> The Great and Powerful Trixie in the exordium under the pyramids
>  by Khampostel
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Prologue
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------





In the far south of the world, at the antipodes of what we know as Equestria, there are unknown islands, isolated from any inhabited continent or landmass. These mysterious lands are the remnants of what was once the great continent of Eulfalia. The islands, devoid of mountains, rivers, or forests, are a desolate and bewildering wasteland that stretches for kilometers under a scorching sun, with the horizon abruptly ending in cliffs battered by the violent waves of the turbulent sea that surrounds them. Each year, a portion of these cliffs succumbs to the fury of the waves and falls into the ocean, reducing the size of the islands.

Despite lacking coastlines and being practically inaccessible by boat or vessel, these islands are not uninhabited. They are home to a strange reptilian race who call themselves the Silurians.

The Silurians are very different from their reptilian counterparts. They have no teeth or claws, and their skin is similar to that of bony fish, with large scales. Their bodies, adapted for long sea voyages, are extremely robust and of short stature, with strong limbs that allow them to climb cliffs and have great swimming abilities, enabling them to spend long hours in the sea.

These unique characteristics of the species are vital for their survival, as they allow them to reach the large seaweed that emerges from the depths of the dark waters surrounding these islands. These seaweeds are the only vegetation in that desolate region and also their sole source of sustenance.

Despite the hostile environment around them, their unfriendly appearance, and their primitive culture, the Silurians live in peaceful and organized communities, led by the elders of their race. They rarely resort to violence and have great respect for nature. The wind, the sea, and the earth are elements to which they make constant offerings in the hope of being allowed to live in peace in this forgotten corner of the world.

The Silurians have compelling reasons to make these offerings because the oral memory of their people dates back to ancient times that no one else remembers. To forgotten days, days when a tree covered the entire sky, days when the sea was possessed by a red fury, days when the sun and the moon exchanged their sunsets, days when a dark dragon flew across the sky and took away all the stars.

The Silurians continue to remember those shadows of the past, from the oldest to the youngest, they know it to be true. They don't need books to remind them; they can see those same shadows every morning.

Deep within the largest island, six black pyramids rise in the middle of the desert, like drops of pure tar on a blank canvas. These abnormal constructions challenge the land, the wind, and the sea. They are a true eerie work that defies nature, where the environment seems lifeless, and an unsettling silence prevails.

The Silurians fear these pyramids. They did not build them, nor did the ancient and gentle inhabitants of these lands. They were not there before; one day they appeared with a celestial thunder accompanied by a diabolical laughter.

These pyramids are the home of an ancient and dark being, a terrible being, a herald of darkness.

The Silurians beseech the elements to protect them from that darkness.

And on that same day, the longest day, the master of the pyramids returned to his home.

---------------

"DAMMMNN!" A deep, rage-filled scream that tore through the stillness of the entire desert.

A grand portico preceded the entrance of the largest of all the pyramids that rose in that desert. It was constructed from the same material as the nearby colossal structures, a completely black stone similar to granite. The walls of the somber building were adorned with reliefs of beasts and figures exuding malice, revealing the evil that resided in that place.

On the steps of the portico, two unsettling figures confronted each other.

On the lower level of the steps, a true shadow cloaked in a fuchsia hood and toga, adorned with a green scarf and an arcane shimmer, gazed angrily at the detestable creature that had welcomed her.

"Hey, don't say that. Aren't you glad to see a friend after so long?" replied a sweet and mocking voice from the upper level of the portico's steps.

There lay a small creature of intoxicating beauty, an adorable, plump pony.

But in the eyes of Dhona Oleg-Nar Dhazer, this being was his equal. No, considering everything he had recently discovered, it could be said that she was even more than him.

Dhona gritted his teeth.

"YOU DARE TO COME TO THE GRAND SANCTUARY OF MY BELOVED LADY, PROFANE MY OFFERINGS, AND ADDRESS ME IN THIS... REPULSIVE FORM! YOU! YOU ARE A BLASPHEMER!" Dhona spoke with a threatening and sepulchral voice, pointing one of his claws at his disagreeable guest.

The beautiful pony with sky-blue and white fur rolled her eyes with indifference.

"Look, it's your fault. You don't answer my calls, you don't receive the messages I leave you, you ignore me every time we meet. Honestly, I don't know what else to do! Coming to your home seems to be the only way I can find you," responded the childish pony, pouting.

"AND YOU HAD TO COME HERE TODAY AND DEVOUR MY SACRIFICES! IT'S UNACCEPTABLE!" Dhona spat out even more angrily, with a body that seemed like it would explode at any moment.

In the midst of the portico's steps, several salt statues of creatures resembling small bears were arranged in positions that reflected the intent to flee from that place. The expressions of panic and fear on these sculptures conveyed the last dreadful emotions they had felt in life.

"Well... forgive me for the last part. But they looked so delicious and tender! I couldn't resist!" the small pony responded with delight, recalling the snacks she had sampled minutes earlier. "If it makes you feel better, I assure you they were of very high quality offerings."

Dhona didn't respond. He had released some of his anger, and now his mind was starting to calm.

The tense atmosphere that had filled the place dissipated. Now, a cold air began to rise.

Sensing Dhona's change in mood, the little pony opened her colorful saddlebag and pulled out some pastries. "I know it's not a great apology, but I'd like you to have these snacks. They were for my sisters, but I think you deserve them more," the little pony finished, with a warm smile.

Dhona had had enough.

Without saying a word, the hooded shadow raised one of his clawed paws to the sky. A tremor began to be felt throughout the desert, accompanied by a howl that emanated from the depths of the earth.

"I am apologizing. You don't have to get so worked up," the pony said, somewhat nervously.

The sky began to darken. The noonday sun lost its brightness, and the stars began to appear. In the desert, fires were lit like pathways leading to the pyramids.

"Hey, that's enough! I'm serious!" the pony said, frowning.

The wind blew fiercely over the pyramids. The sky rotated, revealing unknown stars and unseen worlds. The ground started to darken.

On the cliffs, the Silurians began to pray desperately to the elements.

"JUST CALM DOWN ALREADY! I DIDN'T COME HERE TO FIGHT WITH YOU!" the little pony shouted, standing up with a voice that didn't match her adorable appearance. There was no trace of the conceited behavior she had displayed until recently.

The wind stopped, the signs in the sky and on the earth froze.

"WHAT HAVE YOU COME FOR THEN?" Dhona responded with a frigid voice, not lowering his claw.

"I've come with a message for you from my great lord," the little pony responded in her previous tone, now more calm but serious.

"WHAT IS IT?"

"Can we discuss it in a more appropriate place? Here is too..."

"WHAT IS IT?" Dhona repeated, now also preparing his other claw.

"BY THE ABYSS! WHY ARE YOU SO INSUFFERABLE?" the little pony exclaimed to the sky with a tired voice, then turned her gaze to Dhona. "IT'S AN ALLIANCE! ARE YOU HAPPY? My lord wants an alliance with you."

Dhona narrowed his eyes, then lowered his claws. All the ominous signs began to disappear. After a few minutes of silence, the atmosphere had returned to what it was before.

The little pony thought Dhona had closed his eyes, as she saw no trace of emerald gleam on his shadowy face. So, before he could say anything more, Dhona finally spoke.

"WHAT DOES HE SEEK?" he exclaimed, clearly confused.

He wasn't the only one. The messenger pony was equally puzzled by this proposal.

"I don't know. It's not within my abilities to question my master's decisions. Perhaps, if you ask my sisters, you might get a better answer," the pony responded, looking to the side.

Dhona clicked his tongue. He could barely tolerate the youngest of the sisters. The others would only give him more headaches.

"There are more details involved. Let me come inside your house, and I'll explain..."

"I refuse," Dhona replied, now calm and showing no signs of anger or threat.

"I'll behave myself. I won't do anything wrong in your house. I promise!" the pony said, placing a hoof on her chest.

"I refuse to accept an alliance with your lord. You don't need to explain further," Dhona declared.

Now it was the little pony who appeared upset, as if she had a strange bug in front of her, but it was a fleeting expression. She quickly returned to her cheerful demeanor.

"Always the same, aren't you? I already figured you'd respond like that. Nothing can be done. Umpf!" the pony said with a dissatisfied expression.

Then, the pony started descending the stairs and continued her leisurely trot until she stopped next to Dhona.

"You know, I had thought of giving you a gift to celebrate if you accepted, but since it's not going to happen... I really don't care to give it to you anyway." The pony pulled a red-labeled glass bottle with black bubbling liquid from her saddlebag.

Dhona immediately took it with his magic. After examining it with his magic for a few seconds, he was surprised.

"Is it from another world?" Dhona asked as he opened it and brought it to his face to smell the contents.

"Yes," the pony replied unemotionally.

"It's not magical. It has many refined compounds inside... but they are too heterogeneous and unstable to be nutritious. Is it carbonated? Or does it react like this with the air due to the change in environment?"

"Hahaha, no, no, silly. The monkeys who make it do it like that because they like the sensation of the gas when they drink it. Come on, try it."

Dhona was a bit skeptical, but it had been a long time since he had been in another world and tried something different. He also didn't feel that the beverage was dangerous.

Without further thought, he raised the bottle to his mouth and drank all the contents in one gulp.

"Hahaha," the pony laughed as she watched Dhona shudder after finishing the drink.

"Uff, it's quite a poison. Do creatures really drink this?"

"Yes, they call it 'soda' in their world of origin, and despite how poisonous it is, the inhabitants of that world allow even children to drink it. Haha!"

"Madness. Creatures like those are nothing more than fodder for darkness."

"Yes, they're also very silly and adorable when they hurt each other. I wish my sisters would let me have one as a pet. Boohoo!"

Both of them burst into sinister laughter.

There was a dark and intriguing history between the two of them. This was the reason for the trust and closeness between this pair of beings who could well be considered walking disasters and embodiments of evil. Although this anomalous behavior should be seen more as common interests than as friendship.

Dhona was in a good mood after finishing laughing.

"What do you call yourself now?" he suddenly asked.

"Summermoon," the pony coquettishly replied, flicking her adorable tail.

"Why do you look like a pony?"

"It's part of a current mission."

"What's it about?"

"Will you let me in?" Summermoon replied with a mischievous look.

Dhona pondered for a few seconds. He understood very well why she was so interested in entering his domain. It could be very costly to allow her in and have her 'accidentally' eat his pets. But if he could obtain some information about her master's intentions, the risk might well be worth it.

"Yes," Dhona replied, wearily.

"Yeeeep. You're the best," exclaimed Summermoon, at the same time as she bounded up the stairs, prancing and playfully kicking the salt statues around her.

The noonday of the longest day hung expectantly over the pyramids.
> Party at Maud's house
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------





The intricate underground caves beneath the Everfree Forest were the last place one could imagine finding a pony taking a walk. Nevertheless, at that moment, there was a pony in that place. More precisely, a unicorn. Although she wasn't strolling through those tunnels adorned with precious gems.

Starlight Glimmer looked somewhat puzzled at the two tunnel forks where she stood. She didn't feel scared or lost; unlike other ponies, she was a capable unicorn who could fend for herself. One might even say you had to be careful not to make her angry, given her great skill in magic.

Starlight was strong, yet at that moment, she found herself in a little predicament.

"I don't remember this part," Starlight said aloud after checking her memories for the correct path.

It wasn't the first time she had traveled through these tunnels. In fact, she knew the way to her destination quite well. She had an exceptional memory, but right now, she was faced with a junction that shouldn't exist. Even the directions the tunnels were taking seemed strange to her.

The right tunnel delved into the depths of the earth, while the left tunnel seemed to zigzag its way up to the surface. Both the floor and the walls of the tunnels were perfectly natural and well-preserved, giving the impression that they had always been there.

"Uhm... Well... which one is the right way?" Starlight wondered to herself.

("When in doubt about the way, just follow your nose, hahaha. That's what Rarity taught me,") an old memory of Twilight joked when they had explored this place together.

Trusting her friend's memory, Starlight decided.

After a quick sniff, she sensed that the air in the left tunnel was cooler than in the other one. Without further thought, she continued on her way.

After several zigzags, the tunnel that had ascended throughout the journey suddenly descended again, and she soon found herself in a broader area of the caves covered with brightly colored orange stones.

Starlight smiled; this was an area of the caves she remembered.

Confident in the path she should now take, she continued quickly toward her destination.

The Festival of the Two Sisters was approaching. Starlight had promised everyone that she would attend this year's celebration at Maud Pie's house. Although she greatly appreciated her rock-studying friend, it wasn't just friendship that motivated her to be present on this occasion.

She didn't want to break her word once again. She had already missed too many parties to which she was invited by friends. The demanding workload as the headmare of the School of Friendship had increased alarmingly in the past year. The arrival of new students from the allied realms of Equestria and the resulting administrative problems, such as managing the travel of the new students, parent complaints, presiding over welcome ceremonies, occasional friendship issues, and a long list of other responsibilities had further reduced Starlight's already limited free time.


She didn't mind the extra work. She handled it very well, but she had less and less time for her friendships.

In particular, she had less time for a particular friend, a great friend to whom she couldn't just say 'I'm sorry.'

"May the heavens crush me if I don't arrive on time this time," Starlight scolded herself as she trotted. The unicorn had already started running out of impatience on her way to Maud's house.

As if the universe heard her words, an unexpected lump appeared out of nowhere and flattened her.

"Auuuughh, what the heck?" exclaimed an annoyed Starlight, who immediately got up, using her magic to move the lump that was on top of her.

"Coof, coof! Don't eat me! I don't taste good!" responded a flustered magician unicorn with a hat and cape.

"Trixie!" exclaimed Starlight in shock.

"Starlight?" Trixie responded in surprise, putting aside a cudgel she had conjured with her magic.

Starlight immediately released Trixie, and the two friends hugged each other.

"Are you okay? Did you hurt yourself?" the lavender-maned unicorn asked with concern, stepping back to check on her friend.

"Everything's normal. Just a little dizzy. I've had worse falls," Trixie replied, taking off her hat and shaking her mane to remove the rocks that had stuck in her hair.

"But how did you get here? You came out of nowhere," said Starlight, looking at the ceiling in search of the hole through which Trixie should have fallen.

"Don't be so surprised. I simply used my great and powerful magic. I used teleportation," Trixie replied proudly while dusting off her hat.

"Underground?" Starlight responded skeptically. It was common knowledge that teleportation usually didn't work well underground, especially considering the Everfree Forest above them. It could be said that Trixie's decision had been very imprudent.

"I've got it covered. Besides, I did it because I planned to surprise our friends with an impressive and unexpected appearance in the middle of the party, so this accident only counts as a simple rehearsal."

"Of course... you really know how to make an entrance," Starlight said, pointing at her with her hoof, not entirely convinced by her friend's words.

"It's my trademark, dear," Trixie replied, finishing adjusting her hat and ready for action.

Both friends broke into short but cheerful laughter. It was clear that each knew what the other was thinking. Their friendship had grown enough to understand each other to that extent. Without further interruptions, they both continued their journey to Maud's house.

--------------------

"You really should have been there; the majestic gardens of Ponylonia are a true wonder of the ancient world," exclaimed an excited Trixie on her way to Maud's house.

"Yeah, I can imagine," responded Starlight, sounding somewhat bored and uncomfortable by her side.

They were getting close to Maud's house, and Starlight could be glad about that. Their conversation had shifted through various topics, from school matters and changes in the student body to Trixie's recent expedition across the Great Desert. Initially, Starlight had been happy to hear about her friend's great discoveries or, rather, the alternative tourism she had undertaken. However, the passion with which Trixie told these stories had started to scrape at the feelings of guilt that Starlight had buried.

Starlight had really wanted to accompany her, but a severe accident with the school's bio-garden had delayed her trip and ultimately left her with no choice but to cancel it.

Trixie had set out with Hoo'Far for Ponylonia on an expedition she had programmed and plotted the route for herself. While her friend discovered the secrets of an ancient wonder, Starlight had to deal with an outbreak of Brain-Eating Octo-Orchids gone wild.

"By the way, Trixie, I know you just got back from your trip a few days ago, but... do you have any idea how the bio-garden at the school got infested with Brain-Eating Octo-Orchids?" Starlight interrupted Trixie's monologue.

"I haven't the faintest idea," the unicorn responded immediately.

Starlight frowned. That immediate response wasn't what she wanted to hear. According to the testimonies of several students, someone had been entering the bio-garden during the night in the weeks leading up to the incident. The key to enter was in the care of the professor on duty, in this case, Trixie.

On top of this, there was Hoo'Far's intriguing comment about how happy her friend had been throughout the trip.

Starlight knew Trixie, and she didn't believe her friend had deliberately sabotaged the trip to keep her from joining. However, it was possible that she had 'accidentally' been conducting some unauthorized experiments in the bio-garden.

Starlight was aware of the personal projects Trixie had and how she had used school resources to carry them out in the past.

Using her position as headmistress, she had covered her flank back then with a promise not to do it again. But that promise seemed to have aged poorly.

"You know, I've been thinking about closing the bio-garden," Starlight said casually.

"No way!" Trixie exploded but quickly calmed down when she saw her friend's inquisitive look.

"I mean... as the student counselor, I think it would be very detrimental to the school. The bio-garden is a crucial environment in the students' development," Trixie continued in a more academic tone.

"Yes, I know, which is precisely why I plan to close it for some renovations to make it a more inclusive place for everyone."

"Oh, I see... When will you do it?" Trixie asked, looking at the wall.

"Probably by the end of next month, after the student graduation ceremony."

"Ah, yes, the ceremony," Trixie responded, who, on the other hand, with her magic, was taking notes of what Starlight had just told her.


Starlight had a pronounced frown as she gazed at Trixie.

"Uhmm, that reminds me. Starlight, how's the schedule for our next year's vacation coming along?" Trixie asked, turning to look at her friend.

A knot formed in Starlight's throat at that moment. A great concern she had been trying to hide returned to her like a cold shower. Without knowing what to say, she nervously looked ahead to find a way to divert the conversation.

Soon, she found a solution.

"Hey, look, we've arrived at Maud's house. Let's hurry!" Starlight suddenly said, pointing ahead. Without warning, she began to run toward the door of Maud's house, just a few dozen meters away.

"Wait, don't change the subject. I asked you how the schedule for our vacation is going. Wait!" Trixie shouted as she ran, trying to catch up to Starlight, who seemed to be trying to evade the conversation.

But Starlight was much faster, and soon a great distance separated them. Realizing that she wouldn't catch up, Trixie decided to play her trump card.

In a quick flash of her horn, Trixie teleported in front of her friend, right in front of the curtain door that served as the entrance to Maud's house.

Starlight came to an abrupt stop, her path blocked by Trixie.

"Hah, yes, about that... can we talk about it later?" Starlight finally responded, her voice filled with uncertainty.

Now it was Trixie who was frowning.

"If I recall correctly, you promised to make a great effort to find the right temporary head so we could finally have our incredible and long-delayed vacation, which we've been planning for the last three years!" Trixie exclaimed, almost shouting as she shot a disapproving look at Starlight. The sharp unicorn had already sensed that something was amiss with her friend's responses.

"It's not about that..." Starlight was biting her lip.

Trixie raised an eyebrow, noting the unexpected tension in Starlight. There was definitely something important she wanted to tell her. But if it was another excuse, like the many times before, she wouldn't let it slide this time.

Finally, Starlight sighed wearily and decided to drop the bomb.

"I'm not currently looking for someone to take on the temporary position, but someone for the permanent one. I'm thinking about stepping down from my role as headmistress of the School of Friendship," Starlight finally said with a completely serious look.

Starlight had already imagined the possible reactions from Trixie to this news. The great doubts and mental turmoil that her friend might be going through. She herself was still not entirely convinced of her own judgment, but if anyone could provide a better perspective to help her clear her thoughts, it would be her great friend...

"THAT'S WONDERFUL! HIIIIIIIIIIII!" Trixie exclaimed in a whinny and then gave Starlight a big hug.

"Wh-what!?" Starlight responded, shocked by her friend's immediate and accurate response.

"YES, I KNEW THAT ONE DAY YOU'D FINALLY DITCH THAT HORRIBLE JOB AND DEDICATE YOURSELF COMPLETELY TO MAGIC WITH ME!"

"Wait, that's not what you're thinking! This isn't about the job, I..." Starlight could hardly respond. In her head, she thought, "What happened to 'YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL DIRECTOR POSITION' and 'I GIVE YOU MY FULL SUPPORT' that you always say to me!"

"Now we'll be able to spend more time together and go on adventures all over the place. WE'LL BE THE FIRST PONY FRIENDS TO CIRCUMNAVIGATE THE WORLD! YES, I CAN ALREADY SEE IT: 'THE GREAT AND INCREDIBLE EQUINE TOUR OF TRIXIE AND STARLIGHT AROUND THE WORLD'!" Trixie exclaimed almost hysterically, addressing some empty space in the cavern.

Starlight had to do something; the conversation was spiraling out of control.

Without much thought, Starlight ignited her horn and caught Trixie with her magic, who had started jumping with joy all around. "Trixie, calm down, you're not getting it!"

"Alright, alright... I understand. I know you're confused, but we have to accept changes when they come," said Trixie, patting Starlight's cheeks.

Starlight didn't know how to respond to those words.

Without further ado, Starlight sat down with a mute and distressed expression where she was. The conversation wasn't going the way she had hoped. Part of her really... wanted to cry.

Trixie stopped her joy abruptly, sensing the distress in her friend.

"What's wrong, Starlight? You don't seem so happy about this news."

"Do you even hear yourself? I'm not happy about this. You're not supposed to be so happy about this either. I haven't even made a final decision about it!" Starlight exclaimed with frustration, with tears welling up in her eyes.

"I'm sorry... I think I got carried away..." Trixie responded, setting aside her selfish joy. "Although you should've mentioned that from the beginning. Come to think of it, you haven't told me why you want to step down as headmistress."

"Isn't that exactly what you should've asked me from the beginning?" Starlight retorted, rubbing her eyes.

"Okay... I'm sorry... So, tell me, friend, why do you want to quit being the headmistress?" Trixie asked, taking a seat next to Starlight.

"Well... I..."

"Is it a health issue?" Trixie interjected, concerned.

"No," Starlight immediately responded.

"Uhm... Wait! Did Twilight order you to do it?" Trixie asked with a sharp and suspicious look, getting up.

"No, no."

"Uhm... So..." Now Trixie was genuinely confused.

"It's something... complicated," Starlight responded, resigned, looking away.

A silence hung between the two friends. Starlight no longer wanted to continue the conversation with Trixie. At least not for the moment. She now doubted whether sharing her true feelings with Trixie would actually help her become more certain of her decision. She had to admit it, she had made a mistake.

"This was a mistake. I think I shouldn't have told you like this," Starlight said, standing up.

"But what are you saying? If it's something important, you can trust me and tell me," said Trixie, now concerned, placing her hoof on her friend's shoulder.

"No, let's drop the subject for now. Don't worry, it's not something serious... tomorrow afternoon, I'll be free at Twilight's castle. I'll tell you everything then. Are you okay with that?" Starlight responded with a determined look, now certain of her decision.

"Uhmm, well, alright..." Trixie replied, somewhat annoyed. She didn't have time for this kind of drama. She preferred that important conversations be direct and to the point.

But when it came to Starlight, she was willing to accept it.

"But at least tell me what's going on. Is it about your job as the headmistress or is it about me?" Trixie continued.

"It's something very personal," Starlight declared with a serious look and a firm posture, making it clear that she no longer wanted to continue discussing that topic.

Trixie wasn't sure what Starlight could be referring to. She was quite close to her, so this behavior from her friend was very surprising. Starlight had left her past mistakes behind, regained the trust of others, and was now recognized as a great pony. In many ways, she had outdone herself, to the point that Trixie had even felt jealous of her. But, aside from the heavy workload her friend had as the headmistress of the School of Friendship, what could be going on now?

Honestly, Trixie wanted to continue the conversation.

At that moment, without warning, the door-curtain opened.

"Hello... come in," Maud Pie said with her characteristic indifferent posture before returning inside her home, leaving the door-curtain open for her friends.

Both Trixie and Starlight, surprised by the sudden reception, looked at each other, wondering if Maud had heard their entire conversation. They could see the inside of the party and noticed that most of the guests had already arrived. So, it was safe to assume that they were the last ones to arrive.

With the earlier discussion behind them, the relationship between the two friends continued as usual.

"Well, Maud seemed... somewhat... anxious. Could it be that Maudbriar hasn't arrived yet?" Starlight asked, somewhat inquisitive, watching Maud walk away.

"Do you think so?" Trixie asked, not having noticed anything different in the rock-loving, reserved pony.

It was common knowledge that Maud and Maudbriar were a perfect couple. However, there had been rumors months ago that they had a fight and had grown somewhat distant since then. Given how private that pair of ponies were, there was no way to confirm those rumors, but it was a fact that they weren't seen walking together as frequently as before.

In a corner of the crowded room, a solitary Maud sat, near a table, sipping a drink while petting Boulder.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get in already!" Starlight exclaimed, noticing they had been watching the party from the outside for quite a while. Her good mood had returned.

"After you, my great and powerful friend," Trixie responded confidently.

Both friends entered the party with smiles, only to be immediately greeted by a confetti explosion from Pinkie Pie.
> Starlight's Dream
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------





On the outskirts of Ponyville, one hour after midnight.

"... ♪ and sang and jumped ♫, ♪ over the moon ♫, ♪ a cow ♫, who said MU!, MU!, MU!, MU! MU! MUUUUUUUUUUUUU!" sang Trixie cheerfully but off-key.

"MUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!" Starlight finished off next to her, beaming with amusement.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" the friends laughed hugging each other as they made their way home in the middle of the balmy night. DJ Pony trotted behind them with his signature beat.

Trixie's carriage, parked next to the Friendship School's bio orchard, was already in sight.

The party at Maud's house had been the liveliest in recent memory. Many guests had arrived, including teachers, friends and acquaintances, all of them trusted ponies. Of course, Maud was not a fan of such parties and immediately left with Mudbriar as soon as he arrived, shortly before midnight. Apart from this dramatic moment, there were no further interruptions to the party, which continued with dancing, karaoke, drinking competitions and so on.

So, leaving behind a party that just kept getting louder and louder, Starlight and Trixie decided to leave before they got caught up in a whirlwind of entertainment from which they could hardly emerge unscathed.

With a staggering step, both friends reached Trixie's carriage.

"Give me a moment, will you?" said Starlight to DJ Pony as she guided Trixie to her carriage. After a brief altercation with the keys, both friends entered the vehicle.

The interior of the carriage was as chaotic as ever, a mix of cramped and dusty, but, more importantly, it was a tremendously familiar place. The lights came on. Without wasting a second, Trixie shed her characteristic garb and made her way to her 'bed', making her way through her show packs and other junk strewn about the place.

Although Trixie called her resting place a 'bed', calling it a "makeshift hammock" would be more appropriate.

With a perfect hop, Trixie settled into her hammock bed and stretched out as a cat would before surrendering to a restful sleep.

"Aaaauauu, alas, dear Starlight, this party has been truly magical...I really gave it my all on stage, I can hardly feel my hooves," Trixie exclaimed as she rubbed her front hooves with a cream she kept in one of her boxes.

"That's what you get for trying so hard during competitions, you know karaoke is about singing and not stomping, right?"

"The great and powerful Trixie expresses herself best through her body," Trixie stated proudly, setting aside the cream and settling a blanket next to a pillow in her resting place.

"It's a shame the judges didn't feel the same way."

"You were one of the judges," Trixie protested, pointing her helmet at her, clearly exhausted.

"Yes, and for that very reason I must be as fair as possible to my greatest and most powerful friend."

"Oh, so could it be possible that she's getting special treatment from the blameless and righteous Headmistress Starlight?" asked Trixie, raising an eyebrow and casting a sassy glance.

"Probably..." muttered Starlight with a knowing smile.

"What an honor! hahaha Hip," let out an embarrassed hiccup Trixie, immediately proceeding to grab a glass of water which she made appear with her magic.

Starlight laughed and began to browse through the other belongings in Trixie's carriage.

Wizard hats in a whole range of colors, but with a very familiar design. "Enchanted" wands that weren't actually enchanted with magic, but cast a dazzling flash of light capable of distracting an audience during a performance. bee-bear traps? Now that was truly dangerous stuff, even if they weren't active. In addition, there were many boxes labeled with danger warnings....

Starlight examined all these curious objects with a mixture of awe and amusement, but an unsettling feeling began to well up inside her.

Then something else caught her attention. Several "Mare of the Year" magazines were stacked in a corner. Starlight felt uneasy and looked away from them, fearing what she might find. But... why did Trixie have so many of those magazines? And why did she have so many wildlife breeding manuals? Starlight frowned as she noticed a bulky stack of books that seemed to bear the school library's stamp.

Suddenly, a suspicion welled up in Starlight's mind, displacing the fatigue that was overtaking her.

"I see you have a lot of 'Mare of the Year' magazines. I hope it's not for-" Starlight started to say before being interrupted by a deep snore.

Trixie had fallen asleep. The sleeping unicorn wore a sweet smile, her breathing was leisurely, and she was snuggled perfectly under her blanket, surrounded by a subtle aroma of freshly poured cider.

For a few seconds, Starlight opened her eyes wide in disbelief at the rebuff. But then, she shook her head, resigned, and sketched a smile. Using her horn, she took a stuffed animal from one of the boxes and placed it near Trixie, who immediately hugged it warmly.

"Rest, Trixie..." murmured Starlight as she turned off the carriage lights and prepared to leave.

Ever so carefully, Starlight left Trixie's carriage without ever interrupting her friend's sweet sleep.

------------------

DJ Pony gave a brief farewell wave and took off down the path that led to Ponyville.

Starlight responded in kind and headed down the other path into a small forest. She had too much on her mind to return to Twilight Castle right away. She needed to jog a bit first, clear her mind and then....

Then what?

Starlight looked up in the middle of the path and was amazed to behold the glowing fireflies flitting through the forest. The treetops, as well as much of the foliage, had been decorated with lights, and numerous luminescent crystals decorated the clearings. These decorations had been put up the day before by the villagers and were a gift from Princess Cadance, delivered after the grave disaster that had occurred weeks before.

Absorbed, the unicorn continued to observe her surroundings. The gentle evening breeze carried to her the murmur of the stream flowing not far away. The sparkle of the crystals added a touch of magic that was truly a delight to behold. The tranquility and beauty of the place made Starlight's heart consider the idea of staying over right there until noon the next day.

But she couldn't do that.

A bitter discomfort gripped her quiet face until now. A question that had been bothering her began to flit through her mind again.

"Why am I the headmistress of a school?" muttered Starlight to the sky. If she had asked that same question to her past self, before she met Twilight, she would probably be questioning whether she was really herself or if she had been bewitched.

Starlight didn't hate her job. Nor did she find it overwhelming, at least not at the moment. But... was she really in the right place?

The position of headmistress of Friendship School had been given to her by Twilight herself. Her friend, the princess, had full confidence in her abilities to fulfill such an important role, and, of course, her judgment was sound.

However, this was not the future Starlight had chosen. She had not fought to obtain the position she now held.

Many might think that Twilight had abused her position by giving her the school. Starlight herself shared that idea, but accepted it because she knew it was a position of great importance and that there were good intentions behind Twilight's decision.

But that was back then... time had passed and Starlight felt... she could do more....

A year ago ...

***

Starlight had been invited to a principals' meeting hosted by the Equestria Education Association, or EEA, for the purpose of sharing management experiences and projects within the educational community. The meeting, led by Chancellor Neighsay, turned out to be much more enjoyable than Starlight had first assumed. So much so that Starlight had no trouble making friends and meeting potential new colleagues during breaks in the presentations and discussions.

It was then that she became aware of something she had been unaware of up to that point.

All the ponies present were older than she was; many were twice her age. In comparison, Chancellor Neighsay also seemed one of the youngest at the meeting.

After conversing with them and the Chancellor, Starlight began to realize that not only were they older in age than her, but they also surpassed her in experience and skills. All had previously been teachers and had undertaken personal projects related to education before assuming their roles as principals. They had completed advanced courses and were highly respected in the cities where they worked.

In other words, their positions were completely justified, and precisely because of the experience they carried with them, they had every right to perform the principal roles they held.

"What am I supposed to have been doing so far?" thought Starlight deep inside.

After the meeting, Starlight began to feel sick. She brought it up with Trixie, but she only said that those were the standards of the Equestria Education Association and that it didn't matter how old a pony was, but what they were capable of doing. She further pointed out that the Friendship School had its own standards as a unique entity separate from the other schools. Starlight agreed with her friend's advice and put the subject behind her, but the discomfort remained a splinter in her thoughts.

Shortly thereafter... 

Starlight received a dropout notice from one of the new students. The foal in question was leaving the school because it had been discovered that his parents had pressured him to enter the school and befriend only teachers or classmates who were adept at magic.

Being a talented unicorn in the field of magic, the colt had wanted to enter the School of Magic. However, due to certain limitations at home and prerequisites, he was unable to do so. Instead, the parents had forced him to enter Friendship School.

When the colt's parents came to take him away, a little filly stayed behind, following them all the way. She was his childhood friend, who had encouraged him to accept his parents' decision to enter the school, even though it was against the rules.

The distraught filly showed up at academic counseling the next day and explained her case to Trixie, who then took the matter to Starlight.

After meeting with the filly and explaining that it was not possible for her friend to return, the young woman left her office with a look of disappointment that pierced Starlight's soul.

A few days later, the young filly also left the school.

The next day, Starlight apologized to Sunburst, telling him she had a cold and that he should take care of his chores. That day, she spent the entire time drinking cider and eating oatmeal ice cream alone in her room. During the night, she had a dream in which she stood in front of a mirror and her past child self glared at her before walking away with his back to her. She woke up in the middle of the night drenched in cold sweat under the accusing moonlight and could not fall asleep for the rest of the evening. She barely managed to catch up with her work for the rest of that week.

"Aren't I supposed to be a better pony now? Aren't I supposed to have grown up enough to cope with situations like this?" chided Starlight amidst the darkness.

Days passed, and the conflict within Starlight was fading. She picked up the pace of her work and continued her days as usual, always with a smile on her face. However, during the nights, when she went to bed, the reflection of her mirror returned a suspicious look and, sometimes, her mane seemed to regain a silhouette that she had left long ago ... a long time ago ...

Finally, a few months ago ...

Starlight's work had increased, as had her popularity. In both cases, external factors were responsible for this trend. It was in this context that she had an unexpected meeting with Chancellor Neighsay, who made him a proposal that seemed like the heavenly answer to all the conflicts she had been trying to hide until that moment.

"A new teaching model?" repeated Starlight in surprise.

"It is just as you hear, Principal Starlight. Recent innovations in the use of enchanted crystals, made by the great wizard Star Swirl the bearded and her partner Stygian, now allow scenarios where it is possible to share information over great distances through secure channels at very little cost. Actually, many of my colleagues are very excited about the possibilities of this development and, above all, how it could change teaching as we know it," said Chancellor Neighsay in very good humor, sharing a thick folio of documentation with her.

Starlight reviewed it avidly; the project documentation was impeccable, which was not surprising coming from Chancellor Neighsay. Moreover, the rationale, timing, and scope of the project were even more solid.

"This...is very surprising. I can understand why EEA would want to implement a new teaching model so as not to fall behind with the application of this technology, but..." The doubt Starlight had had at the beginning of the meeting could no longer be hidden. "Why are you telling me?"

"I wish you, Director Starlight Glimmer, to lead the implementation of this project," Chancellor Neighsay replied without hesitation.

Starlight was engrossed for a moment, drank some water, and replied.

"I'm honored that you would ask something like this of me, but I don't..."

"I have many reasons to believe you are the right pony for this job, would you allow me to share some of them?"

"Of course, I'm listening."

"First, I would like to remind you that this is not the first time that an attempt has been made to implement a new teaching model in Equestria. Already in the past, there have been many attempts that failed due to project costs, lack of leadership and, above all, distrust of new technologies. It pains me to say it, but there are EEA members who do not give the use of new tools a chance and end up hindering their implementation. In addition, there are always debates about whether or not the use of these tools favors better education. For this very reason, I think that someone younger and with a more current vision could help my colleagues to accept these changes. You, Director Starlight, are very young and have unique social skills that would help build the bridges needed to keep all the ponies in this project together," Chancellor Neighsay finished his speech in a stern but gentle tone.

Starlight could hardly accept what was in front of her and what it implied, such as the fact that she would have to step down as head of the school if she agreed to take full charge of this project.

"Is there any other reason?" asked Starlight, making a great effort to hide her emotions.

"You are very close to Princess Twilight, having her as team leader would help gain her approval of the project and speed up the acceptance of changes that might come along the way," the Chancellor immediately replied.

"Don't you have her approval yet?" asked Starlight, quizzical.

"We've had some differences..." replied Chancellor Neighsay, sounding for the first time somewhat guarded in his words.

Although the EEA had a great deal of independence in its organizational decisions, there were still some cases where the Princess' approval was required, particularly in reforms as far-reaching as the one the Chancellor was proposing. If Twilight had not yet agreed to it, it could be because perhaps there were aspects that required better understanding or debate? Or could the Chancellor be withholding certain important details of the project from her that were not to Twilight's liking?

"I cannot make a decision on this issue at this time. I have to study this project in more detail and then I will inform you of my decision," Starlight said, calmer.

"I understand perfectly. Take as much time as you deem necessary, but I would like you to also think about the great opportunity this project means and the good it could bring to the ponies if it is ever properly implemented throughout Equestria," Chancellor Neighsay commented.

"I will keep that in mind, Chancellor Neighsay," Starlight replied, gesturing acceptance.

After chatting about other school and faculty matters, Chancellor Neighsay retired.

In her principal's chair, Starlight looked at the large project folio. On the cover, there was an image of two foals in two different locations holding hooves, sharing their words through a glass. Looking at this image, Starlight remembered her childhood friend Sunburst and how she had been separated from him when she entered magic school. She remembered the days when she wished she could have had at least a brief moment with her friend to chat and spend time together. She also remembered the painful, dark path his life took at that time, the days of loneliness and helplessness... the days when she sought to gain the power to change everything....

The forgotten ashes of her past self were reigniting inside her.

***

In the present...

Starlight's determined gaze was directed towards Ponyville, especially towards Twilight's castle.

"Sorry, Trixie, we'll have to save the small talk for another time," Starlight said with a smile into the wind. The breeze blew her mane back into the old shape it had been before she was headmistress, before she met Trixie, before she met the Princess of Friendship....

Starlight's eyes sparkled with the glare of the forest lights, reflecting the wild spirit she had awakened within her.

She had made a decision.

Starlight had a mission, more like a dream, a dream that had grown within her over the past few weeks.

"I will bring to every pony in Equestria the opportunity to know the meaning of true friendship."

With these words, which almost sounded like an oath, Starlight had made up her mind to realize the vision she had set for herself. Never again would she stand hoofed while a friendship was destroyed by the barriers of distance. She would put her all into Chancellor Neighsay's project and do whatever it took to achieve its success, even if it didn't end up pleasing Twilight.

All ponies deserved this opportunity to communicate without fear of distance. She would be the one to initiate this change in all of Equestria.

Undoubtedly, she would.

So, with her head held high and ready to face whatever came her way, Starlight began to move down the road towards home. She had had enough distractions for the day.

-----------

Starlight was trotting toward Ponyville in the middle of the night when she noticed someone standing in the middle of the road. It was a young mare in a light blue and white coat, with a fluffy white cotton-like mane and striking light blue streaks. She was carrying a traveling cap and some suitcases.

"A tourist? At this hour?" wondered Starlight, but immediately put her suspicions aside. It was the day of the Two Sisters Festival, and many ponies were wandering around the countryside at this hour, going from party to party or just enjoying the sleepless night.

After a short walk, she arrived where the stray mare was.

"Hi, excuse me, do you know where the two sisters' castle is? I think I'm a little lost," asked the tourist pony.

"It's a little late for sightseeing, and right now the roads to Everfree Forest are closed due to a plague," Starlight replied. "You'd best wait until tomorrow if you want to take a balloon tour there."

"Oh, Stars! Really, that's terrible! I don't have that much time; tomorrow my transport leaves very early. I don't think I'll have enough for a balloon ride...," the pony replied disappointedly as she flipped through a crumpled map. "Do you happen to know where Twilight's castle is?"

"Yes, I know it very well, I live there," Starlight replied casually.

"Wait! Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! So you're Starlight Glimmer! Hiiiiiiiiiiiii!" the light blue pony exclaimed excitedly.

"I'm the same as always," replied Starlight somewhat embarrassed, rearranging her mane. "You've heard of me?"

"Yes, you're the headmistress of Friendship School. Everyone's talking about you. hiiiii!" the pony whinnied even more.

Starlight blushed a little but restrained herself.

"Can you sign an autograph for me?" the pony continued excitedly, handing her map to her.

"Okay, and what shall I put?" asked Starlight in a good mood.

"Summermoon!" the pony replied enthusiastically.
> Trixie's Nightmare
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------





It had been more than ten minutes since Starlight had left Trixie's carriage, leaving behind her friend sound asleep and well settled in her bed. Or so she had thought.

Suddenly, Trixie, who until that moment had been in an apparent deep sleep brought on by exhaustion and sweet cider, woke up. Nimble as a rabbit, she threw the covers off her and tossed her stuffed animal aside. Without wasting a second, he checked through the peephole of the door amidst a pressing feeling of insecurity.

There was no one outside. Starlight had gone safely home. It was safe.

"Ahhh hu" Trixie groaned exhaustedly, collapsing heavily in the doorway and creaking all over the carriage.

She was not feeling well.

Trixie had arrived a few days ago from her trip from Babiloponi. Since then, she hadn't heard much about the crisis that had occurred a few weeks earlier at the school. It wasn't until that very night, during the party, that she was able to fully learn about the great disaster that had occurred in and around Ponyville during her absence.

Terror and chaos. Swarms of brain-eating Octopus Orchids crawling free in the gardens and streets of the town. Pony citizens under the mind control of the cephalopods, students cornered in the school, destruction of buildings, burned crops, direct intervention of a princess....

It was too much. Trixie could only drink cider and nod to everything the other teachers and friends were telling her. The crisis had been barely contained with the efforts of the Young Six led by Starlight and ended with the timely intervention of Princess Candace, who was visiting the school of friendship during those dark days.

In the end there were no irreparable losses to lament, apart from property damage and traumatized ponies.

The investigation was still ongoing, and as always, Everfree Forest was the prime suspect for the origin of the plague. Still, there were many unknowns in the air, all accompanied by rumors....

("Days before, they said they had seen those monsters lurking in the swamp.")

("Gosh... I heard that the school's biogarden was full of those pests! How horrible!")

("Some foreigner must have brought them in, those critters aren't from around here.")

Leaving behind the weary facade of naiveté she had maintained during the party and until recently, Trixie sank further to the floor of the carriage. She, unfortunately, knew all too well the truth of what had happened.

"Starlight, I'm sorry... I'm really sorry..... it's all the fault of those duplicitous Eucalyptus grease peddling pushers!" exclaimed Trixie between regretful and furious. There at the bottom of her pride, she covered her face with her hooves imagining the disappointed look on her friend's face if she were there and heard her.

Several months ago...

Trixie was strolling merrily along the outskirts of Ponyville when she accidentally stumbled upon a fair of amazing tools and objects for shows. Led by an eloquent group of camels, innocent Trixie was fascinated by their exotic wares. Trusting the noble words of the salesmen, she spent a good portion of her saved fortune as a student counselor to buy such props that would undoubtedly make her own circus shows bigger and more incredible. Confident in her actions and with the blessing of the fair's owners, Trixie left with a big smile, imagining how happy she would make her friends when she shared her new wonders with them.

Yes, this was the imaginary explanation Trixie kept repeating to herself and would tell anyone else who discovered the truth. Of course, she would never mention that she was at that fair at midnight. Nor would she mention that the supposed fair occurred every moon in a dark, unknown cave within the Everfree Forest. Much less would she say that this was not the first time she had done business with those suspicious looking dealers.

Trixie had only been the victim of a vile deception. That was all.

Among the many clandestine products she had acquired was a rather unusual one: a bunch of Octopus Rose seeds.

The Octopus Rose is an exotic creature that lives in the remote rainforests far south of Equestria. More than just a beautiful and unique pet, they are extremely sensitive and fragile creatures with a very specific diet, making them extremely expensive to breed in captivity. However, such an investment of resources could well be offset by the enormous income that could be earned from these creatures. The white ink of the pink octopus is one of the most expensive and sought after on the market. With multiple scientific as well as magical uses, any product that has any input derived from this ink would multiply its price by up to ten times its original value. It could be said that having a Pink Octopus nest was akin to having a living gold mine.

That being the case, Trixie had not bought the Octopus Pinks out of mere greed. These creatures were also known to produce a very special resin that, if used in fireworks, could increase their durability and luminosity and even make them susceptible to enchantment.

Thinking of the endless possibilities, Trixie had not hesitated to acquire them despite their exorbitant price. That same night, she secretly planted them in the bio-garden of the School of Friendship, this being the only place where she could keep these creatures in good condition. On the sly, she tended and nurtured them in the hope that Starlight would forgive her once they matured and share the proceeds with her.

However, misfortune soon opened her eyes.

The creatures that sprouted from Trixie's secret garden of hopes were not the helpless Octopus Roses, but ferocious Octopus Orchids, dangerous monsters known to parasitize their prey with mental domination, which they then slowly consumed their brains.

Furious at the deception and even more terrified by the monstrous truth, Trixie uprooted the Octopus Orchid garden and transported it to Froggy Bottom Swamp to dispose of it. Thus, by throwing the monsters into the bogs she left the problem solved. Trixie left extremely disappointed, not thinking too much about how nature would deal with those dangerous creatures. In the following days of her trip, the only thing that ever troubled her was how she could recover all the savings she had lost.

What happened next was familiar history.

"Why do these things happen to me, why?!" cried Trixie, pacing the floor as guilt gnawed at her insides....

The sound of a thump was heard from the window. Immediately, Trixie jumped to her feet and looked around in fright.

There was nothing but a branch bumping against the window due to the wind.

Again, Trixie sighed in relief. Then, distractedly, she saw her reflection in one of the mirrors beside her bed.

She looked pathetic. Her entire white mane was in disarray and full of debris from her junk. Her face, which always showed a confident and intriguing expression, now had a tired and fearful expression. Her skin, which used to look with a magnetic blue glow, now looked a sickly gray.

There was no trace of the Great and Powerful Trixie that everyone knew.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" cried Trixie, regaining the sparkle in her eyes. Working her magic, she grabbed a bottle of water and poured its entire contents over her head. She ran a towel over her fur, a fan and a large comb danced over her mane, then special make-up powders on her face. Under a sparkle of light from her own horn, Trixie, who had kept her eyes closed until that moment, opened them.

The dazzling reflection of the Great and Powerful Trixie returned a proud look.

"Very good dear Trixie, that's much better. What's past is past. Time to think about tomorrow," she said to herself as she picked up a notebook. "There is no time to waste. Our friendship with Starlight could be in jeopardy. It's time for you to focus and think about how to remedy it."

After giving herself that command, Trixie took a seat gracefully on a tiny bench, lit some candles, and began to jot down her thoughts. She didn't care that it would take all night and she wouldn't sleep. She would pay no heed to fatigue or sleep. Once the Great and Powerful Trixie made up her mind to do something, there was nothing in this world that could stop her.





Was there anything that could stop the Great and Powerful Trixie in this world?

The list of options was long, but among all of them, there were some answers that would hardly cross anyone's mind.

One of those options was that she would be attacked by a horde of pony-zombies in the middle of the night, and that was precisely what was happening.

Under the light of a gloomy moon....

"Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa hauuuuuuuu!" cried Trixie as she galloped desperately through the forest. Behind the unicorn, hordes of pony-zombies possessed by Octopus Orchid were chasing her.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" exclaimed Trixie in sobs as she galloped at full speed.

"TRIXIEE! BRAIN! TRIXIE! BRAIN!" cried the zombies, closing fast.

Soon, Trixie's path began to sink and she came to a ravine where it was no longer possible to continue.

"I didn't mean to! It was an accident! You have to believe me!" begged Trixie, now cornered by the zombies that had her surrounded.

"ALWAYS TRIXIE! ALWAYS NO BRAIN!" a familiar voice was heard among the ranks of zombies. These made way, and from among them emerged a familiar face.

Starlight was advancing toward Trixie, but there was no need to guess what her condition was. A huge cephalopod was waving above her head, as the pony's body spasmed forward. Her frothy drool splashed in all directions, and only her eyes, now swollen and about to bulge out of their sockets, were firmly set on her friend.

It was a frightening sight. Trixie trembled, terrified and unable to look away.

"Starlight ... I..."

"RAASHTTGDFFGFGFG!" the zombified Starlight shouted at her in what was an obvious command for silence.

Trixie closed her eyes in tears, resigned to her fate. She would rather be devoured by the remains of her friend than by any other pony. She thought it was a just punishment as her zombie friend's stinking breath spread across her face and her drool was already splattering all over her.

But something else happened.

Trixie then felt a strange warmth behind her, as if the rays of dawn were hitting her back. She opened her eyes, and all the pony-zombies, including the zombie Starlight, were backing away, frightened by the blinding light that engulfed them head-on. Trixie turned and saw an impressive scene.

There was a mare towering above it all, shrouded in a golden sun-like light, her body a flat silhouette of shadows with a wavy mane, her glowing eyes, revealing the unique magic in her being. There was no trace of evil or threat coming from her, but rather a halo of holiness.

Trixie squinted and saw her more clearly. The mare had a horn and wings, it was clear, she was a worthy alicorn princess.

The mysterious alicorn began to advance towards Trixie with a calm and majestic step, behind her was an enigmatic triangular portal of light.

"Do not be afraid, Trixie Lulamoon. Come with me." said a soft, familiar voice.

"Heh, heh, who, me? Wait, who are you? What are you...?" Trixie couldn't finish her words. At that moment, the light from the triangular portal spread out towards them, and they both disappeared in a rainbow beam.

***

Trixie opened her eyes, hadn't she done that before?

Confused, she looked around. The place she was in was... strange. Everything was foggy. Stellar lights surrounded her, as if she were in a clear glass passageway and outside of it, the cosmos spilled out into the vastness of darkness. In front of her, the large figure of the bright-eyed alicorn watched her without blinking.

"Where am I, what is this place?" asked Trixie in confusion.

"It's a safe place, Trixie. Please come with me," said the mysterious alicorn. Without another word, she turned and began to move forward in the strange hallway.

"Wait..." said Trixie trying to catch up, but as she stood up... she felt dizzy. As if she had just woken up from a heavy dream.

A dream.

"THAT'S IT! THIS IS A DREAM! OF COURSE! HAHAHAHAHA!" Trixie smacked her forehead with a hoof and burst out laughing, finally understanding where she was. She was dreaming, and the alicorn who had brought her there was Princess Luna who had rescued her from a terrible nightmare.

Although.

She didn't remember Princess Luna being so tall... or having that voice....

More importantly... Wasn't Princess Luna retired?

Trixie's thoughts continued to wander as her laughter was replaced by her bewilderment. On the other hand, the mysterious alicorn continued to move forward without turning around, soon her silhouette faded into the shimmering mist that flooded the hallway.

Silence surrounded her.

"WAIT! WAIT! PRINCE MOON!" cried Trixie startled as she realized she had been left behind. She ran down the hallway trying to catch up to her savior. She broke through the fog and suddenly found herself in a slightly different place.

An endless corridor stretched until it was lost to sight. On both sides of the fuzzy walls of the hallway, large white doors would be wide open, in gleaming glass arches.

Startled, Trixie advanced cautiously. But driven by a curiosity hard to control, she poked her head through one of the doors....

"Let every pony's eye see and admire the most magical and exceptional unicorn in all of Equestria, me, the Great and Powerful Trixie!" A tiny Trixie was adorably waving her hooves in the middle of a huge stage. Her audience, a large crowd of adult ponies and children, watched the foal talent show with much amusement. In the farthest reaches of those present was her father, watching his daughter's first performance with admiration.

From the doorway out of time, the gawking adult Trixie watched her past self impress her audience with the infallible rabbit-in-the-hat trick.

"What's going on, I'm here but I'm also there...?" exclaimed Trixie trying to comprehend what she was seeing. Suddenly, guided by a strong feeling, she began to check the other doors.

Just as her instincts had made her notice, that whole hallway was full of doors that showed her a moment from her past.

Her grandiose first performance.

Her memorable first live accident.

Her first trip alone.

Her first encounter with Twilight (she passed over that one and the others that had to do with her).

Her first encounter with Starlight.

"This is weird" Trixie said aloud to herself without losing her trot.

That hallway of nostalgia was puzzling and gave her no clue, there was also no sign of Princess Luna or whoever that mysterious alicorn was, had she taken a wrong turn?

Or did she? 

In her mental effort to understand what was going on, a memory came to her along with an absurd but hopeful idea.

"It's not possible, is it? I could be making a mistake, couldn't I?" exclaimed Trixie nervously, her little heart beginning to pound harder as she hurried back to the beginning of that passage.

Trixie galloped back down the hallway, checking each door and excitedly remembering each special moment in her life. With each door she checked, with each good memory she relived, the little idea that had enlightened her grew stronger, filling her with immense anxiety and excitement.

A long time ago, Starlight had told her of a similar magical situation, of how a humble pony could become something more?

COULD IT BE POSSIBLE THAT FATE WAS FINALLY CATCHING UP WITH HER?!

Trixie had never spoken highly of the alicorn princesses, especially Twilight. Whenever someone brought up the subject, she used to say things like, "She's no big deal," "She's just a pony with wings and a horn," "Any pony can do the same thing with enough magic," etc.

But deep down inside, she wanted to be an alicorn too. Perhaps she was being a bit petty, as there were other ponies who could very well hold that title with greater right, even Starlight, in her eyes, was more deserving of the title of princess than Twilight herself. She didn't feel worthy either, but if the opportunity arose, she wouldn't hesitate to take it.

Soon she spotted the large silhouette of the mysterious alicorn. Forgetting that she was in a dream, without wasting a second, she pounced on her and gave her a big hug.

"I'M READY!" exclaimed Trixie excitedly with sparkling eyes full of excitement caused by her deepest and most honest desire.

The mysterious alicorn didn't answer her. In fact, she didn't pay attention to her in the least. She only watched the inside of one of the doors intently.

A strange reaction. Trixie, startled, immediately recoiled. The warmth of the mysterious alicorn's fur felt very familiar and.... unpleasant? Now that she saw her more closely, she didn't look like Princess Luna, still, she felt as if she had someone in front of her that she already knew, but wasn't able to recognize.

Watching her carefully, she noticed a great nostalgia in the lost look of that alicorn.

Confused, Trixie looked in the same direction...

***

"Are you sure of your decision?" asked Chancellor Neighsay.

"Yes," Starlight replied.

This was the main room of the principal of Friendship School. And in the main seat at the desk indeed sat Principal Starlight with a very stern look befitting the conversation going on.

On the other side was Chancellor Neighsay with a similar expression.

"I can understand that recent unfortunate events changed your earlier response to my proposal, however, I would not wish to fall into misunderstandings with Princess Twilight. A private meeting between the three of us would be a most timely event."

"I can schedule an appointment next week. Setting this matter straight as soon as possible will be very favorable to all."

"I concur," the Chancellor replied with an intriguing smile. Starlight answered him in kind.

Trixie, who was watching the scene, did not understand what was going on. Starlight looked different. Trixie had accompanied her to numerous school reunions in the past and knew how nervous she got at times. However, there was something about her current countenance that made him think something wasn't right.

He didn't look like the confident pony she knew.

"If I may ask, how do you intend to handle the matter of your 'friend'?" the Chancellor asked suddenly.

"Ahem. Leave it to me in my hooves. It won't be a hindrance in the next stage of transition." replied Starlight with uncharacteristic initial awkwardness.

"I understand. I trust that the current ongoing investigation at the school won't find you as a suspect. But if that should happen..."

"You wouldn't dare," Starlight replied for the first time with a frown.

"Criminal acts of this magnitude cannot be hidden Headmistress Starlight, and while I admire your loyalty to your partner, the law is the law," the Chancellor replied with an icy tone.

Starlight sighed looking up at the ceiling, and after a few seconds....

"Well... what do you propose?" she finally replied in surrender.

"Don't worry, it's not anything significant," Chancellor Neighsay replied with a broader smile. "It's just some slight adjustments to next year's curriculum..."

Starlight, who seemed to have guessed the Chancellor's next words, closed her eyes and lowered her head.

***

"HEEEEE!" exclaimed Trixie as she watched the door turn black and disappear from sight. She turned around and discovered that the mysterious alicorn had been responsible for hiding that room with her magic.

"HEY! WHAT WAS THAT! WHAT'S GOING ON! RESPOND!" claimed Trixie indignantly. Having watched her friend being evidently blackmailed by Chancellor Neighsay had put her in a very bad mood. 

"IF YOU DON'T TELL ME WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT 'HOOFFS' ARE GOING ON, I DON'T THINK I'M GOING ANYWHERE!" exclaimed Trixie angrily, sitting down firmly on the floor. She'd had enough of that mystery show.

The mysterious alicorn waved her horn and one of the doors further down the hallway lit up. After a brief purple and lilac glow akin to a light bulb bursting, everything began to darken.

Trixie soon found herself surrounded by darkness, with her only illuminated by the light from her horn.

"THESE KIND OF TRICKS DON'T SCARE ME!" shouted Trixie arrogantly, but unease was beginning to spread within her due to the noticeable silence around her.

A dripping sound was suddenly heard in the hallway. Trixie turned her eyes. The dripping was approaching... no, it was something different, it was... a trot.

***

From the shadows that flooded the black stone passageway, the mature figures of Starlight and Trixie emerged with torches at a quiet, confident trot.

"Seriously, the traps before were so silly. Who puts a glass of milk and bread in the middle of a pedestal?" exclaimed Trixie boredly.

"I don't know, but clearly someone lives here - shouldn't we go back?"

"Does it scare you? Daring Do said this pyramid was safe. The big one is the really dangerous one. uuhhhuuu!" replied Trixie nonchalantly and trying to scare in a childish tone Starlight.

"I'm wise, we're not as young as we used to be, and what you said was that all pyramids were dangerous," rebuked Starlight.

"Well, that we are...but we're not here for that very reason. To relive our youth by living on the edge in defiance of danger," Trixie said with a smile.

Starlight rolled her eyes, but also smiled. Those were Starlight's words before entering that place, and the excitement she felt was the same as Trixie had.

After taking a few more steps, they came to a crossroads. The stone tunnel split into two paths. A large black statue of a dog with a stylized figure stood as a dividing point between the two paths. Holding aloft a golden scale with one of its paws, the effigy of the canine seemed an ominous sign of impending judgment.

The top of the portico of each path was decorated with a symbol. The one on the left was a feather, and the one on the right was a heart.

Starlight's danger instincts kicked in. This was a tipping point they couldn't ignore.

"Trixie, it would be best not to continue, this place is..." said Starlight, with overwhelming seriousness.

"I CHOOSE THE PLUME!" exclaimed Trixie gleefully and, with a reckless gallop, she took off into the darkness of the hallway to the left.

"NO! WAIT! TRIXIE!" cried Starlight in dismay as she began to run after her friend.

They both disappeared into the darkness.

***

Left behind was Trixie, the out-of-time version of her. There was a bitter taste in her mouth, as if she had experienced that situation before, but when?

"Shouldn't I have done that?" she wondered aloud, her expression doubtful.

A voice echoed behind her, breaking the silence of the mysterious place. "You should have chosen the heart," the voice said.

Trixie turned and there stood the mysterious alicorn again, shrouded in a halo of lilac light.

"Friendship allows us to propel our friends to success, but sometimes also to failure..." the mysterious alicorn murmured, her words weighing in the air.

A dripping began to echo in the tunnel, a sound that gradually intensified. Confused, Trixie sharpened her senses to locate the source of that sound, but it didn't seem to emanate from any specific point in the tunnel.

She took a few steps and finally realized where the sound was coming from.

Tears were falling to the floor, one after another.

Trixie was crying. The echoes of her tears echoed throughout the tunnel. Why was she crying? She didn't know.

Then, a sudden realization illuminated her mind.

The stark memory of what had happened in that dark tunnel came rushing into his consciousness. The knowledge of the ominous future poured painfully into her carefree present, a truth she would never have wished to discover.

Trixie realized that, once again, she had made a grave mistake, and this time, Starlight would be the one to pay the price for her actions.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" a devilish laugh echoed throughout the tunnel, as if emerging from the depths of the earth.

Trixie stood transfixed, feeling a sulfuric smell fill the atmosphere, as darkness took sinister shapes.

"WHAT A WONDERFUL OFFERING FOR THE DARKNESSES!" continued the volcanic voice that seemed to come from everywhere. Suddenly, the walls of the tunnel were illuminated with a greenish light, similar to the glow of embers in a bonfire.

An evil being loomed in silhouette in the portico of the tunnel to the left. It was a figure full of dreadful malice, a terrifying being that Trixie knew all too well....

"Trixie, don't let fear get the better of you! He has no power here! You must not allow..." the mysterious alicorn tried to advise in a firm voice.

But she was not heard.

Trixie struggled in the embrace of fear, an overwhelming guilt suffocating her.

Her only option was to flee.

***

With tears in her eyes, Trixie rode desperately through the gloomy tunnel, her heart pounding with the fury of a locomotive about to crash. The cursed pyramid seemed to imprison her in its endless nightmare, while malevolent shadows stretched out behind her like tentacles of a sickening greenish glow. The sinister laughter still echoed in every corner, and the ground trembled under the weight of her evil voice. The walls of the tunnel, like ancient specters, began to crack and shadows burst through the crevices like an unhealthy torrent, relentlessly pursuing her.

Despair filled Trixie, and her strength drained with every gallop. But then, like a glimmer of hope amidst the darkness, she spotted a faint light in the distance. It was the way out.

With his last reserve of energy, he rushed toward the saving door. Finally, he emerged to the outside and, with a nimble leap, stepped out of the door's main path. A viscous torrent shot like a broken pipe outward, taking eerie shapes as it went. As it advanced, the liquid seemed to take on a life of its own, spreading across the floor outside like hungry leeches.

Trixie, who could barely breathe, looked up. The midday sky was black as midnight, with unfamiliar stars adorning it and celestial bodies she had never seen before. Looking down, he beheld the desert, now illuminated by fires that stretched out in long rows.

Then the nauseating liquid that had flooded the place stopped, but was followed by an even more terrifying portent.

Guided by an unknown will, the black liquid began to gather at a point on the ground, taking the form of a gigantic shadow egg.

The huge egg-shaped shadow levitated and slowly approached towards Trixie, who was shaking uncontrollably with fear.

"NO ONE CAN ESCAPE FROM THE SHADOW!" bellowed the evil being emerging from the newly formed shadow egg. In its left claw it held a long scimitar, and in its right it held Starlight's unconscious body. "FOR YOUR GREAT KINDNESS, I WILL ALLOW YOU TO WATCH ME CONSUME THIS OFFERING. FEEL YOURSELF FORTUNATE FOR MY MERCY, LITTLE PONY, HAHAHAHAHAHA."

"NO, NOT HER!" cried Trixie, pleading in tears.

But such futile pleas only made the grin of the evil being holding Starlight grow. In a shocking move, it raised its left claw, pointing its scimitar skyward.

"WRYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!" it screamed in a squeal of delight.

Trixie, paralyzed with terror, watched in slow motion as the scimitar descended, coming deadly close to her friend's neck.

It was the end.

Then, a burst of light. A bolt of magic struck the evil being's claw, hurting it and forcing it to drop the scimitar. In a matter of seconds, it would have reached Starlight's neck.

The mysterious alicorn appeared above Trixie, her horn glowing brightly, ready to take on the evil being.

"YOU! BLASFEMA!" roared the evil being. "YOU CAN'T CHANGE FATE! IT'S USELESS!"

Tossing aside Starlight's body, the ambassador of darkness began firing green bolts of lightning from its claws at the mysterious alicorn, who responded with bolts of lightning from her own horn. The two soared into the sky, engaged in a fierce battle of magic.

Ignoring the bursts of light exploding around her, Trixie ran towards her friend who had fallen to the ground.

Holding her between her hooves, a grief-stricken Trixie cradled Starlight's unconscious body. Starlight lay pale and cold, with a serene expression on her face.

An even more intense burst of light ripped through the sky. An object fell near Trixie, raising a large cloud of dust. Out of the dust, a silhouette rose, revealing the figure of the mysterious alicorn.

The cloak of mystery that had concealed her until that moment was gone.

"HAAAAAAAAAAAA" cried Trixie with wide eyes, her astonishment mingled with fear at this revelation.

The alicorn limped forward towards Trixie, her purple fur and mane were recognizable, but she had features she had never seen before. The wavy mane she carried, her large size, as well as her golden garb... she was definitely not the same pony he knew.

Princess Twilight Sparkle advanced until she stopped in front of Trixie. She looked visibly hurt.

"Even in a dream, you're so strong..." muttered Twilight, exhausted and staggering, her gaze lost in the horizon.

"Twilight? Wait, what, what, how!" exclaimed Trixie, confused and shocked, unable to understand what was happening.

Twilight turned her gaze back to Trixie, closed her eyes and opened them again. This time, her expression was extremely serious. In a grave and solemn voice, she uttered her next words, "41 moons from now in the future, all must prepare for the coming of the Dark Lord Pit Prompt. When the time comes, you will remember my words and must pass them on to others."

"Hooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo" a shuddering howl echoed throughout the desert. The large shadow egg floating in the sky had grown in size and begun to crack, giant claw-like appendages and antennae emerged from it. A large inverted triangle of orange light dazzled from within, a choking light.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, YES! YES!" up in the sky, the evil being rejoiced at the sight of the monstrous new entity emerging.

Waves of black light began to pulsate from the cracking egg. The pyramids trembled in a dazzling green light with each wave.

Twilight, deeply dismayed, lit her horn and opened a triangular portal of light, the same one through which Trixie had entered at the beginning.

"You must return NOW!" commanded Twilight to Trixie, taking her body with her magic. However, Trixie resisted, clinging to Starlight's limp body, refusing to abandon her friend.

"NOOO, wait, Starlight is..." whimpered Trixie.

A wave of more intense black light erupted from the egg. The pyramids cracked, and their blocks were hurled into the dark sky. Twilight raised a powerful magic shield and resisted the impact of the blast with great effort, keeping Trixie at her side. The triangular portal of light began to crack. Everything around them began to spin as if they were trapped in a vortex of destruction and darkness. At the center of it all, the colossal monster writhed.

A gigantic, whip-like claw of shadows lunged from the eye of catastrophe toward Twilight and Trixie.

At the imminent impact, Twilight wordlessly lowered her barrier, grabbed Trixie with a strong magical grip and threw her into the portal.

"AUUUUUUUU AUUUUUUUU" Trixie plunged into the rainbow portal amidst shrieks of dismay and an exploding world. Behind, the last image of Twilight facing the darkness disappeared in an explosion of brilliant light.

Echoes of the alicorn princess' last words faded into the chaos.

Trixie's consciousness pierced the dream world. The before and after intermingled and collided in her mind. The previous cracks in the triangular portal of light widened and split apart.

The portal collapsed.

Trixie was lost, just a breath away from reaching her destination. Straying, she ended up falling into a time that should not be.





"Auch," Trixie whimpered on the floor. She had fallen off the stool where she had fallen asleep all night.

When she opened her eyes, it was morning, probably quite late because of the slant of the sun filtering through her carriage window.

Still drowsy, she stood up. Had she had had any dreams?

She remembered nothing, except... octopuses and doors.....

"Oh, my head. I shouldn't have drunk so much cider last night," Trixie exclaimed, with a heavy hangover. She could stay in bed, it was a holiday, and there was really nothing pressing to do....

Except the meeting with Starlight in the afternoon.

Trixie, who was about to pour herself a glass of water, froze, dropping all the liquid from the pitcher onto the floor. The sudden memory of her dream, the only complete fragment that still remained in her head, the one where Starlight and Chancellor Neighsay met, struck her thoughts full force.

Had she had a premonition?, had she been visited in her dreams by someone else?

Trixie strained to recall her dream, but nothing came to her, soon her head began to ache from the effort. Frustrated, she took a seat as her head tried to make sense of the only memories she still had, memories that were accompanied by an inexplicable sense of doom and unhappiness.

Then, suddenly, an idea came to her like an explosion.

"Is Starlight in danger?" wondered Trixie in a faint voice.

With doubt growing like a supernova within her, Trixie, grabbing her hat and cloak, rushed out of her carriage, with only one thought in mind.

To talk to Starlight and confirm that all was well.
> Meeting at Twilight Castle
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------





The old gardener Toggam inspected a large bush in the middle of the path that crossed the hill. It was a routine task he performed every day. Inspecting the size of the new mushrooms, checking for possible pests, collecting fallen leaves and branches, watering, and cleaning—these were tasks more demanding than most could imagine. Toggam knew this and chuckled to himself every time a pony made jokes about it.

After studying an ornamental bush shaped like bears for several minutes, which could simply be described as perfect, he proceeded to cut a couple of twigs that protruded from one of its ends.

"PERFECT!" exclaimed Toggam, now convinced and filled with pride, in the middle of the path.

But there was no response to his success. There was no pony nearby to admire his work, and none were expected to arrive for the rest of the morning.

Toggam sighed, exhausted after weighing the immense silence around him. He knew he wasn't the only pony working that morning. Others had risen even earlier than him to start their tasks. The mayor, the messenger service, the impeccable Headmare Starlight... Toggam was not alone.

Still, he longed for someone's company. Someone he could call a work companion, or even an apprentice would be enough... someone to whom he could show the life he knew and loved.

Another sigh. The lonely Toggam adjusted his hat and began to whistle. There was no point in dwelling on the matter in his thoughts. Soon, he would finish his morning duties and return home to his family. After all, it was a holiday.

As the old gardener cheerfully arranged the cut leaves to load them into sacks, a faint glow came from the other side of the horizon.

"Uh?" Toggam stopped his whistle and looked confusedly towards the castle in the distance. But he found nothing unusual. The building looked as magnificent as ever. So... had he imagined it?

A gentle breeze passed around him.

Toggam, an earth pony ignorant of magic but an expert in plants, noticed something unusual and went on alert.

The plants had fallen silent.

Toggam stood still in the middle of the path, surrounded by an abysmal silence.

Seconds passed, minutes passed.

Finally, Toggam moved. The sky, the plants, nature in general seemed to regain their daily rhythm. Even the sun, which timidly peeked through the clouds that morning, seemed to regain its true shine.

What was that? Toggam didn't know, but he had a bad feeling. Amazing and dangerous things usually happened in those places.

With renewed urgency, Toggam gathered the leaves and other plant debris. But when he went to open the sack where he would put all that waste, he found something unusual inside... a pink flower.

"Hey, little one, how did you get here?" jovially spoke Toggam to the flower, leaning his head closer to take a better look.

The flower's response was swift.

Toggam's body, which had leaned into the sack, twisted, and began to roll on the ground. Gradually, the figure of the pony sank into the sack that devoured him until he finally disappeared among the pile of leaves and branches he had gathered.

No one heard his last desperate scream in the middle of the path.





It was a wonderful day for a stroll on the outskirts of Ponyville, especially on a special occasion like the Festival of the Two Sisters. Sandbar, who was admiring the beautiful meadow in front of him, couldn't help but wonder how the morning was unfolding for his family, who were undoubtedly getting ready to travel to Canterlot and participate in the festival.

During these times, he used to wake up early to prepare lunches for his parents, uncles, grandparents, and other relatives who came to visit for the traditional family trip. He always took enough care to ensure that each one received the right food.

"I hope mom didn't make a spinach sandwich for grandpa; he's very allergic to spinach..." Sandbar worriedly recalled while sitting in his wheelchair.

Suddenly, a delicate tea cup on a saucer appeared in front of him, with a delightful aroma indicating it was ready to be sipped immediately.

"Thanks, Yona. That's very generous of you," said Sandbar, more uplifted, taking the tea cup. Behind him, Yona held the wheelchair he was sitting in.

"Yona here to help kind friend Sandbar recover. Sandbar helps friends when they're in a tough spot. Yona doesn't forget and helps now," Yona responded with a big smile.

"I really appreciate this gesture, Yona..." Sandbar replied, taking the tea.

"Please, guys, don't continue; I'm going to cry," a voice said behind them. On the other side of the path crossing the meadow, Gallus with his characteristic sharp eyebrows was approaching, not far away was Ocellus reading a book while walking.

"Yona, you should be more careful pushing Sandbar's wheelchair. It's a very delicate piece of hospital equipment," Ocellus scolded without looking up from her book.

"Yona got a little too excited leading the way on the stroll with friend Sandbar," Yona responded somewhat concerned.

"Don't worry, everything is fine, Ocellus," Sandbar added.

"Do you care more about the wheelchair than Sandbar? He could have fallen off the chair, you know?" Gallus remarked, as biting as ever.

"I don't think so, Gallus. Knowing Sandbar, he must have reminded Yona of all the preventive measures for properly transporting a pony wheelchair, so I'm sure he wouldn't have fallen. On the other hand, it's very sweet of you to care so much about Sandbar as Yona does for him," Ocellus replied with a little smile, closing her book abruptly and returning it to her saddlebag.

"Thank you! It's what I always do for my loyal friends. Where are those turtles?" Gallus asked, turning around.

"AAAAAAH!" Silverstream screamed in the air, being chased by Smolder. Both flew in from behind and started circling around their other companions. Smolder was teasing her friend with a rod that had on one end a Fried Octopus Orchid bathed in mayonnaise. Unable to shake Smolder off, Silverstream hid desperately behind the towering Yona.

"Oh come on, that's not fair!" protested Smolder, unable to continue chasing her friend.

"Of course, it's not fair! I'm not playing! Get that monster away from me!" Silverstream pleaded behind Yona.

"Stop that. Friends scare Sandbar," Yona complained, covering Sandbar in his wheelchair.

"I'm just playing with Silverstream, Yona, really!" replied Smolder, waving the rod with the exotic snack.

"I'm not playing with you!" Silverstream grumbled.

Seeing that her friends' argument was getting nowhere, Ocellus decided to intervene.

"Smolder, stop playing like this. Remember that the doctor recommended keeping a calm environment around Sandbar," reprimanded Ocellus, pointing out the growing panic in Sandbar, who couldn't take his eyes off the Fried Octopus Orchid that Smolder held.

"Well, well, alright, but I think he'll overcome his trauma faster by facing it," said Smolder, taking a hearty bite of her crispy snack.

"Do you have more of those?" Gallus asked with interest from the side.

"Yes, here you go," said Smolder, pulling another snack from somewhere behind her wings and giving it to Gallus, who wasted no time and also began to joyfully enjoy the delicious fried octopus.

Ocellus and the rest of her companions just shook their heads disapprovingly. On the side, Sandbar still trembled.

"Yona take care of Sandbar. Ugly spiders never hurt friends again," said Yona with a determined look, hitting the ground with one of her front hooves.

"Yes, Sandbar, it's all over. All the Octopus Orchids have been eliminated from the school and the town! They won't crawl into your head again and force you to do bad things. You just have to leave those ugly memories of how they crawled over you with their sticky suckers and tried to insert their tentacles into every one of your body's openings in the past."

Sandbar closed his eyes and swallowed. After a few seconds, he could only respond, "Let's just continue..." with a forced smile to appear better.

"I agree, we should hurry. The morning is ending, and we're almost there," nodded Ocellus towards her friends. On the horizon, the magnificent crystal castle was already visible, shining bathed in sunlight.

Without wasting any more time, the Young Six continued their way to Twilight's castle.


***


Twilight's castle, born from a seed-chest, was a castle with a design particularly different from any other known. It had towers, windows, a grand door, and many rooms inside like any other castle, but its structure made of a single magical crystal and a base that rose from the ground like a tree gave it a unique appearance.

Its entrance featured steps, also made of crystal, gradually ascending to its grand door.

At that very moment, Sandbar, Yona, Gallus, Smolder, Silverstream, and Ocellus were climbing those steps to meet with Headmare Starlight.

"Do you really think it's okay to do this?" Silverstream asked somewhat worried when the group finally reached the castle's grand door.

"What do you mean, Silvi?" Sandbar replied.

"To ask Headmare Starlight again to allow us to go on a graduation trip..."

"To allow us, you say!" Smolder protested. "We are the best students of the first graduating class of the School of Friendship. At the very least, she should allow us to travel to the far north."

"That's true! We deserve more than just a graduation ceremony or a trip. After all, with what we had to deal with during the brain-eating squid plague that attacked the school, they should build us a monument," Gallus responded, puffing out his chest.

"We didn't go to school to learn how to become heroes, Gallus. We went to school to learn about friendship," Ocellus said firmly, turning to face her companions. "But you're right. We've been through a lot in the past year; we deserve a genuine special activity to commemorate our friendship and our time at school. We must convey to Headmare Starlight how important this trip is to us and how it would help us conclude this valuable phase of our lives."

So said Ocellus, seeking to instill enthusiasm in her friends, but not everyone shared the same excitement...

"Headmare Starlight not agree with big graduation trip of friends," Yona pointed out with a worried expression.

"I know, Yona. That's precisely why we're here. I think she's making a mistake. The trip is important to us and is the rightful conclusion of our studies. I understand that the school is going through a tough time after the recent disaster, but that shouldn't deprive us of this opportunity..."

"Even though we've asked her many times since she canceled it... maybe this time she'll be a bit more annoyed than the last time," Silverstream replied, visibly nervous.

Everyone was aware that the last meeting with Headmare Starlight had been tense regarding this matter. She had asked them herself not to insist further until after the Festival of the Two Sisters. However, the Young Six had heard rumors that the director had already finished preparing the school budget for the next year, and it did not include the long-awaited trip.

Concerned about what might be happening, the group of friends decided to gather and present themselves to the headmare to "request" that the trip not be canceled.

Of course, acting in this way went against the previous agreements they had had. Moreover, they were acting based on only rumors. Ocellus understood this very well but felt that they had no other option.

"We must take the risk," Ocellus declared with determination to her companions.

At that moment, the castle doors began to swing open wide.

It was sudden; Ocellus startled, and the rest of her companions, in panic, tried in vain to hide behind the imposing figure of Yona. Up until that moment, they hadn't exactly coordinated what they would say to Headmare Starlight during this unexpected visit.

But that no longer mattered. The castle doors finished opening, revealing the figure of a unicorn.

The headmare of the School of Friendship, Starlight Glimmer, gave them a long look. She didn't look upset, but she wasn't happy either. Her mood seemed as calm as thin ice in spring.

"All right, what do we have here? A changeling, a hippogriff, a dragon, a griffon, a yak, and a pony... Definitely not the guests I was expecting," said Starlight, tilting her head toward them.

Ocellus cleared her throat with a big smile, trying to stay calm. It was strange that the headmare called them by the name of their species, but given the circumstances, she could sense that the situation was not as favorable as it appeared.

"Good morning, Headmare Starlight. We apologize for disturbing you so early, but..." Ocellus began, trying to choose her words as carefully as possible. "...we would like to talk to you about some school matters..."


"What matters?" Starlight asked sharply, eyebrows tilted.

That wasn't a good sign. Ocellus gathered all the courage she had within her and resolved to say what she had come to talk about with her friends.

"The matter concerning the current status of the graduation trip for the first graduates of the School of Friendship next year," Ocellus replied firmly.

Behind her, the rest of her companions seemed to whisper things like, "Well said, Ocellus! That's how you talk!" etc.

Headmare Starlight seemed to grasp Ocellus's determination and, after a few seconds of exchanging looks with the changeling, finally averted her gaze.

"Well, fine. It's not a good time, but I'll hear you out. Come in and join me in the meeting room," Starlight said with evident disinterest and started walking back into the castle.

"Thank you, Headmare Starlight, this opportunity is..." Ocellus replied gratefully but suddenly cut off her words.

Something abnormal began to happen to the figure of Headmare Starlight. Her body, which until that moment looked solid, started to fluctuate as if it were a reflection in a mirror, becoming translucent at times. The puzzled Young Six exchanged looks of strangeness at this phenomenon.

Ocellus, who had studied the fundamental concepts of magic, quickly understood what was happening.

"An illusory projection," she involuntarily murmured.

The hologram of Headmare Starlight then noticed the surprise of the group of young ones and turned with a smile.

"Yes, that's right, Ocellus. This is an illusory projection. Don't worry, as I told you before, it's not a good time. Right now, I'm too busy to even answer the door, so I sent this illusion. That doesn't bother you, does it?"

"No, not at all, Headmare Starlight. It's us who should apologize for interrupting you on a day like this..."

"Perfect! Come on, what are you waiting for? Enter," said the animated hologram of the headmare, and with a quicker pace, she advanced through the main hallway of the castle.

Behind, the Young Six set aside their doubts and finally entered the castle as well.


***


The hologram of Headmare Starlight faded away in front of one of the numerous doors along the long hallway where the Young Six were standing. If any of them thought that the castle was larger than it appeared from the outside, they would certainly be correct, but at that moment, none of them was thinking about something like that.

Ocellus sighed, trying to clear her thoughts. She used to get very nervous before a meeting, and although she had learned to handle it during her studies at school, there were still moments when it was difficult for her to concentrate due to anxiety.

"If only I had a cup of tea..." Ocellus thought nostalgically, remembering the spiritual peace classes with Professor Fluttershy.

Suddenly, a miraculous cup of tea appeared in front of her.

"Thank you, Yona, you read my mind!" Ocellus exclaimed gratefully to her friend and, without wasting a second, began to drink the tea.

"Don't be so nervous, Ocellus, we're with you," Sandbar encouraged her alongside Yona.

"Which means we'll just watch while you present," Gallus replied, shrugging his shoulders along with Smolder.

Ocellus frowned at that indifferent comment, but let it slide. Gallus was right in a way. Since the meeting was about convincing the headmare not to cancel the graduation trip, Ocellus had planned to make a presentation showing a self-financing plan to cover possible travel expenses. Although she had prepared this plan with her companions days ago, only she had a complete understanding of everything it involved.

Asking her friends for help in the presentation would probably only make the task more cumbersome and increase the chances of something being said wrong or not understood. On the other hand, if the trip's cancellation was due to non-economic factors, then it would be time to shine for her friends.

"That's not true, Gallus. We're all in this together!" Silverstream exclaimed excitedly.

Ocellus smiled; that was exactly what she wanted to hear.

"Alright, let's do this," Ocellus told herself and the others. With nothing more to add, she returned the tea cup to Yona and opened the doors to the room.

A large oval-shaped room unfolded before the Young Six. It wasn't as large as the Map Room, but it was extensively filled with bookshelves at its ends, and in the center were four large tables cluttered with work documents. This room was Headmare Starlight's private library, which had been adapted for her personal use shortly after moving to live in that castle.

Precisely in front of one of the less congested tables, the headmare herself lay on an elegant sofa, thoroughly reviewing some documents.

Ocellus and the rest of her friends moved toward the headmare's table, but before they could say anything, she spoke:

"Wow, you really take this friendship thing seriously. If you wanted to meet with me to talk about the graduation trip, one of you would have sufficed," said the headmare with a strange smile without taking her eyes off the document.

The Young Six looked at each other. Then, Ocellus was the first to respond.

"We're sorry if we're bothering you, but if you prefer only one of us to be present..."

"No, this is fine. I just hope you don't play foolish and start singing while holding each other's tails to try to convince me not to cancel the trip."

"Huh?" was the abrupt response from everyone to the headmare's 'unexpected' comment.

An uncomfortable interval of silence filled the room. From her seat, Headmare Starlight seemed to care little about the reaction her guests were having. On the other hand, the Young Six, still taken aback by the previous statement, didn't know how to respond, even Gallus looked surprised.

"Is she upset or something?" Ocellus thought, concerned. She couldn't remember the last time the headmare had spoken to them in that manner; definitely not the good start she was hoping for.

Headmare Starlight finally set aside her scroll and settled even further into her sofa. After giving them a long look accompanied by a mischievous smile, she said, "What's going on? Why so serious? Don't you like jokes?"

"Haa, it was a joke! ... good one, Headmare Starlight," Silverstream suddenly replied, as if coming out of the shock she was in. The same happened with her companions, who suddenly agreed with her too.

Ocellus sighed, exhausted.

"I hope that broke the tension you had. You don't have to be so formal with me now; we're not in school. Besides, you're hardly my students anymore..."

The Young Six showed mixed expressions of relief. School would soon be over for them... and then...

"... Leaving that aside, I think I can guess that you're planning to propose something to me. I also have a proposal for you, but I want to hear from you first. Alright, who wants to start?" Starlight asked straightforwardly.

Ocellus confidently stepped forward ahead of her companions. She had to thank Headmare Starlight's good judgment; her earlier comment had helped her relax more than Yona's tea had. Now she was clear on what she had to say.

The doors of the room closed, and the decisive moment that Ocellus had been waiting for all morning began.


***


The doors of the large room where Headmare Starlight was located closed again, leaving the bewildered Young Six outside.

Had they been successful or not? Ocellus stared at the door with a sense of bewilderment.

"Is the headmare always so busy on holidays?" Silverstream asked.

"Not really, I've seen her lazing around on several occasions. Anyway, it's a good opportunity for us, don't you think?" Smolder responded with a smile to her friends.

The group of young ones nodded enthusiastically at the unexpected turn of events.

After hearing from Ocellus about the group's concerns and the proposal regarding the graduation trip expenses, Starlight concluded the meeting with a big "we'll see." This obviously proved to be insufficient for all of them, so the headmare proposed something else: she was willing to give them a final decision on the graduation trip later that night, provided they did her the great favor of taking care of the castle for the day. This was because she would have a very important meeting with Chancellor Neighsay for the remainder of the morning and needed to ensure that no one would interrupt her (especially a certain student counselor).

It was a somewhat strange request, but considering there were no security guards available and none of them had plans for the afternoon, they agreed without thinking too much about it.

Headmare Starlight never failed her word, and the window for their grand graduation trip was still open.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's test this place for invasions right away!" Gallus proposed cheerfully, rising into the air.

"For invasions?" Ocellus replied, coming out of her thoughts.

"Haven't you heard the headmare? She doesn't want any interruptions, so let's make sure of that. Let's go to the security post and activate all the castle's defense layers," Gallus continued, clearly excited.

"Do you know where it is? I heard you can put a magical barrier around it and also deadly traps!" Silverstream said, also excited by Gallus's idea.

"That's not all, it also has security cameras implemented throughout the place. And a food storage in case of emergency, maybe we should check how it's doing..." Gallus continued talking, thinking about the strips of jerky he had seen in the storage the last time he had visited the castle. Behind him, the rest of his companions followed eagerly to learn more.

Only Ocellus stayed behind, still thoughtful about what had happened...

("Am I imagining things...?") Ocellus thought, recalling Headmare Starlight's unusual behavior during her presentation. ("It was like she was improvising, like she wasn't herself...")

"Ocellus, don't lag behind!" Silverstream exclaimed.

"Wait, guys!" Ocellus responded startled, leaving behind her concerns and preparing to catch up with her friends. Perhaps she was just overthinking it...





The body of the old gardener Toggam crossed a bridge on the way to Ponyville.

Yes, it was only his body; the rest of his consciousness was isolated in a dark corner of his mind. A hostile and parasitic entity had taken control of him.

A Royal Orchid Octopus, but if Ocellus were present and examined it more closely, she would add that it was a highly developed adult specimen of a superior rank in its species. It would be correct to call it Royalnopsis Orchid Octopus, also known as Royalinda.

Royalinda cared little about the names given to her; she only had one goal...

"BRAIN... PONYVILLE... BRAIN... PONYVILLE..." mumbled the zombified Toggam with foam at his mouth. Behind his head, the cephalopod pressed its suckers against the pony's head. Soon, its sharp beak equipped with a suction spike would reach the brain of its prey, taking complete control of that body.

This improvised meal was just the first step for her. Weeks ago, all her colony members had been eradicated by the ponies during the initial invasion of her people. She, who had a slower development but very superior intelligence, had stayed on the sidelines, observing from the shadows. Now, with the ponies having lowered their guard and having gathered enough information from their leaders, it was the opportune moment to start a new invasion plan.

She would take control of the mayor that night, then, in the following week, of Sweet Apple Acres and its inhabitants. Gradually, she would spread undercover agents in all the families of the town by selling apples. In just a month, Ponyville would be under her control; then, she would repeat the same steps in the capital and nearby cities. Finally, before the year ended, all of Equestria would be hers.

These were the dark and ambitious plans that the tiny but malevolent Royalinda had devised.

Thus, with the clumsy but unstoppable steps of her captive host, she would soon cross the bridge and reach a peaceful world that she would plunge into an era of shadows and slavery.

"No one in Equestria can stop me! Not the ponies, not the dragons, not any other race! The whole world will bow before its new supreme ruler! I will be unstoppable! HAHAHA!"

"MOVE ASIDE!" a shout was suddenly heard. Trixie, running as fast as an uncontrolled cart, rushed past, sweeping everything in her path on the bridge. The zombified Toggam was left behind, twirling from the impact until he finally fell into the river like a discarded puppet.

"What was that?" Royalinda wondered to herself, not understanding what had happened. A moment ago, she was at the height of her conquest dreams, and now she was soaked under the bridge.

Without wasting time, Royalinda began to explore the mind of the zombified Toggam. The image of a face and silhouette perfectly recognizable came to her thoughts. Immediately, an emotion filled her entire body; her pink and fuchsia capillaries swelled in a bluish and purple tone that pulsated in waves all over her gelatinous skin.

Fury... a lot of fury flooded the cephalopod Royalinda.

The face of the unicorn who had collided with her was the same she had glimpsed the first time she emerged into the world. It was the pony who had cared for her with so much love since she was just an egg. The same pony who had promised her a great destiny and sworn that they would be together until the end...

The same one who would abandon her and her siblings in a swamp, at the mercy of beasts, cold, and loneliness.

It was that despicable unicorn...

A scream, almost a shout that only fish could hear, echoed under the bridge.

World domination plans could wait.

There was a more important personal goal she had to fulfill first.

Royalinda abandoned Toggam's body with a leap similar to that of a predator pouncing on its prey. The pony remained in the river, now just a hindrance. Hissing and with eyes injected with purple ink reflecting the anger and thirst for revenge dominating her, she ran among the plants using all her limbs, much like a spider would with its legs. Fleetingly, she disappeared into the foliage.

A tiny and unsuspected shadow crossed the peaceful meadow by the roadside heading to Twilight's castle.
> Assault on Twilight's Castle - Act I
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------





In Twilight's castle, in the grand map room, the only round table in the center of the room suddenly shimmered, displaying live the distant figure of a blue-coated pony with a white mane galloping at considerable speed.

Seated in the most important chair of the six surrounding the magical table, Starlight Glimmer furrowed her brow. She set aside the scrolls she had been reviewing and approached to examine the image. She soon recognized the pony dressed as a wizard rapidly approaching the place.

"Why is he coming in such a hurry?" she thought, perplexed. She had a meeting with him in the afternoon, so it didn't pose a problem. She had even prepared a scenario in case, for some reason, he arrived earlier than scheduled. However, what was the reason for this rushed visit?

Then, an obvious answer came to her thoughts, putting her on guard.

"Has he discovered me?" she spoke to herself with seriousness.

It shouldn't be possible, considering all the countermeasures she had taken... or could it be...

The sudden doubt that erupted in Starlight's mind vanished. There was another answer that could better explain what was happening. If she considered all she had investigated and learned from the unexpected visit of the younger bearers of the elements of harmony earlier in the morning, then she could conclude that what was happening now was a consequence of past actions taken by that irresponsible pony, actions of which the 'previous' Starlight was unaware.

"Ugh, how annoying. I've had enough of these trivialities..." muttered Starlight, losing all interest. That pony was not a threat, but a nuisance. A nuisance best left for others to handle. Even if the situation got out of control, she had countermeasures ready to isolate the 'nuisance'.

The plan was already in motion; it wouldn't be stopped.

"But... what if I add...?" she murmured thoughtfully, but immediately shook her head. It was pointless. Glancing at the hourglass by her side, she confirmed her thoughts. It was almost complete. She had spent too much of her limited time dealing with the group of children earlier; it was time to conclude her duties.

With just a flick of her hoof, the scrolls on the table vanished along with the image of the hurried pony. Next, Starlight tossed a small crystal into the center of the table, and it lit up.

A dark silhouette was projected holographically in the middle of the table.

Starlight bowed and said, "The first passenger has boarded."

"Blessed tide. The other passengers have also boarded; let us proceed with the next phase immediately," announced an unknown voice.

"Excellent, I'm sending you my coordinates."

Starlight retrieved another crystal, and it flickered for a few seconds, as did the one on the dark projection's side.

"All is in order..." announced the unknown voice as the crystals finished their glow. "THE TRAIN DEPARTS FROM THE STATION!"

"See you at midnight," responded the lavender-maned unicorn.

The hologram faded, leaving Starlight alone in the room.

She rose from her seat and cast a amused look at the star-shaped emblem shining on the chair where she had been seated. Then, a wide smile spread across her face, but it was not a friendly smile...

"The greatest victories are achieved before the first battle is even fought... hehe... Checkmate, princess...", said Starlight before disappearing in a teleportation light.





From one of the balconies of Twilight's Castle, Ocellus observed with great interest the illuminated horizon of that sunny morning through a telescope.

A large cloud was drifting slowly in the distance.

"It looks like a cloud from the Everfree Forest..." murmured Ocellus, puzzled.

"Is everything okay, Ocellus?" responded Gallus, from behind, flexing his wings at the opposite end of the balcony.

"Oh, it's nothing important! Well, maybe it is... Tell me, Gallus, what do you think of that cloud?"

Gallus turned around and directed his gaze to the horizon in the same direction Ocellus was pointing. After squinting to sharpen his sight, he spread his wings and, with a flap, soared into the air to surpass the castle's height.

After a few seconds in the sky, he returned to the balcony.

"Well, what can I say, it's definitely some weird weather from the Everfree Forest. It looks like a storm cloud moving northeast."

"Oh no! That's not good. They forecasted good sunny weather for the entire Canterlot periphery. I have to report this immediately."

"Hey, aren't you being too diligent? The weather team must have it covered. Plus, it's heading northeast. There's nothing there except the train tracks."

"Anyway, someone has to let them know," replied Ocellus, pulling out parchment and a quill.

"Haha, we wouldn't expect anything less from the future 'teacher' Ocellus," teased Gallus.

Ocellus, about to write, paused her quill and looked at Gallus with surprise.

Gallus, who was about to eat a corn snack, froze upon realizing the serious slip-up he had made.

"Did you read my diary?" asked Ocellus, frowning.

"Umm... I just remembered I didn't close the security post door. I'd better go back before the guys do something stupid..."

"Did you read my diary, Gallus?" asked Ocellus, raising her voice and standing up indignantly. Private diaries were one of the most important personal possessions in the lives of the Changelings. Ocellus was no different, and the mere idea that a close friend like Gallus would do such a thing angered her even more.

"Well... uh..." nervously, Gallus glanced towards the balcony entrance, already thinking about fleeing the scene. At that moment, the rest of their friends arrived, alerted by Ocellus's voice. They were very surprised to see the scene; such sudden anger in Ocellus was very rare to witness.

Gallus, nervous about not knowing what to respond, remained silent, slowly stepping back towards the others.

Then, Smolder, understanding what was happening, spoke up.

"He didn't read your diary, Ocellus, it was me," said Smolder, very serious and in a firm posture.

"What?" exclaimed Ocellus, surprised by the sudden revelation.

"It was shortly after the invasion of the orchid-octopi, when we were cleaning up the flooded dormitories at school, I found a diary in the trash. I didn't know it was yours, so I kept it and started reading it. I found it very funny, so I also shared it with the rest of the gang. That's when Yona and Silverstream told me it was yours."

The shaken Ocellus was still processing what her friend had just told her. Weeks ago, she had found her diary in the lost documents section of the library. She was very puzzled about how it had ended up there after losing it during the orchid-octopi invasion. Although her friends had previously told her that they couldn't find it during the school cleanup, it was now clear that it hadn't been true.

Her surprise quickly gave way to another more obvious concern.

"How much did you read from my diary...?" asked Ocellus, already dreading the response her friends might give her.

"No, no, no. We didn't find out much, really!, except your big... I mean, little dream of being a teacher..." said Silverstream, somewhat nervously.

"And the long poems dedicated to Princess Twilight to return to school," added Yona.

Ocellus, now embarrassed, blushed as she saw the mixed expressions on her friends' faces.

"It was an accident, Ocellus. It wasn't on purpose. We would never spy on anyone's private diary."

"But you did spy on Sandbar's...," corrected Smolder with a suspicious look.

"That was a bet, it's different," Gallus responded immediately.

"Enough, guys. Ocellus, are you okay?" Sandbar interrupted, advancing in his wheelchair, noticing the distress in Ocellus.

Ocellus hadn't said anything up to that point. Her heart was cold, and her thoughts were elsewhere, in the midst of a dark suspicion.

"Are you mad at us?" Silverstream asked.

"No. Well, I understand it was an accident, so it's okay, I forgive you," Ocellus responded mechanically, betraying a total lack of spirit in her words.

"Phew, what a relief, guys. Everything's fine!" responded cheerfully Silverstream to the others, but she stopped herself when she noticed the concern in the rest of her classmates.

Soon, she too became concerned as she noticed the cold expression on Ocellus's face.

"Okay, you forgive us, but something still bothers you," said Smolder, breaking the cold atmosphere.

"It's nothing," replied Ocellus.

"Come on, if you're really mad at me, I can accept any punishment you give me."

"It's not that."

"Then what is it?"

"Well, it's silly, but... for a moment, I thought you were only being so nice to me and helping me with the school trip just because you didn't want me to find out what happened with my diary," said Ocellus with evident sadness.

Silence filled the balcony.

"Hee! Of course not, we really care about the trip," replied Smolder, approaching her friend. "And yes, we felt a little guilty at first, but we definitely care about what you're doing and you matter more to us, Ocellus."

Everyone else nodded, confirming Smolder's words.

Then, finally, a relieved smile spread across Ocellus's face as she sensed the honesty in her friend's words. Soon, the cold feelings that had paralyzed her heart just moments before melted away, and she was herself again.

"Thanks, guys, I'm really glad to hear that," Ocellus responded genuinely uplifted.

"We're glad we didn't find out more from your diary. Ouch!" said Gallus, but he was interrupted by a nudge from Sandbar.

The group of friends laughed again; everything was as it always had been.

"Don't you feel like something's missing?" Silverstream asked, suddenly stopping her laughter.

The answer came quickly.

"Group hug!" Yona bellowed to her friends.

"Now? Haaa!" Gallus exclaimed, being pulled into the air by Yona as he tried to escape. In an instant, they were all caught in a tight Yak-style hug in the middle of the balcony.

"Ouch, ouch, ouch, Yona... that's... enough!" cried Ocellus as she felt her exoskeleton being compressed.

The hug ended at that moment, and Yona released her friends, who couldn't help but take a deep breath to recover lost air.

"Haaa... Well, I think we've had enough doses of friendship for one day. If you need me, I'll be in the storeroom..." Gallus said, recovering from his friend's powerful hug.

"WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING?" Smolder exclaimed, raising her voice towards Gallus, who was already re-entering the castle.

"Eh? I didn't say anything, I'm going to the storeroom..."

"Like that? Don't you forget something?"

"What could it be?"

"Maybe a certain griffon with a feather memory doesn't remember making a 'dragon oath' to his friends that he would never speak about a certain diary for the rest of his life," Smolder said, with a look befitting a dragon whose treasure had been stolen. Beside her, a surprised Ocellus watched what was happening.

"Come on. We've already moved on from that...," Gallus responded.

"You made a dragon oath!" exclaimed Smolder, pointing her claw at Gallus.

"I really don't care, Smolder," said Ocellus, trying to calm her friends.

"He has to pay for his mistake, Ocellus," roared Smolder, who was not willing to back down from her position. Ocellus looked to the rest of her friends for help, but their gaze was stern.

"Yaks never fail their word. Understand dragon oath very well. Oath must be respected," said Yona solemnly; beside her, Silverstream and Sandbar nodded in agreement, showing they shared her position.

"Seriously, guys!" Gallus complained as he saw his friends turning against him.

"Is there any way to fix this?" Ocellus asked, now concerned about how the situation was evolving.

"Well, yes, there's one or another way to fix it. But the main thing is that he has to suffer a punishment!" Smolder pronounced.

"A punishment?" Ocellus repeated; she didn't like the idea. Gallus seemed to like it even less now, and he was now frowning in annoyance.

"Uhh I know, he should shave the feathers on his head before graduation," suggested Silverstream cheerfully.

"Hey, hey, that's not fair!" exclaimed Gallus indignantly.

"They won't do that, right?" Ocellus asked Smolder, worried.

"Of course not. The punishment must be chosen by the aggrieved person. In this case, 'you' must decide it," Smolder replied to Ocellus.

All eyes turned to the shy changeling.

"Heeee!" exclaimed Ocellus nervously. "I can't do that, he's..."

Gallus sighed, already resigned. "It's okay, Ocellus. Give me a punishment, and it's fine by me."

"But, Gallus..." Ocellus said, unsure of what she should do; then she turned her gaze back to Smolder. "You said there were other ways, right?"

"Yes. The other is for him to spend a hundred moons locked inside a volcano," Smolder replied with a malicious grin. Ocellus swallowed hard, aware that Gallus wouldn't last even a day in a place like that.

"Ocellus, it's okay. I deserve it for being a blabbermouth. Now give me a punishment and let's put an end to this once and for all," said Gallus, no longer interested in continuing that conversation.

Ocellus sighed, exhausted. Just a moment ago, they had given each other a friendship hug. Now she would have to sentence her friend Gallus. Did friendship really work like this? Did Princess Twilight go through situations like this with her friends? Or was this just something they did?

"I need to have private lessons with Princess Twilight in the future..." Ocellus thought disheartened.

Then, an idea came to her mind.

"Gallus, this will be your punishment. You must tell all of us, with total honesty and truth, what you wish to be in the future," Ocellus spoke aloud, without any shyness in her words.

Gallus didn't laugh. Neither did the rest of the Young Six. None among them really knew what the answer to that question was. For quite some time, Gallus had avoided answering his friends when they asked him about that topic. And when he did respond, he always did it in jest, so no one could really take his words seriously.

Now Gallus was forced to answer. The Young Six watched him with great interest.

The griffon with blue feathers looked up at the sky with his thoughts in the clouds. After being silent for a brief moment, he finally turned his gaze back to his friends on the balcony.

"I wish to be an adventurer. To travel like no griffon has ever done, to learn about the lives of other griffons in the colonies around the world, to broaden my horizons, and to bring all the knowledge I acquire back to Griffonstone to make it a better place," Gallus replied in a serious and mature tone.

The wind gently crossed the balcony. There, the Young Six stood speechless at Gallus's surprising answer. No one had expected that response.

"Wow. It's very noble of you to want to do all this for your home," responded Ocellus, breaking her companions' stupor.

"Well... it's not like I feel indebted to the other griffons in the colony. But if it's possible to make the place where you live better, why not do it?" Gallus shrugged.

"You have all our support!" said Sandbar in his wheelchair, also in a serious tone. Beside him, the rest of the Young Six nodded in agreement with his words.

"Thanks, brother," replied Gallus; both approached, claw and hoof met in a gesture of friendship.

The sun shone brightly over the Friendship Castle. A true group of friends stood defiantly on one of its balconies. And so they continued chatting among themselves for a few more minutes until...

"Hoo, I just remembered. We found out there's a manticore in the castle basement. Do you want to go see it?" exclaimed Silverstream suddenly, remembering why they had returned to the balcony before the discussion with Ocellus.

"Really? That's..." Gallus began to respond but was interrupted. A sudden screech reached them from inside the castle.

The sound was so loud and powerful that everyone covered their ears.

"Annoying noise! Where is it coming from?" growled Yona, trying to cover her large and sensitive ears.

"It's the intruder alarm in case of attack!" Gallus replied loudly so his friends could hear him over the noise.

"HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" they all responded in unison.





A peaceful morning stretched over the vast meadow surrounding Twilight's Castle. Like any other day, birds sang their cheerful melody among the branches, while butterflies danced among the flowers. Under the soft light, some creatures still yawned sleepily, while others hurried, aware that the day was already advancing.

However, the routine serenity of the meadow was suddenly interrupted by a growing murmur, which soon transformed into the unmistakable echo of hoofbeats.

Appearing out of nowhere on the horizon, the silhouette of Trixie Lulamoon streaked the path over the hill. Galloping at an impressive speed, the unicorn descended the trail, leaving a cloud of dust behind her.

Trixie was visibly in a hurry.

She had crossed the entire distance from the School of Friendship to Twilight's Castle without rest. Although she had made that journey many times in the past, she had never done it with the urgency that drove her now.

The fresh air filtered through her mane and sweat-soaked coat, witnesses to the urgency driving her. Her determined gaze would have instilled fear in anyone who crossed her path.

Throughout the journey, she didn't take a moment to rest. She didn't care about the elegance of her figure, now disheveled and sweaty. Nor did she regret missing her traditional double summer solstice breakfast that she used to enjoy.

None of that mattered in Trixie's mind, where only concerns and dark forebodings reigned, vestiges of the terrible nightmare she had experienced the previous night.

"Almost there... Come on, Trixie!" the unicorn encouraged herself.

Just a few meters from reaching the castle gates, Trixie, with her eyes fixed on her goal, quickened her pace even more, anticipating the moment when she would finally meet Starlight and put an end to her grim worries.

She was so close... and yet so far.

"PLAMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM." A dull and cutting sound resonated in the air, disturbing the peaceful morning and alerting all unsuspecting creatures in the meadow.

In front of Twilight's Castle, Trixie's body collided with an invisible wall, an obstacle that shouldn't exist there.

"Ouchhhhh." Trixie whimpered disoriented for a moment before collapsing unconscious. Around her, the morning continued to progress.





Among the shadows of the plants near the castle, an unknown presence lurked in the darkness.

Its prey lay motionless. It was a perfect opportunity to capture it, but it decided not to act immediately. It shouldn't underestimate her.

She would take her time...

The unknown presence hid once again among the shadows.





The sky stretched out in celestial shades, so deep that it was not strange to think that trying to touch them with hooves would damage their noble beauty.

"Magnificent..." Trixie thought in whispers, lying on the ground, gazing at that majestic sky with eyes shining with nostalgia and delight.

As a child, on clear days like this, she used to get lost in fantasies while looking at the sky, imagining herself as a magnificent figure among the white clouds.

Then, her father, who listened to his daughter's daydreams, would lift her high on his back and tell her that with effort and dedication, one day she would be in a sky of stars, a sky where Trixie would shine brighter than any other.

A sky reserved only for her... a dreamlike stage.

"Ouhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh."

Trixie brought a hoof to her head as she felt a stabbing pain in her forehead. For some reason, her horn was very irritated.

"Why does my horn hurt so suddenly...?" murmured the unicorn. Then, her thoughts abruptly stopped as she finally realized that she was on the ground. Trixie quickly got up and looked around.

She was in front of the Castle of Twilight, which was enveloped in a beautiful bubble of magic.

"But what...?" Trixie murmured, surprised, taking a few steps back. She didn't understand what was happening. Why was she there?

At that moment, a meadowlark flew singing over her head, and suddenly her memory refreshed.

The mental fog she had been in until that moment dried up and filled with anger.

"WHO THE HECK PUT THIS BARRIER OVER THE CASTLE?" she shouted furiously as she realized what had happened.

Just a few meters from reaching the castle, Trixie had crashed into the translucent magical barrier that protected it. If she had slowed down when she was so close, she probably would have noticed the magical wall in front of her. However, this didn't happen; she accelerated and ended up crashing, causing a big commotion.

Her impact had been so intense that it even activated the attack alarm installed in the place.

Now, indignant, Trixie stood at the gates of the Castle of Twilight.

Suddenly, the alarm that had been sounding constantly until that moment stopped. A double 'beep' whistled through the air, and the castle gates opened.

Trixie froze, startled. She had forgotten that Starlight had mentioned how busy she would be in the morning and also how much her friend got annoyed when interrupted. Quickly, she adjusted her mane and put on her best smile, hoping to mitigate the possible fury that would fall upon her.

Two figures emerged from the castle. Trixie's smile collapsed.

They were not Starlight.

Silverstream, accompanied by Gallus, descended the castle steps. Silverstream's smile was as usual, but Gallus's gaze definitely looked sharper than usual...

(Why are they here? Hmm...) Trixie thought, confused. Setting aside the urgency that had previously dominated her, she paid attention to the young ones approaching her.

"Good morning, Counselor Trixie! It's a beautiful morning, isn't it?" greeted Silverstream casually with a smile.

"Yes, yes, it's very beautiful, dear... and it would be even more beautiful if this magical barrier WASN'T HERE!" protested Trixie, hitting the barrier with her front hoof.

"Ah, yes... Excuse us, Counselor Trixie, it's very untimely, but we are testing the castle's defenses. I hope it didn't cause you any trouble," responded Silverstream cheerfully but with a slight nervous tic.

"Not at all," Trixie responded immediately with confidence, covering up her previous mishap. "And may I know who gave you permission to be testing the castle's defenses?"

"Well, Director Starlight was the one who gave us permission. She asked us and the rest of the kids to take care of the security of the place. You know, with everyone busy with today's big party, there's no one to take care of those things... haha," laughed Silverstream.

Trixie's eyebrows sharpened. Why did Silverstream look so nervous? Why would Starlight ask the Young Six to take care of security? Was it a punishment?

Everything was very odd. But she would catch up later. She just needed to do one thing at that moment...

"Alright, dear. I understand... could you do me the favor of lowering the barrier so I can enter?"

"About that, it's not to inconvenience you or anything... but it's going to take a little time before it cools down and we can lower it. Besides,..." 

"Besides 'NO' we won't," interrupted Gallus in a cold, sharp tone. Silverstream, who was still giving her explanation, froze surprised.

"Excuse me?" responded Trixie confused.

"You're not allowed to enter the castle," replied Gallus gravely stepping forward in front of Silverstream.

Trixie, with an annoyed look, watched Gallus approach.

"Huh?! What do you mean I'm not allowed to enter?"

"It's none of your concern."

"Not my concern? I live here, you know? I have every right to enter my own home!" Trixie protested. This was true. Although Trixie spent a lot of time in her trailer, 70% of the time, this was only during her travels or events she held. She actually had a room in Twilight's castle, which she had received from Starlight shortly after her friend moved there. It was practically her second home.

But Gallus didn't care about that.

"Is this your home? As far as I know, the castle belongs to Princess Twilight. You only live here out of her charity," replied Gallus mockingly.

A chill was felt in front of the castle gates.

Trixie widened her eyes upon hearing that blatant provocation, and instantly ignited with anger. On the other end, Gallus continued to maintain an imperturbable demeanor. In the middle, Silverstream, with a forced smile, began to step back, seeking to distance herself from the heated confrontation that was starting to emerge around her.

The situation could have exploded at that moment, but it didn't.

Miraculously, within herself, Trixie restrained herself.

Yes, she had been hurt by the low blow she had received from Gallus. However, she decided not to unleash her verbal anger on the young student. Not because she felt that 'magical spirit' of a teacher seeking to understand her rebellious student, but because of the memory of the oath she had taken when she assumed her position as student counselor. A commitment made in the name of her respected father and in front of her best friend Starlight.

Trixie closed her eyes and exhaled. She didn't understand what was going on. But she definitely wasn't going to break her word over such childish provocations.

"I don't know what's going on here. But that's not the way to talk to a teacher, young man," Trixie responded coldly, trying to control the intense emotions rising within her.

"You're not a teacher. You're just a student counselor."

"I've been a substitute teacher."

"True, but you were never good at it."

Trixie furrowed her brow even more. Why was Gallus being so aggressive with her? She had had disagreements with him before, but never like this.

(Something is definitely not right here...) thought Trixie, not taking her eyes off Gallus.

"Hee... Gallus...", Silverstream interrupted fearfully, "I think... it wouldn't be right not to tell Counselor Trixie why she can't enter."

Gallus reflected for a moment without looking away and then shrugged.

"Fine, tell her," said Gallus indifferently.

"Ehh, me?" responded Silverstream, flustered.

"Yes, you. Tell her," ordered Gallus, looking away.

"Ehhh... well..." Silverstream continued speaking hesitantly, seeming to blame herself for her previous suggestion. Then, evidently nervous, she turned her attention to Trixie.

"Well, Counselor Trixie, you see... Director Starlight told us that she has 'veryyyy' important things to do in the morning and she doesn't want anyone to bother her. So, to comply with that, we closed the castle to prevent unwanted visits. Nothing personal, just following orders from the director!" Silverstream finished saying with a forced smile.

"I'm not an unwanted visitor! I'M HER CLOSEST FRIEND!" Trixie protested, hitting the ground with her hoof.

"And why does that matter? We have orders and we're going to follow them. Let's go, Silverstream," ordered Gallus, who turned around and began to walk back to the castle.

Behind him, a remorseful Silverstream also turned around, not without muttering something like "I'm sorry."

Unable to understand the unprecedented situation unfolding before her, Trixie began to shout.

"No, no, wait! You can't do this. Come back here immediately! It's an order!" Trixie shouted almost jumping off the ground.

Gallus and Silverstream ignored her and continued up the stairs.

"Don't ignore me! This is important! I'm your superior and I need to talk to Starlight now!" Trixie yelled proudly but with a desperation difficult to hide.

Still, nothing changed.

With each step they took away, a feeling of anguish began to flood Trixie. If they left her outside, then... she wouldn't be able to meet with Starlight. Then, the dark future she saw...

She wouldn't allow it. If her friendship with Starlight was in danger, she was willing to set aside all her pride to preserve it.

"Please, you have to listen to me! This is very important! She's in danger!" Trixie began to beg, almost in tears, desperate to be heard.

Her pleas had an effect, as Gallus and Silverstream stopped and turned to look at her. They were surprised and bewildered by the dramatic change in the counselor.

"Danger?" Gallus asked.

"Yes, yes, Starlight may be in danger," Trixie responded hopefully seeing that they were finally paying attention to her.

"What danger do you mean, Counselor Trixie?" Silverstream asked.

"An octopus, I mean... a door. Huh?"

"Huh?"

Both Gallus and Silverstream, like Trixie, were puzzled by that response. Trixie didn't understand what she had just said. She tried to think back, but all she got was a strange empty taste spreading in her mouth.

Nothing.

"Wait... give me a moment!" exclaimed Trixie, trying to regain control of the situation. As judgmental looks began to fall on her, Trixie quickly adopted a thoughtful posture and focused.

Trixie was experiencing another mental lapse.

Up until that moment, she had only galloped frantically to the castle, driven by her desperation. After crashing into the magic barrier, she had almost forgotten for a moment the real reason why she had undertaken that journey.

Outside the barrier, Trixie began to grimace in a mental effort to find the urgent memory that had brought her there.

On the stairs, Gallus and Silverstream looked at each other, confused.

After several minutes of uncomfortable silence, in a futile effort to regain her memory, Trixie found herself even more lost than before.

"This is ridiculous! Why can't I remember!" exclaimed Trixie, furious with herself. "Maybe I wrote it down somewhere? That's it, Trixie! You must have written it down!"

With a smile mixed with a wild look, Trixie began to rummage through her cape anxiously to find any clue that her past self might have left to help her in that present moment.

Soon she found something, but it wasn't what she was looking for or something she should have found at that moment.

"Clank, clank..."

Several bottles and other junk sounded as they fell to the ground. Trixie rummaged carelessly in the pockets of her cape, dropping everything she had stored. The bottles that fell didn't break, but the sour aroma of fermented cider in them quickly spread in the air.

"It's not here, nor here..." she murmured increasingly restless.

The cider bottles she had taken at the party the night before began to accumulate. Glowing in the morning light, filled with that sweet nectar that made ponies "merry and mischievous," these drinks betrayed the true state of Counselor Trixie.

Astounded, Gallus and Silverstream opened their eyes wide at the inappropriate scene unfolding before them.

Finally, after several minutes, Trixie, exhausted, stopped her frantic search. With her mane disheveled and a nervous look, she turned her attention to Gallus and Silverstream, unaware of the unfortunate spectacle she had just performed.

"Aha, ha, ha, I know it'll sound unbelievable, but I had a dream and..."

"Yes, Counselor Trixie, IT'S UNBELIEVABLE!" exclaimed Gallus exasperatedly, spreading his wings and looking at the sky. "You know, today is a fine morning. Go home and rest. We'll tell Director Starlight, 'when she becomes available,' that you came early to see her."

"But I... HIP!" a sudden hiccup attacked Trixie at that moment, causing her to cover her mouth embarrassedly.

"Don't worry. We'll tell the director as soon as she finishes her meeting with Chancellor Neighsay. It's a 'dragon's oath'!" added Silverstream.

"Not again..." said Gallus, taking Silverstream by the neck and leading her back to the castle.

"Don't wait!... HIP, Stop! HIP, HIP."

The castle gates slammed shut, leaving Trixie outside trapped in a constant hiccup. Around her, only silence remained broken by the cheerful morning chirping of birds. Ahead, the magic barrier, now more impenetrable than ever, marked the boundary between her and the uncertain fate in which her best friend was trapped.

"HIP Meeting with Chancellor, HIP, Neighsay? HIP" repeated Trixie trembling; her memory had finally been refreshed, and her desperation spilled like a broken dam within her heart.

A strident neigh echoed throughout Ponyville at that hour of the morning. Many in the future would remember it as a prelude to the darkest day experienced during that year.