean the whole thing hadn't left a bad taste in her mouth.

She made a mental note to go back and apologize later, but for now, she had a wayward pegasus to find... along with a certain little lavender filly if she was lucky.

The thestral mare huffed again, blowing her teal mane out of her face. She shuffled her black leathery wings and moved forward, her hooves making almost no sound as she made her way into Farhoof Forest.

The barrier probably wouldn't pose too much of a problem, but it might slow her down even more depending on who had set it up in the first place.

She'd simply have to deal with the situation as she searched the forest, and if Fell Wind or the filly was here, they might be trapped behind that massive amber eyesore. that would've made her job a bit easier... unless they'd passed by before it went up.

In any case, whoever had set up the barrier would be dealt with if it became necessary. She didn't want to spend too long holed up in this forest looking for ponies that might not even be here, and if the barrier got in the way of her search...

Well... it'd have to go.

A Thestral and her Moon

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Frigid Gale closed her eyes and breathed deeply.

She sat alone in her room, a large chamber which would have been an opulent spectacle to behold, had it not been for the fact that the thestral mare had everything originally held within either removed or destroyed.

The massive circular bed with the downy feathered pillows, the oversized vanity, the gilt dressers and armoire, the immaculate, hoof-stitched maroon carpet, the magical chandelier, and several expensive knick-knacks and curios from an age long since past.

All gone and replaced with a simple cot, a few sconces for lighting, a large wooden desk stacked with mission reports, personnel files, a few personal books the mare enjoyed during the brief interludes between work, and both unsent, and received mail.

The room had once been Celestia's, and now it was Frigid Gale's.

It was no better than the room they had kept the poor colt in. Frigid Gale could see why Shining would have had issues with such a setup, but she herself didn't mind it personally.

After all, it wasn't like she spent a lot of time here during the day, or even at night.

She was always somewhere doing something, and usually at the recommendation of the voice in her head. The voice telling her to meet certain creatures, make certain allies, and crush certain enemies to the cause.

It was that little voice in her head that started her down the path she now trotted, and Frigid Gale couldn't have been more grateful for it.

It had given her insight, saved her life more than once, allowed her to do some real good in the world that she wouldn't have been able to do otherwise.

It had helped her master her own unique magic and filled in the gaps of her own race's history that her own village's Elders hadn't even known.

The voice in her mind did all of this, and so much more. At times the mare felt bitter, relying so much on the voice in her head to guide her to such an extent.

At times, she felt as though she was being manipulated, and if she was being honest, she never completely stopped feeling that way, but she set that feeling aside.

She suspected the voice of manipulation, and she was certain the voice knew of her suspicions, but that didn't matter. None of that mattered because both Frigid Gale and the voice in her head shared a common end goal.

They both wanted to see Celestia's downfall.

It wasn't until she had left that old fool behind that Frigid Gale began to hear the voice, and at first she was scared. She thought herself crazy, and her mental health suffered from it... at least, for a time.

Then the voice revealed itself for what—or rather, who—it truly was.

Frigid Gale, in her youth, traveled from place to place, surviving on what she could. She did things she hadn't wanted to, or ever thought she would do, all for the sake of her own survival.

Scared though she was, she had been desperate enough to listen to what the voice had to say. For the longest time, she did so grudgingly, but then something happened that changed all of that.

One stormy night, as she lay huddled in a dark, dank bedroom beneath the hole riddled roof of a rundown old castle deep in a scary forest, she dreamed.

She dreamed of a mare.

The mare was large, imposing, imperious, black as the night sky, and bedecked in lavish silver full body armor. A horn three times the length of the average unicorn, and wings to put any pegasus to shame adorned her frame.

What struck the thestral filly most however, were the starry mane and tail that flowed with a life of their own, and the same ice blue predatory eyes that she herself was born with.

Whereas Frigid Gale's eyes held fear and awe in equal measure, the mare's held unfathomable power and unshakable confidence.

The filly knew who this mare was.

She knew this was no ordinary dream, she knew this mare was the same that spoke to her in her waking hours, and she knew what the legends and history of her race said about her.

The Mare of Dreams, The Mistress of the Night, the Lunar Princess, the Moon Eternal, the Boon of the Thestrals, and countless other names were given to this mare by the Elders of her village, but none did her justice as much as the name she herself had given to the thestrals so long ago.

Nightmare Moon.

When the alicorn had first revealed her identity to Frigid Gale, the filly had been completely stunned—shocked and ecstatic that Nightmare Moon would speak to her, give her advice, be there for her when no one else would.

And so it went for years afterwords.

Nightmare Moon would remain a constant in Frigid Gale's life from then onward. Over time the filly grew into a mare, and with Nightmare's presence, she went on to do things, both great and terrible, all in the name of the vengeance they both desired.

Of course, Frigid Gale made sure not to draw too much attention to herself with her deeds in the beginning, always staying in the shadows—there one moment, and gone before anyone noticed.

Though as time went on and she gained more allies, she could afford to branch out, make bolder moves while staying beneath the notice of the Sun Princess and her Guard.

With Nightmare Moon's guidance, she had even obtained a base of operations right under Celestia's muzzle.

Before she knew it, she had a growing resistance, connections in high places, a steady source of income from less than reputable sources to fund her rebellion, and far more magical power than any average unicorn could ever hope to have.

All this with the help of Nightmare Moon and her own conviction.

The one thing Frigid Gale didn't have, was a name for her resistance. It had honestly never occurred to her to make one, and no one had ever really brought it up.

Perhaps that would change, but it wasn't high on her priority list at the moment. What was high on her priority list was both finding the lavender filly, and finding out what had happened to her subordinates.

Frigid Gale had thought to ask Nightmare Moon, and so retreated to the privacy of her own chamber late at night to do just that.

It wasn't so simple however, not anymore at least.

In recent years, Nightmare had begun speaking to Frigid Gale less and less, and it was getting to the point where she'd only speak when Frigid Gale addressed her.

Even then she wouldn't always respond right away. This was the main reason Frigid Gale no longer trusted the alicorn like she used to. Even back when she was growing up and had nothing but admiration for the mare in her mind, there was always an air of mystery and suspicion.

Frigid Gale had always felt like there were things Nightmare Moon wasn't telling her about, and now, more than ever, that feeling was present—a growing problem that had been causing a rift between the two.

At first Frigid Gale didn't care as long as their goals aligned. As long as they continued to work towards the same thing, Nightmare Moon could have her own agenda, but lately Frigid Gale had started to wonder.

The long silences, the curt replies to some of Frigid Gale's own inquiries, the cryptic comments Nightmare made to herself, and worst of all, the mistakes Frigid Gale herself had made due to Nightmare's own instruction, or rather—as Frigid Gale was beginning to suspect—misdirection.

It was becoming clear that whatever hidden agenda Nightmare had was beginning to interfere with the plan they had both come up with together.

Frigid Gale inhaled, held her breath for a moment, then exhaled softly. It was an exercise she went through every time the stress became too much to handle, and she was certainly stressed.

As suspect as Nightmare Moon was, Frigid Gale couldn't afford to worry about it now. One of her best field agents had left on a mission and hadn't reported back in three days.

It wasn't a terribly long time to be out on a mission normally, but with Fell Wind, it was a different story. She wasn't like other pegasi, she was fast—much faster than any pegasus should be, efficient, ruthless when she needed to be, and loyal to a fault.

With her, this mission should've been completed in two days at most, and—whether or not she actually found the filly—she should've been back at the base by the morning of the third day.

It was now the morning of the fourth day, and she hadn't heard a thing from the dark green pegasus.

If that weren't bad enough, she had just received a report stating that the two operatives she'd sent to Canterlot to retrieve an important artifact had gone missing as well.

The report suggested some kind of large scale incident, the ramifications of which put Canterlot on even higher alert than it already was.

The report went on to say that the incident in question was caused by none other than Red Storm himself, an exceptional agent comparable only to Fell Wind in terms of loyalty and skill.

What had become of the unicorn and the griffon operative Abern remained unknown, but given the circumstances, capture was a very likely possibility.

Just thinking about that report was enough to make Frigid Gale's blood boil, and she had to take another few deep breaths to stop herself from turning everything in the room into blocks of ice.

The air around the mare was already several degrees lower than what it should've been. The atmosphere itself was cold enough to allow a fine cool mist to roll out from beneath her locked door and out into the hallway.

Add to this the fact that she had been trying to get in touch with Nightmare Moon for the last half hour without success, and she was almost ready to snap.

Another deep breath.

She opened her eyes and stared at the door directly across from where she was sitting. She didn't have time for deep breathing exercises, nor did she have the luxury of wallowing in her own frustrations.

She had a job to do—several jobs in fact now that this report had come in.

With Fell Wind possibly MIA and Red Storm and Abern possibly captured, she had no other operatives who'd be able to take on the tasks that needed to be done.

The rest of them either weren't up to snuff, or were off on other missions. That left her to take care of things personally—Nightmare Moon be damned.

She turned to look at the opened files on her desk and gave one last snort of frustration before briskly trotting towards the doorway.

An icy blue glow encased the entire door, and with a muffled click it unlocked and swung open, startling the two shivering unicorns guarding the entrance.

"Something important's come up," Gale announced in a curt tone, "tell Astrid to clear all of my scheduled missions and appointments for the next two weeks."

"B-But, Ma'am didn't y-you have to—"

The dark grey unicorn mare snapped her muzzle shut and froze at Frigid Gale's look. The other unicorn, a lime green stallion, remained quiet, attempting to will himself as deep into the background as possible.

"Like I said, this is extremely important," Frigid Gale said in a low, dangerous voice, "none of what I have to do in the following couple of weeks is nearly as urgent as this, so let Astrid know that I'll be back in two weeks, got it?"

"Y-Yes, Ma'am, s-sorry, Ma'am!"

Frigid Gale nodded once and continued on her way.

She wanted to head to Canterlot first, as the situation there certainly demanded immediate attention, but it was too risky to attempt any sort of rescue now—at least it was without any competent backup.

Frigid Gale had received an earlier report that Celestia planned to spread the Guard out past Canterlot and into the areas beyond. She'd need to be careful not to arouse any suspicion or notice as she traveled, meaning she'd be traveling by night a lot of the time.

A prospect she had no issues with whatsoever.

A sudden urge to check in on Shining Armor overcame her for a moment and she paused in confusion. The colt would already be deep into his Light Magic studies by now, and she decided against it.

Still, the desire had come out of seemingly nowhere and, while that baffled her, she put the thought aside, chalking it up to simply not having seen the colt in awhile.

In any case, she needed to hurry and find Fell Wind so they could both get in and rescue Red Storm and Abern before their situation got any worse.

She also made a mental note to try and contact Nightmare again when she got a chance. They both had some things they needed to discuss.

A Search Begins Anew

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Frigid Gale wasn't fond of making any moves during the day.

She preferred to stalk the night, as the rest of her kind did so long ago, but time wasn't something she had a lot of.

Thankfully, she had met a certain stallion that had a particular talent for long lasting disguise spells awhile back. Whenever she'd have to leave the base during the day, he was who she'd go to first.

Gale had once tried to learn a similar spell, but her magic didn't quite work the same way a unicorn's did. Sure, she could use Telekinesis, cast a few moderately strong Barrier spells, and even use Teleportation of a sort.

As far as normal unicorn Soul Magic went however, that was more or less the extent of her ability. In truth, those were all spells she had learned under that old stallion's tutelage, and even then, she had to push herself nearly to the breaking point to learn them.

It was only through her frankly insane amount of control that she accomplished that much.

She had no talent for any other kind of Soul Magic... or any other branch of pony magic. She knew the true nature of her magic, but rejected it as useless when Celestia stormed her home and she could do nothing to stop her.

Her power was meager and untested back then.

It wasn't until Nightmare had convinced her that her power was far beyond useless that she found her true strength. A thestral's Soul Magic was fundamentally different than a pony's, and once she'd figured that out her power came easy.

Cryomancy.

That was where a thestral's true strength lay. The thestral race had descended from the Wendigos of legend, and their Soul Magic reflected that in the ice based magic they manifested once Nightmare Moon had unlocked their potential as magic casters so long ago.

Frigid Gale found out quickly that she had a particular talent for it.

Unfortunately, while she could learn a few unicorn spells, Frigid Gale's natural magic didn't really leave any room for disguise spells or anything of the like, much to her own annoyance.

Still, despite what she may have believed in her youth, Frigid Gale wouldn't trade this power for anything.

It was hers, and she'd hold onto it for the sake of those that fought and died against the horrid alicorn that invaded her forest village and massacred the rest of her kin.

Ah... thinking about the past, are we?

Frigid Gale frowned.

The thestral, currently disguised as a pegasus mare with a coral blue coat, dark violet eyes, and an indigo mane and tail, flew rapidly across the grassy open fields of western Equestria.

She may have been far more powerful magically speaking, but Frigid Gale didn't have even half of Fell Wind's speed, and so it took her a good few hours to cross over into Equestria's westernmost territories, and the afternoon was giving way to evening by the time she reached the area.

She huffed in frustration and put on and gave a hard flap of her wings, putting on an extra boost of speed.

Where the buck have you been hiding, Nightmare? I've been trying to contact you for ages!

If you must know, I've been touching the minds of the ponies in the region Fell Wind had first alighted, looking for anypony that might've seen her or noticed anything odd.

And you couldn't have told me this why?

Because I have no need to report every one of my activities to you, Gale. My actions are my own, and they will benefit us in the end, you need not worry about that.

I wonder...

Nightmare Moon said nothing in response, and Frigid Gale shook her head.

Whatever. What did you find out?

It seems her first stop in the area was in a small town she visited early yesterday morning. I believe it was called... Little Trot? It's a quaint little village that resides just north of your location.

Little Trot? Never heard of it...

At Nightmare Moon's instruction, Frigid Gale banked a hard right and headed north. As she set her course, she heard Nightmare let out a quiet, amused chuckle.

It looks as though our wayward pegasus is quite the celebrity there.

Frigid Gale's brow furrowed and she grimaced.

I don't like the sound of that, Nightmare. What did she do?

Apparently a certain Solar Princess has become lax in her duties and let a corrupt Dark Mage wander about within her borders.

Wait, what?!

Calm yourself, Frigid Gale. The threat has long since passed, thanks in large part to Fell Wind's rather violent intervention.

Gale, who had begun to pour on the speed, relaxed her pace, but only slightly. She couldn't help the knot of worry growing in her stomach at the thought of the town.

Corrupt Dark Mages were no joke, and depending on what type of Dark Magic they were working with, the death of the caster may not have been enough.

Normally Fell Wind wouldn't draw attention to herself like that, but if she really did save the town from this Dark Mage, then Frigid Gale could forgive the mare for it.

Still...

What happened there, and how is the town holding up?

The cretin was using Necromancy to raise a horde of ghouls and they in turn, ransacked the town. Nopony knows the reason, but the result was near catastrophic.

Unfortunately the ghouls did quite a bit of damage before Fell Wind came in and put the Dark Mage down, and from what I've seen through the eyes of the citizens, it looks like the town is going to take quite some time to recover.

Hmm...

Frigid Gale cut herself off from Nightmare Moon for the moment to think. In all honesty, she wanted to check on the town, and offer aid were she could, but knowing Fell Wind, she most likely already did what she could.

On top of that, Fell Wind most likely already left from the sound of it, and she couldn't afford to waste any time. If the pegasus had moved on, so would Frigid Gale.

I'm assuming she left already, right? Did she at least find anything out about our... the filly we're looking for?

No, there was no mention of the filly we're looking for in town, nor did Fell Wind stumble upon her.

Frigid Gale slowed to a stop just as the village was coming into view in the distance.

...And you're certain? There was no hint that she traveled here whatsoever?

I'm certain that neither Fell Wind, nor any of the townsfolk have seen a filly of her description wandering the streets. It could very well be that the filly is in disguise.

Do you think the filly could pull off that kind of spell at her age?

I'm not certain, but I wouldn't write it off completely. That filly has more than enough power to accomplish the task, and if the reports of your lackeys are true, she's quite the studious little pony.

A pause.

But no, I believe it's more likely that she may be traveling with a skilled unicorn mage. It's possible they were the one that would've cast the spell if a disguise were the case.

Frigid Gale thought a moment, deciding whether or not to pursue the matter. She mulled both Nightmare's words, and Fell Wind's actions in town over.

This was without a doubt a big reason why Fell Wind had been delayed, but Frigid Gale doubted it was the only reason, seeing as she still hadn't returned.

As far as the filly being here, Frigid Gale wasn't sure whether or not what Nightmare said was true. In the end, she'd have to decide if searching the town was worth the time and effort.

Then she thought back further—back to Sound Mind and how she hadn't heard anything from the stallion. She had assumed the stallion was compromised and committed suicide to protect the rebellion's identity.

Sound Mind was zealous and somewhat unhinged, and Frigid Gale wouldn't have put it past him. Still, he did good work, and it was thanks to him that they found out where the filly's general location was.

She'd have to investigate his disappearance as well, but it was of a much lower priority, as she knew that the stallion wouldn't talk, whatever the situation he'd found himself in.

That said, if he really was found out, and it was by the filly and whoever had most likely been accompanying her, they most likely were on the run—at least if they were smart they'd be.

This meant that even if the filly had stopped in town, she wouldn't have been there for long. Then she thought about something Nightmare had said in particular.

You said the filly might be traveling with a powerful mage, right?

Most likely, yes. Or at the very least, somepony who knows how to stay hidden, assuming they're trying not to be found.

I see...

Frigid Gale was beginning to get the feeling she knew exactly who had taken the filly in. It was only an inkling at this point, but it felt right, and if there was anypony who'd be kind enough to take in a lost filly, it would be him.

This town may not have been worth looking into, but something in her gut told her this was a lead worth following.

With her new destination set, she turned and headed further west, a grim frown on her face.

If Fell Wind isn't there, and there's no lead on the filly in town, then there's no point in heading there now. I have... somewhere in mind I wanna check out.

Oh? Do tell.

I'd rather you wait and see for yourself.

Where Frigid Gale was going, she didn't need Nightmare's guidance, and didn't trust her enough to tell her ahead of time where she was going.

Instead she remained silent as she soared across the slowly darkening sky and towards the small forest west of Little Trot.

She fought down the rising surge of emotion threatening to overwhelm her and focused on her goal. She had to find Fell Wind, but the filly was still her top priority, and if there was a chance she'd be able to find the filly, then she was going to take it.

She wouldn't let her past get in the way of the future, and aside from that, it had been years since she'd seen that stallion. For all she knew, the old fool may very well have died of old age.

She wasn't fooling anypony, least of all herself.

She knew he was alive, and that he'd still be living in that cottage out in the middle of nowhere, assuming he hadn't taken the filly and fled. Even if that were the case however, his cottage should at least have some clues if the filly had indeed been living there with him.

It was still worth a shot, and whether she liked it or not, it was time for Frigid Gale to return to her second home, and to prepare for a potential reunion with the pony she very nearly called 'father'.

An Obstinate Obstacle

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Frigid Gale narrowed her eyes, zeroing in on the isolated cottage below her. Tucking in her wings, she fell into a short dive towards the abode.

Only half a minute later, she spread her wings and evened out slightly, slowing into a gentle descent before stopping altogether just above the ground in front of the cottage's entrance.

It was just as she remembered it.

She touched down and stood before her old home away from home, simply staring at the old cottage and not really knowing what to feel. Looking within herself, there was anger, hurt, sadness, longing, nostalgia, and even a bit of fondness for the better days she'd spent here.

There was also a fair amount of apprehension buried beneath it all.

She had no idea what she'd do if she saw the old stallion now. It'd been so long since she'd seen him, and she'd changed so much from the quiet, moody filly she'd been back then.

Looking back on it, what he'd done—the things he'd said to her so long ago... compared to what she'd done and seen since then, she began to wonder if it really was worth holding a grudge over.

Frigid Gale had been sure she'd never forgive Ancient Scroll for his blatant disregard for her own tragic past, but standing here now, she felt rather childish for holding onto that bitterness for such a long time.

"Well, there's nothing for it," Frigid Gale muttered with a resigned sigh, "it's not like I'm just gonna leave after coming all the way back here."

With that, she began making her way towards the front door. She only made it a few steps before a familiar voice spoke up within her.

Wait, Frigid Gale... something's not right.

The thestral stopped in her tracks and frowned.

"What do you mean?" she asked aloud, taking a cautious step back, "is there someone nearby? Or is it—"

The cottage... it's...

Nightmare fell silent for a few moments, prompting Frigid Gale to speak instead.

"Nightmare," she began, narrowing her eyes as she looked over the seemingly innocuous dwelling, "what did that old bastard do to the cottage?"

Nightmare gave an impressed hum in response.

This stallion is no slouch when it comes to magic, that is for certain. Had you been born a unicorn, you would've done well to continue your training under his tutelage, Frigid Gale.

"Yeah, yeah, the guy was a great mage," Gale huffed impatiently, "what did he actually do, Nightmare?"

It seems he's guarded his home against invaders using a powerful Barrier spell. From what I can sense, it seems to be compromised mostly of Light Magic with... five layers of reinforcement? Impressive indeed.

"Okay," Frigid Gale replied slowly as she took a step forward, "now why would he do that? Unless..."

It's too soon to jump to conclusions, Gale. For all we know, he may have simply stepped out and chose to guard against thieves and the like.

"All the way out here? Please," snorted the thestral mare incredulously, "you're the one who can go jumping around in ponies heads, why don't you tell me if he's still here?"

Nightmare Moon was silent for a time and Frigid Gale frowned.

"Nightmare?" she asked, "what's wrong? Can't you just search for his consciousness or something?"

I cannot find his consciousness here, nor is he anywhere in the area.

"Any chance he traveled out to Faranda Way?"

No, I believe he's gone... farther than that. To where, I cannot say.

Frigid Gale lowered her gaze and frowned thoughtfully before looking back up at the cottage a moment later. In truth the mare was rather relieved at the news, but at the same time this raised quite a few suspicions.

Had he fled with the filly in tow, or had he simply left on some far away errand that had led him out of the area? Another moment passed and in the end, Frigid Gale decided to go with her gut instinct.

"Nightmare, I'm continuing forward on the assumption that the old stallion is traveling with Twilight Sparkle. If I'm wrong... well... I guess I'll just have to deal with an extremely awkward reunion."

...So be it. What are you going to do in the meantime?

The mare thought for a moment and realized this was still the biggest lead she had at the moment. Even if she didn't find out where the stallion was going exactly, she might be able to find out where else he'd been, and that in turn might lead her to more clues.

Rather than answer Nightmare Moon directly, Frigid Gale inhaled deeply before letting out an explosive sigh and eyeing the cottage critically. She took a few steps forward and stopped just as the ground lit up in front of her.

A massive ring of white light flared into existence around the entirety of the cottage, causing Frigid Gale to stumble back. The magic sigil flashed once and the cottage disappeared behind a pillar of light that seemed to pulse and fluctuate with power.

The glow from the barrier had been bright enough that Frigid Gale had to cover her eyes behind a hoof. She slowly lowered her hoof and grimaced at the sight before her.

"Well, damn," she muttered irritably, "the bastard always did like to show off."

Be on your guard, Frigid Gale. There's more to that Barrier spell than what you can see.

"Noted," Gale replied, cracking her neck and trotting closer to the barrier, "now if you'll excuse me, I have something to prove."

Ignoring Nightmare's confused response, Frigid Gale stopped before the barrier and closed her eyes. They opened a moment later, blazing with a bright cyan glow. She inhaled again just as deeply, but exhaled with a sigh that brought a release of icy mist.

The mist hit the light of the barrier and stuck, turning to ice as it crawled along the wavering shield. There were several loud cracks as the ice covered more and more of the barrier, and a minute or so later, the entire barrier was nothing more than a frozen mass of mana.

Frigid Gale continued to pour the mist out of her mouth for a moment longer before snapping it shut. She smirked in satisfaction as the glow in her eyes dissipated and took a step back to observe her work.

Not so helpless anymore am I, you withered old piece of parchment?

"I gotta say, Nightmare," Frigid Gale commented, "being able to literally freeze mana has to be one of the most useful things you've ever taught me to do."

And to think, any one of your ancestors could've done the same. The loss of the thestral race was a terrible tragedy indeed.

"It certainly was," Frigid Gale muttered darkly, "a damn shame, that."

She trotted back up to the now frozen barrier and without preamble, sucked in a breath, raised a hoof, and pulled it back.

What are... wait, Gale don't—

The instant Frigid Gale's hoof smashed into the ice, the entire barrier shattered, and her whole world exploded in a flash of light and pain. She cried out, vaguely aware that her hooves had left the ground.

She didn't come to her senses again until her body hit the ground and rolled to a stop a few yards away from where she'd been standing—the entire experience leaving her in a crumpled heap of slowly receding pain.

You're a fool, you do realize that, don't you?

Gale's only response was to give a weak curse and groan in pain as she unsteadily rose back to her hooves. Once she was up, she looked over herself, noting with a not insignificant amount of irritation that the disguise she'd been wearing had been dispelled. While her entire body ached something fierce, and she'd been forced back into her own thestral form, there didn't appear to be any visible damage.

She flapped her wings a few times to make sure they weren't sprained or broken and gave a satisfied grunt when she felt no pain other than the dull throb that enveloped the rest of her form. The lack of her disguise was going to be an inconvenience, but she felt that hardly mattered all the way out here.

I'll just have to be more careful going forward I guess.

At that she heard Nightmare Moon snort derisively.

What you did was effective, yes, but there are consequences to such a method, and on top of that, I told you there was more to that barrier than an extra layer of protection.

"Ah, whatever, I got the job done, didn't I?" Frigid Gale sniffed before furrowing her brow, "wait a minute..."

Frigid Gale took a moment to focus on herself, and after that moment, she began to realize with a growing sense of dread that it wasn't just the pain that was fading.

"W-What the buck?!" the thestral cried, her knees buckling with sudden weakness, "I can't... m-my mana is... what happened to my bucking magic?!"

No doubt weakened by the trap the old stallion set within his barrier spell, and quite a nasty trap it was too. You're going to be low on mana for quite some time.

Nightmare's tone turned thoughtful, and Frigid Gale could almost see the amused smile playing across her muzzle as she spoke again.

It was that particularly complex bit of spellwork that impressed me far more than the barrier itself.

"And you didn't think it prudent to tell me about the trap beforehoof?" Frigid Gale growled, struggling to her hooves once more, "some guardian you turned out to be."

I had hoped you'd actually put those lessons I gave you to use and think about the situation you were getting yourself into, and when you didn't I simply let you suffer the consequences. Oh, and not once have I ever claimed to be your guardian.

"Buck you, Nightmare," Frigid Gale sneered as she weakly hobbled towards the cottage, "and buck Ancient Scroll and his bucking traps."

Nightmare let out an amused chuckle that only further aggravated the enfeebled thestral.

Oh come now, it's only a temporary thing. Look on the bright side, at least the barrier is gone, and now you can search the cottage to your heart's content.

Frigid Gale snorted in irritation.

"There'd better be something worth finding in that bucking cottage, and if there isn't, there'll be Tartarus to pay when I find that stallion."

A Trip Down Memory Lane

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Empty, but not completely so.

Just from a glance, Frigid Gale could tell the old stallion had packed up and left. There were still a few things here and there—things too heavy, too bothersome, or just not important enough to take.

Aside from that however, the main room was mostly barren, bereft of any of the old knick-knacks Frigid Gale remembered seeing as a filly. This, at least, told Gale that he'd been in a hurry and most likely hadn't had the luxury of taking everything with him.

So this is the dwelling of the old one, is it? How... quaint.

"Yep, real cozy, ain't it?" Gale muttered absently as she scanned the room, "when Ancient Scroll built this place, he built it for comfort."

Her eyes landed on the fireplace at the back of the room, now devoid of anything save for a pile of ashes on the hearth. She continued to stand there near the doorway, oddly transfixed by the sight.

Nightmare called to her from within her mind, but Gale didn't hear her, suddenly lost in her own thoughts as she was. She ignored the alicorn's voice as her mind went back unbidden—so suddenly and completely lost in the past that she could practically see the small thestral sitting in front of that fireplace.

She could smell the burning wood, hear the crackling fire, and feel the warmth that fire radiated. Nightmare's voice was so very far away, more a distant memory than the actual memory she was reliving at this very moment.

"Welcome home, little filly..."

Those words made Frigid Gale want to punch the stallion in his smiling muzzle, but she didn't. After all, it wasn't his fault, it was merely ignorance. He didn't know what had happened to the lost little filly, and if Frigid Gale had her way, he would never know.

This wasn't her home.

Her home was back in the forest, her home was where her family and the other thestrals were... her home was probably nothing but ashes now. She may have escaped, and her village may have been wiped out, but she refused to call anywhere else home, not while she had the memory of her real home.

Things would never be the same, but at the very least she now had a roof over her head, food to eat, and a bed to sleep in. She also apparently had a warm fireplace to sit in front of, and she proceeded to do just that.

It hadn't been terribly cold outside, but it had rained that afternoon, and the fireplace, which had already been lit, was just what she needed against her wet fur.

"I get that you're happy to be someplace warm, little filly," came Ancient Scroll's voice from somewhere behind Frigid Gale, "but don't you think a nice hot shower might be a better idea? It'll warm you up just as well and give you a chance to get some of that grime off you."

Frigid Gale ignored the stallion in favor of the fire in front of her. She sat there, fur dripping dirty, grimy water onto the wooden floor, and eyes fixated on the crackling flames.

It wasn't long before she began to hear the screams and cries of her kin as that mare burned them to death. Her hard eyes turned somewhat glassy as images of burning cottages and huts flitted through her mind, though she held her grim frown.

Rather than try to push the memories back, she let them wash over her in waves. She'd been through this song and dance before, and was long since used to it by now. She'd found it impossible to drown out the memories, so instead she let them fuel her hatred for the one responsible.

It was far easier that way.

Are you quite finished?

Like a splash of ice cold water, Nightmare Moon's voice shocked Frigid Gale out of her sudden reminiscence. She blinked a few times and looked around to see she'd been standing in the same exact spot for who knows how long.

Frigid Gale narrowed her eyes slightly.

"Nightmare?" she asked slowly, once more scanning the room with wary eyes, "how long was I out?"

Not too long. Maybe fifteen minutes or so.

Gale grimaced at the somewhat flippant tone in Nightmare's voice, but more than that, she grimaced at just how much time she'd wasted getting caught up in old memories.

It couldn't have been that long, could it? It certainly hadn't felt that long, and Frigid Gale found herself suddenly and oddly hesitant to continue forward lest something like that happen again.

Getting lost in the past wasn't what she'd come here to do. She had something much more important to worry about, and it very much involved both the present, and the future.

"Y'know what? Forget it," Frigid Gale sighed as she began slowly making her way around the main room, "let's just finish this so we can leave already. It's obvious Ancient Scroll packed up and moved on so that right there almost confirms my suspicions as it is."

Circumstantial evidence does not a case make, Frigid Gale. If we're going to find the old stallion, we need more to go off of, like maybe some sort of clue as to where he was actually headed, even if it isn't his final destination.

"I know," Frigid Gale grumbled as she hobbled about the room searching every remaining nook and cranny, "what I'm looking for is anything that might give me a clue as to whether anyone else was here or not. It might've been a long time since I've been here, but aside from being a lot emptier than it was before, nothing much has changed, so anything like that should be easy to spot."

Nightmare responded with nothing more than a noncommittal hum and fell silent as Frigid Gale searched. The still weakened thestral gave up the search a half hour or so later, convinced there was nothing left in the main room that would give her what she needed.

She had also checked the kitchen and bathroom, but those had been even more barren than the main room. With an annoyed grunt at having wasted her time, she began making her way towards the bedroom.

You know, this 'Ancient Scroll' strikes me as a clever stallion. If he suspected somepony were after him, I'd think he'd cover his tracks rather thoroughly, wouldn't you? You are the one who lived with him after all.

"Shut it, Nightmare," Frigid Gale replied tiredly as she pushed the already slightly ajar bedroom door open further, "yeah, the old bastard was clever, but he was also absent-minded sometimes," she stumbled slightly into the room and shook her head before frowning, "Moon above, I am so sick of this! I swear, when I get my hooves on that... that..."

She stopped as her eyes fell on the large bed at the far end of the room. There had actually been quite a bit left behind in the bedroom, but Frigid Gale didn't have the chance to comment or investigate, focused as she was on that single bed...

...and the small sobbing thestral filly curled up into a tight ball atop it.

Frigid Gale? Frigid Gale are you...

It was too late.

Gale's body stiffened and her jaw tightened as she continued to stare. Nighmare Moon's voice was further and further drowned out by the hiccups and sniffles of the filly crying into the soft blanket on the bed.

I thought I was over this already!

Frigid Gale could only count her blessings that Ancient Scroll wasn't here to see her like this. The stallion had left—held up in Faranda Way for the last two days by some snooty Canterlotian noble who had insisted on the cartographer being his personal mapmaker for a trip he'd planned on taking out of the country.

Work had dried up, and Ancient Scroll had been low on bits that month. The noble had offered to pay a hefty sum for his services, so in the end, the old stallion agreed to do the work.

This would've been fine, except the snob wanted to make sure Ancient Scroll did the job properly, so he put him up in a temporary place in town. Ancient Scroll had offered to take Frigid Gale, but she outright refused, so the stallion had taken up his supplies and resources and went on his way.

Now Frigid Gale found herself alone.

While that normally wasn't a problem, tonight she'd had another one of those nightmares—the one where she didn't get away. It had happened before, but for whatever reason this nightmare had played out in stunning clarity. The poor filly had woken up shocked, horrified and alone.

She'd woken up screaming for her father, only to find no one there. The room was silent, the cottage was silent, her world was silent. The tears had come suddenly and unexpectedly, and try as she might, she couldn't hold them back, much to her own frustration.

It wasn't as though she hadn't dealt with these problems before. It wasn't even like she'd been alone in these circumstances before, so why start with the hysterics now? It made her feel sick, it made her feel helpless, and most importantly, it made her feel weak.

More than anything else, Frigid Gale did not want to be weak. It was the entire reason why she had asked Ancient Scroll to teach her magic. It was something he was reluctant to do... at least, until he saw what she'd already been capable of.

It wasn't fair.

All that study and practice, all the late hours, mental strain, and grim determination, only to break down because of some stupid nightmare she'd had several times before. It was mortifying and she hated herself for it.

So caught up in her own sorrow and self-disgust was the filly, that she didn't even notice as Ancient Scroll quietly entered the room. The steady clop of hooves on hardwood flooring never reached her distracted ears, and it wasn't until she felt the bed give slightly that she looked up.

There was Ancient Scroll, sitting beside her and giving her that warm, understanding, pitying smile she'd come to hate. For a moment he didn't say a word, and the two merely stared at each other—the teary, ice blue eyes of a predator staring into the concerned and caring jade green eyes of a worried parent, then...

"Didn't mean to take so long coming back, little filly," Ancient Scroll said quietly, his smile turning apologetic, "but I'm here now, and if there's something you need to get off your chest, I'm all ears."

The filly stared at him for a moment longer, trying to muster up any anger at being talked down to like she was some kind of needy foal who missed their father and mother. The problem was that that's exactly what she was, and she hated herself and the stallion all the more for it.

Much like the tears, the crushing hug she nearly tackled the stallion into came suddenly and unexpectedly.

Perhaps there's more to Ancient Scroll's title of 'old stallion' than I realized, hm?

Once more, Nightmare's voice shocked Frigid Gale out of her reverie, and she frowned, deeply disconcerted by the way her mind wandered. It was beginning to feel like she was exploring a haunted house... and that she herself was the ghost haunting these rooms.

She suppressed a shiver and took another look around, mentally trying to get back on track. It was only a few seconds later that she registered what Nightmare had actually said.

"Wait, you saw that?" Frigid Gale asked, somewhat indignant, then groaned another second later, 'of course you did. Look, just forget it, alright? I was still vulnerable back then and..." she sighed and shook her head, "never mind."

Aside from an amused chuckle, Nightmare made no more comments. She let Frigid Gale search the room in relative silence, something the troubled thestral did with a bit more haste than before.

Unfortunately, for as much that was left here as there was, the only thing remotely odd that Frigid Gale found were old bits of cut up or ripped up newspaper shoved in the back of the nearly empty closet.

It proved nothing, so she ignored it, growled in frustration, and moved on to the last room in the cottage she had yet to search. It was with a surprising amount of reluctance that she stood before the door to Ancient Scroll's study.

Something wasn't right.

"Hey, Nightmare," Frigid Gale began, staring at the door in front of her, "how long was I standing there in the bedroom?"

I'd say it was at least half an hour or so, forty-five minutes at the most. If you're asking what I think you're going to ask, the answer is yes, there is definitely some kind of magic at play here.

"And you couldn't have prevent me from being affected by whatever it is?"

I wasn't sure what it was. I've been trying to pinpoint the origin of the spell, but the only thing I've been able to determine is that it's some kind of delayed Mind Magic based spell at work. It was most likely triggered when you entered the cottage."

"In other words, another bucking trap meant to waste my time," Frigid Gale growled, "can you do anything about it?"

"I... may be able to with a bit more time, though it would be difficult.

"How so?"

From what little I've gathered, the stallion seems to have enchanted certain objects so that when looked at, it triggers a trap. When activated, the trap triggers a response in the brain that stimulates the victim's memories, as well as messes with their perception of time.

Nightmare Moon laughed an odd, delighted laugh.

And I thought the barrier was a remarkable bit of spellcrafting! This is far beyond what I would've expected from any unicorn of this age! It makes one wonder if this stallion is Starswirl himself reborn into the modern era... or a possible descendant, perhaps?

"Focus!" Frigid Gale seethed, "if you can do something about this, then do it! We've wasted far too much time here, and frankly, I'm sick and tired of this place. I just want to get in, find something worth the trouble I've had to endure, and get out."

Ah, 'tis such a shame that you cannot use magesight. That would've made this far easier, but I suppose it cannot be helped.

"Very well then, I will try to protect your mind as best I can, though I still have not gleaned all there is to know about this spell just yet, so be warned, there may be some... leakage.

Frigid Gale furrowed her brow at that last part, but pressed on nonetheless. She tried the handle, finding it unlocked to her surprise, and turned it before pushing the door open.

Her eyes were immediately drawn to the old desk that had been the centerpiece of the study ever since she was a filly. She didn't have a chance to do anything more than gasp as that same little filly she'd once been stood rigid before the desk, facing the stallion sitting on the other side.

Even standing from where she was, Frigid Gale could tell that the filly was furious, and Ancient Scroll in response, only looked at her with pity and helplessness in his eyes.

Frigid Gale knew this memory well.

She'd played it out countless times in her mind after she'd left, and a sudden thrill of some unnamed fear caused her heart to leap into her throat. She knew it was coming, and she found herself dreading what would happen next.

She didn't want to see this.

As her mind began to drift away however, something stopped it. It felt as if her consciousness had hit a brick wall and went no further. Confused, it took Frigid Gale a moment to realize what happened. It seemed Nightmare had pulled through and stopped the memory from overwhelming her.

Unfortunately, she hadn't been completely successful in her endeavor.

Frigid Gale could still see the memory, though as if through some sort of haze in her mind. The words spoken—the angry accusations, the condescension, the heartfelt pleas for acknowledgement, the gentle but empty platitudes, and everything else in between—they had all been muted.

She may not have been able to hear what was said thanks in part to Nightmare Moon, but it hadn't been enough to completely stop the images, and hazy as they were, Frigid Gale could still make out the almost ethereal looking form of Ancient Scroll rising up from his chair in alarm.

She could see herself, from her own younger point of view, turning away and storming out of the room for the last time. She even had to watch as she galloped back into the bedroom, never once looking back as she practically tore open the bedroom door and slammed it shut before throwing herself onto the bed and crying her eyes out.

Then it was over.

Frigid Gale slumped to the ground, shivering with emotions she had long since thought she'd buried away. She tried to pull herself together, but her weakened state made it somewhat difficult and it took her far longer than she would've liked.

You're crying.

At Nightmare's casual observation, Frigid Gale lifted a hoof to her face and found that she had indeed started crying at some point. She stared straight ahead for a moment before gritting her teeth and shakily rising to her hooves.

"W-What was that?" she croaked, swallowing a few times to wet her dry throat, "t-that was even worse than the last two times! Way worse! I thought you said you were going to help me block the memory out!"

I did the best I could in my position, Frigid Gale. Unfortunately, suppressing the alteration of your perception of time took up most of my attention, so a lot more of the memory slipped through. Barely a few minutes have passed by the way. You're welcome.

Frigid Gale was far too distracted trying to reign in her raw emotions to be properly angry at the dark alicorn within her mind. Rather than dwell on it, Frigid Gale forced herself to focus on the task at hoof.

She raised her head and looked around, only to find the entire room completely and utterly devoid of anything save for empty bookshelves, a large green banner, and a desk cleared of everything atop it.

Surprisingly, this had by far been the emptiest room in the house aside from the kitchen and bathroom. Frigid Gale flicked an ear as she swept her disbelieving gaze around the study.

"You've got to be kidding me," she muttered, making her way closer to the desk with aching slowness, "there has to be something here. Anything."

I fear all of this may have been for naught, Frigid Gale. We've found nothing that would help us in our quest so far, and I doubt the stallion left anything of note in his desk.

Frigid Gale continued to ignore Nightmare as she trotted around to the back of the desk and began pulling the drawers open one by one. It was exactly as Nightmare had said, each and every desk drawer was completely emptied of their contents.

Her mood rapidly darkening, Frigid Gale moved away from the desk and turned to scan the room one last time. An incredible urge to freeze the entire cottage solid and shatter it like glass came over her.

She would've done just that had it not been for the dangerously low amount of mana in her body at the moment. Instead, she settled for falling to her haunches, raising her head to the ceiling, and letting out a wordless scream.

With that scream, she vented her frustration at this pointless venture, her anger with Ancient Scroll and his tricks, and the built up emotion from reliving her own past.

This went on for a good few minutes before she stopped, chest heaving and breaths coming in deep pants. She took another minute to collect herself and stood back up, smoothing out her mane and letting out one last deep, calming breath.

She looked around the room with a dark expression before wordlessly turning and unsteadily making her way to the door and out of the study. Nightmare Moon said nothing, as there were no more words that needed to be said.

They had wasted their time, and with that in mind, Frigid Gale left the cottage feeling weak, bitter, angry, and defeated.

An Old Friend

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It would've been a drastic understatement to say that Frigid Gale was not a happy thestral. The mare seethed silently as she left the cottage, and though Nightmare had only asked a seemingly innocuous question, just the sound of the alicorn's voice in her head was enough to make her grunt angrily.

So, where do you plan on going from here? Surely you have some idea?

Faranda Way. I'm betting Ancient Scroll went into town at some point to gather what he needed for a quick escape, and knowing that town I shouldn't have any issues being what I am.

Nightmare Moon was silent for a moment, no doubt taking in Frigid Gale's decision and turning the idea around in her own head. After a few moments of silence and some angry trotting westward down the road, Nightmare spoke again, her voice slow and somewhat skeptical.

A reasonable course of action I suppose, but I'd already made you aware that nopony in that town knows where the stallion went, yes?

Just because they don't know where he is now, doesn't mean they might not have a clue as to what his plans were. Ancient Scroll took me into town more than once, and I know a few creatures who might be willing to help me find him.

Ah, then you have allies in this town?

More like a buncha folks who know Ancient Scroll personally from way back when. Faranda Way is that old stallion's hometown, and he left a lot of friends and acquaintances behind when he went on his adventures.

And you're hoping at least one of them might know Ancient Scroll well enough to know what he'd do or where he'd go if he was on the run?

Exactly. It might be a long shot, but I have a better chance of finding some answers in Faranda Way than I would in that Little Trot town. I doubt he headed further south out of Equestria, but you never know. Even if we're headed in the wrong direction right now, sometimes you have to take one step back in order to take two steps forward.

Nightmare Moon gave a sardonic chuckle at that.

Literally speaking, I highly doubt that's usually the case, but don't worry, I'm well aware of what you meant.

Just shut up, Nightmare, I'm trying to think.

Oh, by all means, don't let me stop you. Between the two of us, you could do with a little more foresight.

Gale just snorted angrily and pushed herself to trot faster, doing her best to ignore Nightmare Moon's mocking laughter. Truth be told, the irate thestral was beginning to miss the early days of Nightmare Moon being in her head.

Back then the dark alicorn spoke with an Old Ponish dialect as thick as molasses, but there had been a lot less sass and sarcasm. While her speech had been insufferable before, right now, Frigid Gale would've given one of her legs to hear that 'ye olde pony speak' again.

As it stood now, all she could do was ignore it as she pushed her weak and tired body forward. The first hour or so of travel was grueling for the thestral mare, but bit by bit, she gradually began to regain her strength and her mood began to lighten slightly. In another half hour she was well enough take flight, and the rest of the trip passed by in minutes.

By the time Frigid Gale reached Faranda Way it was nearing dusk, meaning Celestia would be setting the Sun soon. She landed just outside the town taking a moment to drink in the sight just beyond the gates. An unexpected pang of nostalgia struck her then, but she quickly shook it off and moved forward with a small grimace.

"Nope, not gettin' distracted again," she muttered bitterly, "just get in, get the info, get the buck out."

With that, she gathered herself up and trotted into the city, still somewhat weary, but prepared to do what needed to be done. As she hoped and expected, many of the creatures still walking and trotting about the streets paid her little attention.

She got the occasional glance or two, but in a town of such diversity it wasn't uncommon to get the odd visitor every so often, so they mostly left her alone and Frigid Gale herself did the same for them. She hadn't run into anyone that would've recognized her as she traveled deeper into town, and she found that both a relief and a disappointment.

Ancient Scroll was one thing, but coming back here after all these years, there were some creatures she genuinely wouldn't have minded seeing again. Though she had a feeling she'd find an old friend or two where she was planning to go, and thankfully she remembered the way there, even after so long.

Frigid Gale traveled down a few of the lesser populated roads until she'd nearly reached town square. In the middle of town was a wide, grassy clearing with a large dark grey stone monument at the center depicting the town's original founders. Gale took a moment to gaze up at the monument as she wandered past the few outdoor shops scattered around the square.

The monument depicted an earth pony with a large hammer in its mouth facing north, a griffon holding what looked to Frigid Gale like some kind of large scroll in one claw while pointing eastward with the other, and a diamond dog with a large saw raised in its paws facing south.

The thestral mare had only ever seen the statues a few times as a filly, and never bothered to ask Ancient Scroll the history of the monument or how the town was really founded, and if she was being honest, she still didn't really know or care. That said, the mare could appreciate a well crafted piece of art when she saw it, and the stonework was rather exquisite.

"Frigid Gale?"

The thestral whipped her head in the direction of the feminine voice she'd just heard, seeing a diamond dog who'd been heading down another street. The dog had stopped and was looking back at Frigid Gale with a furrowed brow and a bemused frown. After a moment, Gale did the same, certain that she'd seen the golden retriever who stared back at her somewhere before.

Oh? Is this one of those old friends you spoke of before, Frigid Gale?

Maybe, I think... wait...

"No, it has to be you," the retriever mused before walking over to Frigid Gale with a widening smile, "I'd know those beautiful leathery wings and that piercing gaze anywhere!"

As the lab got closer, it finally hit Frigid Gale where she'd seen this diamond dog before, and her own eyes widened in recognition. Without even meaning to do so, the grey mare smiled, her fangs more pronounced, and moved to meet the lab halfway.

"Tessa!" Frigid Gale laughed, her dark mood from earlier vanishing in the face of the unexpected, but not unwelcome reunion, "I haven't seen you in..." she paused, frowned, and shook her head, muttering the rest of her sentence under her breath, "no... no I'm not gonna make that joke. Damn you, Scroll..."

Her smile returned a second later, although somewhat more subdued this time around, and she moved forward once more. The two met and Tessa leaned down to give Frigid Gale a quick and slightly awkward, but no less heartfelt embrace.

"It's good to see you again, Tess," Frigid Gale said, taking a step back and smiling at Tessa, "seriously though, how long has it been?"

"Too long, Gale," Tessa replied with a small chuckle, "we were both much younger than we are now, and just looking at you now makes it clear that you've come a long way from the moody little filly Ancient Scroll brought into my inn all those years ago."

I would not be so sure of that...

"What can I say?" Frigid Gale replied, ignoring Nightmare's comment, "ponies, and thestrals change, but never mind that, how've you been? How's the inn been doing these days?"

"The same as it's always been, I suppose," Tessa sighed, "the Dog's Day Inn does well enough. I do wish we'd get more traffic, but it can't be helped, given how far out this town is from civilization," she shook her head, "but that's neither here nor there. Tell me, how have you been, Gale? What brings you back to Faranda Way after all these years?"

"Ah, well..." Frigid Gale frowned, rubbing the back of her neck as she spoke, "I'm sure Ancient Scroll told you about our little... falling out?"

"The only thing he told me was that you'd run away," Tessa replied solemnly, "the poor dear was completely distraught when you left, Gale. He searched the entire town looking for you, but he never found you in the end. He never did tell me the reason you disappeared," she knelt down so that she was eye level with the mare, a concerned grimace on her face, "what happened to the two of you, Frigid Gale?"

Rather than respond right away, Frigid Gale said nothing, staring into the old retriever's worried eyes. If she was seeking out old friends and acquaintances she'd met in the past, it'd only be natural that some of them would want to know why she'd left.

Gale had tried to keep the fate of her home and her kin a secret for so long, and even now she hesitated, but she also knew she had to tell Tessa something. She vowed never to tell anyone again after Ancient Scroll, but if she was being honest, the pain from that day had faded some time ago.

While she still felt bitter and somewhat spiteful towards the old stallion who'd raised her—especially after her earlier visit to the cottage—and while her grudge against the Solar Monarch was as all encompassing as ever, the desire to hold that secret close to her heart was nowhere near as strong as it once was.

That's not to say she'd go shouting the horrid details of her past from the rooftops, but she felt she could at least talk to someone close about it again—at least, about some of the details anyway. It was as she was trying to decide how much she should say that Nightmare spoke, adding her own two bits.

You don't necessarily have to tell her anything, you know. She seems the type to respect one's privacy, so I'm sure she'd understand if you simply told her you didn't want to talk about it.

True, but... I dunno, I kind of want to tell her something. Unlike Ancient Scroll, and a lot of others I've met, I actually like Tessa. I've made a lot of enemies, and gained a lot of followers, but I don't have very many friends, and Tess is one of them, so I feel like I kind of owe her some kind of explanation, y'know?

Suit yourself. It's none of my business to whom you decide to divulge your deepest secrets to. I'm simply an observer, at least, for the moment.

I'm not gonna tell her everything, just enough to satisfy her curiosity, and maybe if I'm lucky, I'll be able to get some info on what Ancient Scroll was up to while he was here.

As I said, it matters not to me what you decide to do regarding this diamond dog. Do as you wish.

"Frigid Gale, dear," came Tessa's bemused voice, "are you alright? You seem rather... distracted."

"Nah, I'm fine, don't worry about it," Frigid Gale replied, waving the lab's concerns away, "more importantly, I could use a drink. It's getting late, and though I haven't been to any, I know there's a bar around here somewhere. How about we hit it, and I can tell you about what happened over a mug of that infamous griffon made whiskey?"

Tessa's eyes widened in surprise a moment before she let out a bark of laughter and straightened up.

"I don't normally drink unless it's for a special occasion," the retriever replied, "but I suppose us meeting like this is as good a reason as any," she smirked down at the thestral, "though I think I'll be drinking something a bit lighter than Peckenstine Whiskey. I have an inn to run after all."

"Fine by me," Gale replied with a shrug and a smirk of her own, "I know my limits, and I don't get hangovers, so I'm good to enjoy whatever this place has got."

"Very well," Tessa replied, inclining her head slightly before turning away and looking back at Gale over her shoulder, "shall we go then?"

Frigid Gale followed behind the golden retriever as she began to walk, her grin still in place.

"Lead the way, Tess."

A Wealth of Information

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Both Frigid Gale and Tessa sat alone at a table in a small pub just east of town square. The place wasn't rundown, but it wasn't exactly high class either. In Gale's opinion, it was just perfect, and the fact that there weren't too many rambunctious patrons milling about was a plus in her book.

Frigid Gale hated rowdy bars.

True to her word, the thestral had done an admirable job in maintaining her lucidity, despite being on her third glass of the infamous Peckenshire whiskey. There was barely a tinge of red in her cheeks and her speech hadn't suffered in the slightest. The pleasant buzz however, was soured somewhat by the pitying look, Tessa gave her upon finishing her tragic tale.

"For buck's sake, Tess, I didn't tell you that story so you could look at me like that," Frigid Gale grumbled into her glass, "I just wanted to keep you in the loop. Up to date, y'know?"

She'd told Tessa much of what had happened to her family and the village, but chose to hide Celestia's involvement, telling her friend that the destruction of her home and kin was the work of some corrupt Dark Mage that had escaped the Solar Princess's notice.

"Well, how could I not worry, Frigid Gale?" Tessa argued, frowning at the mare, "what you had to go through? No one should've had to endure something like that, let alone a child!"

"Would you keep it down?" Frigid Gale groaned, slamming her glass back down on the table, "it was a long time ago, and I'm... well..." the thestral mare faltered a moment before turning away and giving a weak shrug, "I'm coping, alright?"

Tessa eyed Frigid Gale for a good long minute—long enough for one of Gale's tufted ears to twitch in irritation. After another second, Tessa's frown deepened and she leaned in across the table, eyebrow raised and tone skeptical as she spoke.

"Are you, Gale? Because I'm not so sure," the retriever leaned back again and crossed her arms, "I can see it in your eyes, you're still bitter—dangerously so. In fact, I'm worried you're going to get into something way over your head somewhere down the line, if you haven't already."

She's got you there.

"No one asked you!" Gale growled before realizing she'd spoken aloud. She glanced over to a hurt looking Tessa and winced before turning away again with a sigh, "sorry, Tess, I know you're just worried about me, and I appreciate it—really, I do," she took another swig of whiskey before fully turning to face the diamond dog across from her, a small frown on her face, "but you don't need to. I've got my life under control right now, I've got things to keep me busy, and I'm dealing with what happened in my own way."

"And what is it that's keeping you busy nowadays?" Tess replied, changing tack. She took a small sip of her cocktail and watched Frigid Gale over her own glass, "what have you been up to since you left Ancient Scroll? It couldn't have been easy, living on your own at your age back then."

"You're right about that, it wasn't easy on my own—far from it," Gale replied with a world weary sigh. The thestral was more than willing to go along with the subject change, "but I managed to scrape by. Got some help here and there, had to do some things I'm not proud of, but nothing too extreme. Mostly, it was just a lot of growing up and learning to pick my battles," she winced, "...sometimes, the hard way."

There were some lies and understatements mixed in—particularly where picking her battles was concerned—but as a whole, Frigid Gale spoke the truth. It had been a rough seventeen years for the mare, but she'd survived and was far stronger for the struggles she faced. As much as she hated to admit it, Nightmare Moon had played a very large part in keeping Gale safe and sane.

It wasn't an exaggeration to say that she owed Nightmare her life, not that she'd ever admit it openly. Besides that, she knew she didn't need to admit it openly, because Nightmare Moon no doubt already knew her true feelings on the matter anyway.

Do you really think now is a good time to be reminiscing like this, Gale?

Frigid Gale returned her attention to Tessa and found that the retriever was indeed watching her with some concern. Somewhere behind the concern, Gale could see that same calculating look, like the thestral was a puzzle to be solved, or a mystery to be unraveled.

Frigid Gale wanted to be angry, but really, she couldn't blame Tessa. Gale was indeed a mystery, but this was a mystery she wouldn't allow to be solved so easily—friend or not.

"Sorry, just thinking back to days long since past, don't worry about it," Frigid Gale finally replied with a dismissive wave, "in any case, I haven't been doing too much lately. I settled down in a small little village, not too different from this one, actually."

"Oh, really?" Tessa asked, both eyebrows raising in surprise, "I wasn't aware there were any villages like ours in Equestria," she leaned forward with a small, intrigued smile crossing her face, "do tell."

"Well, it's more the atmosphere than the diversity," Gale amended, "it's a town mostly consisting of earth ponies, and a lot of the produce that makes its way to Canterlot come from there," she looked around the pub, taking in the interior and the few patrons scattered here and there, "though this place is way farther out in the sticks, the town where I live now is somehow way more rustic."

"Hm, that's interesting," Tessa replied, taking another sip of her cocktail, "for some reason I didn't peg you as a country mare. I thought you'd be living up somewhere like Manehattan or Detrot."

"With these looks?" Gale asked, spreading her leathery wings and giving Tessa an incredulous look, "no, I don't think so. I'm lucky enough to be treated like any other pony here and in the place I moved to," she slowly shook her head, "fact of the matter is, no one's seen a creature like me, and my more... unique traits tend to put ponies off."

"Ah, I suppose that makes sense," Tessa replied with a knowing nod, "I've heard that in certain places in Equestria, ponies can be a bit... xenophobic. I'm glad you were able to find a town that accepts you for who you are."

Frigid Gale matched Tessa's smile with a chuckle of her own, but it rang as hollow as the lie she'd told her friend. The fact of the matter was that the ponies of Ponyville, didn't trust her in the slightest. They certainly tried to hide their fear and distrust on the rare occasions that Frigid Gale wandered into the village, but it was plain for the thestral to see all the same.

"By the way," came the diamond dog's curious voice, "what was the name of that town? I couldn't help but notice you left that little detail out."

"Hm? Oh, it's a little village south of Canterlot called Ponyville," Gale answered with a small shrug, "I arranged to have a small little cottage on the outskirts of town."

Frigid Gale...

If there was someone listening in you would've told me, and as far as Tess is concerned, she has no reason to suspect anything and wouldn't leave the village anyway.

If you'd let me finish, I was about to tell you that someone is listening in.

The only outward indication Frigid Gale gave that anything was wrong was a slight twitch of her lips, which she hid behind her glass as she took another drink.

Who?

An old griffon, black feathers, brown fur, sitting alone at a table to your left near the back. He isn't looking this way, but I can tell he's hanging on our every word.

Frigid Gale continued to tell Tess what she knew of Ponyville as she metally conversed with the Nightmare.

An old griffon? Why would—

It's you, Frigid Gale. I'm not sure what he means to gain, but he's taken an interest in you.

The thestral nearly choked on her whiskey.

Excuse me?!

Oh, calm down. It's less like he's looking for a romantic partner, and more like he's found a priceless treasure he's looking to sell for a hefty profit.

Frigid Gale frowned at that.

A slaver? Here?

Possibly, give me a moment and I will find out for certain...

The presence in Gale's mind vanished and she returned her full attention to Tessa.

"Well it's nice to hear that you're getting along well, Frigid Gale," the diamond dog was saying, "I was worried for you, and I still am, but the fact that you've found a place to call your own after all these years warms my heart."

"Yeah well, it hasn't exactly been all sunshine and roses, but I get by well enough," Gale replied, before finishing off her glass of whiskey. The buzz was still there, but Nightmare's discovery had muted it somewhat, "enough about me though, how's Ancient Scroll been doing? Have you seen him lately?"

Frigid Gale had decided It was about time to get some answers of her own. At her inquiry, Tessa gave a long wistful sigh and shook her head.

"I'm afraid I haven't seen him in quite some time," she replied sadly, "he was here for the Spring Festival, along with some adorable fillies he picked up at some point, and he sent some help my way, but I never actually saw him myself."

Gale's eyebrows rose in surprise, a look she quickly hid behind a mask of mild intrigue.

"Fillies?"

"Oh, yes," Tess replied, with a small chuckle, "I didn't get to see them myself, and I'm not sure where or how Ancient Scroll picked them up, but I heard about the little darlings from a few of the folks that saw them around town during the festival. Oh, I wish you could've been there, Gale. I was busy with so many tourists coming into town, but I still managed to have fun when I could."

Frigid was just about to probe further when the familiar presence of Nightmare Moon returned.

I've probed the griffon's mind, and from what I've found, it might be worth keeping an eye on this one. I've found out some very interesting things you may want to know about.

It seems I'm hitting all kinds of pay dirt right now, lucky me. Let me know if he leaves. I think I might be onto something here with Tess.

Pah, ordering the Queen of the Night about like some sort of lackey. You're lucky I've taken a liking to you, whelp, else your demands would be met with harsh retribution.

I'm quaking in my horseshoes.

A sudden and painful pressure on her mind caused the thestral to grunt and double over, her teeth grit against the momentary agony Nightmare Moon was putting her through.

Don't test me, foal. My physical presence may be trapped within my Moon, but the night of my return draws ever closer, and with it, my power grows. Do not think I cannot put you in your place.

Alright, alright, buck! I get it! You're an almighty alicorn Goddess and I'm the lowly peon! No more backtalk, just... chill the buck out!

The pressure gradually lessened before vanish altogther a moment later, much to Frigid Gale's relief.

So long as you understand. I will admit that I've grown somewhat... attached to you, Frigid Gale, but make no mistake, I am still far above what you will ever be, and you would do well to remember that.

Yeah, I got the message loud and clear, thanks.

"Frigid Gale, are you okay?"

Gale looked up to see that Tess has stood up and was leaning over the table towards her, a worried look on her face. Gale straightened up in her chair and rubbed her temples a moment before answering.

"Yeah, I'm fine... just..." Gale grimaced, "I think I might've had too much to drink after all. Feel a little lightheaded," she took a deep breath and waved away Tessa's concerns, "never mind that though. Tell me more about Ancient Scroll and these fillies."

"Right, well..." Tessa continued to eye the mare with a small frown of worry, but pressed on nonetheless, "this is all hearsay, but from what I've been told, he arrived in town with three adorable fillies. From the way they acted, I think they might've been sisters."

"Sisters, huh?" Frigid Gale mused, "interesting."

She was fairly sure one of those fillies had been Twilight, and was also certain that whoever those other two fillies were, weren't sisters. Still, the fact that Ancient Scroll had taken in not one, or even two, but three other foals irritated her for some reason.

I get how Twilight might've ended up near Ancient Scroll's house by chance, given how she escaped Canterlot, but how did that old stallion manage to stumble upon the other two fillies out where he lives?

Feeling replaced? Jealous, perhaps? Like you've been tossed to the side like so much unwanted trash?

"Do you know their names?" Frigid Gale asked, pointedly ignoring the mocking voice in her head, "if they were that adorable, I'm sure word would've spread."

"Oh, it certainly did," Tess replied with a light chuckle, "I believe their names were... Twilight Sparkle, Trixie..." she frowned slightly, "huh, I don't think anyone actually mentioned whether or not she had a secondary name," she shook her head, "in any case, the last filly was... I think her name was Sunset Glimmer?" she snapped her paws, "Shimmer! Her name was Sunset Shimmer. I hear she had a rather striking mane, that one."

"Very interesting," Gale replied with a small chuckle of her own, "I bet the old geezer has his hooves full."

She'd been right all along, but it didn't surprise her all that much, given how strong her suspicions were. Still, she actually had to find the stallion before she could start celebrating.

And then there's Sunset Shimmer.

What about her?

Frigid Gale frowned slightly.

I'm pretty sure I've heard her name somewhere before, but I can't remember where...

Nightmare Moon gave a long suffering sigh.

Then I suppose it is a blessing that you have me to remind you. You were informed that Celestia had taken on a protege, and Sunset Shimmer happened to be that very filly.

Ah, that's right! Yeah, she bucked off and fled Canterlot a little over year ago now, if I remember right. Guess Celestia just doesn't have a way with foals like that old stallion does it seems. Smart filly to get out when she did, I say.

Well if I remember correctly—and I do, you were planning to foalnap her and pry everything you could out of her about Celestia, were you not?

Yeesh, you make it sound like I was gonna torture the poor filly. You're right though, I was planning on taking her under my own wing after she told me what she could, but then we found out about Twilight and Sunset became much less of a priority. Besides, we'd lost her trail by then, and I wasn't willing to waste resources picking it back up at the time.

A foolish decision, I might add. She would've made a great pawn—a brilliant pawn even, if those reports were anything to go by.

"Um... Frigid Gale?"

The thestral mare in question blinked and turned to Tessa, who was watching her warily.

"Oh, uh, sorry," Gale coughed awkwardly, "I kinda space out from time to time. It's a habit I picked up from back when I was on the road a lot. What were you saying?"

"You shouldn't lose focus like that, Gale. You don't know what could happen while you're out of it," Tessa admonished. She shook her head and her pleasant smile returned a moment later, "anyway, I was trying to tell you that I ran into an interesting mare the other day."

"Yeah?" Frigid Gale replied with a raise of her brow.

"Yes, she was... hmm..." the retriever frowned thoughtfully as she looked at Frigid Gale, "looking back on it, she kind of reminds me of you, or how you are now anyway."

"Really?" Gale answered evenly, a sudden nameless, yet gnawing suspicion forming in the back of her mind, "do tell."

"Well, she was—"

Gale, the griffon is on the move.

Frigid Gale's eyes flickered over to the wrinkly old black and brown griffon discreetly making his way out of the pub. The griffon gave one last inconspicuous look over his shoulder as if to make sure he wasn't being followed, then quickly stepped out into the night. Frigid Gale had caught the look and frowned in annoyance, both at being interrupted and at the lack of subtlety on the griffon's part.

Dammit, I felt like I was gonna get another lead. Ah, well, I've gotten plenty of info for now, and that griffon might give me something else to work with, assuming my luck keeps up like it has been.

"Oh, leaving so soon?" Tessa asked as she watched Frigid Gale rise from her seat, "it feels like we only just sat down."

"Yeah, well," Gale grunted, popping a few joints in her neck, "I've got some other business to attend to before the night is out," she trotted around the table to give her friend one last hug, "seriously though, it was great to talk to you again after all these years, Tess."

"Likewise, it was a real treat to see how much you've grown since I last saw you," Tessa replied, squeezing the thestral tightly before pulling away, "will you be staying in town for much longer? I can put you up in the inn no charge if you like."

"Thanks, but I'll be shoving off here after I've met with a... ah, friend of mine," Gale replied, making her way towards the exit, "he and I have some real important things to discuss."

"Oh? What's this?" Tess asked, crossing her arms and giving Frigid Gale a playful smirk, "out to meet some stallion for a midnight tryst, are we?"

Frigid Gale paused just before reaching the door and turned back to her friend, a fang filled smile on her face and a dangerous glint in her icy blue eyes.

"Yeah, something like that."

A Late Night Visit

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The full moon was out and getting higher in the sky by the time Den Golden Beak had left the pub. He was in no particular hurry to get back to his cabin just north of Faranda Way, so he took his time with a leisurely roundabout flight. The cool night air through his feathers and the pleasant buzz in his head made for a rather calming flight over the town.

He'd knocked back a few, but he made sure he was just sober enough to fly straight and think clearly, which was just as well, he had quite a bit to think about that evening.

In his long life, he'd never seen a creature such as the one he'd stumbled across in that pub, and in a town that boasted such a diverse group of creatures, that was a rarity. It wasn't just her strange outward appearance that had caught his attention either.

That creature—that... batpony, she positively reeked of secrets. Den had always known when someone was hiding something, it was a trait that he'd honed and nourished over many years. It was how he'd managed to weasel some of the rarest treasures he owned out of the poor fools he bargained with in the past.

Yes, the strange pony was an interesting sort, but she was also dangerous. One other thing Den had learned through experience was when to leave well enough alone. Still, old habits died hard and the old griffon couldn't resist listening in to the batpony's conversation, and what a strange and tragic tale it had been.

Thestrals they were called, and from what he'd heard, it sounded like they'd all been wiped out by some passing corrupt Dark Mage. All of them except for this Frigid Gale it seemed, and while that was a shame, Den could tell the tragic creature had been holding something back in her story.

Then there was the fact that she knew Ancient Scroll, and in fact had been raised by the old stallion for some time. Den knew both Ancient Scroll and Yojimbo from back when they'd traveled together for a time, but neither of them had bothered to visit the old bird until recently.

Den thought back to the visit with a bitter snort.

The first time either of them had visited in what felt like forever, and it had only been for his Vardo. He was happy to take Ancient Scroll's bits, and those of the Abyssinian of course, but in truth, he would've rather they'd simply come over for a visit, maybe catch up and reminisce about life on the road.

It wasn't to be though, and they'd only arrived for business, as everyone did whenever they came to visit the crotchety old griffon trader. His attitude towards others didn't exactly help he knew, but it was something he couldn't help. He'd lived in Griffonstone for much of his youth.

Belligerence, rudeness, and avarice were simply the way of things in that city, and years away from his hometown did little to change him in that particular regard. That made it hard for him to communicate what he really wanted to say, and ruined any real chance at a relationship, be it friendly or something more.

Despite this however, he'd somehow managed to befriend those two idiots somewhere along the way. He didn't deserve them as friends, and he knew it, but there it was. Evidently they'd grown apart though, because Ancient Scroll had never once thought to introduce him to the thestral that he'd apparently been raising.

"Then again, I suppose I can't really blame all that much," he muttered to himself, slowly descending as his cabin came into view in the distance, "not exactly a trustworthy griffon, no matter what the old stallion says..."

While he and the thestral hadn't been very much alike when it came to looks, personality, beliefs, or much of anything else really, there was one thing he felt they both shared. He hadn't spoken to the thestral mare and still he was all but certain they were the same in this regard.

That mare had a secret, and it was a very dark secret indeed. Perhaps it was something she was plotting right at this moment, perhaps it was something she'd done in the past, but it was obvious that mare was up to no good, he could practically taste it. If her story about her tribe was to be believed, perhaps it did have something to do with revenge, but there was more to it than that, Den was sure of it.

Seeing her, hearing her talk, the way her eyes shifted, the look in those eyes, listening to her try to wheedle information out of that diamond dog. It all reminded him of how he used to be, and still was to a certain degree. It reminded him of a life he'd left behind a very, very long time ago, a life he'd given up when he met Ancient Scroll.

An old and familiar wave of regret washed over the equally old griffon as he reached his home and alighted upon the doorstep. Thinking of the way that mare had acted had his own thoughts turning back to a time when he was a different type of griffon—a cruel griffon who'd worked in an even crueler business.

But that was all in the past, or so Den repeatedly told himself, not that it ever helped. He was a changed bird, he'd remind himself—a better bird than he used to be. Sure his attitude and temper were still rotten, and sure he was still a greedy old bastard, but he'd been that way even before his life had gone awry, and he wasn't about to give that part of him up, changed griffon or no.

Still, there were times when the old Den would break through, but thankfully that was rare, and he'd managed to get a much better handle on himself in recent years. Seeing that thestral though...

Seeing her dark coat, the leathery wings, those icy eyes, the fangs, just barely visible, and that shock of teal mane. The exotic nature of the mare had dragged the old Den to the surface in a very real and very terrifying way. If he was being honest with himself, he hadn't left the pub because he didn't want to get involved with the thestral or her secrets.

He'd forced himself to leave, forced himself to take a calming, thoughtful flight over the brightly lit town to clear his head. He'd left because if he'd stayed there any longer, his thoughts would've gone to some very dark and familiar places—places he no longer had any desire to visit.

The names of old contacts Den had thought long forgotten had begun to resurface in his mind, and when he'd caught himself wondering whether or not he should mention the thestral to said contacts, he'd decided it was time to make his exit. He felt better now that he was away from the mare and back home, but when he'd first left, he'd practically been shaking with anxiety and guilt.

Shaking his head free of the thoughts, Den turned the knob of his front door and felt it give only slightly before it stopped turning altogether. Grumbling to himself, he stretched out his left wing and held a claw beneath it, only to frown and look back at it a moment later.

He jostled the wing slightly a few times before his brows furrowed and he did the same with the other. Not finding what he was looking for, he cast a backward glance towards the way he'd come.

"Strange," he muttered with a half troubled, half bemused frown, "I would've noticed if it'd fallen while I was flying..." he turned back to the front door, his frown deepening, "pretty sure I didn't drop it, so what—"

"Pssst... hey, up here!"

Den jolted and his eyes shot upward at the loud and sudden whisper, and what he saw made his heart hammer in his throat. For a brief moment, the only thing he could see were a pair of bright blue eyes staring back at him from atop the roof of his cabin. In that instant, they seemed to fill his entire vision.

The shock passed quickly however, and he could just make out the outline of a pony's head. At least, that's what he would've thought had it not been for the narrow, predatory slit of its eyes and the odd tuft of its ears. Add to that the gleam of sharp fangs visible in the pale moonlight and Den was all but certain this wasn't any ordinary pony.

On the contrary, he knew without a doubt exactly who and what this was, and he wasn't at all prepared for an encounter with it, or rather, her.

"You," Den breathed, his mouth dropped slightly open.

"Me," Frigid Gale replied simply, a wicked fang filled grin splitting her face. She shifted and Den could see more of her as she straightened and stood up, "name's Frigid Gale, and I'd say it's nice to meet you, but you probably already know me from back at the pub."

"What in the King's name are you doing hanging around my cabin?" the old griffon demanded, trying to regain some of his gruff and intimidating demeanor, "I've no business with you, and I'll be damned if I let you steal anything of mine, you—"

"If I wanted to take your precious loot, I'd have done it and been gone already," Gale drawled before hopping off the roof. She flapped her wings a few times before gently touching down a yard or two away from Den, "you would've never even noticed until I was long gone."

Den could see the odd creature in full now, and here in the moonlight, the very sight of her baffled and unnerved him in a way he hadn't felt in the pub. For all intents and purposes, she was a pony—a prey animal, but it was plain as the moon in the sky that she was also a natural predator. The dichotomy of her existence was tugging unpleasantly at his ingrained ideas of what it meant to be the predator and the prey.

He had the feeling he wouldn't be the only griffon to feel this way either. Nevertheless, he pushed the unease to the back of his mind and narrowed his eyes at the smirking thestral before him.

"Oh, I would've noticed, believe me, batpony," Den growled, "you spend a bit more time around griffons and you'll learn its never a good idea to steal from one."

"True, griffons do tend to guard their junk jealously," Frigid Gale conceded, her smirk widening into a grin, "but I've spent more than a little time living amongst the best and worst of them. Even picked up a few tricks from some griffon friends of mine, and let me tell you..."

She gave a sudden sharp flick of her tail and Den saw something small and metal sail through the air and over Gale's head, its shape glinting in the light of the moon. Frigid Gale snapped a hoof out and snatched the object out of the air before it could get too far. She held it up for the old griffon to see, the smile never leaving her face.

"...if it weren't for unicorns and their magic, griffons would definitely reign supreme as the best damn thieves in the world."

Held atop Frigid Gale's outstretched hoof was none other than the key to the front door that Den had been looking for previously. The griffon stared at the slightly rusty key with bewilderment. The gears turned in his head as he searched his memory for any point where Gale would've been able to take the thing from him.

Ironically he'd been too busy thinking about the mare herself on the way here to pay all that much attention to his own surroundings. His bewilderment turned to anger soon enough and he took a threatening step forward.

"I don't know who you think you are," he hissed, "but you'd best give that here or things are gonna go downhill for you very fast."

"So now we've devolved into petty threats, eh?" Frigid Gale mused, idly tossing the key in the air, "well, I only came here to talk, but if you wanna go that route, then I guess there's nothing for it," she tossed the key one last time before letting it fall into her hoof, and eyeing it curiously, "hiding the key in your wings in mid flight, that's a pretty neat trick, not something I could do with my wings."

She looked at the key for another few seconds before giving a small shrug and tossing the key in Den's direction. Not having expected the move, Den let out a surprised squawk and scrambled back onto his hind legs in a fumbling attempt to catch the thing in his claws.

He'd only just gotten a good grip on the key—barely long enough to notice the piece of metal in his claw was ice cold, before he felt something grab his throat and cut off his air. He managed a choked gurgle before he felt himself slammed painfully against his own front door. He clenched his eyes shut and let out a pained groan as his back pressed into the wood, and it took him a moment to realize he wasn't moving.

The pressure on his throat let up just enough for Den to breath and he cracked an eye open. A second later, both eyes snapped open in surprise as he saw the thestral mare. She hadn't moved an inch from where she stood, though her eyes seemed to glow brighter in the darkness. At first he wasn't sure if it was his own imagination, but a quick glance downward revealed that his entire body was bathed in a teal glow. He was trapped, his back against the door and unable to move an inch, no matter how he tried.

Somehow, the thestral mare was holding him in place with magic—the kind of magic unicorns used.

Den had traveled around the world with Ancient Scroll and his group for some time, and had seen some fairly strange things along the way, but this was a first. He'd been in dangerous situations similar to this one, and thinking back on that, his immediate shock and panic began to recede, leaving wariness and an odd sense of nostalgia in their place.

"I know a pretty neat trick of my own," Frigid Gale boasted, "didn't pick this one up from a griffon though. This one I learned from an old geezer way back when."

Having remembered the earlier conversation between the thestral and diamond dog, Den didn't have to wonder too hard about who she was talking about. The thought nearly made him laugh out loud, but he stopped himself short, if only because he could barely take in enough air to actually do so.

Leave it to Scroll to teach a non-unicorn how to use magic. Causing me all kinds of trouble even when he's not here, the bastard...

"Very... impressive," Den managed to croak. Despite the pain and his dangerous shortage of breath, he let himself crack a small smirk, "you really are... full of surprises... but you can't keep... this up much longer, whelp... I can... see it."

Frigid Gale frowned at that.

It was true enough, and they both knew it. The fur around the mare's face was starting to glisten with sweat and she'd set her jaw tightly against the strain of holding the griffon in place. Frigid Gale didn't reply right away and Den watched with some grim satisfaction as her eyes narrowed.

After a brief stare down, the mare gave a heavy, half resigned, half exhausted sigh before letting the griffon drop to the ground. Den fell gracelessly onto his stomach and stayed that way for a few moments, hacking and wheezing violently as he tried to suck some air back into his lungs.

"Well buck," Gale exclaimed, brushing her mane out of her face and giving Den a slightly sheepish smile, "guess you called my bluff. Yeah, Ancient Scroll taught me how to use telekinesis, but it's not exactly my strong suit," her smile fell into a serious frown, "that doesn't mean I don't have other 'neat tricks' up my nonexistent sleeves, Golden Beak."

"And of course she knows my name," he grumbled before unsteadily rising to his claws and paws. He spoke a little louder as he bent down and grabbed the key he'd dropped, "don't worry, girl, I'm no fool. I know there's a lot more to you than you let on, and I don't feel like testing my luck any more tonight. No reason for me to die when I still got a few things left to live for."

He fought back a wince even as he said the words. If the thestral mare had known what he'd been thinking as he sat at his table with his drink and listened in on her conversation, she might have thought differently on the matter. He pushed the thought away and shoved the key into the lock on the door.

"Anyway, you wanted to talk, right?" he continued, turning the knob and pushing the front door open. He glanced back at Frigid Gale with a hard frown, "well, it's getting cold so you might as well come in... clucking psycho..."

He muttered the last words as he turned and stepped into the cabin. Frigid Gale's ears twitched at the insult, but she only smiled in satisfaction as she followed behind Den. Frigid Gale thought she'd have to intimidate the griffon a bit more, but the old bird was smarter than he looked.

If it hadn't been for the fact that the bastard had in fact been a slaver once, she might've even taking a liking to old Den. As things stood however, she wasn't quite sure what she'd planned to do to the griffon once the talking was done.

A Spot of Tea

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Frigid Gale stepped inside the cabin after Den and was immediately struck by how extravagant the main room looked. Upon entering, Frigid Gale could see a large dark red rug taking up the majority of the floor in the main room; it was a great red and yellow thing with fancy ornate designs the thestral couldn't make heads or tails of. There were several stands and armoires with glass doors, both stacked and filled to the brim with odd, expensive looking knick-knacks.

Two plush black satin armchairs sat before a lavish gilt fireplace, In between the two chairs was a small coffee table made of smooth dark wood. To top it all off, there were countless paintings on each and every wall; beautiful works of art that included landscapes and portraits of presumably great griffons of the past. Either that or family, Frigid Gale wasn't sure whether it was one or the other or both, and she didn't particularly care.

The outside of the cabin had looked somewhat shoddy and dilapidated, but the inside was a completely different story. Frigid Gale would've been impressed if she wasn't so disgusted by the gaudy display. As she stepped inside she scanned the area, a grimace of distaste on her face.

"Geez," she muttered loud enough for Den to hear, "you realize you're just asking to get robbed, right?"

"I can manage my own home just fine," Den growled irritably as he immediately began making his way towards an open doorway to the back and left, "believe me, you don't need to worry about that."

I've got a few surprises tucked away for any thief stupid enough to try and filch my stuff, but this creature in my home? I'm not so sure they'll be as effective... not that I'd ever actually say anything aloud.

He didn't elaborate any further and Frigid Gale shrugged before heading towards one of the armchairs and making herself comfortable by plopping herself down in one of them. Den glanced back at her and scowled, but continued past the doorway a moment later without saying anything.

"Seems like you live quite the luxurious life for a grumpy hermit," Gale commented, her sharp blue eyes trailing over every piece of furniture and upholstery, "must be the perk of being a trader, though it does make me wonder how you get so much business all the way out here."

"I don't really," Gale heard the old griffon call back from beyond the doorway, "most everything you see here are things I've either salvaged or traded for. None of it was bought with bits but all of it is priceless and not for trade or sale."

"Really?" Gale replied, somewhat surprised, "then where's all the actual merchandise?"

"Do you seriously expect me to answer that question honestly, whelp?" Den snapped back, "because if you do, you're far less clever than I gave you credit for."

"Fair enough," Gale replied with another careless shrug, "doesn't hurt to ask."

"Ask the wrong griffon and it just might at that," Den answered, "my merchandise isn't what you came for anyway so why even worry about it? Or have you suddenly taken an interest in appropriating my wares?"

"Nah, not unless you deal in information," Gale replied before putting a bit of bite in her tone, "and if it wasn't already clear before, I'm not trading for information, I'm demanding it," she hummed thoughtfully, "I guess if you did deal in information trading then I suppose I would be appropriating that, maybe?"

"As it turns out, one of my jobs included a stint as an information broker at one point in my life," Den replied, stepping back into the main room with two small glass plates each carrying a teacup full of some steaming beverage, "but that work was more trouble than it was worth."

Frigid Gale sniffed the air and raised an eyebrow at the griffon as he sat down in the chair opposite hers.

"If I'm not mistaken that's... Featherfall Mountain Leaf tea?" she guessed, "that stuff is stupidly expensive. Did you import that all the way from the Griffonian Kingdom?"

"No, I... stumbled upon a large stock of the stuff and took it with me when I moved to Equestria," he replied, setting the tray meant for Frigid Gale down on the table between them. He looked up and frowned at Gale's raised eyebrow, "I got it legally if that's what you're wondering."

"Hey I didn't say anything," Gale said, raising her hooves defensively. She grabbed her own plate and cup of tea, "just surprised is all. Breaking out the fancy stuff for someone who threatened to kill you seems pretty generous."

"Don't get the wrong idea, bat pony," Den grunted. He took a small sip of his own tea and continued, "I have more of this brew than I know what to do with is all. That, and you can't be a good trader who works from home without showing a bit of hospitality."

"But I'm not a customer," Gale pointed out, humming at the slightly minty taste of the tea, "I'm here to more or less shake you down for what you know. Besides that, I would've pegged you for the rude, mouthy type."

"And you wouldn't be wrong, normally," Den responded without missing a beat. His beak turned up in a hint of a wry smile. It didn't last and he frowned across at the thestral, "generally I only let those looking to do business into my cabin and you don't get far in the trading business by being rude and mouthy with your clients."

"True," Gale conceded, "but again, I'm not a client."

"But you did threaten to kill me, and I have no doubt you could do it easily enough," Den said, giving Gale a hard look over the rim of his cup, "I'm no fighter, Frigid Gale, never have been. I am, and have always been, a merchant at heart. You may not be a customer of mine, but you hold my life in your hooves and I'm not stupid enough to antagonize you. Get it now?"

"Yeah, I suppose that makes sense," Gale replied with just a sliver more respect for the griffon than she'd initially had, "honestly I'd rather not have to get violent, so I guess we should both count ourselves lucky that you're such a pragmatist."

Den snorted and scowled down at the dark liquid in his cup.

"A coward is what I am."

"Hey, your words not mine," Frigid Gale replied before setting down her plate and giving Den a serious frown, "all that aside though, I think it's about time to stop beating around the bush here. I have questions that need answering and you're the griffon that may or may not have those answers."

"I'm pretty sure I don't have your answers, but you're welcome to ask," Den grunted, "it's not like I have anything better to do anyway."

"Alright then," Frigid Gale leaned back in her chair and gave the griffon a level stare, "I'll tell you what I do know for a fact. I know you knew Ancient Scroll, I know he came to visit you recently to obtain a certain something, and I know that you used to be a slave trader."

Den held back his urge to flinch, but only just.

Instead he frowned deeply and slowly set his own cup back down on his plate, his eyes never leaving Gale's. As she spoke, his mind worked furiously to pick out hidden details in both what she'd said and what she hadn't. It was clear she was searching for information on Ancient Scroll given what she'd decided to tell him, but why search for him now? Based on what she'd revealed back at the pub, she'd already cut ties with the old stallion.

What has that fool gotten himself into this time?

What he couldn't understand was why she'd chosen to drag his old skeletons kicking and screaming out of the closet. Never mind how she knew he'd been a slave trader in the past, what did that have to do with Ancient Scroll? Why bring it up at all? What did she have to gain?

Blackmail? No, the look in her eyes tell me it's something else...

In the end Den decided to wait and hear what else the thestral had to say. He didn't have to wait long for his answer, and to his dismay, it was exactly what he'd expected.

"I'll tell you right now, Den Golden Beak," Gale leaned forward, her eyes grew cold and Den sucked in a quiet breath, feeling his own body temperature noticeably drop, "I've saved my fair share of creatures from some pretty nasty situations and a lot of those situations involved separating slaves from their masters, usually very violently."

Ah, so it's personal then. Don't know how she found out about what I'd done, but it looks like she had it out for me from the get go. Figures...

Den would've chuckled if it hadn't been for his fear and the sudden cold sucking the air out of his lungs. He'd been down this road before, having to face the consequences for his actions in the form of some vengeful ex-slave or the loved one of a creature he'd sold off. Somehow he'd always been able to escape the encounters with his life, but he'd had more than one close call in the past.

"So... that's it, is it?" Den managed to grunt out. He forced a smirk, "planning to dish out some justice after you got what you want outta me? Slaughter me in my own home for my past sins, eh?"

"Who knows? Maybe I will," Gale replied coolly, "it's not as if anyone would miss you, except for maybe Ancient Scroll, but I doubt he'll be coming back to visit you anytime soon."

This time the griffon did laugh. It was a great wheezing laugh that quickly devolved into a short coughing fit.

"Ha! I doubt even that sentimental old stallion would miss me much," he replied, still chuckling weakly. His laughter died down and he let out a weary sigh, "still, if you know that much about me, you should already know I've been out of that game for quite awhile now."

He waited for a reply, but Frigid Gale only gave him a stony frown. One of her ears flicked as though she'd heard something, and her frown deepened just a fraction. Den watched her silently for a moment before lowering his somber gaze down at the teacup on the table.

"Don't know if it means a flocking thing to you, but I do regret the things I did back then," he muttered, "changed my ways and all that, but it still gives me the shakes every now and then," he shivered and coughed again, "speaking of the shakes, could you ease up on whatever crazy magic you're trying to intimidate me with? I ain't as young as I used to be and this can't be good for my health. I might just keel over and you won't be getting any answers then."

Frigid Gale was quiet for another long moment, seeming to consider his request. Her scowl grew more pronounced and she growled softly in indecision. Den noted that the mare looked as though she was struggling with some internal conflict, looking past him rather than at him.

Den made to comment, but suddenly sat bolt up right as an odd tingle shot down the back of his spine. It felt very much like someone was watching him, but he resisted the urge to look around. Instead he kept his sharp eyes on the mare in front of him. She still looked somewhat distracted by her own thoughts, which strangely made the whole situation a bit surreal.

I felt the same way back in the pub. Just what in the King's name is going on here?

As Den watched, one of the mare's ears flicked again in apparent irritation and she sighed. Eventually the chill permeating throughout the room vanished and Den found he could breathe easy once more. At the same time the odd feeling of being watched disappeared as well, much to his relief and confusion.

The old griffon's eyes narrowed ever so slightly as he stared at the mare.

Something's not right here, and it's not just that strange chill either. I'm not sure what's going on, but I don't think this bat pony's quite right in the head...

"Fair enough," Gale finally replied, "I won't apologize, but I will admit I got a bit carried away," she reached down to take a sip of her tea, only to frown and pull her hoof away from the icy cold teacup, "allow me to ask one more question before I move on, Den Golden Beak."

Den said nothing, already feeling the weight of Frigid Gale's next words pushing him down. Somehow he knew, even before she'd said anything, what her question would be. He only wondered whether or not he'd be prepared for it. As if to confirm his fears, the mare pressed her hooves together and watched him with a studiously blank expression.

"If you've truly put that part of your past behind you like you say," Gale asked slowly, "then why did you take such an interest in me back at the pub? It seemed quite as if you'd landed the biggest, juiciest marlin you'd ever laid eyes on. Why was that? I think both you and I know I'm not your type."

"By the King's name I should think not!" Den couldn't help but sputter with an incredulous chuckle. He cleared his throat and quickly regained his composure before speaking again, "I won't make any excuses because I get the feeling they won't help me here," he grimaced, "I've never seen anything like you in all the years I've been plodding along. It may have been some time ago, but I'd been in the slave trading business for quite some time before Ancient Scroll and that thick headed mutt pulled my sorry carcass out of that fire and put me back on track."

"And?" Gale pressed, "you still haven't answered my question."

"I'm getting there, girl," Den chided with a slight frown. Gale paused and nodded for him to continue, which he did after a second, "now then... I've tried to cut myself off from who I was back then, but I can't—not completely. Every now and then, whenever I get a whiff of a particularly lucrative financial opportunity, the old me slips out a bit.

"What you have to understand is that working as a slave trader had been one of the most profitable jobs I've ever had," he leaned back and stared up at the ceiling above, then closed his eyes as he ruminated on the past, "the sin of avarice weighs heavy on every griffon's soul to some extent, and nowhere is that more true than in the city of Griffonstone," he opened his eyes and looked back down at Gale, "I saw you in that pub, and for a moment I was that same griffon as back then, scoping out potential targets for a client."

"But you changed your mind," Gale commented tonelessly, "what made you decide against it?"

"Would you believe it was guilt?" Den asked with a self-deprecating chuckle, "somehow I managed to regain some of my senses and I left before I got any crazy ideas, then lo and behold, the very creature I was trying to get away from drops down from the roof of my own home."

Frigid Gale watched him silently for a long moment before giving a slow nod.

"And now?" Gale finally asked, raising a brow at the griffon, "still think I'm a prime cut of meat to feed to your clients?"

"Not so much, no," Den replied in a more serious tone than Gale was expecting. The old bird was quiet for a time, then looked Gale in the eye and frowned before speaking again, "I heard a good bit of what you were saying back at the pub—"

"I'm aware," Gale interjected with a scowl, "nasty habit, eavesdropping. Could get you into all sorts of trouble if you get caught by the wrong creature."

"And if you haven't done anything by now, I have hope that it's a forgivable offense," Den retorted. Gale's scowl deepened in response, but she didn't say anything so the griffon continued, "and at any rate, it got me thinking about something on the way back."

"And what would that be?"

"Ancient Scroll," Den answered, "for as long as I've known him, that stallion has had a knack for sticking his muzzle where it don't belong. Damn nuisance of a pony, but his heart's always been in the right place," he leaned forward, his eyes never leaving Gale's, "knowing that, I find myself curious as to what he did to make you ditch him like that. You said a lot, but nothing about what heinous crime he committed."

Frigid Gale furrowed her brows, clearly taken aback by the question. She regained her bearings a moment later and sighed before giving a helpless shrug.

"The old bastard might have a heart of gold, but nobody is perfect, and he isn't an exception," she answered, much to Den's visible dissatisfaction, "now it's my turn. How'd he convince a griffon like you to bow out of the trafficking business? I doubt that could've been easy for a pony like Ancient Scroll."

"On the contrary," Den snorted and gave Gale a wry grin, "the most effective way to convince a griffon from Griffonstone is through their wallet and Ancient Scroll knew that. He just had to wave enough bits in my face to make quitting worthwhile," his grin vanished, "don't know how the bastard got ahold of so many bits, but I didn't complain, and the protection from some of my more... unforgiving clients was a nice bonus."

"So that's why you traveled with him and his buddies?" Gale replied, looking thoroughly unimpressed with his answer, "some protection from disgruntled clients and a nice big bag of bits?"

"More or less," Den shrugged, "things were getting dangerous for me before he came along as it was, so in truth it didn't take too much convincing," he turned away from Gale to look out one of the far windows. He wore what Gale could only describe as a wistful frown before continuing on, "eventually, somewhere along the way, that map obsessed stallion grew on me."

"Yeah, he seems to have that effect on everyone," Gale observed, her own expression growing slightly contemplative, "only makes it hurt more when he messes up and says something stupid..."

Den turned back to Gale with a raised eyebrow.

Ah, so that's it then, is it? Said something he shouldn't have and drove the poor girl away?

Gale returned her attention to Den and grimaced at the small smirk on his face. She shifted her leathery wings irritably against the back of the chair, closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them again.

"Let's move on, shall we?" she exclaimed, "I don't think you'll be able to help me as much as I was hoping, but maybe there's something you can tell me," she turned to look out the window, "you see, I have reason to believe that Ancient Scroll has something I need, and with all the chaos in the capital right now, it's not really in his best interest to stay in one place for too long."

"Ah, I heard about that," Den replied thoughtfully, "something about murders in Canterlot, right? I wouldn't imagine he had anything to do with that mess, him living all the way out here and all."

Though if this bat pony is telling the truth I suppose that might explain his sudden decision to buy the Vardo. Making a quick escape are we, Scroll? Really... just what in Tartarus have you gotten yourself into?

"No, but you could say that some other problems that do have to do with Canterlot found him rather than the other way around," Gale replied with a knowing grin. It fell quickly as she moved on, "I've already confirmed that he fled his cottage and then there was that certain something he bought from you."

"The Vardo," Den grunted, not bothering to ask how she knew about it. He had his suspicions and it was safer to assume she'd been using some kind of magic to get more information out of him even as she asked more questions, "yeah, he and the mutt stopped by out of the blue to buy the old caravan from me; them and that Abyssinian molly. Didn't ask why, just took their bits and told them to take the thing."

"An Abyssinian?" Gale replied, taken aback, "what was an..." she paused and shook her head, "you know what? Never mind, I can worry about that later. What is important is that my suspicions are almost confirmed. Now I only have one other question before I leave."

"Oh?" Den asked, "decided not to mete out that justice after all?"

"Do you want me to?" Gale challenged in a low, dangerous voice, "because I have no problem putting you down, especially if there's a chance you might revert back to 'the old you'."

"I have that part of me under control," Den assured, raising a placating claw, "by all means, if you've chosen to spare me, I won't complain. Now ask your last question, I'm sure you don't want to be here any more than I want you here."

"True enough," Gale agreed, "I'm assuming at least some of Ancient Scroll's old friend's settled down somewhere in Equestria. My question to you is if you know where they may have settled and who else Ancient Scroll would go to for help."

Den hummed in thought, tapping his beak with a claw. After a few seconds he frowned at Gale.

"Do you plan to kill Ancient Scroll when you find him?"

Frigid Gale's eyes widened and her mouth fell open in surprise. Den would've laughed at the mare's expression if he hadn't been completely serious in his inquiry. He was very much waiting to see just what kind of reaction the mare had to the sudden question.

That stallion may never come to visit, but that's no reason to send an assassin after him. Not after everything he's done for me, that wouldn't do at all. I may be a coward, I might be greedy, I might be a bitter old bird, but I'm not gonna send this bat pony after him without at least making sure she's on the up and up. Threats be damned, I already have enough baggage as it is.

He watched Frigid Gale closely as she groped for a response to the question. That reaction alone told him everything he needed to know, but still he waited for her answer.

"No... no I'm not gonna kill the old stallion," Gale finally replied quietly. To Den she looked strangely vulnerable, but he dared not comment, "not unless he gives me a reason to. I don't wanna hurt Ancient Scroll, but he has something I need," she looked Den in the eye, her gaze both intense and oddly sincere, "if I have to get violent to get it, I will. If you believe anything I say, believe that I really don't want it to come to that."

The two of them sat in an uncomfortable silence for a long moment while Den continued to observe the thestral sitting across from him. Her gaze didn't falter an inch under his scrutiny and eventually he relented. He brushed a claw over his face and gave a weary resigned sigh.

I'm going to regret this. Somehow I know I'm going to regret this, but I also know that whatever the situation between the two, that mare still cares about the old stallion. I just hope that's enough...

He grunted and spoke again, his expression dour, but his tone accommodating.

"I don't know where Scroll's headed," he began, "but if it was further inland, he'd most likely stop by the Sour Apple. It's a roadside tavern an hour or so east of Little Trot by flight. There's a stallion that owns the place, goes by the name of Apple Core."

"Never been to Little Trot but I know where it is," Gale replied, looking visibly relieved for some reason. She slid off the chair as she spoke and began making her way towards the entrance, "I take it I'll know that place when I see it?"

"It's the only building out there for miles," Den answered, "you can't miss it," he watched Gale reach for the door handle and frowned, "one last thing though before you go."

Frigid Gale paused and turned to face the griffon with an expectant raise of her brow. Den was silent for a second, trying to gather his thoughts.

"Unlike Ancient Scroll, Apple Core sends me the odd letter every now and then," he began, "from what I hear, he's a family stallion now. Lives in that tavern with his wife and three foals, one of which was just born not too long ago."

Frigid Gale stared at him and he snorted before looking away.

"For the love of the King," he grumbled before looking back at Gale, "as long as you don't burst in with threats and magic, Apple Core will treat you right. I understand why you approached me the way you did, and I can deal with it, but you don't need to go bringing his family into your interrogations."

Gale continued to stare at him for a long moment, her stony expression giving nothing away. Then she turned back around, pulled the door open and stepped back out into the cool night. She stopped just outside the doorway, shuffled her wings before spreading them out wide, and glanced back at Den one more time.

The griffon felt his heart skip a beat.

"I'll keep that in mind," Gale finally replied in a flat tone, "thanks for the info, Den."

And with that, she took a few more steps forward, flapped her wings hard, and launched herself into the air. Den watched her form vanish into the sky from where he sat, but soon lost her in the darkness. He breathed heavily through his nostrils and stood up from the chair.

He moved over to the door Frigid Gale had left open and gently clicked it shut before walking back over and sitting back down in the chair. There was a long, quiet minute of complete silence as Den slowly turned his eyes downward towards the two teacups on the table. He picked up his own and stared at it, grimacing at the feel of the icy cold ceramic in his talons.

Why couldn't I see it earlier? That mare... that crazy bat pony... she's got it out for someone, someone that isn't Scroll. Maybe it was that corrupt Dark Mage, maybe it was someone else, but she's like a boulder rolling down a hill. She won't let anyone get in her way, she won't stop until she hits the bottom, and when she does...

...I'm a blasted idiot.

He clicked his beak and snarled before flinging the frosty teacup into the unlit fireplace where it shattered, spraying white shards and cold tea all over the hearth.

"Damn it all!"

A Smoky Sarsaparilla

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I think that went rather well, all things considered.

Frigid Gale didn't miss the pleased tone in Nightmare's voice and if the thestral mare was being honest, she agreed. She hadn't gotten all the information she was looking for, but she'd gained a fair amount, and had even managed to leave the cabin with another lead.

It went well enough, yeah. Really though I'm just glad to be out of there and back in the night sky.

As well you should, though it seems you've taken quite some time to get to where you are now. The night quickly wanes and Celestia will raise her cursed sun in a mere few hours.

I'm well aware, but I think we're almost there.

The mare had been flying for a few hours now, and had passed the town of Little Trot a fair bit ago. She'd taken a slight detour to check on the town and saw that it was somewhat on the mend. Several buildings had been demolished in some kind of fire, but there were clear signs of recovery in some areas, with buildings both old and new being erected or rebuilt.

Once she was satisfied, Frigid Gale had moved on, and now found herself nearing a quaint looking structure further ahead. She wasn't close enough to make out any details, but it was the only building in the immediate area, and the closer she got, the more she could see. Eventually Gale had gotten close enough to descend, and upon touching down a short ways from the rustic, yet obviously well maintained establishment, she could see that it certainly fit the definition of 'roadside tavern'.

Think it's still open?

Does it matter? We come here for business, not pleasure. We will make this Apple Core answer our questions, no matter what we have to do.

...I'm, not so sure about that.

...Come again?

But Frigid Gale didn't reply to Nightmare Moon's baffled and indignant response as she made the rest of the way to the tavern's entrance by hoof. She'd thought about what Den said, and hadn't missed the fact that the stallion had foals to take care of. The mare would do, and had done, many great and terrible things for the sake of her goals, but harming foals hadn't been one of them so far—at least, directly or intentionally.

She couldn't help but wince at the thought of Shining Armor and what he'd been through because of her own neglect. She'd been thinking about the colt quite a lot at the strangest times, though she'd simply chalked that up to seeing him wandering around the base more often—that, and she'd heard several of the ponies talk about him more than once. She may have been terribly busy and focused on the many tasks ahead, but she wasn't completely oblivious to the effect the colt's presence was having on some of the more receptive members of her resistance.

It was a positive one, and Frigid Gale herself couldn't decide whether that was a good thing or not. On one hoof, it did wonders to boost general morale around the base and that was good for productivity. On the other hoof however, there'd been a few disagreements regarding Shining Armor's presence within the base and whether or not he belonged. Still, Gale wasn't about to kick him out into the streets, no matter who complained about letting a foal wander around.

She at least owed him that much after what she'd unintentionally put him through, and if nothing else, she wasn't going to put him through what she'd had to go through as a foal, with no roof over his head whatsoever. Sure, living in the base wasn't exactly her idea of paradise, but it was better than nothing. And then there was the current matter at hoof and the moral dilemma she was trying to keep from Nightmare Moon.

Frigid Gale had a feeling she was close to her objective, and that this stallion was the last thing standing between her and completing it. Now that she'd made it to this point, and achievement was so close at hoof, would she go that extra mile if need be? Cross the line she hadn't had to cross yet in order to push forward? The fact that just the thought made her physically ill was the only answer she needed, and with that in mind, she pushed open the door to the tavern and stepped inside.

Frigid Gale wasn't expecting there to be many patrons in such a secluded area, and especially this time of night, or rather this early in the day. When she trotted through into the tavern, she was rather surprised to see even the few ponies that were scattered about. A quick scan of the place revealed a total of five ponies; she could see two earth pony stallions seated together in a far corner of the room discussing something in hushed, urgent whispers, each over mugs of something that smelled strong, but that Gale couldn't quite identify.

The other three were all separated, with one world weary looking unicorn stallion passed out over the table with mug in hoof and snoring loudly, and an obviously inebriated earth pony mare who, to Frigid Gale at least, seemed as though she was attempting to proposition another mare sitting across from her for what promised to be a fairly horrible time. Something about the other mare caught and held Gale's attention for a moment. The mare in question was heavily cloaked, revealing nothing other than her bright pink feminine muzzle, but the mare's clear attempt at discretion wasn't where Gale's focus lay.

It was instead honed in on the fact that the mare was clearly not a mare, but a filly—an older filly, perhaps somewhere in her teenage years, but a filly nonetheless. It wasn't the filly's stature that gave her away—she was actually fairly tall for a filly, which made it difficult to determine her exact age—but, a subtle shift of the filly's dark brown hood revealed just the slightest hint of her face. It was minute, and most ponies would've missed it, but Frigid Gale's keen eye managed to spot the flash of a young and troubled face; worried purple eyes sat above a very uncomfortable frown, and another subtle shift of the filly's cloak told Frigid Gale there were restless wings under the cloth.

She could see no more than that and the sliver of a violet mane beneath the hood, but everything she'd observed in that brief moment was enough to tell her all she needed or cared to know about the filly's appearance, though she did find the situation a strange one. The thestral mare would've been lying if she said it didn't bother her at least a little, and she found herself edging towards the table without realizing it.

What in Tartarus is that kid doing in a place like this, all the way out here?

It doesn't concern us, leave it be.

But the mare—

Something tells me that filly can take care of herself, now let it alone and move on, Gale, ponies are beginning to stare.

Sure enough, the two whispering stallions in the corner had ceased their discussion and were now openly staring at Frigid Gale with suspicious and slightly fearful looks. Frigid Gale narrowed her eyes at the two, but before she could say anything, a jovial southern drawl caught her ear.

"Well don't just stand there in the doorway gawpin' like a fish, little lady, come on in and take a seat."

Gale turned to see a rusty red earth pony stallion in a dark brown stetson standing behind the bar near the back of the tavern. Once he had her attention, he nodded to Gale and gestured towards an open stool at the bar. The thestral raised an eyebrow, intrigue by the odd mix of the stallion's hard gaze and genuinely welcoming smile. Not many ponies could pull off a look like that, but the earth pony seemed to manage it with relative ease.

Curses! I had my suspicions, but it looks as though they were completely founded. This is going to make things a bit more difficult for us.

What is? What are you talking about?

That, Frigid Gale, is a member of the Apple Family.

Ah, so that must be that one stallion the old bird was talking about, Apple Core right? So why is the fact that he's part of this 'Apple Family' a problem for us? Bit rustic, but he seems like a nice enough sort to me.

Of his geniality, I've no doubt; It's his stubborn good nature, strong mind, and the Apple Family's uncanny gift for sniffing out deceit that's going to cause us issues in getting the information we need.

Oh... well, damn, guess I got my work cut out for me, then. Still, I'll just have to take Den's advice and approach the situation carefully and casually. No intimidation here, just your average friendly predator out on a midnight stroll and looking for a drink to pass the time.

If you're attempting a peaceful discussion, mind your words and how you say them. As I've said before, the Apples are strong minded when it comes to both their morals and in a literal sense. They're notoriously difficult to magically manipulate or read, even for a being such as myself. With my power as it is now, I may not be able to gather the information we need directly from his mind, so you may be on your own this time.

I'll manage somehow.

During her discussion with Nightmare Moon, Frigid had taken up the stallion's offer and moved to sit at one of the tall stools in front of the bar. The stetson wearing earth pony frowned at Gale a moment as she seated herself at the bar, but gave her a quick nod and an amiable grin another moment later.

"Well now, what kinda swill does a creature such as yerself use ta quench their thirst I wonder?" the stallion asked with genuine curiosity and a hint of amusement in his voice. He turned away from Frigid Gale, looking back at her over his shoulder as he perused the bottles on the shelf in the back, "somethin' light? Or maybe somethin' a little harder? Perhaps, somethin' with a bit o' bite to it?"

The pun was horrible, but Frigid Gale still couldn't help but laugh out loud at the completely straight-faced delivery and expectant raise of the brow the stallion shot her over his shoulder.

"Just what are you trying to imply?" the thestral asked, still chuckling slightly, "do you expect me to ask for a Crimson Mare? Think the color and thickness will remind me of the hunt and sate my lust for blood?"

"Well, I wouldn't wanna assume nothin' o' course," the stallion replied with a small chuckle of his own, "just a harmless joke ta lighten the mood is all. Looked like ya had a lot on yer mind," he paused and eyed Gale curiously, "if ya want me ta make a Crimson Mare I'd be happy to, though most folk wait 'till mornin' fer those. Helps take the edge off a bad hangover."

"Nah, not this time. I do like the drink, but I think I'll go for something a bit sweeter this time," she tapped a hoof on the counter and hummed in thought for a brief moment before giving a careless shrug, "yeah, just gimme something sweet, and not too alcoholic. I actually went out drinking a few hours earlier with a friend and I'm not looking to get sloshed at the moment. I'll let you choose."

"A Smoky Sarsaparilla on the rocks it is then," the stallion decided with another nod. There was another small pause as he grabbed a couple of bottles and a mixer, then, "normally ah'd offer somethin' apple based, as that's mah family's specialty, but ah rarely get ta make this one, an' between you an' me, it's one o' mah favorites."

"Oh?" Gale replied, taking the opportunity to make introductions, "so I take it your part of the Apple Family then? I've heard the apples they grow are some of the best in Equestria."

His back was turned to Frigid Gale as he mixed the drink, but she still noticed a small twitch from the stallion. For a moment, Frigid Gale thought she'd said the wrong thing, but he quickly relaxed again and let out a snort.

"That ain't no mere rumor, little lady, " the stallion responded, "Apples know apples, an' ah'm a proud member o' that family. Name's Apple Core," he turned once again to fully face Frigid Gale with a tall glass of amber liquid in hoof and smiled, "don't think ah caught yer name, stranger. Hope ya don't mind if ah ask?"

Frigid Gale eyed the drink with some interest as Apple Core set it down on the counter in front of her. The amber liquid seemed to smoke and bubble all at once, giving it an oddly dangerous looking and almost mesmerizing quality.

"Gale," the mare replied distractedly, her eyes still on the drink as she picked it up, "just... Gale. How is this not a more popular drink? It's a pretty attention grabbing beverage."

"Not that it ain't a hit with the customers," Apple Core replied with a shrug, "just that ah don't have enough supply of what ah'd need ta meet demand if ah sold it regularly. Usually only bring it out fer special occasions."

"Oh?" Gale inquired as she raised the glass to her lips and gave the stallion a curious raise of her brow over the rim, "and what could possibly be the occasion? Despite appearances, I'm nobody special."

"On the contrary, Miss Gale," Apple Core replied with a knowing smile, "ah think ya just might be at that," at Gale's bemused look, Apple Core chuckled and leaned on the counter, "ya see, several years back a good friend of mine stumbled into this here tavern lookin' mighty distressed."

Frigid Gale's eyes widened a moment before narrowing slightly. She already didn't like where this conversation was going, though despite that, she had to admit the sweet and tangy carbonated sarsaparilla was doing a lot to distract her as she listened to Apple Core's story.

"Now, unlike me an' the rest o' the Apple Family, this stallion wasn't one ta settle down with a family of his own," Apple Core continued, "so imagine mah surprise when he galloped up ta the bar askin' if a filly he'd been takin' care of had come by."

Frigid Gale lowered the glass to the counter and smacked her lips in satisfaction, but remained silent otherwise. The sound of a door creaking open caught her attention, and she glanced behind her just in time to see the last of the two whispering stallions she'd seen earlier heading out before the door clicked shut.

She would've breathed a sigh of relief if it hadn't been for the other two remaining ponies. As if to remind Gale of her presence, the inebriated mare let out an overly loud guffaw, to which the filly sitting across from her cringed and glanced toward the thestral mare and the bartender. Her eyes widened briefly at the sight of the two looking back at her and she quickly looked away again. If there was ever any doubt that the pony was indeed a filly, that brief glance had all but quashed it for Gale. She was certainly an older filly, and the majority of her features were still covered up fairly well, but it was clear she couldn't have been anymore than thirteen or fourteen.

Gale...

Right, right, I got it.

"Lemme guess," Gale sighed, turning back to Apple Core, "I imagine the old stallion came in looking for a strange creature that looked a bit more predatory than your average pony?"

"Ah reckon his description mighta mentioned as much," Apple Core conceded, "an' from the looks of it, it seems that strange creature's gone an' shown up at mah doorstep right outta the blue. Ah think that might be reason enough ta bring out the good stuff, don't you?"

"Maybe," Gale replied, taking another sip of the fizzy, smoky drink, "and this stuff is damn good, I'll give you that... but if it's Ancient Scroll we're talking about, I actually have some questions for you," she paused a moment, "...well, I guess I'd have questions regardless."

"Questions, eh?" Apple Core replied. Frigid Gale took note of the sudden cautiousness in the stallion's voice as he spoke, "well, it is indeed Scroll that came lookin' fer ya all those years ago. Lookin' to reunite are ya? Or have ya already—"

"No, not yet," Gale interjected with a slight shake of her head, "haven't seen him in years, but I do want to find him. Not sure if he told you or not, but we have some unresolved issues to work out between us."

"Nope, never did tell me why ya left," Apple Core replied, "but he was broken up about it alright, whatever happened between the two o' ya."

"I'll bet he was," Gale muttered under her breath, "of course he'd be..."

There was a moment of silence in which the mare's thoughts returned to the cottage and the strange 'trap' seemingly set up specifically for her. The barrier around the cottage had been a trap for sure, but Frigid Gale began to wonder if the visions she'd suffered within really had been. The more she thought about it, the likelier it seemed that it could've been Ancient Scroll's way of simply reminding her of their time together; it was an underhoofed tactic that made Gale's blood boil just thinking about what she had to go through, but she was beginning to realize it was far from something done out of malice.

When you got right down to it, that just wasn't Ancient Scroll.

The more she though about that the more she realized—or rather had to admit to herself—that even back then when she'd told him about her village and about what Celestia had done, she probably could've gotten the old stallion to believe her, given time. If she'd even stopped to try instead of galloping off on her own, it probably wouldn't have even taken that much time or effort. But no, she'd been an angry, bitter foal who'd fled with thoughts of betrayal and revenge twisting her mind and driving her to seek her own destiny.

It was far too late to turn back now though; she knew it, and she was pretty damn sure Ancient Scroll knew it too, assuming he knew anything about her goals. Even if she and Ancient Scroll somehow managed to reconcile, there was no way she was going to stop—she couldn't, not with everything she and Nightmare Moon had accomplished. She had to keep going—to push her vendetta into its inevitable conclusion, not just for her own sake, but for the sake of the ones that trusted her enough to follow her.

Apple Core meanwhile, stood behind the bar, passively watching the thestral's face twist and contort and darken with a storm of different emotions. The stallion had a fairly good memory, and the memory of his old friend bursting through the door—that distraught expression full of pain, guilt and regret... it was a memory that stuck out to him in the worst way. Back then he couldn't do anything for Ancient Scroll except remember.

He'd held on to what the stallion had told him, and was glad of it, because, from Ancient Scroll's description alone, he'd recognized the thestral the moment she'd trotted into his tavern. What he hadn't told Frigid Gale however, was that he'd met Ancient Scroll again more recently. During that meeting, before the foals and his other companions had woken up the morning they'd planned to leave, he and the other old stallion had had a long talk about a great many things. Frigid Gale had been among the subjects that had come up, and what he'd heard then, he didn't like, not one bit.

There hadn't been any concrete evidence that Frigid Gale was involved in the trouble Ancient Scroll had gotten himself into, but Scroll had his suspicions, and that was enough for Apple Core to remain wary. If the thestral mare ever showed up at the Sour Apple, then he'd have his answer, and lo and behold, Frigid Gale had waltzed right through the door just days after Ancient Scroll had come to visit. Not only that, but she was here with questions. She was here with questions about Ancient Scroll and—if his old friend was to believed—most likely the little black unicorn filly traveling with him in disguise.

He didn't like to lie—hated it in fact, just like every Apple did—but Celestia be damned if he wasn't good at it. As far as he and the other Apple Family members who'd met him personally knew, he was the best liar in Equestria. The others would swear by it if you asked them, and though he did his best to stick to the Apple Family's upstanding and honest ways, this did make him somewhat of a black sheep among his kin. Still, he was a pragmatic stallion and didn't shy away from using his gift for falsehoods, half-truths, and lies by omission when it was absolutely necessary.

Now?

Now, he felt, was one of those times. He and Ancient Scroll had been through a lot together—enough that his map making companion had become family. He wanted to consider Frigid Gale family by extension, because that's what she'd been—and still probably was—to Ancient Scroll, but with what he'd been told, and what he'd seen for himself, he couldn't bring himself to see her that way. When she'd trotted into the tavern, he knew something hadn't been right, and so he'd decided to go with his gut and keep his trap shut about his own suspicions and what he knew while getting the thestral to reveal her own intentions.

He was fairly sure the thestral already knew that he knew Ancient Scroll. In fact, he was all but certain she'd stopped by for that specific reason, and so he allowed himself to reveal that he did indeed know Ancient Scroll, and that he was looking for Frigid Gale, but nothing more than that. Once he'd alluded to the old stallion, Gale's demeanor had changed and now he was being interrogated, just as he'd suspected. Now the apples were in her basket, and he could only wait to see what she'd do or say next.

"You know what? Forget it," Frigid Gale muttered after a long moment, "I didn't come here to get bogged down in the past," she shook her head, drained the last of her sarsaparilla and eyed the old bartender with a serious frown, her relatively good mood gone, "has Ancient Scroll been by here recently?"

"Heard he was in the area not too long ago, somewhere near Little Trot if ah remember correctly," Apple Core replied easily, taking the empty glass Gale had set back down on the counter, "much as ah'd love ta catch up, ah haven't seen him mahself in a dog's age. Ah'd be happy ta send him yer way if he decides ta pay me a visit—"

Apple Core flinched suddenly, and at the same time, Frigid Gale felt Nightmare Moon stir in her mind. She heard a slight growl of frustration from the alicorn, but nothing more than that. From that, and Apple Core's reaction, it was clear Nightmare had tried to do something, but whatever it was seemed to have failed—the only result being a deepening frown on Apple Core's face. For a moment, Frigid Gale thought her number was up, and still wasn't sure if it was, but the stallion continued on, albeit it with a slightly wary tone.

"Well... that's how it is at any rate," Apple Core continued, "sorry ah couldn't help ya more, what with Ancient Scroll lookin' fer ya fer all those years an' you finally showin' up at mah doorstep."

Frigid Gale was about to respond when Nightmare Moon finally spoke up.

Something's not right... I think he might be lying... but I'm unable to tell for sure. Damn the Apple Family lineage to the depths, I can't probe his mind! He's an Apple, he shouldn't be lying, and even if he is, it should be obvious... and yet something feels... off...

Yeah... I'm getting that feeling too...

"That is a shame," Frigid Gale replied aloud, "nothing for it I guess. Maybe you can tell me something else though."

"An' what might that be?" Apple Core asked, raising a brow.

"Do you know if he was traveling with anyone—er... any other ponies?" Gale asked, "have you heard anything about that?"

"Not sure," Apple Core hummed in thought for a moment, "ah heard he met up with some folks in Little Trot, but ah don't know nothin' about 'em, an' ah don't know if he wound travelin' with 'em. If he's around here he'll probably be stoppin' by if ya wanna wait."

Frigid Gale studied the stallion for a long quiet moment, trying to decide how to proceed next. Beating around the bush hadn't been working out so far, and she had the distinct feeling she was being led on. The thestral mare knew Apple Core knew more than he was letting on, but the stallion gave the impression of an impenetrable wall of iron; if he knew something, he wasn't going to spill, Frigid Gale could see it in his cobalt blue eyes—eyes that stared back at Gale with just as much, if not more suspicion.

Hey, Nightmare? I don't think we're gonna get anything useful out of him, not with questions like these anyway.

That much is painfully clear. He knows more, but it seems we'll need to use a less... subtle approach after all if we're to uncover what he's hiding. I can't coerce him through Mind Magic and with his experience, you won't be able to wring the truth out of him, not with words alone.

So what do you suggest? Should I make with the threats? I mean, I'd actually really rather not but—

You have a mission to complete, and we're running out of time. The more this stallion speaks, the more convinced I am that he knows where Ancient Scroll is headed. Think, Gale, what he says may be true, and maybe Ancient Scroll did wind up in Little Trot to meet with somepony. Now if we assume that's true, and that it was in the last few days, and we didn't find him there, then what do you think that might mean?

Well, assuming what Apple Core said was true, then he would've left, and if he was headed further east...

Realization hit Frigid Gale like the Friendship Express, but outwardly she continued to keep her face carefully neutral.

If Apple Core and Ancient Scroll were friends, I highly doubt he wouldn't know about this tavern, and it's also unlikely he'd pass up the opportunity to see his old friend again. If Ancient Scroll did come this way, he probably would've stopped here anyway, even if he hadn't known about Apple Core. A tavern is a pretty good place to pick up a trail after all, even one as remote as this place. He might've come looking for information about what's going on in the Equestrian mainland right now.

Precisely. The evidence may be circumstantial, and we may be off the mark, but I don't think we are. I'm sure Ancient Scroll came this way, and I'm sure he told Apple Core more than what Apple Core has told us so far, but if we continue to play nice, we will get nowhere. You know what to do, Frigid Gale.

And Frigid did know what to do, but she didn't like it one bit. With the scum she normally dealt with, and the more incompetent members of her resistance, it was one thing, but Frigid had had to intimidate innocents before, and it was never a pleasant experience—especially during those rare times when she'd have to follow through on her threats. She shuddered slightly, closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and opened her eyes again, an icy expression on her stony face.

I don't wanna do this, but if I'm gonna sell it, I need to make him understand that I'm willing to do anything... even if innocence get hurt in the process. I'm too close to back off now... I just hope it doesn't come to that...

"I'm gonna be straight with you here," Gale finally said with a calm and quiet intensity, "I met with your other old pal, Den Golden Beak before I came here. He's the one who told me about this place... and about you."

If Apple Core was surprised, he didn't show it. He instead met Gale's cold eyes with a steely look of his own. They both knew the gauntlet had been thrown down, and all pretense and posturing came to an end in an instant.

"Did ya now?" Apple Core replied, gently setting the glass he'd been cleaning down on the counter, "haven't heard from the old bird in awhile now. Ah trust he's still alive an' kickin' out there in Faranda Way?"

"Oh he's doing just fine," Gale answered casually, "we met in the pub and hit it off pretty quickly. Had a very enlightening conversation back at his cabin, and somewhere in there your name came up. He said you might be able to help me find what I'm looking for, and I'm thinking he was right."

Apple Core's eyes narrowed slightly and his frown hardened into a scowl.

"And it ain't Ancient Scroll yer after, is it?" the bartender guessed.

"Oh, I'd like to find Ancient Scroll, I wasn't lying about wanting to see him," Gale replied with a shake of her head, "but it's more about who he's traveling with—specifically a filly that goes by the name of Twilight Sparkle."

At that moment there was a minor commotion from behind Gale, and, distracted, both she and Apple Core turned to see the filly at the table coughing violently into her glass. From the looks of it, the poor girl had been drinking something that had gone down the wrong pipe. The mare who'd been flirting with the underage pegasus foal had blacked out and, like the sleeping stallion, she was several shot glasses deep and splayed out unconscious over the table across from the filly.

Frigid Gale found herself wanting to say something, and Apple Core had actually moved to leave the bar and help, but before either of them could do anything, the filly waved them both down as if to say she was fine, stood up from the table, and—still coughing—made her way upstairs, presumably to the room she was staying in for the night.

The thestral and bartender both watched her go for a moment until they heard a door creak open and click shut somewhere above, then Gale turned her attention back to Apple Core. If she was being honest, Gale had completely forgotten about the other patrons, but now the only other pony in the bar was the sleeping stallion, and it was clear he wouldn't be waking up anytime soon.

"You didn't let that filly actually drink—"

"O' course not," Apple Core snorted indignantly, "drink was a non-alcoholic cider. What the blazes do ya take me for?"

"Right, you're way too straight-laced to let something like that happen," Frigid Gale replied with a shrug, then she hummed thoughtfully, "speaking of foals though, I heard you had a few of your own, is that right?"

Apple Core didn't reply, but his face hardened into a glare to match that of Frigid Gale's own. There was no fear aura in it, but the sheer weight and significance of it alone was enough to impress the thestral. Apple Core didn't care one whit about impressing the mare, he simply knew where this conversation was heading, and he didn't like it at all. Frigid Gale for her part, pretended not to notice the venomous glare and continued on as if talking about the weather.

"I'd heard from Old Den that your wife recently gave birth," she smiled a fang filled smile at the stallion, "congratulations on that by the way."

"Filly, I'm warnin' ya right now," Apple Core ground out, his entire frame shaking with what was either suppressed rage or the sudden chill in the air, "ya best leave my family out o' whatever it is yer schemin', ya hear? Ya leave 'em alone or so help me—"

"Hey, I never said I was gonna do anything to your family," Gale interrupted, raising her hooves defensively, though the smile never left her face, "although having said that, I do intend to make things difficult for you if my questions go unanswered for too long."

Apple Core was silent for a long moment, his teeth grinding and his mind working furiously. Once upon a time this wouldn't have been any kind of issue. He'd been a tough stallion, and was no stranger to threats, but he'd been either on his own or with Ancient Scroll and the rest of the gang. He and the others could take care of themselves, but that had been a very long time ago, and not only was he old, but he had his family and tavern to think about—both things he'd built with his own four hooves.

He didn't know exactly what Frigid Gale was capable of, but the thestral was dangerous, that much he knew. He couldn't take her, he couldn't protect his family from her if she decided to try something—not as he was now. He was snapped out of his thoughts by an odd cracking sound somewhere behind him. The sound rose to a loud pop, followed by the tell-tale tinkling of many glass shards hitting the wood floor. Several more cracks and pops followed suit and he turned to see the various bottles of liquor on the shelves exploding one by one, spilling the contents all over the back counter and floor.

Each bottle that hadn't broken yet was frosted over with ice, and it was only then that he noticed how cold it had gotten. He could practically see the breath in front of his face, and with dawning comprehension, he turned back to Frigid Gale, who hadn't moved or dropped her smile, though her eyes were practically glowing with a cold blue light.

"Like I said," she continued as another bottle popped, "I can make life very difficult for you. If you tell me what I need to know, I can stop at simple vandalism. If not, then things might escalate, and you might just find this fine establishment broken and buried under a massive pile of ice and snow, and where would that leave the wife and little ones?"

Said wife and little ones were fast asleep upstairs, and Apple Core was certain such an escalation would leave all of them crushed beneath a ton of wood, ice and snow.

"I don't wanna go that route, Apple Core, believe me," Frigid Gale said, her face suddenly solemn, "I won't feel good about it in the morning, but with how close I am to my goal, I will act... and I won't hesitate. It's up to you..." she leaned forward over the counter and stared into Apple Core's eyes, "I know Twilight Sparkle is traveling with Ancient Scroll, I know you know that, and I want you to tell me where they're headed. If not for your own sake, do it for your family. That's what you Apples are all about, right? Family?"

Apple Core deliberated for another second or two, but really there was nothing to think about, was there? Deep down he knew it would most likely come to this, but in the end what could he do? He wasn't strong enough to stop the thestral, and doubted he would've been able to even in his youth, if she really could do what she threatened to do. The look in the mare's eye told the stallion that she very much could and would do just that, and despite the brotherly bond he and Ancient Scroll shared, the choice was clear in his mind.

He'd choose his wife and kids over his old friend without question every time. It pained him, but that pain was somewhat mitigated by the fact that he knew Ancient Scroll would understand, and wouldn't have had it any other way. With that in mind, he gave in with a heavy sigh, turned away from Frigid Gale and pulled his stetson down low to hide the bitter guilt and resignation in his expression.

"Scroll an' the filly went out further east through Farhoof Forest," Apple Core finally replied in a low but clear voice, "said somethin' about headin' ta Canterlot fer some reason or other."

"Canterlot?" Frigid Gale said, her brow raising in bewilderment, "what the buck are they going to Canterlot for?"

"Damned if ah know. The old stallion wouldn't tell me, just said it was important and that it had somethin' ta do with the filly," Apple Core shook his head, "ah tried ta tell 'im it was a foolhardy thing ta do, what with all the chaos in the capital, but he wouldn't listen."

This isn't good. We need to catch up to Ancient Scroll before they reach the mainland. The area around Canterlot is swarming with Royal Guards and they're going to be looking for Twilight as well.

I'm well aware of that.

Frigid Gale rose from her seat, not wanting to waste another moment now that she knew where her quarry was going. She went to pay for the drink, feeling it was the least she could do for the stallion, only to realize that she hadn't actually brought any bits with her. It was Tessa that had paid for her drink back at the pub in Faranda Way. After a second's thought, she mentally shrugged and left it at that.

Can't help it now I guess, and I doubt he's gonna do anything about it anyway.

"Well Mister Core, I'm glad we could come to an understanding," Frigid Gale exclaimed, already making her way to the tavern entrance, "thanks for the sarsaparilla, and—oh!" she turned back to the stallion, "this probably goes without saying, but if they aren't anywhere near where you said they'd be—"

"Yeah, ah get it," Apple Core interjected, waving the thestral away with a hoof, "just head on out ta Farhoof Forest. You'll find 'em down that way eventually, don't you worry yer vicious little head."

Frigid Gale opened her mouth to reply, but a silent and urgent prompt from Nightmare Moon made her close it again and sigh instead. She had more important problems to deal with now that she was headed back to the Equestrian mainland—not the least of which was her own disguise, or lack thereof. Apple Core turned back to watch her trot out through the door and slumped against the bar when she was out of sight. He sighed again and removed his stetson before wiping his brow.

"That mare's gonna die a horrible death, no doubt about it," he muttered to himself, "ain't nothin' good ever come from a look like that."

For a long minute he simply stood there in silence, leaning over the counter and collecting his thoughts. Another few minutes later he was pulled from his ruminations by the gentle creak of a door being pushed open upstairs. One of his ears twitched at the sound, but he didn't look towards the pony slowly—almost tentatively—descending the steps. He didn't need to see who it was, he already knew. He also knew the pony had been listening in on the conversation.

"A filly yer age really oughta be in bed by now," the weary bartender said once the pony had reached the bottom of the steps. He chuckled ruefully, "a filly yer age shouldn't even be here, not on yer own anyway."

The filly in question said nothing in response, simply looking from him to the entrance opposite the stairs. Apple Core turned to look at the filly out of the corner of his eye and sighed again.

"Well, ah didn't want things ta go this way, but ah guess ya have yer answers now," with a sniff, Apple Core straightened up and moved around the bar to the supply room near the back to get a broom and mop, "if yer gonna follow after her, ah won't try ta stop ya, but ah do recommend doin' so from a distance. That mare ain't right in the head."

The filly frowned as the stallion disappeared through the door and turned once again to the entrance. She stood for a tender second, took a hesitant step forward, then stopped. She thought on Apple Core's words and decided they had some merit, especially after what she'd heard. Grudgingly, she retreated back upstairs to her room to wait another half hour or so before heading out. It was probably a good idea to give the thestral mare a wide berth... at least until she found Twilight.

Then all bets were off.

A Proposition

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Paperwork.

Sitting before Celestia's eyes atop the desk in her private office just behind the throne room, were piles and piles of paperwork. Grievances, legislation, resignation forms, transfer requests, investigation reports, reform requests, and the list went on. Sorting through it all would've driven any normal pony to drink, and really, it was work that should've been divided amongst several ponies. Indeed, there was a time when the Princess would delegate the work to other ponies—to both common citizens and nobles alike as part of one large council, but those times had long since past, with only one exception remaining in the form of her royal aide, Raven Inkwell.

Oh certainly there were other ponies whose day-to-day jobs entailed dealing with some of the paperwork before it reached the Princess' desk, but Celestia had taken it upon herself to look over each and every one of these documents, finalizing them if they met her approval and meeting with said ponies or denying those forms outright if they didn't. Normally this much work, as crushingly taxing as it was to any normal pony, was well within Celestia's ability to handle. With Raven there to take care of anything that might've slipped through the cracks, it was a workload that was more than tolerable... at least under normal circumstances.

Over the course of many years, Raven Inkwell had proven herself to be exceedingly trustworthy on top of being capable to an almost frightening degree. Celestia could honestly say she'd never had an aide as brilliant as the bespectacled unicorn mare, but these trying times had pushed both Celestia and Raven nearly past the breaking point. Canterlot was a ticking time bomb waiting to explode and it was all the Princess and her aide could do to keep a lid on things. The drastic increase in EUP patrols combined with the media's continued sensationalization of the murders that had taken place within city limits had put everypony on a razor's edge. The Princess' leadership had been thrown into question more than once and though there hadn't been any outright riots or protests, the citywide tension was so thick as to be almost unbearable.

And all Celestia could do was sigh in frustration and frown bitterly at the paperwork sitting on her desk. Inspector Bottom Line and his admittedly small team had been working themselves ragged trying to solve both murder cases since the beginning, and Celestia appreciated their efforts; the problem was that those tireless efforts had barely borne any fruit whatsoever. The answers they had managed to find only brought about more questions—namely that they were certain the first two murders were carried out by two ponies and that the third was a solo job. They'd also deduced that there had been at least one unicorn involved in all three murders thus far. That was about all they could glean in the time they'd been investigating the cases.

There hadn't been any headway in finding the two lost siblings of the murdered couple, nor were they able to verify the identity of the third victim—a griffon who'd only recently rented a 1-bed 1-bath flat in the poorer district of Canterlot. After asking around and a bit more research, Bottom Line had only gotten the name of the griffon—one Abern Hoary Coat—and that he'd lived alone, but that was it. Nothing else came up regarding the griffon and it was assumed for the time being that the name was an alias of some sort. Celestia grimaced as she thought back to the photos the forensics team had taken of the crime scene. There wasn't any evidence connecting the first two homicides and the third save for the excessively gruesome manner in which they were slaughtered and that each victim had been killed in their respective homes.

This wasn't even mentioning the fact that the motives for both crimes had yet to be determined. The foals were missing, presumed foalnapped, but there hadn't been any kind of demand for a ransom from the killer. This led Celestia to wonder if the foals themselves had been the aim of the first two homicides, and that possibility worried her more than anything else. After all, there was a chance that her plans had hinged on one of those kidnapped foals. The thought also gave her hope, hope that the goal she'd been working so hard towards could still be accomplished. At this point, however, it was still merely suspicions and speculation. There was no concrete evidence that the filly or colt was the one she needed, but still, when Celestia thought back to her conversation with Discord...

Celestia was jolted out of her grim musings by a short and abrupt knock on the door to her office. Briefly startled, but quick to recover, she cleared her throat and mind and spoke aloud, already knowing who it was.

"You may enter, Raven," she called out, returning her attention to the passport applications she'd been looking over, "the door is unlocked."

"Y-Yes, Your Highness," came the nervous yet respectful reply before the door handle was wrapped in a pale raspberry-colored glow and the door pushed open, "if you'll pardon the intrusion..."

Celestia's ear twitched at Raven's tone and she looked up from her work with a bemused frown. To hear Raven so flustered and nervous was far from the norm. Raven Inkwell had her soft side Celestia knew, but when she was on the clock the mare was practically a machine. And yet, as if to prove the Princess otherwise, her aide trotted into the small office, brown mane and tail wrapped in a tight bun and her posture immaculate as always, but clearly on edge if her expression was anything to go by. Gently closing the door behind her, she stopped to adjust her red neckerchief and thick horn-rimmed glasses before moving forward towards the desk and giving a quick bow. It was a stiff and jerky sort of bow that made Celestia wonder if the stress had finally gotten to her aide.

Honestly, she hoped that's all it was, because if not...

"You look rather ill-at-ease, Miss Inkwell," Celestia observed as she set aside her work to focus on the mare in front of her, "is something amiss?"

"Well... not as such, Princess," Raven replied hesitantly, "in fact I bring good news... or rather I suppose you could call it good news... but..."

Celestia raised a brow as Raven trailed off and bit her lip. For having brought good news, the mare was certainly reluctant to share, which only put Celestia further on edge. The Princess found she couldn't quite suppress the sinking feeling in her gut, but she pushed past it, putting on a soft and encouraging smile as she urged her aide to continue her report.

"It's not like you to falter, Raven, and with good news no less?" Celestia said, attempting to lighten the mood a bit, "come now, we need all the good news we can get our hooves on, yet I'm getting mixed signals from your words and expression."

"I'm sorry, Princess, it's just..." she cast a wary glance behind her, looking back to the door as though somepony just past it was watching her. She shuddered slightly before composing herself and turning back to the bemused Princess, "there's... somepony here to see you, a mare calling herself Moon Gazer."

"Moon Gazer?" Celestia muttered, her smile falling into a frown, "Moon Gazer..." Something stirred in the back of Celestia's memory at the name, but she couldn't quite pull it to the fore. Instead, she raised her head and addressed Raven once again, "I take it this mare is the source of the 'good news'?"

"It's as you say, Your Majesty," Raven affirmed with a nod, "she requested a direct audience with you a short time ago," her brows furrowed slightly, "she claims to have new details regarding both homicide cases... as well as other information that 'may be of use to Her Majesty'... or so she says," her frown deepened with worry, "the mare has made it clear that she'll speak to you and only you on the matter."

"I see..."

Celestia leaned forward over the desk and steepled her hooves. She closed her eyes a moment to make a show of thinking on the current situation, but in reality, her mind was already made up. This had trouble written all over it, the Princess was certain. It hadn't been the first time somepony had so brazenly demanded a direct audience with the Princess outside of normal Day Court hours, or even so late in the evening that she'd long ago set the sun below the horizon. It didn't happen nearly as often as it used to, but on rare occasions, Celestia would get some foolish noble with a bloated sense of self-worth demanding her attention at ungodly hours of the day.

Far more often than not it was about some trivial matter blown out of proportion and the Princess would have the guards see the pony out with one warning and one warning only. It was usually sufficient to deal with the entitled cowards, but Celestia knew—even if she couldn't quite put her hoof on who this mare was—she knew this case was different. This mare, Moon Gazer, didn't hold a noble title, but more than that—despite the sense of foreboding, she felt she needed to hear what the mare had to say. That, and she had to concede to herself that she was rather desperate at this point to get the situation fully under control, desperate enough to take help where she could get it.

"If I may, Princess..."

Celestia opened her eyes to see Raven shifting somewhat uncomfortably where she stood. Her mouth was turned down in a troubled scowl as she spoke.

"Go ahead," Celestia nodded for her aide to continue, "what do you think, Raven?"

"To be frank, I don't trust this mare," she stated curtly, "Your Majesty may not remember, but a mare by the name of Moon Gazer came to visit you several times before in the past," her expression turned stony, "before I came to see you, I checked the records and verified that this mare has made no less than seven requests to have the Crown fund her... questionable research."

"Ah, yes," Celestia nodded again and leaned back in her chair with a weary sigh, "now I remember. Quite the character, that one..."

Yes, Celestia remembered Moon Gazer; she was surprised she'd managed to forget in fact, but the last time that mare had demanded an audience was years ago. She was a brilliant pony as far as the Princess could tell, but words and phrases like 'passionate' and 'eccentric scientist' didn't even begin to cover her personality when she got going. She hadn't delved into any strictly taboo topics when making her pleas, but Celestia had dealt with ponies like Moon Gazer before—ponies who wanted to push the equine form to its limits in order to bring the species closer to perfection. She knew that problems would arise if a pony like Moon Gazer were to gain a hoofhold in her research. Still, the mare had been respectful and was always quick to back down once she made her case.

She'd had somepony keeping an eye on the mare for a while after her last request, but nothing had come of it, so she let her be and eventually forgot about her entirely. Now the mare was back and just so happened to have the answer to all her recent problems. Odds were, Moon Gazer would try to use the information she'd obtained as leverage to get a research grant, or so Celestia assumed, though it was a safe assumption in her opinion.

Still...

I'm so desperate for answers that I may very well take her up on her offer... depending on the information she has to give. I told Discord I'd be willing to do whatever it took to bring peace back to this city and my little ponies after all, and I meant what I said...

She raised her face to the ceiling and closed her eyes before exhaling through her nose in a quiet show of resignation.

If a research grant is all she wants, then that's a small price to pay for peace. I'll just have to make sure to keep careful tabs on her work in the future. Who knows? Perhaps her work may end up benefitting ponykind in the long run...

Having thoroughly convinced herself that she'd made the necessary decision, she spoke up without looking at her aide.

"Send her in to see me, Raven."

Raven opened her mouth to object but stopped herself short, instead giving a quiet sigh of her own before straightening her posture.

"As you wish, Princess," she replied with another courteous bow, "I'll bring her in at once. If you'll excuse me..."

With one last quick bow, she turned on her heel and pulled the door open before stepping outside. Celestia watched her go until the door snapped shut once more, then gathered the paperwork littering her desk and set it all to one side.

Well, if negotiations break down, I have other ways of getting what I need from Moon Gazer, so whatever the outcome, I'll have made some kind of progress here tonight... assuming the mare has any useful information to give...

With that thought in mind, Celestia sat and waited as Raven retrieve her late-night guest for a private audience. She didn't have to wait long before the door was once again pushed open, revealing a grim-faced Raven as she stepped back into the room. She'd only taken a few steps inside before stopping and lowering her head in another, more graceful bow.

"I've brought Moon Gazer to see you, Princess," came the aide's somewhat clipped, but no less respectful announcement, "she's waiting just outside."

"Thank you, Raven," Celestia nodded, "please, bring her in, then you may leave for the night," her stoic expression briefly gave way to a soft, appreciative smile as she spoke her next words, "I've worked you hard enough today I think, and please, Raven, there's no need to worry, I have the situation here well in hoof."

The mare before the Princess held her solemn gaze for another second, but it crumbled a moment later as she gave a tired sigh and a weary smile.

"I know you do, Princess," Raven replied in a soft voice to match Celestia's final words, "still, I must insist that you tread carefully with this one," she frowned again, "something about this mare doesn't sit right with me—"

"If you're going to badmouth somepony, at least try not to do it within earshot of the pony in question, hm?"

Raven's frown only deepened at the snide voice coming from behind her but moved aside nevertheless to make way for the mare who'd just spoken. The mare—another bespectacled unicorn nearly half Raven's size—took the opportunity to stroll right in, not bothering to give the royal aide a second glance as she passed. The Princess' aide took note of the slightly oversized lab coat covering the mare's miniature golden yellow frame—a coat that looked as though it hadn't been pressed in ages. There was in fact, a general air of frumpiness and a lack of self-awareness about her that Raven personally took issue with, but didn't say anything about.

She did, however, stop to give Celestia a customary bow, her cascading magenta mane briefly falling over her face as she did so. When she looked back up, she gave the Princess a smile that only made Celestia want to grimace in distaste. At first glance, the mare looked as though she hadn't slept in days, but Celestia could see a strange sort of spark in the sunken violet eyes sitting just behind those horn-rimmed glasses. They were practically brimming with life in fact, but there was something else there as well—something the Princess didn't like.

"I'm pleased to see you in good health, Your Majesty," Moon Gazer greeted, "and doubly honored that you've chosen to give this simple scientist the time of day," she chuckled lightly, "or the time of night, I suppose."

"The pleasure is all mine, Moon Gazer," Celestia replied with a paper-thin smile of her own. Her horn flashed with bright golden light and she gestured to the elegant wooden chair that appeared before the desk an instant later, "please, have a seat, won't you? It appears we have much to discuss."

"Oh, I wouldn't want to impose," Moon Gazer replied with a look of modest surprise, "but if you insist, Princess, then I'd be glad to."

There was a beat of silence as the small mare made her way over to the offered chair and sat herself down in front of the Princess. Raven, who'd been scrutinizing Moon Gazer closely as she stood idly by near the entrance, took that moment to address Celestia.

"Well then, If you don't mind, Princess, I'll go ahead and take my leave," she said, bowing for the last time that night, "I wish the both of you a pleasant evening."

With that, she turned and left both the Princess and the scientist to their own devices, closing the door behind her. Silence reigned again for a few moments as Celestia waited for Raven's presence to fade, and it was only after it had that the Princess finally spoke.

"Well, this certainly does come as a surprise," Celestia began, "it's been some time since we last met, Moon Gazer. I trust you've been doing well?"

"If you'll forgive me for being forward, Princess, I'm a busy mare, and I have no doubt you have much to do as well," Moon Gazer replied bluntly, "so I'd rather skip any more pleasantries and get to the meat of the matter," she eyed Celestia intently from behind her thick spectacles, "I'm sure your secretary has made the reason for my visit clear?"

Celestia's brow furrowed and her paper-thin smile gave way to a slight frown, but she remained composed otherwise.

"...Very well then, if that's what you wish," she conceded, "I can't deny that I do have some rather pressing matters I still need to attend to even this late at night," she steepled her hooves over the desk, closed her eyes and sighed before returning Moon Gazer's intense stare with one of her own, "yes, Raven has informed me that you've come across some information regarding the ongoing investigation into the recent murders that have taken place within Canterlot."

"Correct," Moon Gazer allowed a sly smile to cross her face, "in fact, you could say I've already solved both cases."

"And you do realize that there are proper channels you can go through to divulge this information?" Celestia asked with another sigh and an unimpressed frown, "well I'm sure you have your reasons for coming to see me personally so I won't bother asking why you haven't spoken to the ponies investigating these cases, but I do wonder whether or not you have the evidence to back these claims. I take it you have something if you've gone out of your way to demand a private audience with me."

"Naturally," Moon Gazer scoffed, "what kind of scientist would I be if I presented a theory without any supporting data?" she refocused her gaze on the Princess and her sly smile to widen a touch, "I have the evidence to back my claims, Princess, but you were right in assuming I came to you for a reason," she leaned forward in her chair and Celestia could see that strange spark in her eyes brighten considerably as she continued, "there's something I want, Your Highness—something only you can provide me, and I'd be willing to provide anything and everything I know in return."

Celestia said nothing in return. Her expectant expression remained unchanged as she waited for Moon Gazer to continue. Moon Gazer frowned in response, flicking an ear in annoyance as she sat back in her chair.

"You already know what I want, Celestia," Moon Gazer sighed, an edge of irritation and impatience creeping into her words, "but fine, I'll spell it out for you if I must," she paused and adjusted her thick frames before staring the Princess straight in the eye, "I want to continue my research with the approval of the Crown, and in return for that and a royal grant, I'll give you not only the identity of the killers responsible for those gruesome murders but their locations as well," another smirk crossed her face, "...along with the locations of the missing foals and some information regarding a few other... creatures of interest."

It took a bit more effort to remain composed than Celestia would've liked, but she managed to maintain her stoic frown despite the gears rapidly spinning in her head. Benefits, consequences, and alternative solutions fought for dominance as she though on Moon Gazer's proposition and through it all, Celestia could see Discord's stony smirk in her mind's eye; she could practically hear his mocking chuckle, challenging her to try and fix what she broke so long ago. It infuriated the alicorn to no end, and in the end, it was that very provocation that pushed her to act. Her decision made, she straightened up in her seat and finally broke the silence that had fallen between her and the grinning scientist.

"Very well, Moon Gazer, you have my approval and the grant to go with it," the Princess graced the scientist with a small, indulgent smile, "and with that settled, I'd like to see this evidence of yours, along with every bit of information you can give me about these 'creatures of interest'."

A World Apart

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"So you wanna know that badly, huh?"

Fell Wind eyed the fillies from across the bedroom they now all shared within the Vardo. Ancient Scroll and the other adults had initially been wary of the living arrangements but surprisingly it was Twilight, still disguised as the black-coated Trottish filly Fia, who convinced Ancient Scroll that it would be okay.

It didn't take all that much convincing for the old stallion or the other two foals to agree. After all, Fell Wind had played a large part in getting Twilight and the others safely through the incident in Farhoof Forest the evening before. After what Trixie had done to her and despite the others being almost complete strangers to Fell Wind, the mare had done so much for them all at the risk of her own safety.

When the group considered the circumstances, they'd all agreed that Fell Wind deserved at least enough trust to stay where she wanted within their enchanted caravan. Fell Wind, for her part, chose to stay with the fillies in their room, as the sitting room had already felt cramped enough as far as she was concerned.

With that decided, Ancient Scroll had magically duplicated another cot for Fell Wind and that was that. Now the forest green pegasus was sprawled lazily across that cot watching the three fillies with a thoughtful raise of her brow. The three fillies in question, who were all eating breakfast at the small table opposite of Fell Wind's cot, looked back at the mare expectantly.

Another, more minor, decision that had been made by all was to address two of the fillies by their actual names. Both Sunset—currently disguised as the maroon filly Corona—and Trixie had grown tired of trying to memorize their aliases and Trixie had even outright forgone her disguise entirely, certain that she had nothing to fear or hide compared to the other two fillies.

"Yes, Trixie technically killed Luciano Lulamoon, but the three of us lived in the slums. In Hoofington, if you're from the slums, nopony would even bat an eye if you were murdered, at least that's what Trixie's... what Abilia told Trixie."

That had been the azure filly's confident yet slightly melancholic argument. Ancient Scroll was hesitant to accept it—especially where Twilight was concerned—but eventually, a compromise was reached. Twilight, who was nervous about having her actual name revealed, had asked the others to keep calling her Fia whether they were all alone or not.

Sunset Shimmer, while not as high priority a target as Twilight, was still a somewhat well-known figure due to her previous status as the Princess's protege. With that in mind, she was fine having everyone refer to her as Corona in public. Trixie on the other hoof wholly refused to hide her identity any longer in any situation.

"Ancient Scroll said he'd tell us more about it later," Sunset replied to Fell Wind's question, "but I think it would be better to hear about that place from somepony who actually lived out there."

Fell Wind hummed in thought as the other two fillies nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, why not? Don't have anything better to do right now anyway," she finally said with a shrug. With her next words, her lazy smile dropped into a sudden frown that put the fillies on edge, "I'm warning you now though, what I'm about to tell you about that place is one hundred percent true..."

her voice grew darker she spoke and the sudden shift in tone along with the withering glare the mare gave them all made each filly shiver involuntarily. Fell Wind was so easygoing most of the time that the fillies had completely forgotten this was the same psychotic mare who'd fought so viciously and recklessly against Ancient Scroll before.

Even if she was easy to get along with, at the end of the day Fell Wind was a hardened warrior who'd gone through a kind of Tartarus only Trixie knew of. And even then, she'd only gotten a mere glimpse of the mare's harsh life—a life that supposedly made even Trixie's horrible past seem like a beautiful dream in comparison.

"...so take my word for it and don't ever try to find out for yourselves if I'm lying or not," the mare continued, "because I'm not and if you doubt me and try to go past the Celestial Barrier, your curiosity will kill you. Got it?"

A quick and uneasy nod from the three was all it took for Fell Wind's carefree smile to return.

"Good! Now then," the pegasus continued in a more pleasant tone, "where to begin... the Land Beyond the Celestial Barrier—or the 'Equestrian Outlands' as you guys apparently call it—is basically just one big wasteland somewhere northeast of the Equestrian mainland.

"With a few small exceptions here and there, there's nothing but rocks and dirt as far as the eye can see," Fell Wind sighed and rolled over onto her back to stare wistfully at the roof the Vardo, "don't know how far out the wastes actually go, but it ain't a small piece of land I can tell you that much.

"Farming is practically out of the question and food, in general, is pretty scarce in most places," her eyes clouded over slightly as she thought back to her days in the Outlands, "the weather itself can be a nightmare all on its own and most of the ponies and other creatures that live out there are either crazy or... yeah, no they're just crazy."

"How would somepony even live in a place like that?" Trixie asked incredulously, her fork and the piece of waffle attached to it left forgotten on her plate, "frankly, Trixie finds it hard to believe there are ponies living out there at all."

"Honestly, I agree," Sunset chimed in, "it'd be like living in the Everfree Forest or the Badlands. I just can't imagine it."

"Pfft, you can learn to live just about anywhere with enough time, wit, and determination," Fell Wind scoffed, "out the wastes, we have our ways. There are some settlements spread across the desert here and there, some smaller than others.

"Some of the smaller settlements are full of nomads who move from place to place and others have built up enough defenses or have enough Hunters and/or Defenders to hold out against the things lurking outside their walls," she continued, "but there's really only one place in the wasteland large enough to truly be called a 'city'."

"There's a city out there?" Sunset asked, "what's it called? And how did somepony manage to build something like a city in a place like that?"

"The Grey Asylum," came Fell Wind's simple answer, "I don't know all the details or how it was built—I was born and raised in one of the smaller settlements—but I do know that the place is a bucking fortress and that the mare that runs the place has enough power to match even Celestia."

"Really?" Trixie asked somewhat skeptically.

"Well, that's what they say at any rate," Fell Wind replied with a small shrug, "word is that she can perform all kinds of miracles, like producing food where there is none and taking out hordes of archdemons all by herself, but personally, I don't really buy into all of that."

"Oh, that's right," Twilight exclaimed, "you said there were demons in the Outlands."

"Oh yeah, the wastes are crawling with 'em," Fell Wind replied easily, "if you wander around the wasteland long enough you're bound to run into a few of them at least. They're why we have Hunters and Defenders; one job to go out into the wastes and take 'em down before they can reach us and the other to protect the settlements against their attacks."

"That makes sense," Twilight nodded, "but... are there really that many demons out there?"

"Well... I don't know how long it's been since my brother and I left the Land Beyond," Fell Wind said as she lifted a hoof to her chin thoughtfully, "but back when we lived out there, the attacks on our settlement were pretty frequent.

"Thankfully our little settlement had a lot of really strong Defenders," she gave another shrug, "well all I can say for sure is that there's enough of them to keep you on edge. Even if you're lucky enough not to run into any demons though, you'll probably run into the local flora and fauna, neither of which is a whole lot better."

"Why?" Twilight asked, just as curious as she was unnerved, "what's the wildlife like?"

"Just as monstrous as the demons for the most part," Fell Wind explained, "there are some tame beasts and plants out there that can be hunted or gathered for food or other materials if you know where to look, but for the rest, it's best to just avoid it all if you can."

"I was wondering why more ponies or any of the other creatures just moved to Equestria if they can pass through the barrier," Twilight commented softly, "but I guess that would explain it. They'd have to get through all of that to make it."

"Yup, the Celestial Barrier only keeps the demons out of Equestria," Fell Wind said, "creatures like you and me are free to come and go as we please, but getting to the damned thing isn't exactly a walk in the park."

"I don't get it though," Sunset muttered, "why does a place like the Outlands even exist here in Equestria? It's like a completely different country within our own borders. The wildlife, the demons, the terrain... Why is all so... messed up?"

Fell Wind hummed in thought at that.

"Well, the land was already a rocky desert to begin with, but the way my brother told it," she finally said after a moment, "the reason a lot of the wildlife in the wastes are so vicious and deadly is because of all the corrupted mana that's been spilling out of the Pit for ages now," she tapped a hoof to the side of her head, "wound up mutating the local plants and animals. Drove them all crazy."

"The Pit?" Sunset asked with a bemused furrow of her brow, "what are you talking about? What 'pit'?"

"Right, so get this," Fell Wind answered, flopping back onto her stomach and giving Sunset a conspiratorial smile, "I've never seen it myself, but somewhere in the wasteland, there's this massive hole in the ground.

"Everyone in the wasteland who knows about it calls it the 'Pit' and it's practically the size of a small hamlet. Here's the real kicker though," she leaned forward on the cot and nearly whispered her next words, "supposedly it's actually one big gateway to Tartarus that was created by some wackjob cultists hundreds of years ago."

"A gateway to... wait," Sunset muttered her frown deepening as something tugged at the back of her mind. A moment later her eyes went wide and her face grew pale, "wait a minute... y-you mentioned a cult... and this pit... t-that's not... that's not where the demons are all coming from... is it?"

"Well, the story goes that the cultists couldn't unseal the gateway in Mount Infernus so they made their own," Fell Wind replied, "Celestia tried to seal the new gateway but the corrupt mana coming out of it was so potent that she couldn't directly tamper with it."

"So she created the Celestial Barrier to keep the demons at bay instead," Twilight surmised quietly, "wow... that must've taken an unbelievable amount of mana to pull off."

"It was a magical feat so immense that it took Celestia decades to fully recover from the feedback, or so I've been told," the pegasus said before turning a worried frown in Sunset's direction, "and to answer your question, the Pit is still unsealed to this day. We have a few measures in place to mitigate the situation somewhat, but yeah, the Pit is basically the source of all our demon related problems... but hey, are you okay? You don't look so good."

It was true.

From what Fell Wind and the other two fillies could tell, Sunset looked like she'd seen a demon right then and there. The disguised filly was shaking like a leaf and her eyes seemed to look past Fell Wind rather than at her.

"It's... it's real," she croaked quietly, "I-I thought... I thought it was an illusion... just some horrible illusion she forced on me... b-but it's real... it r-really happened... I can't..."

Sunset trailed off, looking as though she was about to be sick. It was at that moment that both Twilight and Trixie realized what had happened. Before either of them could say anything, however, the maroon filly suddenly shot up out of her chair and turned away from everypony.

"I... I need to go," she said before quickly heading for the bedroom door, "...sorry."

With that, she pulled open the door and hastily shuffled out before slamming it shut. The sound rang loud in the ensuing silence and those that remained were left to stare at the door with varying degrees of worry and, in Fell Wind's case, confusion.

"I haven't even mentioned the Celestial Crusade yet," she muttered before turning to look at the remaining two fillies questioningly, "...I guess it was something I said?"

"Sunset," Trixie began after an uncomfortable moment of silence, "she's—"

The sound of the door to the sitting room opening and the soft clop of hooves heading toward the back of the Vardo interrupted the azure filly. She fell quiet and they all listened for a moment to the distant sound of Ancient Scroll's voice as he no doubt went to see what was wrong.

From the sound of it, he'd found Sunset out on the platform of the Vardo. Even muffled and incomprehensible as his words were, the concern could still be heard, and it wasn't long before stifled sobbing could be heard as well.

"We're never gonna get over our issues are we?" Trixie sighed under her breath before addressing Fell Wind once again, "Trixie doesn't know how much she should tell you without Sunset here, but if that Pit is what Trixie thinks it is, then Sunset is more familiar with it than you think."

"Rather, she's more familiar with how it was created," Twilight corrected, "and it's... not something anypony should ever have to see."

"See?" Fell Wind replied, her expression only growing more confused, "what the blazes are you two talking about? Are you saying she saw what happened? How is that even possible?"

The two fillies glanced at each other briefly before turning back to Fell Wind and speaking almost simultaneously.

"...Magic."

"Ah... right," the pegasus droned irritably, "bucking magic, of course. Well, my bad I guess. Whatever her problem is, I didn't mean to open up old wounds."

"It's ah... it's okay, Fell Wind," Twilight replied, trying to sound reassuring but only conveying more uncertainty, "you couldn't have known it was a sore spot."

"Twilight Spar—er, Fia is right," Trixie added, correcting herself at Twilight's glare, "we all have some things we still need to work out."

"Riiiight," Fell Wind replied slowly at the small exchange. She hadn't been present for the discussion they'd had about Twilight's alias, but she more or less got the gist of the situation and decided not to read too much into it, "well maybe it's best that we wrap things up then."

"N-No, wait a minute!" Twilight cried suddenly, "I wanna hear about this 'Celestial Crusade' you mentioned a moment ago. What is that? I'm assuming the Princess was involved?"

"Ah, that," Fell Wind chuckled, "well, you see, apparently Celestia—"

The bedroom door was suddenly thrown open and Ancient Scroll stepped inside, his face all manner of grim and his whole demeanor speaking of nothing but ill tidings. Sunset followed close behind, her eyes still wet from tears, but no longer full of traumatic sorrow. Rather to the other two fillies, she looked bewildered and uneasy.

"Oh, hey, pops," Fell Wind called out with an awkward chuckle, "look, if this is about what happened with Sunset that was my bad. They wanted to hear more about the Land Beyond so I was just—"

"No need to worry about that, Miss Fell Wind. I don't fault you in the slightest and neither does Sunset," Ancient Scroll assured, his face softening slightly, but not by much, "if you're all still interested, we can all discuss the matter later, but right now it seems a new problem is about to make itself known."

"Again?!" Trixie cried in exasperation, "now what? Trixie is sick of this! We just made it out of that forest! Just once Trixie would like to make it somewhere without something going wrong! Just once!" she slammed a hoof on the table in front of her in frustration, "what could it possibly be this time?!"

"I know how you feel, little filly, believe me," Ancient Scroll replied in a much calmer, but no less heavy tone, "but it looks like we'll have to endure our run of bad luck for just a little bit longer."

"What do you mean?" Twilight asked, rising from her chair, "what happened?"

"Though we've left it behind, I've been keeping a 'magical eye' so to speak on that barrier surrounding the Farhoof Forest just in case something happened," the old stallion explained, "and wouldn't you know it, the thing went and vanished all of a sudden just now."

"So... what?" Sunset asked, moving to stand next to the other fillies, "you're saying the guards decided to take the barrier down? Did they find out about Twi—ah, did they find out who Fia really is?"

"The situation may be much worse than that I'm afraid," Ancient Scroll answered with a slow shake of his head, "you see, it takes time to dispel a barrier of that magnitude, especially if it's being maintained by several spellcasters."

"Ah, so that's it," Fell Wind replied, her expression now matching Ancient Scroll's, "we're being pursued."

"W-What?!" Twilight yelped, "how do you know?"

"If a barrier like that went down all at once," Fell Wind explained, "it would either mean the mage or mages maintaining that barrier either lost consciousness from overexertion or were taken out by an enemy. In my experience, it's always best to assume the latter."

"There's a high possibility that the latter is the case given our current circumstances," Ancient Scroll agreed with a nod, "I don't know who or what is after us, but I'd like to avoid any more confrontations if I can."

"Yes, exactly!" Trixie cried before rushing over and grabbing at the old stallion's legs. Ancient Scroll raised an eyebrow at the filly staring up at him with wide and desperate eyes, "pleasepleasepleaseplease tell Trixie you have a plan, Uncle Scroll!"

"As a matter of fact, I do, little filly," Ancient Scroll replied with a bitter smile—a smile that fell away into a serious frown as he addressed the other fillies in the room, "I have a plan, but my magic hasn't recovered enough for me to carry it out on my own."

"So..." Twilight began.

Ancient Scroll eyed them all for another moment before taking a deep breath and letting it out. To the others, it looked as if he was preparing to make a tough decision, and that made them all the more nervous about what was to come. Then he spoke once more, determination making its way into his cracked and wizened voice.

"It'll be asking a lot of you three, but if we're going to make it out of this without any more incidents, I'll need the help of each and every one of you."

A New Order

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Frigid Gale was largely happy with the way things had turned out all things considered, even if she did have to get her hooves a little dirty.

Her initial search of Farhoof Forest hadn't turned up any kind of damning evidence of Ancient Scroll's presence like she'd been hoping for, but she figured it was a longshot that the ponies she was looking for would still be around anyway—especially given what, or rather who she found instead.

The stallion back at the tavern had mentioned that Ancient Scroll had passed through the forest, but he didn't say anything about a patrol of Royal Guards so far from Canterlot. It was surprising certainly, but not entirely unexpected given the troubling, if somewhat vague, reports she'd received about the state of Canterlot. Gale had no doubt there'd been more updates from her contacts in the capital city since she'd set out on her own.

Now that she'd seen the extent of the situation with her own eyes, she was sure whatever news she was given would not bode well. The thestral was beginning to feel like she was running out of time, which was in part why she chose to take matters into her own hooves, but even more than that was an odd sense of foreboding. It was a feeling that only grew worse at the sight of the large magical blockade in the distance.

The disappearance of Abern and Red Storm and the resulting increase in security, the widespread patrols, Nightmare Moon's suspicious behavior, and the fact that Fell Wind still had yet to make any kind of report. None of it boded well for what Frigid Gale had planned, and all this when she was closer now to her goal than she'd ever been. It was the driving force behind her sense of urgency, her underlying fear that something would go wrong if she didn't push things along as quickly as possible.

It was ultimately Nightmare Moon who convinced the increasingly impatient rebel leader that, given the number of guards stationed in and around the forest's perimeter, subtlety was the better option. Grudgingly and despite her misgivings, Frigid Gale had agreed to do it Nightmare Moon's way, and the mare opted for stealth over a straight confrontation.

And so it was that Gale spent more time than she would've liked sneaking around the many guards scouring the forest in groups of three or four, gauging the size and strength of their forces and gathering intel all the while. To the thestral's relief and satisfaction, it didn't take long for a few of the small squads to let slip a few useful bits of information—some interesting, some worrying, some confusing and unexpected but all relevant to her situation in one way or another.

So at the very least, that old coot wasn't lying when he said our merry little caravan was headed this way, Gale thought with a frown as she watched yet another small patrol pass by from where she was concealed within a particularly thick bit of underbrush, but it looks like we just missed them.

Their lead does not seem to be a sizeable one at least, Nightmare Moon calmly observed from within Frigid Gale's mind, in any case, we've gained the information we require so I see no further reasons to delay in our pursuit.

I agree… but something else is bothering me about what we heard.

You're referring to the pegasus, I presume? The one said to be traveling with Ancient Scroll and the others?

Frigid Gale nodded grimly before taking off in the opposite direction of the receding patrol. She weaved her way through the trees, heading deeper into the forest towards the massive barrier.

The way they talked about her… that fits Fell Wind to a T. I'm almost certain it's her, and if that's the case then the mystery of where she's been is solved, but then that just raises the question of why she's with them in the first place. Knowing Fell Wind, she would've hauled her flank right back to me if she had any news about our target.

Perhaps she simply doesn't have the proof she requires and has taken up their company in order to confirm her suspicions.

Gale pondered Nightmare Moon's suggestion for a moment before giving a mental shake of her head.

Nah, Fell Wind doesn't have the patience or mind for that kind of subterfuge. No, there's something else going on here, and I don't like it one bit, she sighed inwardly, it's times like these that I wish your ability to invade minds was a little more… consistent.

If I was at my full strength it certainly would be, but as things stand, I only have enough power to peer into and affect the minds of those who are especially susceptible. And lest you ask me again to probe Fell Wind's mind, I would remind you of what happened as a result of the last attempt.

No, I most certainly was not going to ask, Frigid Gale replied, grimacing at the memory, trust me, I know better than to open that can of worms again. I know how… unstable those two are. I don't know what that crazy nag did to their minds, but I wouldn't risk hurting them like that… not again.

Yes… I suppose you wouldn't…

A pang of guilt made its way into Gale's mind having remembered the mistake she'd originally brought Fell Wind and Red Storm back to their base of operations beneath the Old Castle. The sentiment was strong, but thankfully it passed quickly, though Nightmare Moon seemed not to have noticed. If anything, the tone in her response was oddly distant—distracted even.

Gale, who had picked up on the tone and found the reply itself strange, frowned, but before she could ask what Nightmare Moon meant, she herself was distracted by the sound of urgent voices coming from a distance further ahead of her. She quickly but quietly wove her way through the trees for a few moments longer, then slowed her pace as she caught sight of another group of guards just past the thicket a little ways ahead.

She stopped altogether at Nightmare Moon's urging just before she reached the edge of the thicket, but Nightmare Moon had no need to tell Gale as much. Something about the small squad felt off to Gale, though she couldn't immediately place what the issue was. The wary tone in Nightmare Moon's voice when she next spoke told the thestral she could sense it too.

Look at the squad leader, Nightmare murmured in Gale's mind, look at his expression... something has changed.

Now that you mention it...

Up until now, many of the guards on patrol that Gale had come across—although diligent in their rounds—had been moving at a rather slack pace. Gale hadn't seen any sense of urgency in their steps and had even heard them mention rumors that their patrol was all but concluded. Now, though, judging by the grim expression of the squad leader and the hurried gait of his troops, it seemed something had gone amiss.

...I don't know where it's coming from, but I'm getting a real bad feeling, Nightmare.

Nightmare Moon didn't respond, but she didn't have to. Gale could feel that she felt the same, and it was that bad feeling that led the thestral to follow after the squad. It didn't take long for them to reach the eastern edge of the forest where both the massive amber-tinted barrier and the rest of the guard stood waiting. Frigid Gale remained hidden within the trees just outside the range of the detection spells they'd set up around the perimeter.

The spells were something she'd only managed to circumvent thus far because of her fine-tuned control of soul magic. This hadn't been her first stealth operation—far from it—and as she scanned the many, many rows of soldiers lined up across the edge of the barrier, she had to once again thank Nightmare Moon for honing the magic most responsible for those finely tuned thaumic senses.

I suppose I should thank the old stallion too, huh?

You should, said Nightmare Moon in a surprisingly solemn voice, he may have taught you only the basics, but he laid the foundation upon which you were able to build and grow.

Wow, that's... not really something I expected to hear from you.

Nightmare Moon scoffed, but Frigid Gale could hear something in her voice when she spoke. It was a sort of strange melancholy, or at least that's what it sounded like to Gale.

We all must start from somewhere, Gale. None but a rare few are born powerful or knowledgeable—not even me. Even I had a mentor to call my own, and it was he who taught me to value the wisdom of a good teacher.

Oh... right.

There was a moment of somber silence in which Gale wisely decided to let the subject drop. Instead, she continued to watch what was evidently one of the last few patrol squads arrive and take their place among the rest of what could probably pass as a small army of guards. It seemed to Gale that the Guard Captain had finally begun to call off the patrol, a fact that was confirmed when the mare in question trotted past the throng of guards and into Gale's view.

"Iron Heart," Gale muttered, "if Celestia sent her all the way out here she must be desperate."

Up until the moment she came into view, Gale had thought the squad leader she'd followed was the head of the search party, but evidently, that wasn't the case. She wasn't personally acquainted with the Guard Captain, but if the reports she'd received were anything to go by, the mare was dangerous in more ways than one. The fact that Captain Iron Heart was part of the search only made the sinking feeling in Gale's gut worse.

"Report," Iron Heart said curtly as she stepped out to meet the returning squad leader and his troops, "any sign of the pegasus, Lieutenant?"

"Negative, Ma'am, we've lost her trail," the earth pony stallion replied, snapping a crisp salute, "it's possible she may have slipped through the barrier when we let the civilians pass."

"It's just as well," Iron Heart sighed, "somehow I get the feeling she isn't the culprit we're looking for."

The Lieutenant gave a bemused frown.

"Ma'am?"

"Forget it, Lieutenant," the Captain shook her head, "let's just say I was probably wrong to go against my better judgment this time around. I have a good reason to suspect that she's not the culprit, but the details can wait."

Frigid Gale frowned at the mention of the pegasus but kept her silence as Iron Heart spoke.

"More to the point, you look like you have something else to report, so go on."

"Er... yes, well, assuming the unidentified pegasus isn't the one we're looking for," the stallion took a second to recover his train of thought before continuing, "including those already present, none of the squads thus far have found any evidence that points toward the culprit having traveled through this forest... nothing damning at any rate."

"Nothing damning," Iron Heart repeated with a furrowed brow, "so you may have found a possible lead then?"

At that, the Lieutenant glanced back towards a rather mousy unicorn mare who looked horribly out of place amidst all the armored troops. The mare—likely a student of thaumotology given her scholarly robes—shot the Lieutenant an uncertain look in turn. The two seemed to share a silent dialogue and the lieutenant nodded a moment later before turning back to Iron Heart.

"It's possible but we believe it unlikely," he replied as the horn of the mare behind him lit up. She used magic to pull open the flap of a satchel she wore. From it, she pulled a large black tome which she then floated over to the Captain as the Lieutenant continued speaking, "we found this book hidden among the underbrush a short distance away from where the wagon was first discovered."

Frigid Gale's ears perked up at that and her eyes focused on the tome as Iron Heart snatched it out of the mare's magical grasp. She'd already had her suspicions about the Vardo confirmed, so that was no news to her—she'd even found the area the Lieutenant had referenced regarding the wagon. The book, however, was something she had apparently overlooked. She knew for a fact that the killers they were looking for were nowhere near this area, which meant the book could only have belonged to someone in that Vardo.

You've gotta be kidding me. How in Tartarus did I miss that?!

You are not infallible, Frigid Gale. You've made worse mistakes and blunders in the past and this is simply another one to add to the list. That said, this was quite an oversight on your part.

Nightmare Moon wasn't quite mocking, but she spoke without pity and Gale couldn't even blame her. This had indeed been a horrible oversight. Had she found the book first, she could've used soul magic to track the residual thaumic signature of whoever had last used it right to their immediate location. The trail would've been just fresh enough for it to work, but now...

Now she had to watch in silent irritation as the Captain of the Guard flipped through the book's pages.

"This... this is a spellbook... a tome meant to teach dark magic of all things," the Captain's frown deepened as she looked back up at the Lieutenant, "what makes you so sure that this didn't belong to the culprit? If anything, I'd say that was a relatively safe assumption."

"That is what we thought at first," the stallion admitted, "but... well..."

He turned back to nod again at the scholarly mare, who took that as a sign to take a nervous step forward. She cleared her throat before addressing Iron Heart in a squeaky, nasally voice that matched her mousy look.

"W-Well, Ma'am—er, Captain... I m-mean—"

"Captain will do, Miss Chalice," Iron Heart interjected reassuringly, "go on, what did you find?"

"R-Right, well," she cleared her throat again, "I was the one that found the tome, and I have a bit of practice in using soul magic, s-so I used my meager talent in that particular field to divine the thaumic signature of the owner, a-as per Lieutenant Coal's suggestion."

"A sound suggestion," Iron Heart nodded and a thought came to her mind, "if you found that near the wagon and believe it wasn't the culprit, can I assume that the book was left behind by one of the ponies in said wagon?"

Again Chalice and Lieutenant Coal shared a look, but Iron Heart couldn't quite read their expressions. It seemed as though they were having trouble coming up with a proper explanation.

"Lieutenant," Iron Heart pressed firmly, "is that or is that not the case?"

"That's just it, Captain," Lieutenant Coal replied with a hint of unease, "we're not entirely sure, but if that is indeed the case, then we've let a high priority target slip right through our grasp."

"What do you mean?" Iron Heart asked, confusion written clear across her face, "a high priority target? And it's not the culprit?" her brow furrowed as several different possibilities ran through her mind, and a second later, her eyes widened in shock, "you... you're not talking about..."

"I'm afraid so, Ma'am," the Lieutenant nodded grimly, "the thaumic signature matches that of one Twilight Sparkle. We're not one hundred percent sure that she was traveling with the older stallion and his family, but chances are high, and we're all but certain of the foal's identity."

Dammit!

Frigid Gale's teeth ground together as the Captain put the pieces together, and a command from Nightmare Moon was the only thing stopping the thestral from charging headfirst into the mass of guards.

Calm yourself you foolish mare!

But they're on their way to—

They still have much ground to cover before they arrive! Moreover, I warned you long ago that the foal's discovery by Celestia or her Royal Guards was a possibility! We've discussed this at length and as of right now it changes nothing! Stay your wrath for now and listen! There is more to be said and I feel it would be in our best interest to hear all of what they have to say.

For a few intense moments, Gale strained against her overwhelming desire to tear the entire company of guards to pieces and chase the lavender filly down. Eventually, however, she was able to calm herself enough to settle back into the trees and listen, albeit with great difficulty. The biggest factor in her decision was that their discovery of Twilight hadn't been the root of her sense of foreboding. She wasn't sure how she knew, but she was sure of it.

"Damn," Iron Heart continued, letting out a consternated sigh. She closed her eyes and pressing an armored hoof to her muzzle, "so I was right, that clever bastard pulled one over on me after all, and I'll bet my bottom bit that the pegasus was in on it."

"Should we drop the barrier and give chase?" asked the Lieutenant.

"We should... but that'll have to wait," the Captain replied after a moment's thought. She turned and nodded towards her pegasus adjutant who saluted and produced a scroll from one of his saddlebags. He handed it to Iron Heart who took it and unrolled it as she spoke, "we've got new orders from the top, insta-shipped by the Princess herself."

"Understood, but..." Lieutenant Coal hesitated, "is it really okay for us to simply let them go, Ma'am? I've heard that the filly is—"

"Never mind what you've heard Lieutenant Coal," Iron Heart cut in, her voice curt, "it doesn't sit right with me either, but if what the old stallion says is true, they'll be headed for the capital anyway. We can simply inform the Princess in our reply."

Frigid Gale's heart skipped a beat.

Oh no. No... Nononono...

"Yes, her retrieval is classified as a high priority, but by Princess Celestia's decree, these new orders are to be carried out immediately."

This is it, isn't it?

Nightmare Moon didn't reply, but once again, she didn't have to. They both knew this new development was the source of their trepidation. It had to be, and the next words out of Iron Heart's mouth as she read summarized the orders she was given confirmed what Gale had feared deep down.

"The Princess has long suspected that there might be a resistance of some kind hiding out somewhere in Equestria, and it seems somepony finally managed to sniff them out," Iron Heart said in a voice loud enough for all to hear, "our orders are to gather all available Royal Guards and march on the Ruined Castle deep in the Everfree."

Her eyes grew cold and her tone grew heavy with the weight of her final statement.

"Once there, we're to find and tear this resistance out at the roots. That means a complete sweep. No prisoners... no survivors."

An Emergency

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It had only been about a week since Peach Pit brought Shining Armor to the massive repository of information hiding within the base's lower levels. The tour of the underground archives had been relatively brief as the sleepy-eyed unicorn stallion hadn't allowed the curious colt to see much of what the place had to offer. Much of the information in certain areas had been off-limits to those not in what Peach Pit called Frigid Gale's 'inner circle'.

Curious though he was, Shining Armor knew better than to pry. Beyond that, he'd wanted to get down to business as soon as possible anyway. He still wasn't entirely sure why he was being taught light magic at all, but if it brought him one step closer to his own ultimate goal of finding his sister then he wasn't going to complain.

With that in mind, the colt took to Peach Pit's rather hooves-off lessons with zeal. Most of his time was spent poring over both ancient and modern tomes and texts regarding the fundamentals of light magic. His studies, for the most part, had gone fairly quickly—the subject matter coming rather easily to Shining.

It wasn't like the colt had no knowledge of light magic. He'd taken a page out of his sister's book every now and then while he was training to get into the Royal Guard's training program. The slow-spoken unicorn that was supposed to be his teacher had only really spoken up to give some advice here and there whenever he noticed Shining Armor stumbling with a particular topic.

He mostly left Shining Armor to his own devices, but that was okay with the colt as he preferred not to have somepony standing over his shoulder all the time anyway. Despite his laissez-faire attitude regarding Shining's studies, Peach Pit did make sure to force the colt to take some time for himself.

This was perfectly fine with Shining Armor, as he hadn't had the same patience or mental fortitude his sister had when it came to studying for hours on end each and every day. Most of the time his breaks consisted of wandering the upper levels of the bunker—specifically, anywhere he was allowed to go. He made it a point to get to know as many of the resistance members as he could in the amount of time that he had.

Of course, not everyone was eager to make his acquaintance. In fact, a great many of the creatures going about their business hadn't appreciated Shining's presence at all. Listening in on some of the conversations around and about him, Shining Armor discovered many of the resistance members still had no idea why he was even here.

Shining himself only knew that Frigid Gale wanted to use him to find Twilight. If she had any plans for him beyond that, he didn't know them. That she had allowed him to learn light magic spoke to some kind of ulterior motive, but he didn't know what that could possibly be. He'd learned a while back that asking around wouldn't get him anywhere either.

Still, that wasn't to say that no one was receptive to his attempts to make acquaintances if not friends. Peach Pit had been a friendly sort and he'd started to get along well with Fell Wind before she was sent off to who-knows-where. Surprisingly enough, he'd even somehow gotten that bitter old griffon Astrid to warm up to him somewhat.

Even with that in mind, he hadn't gotten anyone to open up to him about Frigid Gale's plans for him or his sister. He hadn't expected to in all honesty, but it was still disheartening nonetheless. Giving up on getting any answers, he decided to devote himself wholly to his studies instead. Engrossed as he was in his studies, he'd failed to notice the strange and sudden shift in the atmosphere of the entire base.

It was one even after several hours of pouring over tomes and notes that he finally realized something was off. Even then, he hadn't picked up on it until he was out of the Archives and halfway to his provided bedroom. Lost in his thoughts, he'd nearly been bowled over by a burly unicorn hurrying his way down the torch-lit corridor. The stallion, who was pulling a large wooden crate alongside himself in his telekinetic grip, merely grunted a curt "Move it, brat!" as Shining tried to scramble out of his way.

Shining Armor turned to apologize, but the stallion was already turning a corner before the words could escape his lips. Now fully cognizant of his surroundings, Shining looked around to find that he and the stallion were far from the only ones wandering about. Several ponies, griffons, and the occasional diamond dog moved past the colt on their way to one destination or another.

On the surface, the hustle and bustle wasn't anything too out of the ordinary, but as he watched, Shining noticed the urgency in their steps. Their expressions were grim and many carried some manner of cargo with them. A veil of dread settled over the colt and with a sinking feeling in his gut, he decided to change course. He continued down the hall, heedless of the annoyed creatures trying to make their way around his relatively small frame.

If Shining Armor had learned anything in his time at the rebel base, it was that most of the base's residents wouldn't give him the time of day—not even to answer a simple question. Given the general mood of the place, Shining felt he would've been hard pressed to even get someone to glance in his direction. With that in mind, he didn't bother to stop to ask anyone about what was going on and instead made a beeline straight for his new destination.

Shining wasn't sure where Frigid Gale was, but he figured it was better to assume she was busy. She'd told him to assume as much herself. She also mentioned that there was another creature he could talk to if he had any important questions or if there was an emergency and she wasn't around. The creature in question just so happened to walk out of her office right as the colt was making his way to the door.

"Astrid!" Shining called out. He slowed his hurried gait to a stop as he reached the wizened old griffon. The old hen paused as she stepped out of her office. Her eyes widened in surprise for a split second as she spotted the concerned colt outside her door, but the expression was gone in an instant, replace with her usual no-nonsense expression as she spoke. "Ah, Shining Armor, impeccable timing. Please, come with me."

With that, the griffon walked right past the now flummoxed colt and kept going. Shining watched her go for a second before scurrying after her. "W-Wait!" he cried, "Astrid, what's going on? What's got everybody all worked up like this? Did something happen?" He caught up to the griffon and was able to get a better look at the base's archivist and record keeper.

To Shining Armor, Astrid had always looked tired and worn down by life's trials. That was to be expected given that, in addition to her normal duties, the old griffon also acted as a sort of second-incommand whenever Frigid Gale wasn't around to keep or give orders. Shining had leanred that Astrid was one of the first few creatures to join Gale when she formed her rebel group and the rigid old hen had gained a lot of trust and respect over the years. It was never made an official role, but many in the base—even Frigid Gale herself on occasion—deferred to Astrid on several matters within the base.

It was clearly a lot of responsibility, but even as old as she was, Astrid always seemed on top of things and never once complained. Now though? Now she looked downright haggard, like she hadn't had a good night's sleep in months. She was doing her best to hide it under her professional veneer—and was doing a good job of it to be fair—but even beyond the clear mental exhaustion, Astrid looked... shaken. Her face was drawn and pale, her eyes slightly distant, and her beak was set in a grim scowl.

It looked like she'd just seen something truly terrifying, but she didn't let it show in her voice. When she spoke, her tone was clipped and stern but not entirely unpleasant. "I'm afraid so," she replied to Shining after a moment. "I've recently received word from... a higher authority that we've been compromised." Shining didn't miss the hesitation in her words and narrowed his eyes at the old hen. "A higher authority? You're... not talking about Frigid Gale." It wasn't a question. If Astrid was referring to the thestral then she would have just called her by name.

The fact that she didn't...

Well, Shining had no idea what that meant, but it was clear that Gale wasn't who she was talking about. It also felt to Shining like something was off and the combination of Astrid's following silence and haunted expression only served to increase that suspicion. When she finally did speak, her voice sent a chill down the colt's spine. Her words were quiet but the tremble in the griffon's tone spoke volumes.

"...No. No, I am not."

Troubled silence grew between the two as Shining waited for the griffon to elaborate, but she didn't. Instead, she just shook her head and pushed on with the main issue. "In any case, we've been outed. We don't know how or who was responsible, but the Royal Guard has received marching orders to raid our base and wipe out the rebellion," Astrid turned to Shining Armor, her expression grim, "word is, they're to leave no creature alive."

Shining stumbled slightly at the news, his eyes going wide and his face growing pale. "Wait, the Princess actually ordered an exop?" the colt cried in alarm and horrified disbelief. He'd read about extermination operations before, but they were rarely if ever implemented in the field. There hadn't been a need for them in a very, very long time—centuries as far as he knew. But then again, what did he know, really?

Apparently, Celestia had carried out just such an operation on her own not all that long ago if Frigid Gale was to be believed. Shining Armor still wasn't sure he did believe Frigid Gale's tale—not entirely. That said, he'd managed to to overhear a few accounts of some truly awful events caused by the Princess both directly and indirectly since he'd been given somewhat free reign to roam the underground bunker.

He wanted to believe that all the claims about Celestia were untrue, but in truth, he was beginning to have his own doubts. This new development wasn't helping what faith he had left in the millenias old ruler of Equestria. "It's always been standard procedure to detain those who surrender for further questioning," the colt pressed, "are you telling me the Princess isn't even going to consider taking prisoners in for questioning? And what about Frigid Gale? I'm assuming she knows. What's she doing about all of this?"

"Evidently, that courtesy is not afforded to likes of us insurgents," Astrid replied with a bitter smile. The smile fell quickly as she continued, "Frigid Gale is doing what she can to buy us some time to prepare for the worst. It seems the Guard is at least a few days march from Ponyville so we still have time to shore up our defenses for the coming battle."

"Battle?" Shining's heart skipped a beat, but he hid his sudden spike of fear behind a concerned frown. "You're not going to run? Like you said, you have time. Why not escape? Live to fight another day and all that? You have other bases you can fall back to, right?" Astrid didn't break her stride or look down at Shining, but she did let a rare genuine smile cross her face for just a moment as she answered. "We won't make our final stand here, no, but neither can our other hideouts contain all of the members we have stationed here.

"The plan thus far is to have as large a group as we can spare take what they can, burn the rest, split up, and make their way to other hidden camps around the kingdom," Astrid explained. "The rest of us will stay here and keep the Guard busy for as long as we can." she shook her head and let out a weary sigh, "It's not a perfect plan and things are likely to go wrong, but it's the best we can do with the amount of time afforded to us. Even with the few days that we have, there's a lot we must do and if all does go to plan, it'll only be by the tip of our beaks."

"And what about Frigid Gale?" Shining paused, "...What about me? Where do I fit in all of this? I can't fight the Royal Guard with you all. I wouldn't even want to, not after..." The colt trailed off. Not after what you all let happen to my family, he thought but didn't say aloud. He'd come to know a few of the creatures in the rebellion and he even liked some of them, but at the end of the day, they were still responsible for his parent's death and Twilight's disappearance—indirectly or no.

Shining had already chosen to set aside his pain and the anger he felt toward Frigid Gale for her role in the tragedy that befell him and his sister. He wanted to be above the urge to lash out emotionally, and finding out Twilight was still alive had gone a long way in helping him cope, but at the same time, it wasn't like that pain and anger had gone away. When it came right down to it, Shining wasn't sure he could bring himself to stand with the rebels if they chose to fight against the Princess and her Royal Guard—not even if Frigid Gale was right and the Princess was a monster.

I just want to see Twily again, to find and protect her. That's all that matters to me.

If the rebels could help him do that, he'd work with them. That's what he'd told himself at least, but now things were growing complicated. Now they were exposed and found themselves about to face the might of the EUP. With that in mind, what would the colt do? What could he do? Even if the Guard had been given an exop to carry out, he was pretty sure they wouldn't kill him, right? After all, he was still a colt, even if only barely, and on top of that, he was one of the two missing foals whose parents were murdered.

The Royal Guard was sure to know this fact, and Shining could use that to his advantage if he had to. He could pass himself off as a hostage—somepony the rebels captured as leverage. That wouldn't have been too far from the truth anyway. The thought eased his mind a bit, making him a little less concerned for his own safety. That still left the question of what the rebels planned to do with him though. And in fact... "Where are we even going right now, anyway?"

"It isn't our intention have you take up arms or speak on our behalf or anything of the sort," the griffon answered, seeing the worry on the colt's face, "the fact that you wound up in this place was a terrible mistake to begin with, so rest assured, we will do our best to make sure you make it out of here along with the rest of those who plan to escape." Her expression softened slightly, "It may not seem like it, but Frigid Gale does feel terrible about what happened to you and yours. If you believe nothing else, believe that she would have wanted you away from all of this madness first and foremost."

Shining frowned at that.

"But what about all her plans?" he asked skeptically, "I know she was scheming to use me and my sister for something. What happens to all of that if I go and where does that leave her plans involving Twilight?" To Shining's surprise, the normally dour griffon chuckled in genuine amusement. At the same time, the colt could make out a hint of something close to—but not quite—sadness in her pale grey eyes.

"Allow me to answer that by answering your original question about Frigid Gale. It was her plan to return to the base as soon as she was able." Astrid explained. Her eyes flashed with a stony sort of determination, "It took some doing and while I wasn't able to speak with her directly, I managed to convince her otherwise." That caught Shining by surprise and he couldn't help but ask why. If their main base of operations was under threat of assualt, isn't that where she needed to be? At this, Astrid's face grew unreadable.

"The reasons I've convinced her to keep her distance is simple. If she fights with us and falls in battle, then the rebellion falls with her. We may survive for a time, but ultimately, she is the one that pushes us forward." She paused a moment, then cast a side glance toward Shining Armor, "More important, however, is the fact that she has finally managed to track down your sister and may soon be in a position to pursue her as we speak."

Shining came to an abrupt stop, his heart racing and his hooves going cold. Astrid stopped as well and for a long moment, all the colt could do was stare at the stoic hen. He searched her eyes, looking for some sign of falsehood, but there was none to be found. He opened his mouth, then closed it, swallowed, and tried again. "Are you serious? She really found her? She found Twily?" A thousand thoughts slammed into his mind and as he tried to gather them all, Astrid gave a single slow nod of affirmation.

"The evidence isn't one hundred percent concrete," the griffon conceded, "but she's fairly certain it's her. What's more, it seems she's bound for the capital along with a few traveling companions." Shining was about to ask one of the many burning questions at the tip of his tongue, but the last comment made his brows furrow in bemusement. "...Traveling companions?" he asked.

"Apparently, your sister found somepony to take care of her after she vanished from Canterlot," Astrid replied, "We don't know much about those she travels with, but it seems one of ours may have infiltrated their group and Frigid Gale claims to know the stallion that likely took her in. According to her, the stallion in question is a good sort so there should be no need to worry overmuch."

A tension that Shining hadn't known was building in his chest suddenly eased, but only slightly. He hoped Frigid Gale was telling the truth and that Twilight was okay, but until he saw the evidence for himself, there was always room for doubt. More importantly, she was heading to Canterlot which—if what Shining had heard about the capital lately was true—was a very bad idea. The place had become a veritable madhouse. The citizens were in an uproar and rumors said there'd even been a few riots and protests.

The city was letting ponies in, but nopony was allowed to leave and everypony who entered was being screened by the Royal Guard. Not only that, but patrols within and around the city had been stepped up to a frankly ludicrous degree. Marital law had essentially been declared in all but name. Just thinking about Twilight wandering into that mess made Shining shudder. That aside, there was also the matter of what Frigid Gale intended to do if she did catch up to his sister. He still didn't know what her plan was or if it would hurt Twilight.

"What does Frigid Gale plan to do with Twilight?" Shining decided to ask, "I agreed to help you all because she told me I'd get to see my sister again. I assumed she meant I would see her alive and healthy. Was that true? Is that still true?" He watched Astrid's face carefully as waited for an answer. Even if they did intend her harm, Shining knew deep down there wasn't much he could about it in his position. Still, he tried not to let that worry show as he stood there before Astrid.

"Frigid Gale's intentions are not mine to reveal, Shining Armor," Astrid sighed, "and I assure you that she did mean to reunite you with your sister eventually. Unfortunately, with how events have played out, that will be much more difficult to accomplish." Shining's hackles began to rise and he opened his mouth to tear into the beleaguered hen, but Astrid raised a claw to forestall his rage. "Now, now, young colt, I said it would be more difficult, not impossible." At her words, Shining closed his mouth, but his glower didn't relent.

"And how exactly do you plan to help me get in touch with Twilight?" he challenged, "what could you possibly do when there's still so many unknowns about the situation?" Shining grimaced at the knowing smile that came over Astrid's face. When she next spoke, it was with the air of somepony who knew far more than they were letting on. "Well, Mister Armor, that is the crux of why I was coming to seek you out and why you're timing was so fortuitous." Shining's displeased grimace turned to a confused frown.

"What are you talking about?" he asked, then a thought occurred to him, "And come to think of it, you never answered my question about where we were going." Astrid wanted to laugh at his suspicious look, but held herself in check returned her focus to the path ahead. They'd nearly reached their destination—a large steel door at the end of a corridor that lay at the lowest floor of the bunker. It was the only room on the floor and had become the most important location in the base.

"You and I are headed to the Workshop, Mister Armor. I believe it's time you met with the good Doctor."

A Turbulent Connection

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Yojimbo's brows furrowed in bemusement as he looked from Ancient Scroll to the three fillies, then back to his old friend. When Ancient Scroll did nothing but give him an amused grin, the massive, brawny husky turned to Rouge instead. The Abyssinian molly just closed her eyes shook her head in response to his unasked question.

Everyone, including Fell Wind, had gathered within the sitting room of the Vardo. Ancient Scroll had stopped the magical caravan several dozen yards from the main road they'd been traveling until roughly half an hour ago. A little before that, the old stallion had sensed the abrupt deactivation of the colossal barrier around the edge of the forest they'd all recently escaped.

Worried about what such a development could mean, Ancient Scroll decided to err on the side of caution. He and the rest of the group had run into enough trouble both before and after they set out on their journey. No one here wanted to deal with whatever might or might not have been following after them.

In all honesty, Ancient Scroll wasn't one hundred percent certain what or whoever had broken down the barrier was after them specifically. Given their run of luck so far though, it was likely a safe bet that they were being chased. With that in mind, the stallion had come up with a plan that would hopefully throw their potential pursuer off their trail.

It would've been easier if they could hide the Vardo beneath a thicket of trees, but they'd already passed out of the forest. The land around them was all grass, wheat, and only a sparse smattering of wild foliage here and there. Their only saving grace outside of Ancient Scroll's plan was the uneven terrain. Ancient Scroll had managed to find a relatively deep valley behind some hills that would keep them out of sight of any creatures traveling the road.

The problem was that their cover wouldn't do anything to hide them from any eyes in the sky. If they were being pursued by the Guard, then they'd likely have at least a few pegasi in the air looking for them. In light of such a possibility, Ancient Scroll had come up with a solution that sounded simple, yet was anything but, apparently.

“So, hold on, lemme get this straight,” Yoji said, rubbing a thick paw across his forehead as he turned back to Ancient Scroll, “you're planning to turn this whole barkin' caravan invisible?”

“It's a bit more complicated than that, but yes, that's about the size of it,” Ancient Scroll replied with a simple nod.

“And this, ah... spell takes too much power to sustain by yourself, so you're gonna use the pups—” the husky nodded toward the three nervous fillies with a mix of skepticism and disapproval “—like some kinda battery to make it happen?”

Ancient Scroll frowned and shook his head before replying, “While that isn't entirely inaccurate, I'm not looking to drain them dry of their magic. Nothing of the sort. No, I estimate needing only about half of each of their reserves to fuel the spell for as long as we might need,” he switched his attention to the three fillies in question, “even then, if you all aren't comfortable with the process, we can try something else.”

In truth, the circumstances may not have been worth the effort. It could've been argued that the stallion was being paranoid and that just hiding behind some hills was enough. The problem was that, with everything they knew and everything they'd been through so far, Ancient Scroll didn't believe that for a moment. Neither did any of the others for that matter. It was with this in mind that Twilight spoke up first.

“If it keeps us safe then I don't mind giving up some mana,” the disguised filly replied in an uncertain tone, “I just... I'm not sure how to give somepony else my mana. I've never done anything like that before.”

“Neither have I,” Sunset added with a shake of her head, “I think Celestia mentioned something about it once, but I never actually studied up on how to actually do it.”

“Trixie's never transferred just raw mana before, but she does know the principle behind mana transference,” Trixie said. Her mouth twisted into an affronted scowl when she saw the other two fillies looking at her in mild surprise. “What? Did you think Trixie was just clicking her hooves together while you two were studying back home? I'll have you know that mana transference is the basis for a lot of mind magic spells.”

“Alright, fair enough,” Sunset replied, raising a placating hoof, “you worked just as hard as either of us, I get it,” she shook her head and turned to address Twilight with an incredulous look, “I'm personally more surprised that Twi—ugh... Fia doesn't know about mana transference.”

“I had other things I was studying at the time,” Twilight replied, her expression growing bitter, “I probably would've gotten to the subject eventually... but I never really got the chance.”

A heavy silence fell over the group as the words left unsaid washed over everyone, but it thankfully lasted for only a moment before Ancient Scroll spoke up. The stallion cleared his throat and looked at each filly in turn before explaining.

“Well, it's nothing to worry too much over,” he gave Twilight and Sunset a reassuring smile, “there are a few methods to transfer one's raw mana to another pony depending on tribe, but for unicorns, it's a fairly straightforward process.”

“Trixie can take it from here, Uncle Scroll,” Trixie cut in before turning to her fellow foals, “so basically, the process depends on if your taking or giving mana. Trixie is assuming Uncle Scroll is gonna be the one taking so in this case, he'll send out a kind of thaumic 'signal' to each of us. Once we received it, we just give a thaumic 'okay' in return and then the transfer begins. Once it starts, we should be able to cut it off if it becomes too much... right?”

The last—more uncertain—question was directed at Ancient Scroll, who nodded in return. “That's more or less it in a nutshell,” the stallion answered, “once the process begins, it should be simple enough to stop the flow of mana from your end.”

“But how would that work?” Twilight asked, frowning in confusion, “how will we know what to look for?”

“It's simple enough from what Trixie knows,” Trixie answered with a shrug, “if somepony tries to take mana from a unicorn, they'd feel some kind of 'tug' from their wellspring. At that point, they could either reject the connection or let it continue.”

“So basically, we'll know it when we feel it,” Sunset surmised, “and we'll know what to do when it happens. Is that it? Is it supposed to be instinctual like that?”

“Basically,” Trixie replied, “it's a really weird experience at first, but you get used to it pretty fast, or at least Trixie did.”

What Trixie didn't tell the others was that she'd gotten her experience not just from what she'd done to Fell Wind, but had also gotten some practical lessons from a certain armored alicorn. The azure filly still wasn't sure how it had all worked within a dream, but the results had paid off in the end. At least, Trixie thought so. Everyone present already knew about the Mare of Dreams, but, Trixie didn't feel the need to bring her up again.

Twilight furrowed her brow, still slightly uncertain about what to expect. Something tugged at the back of her mind—some nebulous, indefinable worry that caused her to hesitate. “Is it... going to hurt at all?” she decided ask.

“Not unless I try to force my way into your wellspring,” Ancient Scroll explained, “and I plan to do no such thing, naturally.”

“Well, it sounds as if you've given this a lot of thought, Ancient Scroll,” Rouge commented from her seat next to Yojimbo, “but I can't help but remain a bit dubious. Is this invisibility spell of yours really so potent as to be beyond you of all ponies?”

“I have the requisite knowledge, experience, and skill to cast spells like these, but I'm no powerhouse,” Ancient Scroll replied with a serious frown, “especially not at my current age. In this specific case, this spell is complex and requires me to continuously feed mana into it to keep it going.”

“What kind of spell is it, exactly?” Twilight asked curiously, “you make it sound like it's more than just an invisibility spell.”

“That's because it isn't an invisibility spell, filly. Not exactly,” Ancient Scroll said, turning to answer Twilight's question, “in actuality, it's two spells folded into one another—one to bend the light around us, making us completely undetectable to the naked eye from any angle, and the other to mask our thaumic signature.”

Twilight's eyebrows shot up in surprise at the explanation. “That... sounds complicated. One of those sounds like a light magic spell, but I'm not sure about the other one.” She frowned thoughtfully, “...mind magic, maybe?”

“Precisely,” Ancien Scroll nodded approvingly, “a tricky bit of long range mind magic to fool the thaumic senses and some light magic to fool the eye. A handy spell combination I crafted on the fly back in my younger days.”

“Oh, that's right!” Yojimbo suddenly shouted with a rumbling cackle, “I remember that spell now! That thing saved our hides from that riled up Ursa Major! Ha! I don't think you ever forgave Old Den for that one!” After a moment, his smile fell and a look of annoyed bemusement replaced it as he asked, “But seriously, if you had that spell in your back pocket, why didn't you use it back there in Farhoof? Woulda saved us a lot of trouble.”

“Didn't think about it,” Ancient Scroll replied with a shake of his head, “didn't know I'd need it, and by the time the idea came to mind, it was too late. The captain of that Royal Guard patrol was carrying a null stone when we met her. So it wouldn't have worked.”

“Ah, well,” the large husky frowned, then shrugged dismissively, “no use cryin' over spilled milk I suppose.”

“Indeed,” Rouge agreed before giving Ancient Scroll a pointed look, “now, if the little ones don't mind, I believe we should enact this plan of yours with no further delay. The Gaurd could be coming out of the forest behind us as we speak.”

“Quite right,” Ancient Scroll conceded. He looked down at each of the fillies before him, “well, you three? Are you ready to begin?”

They all looked at each other for a moment, then gave the old stallion determined nods—all except Twilight. Ancient Scroll and the other two fillies looked over to the disguised filly with a mix of concern and confusion. Twilight, for her part, just bit at her lower lip and stared at the ground. That strange sense of foreboding was still there, nagging at her, but she still couldn't place it.

Still, they had to do something and she couldn't come up with any ideas of her own. In the end, she put on a brave face and gave each of the others a nod in return. Ancient Scroll eyed her for another second, but if he noticed her reluctance, he didn't say anything about it. Instead, he gave another nod and took a deep breath. He closed his eyes and let his horn flare to life, a brilliant emerald green glow cast over the magical appendage.

Twilight and the other two fillies watched the stallion intently, waiting for something to happen. For a long, tense moment, nothing did. Ancient Scroll just stood there, his horn glowing and his expression locked in concentration. Then Twilight felt something lurch within her own wellspring. She gasped in surprise, the sensation catching her off-guard. Sunset and Trixie had similar reactions, but Twilight couldn't focus on them.

She instead focused on the feeling in her wellspring. The sudden lurch smoothed out into a subtle, halting tug, almost as if something was asking for permission to tap into her font of mana. The filly was unnerved at how invasive it felt—how personal. She almost shied away out of instinct, forcing the sensation out. It was only the thought of who was on the other side of that connection that stopped her.

Twilight's eyes flicked back to Ancient Scroll, but he hadn't moved. His eyes were still closed in concentration, though he didn't look like he was straining. At least, not yet. What did change was that Twilight could now just barely make out three wire thin tendrils of bright green magic connecting the aura around Ancient Scroll's horn to hers and the other two filly's horns.

Two of those tendrils were pulsing slightly and Twilight saw that both Sunset and Trixie had similar looks to Ancient Scroll. It didn't take her long to realize they'd already begun the transfer process. She was the only one who had yet to accept. In that moment, Twilight suddenly felt like she was being left out. Before she could process the emotion, she felt another soft tug at her wellspring.

The metaphysical sensation somehow seemed to convey both concern and curiosity. Twilight winced at the feeling, slightly guilty that she'd taken so long to respond. She hesitated a moment longer, then finally, gradually, opened herself up to the prodding connection.

Or rather, that's what she tried to do.

Despite her conscious attempt at caution, her magic had other plans. What was supposed to be a careful transfer of mana became a torrent that ripped through Ancient Scroll's connection like a raging flood. Several things happened at once after that. Twilight's body seized up, the filly unable to even let out the scream building in her throat. Ancient Scroll staggered, letting out a strangled gasp as Twilight's mana slammed into his horn and down into his own wellspring like a speeding train.

Sunset and Trixie cried out, the violent feedback screaming along their own connection. The two reflexively cut off their connection to Ancient Scroll, but that only put more pressure on the stallion. Both fillies could only watch in horrified bewilderment as Ancient Scroll's joints bent under the weight of Twilight's oppressive influx of mana. The stallion groaned, his horn lighting up like a second emerald colored sun as he tried to bring the connection under control.

Twilight's mind had gone blank.

All she could she see—all she could hear, all she could feel, all she could taste was the mana pouring out of her. Somewhere in the distance, far, far away, she thought she could hear voices calling out to her, but they were drowned out by the mana. It roared through her wellspring, the flood so powerful and violent that it seeped out of her wellspring and leaked into her veins. For what could've been a fleeting moment or an excruciating eternity, the mana was her entire existence.

Twilight was Magic.

Magic was Twilight.

And then... there was nothing at all.

Celestia hadn't been looking forward to Day Court. Truthfully, she never did, but the hours long sessions had become downright migraine inducing in the last few weeks. With the unrest in the city boiling just underneath the surface, the citizens were looking for some assurance. They wanted to know their Princess was looking out for them, for their safety. They demanded it.

Day after day, hour after hour, the nobles and minor politicians berated and bombarded Celestia with questions and complaints she didn't care to answer or acknowledge. Normally, the Princess would've happily reassured her little ponies, and she still made sure to do just that. The problem was that their questions and complaints had all been the same, day in and day out.

The same worries about public safety, about what was being done about the murders, about baseless and frankly ludicrous rumors floating around. Each and every day it was the same thing, and Celestia—despite her years of experience and unflappable patience in front of the public—was getting sick of it all. Still, she did what was required of her. She still spent long nights sifting through an endless sea of reports and long days attending to the needs of her ponies.

She was the ruler of Equestria. The sole ruler. She had a duty to keep order, to keep her ponies happy. She wanted to—truly she did, but it was getting harder and harder to do so. She found Discord's words echoing in her mind more than once, mingling unpleasantly with her own doubts and fears and insecurities. It had been getting harder to ignore all of that, but Celestia pressed on nevertheless.

And to be fair, things had become somewhat easier now. Now she had something she could work with. She had some answers to her longstanding questions. Sure, it wasn't as many answers as she would've liked, but it was enough for now. She had information she could publicly spin into a story that would hopefully quell some of that civil unrest building up. For the first time in weeks, Celestia thought she just might be able to get something productive done and relax a little.

But then she felt it.

As she was making her way down one of the main corridors to the throne room to start Day Court, she froze mid-step. Her head snapped to the side, her eyes wide and focused on something in the distance. Raven Inkwell, who'd been walking at her side as she gave a report the Princess had no interest in, stumbled to a stop next to her. She tried to call out to Celestia, her voice concerned and confused, but Celestia didn't hear her.

Her eyes grew hazy, wandering southwest to look at something nopony else could see. In truth, Celestia had no idea what she was looking at either, or even what she was looking for, but she felt something in that direction. It was like a tug at her mind.

No... not my mind... but something else. Something deeper. Magic...? A powerful spell, maybe? Or...

Pain, sudden and inexpressible, smashed into Celestia. The Princess let out a small gasp and staggered, clutching a hoof to her chest. She continued to ignore her faithful attendant's worried ramblings as her mind locked up. The pain passed just as quickly as it had come, but that wasn't what made the Princess pause. No, what had truly shaken Celestia was the familiarity of that pain. It was an old pain—one she hadn't felt in centuries.

No, that isn't possible... not now.... not yet...

She slowly straightened back up and turned her gaze southwest once more. Her expression was grim, but beneath her pristine white fur, her face was pale as a sheet. She didn't know for certain what had caused such a reaction but the Princess had a few ideas and knew full well what it meant. With a decree to her flustered attendant to suspend Day Court, Celestia turned back the way she came and began making her way to the Royal Archives.

She needed to check the vault. Despite her fear of what she might find within, she had to know for sure if something had changed. As she hurried to the Hall of the Damned, Celestia tried to ignore the familiar cackle of a mad tyrant trying to push its way into her mind.

Elsewhere, far to the southwest, a bruised, battered, and bloody thestral mare raced across the midmorning sky, her icy blue eyes focused and her expression murderous. Distantly, she felt a flare of magic coming from somewhere below her, but the mare had no eyes for the rolling hills below. With the remains of the Guard on her heels, she had no time to investigate.

She tore through the air with grim purpose, desperate to make it to the Everfree Forest before it was too late. Had the ancient voice in her mind mentioned a large caravan hidden within the shadow of a hill vanishing in a blinding flash of emerald green light far below them, maybe the thestral would've stopped. Maybe she might've considered the risk worth it.

But as it stood, the voice said nothing, content to observe the phenomenon in silence as the determined mare sped off to the east where her family of misfits were hopefully waiting for her.

A Curious Visitor

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Pitch-black emptiness gave way to ethereal blue radiance as Twilight blinked her eyes open. Her thoughts were slightly sluggish and her memory strangely hazy. Her body felt light. Too light, like she was made of air. The filly felt as if she could drift away on a stray breeze, yet she remained firmly planted on the ground—or so she initially believed.

Casting her bewildered gaze about her shimmering azure surroundings, Twilight realized there was no ground where she stood. Everywhere she looked was simply empty blue space, yet even in her confusion, Twilight had a hard time mistaking her surroundings for the sky. The world around her was too strange. Too alien. Too ethereal.

Radiant motes of white light dotted the sapphire blue view, the small glowing orbs falling like winter snow all around the filly. It all gave the space an otherworldly quality and Twilight found herself awestruck despite not knowing where she was or how she'd gotten to this magical place. She tried to speak, to proclaim her amazement, but the words wouldn't come. It was almost as if the world would shatter before her very eyes if she so much as breathed a single syllable.

Then something changed.

Twilight wasn't sure exactly what had happened, but sudden clarity returned to the filly with the force of a thunderclap. It was all she could not to cry out in shock as the atmosphere grew heavy. A sudden, all-consuming pressure drove the filly to her knees, her previously too-light body now feeling as though it weighed several tons. A sense of wrongness seeped into every facet of her existence.

It suddenly felt as if she'd stumbled into a place she very much did not belong. Twilight's small frame trembled with the sensation of it. She felt like she couldn't breathe—like the air had been stolen from her lungs as recompense for such a trespass. And through it all, Twilight could feel something rooting around in her head. She didn't know what it was or what it was looking for, but it scoured her mind, peering into every thought and memory.

The horrific invasion ended just as quickly and abruptly as it had begun. The crushing pressure and inability to breathe vanished as well, but that almost existential sense of wrongness remained. The whole ordeal lasted maybe a second, but Twilight was nevertheless left shaken and terrified. She looked around her with new eyes, now fully aware that she wasn't alone in this nightmarish realm, whatever it may have been.

As if to confirm her fears, every single mote of radiant light ceased their gentle fall and hung suspended in the air. Before Twilight could even guess at what it might mean, hundreds of motes began to converge on a single point a short distance in front of her. The filly stood frozen as the radiant motes congealed into a massive shape made of blinding white light. The light itself shone brighter than the sun, but Twilight found she couldn't look away.

Before long, the light began to dissipate, revealing what lay beneath. The creature—if it could be called even that—looked at Twilight. Twilight tried to look back, but found that just looking at the creature wasn't so simple. Looking at the entity in front of her was like trying to piece together a half-remembered dream. Any comprehension of the entity's shape seemed to slip further and further away the more Twilight tried to focus on it.

Oddly, the overwhelming fear of only a moment ago disappeared, but the mind-bending shape of the creature still left Twilight unnerved. Ultimately, the filly lowered her gaze to her hooves, no longer able to stomach the sight of whatever stood before her. When the creature finally spoke, Twilight was surprised to find that its voice was soft and feminine, but there was something hidden within its soft tone—some indefinable thing that brought just a little of that earlier fear back.

It seems you've lost your way, little wanderer... The fated hour has not yet come... Moreover, you are not the one I am meant to meet here in this place upon that fated hour, and yet... how curious...

Twilight shuddered.

The creature's voice was soft, but when it spoke, the entire realm trembled with the sound. Such was the power behind the creature's gentle words that, even had Twilight wanted to speak, her own voice would be snatched away, possibly never to return. She had no idea what the creature was talking about, and in all honesty just wanted to leave this place and return to Ancient Scroll and the others, but she dared not utter a single word in the creature's presence.

There is no need to fear me so, little wanderer... I will not harm you, though I do find myself rather intrigued by your existence... you walk the path of Ascension... but yours is a different path from the fated one... an aberrant path... one I've not come across in... quite some time...

Surprised and confused by the creature's words, Twilight looked up, only to wince and immediately snap her eyes back down to the non-existent ground. The questions roiling in her mind had nearly come spilling out of her mouth in a torrent, but the sight of the creature had thoroughly staunched that flow before it could be released. Still, her thoughts were racing as she tried to parse the meaning of the creature's proclamations. While she mused on the words, the creature continued.

Interesting as that may be... it is the many threads of fate wrapped about you that truly pique my curiosity... The ties that bind you so tightly to those you've come to know... and those you have yet to meet... Ties that stretch across even time and space... Yours is a very fascinating destiny indeed, little wanderer...

Twilight frowned as she took it all in. Ascension? Fated hour? Fated one? Ties? Destiny? An aberrant path? The filly bounced all this around in her head, but couldn't put the puzzle together. She had pieces, but clearly not all of them, nor did she have any clear image of what she was supposed to be putting together. She still didn't know why she was even here in the first place, or how she came to be here—to say nothing of the creature before her.

What had happened when she tried to give Ancient Scroll some of her mana? Twilight didn't know, but maybe the creature would. The filly didn't know what the creature was or why it was here, but it seemed like it knew a lot about... well... a lot of things. If she could just work up the nerve to open her mouth and say something... but it wasn't meant to be.

Ah, but as interesting as you are, little wanderer... I'm afraid it is past time for you to return to where you belong... This place is not meant for you... Not this time...

Twilight's ears perked up, and her heart thumped a bit louder in her chest. She was being sent back! The realization flooded her with relief, but at the same time, she desperately wanted to say something. Anything. She had so many questions about this place and the creature and what she'd heard and what had happened to her during the mana transfer and... and...

And... what?

Twilight's thoughts began to slip through her hooves, the questions melting away like snowfall in the spring. Panic surged within her, but that too died away as Twilight's eyelids began to drift shut, her vision and consciousness fading. From somewhere far away, she heard the creature's gentle voice, its final words echoing through her wavering thoughts like the distant chime of a bell.

We will not meet again... but I wish you luck, little wanderer... for you will need it in the trials to come...

And with those parting words, Twilight Sparkle fell into a blissful, dreamless sleep.

Ancient Scroll frowned as another line of emerald green mana washed over the unconscious and currently undisguised lavender filly lying in the cot. Veins of magenta tinted mana lit up within Twilight's body in the wake of Ancient Scroll's internal mana scan. The veins of mana reached through every inch of Twilight, coalescing at her center where her mana wellspring rested. The old stallion looked over the results of his scanning spell once more and let the emerald light around his horn die out with a sigh.

This was the third scan he'd run on the filly in as many hours. Each scan brought with it more and more surprises, showing Ancient Scroll things he'd never seen before, phenomena he had no name or reference for. What had happened to Twilight—what was happening to Twilight—was both alarming and fascinating in equal measure. The good news was that his plan had gone well. Almost too well, in fact.

With no small amount of effort, Ancient Scroll was able to wrest control of the rampant mana Twilight had poured into his wellspring and cast the pseudo-invisibility spell. With the absurd excess of mana at his disposal, the stallion had no issue maintaining the spell. He'd actually had to maintain the spell long after the danger of being discovered had passed just to bleed off all that excess mana.

Even when he finally felt it was safe enough to drop the spell, Ancient Scroll still had mana to burn. The wrinkled old unicorn could say with absolute certainty that he hadn't felt this powerful in decades. It was like being back in his prime, and the stallion would be lying if he said he didn't enjoy the feeling. Such potent energy was intoxicating, but ultimately fleeting and—more importantly—gained through another's suffering.

At least, that's what Ancient Scroll assumed. He didn't actually know, as Twilight had passed out as soon as the mana transference spell was cut off. The filly had seized up, then dropped to the floor like a puppet with cut strings. Ancient Scroll hadn't been in a position to check on her, but when he asked Rouge about it later, the Abyssinian said Twilight just lay there, still as a stone and cold as the grave. What had happened to Twilight had stripped away her disguise, and when Rouge checked for a pulse, she'd found none.

There was a brief but horrifying period where Twilight Sparkle was, for all intents and purposes, dead.

Of course, with Ancient Scroll occupied, there was no way to check for brain activity, so this was the obvious conclusion to make given what could be gleaned at the time. Needless to say, there was shock, grief, despair, all manner of grim emotions that came with the death of a loved one. Ancient Scroll himself had been spared from the worst of the shock, as it had taken all his focus to keep the overwhelming flow of mana from going out of control.

By the time he was able to perceive the world around him once more, Twilight was alive and breathing again. Her condition had stabilized after some time, but the suddenness of what had happened still shook everyone to their core. Both Trixie and Sunset had cried themselves to sleep, relief and emotional exhaustion mixing into a vicious cocktail too potent for them to handle.

Rouge had taken up the role of comforting the two shaken fillies before heading to the kitchen to make some tea for the adults. To the others it was a kind gesture, but in reality, the molly was simply trying to settle her own nerves. The warm tea did wonders for her trembling paws. Yojimbo stayed by Ancient Scroll's side as he examined Twilight, the old diamond dog, knowing full well that his oldest friend would blame himself.

Fell Wind, for her part, had remained largely unfazed by the ordeal, having grown up in an environment where such sights were tragically common. That said, the pegasus at least had the decency to keep her mouth shut and make herself scarce while the others gathered themselves. Ancient Scroll had spent much of the day keeping the spell camouflaging the Vardo active, which meant the enchanted caravan hadn't moved from their hiding spot in the valley.

With nothing else to do while they all waited, Fell Wind had taken it upon herself to patrol the surrounding area. As the day went on, she reported seeing a steady procession of Royal Guards emerging from Farhoof Forest. While their hurried pace was expected, the state of the soldiers was not. They exited the forest in small squads, and most of the Guard looked as if they'd seen battle, and lots of it.

What's more, Fell Wind counted far fewer soldiers leaving the forest than there should've been. Something had clearly happened after she and the others left, but the pegasus chose not to investigate any deeper, instead returning to the Vardo to tell Ancient Scroll what she saw from afar. Whatever had happened, it was good news for their escape. Probably. Still, the stallion warned Fell Wind to be vigilant. The mare had grumbled a bit, but continued her patrol nevertheless.

That just left Ancient Scroll to ponder over what to make of Twilight's reaction to the mana transference spell, and what was going on with her mana. Night had since fallen and all was quiet now, but his mind was working overtime to figure out some kind of answer. The old stallion had rummaged through the many tomes he'd brought on the subject of internal mana and had begun to formulate an idea in his head, but it was simply impossible. Ludicrous. Absolutely unheard of.

And yet...

"And yet, how else do you explain such a development?" Ancient Scroll muttered to himself as continued to contemplate Twilight's softly snoring form, "it just doesn't make any sense otherwise..."

"Care to fill the rest of us in, teach?" Yojimbo asked from the armchair opposite Ancient Scroll. The bulky husky leaned forward and nodded toward the sleeping filly, "you figure out what the deal is with her, yet?"

Ancient Scroll didn't answer right away, instead choosing to collect his thoughts first. After a moment, he frowned and gave a slow shake of his head before replying, "it's a frankly absurd notion, but it seems that, somehow, this filly has gained—has grown—a working set of earth pony mana circuits in addition to her own mana wellspring." He let out an incredulous laugh, "She's even gained a few inches in height!"

Yojimbo furrowed his brow at the explanation. "So... what? You're telling me she's like a... like an earth unicorn now or something?"

"Essentially, yes," Ancient Scroll chuckled, though there was no humor in the sound, "it defies all logic, but I can't think of a better way to put it." He paused and raised a hoof to stroke thoughtfully at his beard, "Although... thinking back to that evaluation, I can't help but wonder..."

"Evaluation?" Yojimbo's ears perked up at that, "What evaluation? You holdin' out on me, you old codger?"

Ancient Scroll grunted a vague acknowledgement of Yojimbo's question before answering almost to himself, "Some time ago, I used an artifact to gauge each of the fillies' magic potential. They're all gifted girls, but Twilight's results were especially odd."

"Odd how?" Yoji asked before his remaining eye lit up, "and that artifact you're talkin' about. It was that ring, right? Why not use that now? Might give some insight on what's going on here."

"Much as I'd love to do just that, I can't," Ancient Scroll replied with a bitter shake of his head, "I haven't been able to find the blasted thing. I'm fairly sure I left it back at the cottage." He sighed before moving on, "And to answer your first question... I'm not actually sure how to explain it. Her thaum count was very high for a foal, but her lym count... the artifact didn't give one."

"Ugh, thaums and lyms," the diamond dog grumbled, leaning over to rest his meaty arms on his knees, "you bring those words up like I'm supposed to remember what they mean."

"Ah, right, sometimes I forget that you're not a pony," Ancient Scroll replied, this time with a genuine chuckle of amusement at his friend's flat look, "thaums represent the amount of mana a pony has, and lyms refer to the depth of a unicorn's mana wellspring. In Twilight's case, I wasn't able to get a read on the depth of her wellspring. There's also her unusual magic surge to consider as well."

"You're talking about that crazy teleportation that brought her all the way to your doorstep?"

"The very same," Ancient Scroll affirmed with a nod, "As far as I know, this is the second time she's displayed a font of mana far beyond what should be capable, and this latest event was no simple surge. Of that, I'm almost certain." The wrinkled unicorn grimaced in frustration, "I have guesses, but not much more. So many questions still remain, and I doubt Twilight herself will be able to tell us much, if anything at all when she wakes."

Yojimbo looked on as Ancient Scroll began to pace the small room. He wasn't sure what to say to the unicorn. This kind of problem was far outside his wheelhouse, and the husky didn't have much else to add to the discussion. Scratching at one of his ears, he opened his toothy maw to try anyway, when the sound of approaching hooves beyond the closed door caught both their attention.

At first, the two thought it was Fell Wind, returned from her latest patrol, but Ancient Scroll realized that there were too many hooves for just one pony. Both stallion and diamond dog gave each other confused and concerned looks before turning to the bedroom door just in time to watch as it was thrown open. Yojimbo was on his feet in an instant, and Ancient Scroll's horn had already flared bright green with a defensive spell.

Both relaxed somewhat as Fell Wind strode into the room with a wince and a hoof raised in apologetic supplication. "Whoops, sorry about that," she hissed, glancing over to make sure Twilight hadn't stirred, "didn't mean to... well, y'know. My bad."

Ancient Scroll and Yojimbo did the same, and it was only when they confirmed Twilight hadn't so much as twitched that the two rounded on the intrusive pegasus.

"What's the big idea, super soldier?" Yojimbo growled, "you tryin' to wake up the whole valley?"

"Hey, I said I was sorry," Fell Wind replied with a shrug, "Twilight didn't wake up, so it's all good, right?"

"What's going on, Fell Wind?" Ancient Scroll asked, choosing to get straight to the heart of the matter, "And who's out there with you?"

The other set of hoofsteps had sounded a little too heavy to be one of the other foals, which could only mean that whoever had followed Fell Wind was a stranger. As if to prove Ancient Scroll's point, Fell Wind frowned and glanced at the unseen visitor behind her.

"Yeah..." Fell Wind began, sounding both wary and skeptical, "so I was out doing my thing when I see this bundle of rags come flying out of the darkness toward the wagon. Thought it was some kind of assassin or something, but nah. Just some kid."

"Just some... kid?" Ancient Scroll repeated before giving Yojimbo a bemused look. The husky returned his look with a shrug before both turned to Fell Wind for a further explanation. The mare just gave her own shrug and stepped aside to let the "kid" into the room.

"Yeah, girl's lucky I didn't break her neck," the pegasus groused before calling out, "hey, get your flank in here. It's your turn to do the talking."

For a moment, there was no movement, but after a few seconds of awkward silence, a heavily cloaked shape shuffled into the doorway. Even with the ratty brown cloak and hood, it was easy to tell that the creature was a pony. What's more, Fell Wind had been right. The pony in question was bigger than any of the three foals Ancient Scroll knew, but still too small to be called an adult. A teenager, most likely.

Ancient Scroll watched as the pony stepped into the room and looked around. In the dim light, he could just make out a bright purple eye and a tri-colored tuft of mane beneath the hood. It didn't take long for the older filly to spot the younger, sleeping filly, and once she did, the reaction was both immediate and surprising.

"Twilight!" the filly gasped before racing over to the cot where Twilight lay, "Twilight, are you..." The filly reached out a pale pink hoof, but stopped just short of touching Twilight's cheek. Reluctantly, she pulled her hoof and back and lowered her head, "Oh, Twilight... I can't believe it... I didn't expect... I thought you'd..."

The older filly trailed off, her voice choked with emotion. She trembled slightly and though her back was turned, Ancient Scroll could almost see the tears running down her face. Reading the room, the stallion chose not to say anything as the stranger tried to collect herself. A glance in Yojimbo's direction showed the diamond dog had more or less the same idea, though his arms were crossed, and his expression was fixed in a wary scowl.

Fell Wind looked from the silently weeping filly to Ancient Scroll and Yojimbo before rolling her eyes. With a tired sigh, the pegasus mare started to make her exit. "Alright, this looks like it's gonna get complicated, so I'm out," she called out over her shoulder, "think I'm done patrolling for the night. Gonna get some shut-eye. Let me know how this all shakes out."

And with that, she headed out the door and made for the room she shared with the other two fillies. Yojimbo shook his head, but the cloaked filly seemed either not to notice or care about Fell Wind's exit. Instead, she gave one last sniff, rubbed at her eyes, then finally turned to face the stallion and diamond dog. Without further preamble, she raised a hoof and pulled her hood down to reveal a pair of slightly puffy bright purple eyes, a cute, if sweaty, pale pink face, and a rather frazzled mane of violet, rose, and gold.

The filly looked bone tired, like she'd been wandering the valley all night. Or, if the slightly rumpled feathers on the wings at her side were any indication, like she'd been flying all night. Despite her clear exhaustion, the filly looked at the other two occupants of the room with firm eyes and when she spoke, her voice was resolute.

"My name is Mi Amore Cadenza, and I've come to take Twilight Sparkle back to Canterlot."