Tales of the Winter Magic Academy

EPISODE 1: THE NEW SCHOOL OF MAGIC

Chapter 1: Rude Awakening

The Winter Magic Academy.

Just the mentioning of it poured a waterfall of thoughts into Twilight's pool of a mind. The cascading waters overflowed the mare's consciousness to the point where even her dreams brimmed with beautiful preconceptions of the school. Her latest stupor took her to the sky, circling around the crescent-shaped isle as gracefully as a falcon in flight.

The bird's-eye view laid out the ideal picture Twilight had formed in her head over the past few months, however fictional it were. She had not seen the island herself, but she knew the time would come soon enough. All her recent thoughts had centered around the mere concept of the awe-inspiring school.

But as the sun rose in the backdrop of her dreams, Twilight's mind drifted to the realization that the real morning drew near. The image she worshipped faded slowly away, melting until dripping like thick paint from the blank canvass it occupied. As Twilight fell back into her conscious state the tangible morn welcomed her.

Gentle rays of light poured in through her bedroom window as the autumn wind sang a waking melody. The feel of it all brought a peaceful smile to the mare’s face. She opened her eyes with a bit of reluctance, aware that the second she beheld reality once again, her fantasizing would be swept back into the dream world.

Her bedroom hadn’t changed since she before she drifted off to sleep. Laid out before her was the charming interior of her bedroom, from the large ovoid window and soft, wooden walls to her personal bookcase and nightstand. Books and bookmarks, tidy notes, and used parchment covered every square inch of her orderly residence.

A sigh of great pleasure escaped through the student's nostrils as she lazed in the warmth of the sun that spread across her room. She closed her eyes again. The delightful coziness of her abode left Twilight lying still with any thoughts of moving about kept at bay by her contentment.

But a curious thought crossed her mind like a disgruntled whimper.

Why’s the sun up so early..?

All of a sudden Twilight sat up straight. Her eyelids shot back open as her heart skipped a beat. Her eyes locked onto the little wooden clock on her nightstand.

A horrific gasp made the violet of her eyes shrink. “Quarter to nine!?”

The mare scrambled out of bed as though she were under attack. Her eyes darted in search for some kind of escape route. In her hysteria she found herself entangled in the thin layers of her bed, resulting in a face-first collision with the wooden floor. In one last effort she flailed her hoofs until finally escaping the snarl of her sheets. Once freed, she gathered herself and gaped at her clock again. The minute hand advanced by one.

“Ooh, how could I have slept in!?” she cried.

Her voice rang through the library as though resonating in a mocking manner. The mare scanned over the area, eyes covering every inch of the chamber below. Everything sat in complete disarray; books scattered across the floor, some in small piles, others wide open, and even more put on a cart ready for re-shelving. She had let things go recently thanks to the constant daydreaming.

“SPIKE!” she yelled as she turned in aimless circles.

When her eyes met the usual spot where his basket sat, there was nothing.

“Wha-? Where is-? But I-!” the mare stammered, until suddenly it struck her.

That's right! Rarity's watching over him while I'm gone.

Twilight sighed as relief massaged her tense muscles. Panic slowly leaked out and let the frazzled mare rest her eyes for a moment. In the blackness behind her eyelids, though, her memory brought forth the image of the clock.

“Ah! I'm still late though!” Twilight screamed as she returned to her hysteria. “The last chariot for the academy leaves in less than fifteen minutes. That should give me enough time to grab the bare essentials.”

Twilight's head started to swivel again as her eyes bounced off of every object in the library. Every object, that is, except for that which she searched. The mare flung herself down the stairs to the main level of the library as she hunted for her favorite traveling bag. Finding it on the bottom step, Twilight rolled her eyes.

“Oh dear,” she whined as she picked up her satchel, “where did I put my checklist?”

She scoured the room inch by inch only to find pieces of empty parchment and unused quills bunched together. She caught a glimpse of the nearby podium Spike always used and rushed over to it. Sitting on top of its slanted surface was what appeared to be a long piece of parchment with ink boxes drawn along its side.

“Perfect! Now to go down the-” Twilight began, but immediately stopped.

The first item on the checklist read:

Prepare a checklist for all things needing to be packed for tomorrow.

After that line, the page was blank. Disbelief blurred the unicorn's eyes until her senses returned. She reared on her hind legs and wailed in frustration before starting her rampage. Fraught, she flipped over books and dug through bookshelves in search of any sign of a list of things she needed to bring along. Minutes slipped by faster than books Twilight could flip through, until the unicorn stopped to stare at the clock once more.

Five minutes to nine!?

Suddenly, a soft couple of knocks interrupted the chaotic air. Twilight jumped clear across the library, her eyes set on the round entryway upon landing.

“Twilight? A-Are you awake?” came a familiar voice.

In her anxiety Twilight couldn't put a face to the voice. The purple unicorn, trying to pull any hints from her memory banks with each hesitant step, made her way slowly to the door as the issue of time frazzled her mind. With a gulp she pulled open the door and peered outside.

Standing before her door was a male unicorn, his gray coat glimmering with a light hint of violet. His rugged, wavy mane and tail were goldenrod with pale yellow streaks, as if to reflect the rays of the sun itself. His jagged hair ran not long down his neck nor his tail below his knees, very well kept overall. His green eyes were wide open as a nervous smile crossed his face.

After a pause of two-way head-to-toe inspection, he started, “Twilight! Uh, a-are you-?”

“Starlight! Uh, sorry, can't talk, need to pack!” the mare shouted desperately as she turned away, and then proceeded to slam the door behind her.

Twilight returned to her clutter, distracted more than ever. She started to sort through the nearest books again, her mind a complete mess like the disorder of the room surrounding her. Suddenly, from among the muddle in her brain sprang forth a realization.

Wait. Starlight Hooves is going too!

The mare turned full circle, took in a huge breath, and swung open the door.

“Starlight! Listen, I need your help, could you-?”

But before she could continue, her sights revealed that the stallion was no longer standing in front of her. Rather, he was lying on the doorstep with unfocused eyes and his tongue hanging from his mouth.

“What are you doing on the ground?” she asked, puzzled.

The stallion stumbled to get on his hoofs again. Once he managed to stand his eyes were still rolling about in their sockets.

“Y-You threw the door closed rather violently; I guess I didn't realize how close I was-”

“That's nice, you'll feel better soon, I'm sure!” Twilight laughed skittishly and continued without pause. “Say, you're going to Luna’s magic school too, right? Do you remember what all we need to pack?”

“You haven’t packed yet?” Starlight asked as he walked after Twilight, who promptly scurried back inside the library.

Twilight turned around quickly and revealed a most unpleasant glare. Her nose crinkled and her eyes narrowed in a threatening gaze.

“Would you just help me?” she growled, then let her sneer churn into a nervous frown. “I've never been late, and the first time I am can't be for the last chariot bound for the school!”

“Okay, okay,” Starlight shied away. “All we really needed to pack were some winter clothes. At least, that’s all I remember reading-”

“Winter clothes! Of course!” Twilight laughed maniacally. She bolted up to her bedroom and scoured through the oak drawers.

She sorted through her clothes to pull out a scarf, her winter saddle, a pair of boots, and other various accessories. With her attire packed, Twilight looked back at Starlight with an edgy grin across her twitching face. “What else do I need?”

Starlight stared at the ground as he nervously patted the wooden flooring with a hoof.

“T-That's all.”

“That's it? I should've known it wasn't a big list,” Twilight bawled. “Otherwise I would have remembered to have packed the night before.”

“Twilight, are you okay? Usually you're so organized-”

Twilight cut in, “I don't have my assistant, Spike. He's the one that makes my checklists, helps set my alarm, and keeps me from staying up late studying. Now let's go!”

The mare hopped from the second floor down and sprinted for the door, making her companion jump to get out of her way. In the freshness of the autumn air, Twilight took not even a second to admire the beauty of the day, and then headed straight for the central square, head low and horn pointing onward.

A chilly breeze blew against her as Twilight galloped through the town. Though squinted eyes she could see ponies already out and about tending to the town. The marketplace bustled with activity and gave off its fresh fruit scents. The fragrances tickled at Twilight's nose; her stomach grumbled its complaints. Twilight, however, pictured the last chariot taking off without her, missed only by a minute or two. She refused to stop for even a second and even think about food.

Up ahead Twilight could begin to make out the sight of some of her close friends, as well as others, standing in the central square. The resistance of the wind began to die down as her pace came to a stumbling stop. As she drew closer Twilight could not spot any royal chariots or escorts. Her heart began to pound inside her chest as she suddenly put her hoofs to the ground as quickly as her body allowed her.

I couldn’t have missed it!

As she approached the open plaza its entire image sank beneath the shadow of heavy clouds. The houses and stores, even the facade of Sugarcube Corner, seemed to dolefully frown. There were no luxurious chariots or vehicles of any sort awaiting her. All Twilight could see were a number of familiar figures, her closest Ponyville friends, and a few others. While Twilight bore a heavy heart reflected in her drooping and sorrowful face, her friends appeared as carefree as usual.

“Mornin', sugarcube!” said one, named Applejack. She tipped her hat up and squinted to clarify her friend's melancholic expression. “Why so glum, Twi?”

“Yeah!” another one of her friends, Pinkie Pie, added. “Aren't you excited about going your super-duper-special-decial magic academy? You’ve been talking about it all month!”

Twilight lifted her neck painfully to look at each of the two as a sigh of lament emptied from her gaping mouth.

“I missed the chariot ride,” Twilight pouted. “It must have just taken off! That or my clock must be behind or something-”

“You mean that chariot?” Pinkie Pie yelped as she pointed directly upward.

Surely enough, flying through the upper atmosphere was a white and golden chariot, its transporter a light blue pegasus with a rainbow-colored mane and tail. Trailing right behind was another pegasus, one much larger and slower, adorned in shining armor. His deep voice barked unpleasant hollers as he shook a hoof. Twilight's mouth dropped open when the pieces began to connect.

“Rainbow Dash?” Twilight gasped. “What's she doing?!”

Starlight, breathing hard from catching up with his acquaintance, spoke between short breaths. “I t-told her... if you were running late... that s-she would need... to buy us some time.”

Twilight continued to watch as a trail of color with golden accentuation streaked across the heavens, followed by a blur of dark gray. Only after watching the pursuit pass over several times could Twilight remove her attention from the action.

“By the way Twi, yer not the only one who's runnin' late,” Applejack smirked as she pointed over to a couple of ponies nearby.

Twilight immediately recognized the two Ponyville residents. One was Lyra, the other Bon Bon. The first was a unicorn of minty color and a flowing, powder blue mane and tail. Her hair was dashed with white streaks, her eyes golden like the setting sun. The lyre on her flank was a similar dandelion hue, though at the moment a storm of tears clouded the color.

“Take care Bon Bon,” Lyra said to her friend, Bon Bon, a cream-colored earth pony.

“I'll miss you!” Bon Bon replied. “Enjoy your time away from... here!”

The two wept a little more before Lyra could contain herself enough to speak again. She held onto her friend's shoulders and looked straight into her friend’s aqua blue eyes.

“I'll come back and visit sometime, Bon Bon.”

“I'll b-be waiting!” replied the friend, who then began to back away slowly.

After a minute or two of sorrowful farewells, Lyra turned and slogged over to the others with eyes gleaming and nose snuffling. The minty-colored unicorn let the sadness run like waterfalls until her eyes went dry as a desert.

Seeing her reflection in the puddle of tears below, Lyra wiped her face and sniffled the last bit of sadness out of her senses. She looked up at the group of five standing before her. After a final sniffle, she hopped into a charging pose and locked eyes with Twilight.

“Are you ready to see the academy, Twilight?” she asked with sudden excitement. “I can't wait to get to the island! It'll be so exciting!”

Her fellow unicorn watched with perplexity. “Uh, sure, Lyra. Can't wait!”

A great gust of wind cascaded straight down from the sky. Gales swayed the grass in waves like ocean waters beneath powerful winds. Once the peals ceased, a gold chariot plopped onto the ground with a loud clank in front of Lyra and Twilight.

Its exterior was by no means ornamental. The coach consisted largely of Cloudsdale's marble, its total weight less than a feather's but its sturdiness like that of diamond. Polished gold lined the edges of the coach as well as made up the shining wheels. The crimson seating inside seemed most comfortable with spongy padding lining the entire interior. Twilight's heart began rapidly beating as her eyes embraced the miraculous sight.

“Held 'em off as long as I could,” came the voice of Rainbow Dash as she landed gracefully beside the vehicle. She leaned against the back of it with a hoof. “Easy as pie.”

“Oh thank you Rainbow Dash!” Twilight said as she jounced in frivolous glee. “Thank you thank you thank you-!”

“Whoa there, darling', don't you hurt yerself,” Applejack laughed. “You need to be in yer prime if yer hopin' to be all spruced up an' ready for this here magical academy.”

“Yes, do be careful,” added Rarity, who had just come from her shop with Spike at her side. “I'm sorry if I missed anything, I was busy.” She lifted her nose to the sky and continued. “You'll want to look your very best when arriving. Do you think that you're all ready, Twilight? You haven’t packed very much.”

Twilight glanced over the sights of Ponyville around her, then at each of her friends. “I think I’m ready.” But one look over her circle of friends twisted her heart. “I don't know what I'll do without you guys, though.”

“You'll be fine,” Spike said. “After all, it's just another semester of school. You like that kind of stuff, don't you?”

“Well yeah,” Twilight said, “but it's not the same if you all aren't there with me. And thirteen weeks just seems so long-”

“Come now, Twilight, you said yourself that this was a once in a lifetime opportunity,” Rarity said. “It would be quite a shame if you decided not to go now.”

“And besides, yer not the only one from Ponyville, Twi,” Applejack remarked. “A few others should be there, like Colgate and Pokey Pierce.”

“And me!” Lyra exclaimed. “It'll be like Celestia's school all over again, but this time with Princess Luna!”

“Hopefully she's changed some,” Spike mumbled. All the ponies around him gave unpleasant glares. “What? She almost got rid of Nightmare Night!”

Twilight rolled her eyes. She wondered what she would do without such a witty assistant.

“Just be sure to make good first impressions,” Rarity said as she covered the baby dragon's mouth. “Don't be shy like you were when you first arrived, all right darling?”

“Yeah, you don't wanna go acting all weird on all those other smarty pants ponies!” Pinkie Pie said. “Just be yourself and you'll have a blast this winter!”

Twilight blushed as the exciting thought of her adventure came to mind. Light daydreaming brought back the dreams she had fallen into that night about the island, the academy, her teachers, even studying under the headmaster, Princess Luna. With every expectation that dawned upon her, Twilight's grin started to spread until covering her entire face.

“Will you be okay?” Fluttershy – who had remained quiet until that moment – asked.

The yellow pegasus could not hide her heartache behind her pink, streaming hair. Twilight felt tears of her own beginning to well up.

“Oh girls, I'll be fine. But I know that I'll miss you all more than I can say,” she said, and the six were soon in a big group hug.

“Where's that rainbow-colored pony!?” came an interrupting bellow.

The eyes of the six in the huddle shot open. Their irises shrunk to the size of itty bitty peas.

“Well, have fun Twilight!” Rainbow Dash quickly chuckled as the giant hug broke up, and briskly flew out of sight in the blink of an eye. The only trace left of her presence was the rainbow of colors that marked her trail, but even that dissipated quickly.

“Confound it, she's made me late!” said the old stallion that had yelled out the mare's name. “Are all remaining Ponyville students bound for the Winter Magic Academy present?”

He walked to the middle of the square and looked about, his brown eyes chilled of a cold and unforgiving nature. The armor he wore seemed especially lustrous as it radiated a special flaxen in the sunlight. His black mane and gray coat seemed to disappear beneath the shining helmet and saddle that covered most of his body, except his flank, which was decorated with the Canterlot coat of arms.

The stallion harrumphed at the sight of the silent group before him and shook his head.

“Enough sniveling and rabble rousing, we have a schedule to stick to!” he shouted, and soon Twilight, Starlight, and Lyra were lined up ready to board the large chariot.

The sizable stallion moved to the front of the vehicle and prepared his equipment. He cracked his thick neck and leaned his head back to shoot each of the three a one-eyed gaze. The dark brown of his eyes lit up for a brief moment.

“All aboard!” he called, and the three unicorns stepped onto the chariot.

Twilight caught sight of Lyra looking back to find her friend. She too turned around and looked back, catching a glimpse of the six who had come to see her off.

Thirteen weeks until I come home. I'm already counting them down.

As the thought crossed her mind, she could feel her eyes begin to moisten again. She tried her best to take a mental picture, to remember exactly how everypony looked in that moment. Her friends’ faces hinted at sadness while still showing hopeful smiles that sent forth strong wishes. Sunlight suddenly emerged from behind a cloud, and Twilight could spy that her own eyes were not the only ones watering up.

“Be sure to close the door back there. Don't want you falling out!” the driver ordered.

Obediently, Twilight used her magic to secure the golden panel shut, encasing her and her two companions inside the embellished chariot. When she looked up again, the group on the ground gave their final waves.

The mare smiled one last time for her friends. But before Twilight could return the gesture, the chariot suddenly jolted, flying forward with wheels rolling over the smooth grass. A strong wind began to blow as the transport lifted off the ground and started its course into the sky. The stir in the air threw Twilight off balance for only a second; the coolness she welcomed with the mixture of warm sunlight.

The mare turned back at the shrinking scene of Ponyville, and then at her friends.

With one last inhalation Twilight cried, “Goodbye everypony!”

Chapter 2: Island on the Equestrian Sea

As the chariot soared over the magnificent land of Equestria, the view was not what made Twilight beam with delight. Rather, the faces of her two companions were what made her giggle and smile. Lyra constantly shifted inside the coach as elation coursed through her veins. She constantly leaned over the edges of the chariot as if to stare at their own shadow below. Every once in a while she would point to a landmark or feature, natural or pony-made, never caring to check to see if the others paid her any attention.

Though Starlight did not move around as frantically as Lyra, his mouth, hanging wide open, made Twilight giggle at him still. Certain things caught the stallion's sights, such as the tallest buildings of towns that they passed by, or storming river rapids whose choruses reached up to even their altitude. His gaze seemed especially concerted when the forests drew out the rich green of his vibrant eyes.

“Look, look! The Everfree Forest! Even when the sun's out it looks all dark and gloomy!” Lyra said, leaning over the limits of the coach. “Oh, and look at the Canterlot Mountains! You can see the castle and everything so clearly!”

She rattled on and on like a filly abusing her new-found ability to speak. The other two did not mind, though, as both had their attention already stolen away by the sight of the upcoming city of Bloomburg.

It was a fairly large city, supposedly larger in area than Manehattan itself. Most of its buildings showed similar colors of white and pale yellow, held together by stone foundations and dark, shingled roofs. The edifices, stacked no higher than three stories, reveled in fanciful architecture and design as ancient styles covered the building facades. The tall clock tower rang in welcoming a new hour as the chariot flew over the bustling city square.

Cobblestone roads weaved throughout the municipality, holding within its bounds more ponies than Twilight could even guess. Much to Twilight’s surprise there was little to no air traffic cluttering the skies, permitting swift passage over the massive city.

“Twilight, Starlight, do you two see all these ponies?” Lyra gasped as she continued to shuffle about the coach. “I just can't, it's so... oh, Celestia!”

Twilight rolled her eyes playfully and smiled. Since she had traveled to and from Canterlot a number of times – and even to the city of Bloomburg on occasion – Twilight was not entertained by the sights for very long as the others were.

“Canterlot looks so close from here!” Lyra exclaimed, pointing to the south.

Surely enough, on the steep slopes of the mountainside stood the kingdom of Canterlot. Basking in the rich sunlight, the domain glowed like a multicolored diamond. Waterfalls cascaded from its foundation. Pearly white and golden colors emanated from its very walls. The castle reached out as if in greeting, waving to those who headed eastward. Pointed towers and large domes stretched out from all over the edifice as it displayed a complexity none could explain but all mysteriously admired.

“You know we've been able to see Canterlot since leaving Ponyville, right Lyra?” asked Starlight, who began to recover from his shock and awe of the expansive view of Equestria.

Lyra laughed and bounced up and down, “I know, I know, but right now we're so close-!”

“Please refrain from hopping inside the coach,” barked the driver, to which Lyra suddenly sat.

Her golden eyes stayed on the move with unstoppable animation. She glanced over at Twilight and smiled. “Can you believe it? We're gonna be some of the first in all of Equestria to attend Princess Luna's school for unicorns!”

“I can hardly believe it,” Twilight agreed. “This whole thing does explain a lot, though. I was wondering what Princess Luna was up to after we defeated Nightmare Moon. She just disappeared for some time, even during the return of Discord... well, aside from when we saw her on Nightmare Night.”

Starlight cleared his throat as her words jogged his memory. He glanced at the driver and then waved the two closer.

“Have you two heard about the island?” the stallion asked with shifting eyes.

Lyra and Twilight were suddenly all ears as their mouths shut and eyes bore into his.

Starlight proceeded, “Apparently, during the restoration of the island, Princess Luna encountered some monsters. It kind of makes sense with the island having been abandoned for a thousand years.”

“Why wouldn't Princess Celestia have taken care of it?” Twilight pondered aloud as she glanced back at the castle over her shoulder.

“Isn't it obvious?” Lyra laughed. “She has a magic school of her own! Remember?” She threw Twilight a merry wink. “That's where we met!”

Twilight smiled timidly, “Y-Yeah, I guess that’s the reason.” She shook her head to try and clear it of fresh, thorny questions. “So, Starlight, you don't think we'll run into any trouble on the island, do you?”

The stallion patted his muzzle pensively for a minute, then shook his head.

“I-I don't think so. Princess Luna must have chased out whatever things were lurking there. I'm sure she chased them all out. Why else would she let us come to the island?”

Twilight nervously nodded her head.

I sure hope that's the case.

“Are you young ponies talking about the island?” yelled the chariot driver in a rough but good-natured tone.

Twilight and Starlight realized the volume to which their voices had risen. They blushed and looked in opposite directions.

Lyra, unabashed, leaned forward and replied, “Yes sir!”

The chauffeur gave a hearty laugh as he threw his head back. His wings flapped powerfully, giving the chariot a brief burst of speed. The stallion shouted back, “You have no reason to fear. Princess Luna is quite capable of dealing with whatever trouble resides within that island. She is Princess Celestia's younger sibling, after all.”

Within the island..?

The guard added, “You all just focus on your studies, and don't get worked up about some spooks lurking about. Your imagination might start to toy with you. Trust me, I once was a curious colt myself!”

“See, you guys? Everything's going to be just fine,” Lyra proclaimed optimistically. “This is going to be the best winter magic school ever, and that means absolutely no mishaps. Right? Twilight? Starlight?”

The two looked at one another as Lyra pulled them into a cheery embrace. Neither Twilight's nor Starlight's crooked grin was reassuring to the other.

An hour passed before finally reaching the Equestrian coastline. The northern woods and southern mountains shrank until bowing to the crystal clear sea. A light breeze blew salty air from over the ocean inland, swarming the flying chariot with a pleasant smell of the sea. Twilight's head lifted as her nose swayed to the bobbing scent of the sea salt.

The sun could not have shone any brighter. In addition the sea could not have shown off its vivid azure any more magnificently. Waves crashed onto the sandy shores now behind them, echoing their repetitive, calming chorus. Twilight turned her body back to watch the waves drift up and down the spine of the seaboard, then caught herself staring at Lyra instead.

Her friend was staring northward. Lyra’s shining amber eyes blazed like the sun itself as she stared at the waters with mouth agape. Her powder blue hair matched the color of the shallow waters, its long white stripe like the foam on the seashore. When Twilight looked back at Starlight, he too was watching the captivated unicorn with curiosity.

“How much farther until the island?” Starlight asked the driver.

“What are you, a two-year-old colt!?” the chauffeur barked back. “Ugh, it's there on the horizon, see? Crescent Island. Home of Pony Relic, the Winter Magic Academy.”

The three passengers leaned forward in the coach and narrowed their eyes. Along the skyline of mixed blues a gray form started to take distinctive shape. Like a hill on the plains the island stuck out from the flowing waters of the deep ocean; but as the group drew nearer, the bump soon became mountains, and the flat shape morphed into a crescent figure with ends curving to the northwest and southeast.

Coloration began to seep from the black void, filling in the shape of the island as though poured on like chocolate on a candied apple. Majestic purples streaked the mountains while shades of green coated the patches of forest. On the southern edge of the island a strange tower stood out from the rocky terrain. At the base of the near cliff-side sat an entrance to a cave.

But most important was the school that sat straight ahead just as Twilight had imagined it. Its monumental structures were extremely similar to those of Canterlot's as the chateau-esque anatomy created a most unique form. Its dark brick complexion emanated a sense of mystery that encouraged a sense of fascination more than one of uneasiness. Nearly a third of its building material consisted of glass; glass windows, glass domes, glass walls. There was even a glass tunnel connecting a wing to the main hall.

Beyond these buildings sat a giant rectangular field with two metal arches crisscrossing over it. A titanic metal ball sat atop the intersection. The driver headed straight for it as he picked up his speed.

“Hold on tight!” the driver yelled. “We'll be landing soon enough!”

The three passengers obeyed and themselves in their seats. Not a second after the driver bowed his head and descended toward the southern field. As their altitude dropped the travelers could spot along the pathways colorful forms that were ponies already arrived. A stream of mares and stallions, all unicorns, flowed slow as honey from the giant field out into a circular commons area separating the eastern cliff and shoreline from the academic buildings.

The chariot swooped through the metal archways. Once past the span of the field the driver spun in a semicircle, as graceful an eagle, and then straightened up their course for landing. His wings beat with tremendous control, pulling the chariot carefully down to earth. The vehicle lowered ever so slowly until finally touching down on the tidy lawn. The wheels of the chariot screeched as they rolled across half the length of the giant field. Then, with a great flap of his wings, the driver brought the vehicle to a complete stop.

Distant chatter filled the air, replacing the sounds of the rushing air currents. The warmth of the setting sun met their skin. The driver, tired but relieved, let out a deep sigh and glanced back at his passengers.

“You're free to exit the chariot,” he announced with a grin. “Have a good first term at the Winter Magic Academy.”

The three said their thanks as they got out of the vehicle, and no sooner after they set foot on solid ground did the driver shoot up into the sky and disappear out of sight to the west.

“He wasn't kidding about being on time,” Starlight murmured, to which his two companions laughed.

Twilight looked around the field. “I don’t see any other chariots. It looks like we might be the last bunch here.”

There were in fact no other vehicles in sight, but there were crowds of young ponies standing about. They mingled with one another with beaming faces, clustered in groups of familiars and unfamiliars, carrying out their introductions, small talk, and catch-up conversation. Twilight secretly wished that she had woken up on time. It felt as though everypony already knew each other.

“I wonder where all of the others from Ponyville went,” Lyra said as she scanned the area, her delight nearly lifting her hoofs off the ground to which she had just returned.

“I think I see a few of them by the gate,” Starlight said.

The trio inspected the field’s northern entrance to which Starlight motioned. A black metal fence twisted atop large, brick columns to form a sound arch over the exit. In the gap underneath it were surely enough a number of familiar faces.

“Twilight! Starlight! Lyra!” one of them called, bouncing up and down in place as the three made their way over.

The thin mare that approached had a pinkish lavender body and very straight, silver hair. Her rose-colored eyes glowed like her body as a bonfire does on a sunny day. A smiling theatre mask with three question marks around it was her beaming cutie mark. Twilight knew her name to be Quirky Q, a cousin of Pinkie Pie's.

“What took you all so long to get here?” Quirky asked the three newcomers.

The three looked to one another, silently arguing as to who would have to speak up first.

“I accidentally slept in,” Twilight finally said with a blush.

Lyra raised her head to the sky and wailed, “It was such a sad goodbye for me, I could hardly manage!” Her eyes dropped back down to the others as her crying quickly changed into joviality. “But I made it. Here we are!”

The two looked over at Starlight, whose eyes widened upon realizing it was his turn to give an reason or excuse of some kind.

He stammered shyly, “I, uh, I was just seeing-”

“You sly stallion, you were waiting for these two mares, weren't you?” Quirky Q teased. “Starlight, you're so thoughtful!”

“T-Thanks, I guess,” Starlight mumbled, jittery. He glanced over at Twilight, who showed an appreciative smile, then asked, “When did you guys get here?”

“A few hours ago. I came with Gallant and Vinyl Scratch.”

Twilight's ears perked up suddenly as she looked over in surprise at the mare behind Quirky, one of white color and vivid blue hair. Cyan stripes lined her frazzled blue mane and tail and a pair of gleaming purple glasses hid her eyes. Her cutie mark was a solid black musical note. The mare was surrounded by a number of ponies, but briskly excused herself upon spotting Twilight and the others staring at her. She trotted over and flipped her hair aside.

“What's up Twi?” said Vinyl Scratch.

“Vinyl Scratch! You came!” Twilight cheeped. “I thought you were too busy this winter to come to the academy. Didn't you have some concerts lined up?”

“Nah, I decided to chill out here for the winter, try somethin’ new,” Vinyl answered. “Only had two shows, and they were in some random po-dunk towns I’d never heard of.” She motioned at the large stallion beside her. “You met Gallant before?”

“Briefly,” Twilight said, looking over at the third familiar face from Ponyville.

“Being new to Ponyville, I haven't had time to get out much,” commented the strong stallion in a spirited, confident voice.

He had a fairly bulky body and sharp, dark blue eyes. His coat was a shaded white and his mane and tail a dark silver. A glowing shield and helmet was on his flank. Had he worn some kind of armor, Twilight felt she would have mistaken him for a royal guard.

“I'm Twilight Sparkle,” the mare introduced herself.

“Student of Princess Celestia, I've heard. Pleasure to meet you,” the stallion said. “The name is Gallant. I hope we can become good friends.”

“Aren't you guys excited?” Quirky Q broke in. “We're in the first class of Princess Luna's in years! What are the chances we would make it here?”

Twilight glanced about the field carefully, seeking more faces and figures she could recognize. After not seeing any amongst the shrinking crowd, she turned to face the others again.

“Are there any more from Ponyville here?” Twilight inquired.

Gallant smiled and answered, “I've heard there are nine present, which is apparently the smallest representation of any town or city at the academy.”

“Nine? So there must be others we have yet to meet,” Lyra remarked with a delighted gasp. “But where are they? Oh! Colgate is one of them, isn’t she?”

“Yeah, Colgate's around,” Vinyl confirmed. “That's just 'cause she loves her adventures. She said she came because of somethin’ about exploring the island and whatnot. Pokey Pierce’s here. He’s just in for the ride, really. And then there’s that other guy...”

Her voice drifted off. Gallant finished for her. “Windchaser.”

“Yeah, him,” Vinyl said with a clap. “He seems interesting. Didn't talk much. Anyhow, you guys wanna check out the castle? It's pretty sweet.”

“Were you guys waiting for us?” Lyra asked. “That's so thoughtful! Oh, we're going to be the best group of friends ever this winter! I can't wait!”

“I know, right?” Quirky chimed in. “We're gonna have tons of fun, and study together, and...”

Quirky’s theatrical voice trailed off as the sight of the academy captivated Twilight. She looked over the nearest building, an amazing assortment of five floors with picturesque, pointed windows and sturdy walls covered in mason's decorations. It reached for the sky with steep pointed rooftops buried beneath long, dark shingles. Blends of violet-hued charcoal and midnight black covered the entire edifice. Twilight had never seen any building so majestic up close since her last trip to Canterlot.

As she and the others left the field the front of the building edged into view. A large stained glass window of magnificent, dark colors sat in the center of the facade. Its fusion of dark-colored panels portrayed the raising of the moon, with Princess Luna lifting the silvery crescent shape into the sparkling heavens.

“This is the dorm,” Gallant said, motioning toward the very building. “To the right is the main hall, where we'll be having our classes. On the far side to the back is where the dining hall and kitchen branch out.”

The main hall of the castle looked even more impressive with its incredible height and amalgamation of intricately-connected pieces. Its color scheme was similar to that of the dormitory, but its strange shape was completely different as some floors receded and others stuck out; some corners were rounded while others were square. Towers stretched from all over topped with turrets shaped like wizard’s hats. The circular stained glass window sitting above the titanic entryway portrayed Princess Luna's creation of the night, with the stars and moon forming from a gentle ray of light.

Twilight looked away to distract herself before becoming completely entranced. The circular park in which the group walked stole her attention away like a new dancing partner at a ball. Its ring consisted of two semi-circles, one of giant cloud-colored brick and the other of lightly wooded pasture. Fir trees scattered the earthy section like stars in the early night sky. The smell of the sea brushed across the central annulus as a breeze poured the cool ocean air across the commons lawn. Beyond the edge of the little park was the horizon of the sea, its surface glistening as the sun continued its descent in the sky.

“Twilight Sparkle?” a voice called. “Is that you?”

The unicorn faced the direction in which she heard her name. A yellow-colored unicorn leaned forward from her spot a few trots away. Her azure eyes hid behind a long, cyan mane, unsure of their recognition. When the stares of each pony locked, however, the doubt melted away.

“Lemon Hearts!”

“Twilight, it is you!” said the mare as she trotted over. “I thought I might find you at the academy.”

“You know me, I’m always wanting seeking new ways to be a student. Now that I think about it, when was the last time we saw each other?” Twilight asked as the two could not stop their happy hopping. “Was it at the school?”

“Yes, at Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns,” Lemon Hearts confirmed. “At least, that was the last time we spoke. I'm not even sure we really talked that much. I still remember how much of a shut-in you were.” She glanced over Twilight's shoulder and spotted the group of five gazing at her and Twilight. “You never did formally say goodbye. The princess sent you to Ponyville and that was that, hmm?”

“I'm so sorry, I got completely caught up with the return of Nightmare Moon and everything, and I figured I’d return to Canterlot shortly after the princess assigned me to make some friends-”

“That's why she sent you?” Lemon Hearts laughed. “You could've stayed in Canterlot and done that. You do have a chance to redeem yourself, Twilight Sparkle.”

The violet unicorn raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“Well, as it turns out, we're roommates for the winter!”

“What? Just us two?” Twilight asked in disbelief, another surge of excitement bursting in the midst of a day of thrills.

Lemon Hearts' eyes rolled up in a corner as her mouth twisted in a pensive pause. “No, there's another pony with us. I think her name was... Rhododendron? She's from Bloomburg. No pony I've asked seems to know her.”

“That could be good or bad,” Twilight remarked snidely.

“Indeed. Say, do you want to see the room?” Lemon Hearts asked, to which Twilight showed a delighted smile.

“Would I?” she asked, but then suddenly stopped and looked behind her where the five who had been waiting on her for the past few minutes. “Well, I mean, I'm not sure. I should ask the others what they're up to before I-”

“Hey!” Lemon Hearts shouted at the Ponyville crowd, whose ears perked up in response. Twilight blushed, but her friend continued unabashed. “I'm taking Twilight to her room. I'll get her back to you before dinner.”

The others stared, a few nodded. Before any verbal reply came their way the two roommates headed into the dormitory with Lemon Hearts leading the way.

“You seem as dynamic as usual,” Twilight remarked.

“My cutie mark's a few blue hearts, what do you expect? Kindness coupled with boldness,” Lemon Hearts remarked, her nose lifted in the air. “Makes for the perfect doctor, wouldn't you say?”

They approached the dormitory building and entered. The open doors led into a square foyer decorated with multiple shades of blue and violet. Large arched windows spilled light across the entrance hall. Shadows shaped like crosses stretched across the dark marble floors and carpeting.

Five hallways branched from the enormous chamber, one on each floor. Each was connected by a marble staircase which spiraled down the center of the grand interior. Its entire frame glowed of cloudy white, artistically contrasted with the royal gold and purple carpeting on its steps. Masterfully crafted tables, seats, and assortments of plants and paintings occupied the dormitory corridors.

“The mares' floors are the odd-numbered ones, and the stallions' the even-numbered. We're lucky enough to be on the third floor; not too high, not too low,” Lemon Hearts said.

“How big are the rooms?” Twilight asked as the ascended the spiraling stairwell. “The doors look really far apart.”

“They're enormous!” her friend replied with a grand smile, teeth shining in the light coming through the giant windows. “You could fit a family of seven in one of these suites, easily. Each suite has three rooms, one for each of us.”

“Is that the same for everypony else?”

“Well, since there are less stallions than mares, they put two of them to a room. I've heard they get slightly smaller rooms, too. But as long as I get my own sizable chambers I could care less about the rest!”

“How thoughtful,” Twilight smirked with a roll of her eyes.

The weary traveler, edged on only by the sheer thrill of it all, was glad to finally be close to her room. Her back had started to ache after carrying a bag the entire flight as well as around campus. She tried not to think about the throbbing in her spine as Lemon Hearts slowly showed her through the hallway, pointing out the random plants and paintings one at the time.

After crossing half of the corridor, the yellow unicorn finally headed for a door on the left and opened it. As she waltzed inside, Twilight could hardly believe her eyes. The large common room was a homely setting, a welcoming sight for the tired mare. Its dark colors and regal ambiance was very similar to those of the rest of the castle. A few low, round tables and accommodating cushions were organized in the corners. A large square window sat at the opposite side of the room, revealing the horizon over the darkening sea to the east. Four doors lined the remaining two walls.

“One thing you’ll have to get accustomed to is the seating. Princess Luna only seems to favor these cushions,” Lemon Hearts said as she poked the pillow beside her. “Now, the two rooms on the left and the near right one are bedrooms. The far right chamber is the lounge. Wonderful set-up, don’t you think?”

“Wait, another lounge?” Twilight uttered. “Isn't this main room a lounge?”

“Well, we can make the other room a study,” Lemon Hearts corrected herself. She cleared her throat. “I forgot who I was talking to for a moment. In any case, you should get unpacked soon. Placement exams are in just a half hour!”

“Exams!?” Twilight shrieked. “Already?”

Lemon Hearts looked taken aback for a moment, and then laughed.

“You would be scared of an exam you can't study for,” Lemon Hearts snickered.

Twilight still could feel the hair of her mane standing up as one of her eyes twitched uncontrollably.

“Come now, it'll be easy, right? No matter what, you'll be studying at this luxurious academy for the next few months, I’m sure.” Lemon Hearts stopped and turned to look back through the door. “Oh, I just spotted a friend of mine. I'll be right back, okay? Quit worrying and unpack your things!”

And with that, Twilight could hear the hoofs of her friends trotting away out the room and into the hall. Unnerved, the mare walked over to the wide window of the lounge and stared out. Ponies still wandered the grounds outside, not worried in the least bit as they explored and chatted in a charming euphoria.

Twilight, suddenly unable to identify, let out a sigh. “No worrying? Y-Yeah, sure, that'll be... easy.”

Chapter 3: Commencement

by Storytayler

Twilight closed the door behind her, sealing the classroom off from her sights. The feeling of choking anxiety, however, did not stay behind. Having finished her placement exam, Twilight could not think of anything else other than the unknown outcome. She had no clue which class she would end up in.

Minutes passed as she stared at the carpeted floor. Weighed down by immeasurable unease, her eyes hovered over the dark shades of purple, leaving her brain to wander the abyss symbolic of space itself.

The door to the classroom suddenly opened behind her. With a jolt she backed away from the entryway and watched as Starlight slowly backed out. Wearing a blank expression, he closed the door as quietly as he could. Pleased with his noiselessness, he nodded and turned at once, bonking heads with the onlooker right behind him.

“Ouch!” he yowled, rubbing his forehead. “Oh, Twilight! I'm sorry, I didn't notice you were right there. A-Are you all right?”

“No, no, I shouldn't have been just standing in front of the door,” the mare insisted. “I guess I’m all right.” She paused. “Say, Starlight, how do you feel about that exam?”

The young stallion tapped his chin and stared at the floor, much like Twilight had not a few seconds ago.

“It was fine, I guess,” he said with a glint of confidence in his eyes. “I don't know how they can measure what class we'll be in based on some of those questions-”

“Doesn't that make you nervous?” Twilight interrupted. “I mean, here we are at this advanced magic school, and instead of teaching us right away they’re just testing us? What if I don't pass!?”

Starlight's relaxed face suddenly gained a look of apprehension as his even lips turned into a fearful frown. His trembling eyes collapsed between the squeeze of his cheeks and eyebrows.

“W-Wasn't this just for placement?” he asked skittishly. “I don't think we can fail-”

“But what if you do? What if I do? Everypony will notice if I fail. Being Princess Celestia's faithful student I'll probably become the laughing stock of all of Ponyville!” Twilight moaned as her dragged her hoofs across her face. “Oh, Starlight, what do we do?”

“I think all we can do is wait,” he tried to say nonchalantly, but his words came out with quivers jiggling his words.

“I don't think I can! I’m not sure I've ever been this nervous before; well, maybe except for when I was testing to get into Celestia's magic school... aha!” Twilight suddenly grabbed Starlight's face, smooshing his muzzle between her hoofs. “Starlight, it's a pattern! I always struggle with entrance exams!”

The door opened behind Starlight this time, but the individual exiting did not back into him as the stallion had bumped into Twilight. Rather, the unicorn walked around the two, only to stop and stare with curious, blue eyes.

“Twilight, Starlight,” came the deep voice of Gallant with an acknowledging nod. His eyes narrowed after a double take. “Are you two... feeling well?”

They turned to face him. Starlight's face was still squished together between the trembling hoofs of his peer. Gallant investigated the peculiar pair and narrowed his eyes in contemplation.

“Don't tell me,” he started, but then allowed his voice to trail off before adding anything more.

The wide-eyed gazes of the duo did not change; instead, they continued to stare down the bulky unicorn before them.

Gallant added, “You're not worried about the placement exam, are you?”

Twilight immediately let go of Starlight's face and began flailing her hoofs in the air. “I can't help it! Being a diligent student my whole life hasn't prepared me for times where I don't get to study for a test. What do you expect?”

“I expect that there won't be any grades,” Gallant stated stoically, “so you two should have nothing to fear.”

He turned and began to walk away with a regained air of confidence, which soon was polluted by the fear of his two followers.

“But Gallant,” Starlight pleaded, “don't you understand the weight of these exams, of how important they'll be to the rest of our winter term?”

“You two don't seem to understand: this is not a pass or fail kind of exam,” Gallant stated. “If you paid close enough attention, you would have realized that those questions did not contain any right or wrong answers.”

When he threw a glance back at his companions, Gallant beheld two sets of gaping eyeballs, one set purple and the other green. Both irises had shrunk significantly as the rest of their faces seemed completely frozen. The silver stallion rolled his eyes and snickered.

“I’ll try and explain as clearly as I can: I don't think this exam was for evaluating your magic knowledge,” Gallant explained. “It was probably to test your main area of interest-”

“Probably?” Starlight asked nervously.

“You mean you're not one hundred percent sure?” Twilight added, leaning uncomfortably closer.

Gallant stared at the two, whose desperate gawks had not changed in the slightest; in fact, their faces seemed far more filled with anxiety than before.

“I think you two need to calm down,” Gallant said. “Whatever happens, happens.”

The stallion descended the staircase leading into the main hall's foyer, a spacious chamber reaching from floor to rooftop. The majestic violet rugs and curtains lining the dark marble floors had grown darker since the sun took its course far into the west. Black and blue decorations, from artistic portrayals of the moon to delicately shaped torches, hung all over the walls like shadows reaching outward as the darkness of the evening set in.

Visible over the horizon of the western mountains was the descending sun which took its vivid color and light down with it. A trail of dark blue swarmed the sky from the east over the ocean like tainted water filling a glass pan. Stars began to poke their heads into the approaching darkness, giving their small lights as a joint effort to replace the majesty of the sun. Their gentle blinks welcomed a new night.

Twilight, however, could not think upon the delicate night that lathered the setting. Rather, all she could take from the scene was the darkness, the ominous movement of the unknown swarming her. She picked up the pace of her stride as if to escape it, hurrying to catch up to Gallant as the three approached the dormitory.

“So, Gallant, are there any other things going on tonight?” Twilight asked with ears twitching.

The gray unicorn breathed out his concern and smiled.

“Dinner is to be served shortly, I believe,” Gallant answered. “Aside from meeting the rest of the Ponyville folks then, I cannot think of anything else important that is to happen today.” He looked over at Twilight, whose teeth were gritting restively. “Is that a good or a bad thing?”

“Good!” Starlight chimed.

“Good? GOOD!?” Twilight shouted. “If there isn't anything else going on, I won't be able to stop thinking about this whole dilemma!”

“What dilemma?” asked a nearby voice from within the dormitory.

The three ponies entered in and saw the eager face of a pink and silver Quirky Q. She stood just inside the door, leaning on the tips of her hoofs.

“The placement exam!” Twilight asked, when suddenly puzzlement skewed her face. “Wait, when did you finish? I don't remember seeing you leave.”

“It only took me a few minutes,” Quirky replied, cocking her head to one side. “Why? Do you think I should've taken longer?”

“Twilight thinks that she might fail the exam,” Starlight said. “What if one of us fails?”

Gallant massaged his temples with his hoofs and groaned.

“What if one of us fails it!?” Quirky repeated suddenly, the color in her pink eyes shrinking as the others' had. “What will we do? I just got here, I don't want to leave already!”

“Would you all just calm down?” Gallant murmured. “No one's leaving because of a simple placement exam.”

“You said it was probable yourself,” Starlight noted.

Gallant clicked his teeth in suppressed frustration. “No, I said that probably-”

“What? Gallant said it was possible? And he's one of the geniuses who knows all this stuff about royalty and magic tests and stuff!” Quirky cried.

“I've only attended the royal knights' school in Equestria for a year. That doesn't make me an expert-”

“We're doomed, doomed!” cried another unicorn that staggered into the foyer.

It was a tearful and whimpering Lyra. She carried her head high, leaving it to sway back and forth like a thin tree in a mighty squall. Her eyes fixed on the ceiling as a hoof caressed her faint head.

“Lyra! Are you nervous about the exam too?” Twilight asked the newly arrived unicorn, who leaned her body against the nearest wall in the corridor and covered her face.

“I overheard what you were discussing back in the main hall,” Lyra remarked. “At first I was doubtful, but it suddenly struck me that the same thing had happened to Sparkler! Remember, Twilight? Back at Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns? The horror of it all!”

The whole group paused and stared at Twilight, who cocked her head and twisted her mouth.

“Actually,” Twilight said slowly, “Sparkler made it into the school just fine.”

Lyra lifted a hoof from her face to gaze at Twilight, as though checking for the confidence in the mare's response. The minty mare suddenly laughed and let out a sigh of relief. “Now that I think about it, she did make it in. She's probably here now!” She smiled and pondered the idea, then looked up at the others. “What were we crying about again?”

“We weren't crying, we were panicking. We still are!” said Starlight. “What if one of us has to leave the academy for failing the exam?”

Lyra gasped, “What if is right! It could be me, or you, or Quirky! It could even be-” She stopped and glanced at each pony. “-me!”

“Hey gang,” interrupted Vinyl Scratch from the entryway. The darkness behind her emphasized the blue in her otherwise cloud-white coat. “You all headed to the dining hall? I think it's dinnertime and I'm starving.”

“We can't eat! We're too-!” Starlight began, but was stopped briefly by Gallant's hoof muffling his muzzle.

“Too hungry!” Gallant finished. “Yes, that. Lead the way, Vinyl.” He motioned for the others to follow with teeth clenched and eyes directed towards the door. “We’re right behind you.”

Nighttime set upon the island as darkness began to swim across the atmosphere. Light turned into shadow, and shadow into a gateway to the mysterious land beyond. The main hall appeared especially dark from the outside with its smokey brick and dark roofing. In the backdrop of the scene stood the bumpy silhouette of the eastern mountains, sticking out like jagged waves of the ocean that cut into the very fabric of the sky.

As Twilight and others headed back to the main hall a single door stood out from the surrounding darkness. Within the doorway glowed a fire like that of a warm and welcoming fireplace. Happy to escape the dark, the group of six entered the main hall and followed it to an angled wall in the far right corner of the foyer. Tucked away, the entrance took the form of a large arch, four times the height of even the tallest pony, with thick doors under its span.

“Is this the way to the dining hall?” Starlight asked as the group passed the middle of the faintly-lit entrance. Even darkness could not hide the glazed white of his eyes.

Vinyl answered, “Yeah, the door's between those torches in the corner. Did you see the annex sticking out when you flew over? That’s it.”

Twilight recollected the sight of the northeast wing branching out from the castle from above. They had seen it during their chariot flight. The whole island came back to Twilight's mind, the sight of the entirety of Crescent Island returning to the mare's memory. In the daytime it was a most splendid spectacle; during the nighttime, however, everything seemed to take on a new personality. However, with the mix of majestic buildings in an otherwise haunting environment made up for the spookiness in Twilight’s mind. She could stare and study the castle grounds day and night.

Upon entering the banquet hall Twilight took a moment to observe it. The ceiling reached up high and peaked like the mountains visible through the windows, stretching for the heavens. The thick rafters above could hardly be seen as they faded to black beyond the reach of light from hanging chandeliers and hundreds of candelabra. Tables scattered across the far half of the hall, leaving half of the shiny tile floor untouched and, for the most part, squeaky clean.

Gallant and Vinyl led the others into the mass of fellow students. Their eyes scanned the area until they spotted a table occupied by familiar faces. As the Ponyville group drew near, the three seated smiled and greeted the newcomers that squeezed their way past occupied tables of hungry ponies. Twilight could recognize two of at the round table. The third pony she was not sure she had actually seen before.

The first of them was a stallion unicorn of slate blue color and light hair. His horn was especially pointy, warned by the spiky safety pin Twilight knew was pictured on his flank. His name was Pokey Pierce. The other, named Colgate, was a light blue unicorn, with dark blue and ice-streaked hair flowing like spring-clean waterfalls from her head and tail. An hourglass adorned her flank.

The third individual was one she had not seen much of, but had heard of from her friends in Ponyville. He had light gray fur and a dark violet mane and tail, colored like the misty top and dark underpinning of a storm cloud. His cutie mark was a twisting tornado spiraling down from a single cloud. With a tightly shut mouth and deep, platinum eyes, Twilight knew she would have to gather courage before speaking with him.

“We were wondering where everypony had disappeared off to,” Colgate said. “Here I thought I might be missing out on an adventure.”

“You know we couldn't leave on one without you,” Vinyl smirked.

“Some were fretting a bit too much over the placement exam,” Gallant stated, looking back at the guilty party behind him.

Colgate laughed. “You wanna know something? I was thinking about bringing up a secret tunnel we could explore, but I happen to have some inside information about the results-”

“Look, Princess Luna is entering!” Lyra gasped, quickly grabbing a seat of her own. The others soon followed suit as a disappointed growl crossed Colgate's face.

“Ugh, I'll tell you guys after. Just wait, it's so awesome,” she added last second, and then the entire hall filled with hushes and a growing silence.

Twilight, now seated herself on a firm cushion, was almost as equally disgruntled. Trying her best to put curiosity aside, she looked beyond the arrangements of tables about the room and spotted the elevated platform near the front. Standing on it was Princess Luna, and to her sides three very familiar faces, two mares and a stallion, all adults. Twilight thought she could recognize them, but the images faded before she could distinguish them as the princess's enchanting figure strolled to the front and center section of stage.

Tall and lean, the princess was ever graceful. The soft blue colors and glow of her glistering mane and tail only accentuating her poise. Her violet coat seemed to glow itself as the princess stood graced with her sparkling black neck-piece and sparkling blue glass slippers. With noble composure, she cleared her throat, lifted a hoof to her chest and opened her mouth.

“GREETINGS, ONE AND ALL!” the princess declared loudly with her voice clear as the night, and quite nearly deafening.

Seems like the princess has practiced her wording... but not her volume.

Princess Luna continued, “WELCOME TO THIS FIRST YEAR OF THE RESTORED WINTER MAGIC ACADEMY. I AM OVERJOYED TO SEE THAT SO MANY YOUNG MARES AND STALLIONS HAVE COME TO FURTHER THEIR TALENTS AT MY NEW SCHOOL OF MAGIC THIS WINTER.”

Twilight saw the princess's eyes suddenly bearing into her own. Her voice gently echoed in the student's head.

“Especially thou, Twilight Sparkle.”

The princess's eyes opened wide for a moment, then closed as a smile escaped her lips. She continued aloud, “To begin, it has become known to me and some of my subjects that my ways are much more accustomed to those of older traditions, such as the manner in which I speak. For this, I merely ask for your forbearance. It appears that even my own sister did not think to forewarn me of the cultural alterations that occurred in my absence.”

A few in the audience giggled, to which Princess Luna gave a grin of approval.

“However, such adjustments are of no major significance; for now, I bid thee welcome to Crescent Island! I hope that all have found the academy in acceptable conditions, is this so?” A few in the crowd nodded, others whistled or cheered, to which Luna seemed slightly irritated for a second. “It took over a year since my return to restore this place to its former glory. When I found it, very little had remained.” Her eyes began to glow white as her voice grew louder, “This brings me to the first rule of this semester: there shall be no venturing off WITHOUT THE EXPLICIT PERMISSION OR PRESENCE OF A TEACHER OR MYSELF!”

Twilight shook as power erupted from the command. The unicorn could feel what little curiosity she had escaping through her aching ears. Her eyes had closed in reaction to such force of vocalization, but when they reopened the princess's eyes had returned to their normal, sapphire coloring, and her face resumed its more pleasant appearance as an amiable smile crossed Princess Luna's muzzle.

“I can sense the hunger with which some have arrived today,” the princess proclaimed, the volume of her voice more controlled again. “Enjoy thy first night's feast for now. The remaining edicts shall be discussed after the banquet.” Luna clapped her hoofs together and raised her head proudly. “Chefs, bring out the dishes!”

“Dear Celestia, I am stuffed!” Lyra said merrily, nearly falling over before even crossing the castle foyer. “If I had eaten one more thing, somepony would've had to have carried me out!”

Her eight compatriots laughed and agreed as each walked alongside her, stomachs full.

“That was some sweet cuisine,” Vinyl said. “I think I'm ready to hit the hay soon.”

“What!?” Colgate exclaimed. “How could you want to go to bed? There's so much to do around here! We could go out and explore, or check out some secret-”

“Uh, you do remember the rules Luna just gave everypony, right Colgate?” Twilight asked abruptly. “There's no sneaking around after midnight, especially without Princess Luna's or a teacher's consent. And the princess did say that she and the teachers would not be available tonight.”

“Yeah, we don't wanna make Princess Luna mad,” Quirky Q said. “Remember what happened when she came to Ponyville a few months ago? She nearly cancelled one of the biggest pony holidays, forever!”

“She sure doesn't seem to have changed, either,” Lyra said as she rubbed her ears. “Is it just me, or was she especially loud tonight?”

“Louder than when she visited during Nightmare Night?” Quirky asked. “I thought she was just trying to speak up for everypony. That was a giant dining hall, after all. I mean, did you see the size of it?”

Twilight rolled her eyes, “It was only half full.”

“Give her time,” Gallant said. “Princess Luna said herself that she's still adjusting to Equestria's ways. Hopefully you have more patience with her than you do those exam results-”

“The placement exam!” Twilight screamed, along with Colgate. The two looked at one another as all eyes fell on them. Unlike Twilight, Colgate had a giant grin on her face.

“I totally forgot! You'll never believe what kind of a lead I have,” Colgate began. She quickly scanned the area and waved everypony closer. She lowered her voice and continued, “I overheard some ponies talking about the results being posted at midnight, tonight!”

“Tonight!?” Twilight asked anxiously.

“Well, we're not supposed to leave the grounds after dinnertime without permission, but I suppose that doesn't apply since it’s still on the grounds,” Gallant stated. “But, we also aren't supposed to leave our rooms after midnight. If the notice is posted past that time, then I refuse to go.”

“Aw, come on guys!” Colgate begged. “It'll be fun! We can sneak out, find the results, and then head back. It's no big deal! Like Gallant said, we're not leaving the grounds or anything.”

“But the other rule still applies-” Gallant tried to get out, but the group had already moved on behind an eager, fast-paced Colgate. “Ugh, forget it.”

The troupe marched their way through the extension from the main hall to the dormitory. Its walls were made of glass, with dark brick ribs lining the otherwise crystal clear corridor. The familiar wine-colored carpet ran over the glossy floor in the middle of the hall, granting safe passage like a pegasus's soft walkway through the shimmering sky. Plastered across the sky was a wallpaper of the galaxy, stars and planets glowing against a black background. Its lucidity made it nearly impossible to believe one's eyes.

While most were occupied gaping at the panorama above, Twilight found herself walking closer and closer to her blue friend until they side by side.

The mare inquired slyly, “So, Colgate, exactly where are they posting the results?”

Colgate, then distracted, did not hear her friend's request. But Twilight would not settle as she poked at her friend sheepishly. One prod did not do, so she tried again, and again, until her nudge was more of a jab.

“Ow! What!?” Colgate shrieked.

“You said you knew of the teachers posting the results, but you didn't say where,” urged Twilight.

Colgate shrugged as she observed the school campus through the glass walls. She spotted something and pointed a hoof at the main hall entryway that was just in sight.

“Probably on the castle doors,” she said. “Given my knowledge of smart and sneaky teachers, I would think they don't want us to see the results until tomorrow, and no pony would dare walk across the commons outside.”

“Didn't you say you wanted to go, though?” Twilight asked from behind clenched teeth. “You do like a good adventure, right Colgate?”

The blue mare guffawed, “Duh! I'm always up for some fun and danger. I figured none of you wanted to join me, though.”

“Of course not,” Gallant stated. “If we were found out, we might get kicked out after our first day here. I wouldn’t want to risk that.”

“Y-Yeah, I don't think it's a good idea,” Starlight agreed.

Pokey Pierce nodded in agreement.

Vinyl clicked her teeth. “Who cares about some lame exams? I need some shut-eye for tomorrow when the party starts.”

“I'm with Vinyl... minus the partying,” Lyra remarked. “I'm in need of some beauty sleep after all that traveling.”

“I really want to venture about, but I'm too scared that I’d get carried away,” said Quirky Q. “Actresses tend to have this problem. That, and they’re very loud. I’m not that loud, am I?”

Understanding this was rhetorical the group finally looked to Windchaser. The charcoal color making him nearly blend in with the shadows around him. He shook his head.

“Well, I'm not going alone,” Colgate sighed with shrug. She glanced at Twilight with a chagrined gaze. “Everypony needs at least one friend to come along on an adventure. We’ll just all have to go back and go to bed, I guess. No sneaking around for me. Nope.”

Though the group continued on their merry way, Twilight could not stop the thought that plagued her mind. Her senses tingled every time the mysterious results popped into her head. She figured she would get used to it after some time, or at least manage to cope with the disquietude somehow.

But even after Twilight returned to her lodging the fear crawled beneath her skin. As though for some kind of guidance she opened her window and leaned out to gaze at the stars she had ignored minutes ago. A coolness swept into the room, passing by her gently. The distressed unicorn let out a drawn-out sigh.

I can’t wait. I have to do something... but what?

Chapter 4: Late Night Endeavors

Twilight tossed and turned in bed. Anxiety poked at her brain in a terribly teasing manner. Though she desperately wanted to drown out the feeling, Twilight hadn't felt the weight of her eyes grow heavy in the slightest. Her body begged for rest, but her mind was utterly restless.

Until I see those results, I'll never get to sleep!

Twilight rolled on her side and wiped her wide-open eyes, hoping the motion would dry or tire them out, if even in the slightest. She shifted her head on different sides of her pillow and shuffled beneath the warm bedding. With a pout she stared at the ceiling for hours, waiting for some kind of answer to pass her by.

What if I did something wrong? What happens then-?

Twilight’s ears twitched. The mare sat straight up in a heartbeat. She could barely hear them, slow and soft steps, coming from the corridor. Her brain began juggling consternation and curiosity.

What if that was Colgate? No, no, it was probably a guard. But, if it was her...

“That's it!” Twilight said aloud, before suddenly covering her own mouth.

After a pause, the unicorn conspired in whispers to herself, “If I went out there and got caught, I could just say I was following whoever is out there, trying to warn them that they can’t be out this late. Whether or not I see the results, I won't get in trouble!”

The second the steps passed beyond her heightened hearing Twilight was up against her bedroom door. She carefully opened it and peered into the common room. Weak candlelight sat upon the nearby table and the distant desk adjacent to the suite exit. With this feeble luster lighting a way, the mare started her silent journey as her last hoof slipped from the safety of her uneventful abode.

Twilight reached the door to the corridor and took in a large gulp of air. Already sweating, she turned the doorknob, which opened with a faint click. The door eased open without a sound, and ever so slowly the mare stuck her head out into the darkness. Her eyes, already adjusted to the dimness, followed along the smooth, blurred surfaces of the hall. There were no ponies in sight.

Come on Twilight, you can do this.

She swallowed hard and took her first step, aware that there was no turning back. She crept along the nearest wall, her neck to the floor and her tail between her legs. With her own dark coat and mane she hoped to sink into the darkness, but when she looked over herself from time to time she felt completely transparent. Her imagination played games with her, back and forth, as fear and reassurance ran a relay race inside her brain.

Little by little Twilight snuck closer to the foyer. Its palatial size and low lighting made it appear more like a black hole than a central, homey chamber. The mare crept along with light hoofsteps toward the open space and stopped to scan the entrance hall. The only light in the entire interior came from a torch hanging over the northern entryway leading out to the central circle. Even this did not reach far from its relatively small glass box.

As Twilight stared at this single light she started to feel strangely drawn to it. Her eyes fixed upon its contrast against the ever-present darkness. The amazement lifted her onto the tips of her hoofs and lured her into leaning forward. The second Twilight realized that she was inches from exposing herself to the foyer she dragged herself back against the near wall.

What was that?

Twilight took a deep breath and looked around with caution. There was still no sign of movement nearby. Ever so carefully, she snuck a peek just as she had before leaving her room, with narrow eyes and her muzzle kept low. Her eyes pierced through the darkness as best they could.

She glanced to the left. Nothing was moving. Then she looked to the right. Not a couple lengths away stood a heavy-set guard bearing dark armor and a stone-hard gaze. He nearly blended into the darkness, but Twilight's alert senses immediately detected him. The mare snapped her head back behind the corner where her waiting hoofs muffled her muzzle.

A step sounded from around the bend, followed by another. Armor clanked along with them.

“Who goes there?” the guard asked with a voice as raspy as sandpaper.

Twilight’s mind swarmed with thoughts faster than raindrops forming in a downpour. Every escape plan had a flaw of some sort. She couldn’t hide. Running was pointless. Soon enough ideas of excuses were cast into the mixture, making matters only worse. All of a sudden, one idea stood out from the rest.

An invisibility spell!

With swift concentration Twilight cast the enchantment she had learned not long ago. The light of her horn glowed dimly as she closed her eyes to focus.

When Twilight opened her eyes again, the guard was standing in front of her. His eyes, dark and penetrating, locked onto her like a falcon spotting its prey. The large gray figure took a step closer. The mare felt her blood go cold as her heart froze. The guard’s stare lasted for a few seconds, until his eyes gradually started to scan to the left, and then to the right.

Twilight dared not move a sliver. Instead, she let her eyes slide around in their sockets. Upon looking up she couldn’t see her own mane or horn. Her quavering gaze then crept down to reveal that her hoofs were also out of sight. Her gaze returned to the guard, who hesitantly turned his back to the hallway and ambled over to his position just around the corner.

It worked!

Despite her success, Twilight felt hesitation shaking through her body. She had lucked out on one instance, but she feared not finding such good fortune a second time around. Without much consideration, however, Twilight found herself proceeding toward the staircase straight ahead. The test results remained at the forefront of her mind. Her mania drove her onward.

Twilight stared down where her hoofs should have been visible as she snuck along, astonished to see nothing but their successive imprints on the rug. She quickly remembered that she was not alone. With a swift glance she looked over her shoulder and spotted the guard, who still held an ice-cold look on his square face. His eyes never indicated inquisitiveness, nor did his ears ever twitch. Regardless, Twilight watched in wait for some sign of his detecting her.

Once at the staircase, Twilight took a break from her turtle-paced advance. Her muscles complained about the sluggish pace almost as much as they did after a long gallop. Her breaths grew longer and more controlled as she stared out again at the single torch in the foyer. It was nothing out of the ordinary, but she could not peel away her eyes from its dull dazzle.

What an incredible, amazing light-

Something from behind gave Twilight a great shove. Losing her balance, the unicorn tumbled down the staircase, head over hoof. All Twilight could hear was her body crashing against the marble stairs and the high-pitched resonance that rang in her ears once her rolling stopped.

In her panic Twilight tried to stand, but she tripped over her own hoofs. Behind closed lids her eyeballs spun like weather vanes in a windstorm until finally coming to a stop. Once settled, they stared at the ceiling, unable to react. Twilight’s brain was still rattling like an obnoxious noisemaker.

A familiar face of multiple blue hues popped into view.

“Colgate?”

“Twilight!? Where’d you come from?” squealed Colgate in delight. “One minute I'm headed down the stairs, and the next thing I know I run into something, and now... Wait, was that you?”

“Was what me?” Twilight asked, irate. “You mean the ‘thing’ you blindly ran into at the top of the stairs?” She paused. “Well, I guess I did have an invisibility spell cast-”

Twilight suddenly covered her mouth as her cleared hearing revealed her indoor voice cascading through the hall. Twilight's gut wrenched with every echo. She shrieked upon noticing that her invisibility spell had worn off. Colgate tittered at the sight of her frightened friend.

“What, are you scared the guards will hear you?” she taunted.

“Duh!” Twilight hissed as she finally managed to get back on all fours. “Now we'll both get in trouble, and Princess Luna will send us back home, and-” She watched as Colgate's smile only widened. “How can you be so unconcerned!?”

“I guess you haven't noticed yet,” Colgate said as she puffed out her chest. She faced the corridor directly behind Twilight. She motioning with her muzzle toward a guard lying propped up against a nearby wall. “Take a gander.”

“Colgate, what did you do!?” Twilight screamed, then threw her hoofs over her mouth again. More quietly, she repeated herself, “What did you do?”

“Nothing that bad,” Colgate laughed as she strutted over to the body. She poked at it and smirked. “Remember that sleeping spell you taught me a while ago?”

“You mean the one that was supposed to help with your insomnia last month?” Twilight inquired.

“What? Insomnia?” Colgate replied with one eye narrowed in uncertainly, followed by a widening of both. “I mean, uh, yeah. That.”

Twilight sighed, “You didn't really have sleeping problems, did you?”

“Nope! I just wanted to learn it as a safety spell in case of emergencies. Same with the enchantment spell.”

“Enchantment spell..?”

“Haven't you looked at the lighting at all?”

Twilight blinked. “You mean the torch?”

“You got it. I put a nice little ‘Want It Need It’ spell on it,” Colgate bragged. “It was a weaker version, but I guess that turned out to be good. I didn't want the guards trying to grab the little light anyway.” She polished an invisible badge on her coat with pride. “Glad I learned it for whenever I run into danger like this.”

“You know you weren't in danger, right?” asked Twilight.

“Who was the one complaining about getting kicked off the island a minute ago? Oh, that's right. You. Now, let's get on over to the main hall and see if we can find some secret passages or something-”

Twilight swiftly interrupted, “You mean find the exam results?”

At first Colgate remained still and speechless, but after a moment of tapping on her muzzle, she nodded in compliance.

“We could do that first, I suppose. Then we can venture about-”

A stomp and deep feminine voice cut in, “What are you two doing out here!?”

The duo’s heads swiveled and a dark figure on the spiraling stairwell met their eyes. It drew closer with each thunderous step, until only a few steps away. Another figure emerged, similar in size but silent. Its head bowed low and body quivered, making an eccentric couple of silhouettes.

Twilight suddenly spotted on the nearer one a familiar cutie mark of a theatre mask and question marks.

“Quirky! What are you doing!?” Twilight scolded with a contained scream.

The lavender unicorn laughed heartily. “Just messing with you troublemakers. I thought I heard something outside my room, and surely enough it was somepony. I followed her out to the stairs, even around the entire dorm. She kept on casting this weird spell that made the guards go limp, so I was worried she might get me too. But there’s no need to fear; it was just Colgate here.”

“Who's that behind you?” Twilight asked, trying to peer over Quirky’s shoulder.

“This? It’s just Starlight,” Quirky answered.

The stallion stepped down a few stairs to reveal his farouche face. “I-I thought I heard something in the corridor, so I peeked out. I don't know how, but Quirky saw me from the balcony area when she was following Colgate. S-She ran over and dragged me along.” His nervous smile almost looked more like an accidental frown turned upside-down. “I also wanted to see what you all were up to. I-I was kind of worried-”

“Wait a minute, how long were you guys following me for?” Colgate asked the newcomers.

“Since you passed my door on the top floor,” Quirky divulged, which brought Colgate to clear her ears. The lavender unicorn continued cheerily, “Why? Didn't you know I was behind you the whole time?”

“Nevermind that,” the adventurer snapped. “We need to get to those results. All the guards in here are asleep, but the spell won't last too long, so we better hurry.”

Colgate started a dash down the stairwell again, with the other three right on her tail. With no concerns about noise the party flew through the foyer, their hoofs barely touching the flooring. Upon reaching the main floor they all paused. Colgate, the ringleader, looked to both exits multiple times.

“Which way should we go?” the intrepid pioneer asked.

“Aren't all of the doors locked?” Starlight asked.

Colgate merely smirked and held up a polished ring of even shinier items. They jingled as the mare shook her prize. “Not as long as one of us has a set of guard's keys.”

Twilight gasped in horror. “Colgate! Don't you realize how much trouble you'll be getting into when they find all this out?”

“If they find it all out,” Colgate corrected. “And no, I have no idea. But that's the way I like things: dangerous and mysterious. Now, which way are we going?”

“Left!” Quirky said. “I wanted to see that cool glass tunnel again!”

Colgate sighed. “You know we're gonna be going through that all semester long, right? Well, whatever, somepony answered. Hopefully the exam results or whatever we’re looking for are inside. Left door it is!”

The large western exit spoke its warning in the size and black color of its doors. It obstructed the section of wall as a painting conceals a crack in a partition. The arched frame pointed up to a circular window which allowed little trace of light inside. Colgate fumbled with the keys with her magical hold as she examined the titanic lock. She drew one out and it fit perfectly, and with a strong push the heavy portal opened.

Colgate and company moved as swiftly as shadows. Twilight, however, felt the pressures of their possible consequences growing larger than her curiosity. The thoughts slowed her down down until her headway was at a snail’s pace. She looked up and observed the clear night sky that witnessed her exploits through the glass corridor ceiling. Twilight felt as though she were walking straight into a trap, and the natural beauty was saying its final farewell after only having met her hours ago.

Twilight’s eyes fell back down to earth and scanned the commons area between buildings. Three ponies in black cloaks near the main hall entrance caught her eye. They all stood around the doorway, staring.

Wait.

Twilight could still see the ponies’ legs, and the colors she saw seemed oddly familiar. The two bulkier individuals had coats of light grey and of slate blue. The smallest of the trio was a bluish white.

“Guys, come here!” Twilight tried to yell, aware that guards may be nearby. The hoofsteps ahead halted and returned in a matter of seconds.

“Is that Pokey Pierce? And Vinyl Scratch?” Twilight asked as she pointed outside.

The others leaned against the crystal wall facing westward. Their jaws all dropped open.

“I think the other one’s Windchaser. What are they doing?” Quirky asked.

“Probably checking the placement exam results,” Twilight said, then gasped. “We should be out there, not in here!”

“Oh! Is that why we're sneaking around?” Quirky asked as she cocked her head to one side.

All eyes fell on her. Quirky just shrugged.

The group returned their attention to the commons area. Twilight and the others could only see the walls that reached out and above the entryway, which concealed the doors themselves. None could bring themselves to move back down the hallway just yet. They watched in anticipation as their three friends stood frozen in their tracks.

Twilight spotted a figure in the distance directly beyond the three outside. She pointed again. “What’s that over there?”

Quirky Q laughed, “That's Windchaser, silly-”

“No, past him,” Twilight described.

Approaching in the distance was a dark figure, taller than any of the students Twilight had met thus far. It came from a long ways off, even beyond the edge of the castle to the beginning of the northern hills. Its pace was quick and its steps proceeded without faltering. It was headed directly for Pokey Pierce and the others.

“It's coming straight at them!” Twilight shrieked in terror.

Colgate turned and started a mad dash back toward the dormitory. “We have to warn them! Come on!”

The group charged back toward the main hall. Upon reaching the foyer Colgate pulled out the stolen keys and fiddled with them, using her magic to pick the right one on her first try again. She halted before opening the large entryway door.

“Did anypony see how close that thing was to the others?” Colgate asked carefully, though her voice seemed donned with more excitement than alarm. Every pony present shook his or her head. “We'll just have to run and drag them back as quickly as possible. Ready?”

This time they all nodded, however reluctantly. Colgate placed a hoof on the door and gradually shifted her weight against the thick wooden boards, until finally pressing with all her might. The door eased open, even with the mare's full strength pushing against it, and a metal creak of the bolts sliced the air.

Colgate sprinted out, with each of the others trailing one behind the other. Twilight emerged last, pulled as though harnessed along with the others, her own will no longer in control. The coolness of the night struck her face, then her entire body, until she could feel the icy sensation from horn to tail. With her mind entirely occupied Twilight didn't shiver even once. She looked back at the doorway the four had just left, longing to return to it. She was in for the ride, and there was no turning back.

All of a sudden her chest hit against something. It nearly knocked the air clean out of her. Her head snapped back to see Starlight right in front of her, tumbled on the ground. In front of him were the other two, Quirky and Colgate, their heads jerking back and forth with bewildered gazes.

“What's going on?” Twilight coughed, catching her breath. “What are you guys doing?”

“They're not there anymore!” Colgate said with a hushed holler.

Twilight looked beyond her companions and to the castle door. Its large frame no longer harbored the three Ponyville loiterers. She spotted an unrolled scroll pinned dead at the center on the door, but no one examining it. The results were right there before everypony's very eyes, hidden only by the curling of parchment. Their friends, on the other hoof, were nowhere to be seen.

“We need to get back!” Colgate ordered with a lowered voice, turning and pushing her nearby friend Quirky toward the dormitory. “That thing's still coming!”

Twilight peered into the darkness and spotted the blurred figure now headed straight for them. She thought it was a pony, but it its body seemed too large. Whatever it was, it continued walking at an eerily unhurried pace.

In her staring Twilight forgot to run, but surely enough the invisible reins that dragged the unicorn out hauled her back as her five companions darted to the dormitory doorway. Twilight didn’t look back once but could picture the mysterious thing riding on her hoofs. The unicorn felt a wail rising in her throat but held it back with all her might.

Twilight leaped through the door. The cool air of the foyer swarmed her and the door closed with a groan behind her. The sounds of the night crickets faded as quick breaths sounded in rapid succession. The darkness which Twilight feared to gaze into before was now her shade of safety.

Starlight stood with knees knocking together and teeth chattering. “Is it still-?”

“Shh!” Colgate hushed him, covering his small mouth with a hoof. “Listen.”

The leader put her ear up against the smooth wood of the door. For a minute the group stood in uncomfortable silence, ready to run, though unsure of where to exactly. Twilight, unable to stand the lack of planning, began pacing back and forth.

What do we do, what do we do? If that thing saw us it'll definitely come this way. How can we escape? Do we split up? Think Twilight, think think think!

“It's not coming this way,” Colgate suddenly uttered.

Twilight looked up to see her blue friend peeking out through a crack between the doors.

“What are you doing!?” Twilight chided.

Colgate threw a smart glance in her friend’s direction. “Just being a little daring. No worries, Twilight, that thing’s headed down to the beach.”

“Phew! What a relief,” Twilight said with an unsettling laugh. “Now, let’s all just head back to our rooms and pretend none of this-”

Colgate interjected, “Why run away now? We're so close! Didn't you see that scroll on the door? Those have to be the results!”

“But what happened to the others?” Twilight asked. “What if they got caught?”

No one had an answer at first, leaving the four in a speechless state. They looked at one another, unable to give any explanation; that is, until Colgate's gaze met Twilight's.

“Aha!” the blue mare said. “Maybe they used an invisibility spell like you did, Twilight. They could be right outside, or maybe they're hiding near the door somewhere.”

“Then shouldn't we wait for them and ask about it?” Twilight suggested.

“Time is of the essence,” Colgate said as she walked behind the bookworm. She began pushing Twilight toward the door. “If you find any trace of them, lead them back here. If not, check the results yourself. You're the most spell-savvy here, Twilight, you have to go!”

But Twilight did not feel up to the task; all she felt was a huge lump in her throat, as though she had eaten too much dry hay and couldn't swallow.

“I dunno guys,” she objected, but soon enough Quirky and Starlight were helping nudge Twilight closer to the door, until her flank started to sting of rug-burn.

Twilight felt pressures inside and out pushing and pulling her toward the door, a mess of emotion and reason finally caving in as the mare's brain could no longer process everything, or rather, anything.

“You guys-!”

Before she could finish, Twilight found herself out on the steps, cold and alone. She looked back and saw three pairs of eyes peering out from the doorway, each full of concern but also a glimmer of expectation. Trying to ignore their stares, Twilight gazed over at the main castle entry and the scroll fixed upon it.

Okay Twilight, you can do this. Just walk on over, check it, and hurry back. No one will see you, no one will get in trouble. Then you can finally get some sleep.

She knew she was lying to herself, but by that time her brain bought its own fabrications. With no filter of reason - broken by the irrationality of everything that had happened within the past half hour - Twilight could no longer distinguish right from wrong. All she could think about was the scroll.

Twilight scanned the entire commons a fair number of times. After seeing nothing but the shrubbery move after a minutes’ inspection, she crept along the dormitory facade. She hid behind whatever she could, pausing each time to check the circle of the commons for life. She made it past the glass corridor connecting the main buildings until making a mad dash to the corner of the castle. Once again she stopped and searched, but nothing was out and about but figments of her imagination.

Twilight felt her heart beating at a terrible pace, faster than it had ever pulsated in months. What she had been fretting over was just a few steps away. In spite of having faced far scarier situations Twilight could hardly stand the tingling sensation that shook her like a rag doll.

“Guys?” Twilight called, but her whisper could barely reach over the wind. “Any of you out here?”

No response. Twilight sucked in all the air she could and jumped out to face the doorway. Up close it felt as tall as a clock-tower. Even the scroll nailed into the wood seemed larger than Twilight had imagined. The parchment's ends wrapped into curls that met at the middle as a long, thick stake stuck out from the very center. The unicorn had never seen something posted so strangely before.

Delayed by apprehension, Twilight debated which end to uncurl first.

Is it alphabetical, or by towns? How would it be best organized?

After enough squabbling with herself, Twilight gave up the matter altogether and used her magic to unfurl the paper all at once. Twilight winced as though it were going to blind her; but then she eased open one eye, and finally both. Centered on the paper was a single word, written in rough lettering:

Surprise

“Surprise?” Twilight read in a whisper.

All of a sudden the mare could not feel a thing beneath her hoofs. The doors before her disappeared as a black wall encircled her. All she could sense was the feeling of gravity pulling her down; down a long, long way.

Chapter 5: The Walls Have Life

Twilight hit the ground with a terrible thump. Echoes swirled down a narrow hall, carrying the howl father than the sound of her landing. A cold, damp air surrounded her as though she had stumbled into a freezer. As Twilight lie with the air knocked out of her lungs, she quickly noticed two things: first, that the cry that had echoed sounded like that of a deeper voice than hers; and second, that her landing felt unexpectedly cushioned. She was grateful as it possibly protected her from any severe injury.

“What was that?” came a feminine voice from the darkness nearby.

“Something... just fell... on top of me,” groaned a deeper voice, reverberating whatever it was Twilight had landed on.

Gasping for air, Twilight managed to whimper, “Vinyl? Pokey?”

“Twilight?” questioned Vinyl in wonder. Her hoofsteps against the compact soil drew closer, though the pattering of her steps suggested more wandering than drawing close. “Where'd you come from?”

“I don't know!” said Twilight after finally catching her breath and lifting herself off of Pokey. The scent of the earthy air filled her nose, which she did not mind in the moment. “I’m sorry, Pokey Pierce. First I was looking at the scroll on the doors outside, and next thing I know I was falling down-”

“Same with us!” Vinyl exclaimed. “What the hay is going on here?”

Twilight looked up in hopes of seeing exactly where she had fallen from. To her dismay nothing greeted her eyesight but the same blackness that encompassed her and her company.

“Do we have any clues about where we are?” Twilight inquired.

But the others stood in complete silence.

“Have you been able to look around?” she pursued.

Once again, no answers.

“You mean none of you know how to create a light with your horn or anything?” Twilight asked dully, feeling both confused and yet unsurprised. She continued, disgruntled, “All right, I'll do it.”

With a deep breath, Twilight focused on igniting a ball of light just at the tip of her horn. She remembered the exact spell – a very elementary one – and closed her eyes, focusing on it as best she could. After a moment she opened her eyes again and saw the figures of the others standing not a few hoofs’ reach away. Their faces turned away for a moment and returned, revealing heads lowered in shame and eyes heavy with fatigue.

Twilight’s nose crinkled as her eyes crossed to observe the light she created.

“Why isn't this brighter?” she murmured nervously. “Usually it's about as strong as any old torch.”

“You’re probably as worn out as the rest of us,” Vinyl said. “Our energy's runnin’ low from the trip and all. Let's just figure out how to get outta here.”

“Easier said than done,” said Stormchaser, revealing his cold, tenor voice.

“Well, we can't climb back out the way we came,” Twilight stated, to which the others gave unimpressed stares. Twilight tried to laugh to ease the tension, but saw that no spirits were lifted. “Have you guys explored the area at all?”

“In the dark?” Vinyl asked, which made Twilight blush. “It looks like the end of the line behind you, so there's only one way to go.”

Twilight took a moment to examine the space, noting the wide semicircular passage surrounded by tightly packed earth. She walked along its course and noted the wide gap beginning to narrow. After a minute of careful treading the group encountered faded grays and smooth surfaces of a pony-built corridor. The brickwork was basic and broken up, appearing similar to the dull rock that spotted the underground passageway.

It offered little in terms of comfort as the shabby tunnel seemed ready to collapse on itself. Rigid columns held the stone ceiling panels in place, though a number were chipped or altogether broken. The odors of the buried soils began mixing with ones far more foul. Twilight ceased breathing through her nostrils as much as she could to avoid the stench of something rotten. The stink became so heavy that it touched against her tongue, to which Twilight nearly gagged.

“What do you suppose all this is?” asked Pokey Pierce as he inspected the place. He seemed hardly affected by the reek.

Twilight shook her head slowly. “I don't know. Does the castle have a basement of some sort that we may have stumbled into?”

“Maybe Princess Luna knew that students would try and peek at the results, so she built this all as a trap!” Pokey conjectured.

The group stopped and stared at him for a moment, unsure if he was serious. When Pokey simply stared back, the others rolled their eyes and continued down the hall.

“Pokey, I really don't think Princess Luna would make some brand new tunnels look like this,” Twilight thought aloud.

Crunches reverberated through each pony's body as they began treading atop broken pieces of stone. Each one felt the unpleasant sensation of pebbles sticking to their hoofs. Piles of dust swam through the tunnel like grains of sand disturbed in water. It caused Twilight to cough after inhaling too much of the sooty air, and as a result she slowed her pace to follow behind the others at a slightly longer distance.

“Maybe this is part of the punishment,” added the Pokey Pierce suddenly. “It wouldn't be discipline if we just fell into a nice little hallway that led us back up into the castle.” He gasped. “What if it leads us straight to Princess Luna's chambers? We'll get kicked out of the academy for good!”

“In case you didn't realize, Pokey, we're already out past midnight,” Vinyl stated, “and we left the dormitory. I feel like we're in enough trouble already.”

“Look,” said Stormchaser.

His hoof pointed to the right wall. Twilight walked closer to reveal a vast collection of carvings in the stone. Faint words, large designs and simple drawings all contributed to the blend of etchings. They spread across the wall from the ceiling to the floor with a sparse number empty gaps in their midst. Twilight briefly aimed her light at the opposite wall to behold the exact same plethora of pictures. Twilight wished she had read a book on ancient symbology and carvings.

“What is all this?” Vinyl asked in awe. “Looks pretty cool.”

“And important,” Twilight said.

She paced along the walls, examining every feature possible with the limited time Twilight felt she could afford. Though she desired to examine every square inch, the cold discouraged her from staying put. In passing she saw rough depictions of ponies carrying out daily duties, of boats both sailing and docked, even of farming and giant harvests. Exactly where it all was taking place Twilight could not tell. There were no pictures of a large city or any notable landmarks. There was, however, one recurring setting of a small town near the water’s edge.

“Why aren't there any clues on here about where we are now!?” Twilight growled.

“A map,” Stormchaser uttered in the darkness behind her.

At some point during the group's stroll he had paused. Directly before his eyes was a picture of a crescent moon with jagged features carved all over it. The others retraced their steps and examined the image from top to bottom. Even Twilight could not understand most of the etches or symbols that scattered around the moon shape; however, a few things did stand out to her.

“Is this a map of the island?” Twilight asked. “It has the mountains, the forests, the tower to the south, and... Is that a town to the north?” When she looked closer, she could make out small words beneath the shapes of what looked like houses and ponies. “New... Trottingham?”

“Is that where we are?” Pokey asked as he nudged his way into the huddle examining the section of stone wall.

“I don't think so,” Twilight said. “It's hard to tell. The academy isn't drawn on here, but I think it currently sits a little to the-” Twilight stopped as she spotted strange symbols sitting directly where her hoof had pointed south of the collection of homes. “What's this?”

Everypony leaned in even further, their faces almost touching the stone. Right before their eyes were jagged lines crossing the central part of the island roughly where the academy resided. Other small carvings sat around these zig-zagging features. Among them Twilight spotted a distinctive crescent shape.

“Guys, I think that's a moon!” Twilight said. “If only we knew how old these carvings were... Do any of you know how long was it after Luna's creation of the academy that it was abandoned?”

She glanced at her companions, but each either shifted their eyes up and away or simply stared at the carvings some more.

“Psh, like we'd know,” Vinyl smirked. “We're not history buffs. That's your job, Twi.”

Twilight moaned, “If only somepony else were here to help me remember.” All of a sudden an idea struck her like lightning. “Of course! Why don't we just use a telepathic spell to communicate with one of the others?”

Vinyl looked at the two stallions, and then at Twilight. “And you expect one of us to know how to do that?”

Twilight dropped her head and grumbled, “Ugh, nevermind. I don't know it either. Lucky me, it was next on my checklist of spells to learn.”

“Couldn't you just teleport out of here?” Pokey Pierce asked.

“Okay Pokey, so far I've tried to be nice and consider your ideas, but now-” Twilight stopped mid-sentence. “Wait a minute... Pokey, that's brilliant! Of course! I'll just teleport back to the entrance and head for the dorms. I'll get the others to come help and we'll pull you guys out!” She dug her hoofs into the ground. “All right, try not to hurt yourselves or each other when I'm gone.”

Twilight’s ball of light diminished as her horn glowed a dark violet. The mare's focus went into the spell which she had practiced many times in Ponyville. She carefully formed the image the dormitory facade in her head. With a final lift of her head, she closed her eyes tightly and put her energy into teleporting out onto the lawn. The soft burst of magic sparks gave Twilight a tiny din of triumph.

But when she opened her eyes, it was still pitch black.

“So, she's gone, right?” came the voice of Pokey Pierce, still right next to Twilight. “What do we do now?”

“Find the way we fell in, I guess,” Vinyl answered. “Too bad we couldn't check out the walls more. They were pretty sick-looking.”

“Why didn’t she take us with her?” asked Windchaser.

Silence followed for a moment, interrupted by Pokey's quaking voice. “W-What if Twilight forgets about us? What if she gets selfish and takes the results to her room and just goes to sleep-?”

“First of all,” Twilight growled, “the scroll on the door didn't have any results. Secondly, I couldn't possible leave you all behind because I'M STILL HERE!”

A deep rumbling started to shake the tunnel. Twilight closed her mouth, surprised by what she thought was the power of her voice. Bits of rock from the wall and ceiling started to fall off and skip across the floor. A cacophony of broken stone showered the unicorns' ears like rain as pebbles abounding like drops of water continuously tapped against the floor and the ponies’ bodies. Above the clamor of the trembling arose a deep and menacing laugh.

“You thought you could escape that easily, did you little one?” questioned the rich, powerful voice of he who laughed. “Think again, pony wanderers, for your work here is not done.”

The quaking died down until the chamber was still and silent. Twilight hesitantly lit the tip of her horn again and braced herself for any unsightly things. The dull light revealed no such scares, but nonetheless the four backed into each other. Their flanks were safe at the very least.

Pokey gulped. “What was that?”

“Show yourself!” Twilight shouted.

No immediate answer came, but Twilight did not stop casting glances in every direction. At the end of her faint light’s reach she thought she saw the stone walls cracking and crumbling. After closer examination and boosting her magic light, the unicorn saw that the walls were not the only things falling apart. The pictures spread across them were frantically shaking and shifting as well.

The carvings of crowds of ponies moved about as though they were real. Some galloped about and grabbed their things while others carried on ignorantly with their activities. Some jumped off the wall and shattered into tiny pieces on the ground. Etched houses crumbled as the earth swallowed endless fields of crops. Ships on the sea began to submerge, followed by the collapsing of the waves themselves.

Twilight backtracked through the tunnel in search of the island map. When she stumbled upon it all of the features had fallen off, including the mountains and the houses, the tower and the forests. All that remained was the outline of the isle itself, a barren and unoccupied land. The earth’s shuddering began to die down, and the carvings on the walls turned into lifeless objects once more.

“You weren't looking at ancient history now, were you my young mare?” said the voice. “Come, follow the tunnel, and your minds you’d best prepare.”

Pokey asked in a witless whisper, “Why does he rhyme like that zebra back in Ponyville?”

Twilight withheld from answering. Instead she squinted to pierce the darkness ahead of them in search of more important answers. She peered down the length of the tunnel she had not yet dared to venture through but could not make anything out beyond a few paces ahead of her. A new layer of darkness lingered about as the dust and dirt that now sailed through the cold air obtruded the unicorns’ view.

“Guys, what should do we do?” Twilight asked.

“Gotta go with the flow, it seems,” Vinyl voiced. “I sure as hay don't wanna, but I think we have to.”

Twilight swallowed the rock inside her throat. She didn't want to begin imagining what awaited them. Nonetheless, with no other options, she started down the collapsing cave. Her eyes never once looked straight ahead, but instead distracted themselves by breezing over the walls countless times. A number of carvings still stood along the broken surfaces of the enclosures, though many broken like shattered clay pots.

But the farther the group pressed on, the greater the presence of whole images along the walls. Pictures of boats started to fill the walls, their enormous sizes spanning half the height of the wall and much longer. The interiors were visible, revealing the hull of each boat and the rooms inside. Some figures looked like the ones the group had seen seconds ago, while others looked as though they had slanted lines etched across them, crossing their bodies and faces.

Beyond the boats was a gap with spaced carvings in the stone. At one point long lines swirled and swam about, intersecting and ending at random spots. Deep holes were cut around them, sometimes along the deep, thick lines. Jagged shapes and hundreds of circles littered the stone canvass. No matter how long or hard Twilight stared in passing, she could not make sense of the giant mess.

Recognizable symbols and shapes gradually returned. They formed small clusters of scenery, from forests to plains to mountains. In each setting, like a picture book, the focus was around four different figures. Two seemed like regular ponies, while the other two were the creatures with the strange markings all over them. The figures were pictured in various landscapes, until suddenly they dangling in the middle as if hung from their front hoofs. To the sides Twilight could make out a lion’s paw and a bird's talons, ready to squish the suspended bodies between their claws.

After this picture was a break from all of the etchings, followed closely by a scene of a town similar to the one Twilight saw earlier. The entire set-up, though, was completely destroyed and abandoned. Everything lay in ruin, with plants and vehicles in disarray, homes picked apart and fields trampled. Not a single pony was pictured. As this disturbing image faded into the darkness, the walls lie completely bare.

Minutes passed and nothing else showed up on the walls. Twilight felt as though she were walking in circles, until something on the floor ahead caught her and the others’ attention. From afar it seemed like a few scattered lines, but up close they formed a single word:

RUN

Twilight felt her heart stop. It didn't even have the chance to skip a beat as the rumbling of the earth began anew.

“Make fast your advance, ponies, why do you dawdle about?” the deep voice teased. “Make haste right now and meet with me; perhaps I'll let you out.”

Twilight turned to her friends and saw the petrified looks on their faces as the tremor passed through as before.

“What do we do?” she asked, but not a single one seemed to notice she was speaking.

Okay, you can do this, Twilight. You've faced worse things before... right?

She lifted a hoof and stomped it onto the rocky floor. She started forward again into the darkness hoping the others were following her. She dared not look back to see frightened faces that would suck every last fiber of courage out of her.

The rumbling grew more severe until it felt shakier than the earth beneath a stampede. Twilight feared the tunnel would cave in, trapping her and her friends in the dense, cluttered earth. She tried to ponder the meaning of the word she saw, ‘run’, and how it could possibly help. They couldn't turn back, nor could they flee in any other direction. The only running they could do was toward the direction from which the voice bellowed.

A drop of light suddenly gleamed in the distance. It was a single light, soft and pale blue. Its reach did not stray from the single course it ran as it formed a beam of blue against an otherwise black backdrop.

“Guys! I think I see something!” Twilight yelled as the ground continued to grumble.

The ray of light grew longer as the ceiling began to rise. The tiny tunnel expanded into a taller, wider square as the dense air thinned out. A terrible chill hit the ponies like a wall, causing each to shudder and stumble.

As the group drew near to the radiance another blue blaze popped into view. The new light, more concentrated, hovered a ways off to the right. It glowed and spat like a hungry flame, growling like a raging wolf. Another lit, and then another, repeating until a circle of cobalt blazes encircled the group. The conflagrations snarled like a pack of wolves surrounding their prey, lighting up when fiercely snapping.

The quavering ceased suddenly, but an ensuing deep laughter kept the wanderer’s bones trembling.

“Welcome, my young ponies, to this dark and dreary cave,” said the stranger. “If you know what is good for you, then you had best behave. Cast no spells or you'll regret, for a second chance you will not get.”

“Who are you?” Twilight yelled. “Or, what are you?”

“Were you all to see me, you'd all surely freeze with fear; but know that I've been certainly awaiting for you here. I led you through to show the truth: those walls you saw displayed the proof.”

“What do you mean?” Twilight shouted as the riddle went in one ear and out the other. “What proof?”

“If I were a mighty owl, you'd be the tasty mice. Listen to me carefully for some small - but good - advice: only demise lingers on this isle. You'd best escape before things get vile.”

Twilight recalled the etched word on the floor. Her blood went as cold as ice.

“H-How are we supposed to leave when you've trapped us here?” Twilight questioned, her voice echoing faintly.

The voice replied, “I only wait for the time opportune. I expect that my visitor shall stop by soon. All things considered you four ponies really mean little to me; should my guest fail to show, it's the light of day you'll never again see.”

Twilight felt her limbs lock in place. There was nothing she could do, or so the voice said. Thoughts started to shoot across the sky of her mind like meteoroids in a meteor shower. She and her friends had overcome greater obstacles before; there had to be a key to escape.

An invisibility spell! If I can just reverse it, maybe we'll be able to see where and what it is...

Without thinking twice, Twilight put out the light of her horn and started a new spell.

“Twilight, what are you doing?” Vinyl berated.

Twilight whispered, “If we can just see whatever this thing is, maybe we can figure out an escape plan.”

Vinyl jumped over in front of Twilight to stop her. “Twi, he already warned us about trying to escape-”

But it was too late. A new light flashed from Twilight's horn, blinding the caster for a moment. Upon regaining her vision she glanced over at Vinyl and gasped. Her friend was staring straight at the ceiling of the cave, pale as a ghost; even her white coat appeared unnaturally bleached. She shook as though the earth beneath her shook her like a dice. A shriek drained her lungs through a wide-open mouth.

The deep voice chuckled. “You'd be better off not looking where your friend here dared to stare. Can't you see just what has come of this poor, careless mare? Don't turn back, with the stallions it is all quite the same: don't you regret breaking one of the rules of my little waiting game?”

Twilight kept wanting to glance upward, now more than ever, just to capture a glimpse of whatever it was she had revealed. Before she could, though, the image of Vinyl and her pallid state frightened her into staring at her own hoofs. The conflicting fear and curiosity left Twilight quivering like a leaf in autumn winds.

“You have til three to contemplate. It seems your friend might be too late,” the voice said. “I had really hoped that she would show, it's simply quite a shame. This just means I’ll have to extend our little cat-and-mouse game.”

“Who are you waiting for!?” Twilight cried as tears flowed in fear. “What do you want from us? We didn't do anything!”

“One! You ignored the walls, the life they show. Had you paid attention, even when running you'd know.” He chuckled to himself. “Two! It's nothing personal, I simply dislike your kind. Just seeing any ponies and such brings terrible thoughts to mind.”

A deep breath left the lips of the mysterious thing. Twilight could feel it from where she stood as the gust blew past her with great power. She clenched her teeth in preparation for whatever pain was to come; her cries could not save her, and her magic had reached the end of its line.

“Three.” He paused and roared at the cavern ceiling. “She hasn't come, that villain, she's nowhere in my sight. What a pity, so ignorant, your princess of the night-!”

A thunderous boom shook the chamber and a wave of air swept the scene. Twilight could not help herself any longer as she lifted her eyes upward. Her sights met a strange glowing swirl of violet and dark blue spinning in the middle of the cave. Like a black hole it sucked in her sight as it radiated a mystifying light. From it launched sparkles of navy and purple that flung themselves into patches of darkness, fading after shedding light in every corner.

The magical spheroid began to shrink until taking form in the blink of an eye. Twilight covered her face as it flashed, and then peeked out with caution. Her sights beheld a most familiar figure standing in the middle of the giant cave. Her wavy mane and tall figure were nothing but unique. Paired with a dark coat and lunar cutie mark, the individual was indistinguishable.

Princess Luna!

Chapter 6: Cave In

by Storytayler

“GET BEHIND US, TWILIGHT!” Princess Luna ordered as her eyes flashed white and hair grew pitch black. “SHIELD THINE EYES IMMEDIATELY!”

Twilight fell immediately to the ground as Princess Luna's voice shook the cave more so than the stranger's ever had. With eyes cast downward the student could see the nothing but the shadow of the academy headmaster, its figure tall and hair flailing like a flag in a brewing windstorm. The building zephyr whipped around Twilight and the princess like a cyclone. It nearly swept the student off her hoofs, but the headmare stood her ground like a tower.

“SPEAK NOW, FIEND! WHAT ART THOU, AND WHAT IS THY PURPOSE HERE?” Luna roared.

The stranger chuckled as he had before, but the explosion of laughter felt half as powerful compared to Princess Luna's vocal strength.

“Alas, after longest years you've finally decided to come! Are you prepared to listen to all the evil that you've done? My name is simply Specter, though it has not always been. I have last words to speak to you before my string of life grows thin.”

Princess Luna howled, “ON WHAT GROUNDS DOST THOU INTENDETH TO SCOLD US AFTER THOU HAST WRONGLY ABDUCTED OUR OWN STUDENTS, TARAXIPPUS?”

Taraxippus?

Twilight had studied the monster before. Ancient stories told of competitions that went terribly wrong because of the mysterious beings. The ghastly things were said to strike fear into any ordinary pony that spotted even an inch of its form, freezing any onlookers in their tracks. Remembering the pale state of Vinyl and the others, Twilight shut her eyes tightly and protected them with shaking hoofs.

“Such is true, dark alicorn, but it brought you here nonetheless,” the Taraxippus teased. “Now listen to what story I have to tell in the midst of this mess. There was a time long, long ago when this whole island defined peace. Diverse individuals lived in harmony without cease. They thrived in their own settlement for many, many years. But those who thought the times too good found answered their own fears.

“Along came a vicious devil that encouraged disarray. He turned the waters salty and made rotten all their hay. He made the strangest scene of their tiny, humble town. Every delighted grin soon turned into a dreadful frown. To the dismay of the townsfolk he claimed the isle as his own. And for some time he had no fear for sufficient opposition had not yet grown.

“But as time passed four brave souls stepped up to face the brute. They tired of all the hardships and sought to rip apart the root. Little did the heroes know that this was the devil's plan, for the moment they set hoof in his trap was the second it all began.”

An eerie silence filled the cavern. The high-pitched ringing in Twilight's ears suddenly became painfully noticeable.

“What began?” Princess Luna demanded, her tone calmer as telling voice’s had died down too. “Is that all thou has to tell?”

The Taraxippus gave a great cry, “It was sheer horror, princess, yes the horror that began! An appalling spell enveloped the heroes before they turned and ran. Cries of agony pierced the sky as storms began to rise! And their faces were never again seen by their friends' and families' eyes.”

“What is thy purpose of telling this tale?” Princess Luna interjected indignantly.

The Taraxippus moaned, “All this time I've waited, and this is all we get? An impatient princess that was waited on, no sign of regret?”

“If thou suggests that we were that devil then we must inform you that you are mistaken,” Princess Luna declared.

The voice shook the room with greater power. “You weren’t the devil I described, but you are one nonetheless. How could you ignore your name being called by hundreds in distress? The savior that failed to show her face, who left her mark behind? What a waste to believe in your noble name he enshrined.” The Taraxippus gave a terrible screech, like the a cry of an eagle, and shouted, “As my final act for all while I’m yet in this cursed form, I'll bury the one who never came to clear the devil's storm!”

The ground began to shake with terrible vigor. The grinding of rough boulders scratching against one another cracked the air as chunks of earth rained down from the cave ceiling. Twilight turned and looked back with alarm as piles of dirt and stone piled up around her three motionless friends. Before she could run to them, a great gust began to spin. Thunder sounded throughout the room as bursts of explosions swarmed the chamber. Titanic rocks dropped from the ceiling and dirt flew into the air like clouds. Twilight could suddenly hardly see, let alone breath.

“Keep covering your eyes, Twilight!” ordered Princess Luna.

The student obeyed, though reluctantly. The darkness behind her eyelids did not shut out the quaking nor the collisions of giant rock; in fact, the fear that choked Twilight only grew exponentially. But suddenly a light brighter than the sun flared throughout the cave, visible even from behind closed eyelids. Almost simultaneously was a tumultuous crack that split the air.

The din of crumbling suddenly faded. The ground was soft. The air was thin and refreshing, though still terribly cold. Shivering, Twilight tried to peel one eye open, but the persisting terror had drained almost all of her energy. Ever so slowly her senses gave way, leaving her lying in a scatter-brained blanket of silence and senselessness.

Something nudged her.

“Twilight Sparkle?”

Her own name echoed through her head, a bottomless chasm, hollowed by the panic that had racked her brain. It was empty from the crashes that pierced her eardrums, letting her last thoughts ooze out like water from a hole in a barrel. But her senses had not entirely escaped, for Twilight could begin to retain the fluid information of her own name.

“Twilight Sparkle, are you all right?”

Twilight knew it was the voice of Princess Luna. The unicorn tried her best to nod, but the throbbing in her head made every inch of movement in her neck feel like a terrible contortion. She could not even open her eyes.

“You need to try and remain conscious. We have to get you and the others back to the academy immediately,” Princess Luna explained.

Twilight winced at the thought of the others and their pallid states. The tighter she closed her eyes, the farther she felt herself disconnecting from the real world. Her mind slowly began to drift off until the unicorn could not help but submit to the comatose that devoured her.

A gentle light streamed across Twilight's face. Her coherent thoughts and senses returned as the mess that plagued her mind fled to the mare's subconscious. A warm, comfortable bed cushioned her back and side. Clean blankets covered her entire body. A wrap around her ears muffled what little sound she could make out, most of it being her own shifting in the sheets.

Her eyes eased open to reveal an unfamiliar room. It certainly wasn't her bedroom - it was too large and filled with fine furnishings - but it looked very similar. The dark coloring around the room covered all kinds of familiar shades. Violet curtains dotted with golden and silver stars donned the wide-stretched windows that practically made up the far wall. Rows of portraits and paintings, each one outlined by golden or silver frames, fit across the faces of the walls like puzzle pieces.

The air was still cool, but not chilling like that of the tunnels. Twilight shuddered at the memories that leaked into her brain, from the moving walls to the last moments she could remember before fainting. It left her shaking to the point where even the bed itself wobbled.

“Be still, Twilight Sparkle,” came the strong voice of Luna, even though whispered. “Thou art safe within the royal guest room at the academy. There is nothing of which to fear.”

The student ceased her trembling and looked to her right where the princess sat a hoof’s reach away. Her dark blue eyes pierced through Twilight's being, drawing out a vulnerability that brought out tears to the unicorn's eyes.

“P-Princess Luna-”

“As your princess and headmare, I shall speak first,” Luna stated emotionlessly. “Thou hast much to explain, my new student. As a former pupil of Celestia's, I can only trust that thou had good reason to be out so late. Whether you led this expedition or not, it matters little; all that does matter is that you relay everything with accuracy.”

The thought of being sent back to Ponyville seemed unavoidable. All excuses and stories that had developed were now inadequate, melting into mere puddles of worthless, dirty water no pony would dare to offer or take in themselves.

Twilight stuttered, “It was all because of the exam, and I... Back in my room, I tried to sleep, but I couldn't! This noise, I went to check... and next thing I know I'm outside. I fell down a hole... And then that tunnel! Princess Luna, I couldn't even-”

“SILENCE!” Princess Luna ordered. Her eyes flashed for a moment, but then returned a calm state again. “I understand that thou art feeling quite tempestuous. However, I am in need of thine experiences regarding exactly what happened last night. That monster we encountered was no hoax; thou and thy friends are most fortunate to have escaped alive.”

“I heard you say ‘Taraxippus’,” Twilight mentioned, leaning toward the princess with wet eyes. “Why would it be on the island-?”

“That is not crucial as of this moment, Twilight Sparkle,” Luna scolded. “For now, thou must relay to me what occurred this past night. That is of utmost importance.”

The princess sat and stared as Twilight tried to collect herself. Though out of harm's way, she had not escaped any kind of punishment after enduring the trial of breaking the academy rules. Twilight accepted the fact with great consternation.

“In all honesty, I was so worried about the exam results that I couldn't sleep,” Twilight admitted with plenty of sniffling. “I heard from a friend that the results would be posted tonight, and I couldn't wait. I heard something outside the door and found an excuse to leave. I ran into some others who had snuck out, so we searched for the exam results. We spotted a scroll on the entrance to the main hall.”

The princess forcefully interrupted, “There are two things that thou must clarify. Firstly, explain how thou managed to escape past the guards. Secondly, what is this scroll of which thou speakest?”

“Somepony put the guards to sleep,” Twilight said. “When I walked out into the foyer, every guard was slumbering but one. I used an invisibility spell before he could spot me.” The student paused and looked around. “About the scroll... is there nothing on the castle door anymore?”

“I hath seen no such thing on the doorway after our return last night. What was on it?”

Twilight gulped, recollecting the sight of the one word. “There was only one word when I opened it. 'Surprise'.”

Luna's eyes narrowed again, this time a spark of mystical ire shooting through the royal blue of her irises.

“Twilight Sparkle, it pains me to say this,” Princess Luna began, and her student began to choke up worse than before. She knew the words that were coming with the intensifying look of disappointment. “But I would very much encourage thou to remain on the island.”

Dashed, Twilight felt herself fading away from the fabric of reality, falling into the net of fears and mortification that had formed over the course of the night. All of her woes had indeed finally come true. Until she realized what the headmare had said.

“Wait, remain on the island?” the unicorn asked.

Princess Luna nodded slowly. “I understand that this was a most taxing experience for thou; however, I may be in need of thy assistance. As my sister is overseeing her own academy while watching over the whole of Equestria, she does not have time to come to my aid so readily, even when the matter at hoof concerns such a devilish fiend as that which you witnessed.”

Twilight felt her insides churn. “You didn't defeat the Taraxippus? Even with your powerful magic spell?”

“No, I did not vanquish it,” Luna stated. “It destroyed itself. As thou might already know, spirits such as the Taraxippus live for many years, but they too grow old and pass away. Since that ghost - which called itself Specter - knew it was drawing near to its end, it gave up its remaining energy to try and bury us. Though I sensed a strong magic spell to prevent teleportation, its power was no match for my magical ability.”

“It kept me from teleporting,” Twilight said. “I tried to escape and find help.”

The princess nodded with closed eyes. “Again, I am most sorry that thou had to experience such a trying and mysterious phenomena.”

“What about the story it told? About the four ponies and the... devil? Aren't all of the ponies on this island in danger if it returns?”

“I do not know. I felt the presence of something when I arrived to rebuild the academy a year ago, but I never directly encountered anything. Now that I have found what I was sensing, I must find out what it wanted to communicate through telling that disturbing tale.” Princess Luna let out a sorrowful sigh. “Troublesome things were expressed. Even I have not solved the puzzle the Taraxippus handed to me. For the time being, Twilight Sparkle, I would rather not see my revived school close so soon.”

Twilight looked at the headmaster, whose violet figure grew brighter as the sun began to rise. “But what will happen now, Princess Luna?”

“Do not fret. That monster is gone and it was little to fear in the first place, save for its trickery that thou witnessed first-hoof. If I sense that things are getting too dangerous, I shall summon my sister. We are in contact almost every day. She knows about thy exploits even now.”

Twilight's face grew terribly hot, afraid to hear just what Celestia's reaction would be like.

Luna smiled, to her surprise. “She says that ever since thou were sent to Ponyville thou hast seemed to turn into quite the inquisitive one, or so declares Celestia. She thinks thy friends have had an influence on thou.”

“Do I really get to stay?” Twilight asked excitedly, almost ignoring the previous comment. “What about all the rules my friends and I broke?”

“Though something very important has been revealed through this event, it indeed does not exclude thou and thy peers from chastisement. I have considered certain disciplinary measures for the breaking of the statutes, and believe I have found something suitable.” She took a deep breath, giving Twilight a second to sweat over it. “Thou shall not be able to leave the island during the first winter break.”

Twilight's heart sank, but quickly recovered at the thought that far worse things could have been said. Though she had made arrangements to see her friends during that time, she could have been faced with being stuck in Ponyville with no chance to revisit the academy. Ever.

“Will we be allowed to leave our rooms during the break?” Twilight asked sheepishly.

Luna laughed gracefully and smiled again, “That I have yet to settle. It shall be contingent on how thy Ponyville friends fare over the next few weeks.”

Twilight, with a regenerated spirit, giggled nervously. “I don't think we'll have any more problems.”

“I expect as much,” Luna said as she rose and headed for the door. “Do try to refrain from blushing too much when I make the announcement at breakfast time this morning.”

“You're telling everypony about this!?” Twilight squealed in horror.

But the princess looked hardly concerned. “The declaration shan't be too specific. It shall be for every student's good to be warned not to linger about at night. It shall also indirectly inform thy friends of what they should expect for their punishment, should they not hear from thy mouth first.”

“I-I understand, princess.”

Princess Luna stood before the door of the royal guest room and halted.

With one last breath she turned her majestic head and said, “Rest well, Twilight Sparkle. Feel free to return to thy room when thou feelest well enough.”

Twilight nodded with a smile, and the princess walked out, her flowing tail the last thing visible before the wooden barrier between chambers shut. The violet mare did not stay in bed for long, for curiosity – one not so dangerous – got the best of her and led her to doors nearby that connected to other identical guest rooms. She found an occupied bed in one of them. Twilight peeked at the head sticking out of the dark comforter and navy blue sheets. The electric blue mane made Vinyl's character indistinguishable.

“Vinyl? Are you awake?”

The white unicorn opened her eyes, revealing the dashing red irises, and let a large grin cross her muzzle.

“Duh, heard the whole thing,” she said, sitting up. “She asked Pokey, Windchaser and I the same stuff. I was hopin’ you wouldn't lie to get out of trouble or something. It would've been your word against ours, and with you being Celestia's student and all, I think I know what Luna would've done.”

The other two stood from their hiding place on the other side of the bed. They each had been listening quite intently since Twilight’s awakening.

“You guys! I couldn't lie to the princess!” Twilight retorted brusquely. “What kind of pony do you think I am?”

Vinyl smirked, “The kind of pony that heads out alone to check some lame exam results.”

Twilight let out an uneasy chuckle. “Well, do I dare ask what you and the others were doing out there? Pokey, Windchaser?”

“Vinyl made me,” Pokey said. “She said she wanted a 'scapegoat', whatever that means.”

Windchaser nodded in agreement. Twilight rubbed her face with her hoof and laughed silently with her face hidden.

“I guess I pressured them into it,” Vinyl said. “I was hoping we'd run into you guys somehow. It would've made the adventure more interesting. ANYWAY, sounds like you and the others had a good time. I mean, you put the guards to sleep, yeah?”

Surprised, Twilight asked, “Hold on a second, how did you three get past them?”

“We didn't, really,” Pokey answered. “We went around the back of the castle. Windchaser helped us float down from out of our windows. Who'd have thought he's really good at controlling the wind?”

Windchaser looked away as though his face were flushing.

Twilight laughed and sighed, “Well, I think I'm feeling well enough to go back to my room before anything else crazy happens. Princess Luna must have cast a healing spell on us.” She unwrapped the cloth from around her head and examined the clean white strip. “Shall we?”

They headed for the exit, Twilight leading the way.

“If we want to avoid suspicion, we'd best get to our bedrooms before everypony wakes up and sees us,” she said.

The mare pushed opened the door and nearly screamed; standing crowded around the door outside was every student on campus. Their eyes all stared straight at the group of four inquisitively.

Before her jaw dropped to the floor Twilight quickly collected herself. “H-Hey everypony, nice morning, isn't it?”

Stares.

“Well, we're just going to get moving here, if you don't mind,” Twilight said as she nudged her way into the crowd, never once looking back.

She lowered her head and shuffled through the crowd until finally finding enough space to not be rubbing shoulders or stepping on another's hoofs with every stride. With a hot face she looked at the other three behind her, their eyes tapering in humiliation.

“Twilight! Guys! There you are!” Starlight called from afar.

The five others from Ponyville were talking toward the door Twilight and company had just left. Their eyes and smiles spread wide, the white of their eyes and teeth bare.

“You're all okay!” Twilight said with relief. “What happened to you guys?”

“We went and found Princess Luna!” Quirky stated as she took in a huge breath and unloaded. “Well, first we didn't know what to do, because you disappeared. But then we went and found Lyra and Gallant, and they told us to find Luna, so we did! And then the princess got this angry look on her face and her eyes turned all white, and I thought she was going to banish us! But then she just told us to go back to our rooms and we did, and now we found you!”

Though the words flew out faster than bees from a broken hive, they passed through a cognizant brain. As Quirky panted with excitement, Twilight looked at the others, who displayed a mixed set of emotions, from regret to relief.

“What happened to you guys?” Quirky asked.

The four looked at one another, unsure of how to reply. They had created stories for when a guard had caught them, but not when one of their friends asked.

“Well,” Twilight began, “we sorta got lost. That's all.”

“Lost? But you completely disappeared!”

“Invisibility spell?” Twilight said, though her tone emerged as that of a question.

Quirky looked over each one of the skeptically, but then smiled and started her usual bounding. “Phew! Here I thought you were all in big trouble. As long as we're all here and not banished by Princess Luna, we're a-okay!”

Twilight faked a smile, as did the others.

“You guys saw the results right?” Starlight asked. “Isn't it great?”

“Is what great?” Twilight asked. “You mean they're up?”

Starlight looked taken aback as his gaze darted back and forth between the crowd and Twilight. “D-Didn't you all just come from that doorway? It should’ve been posted there.”

The four's faces started to redden again. To hide them as best they could the group turned to face the door swarmed with other students. Surely enough, Twilight could make out above the huddle of horns a piece of parchment hanging on the door.

Oddly content, Twilight shook her head and laughed to ease her tension. Strangely, it worked. The horrible thoughts that had kept her up last night simply faded away.

“I don't need to see the results of the exam,” Twilight said happily. “I'm just happy that everypony here is safe-”

“Why wouldn't you want to know?” Quirky asked, puzzled. “It just says what class you'll be taking for the winter.”

Twilight sat down, dumbfounded. “Wait, what?”

“The results. They weren't grades or anything,” Starlight explained. “They were just to see what magic class we'd be best suited for. You know, like one of those fun quizzes to see what occupation you'd fit in best? That's pretty much all it was.”

One of Twilight's eyes began to twitch.

“I guess I’ll just tell you: you, Lyra and I are in the Light Magic class,” Starlight said with fervor. “Vinyl and Windchaser, you guys are in the Elemental Magic class with Gallant; and Pokey, you're in the Shadow Magic class with Colgate and Quirky. We're evenly spread!”

Quirky covered her mouth and erupted with a snarky laugh. “Boy, it's a good thing we didn't go through a whole heap of trouble to figure that out, right guys?”

All Twilight and the others could do was stare. Not at the others, but at thin air. Their tails ceased to move and their bodies felt jiggly as jam. Twilight especially started to drift off in thought, the voices of those disappearing around her, as they were drowned out by a single thought.

All that worrying... for nothing!?

Chapter 6.5:

Collywobbles

by Storytayler

Twilight stood before one of the many tables in the banquet hall, her violet eyes captivated by a long piece of parchment sitting atop the smooth surface. Signatures of all sorts crossed the lines of the list, leaving only one spot left under the heading 'Advanced Astronomy'. With a decisive gaze she removed a quill from the sack she carried and neatly wrote her name on the last open line.

“Picking your electives, Twilight?” asked Starlight, who had been standing next to her without her knowing it.

Twilight turned her head to face the stallion. “Oh, hey Starlight. Yes, I’m finishing up my decision-making. I got lucky enough to get the last spot on the astronomy list. Have you picked any courses yet?”

Starlight eyeballed the list and frowned. “Well, I was thinking astronomy as well, but it looks full as you’ve just suggested. I guess I could give ice fishing a try...”

Twilight caught a glimpse of the list nearby. Only two names were under the heading, and a rough sketch of a gray fish sat beside the title.

“Starlight,” Twilight said as she faked a laugh, “were you possibly thinking of trying anything else? I heard that particular course wasn't all too popular. How about a music elective? Or maybe a magic dueling course? I heard Gallant signed up for one of those.”

“G-Gallant's also an experienced fighter,” Starlight remarked with a nervous frown. “I-I don't think I'm meant to be a duelist of any sort. I prefer my peace and quiet.” A near-full list on the table to the left caught his eye. “What's that? Is that an advanced art course?”

“Ah! I forgot that I saw this,” said Twilight, bringing the paper over with her magic. “It's advanced painting. I forgot that you liked the arts. Looks like you found one elective for the winter.” She placed the parchment on the table nearby. “Do you plan on taking any more?”

“As much as I would love to take a number of these extra courses while I'm here, I don't want to distract myself from my main classwork.”

“Not a bad choice. From what I understand, the professors here won't be giving us an easy time, either.”

Starlight picked up a nearby quill with his magic hold and signed his name amongst the others sitting beneath the delicately written words 'Advanced Painting'. With a smile he backed away and looked about the banquet hall. Rings of tables with ponies crowded around them filled the grand hall. A few teachers stood about in the middle of the chamber eyeing the students carefully. Their moderation assured no pony would have the chance to toy with the lists.

“Say, Twilight,” Starlight started, “do you know any of those teachers?”

Twilight looked at the three teachers that stood in the middle of the room talking amongst themselves. Once in a while one would cast a glance over another's shoulder, eyeing a student in the distance with slight speculation.

“Don't you recognize them from Celestia's school?” Twilight asked.

Starlight's ears retreated as his head lowered. “I-I never went to Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns.”

The mare gasped, but covered her mouth swiftly. “Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't... With your studious demeanor and knowledge of spells, I thought that you had attended her school in Canterlot at some point in time.”

“No need to apologize,” Starlight mumbled. He blushed. “I guess it's more of a compliment, if you put it that way.”

Twilight bit her lip and let her eyes sail away for a moment, until they got caught up in the sight of the teachers again.

“Those three are the main professors, I believe,” Twilight said as she motioned in the three's direction subtlety. “Madame Lonsdaliete, Professor Yorsets, and Doctor Marie.”

“W-Which one's our teacher?” Starlight asked.

“I don't know yet. I can't remember which one taught Light Magic courses back in Canterlot.” Twilight looked back at Starlight, who trembled more than a colt with stage fright. “Starlight, are you shaking?”

“W-What? No,” Starlight replied as he locked his knees. “I'm just... cold. Yeah, cold. I-I think I''ll be heading back to my room now.”

Twilight raised an eyebrow, but waved nonetheless. “All right. Take care, Starlight!”

The stallion took his leave straightaway and trotted into the foyer. As he made his way to the dormitory he stopped multiple times to shake his body free of the jitters. He could feel the anxiety already creeping through his skin at the thought of a new teacher. It only reminded him of the looming fact that the first day of classes was just around the corner.

And first days never go well.

EPISODE 2: TIMIDITY, THY NAME IS STARLIGHT

Chapter 7:

Bundle of Charcoal

by Storytayler

Starlight Hooves sat shaking as he stared at the classroom entryway. Though it had grown colder overnight, it was not the temperature which made him shudder. Rather, it was the unbearable weight of his invisible baggage. The dashed hopes and weights of fears Starlight hauled around felt like a trunk full of bricks.

Over the years the burden had only grown as he could recall each ‘new beginning’, even as far back as magic kindergarten. He was grateful for his education nonetheless; after all, his parents gave all they had for him to attend decent schools of magic throughout the years. But each day had consisted of constant teasing, of intimidation brought on by unfamiliar teachers, and of doing homework he would had otherwise enjoyed had he not been plagued by the former two things.

It was because of all this that Starlight sat gazing at yet another entryway that would introduce a whole new semester. He dared not touch the doorknob yet, nor even approach the door itself. To his relief a stream of classmates soon approached. Their faces beamed with anticipation as enlivened tones told of their hopes for the winter.

As they leisurely filed in Starlight rose to join the parade. His hoofs, however, refused to lift off the carpet as though they were caught in quicksand. The stallion shifted his weight from one pair of hoofs to another as a storm of silly questions - though not silly to him at the time - blew his mind about.

Should I go in? No pony else seems to be going in alone... so should I wait until one of the others gets here?

Starlight removed his gaze from the door to calm the squall within his head. To the left was a single window that stretched across the corridor’s end. A single cloud swam outside in the pale blue sky. Sunlight slid through the crystal panels and spread across the nearest wall, a sign to Starlight that morning was not even close to being over. For as strained as the stallion felt, one would think he had endured at least half of one day’s troubles.

“Hey Starlight!” came a greeting, to which the startled unicorn jumped.

His sights landed on the familiar faces of Twilight and Lyra, whose happy expressions contrasted deeply with his own current emotion.

“Oh, h-hey guys,” he mumbled as a shy smile came and went.

Lyra's eyes narrowed until like those of a hawk's. “Are you feeling well, Starlight?”

The stallion patted the carpet with his hoofs. The uneasiness was beginning to make itself more and more apparent. Starlight tried to widen his grin.

“Y-Yeah, why wouldn't I be?” he asked. “First day of classes, and stuff.”

“Were you waiting for us?” Twilight asked with a twinkle in her eye. “That was very thoughtful of you.”

Starlight said nothing, and instead looked back at the window where the sunlight squeezed in. He waited until the flushing on his face disappeared, then returned his gaze with the same awkward smile.

“Yeah, that's it,” he finally said, then gulped.

“We should head on in,” Lyra suggested, motioning at the large group of students headed their way. “Early students gets the best seats, you know!”

Starlight nodded and walked over to the door, his thoughts still swirling in the storm inside his head. So far, so good.

But which desks are the best?

Although Starlight was the first of the three to the door – a mere accident caused by his own uneasy pace – he dared not take a step through. He waited until Lyra and Twilight were right behind him to give him a hint at where they were headed. All Starlight saw as he glanced back, however, were a couple of displeased looks plastered on the mares’ faces.

Starlight inspected the classroom hurriedly as he noted its strange set-up. The desks aligned to form a large, curved rectangle that appeared more like the shape of a slightly straightened horseshoe. In the center of the formation was the teacher's podium and a large presentation table. The far wall was lined with a long set of windows, reaching from the tile floor to the smooth brick ceiling. All other partitions were left bare aside from the paintings of historical figures and scenes from the island. He couldn’t find the ‘best seats’ of which Lyra spoke.

He looked back to the two. Their dissatisfied expressions had not changed. In fact, they looked more irritated than just a few seconds ago.

“W-What is it?” Starlight asked as his ears retreated.

“Uh, Starlight, do you plan on standing in front of the door much longer?” Twilight asked with a raised eyebrow.

The stallion glanced behind her and saw a large group of fellow students lining up to file in. Their expressions were not much more pleasant than Twilight and Lyra's. Starlight tried to laugh it off as he jolted forward, but none who passed through gave a very appreciative smile. Starlight felt sweat already forming.

“Over there!” Lyra exclaimed, pointing at the desks in the far left corner. “The good seats are still open. There’s a perfect view of the ocean from over there.”

The two paused and looked at her. Twilight asked, “You mean perfect view of the front of the class, right?”

“Huh? Oh, um, yes,” Lyra said with a wave. “Whatever you say.”

The three made their way over to the left-most side of the classroom. The middle three desks in the row of five were unoccupied; that is, until a body plopped down in the front-most one.

Lyra stomped a hoof. “Oh, bother.”

She continued her advance regardless and sat at the farthest back of the three desks. She closed her eyes and stretched as a smile of success succeeded a great yawn. When she realized the desk in front of her was still unoccupied, she glanced back to where Twilight and Starlight stood nearby.

“What are you two doing?” she asked. “Hurry and sit, the teacher's probably right outside.”

Twilight looked over at Starlight, who simply looked to Lyra. The minty unicorn rolled her eyes in response.

“Oh come now,” she said, “it's not like these will become assigned seats. One of you sit in front of me, and the other can sit nearby. It's not the end of the world; we’ll just make sure we get here earlier next time.”

Starlight knew what was coming. He had experienced the ‘maybe next time’ routine in previous years. With great reluctance he turned and searched for the nearest unoccupied desk. By that point, however, every seat was taken. Every one, that is, except for the desk at the far side of the room. He glanced back at Twilight and Lyra, who by then were contently seated and eagerly exchanging their final words before the upcoming classtime began.

Starlight figured he could manage one day with not sitting next to ponies he knew.

It’s just one day. I can manage that.

With heavy hoofs Starlight trudged to the neglected desk in the corner. The weight of his disappointment transferred to his legs, dropping his bottom onto the cushion seat. This new beginning of yet another semester was turning into more of a slip and slide down a mountainside than a victorious climb to the summit.

A new voice brought his gaze and ears up.

“Welcome, students, to your first light magic class at the Winter Magic Academy,” said the teacher, who closed the classroom door behind him with a magic touch. “For those of you who do not know me, my name is Bastion Yorsets. Please address me as Professor Yorsets from here on out.”

He walked down the center aisle in a manner that seemed to suggest he were gracing the room with his presence. Yorsets held his head high, showing off a tidy mane and short-cut tail of light gray. His coat was a rich blue color, complemented by a golden laurel wreath cutie mark. An orderly stack of thick books hovered alongside him until reaching the front of the classroom, where the teacher gently placed them down.

“Let’s not waste any time,” Professor Yorsets stated. “Our first exercise shall begin today shortly after class introductions. I want every student to state his or her name, as well as the city from which you come. Nothing more, nothing less.”

Starlight gulped. Every teacher seemed to call for such an initiation process.

“We will start in the front and to my right. Miss Moondancer, if you please,” the teacher instructed.

And so it began. Without hesitation every pony stood and announced their name and city of origin, some with great pride and others a hint of shyness. Regardless of how bold they all got out their answers just fine. Starlight, remembering every introduction he had done to that day, could only think about how many others had yet to go until his turn arrived. Introductions had never been his forte.

It was soon his friends' turns, signaling the halfway mark. Twilight stood and cleared her throat, and with great pride declared, “My name is Twilight Sparkle. I come from Ponyville, to the west.”

After this clean and simple gesture, Twilight sat down with a smile. She made it look so easy that Starlight felt emotions mixing inside. If she – a bookworm, much like himself – could overcome a simple introduction, then surely he could as well.

“One of the few from the West at the academy this semester,” Professor Yorsets stated before the introductions carried on. “I believe only nine of you came, is that correct? That would make your particular region the least represented part of Equestria present.” A few of the students giggled in reply, bringing a frown to the teacher's squared face. “Nevertheless, I am glad I could see one of my former students again.” He lowered his head and sighed as he peeked over Twilight’s shoulder. “Speaking of former students... Miss Heartstrings, if you please.”

Lyra stood and gave a theatrical smile. “My actual name is Lyra. I'm from Ponyville as well.”

With a brush of her mane and a confident simper she seemed even more comfortable than Twilight. Starlight’s jaw dropped at the simplicity. For years he had never managed to find things so easy, especially with the butterflies in his stomach. This time around the critters had returned, and in greater numbers too.

More classmates continued with the formalities, until suddenly Starlight found the teacher staring straight at him. The gold and blue hues of Professor Yorset's eyes were the most intimidating sight the young stallion had ever seen.

“Next?”

The heaviness in Starlight's hooves and neck had gone unnoticed for a short while, but made itself well-known in that moment. The unicorn tried to stand, but his lower half would not cooperate. He fell back into his seat like a newborn unable to balance. A few nearby giggled at his lack of grace. Starlight felt all eyes bearing on his klutzy physique as he managed to stand on all fours.

“U-Um,” he tried to begin, murmuring. “M-My name is Starlight. Starlight Hooves. I-I’m from Ponyville...”

Starlight felt his throat shrivel as his lungs deflated like popped balloons. Still stone-faced, Yorsets stared long and hard, until finally releasing to sail over the sea of students. “Thank you all. Let us begin.”

Starlight let out a sigh of relief.

That wasn’t so bad.

“This magic track focuses on light-based magic,” Professor Yorsets began. “You are in this class because, based upon your placement exam results, this is the area of magic in which you hold a fair amount of interest, but also indicated a low level of experience or familiarity. Princess- er, Headmare Luna designed the test to evaluate such strengths and weaknesses, so that you all may become more well-rounded in your everyday magic abilities.

“You all should be prepared for quite an academic experience this semester. Of the three tracks offered this winter, the light magic course is the most difficult, and it is not simply because I am teaching it. Can any of you tell me why?”

Starlight knew straightaway; it had been one of the first things he remembered reading about light magic. He dared not raise a hoof, though; past experiences taught him that it only invited trouble. He peeked about sheepishly, waiting for a peer to reply instead.

Twilight finally answered, “The sun is the source of light magic, and winter is the season when Equestria is farthest from it. As a result, light magic spells will be the hardest to cast during our time here.”

The teacher nodded. “Very good, Miss Sparkle. To remind those of you who may have forgotten, winter is the season of weakest light magic casting due to Equestria's temporarily extended distance from the sun. Unicorns with gifts that rely upon this type of magic usually require more energy for casting, and thus perform fewer spells of this variety as much as possible so as to preserve their energy.

“Those of you who have had class with me before know that light magic is also commonly called the creation magic, for it spawns life and growth. In comparison, elemental magic draws from and manipulates the very elements themselves, from wind and earth to fire and water. Shadow magic, taking its source of power from the moon, has many uses as well. Can any of you tell me some of the spells categorized as light, or creation, magic?”

Starlight could name a variety in his head like a shopper with a memorized laundry list. But again, he dared not let the words wander anywhere near his throat.

“Telepathy?” one pony half-answered, half-inquired.

The teacher shook his head slowly, “Telepathy, along with telekinesis and teleportation, are shadow magic spells. Any other thoughts?”

Twilight raised a hoof. “Healing?”

“Yes, Miss Sparkle,” the teacher said. “Healing is indeed one. Miss Heartstrings?”

The minty unicorn grumbled, then flipped her mane. She snidely replied, “Creating?”

A few students giggled. Professor Yorset's eyes rolled to a corner pensively, cautious in reply. “Well, that technically is correct; however, the name of the spell itself is not simply referred to as 'creating' since the word is far too general. This 'creating' you may be alluding to can be divided into two subgroups: ‘Fabrication’, or creating items using the magical power of light itself, and ‘Synthesizing’, or creating something with two or more existing things. Other thoughts from those we haven’t heard from yet?”

Silence ensued. Starlight could still think of many more.

“Hopefully you all won’t remain this quiet throughout winter,” Yorsets mumbled. “Other spells include growth magic, illumination spells, revealing spells, and much more. One general spell we shall begin with this semester was one that we mentioned. The spell I speak of is called ‘Fabrication’.”

Small white mats floated front and center, stopping right before the teacher whose horn was glowing a light blue color. His eyes brushed across each thin rectangle, their smooth surfaces completely clean. Satisfied, Yorsets divided the sheets throughout the room as they floated through aerial arches and landed gently upon each desk.

“For those of you unfamiliar with the magic spell of Fabrication, it’s quite simple on a smaller scale,” he began. “Like many spells, it merely requires a bit of focus. What you need to concentrate on specifically are your creation's attributes. In today's class, in order to demonstrate how the sun’s distance affects casting, we shall observe and practice direct and indirect fabrication on a very small scale. Though it is a relatively simple spell we shall try, it will take quite a bit more energy than one would initially think.”

Professor Yorsets approached a large table beside the podium in front. “Now, direct fabrication is the creation of material from magic itself. Observe.” His horn lit a light blue color again, and soon a tiny red candle and a fire lighter flashed into sight on the tabletop. “These items were temporarily made using the resource of pure magic. You draw from light as a source to make something tangible. Indirect fabrication, on the other hoof, is using these fabricated items to create something else. In this case, I shall create a small, contained fire.”

The teacher lit his horn again and lifted the end of the lighter to the wick of the candle. With a press of the button the lighter exhaled a tiny flame. The red candle caught and began to glow, followed ever so slowly by a sweet peppermint fragrance.

Another student raised a hoof, “Professor Yorsets, isn't creating fire an elemental spell?”

“It can be, Miss Chisel,” the teacher said. “But elemental fire spells does so with the concentration of heat. Today you all shall practice lighting a small fire, but by means of light magic, or by creating items to start it.”

The class suddenly filled with animated murmurs as ponies began sharing ideas. Groups began divulging their masterful plans while others bragged of excessive experience with such spells. Starlight could hear it all from his quiet spot in the back row.

“Be sure to keep your eyes on your own work,” Professor Yorsets ordered, his voice suddenly very grave. The students ceased to talk as their eyes locked onto the solemn visage of their teacher. “For your own good, do not look about the classroom. In addition, there should be no talking amongst yourselves until you have lit your fire. Have I made myself clear?” Starlight, along with his peers, nodded their agreement. “Then you may begin.”

Heads immediately lowered and hoofs began to scuffle. Horns lit up and the soft explosions of spells erupted across the room. Starlight watched as fading shapes of stars streamed across the classroom. Tiny explosions of color tinted all parts of the floor, desks, and ceiling. He looked down at his own desk, its surface empty aside from the white place mat.

Starlight's mind kicked into action. There were so many possibilities of performing the task that he could hardly decide which to use. Idea after idea popped into his head, each one seceded by a new notion.

Then the realization struck him: he had never actually started a fire before.

The young stallion had seen it done many different ways, but had never tried himself; not without elemental magic, that is. Starlight had passed on the opportunity to learn such techniques in the past; after all, he knew an illumination spell for the dark and could create fire with elemental spells besides. He had never been in a situation where anything beyond these measures was needed.

Only after his ears caught the sound of others' ecstatic chatter did Starlight realize he hadn’t even started. Panic ceased the flow of thoughts in his brain as a dam blocks up a river. He gulped as his mouth grew dry. His heart throbbed quickly as his eyes darted about his empty desk. He envisioned all of the possible formulas he had gone through seconds ago, only this time with far less confidence.

He could picture a box of matches, a block of flint, even old instruments used in starting fires. Unfortunately for him all of these things had been made for others to use. He himself had never struck a match nor used a file and flint. More talking started to fill the classroom. More thoughts got stuck in his head.

Starlight couldn’t help himself any longer; he had to look around. His eyes crawled across the edge of his desk and to the left, following the floor over to the desk next to him. Suddenly the teacher spoke up.

“Remember to try and keep your eyes on your own work until finished,” Yorsets ordered. “Getting your tiny flame started as best you can is what matters today – ah! Which reminds me.” The professor left his spot behind the podium and started pacing the aisles. His hawk-like eyes glowed as they examined the tiny contained fires all around. “This weekend, as many of you already know, is the Winter Solstice. The academy shall celebrate with Luna’s raising of the moon. A grand fireworks show over the forest shall follow, and the year’s first snow will begin.”

The students' small talk suddenly intensified into excited exchanges and enlivened gasps.

But Professor Yorsets wasn’t finished. “Furthermore, one student from each class is to help with the lighting of the fireworks. The manner in which this class shall assign its representative shall be an evaluation of originality. That is to say, whichever one of you can create the strongest flame in the most original manner by the end of this week shall help light fireworks during the celebration of this year’s Winter Solstice.”

Starlight felt more choked up than ever. As he stared at his desk he could feel the pressure squeezing his chest as though he were wearing clothes that were far too tight. At this point he felt he had no choice; he created everything he had been considering, from a matchbox to a bow drill. The flashes of magic burst in rapid succession until his desktop was full. Starlight examined each option quickly as contemplation dried his eyes.

Which should I do? Which can I do?

He picked the matchbox first and lifted it above the middle of his desk. Six slivers of wood sat inside of it, each topped with a head of phosphorus. With his magic he drew a match out and examined it closely.

“Mister Hooves, I believe?” came the voice of the teacher nearby, his rounds ending in the corner where the stallion sat. “Where is your fire?”

Starlight’s eyes fearfully lifted to meet those of his teacher. Professor Yorsets gave a harrumph.

“I see you have items for ignition, but nothing which to light.”

Unable to move, Starlight felt an imaginary hoof bucking his head. With the professor's gaze still locked onto his own the young stallion could not move a muscle.

“You have one minute remaining,” Yorsets said before walking away, releasing Starlight from his petrifying stare.

The young unicorn gasped for breath as though he had held underwater. Starlight put the matches back down and panicked, thinking of exactly what he should light. A small piece of wood? But what kind? Would it be allowed to touch the mat, given how clean it looked? He thought of what to put beneath this small fire if he were to do it. A multitude of things swarmed his mind, mostly worries and concerns of whatever sort, until the river that had been dammed overflowed.

I-I’ll just make some-!

“Time is up,” the teacher announced.

Starlight's heart stopped. Everypony in the classroom released their eyes from their work and let out sighs of relief. Their untroubled chatter started to grow but never burst forth as all eyes eventually settled on the desk void of any fire. Even the teacher held a judging gaze that Starlight could not shake. The stallion’s face turned a new shade of deep sanguine.

The giant bells tolled in the distance, stirring murmurs throughout the class.

“Congratulations to most of the class for finishing this first task,” Professor Yorsets said. “I hope you all are aware of how much energy this kind of magic can consume during the wintertime. Keep practicing this over the week to prepare for Friday's test, and be back after lunch for your light magic historical studies introduction. Class dismissed.”

Every pony filed out through the door in back, including the teacher himself. As Starlight sat and gazed about the room he spotted Twilight and Lyra’s vacant desks. He sat all alone at his desk in the corner with a new burden hung around his neck. A dispirited moan escaped his trembling lips.

Same thing every year...

Chapter 8: Conflagration

by Storytayler

Starlight skipped lunch altogether. Instead he returned to his room and locked his door. He found himself staring outside his bedroom window the entire time as his eyes lingered on the vivid jade woods to the north, their shades of pine green soft but strong. Though this captivation persisted for quite some time, it couldn’t remove the stallion’s mind from the classroom. After drawn-out minutes of silent contemplation the peace he thought he had found transformed into dread.

The bells tolled from the main hall tower at the end of the hour. With great reluctance, Starlight returned to the classroom. As a result of arriving just before the period began Starlight found himself in the back corner seat once more. He glanced over at Twilight and Lyra from time to time, but in their unawareness neither seemed to throw the lonely stallion a glimpse of concern. Starlight’s spirits slowly dwindled like candlelight without air to breath.

Professor Yorset's afternoon lecture covered the ancient history of light magic, but Starlight was far from absorbed. He already knew the basic content of that day inside and out; after all, Yorsets had stated it should be review. However, whenever the professor posed a question for the class, Starlight dared not raise a hoof. One more embarrassment was the last thing he wanted.

When the bell rang to end class time Starlight didn’t waste a second. He dodged his way through crowds and sped up and down stairwells until finally making it back to his room. He hurriedly - but gently - shut the door, hoping to draw as little attention as possible. Starlight leaned back against the door and let out a long exhalation.

He was alone once again. The only sound he could hear as he passed through his suite’s common room was the howling of the wind outside the window. The solitude he sensed both hurt and helped; on the one hoof, he no longer needed to worry about being ridiculed. On the other hoof, he felt as abandoned as a colt forgotten by its busy parents.

With a sigh Starlight tromped over to his bedroom and plopped himself down at the foot of his bed. He mulled over just how to cope yet another poor start of a semester.

I could always just paint.

Starlight’s sturdy easel and color-filled palette sat beside his bags by his bedroom window. The wooden frame stood facing the south, holding a canvass on which Starlight had been releasing his artistic ability since moving in. He had been painting the mysterious gray tower to the south. The belfry stuck out from the spotted texture of the coniferous woods surrounding it, and a calm sea brushed the foot of the precipice on which it stood. So far it looked like a splendidly realistic replica, if Starlight could say so himself.

But as the stallion looked out the window then, the northern woods called more for his attention. With the sun hiding behind a thick blanket of clouds and the seas rustling ferociously below, the southern edge of the island appeared far less pleasant than how it did in the painting. Starlight looked back and forth between the scenes, until soon enough a clean, new canvass sat upon the artist’s easel facing the forest to the north.

The stallion lifted his paints from his bags with his magic and emptied tiny blots of green, brown, and white on his palette. As preparation was a mindless to Starlight, his mind occupied itself with other things. It drifted off into a sea of memories, leaving behind the stallion’s body as a marker for where in time his soul would return.

His mind took him back to his first days of art. He was somewhat of a bold colt when he was young. He frequently explored the fields and forests just beyond the boundaries of Port Delamare, for the city itself was no place for him. The buildings were too fancy, the ponies were too fancy, even the common tongue was called Fancy.

Starlight and his family had little in common with the elaborate setting in which they lived. His parents were minimum wage innkeepers, receiving the opportunity only by means of inheritance. The building, located at the northern edge of the Port Delamare, was one of the few substandard edifices in town; after all, what wealthy pony in his or her right mind would help pay to renovate a second-rate lodge for sailors?

As a colt Starlight never fully understood the social contrast. His young mind couldn’t grasp the notion of selfishness as he watched his parents work their hardest each and every day. Though he had asked his parents about the difference numerous times, Starlight never received an answer. Rather, his parents would gift him with whatever artistic utensils they had on hoof - be they a quill and parchment or a paintbrush and paper - and request that Starlight occupy himself.

With nowhere else to go, young Starlight often traveled a block down the main road to where an extensive prairie and neighboring forest co-mingled beyond the city limits. The quietude and solitude left him alone with mother nature, which nurtured him with colors and life so vivid that the colt could never overcome its intricate beauty. In this amazement Starlight began his drawing and painting.

A knock on the door jerked Starlight’s mindfulness back to the present. The stallion looked at his artwork thus far, a mix of greens spread throughout the center of the picture like a blooming emerald flower, its shades bright despite the cloudy sky outside. He then stared at his bedroom door as if trouble were waiting for his answer.

“Hello?” came a voice from the other side. “Starlight Hooves?”

It was a deep stallion's voice, one slightly dopey but initially intimidating nonetheless. Starlight knew it to be Pokey Pierce’s. He propped his ears up, but dared not to move any other part of his body.

Another round of soft taps sounded, followed by Pokey’s voice, “Starlight, are you asleep?”

“Y-Yes,” Starlight stuttered, followed by a slap to his own face.

“Oh,” Pokey slowly replied. “Okay then.”

The big stallion’s steps faded until the door to the suite closed, after which they were out of ear’s reach. Starlight sat dumbfounded for a moment.

What just happened..?

Starlight closed his eyes and shook his head to collect himself, wiping clean his mind of the the nonsense. Though the slate in his brain would not completely clear, Starlight returned to his work of art. His mind gladly took to the board that Starlight had tried to clear, drawing upon what vestiges that had remained.

One such lingering piece was the sound of a knock on the door. His brain began painting pictures of the past, beginning with the first related recollection. A visiting lawyer showed up at the inn, one from within Port Delamare but not very well-known. He brought with him shocked his parents, and soon Starlight himself: along with the inn they inherited, there was a fair share of gold bits to claim. It had somehow been forgotten over the years.

Another memory emerged as Starlight could picture another set of taps on his door. The clarity of it all was far better than the image his magic could paint as his brain drew the image of his parents. They stood within his old bedroom doorway bearing heavy but happy looks on their faces. They told him of how they planned to put all of the money toward his education. Starlight could almost feel the tears of joy from the past wetting his face again.

Though grateful as he was, Starlight quickly learned of his parents’ plan. They weren’t speaking of sending him to an art school; they were planning on sending him to a magic academy.

He dared not complain, but deep down he wished that his parents had reconsidered. He was an artist at heart, especially after all his time spent wandering the forest and plains, sketching and painting everything, from colorful flowers to vast landscapes. After years of going along with his parents’ plan, Starlight’s opinion of their decision grew less favorable.

Coming from a family of his standing, Starlight felt nothing but out of place at school. Though he was not attending magic academies for the rich, he went to a number in the area of fair standing and respectability. As far as Starlight knew, they were much better than any other schools that ponies his age and status could afford.

Throughout the years, however, Starlight never enjoyed this particular uniqueness. Everypony at school seemed to have some reason to point and poke fun at him, whether it was his status, artistic inclination, or lack of friends. There was hardly any ‘downhill’ as he never ascended anything in the first place. His only relief was when he finished his schooling a few years ago and took a job in Ponyville as a an interior designer’s assistant.

Starlight felt feel his memories fade away as his awareness returned again. But this time there was no sound disturbing him. Rather, the hotness of his face was what brought him back. The flushing and terrible memories combined to stress the memory of his failure earlier that day.

The stallion gently placed his brush and palette on the windowsill. Then in frustration he gave his bed behind him a hard kick.

“I never get a chance,” Starlight murmured to himself as he looked out the window. “I’d have to make the biggest fire or something to impress them. Then they wouldn’t laugh anymore. They’d see that I’m just as good as them.”

Make the biggest fire; that’s it!

Starlight could see himself in class, front and center, feeding the most magnificent flame. Its great size reached beyond the bounds of his desk, stretching all the way up to the ceiling. He could feel the grin beaming on his face, the burning sensation of his smile nothing short of fulfilling. His peers would stare with admiration and awe. His spirits would shine more than the distinguished flame that rose from the ashes of past failures.

It was decided. Starlight closed his eyes hard and focused, re-fabricating the items he had made earlier. First was a large circular place mat to protect the carpet from specks of wood and burning embers, followed by a matchbox, a slab of flint, and lastly a bow drill and canister of fuel for good measure. Starlight felt sweat forming across his forehead as the burden casting made itself known.

The unicorn snatched up the most interesting instrument to him, the bow drill, and created a block of wood beneath it. Starlight recollected what he had read about using the tool as his expectations began to soar. He held everything in place as he pictured himself mimicking the pictures he remembered within the ancient tools manual he read some time back.

“It’s the only way I can get through this winter,” Starlight said to himself. “I have to prove myself. Then they’ll see.”

He pushed and pulled the bow with his magic hold, rubbing the bottom of the wooden pole against the plank on the floor. Tiny bits of wood began to shed as the stake drilled a small crater in the timber. Starlight thrust the tool back and forth, faster and faster, as shreds of wood fluttered down onto the mat. His eyes focused on the hole that formed, waiting for the friction to set in.

Suddenly, the pole sank through the board. There was no sign of an ember; no tiny trail of smoke nor little red glow. Starlight removed the drill from the wood and examined the area around his work with his breath held. He had drilled through the plank, unsuccessful.

With a pause, Starlight looked at the tool he held, and then at his other instruments. With a roll of his eyes he dropped what he had and picked up the slim block of flint instead. As he fabricated a metal file to strike it with, the stallion thought to himself how he hadn’t really wanted to use the bow drill. It only wore down his energy.

Starlight kicked aside the plank with the hole and created a small bundle of tinder in its place. Once ready, the stallion held his flint and file up to the pile of flammable material and slowly slid one tool against the other. He looked away with twitching eyes as the sound of scratching irritated his ears. Starlight peeked at the tinder; no spark.

He tried a few more times, skimming the flint with his metal file. He tried to speed up his strike, but the faster and stronger he tried, the more he missed. After a number of attempts he never saw a hint of a spark. His magic energy had dwindled even more.

Refusing to give in, Starlight dropped the flint and file and lifted the matchbox close to his face. With a bite of his tongue the stallion examined the small white box and its charcoal-colored sides. He drew one of the sticks from the box in preparation and lifted the fuel can to douse his tinder; he needed everything he could get his hoofs on for creating his dream fire.

But something strange lingering in the backdrop suddenly stole away his attention from his work. The view from outside the window seemed off, the unicorn’s artistic eye could sense it. He spotted something near the heart of the forest: a large and dark figure, irregularly tall and lean, was wading through the woods.

The sight sucked Starlight’s breath through a quick gasp as he jumped away from the window. The sound of liquid bobbing in its container then deflated the stallion’s lungs completely.

The fuel!

Starlight quickly found himself atop his bed. He watched helplessly as gasoline spilled onto the carpet between him and the window. It spread across the dark carpet like black food coloring in a berry juice mix; the smell, though, was repulsively different. Just when Starlight thought he could breath again, he shrieked once more.

A flickering light hovered above the spill.

Somehow Starlight had struck the match, turning the black bulb into a tiny red ball of flame. But with the stallion’s air, energy, and concentration all diminishing at once, his magic hold on the match was slipping. Starlight’s brain sent orders to every limb of his body, but his nerves were in an incurable state of shock. All he could do was watch as time briefly slowed down as if to scorn him.

A giant flame erupted before Starlight, to which the unicorn finally managed to move and cover his eyes. The dark puddle on the ground spawned a wall of red, orange and gold that split between the bed and the window, reaching from one wall to the other. Starlight’s heart began racing as his breaths grew shorter than those of a stranded swimmer.

Starlight frantically searched for any way out as the predatory fire crept around his room. Behind him was an open passage along the wall. The stallion’s senses screamed that it was his last chance to escape. Gathering what little courage he had left, Starlight vaulted over to the gap as flames licked at his body, their burning tongues singeing parts all over his cloudy violet coat. In desperation he hurled himself toward the door to the common room, straight through a blazing screen.

The intense heat passed, and a pool of coolness wrapped around him. Starlight opened his eyes and looked over himself; a new coat of black and dark grey covered his purple body like patches on a used cloth. When he looked back at his bedroom door, the flames were still reaching for him.

“H-Help!” Starlight cried as the fire refused to let go of his sight. “Somepony, please!”

His mind went blank. He called again and again but could not gather himself enough to do anything more. He failed to flee the scene as the fire kept him on an invisible leash of terror. The flames drew nearer until they reached out beyond the frame of the doorway. Starlight shouted even louder, until suddenly a terrible realization silenced him.

Everypony’s away eating dinner.

Thick smoke covered the ceiling of the room. With the windows closed the horrific black smog quickly filled the entire suite. A terrible scent of burnt cloth rained down from the billows of smolder, throwing Starlight into a fit of coughs. The thick air started to sink low enough that the stallion found himself taking in copious amounts, to the point where Starlight felt he was drinking it in. His sights grew hazy and his limbs went weak.

A door suddenly burst open with a great kick.

“ARR! What in blue blazes!?” came a strange voice.

Starlight glanced about but couldn’t make out a body nearby. With fading sights and bulky puffs of smoke no pony could have seen farther than a hoof’s reach away.

“Hallooo!?” called the stranger.

Starlight tried to reply, but his smoke-filled lungs only caused a greater fit of coughing.

“Ah, you who be coughin’! Who goes there!? Speak up, matey!”

Again Starlight coughed again, but this time managed to get out a weak, “H-H-Help!”

“You there, try ‘n’ open yer window! I’ll push the smoke right through!”

Starlight glanced around. He couldn’t even tell where the window was anymore. The monotonous billowy gray left him disoriented as a country filly in the big city. He searched desperately for clues, high or low, until finally stumbling into the giant window. Starlight’s hoofs shook uncontrollably as he fumbled with the handle, but he just managed to undo the lock. He threw the glass panel open.

With a large breath of the cold outside air Starlight yelled back, “Go!”

“Arr, ye need to stand clear o’ the window!” the stranger shouted.

Starlight ducked just as a great gust blew over his head. Another flew past, then another, until a stream of currents swirled and sucked in the smoke out like a vacuum. The suction continued until the room was nearly clear of the smoke, revealing the stranger on the far side of the room.

Starlight had never seen the character before. He looked about the same age, though his build was slightly bulkier and taller. His entire body was covered in blue, from his long, ruffled mane and tail of navy to his coat of baby blue. One aqua eye showed narrowed in concentration while the other hid behind an eye-patch. He spotted the flames spewing out from Starlight’s bedroom and gasped.

“Arr, what’s the meanin’ o’ this!?” he questioned, his voice carrying a strange accent like that of a pirate or sailor.

“I-I don't know, I just-!” Starlight began to stammer again, worse than ever before. “I-I-I had to start a fire, b-but, class... I-I didn't think about-”

“Get yer cap from out o' the water and speak the princesses' tongue!” the stranger interrupted as he approached the flames. “Methinks I can help ye stop this mess, but I'll be needin’ yer help. Turn on yer bathtub faucet, and hurry!”

Starlight, confused, backed into his bathroom and did as ordered. With a twist of the faucet wheel water gushed into the bathtub.

“Do ye have any buckets, matey?” the stranger shouted.

Starlight yelled back, “Why would we have buckets?”

“Arr, looks like we’re in fer a bit o’ magic, then!”

Starlight watched as the spurting water ceased to touch the bottom of the tub, and instead lift into the air. The stream of liquid stretched into an invisible hose that then shot out into the lounge. Starlight stuck his head into the common room and watched as the tube of water spiraled over to the flames. With a piercing strike the fire hissed fiercely in reply. Clouds of steam began to fill the entire chamber.

“More water!” the stranger shouted.

Starlight turned back to the faucet. With a gulp he gathered the strength in his rear legs and gave the metal piece a strong buck. The silver piece shot off and water streamed out. The stallion watched as the hovering tube of water grew bigger. He gazed back into the lounge, finding only a heavy mist from the dying fire thickening to shroud the lounge. Soon the fierce shrieks of the elements subsided, leaving the room in silence and filled with a light gray mist.

“Is it out?” Starlight asked.

“It’s as dead as a fish out o’ water,” said the stranger as he cleared the room as he had before with his magic, and in seconds the two could see each other. “Now, I don’t mean to pry or nothin’, but what in the world were ye doin' with fire at this hour? Cookin'!? What's so bad 'bout the food 'ere!?”

“I-I wasn't cooking,” Starlight admitted. “I was... I was trying to start a fire.”

“Arr, well ye did it just fine, matey. Burnt yer whole room, ye did.”

“I-I didn’t mean for it to get so out of control,” Starlight muttered. “It’s just... I've never done it before. Not without a fire spell.”

The stranger lowered his head and nodded. “Aye, fire’s a tricky thing to handle.”

“I was practicing because our first class exercise. Everypony else made it look so easy, a-and I just couldn't do it. I, I...”

“Couldn't stand the embarrassment, could ye?”

Starlight felt his heart skip a beat. Something in the stranger's voice seemed extremely understanding.

“Wait, why aren’t you at dinner?” Starlight asked with hesitation, for the stranger seemed as despondent as himself with his long face.

The blue unicorn let out a long sigh. “Arr, a sailor can’t eat when too much is on his mind, and it occurs every year like the tides every day. ‘Elemental magic’... rubbish, the whole of it.” He shook his head and reached out a hoof. “The name's Seven Seas.”

“Starlight.” The two shook. “You’re a sailor? You sound more like a pir- um, nevermind. Say, that water spell you cast was incredible. Why are you in the elemental track if you’re already good at it?”

“Aye. They say I need to expand my ‘horizons’ beyond basic wind and water spells, whate’er that means. I’ve ne'er been much of a land lubber, so why bother? Imagine to my misfortune that our first test o' the elements today was ‘bout the earth, too.”

“They tested you on... earth?”

“Aye, had to identify dif’rent soils and... what was the word, classerfy? Like I'd know the dif'rence 'tween the richer soil and the lifeless dirt. Means nothin' to a sailor.” Seven Seas dropped his head even more as the memory bogged him down. Starlight knew the disheartened posture. “I s'pose we're in the same ship, matey. First days are the worst.”

Rushed steps approached from the corridor and stampeded into the the suite. A troop of guards stormed in and blew the remainder of the steam away by the force of their hurry alone.

“We heard cries for help!” one of the guards yelled. “What's the matter?”

Roughly six or seven of them spread across the lounge, their stares all falling upon the sight of Starlight's bedroom doorway and the mix of steam and smoke that continued to rise within it. Eventually they all ended up looking to Starlight and his companion as they stood speechless before them.

And then Professor Yorsets entered, his gaze most fearfully expressionless of the group.

“Just what is the meaning of this?” he asked.

Starlight swallowed hard. His entire body began trembling. “L-Little accident?”

Chapter 9:

Fresh Kindle

by Storytayler

The floor was unnaturally appealing to Starlight’s eyes. At least, it seemed far more inviting compared to the unimpressed faces of the guards standing around in his suite. But even these intimidating figures, clad in shining pieces of armor and bearing razor-sharp gazes, were the preferred alternatives at which to bashfully stare when compared to the stone-cold countenance of Professor Yorsets.

“What is going on here?” asked the teacher, his tone nothing but cross. Starlight continued his stare at the floor in reply. Yorsets growled, “Mister Hooves. I have asked you a question.”

Starlight let his words spill. “I-I tried the indirect fabrication spell.”

“To create fire? Inside?” Yorsets scorned. “Alone?”

Starlight closed his eyes and nodded slowly. His teacher began to pace about as he did in class, though there were no desks to guide his every step. Even so his strides came one after the other, purposeful and strong as his following instructions.

“Guards, you may return to your posts,” Yorsets ordered. His command was swiftly followed, leaving just the two students and professor in the common room. “I want you to think through this situation thoroughly, Mister Hooves,” Professor Yorsets proposed as he looked at the bucked-open window, and then at Seven Seas. “What are you doing here?”

“I came to help ‘im,” said Seven Seas. “Helped clear the smoke and put out the fire, sir.”

Yorsets stared at the blue stallion, from eye-patch to unkempt hoof, with curiosity. “Are you... a pirate?”

“Arr, just a regular sailor,” Seven Seas uttered. “Came on account of me fam’ly. Learn from the great princess Luna. Li’l cousin says she’s his favorite princess-”

“Yes, that’s all good,” Professor Yorsets broke in. “Mister Hooves. From what I can collect, you started a fire for a reason not yet known to me, and in addition you have completely damaged your room and even parts of the lounge in the process. Though it seems none were gravely injured, this could have easily been a life-threatening situation. Do you understand?”

Starlight could indeed understand, but failed to find the nerve to even move a muscle in response. He felt like an ignorant colt belittled by a simplified lecture on right and wrong.

His teacher continued, “The question, then, is this: what in all of Equestria made you do this? What possessed you to think that lighting a fire indoors was a good idea?”

The young stallion couldn’t take it any longer. “I didn’t have anywhere else to go!”

Professor Yorsets, taken aback, stopped his pacing and stared long and hard into his student's green eyes.

“Repeat what you have just said.”

Starlight, realizing his outburst, collected himself again and timidly repeated, “I-I didn’t have anywhere else to go.”

Yorsets narrowed his eyes. “Explain yourself.”

Starlight, covered in smokey ash, shook his head slowly as black powder fell from his head. “You saw how I failed the exercise in class this morning. I couldn't even start a simple fire.”

Professor Yorsets stepped closer with a gaze quite speculative, but also curious. “You had the first step done with creating sufficient materials. If you were stuck, why did you not simply ask for assistance?”

Starlight nervously answered, “You said we couldn't talk at all.”

“My instructions were that students may not talk to one another until a flame was started,” the teacher corrected. “It seems that there has been some miscommunication; my intentions were to assure that students would not distract one another, for fire is a dangerous thing. Would you not agree?”

Starlight stared at the ground again. “Y-Yes, professor.”

Yorsets watched his student’s eyes fall to the floor as Starlight’s escaped spirits left him looking nearly dead. “There seems to be something else that is the matter, judging by your general melancholia. If you do not mind sharing, I would like to hear what else is on your mind.”

The young stallion felt he had his chance. Starlight didn’t know how, but it seemed as though Yorsets was poking and analyzing his very being. There was no use in hiding behind a facade as the student had done for so many years.

“I've never had a good first day of classes,” Starlight sniveled. “I-I always make some dumb mistakes when I introduce myself or have to go through some introductory exercise. I just get so nervous since it happens every year, and I feel like I can't help it. My image is always screwed up somehow, and I feel like I can't do anything about it because no pony understands, and trying to explain it all just makes it WORSE!”

The young unicorn finished with breaths cutting short, but his heart and mind felt mysteriously at ease. For some time Starlight stood exhaling the frustration, until suddenly realizing what had escaped his lips. Though it felt refreshing as a morning breeze Starlight looked to his professor with fear.

The professor took in a deep breath himself as he approached his student. “Starlight Hooves, what happened in class earlier today must indeed have been rather hard, especially on your first day.”

That's an understatement.

Professor Yorsets continued, “But bear this in mind: your image is not determined by what others think of you, Mister Hooves, but rather how you see yourself.” Starlight's eyes slowly shifted from the floor up to meet the gold and blue mix in his professor's. The authoritative perception suddenly fell behind one more compassionate. “The struggle you have is not with the class, or your classmates. It’s with yourself. Tell me, how tired do you feel?”

Starlight thought through the various parts of his body. Everything felt as though he had gone for a few miles' run without stop. He replied, “Exhausted. I’ve been casting way too much magic for one day.”

“Casting is almost completely a physical tiredness,” Professor Yorsets said. “Undoubtedly you feel more tired than in past first days, am I correct?” Starlight nodded. “That is from a battle inside of you. Tell me, what is it that you're fighting?”

Fear.

The answer echoed in his head. Before it could reach his mouth, though, Professor Yorsets turned to Seven Seas, who had been listening intently the entire time.

“What do you have to say?” Professor Yorsets inquired.

Seven Seas shied away and laughed nervously, “Who, me? Arr, I can't add too much meself, but it seems more o' an inner skirmish, one side o’ me versus the other... I had me own aches today.”

“Indeed, I believe Professor Marie was speaking of you at lunchtime,” said Yorsets. “I want you both to heed a simple piece of advice that has been down for many years: if at first you don't succeed, try, try again.” He glanced at the smoked bedroom door and the black stains on the wall and floor within. “But be sure to do so with caution. Mister Hooves, will you be able to fix all of this damage?”

Starlight chuckled nervously. “I know some restoration spells that should clean things up pretty well.”

“Good,” Professor Yorsets said as he turned and headed for the suite exit. “I shall request new sheets and furniture be sent right away, and we shall call this all an accident. Should you be caught practicing fire spells inside the dormitory again, though, there shall be dire consequences. Is that clear, Mister Hooves?”

Starlight nodded as he and Seven Seas watched the professor briskly turn to leave. But before Yorsets could make a full exit, Starlight stopped him.

“Professor Yorsets, wait!” the student called as he ran after his teacher. “I have one request.” Professor Yorsets turned, his gold and blue eyes locking with his student’s. Starlight, despite being met with the intimidating stare, took a big inhalation and took a strong step forward. He refused to back away in the slightest. “I request to meet with you and practice the indirect fabrication spell. Properly.”

His teacher chuckled. “I shall grant your request, Mister Hooves. After our afternoon lectures for the rest of this week we shall practice various forms. This shall disqualify you from the end of the week test for lighting the fireworks at the Winter Solstice celebration, though. Does this seem fair to you?”

Starlight gave a ready grin. “Yes, professor. It does.”

Next thing Starlight knew, the end of the week arrived. He sat in class surrounded by his peers, sitting once more in the back corner - a challenge the unicorn gave himself to face his fears. Though the week had flown by faster than a Wonderbolt derby, so much had changed; at least, things felt different. Starlight played his professor’s message in his mind time and time again until the advice was imprinted on his brain memory.

It’s all about confidence.

But as he sat in the back corner, Starlight could feel his senses tingling. A blend of worry and excitement created a most dizzying mind game. One moment he held within him the faith to light the sun itself. The next instant he was wondering if he could ever safely hold a simple matchbox again. The battle of sentiment seemed impossible to cease.

He watched as Professor Yorsets patiently stood at the front of the classroom with set eyes and a concentrated frown. The gaze was of such seriousness Starlight felt his stomach churn; he had not seen such an expression in his practice sessions. The student had witnessed a number of reactions to his successes and failures, but never as somber like the one he perceived then. The bells rang to signal the start of class.

“As discussed at the beginning of the week,” Yorsets began without any delay, “today is your indirect fabrication exam. You all shall have a set time limit on starting a fire using only light magic. Remember that it is only the most creative demonstration that shall be awarded. The winner shall partake in lighting the Winter Solstice fireworks tomorrow. Have I made myself clear?”

Every student nodded his or her head, including Starlight. Especially Starlight.

“We shall go across the rows, one by one,” the teacher stated. “And we shall begin with...” He scanned over the classroom, his eyes meeting those of Starlight's for a frightening split second, but then settling on one of the unicorns in front. “Miss Moondancer. Show us what you have.”

Starlight felt himself shaking. He murmured to himself, “Why am I always last?”

Practice had allowed him to consider several means by which to start a fire with the specific spell. Starlight had been reviewing everything about a flame's properties and dynamics throughout the week, even more so in depth than the class ever went. He knew the ins and outs of fire, what made it burn and what put it out. With the demonstrations having begun, however, Starlight felt his fiery memory suddenly smothered.

He watched as every single manner of building a fire was utilized student by student. Rubbing sticks, striking flint, even matches for the lazy were used. Magnifying glasses and sparks from electricity lit students’ remarkable displays. As fires were lit Starlight couldn’t spy a single face that lit up more than he felt his did at the thought of starting off the Winter Solstice celebration. However, his current expression did not show this as his ears slowly retreated and his mouth drooped until no longer forming a smile.

While passing through the final rows, some students could no longer devise new manners in which to start their flames. Some went with quirky reenactments of former techniques. Starlight felt the urge to give in as they did, but each time the thought entered his brain he quickly scolded himself. He had not practiced for nothing.

It was finally Starlight’s turn. All eyes fell on him as he clumsily rose from his seat and stared at the clean desk before him. A place mat hovered over in his direction and centered on the dark wooden surface.

“Our last demonstration for the day now, students. Please continue to give your fullest attention. Mister Hooves, you may proceed,” said Professor Yorsets.

Once again techniques wheeled through Starlight’s head like hues on a rainbow-colored roulette machine. Each spin, however, landed on a color already selected before by his peers, leaving Starlight spinning the mental machine over and over. No matter how many attempts the thought that popped into the stallion’s head had already been used. Starlight swallowed hard and looked up at his peers, faking a smile symbolic of preparation.

Apprehension slowly snuck into his system as he debated trying his back-up plan, one he had never tried it before. It wasn’t much of a back-up plan, really; Starlight considered it more of a concept. When the stares of his peers began to grow cold, Starlight let anxiety light the fire inside. Cogs inside the stallion's head spun faster than ever before as the mechanics of Starlight’s body followed in perfect motion. The onlookers’ stares faded in the backdrop as the young stallion went to work on his creation.

I’ve got nothing to lose!

In a flash Starlight fabricated a piece of paper, a couple of paints, and a brush, all of which set down on his desk in an orderly fashion. He opened his eyes, looked over his materials, and nodded in approval. He then lifted the brush and swirled shades of red and orange, mixing their tones into a dusk-colored sphere centered on the piece of paper.

Whispers began to flow around like tiny breezes through the field of students. Conditioned to block it all out, Starlight's ears did not lead the unicorn’s focus astray.

Upon finishing his art Starlight lifted his painting into the air. Murmurs continued to flow in waves as stares of perplexity ensued. The artist, not yet finished, stared at his work with caution until he closed his eyes and clenched his teeth tightly. His horn glowed a deep violet, tinted like the midnight sky, and his paper soon was surrounded by a similar rich color.

But his paper did not remain a shade of purple for long, for the purple faded away until the paper hung suspended in the air with no visible grip holding it up. Suddenly, the red and orange drawing came to life on the paper, sparking and spitting as though the flame of a torch. The paint strokes flowed from bottom to top, rising and thinning out into curling tips like a real fire.

The class gasped in amazement.

Professor Yorsets interrupted their drawn-in breaths, “Mister Starlight, though you are in fact using fabricated materials, this specific test requires that an actual fire be made-”

Just then the drawing burst from the surface of the paper, transforming from a flat circle into a ball of red and orange. The remaining white of the paper crumbled as the ball of fire began to glow a brilliant gold. Soon there was no paper floating about over the desk, but rather a shining golden orb that made those nearest squint at its sight. Even Yorsets from the front of the class watched with narrowed eyes.

After nearly a minute of silence the shining sphere dissipated, as did the rest of his created materials. Not a trace of the flaxen fire’s existence remained, not even an ounce of ash. All that Starlight could see when he opened his eyes were everypony’s eyes opened wide and jaws reaching the floor. Starlight stared back at each of his peers as his face started to turn red.

“D-Did it work?” he asked.

“What was that?” one of his peers asked.

Starlight looked about his empty desk. “I-I used the indirect fabrication spell to create helium and hydrogen. The combination should have consumed the piece of paper to prove its properties-”

“Hydrogen and helium?” Twilight chimed in.

“Y-Yes,” Starlight said. “I created an invisible magic barrier to contain the reactions first. It took a lot of energy, so I couldn’t hold the flame for very long...”

Professor Yorsets lifted an eyebrow, “Flame? Those elements make a star, Mister Hooves!”

The classroom burst with chatter. Starlight couldn’t tell whether they were remarks of ridicule or praise. At the moment, however, he wasn’t paying much attention to the matter; he was too baffled that his untested notion had seemingly worked.

“Though I admit your knowledge and creativity have exceeded my expectations,” Yorsets stated, “I’m afraid that, as discussed at the beginning of this week, you cannot claim the prize due to private lessons on the usage of indirect fabrication spells.” More clamorous prattling filled the room, until Yorsets raised his voice, “THEREFORE, I am happy to announce that the most creative display today was Miss Sparkle’s exposition with the three magnifying glasses.”

All small talk ceased as everypony’s eyes fell on the mare. Twilight blushed and stood at her desk. “I really am grateful, professor... but I think Starlight deserves the honor for lighting the fireworks this weekend.”

The professor nodded and smiled, “Yes yes, good-” His face suddenly contorted. “W-Wait, what did you say!?”

“I believe Starlight deserves the reward,” Twilight stated without faltering. “He did come up with the most creative solution to your challenge.”

“B-But it had to be a flame, and it had to be with indirect fabrication! In addition there are other circumstances-” Yorsets paused and stretched his neck to compose himself. “Miss Sparkle, if you would please just accept this reward for your creative genius-”

“I see nothing wrong with Starlight’s thinking,” Lyra interrupted gracefully. “He did burn the paper to show that it was the equivalent of a flame.”

Others in the class started to voice their agreement, until Yorsets was backed up against the wall behind his podium in shock. He looked Starlight in the eyes; for the first time, the student felt his gaze as the more powerful.

“V-Very well,” the teacher said, laying down his argument. “If you all insist.” He threw Starlight a smart but compliant grin. “Then I pronounce Mister Hooves as the winner of this contest. Congratulations.”

When Starlight promenaded out into the foyer everything seemed wonderfully brighter than usual. The sun glowed especially radiant, filling in the deep chasms of dark walls and flooring like water, until every tile glimmered like shallow pools of violent and blue. Every window looked more like a panel of light rather than various shapes of the dark sky all around the hall. The carpet felt softer, the air seemed lighter, the atmosphere warmer. Starlight reveled in the glory of it all.

“Hey Starlight,” said Twilight as she approached the stallion just outside the classroom door. “Congratulations on winning!”

Starlight smiled with not a care in the world on his mind.

“That really was something else!” Lyra remarked cheerily. “Say, you're looking different than earlier this week. Weren’t you acting strange at the beginning of this week?”

The stallion scratched his head bashfully. “Yeah, it was a rough start to the week. It actually started when I was right here, staring at the door before our first session. I was so nervous when you and Lyra arrived. It's kinda silly, but when we three couldn't sit together I started to feel like we were being separated. And then I couldn't make fire that exercise-”

“You were the one that couldn’t even make a simple fire?” Lyra asked skeptically, to which Twilight elbowed her.

“I never realized you were having such a hard time,” Twilight reticently remarked. “I feel bad for not noticing how bad things were going for you.”

“Don't be,” Starlight said with a smile as he shook his head. “I was too embarrassed and shy to say anything. But I’ve finally managed to face my fears. Thanks again for handing off the reward; are you sure you don’t want it? I did get help from Professor Yorsets with indirect fabrication and whatnot.”

Lyra rolled her eyes, “Cheeeeating.”

Twilight shook her head, “Given the professor’s reaction, he certainly didn’t teach you how to make miniature stars. It’s yours to keep!” She smiled. “So, are you coming to lunch-?”

“Starlight! Arr!” came a shout from down the hall.

The stallion looked to his right to see a familiar blue figure running toward him, until the panting pony stood just a few inches away panting.

“Seven Seas! How’d it go?” Starlight asked. “You had your test today too, right?”

His friend's head drooped at the mentioning of the test, his breaths deep and heavy. “Arr, the earth... ‘twas a hard thing to master in a mere couple o' days.” He paused and hid his face, only to lift his head up to reveal a smart grin. “But o' course the land ain't as tough as the sea. I passed it better than I did me ol’ sailing tests! Course, I studied more fer those-”

“So you'll be helping set off fireworks at the celebration tomorrow?” Starlight asked.

“O' course!” Seven Seas replied. “What ‘bout yerself?”

“Let’s just say... I’m burning with anticipation,” Starlight said, then stopped. “On second though, that sounded a lot better inside my head...”

The two shared their laughs and high spirits as they started their ridiculous prancing about. Starlight could care less what the onlookers thought at that moment; his success trumped anypony’s opinion of him. After a minute though, one particular part of his body began to grumble, a complaint that the stallion did not mind heeding to.

“So, time for lunch?” Starlight asked, looking to the others, who by then were unable to contain their giggling at him and Seven Seas.

Twilight, once recovered, motioned for the dining hall, “Let's go. You certainly deserve a hearty meal today.”

The group of four walked on down. Starlight glanced over his shoulder only once at the classroom door he had only days ago stared at with restlessness. The image was nothing now but a frame of wood, a physical item marking the entrance to his home away from home for the upcoming winter season.

And to his delight, Starlight had no reason to fear the sight anymore.

Chapter 9.5: Pyrotechnic

by Storytayler

A grand explosion lit the air like sparks of metal flashing in the dark. Tiny dots of gold and red faded into the night sky, only to be followed by a giant burst of aqua and green. Following each thunderous blast were exclamations of amusement and admiration that erupted from the academy commons lawn. Every pony present, from student to staff member, sat gazing at the late night sky and the phenomenal fireworks that shone against its jet-black blanket.

Every pony, that is, except for Starlight and a few others. The three class representatives lighting the fireworks had headed out after Princess Luna raised the moon from the academy lawn to start the Winter Solstice celebration. The group made their way to a designated spot close to the where the beachfront and Northern Woods met half a mile away. Accompanying the trio was one of the teachers, Doctor Marie, who taught the elemental track.

“Be sure to pace yourselves,” Doctor Marie had told the three students, her voice somewhat motherly but peppered with a coat of authority.

Starlight's task consisted solely of lighting the fireworks. Having practiced all week, Starlight found his job simple; it was coordinating everything with his two fellow students that took some getting used to. Seven Seas seemed to have absolutely no trouble with finding soft spots for planting the randomly shaped and sized fireworks carried over to him. The third student, though – a stallion by the name Gadgeteer – worked at a pace too quick for the others' liking. Even Doctor Marie did not seem comfortable with every demanding “Next!” the stallion from Hoofington gave.

While preparing for the next rally, Starlight looked over to his friend. “Hey Seven Seas, how is it that you're working with the earth so well, especially in the dark? Weren't you saying at the beginning of this week that you'd never worked with the element before?”

Seven Seas stomped on a patch of ground nearby and marked the spot with a big X with a stick he found. “Starrrlight! Don't ye know why a sailor wears an eye-patch?”

The young stallion shook his head.

Seven Seas continued, “Keeps the covered eye ready fer seein' in the dark. Surely a studious pony like yerself already knew that?”

Starlight chuckled, “Well, I've never really studied sailing and stuff before.” Gadgeteer lifted a giant firework over to Seven Seas's mark and plopped the wooden post into the ground. Starlight stared at the device that stood taller than himself, then spoke as he started to light its thick wick. “That brings up a question; what's a sailor like you doing at this academy?”

The titanic firework rocketed into the air, shrinking as it shot up and over the bay of the moon-shaped island. The entire color spectrum shot out like a ring, mimicking a sonic rainboom over the water. White swirls spun out and away from the center, then dove down to the water below.

“Arr, to be honest,” Seven Seas began, “I came to master me skills with the water and the air. I've got me a plan to become the greatest sailor in all o' Equestria! And, o' course, as me family don't have it very well in terms o' gold, the only way to improve our sailing is to use magic. Control the winds, control the waters. You know, stuff like that.”

“So... you want to become the best transporter of goods?” Starlight asked.

Seven Seas looked to Gadgeteer, who held a batch of smaller fireworks with his magic hold, and draw a long line across a patch of dirt nearby with his stick. “Arr, Starlight, ye be mockin' me. I plan to be in the great Equestrian Sea Race someday. If only someday. Winnin' first in that would help me fam'ly recover from our most recent losses.”

“Recent losses?” Starlight asked.

“Aye, business has been slow for sea travel,” Seven Seas told. “With these new hot air balloons and fancy flyin' machines, it's hard to compete. Pegasi have always been able to fly great distances, but earth ponies and unicorns depended on travelin' along rivers and the wide waters for years. Well, now they don't. The fam'ly doesn't know what to do; we all used to live close t'gether, but now relatives are movin' off. I told ye of a little cousin of mine from Trottingham-”

“Next,” said Gadgeteer in a bored tone.

Starlight looked at the line of pyrotechnics lined perfectly along Seven Seas's line. With a fabricated matchbox he struck eight matches at once, lighting the bunch of fireworks simultaneously. When the wicks burned down they whistled off into the night sky, erupting into a flurry of white sparks and flashes, their bursts the loudest of any the group had lit yet. Starlight could hear ringing in his ears, but he smiled at the bright display nonetheless.

“Excuse me!” yelled the professor, Doctor Marie, suddenly. Her soprano voice was very rich but sounded somewhat silly as she rarely spoke above her 'indoor voice'.

Starlight turned his neck quickly to see whom she addressed, but as soon as he looked he could tell it was not himself. It wasn't one of the other two lighting the fireworks, either. When the stallion looked into the distance he could make out a a figure facing the edge of the darkened forest.

“You're not allowed to venture in there at this time!” Doctor Marie shouted at the stranger, who turned to face the four onlookers.

“Why not?” came the reply, the voice one of a female.

“It's Headmare Luna's orders!” Doctor Marie replied. “Would you be so kind as to step away from the woodland's edge and come over here, please?”

“Okay, okay. Sheesh.” The stranger backed away from the tall line of trees and approached the group.

“Next,” said Gadgeteer monotonously.

Starlight turned around quickly and lit another firework that had been planted. He didn't bother to watch it go off as he turned to identify the newcomer; her voice had sounded familiar.

When his eyes fell on the figure again the pony was drawing closer. When the firework he had lit exploded Starlight could make out a dissatisfied-looking mare of blue hues and a white stripe on her mane.

“Colgate!” Starlight said in surprise. “What are you doing over here? Isn't everypony up at the commons lawn watching the show?”

“Yeah yeah, it's nice and all, but I think I've seen enough,” Colgate replied, brushing off the idea as if it were unappealing. “What I really wanted to see tonight were the Northern Woods; I heard they're quite a sight when it starts to snow-”

“Young mare, I will have you know that the woods are currently off-limits to students and staff alike,” Doctor Marie said with a huff. “And in any case you would have to request permission to be venturing about in this area so late. Judging by your lack of knowledge regarding the current state of the woods, I'm assuming you failed to receive such permission from an instructor?”

Colgate rolled her eyes, which went unseen in the dark. “So... maybe I forgot. Why're the woods off-limits? Aren't students encouraged to explore them at least once this winter?”

“The Northern Woods are undoubtedly going to be a beautiful sight during the winter. The Headmare has said it herself!” Doctor Marie suddenly declared with sudden delight, which slumped away in a second. “However, recently there has been a possible spotting of strange activity inside the forest.”

Starlight nodded fervently, “I-It's true, Colgate, earlier this week I saw-”

“Now what kind of ridiculous pony could possibly think that something weird is going on in there? Who reported that!? Hasn't this island been abandoned for a thousand years?” Colgate growled. She let out an angry exhalation and quickly tried to compose herself. “Starlight, were you saying something?”

The stallion gulped. “N-Nope. Nothing.”

He looked over at his fellow two peers, the latter of which stood staring at Colgate and Starlight with a smirk on his face.

Not missing a beat, Seven Seas glanced over Gadgeteer and gave a mimicking, “Next.”

Gadgeteer's grin quickly turned upside down, and he turned to retrieve more fireworks with a snarl. Starlight and Seven Seas contained their laughs behind pressed lips.

Colgate looked at the two and shook her head slowly. “Sometimes I worry about you, Starlight. Anyway, I'm headed back to the castle. If there's no adventuring to do out here, then I'm not interested in staying. Have fun lighting the fireworks.”

“All right, see you around!” Starlight said, then returned to his work.

Colgate headed back in the direction of the academy with a heavy burden of small shame and burly boredom on her neck. He tried to shake the weight a number of times but couldn't get it off. Once she arrived back at the academy grounds, she stopped and turned to look north one last time for the night. Her eyes followed the colored silhouettes that sat in tiers, from the low olive plains to the middle emerald forests to the tall smokey mountains.

Is there anywhere I can go on this island..?

EPISODE 3: THE ARDENT ADVENTURER

Chapter 10: In for the Thrill

Mighty waves brushed and beat the rocky walls of the eastern cliff, their echoes resounding a powerful chorus. Relentless swarms of swishes beat against barricades of jagged rocks, as well as the base of the crag hiding behind them. Breakers crashed like the roar of rapids as waters bubbled and foam fizzled. Just the sound of it all could stir the heart of anypony that listened for long enough.

There was one pair of ears that pricked up in reply, one heart that was moved by these recurring resonances. With excitement stirring inside, Colgate leaned out through the large window to her suite’s common room and took in a deep breath of the chilly winter air. Her light blue coat glowed like the hues of the shallow tide, the dark blue of her hair shimmering like the depths of the sea. The white of her mane glistened white like the first snowfall that had spread across the landscape overnight.

Colgate let out a glum groan. Her breath turned to steam and glided away as it blended into the backdrop above of the mackerel sky. Despite the clouds, the sun fought to cast what light it could onto the isle and Equestrian Sea. But to the mare, the struggle was in vain. None of the precious daylight hours were being spent immersed in the beauty of the island outside of the academy.

All that Colgate longed for a chance to touch the water, to venture the rocky coasts she couldn't see, even to simply behold the magnificent view of a new vista along the ocean. Awe-inspiring images popped into her mind as she scanned the length of Crescent Island time and time again; but none of these perceptions were of actual places. They were mere dream destinations.

A secret field in the forest, a hidden mine in the mountains, even a concealed beach would have fed the mare's starving soul. Unable to spot such a scene that remotely fit those of her daydreams, Colgate slid her hoofs off the windowsill and backed into the room. As she closed the window the warmth of the common room swarmed her like bees across a field of flowers. Colgate did not care much for the tickling embrace.

“Why are we stuck indoors all the time?” Colgate whined with a stomp of her hoof. “We have this whole island around us, and yet we're stuck at the academy every day. I can’t even check out the forest a little ways off since that’s apparently off-limits too. Don’t get me wrong, magic has its uses; but books and classrooms are portable, and landscapes aren't. Am I right, or am I right?”

Colgate’s roommate, Lasso Tussle, who had been sitting in the lounge occupied with pretending to read history, looked up with a heedless gaze from the stiff couch in the corner. Her brown eyes slid back to reading the thick book she held as she muttered, “Sure. Now go get yer rump outside and out of mah sight.”

“Lasso, I don't think you understand; going outside only makes it all worse,” Colgate retorted. “All you can do from that little lawn between here and the main hall is stare at all the beautiful landscape you could be exploring.”

“How’d yer explorin’ turn out for ya last time?” the roommate said smartly, twisting a straw in her mouth that she drew from her hat.

Colgate sat and stared out the window again as her mouth crumpled into a crooked but pensive frown. Her last so-called 'adventure' had been the night when the Ponyville pack had snuck around. Their penalty was simply that they couldn't leave the island during their first winter break. To Colgate, this was the opposite of punishment, unless she were to get into trouble again. One more strike and the mare would not only be stranded on the island, but also limited to the academy grounds.

Being locked up would not do for Colgate; however, her current edginess wouldn't simply subside, either. She knew when her hoofs were twitching for a gallop, and they were at that very moment. Over a week had passed since her last taste of adventure. To her, blazing new trails was as important as eating breakfast, lunch and dinner.

With her dreams set on becoming the next Marco Pony, Colgate just knew that her ticket to fame hid within the confines of Crescent Island. The idea sparked a fiery interest the second the Winter Magic Academy had been brought up. Ever since this first instance, though, not a hint of anything more specific had been found.

But the spark reignited as a new idea came to mind.

“Wait a second!” Colgate gasped. “Lasso, you know Tall Tale, right? The one who knew about the exam results last week? Do you know if he has any new leads on secret stuff?”

Lasso Tussle gritted her teeth, biting off the head of the straw she had in her mouth. “Ah reckon he does. It's a darn shame Ah'm feelin' too lazy to ask, though.”

Colgate was at her roommate's hoofs in a second. “Please go ask him for some kind of lead! Anything! Please? Please please please-!”

“Git yer lousy lips off mah boots!” Lasso exclaimed as she nudged Colgate away with a sneer. “Yer 'bout as hooked on to these 'leads' as pa was to happy hour. Just what's in this fer me?”

Colgate glanced about the room in a desperate search for easy answers. Their lounge room, however, was empty; that is, bare of any of their possessions. The cushions and furniture pieces were clear of any of the ponies' items, leaving the dark blues and violets of the main room to consume the chamber in even in the early hours of afternoon.

There seemed to be no sign of luck, until suddenly Colgate's sights crossed her roommate's door. The door to the room hung wide open, revealing the terrible mess of clothes and 'essentials' within it. An idea went straight from thought to talk.

“Say, Lasso, haven't you been wanting to change rooms with me since day one?” Colgate inquired with a sly tone.

Lasso, wearing a straw rancher's hat with wide brims and a high crown, tipped her cap to see the whole of her scheming acquaintance's face. Colgate's muzzle showed a most curious smile of contorted delight and taciturnity.

“Ah'm listenin',” Lasso said with one eye narrowed.

“Well,” Colgate continued, “we both know that I have the biggest of the three rooms in this suite, and one of the only two with a breath-taking view. I happen to recall you mentioning that you wish you had it... right?”

Lasso narrowed her gaze further. “Maybe.”

Colgate began pacing in front of the couch on which Lasso sat slouched. “Then I propose that, should you go talk to your good pal Tall Tale, we'll switch rooms. You'll get the nicer place for the rest of the semester, and I'll have a new adventure to look into. Deal?”

Lasso tapped her snout thoughtfully. “Only on one condition.”

Colgate's dark blue eyes grew substantially like a filly getting her first ever birthday present.

With a smug smile Lasso Tussle peered over at her open bedroom door, and then back to the anxious pony standing anxiously before her. “You gotta move all mah things into mah new room by tomorrow afternoon.”

Colgate leaped into the air higher than a volleyball player. “DEAL!”

With a snicker Lasso Tussle rose to her hoofs. She placed her book on the couch and adjusted her tall hat after a shake of her wavy, gold mane.

“Ah'll be back soon enough,” she said as she pulled another straw from her hat and put it in her mouth, replacing the other she had chewed to bits. “Don't get too excited, though, you hear?”

Colgate waited, still shaking, until her roommate was out the door. The moment the door closed completely behind her, Colgate started bouncing off the walls uncontrollably.

Finally, something to do!

“COLGATE,” scolded a mare nearby. “What are you doing?”

Colgate ceased her dancing immediately and stood with her back to where she knew the voice came from. Colgate didn't need to turn to see who it was that spoke to her; she also preferred to hide her face until the flushing faded and its regular blue tones returned.

“Oh... uh, nothing,” Colgate said with a faked laugh.

“Nothing indeed,” came the reply. “You were just cavorting as one does upon winning the lottery not five seconds ago. Just what nonsense are you up to?”

“What's it to ya, Melodia?” Colgate asked with a smirk.

She turned to face her other roommate, whose long white hair absorbed what little sunlight still came into the room, making her mane and tail the only bright things inside the lounge. The five piano keys on her flank glowed brightly along as well. The dazzling appearance seemed only suitable as Colgate knew her to be a rather showy individual. Melodia swung her head around in a rather dramatic fashion, then turning her back to her roommate.

“If it's so personal, I suppose you need not tell,” said Melodia. “I was simply looking out for you.”

“Looking out for me?” Colgate laughed. “That's the last thing I need. I can take care of myself, you know. All great adventurers do.”

“All 'great adventurers' are also careful where they get their information from,” Melodia noted with a raised nose. “Don't you remember the last time you asked one of Lasso Tussle's friends for secrets?”

“Pssh, yeah! Do you have any idea how fun it was to wander the halls that late?”

Her roommate stuck out her tongue as if she had just bitten off a piece of rotten apple. “I would dare not tempt fate as you did. One of these days if you keep on 'adventuring' you're going to find yourself trapped and alone.”

Colgate clicked her tongue. “It's not like there's anything on this island that's going to kill me, Mel. Quit your worrying.”

The pale purple unicorn swurved full circle and came muzzle-to-muzzle with her roommate, who was so taken aback by the confrontation that she couldn't move. Colgate found her sights suddenly locked with two frighteningly small lilac irises.

“As I've been in show business since I was a filly, I shall personally warn you: always look before you leap,” said Melodia. She then turned and trotted off as if nothing had happened. Not a moment later her door was closed, leaving Colgate standing in shock.

A minute passed before the mare could crack the cold burst that had frozen her veins. She had never seen her roommate so startling before. The musical mare had indeed come off as a rather sophisticated and serious one, but never threatening. Colgate moved her hoofs to assure her senses were still working, until finally shake the strange sensation that had reverberated down to her bones.

Laughing off such matters as Colgate usually did seemed improbable. Instead the mare tried to distract herself as she walked back over to the window and watched the sun slowly make its way westward. She opened the glass and listened to the waves again, their sounds more docile than before. The air seemed strangely still. It was unable to distract the mare from the words that began repeating in her mind.

Always look before you leap..?

Feeling her muscles tighten, Colgate chuckled to herself. “Whatever. An adventure's an adventure. It's all about the thrill.”

[br]

Breakfast the next morning was nothing short of spectacular. Like all other meals, dish after dish was set before the students as they sat in their violet cushion seats in anticipation. The strong aromas of syrups and oatmeal filled the atmosphere like those of autumn leaves during the harvesting season. Had anypony plugged his or her nose, the smell would still manage to seep in through their hanging open mouths. Of course, none had any reason to try and block out such sweet scents.

The Ponyville gang was content as ever could be as they munched away on the delights set before them. Plate after plate came and went as servers picked up silver platters nearly as soon as they set them down. The food silenced the group of eight at the table for a good while; that is, until the ninth pony entered the scene.

“Guys, you'll never believe this!” Colgate announced as she careened down the aisle of tables. She stopped in a snap behind an unsuspecting Windchaser and a very startled Lyra. The blue mare reached over her two companions' shoulders and gave an embrace in her excitement. “I have the best lead on a super cool secret nearby!”

Lyra, with her face squeezed between a hoof and cheek, said with pressed lips, “Colgate, you're all sweaty! What's going on!?”

Colgate let go and zipped over to sit at the last open spot at the table. She looked everypony in the eye before taking in a great breath.

“The sweat? Oh, I was just moving some stuff in our suite. Anyway, I heard a rumor about this really cool cave that's sort of close to here 'cause it's over the mountain pass to the west a bit and it's supposed to have some really cool old stuff like ruins that we can find in it and I think we should check it out as soon as possible, as in today!”

A grand smile covered her entire muzzle. But as she glanced at each of the eight faces before her, the grin gradually faded to a questioning glare. No pony quite mirrored her sheer enthusiasm.

Quirky Q at least held a feeble smile on her face. “Sounds... exciting?”

“I know, right?” Colgate said with fading motivation in her voice. “So, when do you guys wanna go check it out?”

The others looked at one another and whispered amongst themselves. Colgate could not make out the talk hidden in low voices and behind hidden hoofs.

“I dunno, Colgate,” Twilight finally said, “last time you heard something about a 'lead' it got us all in pretty big trouble.”

“I-I'll get permission!” Colgate rejoined. “You guys okay now? No breaking rules or anything, just pure innocent fun.”

“That sounds like quite a trip, going to the cave to the west,” Gallant mentioned as he wiped his mouth with a table napkin. “How long would it take to get there, and when would we depart?”

Colgate rolled her eyes, “Oh come on, you guys don't have that much stuff to do, right? We can wait until this weekend and go then if you really want.”

“You're suggesting it could take an entire day?” Gallant raised as doubt began to cloud his eyes; Colgate could see it like a house cat spotting a mouse. “That seems pretty tiring to me. Don't get me wrong, I'd be very much riveted by the news, but judging by the others' expressions it seems like not many others here are very interested-”

“So you'd still go if I could find others?” asked Colgate.

The silver stallion rubbed his chin as his clenched teeth began to show. He looked at the others, at his plate, then back at Colgate. “... Maybe?”

“All right! That's one. Who else is in?” Colgate asked. “Come on guys, it'll be tons of fun! It's not like we're gonna get lost or anything. It's just over the mountain path west of here.”

The group started to murmur amongst themselves again, this time with a hint of worry glimmering in their colorful eyes. Colgate's mouth dropped as the eight eventually fell as silent as they had been before her arrival moments ago.

Colgate shrugged, “Next week?”

A light flashed in Starlight's eye as he gasped, which jump-started Colgate's dying pulse.

“I know! Why don't we go during the first semester break?” he proposed.

Colgate's joy turned to misery as quickly as her smile turned upside down. Starlight and the others began exchanging more pleasant expressions as their murmurs turned to delighted chatter. Colgate slammed a hood on the table and stood.

“No!” she shouted, which stopped all of the Ponyville table talk. In fact, it stopped all of the table talk throughout the banquet hall. Colgate shrunk as she leaned into the table to hide her face as heads all around turned. Nonetheless, she continued, this time in a whisper. “I need an adventure, now! I can't wait that long!”

“I-It's only a couple of weeks away,” mentioned Starlight, puzzled. “Can you really not wait just a little-?”

“Ugh, look,” Colgate interjected, “if you guys don't wanna go check out the cool secrets on this island, fine. I'll go get some other ponies to go with. Happy?”

Without another word exchanged Colgate flipped her tail and stormed away, the echoes of her heavy steps the only sound in the hall. The mare didn't care about the attention that followed her; it was about as bothersome as a single pebble in a thick block wall. The wall, of course, was the stubbornness of her friends, the one obstacle that then stood at the forefront of her troubled mind.

Colgate knew she could skirt the obstacle. Though it wouldn't be convenient, putting her Ponyville friends behind her seemed the only way to press on. It was the last thing Colgate had expected, though, as she felt as though she had just run into a wall face-first. Instinctively she rubbed her muzzle as she made her way back to her suite.

Step after step Colgate felt her pace picking up. Her walk turned into a quickened stroll, then into a trot, and finally into a gallop as she scaled the entire dormitory stairwell in seconds. A breeze began to follow her until she reached her suite's door, where Colgate slammed it shut. In her isolation the mare let out a terrible grouse.

A voice inquired, “Somepony's got her boots on too tight.”

Colgate's eyes darted in the direction of the sound. It was Lasso Tussle once again, sitting on the lounge room couch as usual, her tan coat glowing as the sunlight reached the corner of the room.

“Or not on at all,” Colgate uttered.

“Aww, yer friends don't wanna tag along to check out that spooky cave?” Lasso inquired as she looked up from the rope she was tying.

Colgate let out a sad sigh. “No.”

“Tsk, tsk. What's their reasonin'? They too scared?” Lasso asked.

“No. Maybe? Sort of. Ugh, I don't know how to explain it, it's stupid.” Colgate looked to the closed window, its clear glass allowing what little hint of sunlight there was outside through. “They don't wanna go until the first semester break, I guess.”

“That's not fer another week and a half!” Lasso laughed. “Guess li'l ol' you can't wait that long, huh?”

“No way! I remember seeing that cave you told me about when I flew in from Ponyville. I wasn't sure what it was exactly, but I could tell it was going to be fun to check out with some friends. Of course, now it seems like I'll just be going alone.”

“No way, no how!” cut in Lasso Tussle as she tossed the rope she played with aside. “Goin' alone ain't any fun, every good adventurer knows that.” Colgate nodded with a hint of sadness in her eyes. “Ah'll let you in on a li'l secret of mine, somethin' I learned out on the ranch, you hear?”

Colgate left the sight of the hidden sun and sky to stare at the roguish face of her roommate. She gulped and nodded.

“Ah'll let you in on this fer free, seeing as you offered me the room and all,” Lasso said. “When Ah was a filly out on the ranch, Ah had three older brothers. They were bigger and stronger than Ah was, so you can guess which one was thought to be the weaklin'. Course, they expected me to be about as smart as I was strong, which worked to my advantage. Just imagine the looks on their faces when Ah told a fib about a wolf attacking our herd, or a fire starting in the house just to get them in trouble-”

“A fib?” Colgate asked.

“Don't you Ponyville folk know any vocabulary?” Lasso questioned, then shook her head. “Look, Ah lied 'bout so many things, but my brothers never knew any better. Ah had 'em runnin' around like chickens with their heads cut off, if ya know what Ah mean.”

Colgate rubbed her throat and swallowed as if to reassure herself that her own head and neck were still attached.

“Just what are you getting at?” asked Colgate slowly.

“You're about as blunt as a butter knife,” Lasso sighed. “What Ah'm sayin' is, if they won't go willin'ly, just add a little 'spice' to yer reasonin'. Or story. Whatever it is you told 'em.”

“By 'spice' you mean lie.”

“Not a complete lie. Twistin' the truth ain't exactly lyin'. After all, there's still some truth in it, right? Plus, you get what you want.”

“How am I supposed to lie?” Colgate asked. “No matter what I say, they'll never be interested in going on a little adventure with me.”

Lasso Tussle stood and stretched. A satisfied moan followed the sounds of limbs cracking in relief. Lasso straightened up her posture and gave a sly wink.

“That's fer you to figure out, Colgate.”

And with that, Lasso Tussle left the room again in her mysterious manner. Her blond tail flowed out of sight and the wooden door to her new room closed with a click. Colgate's eyes drifted toward the lounge window again. With little thought she approached it and opened the panels once more, parting the two glass doors to let the sun shine in. A chilly breeze greeted her as well as the beautiful sights of the scenery she wouldn't be waking up to anymore that winter.

Something strange lingered in the air. Colgate glanced about as every noise seemed directed toward her very ears, causing her head to turn about like a weathervane in the changing winds. The trees far off brustled and shook as the breeze whistled a curious tune. The waves beckoned without stop, their crashing a continued invitation to touch the water's edge.

In the midst of it all was something different, but Colgate could not make it out. She let her ears try and track it as one would let his or her nose guide the way to a delicious treat. The blue mare couldn't help but feel as though the mystifying melody were humming from the west. Only one thing she knew of beyond the castle grounds was in that general direction.

That, of course, was the cave.

Chapter 11: Cavernous Conundru

“Guys, guys! We have to go help Quirky!” Colgate shouted as she burst through the foyer entrance.

Some in the crowded entrance hall loaned their brief attention, but only three completely stopped to listen to the huffing and puffing mare. Though the three had been en route to the dorms, Gallant, Windchaser and Lyra confronted their friend with perplexed ganders.

“Colgate, you look exhausted!” Lyra gasped. “What is this you’re talking about with Quirky?”

Colgate looked around the hall several times as she bit her bottom lip anxiously. “You guys haven't heard yet? She took off for the cave over on the west end not too long ago!”

Gallant’s head tilted as a frown of disfavor slipped across his muzzle.

“And just what is she doing there?” inquired the stallion.

Colgate’s eyes rolled upward as she fidgeted fretfully. “Umm... uh, I-”

Gallant tapped his forehead with a hoof and sighed. “Look, Colgate, about earlier. We know you're excited and all, but-”

“Quirky was probably excited too! That’s why she went,” Colgate shouted as she pounded her hoofs against the carpet. “Question answered, right? So let’s get going-”

“Just a minute, Colgate,” Gallant said, stopping the eager pony before she could fully turn. “Exactly how do you know that Quirky went off to see this cave?”

“I heard it from some other pony. Grapevine or whatever, now let's go-!”

Gallant refused to budge. “From whom, if I may ask?”

The blue mare felt the ice thinning beneath her. “I don’t know-! I mean, uh, Rarity. Yeah, her.”

“Rarity?” Gallant asked, taken aback. “She's here?”

“Did I say Rarity?” Colgate laughed uneasily. “I meant, uh, Charity! Y-Yeah. Her.”

Lyra glanced over her shoulder and pointed. “Hey, I think that's Charity over there. We could just go and ask her about all this-”

“Lyra, there’s no pony here named-” Colgate suddenly choked to a pause. With a grunt of frustration she stormed over behind the three and began pushing them toward the exit. “Just forget about it, we have to go!”

“Did you get permission?” Windchaser asked.

“Is that really what you're worried about!?” Colgate growled. “Ugh, yes, I got permission, you're in good hoofs. Now let's get going before something bad happens!”

As if in reply to a race-starting gunshot Colgate sped off, her swiftness like that of a hawk’s. Her excited smile beamed as her hoofs carried her to the foyer exit; that is, until the mare’s ears perked up. There was a strange lack of sound in the air. The pioneer slowed down and looked over her shoulder to see none of the others following.

“Come on!” Colgate moaned. “Quirky's out there! Don't you guys care about helping her out?”

“I care!” Lyra said, decidedly stepping forward. “And no matter how confused I am, I know that whatever I feel compelled to do is the best choice, and right now-!”

“That’s nice, Lyra,” Colgate interrupted. She looked to the other two. “Are you two stallions coming along or what?”

Gallant and Windchaser looked at her and Lyra as pets do at their owners when a new trick is introduced. Eventually each one trotted over as perplexity began to sink through their filters of reason. The battle showed on their warped faces with eyes shrunk in doubt and frowns wide with apprehensiveness.

“You said a... cave, correct?” Gallant asked. “I-I’m not so sure I feel comfortable doing this.”

Colgate tilted her head down. “You aren’t comfortable with caves? Aren’t you in heavy duty guard training at Canterlot or something?”

Gallant grumbled, “I’ve only been there for one year, why does everypony keep bringing this up-?”

“Just join us, we need all the help we can get,” Lyra begged.

“Couldn’t have said it better myself, Lyra,” Colgate said. “Now let’s get going!”

She charged through the exit and out into the wintry air as the others soon followed behind. A heat of excitement lay beneath the mare's skin, protecting her from the chill. For the first time in weeks Colgate felt the addicting rush of exhilaration coursing through her system like water through a busted dam.

The four headed west across the pathways with their heads lowered and horns pointed at the sun slowly setting in the sky. Spread below this sphere was a glorious topography of stunted mountains and extensive forests, both covered in snow yet darkly tinted by the oncoming shadows. A single path extended beyond the black fence marking the academy grounds, dipping into a valley below and then up along the slope of the near mountainside.

Three unicorns approached the gateway from this trail, their faces and hoofs marred with a thick layer of dirt. They carried along with them saddlebags that dragged along the trail. Colgate did not care to stop and say hi, until one's distinctive mane stood out to her.

“WAIT A MINUTE!” Colgate screamed as she dug her hoofs into the ground.

She came to a complete stop, only to be run over by the other three that were closely following her. Colgate moaned as she became trapped, only able to move her head. She stretched her neck and glared at those coming from the mountain trail ahead.

“Er, hey guys!” came the voice of the Twilight from one of the dirt-coated unicorns. “You all seem like you’re in quite the rush. What's going on?”

Colgate muscled her way out of the ponypile and gritted her teeth. “Well, I was okay, but now I’m wondering... what's 'going on' with you?”

Twilight looked at the two accompanying her and smiled. “Oh! I guess it's hard to recognize us with all of this grime.” She motioned to the two behind her and added, “This is Starlight, and his roommate Giant Geode-”

“I didn't ask who you were,” Colgate snarled. “I asked where you've been.”

With a nervous laugh Twilight replied, “We were just down the path a ways. Starlight and I were helping find some gems for Giant Geode's collection. He needs a couple of samples for a project, and since I learned a tracking spell from my friend-”

“Down the path?” Colgate interrupted. “You mean you went off the grounds... without me!?”

Twilight backed away slowly. Starlight and Giant Geode stood as speechless and shivering as the mare, but dared not move at all.

Colgate growled as her eyes closed tightly. Her head began to shake as her jaw couldn’t clench any more tightly.

“Colgate, what's gotten into you!?” Lyra wailed. “We have to hurry and save Quirky!”

The blue mare felt her blood turn cold. Her anger suddenly disappeared in a dense mist of shock. Disoriented, Colgate watched through clouded eyes as a confused Twilight drew near again, this time with hesitant hoofsteps.

“Wait, what’s going on with Quirky?” Twilight questioned.

But Colgate, suddenly able to find her bearings, blew past Twilight with a powerful gallop. The others, now more bewildered than ever, followed right behind as a three-pony stampede careened down the mountain trail.

“Wait, you guys!” echoed the faint voice of Twilight. “Are you looking for Quirky? I think she’s-”

“Trapped, yeah!” Colgate shouted over her shoulder. “We're gonna go get her. Later!”

Colgate pressed on as the group made their way down the hill and then up to the jagged mountain path. The incline of the trail grew steeper and steeper until only a few trees could survive on the slope. Once at an altitude higher than the academy reached, the trail began to level out. The group rounded their first wide bend, when suddenly Colgate slowed to a trot. Her eyes fixed on a peculiar sight.

A faded trail leading down the slope sat just a few meters ahead. It was only wide enough for one pony to pass through at a time as it zigzagged down to the base of the mountain. Lasso Tussle had told Colgate of the trail less traveled, and the adventurer was completely taken by the thought. When the four reached the split, Colgate didn't hesitate in heading down the narrower path.

“Colgate, where are you going!?” Lyra protested. “We need to keep on the trail!”

“The cave's this way!” Colgate shouted without even looking back.

Gallant, panting, shook his head as he stopped. “Actually, I think I recall seeing this trail when we flew over. This original path should lead us close to the mouth of the cave.”

“I don't know what you're talking about,” Colgate said with only a brief pause. “If you wanna save Quirky, you'll want to follow me. Trust me, I'm an adventurer.”

Despite the dangerously slim course Colgate returned to her daring speed as she tore around the tiny bends in the path. Tears of joy dried as the dry winter air brushed against her face. The energy that surged through her then only encouraged her to run faster.

After twisting through the turns of the path the group made it to even ground. There no longer was a path, but the edge of the snowy forest and mountainside created a straight line leading westward.

“It's just over here!” Colgate yelled.

The gap up ahead between the trees and base of the mount approached like the light at the end of a tunnel, but at a snail's pace. The emerald and white forest to the right passed tree by tree as the giant conifers crowded the way. The mountain had little to see but the snowy summit and the edges of the trail they would have otherwise taken.

At the end of the stretch between terrains was a long, sparkling beach. A layer of snow covered the nearest sands while the tide, then rising, slowly ate away at the snowbank. Colgate laughed in sheer delight as she gracefully took her final galloping steps and leapt out onto the beach to stop and take in the spectacle.

“Watch out!”

Colgate's head slammed straight into the blankets of snow and sand. Her nostrils abruptly filled with the unpleasant grains of sand rather than the delightful sea air. The mare pushed helplessly against the loose terrain to free her head, only to submit to the weight that squirmed atop her. Once the burden grew light enough, Colgate threw her head up and gasped.

“What are you guys doing!?” she shouted as she turned around.

Her three companions dawdled about tripping over themselves as their eyes continued to spin. Colgate rolled her own and began treading across the beach toward the shallow waters.

“It's so... beautiful,” Colgate said softly.

Lyra slowly rose to her hoofs and whined, “Indeed it is, Colgate, but shouldn't we be more concerned about Quirky? I certainly don't see a cave nearby; do you really know where we're going?”

“Quit your worrying, Lyra, you're getting all moody and worried again,” Colgate replied. After a few steps through the snow and sand she took off into another gallop. “We're close now, just follow me!”

But the group's once-firm steps became flimsy pats as their pace slowed down to a struggling trot. Colgate, however, refused to give up. With great determination the mare began hopping through the snowfall, pouncing like a cat on its toy. Minutes passed until she came to a breathless stop.

Out of nowhere Windchaser trotted past her. His hoofs didn't sink even an inch into the snow.

“What!? How are you doing that?” Colgate asked, fuming. “What sorcery is-?”

“It's the 'Light as a Feather' spell,” Windchaser answered. “I'm looking ahead for the cave.”

The mare couldn't decide; her desire had been to be the first to see the cave up close, but her brain told her she didn't have the energy. She looked at Windchaser floating atop the snow, and then at her own hoofs sunken into the white sheet of flakes.

“Wait, can't you cast that spell on the rest of us?” Colgate inquired with a giant smile. “Please?”

“Only one pony at a time,” Windchaser said.

Colgate ground her teeth to chew her words, but they burst through pressed lips, “Fine! Go on ahead.”

Windchaser took off northbound, his hoofs hardly making a sound. He soon disappeared behind the ragged cliff-side ahead. Meanwhile, Colgate kept trying to press on, only to find herself budging an inch a minute. Lyra and Gallant were soon by her side.

“Can you move?” Gallant asked.

Colgate blew a heated exhalation through her nostrils. “Of course I can move, Gallant. I'm simply choosing not to.”

“But you should choose to, Quirky's counting on us!” Lyra implored, pressing on through the foot-deep snow despite her shivers.

Suddenly, Windchaser's gray figure emerged from around the corner of the rocky precipice ahead.

“Over here,” Windchaser shouted, though his voice was not all too loud.

Nonetheless, the three heard him; there was hardly any other noise aside from the calm waters. Colgate felt a new energy coming on as her dream finally seemed within reach. She started her leaping again through the snow as she quickly closed the gap.

Just around the corner of the crag stood a giant aperture in the cliff face. The black orifice shaped a perfect arch. Stemming out from its base was a giant slab of rock that spread across a great portion of the beach. Puddles of melted snow spread across the slate-colored surface, but their cold touch went unnoticed by Colgate as she stood on it.

Colgate took in the view of the dark portal towering before her and laughed. “I knew it! I knew it was here. I knew it, I knew it I knew it!”

Colgate pranced in circles like a sugar-stuffed filly, and the others watched as concerned parents would.

“Did you find Quirky?” Lyra asked as she and Gallant arrived.

Colgate's facial expression went blank.

… What do I tell them now?

“Um not yet! But we should go in and look for her,” Colgate stated.

“G-Go in!? Now, that's not entirely necessary, is it?” Gallant asked, shaking. “S-Shouldn't we just c-call in first?”

The three accompanying him stared.

“Don't tell me,” Colgate uttered. “You're actually afraid of caves?”

“WHAT? No, nonsense,” Gallant said with a cough. “It's just cold, that's why I'm shaking.”

“Enough fooling around! We need to head in!” Lyra declared as she lit her horn. “I'll lead the way!”

The mint-colored mare charged into the darkness of the cave until its curtain of darkness covered her. Colgate, herself surprised by Lyra's zest, followed with Windchaser and Gallant on her tail.

The light in front guided the way as it grew brighter and the one behind them shrank. The walls and ceiling hid behind the screens of the shadows that even Lyra's powerful light could not reach. Colgate felt as though she were charging head-first into an endless abyss of blackness. The only reassurance of barriers were the echoes of the unicorns' hoofsteps and the trickling of water from the ceiling.

They continued charging for some time, until Lyra's pace slowed down. The light behind them was no larger than the size of one's hoof. Its faint light served as a barrier separating the outside world from the cavern.

A low growl suddenly reverberated through the cave. The four wanderers stopped dead in their tracks.

“W-What was that!?” Lyra asked.

Colgate, trembling, stared into the darkness surrounding them. “I-I dunno. What lives in caves?”

The rumbling soon ceased. Colgate could still feel her bones vibrating beneath her twitching muscles.

“Orcs? Moray eels?” Gallant gulped. “Dragons!?”

Suddenly, a strange voice erupted, “Or a TROLL!”

Lyra fell to the ground as the light of her horn went out. Screams pierced the stale air swarmed, throwing everypony into a frenzy. Colgate glanced back but could barely make out the mouth of the cave a ways back, but she could not tear herself away from the others.

“What's going on!?” Colgate shrieked; her only answers were more terrified howls and cries. Her body shook uncontrollably until suddenly a light lit up the area.

Standing in the middle was a familiar pinkish lavender pony. Her silver hair glowed beneath a magic spotlight hovering above her and her pink eyes dazzled like garnets.

“What's going on, Colgate, is what I'd like to ask you!” came the voice of Quirky in a most dramatic tone.

“Q-Quirky! You're safe!” Lyra squealed.

“Well of course I'm safe, why wouldn't I be?” asked the actress. “I came here looking for you three. I heard my name being called several times earlier, until I ran into Twilight. She told me you were all headed here.”

“Twilight told you?” Colgate asked, dumbfounded.

“Well yes, she told me you were looking for me. She then pointed out that you were headed for the caves, so I took the trail.”

Three glares suddenly directed at Colgate, who failed to back out of the light's grasp in the cavern. Her nervous grin left the others nothing but suspicious. She tried to laugh, but the lump in her throat stopped any contraction of her lungs.

“Y-You're just messing with us, right Quirky?” asked the blue mare, desperate. “You couldn't have made it here before us if you left after us!

“You must have taken the wrong trail,” Quirky said quite matter-of-factly. “I followed the mountain path and arrived just north of this cave. Since I found none of you here, I decided I'd surprise you all. Oh, you should have seen the looks on your faces-!”

Colgate broke in, “Well, what about that roar we heard just a few seconds ago?”

Quirky laughed as she gazed into the shrouds of darkness around them. “That was me. All performers must practice some kind of roar or strange sound.”

Lyra glowered at Colgate. “Is that... so?”

The deep bellow sounded again, shaking the cave as it did before, this time with greater power.

“That's quite a skill,” Windchaser said.

But Quirky was as speechless as her face was pale.

The four watched as the roar sounded even louder. Quirky's mouth wasn't moving except for the twitching corner of her lip. Soon all were shaking in terror.

Lyra turned and screamed, “RUN!”

The five bolted toward the exit as fast as their hoofs could carry them. The rumbling continued even after the roar, coming in waves of vibrations all around. All of a sudden, large pieces of rock bega crumbling down from the ceiling.

As the group drew near the exit, their eyes met the sight of fallen boulders blocking large sections of the entrance, until only half of the space was obstructed by stone.

Gallant, the most reluctant to enter, had already made it out.

“Hurry!” he cried from behind the curtain of light outside the cave. “The entrance is caving-!”

But his voice faded beneath the clamor of scraping stone until the final block had fallen, and the last bit of worldly light was sealed away. All that remained was the faint light Lyra held, a beacon around which the other three gathered in silence. All that sounded in the cave was the continued dripping of water.

“We have to find another way out,” Colgate whispered, panting harder than a marathon runner.

“Over here,” said Windchaser as his head directed toward a portion of the wall nearby.

The four made their way over to the entrance of a small tunnel they had not seen upon first entering. Windchaser led the way through the darkness with the little help he could get from Lyra's light, which now was as weak as an unguarded torch in a midnight rainfall. Dodging stalagmites and holes that swarmed the narrowing passageway, the unicorns made their slow advance as silently as possible.

The stallion's pace came to a halt. A fork in the path stood in the group's way. From what Colgate could see, both passages dropped down into shallow pools of stagnant liquids littered with algae and small stones, the sight of which blurred as the surface of the water shook.

Each pony exchanged helpless expressions. Windchaser, then the leader of the pack, held the most clueless appearance of them all.

“What do we do?” Colgate asked.

Lyra stepped forward and lifted her ears.

“Wait a sec!” she exclaimed in an excited whisper. All eyes fell on her as silence ensued. “Do you hear that?”

The group reluctantly allowed the eerie silence to prevail. A faint noise began to echo throughout the tunnel, its repetitive drawl and fluid resonance familiar.

Colgate felt life returning to her. “Is that-?”

“Shh!” Lyra quickly cut in. She noiselessly treaded over to the divide at which Windchaser stood and lined one ear along each separating tunnel. She exclaimed with excitement, “Waves! This way!”

A huge roar blared not twenty feet behind them. The group shrieked in horror and took off down the right tunnel with Lyra leading the way. Each one hurled themselves into the shallow waters and waded through the flooded path. But Colgate, last in line, felt herself losing energy; her earlier galloping and euphoria had nearly drained her without her hardly noticing it.

The monster roared again, this time slamming the earth with a terrible strike. More rock began to fall into the flooded passage, until the ponies found themselves doing more climbing than wading as they scampered on through the passageway.

After another terrible blow to the earth, a heavy wall of stone fell from the ceiling, separating Colgate completely from the others. In her panic the mare tripped over a rock and fell, submerging her entire head in the water. She inhaled a lung full of water, bringing on a fit of terrible coughs upon regaining her hoofhold.

“Quirky!” she tried to yell, but her lungs permitted nothing more than a groan. She hacked and tried again. “Lyra! Somepony-!”

The cave shook once more, throwing Colgate into the near wall. She tried to cast a light spell, but her energy was fading. Her eyes grew weary as the back of her eyelids became indistinguishable from the blackness of the cavern. Colgate, feeling her last bits of consciousness coming on, could feel whatever it was that chased them drawing near.

Colgate, unable to move, felt tears flooding her eyes.

Pounding on the stone wall blocking the way, she cried, “I never should have left!”

Chapter 12: Light at the End of the Tunne

Trapped. In all her years of trail-blazing, climbing, even spelunking, Colgate had never felt as stuck as she did then. Whatever the mysterious monster was, its deep breaths sounded through the damp air like growls in a lion's den. The cavern's pristine darkness shrouded the figure's image entirely, but the cornered mare could sense how large the monster was just by listening – and even feeling – its exhalations.

“S-Stay back!” Colgate cried as she feebly lifted a hoof and shook it. “I'm w-warning you!”

The deep breaths ceased, much to Colgate's surprise. Her wince faded as she listened to the drops of water echo through the cave. Suddenly an ensuing roar blew her back against the stony barrier that stood in her way. Jagged bits of rock jabbed into her backside as her eyes closed tightly in pain.

Colgate fell to the rocky ground with a splash, then staggered back onto all fours. When she managed to open her eyes again, there was still not a single hint of escape in sight; there was only darkness. Defenseless, Colgate fell further victim to her fading energy as her weak legs started to collapse beneath her body's wavering weight.

In desperation the mare lifted her head as though to seek directions from the stars. But the darkness inside was not like that of the night; with no clear view of the sky, there were no stars by which to navigate. Only a tiny ray of light streaked overhead across the coarse ceiling of the tunnel.

Light!?

“Colgate!” came a muffled shout. “Colgate, are you in there!?”

The mare turned to face the barrier and the hole near the top of it. The tiny ray of light suddenly expanded, until the hole it squeezed through grew almost big enough for her to crawl through.

“Colgate, where are you!?” called the voice again.

The mare, dazed, shouted back, “I'm right here!”

The mysterious beast let out another deafening howl, though this time its sound and echoes began much farther away. Colgate turned her head to quick try and catch a glimpse of whatever it was, but the pinch of light that streamed in couldn't reach far enough to reveal an inch of the unidentified cave-dwelling creature.

Aware that she was not safe just yet, Colgate returned her attention to the rocky divide. She felt the surface of the barrier with shaking hoofs, until finally finding a spot out of the water's reach to step up to. The mare jumped up and secured her balance on one rear leg, though for a moment she felt as though she were falling back. She leaning forward to recover, and then gazed up at the hole in the wall again. It was only a short climb away, but Colgate felt as though she had miles to go.

“Hurry!” the stranger cried.

“I'm trying!” Colgate yelled as she blindly searched the wall for another hold.

In her skittish search the unicorn finally found another spot to step on and then another to help pull herself up. With her hoofs situated Colgate lunged for the hold straight above her. She caught hold of the wedge and barely hung on. Her body started shaking violently.

With a final drive Colgate raised herself up and reached to feel the rays of light that poured in through the hole higher up. Its warmth, though weak, felt like the heat of the sun on a cold winter's morning. The warmness faded, however, as a shivery hoof reached through the gap and grabbed the mare's.

“Push!” the stranger yelled.

Colgate took a deep breath and gave one final vault. With a push on her part and a pull from the stranger, Colgate swiftly hurdled into the breach of the barrier. A breeze of cold but fresh air blew through the hole, crystallizing the sweat and water all over Colgate's shaking physique.

The mare lifted her head. Not a short distance ahead was a bend in the tunnel from which an abundance of light poured in.

Gathering the last bits of vigor she had, Colgate scrambled out of the hole. She stopped at the base of the ceiling-high stack of stone and glanced about to see where the helping hoof had come from. When she glanced behind her a pale purple mare with a wet and dirty mane was slowly making her way down the mass of boulders. Her long tail dragged along the rocks, but nevertheless the unicorn constantly brushed her hair aside and shook out her hair as though still trying to look good while covered in grime.

“Melodia?” Colgate shrieked. “What're you doing in here?”

“I told you not to look before you leap,” Melodia snapped. “Just follow me; I'll explain everything later. If we get out of this mess first, that is.”

“If? Please,” Colgate said with a weak smirk. “'Persevere' is my middle name!”

Melodia shook her head. “That doesn't even make sense.”

She sprinted for the exit, and Colgate immediately followed. With her energy still running low, Colgate felt her pace significantly slower than what she had hoped; her full-on gallop felt more like a trot. It helped for the time being, though, as the two made their way across spills of fallen rock and through the murky waters that flooded the passage.

The sound of waves grew gradually louder as the smell of fresh air became stronger. Melodia and Colgate made their way through the mess of the cave until finally rounding the corner and thrusting themselves through a white curtain of light.

Colgate stumbled out into the open air. The late afternoon light made Colgate's eyes sting whenever the mare attempted to part her eyelids. Beneath her hoofs she could feel a thick layer of snow with smooth sands hidden underneath it. Waves broke softly in the distance as seagulls warbled overhead. The scent of the sea filled the unicorn’s nostrils to the point where she thought she was drinking it.

“Colgate, you’re all right!” came the cry as Colgate continued to stumble forward. “It’s me, Lyra!”

“W-What’s going on?” Colgate asked, still unable to open her eyes. “Is everypony safe?”

“Yes, and thank goodness! We all made it out of that dreary cavern,” Quirky remarked as she stopped her friend from blindly wandering into the sea. “Here we thought we'd lost you! We sent Gallant to go and get help.”

“What happened?” Windchaser asked. “One minute you're behind us; the next minute, you're gone.”

Colgate slowly opened her eyes as they finally began adjusting to the illumination. “I-I dunno. One moment I was behind you guys, and then next thing I know we were separated-”

“What happened to the monster?” Lyra gasped.

Colgate paused. She couldn't hear nor feel any sign of its approach. She hadn't noticed that the ground had ceased its shaking. Regardless, the mare backed away further from the mouth of the cave and shivered at the thought of its coming.

“I guess we must've lost it,” Colgate observed, though wielding disbelief. “Celestia, I thought I was gonna die in there!”

Colgate lifted her head and let out a sigh of deep relief. Her eyes wandered across the split sky, its plane half covered in gold-coated clouds and half clear and blue as could be. As the weary mare stared, however, she could feel something nudging her back on the ground. When her sights fell back down, they caught sight of all the others’ eyes directed at her.

Their unpleasant scowls held furrowed eyebrows and ferocious frowns, with Quirky’s gaze the exception. She stared with a rather blank expression.

“Well, that was enough adventure for one day,” Quirky said with a stretch, hoping to ease the tension she suddenly detected.

But the rest only narrowed their eyes further, Lyra especially, as the size of her golden irises swelled. “I believe now is a good time we clarify exactly what is going on. Wouldn't you agree, Colgate?”

The self-proclaimed adventurer leaned away like a colt from gross vegetables. Colgate's limbs were far too strained and worn out to react in any other way. The mare had no excuse, and when surrounded on an empty beach, there was no escape as usual. Escaping from the pointed sights seemed impossible. Her only hope was some kind of distraction – anything – that would let her hobble away.

Without warning a deafening blast blared from the direction of the cave. Colgate froze as her body, prepared to run and hide, ceased to budge even an inch. She watched as a grimy black and brown fog consumed the mouth of the cave she and the others had entered. A terrifying roar blustered a terrible zephyr which echoed across the sea.

All Colgate could manage to do was continue her staring, and none of the others could muster any movement themselves. They stood at the water's edge gaping at the billows of fumes waiting to see if whatever had been chasing them would manifest itself. Colgate felt her heart stop as a lightheaded sensation set in.

A chorus of laughter pulled her from her stupor. Colgate couldn't believe her ears; it was the last thing she had expected to hear at the moment. At first she could only deny her senses. She looked at those closest to her, from Quirky and Lyra to Melodia and Windchaser. All of their mouths hung open wide enough to fit two apples between their teeth, but even so none of them seemed to be breathing.

As the smoke near the rock-face grew thin enough, Colgate could spot movement within it. Kicking and rolling about twisted and gyrated the bleak vapors about. The swift twirling of the smoke intensified when the laughter grew heartiest. Voices soon accompanied the hooting and hollering.

“That was awesome! Did you see them running away?” said one.

“Quite. Very nice show, if I may say so myself,” said another.

“Went just as planned,” laughed a third. “Had 'em screamin' like cows bein' branded!”

Colgate's ears twitched. She knew the last voice all too well. The mare's lips moved to mouth the name, but her vocal chords, too shaken, couldn't even begin to voice a syllable.

Lasso?

Soon enough the figures within the dissipating fog stepped out into the evening light and revealed themselves. The first to step out was Lasso Tussle, her smile twisted in a devilish sneer. She brushed her blond hair to the side and smirked as her coffee-colored eyes met Colgate's baby blues.

“Well, well, well. Looks like you did drag yer friends out here after all,” Lasso laughed heartily. “What'd ya tell 'em? One of yer friends got eaten or somethin'?”

The two behind her guffawed and giggled as the discombobulated bunch before them backed away in shame.

“Just y'all wait 'til ev'ryony hears about yer little 'expedition',” Lasso continued. “Colgate and her Ponyville pals, sneakin' away to try and check out the caves. Just about cried their way all the way through!”

“There's nothing to laugh about! Don't you realize that somepony could've died?” Lyra screamed with a stomp. “Trapping ponies inside of a cave is not funny business!”

Lasso laughed even harder, as did her companions. The two behind the wrangler started to roll in the snow and sand, kicking up flakes and grains into the air.

“You think we'd really make a cave collapse? Especially on ourselves?” Lasso asked. “Gimme a break! This was all a nice li'l illusion put together by the masters.” Lasso motioned to herself and, with a brief swing of her hoof, to the others. “Diamond Chisel and Gadgeteer here made some pretty nice artificial rocks; you know, from plastic 'n' stuff. If y'all would've stopped, you'd have realized how hollow and harmless they were. I'm glad you didn't, though; y'all made this quite a spectacle!”

“But why?” Colgate asked.

“Why what?” Lasso replied with the whip of her tail in Colgate's face. “Why lure you out here? Come on, toots, Ah couldn't pass up a chance to mess with you, especially when you were asking me for somethin’ to do. Plus, you Ponyville folk had it comin' sooner or later, bunch of you-know-what's coming who-knows-where.”

“Is there a problem with Ponyville folk?” Windchaser asked threateningly as he came face-to-face with Lasso in the blink of an eye.

“Let's just say y'all weren't the greatest hosts for a friend of ours,” Lasso answered. “Do y'all remember chasin' out a certain somepony a while back?”

The Ponyville bunch simply looked at one another in confusion.

Lasso continued, “We’re from Hoofington, the same town as her. Does that ring a dinner bell?” She rolled her eyes. “Ah should’ve guessed as much-”

“Who cares about Hoofington?” Lyra smirked. “No pony even knows where that is, or cares to know, for that matter.”

Lasso narrowed her eyes and snorted. “Guess they don't teach geography in Ponyville. Should've assumed as much with how clueless y'all seem to be.”

“And I'm guessing they don't teach manners in Hoofington,” Lyra retorted. “I should have known by how boorish you all act.”

Lasso dug at the ground as if preparing to charge. The two behind her mimicked the action.

“I figure y'all don't wanna start a brawl o' any kind,” Lasso warned, “so y'all best high-tail it back to the academy with yer tails between yer legs 'fore it's too late.”

Suddenly, Lasso's hoofs lifted off the ground. A light blue aura surrounded her and carried her a few feet into the air. Flailing her limbs, Lasso stretched her neck and squealed, but it was all to no avail. Her wide eyes glanced in every direction as her head jerked about. Her straw hat fell off and drifted to the ground in the midst of the mare’s struggle.

Everypony looked around to see who was toying with the mare. Initially they all looked to Lyra or Colgate, but their faces showed just as much confusion as the rest of them. There was nothing back at the exit of the cave, nor anything down the shining seaside.

“What is the meaning of all this?” came the voice of an older mare.

All eyes directed at the end of the mountain path, from which approached Madame Lonsdaleite, the shadow magic teacher. Walking behind her was a rather sheepish-looking Gallant. The professor's horn was shimmering the same blue color that held the subdued Lasso Tussle in the air. Maintaining the hold, Lonsdaleite leisurely made her way over to the rabble-rousers.

She shook her head in disbelief. “What a number of students out here making trouble. What are so many of you doing down here?”

Colgate knew Lonsdaleite, her own professor, well enough to not be the first to speak. The professor's violet eyes were sharp as a sword and glowed brilliantly like purple sapphires. Her yellow coat was like dull gold, and the three diamonds on her flank seemed particularly fitting to finish off the magisterial appearance. Her short, poofy mane and graying purple tail added the elderly appearance to her overbearing image no pony dared to answer.

“Are none of you going to explain anything to me?” Lonsdaleite questioned coldly.

“It was my fault,” Colgate admitted.

All eyes fell on her; even Colgate was surprised she had fessed up. The confession had somehow escaped her lips. When she thought about it, Colgate felt after all the thoughts that had stored up, it was about time she gave them a chance to pour out. She stepped forward from the crowd of her friends and gulped.

“This all started because of me. I just wanted to check out the island a bit, but I didn't think anypony wanted to join me. I wanted to explore the cave, but no pony would join me, so I lied to my friends to get them to come along. But everything turned out to be some big hoax of an adventure, and-” Colgate turned to glance over her shoulder. “I’m really sorry you had to experience this, you guys.”

Professor Lonsdaleite lowered Lasso back to the ground. The student's legs wobbled as her hoofs touched the cold surface of the beach again. Her balance, thrown off by the floating, failed her as she fell and got a mouthful of snow and sand. The teacher paced about with her mouth twisted into a curious smirk.

“Interesting, Miss Colgate,” Lonsdaleite remarked. “Then what was all the shaking that I felt, and the roaring that I heard as I drew near?”

“That'd be us,” Lasso remarked proudly, to which the others did not look so gratified. In fact, they held looks of horror. Lasso added, “We had quite a show goin' on. We wanted to teach Colgate and her friends here not to go off and wander about. It's against the school rules and all.”

Lonsdaleite nodded, “I see, that seems like quite a way to deal with the situation.” Lasso and her friends nodded in agreement as their imaginary halos formed. The teacher then added, “If I may ask, from which professor did you receive permission to put on this so-called 'display'?”

Lasso and company's nodding ceased as all eyes shot open. They each looked to one another, speechless.

“Oh my, it seems that you all broke the rules yourselves,” Lonsdaleite said. “Since you all know and enforce the rules so well, you must understand that you are to abide by them as well.” As the troublemakers stomped and growled at one another, the professor turned to face Colgate. “Allow me to ask, Miss Colgate: after having rushed out here quite thoughtlessly, have you learned your lesson?”

The blue unicorn nodded vigorously. “No way I couldn't have, professor. After that scare, I don't think I could ever bring myself to lie to my friends again about something so... foalish.”

“Good,” said Lonsdaleite with an abrupt turn to face the path from which she came. “Let us head back to the academy before darkness sets in. Would you care to lead the way?”

A cold breeze swept along the mountain path to push the travelers forward. The exhausted bunch was ready to return to the comfort of their beds, away from dark caves and whatever mysteries lie within. Even Colgate felt more inclined to return to her familiar, uneventful room rather than explore more of the mysteries of the island. In essence, her mind was finally in sync with her body.

Colgate's spirits, however, were not where her mind had imagined before the journey began. As she walked alongside her professor, she could only stare at the ground and project the pictures of her dreams concerning the cavern against the smooth dirt of the pathway. What had happened was far different than what went on in her daydreams. Everything had collapsed and crumbled into failure in her mind.

A beautiful moon started to rise behind the group, but Colgate did not care to look at it. There was no need to use it to guide the group back to the school as they followed the length of the proper mountain trail. She figured that the others probably preferred that she not give any more suggestions, anyway. Her muzzle dragged lower and lower to the ground as the time passed by, until a hoof abruptly poked her in the side. She raised her head and glanced over to see Melodia pacing alongside her.

“How do you feel?” Melodia asked.

Colgate sighed. “About as dumb as a climber without an inch of rope.”

“You should be,” Melodia stated, to which her voice suddenly softened. “Er, that is to say, I know how you feel.”

Colgate looked at her roommate a raised eyebrow. “You said something about show business the other day. What was that all about?”

Melodia looked to the moon and smiled. “I recognized the enthusiasm you had yesterday when you were ready for another one of your 'adventures'. When I was younger I had been offered a chance to play in a well-known orchestra. Of course as a filly every unique chance seems like the best possible thing; but as time went on, this was not so.”

Colgate waited for the rest, but Melodia did not continue for some time. The blue unicorn cautiously inquired, “So then what happened?”

“I was swept away,” Melodia carried on calmly. “The orchestra consumed my life. I played organ day in and day out, never missing a performance, never having time to myself... never seeing my family. What I thought to be my dream soon became a nightmare. Had I thought about how much time it would take of my young life, I never would have done it.”

“So that's why you told me to think about this whole thing,” Colgate uttered.

“It's not directly related,” Melodia admitted, “but nonetheless it all seemed suspicious to me. After all, last time you asked for a lead you ended up in trouble. I was only trying to help.”

Colgate smirked, “It's not easy taking advice about fun stuff from somepony who seems a little to high-strung.” She paused and looked at Melodia. “I mean, uh-”

“Don't worry, I know what you mean. I once was as adventurous as you; but that's back when I was thoughtless.”

“Oh, so now I'm thoughtless, huh?”

The two laughed, and were soon joined by the Ponyville gang as they began trotting alongside the two roommates.

“So, how's it feel to have gone on that adventure you hungered for?” Gallant asked.

“I don't even know what to call whatever this was today,” Colgate moaned. “It was all just one big mess.” She paused. “H-How mad are you guys about all this?”

“I'm slightly agitated,” Lyra answered outright. “But if I may say, I never realized how desperate you were for a bit of venturing about. I feel as though I didn't respond to your request in the best way by outright refusing to join earlier.”

“I thought you were making everything up,” Gallant said. “I didn't realize you actually had a destination in mind. I guess I must admit that I thought you were a complete liar.” Upon realizing just what he said, Gallant rubbed his head and tried to laugh the uneasiness off. “But, in all honesty, this turned out to be more interesting of a trip than I anticipated. Even if it did involve... caves.”

“I really am sorry about dragging you guys into this mess,” Colgate apologized. “There’s no way I could’ve predicted things would turn out the way they did today.”

“You never can,” Windchaser said.

Lyra let out a sigh and whimpered, “I just wish we weren't all getting in trouble for this. Now Gallant and I won't be able to leave the island during our first break, either, and you all will be stuck in your rooms for a week and a half!”

Colgate revealed a devilish grin. “What makes you think we're in trouble, Lyra?”

The minty mare rolled her eyes, “Is it really not that obvious? We left the grounds without permission, and then nearly got into a fight. How do you possibly expect to get out of this mess?”

“Funny you should mention that,” Colgate said, “because I did in fact ask for permission. Right professor?”

Lonsdaleite gave the group a knowing wink. Everypony but Colgate's mouth dropped open.

“The only ones in trouble here are the others that scampered on ahead of us,” Colgate said as she motioned to the trio trailing behind. “But I don't think we're too worried about them, are we?”

The Ponyville gang suppressed their giggles as best they could, but even still their Hoofington peers could hear the mockery. Lasso, at the back of the line, shook her head and groaned, much to the delight of the Ponyville gang at the head of the caravan.

“I'm somewhat glad we had this little excursion,” Quirky said, “even if we did think we were going to get trapped inside a dark and mysterious cave for days on end. Wouldn't you all agree?”

The others, unsure of how far they'd actually agree, nodded reluctantly with uneasy smiles. Colgate felt lifted from the dump she had fallen into back at the cave. Her spirits started to rise like the ride as the night progressed, glad that not everything was a failure.

“Oh! I almost forgot,” Quirky exclaimed. “I did see some strange markings inside the cavern as I was waiting for you. They looked like old carvings of ponies in the stone, amongst many others things. We might have been rudely chased out of the cavern this time, but do you think you’ll be heading back sometime soon to check it all out?”

Colgate felt her interest piqued; the swarm of dream-like images began filling her head as usual. She imagined what kind of fame the discovery would lead her to, what kind of fame she could get, even what the symbols might mean. History books, scholarly articles, plaques with her name on them, everything jumped out from the previous calmness of her mind.

The mare’s legs suddenly started to tremble, and her stomach cried out in a mighty growl. Colgate looked at the others, their faces displaying a range of hopeful and curious expressions. Melodia’s, however, held a smart grin, to which Colgate laughed and shook her head.

“I think one adventure's good enough for now,” Colgate stated. “Maybe some other time. You know, when you all would like to tag along.”

Adventures are meant to be shared, after all.

Chapter 12.5: Crescend

Thick notes hummed through metal pipes in accordance with a musician's touch. Melodia, whose stature was miniature compared to the massive organ she played, directed the sounds with a graceful dance of her hoofs. The tune ran up and down the keyboard with tremendous control, blending the sounds of the heavy notes like caramel and chocolate; its delicious din was as exquisite as music could get.

Colgate, though initially taken by the instrument's power, paid little attention to her friend's prolonged play with the black and white keys. The adventurer was too occupied studying the artwork that decorated the newly-discovered performance hall.

Though a very adventurous sort, Colgate had an unfortunate, hereditary forgetfulness. Such places as the hall in which she and Melodia sat had escaped her restless mind as newer places to explore took priority over time. The fact that the students had never needed to enter into the indoor amphitheater did not help either. Its existence was rarely mentioned, if even at all, over the course of the semester’s opening weeks.

But now that it had been found, the chamber filled with beautiful song. Melodia, a musician and admirer of all things rich in sound, hadn't even observed the room beyond the shining silver organ that sat front and center in the giant chamber. Since she first touched a key on the organ Melodia hadn’t stopped; similarly, her roommate hadn’t removed her gaze from the wall since first spotting a cluster of hoof-drawn maps.

After ending her song with a drawn-out finale, Melodia listened to the closing tolls travel through the hall. Content, she stepped back and gazed at the entirety of the colossal organ and drew in a long inhalation. A graceful smile crossed her lips.

“Isn't it beautiful, Colgate?” she sighed as her eyes locked on the pipes reaching skyward.

Her roommate, who had still been staring at a the assortments of maps, stole a glimpse of her friend and the organ.

“Yep, it's huge,” Colgate said unemotionally. “Pretty impressive.”

Melodia flipped her hair to the side and murmured, “I was referring to the sound, but the size is indeed tremendous.” She glanced at Colgate, who still hardly seemed to be listening. “What does the music make you think or feel? Awe-inspiring? Motivating?”

Colgate’s eyes rolled up. “Good.”

Melodia's shoulders slumped. “Just... good?”

“Yeah, it was nice.”

“You weren't even listening, were you?” Melodia pouted with a stomp. “No, you must have heard it all! It's too loud to simply ignore.”

Colgate returned her gaze to the array of charts hung before her. “You'd be surprised at my selective hearing.”

“I'm not sure you know exactly what 'selective hearing' is, Colgate,” Melodia uttered. “I suppose I should've guessed that you were somewhat deaf, though. After all, your last 'adventure' was really a result of your-”

“That's nice,” Colgate said absent-mindedly. She waved a hoof to shoo her away.

“What are you looking at?” Melodia asked crossly as she trotted over to her roommate.

Hung all across the walls were portraits of all sorts, varying in content, shape and size. Directly in front of Colgate was a map with a black outline of the island, its underlying parchment a faded tan texture. Features across it were roughly sketched like ink applied to a rough surface; the end result had been blurred images that neither pony could make out very well. Landscapes were crudely marked with quick repetitive lines and covered a good half of the geographic guide.

Other things had more clear indicators, such as the two buildings for the academy and a large black hole for the western cave. One depiction, however, just as clear as the others, was not quite as familiar as the rest. Its detail included a cluster of buildings, each one drawn out with strange precision. The curious picture was located northeast of the school, its area roughly the size of the academy's.

The doors to the performance hall suddenly burst open. Short breaths followed the echoed creaks of the heavy doors.

“I dunno what I just heard, but it wasn’t all that bad,” declared the newcomer. “It just needs some base, that’s all.”

The two roommates glanced over their shoulders to see the familiar white and cyan figure of Vinyl Scratch. She stood staring directly at the silver organ and its metallic brilliance gleaming in the torchlight surrounding the hall.

“Whoa, sweet organ!” Vinyl remarked as she lifted her violet glasses, revealing her red irises. “Didn't even know we had one here.”

“Oh, did you hear the music earlier?” Melodia asked, feigning bashfulness.

“Sure as hay did, that was pretty intense,” Vinyl said with small nods of acknowledgement. “I was thinking about what kind of mix I could throw that into more than anything. Sounded kinda big, or maybe... evil?”

“Yes, that was some of Johann Stallion Bach’s darker work,” Melodia said. “You seem to me quite the musically-inclined!”

Vinyl looked at her own cutie mark and shrugged. “Gee, what gave that away?”

“It's something every good artist can sense,” Melodia remarked with a swift brush of her long mane. “Might you be an organ player too, perchance?”

Vinyl laughed. “Psh, no way. I don't think I could work that. I prefer scratching 'n' stuff; stick to my guns and all.” She glanced over at Melodia, who simply gave a puzzled gaze. “You know, remix? DJ? Electronic, trance, dubstep..?”

Melodia continued to stare.

“Don't tell me,” Vinyl murmured as she let out an irritated sigh. “Either you’re as hard of hearing as a geezer, or you’re from Canterlot. Or both.”

“Well, yes- er, I mean, you guessed correctly that I’m from Canterlot,” Melodia confirmed.

“Ugh, look, I don’t have any personal beef with you, but all I've been getting recently from your kind are complaints,” Vinyl said.

“My kind? Complaints?”

“Yeah, complaints. I've been havin’ my own jam sessions too, ya know. Lemme ask this: did anypony barge in here and tell you stop playing today? Anything like that?”

Melodia raised a hoof to her chest in shock. “Of course not.”

Vinyl growled and clicked her teeth. “Figures. Everypony at this academy's got bad taste, I tell ya. Of course they'll stop me when I'm rockin' out, but not the blasting organ this late in the evening.”

“Perhaps you should practice in here; then no pony would bother you,” Melodia said.

“You're tellin' that to somepony with way too much sound equipment,” Vinyl smirked. “There's no way I'm heaving everything here and back every time I want to mess around on the turntable. That's why I pay others to do it for me.”

“Well, perhaps you should consider carrying a lighter load,” Melodia suggested, her obvious lack of understanding displayed through a condescending tone.

Vinyl massaged her forehead and tried to laugh away the tension. “Look, I don't think you understand: I don't play a dinky little violin or flute. I don't have the luxury of just putting my stuff in a single case and wandering out of the dorms to wherever I please.”

“I don't either; this organ's set in stone.”

Vinyl cocked her head to one side. “Is every Canterlot pony's understanding as bad as their taste in music?”

Melodia gasped. “We have a perfectly fine taste in music, thank you very much!”

“Oh really? What's so great about Canterlot music?”

Melodia, challenged, felt taken aback. “There's no easy way to describe it. Its complexity is too great to merely summarize. If you really wish to know, you'd come to Canterlot and see such a venue for yourself.”

“That's too much time and money I really don't have to spare,” Vinyl said with a smirk. “I'll stick to Ponyville and other places nearby, thanks.”

“I assure you it would be worth the effort.”

“Whatever you say,” Vinyl said, rolling her hidden eyes. “Colgate, I'm headin' to dinner. You comin’ along?”

Colgate's ears did not even twitch, she was so absorbed. Vinyl simply shook her head in reply and sighed.

“Whatever. See you two around, I guess.”

… If I don't die from overexposure to complete dullness first.

EPISODE 4: GRAND EXPECTATIONS

Chapter 13: DJs Don't Take Notes

Vinyl Scratch stared at the blank paper slanted across her otherwise empty desk. Her quill hovered above the blank surface prepared for action. The DJ’s brain, however, had no signals to send. Information poured in through her ears as the teacher, Dr. Ingrid Marie, had started yet another lecture on elemental magic. But to Vinyl, it was all starting to sound the same, from the lecture content to the snooty Canterlot accent that delivered it.

The only records Vinyl made were mental notes warning herself to never visit Canterlot as long as she lived. If ignored, a new kind of disaster would be discovered.

From time to time Vinyl’s ears twitched at a few interesting things mentioned in passing. Using earth spells to shake the ground and water spells to drown out sounds had caught the attention of the musician. Unfortunately for her, though, these things were rarely explored beyond their simple mentioning. Vinyl had tried to hint at an interest on a number of occasions, but each instance was blown away by Doctor Marie like a hair that hung out of place.

After that instance, Vinyl felt obliged to return the sense of an iron will. A mutual disliking ensued.

Deep down all Vinyl cared about was getting to the unit on wind. The concept of controlling air currents and other atmospheric modifications simply piqued the mare’s interest; after all, she figured acoustics might come into play. However, four weeks into studies, the class had just finished studying the element of earth and was moving on to water. Even less excited to study this, Vinyl felt her mind grow restless.

To deal with the growing restiveness the musical mare slipped away into the vast secrecy of her imagination. Usually the arena of genius emerged through music, but due to certain limitations - such as turntables being banned from classrooms - Vinyl had to settle with another form of expression. Thus, for the hour or so she was creatively stranded in lectures, the DJ turned to fashioning ink illustrations.

Vinyl escaped from the jawing and monotony of her professor’s voice with a few strokes of a quill at a time. Though she wasn’t all that talented at first - a stick pony usually sufficed - in time she could sketch various things in greater detail. Practice always began after the first few minutes of each class passed, and this day was no exception. After learning what the next boring lecture was about, Vinyl snuck into her habit of doodling, drawing notes instead of jotting them down.

Heh. Notes.

As minutes passed the feathery writing utensil swayed with greater detail and determination. Vinyl's creative spirit, commandeering her magic, twirled traces of ink all over her paper. The tiny scratches, though barely audible, sent chills up Vinyl’s spine. She drew circles, zigzags, lines short and long; each made a distinct rhythm that reverberated in the DJ’s sharp ears.

Vinyl began bobbing her head as a grin slid across her face. She felt carried away like a swimmer in the riptide, but rather than panic Vinyl reveled in the feeling. She wanted to be sucked away into the sea of creativity, to be drowned in her creative powers.

“Miss Vinyl Scratch,” Doctor Marie interrupted, “would you care to repeat the last few points that we’ve discussed, seeing as you’re bobbing your head in excitement?”

The mare’s bubble popped, she felt the beat drop, and Vinyl stared up at the doctor in a daze. Expecting eyes met her wandering gaze no matter where she looked in the classroom. With a shrug she placed her quill on her desk and cleared her throat.

“I honestly would, doc... if it was worth repeating,” Vinyl replied smugly, to which Dr. Marie's beige face turned bright red.

“Well! I- Don't let me catch you fooling around again, Miss Scratch,” the teacher threatened, frazzled for a moment. “Pay attention, for your own sake.” Her nose returned to the dusty book atop her podium as she carried on with her enlightening. “Now, we were discussing the movement of tides. Can any of you tell me...”

But before she could yak any more Vinyl's ears were once again set on the steady beat of her quill. She tapped it on her desktop, four taps at a time, as a catchy tune started to catch on in her brain. As the beat carried her away, the DJ looked down at her masterful drawing. Her sights sunk into the world she rendered. She could almost hear her weapons of mass conduction blasting music with more sound and power than a jet engine.

Vinyl stopped. The ink on her quill had run out.

Nabbed from her own little world once more, Vinyl glanced around from the prison that was her desk and glanced at her fellow peers. Their noses hovered inches from their writing as quills shook as though in fear. Their eyes fixated on every last letter they recorded as if their lives depended on them. Vinyl laughed to herself and shook her head slowly as she prepared to return to her own work.

“That will be all for today,” Dr. Marie cut in. The sound of just the words alone, despite the horribly bland cadence, was as sweet as a remix to Vinyl’s ears. “Practice what we have discussed and be sure to check out a book on oceanography for your research essays due next week. For now, you all are dismissed.”

“Wouldn't have it any other way,” Vinyl muttered.

The DJ folded her sheet of ‘notes’ and gladly trotted out from the crowded classroom. Halfway to the main hall staircase she stopped and exhaled her boredom through an extended, relieving stretch. As she finished her moans and straightening out, Vinyl spotted two familiar figures approaching.

“Seems as though somepony needs a break,” said Gallant with a smirk.

Vinyl lowered her head and mumbled, “You know it, Big G.”

The mare reluctantly placed the concealed picture she had inside one of her saddlebags. Although she wanted to observe the entirety of what she had made, Vinyl knew that the current conversation wasn't going to end soon.

“You don't care much for the ocean, do you?” Gallant asked. “Or perhaps for the element of water, for that matter?”

Vinyl cocked her head from side to side. “Meh, I dunno. Waterfalls are pretty cool. Every element has its purpose, I guess. I personally don’t think it’s the greatest for inspiration.”

Windchaser raised an eyebrow. “Inspiration?”

She gave a sideways glance to Windchaser, who looked away shyly in reply. “You know, the main reason I came here? Don’t tell me I need to spell it.”

“Of course I can spell,” Windchaser hissed, then returned to his quiet self.

Though the stallions paused, Vinyl went on her way without missing a single beat. She headed down the central staircase, rolling her neck to relieve the tension as she stepped down the stairs to a beat. Her two Ponyville classmates stumbled on down and returned to their usual positions on each side of the celebrity.

“I've noticed that your attention span in class has been decreasing,” Gallant said as they made their way across the main floor. “Is there a reason behind this? One that perhaps we could help you with?”

“It’s about as obvious as a two-piece puzzle,” Vinyl said. “This place is BORING with a capital 'b'. Twi talked this school up like it was the place to be this winter. From what I’ve seen - which quite frankly is depressing - this all sure as hay isn't what I had in mind.”

“You should have known Twilight was speaking in regards to academic activity when ‘talking up’ this place,” Gallant laughed. “Socially, well... from what I've heard, Twilight didn't even stay long at her own welcoming party.”

“For the new colt on the block, you sure act like you know everything,” Vinyl remarked. “If you haven’t noticed, Big G, Twi’s kind of a big deal in Ponyville.”

“O-Of course, you’re right,” Gallant said, backing off. “But why are we talking about Twilight? We were talking about you. Is there something you’d like to say?”

“Sure, how about... ‘I get enough of this lecture garbage in the classroom’? Doc Monotone’s already got me tying a noose. Don’t make me actually consider using it.”

“What do you want instead?” Windchaser inquired, to which Vinyl stopped paused.

The three stood frozen in the middle of the chilly foyer as fellow unicorns passed by all around them. Their pastel colors were mesmerizing compared to the black and white Vinyl had been staring at for the past hour. Even the dark blues and violets of the entrance hall seemed to flicker like flash photography.

“Look, I just wanna do something interesting for a change. Something fun,” Vinyl finally answered. “I'm sick of studying, I'm bored of these books... basically, anything this place is about.”

“This institution isn't all about academics,” Gallant insisted. “Do you have anything specific in mind that you'd like to do?”

Vinyl shook her head. “Psh, I dunno, they probably don't do concerts here. I'm up for anything that gets the blood goin', ya know? I feel like I'm just sleeping away my winter here.”

Gallant puffed out his chest. “Well, Vinyl, in my personal experience I look to sports to get the blood pumping.”

Vinyl threw a curious glance. “First off, what sports? Secondly, aren’t stallions on steroids banned from intramural play?”

“Why you-” the stallion growled, but quickly contained himself. “I’m talking about things such as magic dueling. It's an elective offered this winter, and I happen to taking it. It’s really not that bad once you get used to spell recollection and focus-”

“Pass.”

“Um, well... Windchaser! You have some ideas too, don't you?” Gallant asked as he nudged his friend.

The light gray stallion shook his head.

“You must have something to do for fun-!” Gallant growled behind clenched teeth, but then took a deep breath and laughed. “Well, Vinyl, I'm sure there's something here that could entertain you. Maybe you just haven't found it-”

Vinyl stomped and snarled, “Forget it, Big G, this place is just flat-out LAME!”

The exclamation echoed through the hall, drawing looks from anypony within earshot in the entrance hall. The three paused and look around, noticing the clusters of peers that stared from every floor to the center of the main floor.

The DJ could feel all eyes bearing down on her, but she didn’t care. She flicked her tail and continued her walk with a hint of stubbornness in every assertive step. Her two shadows ceased their following, and the eventual beat of hundreds of hoofs on carpet was all that Vinyl could hear.

Sitting in the corner of the suite lounge were a glorious pair of turntables. The sheer glory they emitted in their light blue luminescence gave Vinyl a sense of pride and zeal. They had served the DJ perfectly well across the years, from one intense concert to the next. They were obnoxious things to lug around at times, but all the trouble was worth it in the end.

Stood out like roses in a dark part of the woods as a mess of things spread across the lounge. Vinyl had taken over the commons from day one, leaving anything from jotted-down notes to food taken from the dining hall wherever she deemed acceptable. To the DJ, it was all a means of expression. Though most would disagree with her, no pony ever really said a word. Sometimes being a well-known celebrity paid off in terms of respect.

In other cases it just brought up trouble.

Vinyl made her way over to her treasured instruments and stared long and hard at their lack of use. When testing them before classes began, the DJ discovered the lounge made a wonderful studio. The sharp sound of mixing rebounded throughout and the bass couldn’t escape the stone walls. An excitement ignited like electricity as the mare’s eyes shone like neon lights. For hours she messed with the speakers and mixer, until a knock sounded during a pause.

To her surprise she realized that there were more knocks than just those on the door; from the walls and floor they sounded until filling the room with obnoxious pounding. Complaints spewed out from angry neighbors demanding that whatever bombs, broken machinery, and angry monkeys in her room be contained. Vinyl refused to stop unless some authority came to her door.

Minutes later, guards ordered she shut down her things. Though Vinyl begged to at least have the chance to move everything, all she received were cold looks of disapproval.

Weeks had passed since this incident, but Vinyl hadn’t gotten over the dispute, not in the least bit. Others’ instruments played freely throughout the day; from cellos to violins to an organ. No pony complained about those sappy tunes. Vinyl pulled out the drawing she had made that day and looked over the scene of the massive stage.

Vinyl closed her eyes to recall the scene of a few weeks in the past. Not a long ago she was giving one of her biggest performances yet. She could feel the power of the opener and the vibrations of the bass. Her speakers blasted with intoxicating booms as the crowd cheered energetically in reply. She remembered them chanting for more.

DJ! Pon-3! DJ! Pon-3!

Vinyl opened her eyes again as reality dragged her into its hold. She was still stuck at the school. No bustling crowds, no lively shows, no stimulating music.

Exasperated, the DJ kicked the wall behind her as she gave a loud grunt. Her breath grew hot enough that it steamed even within the coolness of the lounge. The door behind and nearest her opened and a head slowly peeked out. A white head topped with a long, pink and curly mane stuck out, and a turquoise pair of eyes stared curiously.

Vinyl stared back with narrowed eyes hidden behind purple shades as neither spoke for nearly a minute.

“Um, Vinyl Scratch,” began the white mare quietly, “are you okay?”

The DJ exhaled through clenched teeth. “What does it look like, Twink?”

Vinyl's roommate drifted out into the lounge, staring at the mare and her turntable. Her cutie mark of three blue stars stood out from her small white figure like paint splatters on a canvass. As she lowered her head she softly requested, “Is there something I can help you with?”

“Yeah,” Vinyl said as she knocked her head against the wall behind her. “Riddle me this: why is everypony at this academy so stuck up!?”

Twinkle, her roommate, shyly backed away into her room, but did not completely leave the confines of the lounge. She looked at her friend with a careful eye as answers rolled around in her slow-swaying head.

“What do you mean?” Twinkle finally asked.

Vinyl moaned, “Do I really have to spell it out for you, Twink?” She leaned forward against her magnificent machines and observed every square inch of their polished surfaces. “To be frank, life sucks. I came here to have a good time. I wanted to chill out, find some inspiration, and maybe come out with a sweet new album or somethin’. You know, with a chilly theme, puttin’ in a wintry mood and all that jazz. You follow?”

Twinkle’s expressionless face didn’t change a bit.

“I'll take that as ‘not a all’. Let’s try and make this understandable for ya,” Vinyl muttered. “Twink, what's your passion?”

The petite mare gave a little smile. “Astronomy.”

Vinyl eyed her roommate’s three-star cutie mark and rolled her eyes. “Sheesh, isn't anypony around here in the least bit interesti-” She caught herself just in time. “Well, let's talk astronomy then. Okay, let's say... you're looking for some new stars, right? Astronomers do that stuff.” She clapped her hoofs together sharply. “You still with me, Twink?”

Twinkle nodded.

“Now... are there different types of stars? I feel like there are-” Twinkle nodded again. “All right, name your favorite kind, then.”

“Red dwarf.”

“A what now-?” Vinyl began, but stopped again. She let out a deep breath. “Whatever. Let's say that you're look for little red dwarfs in the sky. And let's say that you aim your little telescope at this specific galaxy waaay off in another system. Not a single red dwarf was found. What do?”

“I suppose I would try and find a blue giant star, if I could-”

“No no no no no, you're losin’ it, Twink,” Vinyl uttered as she waved a hoof in front of her roommate's face. “You’ve had your heart set on finding one red dwarf in this entire galaxy. You can’t find it. Period. What do you do?”

“Point the telescope somewhere else?”

“BINGO, I think our brainwaves are starting to sync,” Vinyl said in relief. “Now, think of that whole red dwarf thing as my situation, but instead of red dwarfs, I'm lookin' for a different kind of guiding light. If I can't find any somewhere, then I take my telescope and point it elsewhere.”

“Are you aware that red dwarfs could pop up in time?” Twinkle mentioned.

“Are you aware that I really don’t care? Oh wait, you’re talkin’ about the analogy and all,” Vinyl smirked. “Well, I dunno if that applies. Does inspiration come out of nowhere after searching for weeks at a time?”

Twink paused and looked around the chaotic room, it’s character reflective of the current conversation. “Are we discussing inspiration now, or are we still on red dwarfs?”

Vinyl tilted her head back as her eyes grew wide. “Honestly... Twink, I’m looking for inspiration here. Red dwarfs mean about as much to me as Sunday specials at the bowling alley. Look, what matters here is that I just want to see some sweet stuff and make even sweeter music out of it. How's that?”

“Music?” Twinkle chimed. “So you’d be interested in a musical performance taking place at the academy soon?”

“I mean, there’s no concerts on campus to my knowledge, so I can’t really say yes, but-” Vinyl paused. “Hold the phone; is there something you know that I don't?”

Twinkle swiftly turned her head away, signaling a hint of hesitance. “Um, well, there is something coming up, but it's somewhat exclusive-”

“Exclusive? Sounds like quite the club,” Vinyl smirked. “What could possibly be so exclusive that even a popular artist like myself couldn't get into? Huh?”

Twinkle cleared her throat and bit her lip. “Well, you see, there's a concert tonight at the performance hall. It's a special occasion only for students from the North, though-”

“For ponies from Canterlot? Oh, I get it. A little snob get-together,” Vinyl said. “I think I remember somepony mentioning that the other day. You all gonna gather to listen to screeching violas and dead organs?” Twinkle smiled uneasily. “You’re killin’ me, Twink. This is what I’m talkin’ about with the musical tastes here being completely outta whack-”

“No!” Twinkle stated strongly, leaving Vinyl startled for a second. “It will certainly not be like that. It is to be a very captivating performance, and for your information there will be ponies from Bloomburg as well.”

Vinyl lifted her glasses and narrowed her gaze. “Well then, Twink, do inform me of how Bloomburg’s music culture varies from Canterlot’s. As far as I’m concerned the two are twin cities - double trouble, to say the least. But by all means, convince me otherwise; I'm all ears.”

Twinkle's own gaze intensified, revealing an assertive nature the DJ did not expect from such a hushed individual.

“Though the troupe has not been announced,” Twinkle admitted, “I know that this won’t be a waste of time. To my understand a group from Bloomburg is coming, and no artist that I know personally from my hometown has ever let anypony down. I may love the stars more than anything else, but music is a component of life I can’t live without, from the moment I first heard the beauty of it all. Music simply moves me in a way that not many other things do.”

Vinyl looked at her roommate with surprise.

Oh..?

The roommate continued, “There’s always an energy that flows like the incandescence of solar flares. Even the softest parts are like the dazzling stars; it may seem harmless from where you’re standing, but up close there’s a force to be reckoned with. My spirit has been lifted like the sun in its ascension as glorious sounds pour down on my soul-”

“Holy hyper-drive, Captain Twink, now you're startin’ to sail!” Vinyl shouted. “That right there is how I wish more ponies acted when talkin' music. Everypony else at this place is about as bent out of shape as a broken chariot, but YOU... you’re one heck of an exception! What do they even play in Bloomburg?”

Twinkle shrugged. “I didn't even realize my tone had become so-”

“Don't apologize,” Vinyl cut in as she walked over to her friend. “Just tell me: is there a way that a pony like myself could get in on this crazy 'secret showing'?”

Twinkle returned to her shy state as her head and eyes lowered to the ground.

“Well, you see, everypony was told that they were allowed to take a friend of theirs,” Twinkle said. “And I would love to offer you the seat, bu-”

“All right then, it's settled,” Vinyl said as she hooked Twinkle's head an arm and pulled her closer. “You're not half-bad for a Bloomburger. When's it at?”

“Tonight at nine, and it's actually Bloomb-”

“All right, I’m down!” Vinyl interrupted. Her mind was fixed on the thought of finally getting some music flowing through her system. “What time are you planning on leaving, then? You know, so we can squeeze in the mosh pit and all?”

“Mosh pit?”

“You know, the front.” Vinyl spanned a mental model of a typical concert set-up with her hoofs, but Twinkle did not follow. “What, don’t you get as close to the music as possible? The way you described things, it sounds like the music’s got some serious gravity to it. That’s how physics works, right? Gravity draws stuff together..?”

“Yes, that’s correct, but I prefer the middle seating. Something about the front is just unnerving-”

Vinyl cut in after examining her roommate’s thin build, “Equestria to Twink: it's super crowded at the front. A pony as tiny as you may or may not be trampled - trust me, I’ve seen it. The back's for all the late-comers, though, so I guess stickin’ to the middle’s pretty smart on your part. Anyway, we'll chat about the details when the time comes. For now, I'm gettin' hyped for one heck of a jam session!”

She winked at Twinkle, who gave a nervous smile and nodded. “Quite. It'll be... awesome?”

“Twink, you’re finally startin’ to speak my language.”

And Vinyl didn't need to hear anything else. Getting the passion out was one thing, but to discover Twinkle was the ticket to private shows was another. The DJ shuffled into her room, thoughts of upcoming tunes already forming in her head. Though she grew tired of songs simply replaying in her mind, Vinyl guessed she could tolerate the nuisance a little bit longer as long as she felt something big was coming up.

Chapter 14: Stranding Ovation

Vinyl glanced at the grandfather clock in the lounge of her suite as seconds clicked away like the measures on a metronome. Darkness blanketed the sky outside, leaving candles to try and replace the job of the sun, but their effort went mostly in vain. The DJ, for one, overlooked the lack of lighting as she wore her dark goggles despite the dimness.

The faint lighting was hardly on her sprightly mind. Instead flashes of color flared against closed eyelids as the projector in her brain never turned off. Vinyl could picture the scenes of past shows, from the craze to the colors to the crowds. Weeks of forced fasting from concerts – or just good music in general – had brought Vinyl to her knees like a starved wanderer in the desert.

But now the DJ could sense hope rising over the horizon like the moon. The expectancy floated like a scent in the air that, when inhaled in copious amounts, could almost be tasted. The intensity only grew as Tinkle walked out from her bedroom.

An elegant dress saddle adorned Twinkle's spotless, snow-white coat. Her suitemate stared dumbfounded at the frilly attire, and then down at the collection of glow sticks tied around her own neck.

Vinyl reluctantly began, “Uh, Twink?”

Her suite mate returned the confused stare and replied just as slowly. “Y-Yes?”

“What's with all the ritz?”

“Well, it's what I always wear to concerts. I suppose everypony in Bloomburg tends to overdress.”

“Oh, I gotcha, Twink! You're donnin' some Bloomburg swag. I like!”

“Bloomburg... what?” Twinkle peeped as she blushed.

“It's cool, it's cool,” Vinyl said. “I won't judge or anything. It's really throwin' me off, though, to be honest. I mean, who'd have thought the shy mare would be all dressed to the nines? Anyway, you ready to roll?”

Twinkle glanced at the towering clock in the room as Vinyl had over the past fifteen minutes, only the shy mare's glance lacked an element of desperation. The hands signaled eight o’clock, which brought a confused frown to Twinkle's face.

“Don't you think it's a bit... early?” asked Twinkle.

“Psh, early my flank,” Vinyl smirked as she headed for the door. “If this show is anything like the ones you were describing, ponies'll be poppin' up like fans in line for an autograph signing. Let's go!”

In an eager trot Vinyl exited the suite, and Twinkle followed unable to voice any further protests. The two made their way from the dormitory over to the main hall, taking the glass corridor to avoid the wintry slush and snow outside.

Frost stuck on the glass between the stone spine of the hall as the two passed through to the foyer. The sight of the winter, though, passed by with hardly a thought given of it as Vinyl could only imagine a roaring concert.

Once in the spacious entrance hall a long line of ponies formed starting from a guarded door in the corner. Vinyl looked back at Twinkle with a smirk and pointed at the extensive queue reaching halfway across the main floor.

“See? Told ya there'd be ponies pourin' in already,” Vinyl said.

As the two trotted over to the line Vinyl realized it consisted completely of well-dressed individuals. Many were even much older than the two, the majority being new faces at the academy. The DJ's eyes shifted from her suite mate to the others with slight unease.

“Look, I'm still trying not to judge or anything here,” Vinyl whispered to her suite mate, “but everypony else waitin' around seems dressed a little to posh for my tastes. Is there something I should know about?”

Twinkle shook her head slowly. “I don't think so. In Bloomburg, this is what everypony wears to any musical venue.”

Vinyl continued to observe in silence as she wondered what sea of a crowd she was diving into. She had never in fact been to Bloomburg before, nor had she heard of concerts in the area. From what the DJ knew, the city was akin to Canterlot, a place she was not all too fond of for various reasons.

If Bloomburg's anything like Canterlot... and the ponies are all dressed up-lookin'... does that mean Twink's takin' me to-?

“What's up, V? Twinkle?” came a familiar mare's voice.

In the midst of the unfamiliar faces emerged two recognizable ones. Colgate and Pokey Pierce sauntered over to the the restless suitemates, interrupting Vinyl's train of thoughts.

“Not much going on right now, Brushie,” the DJ replied. “Just waitin' in line for a sweet show. Do you three know each other?”

“We're all in the shadow magic track,” Tea Time explained.

Vinyl clicked her teeth. “I'll bet it's more fun than the elemental garbage I'm stuck with. I'll never figure out why I ended up there. Heck, I don't even know why I'm still at the academy.”

“Sounds like somepony's having her mid-semester crisis,” Colgate smiled smugly.

Pokey held up a hoof. “Wait, wait, that can't be. We're only three weeks in, right?”

They all paused. Vinyl glanced at the other two mares; each held a look of understanding.

“Anyway,” Vinyl laughed, “Tonight's concert's hopefully gonna turn this frown upside-down. All I'm gonna say.”

Colgate's eyes rolled over the lineup of ponies in which her two friends stood. A collection of well-dressed personages made the lineup look rather smooth. There was a hiccup, however, as Vinyl, wearing her violet glasses and a glow stick necklace, stood out like a beach ball in the snow.

“Looks like it'll be fun,” Colgate remarked sarcastically. “Knock yourselves out.”

“I dunno, Colgate, that doesn't sound like a good idea,” Pokey remarked. “Knowing the concerts V goes to, getting knocked out could be dangerous. They'd trample her!”

“No worries Pokey, I'll party reasonably,” said Vinyl. “But if I dare ask, what are you two up to?”

“I helped get Pokey Pierce to the infirmary,” Colgate replied, to which Pokey turned around to reveal a bandaged bottom. “He sat on some round glass vase thing in the classroom.”

“Sat on a what?” Vinyl laughed as she looked at Pokey's wrapped rear. “How'd that happen?”

“It was crystal clear! I couldn't see it,” Pokey moaned in defense. “Who sets see-through stuff on those little pillows we sit on in class, anyway? It probably that sinister Tri-”

Vinyl suddenly spotted from the corner of her eye movement in the line and jerked her head away from the talk. She watched the dresses and suits moved along with their clone-like models, their steps in mirrored motion. Another pulse passed through the queue.

“It's go time!” Vinyl said with a nod and salute.

“Oh, well have fun at the talent show,” Pokey said with a dopey smile, after which he suddenly yelped.

“Concert,” Colgate corrected after nudging the stallion in the side. “See you guys around!”

The two turned and left, leaving Vinyl and Twinkle to sink back into line. Every minute or two the duo advanced a few steps, until finally they were next. A broad-shouldered stallion Vinyl had spotted earlier stood holding a lengthy piece of parchment and quill. He seemed strangely well-dressed for a bouncer, but his hefty build and deep voice fit the role perfectly.

“Name?” he asked sharply.

“Twinkle,” came the immediate reply.

His checklist floated up to the bouncer's heavy eyes and rolled down the list of names as it had with every guest before. Near the end of the list the scrolling stopped.

The guard nodded his head and lifted his quill as he started to scribble, “Miss Twinkle. Very good. And this is your guest, Miss Viol-?”

“Vinyl,” Twinkle cut in with a squeak. “Miss Vinyl Scratch.”

The DJ stepped forward with a stomp. “Maybe you know me better by... DJ Pon-3?”

With great pride she threw her shimmering cyan mane to the side, flickering the shades of blue in her hair like flowing flames. Her excessive spirit was met only with a stare.

The stallion raised an eyebrow, then returned his attention to the checklist. “She's your guest, I suppose.”

Vinyl growled, “What!? Why you little-”

“Thank you, sir, that's all!” Twinkle cut in as she jumped between the two. “We'll just be on our way.”

Though Vinyl tried to continue the eye-to-eye contact, Twinkle's urge shoved the two into the performance hall before anything more could happen. In time what met the DJ's eyes were rows of cushions lined up all around her. The seating strung across the gentle slope of the floor, with an ornate balcony hanging overhead.

Ditch the pillows and this could make one sick mosh pit.

Encircling the stage was a navy blue curtain glittered with golden constellations. It stretched from the stage all the way up to the ceiling, its silky surface smooth as still waters. The barrier, though impressive, couldn't keep Vinyl's imagination from seeing through the vivid fabric.

The DJ could picture speakers hiding on the left and right parts of the stage, with equipment scattered across the platform. Wires and cords would twist and curve all over the bandstand as lights would hang up above.

Caught staring at the chandeliers above, Vinyl suddenly bumped into Twinkle halfway to the empty front row.

“How's this?” Twinkle asked.

Vinyl glanced around the spacious room. Hardly any of the seats had been filled yet. Though Twinkle had warned Vinyl of her fear of the front, the DJ could hardly contain her excitement.

“A-All right,” Vinyl finally concurred. “We'll do this your way this time. We'll see if you don't move up in time, though.”

As the two shuffled toward the middle of the row Twinkle started beaming in anticipation. Vinyl could feel a similar feeling rising, but she wasn't as ready to show her pearly whites. She was too occupied considering what kind of music she'd be dancing to.

When she scanned the crowd that started surrounding her, Vinyl felt her insides churning. The excitement was blending with confusion, and the result felt like an upset stomach.

“What kind of music did you say this was, exactly?” Vinyl whispered to Twinkle as she scanned over the rather elderly crowd again.

Twinkle tapped her snout in contemplation. “It's, um, what would you would call... awe-inspiring?”

“You mean awesome?”

“That, yes,” Twinkle said. “Regarding what genre, I feel as though you'll-” The lights flickered on and off; Vinyl knew the action was coming, as did Twinkle. “You'll see soon enough!”

Vinyl's heart started beating faster than it ever had in the past few weeks. The only instance it had gotten even remotely close to beating as hard as it was then was when hay fries were suddenly being served in the midst of all the “classy” lunch food.

Everything was set. The curtains would open to reveal the biggest speakers even seen by pony eyes, and a single note would blast away the awkwardness. The seats would migrate toward the back and sides as ponies crowded the stage. Lights would flash all over the walls, reflecting off the chandelier as though it were a crystal ball.

Vinyl felt a tap on her shoulder.

“Excuse me, miss?”

The DJ glanced over her shoulder and spotted an old gray mare, wrinkled to the bone, pointing at her neck with a shaky hoof.

“May I please ask you to put out those... lights of yours?”

Vinyl looked down at her glow stick necklace tied around her neck. “You mean these?”

“Yes. It's hard on my old eyes.”

“S-Sure thing, old-timer,” Vinyl answered. She lifted the colorful accessory from around her neck and stuffed it under the cushion on which she sat. “You're aware that if this bother you, this show might give you a seizu-?”

“Shh!” another pony behind hushed, to which Vinyl quieted down immediately.

The curtains began opening from one side to the other, and Vinyl quickly turned around. Seats hooked around the back of stage in rows with music stands set before each one. A spotlight flashed on and highlighted a raised box and podium near the front of the arrangement. To the back was the silver organ stretching up to the ceiling and beyond.

No speakers, no big lights, no cords.

Vinyl felt her heart stop and face freeze as a look of horror locked in. The expression grew worse as musicians began filing in with their instruments. They wielded cellos and violins, oboes and trumpets, and one pony sat before the silver organ. Hoofs tapped against the marble floor in welcoming as one by one the performers sat themselves in their respective spots. Vinyl's frozen gaze then turned into a wide-eyed look of shock.

She brought me to watch an orchestra!?

Everything suddenly became horribly obvious. Vinyl realized all of the signs she had disbelieved in order to remain excited. Worst of all was the fact that Vinyl felt stuck knee-deep in a tough crowd. She'd prefer being stranded in Froggy Bottom Bog than suffer sitting through what she now imagined would meet her ears.

She peered over at Twinkle, who retained her excited gaze. Her flashy dress and formal talk both should have been obvious indicators. Being from Bloomburg had been the concept in question; it quickly became the issue at hand.

What the hay possessed me..?

Defeated, Vinyl let out a drawn-out sigh. She had never willingly been to an orchestrated performance. As a filly she had been forced to go to some; however, in time she made it quite clear that she was as out of place in such musical shows as a palm tree in the tundra. With enough crying and screaming – both before, during, and after the show – Vinyl escaped all future performances.

The present case, however, was a different matter. She plunged head-first into what turned out to be a puddle. Aside from getting her face shamefully soaked, there was not much else to note; that is, until an awfully familiar figure graced the stage front and center with her bold and graceful presence.

The beating hoofs of applause grew louder as the light gray mare prepared her instrument of choice: a sturdy and spotless cello. A disgusted snarl from Vinyl went unheard beneath the pats of praise.

Octavia.

Silence swept the chamber as the conductor made his way front and center. He was a short and stout stallion colored with white and black. Baton raised, he spread his forehoofs outward like an eagle spreading its wings, and the audience fell silent. He turned to face his musicians and tapped his music stand in preparation. As he drew in a large breath to start the show, Vinyl could only hold her own.

The conductor waved the baton downward, then swung it gracefully to and fro. Light plucks on the strings began a soft and steady beat. Vinyl felt as through she were listening to an elementary school band concert.

So... slow...

With all her might she held her complaints behind tightly clenched teeth. In her fight Vinyl peered over at Twinkle, whose eyes gleamed and mouth hung open in utter reverence. She was already lost to the sappy song after it was only seconds in.

Vinyl examined the lines of instrumentalists though the range of vision pained her protected eyes. She gagged at the sight stand the bow-ties and other attire the musicians wore to appear 'sophisticated' and 'smart'. The dramatic motions accompanying every single note was as painful as watching a soap opera.

And the worst of them all was Octavia.

Vinyl had had her fair share of run-ins with the mare, and neither was too fond of the other. They were symbols of their respective musical genres, and so were constantly compared and contrasted. To Vinyl's knowledge, comparing Octavia's sappy string music to her own hoof-tapping tunes was like comparing work to play. For some reason or another, though, there were always a bunch that called her music 'barbaric' or 'unsettling'.

All of a sudden Vinyl spotted Octavia's dainty purple eyes pass right over her. The DJ could spy a smirk cross her smug little snout.

I swear, if that snob gets a solo, I don't think I'll-

Octavia started swaying back and forth, drawing the bow slowly against the strings. The humming resounded through the hall like waves as heavy notes drowned the crowd in a nauseating noise. Sniffles started to emerge in response as the crowd pulled out their hankerchiefs.

The only crying for Vinyl was that going on inside. Listening to such plain, boring notes made her want to break her own ear drums.

The consideration of self-inflicting pain only increased as the featureless piece dragged on and on. Vinyl constantly checked to see if her ears were working as she thought she was hearing repetitions of the same wishy-washy verses and chorus. But finally, after a prolonged close, the song arrived at its end.

“D-Did you like it?” Twinkle whispered with a gleeful grin.

With clenched teeth, Vinyl grumbled, “I'm game for something a little more... catchy.”

The music started again, and right off the bat Octavia was at it with another lengthy solo. When Vinyl's eyes painfully crossed the stage again she suddenly spotted the cellist staring back at her.

A devilish smirk crossed Octavia's face as she slowly dragged her bow against the strings. The grin only grew as she closed her eyes and lifted her head in dramatic fashion. Vinyl felt her face grow unbearably hot. She tried to control herself with a stretch of her neck, but when the tension wouldn't leave the frustration squeezed out an explosion from her lungs.

“FOR CELESTIA'S SAKE!” she screamed. “YOU CALL THIS MUSIC!?”

The entire orchestra stopped. All eyes fell upon Vinyl as she sat covering her ears. The burning sensation that covered her skin turned into an ice cold chill. In panic she looked to Twinkle, whose joyous, dancing eyes had stumbled and fallen in fright.

“If you'll excuse me, miss,” came a familiar deep voice from the aisle. Vinyl glanced past Twinkle to see the bouncer standing at the end of the row. “I must ask you to leave.”

Vinyl, still chilled, glanced at everypony around her, from Twinkle to the crowd to the orchestra. She spotted a faked look of shock on Octavia's face on stage.

“Tch, not much to listen to anyway,” Vinyl muttered. “Buncha lifeless geezers and snooty rich ponies... I'm outta here.”

And without further delay the DJ rose and marched out with her eyes closed and nose held high.

Whatever. Didn't wanna stay anyway.

Vinyl slammed the door to the suite shut. A frustrated growl erupted from the mare's lungs like bass from a speaker being tested. A pair of beige eyes on the opposite side of the room arose from a book in reply.

“Vinyl Scratch,” the mare acknowledged nonchalantly in a nasally, high-pitched voice.

The DJ stared at her young suitemate, Tea Time, with a threatening spark in her bare eyes. She was a light brown mare with long brown hair, and her figure was the most petite Vinyl had ever seen. A teacup and and plate made up her cutie mark, mirroring the things set on the table beside her.

“I don't need your attitude right now, Double T,” Vinyl snarled as she threw her goggles against the far wall.

“Sounds like somepony else gave you a proper dose already,” Tea Time retorted. “Enjoy yourself at the concert?”

“Sucked,” Vinyl snapped. “Last time I trust Twink's tastes.”

“Tongue twisting as usual, I see,” Tea Time said. “You left early then?”

“What does it look like? Only took one song to get me outta there. No pony stood or even tapped a hoof-” She paused as the sight of the neglected turntable in the corner of the lounge caught her eye. “Now that I think about it, there wasn't even any real beat to it. I'll show them what a beat is.”

Vinyl approached her mixing machine and began powering everything on.

“Just what do you think you're doing?” Tea Time inquired with squinted eyes.

“What does it look like? I'm in need of some real beats, Double T. If you can't stand it, leave!”

She flipped the switches of the turntable on and placed a record on one of the stands. With a few minor adjustments to some dials and nods she looked over her control board with determination. She kicked a speaker and it sputtered to life. Without hesitation she counted herself in.

The speakers blasted to life as vibrations reverberated the DJ's revived vitality. Booms of the bass bounced through lounge and shook every square inch of stone. Vinyl's gut loosened as the music massaged her stomach, squeezing the queasiness from her memories out. The light of the candles grew greater and dwindled, its swishing in sync with the shaking speakers.

Vinyl closed her eyes and let her imagination run. The feel was familiar despite the missing visuals, and so her mind filled in the blanks. The pictures of her adoring crowd flashed in her head. The shining lights changed with every boom of the bass. The disappearing darkness was but a powerful pause, a moment to prepare for the next bang.

Not long after starting Vinyl felt her heart racing, its speed quick enough to scare her into stopping. She heaved as though she had finished carrying the heaviest load from one side of town to the other. Having unloaded, the mare stepped away from her cargo and leaned against the back wall in exhaustion and relief.

The door burst open, but Vinyl's head felt too tired to react quickly.

“What was that?” barked the newcomer, the voice like that of a peer. “Tea Time, are you all right? And... YOU!”

Despite the tiredness Vinyl's head jerked up enough to see who was addressing her. Standing in the doorway was the mare that had been playing the organ earlier on in the week. Her tidy appearance and dress matched those of Tea Time's, though the newcomer's light purple coat and white hair contrasted with the browns of Vinyl's suitemate.

“Oh my Celestia... you're like clones,” Vinyl groaned.

“We are not clones, we're sisters. My name is Melodia.”

“Mare of the Organ, sure, sure,” Vinyl said. “Vinyl Scratch, but you can call me Vinyl, V, or just DJ.”

“'V' for 'vexatious'!?” Melodia snapped.

“... I'm not even sure what that means, but sure.”

“It means frustrating, nitwit. Do you realize what you've done!?”

“Enough of the yelling, drama queen. My ears only accept the good kind of loud noise.”

“I sure hope they accept the truth more than anything else,” Melodia retorted. “I don't care about that blasting music, personally, but what you did at the concert was unacceptable.”

Vinyl paused in shock. “Y-You were there? I mean, heh, should've guessed. All the rich ponies were there-”

“I was outside, thank you very much,” Melodia said. “I had an invitation but readily declined. I don't think I could stand to go another concert featuring... her.”

Vinyl saw a familiar spark in Melodia's eyes that she had felt many times before.

“Octavia.”

Melodia's eyes narrowed like a hunter's. “It seems we have something in common, Vinyl.” The shared stares of understanding were suddenly broken by a pair of furrowed eyebrows from Melodia. “Regardless, my overall impression of you is not positive, not after today.”

“Leaving early is quite inexcusable, Vinyl,” Tea Time said as though understanding.

But Melodia shook her head and snorted. “She did more than leave early, Tea Time. She interrupted a song and even had the nerve to storm out!”

Tea Time stared with horror. The combined terror and disappointment from the sisters left Vinyl backing against the wall.

“What?” Vinyl asked with a shrug. “I'm over it, and by this point all those ponies are asleep anyway. No one cares anymore. It's all in the past.”

“What about Twinkle?” Tea Time asked, standing as if ready to spring into action.

“Not involved, and I was especially nice to her through most of it, thanks for asking,” Vinyl riposted. “And whaddaya mean by 'forcing my way'?”

Melodia looked over to her sister whose face was hidden by lack of candlelight. Suddenly, she backed to the door through which she entered and uttered, “I-I think I'll take my leave...”

She backed out of the room and into the corridor, then quietly shut the door behind her. Vinyl looked over at Tea Time, who then was staring with piercing red eyes.

“Twinkle didn't tell you everything, did she?” Tea Time asked as she put her drink aside. “Let me fill you in, DJ: Twinkle was planning on going with a dear friend of hers. Your barging in on the situation left her no choice but to submit to your will before inviting her actual intended guest.”

“Y-You're makin' that up,” Vinyl said, unable to back away any more. The horror of the floating red dots that were Tea Time's eyes repelled her. “We can exchange snooty remarks all day long, but when you start bringin' in the lies-”

“Don't let your guilty conscience muddle the matter!” Tea Time barked. “I can usually tolerate your so-called 'Debbie Downer' demeanor, but imagining what that poor Twinkle is feeling after her guest left a private concert after one song...” She blew steam through her nostrils. “DESPICABLE!”

“Y-You stay out this, Double T! Since when did you care about Twink anyway?”

“She lives with us, you dubstep-loving pleb!” Tea Time said as she turned and headed for her room with indignation. “You're too busy with your head in the clouds, dreaming more than you are paying attention to where you are and who's around you. I may be nosy at times, but at least I know what's what around here.”

With this out the light brown mare slammed her door shut, leaving Vinyl alone in the main room, fuming. The DJ paced about the lounge with heavy stomps as her rage couldn't go anywhere else.

All of a sudden, music started playing within the DJ's head. To her disgust the tune did not have the electronic sounds which had taunted her across the past few weeks; rather, the music was like that which she had witnessed not long ago. The strings, the sappiness... everything. Vinyl violently shook her head to clear her ears of the muck as one would try and drain water from within the inner ear.

But no matter how hard she tried, the strings continued to rumble in her head, from bass to violin, with the bellowing of the brass. It sounded so ugly, like the music used for melodramatic play sequences. The ooziness made her squeamish.

The image of Twinkle flashed past her brain's inner perception. Vinyl ceased her bucking about as the realization finally struck her.

She had been a total ass.

With the greatest reluctance Vinyl tried to convince herself things were fine. She had made it out of the terrible concert and that was that. She usually could lie to herself about such petty matters; she had blown off plenty of things before. But not this time.

She approached her turntables once again, but couldn't lift a hoof to flip any switches. The dead devices remained off as Vinyl's brain was anything but inactive. She through closed eyes and the active imagination she began reliving the scene. Though the pain it brought was nearly insufferable something inside forced her to keep on watching. The longer that she thought about it all, the more Vinyl felt herself submitting to the guilt that swarmed her like mosquitoes on vulnerable flesh. Her tail swatted at the pesky twitching of her skin, but the sensation simply would not leave.

Unbearably aggravated by the regret, Vinyl pulled herself over to Tea Time's door.

“Yo, Double T,” she called with a knock on the door. “You still awake?”

“Go to bed!”

Vinyl rolled her eyes, unsure of what she was even doing. “I gotta ask you something.”

Hoofs plopped onto the floor and approached the door from the other side. The wooden barrier opened a crack, revealing the beige eyes of Vinyl's baggy-eyed suitemate.

“Look, not that I really care, but what do you think I should do?” Vinyl asked as her gaze fixed on everything around the door frame but Tea Time's eyes.

“Besides go jump off a cliff?” Tea Time inquired, to which Vinyl threw an unsatisfied stare. “Ugh, do I really need to say this?” Vinyl stood and stared. “Are you familiar with the term 'apologize'? Hopefully you are; it's the only thing you really can do, unless you want to try and avoid her for the remaining ten weeks you have together.”

“So, what, you want me to wait until she gets back? That could take hours given how long just their first song dragged on-”

“It's not what I want, but it's what you should do. If you can't wait a couple of hours, then I guess you really aren't that sorry then, are you?”

And with that she closed the door on Vinyl's face. The DJ, head spinning, leaned forward against the doorway and let her head thump against it.

Tea Time barked from inside her room, “Get your greasy mane off my door. Good night.”

The DJ sluggishly did as ordered. She meandered to the couch nearby and sprawled across the comfortable cushions. Facing to the left provided a wide open view of the door. With a deep breath Vinyl sat unprepared for Twinkle's return, and so the waiting game began.

Chapter 15: Più Mosso

Faint chirrups caught the ears of Vinyl, who had laid undisturbed on the lounge couch for hours. After a long stretch the DJ sat up against the soft cushions and listened to the medley of birds' songs outside her window. Their choruses signaled a brand new day, though the sun had not yet risen above the ocean horizon.

Vinyl glanced about the room with tired eyes, until a single thought shot them open.

Twink!

An eternity had passed before the DJ submitted to the weariness of her eyes. She waited for the sound of the doorknob to turn, but the noise never clicked, not to her knowledge. But anxiety could only take the forefront for so long, and in time tiredness had taken its place. As a result Vinyl fell into a snooze that never went interrupted.

Vinyl held her breath and looked to Twinkle's room. Its doorway sat wide open as it had all night, not an inch more open or closed. The mare, still in a mental mess from the night, rose and plodded over into the chamber to confirm her assumptions.

Twinkle was nowhere to be seen. In the midst of a tidy bedroom decorated with drawings of constellations and solar systems not a trace of the mare could be found. Her clothes and accessories were neatly stored, and her books were shelved alphabetically. Not a thing seemed out of place but a couple of discomforting souvenirs in the corner.

Leaning against the far wall was a large cello, much like the one she-who-must-not-be-named wielded. It glowed a mahogany hue as it leaned against its shimmering black case. Music sheets sat atop a nearby stand. The paper on top had strange writing across the middle in a style all-too-familiar to Vinyl.

She sorted the papers - an assortment of music scores filled to the brim with notes - and reread the writing on the first page. Across the middle read:

“Shoot for the moon; if you miss, you may still land amongst the stars.

~Octavia”

“Cheesy,” Vinyl snarled with a click of her teeth. “Classic.”

When she let her magic hold on the papers go, they flipped in the air like leaves in autumn. They landed all over the bedspread, covering the dark sheets with white patches. Suddenly, something caught Vinyl’s attention as a sheet landed upside-down atop the others. The mare spied the paper and reluctantly picked it up. On the back were clustered sets of bullet points, written in unfamiliar hoofwriting:

- Lots of scratching? Sounds like repeated “ch” noise; very catchy

- Low bass... rounded tuba sound? Hits the gut (in a good way!)

- Strong, string-sounding interludes

(Ask Vinyl Scratch about record-playing machine?)

The list went on to the end of the paper, but Vinyl could not read anymore. Her jaw dropped to the floor where the sheet she held had fallen to as well.

She took notes about my tunes!?

A colossal bell rang off in the distance, bringing Vinyl out of her trance. The deep chimes echoed from the main hall in rapid succession. While the rich rings continued through the air, knocks suddenly hammered on the door to the DJ’s suites.

“Meet down in the plaza! Everypony to the plaza for a campus-wide exercise!”

The tone was vaguely familiar, but Vinyl couldn't put a face to the older voice. She lifted an ear to the door to the hall to have another listen; however, the sound of the stranger’s hoofsteps was accompanied by countless others that walked out or let their murmurs spill into the corridor. Vinyl removed her ear at the sound of one of the doors in the suite clicking open.

“What's going on?” Tea Time grumbled, sticking her head out angrily.

“Morning exercise?” Vinyl replied. “I dunno. I'm checkin' it out.”

“Don't enjoy yourself too much,” Tea Time muttered.

Vinyl stepped back to pull her roommate along with her, but a click indicated Tea Time was one step ahead of the DJ. The white mare picked up her violet goggles from off the floor nearby and headed for the hall.

Killjoy... but then again, I guess I'm no better.

[br]

The giant bell continued its ringing from the tower of the main hall. Every student congregated in the circular park of the grounds, which overnight had filled with another foot of snow. The alert and unaware were separated by their winter accessories and saddles; while the ready wore their boots, scarves, or other select clothing, the less fortunate shivered in their spots with bare coats and messy manes.

The wind taunted the latter with chilling blows, and the clouds refused any warmth from the morning sun. The smell of fresh snow and icy air blew through the area without cease. Ponies gathered with their familiars as groups huddled for warmth outside. Vinyl spotted the Ponyville crowd in a small huddle of its own. The majority of them seemed ready for the cold, though they all were still shivering nonetheless.

“H-H-Hey Vinyl,” Twilight greeted with chattering teeth. “H-H-How's it going?”

Vinyl dug herself into the huddle head-first and uttered, “Fine, I guess.”

“H-How was the c-c-concert?” Colgate asked with a smirk as she ignored her own laughable shivering. “Fun like you thought it’d be?”

Vinyl stared at the ground, her eyes cold and lifeless as the chilling atmosphere in which they stood. “I don't wanna talk about it.”

The bell ceased its ringing. Everypony started to quiet down as a bulky brown stallion, wearing only a blue and white baseball cap, exited the main hall doors to the right. His dark brown, narrow eyes silenced those he passed by, leaving all to stare at his uncovered coat and horseshoe cutie mark. Following behind him were a few more older ponies, their faces a mix of familiar teachers and other less-known leaders. Only the sturdy stallion did not don a hefty amount of clothing to protect him from the cold.

“Is that an instructor?” Starlight asked as he lifted his head from the Ponyville huddle.

“He teaches the magic dueling course,” Gallant replied. “Very respectable unicorn.”

Upon reaching the front of the crowd of students, the older unicorn stopped and stared at the crowd as the other teachers filed in behind him. He took in a deep breath and exhaled with a sort of snarl on his face.

“Good morning, students!” he announced gruffly. “You may be wondering if your shivering and shaking is worth the torment in the end. The answer is ‘maybe’.” He scanned over the crowd of students that now stared in cluelessness. “My name is Coach Pony Dungy, but you all can just call me 'Coach'. You've been summoned today by order of Headmare Luna to participate in some mandatory ‘fun and games’. Since the Headmare herself is on official business in Canterlot for the morning she left me, the academy’s physical activities instructor, in charge of runnin' this show.”

Lyra mumbled to the others, “Doesn't getting us up before sunrise defeat the purpose of this being fun?”

“Sounds nothin' but lame to me,” Vinyl uttered in agreement.

Coach continued his announcement, “The game that is to be played shall be, by order of the headmare, a scavenger hunt of sorts. All students will participate. If any of you try runnin’ off... well, good luck trying to outrun me.”

The students started to murmur amongst themselves, some in excitement and others in dismay.

“Last I checked we were at an academy for advanced magic studies, not magic kindergarten,” Lyra muttered, adding to the dismay.

“Beats studying,” Colgate said, instead contributing to the excitement. “I don't mind going on a little hunt.”

Lyra rolled her eyes, “You would.”

“To add to the ‘fun’,” Coach stated, “the winners shall receive a special prize to be announced at the end of the game. If I told you now, you might lose incentive for trying this activity at all, and I can’t have that.” Much of the unhappy muttering turned quickly into curious whispers. “Participants are to gather in groups of two or three according to your suite. When you’re ready, wait in silence for further instruction.”

With a new energy, the body of students quickly organized itself into groups of three mares or two stallions. Vinyl, however, stood alone with her head on a swivel. She couldn't spot either Tea Time or Twinkle in the midst of the hustle and bustle. Once a majority had ceased their shuffling about, Coach raised a piece of parchment he had been carrying underneath his cap and read it over a number of times. When the crowd fell completely silent, the broad-shouldered stallion began.

“Your instructions are relatively simple,” he said while reading over the parchment one last time. “You’re gonna bring me the item or items that are described in the following riddle created by a few of your instructors. The first group, and only the first group, shall awarded the grand prize. Students ready?”

Most of the students nodded however rigidly from the cold. Vinyl rolled her eyes as she stood alone in the midst of ready trios. The coach then read aloud:

“Fill this artifact with water, from any source or sink,

Once filled to the very brim, you'd best not from it drink.

The number which to bring back is not really all that high:

How many full moons since you've arrived have crossed the evening sky?”

Coach, not wasting a minute, raised his hoof and waved it down. “Begin!”

A sudden stampede trampled Vinyl like a mosh pit high on music overdose. Groups of three charged past her in every direction, to the dormitory and main hall as well as the beachfront and northern trails. Vinyl, however, was stuck to the snowy ground as though it were glue.

Now left behind in a cloudy haze, Vinyl found herself worse off than before trying to find either of her roommates. She tried to peer through the frosty fog, but with hardly any sunlight piercing the clouds she could barely see past her own snout. She waited until the white dust settled, prepared to try and sneak away somehow. But as the environment slowly became unveiled Vinyl realized the line of instructors staring straight at her.

“Tryin’ to sneak out, huh?” asked Coach. “Or did you lose track of your roommates already?”

Vinyl shook her head. “Couldn't find ‘em in the first place.”

Coach looked left and right, then pointed. “Is she one?”

On the opposite side of the snow-covered lawn stood Twinkle. Her turquoise eyes were stuck to the ground though she knew the others were gazing in her direction. Vinyl felt herself drawn to the lonely figure across the way. Her heavy steps dragged through the snow, but her heart wouldn’t let her stop.

As Vinyl drew closer Twinkle’s eyes lifted ever so slowly. When their eyes locked Vinyl felt her blood freeze colder than the air that had been chilling her coat. The two watched one another, eyes locked, as their quick breaths puffed into clouds of steam.

Vinyl inhaled a cold breath of air to cool down the painful heat in her chest. She knew just what she had to do, but the thought of it made her tremble, more so than the chill made her shiver. With a nervous gulp she walked over to Twinkle, who watched with growing eyes.

“H-Hey, Twink,” Vinyl began reluctantly, “you never came back last night.”

Her roommate gave a cold stare in return. Vinyl stopped and took a step back and tried to laugh off the unease. The awkwardness shook her bones more than the cold.

“Look, Twink, uh...” Vinyl scratched her head and sighed. “I know what I did yesterday was stupid. Really stupid. I mean, I don't expect you to forgive me or anything anytime soon. I know how much you like those string concerts and stuff-”

“Do you know, Vinyl? Do you really?” Twinkle snapped. “It sure didn't seem that way when you tagged along just wanting some kind of a... a... rave!”

Vinyl started backing away as Twinkle's eyebrows furrowed dangerously.

“I know, I know, it was dumb. I went in with my own expectations. Big mistake,” Vinyl said. “I can look back and say that I totally regret everything. E-ve-ry-thing.”

“Everything, you say?” Twinkle asked angrily.

“I-I’m apologizing as best I can, Twink,” Vinyl stammered. “What more do you want from me-?”

“I WANT MY CONCERT BACK!”

Vinyl's eyes felt permanently widened as though a propeller were blowing gusts at her face. Her eyes managed to slip a sight of Coach and the other instructors, all of which had been watching the entire time. Even their faces were full of surprise with dropped jaws and widened eyes. None of them moved an inch nor shifted their tightly-shut lips, their expressions frozen from the shock.

Twinkle wiped her eyes and snout and continued with her sobbing voice, “I could barely stand everypony staring at me throughout the evening. Some kept pointing at me, others were whispering about how ashamed I should be. I even saw the orchestra staring at me! They all knew I had brought you along.” She choked for a second but managed to clear her throat. “I couldn't stand the stares for much longer, so I...”

Vinyl felt herself suddenly choking too. “Don't tell me you left-?”

“Halfway through,” Twinkle cut in. “I got up and walked out. Everypony watched me, even Octav-”

Her crying finally drowned her voice in sorrow as her words even failed to form. Twinkle gave up the fight to get them out, giving in to the gasps for air that accompanied the streams of tears that froze halfway down her face. Vinyl, watching helplessly, could feel the weight of the situation falling upon her. The heavy gazes of Coach and the other instructors bearing down on her again did not help at all.

“But you didn't come back last night,” Vinyl said. “I stayed up waiting in the lounge the whole night so I could apologize.”

Twinkle regained her ability to speak and uttered, “I felt so nauseous from the frazzle that I went to the infirmary. I ended up sleeping there for the night to avoid any more... awkward encounters.”

The final blow landed. Vinyl felt her spirits beaten to a pulp as she held back her own tears behind hidden eyes.

“I-I'm sorry Twink!” the DJ said nearly bawling. “I was only thinking about myself last night. I wanted something fun to do, and you made that performance sound like the cat's meow! It drew me in, Twink. You might be into astronomy and all, but you have a secret passion for music, and I couldn't ignore it.”

Twinkle looked up into her roommate's eyes. “D-Do you mean that?”

“Look, I didn't mean to pry, but I saw the sweet sheet music in your room. You know, the piece-” Vinyl choked for a second. “-Octavia signed?”

“T-The one that I composed?”

Vinyl's eyes widened. “You wrote that score!?”

Twinkle sniffed softly. “Y-Yes, I did. You... didn't happen to look on the back of those pages, did you?”

“Boy, did I! Were you secretly taking notes about my jams?”

Twinkle gave a tiny smile. “I did find some appeal to the strange sounds you were making back when you first arrived. It was rather – what was the word? – 'awesome'?”

Vinyl laughed and winked. “Thanks, Twink. I'm startin' to think your taste aren't really that bad.”

Twinkle giggled as well.

“Glad to see you two resolved your, uh, issue,” Coach said from afar. “For your information, the game's still ago. Feel free to jump in, though I’m not sure how far you’ll get.”

Vinyl looked to Twinkle, whose eyes were suddenly dancing. “You really wanna do this, Twink?”

“Well, I do enjoy a good game,” Twinkle replied. “But, if you’re not feeling up to par, then I suppose we don’t have to-”

“Not another word. Doesn’t matter if I want to do this or not.”

“Are you sure?”

Vinyl laughed. “Normally I’m a little on the competitive side, but I'll try not to get my hopes too high or anything. How’s that sound?”

Her friend nodded. After a second, though, teams began pouring in from all around. They carried with them a variety of items. As they approached the teachers the two roommates turned away and walked to the edge of the park nearest the main hall. When Vinyl glanced over at her frail friend she noticed Twinkle's smile had turned into a contemplative frown.

“What's up?” the DJ asked.

Twinkle inquired softly, “What was the riddle again?”

“Something about a bowl you wouldn't drink from, and bringing the full moons we've seen so far.”

Twinkle rolled her eyes and giggled. “Not much to go on, I suppose. Although, the mentioning of glass bowls seems oddly familiar.”

The two stood and looked at the sheet of snow blanketing the lawn. Suddenly, the two looked at one another. The two exclaimed in unison, “The glass vase from yesterday!”

“The one Pokey Pierce sat on!” Vinyl added.

“Yes, given what Colgate said about it being quite big, it was probably not a vase, but rather a... a...”

“Fish bowl!” Vinyl said.

“Yes, that's it!” Twinkle said excitedly. “And if Pokey sat on one in our shadow magic classroom, then I know just where to go!”

Vinyl galloped toward the main hall with Twinkle at her side. “All right, first half solved! Now what about the second half?”

Twinkle dug her hoofs into the ground, coming to a complete stop in a split second. Vinyl slid on the icy surface but caught herself. She trotted back to where Twinkle sat staring directly at the clouded sky above.

“What did you say the second clue was?”

“Something about bringing the full moons we've seen-”

“Maybe that's the clue about how many bowls we need to bring back,” Twinkle remarked. “Since our arrival, only one full moon has passed, and that was a little over a week ago.”

“Perfect! One fish bowl, coming right up. Lead the way, Twink!”

The dainty mare led the duo as she charged into the foyer with a speed that surprised Vinyl. They passed a number of groups wandering about, some running around as they were and others sitting on their bottoms, clueless. A few exited the hall with items on their backs or in their mouths; but the two knew that if they were right, then the others were dead wrong. They still had a chance.

“Up here!” Twinkle said as she rushed up the staircase.

Vinyl felt her head spinning faster than a record until they finally stopped on the third floor. Without a second to lose Twinkle headed for her classroom with a dizzied companion trailing behind. The second Vinyl stumbled ahead to the doorway she was greeted by a head-on collision.

“Ow!” Vinyl groaned, stumbling backwards. “Watch it!”

“Watch yerself, partner!” came the voice of another pony.

“Sorry Vinyl, get better soon!” came the voice of Colgate. “Hurry up Lasso, let’s go!”

Colgate... you’re as good as dead...

The two, along with another, made a full-on sprint toward the staircase. Vinyl got up with her head still spinning, the sensation worse than a headache after one of her intense jam sessions.

“Vinyl?” Twinkle's voice called.

The mare’s eyes slowly refocused as she leaned against the wall. Her roommate stood with a glass container balanced on her back.

“Are you all right?” Twinkle asked.

“Don't sweat it, I had it coming,” Vinyl muttered as she stood on all fours again. “Let's hurry up, Colgate and her minions are ahead of us.”

Before Vinyl could make a mad dash, Twinkle shouted, “Wait! Don't push yourself!”

“Please, I've been through worse,” the DJ said with a smug smile.

“No- that is to say, it won't be necessary,” she said. “The others that were in there, they grabbed too many!”

“Say what?”

“They grabbed three,” Twinkle stated.

Vinyl felt a dumb smile coming, which turned into a goofy laugh. “Well, let's get goin' then.”

The two leisurely descended the staircase as they caught one last glimpse of Colgate and her crew charging out the foyer. Ponies around them stopped and watched as the three cried victoriously all the way. Much of the crowd started searching more rampantly as others started to give up. Twinkle and Vinyl, however, continued on their merry way down and through the main hall doorway, not caring what the others thought or said.

Other groups had gathered in the park circle, some wielding rather strange items and in odd numbers. Seven beach balls surrounded a rather disappointed group, while twenty-one ceramic bowls were stacked beside another. A small line stretched back from Coach and the teachers, who had rejected each trio and duo that had approached them so far.

By the time Vinyl and Twinkle were within hearing distance, Colgate and her company had made it to the front of the short line. The blue mare wore a proud look on her face as she presented the glass bowls. Coach surveyed the three vessels carefully.

With a lift of his head and a smirk she said, “Not quite.”

Colgate fell over as limp as a dead fish. Her group immediately began growling at the other one as the insults began to fly. Satisfied with the sight, Vinyl and Twinkle approached the teachers themselves.

“One, uh, fish bowl, Coach,” Vinyl said as her roommate placed the crystal clear bowl on the ground.

He smiled immediately and nodded, “THE GAME IS OFFICIALLY OVER! ALL STUDENTS REPORT TO THE COMMONS LAWN!”

Though slightly deafened, Vinyl had never felt happier after such a random feat. As ponies poured in from around the grounds – most empty-hoofed – the two roommates stood front and center. Twinkle was nearly bouncing with joy. Vinyl could feel a similar thrill inside, but in the cold she kept her cool, and instead let the triumph beam through an ear-to-ear grin.

“Say, where's the third?” Coach suddenly asked.

Vinyl felt her ears twitch. “Tea Time? Oh yeah, almost forgot about-” She paused as Coach and Tea Time stared her down. “She, uh, she slept in.”

Coach looked down on the two with a frightening gaze and threatening frown. Vinyl felt herself melt into snow mush.

“I suppose that isn't your fault,” Coach said with a hint of discontent. The troubled look quickly changed to a smart grin. “And I don't see anything in here about a student's absence. If anything, you've shown two heads are sometimes better than three. Now, to address the matter of your prize.” The roommates started shaking in their boots, though Vinyl was not actually wearing any. “The Headmare informed me of an incident at last night's concert, and so wishes for another to take place. Your prize, as a result, is to choose the artist that shall perform, as well as the audience that may come.”

Vinyl's heart started pumping faster than a the crazy beats to her music. Her brain scrolled through the playlist of possibilities. Images of how crazy a real concert would be like at the school flashed through her mind like the lights glistening in sync with the booms. But when she looked over at Twinkle, the desires all started to blend into a blur. She knew first and foremost what she had to do.

“Seeing as to how I should expand my musical horizons, I'll let Twink here decide,” Vinyl said, to which Twinkle gasped.

“Really?”

“Yeah, why not? I ruined the last show for ya. You sure as heck deserve whatever kind of music you wanna listen to next, and with whoever you want, too.”

Coach looked at the two with a grin. His eyes, as well as all of the teachers’, eventually rested upon Twinkle’s tiny white figure and fluffy pink hair.

“I have a special request,” Twinkle said after a minute of contemplation.

“The Headmare said any artist and audience you desire,” Coach stated. “Have at it.”

Twinkle inhaled and puffed out her tiny chest. “I know it may pain you to say it, Vinyl, but I would like a performance given by an artist I personally know.”

Oh no.

“Um, y-yeah,” Vinyl complied. “Go ahead. I know where you’re going with this. Like I said, I’m ready to try something new.”

Twinkle nodded. “Very well. Instructor Dungy, I would request that all be allowed to come to the next concert here at the academy. Regarding my choice of artist, I would like to see-” She closed her eyes and lifted her head. “-an artist named DJ Pon-3.”

Vinyl's purple glasses fell off her face. Twinkle laughed at the sight of the two tiny red dots that stared at her in disbelief.

“I'll put in the request,” Coach said as he turned to the crowd of students behind the roommates. “The decision has been made: the artist known as ‘DJ Pon-3’ shall be performing at the academy’s next concert! All students are cordially invited.”

Cheers went up from the park in a number that surprised the two. Vinyl looked over at Twinkle once more, who bashfully smiled once more in reply. The two then turned and watched as a surprising number of ponies were stomping merrily.

“Not all ‘rich ponies’ are so bad, Vinyl,” Twinkle stated. “Don’t let the loud few represent the whole.”

“I’ll take it to heart, Twink!” Vinyl said gladly with a smirk. “You- I- I don’t even know what to say! Wait, what was with that apology before?”

“Well, with this you won’t be able to expand your horizons, as you requested,” Twinkle giggled.

“From what I saw in your bedroom, you may still be able to help.”

“I’ll give you some things to listen to. Maybe a bit of classical music?” Twinkle winked. “I think your spicy taste buds use some mild taste testing before your next ‘rocking’ show begins.”

Vinyl let out a hearty laugh. “Now you're speaking my language!”

Chapter 15.5:

Downtime

Vinyl examined her masterful sketch from earlier on in the week. Sitting dead center in the once-white paper was a large semicircular grandstand with an audience of ponies crammed around it. Standing speakers overshadowed the set like skyscrapers on each side of the stage. Musical notes blasted from the towers, blowing away the encompassing crowd like wind molding waves across the face of the ocean.

Above the scene hung rows of lights that pointed in each and every direction. The musician Vinyl drew – essentially a black-and-white copy of herself – was as white as the untouched portion of paper could get. The performer, centered on stage and within the image itself, was like a blazing bonfire emitting a light around which ponies gathered and danced. Exposure to the luminescence was marked by shades of gray that turned black near the edges of the paper.

The enlightened artist of the image was surrounded by a mixing table, accompanied by countless electronic devices, sound system equipment and synthesizers alike. They formed a horseshoe around the blissful performer, laying wires beneath her hoofs to form a carpet of cords.

With a deep breath Vinyl looked up from her drawing. From where she stood near the entrance of the performance hall the real life stage was almost a complete replica of her sketch, only that which stood before her was much more colorful with its settled dark blues and violets. When she had requested that everything fit her layout as closely as possible, she hadn't imagined that the academy maintenance crew could stir up almost an exact copy. From the towering speakers to the strings of lights, almost everything was there before Vinyl’s very eyes.

Beaming with pride and anticipation, the DJ glanced over at her roommate, Twinkle, who also stared with widened eyes and an astounded smile.

“You ready for this, Twink?” she asked.

The stage crew began testing the lights as they buried the hall in black and then began flashing the entire spectrum of the rainbow across the chamber. First they went off one by one, and then they blinked in perfect clusters of color.

“If I make it through these blinding tests, I should hope that I’ll be prepared,” Twinkle replied with a quick succession of blinks.

“Look on the bright side: even if you're blind you can still appreciate my show,” Vinyl said with a smirk. “Hopefully things'll turn out like I want. I'm only a bit nervous 'cause of havin' to tie in an organ and all. Tell me again, why did you include that other mare in all this?”

“You mean Melodia? Well, even though I want to hear your specific music, Vinyl, I thought it would be nice to have a mare like her be able to 'strut her stuff' while she’s here.”

Vinyl laughed. “Mare of the Organ? Please, she gets heard by anypony who’s not deaf and lives in the dorms. She plays almost every other day in the afternoon.” The DJ shook her head and dropped the topic. “Whatever, in any case I didn't think we’d mesh that well, but since we had somethin’ in common, things worked out all right.”

Twinkle cocked her head and grinned. “That's wonderful! If I may ask, what is it that you two share in common?”

Vinyl scratched her head. “Do I say it? Eh, I guess: we have a mutual hate toward that snob from the performance the other night.”

Twinkle gasped, “O-Octavia!?”

“Yeah... sorry Twink,” Vinyl shrugged. “I know you idolize her and all, but there's just some history you have to understand: I've been compared with that snooty-nosed 'artist' my whole music career. Now, I don't know about Mare of the Organ, but in my case I'm kind of a big deal in my circle of music-”

“My full name is Melodia, thank you,” came a voice from behind, to which the roommates swirled around. “And I'll have you know that I'm not a fan of hers for the same reason: Octavia nabs all the attention. The difference, Vinyl Scratch, is that I am in the same realm of music as her. That unfortunately talented mare-”

“That and you’re not that popular,” Vinyl added as she poked her fellow musician, who snorted in reply. “Whatcha think of the set-up, Mel? Looks different now than when we practiced just a few hours ago, yeah?”

“For the hundredth time, please call me ‘Melodia’,” the mare corrected with clenched teeth. “Regarding the lay-out, I suppose it's... interesting. Here I thought your drawing was exaggerating the look and scale a bit, but it seems the stage crew took your rendition quite seriously.”

“Well, set-up’s no joke for me,” Vinyl stated with a puff of her chest. “I’ll have you know I take my stage presence and everything just as seriously, too.”

“Apparently you aren't taking that into account with mine,” Melodia whined. “Why does the organ seem so isolated in the back? Can't you open things up a bit so that I can be seen at least a little bit?”

Vinyl glanced at the organ which sat to the rear of the stage, a position from which it could not move. Its silver shimmer hid beneath the shade of the curtains, and its distant position made it feel more as though it were hiding nearby behind a hill rather than far away on a level plane.

“Trust me, I appreciate your participation and all, Me-lo-di-a,” Vinyl jeered, “but this is a DJ Pon-3 concert, not a duo. Don't you pee your pretty pants; ponies'll see you back there on your pedestal, oh mighty organist.”

“You mean on my stationary bench?” Melodia growled. “Humph. I suppose it'll help me save face and escape more easily should your little ‘experiment’ fail tonight.”

“Don't say that, Melodia!” Twinkle begged like a frightened filly. “The last thing I want is for this concert to fail. You two put in so much effort, I’d hate to see you discouraged... especially Vinyl.”

“Aww, thanks Twink,” Vinyl said. “But don't you worry; as long as I get one pony bobbing a head out there tonight – which I know I'll see tons doing anyway – I think my hope in all you bookworms'll be restored.”

“Vinyl Scratch! Wow!”

The triangle turned to face a violet unicorn enter into the performance hall with violet irises shot about until the entirety of the morphed chamber – unfamiliar as a new wing in the castle – had been taken in. Her tinted coat matched the darkening hues of the night, with remnants of the pink retreating skies lying within light streaks in her mane. She carried a saddlebag loaded with books but meandered as though the bundle were as light as a feather.

“Speakin' of bookworms,” Vinyl mumbled. “How's it goin', Twi?”

“Things are going pretty well,” Twilight answered. “I came a little early to see how things were going, and it looks like it’s coming along pretty well. Are you guys ready?”

“Ready as a bee in a field of flowers,” Vinyl said as she struck a pose. “I've got my work cut out for me, too. You gonna swing by and check out the show in an hour?”

“Will I?” Twilight asked. “Of course! With Hearth's Warming Break starting tomorrow morning, I really don't have much to do.”

“Huh, what's that sayin'? You wouldn't have come otherwise?” Vinyl asked as she pretended to cover her aching heart.

“That's not what I meant!” Twilight gasped. “What I was trying to say was that-”

“Twi, Twi, Twi! Don't sweat it,” Vinyl cracked up as she patted her friend on the back. “I think we're gonna test some stuff out for now, though, so you might want to disappear for a bit. Otherwise, be back here in a few, okay?”

“Sounds good to me,” Twilight said as she backed her way out into the foyer. “Have fun getting ready!”

“When it comes to jammin', I always have fun,” Vinyl said. “Later!”

The DJ closed the door to the wing, the sound of the heavy wood door a statement of closure. Twilight stared at the detail on the door for a moment, unsure of what else to do, before turning to face the open space of the entrance hall behind her.

A few ponies were walking in and out of the foyer, their expressions all delighted. Twilight felt the same as her peers; some time for independence had finally arrived in the form of a week-long break. Twilight's independence, of course, was spent on simply more reading and studying, but the feeling of choosing what work to cover next equaled any other pony's passion regarding escape from the daily grind.

With the thought in mind, Twilight lifted a book from her bag and cracked its spine. The pages of the tome flipped to one side or the other, leaving the mare with the middle two pages between which sat a bookmark. She sat herself down, placed the book on the ground, and found exactly where she had left off last.

“Page two hundred and twenty-six,” Twilight read to herself aloud. “Wonder how far I'll get this hour!”

Episode 5: MYSTERY OF THE WESTERN WOODS

Chapter 16: Rowdy Rumble

“Twilight?”

The unicorn’s head jerked from out of the thick volume hovering before her eyes. The string of words that flowed through her mind ceased as Twilight’s comprehension was put on hold. Behind the visual barrier of the book stood a couple of familiar faces, those of Colgate and Lyra, which immediately stole away the reader’s attention. The pair of dark blue and brilliant amber eyes that awaited her created a contrast that left Twilight staring speechless for a moment.

“Oh, hey guys!” Twilight welcomed as she closed her book and rose from her seated position near the door to the performance hall. “Are you two coming to Vinyl’s concert, too?”

“What else is there to do?” Lyra asked with a growl.

Colgate elbowed her mint-colored friend in the flank and laughed, “Oh come on, Lyra, like you don’t want to be here.”

“It's not as though I could escape the noise even if I were in my own bedroom,” Lyra mumbled. “Knowing Vinyl, this concert won’t be very mild.”

“What do you mean, Lyra?” Twilight inquired, noting her friend's vexed stare cast down on the floor. “Haven’t I seen you at some of her smaller performances in Ponyville-?”

Lyra, removing her cold, amber eyes from the ground, revealed the entirety of her exasperated emotion in an alarming gaze. “I’d rather suffer through two straight days of our professor’s lectures than go to one of those explosive ordeals.”

“Oh. Well... you know you don't have to go, right?” Twilight posed.

But Lyra shook her head with a hefty hint of stubbornness. “What kind of a friend would I be if I simply deserted Vinyl Scratch in her time of need? You know that she needs us to go in order for her to feel accepted and whatnot.”

Twilight watched as a large crowd of ponies began pouring in from all around. From the glass corridor, the park outside, and the stairwell nearby a sudden rush of students began pouring into the foyer. Most wore rather excited expressions, while others tpassing through meandered as though afraid to admit their intrigue. Others still passed by the open doors to the performance hall with curious glances, some never actually entering the venue.

“When did the doors open?” Twilight asked as she cocked her head in puzzlement. She shook her head and continued, “Listen, Lyra, it would be nice to go and support Vinyl, but in all honesty it’s not like she’ll see-”

“Oh I’ll manage, Twilight, don't you worry!” Lyra said, suddenly chipper. “Now that I think about it, our break begins tomorrow! Whatever I must endure tonight won't be nearly as bad as the upcoming break will be wonderful!”

Twilight rolled her eyes and giggled. Her friend’s characteristic up-and-down demeanor never ceased to surprise her.

“That’s easy for you to say, Lyra,” Colgate suddenly remarked. “You aren't stranded here for the whole break. Think about all of us who have to stay and do whatever Luna has in store for us! We’ll probably have a bunch of reading and writing...”

“Reading and writing?” Twilight gasped, turning her lighthearted smile into a giant grin. “You really think so!?”

Lyra and Colgate looked to one another. Both shook their heads slowly.

“Oh, Colgate, isn't that just heartbreaking,” Lyra said as she gave Colgate a faked pout. “It's not my fault you all decided to go and break some of the academy's rules before classes even started. Besides, won’t you two really end up enjoying your time ‘stranded’ here for a week?”

Colgate's eyes rolled pensively upward. “Now that you mention it, I might be able to get some time to go check out the island with some other ponies. That might not be so bad.”

“And I'll have plenty of time to do some more reading and writing, mandatory or not!” Twilight added cheerily. “Wow Lyra, you really know how to turn things around!”

“It's all in the mood swings,” Lyra bragged as she flicked her powder blue mane.

Twilight and Colgate quickly exchanged glances. Their confused countenances reassured the other of their friend’s rather puzzling statement.

“Anyway,” Colgate finally said after a cough, “should we head in? Looks like everypony else is. Don't wanna be last.”

“Oh, yes, let's head in!” Lyra said as she turned and trotted on in. “Now that I’ve talked myself into going. Hopefully it’ll be quite the treat!”

Twilight placed her book inside one of her saddlebags and followed her friends into the stream of ponies squeezing in through the hall entrance. Her heart started racing as the excitement within her rose. Twilight had been to some of Vinyl’s performances before, but only when the mare was a hired DJ or when her initial shows were smaller in scale. To see a concert given by Vinyl, a popular artist Twilight knew herself, seemed like the perfect way to start the winter break.

As the three from Ponyville made their way into the heart of the performance hall Twilight began noticing the finished set-up. A blanket of galactic ornament covered the bare bones of the layout. The stretch of lights attached to the ceiling were hidden by a hanging barrier filled with golden stars and crescent shapes. The stage itself hid behind a curtain that curved around the semicircular platform, its designs like constellations spotted across the midnight sky.

What struck Twilight the most was how packed the chamber was despite its massive size. Earlier that day she had only seen crew members waltzing about the spacious area; this time the mare beheld an entire swarm of ponies pushed all the way up to the edge of the stage. Even getting in proved to be a challenge. Twilight and the other two only made it to halfway to the stage before the audience grew too packed to push through.

The sea of students spread conversation that filled the chamber with a hum of its own. Excitement made the drone buzz like bees. Twilight felt the electric sensation passing through her, though she herself was not contributing in her silence. The mare never considered herself a very lively individual, but she considered herself a conductor of liveliness nonetheless.

“I didn't know this many ponies even went to the academy,” Twilight said.

Lyra looked around in disbelief, until suddenly she spotted an especially noisy bunch pressed up against the stage.

“I think you're onto something, Twilight,” Lyra scoffed. “I don't think they're students here.”

Near the front stood a group of ponies with glow sticks hung around the necks and attached to bracelets tied around their hoofs. Their odd-colored manes were cut into strange styles, from long mohawks to extremely short buzzes. Some had earrings up and down their ears, and their cutie marks seemed to Twilight very eccentric, to say the least.

“Maybe ponies outside of the academy were invited?” Twilight suggested. “They did let in a number of visitors for the last performance, after all. At least that’s what I heard.”

“I think we should avoid those strangers as much as possible,” Lyra suggested as she backed out of the middle of the crowd.

“Why?” Twilight asked. “It's not like they’re going to do anything unruly-”

Suddenly the lights went out. A collective gasp sounded through the hall, accompanied by a few screams. When the murmurs settled a low hum began vibrating throughout the chamber. Twilight could feel her eardrums pulsing a thousand times per minute until the volume of the low pitch began to rise. The curtains slowly opened just enough to reveal the source of the deep, drawn out drone: the organ.

Sitting at the expansive keyboard to the back of the stage was who Twilight knew to be Melodia. A mare of great musical talent, she took on a new look as her pale purple coat turned dark violet and her white hair silver in the dimness of the hall. Her back was to the audience, but with the mare’s hoofs dug into the keys of the grand instrument Twilight could sense the intensity that emanated from the concentrated musician.

The deep, prolonged notes came to a cease, and a following solo brought a wow over the audience like a wave. The intricate melody flew up and down the keyboard, following the precise movements of Melodia's hoofs. The quick presses and releases made past concertos Twilight had seen seem like mere colt's play. The feel of the amazing musical run flowed forth like a fast-paced villain’s theme.

The musical notes finally landed on a chord during which the curtains flew open the rest of the way. A pair of towering speakers suddenly came into view, and the second their great black rectangular shapes completely emerged a rippling roar blasted through the air. Lights flashed onto the ceiling above and out into the crowd, coloring the audience bright blue and silver. The sound of the organ’s chord and electronic noise carried on for some time in perfect unison before coming to a complete stop.

There was no silence, however, as a number of those inside the hall were already hooting and hollering.

“DJ PON-3!”

“YEAH!”

“ROCK IT, V!”

The strange bunch at the front of the crowd started jumping and yelling as a spectrum of colored lasers shot out in every direction. The focused lights then fell to form a circle around Vinyl to the front right section of stage. Twilight watched her white friend smile as the DJ adjusted the goggles on her face. She lifted her hoofs up, paused, and then slammed both down onto one of her devices as the speakers boomed once more.

Undulating notes created a speedy aria like that of the organ. Tones flew up and down the scale as the speakers cranked out a futuristic resonance that Twilight felt was somehow glowing. She continued to watch her friend on stage as Vinyl grinned and toyed with dials. A crazy drumbeat blared a racket of sound that made Twilight cover her ears.

Soon the organ was at it again as Vinyl threw in accompanying sounds. Twilight felt her gut pulsing as though somepony were massaging her stomach too hard as the beat hit time and time again. The explosions of the bass beat through her body and shook her more so than any music had before.

For a while the mare tried to adjust to the feel, but after the first ten minutes of the performance Twilight felt a headache coming on. Its intensity was worse than that of one she had gotten from having an anvil – among other things – accidentally dropped on her head from the sky. Unsure of whether or not the discomfort was normal, Twilight glanced around to see other ponies' reactions.

Those in front, familiar and unfamiliar faces alike, were bucking and screaming with sheer joy abounding. Their eyes were closed and hoofs raised high or otherwise swinging wildly about. Near the middle of the crowd was a mix of actions; some jumping as well as others cheered, while some were confused as to what they were to do. Near the back where Twilight stood a number were bobbing their heads, but more seemed to be covering their ears or gritting their teeth in pain.

“WHAT DID I TELL YOU, TWILIGHT!?” Lyra yelled angrily; though standing side-by-side, the felt miles apart with all the sound. “THOSE PONIES UP FRONT ARE UP TO NO GOOD! THEY’RE... THEY’RE BEATING EACH OTHER!”

“LYRA, RELAX!” Colgate exclaimed. “THEY’RE JUST GOING CRAZY!”

“WHAT!? ARE YOU SAYING THAT’S OKAY!?” Lyra shrieked.

“SURE IS!” Colgate shouted. “AND I’M GONNA JOIN ‘EM!”

The blue mare pranced her way through the crowd until she reached the front, where she too went crazy with all the bucking and bellowing to the bass. Twilight and Lyra stayed near the back with a number of other ponies looking just as lost or traumatized as themselves. The twisting sound of electronic dubstep soon shook up the entire room like an earthquake.

Lyra shook her head, hoofs covering her ears, as she turned to leave. “VINYL WILL UNDERSTAND, I’M SURE. THIS IS SIMPLY TOO MUCH TO BEAR! WHOEVER TALKED ME INTO DOING THIS ANYWAY!?”

“I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO STAY AND SUPPORT VIN-?”

“NEVERMIND WHAT I SAID EARLIER!” Lyra cut in. “ARE YOU STAYING OR COMING WITH ME?”

Twilight looked back at Lyra, who neared the door which hid a far less noisy atmosphere behind it. She glanced at Vinyl, who stood on stage playing her music as happily as any mare could possibly be. The contrasting feelings of loyalty started tearing Twilight in two.

“I THINK I’LL STAY!” Twilight finally replied, to which Lyra shook her head.

“IF YOU DON’T GO DEAF BY MORNING, LISTEN FOR A KNOCK ON THE DOOR. I DON’T WANT TO LEAVE WITHOUT SAYING GOODBYE!” Lyra said, and then made her way out to the foyer.

Twilight, having made her choice, stood her ground and let out a deep breath. The violent vibrations that beat inside the mare’s ears continued on as the volume never stooped down even a notch. Even when Melodia returned to a solo on the organ Vinyl was toying with the sound in some manner, adding drums or an accompaniment of an electronic orchestra. Breaks between songs seemed nonexistent as Vinyl hopped or scratched her way from one tune to the next.

After a while Twilight began wondering if she made the right decision. She glanced back at the large doors leading out, but her heart wouldn’t let the stare last for long. Her ears, however, kept begging and begging, until Twilight could hardly make out her own thoughts.

Must... stay... in the name... of friendship!

[br]

There seemed to be a ringing noise following wherever Twilight went. Her ears throbbed as the shrieking note occupied the mare's hearing, its pitch intolerable and unfluctuating even a half hour after the music stopped. Aside from the single tone there was little else that the mare could hear in the foyer, save for the small groans of those accompanying the mare who suffered a similar sense of deafness.

Vinyl had told Twilight that the concert would blow her mind, but really all Twilight thought it had done was blow her eardrums. She couldn't hardly hear her own hoofsteps as she tromped her way back to her room, which took far too long as Twilight constantly paused to massage her aching head.

The sound of her door opening and closing actually made its way into the mare’s ears, but the faint sound was like a brief wisp of wind in volume and duration. The seeming lack of noise - aside from the unbearably high pitch - was almost eerie. It was possibly less preferable than the actual ear-splitting sounds of the concert that brought on the painful phenomenon in the first place.

As she walked into the confines of her bedroom Twilight began thinking of a way to eliminate the resonance. Pages of spells and studies flipped through the mare’s mind as quickly as a librarian scans through books on a library shelf. To Twilight’s dismay, her mind was not as vast a resource, and as a result nothing came to directly to mind. She didn’t have a clue of where to begin.

Twilight felt guilt weighing her down as she paced in front of her bed; she really had enjoyed the concert altogether. The lights were stunning, the tunes were very well composed, incorporating the organ and Vinyl’s instruments in incredible ways. Unfortunately for Twilight, the sound was - put nicely - overwhelming.

The approaching night did not help in the slightest as it offered no means of escape from the aftereffects. It drove Twilight crazy as the minutes passed. The ensuing weariness was like that from too much magic casting; the headache was worse than any Twilight had felt after too many hours of intensive reading and critical thinking.

Eventually the heaviness dragged Twilight’s head down upon her soft, fluffy pillow. The mare hoped the physical comfort would outweigh the mental discomfort, but even the comfy bedding could not take Twilight's mind off of the ringing in her head; in fact, lying down seemed to make all of it worse. Before long the mare was sitting up with thoughts spinning in her head incoherently.

“This is what I get for not doing thorough research on ‘dubstep’,” Twilight mumbled as she rose and walked over to her bedroom window.

With a tired push Twilight opened the glass panels and let the cool wintry air seep in. Its chill spilled onto her face like water moving in slow motion. The refreshing feel and mixed scents of pine and the sea momentarily brought a smile to Twilight’s face. She breathed in the night air and closed her eyes as she leaned her head back in an attempt to relax her mind.

Though calming, Twilight’s mind still felt as restless as storm not halfway passed. The strong winds of thoughts pushed the unicorn’s eyes to move left and right, up and down, as they beheld the vista of the island outside.

The scene had fallen beneath a blanket of darkness and of snow. Parts of the eastern coastline had frozen as thin sheets of ice reflected the dim moonlight hanging above. Wispy clouds came and went across the sky, but none could hide the dominant light of the night. To the north were the rolling Western Woods, their pine trees and other plants covered in beautiful, glimmering snow.

But something seemed to be moving against the whiteness.

Twilight rubbed her eyes and stared again. She glanced around the middle of the forest where she thought she had seen the shifting, but there was nothing out and about then. She stared long and hard for any sign of strange movement, but the trees were as still as the air - at least, as still as the air should have sounded.

The ringing in Twilight’s ears returned to her attention, forcing the mare to tap her head in hopes of breaking the resonance’s hold on her ears; however, the ringing sound ensued. Frustrated, Twilight let out an irritated growl.

“I give up,” she muttered, but suddenly a thought flew through her mind.

Wait a minute; no I don’t!

Twilight remembered there was somepony else who could help. Though she usually didn’t like others to solve her problems, the aural agony quickly became an issue she just wanted fixed. Her hopes began lifting her head back up until suddenly curiosity caught her eye once more.

Out in the middle of the forest was something big and black, the top of it reaching just below the evergreen treetops. The flora around it shifted as the strange thing barged its way about. Its progress through the woods was not all that clumsy; in fact it appeared more willful, though slow. Twilight felt if her hearing was halfway decent she would be able to hear the rustling of the trees.

The mare, slowly peeling her violet eyes from the sight, turned and headed for Lemon Heart's room across the suite. She knocked and waited with jitters shaking her body. She hoped her friend would get up rather than call out from behind the door, since she could hardly hear even the knocks on the wood she made. After a minute's pause her yellow friend's head popped out into the lounge and her azure eyes settled on the shaking mare.

“Yes, what- TWILIGHT!” Lemon Hearts gasped, suddenly flinging the door all the way open. “What happened to you!?”

Twilight, now shocked herself, looked down at her own hoofs as well as over the rest of her violet physique. “N-Nothing, I think?”

“But your face is so pale. Your ears are twitching, too!”

Twilight paused and waited for the involuntary movements of her ears. Every few seconds one would shiver, then the other, followed by brief pauses in between. She hadn’t noticed the convulsing of her ears; only the clamor within them.

Twilight blushed. “Oh, well, I guess that concert took more of a toll on me than I thought-”

“You went to that concert tonight? Are you trying to inflict pain upon yourself!?”

“What? No! I mean-” The image of the movement within the forest suddenly shot into Twilight's brain, breaking a link in the mare's chain of thoughts. “Listen, I have to tell you something more important first. I think I just saw something moving outside.”

Lemon Hearts narrowed her eyes and tilted her head upwards, a sign Twilight knew of her roommate when skepticism arose.

“Just what did you see moving?” the yellow mare asked.

Twilight walked over to her friend's window and opened the panels. “Look down at the forest. There was something in the middle of all the trees. It seemed really big, almost like a-”

Twilight couldn’t even finish as the image in her head began projecting onto the nighttime landscape of the forest. Lemon Hearts, keeping her expression of doubt, slowly made her way over to her friend's side and stared out the window as well. She tilted her head back forward and gazed out like an eagle staring down at the Western Woods. She scanned the treetops with great intensity as they ran across the span of the woods.

Twilight tried to repeat her friend’s examination, but her eyes were far less acute. Her drooping head didn't help in the attempt, either, as soon enough the mare’s hanging head left her tired eyes staring down at the windowsill.

“I don't see anything, Twilight,” Lemon Hearts concluded with a shake of her head. “And... by the looks of it, you seem nothing short of exhausted. Are you sure your senses aren't playing tricks on you?”

“I'm sure I saw something!” Twilight pleaded. “Just look one more time! It was big and black, and all the trees around it were moving. It even looked like it was swimming around-”

Lemon Hearts covered her friend's running mouth with a hoof. “Now, now, Twilight. I know you hate being wrong, but I really think you imagined this whole thing.” Twilight opened her mouth again, but Lemon Hearts continued first, “It all makes sense when you think about; from what I understand, Vinyl Scratch’s performances are more like light shows. Celestia knows if I had gone I might have had a seizure. With all that flashiness it’s no surprise that your eyes may be deceiving you.”

“You really can't see anything?” Twilight asked as she stared out the window, but her neck could hardly support her spinning head anymore.

“Nothing out of ordinary. Do you see anything now?”

Twilight bit her lip as her head began lowering again. “I can't see it anymore...”

“That's because your face seems to be attracted to the windowsill,” Lemon Hearts remarked as she lifted her friend's head from its slouch. “You should really get some rest. There's nothing out there in the forest, Twilight. If there is, Princess Luna will deal with it.”

“Ugh, you're right,” Twilight finally gave in. “But somepony has to tell her-!”

“I’ll tell her,” Lemon Hearts said as she started pushing her friend toward her bedroom. “Don’t worry about this at all. I’ll say something before I leave tomorrow. You just focus on getting some rest before you go crazy. Heaven knows what’ll happen then.”

“Right,” Twilight began slurring, “I'm just gonna go to sleep before I start seeing other things.”

“You do that,” Lemon Hearts said. “Don't sleep in, though! I would like to say goodbye before I head out tomorrow.”

“Huh? Oh, right,” Twilight replied. “Good night.”

She left her roommate's abode and clumped slowly back to her own. A chilling air greeted her as the windowpanes hung wide open. Twilight approached aperture and paused, giving the vast scenery one more stare. As her eyes started to close against her will she failed to see anything moving anymore. But the sight of the mysterious thing in the distance would not leave the vision in her mind.

“Maybe I am seeing things,” Twilight muttered to herself as she crawled into bed. The ringing in her ears returned to the forefront of her mind. “Oh! I never asked Lemon Hearts about this ringing.”

But the second she slapped her forehead with a hoof, her head felt heavy as a rock. Her eyes started spinning in an exhaustive dizziness, and in seconds she was lying down on her bed. The moment Twilight's head touched the pillow the mare’s body gave in to rest.

Her mind, however, was anything but restful.

What was that thing I saw..?

Chapter 17: Talking of a Winter Wonderland

Twilight awoke to a warmth that gently touched upon her face. An accompanying gleam pressed through the mare's eyelids, waking her from the dark mist surrounding her world of dreams. The gleam only caused the unicorn's eyes to stir into closing tighter than they already were, but even then the light shone through stubbornly. It didn’t take long for the mare to understand it was the morning’s first light.

Normally she would have delighted in the drop of sunlight that signaled a new day; this time, however, the night did not seem to have lasted its typical span. With a groan Twilight rolled to her side, hiding her face from the incoming luminescence. The beams then covered her violet neck and dark mane with a heat too strong to ignore in the winter. Reluctant, the mare crawled out from her bed and stood on all fours.

Though she swayed upon first touching the ground, she managed to balance herself. The throbbing in her head had not disappeared. To Twilight's delight, though, the ringing had ceased. She could hear the morning birds in their usual song as well as the echoes of the sea off a ways. Her ears picked up sounds of hoofsteps and conversation coming from outside her room.

Oh! I need to say goodbye to Lyra and Lemon Hearts before they go!

Though tired, Twilight still felt she had some energy to hurry to at least find out her friends. As she opened the door to the suite, however, her brief burst came to a halt. No pony was inside the suite, but rather crossing by in the corridor. There was something awaiting her, however, on the ground just outside her room.

Laid on the carpeting were two white envelopes with Twilight’s name written on their covers. On the reverse sides were the words 'Read First' and 'Read Second' written in fine cursive, the former of which also had a note attached to it. Obeying the directions, Twilight held the first paper package and its attached message up to her weary purple eyes.

On the note, in less careful hoofwriting, read:

“Twilight,

Guess that concert must have taken its toll on you! I WARNED YOU! See you in a

week, and don't get into any more trouble!

~Lyra”

Twilight felt as though her heart had tripped and fallen on its face. The first emotion to strike her was despair; somehow she had missed Lyra’s departure. Shortly after despair was wonder, specifically concerning why Lyra did not wake her up for any form of farewell. And finally, as though the two sentiments were somehow not enough, a sense of anxiety regarding the two unopened letters struck Twilight enough to place the sadness and confusion from earlier quickly aside.

Without much hesitation Twilight tore open the first envelope and unfolded the paper inside. Not much of the sheet was filled with ink; in fact, with the small writing as it was, Twilight started wondering if some were tiny accidental ink blots rather than actual words. The style was similar to that in which the ‘Read First’ and ‘Read Second’ instructions had been written.

When her eyes managed to adjust to the tiny quill-strokes she read aloud to herself:

“Dear Twilight,

You should hear yourself snoring as I write this! I saw that you were tired last night, but

not that tired. Although I would love to say farewell and such, that would involve waking you

up, and at this point I feel as intimidated by this as I would if I were trying to wake a hibernating Ursa Minor. (Yes, I heard about that story!)

Lyra tried to wake you with a number of things before I got back from breakfast, or so she told me. When she fabricated a tape recorder and told me there was some of Vinyl Scratch's music on it, I felt the need to stop her. I understand goodbyes are nice, but we'll all be back in a week, right? Time will fly by quickly enough.

Try not to get into any more trouble!

Sincerely,

Lemon Hearts

P.S. I saw a letter in our suite's mailbox and thought I would save you the effort of having to get it yourself!”

Twilight let out a whimper. “So they all left already.”

She looked over Lemon Hearts's note again and let a weary smile flash for a second.

It is just one week, I guess.

In an attempt to brush off the sadness Twilight shook her head and held up the second envelope. Its size was similar to the first, only the unopened letter appeared a bit bulkier. On the front right corner was a stamp of the Equestrian Postal Service, and to middle was her name written with a magenta crayon. Twilight immediately recognized the calligraphy.

She gasped and quickly ripped the top off the second envelope, and a tiny explosion of confetti burst from the opening. As the colorful bits of paper floated through the air a happy tune started to play. Twilight giggled at the surprise that had ruffled her mane and nearly made her jump back through her bedroom door. Without further delay the mare pulled out the note inside and closed the envelope, turning off the musical jingle and leaving the suite to fall silent once more.

As excitement swept over Twilight she began reading the letter aloud again, this time with more energy:

“Dear Twilight,

Hello from Ponyville! Spike here taking a letter for all your best friends (they were

fighting over who would write until I stepped in). How is everything going at the Winter Magic Academy? Are you making lots of new friends? Everypony misses having you around!

We would have written you sooner, but somepony forgot to tell us all the news earlier that you weren't coming back for Hearth's Warming Eve (I won't tell you who because I have a crush on her). We were hoping you would come back so we could go to the Hearth's Warming Eve performance we were in last winter! Although Celestia didn't offer us parts this year, she did

give us tickets for the show. It won’t be the same without you!

You still have a second break, though, right? Applejack says to write back and tell us

about when it is so we can plan your returning party. Rarity says you should try not to get into

any more trouble. Fluttershy wants to know if there are cute creatures on the island. I think Rainbow Dash is talking about the Wonderbolts... and Pinkie Pie wants to know if they serve cupcakes there. At this point everypony's getting distracted, but know that we all are thinking about you every day!

Hope to see you soon!

Your Truly,

Spike, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy”

Twilight felt her eyes watering up. With all of the homework and other things to do at the academy she had lost track of writing her personal letters to each one of her best friends. She couldn't even remember how many of them she had finished, or if she had actually completed any, for that matter. The guilt made her head go dizzy, bringing Twilight out of her bliss and back to reality where her head ached as though a stacked bookshelf had fallen on top of her.

The feeling of homesickness did not help with the pain as the spinning only got worse. The dizziness did not shortly go away, either, as soon Twilight found herself backing into her room, shutting the door, and laying down on her bed with a groan. The strange and sudden illness was something the mare had not experienced so strongly before.

Twilight knew exactly what it was: she had never left Ponyville for extended periods of time, especially not without her best friends. With her two closest companions – Lyra and Lemon Hearts – gone for an entire week, Twilight felt a deep loneliness that hit her gut harder than the music at Vinyl’s concert the night before.

For a while Twilight wallowed in the sensation, unsure of what to do. Usually she knew whom she could go to for help, but this time all that stood at the forefront of Twilight's mind was a veil of utter uncertainty. The insecurity shook Twilight like a rag doll in its powerful grip until the mare pushed herself to find a way out of its grasp.

To battle the feeling Twilight began searching for some kind of escape within her room. There was not much that caught Twilight’s eye at first; at first all she could see was the furniture. But atop one structure – her desk in the corner – she suddenly spotted her stack of books that glowed gold like a holy grail.

“Maybe some reading will get my mind off of things,” Twilight murmured to herself as she stumbled onto her hoofs and over to the stack of books.

Without even examining the titles Twilight snatched a book with her magic and headed straight for her door. The moment her head was through the wooden frame, though, Twilight’s hoofs felt suddenly glued to the floor.

Her eyes knew just what her subconscious was thinking; they inched back to gaze at the sight of the letters sitting on her bed. With tears still forming at the mere sight of it Twilight tried to push through the invisible barrier before her and leave the letter from her friends behind. No matter how hard she tried, though, Twilight could feel something deep inside pulling her back, never allowing her to set hoof outside the door.

“Ugh, fine,” Twilight muttered, though unsure of who she herself was addressing.

She took the note from her friends, placed it in the thick book she carried, and headed through her bedroom door with no problem.

I’ll get over this homesickness... somehow.

With the first winter break's arrival came decorations of cut-out fireplaces and fir trees. The lines of paper shapes strung across arches and wrapped around columns. Accompanying reds and greens squeezed their way into the originally blue and violet halls as every square inch of the academy was decorated for the upcoming holiday.

The decorations, however, were on display for very few to behold. Most of the students that were able left the academy for the week, leaving the select few who chose or were ordered to stay on the island a staggering minority. The quietude in every room of the hall left Twilight feeling as though she were inside an abandoned castle. She expected to find somepony she knew wandering about, but after an hour of exploring the main hall not a soul seemed to be around. The chilly feel of the emptiness only multiplied the cold that lingered in every room.

The only comfort Twilight managed to find was by the fireplace within the dormitory commons room. Located near the back of the building, the chamber was a cozy location with a perfect view of the southern span of the island. Hills covered in pine rolled until peaking into mountains in the distance. Snow covered the span of scenery and sparkled in the sunlight that gleamed throughout the late morning hours.

Within the room itself was a roaring fireplace that kept the furniture-filled chamber warm and well-lit. Twilight situated herself near the toasty fire with a blanket draped over her to add to the cozy sensation. The scent of burning lumber lingered about with the fragrances of holly, while the only sound the unicorn could make out was the popping and flickering of the flames.

Peace and quiet... a perfect place to lose myself in some reading.

The book Twilight had snatched, 'History of the Speak-No-Evil Spell', turned out to be a perfect page-turner. She had never even heard of the spell. However, even after hours of burying her muzzle in the worn pages of the tome, the mare could not completely distract her from the melancholy she hoped to forget. Each time she caught of glimpse of the note – which she used as a bookmark – a recurring sadness put a brief pause to her reading.

Every so often when diving into the pages Twilight would picture what she might have doing if she were back in Ponyville instead. She had been looking forward to doing all of the winter activities she had discussed over the past year with her friends. Pinkie Pie had told her she would give her skating lessons. Rainbow Dash said she would clear the skies to allow a few sunny days in. Rarity had even planned an appointment for designing some school winter accessories to replace Twilight's older things.

But with Twilight and the others' punishment, none of it was to happen that week. Rather than bouncing from place to place back home, the mare found herself sitting in silence. Reading to pass the time became less and less of an enthralling task the more Twilight thought about a snow-filled Ponyville.

A disruptive call shook the unicorn from her pity, “Twilight! What's up?”

The mare wiped her eyes and turned her head to peer over the couch on which she read. Standing in the doorway were Vinyl Scratch, donning a pair of large headphones and her signature tinted glasses, and Quirky Q, wearing a strange white saddle with abstract symbols of basic colors sewn into the fabric. Each wore content smiles and bore a pair of curious eyes as they wandered on into the warm room.

“Hey guys,” Twilight said. “What are you two up to this early in the morning?”

“Early?” Vinyl asked, taken aback. “You do know it's noon, right?”

Twilight glanced up at the grandfather clock beside the entryway. Both hands pointed directly upward.

Twilight laughed. “Oh dear. I guess time really does fly when you're having fun.”

Vinyl smirked, “Which is exactly why these past two days have been the fastest in all of pony history.”

“You really seemed in your element last night, Vinyl,” Twilight said as she rubbed her own ears and squinted. She glanced at her other present friend, which turned into a prolonged stare. “Quirky Q... may I ask why you're dressed like that?”

Quirky looked over the modern-like attire she wore. With a bounce she giggled, “Just practicing for a part in a play I'll be auditioning for once I get back to Ponyville.”

“I didn't know they planned shows this far in advance,” Twilight said. “Which show is it?”

“Bridle of Show. Are you familiar with the comedy?” Quirky said.

“Never heard of it before,” Twilight said. “What part are you trying out for?”

“The piece of paper. Isn't that what I look like?”

Twilight skimmed over the strange saddle again and shrugged her shoulders. “Well, sure, I suppose.”

“What's the matter, Twi?” Vinyl asked as she walked over and warmed up by the fire. “Got somethin’ on your mind?”

Twilight closed her book and hid the letters inside of it. She laid her head on her hoofs and mumbled, “Nothing.”

Vinyl clicked her teeth as she stared Twilight in the eye. The red irises accentuated through the glasses with the fire glistening off to the side. “You sound as heart-broken as a sappy string concerto. Come on, you can tell us.”

“Yes, do tell!” Quirky demanded.

Twilight stood from her spot on the couch and approached the fireplace, its warmth failing to reach her shivering heart. “If you really wanna know... I really miss my best friends back in Ponyville. I thought getting a letter from them was the best thing ever, but now that I’ve read what they had to say, all I can think about is home.”

“Oh, you miss them,” Quirky said with sympathy. “That’s understandable. It’s not unnatural, Twilight, there’s no need to be ashamed.”

“I just wish I could do something about it,” Twilight uttered. “Instead I’m here on the island for the next week with nothing to do but read.”

“Wouldn't be that way if we hadn't snuck out,” Vinyl said. “And don’t you like reading?”

“I love reading, but doing it for a whole week would probably get old. I really regret sneaking out and everything else that happened a few weeks ago,” Twilight confessed. “At the time I thought either I would make it out just fine, or else I would get caught and sent back to Ponyville. In either case I figured I would see my friends over the break, though I wasn't exactly thinking about that at the time.”

“And now you're stuck here,” Vinyl said.

“Well, yeah,” Twilight muttered. “Now I can't get my mind off of Ponyville and everything that's probably going on there.”

“Not even your books can save you from that,” Quirky stated. “But I think there’s something that we can do to help!”

Twilight raised an eyebrow in doubt, though also with a hint of interest.

Quirky continued, “The only way to get your mind off of something like this is to keep yourself busy.” Twilight glanced at her book, then back at a most enthusiastic Quirky Q. “So let's do something!”

“Like what?” Twilight asked as dejection remained in her voice.

“Well, for starters, I’ve still got to go eat,” Vinyl mentioned. “Wanna join?”

“I... I guess,” said Twilight with a sigh. She picked up her book and joined the other two as they made their way over to the main hall.

Twilight followed with her head held low as the other two trotted ahead content as could be. As she looked around the grounds felt utterly abandoned as the trio made their way through the glass corridor and to the grand dining hall. Not a soul was in sight as the three passed through except for a couple of guards on duty.

The dining hall did not change the feeling of vacancy in the slightest. Compared to the vast number of occupied tables and the noise of daily chatter that sounded from them, the mere two tables that were taken seemed about as lively as a cornfield in the winter.

Twilight looked at the table nearest the entrance. She didn't recognize the three that were silently eating at the half-occupied table, and so passed by simply staring. The group seemed quite content with their grazing as they sat with their eyes closed or otherwise resting on the sights of their own plates. Once in a while they mumbled a word or two, but on the whole they seemed rather unsociable.

The choice to sit elsewhere was made easier as Windchaser occupied the second table all by himself. Though he was not appear much more energetic than the other table, he at least was a familiar character. As a result the Ponyville trio that entered in for lunch went to join him immediately.

“How's it goin', Windy?” Vinyl asked as she plopped herself in the cushion right beside him.

He watched as Quirky and Twilight sat on the opposite side of the table and then looked back down at his food, a plate full of cooked vegetables and a bowl of soup.

“Good,” he replied softly.

“Any plans for today?” Quirky inquired in a merry mood. “Everypony else seems to have some.”

“Practice some spells,” Windchaser replied. “What about you three?”

Vinyl patted her stomach and smiled. “Well, first we gotta eat. Then we'll be distracting Twilight for the rest of the day.”

“Distracting?” queried Windchaser.

“Yeah, Twi's got the blues like a jazz singer,” Vinyl said as she waved her hoof about slowly. “We're lookin' to spice things up a bit. You got any ideas?”

Windchaser looked down at his steaming soup and stared at his reflection in the bowl. He stirred the mixture with a silver spoon and took a sip before replying, “Explore the island.”

“Ha ha, Windy. Where the hay are we supposed to go?” Vinyl asked as she leaned her elbows on the table. “And don't you tell me you're thinking about that cave Colgate took us to a couple of weeks ago-”

“The woods!” Twilight shrieked, then suddenly covered her mouth.

The others stared for a moment while Twilight recovered from her own shock of the outcry. The mare released her hoofs from in front of her mouth and revealed her tightly shut mouth. Her eyes jumped back and forth around the dining hall, until finally excited mare waved for the others to lean in over the table.

“I think I saw something out in the forest last night,” Twilight whispered.

The others looked at one another and blinked.

Twilight continued, “When I got back to my room from the concert, I think I saw something moving out in the Western Woods. What do you guys think it could be?”

“What did it look like?” Quirky asked.

“It looked really big, even as tall as the trees! And I think it had a black color to it.”

“Just a black color?” Vinyl chipped in.

Twilight shook her head slowly and closed her eyes. “I... I think so. I don't remember anything else besides it looking like a moving shadow. Everything around it was moving. What do you guys think could it be?”

“A figment of your imagination,” Windchaser answered.

“No, I really think I saw something!” Twilight exclaimed, suddenly raising her voice again. “Lemon Hearts said the same thing, but now that I think about it all the image was too clear. I know my eyes wouldn't deceive me, even after a blinding light show. No offense, Vinyl.”

“Eh, none taken,” replied the DJ with a smirk.

“So, you really think you saw something,” Quirky reiterated. “Do you want to go check it out? I guess that would distract you enough for today, right?”

“Assuming we find something,” Twilight said. “But I don't want to go alone. Would any of you be interested in going with me to check things out?”

Twilight looked to the three that joined her at the table, each of their faces seemingly blank. The looks her friends' held were like those that could change into approval or disapproval in a simple stomp of a hoof.

Vinyl went first, “I don't think I'm game, Twi. I'm bushed from doing the concert and all yesterday.”

Twilight's ears drooped. “I understand.”

“I'll go!” Quirky declared suddenly, raising a hoof in her usual dramatic fashion. “If you're absolutely sure that you saw something, then I'll see to it that you find whatever’s out there. But wait!” Quirky gasped and quickly turned away, then turned back around to reveal a thoughtful gaze. “Are the woods still off-limits by order of Princess Luna?”

“Not anymore,” Windchaser said.

Twilight and Quirky's faces lit up. “Really!?”

“I asked the headmare if I could explore the Western Woods,” Windchaser stated. “Supposedly they’re beautiful this time of year - or so I heard one of the professors say. As long as there’s daylight and ponies travel in groups, Princess Luna said she had no issues.”

Twilight felt her hopes and spirit rising. “Perfect! We have a few hours still, and I won't be going alone! Just out of curiosity, Windchaser, did you really ask her yourself?”

“Yeah,” Windchaser answered hesitantly. “Why?”

“Just... wondering,” Twilight replied. “Anyway, are you interested in going too?”

Windchaser nodded.

“It's settled!” Quirky yelped and she leaped out from her seat. “Let me go change real quick and we can be on our way. Hurry up and eat Twilight, today we have a thing to find!”

Chapter 18: Twists and Turns

Twilight could feel a sense of reluctance rising inside as she and her two companions neared the emerald forest's edge. From a distance the Western Woods had been a rather pleasant sight, from the strong, towering pines to the shimmering snow that wrapped around them. The great span of trees flowed like a wave over the hillsides as it reached northward, bordering the western mountain range and the long, eastern coastline.

A single trail supposedly looped through a better part of the expansive woods, but from where Twilight stood atop the hill - just a few steps away from the southern gate of the school grounds - she couldn't find a single divide in the stretch of the forest. All she could make out of the trail was its beginning, a hole in the bulwark of trees at the base of the hill.

Although Twilight always saw the Western Woods as a beautiful landscape, certain elements began standing out as she drew closer and closer to it. With dark clouds brewing over the Equestrian Sea and winds growing stronger and colder with every passing minute, Twilight thought twice about her little excursion.

Her wondering gradually turned into a mental list, its contents an inventory of ‘reasons’ as to why the three should turn back. Twilight’s eyes were weary after a long night of restlessness. Lunch had hardly filled her stomach. Her saddlebags, though hardly filled, felt heavier with every step she took. Her boots and scarf were beginning to feel insufficient as the cold grew only worse.

But the moment Twilight removed her sights from the beginning of the trail and back to Quirky and Windchaser, she couldn't even begin piecing together a sentence regarding one of her excuses.

“Do you by chance remember what area of the woods you saw that mysterious thing moving about?” Quirky Q inquired.

Twilight, shook from her panic, stopped and looked over the stretch of pointed treetops. With a blurred vision the mare could hardly distinguish one section of the forest from another. Guessing which direction her bedroom window faced, Twilight could picture the nocturnal activity in various parts of the green and white jumble.

“I think it was... over there?” Twilight said as she looked and pointed to the east.

Windchaser and Quirky surveyed the vague area at which she motioned. Their eyes lacked what little detail Twilight's memory held; that little detail, however, was the difference between a thoughtless gaze and shivering stare. To them, they were in for a lighthearted trip; to Twilight, they were out on a mission.

“We need to make sure we're heading northeast as much as possible,” Twilight said. “It' a good thing I brought a compass.”

The mare drew out the round instrument with her magic and held it before her eyes. She tapped the bronze case and watched as the white and red arrows spun inside. When the red needle pointed north, Twilight lifted her head and took in a deep breath in preparation.

“This way!” she announced, then marched on forward.

Not after taking two steps, however, she was shortly stopped.

“Hold the phone!” interrupted Quirky with a dash of excitement as the pink in her eyes grew bright. “What if we skirted the woods and followed the coast a ways? It could save us some trouble in case we get lost.”

“That would take too long,” Windchaser stated in his usual reserved voice. “And we risk getting distracted, which would only make the trip last longer.”

“Distracted?” Twilight asked slowly.

Windchaser glanced at the sea where a frozen sheet of ice covering the shallow waters glistened like the sandy beach it bordered.

“Colgate and a few others headed that way, or at least they said that was their plan yesterday,” he said.

“How do you know all these kinds of things?” Quirky asked, amazed. “I rarely see you around, and when you are hanging out you're always so quiet.” The lavender unicorn gasped. “You're a sneaky little eavesdropper, aren't you?”

Windchaser smirked, “You can call it what you like. I call it ‘being informed’.”

“Oh, how did we forget about Colgate?” Twilight mumbled to herself. As the other two fell completely silent, though, the mumble turned into a disappointed notice that all three heard clearly. “I mean, i-it would've been nice to have somepony along who knows what she's doing.”

“Come now, we won't be getting lost in some vast wilderness,” Quirky laughed. “Like you said, we're just following a trail. Nothing dangerous about that, right? And as long as you have the compass we should manage just fine. Now, onward!”

But as the group made their way down the hill Twilight's heart was far from beating with enthusiasm. The unicorn felt her steps moving in accordance to a reluctance that clenched tightly to her heart and brain as every step was a dragged hoof across the snow-covered earth. The feeling was tiring itself.

The group carefully made their way through the snow to the trailhead at the foot of the hill. The organic doorway was an unnerving sight altogether with its bare branches twisted into an arch. With a gulp Twilight stared at the lifeless trees which sat on both sides of the portal. When she looked down the trail the mare could spot a number of similar dead-looking flora spread throughout the otherwise vivid pine and other lively conifers.

“What are you waiting for, an invitation?” Quirky inquired with a giggle. “Let's get moving before it starts getting dark!”

Twilight hadn't even realized that she came to a complete stop with all her staring. With a long inhalation – as though she were diving deep into the sea – Twilight trudged through the natural gate and onto the trail.

Once a few steps in the earlier bone-chilling atmosphere had almost completely disappeared; in its stead, however, an eerie ambiance gradually took its place. The forest seemed much more silent as the howling of the wind died at the wood’s edge. A darkness from the shade of the giant trees multiplied the further in the three dared to venture.

“My, it's so peaceful!” Quirky remarked with wonder, her echoing voice an active example of the tranquility. “It's such a beautiful place. No wonder ponies have been trying to set hoof on this trail!”

Twilight wished her nerves would calm down. The strained feeling made her outlook on things turn from enjoyment to skepticism. The narrow trail was not a unique sight to enjoy, from its beautiful trees to the ice crystals and snow that occupied them; rather, it was a winding trap with a monster inside, like a maze with a wrong turn somewhere down the line.

Twilight's head drooped with the weight of the frightening thought. Her eyes darted back and forth in a frenzy. “It’d be more enjoyable if I could get that thing off my mind. What if we run whatever it is? Is it friendly? Does it even come out during the day?”

“Nonsense, Twilight,” Quirky said with a carefree gesture. “I doubt Princess Luna would let anything dangerous exist even remotely close to the academy. I’m sure there’s nothing to worry about.”

“Well,” Twilight uttered, “we're not exactly close to the school grounds-” Suddenly a thought struck her mind, jolting her into leaping back and stare into space with widened eyes. “Luna! I forgot to tell the princess about all this! Lemon Hearts told me last night that she would say something, but she didn't mention anything about it in her letter-!”

“Princess Luna left,” Windchaser stated.

Twilight paused and looked at the grey stallion. His expressionless face had a hint of confidence within it, though it looked no different than usual.

“Do you know why she left, or where she's headed?” Twilight questioned. “Was it about the forest?”

“She's headed to Canterlot, probably to see Celestia,” Windchaser said. His eyes suddenly motioned a few times toward Quirky, who was paying attention to a pair of blue butterflies that were flying around. “It's not about the forest though. I think it's about our encounter...”

His voice drifted off as Quirky jumped back into the talk. “What was that? What were you two talking about?”

“Nothing!” Twilight replied with an uneasy laugh. “Nothing at all. W-We were just talking about the, uh-”

“Trees,” Windchaser cut in. He nervously grinned.

Quirky looked at the two and blinked. “I didn't know you two were into... trees.”

All of a sudden a scream pierced through the still air. The voice was like that of a mare, its volume signaling that she was not far off.

“W-What was that?” Twilight asked as she stopped and glanced at the others.

Windchaser faced the right portion of the woods. “It came from over there!”

“But there's no trail,” Twilight said, shaking her head. “Maybe the path curves up ahead-”

“There's no time to lose, Twilight!” Quirky declared, suddenly playing the part of the heroine as she puffed out her chest and squinted in focus. “We'll break through the trees, whatever it takes!”

Normally the comment wouldn't have seemed so bad. But, with the evergreens stretching wide with pointed needles on their branches, the rows of trees were like a palisade of prickly spikes. Twilight backed away, stammering.

“I-I don't know, you guys,” Twilight said. “We don't even know who's out there-!”

“That's why we need to hurry and see!” Quirky said, grabbing Twilight and throwing her into the thick barrier of trees.

Twilight stumbled into the mess of snow-covered brush as blinded as a filly playing pin-the-tail-on-the-pony. Her hoofs tripped over one another. A number of branches slapped across her face. Every other step fell into a dip in the ground, tripping Twilight until she lost complete control of herself. She tried to stop and open her eyes multiple times, but either she staggered into another pile of snow or Quirky – right behind her – pushed her onward against her will.

After a tiring blunder through the thick of the woods Twilight felt a gap in the bunches of branches. She opened an eye and found herself in a clearing. Its circular shape was large enough to fit a house in its circumference. Across the way sat a mare with eyes wide and mouth trembling as she stared at the three that approached. Her coat was white as the snow and her curling mane and tail a purplish pink. Her dainty figure and cutie mark of a statue and chisel mark were strikingly familiar.

“H-Help!” the stranger cried. “I-I think I’m being chased!”

A series of slow stomps suddenly began shaking the ground. Sections of snow on the trees fell off piece by piece until the pines were stripped clean of their white apparel. Storm clouds began swarming the sky, casting darkness upon on the opening.

The stranger cleared through the open space and stopped before the three with eyes dashing frantically here and there.

“I was just wandering through the woods, when suddenly these things came after me!” she cried, panting. “Get me out of here, please!”

Twilight looked at the coral-colored eyes that stared at her. She knew she recognized her face from the academy.

“Diamond Chisel?” Twilight asked, unsure of the exact words to her name.

“Y-You recognize me!” she smiled, but the twinkle in her eyes disappeared as soon as they emerged. “I thought you three looked familiar! Please, just get me back to the grounds! It's not safe out here anymore!”

But the loud stomps grew even closer, until they were sounding at the very edge of the glade. Diamond Chisel fell at Twilight's hoofs and pleaded, “Please, we have to get out of here!”

Twilight looked to the others, but their eyes were just as wide and expressions just as clueless as hers. The goal had been to find whatever it was that wandered the Western Woods; the newcomer begged for the opposite. Twilight had no idea what to do, nor any time to think.

“W-What is it!?” Twilight asked the first thing on her mind. She looked down at Diamond Chisel and then back up at the trees and growing darkness around them.

“It? No, the question is what are they!” Diamond Chisel said hurriedly, urging the three to turn tail and run. “I think t-they're... they're... timber wolves!”

Seeing the desperation in the mare's eye, Twilight turned to make a dash for the trail. But the moment she caught a glimpse of the forest behind her, she stopped dead in her tracks.

A pair of red eyes glowed amongst the trees.

Twilight shrieked and jumped away from the sight as her heart started throbbing like mad. Before she knew it, another pair began glowing close by. Then another, and another, until the entire clearing was surrounded by pairs of evil eyes staring inward.

“We need to get back to the trail!” Twilight exclaimed as she glanced in every direction.

“But which way do we go?” Quirky asked.

Twilight wheeled around until she found herself standing flank-to-flank with the others. She bit her lip and cried, “I don't know!”

“Fear not my petrified peers!” came a voice of yet another stranger.

It sounded like another mare, but this voice seemed nothing but confident with a shout that filled the clearing. Before Twilight could look around a figure leaped clear over her head. The newcomer stopped and stood directly in front of her, showing off a dark, flowing mantle that reached from her neck down over her tail.

The stranger's horn lit a light violet as the mare declared, “Watch in awe as I, the Great and Powerful Trixie, send these hideous beasts back to their dens!”

Twilight felt her heart stop.

… TRIXIE!?

The newcomer's horn glowed brighter and brighter until it shot forth pale purple beams and golden sparks. She dug her hoofs into the snow and lifted her head. A thundering roar rumbled overhead in response. Bolts of lightning flashed within the banks, until suddenly striking down at the red eyes that encircled the group. The blinding bolts blasted one by one as their booms struck in rapid succession.

Twilight covered her ears but the sound was hardly blocked out. Her eyes closed tighter and tighter until she was on the ground groaning in pain. She waited breathlessly as shocking resonances exploded in a circle around her. In time the bolts of lightning ceased, but Twilight felt safe only sneaking a peek of the scene.

All of the stalking red eyes had vanished. Their vanquisher, a familiar blue pony, stood before the huddled four rubbing the light blue jewel of her cape-piece with pride. Her eyes were closed and nose held high in an aggrandized, victorious pose.

“Looks another tremendous rescue by the Great and Powerful Trixie,” she stated coolly. “There's no need to thank me you helpless ponies, but if you feel compelled-”

“Trixie!?” Twilight gasped, finally grasping just who stood before her.

Taken aback, Trixie opened her eyes and examined the four in shock. “You again!?”

“You know her?” Windchaser whispered, to which Twilight frowned and nodded.

“Unfortunately.”

“I heard that you ungrateful simpleton!” Trixie snapped. “What business do you have being saved by the Great and Powerful Trixie?”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “We were just exploring, until we heard a cry for help-”

“Exploring? How foalish,” Trixie retorted. “The headmare should have locked you all up in your rooms so you wouldn't cause any problems as you all obviously have. Do you know how troublesome it was for the Great and Powerful Trixie to come out here and save you all? Of course, it was hardly a challenge to defeat those fiends. Are you four really this helpless on your own?”

Twilight glanced over at Diamond Chisel, who was snickering. The moment their eyes locked, though, the sneer disappeared and Diamond Chisel looked away.

“What's going on here?” Twilight asked suspiciously.

“The Great and Powerful Trixie has just saved you from a blood-thirsty pack of timber wolves, you mule!” Trixie declared.

Twilight narrowed her eyes. “You wouldn't have happened to have planned all this, would you Trixie?”

“What!? Apparently you're dumbstruck from watching a tremendous feat of the Great and Powerful Trixie! Your puny little head is fooling you into imagining things, I'm sure,” Trixie remarked with a harrumph. “Is this the thanks the Great and Powerful Trixie gets for saving your sorry-”

“How’d the glowing eyes thing work, Trix?” came a call of another familiar mare nearby. A light brown unicorn emerged from the woods with a giant grin across her face. “You see 'em scared out of their boots-?”

The straw hat and accent gave away Lasso Tussle in a stomp of the hoof. When Trixie threw the newcomer a threatening gaze, Twilight began connecting the dots in her head.

“So, Trixie,” Twilight began as she stood on all fours, “you said you saved us from a real pack of timber wolves?"

Trixie lifted her nose. "Was there ever any doubt? Did you not see their blood-colored eyes scattered among the trees? Or has my beautiful performance left you utterly blind as well?"

“Well, that was a lightning spell you used to scare the creatures away, right?”

“A very powerful lightning spell, you unobservant dolt. The Great and Powerful Trixie would never settle for less.”

“Then how come we didn't hear anything running away?” Twilight asked.

Trixie opened an eye and looked to Diamond Chisel, and then Lasso Tussle. “Well, that is to say... Y-You obviously have fallen deaf at the might of the awesome power of the Great-!"

Twilight quickly interrupted. “Not to mention, how is it that you three, assuming you each received permission to enter the woods from Princess Luna, came into the scene separately, when in fact the headmare ordered that ponies travel in groups?”

Trixie continued to stammer, “Well, see, that's easy to explain-”

“This was all a set-up, wasn't it?” Twilight finally stated, to which the three non-Ponyville individuals stared at one another.

A pause ensued in which every pony on the scene began exchanging confused expressions. After a minute of speechlessness Trixie stomped her hoof and grunted.

“Not an ounce of gratitude for the works of the Great and Powerful Trixie? Fine then!” Trixie barked. “Don't come running to me anytime soon when you're in desperate need of help.”

She flipped her cape and turned, heading straight into the forest with her head held high. Diamond Chisel and Lasso Tussle looked at one another in uncertainty, until they too disappeared into the depths of the woods, unable to utter a single word.

The clearing fell silent, and Twilight felt her head suddenly empty though it swarmed with a volume of thoughts.

“That was it?” Twilight asked herself. “The monster was just... them?”

“Ugh! What incentive would a performer like her have in pretending to save us from a pack of monsters?” Quirky remarked with a snort. “She sure has potential for a flashy show, but abusing the skill is frowned upon by all things theatre.”

“I don't understand her myself,” Twilight said, giving up. “She claimed to have vanquished an Ursa Major when she came to Ponyville a couple years ago, but I don't get why she tried bragging about it.”

“Boost her credibility?” Windchaser wondered aloud.

“I guess, but ever since she was caught lying then I thought she would change-”

Another scream shot through the air, this time accompanied by two others. They emerged from the direction in which Trixie and the others had stormed out. Twilight looked to Windchaser and Quirky, both of which stared back as cluelessly.

Windchaser cocked his head and smirked, “Should we go this time-?”

“I wouldn't bother,” Quirky stated firmly. “They're probably trying to pull the act twice in a row. I would expect no less from such an inexperienced actress like herself.”

“HEEEEEEEEEEEELP!” came the cry of Diamond Chisel again, not very far off this time.

The three didn't dare move a muscle. The scream sounded different than the first, though it came from the same mouth as before. Twilight looked over to Windchaser, and then to Quirky, the latter of which shook her head slowly.

“T-They probably worked out the kinks and want a second chance to 'impress' us,” Quirky stated. “Let's just head back to the trail and ignore them. Sooner or later they'll give up trying.”

Twilight looked around for a moment. Her heart started beating rapidly as her ears retreated. “Wait... which way did we come in from?”

“Check your compass,” Windchaser mentioned.

She pulled the instrument from her bags and laughed off the tenseness, “I guess today's been a bit more eventful than I anticipated. Adventures like these can really put my on edge-”

The ground began shaking once more, this time more violently than before. Twilight looked down at her utensil, its arrows spinning madly about without ever having settled. The mare's eyebrows dropped as a displeased frown combined form her typical unimpressed expression for the other two to see.

“Trixie, we know it's you guys-”

Suddenly the three that had screamed burst through the wall of trees and into the opening. Each one stumbled blindly, one over the other, until they either fell or ran into the three onlookers. Lasso Tussle got to her hoofs first and ran clear through the dell into the other side of the forest, while Diamond Chisel shook the pine needles off only to fall back into a different part of the woods.

Trixie, who had bowled over the Ponyville pack, hardly wasted a second as she got up and continued her gallop. She disappeared into the forest opposite of where she entered, leaving Twilight and the other two in a daze from their collision.

Twilight looked to the others, dizzy from the impact, until Quirky's and Windchaser's eyes drifted up and then shot open. Before she could look herself Twilight felt a shadow hide what little light came down from the clouded sky, shrouding herself and the others in a darkness they had not yet felt within the woods. But the darkness was something beyond a lack of light; she felt her blood go cold. When the unicorn dared to look upward at the obstruction, she wished she had simply turned and ran like the others.

A tall monster stood towering over them, its appearance like that of a large, skeletal stallion. Its eyes were a frightening crimson and its teeth were sharp like a great white shark's. Every step of its hoof emitted a thunderous boom as it slowly paced right toward them. Its tall, lanky legs were like flexible stilts on which the emaciated figure of the hunchbacked horse rested.

W-What is that thing!?

Twilight leaped to her hoofs and took off in the opposite direction of the beast. She did not need a second more to examine the terrifying image; she knew it was what she had seen moving through the woods that night. Upon breaking through the first barrier of trees and charging through the bundles of branches thereafter Twilight glanced left and right. Not one pony was in sight.

“Windchaser! Quirky!” Twilight screamed, hoping the others would come to her.

The branches continued to hit against her body as a breeze blew against her face from her speedy haste. The only sound that met her ears was the whistle of the wind and her own hoofs beating against the ground. Every time she had the chance Twilight glanced around again, near and far, never actually stopping.

After what felt like miles of frantic retreat, Twilight felt she couldn't run anymore. She rested for a few seconds and listened; the stomps of the monster had faded away. In addition she couldn't feel earth shaking beneath her quaking hoofs. Twilight turned in circles in hopes of detecting movement or sound, to hear something moving or somepony calling. She dared not speak a word herself in fear of the strange creature finding her out.

Anxiously Twilight waited; she could not and dared not move an inch. The eerie silence settled once again. Twilight bit her lip tightly and whimpered.

What am I supposed to do now..?

Chapter 19: A Semblance, then Remnants

An hour passed by as Twilight waited as still as the evergreen trees that surrounded her trembling self. No winds, no animals, no activity whatsoever made a sound in the heart of the forest; the mare dared not break the code of silence herself. With no sign of a trail Twilight felt trapped as a bird in a cage that had been stowed away and utterly forgotten.

The unicorn waited fretfully for something to jump out, though she hoped the opposite every anxious second. Perspiration carpeted Twilight's coat as the sheer cold froze it into an uncomfortable shell around her. The strap and sides of her saddlebag soaked as the pouches slipped centimeters up and down her back. The sensation caused her spine to shivered with bone-chilling fear time and time again. Twilight dared not shed either the frost or the bags; one movement would stir trouble beyond her sights.

She could only see within the confines of the cleared patch she had found. Its radius was hardly a hoof's reach in radius. In time the space grew unsettling itself as the clouds above thickened over the hours. Daylight slowly lets its might slip away as snow drifted to the ground in celebration. The frosty festivities grew until flakes flew about like little white parasprites. Fresh new layers of snow spread atop each other until they rendered Twilight's hoofwear inadequate.

All of a sudden a rustling in the distance began, sweeping the mare clean out of her boots in one flinch.

Twilight’s head started spinning worse than ever that day. Her eyes moved more frantically than ever before. Not an inch of scene went uncovered by her eyes, but she feared something sneaking up on her nonetheless. Twilight could feel her breaths leaving before even entering her lungs; the heat of her exhalations turned instantly into steam.

Sections of trees nearer and nearer began shifting and shaking about. Clumps of snow shook off from their branches, plodding onto the thick layers through which the oncoming creature rushed. Against the stillness of the air the noise was an overwhelming cacophony, its sound a disturbing warning. Twilight felt the instinct to run beating her so-called logic to a pulp until she panicked and judged which way held her best chance of escape.

No, if I stand still it might not hear me... but what if it already knows I'm here!?

The brushing against the pines drew closer and closer, its direction straight where Twilight stood frozen. The mare's ears retreated as she shrunk in her spot, hunkering down as though hoping to blend into the onsetting darkness. But against the piling snow on the earth Twilight stuck out like a vivid painting against a brick wall.

A body shot out from the swarm of branches, tackling Twilight to the ground. The unicorn stumbled in her attempt to retreat and fell into a cluster of spiky boughs. As quickly as she blundered into the mess Twilight immediately sprang out from it; the pokes of the pine stung like pins and needles. Blinded by the pain, Twilight fought the twinge to try and spot a way out of the clamor.

Suddenly a groan met the mare’s ears.

“Ugh, stupid pine! What traps could possibly stand in the way of the Great and Powerful-”

“Trixie!?” Twilight yelped.

Twilight managed to force open one of her eyes. Surely enough with her head stuck in a cluster of branches nearby was the struggling, violet-caped figure. The combined dark of the forest and moisture from melted snow had made Trixie's coat turn navy blue. When the mare pulled her head out from the snow-covered limbs of the evergreen a messy, light azure mane completed the pony's physique.

Twilight continued to stare in a state of shock until Trixie managed to open a single eye herself. The two stared at each in their strange half-blinded states, both at a loss for words.

Twilight finally summoned the only thought on her mind. “W-What happened to the monster?”

Trixie gasped for air and brushed off her coat. “I, I don’t-” She then cleared her throat and harrumphed. “As if the Great and Powerful Trixie would care! It was hardly a task getting away from that beast-”

“Trixie!” Twilight shushed as she stared at her staggered companion, “would you drop the act and talk like any other decent pony?”

“Ugh, why should the Great and Powerful Trixie be limited by your pathetic phraseology?” Trixie asked, offended.

How does she even know these words...

An echo sounded in the distance. Both of the unicorn's ears shot up, but the noise was too far off to identify. The two waited for something else to follow, their hoofs ready to leap and gallop away, but the forest fell dead silent as the two unicorns that sat listening.

“Look, Trixie, I don't really care about what you say,” Twilight said in an irritated whisper. “Just try not to yell, okay?”

“How dare you-!” Trixie gasped, but then covered her mouth the instant she realized her own volume. She continued in a whisper, “How dare you speak to the Great and Powerful Trixie in such an undignified manner!”

Twilight brushed off the scold with a roll of her eyes. “Look, Trixie, instead of arguing we need to try and find a way out of here. I remember reading a book on survival skills; I think it said to try and find a landmark which could potentially help your location stand out. The alternative is a clearing, but I’m not so sure I’d wanna hang around one of those at this time of night.” She shivered at the thought of the frightening number of red eyes, real or fake, that she had witnessed that day. “Are there any landmarks you can think of around here?”

Trixie took her turn in rolling her violet eyes full circle. “The Great and Powerful Trixie sees no point in answering such a stupid question.”

Twilight groaned, “Unless you want to walk in some random direction in hopes of finding an exit without encountering that... thing, I suggest you share whatever things comes to mind.”

With a frustrated exhalation, Trixie declared, “Well then, if you insist. I just hope you actually know what you're talking about, though I'm not sure I can trust your-”

“Just tell me!” Twilight growled, her crossness nearly bring her whisper straight up to a shout.

Trixie's eyebrows furrowed, but she answered regardless of her exasperation.

“Straight back from where I just came were some random piles of rocks,” she explained. “Is that of any importance to you?”

Twilight lifted her eyes to the sky and let a deep, cold breath flow through her lungs.

“I don't think you understand, Trixie, I'm talking about real landmarks. Things that stand out more than others? Specifically from a distance? There are rocks all over the woods-”

“I know what a landmark is you foal! Maybe they weren’t random piles of stones,” Trixie retorted. “Maybe they were organized piles, like markers. Whatever it is lame and helpless explorers make.”

Twilight rubbed her forehead. “Uh huh. So... how many of these mysterious stacks of stones were there?”

“The Great and Powerful Trixie has no time to count rocks. An educated guess, I suppose, would be roughly enough to build a replica of your pathetic little Ponyville,” Trixie jeered.

Twilight felt her face beginning to burn even in the eerie cold of the evening. Though her face was freezing every muscle within moved to form an irked scowl across the mare's face. From dealing with the barrage of insults and intolerable word choice Twilight felt herself ignoring more of what came out of Trixie's mouth. While she wanted to believe that something noteworthy was indeed nearby, she kept close her doubts concerning who she knew to be an habitual liar.

“What are you carrying in a saddlebag out here in the middle of the woods? Don’t you have anything useful inside?” Trixie pried as she examined the violet packs Twilight carried.

“Nothing that would concern you,” Twilight murmured, until suddenly the bag's contents crossed her mind. “Wait a minute, that's it!”

Twilight lit her horn and summoned forth the compass that she had taken along for the trip. She couldn't feel the rustling in her bags as she had continued to shake in fear – finding Trixie had not been particularly relieving nor helpful in the slightest. When the mare looked back at her packs, though, not a thing budged inside either of them.

“I know I packed a compass in here somewhere,” Twilight uttered as a cold chill only brought on more sweating.

She slid the bag from off her back and dug through the few contents inside with her hoofs. There was no sign of the compass inside. She suddenly realized she had mostly likely dropped it back in the large clearing where the entire pack of ponies had split.

What was inside, however, was another item which had nearly slipped Twilight’s mind: the spell book 'History of the Speak-No-Evil Spell'. The mare picked up the tome and held it with her magic with a smile, but the grin quickly turned upside down.

Water dripped from the thick book’s edges. A look of horror slowly emerged. Twilight brisked through the ruined pages and then examined the cover; surely enough, moisture had reached at least half of the volume.

“Just what are you up to you now?” Trixie asked as she observed a book lifting from her acquaintances bags. “This is no time to be reading books.”

“I... I damaged it,” Twilight said breathlessly. “I've never damaged somepony's else book before...”

Twilight flipped through the pages of the spell book from which she had hardly read a word. It was a recommendation from her professor, Yorsets, as a 'casual read' over the break. But with the bottoms of the pages soaked and ink smeared on a number of pages, the book was no longer in a pristine state. Fixing it would take hours upon hours, but only after a scolding from a professor, or worse: Princess Luna.

Twilight felt her heart shatter into pieces.

“It's just a book you absentminded dolt,” Trixie said. “Who ever had much use for books anyway? Not the Great and Powerful Trixie, that's for sure. Why don't you think of a way to get us out of this mess rather than sob like a pathetic filly?”

Twilight glanced over the title page again when a thought suddenly began stirring in her mind. The twirling soon turned into a strong tornado until it twisted a devilish grin across Twilight's face.

“Say, Trixie, I think I have a spell that could help get us out of here,” Twilight said.

“Well then use it,” Trixie replied. “The Great and Powerful Trixie has better things to do than be stuck in the middle of nowhere. Especially with the likes of you.”

“Oh I'll use it, all right,” Twilight said as she flipped to the end of the hardback she held.

The spell should be at the end here somewhere...

Though she had never used the ‘Speak-No-Evil’ spell, Twilight felt confident enough to follow simple instructions. On the last page was a description of manipulation spells and warnings of their side effects. She skipped over the list of related spells and mix-ups and instead focused on the magic casting instructions.

The instructions read:

“For absolute truth, cast to hold one's tongue

For forcing lies, tongue and heart;

Observe that the two can be held apart

To risk lies, hold neither one.”

The wording was more vague than any spell description Twilight had encountered, but with a special gift in magic the mare knew she could do it.

Might as well give it a shot.

Twilight closed her eyes and lit her horn as Trixie stood by, clueless. A golden light began glowing from the tip of her horn until they formed the shape of a clamp. It snapped away at the chilly air until Twilight opened her eyes and directed its movement. Trixie watched with a skeptical stare until her eyes shot wide open at the sight of the device headed straight for her.

In a flash the clamp dissolved right into thin air, but Trixie continued to back away with her eyes closed. She coughed and sputtered as she spun in circles avoiding what Twilight assumed to be the hold of her spell.

Twilight smiled and asked smartly, “Now let's test this enchantment before continuing on. Trixie, why don't you tell me whether or not there were actually timber wolves attacking us earlier?”

“I accept to play this game!” Trixie said, upon which her eyes opened wide and stared down at her muzzle. “What, what's not the matter!?”

“Answer the question, Trixie,” Twilight ordered.

“T-There were... many... timber wolves,” Trixie said as she continued to look about nervously. “T-There, are you dissatisfied?”

Twilight smiled and nodded, “That's what I tho- wait, did you say many?”

“I most certainly did not, and that's exactly what I intended!” Trixie replied as a scowl began to show.

Twilight looked no different with her eyes wide open and mouth hanging. “Did my spell not work..?”

“Judging by my normal speech, it seems it apparently did not!” Trixie barked. “Unless you intended for me to sound just fine!”

“Stop yelling!” Twilight pleaded in an exemplifying, but strong, whisper.

“I can help it!” Trixie snapped. “Obviously you've done nothing to make me this way!”

“Trixie! It's going to hear you-”

Suddenly the ground shook. Then the trees shook. Soon enough even the still air shook. Twilight and Trixie exchanged horrified glances. Trixie bolted off in the direction from which she came.

Twilight shouted in protest, “Trixie, I think it'd be better if we stick together!”

“Sticking around with a sane intellectual like you is on the top of my list of priorities!” Trixie shouted back, then grunted in frustration. “I'd rather survive running with you than get attacked by that mysterious thing!”

“Then why are you heading that way?” Twilight yelled, but her call fell beneath the storming beats of the beast’s steps. “TRIXIE!”

A shrill neigh blared, breaking the silence of the wood altogether. Noises big and small suddenly swarmed Twilight as she started in a gallop from what had been her hidden post. Her instinct screamed to turn completely around and run, but something else held the reins in her mind. Something inexplicable steered the mare off through the forest. As far as she could tell it was away from the monster.

Twilight dared to turn her head as she caught a glimpse just over her shoulder. A terrible pair of crimson eyes followed behind hovering above the snow-capped treetops. Against the charcoal sky the silvery head would have been rather easy to make out; however, with the heavy snowfall ensuing, it blended with the flurry of snowflakes that stirred in a wind above the woods. Twilight was not sure which would struck more fear, the heads or the head completely; she surely didn’t care to check.

While looking back Twilight tripped over a root and tumbled head over hoof. She crashed into a strong, uneven surface, and a lump of snow spilled down over her body. The freezing sensation was a jolt, to say the least; but in the heat of the chase it felt like mere lukewarm water flowing like crystallized honey.

Unable to move Twilight could only listen as the stomping beast drew near. Its steps approached until Twilight could sense the mysterious monster passing directly above. She held her breath despite her pleading lungs until the violent trampling passed by.

Ever so slowly the treading faded away, until Twilight could no longer hear nor feel the earth trembling.

Though Twilight wished she could stay within the safety of her cocoon of clumpy snow, she knew she would have to move sooner or later. Reluctantly she wiggled her way out and shook to try and release some of the built-up tension. But with racked nerves and a frame of frazzled muscles the mare could hardly extend a limb. The tightness of her body matched the stress in her brain, which by then was so behind on contemplation that images of the monster's eyes were still stuck in her mind.

The image gradually faded away as Twilight examined just what it was she had run into. Standing not much taller than the mare herself was a rough, broken section of dark stone wall. Mortar sat along the edges of the round, rocky bricks while former pieces hid scattered in the snow. Twilight carefully looked over the single formation until a familiar figure paced along into sight.

“See for yourself, halfwit,” Trixie said as Twilight held back a shriek. A sparkle suddenly lit up in the blue mare’s eyes as she approached the startled unicorn. “Wait, did that come out as I meant? Aha, your pathetic spell has already worn-”

“Trixie,” Twilight interrupted, looking around, “is this the area you found earlier? Don't you realize that these could be more than just random piles of rock!?”

Trixie stammered, recovering from her sudden excitement. “W-Well of course, obviously this shows certain signs of-”

“The town,” Twilight said as the shock made her cold all over again. She shivered at the thought of the carvings on the walls that she had witnessed days before classes began.

“What!? How did you know about all this?” Trixie asked suspiciously.

“There... There was a town on a map of the island,” Twilight recollected. “I remember seeing it in the cave-”

She suddenly stopped and looked over at Trixie, who listened intently – for once.

“Wait... how do you know about all this?” Twilight asked.

“Wouldn't you like to know,” Trixie said with a huff as she disappeared behind the standing section of mortar and stone. “You may be an open book, you mule, but the Great and Powerful Trixie is far more complicated.”

With that Trixie turned tail and walked off out of sight behind the stone structure. Twilight, driven by bland curiosity, followed the trail of hoofprints around the corner of the damaged partition. The moment her wandering gaze lifted from the tracks, however, Twilight could hardly believe her eyes. Scattered in the midst of the thick of the woods were spreads of rock structures, all mostly crumbled save for their foundations. Blankets of snow covered piles of stone that spilled from broken arches and walls.

The words escaped Twilight ever so slowly, “Is this what I think it is?”

“Didn't believe the Great and Powerful Trixie, did you, foal?” jeered her irritable companion who looked over the debris without a care in the world. “Let this be a lesson to you about doubting-!”

“Trixie, keep it down!” Twilight shushed pleadingly. “We don't know where that monster is.”

“What are you, scared?” Trixie mocked. “So much for the mare who vanquished the Ursa Minor.”

Twilight gave an unconvinced glare, to which Trixie simply looked away and raised her nose stubbornly.

“I didn't want to have to do this again,” Twilight said as she drew out her spell book. “On second thought, maybe I did...”

She scanned over the instructions once again but read over the notes on the preceding page. A few examples of failed casting filled up the entire page, but Twilight only searched for one specific situation.

She found the category and simply solution:

“What to do if the target continues lying:

Remember to focus your energy on the target’s tongue without looking an answer of your own.

Otherwise conflicting words may emerge that neither please the target nor the caster.”

Twilight lit up her horn again as a golden color began to emit.

“W-What do you think you're doing?” Trixie began, but was quickly cut off by a twist of her tongue.

Twilight's reattempt at the 'Speak-No-Evil' spell followed just as before as a golden clamp formed and floated in the air. Trixie threw a grimace as she tried to escape again, but the magic thrust at her and grabbed hold of her tongue again. The golden glow then dissipated, leaving Trixie violently to shaking her head in vain. After a minute she gave up the scuffle as Twilight watched the mare slump onto the snow.

Trixie, unimpressed with the spell herself, threw a furious glowering with her violet eyes.

“I need to know, Trixie,” Twilight stated seriously, “how did you know that this town existed?”

Trixie shut her mouth as tightly as possible, but her lips forced their way against her will. “When some of you Ponyvillians went to inspect the seaside cavern a while back, I had a few of my underlings scare them off. After they returned they told me about strange markings they had found, so I went to see for myself.”

“Did you see carvings in the walls?”

Trixie tried to resist again, but the attempt failed faster than the first as her mouth yanked open. “THERE was a map and some other things, I didn't care to look at everything. I saw a map first and looked at it, and right next to it was this etching of a town of ponies in a forest. There was something written warning of a Tigbalan.”

“Tigbalan? What's that?” Twilight asked with an eyebrow raised. Her clear speech turned briefly into a murmur, “I remember everything in the tunnel but that last thing.” She looked up at Trixie, who continued to glower. “Trixie, do you know what a Tigbalan is? That sure sounds made-up to me.”

“I had forgotten the word until you forced it out of me just now,” Trixie commented, to which Twilight narrowed her eyes. “I didn’t care at the time, and still don’t now.”

“How do I know that you aren’t lying-?”

“You have this spell cast on me, don't you!?” Trixie asked irritatedly.

“I'm not sure it was working correctly before, and it stopped worked after a while,” Twilight observed. “There's only one way to know: Trixie, how many Ursa Majors have you defeated?”

Trixie suddenly captured a second burst of resistance as she turned her head away and shut her mouth. Her faced turned a terrible blue as she held her breath and closed her eyes.

Her final fight, however, ended in vain as the answer flew out with a gasp for air.

“NONE!”

Twilight released the spell with a wave of her horn. Groaning, Trixie rolled her tired tongue back into her mouth and wheezed from exhaustion. She slowly rose to her hoofs with a terrible temper growing as steam floated up from her head.

“How dare you treat me so brutishly! I have a spell of my own I would cast if it weren't for-!”

The ground started shaking once again. Its might was more powerful than earlier. Twilight and Trixie looked at one another until a frightening whinny tore through the atmosphere. The two suddenly looked straight into the darkness ahead.

A horrid pair of large, crimson eyes blinked. Their sights were fixed on the shivering mares.

< Previous Chapter

Chapter 20: Crimson Eyes and Iffy Lies

Twilight felt her body go whiter than a skeleton. A chill slithered up and down her weary spine, jingling her joints and shaking her limbs as though they were nothing but hollow bones. The trembling echoed through the chattering of the mare's teeth, a drum-roll awaiting the moment the red-eyed beast would make its next move.

But the beast held a pause of its own. Its blazing red eyes stood out from the unpigmented countenance, piercing through the smoky black atmosphere with a mysterious energy. They shone through the snowy haze like fiery lanterns. Their strength made Twilight feel as though they were only inches in front of her nose.

This fear held on through an uneasy stillness. Twilight felt her mind in time free itself from its state of shock. It ate its way out of the cocoon of horror surrounding it, only to find itself encaged in a state of confusion.

Why isn't it moving..?

Thoughts of escape began formulating behind contemplative eyes; but even then Twilight dared not remove her gaze from the eyes ahead. In her wait a violent breeze began, stirring and swirling through the ruins like a rapid through a broken blockade.

Twilight kept her eyes open as best she could, until all of a sudden something slapped onto her face. The mare shrieked but closed her lips in time to contain the scream from gushing out. She lit her horn quickly and removed the thin object that had draped across her eyes and held it a foot away for inspection.

It was an envelope. More specifically, it was the one with Twilight’s letter from her Ponyville friends – the one she had been using as a bookmark. The flap in back was open and the sheet inside stuck out, revealing the tiniest bit of Spike's writing on the decorated paper.

Vivid memories began twisting through Twilight's head more wildly than the wind. She had been through her fair share of frights, from her encounter with Nightmare Moon to the parasprite infestation. Each instance she had made it out alive, and many times it was thanks to her planning or whim.

She recalled the images of the stained glass windows within Canterlot of her and her friends' victories. Ponyville's numerous escapes from utter ruin ran through Twilight's brain as well. Deed after deed that passed through her brain the mare felt her confidence growing. She had been through worse. She had come out on top. Overcoming fears was not something unusual to Twilight Sparkle.

“You can do it, Twilight!”

Twilight closed her eyes; she could picture her friends' faces, their confidence and kindness emanating in their energetic expressions.

“We believe in you!”

“Don't give up now!”

Twilight let out a deep sigh.

I won't.

Twilight felt her consciousness return to the present. She placed the envelope back in the book in her bag and fixed her sights on the mysterious creature ahead.

But the glowing red eyes were missing. Not a trace of them remained.

Twilight glanced around the edge of the clearing, waiting for the eyes to show again. As she searched and searched, however, no sign of them emerged. Without a moment to lose she began gathering together a list of ideas of what to do next. She thought through her previous encounters with the Tigbalan, as well as her past escapes. Every detail manifested in her mind.

As minutes passed and no sign of the beast emerged, Twilight stretched deeper into her memory banks. She thought all the way back to the first few days on the island, of every clue or sign she could muster.

Signs... The last two places mentioned to contain signs of monsters were in caves. There might be an underground entry in the ruins. We could hide down there as long as we get away here first. From my studies of larger creatures in Equestria, a majority of larger creatures take on a predatory stance when something nearby runs away. If I can just communicate this to Trixie...

The mare stole a split-second glance of Trixie, who had not yet moved an inch herself. The violet color in her irises turned gray as her eyes mirrored the haze around her. Unsure of the showmare's abilities, Twilight began rethinking her plans.

What if she refuses to listen? I doubt she's up for taking orders from me, though I could maybe fix that with another spell-

Twilight's ears twitched. A shake of shrubbery broke the silence, followed by a rustling bushel of branches. The company of noises grew slightly louder until Twilight felt herself pulled from her state of concentration.

Her awareness heightened, Twilight felt the cold of the winds and snow abruptly return. She shivered to shake off the sensation altogether, but the chill swallowed her up as raging waters do a swimmer.

Suddenly, the mysterious racket sounded again, barely audible above the howling of the wind. It came from out in the forest, beyond where Trixie to the side. The blue mare continued to stare where the monster had stood, her irises shrunk and mouth agape. Twilight wondered if she was just hearing things.

“Twilight! Where are you?” came calls off in the distance. “Trixie? Twilight!”

Trees near the edge of the clearing where the mares stood began shaking, followed by the emergence of four familiar characters. One by one they revealed themselves, each displaying relief upon breaking free of the forest's maze. Their joy in freedom, however, quickly turned into wonder as each stumbled into the great span of the ruins. They wandered like deer through overwhelming pasture, their eyes big and attention taken. They meandered through the piles of stone until spotting Twilight and Trixie across the way.

“Twilight! You're okay!” Quirky said as her sights locked onto the frozen purple figure. She trotted over to Twilight with an unsettled look. “Twilight, you look paler than the moon! What's the matter? Is something wrong?”

Twilight couldn't think of anything to say, and instead began searching the edge of the woods again, hoping to convey her message. The group approached her and Trixie cautiously as the four inspected the duo head to hoof.

“Is it out there?” Windchaser asked.

The others stared with nothing but worry in their eyes. Twilight nodded.

Diamond Chisel lowered her head and her eyes and whispered, “Where?”

Twilight brought her head lower as well and whispered, “I don’t know right now, but it was just here. Can any of you see it?”

The others reluctantly scanned the perimeter. Their stares turned to squints, and then to looks of incertitude.

“I don't see anything but snow, stone and trees,” said Quirky after a mutual pause.

“Maybe it walked off,” Windchaser suggested.

“No, we would have heard or felt it,” Twilight groaned as her heart started pumping, “Trixie, you were staring at it too, right?”

But the blue mare continued to stare off into the distance, blinking sparingly. Diamond Chisel approached the blue mare and tapped her on the back, to which Trixie squealed and leaped clear over a wall of rubble behind her.

Lasso Tussle tipped her hat back and squinted an eye. “Trixie? Is somethin' the matter?”

“What's going on?” Trixie yelped. “Where did you come from!?”

“Trixie, isn't it true that the Tigbalan was just here?” Twilight asked.

“What are talking about!?” Trixie whispered with a hiss. “It's probably still out there!”

But the moment she turned and glanced out at the darkness near the woods where she and Twilight had been facing, nothing stood out from the blurry vision of the edge of the forest. Trixie gulped.

“I-I was just staring at it,” she uttered. “When did it disappear?”

Diamond Chisel uttered, “M-Maybe it's hiding.”

“I dunno,” Twilight said skeptically, “every time we've ran into that monster it's made its presence known one way or another. With its size, especially in this forest, I think we'd hear something.” A spark in Twilight's brain cut her off, only to ignite a new train of thought. “Wait a minute, hearing. That's it!”

Her murmuring shot into a shout, to which the others glared. Her pallid face kept any signs of blushing from emerging, though the ensuing excitement revealed itself through a confident grin.

“Not only has the Tigbalan shown up making lots of noise, it's also only been seen when lots of noise is made,” Twilight said, hushed. “I remember spotting it on the night of Vinyl's concert. We all saw it shortly after the thunder and lightning Trixie summoned, and then Trixie and I saw it later after we got into an argument. It only comes out when something loud happens!”

“What 'bout when it was first seen?” Lasso Tussle interjected. “Wasn't that some weeks ago? Don't remember anythin' loud back then.”

Twilight tapped her muzzle. “Well, it couldn't have been the fireworks show; that was after the first spotting. All I can think of is the cave in.”

Quirky tilted her head as her eyes rolled up. “Cave in? What cave in?”

Twilight felt herself turn almost as pale as she had gone earlier. She glanced over at Windchaser, the only other present that was aware of what she spoke. He held a weight of concern in his platinum eyes. Neither had told anypony about what had happened that first night on the island. Princess Luna had ordered them not to.

“I-I'll tell you guys later, if I can,” Twilight said. “For now, we need to find a way out of here, together.”

Twilight looked at the others, all visibly weighed down with exhaustion and worry in their faces and postures. The riskiness of running off began putting measurements and estimates through Twilight's brain. She ran through the mathematics until they turned into words that spilled out for everypony to hear.

“The chances of escape are minimal unless we stick to going one direction. Based on the area of the forest I calculated before coming out here, it should only take approximately an hour and a half at most to arrive at any edge of the woods. Once we reach that, we can judge where we are based on the surrounding geographic features...”

“But what pace is that at, smart-alec?” Lasso Tussle asked brusquely. “And in just what direction do we even start headin'? What if that monster shows up 'n' throws us off course?”

Twilight paused and looked to the others. Soon their faces were reflecting the concern that emanated from Lasso's words.

“Well, the way I see it, there's no other way out,” Twilight stated. “I think that monster somehow is scaring us out of our senses-”

“Last I checked, every monster does that,” Lasso remarked. “Tell us somethin' we don't know.”

“No, I mean it literally is scaring us out of our senses!” Twilight rejoined. “Don't you remember when we first split up? Why is it that none of us ran in the same direction? Wouldn't it have made more sense to run together, or at least in small groups?”

Lasso had no reply this time, though her teeth were bare in preparation for the second something struck her brain. The others held looks of amazement as they realized the truth in Twilight’s words.

“Every time that thing gets close, it somehow makes us do almost the opposite of what we normally would react,” Twilight said. “I don't know about you guys, but I haven't felt myself since I walked into the woods.” The others, including Lasso, gave in to showing some degree of agreement, whether it was a nod or murmur. “As much as I wish I could test my hypothesis, I don't think that will help us out, especially now that we're all together. What we do need is to pick a direction and stick with it.”

“How are we supposed to do that?” Quirky asked helplessly. “There's no telling where we are, and we can't even see a stone's throw ahead of us except for in these random clearings.”

Twilight looked to the grey stallion. “Windchaser, I need you to fly above the treetops and try and look for a landmark. Got it?”

Windchaser shook his head immediately. “Are you crazy? What if it sees me? I'll just be leading that thing right to us.”

“I know it seems like that, but hear me out: I don't think that monster detects things by seeing them. It only knows by hearing,” Twilight explained, strained. “Since you use magic for flying, it shouldn't be able to hear you, at least not above the winds.”

“She's tryin' to get us caught!” Lasso declared as she began backing away. “Listen, y'all can pitter patter and wait fer help. As fer me... I-I ain't stickin' 'round here!”

“Wait, Lasso!” Diamond Chisel shrieked. She looked at the others with mouth agape. “What is she thinking?”

“She’s not thinking,” Twilight said slowly. “Which means that monster’s nearby-!”

Surely enough, as though cued in, a crying whinny cracked the air like a whip. Lasso, not even caring to turn and check and see, started a full-on gallop through the ruins and into the woods opposite where it approached.

“Stick together!” Twilight shouted. “Whatever you do, don't run off on your own!”

The others took off right behind Lasso, not one daring to look over his or her shoulder; the shaking ground was a big enough clue. Twilight only looked back once to see how far back the Tigbalan was. The second she saw the crimson eyes bobbing about, though, she immediately regretted her decision. When she looked back forward, the red was imprinted on the back of her eyelids.

Lasso maintained an incredible pace as she wove through the thick of the trees. Twilight was more surprised by her own stamina, though what truly drove her was the fuel of fear. All the mare could focus on was the nearest pony in front of her and how far off the sound of the monster's steps seemed. Ever so slowly she thought they were pulling away.

Tree after tree threw branches against the ponies' faces as they struggled to find their way out. Not a break waited between huddles of pine, nor smooth ground beneath piles of snow.

“This way!” Windchaser suddenly called from above. “I think I see a trail!”

Twilight dared not stop, but lifted her head enough to see the grey unicorn hovering overhead. He continued to gallop as he soared through the air, his hoofs free of the forest's natural traps, twists and turns. Twilight wished she had studied a similar spell before; it was another to add to her list.

Suddenly Twilight broke free of the branches and found herself in a narrow clearing. The way did offer a view of where they were headed, but it was not part of the official trail. As the six pressed on they formed a line as they galloped through the slender passage. Windchaser touched back down on the ground in front of Lasso at the head but continued running.

“Twilight,” he called back as quietly as possible. “I think we lost it. Should we keep going this way?”

“Why would Twilight know?” Diamond Chisel broke in. “Trixie, you saw that map in the cave. Which way should we go?”

“You saw what-?” Windchaser began, but then shut his mouth and faced forward in his charge.

Trixie, who was panting louder than the rest, managed to reply, “I... I don't know!”

“Don't you remember talking about what we saw?” Diamond Chisel yelled. “I know we read something about that thing written on the cavern wall-”

“I-I didn't read anything, that was just you!” Trixie replied. “I forgot the whole thing as soon as I got back to my room.”

“You WHAT!?” Diamond Chisel cried, digging her hoofs into the ground to come to a sudden stop.

The others halted just as quickly, but they did not stand patiently after doing so. They watched, hopping uneasily as though dancing an antsy ballet, while Diamond Chisel stomped back to Trixie. The approached bit her lip as the mares' eyes locked.

“What exactly is going on here?” Quirky asked, desperation in her tone. “We need to get a move on!”

Diamond Chisel exhaled, though her breaths continued on very short and scattered. “Trixie, don't you remember that week when I was working on my sculpture of Sapphire Shores?”

Trixie stammered, “Well, I, of course I do-”

“And remember just before I finished carving out her hat I was talking to you about reading up on that 'Tigbalan' thing?”

Trixie shook her head slowly as her face slowly went flush, “I may have been present, but perhaps not listening-”

“I told you about how odd it was that a monster, that thing that's following us, wouldn't attack if we did something strange in particular. But what was that something!?”

Windchaser stomped and faced forward again. “This is a waste of time, we need to keep moving-!”

“No! I know that I even went and got the book on mysterious creatures and read the whole passage out loud,” Diamond Chisel stated. “Trixie, you have to remember. What was that something the mythological creatures book mentioned?”

Trixie looked around, from the two she knew to the Ponyville bunch, a nervous frown and shrunken eyes pleading innocence.

“Why can't you remember, Diamond Chisel?” Twilight asked, confused. “If you read the book, wouldn't you remember it better?”

“No,” Diamond Chisel snapped. “I happen to have a terrible memory when it comes to reading. I have more of a picture memory, thank you very much. It's the main reason I'm such an excellent sculptor.”

“Wait!” Trixie stammered. “D-Didn't it have to do with... mountains? T-That's the only thing I can think of.”

Twilight felt a sense of doubt boiling deep down. She knew that tone in the showmare's voice; she had heard it earlier that afternoon.

“Trixie, you can't just make stuff up,” Twilight said. “We have to know for sure what to do.”

“I-I told you, it has to do with the mountains!” Trixie replied helplessly. “We need to... climb one! Yes, that was it!”

“We need to climb a mountain,” Twilight repeated, unimpressed.

Trixie nodded with her nervous grin, but the others' tired, clueless faces did not change in the slightest.

“I'll see if I can find a peak nearby,” Windchaser said, suddenly shooting up above the height of trees.

“What!? No! Stop!” Twilight ordered, stopping Windchaser before he could lift himself high into the air. “Let's be logical. Are you guys really going to believe what Trixie's saying? Somepony who's known for her tall tales?”

The others looked at Trixie, and then back at Twilight. The overall confidence was split in half as an ax chopping a block of wood.

“Well, what else would you suggest?” Lasso Tussle inquired.

Twilight pulled out her spellbook, the sight of which made Trixie jump away.

“No, no! Don't you use that spell on me again!” the blue unicorn objected. “Stay away!”

“Trixie, it's for the good of the group,” Twilight said, then directing her words to the others. “The spell in this book helps draw the truth out from a liar's mouth.”

“What good is that, though?” Quirky asked. “If Trixie doesn't know what we should do, then she doesn't know, period. Right?”

Twilight growled, “While that may be true, I just want to show that she's lying so we don't go climbing a mountain for no reason.”

Thump. Thump. The ground began shaking closer and closer.

“It's coming!” Windchaser exclaimed as he hovered back down. “I think I see mountains nearby!” He restarted the gallop down the narrow path. “We just need to keep going this way!”

Twilight exchanged glances with Trixie for a second. All Twilight could spot was an expression of fear and perplexity consuming the mare's face. She let her spellbook slip from her magic grasp and drop back into her saddlebag.

Trixie... you better not be making this up, too.

After a swift gallop the barriers of branches and trails of trees ceased and the terrain shifted from a level forest to a giant mountain. The base was bare and full of boulders with hardly a plant growing on its rocky slope. The peak above disappeared into the low-hanging clouds. Winding down from it were two possible paths, each consisting of boulders stacked upon one another like steps.

“Which way do we go?” Quirky asked as she examined both ways. “Is there even a difference between the two?”

Twilight shook her head faster than her eyes could shift back and forth. “They both look the same to me.”

Right between the gaps a dark orb suddenly appeared. In the blink of an eye it flashed and blinding rays of light shot out, forcing Twilight and the others to quickly shade their eyes as they grunted in pain. When the shining ceased, one by one each of the six managed to open their stinging eyes. Twilight, the last of the group, heard terrified gasps that made her stomach twist.

Standing in the middle of the split between paths was the white, ghostly-like horse. Its back was hunched and neck curved like a crooked arch. Its red eyes were all too familiar. Before any of the ponies had a chance to let out a scream it rose onto its hind hoofs and let out a thunderous whinny; the shrill sound brought each one's hoofs over their ears.

Twilight, fighting the resonance against her ears, made a dash for one of the paths. With a sprint she passed the giant figure, and shortly after its shrieking ceased. She turned around to see the others just past the figure which now looked left and right, contemplating its next step.

“Either way leads up!” Twilight shouted back. “Hurry!”

Twilight turned around and headed up. The slant and the snow swept Twilight's hoofs from underneath her time and time again as she made her advance up the natural steps. With the height of the mountain three times the size of the academy's hill, Twilight felt as though she were headed for the heavens. A quarter of the way up Twilight glanced back down again. Trixie and Windchaser were behind her. Right on their tails was the Tigbalan.

Its advance was slow but steady as every one of its steps dug into the slope. For every stride it made Twilight managed to make several, though half were slips and stumbles rather than steps in the right direction. In time her pace started slowing down.

“It's getting closer!” Trixie screamed, to which Twilight looked back again.

It was just steps from reaching the two. Twilight prepared to jump back down as a spell entered her mind. But the second she turned to hop back down, Windchaser stood tall and turned around himself.

“I'll distract it!” he exclaimed. “You two hurry to the top!”

Not listening for a word of protest the stallion slid down head-first as his horn began glowing a silvery color. His coat began shining like that of his magic as he jumped off the ground and over the monster's head.

He stayed in the air as he hovered around, swooping past the monster's head again and again. The Tigbalan, however, didn't budge an inch. Though it stalled for a moment and watched him fly about, it never swatted or screeched or scowled. Twilight, catching herself staring back at the sight, felt a hoof shoving her rear from behind.

“Keep going!” Trixie ordered. “We didn't make it this far for nothing!”

Twilight looked at the peak of the mountain where Trixie has said to go. Clouds swarmed the top as though the mountain were a needle poking into the fabric of the sky. The chilling sight of the snow-pouring clouds seemed hardly the direction in which to head in case of emergency.

Twilight glared at the blue mare behind her. “If you were lying about all this, Trixie, just admit it already! I know it's not easy to say that you made this all up, but wouldn't you rather live than have us all freeze or something because of your lies?”

“I told you, I remembered!” Trixie said. “Diamond said something about mountains when she was reading that book she had out loud. Why don't you just believe me?”

Twilight's eyes snuck a peek of the contents of her saddlebag; the spellbook stuck out from its leather hold, the letter from her friends stuck between its pages. Conviction and doubt began spinning in the mare's head; the altitude did not help the matter in the least.

“What are you waiting for?” Trixie stated.

Twilight bit her lip and struggled with her churning her stomach, its pain worse than that of a cramp.

How else can I get her to admit the truth? There’s nothing up here but clouds!

The winds blew with a greater might, chilling Twilight's coat all over. She shivered in her boots as her scarf began tugging tighter around her neck. The cold and choking sensations left her stranded where she stood, pondering, caught between the monster and mountaintop.

As Twilight's gaze wandered down the slope, when suddenly that of the monster suddenly lifted. Twilight felt her blood suddenly red hot with fear.

The mare sprinted up the slope without another moment of hesitation; the heat inside pushed her on like a steam engine against the stale, wintry air. Trixie, who had been pushing, fell flat on her face but recovered and trailed right behind. The new energy pushed Twilight all the way to the top, until she found herself completely surrounded by clouds.

The air was thick and dense with water as flakes poured down like grated ice. The cold fought the blazing terror inside of Twilight until the fire was completely put out. With the guiding flame dead and gone, Twilight found herself shivering and staring in every direction, no sign of another spark. To Twilight, though, the cold was preferable to the sight of the stalking eyes.

Feeling the last bits of energy gradually draining, Twilight felt her rear hoofs slipping back down the slope. Before they could fall back a couple inches they hit against something and stopped.

“Oof! Watch where you're going!” Trixie protested.

Twilight tried to turn and shush the loudmouth, but the clouds suddenly began sweeping in a dizzying circle, its curved edge just behind the two mares. The gales that carved the gray fog kept the two from falling out, but that did not stop the two from being utterly terrified. Rather, it was the very presence of the lanky, phantasmal horse before them, centered in the cleared cavern within the clouds.

Twilight tried to look away, but the strange sight caught her off-guard; the creature was no longer hunched over and skulking. It was sitting, much like one that is meditating, with its rear legs crossed and front hoofs extended outward. Its eyes and mouth were closed as its countenance faced skyward.

“Weary wanderers, fortunate few,” came a slow, deep voice, “welcome to these sacred grounds.”

Chapter 21: Pony Relic

Twilight's eyes ricocheted off the spherical chamber, its solid cloud walls similar in appearance to marble. The air inside stirred like a calm breeze playing within the bounds of a much larger area. Its tingling chill was but a tickle compared to the numbing sensation Twilight felt just by looking at the pale Tigbalan.

The creature's closed eyelids hid its most frightening sight, but this only brought more attention to its fearsome physique. Its front hoofs stretched out twice as long as its rear ones. Pointed spikes stuck out from its neck like a mane as its bleached tail swung from its body across the snowy ground. Even when sitting the Tigbalan looked taller than the highest tree in the Western Woods.

After a drawn out pause it opened its eyes. A golden color glowed instead of the red.

As it aimed its gaze down at Twilight and Trixie a deep voice flowed from its monstrous mouth, “It has been many years since this island last saw outsiders. My name is Dragoman, overseer of this forest. Tell me, what are your names, and from where do each of you hail?”

Twilight stepped forward with reluctance. “My name is Twilight Sparkle, and this-” She glanced at Trixie, who still wore a terrified expression on her face. “This is Trixie. We're both from the land of Equestria, just a few miles west across the sea.”

“Equestria?” Dragoman repeated. “Yes, that name is most familiar.” Twilight nodded as slowly as the beast did, until it finally spoke up again. “Nothing good comes from the land of Equestria... not that this island has ever seen.”

Twilight felt her blood go cold. “W-What do you mean?”

The Tigbalan suddenly growled. Twilight jumped back as the rock shards beneath her began shaking and scraping against one another, but soon the trembling passed. The mare looked back again at Trixie, who had also leaped a fair distance back. Her paralyzed stare was the same look that she wore back in the ruins of the forest.

“Either you have no respect for the Tigbalan, or you are simply ignorant,” Dragoman remarked, calming himself with deep, controlled breaths. “Which of the two should I assume?”

“W-We've never heard of a Tigbalan before,” Twilight explained quickly, looking to Trixie for confirmation. The blue mare merely stared.

Dragoman lifted his head and groaned, “Very well then, I shall explain. We, the Tigbalan, are a race cursed into habit. We give chase to those that invade our forests, but grant wishes to those who meet us on high grounds. It burns our very hearts to be asked questions, and our tempers flare as quickly as the flash of a spark.”

“So, no asking questio-?” Twilight cut herself off immediately. “Er, n-no questions. Understood.”

The Tigbalan closed its eyes and resumed its peaceful stance once more. “There is little I wish to say to either of you; the scent of Equestria, now fresh in my memory, only intensifies the pain of past recollections I relive every single day.” Dragoman drew in a shaking breath. “Bound to my habits, I am obliged to give each of you a single wish. Ask whatever of me, and it shall be done. After you have obtained what you want, be gone from my sight.”

Twilight and Trixie exchanged nervous glances. They could only stare in shock as their lagging minds processed just what was being offered.

Dragoman opened an eye slowly and examined the speechless duo. “Dig into what your hearts desire. Now is your one chance to get what you've always wanted. Fame. Fortune. Happiness. If you seek answers or knowledge, I can only grant a glimpse of what I know. Now, ask and be gone.”

Twilight looked back at Trixie, who suddenly had a twinkle in her eye. Twilight turned to face the beast and laughed uneasily, “Could you excuse us for just a-? I mean, please excuse us for a moment.”

Twilight pulled Trixie back and lowered her head.

“Trixie, we have to really consider what we're about ask for,” Twilight asked. “I'm not sure I believe all this just yet, but we have to give it a shot. Do you have any ideas about what to wish for?”

“I already know what I'll be doing with my wish,” Trixie stated.

Twilight blinked. “You do?”

“But of course,” Trixie whispered in a menacing tone. “I'll use my wish to make myself into the most powerful mare in all of Equestria!”

Twilight exhaled a tired groan.

“Listen, Trixie, I know that offer seems tempting, but we really have to think about a sure-fire way to get out of this situation after finding out as much as we can about this island. This is a library of knowledge we're dealing with!”

“What would you propose, hmm?” Trixie asked. “I see nothing wrong with the current plan; you wish for information, and I'll wish for the power. And then, with my new magic capacity, I shall banish this beast from the island, forever.”

“But what if you can't?” Twilight raised, vexed. “What if even the 'most powerful mare in all of Equestria' can't banish that? You'd be risking the lives of everypony on this island!”

“I'm waiting,” Dragoman stated, his deep voice like a sonic boom.

Twilight looked back for a brief moment, then returned to the two-pony huddle. “Trixie, please? I know I should be the last one to say this, but sometimes there are limits to what we can do.”

Trixie remained silent as she stared at the ground, now suddenly perplexed to the point of speechlessness. Twilight stared long and hard at her acquaintance's face, but the state of irresolution never faded from Trixie's face.

“Have you made your decisions, then?” Dragoman questioned.

Twilight turned around and felt her heart pumping as though she had just climbed the mountain again. Her mind ran through a premeditated list of mysteries and questions, an inventory she had started writing weeks ago. One concept seemed linked to almost all the others; Twilight was sure of it.

“I wish to know about the inhabitants of this island,” Twilight said.

The Tigbalan straightened out his back and began waving his hoofs about. “A glimpse of the past I can show you, but a glimpse is all I can grant.”

A black orb began glowing between the beast and Twilight. The mare could see her reflection on the surface of the rounded mirror, until suddenly she felt herself getting sucked in. The circle grew until it became a tunnel, its walls pitch black as she was pulled through. Straight ahead a small light approached, until it grew large enough to consume the mare.

Twilight closed her eyes tightly in preparation for the sting, but the prickling pain never began. Hesitantly she opened one eye, only to open the other in immediate shock.

She found herself standing in the middle of a dirt road as ponies all around passed by. They walked and trotted in every direction, passing in front of – and sometimes right through - her. She looked down at her body and noted its ethereal state as she could see straight through her own limbs.

Twilight looked back up and all around, taking in the scenery with her jaw dropped in disbelief. The brilliant sun overhead cast its rays upon perfectly-carved stone buildings and collections of colossal tree-homes. The edifices lined up perfectly along the streets with tiny lawns and gardens in between. Tall trees of all kinds surrounded the edge of the town, which itself was not much larger than Ponyville in size.

In front of Twilight stood a building larger than the rest, its facade partially occupied with a wide set of stairs connecting its doors to the street. Doric columns stood at every corner and fluid carvings decorated the walls. Mixed homes and shops surrounded it, their styles varying so much Twilight thought it dizzying for a moment.

Doors and windows on every abode sat wide open as business signs swung in the gentle breeze above them. Carts and stands filled the avenues swarmed with ponies of all races and ages; even zebras were in the mix. Cheery discussion and hearty laughs filled the air through which the carefree crowds passed. Not a single face went without the tiniest grin; Twilight herself smile in amazement.

“What you see is the ancient Pony Relic,” said Dragoman from behind, to which Twilight turned to face the creature. His eyes were open but staring straight out into space. “A town of perfect harmony, this paradise was the secret destination to which zebras and ponies alike fled from the pandemonium of their homeland.”

“Pandemonium,” Twilight uttered. “That means these ponies came from all of the ancient kingdoms.”

“Ancient kingdoms? No, no, young one,” Dragoman remarked. “These are refugees from your homeland: Equestria.”

“What? But how?” Twilight asked. “There wasn't any pandemonium within Equestria; harmony was its foundation. All of the races got along just fine after that.”

“Harmony between races is not that to which I refer,” Dragoman stated. “Be silent and see for yourself.”

“Hide! Everyone hide!” shouted one of the townsfolk from off in the distance.

Twilight turned along with the ponies and zebras surrounding her to see a group of older mares and stallions galloping straight toward her and the majestic building. A great number soon followed directly behind, pouring in from nearby streets and their homes. Those that gathered, young and old, soon shed their smiles as concerned frowns grew in their places.

The doors to the large stone building opened and two ponies hurried down the stairs. The first of the two was a middle-aged unicorn of a light silver coat. His white hair flowed like bushy clouds, and his sky blue eyes seemed able to peer into one's soul.

“What is it? What's the matter?” the unicorn asked in worry.

“Prince Platinum! H-He's returned! He's coming straight for the town!” one answered.

The unicorn scanned over the crowd, which now trembled with a strong collective panic. They waited anxiously for a reply from the stallion, who at first merely paced across the circle of the crowd in dismay. The second pony that had emerged, a dark gray pegasus, followed right behind him as silently and as swiftly as a shadow.

Prince Platinum finally stopped and examined the crowd, revealing a worry that had sprouted within his eyes. He turned to the stallion following him.

“Silver Shield, gather the other leaders,” Prince Platinum murmured, then held his head up to address the attentive audience. “We shall divide what resources we have and hide. We are not yet prepared to face that foul beast.”

Murmurs arose, followed by shocked susurrations. Soon, objections rose from the mumbling crowd.

“We can't stand losing our crops like this anymore!” said an earth pony. “With our crops getting destroyed again and again, everything's only getting worse. Soon we won't even have reserves in case of a long-lasting attack!”

“Yes, I am aware of this,” Prince Platinum stated. “I have summoned the other two leaders-”

“Quick my friends, scatter like roaches!” a zebra cried. “On the horizon, the beast approaches!”

The leader could no longer contain the mass. Ponies and zebras turned to spot the sight of a black silhouette rising over the hilly horizon. After the first few turned to run, the drain seemed pulled and the assembly quickly dissolved. Every inhabitant ran into a home or store as windows and doors slammed shut. After the multitude had completely fled the scene, Prince Platinum stood in the middle of the circle, alone. A deep sigh escaped his lips as he gazed into the distance.

“Prince Platinum,” called Steel Shield from the hall, “the others are coming. What's our plan of action?”

Prince Platinum squinted as he glared one last time at the oncoming monster, which Twilight could not yet distinguish herself from the street. “Protect Pony Relic for now. Should we survive this time through, as we have for years, we'll plan to do more than shield the people: we shall save them.”

He ran back to the town hall where his guard awaited, and soon the strong doors clanged shut behind him. With not a living being in sight, the entire scene of the town was dead. Twilight, though not directly present herself, felt out of place stranded in the middle of the street.

She turned and watched as a black object approached from the horizon. It slowly made its way down the lightly wooded hill in the distance. As it drew near Twilight thought she could see things changing as it passed by; trees shrunk, flowers grew. Rabbits grew extended legs and caterpillars chewed fast enough to devour pieces of foliage in seconds.

The mysterious creature paused and stood tall. It reached out its arms and let out a laugh that sent chills down Twilight's back.

That laugh... could it be?

With a snap the clear skies suddenly crowded with clouds, but rather than grey the masses were pink. Rain began to trickle down, then pour, until puddles formed in even the most level parts of the plains. Twilight looked down to examine the precipitation. She knew it wasn't water that made puddles of thick, brown liquid.

Twilight felt her lungs squeeze until the word sprang out of her throat: “Discord!”

Everything suddenly came to a complete stop. The rain paused mid-fall and the approaching villain's advance paused. Twilight's heart started beating through her chest.

Dragoman raised his head and his voice, “How is it that you know this foul beast?”

“My friends and I faced him when he was released from his prison,” Twilight explained.

“Prison?” Dragoman questioned. “You mean to suggest that he was once subdued?”

“He was- He is!” Twilight stated strongly in an attempt to calm herself. “Years ago, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna turned Discord into stone, releasing Equestria from its state of chaos. He managed to escape not long ago, but my friends and I defeated him a second time.”

“By order of these... princesses,” Dragoman said. “You said one of them was named... Luna?”

“Y-Yes,” Twilight answered. “She's one of the royal sisters of Equestria. She's the one running the academy on the island.”

Dragoman raised his chin as his eyes shut tightly. “You should know that this name, Luna, is not unfamiliar to this island.”

Twilight suddenly recalled, “Now that you mention it, that other monster had mentioned her, too.”

The Tigbalan suddenly opened his eyes again, only their united color was no longer a brilliant gold; it was a burnt orange, an in between of the two hues Twilight had seen glowing within the beast's orbs.

“What is this 'other monster' of which you speak?” he growled.

Twilight jerked her head low, expecting a swipe or something else in its anger. She cautiously replied, “W-We encountered a ghost-like being in a cave. A Taraxippus.”

“What? Where?” the Tigbalan barked.

“N-Near the school, in a cave of some sort-”

“Was she there? This... Luna?”

“Y-Yes, she's the one that saved us.”

The Tigbalan's eyes suddenly started glowing a familiar crimson. Twilight cautiously backed away at the sight until all of the sudden, in the blink of an eye, they switched back to gold. Dragoman closed his eyes and massaged his forehead with his long, lanky hoofs.

The environment slowly began to morph as the darkness of the strange storm changed into the light whites and grays of the cloudy mountaintop. Everything remained without motion, as though time itself had come to a complete pause.

The Tigbalan began once more in his deep, steady voice, “Young one, I shall grant you a rare opportunity, but you mustn't tell a soul. Because you have answered many questions I myself have had, I shall grant you the chance to ask me one more.”

“But what happens to Pony Relic? What about the townspeople? Did Discord destroy everything?”

Dragoman leaned forward and snarled, to which Twilight felt her head retreating into her body. “Too many questions you ask at once; do you wish to try my temper?” He took a deep breath and exhaled the irritation. “I have shown you a glimpse of the past. Why not ask one of the future?”

Twilight stared at the ground, which had changed from the dirt road back to rock. Questions flashed in her brain, each one significant in its own way. None seemed more important than the others. Not many were of the future.

As Twilight stared at the ground a memory triggered from within her memory banks. The familiar feeling of panting, of exhaustion, staring at the ground unable to look up, brought a memory to forefront of her mind. The last time Twilight had felt so lost was during her encounter with the Taraxippus.

“I-I think I know what I wish to ask,” Twilight said, gathering herself.

Dragoman bowed his head and held out his arms. “Ask away, young pony.”

Twilight stared the beast in the eyes and said, “I wish to know... are there any more harmful monsters on this island that anypony should know about?”

The Tigbalan stared at the sky as he leaned back and opened his hoofs to the sky. “Alas, young one, nothing occupies this island that shall bring you any harm.” He suddenly started laughing. “That is, nothing but I.”

Twilight's eyes shot open.

“Oops! Did I say that out loud?” the Tigbalan asked with a chuckle. “Good thing your friend did not hear that.”

Twilight looked to her right. Trixie stood exactly where she had been before the flashback. However, she was not moving in the slightest. She was frozen in time just like the environment.

“What?” Twilight asked. “What did you do to Trixie?”

“It is not what I did to her,” Dragoman replied, “it is what I did to you. Our adventure to the past was not something we did together. No, I merely projected it within your mind; ah, the capacity of your mind. Quite a powerful thing, if you ask me. Powerful enough to make me... concerned.”

Twilight tried to back away, but the beast's eyes only glowed all the brighter. “You mean-?”

“Yes, I can see your thoughts, Twilight Sparkle,” Dragoman stated, laughing. “While you were distracted by the vision of the past I took the liberty of exploring your mind. I must admit you have valuable information that I've been just dying to figure out.” He threw his head back as an evil laugh echoed through the inanimate air. “Now that I've finished picking at your memories, I'll take us back to the present. But what good would all this be if you managed to tell the tale?”

Twilight felt a clutch in her throat, throwing the mare into a fit of coughs. She gasped for air until her lungs were filled enough to shout.

But when she opened her mouth, not a single word came out.

“What's that?” Dragoman taunted. “You want your voice back? I'm afraid I cannot allow that. You see, I overheard your conversation concerning your use of your wishes. You want to get rid of me, do you not? Unfortunately for you, you're clean out of wishes yourself, and your friend isn't going to help; what was it she asked for? To become the 'most powerful mare in all of Equestria'? Ha! As if a mere pony could defeat me.”

The Tigbalan roared with laughter as he returned to his still meditating position.

“I thank you for the news of Discord, as well as word of Luna. You've given me the hope of revenge I've been thirsting for so long!”

With a clap of his hoofs things suddenly returned to their active state. Clouds in the backdrop swirled about while a gentle breeze stirred within them. Twilight tried to grunt and growl, but not a sound came from her throat. She glanced over at Trixie, who was staring at her with a squinting eye.

“Do not waste any time, blue mare,” Dragoman said, drawing Trixie's attention. “Your friend's wish has been granted. Tell me now, what is yours? Anything you desire, and I shall grant it. Money... fame... power.”

Trixie stole another glimpse of Twilight, but the violet mare couldn't utter a single word. She couldn't move her lips, nor even her head. Her entire body felt locked in its joints. She watched with unmoving eyes as Trixie narrowed her gaze and looked to Dragoman.

“I know what it is that I wish for,” Trixie stated, prepared.

Dragoman sniggered, “Go on.”

Trixie took one last breath as she paused for the breeze across her face, a strange expression of triumph and something else that Twilight could not make out.

“I wish... that you would be banished from this island!”

The Tigbalan opened its eyes as the gold gradually faded into the depths of crimson.

“What? That is your wish!?” Dragoman exclaimed. “What about power, about success? Fame, fortune? Do those not appeal to you?”

“I... I wish that you'd be gone!” Trixie yelled.

Dragoman growled, his voice rumbling the boulders on which the mares stood. He leaned forward until his ghastly form was no longer in its peaceful position, but rather its threatening stance.

“I offer you power, young one. Magic beyond your wildest dreams!”

Trixie closed her eyes tightly and fought the breeze that began stirring with a craze. “I said be GONE!”

Trixie's words shot power like gales of wind. The white beast fell to the ground and stumbled backwards. He shook his head and examined each of his hoofs, all of which began slowly dwindling. His limbs broke off into tiny bits like shattering glass. The pieces then floated off like leaves in the autumn winds carried up and away out of sight. A final whinny escaped like a thunderous shriek, after which his head gradually dissolved into thin air. The last pieces to go were his deep red eyes, which shot one final gaze down at Twilight.

“What you should fear is Princess Luna.”

And with that, the pair of crimson eyes dissolved in thin air, leaving no trace of the creature's existence behind. The storm faded away as though its last bits of snow drained out the last of the clouds. The small wind in the sphere grew to powerful gales as they broke through the clouded barrier. A fresh mountain air embraced the two mares, wrapping them in an icy chill neither could feel in their numbness.

Twilight felt her lungs released as she gasped for air. Her eyes fell on Trixie who had dropped to her knees and stared with a blank expression.

“Trixie?” Twilight managed to ask, free of the beast's spell. “Are you okay?”

Trixie looked up at Twilight with heavy eyes. “I-I'm not sure what just happened.”

Twilight, still gasping for air, shook her head slowly. “You wished the Tigbalan away. I was almost sure you'd wish for power or fame or something.” The mare felt guilt suddenly weigh down on her head. “I-I'm sorry I ever doubted you, Trixie. Today I haven't been very pleasant with you. It was wrong of me to never give you a second chance.”

A pause ensued between the two during which neither looked the other in the eye. Twilight waited for a response, but with the hollow eyes and unmoving mouth Trixie seemed unable to gather herself.

Twilight continued, still somewhat embarrassed, “Trixie, what made you change your mind? Weren't you going to wish to become the most powerful mare in all of Equestria?”

Trixie shook her head. “I-I don't know. Something didn't feel right. It's as though... I could hear a voice inside my head. It told me not to do it.”

Twilight tilted her head. “Huh? A voice inside your head?”

Trixie looked backed down with her puzzled, defeated stare. When she looked back up at Twilight, though, her expression suddenly returned to its vain appearance, nose lifted and eyes closed.

“Hmph. That was draining enough for one day,” Trixie said. “I'd say we best get out of here before anything else happens.”

“Twilight! Trixie!”

Familiar calls resounded from down the slope. The two walked over to the edge near where they stood and gazed down at their four companions standing on the stony path.

“Thank Celestia you guys are okay!” Quirky said in relief. “We were worried after you two had disappeared, especially along with that thing.”

“What happened? Where's the monster?” Windchaser asked.

Twilight looked over at Trixie, who answered smugly, “The likes of it won’'t be seen on this island ever again.”

“W-What? How did you two accomplish that?” Diamond Chisel asked.

Twilight giggled as she started her descent from the peak. “We'll tell you guys on the way back. With clear skies and a little light, I think it'd be best if we start heading back now.”

And with a breath of fresh air and a lighting of their horns, the group of six started their return journey, hoping for the most uneventful trip ever.

The dark sky spread a blanket of violet and navy over the crown of mountains encircling the forest. Twilight, having reached the foot of the final hill, felt her body giving in to the thought of rest. Though she and others were still minutes away from the southern gate, Twilight could picture herself already snuggled up in her cozy bed, free from the chill of snow that had lingered on her coat all day.

She glanced back at the others. Their faces hung with exhaustion as they constantly panted for air, tired from their round-trip across the island. Twilight wondered just how exerting the adventure had been for the others. Encounters near and outside of Ponyville had prepared her for such long-winding adventures, but even she felt ready to collapse. She recalled how each time she would put off the tiredness as she prepared a letter to Princess Celestia.

“I would prefer that thou address a letter of today's happenings to me, Twilight Sparkle.”

The student stopped dead in her tracks. The others, all right behind her, came to a halt as well.

“What's the matter, Twilight?” Quirky inquired.

Twilight laughed nervously, “That's strange. I could have swore I just heard Princess Luna's voice inside my head-”

“Indeed you did, my heedful student,” came the voice of the princess again; only this time, it was outside of her head.

Twilight looked to the top of the hill. Surely enough, standing before the group was Princess Luna. Her dark coat had blended in with the silhouettes of the trees atop the hill just near the academy gates. Her tail flowed gracefully down to the grass as her mane blended in with the starry sky. The spark in her eyes looked like two particularly shining stars, though they were not twinkling with pride or joy.

“Explain to me, my students, what is the meaning of this,” Princess Luna asked.

Twilight stepped forward. “Princess Luna, I can explain-”

“Was it thou who proposed to venture about the woods at so late an hour?” Princess Luna questioned.

Twilight bowed and answered, “Yes, Princess Luna, it was my idea-”

“No, it was my idea!” Quirky interrupted.

Windchaser stepped up as well, “I'm just as guilty.”

With the three from Ponyville front and center, the other three remained where they stood, kicking at the thin layer of snow on the ground, simply looking away or whistling. Princess Luna looked over each of the three in front of her with speculation. “Art thou three not aware of the commands I had detailed concerning exploring the island this week?”

Each of the three nodded with a weight of guilt upon their shoulders.

Princess Luna skimmed over the sights of the three, but her eyes came to rest upon Twilight in particular. “I sense that only thou, Twilight Sparkle, hath more to tell than the others.” Princess Luna's eyes suddenly flashed white as she glared at the others. “But do not grow hopes of escaping chastisement. Thou shalt meet with me soon enough. Come, Twilight.”

With that, Princess Luna turned began toward the academy grounds with Twilight, but halfway to the gate she stopped and turned around.

“Trixie, I sense thy presence in this discussion is imperative. Thou shalt accompany me as well.”

The blue mare looked at the others and gulped. Reluctantly she stepped from where her feet had seemingly frozen into the ground and approached the princess and Twilight.

“The rest of you shall await my call in thou separate chambers,” Princess Luna commanded. “Come, my students, there is much to discuss.”

Chapter 21.5: Exegesis

Twilight stared nervously into space, her knees knocking even when sitting. The chilly atmosphere, trapped within the foyer by the colder wintry air outside, contributed minimally to the mare's shivering. Rather, a preoccupying fear was what shook the mare's bones until she no longer could sense her own shuddering.

The grand doors to the headmare's hall were intimidating enough; located on the topmost floor, the wooden barriers were dividers between the common main hall and the mysterious, innermost chamber. Once in a while, when able to escape the memories of Luna's disappointed expression, Twilight would examine the doorway from top to bottom. Its wood was an interesting charcoal color, and the frame was lined with silver.

Violet gemstones planted in the black wood blinked like dark stars against a pure night sky. Their shimmers in the dull light made them seem as though they were watchful eyes. Twilight felt a sense of conviction coming from them, as though they were individual entities that stared into her mind.

I know what we did wasn't wrong. There's no way Princess Luna wouldn't understand everything.

One of the giant doors suddenly creaked open, and out from the gap walked a worn out Trixie. Her steps were lethargic and her head drooped low. The moment she spotted Twilight, however, her head immediately raised as she closed her eyes and stuck her nose up in the air.

“Princess Luna wishes to see you,” Trixie stated in her usual dynamic tone.

Twilight tried to swallow her anxiety, but it only stuck inside her throat. “What happened? Are we in trouble?”

“Nothing really to worry about. Not for myself, at least,” Trixie replied. “Just answer her questions honestly, otherwise who knows what might happen next.” With a swing of her light hair she started for the stairwell but paused and remarked over her shoulder, “Should we not run into each other before classes begin, I'll see you in class.”

The sentence bounced through the hall, but more so through Twilight's head.

We're not even in the same magic track...

But without another moment's hesitation Twilight turned and headed through the gap between the colossal doors. The second she immersed herself into the headmare's hall the portal slammed shut behind her.

“Come hither, Twilight Sparkle,” echoed Princess Luna's voice across the hall.

Twilight spotted the dark indigo figure on the opposite side of the long chamber. As she made her way over Twilight couldn't help but take in the sights of the stunning room, both with anxiety and in awe. Giant stained glass windows lined each of the walls much like the royal courtroom in Canterlot. Large glass panels made up the entire ceiling, allowing a great span of the night sky to stare down as Twilight slowly made her way through the dark but majestic hall.

When Twilight drew close she noticed Princess Luna staring straight up, squinting, her teal eyes in perfect focus. The student slowed her pace in fear she was somehow interrupting, and soon joined in looking above. Overhead was a giant dome of glass through which a multitude of stars could be seen.

“You know why it is that I wish to speak with you, do you not, Twilight Sparkle?” Princess Luna suddenly stated, to which Twilight could only nod. “Then let us not tarry. Praytell, what is thine explanation for having returned from the Western Woods at so late an hour?”

Twilight felt her heart leaping inside her chest though she had expected the very request.

“Princess Luna,” Twilight began, “my friends and I left this afternoon to explore the Western Woods. I thought I had seen something moving around the night of Vinyl's concert-”

“Dost thou have fair reason for not having told any instructor or myself of this?” the princess interjected.

Twilight felt her heart sink. “N-No, your highness.”

Silence followed, until Princess Luna's voice once more broke the air. “Continue.”

Twilight tried to breath normally again but felt her lungs and heart falling out of sync. “I wasn't going to do anything at first, but eventually some others and I decided to see if we could find any trace of the activity in the forest.”

“Relay to me your findings,” Princess Luna ordered, drawing her eyes from the stars down to Twilight.

Though she did not wish to revisit the memories in her brain, Twilight obeyed as she broached the subject of the quest.

“We first encountered a strange monster, a ghostly creature with dark red eyes. It had long hoofs in front and looked taller than the any of the trees in the Western Woods. It wasn't that fast, but I think it had a spell that toyed with everypony's instincts. As a result, it managed to split the six of us up; but, in the end, we all managed to regroup.”

“Trixie mentioned ruins within the forest,” Princess Luna remarked. “What hast thou to say of this?”

“There were in fact ruins, princess. I can remember them pretty well,” Twilight said. “There were piles of stone spread across a certain part of the woods. Trees have spread across it now, though, so I don't think I could spot it from the academy.”

Princess Luna stared out through one of the windows to the side facing north. She nodded slowly and narrowed her eyes. “What became of the fiend that gave you chase?”

“Trixie and one of her friends said that they had read up on the monster before; it was called a Tigbalan. The two said we had to climb a mountain to escape it, so we tried. I didn't think it would work, but it all turned out to be mostly true.”

“All Tigbalan are bound to grant a wish to those who meet them on high ground,” Princess Luna commented. “There was reluctance in coming to believe what Trixie told; however, since thou hast told a similar tale, Twilight Sparkle, I cannot refute both of your accounts. It seems my intuition was correct.”

Twilight blinked. “Your intuition? What do you mean?”

“I interjected halfway through your struggle with the monster,” Princess Luna stated. “I returned to the academy late this evening, and the second I set drew near I could sense danger present. Upon examining the northern part of the island it became apparent that something dangerous lingered. Before hurrying out I tried to contact those that I could sense in deep distress; however, the only one whose mind I could project my voice into was Trixie's.”

Twilight felt her throat go dry.

“Dost thou have an explanation for this?” Princess Luna inquired. “Trixie herself stated that thou were right beside her; yet, I could not sense your distress.”

“What you should fear is Princess Luna.”

Twilight heard the words echo through her mind; rather than fading away, though, they only seemed to grow louder. The unicorn's eyes twitched but the mare quickly closed them to hide the disturbance from the headmare's notice. Twilight fought the repeating voice of Dragoman as she repeated a piece of her own logic in her head.

There's no way I can't trust Princess Luna!

“The Tigbalan,” Twilight said, struggling to refocus, “it said that it was occupying my mind.”

Princess Luna suddenly looked down at Twilight as an intensity made her eyes flicker white.

“I understand that the Tigbalan granted you each a single wish,” Princess Luna said. “I used a telepathy spell to instruct Trixie to banish the fiend. I am curious, though, my student: what was it for which thou wished?”

Twilight's eyes darted about the room in an attempt to avoid the narrowing gaze, but no matter where she looked the light blue of Luna's eyes shone brightly in her sights. Unable to escape, Twilight locked eyes and gave in to the stare.

“I wished to know about the island's past,” Twilight answered. “I wanted to know about the ruins, and who used to live in them.”

Princess Luna stared back up at the stars as she took a long pause. “And what didst thou come to discover?”

“I... I saw a place called Pony Relic,” Twilight answered, to which Luna's eyebrows raised. “I saw ponies and zebras living in harmony. They all looked so happy... but then Discord showed up.”

“Discord?” Luna asked, shocked.

“Yes, as he was coming all the townsfolk gathered around their leader, a unicorn named Prince Platinum. He couldn't keep their attention, and soon enough all of the ponies and zebras had scattered and hid. After that the vision ended.”

Princess Luna stared Twilight in the eye once more. “And that is all that happened?”

The second wish.

“The monster, he-” Twilight felt her tongue sprinting beyond what her thoughts could hold it to say. “-he asked me questions about Discord, and then about you. In return for answering his questions he granted me another wish.”

“What was thy second wish?”

Twilight felt backed into a corner; she knew she couldn't hide the quote that now echoed louder than ever before in her head. She had no doubts about sharing until she saw the princess's reactions to her discoveries. Twilight wondered just how much the princess knew herself, and pondered whether or not she should share the last bit.

Why... Why shouldn't I tell her?

Twilight looked Princess Luna in the eyes and shut off her brain, allowing for the words to flow out without hindrance. “I wished to know if there were any other monsters on the island.”

She paused as Princess Luna's eager eyes showed an urge that her royal composure would not. “Pray tell, Twilight Sparkle, what was its answer?”

Twilight gulped. “He said no.” A look of relief drowned out the yearning in Princess Luna's eyes. Twilight suddenly feared her following words would ruin the consolation. “But, if I might add, your highness, when Trixie wished him away... he told me something else.”

Twilight felt a lump grow so large in her throat she could no longer speak nor even breath. The anxiety choked her until the princess's insistent eyes shook the apprehension clear out of her system.

“He told me the only thing to fear on this island was... you.”

Princess Luna stared, her eyes suddenly frozen. Twilight couldn't tell just what emotion was covering her majestic face. Ever so slowly she raised her head until her eyes were looking straight up at the moon and stars above.

“I thank thee for thine honesty, Twilight Sparkle,” Luna said. “Now, I understand that thou art undoubtedly taxed from thy extensive travels this afternoon. Go and rest, my student. Should the need arise, we shall speak again before classes begin.”

Twilight bowed and began to turn, but paused under the pressure of her guilt. “Princess Luna, is everything all r-?”

“'Twas not the fault of you six for the trouble you encountered,” Luna stated. “Shouldst thou see the others, feel free to inform them that an interview shall not be necessary... not for the time being. Now good night, my student.”

“But, I-”

“Good night.”

Twilight hesitated as she turned to leave, but gave in after the princess's commanding stare did not change. Driven by unease of just what the princess could be thinking, Twilight turned and headed for the chamber exit. She slowly stepped, waiting for an interruption, but all that met her ears as she crossed the dark hall were her own hoofsteps against the soft carpet.

The night had passed in restlessness. Thoughts and images haunted Twilight when she sat wide awake, and then followed her into her shallow dreams. As hours passed the mare felt ready to give up on even trying to close her eyes altogether. Her own physical exhaustion, however, begged that she keep trying to sleep.

The mix of light dreaming and fathomless thoughts visited Pony Relic, especially the peace that had turned into horror. Memories returned of running from the Tigbalan as well as of the terrible encounter upon the mountain. Thoughts of her mind being invaded made her skin prick; thoughts of Princess Luna's mysterious mood made her mind go completely numb.

Eventually rays of the morning light spread across the walls in Twilight's room. The mare stared at them with bitterness though they were not the last thing she wanted to see. On the one hoof Twilight desired for the night to pass; on the other she thirsted for more than scattered spurts of five minutes' sleep. When the birds began chirping and the sunlight grew stronger, Twilight felt her alert senses refusing to allow her brain rest.

Body aching, Twilight rolled out of bed and groaned. She squinted as she stared at the purple carpet and wished she could sink into the darkness it portrayed. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted her unpacked saddlebags.

Guess I could unpack...

Twilight opened the packs and first drew out the “Speak-No-Evil” spellbook and examined its damaged cover. She had hoped that her panic from the past evening had merely blurred her vision; but with stains on the leather cover and smeared ink on the pages, her eyes confirmed that the mess was no trick of her alarmed state.

Guilt began beating on her conscious as she looked over the book. Not even two seconds later it overtook her mind, until the only thing she could think about was getting it fixed. With nothing else in mind to do, Twilight carried the book with her magic and set out straight for the library.

The moment she threw open the door to her suite, though, a familiar mare greeted her.

“Twilight! I didn't even have to knock on the door!” came the voice of Lyra. “Have I got a surprise for you!”

Twilight, catching herself staring at the floor, glanced up at the mint-colored mare.

“Is the surprise that you're back already?” Twilight managed to ask.

“How did you know?” Lyra asked as the happiness turned to curiosity.

Twilight's face didn't move a single muscle. “Lucky guess.”

Lyra looked over her friend with her rich amber eyes, turning the giant grin upside down. “What happened to you, Twilight? You look awful!”

“Thanks,” Twilight murmured. “Rough night.”

“I see, I see,” Lyra said. “Up late thinking about stallions again?”

“When have I ever-?” Twilight started, but stopped upon realizing who she was speaking with. “Yes, Lyra. Stallions. Lots and lots of stallions. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm heading for the library-”

“Oh of course!” Lyra chirruped merrily. “I would love to join you!”

Twilight inhaled, but let the breath escape as quietly as it was drawn. Lyra looked down the hall as she backed from the door, allowing Twilight to exit her suite completely.

“A lot of ponies left this break,” Lyra said. “How have the six of you been holding up?”

Twilight's eyes rolled up in their weary sockets as she carefully contemplated a response.

“Let's just say it's been... thought-provoking.”

The two walked on through the dormitory halls. Lyra rolled her eyes about with energy, constantly glancing over at Twilight, who did not fail to notice the bounciness.

“What is it, Lyra?” Twilight finally asked.

“Well, aren't you going to ask my about my break?”

“Oh, right... sorry. Lyra, how was your break?”

Lyra shook her head quickly. “I-I don't wanna talk about it. Can we talk about something else?”

The mint-colored mare looked away as she occupied her eyes with the sight of the glass tunnel ahead. She thought of something else to move on to, but the memories of her visit home occupied her mind. Anxiously she waited for Twilight to strike up a topic, but in her tired state all she seemed able to do was stare at the floor.

I don't think I can tell her... not yet.

Chapter 22: Shilly-Shallying

“Just my luck,” Twilight murmured crossly as the set of doors before creaked in their refusal to open. “Since when did the library close before midnight?”

Lyra glanced about the foyer, curious if its seeming abandonment – from the locked windows and doors shut to to the unusually deep silence – went unnoticed by her weary friend. Every corner within the chamber hid in pockets of darkness as the moon, visible through a long window nearby, was well beyond its halfway mark across the sky.

“You are aware that it's almost an hour past midnight, don't you Twilight?” Lyra inquired.

Twilight's general look of irritation dissipated. Her ears retreated as she blushed for a split second.

“Well, judging by the fact that I can’t keep track of time anymore, as well as that I'm beginning to believe I have x-ray vision and can see through these doors, it's obvious that I'm in need of some sleep.”

Lyra nodded. “Indeed you are. You're practically the epitome of a shipwreck!”

Twilight glowered at her friend, who held a look of lighthearted assurance. “Anyway, I'll be back here a few hours before noon tomorrow... well, technically it's 'today'. Would you care to still meet up then? We can talk all about your trip while I browse for a couple of books.”

But that only gives me tonight to think...

“Yes,” Lyra suddenly blurted out. “We can talk all about my... my trip. All of the troubling- I mean, wonderful times.”

Twilight lowered her head to spy the distress in her friend's eyes. “You don’t sound too good, Lyra. Is there something on your mind?”

The mint-colored mare jerked her head back up and stepped away quickly. “What? I’m not implying that I have something urgent to say about my trip! Who said that?” Twilight blinked. “Let's, uh, let's just wait until morning to talk. I’m just dandy, of course, but you look so worn out; I'd much rather not overwhelm you.”

Twilight gave her usual unconvinced stare, to which Lyra began sweating bullets.

“If you say so, Lyra-”

“And say so I did!” Lyra cut in anxiously. “Now, be sure not to stumble into the wrong room or anything on the way back. Watch out for strangers and don't listen if anypony tries and bribes you with a cake.”

Twilight examined her friend, who now showed a smile beaming from ear to ear. “Lyra, I'm just walking back to my room. It's not like I'm leaving Equestria.” She turned to go but stopped halfway through her circle. “Wait, aren't you heading back to your place, too?”

Lyra paused as she looked around the great span of the foyer, its vacancy and darkness something she sought. To get away from the world and its noise was all she wanted for the moment. With Twilight having gone and planned their discussion to take place in less than twenty-four hours, Lyra knew she would need all the alone time she could get; it was the reason she had already returned to the school. Running into Twilight had been somewhat of an accident.

“No, Twilight,” Lyra finally managed to answer, “I-I have some things to do before settling down. Rituals and whatnot.”

“Rituals? Like what?” Twilight asked. “You just told me a few minutes ago that everything here closed at midnight.”

“Well, yes, we both know that, but-” Lyra caught sight of the moon, at which point an idea clicked in her head. “I'm going to see if I can have a word with Princess Luna. Yes, that was my plan all along. It just slipped my mind for a minute.”

Twilight began massaging her forehead. “Wait, you see Princess Luna every night as a ritual?”

Lyra watched with a nervous smile as her friend's eyes raised to the top floor where the peak of the towering doors stood. She could sense something unsettling in Twilight's gaze, something beyond – or maybe part of – her exhaustion.

“You may not want to go visit the princess tonight, in that case,” Twilight warned as her her violet eyes glimmered with concern. “I think some things came up recently that may have put her in a strange mood. Plus, I'm not sure she would be open to visits; not at this hour, at least.”

“Silly Twilight, this late for us is early for her! After all, Princess Luna is the ruler of the night and whatnot,” Lyra laughed, waving a hoof as though without a single care. “You, on the other hoof, shouldn't be up this late. Off to bed now, good night!”

“But I-”

Lyra began shoving her friend toward the staircase without allowing another word. She had run out of excuses or reasons and knew her friend to pursue things to the end. She hoped Twilight's exhaustion would prevent her from continuing to flounder; there seemed no other way to keep her investigative ego at bay.

Her plan worked all the way to the staircase, where she gave Twilight one final shove. Lyra, still fearful of further interrogation, watched as the violet mare stared down the spiraling stairs. Twilight’s expression seemed as confused as a fish taken from the sea and dumped into a glass bowl with nothing but water.

“Lyra, are you sure you're okay?” she asked, her words beginning to slur.

The amber-eyed mare nodded, sensing success was near, and motioned her friend onward.

“Yes, Twilight, believe me. I'm as 'okay' as a... a... well, you know. Good night!”

Twilight shook her head and sighed, “All right. Good night, Lyra.”

Without another moment's hesitation Twilight waddled her way down the stairs, every step more like a struggle of keeping her head from hitting the carpeted treads. Upon reaching the main floor Twilight's pace picked up to a swerving stagger, until her bumbling figure disappeared into the glass corridor. Lyra wiped her forehead.

“Phew. Oh, just look at me,” said the minty mare to herself. “Lying to my own friends. Well, I was thinking about seeing Luna, but seeing as how I couldn't even tell Twilight! It’s hopeless.”

Her wandering mind released her body to venture off with its own independence. Her steps led her slowly down the stairs as her mind distracted her eyes with recent memories. Once her attention returned to the present minutes later, she found herself standing in the glass corridor. She faced the eastern coast, the most calming of sights to the mare; Lyra knew her senses were getting at something.

The vast ocean was a sight she had admired since she first saw it on the chariot ride over; it was the foundation of all her dreams. Ever since day one she often stared at the waters late at night, their navy surface sprinkled with white. It was something about water that left her in a trance; even the mere sight of the sea simply calmed her soul. Lyra herself could not explain it.

As she stared out then, like many times before, she could feel the sea calling her name. Its voice was mysteriously familiar inside her head; yet everything it had spoken before eventually faded away like sights and sounds within a dream. On various occasions she put her talent to work and tried to put words fresh in her mind into song; seconds after consciousness, however, the chords were all that would remain.

There was, however, a single phrase that escaped the forgetful cycle. She remembered it as she stared out at the sea:

Like the water, calm, my spirit...

It was as though the ocean had a power of its own. What it said could stand out like a powerful dream rather than like a forgetful fantasy. She had not experienced the sensation in years; Ponyville was nowhere near the ocean.

Ponyville.

It had only been hours since her second departure. She hadn't planned on returning so soon, either; everything had happened so quickly. The memories unfolded in her head like a storybook, returning to where she had earlier stopped.

Bon Bon's house was as delightful as always; a clone of the other town houses, perhaps, but its location near the lake unique. With the forest bounds nearby it was a most peaceful place, one Lyra went to in times of boredom and of tension. The homely sight atop its own hill was usually something at which to stop and stare; with a new layer of snow covering the rooftop and lawn, the fire glowing inside was a beacon for her wandering soul.

Bon Bon had greeted her in her usual manner, with a warmth only best friends could share. Lyra felt it from her words and her touch, but the heat only skimmed the surface. Her own heart had gone cold, her blood frozen and still. Her shivering soul hid beneath a content facade, but Lyra knew it was only a matter of time before its unveiling.

“So, how are you enjoying your time at Luna's school?” Bon Bon began excitedly as the two entered her living room. “Tell me all about it!”

Lyra smiled and replied, “Oh, it's all right.”

“What? 'All right'? Lyra, I thought you'd be ecstatic!” Bon Bon asked. “What's going on? Did something bad happen within the past few weeks? Or maybe-” She gasped. “Did you find... the one!?”

Lyra breathed anxiety in, then out. What her body absorbed went straight to her head. “N-No, Bon Bon, don't be silly! It's nothing like that, really!”

“Have you been homesick, then?”

“Somewhat, I suppose.”

“Have your classes been too difficult?”

Lyra remembered pausing and looking her friend in the eye with a smirk. “Bon Bon, you do know who you're talking to, right?”

Despite the brusque manner in which Lyra said it, Bon Bon merely smiled; she always understood just what the minty mare meant. “I suppose your lessons haven't been tough enough then, huh? What are you studying again? You didn't say anything about your classes in your letter.”

Lyra could only look her friend in the eye; Bon Bon was sharp when figuring her out.

Bon Bon tried to continue, “You're not studying light magic again, are you-?”

“Yes, Bon Bon,” Lyra said, the truth squeezed out by guilt. “I'm studying light magic. Again.”

“But you're a master at that stuff,” Bon Bon commented with her growing look of concern. “How did you end up in that track? You said in your letter that Luna wasn’t putting students in tracks-”

“My parents told me to.”

Bon Bon's face lit up with shock. “Don’t tell me-”

“They want me to study light magic, Bon Bon. They always have, you know that. We both know it’s supposed to strengthen the musical talent-”

“We both know that's horseapples!”

Lyra watched as her friend stood and began pacing the floor, a common action of hers whenever distressed. All Lyra could do was sit and watch, aware something unpleasant was coming her way.

“Lyra, we've been friends for a long, long time,” Bon Bon began. “I've known you since we were both little fillies. I know that you're smart – really smart – and that you can do whatever you put your mind to.” She took a deep breath as the two mares' eyes locked. “But I also know that you can give up on the things you actually want too easily.”

Lyra felt an arrow shoot straight through her heart. The emotion bled from within through her entire being. Though nothing of the sort showed on the surface, Lyra knew that Bon Bon could sense the terrible feelings inside just through a look in the eye.

“Bon Bon-”

“I've been watching for years as you let your parents go around telling you what to do,” Bon Bon stated. “Remember when you got your cutie mark playing around on the lyre?” Lyra hesitantly nodded. “Did your parents ever make you play that instrument?”

“... No. They wanted me to play the flute.”

“That should be a big enough clue! They don't really know what it is that makes you you,” Bon Bon said. “Light magic making you better, hmph! You know what makes you better? Doing what you love. And I know you love the water. This was your chance to study elemental magic, right?”

“You make it all sound so easy,” Lyra murmured. “I can't just tell my parents that I want to switch courses. You know they call elemental spells ‘the harmful charms’! They wouldn’t help pay for such a thing if their own instruments were hung over a cliff.”

“You think they would really think that? You don’t think they’ll give you a little freedom, just for a couple of months?” Bon Bon said, her voice beginning to raise. “I never thought your parents were that uptight. Or are you really that afraid of facing your own parents?”

… Maybe.

Bon Bon placed a hoof on her friend’s shoulder. “I know you just saw them, but please... please go see your parents tomorrow, okay? Tell them what you're thinking. I'd help you with the money stuff myself, but we're in the same boat there. I’m just a candy maker’s assistant, after all. You have to come up with something, Lyra, otherwise you’re just gonna end up wasting these next few months. I know you can think up a solution. You're smart like that!”

The memory began to fade, which Lyra didn’t mind in the least. She couldn’t stand the sight of her friend’s gentle blue eyes, much less stand the sense of hope Bon Bon displayed in that very moment.

I really thought I could do it, Bon Bon. I really thought I could.

“Lyra? Lyra!”

The mare shook her head to release herself from the memory, her eyes shot open once free of its hold. The ocean still stood in front of her, but it no longer sat beneath a dark sky. Confused, she looked left and right and found Twilight standing beside her, hoof planted in her lyre cutie mark.

“Are you okay, Lyra? You looked like you were shaking pretty bad. Were you having a nightmare?”

“A nightmare?” Lyra asked, taken aback. “But I didn't fall asleep-”

She suddenly felt a hint of sunlight warming the side of her face. A faint light caught the corner of her eye. The sky, though mostly clouded, shone with a gentle glow of grey as sunlight cast its rays through the sheet of clouds. The waves of the ocean were docile, their undulations colored grey like the clouds above.

“What time is it?” Lyra asked, befuddled.

“It's about nine in the morning,” Twilight replied. “You weren't out here all night, were you?”

Lyra looked back at the main hall from within the glass corridor and noted the change in tone; the dark walls were now brimming with a cool light of their own. The marble texture of columns and the stairs glimmered like scattered rays of light in shallow water. She felt as though she had washed up from the dark depths onto a sunny shore, though the sunlight was not the brightest she had ever seen it.

“Me, up all night? Absolutely not! The guards would have said something, I'm sure,” Lyra said, though she failed to spot one at which to point. “Are you suggesting I look as though I need more sleep? Is this some ploy to trick me into not joining you to the library? You must have some rendezvous of sorts set up and you need me to stay away.”

Twilight rolled her eyes and laughed, a sight Lyra had grown used to from her confidante.

“I'm not trying to rendezvous with a special somepony, Lyra,” she said. “I'm serious though; judging by how you look right now, I'd say you could use a little more rest-”

“Ugh! Do I seem that hard on the eyes?” Lyra remarked, offended, with a narrowed gaze. “Just what are you suggesting about my complexion?”

“It’s nothing bad about your complexion,” Twilight replied quickly as she began walking circles around Lyra, “it's just, your eyes seem really unfocused. Your speech is kind of off, too. Are you sure you don't want just a short nap?”

“Nap SHMAP,” Lyra barked. “I'm as awake as an Iron Pony competitor at the tie-breaking event. As strong and driven, too!”

She stepped toward the main hall and suddenly tripped over herself, planting her face straight into the carpet. Twilight walked up beside her and helped her back on her hoofs.

“I guess I can't make you go to sleep,” Twilight said under her breath.

“That's right!” Lyra confirmed with confidence, straightening up as she stood. “Not even a sleeping spell could knock me out.”

Lyra found the surface of the oak table strangely comfortable, but the soft pages of the books Twilight placed nearby felt slightly softer in comparison. She tried each one that Twilight brought to the square table, opening to its middle pages and laying her head atop the volumes. They progressively felt so much larger and softer, until one felt just like a pillow.

“I'll just need to borrow that for a second,” Twilight said as she suddenly yanked the book Lyra had in her possession.

Lyra's head clunked onto the table. With a jerk she sat back up, rubbing her nose, and glared at her clueless companion. Unable to relay her unspoken angst, Lyra snatched the nearest book she had tried out and sunk her face into its cracked-open spine.

“What are we doing here again?” she murmured, words muffled.

“I'm trying to find any clues about lost colonies that broke off from Equestria,” Twilight stated.

Lyra tried to read a word at point-blank distance, but her own shadow rendered the text unreadable.

“Don't you remember in our history classes, Twilight?” Lyra remarked. “No ponies cared to leave Equestria after it was founded. There, done and done, I’ve saved you hours of reading. How about we go take a nap?”

Twilight continued on, oblivious to Lyra’s last suggestion, “Well, there were some ponies who did leave, Lyra, I know that now. It just happened during Discord's reign. Say, Lyra, didn't you do a lot of historical studies at Princess Celestia's school, too? Would the name 'Prince Platinum' happen to ring a bell?”

Lyra raised her head and rested it on one hoof as her eyes swung wearily left and right. “I happened to have paper my written final- I mean, written my final paper for Ancient Equestrian History on the Platinum lineage. ‘Lineage’, what a strange word.”

Twilight removed her gaze from the book she held with her magic. “Can you remember anything particularly interesting about the prince?”

Lyra looked up at the ceiling with stars in her eyes. “Well, for starters, he was most definitely one hunk of a stallion.”

“No, Lyra, I'm talking about his history. You know, birthplace, upbringing, maybe even his passing?”

Lyra pouted as she rested her head on both hoofs and blew her hair to the side. “You're no fun. He was Princess Platinum's brother, obviously. There's actually not much to say of him otherwise; he disappeared before his sister and the other leaders discovered Equestria years ago.”

“Would you happen to know why he disappeared?”

Lyra shook her head and sighed. “So many questions, my head’s beginning to hurt! From what I recall, it's all a mystery. Some rumors say he was crazy, and that eventually he ran away to seek a land where all ponies would be considered equal. His family disowned him the second he left.”

I almost know that feeling...

“Everything about that fits, except maybe the crazy part. If I can just find some other records of similar thoughts or actions in one of these ancient history textbooks, then maybe I can find a link.” Twilight patted her muzzle, her thoughts suddenly sinking down to a depth Lyra had not seen them go for some time. After a minute's pause, however, they suddenly surfaced as though for a break. “Lyra, I need you to be completely serious for a moment; it's about yesterday.”

Lyra felt her heart suddenly stop.

Yesterday... No! Is she suspicious of me!?

“Whatever do you mean, Twilight?” Lyra said with an accompanying – and somewhat unsettling – laugh. “I’m always- er, what did you say? ‘Serious’, yes.”

Twilight approached her friend’s side of the table as the two soon came face-to-face. “What we're doing right now, I think it would be best if we didn't tell Princess Luna.”

Lyra searched the area with a snap of her neck and swift scan of her eyes. Not spotting a soul, she replied, “Why, what's wrong? Did she murder somepony!?”

Twilight held her breath as she too looked around for a brief moment. “No! Don’t be crazy. I just think there may be something strange going on with her. Remember when I told you it would be best not to see Princess Luna last night? I said that because I had just spoken with her, and she was acting sort of strange.”

“You don't say?” Lyra said. “I'll say nothing of it, Twilight my friend.” She raised her head with confidence and crossed her heart. Her hoof hovered over her heart, however, as something within it reached out and took hold of her.

Now’s my chance. Say it as it is.

“I-I guess, since we're talking about secrets and whatnot, I have a something important to say myself-”

“Good afternoon, my students,” came the unusually soft voice of Princess Luna. “It gives me great pleasure that you two act in such a considerate manner with thy soft, careful whispers.”

Lyra caught a glimpse of Twilight's face, which had turned deathly pale, as the princess stood right behind her. The violet unicorn quickly beamed a fake but brilliant smile as she turned to face the headmare.

“Oh, hello Princess Luna! Didn't know you were here,” Twilight replied, continuing with her whispering. “What brings you to the library this morning? Nothing exciting is going on at this table, just admiring the smell of old parchment and the mint conditions of some of my favorite works!”

She grabbed one of the books on the table and began sniffing its pages. Lyra buried her face into the soft pages of yet another book, unsure of what else to do. Princess Luna merely stared.

“I am in search of a comprehensive text that contains the ancient history of Olde Equestria,” Princess Luna explained. “Pray tell, wouldst either of you perspicacious students happen to know the exact location of such a tome?”

Twilight lifted the book Lyra had buried her head into yet again and hovered it over to Princess Luna with her magic. Lyra’s face smacked into the wooden surface once more, but this time she couldn’t react; the princess stood right before her, flipping through the thick pieces of parchment.

After the princess scanned thoroughly through the index a number of times Twilight began slowly edging away.

“Well, I think I should be going now,” Twilight said as she stood and started for the exit. “Things to do, ponies to see. I hope that’s what you were looking for, princess! Have fun with all your books, Lyra.”

“But these aren't my-” Lyra tried to object, but Twilight winked and took off before she could finish.

Lyra continued to stare at the gap where Twilight had stood, her heart reaching out in hopes that the mare still stood in its place. Though tired, Lyra had finally felt ready to share what had been on her mind since she arrived back at the school. The opportunity slipped from her hoofs; her head went suddenly empty as a filly’s toy ball.

“Lyra Heartstrings, yes?” came the voice of Princess Luna. “Hast thou something to say?”

“What? Me?” Lyra laughed. “Oh, no, nothing! I was just going to tell Twilight that... lunch is coming soon!”

“Lunch? But that is not for another two hours,” Princess Luna stated. She suddenly looked Lyra in the eye and squinted. “I sense something else occupies thy mind. If thou feelest a sufficient level of comfort to speak thy mind to me, I shall lend my ears most willingly.”

She stared down at Lyra, whose heart nearly pounded out of her chest. Telling Twilight about her predicament was one matter; speaking with the headmare was another entirely.

“I, well,” Lyra fumbled, “there's a little something on my mind, but I don't know. It's somewhat of a private issue-”

“Then consider me thy mentor,” Princess Luna offered, though the kindness suggestion felt more like a command.

Lyra gulped nervously and tried to laugh again, but the air coming from her mouth could not even conjure a sound.

“Princess Luna,” she finally said, “I really would love to speak with you, but I feel... I need to think through my thoughts first. Yes, that's it! Think through my thoughts. Thinking thoughts. That's always good.”

Princess Luna glanced around the library. “Very well, my student. Dost thou have plans for this evening? We can meet and discuss that which bothers you then, if you so choose-”

“This evening!?” Lyra burst, only to quickly cover her mouth. “Well, that's maybe too soon- er, I mean, I have plans.”

“I see,” Princess Luna stated. “What of tomorrow?”

Lyra laughed, “Yes, that would be... delightful.”

Her throat suddenly tightened; she struggled to maintain the agreeable look on her face.

“Very well,” Princess Luna said. “Tomorrow we shall meet. Come prepared with what thou hast to say, and I shall do my best to help in whatever manner possible.”

“Yes, I'll be quite prepared,” Lyra assured as Luna turned and walked off for the exit.

She let out a deep sigh the second Luna's flowing tail disappeared from around the edge of the door. Her eyes fell down on the book directly in front of her, its images depicting a variety of Equestrian colonies.

'I'll be quite prepared'... I wish.

Chapter 23: Like Water Like Soul

The soft turning of pages echoed through Lyra's empty head. The hollowness, however, did not hold out for long as the floodgates of her mind reopened, triggered by the gentle sound nearby. Thoughts once more flooded the mare's head, a number of them wondering just where she had left off within the realm of reality.

Lyra jerked her head up from the book in which it was buried and set her eyes straight ahead. Her powder blue and white mane flowed down over her eyes, but between its thin strands she could make out a familiar figure sitting across the table.

“Starlight?” Lyra murmured, lifting her head. “Where did you come from?”

Lyra watched with her blurred vision as the stallion glanced up from a book he held. Starlight’s typical timid smile emerged.

“Oh, you're finally awake! I walked in a few minutes ago,” he explained in his usual hushed tone. “I came for some peace and quiet, as well as an interesting read. I saw you had a stack of books and was curious what you were doing, but before I could ask I noticed you were napping. I didn't want to, you know, disturb you or anything.”

“So you sat at the exact same table as me?” Lyra grumbled.

Starlight's ears retreated. “I got carried away reading some of what you gathered here. I... I wasn't loud, was I?”

“Not necessarily. You've just startled me is all.” Lyra narrowed her eyes, to which Starlight leaned back in his cushioned seat. “I'm watching you, Starlight. Even though I've had my eye on you recently, you've still managed to sneak up on me like this.”

“Sneak up on you?” Starlight asked, puzzled.

Lyra narrowed her eyes further. “You're not stalking Twilight and me, are you?”

The magic Starlight held his book with stopped; the volume dropped to the floor with a slam, drawing a shush from a librarian nearby.

“Wha-? Creeping?” Starlight exclaimed, barely managing to keep his voice low enough to escape another hush. “We're in the same class, Lyra-”

“Same class indeed,” Lyra remarked smartly. She suddenly stared down at the book before her, but her eyes couldn't focused on the words. “Same class. Class... ugh, the word itself is becoming rather unbearable to say.”

Starlight raised an eyebrow and slowly picked up his book, placing it on the table with extreme caution.

“I-Is something the matter?” he asked.

“No, no, you wouldn't understand,” Lyra said with a shooing motion. “You, a lucky and fortunate stallion-” Suddenly a light went off in her head, which in turn brightened her countenance. “Wait, no, that's it: you wouldn't understand! Talking to you about my dilemma would be like... like talking to a pet! That is to say, I won't have to worry about you regurgitating it to some other pony in an understandable manner.”

Starlight began leaning closer though a certain hesitance lingered in his eyes. “What do you mean? What wouldn't I understand, exactly?”

“Oh, you know, emotional trauma, hardships,” Lyra sighed. “You've probably had it good your whole life, so you wouldn't know what trouble I've been experiencing. Not that that's a bad thing; it's actually perfect in this case.”

Her cheery tone and baffling words summoned a confused look from the stallion.

Lyra laughed and simply continued, “I'm going to tell you some rather distressful things, but you must promise not to tell anypony else, understand? I'm only telling you because I don't know if I can tell it to a certain somepony that matters... yet.”

Starlight's eyes narrowed as an unimpressed frown came along. “A certain somepony that matters? You wouldn't happen to be talking about Twilight or Luna, would you-?”

“Ah ah ah! No guesses.”

… HOW DID HE KNOW!?

Lyra's eyes darted about the vicinity, and Starlight's tried to follow. After a minute of twisting and turning his head, though, the stallion put an end to his attempt, leaving his eyes to spin until they came to a complete stop.

“Um, so,” Starlight stammered, “w-was there something you wanted to say?”

“Ugh, you don't want to know,” Lyra remarked. “Where do I even begin? Well, let's start with the basics: you know that I'm in the light magic track, yes?”

Starlight rolled his eyes as a tired expression began emerging from the timidity. “Lyra, we're in the exact same class.”

“Right, right, of course. Now, you've probably noticed that throughout the weeks I haven't been completely - what’s the best word? - challenged. Are you still comprehending all this?” Starlight simply nodded. “I'm being forced to take this track by my parents, something they've unfortunately done ever since the day I was born.”

Starlight suddenly shook his head, “Wait just a second. Weren't our placement exams designed to put us into magic courses in which we had the least experience?”

“Yes, what of it?”

Starlight blinked. “Well, how did you end up in a magic class in which you already excel?”

“Oh. Well I lied, of course.”

“You WHAT!?”

The librarian at the desk on the opposite side of the floor gave a long, loud shush once more. Lyra shot Starlight a nasty scowl.

“Hush up, you! No need to act so surprised,” Lyra ordered. “I had to lie; I knew my parents wouldn't approve of me being at this school if I weren't studying the 'ever-applicable’ light magic material. Now, Starlight, this is where things get extremely complicated, and I know you most likely won't understand: if I had the choice, I'd much rather be studying something else. Something like, say, elemental magic.”

Starlight nodded some more, to which Lyra lifted a hoof to her forehead.

“Oh, don't try and be so sympathetic,” Lyra said with a weary sigh, “I know it must not make much sense to you. It's all so dizzying and complex-”

Starlight cut in, “But every day for the past few weeks you've been telling Twilight and me about how uninteresting classes have been.”

The mare's face filled with sudden shock, but Lyra quickly inserted a small laugh. “Well, those instances weren't quite so serious. Yes, I, I was most likely joking back then. Ha ha... ha?”

“How's the even joking-?” Starlight closed his eyes and rubbed his temples, exhaling a deep sigh all the while. “You know what, maybe I don't understand. But in any case, what do you plan to do now? Switch classes despite what your parents think? Or have you talked to Princess Luna about all this-?”

“What is this, twenty questions!?” Lyra snapped. “I didn't ask for advice, I came here to rant!”

“But you didn't come to me-”

“Nevermind!” Lyra hissed, then fell back into her seat. “Oh, I'm not even sure what I should do first. I can't even think straight anymore. I guess it all boils down to whether I want to study what I already know and don't love, or leave and find a way to pursue my passion elsewhere.”

“Wouldn't leaving to study what you love only make your parents more frustrated?”

Lyra grumbled, “Again with the interrogation! Ugh, I'm sorry Starlight, I was secretly hoping you might understand all this.” She watched as Starlight's head dropped into the book he held, defeated. “Oh, are you tired? I must say, these books are rather comfortable; at least, compared to the table. The pages are unexpectedly comfortable and nice... like everything else in your life. You with your rich family ties, your luxury and lavish summer cottages-”

Starlight lifted his head from the pages and interrupted, “Apparently you don't know me very well.”

“Are you suggesting you've never had any of those things?” Lyra asked. “But I was so sure! No matter. I've practiced pouring my heart out enough today. How would you rate it? Say, on a scale of one to extremely well-done?”

“On a scale of what-? You can't really rate things like this, can you?”

“Why not? All things can be 'rated'. Speeches, music, manes, the list goes on.”

Starlight put the book he had been reading on one of the stacks on the table and groaned, “Well, I don’t know, how about a... five?”

Lyra's heartache left her jaw to drop. “Mediocre? But what did I-?” She pushed herself away from the table and brushed the dust from the book off her face as she regained her composure. “A five. Ha! You cannot simply grade the expression of emotion, I guess. Thanks for at least having open ears, Starlight Hooves.”

The stallion scanned the table and stacks of books piled on top of it as Lyra stood and brushed her mane in preparation to leave.

“What about all your books?” Starlight asked. “And where are you going?”

Lyra sighed, “I need a real nap, preferably in my bed where I won't wake up to somepony staring at me. As for the books, leave them out for Twilight. Wait, was I not supposed to tell anypony about that?” She stared at the ceiling for a moment, then added, “As far as you're concerned, Starlight, you didn't see or hear anything.”

“But-”

“A-ny-thing.”

She bumped into a bookshelf and stumbled the rest of her way out of the library, her physical tiredness overtaking her. She slowly made her way back to her suite, stopping only in the glass corridor for a moment, where the ocean caught the gaze of her weary eyes.

But it was her ears that rose in anticipation. She waited for some kind of call from the sea. But with a storm of newly-aroused thoughts – most of them terribly unpleasant and loud – no voice could reach her at that time.

Taking a nap hadn't fixed a thing other than Lyra's physical well-being. With her brain in a constant state of chaos, though, the condition of her body seemed insignificant. As the evening drew near the only solution to the mental matter Lyra could muster was to go down and experience the ocean up-close, to rid of her exasperation and take in the serenity.

Lyra, however, found the scene less tranquil than she had hoped. The waves she watched were unexpectedly tall, and the shore was cold from melted snow and ice. Each breaking swell sounded as though the ocean were growling, its waves scratching the ice from the rocky parts of the shore. The air was cold and the water colder, numbing the skin of any of those caught unprepared.

Fortunately for Lyra she had packed all her needs; with a scarf and boots to keep her warm and her lyre to keep her mind and hoods occupied, the mare was ready to stay on the harsh beach until nightfall. In time her eyes distracted her mind, and the mare’s consciousness retreated from the reach of reality.

Lyra stared long and hard at the shades of the water, from its deep blue to the shallow white. Its undulations and breaking bores mirrored the restlessness in her mind; the waves pulsated like the blood in her veins. The moon even seemed unnaturally large, as though the gravity of the mare's situation was drawing everything near.

All Lyra could think about was her own situation, of her trip to Ponyville as well as her early departure. The images of her parents and then of Bon Bon flashed through her mind. Everything they said and everything they did replayed within the mare's mind. Emotions of frustration traded blows with embarrassment.

If I left, what would I do? My parents sure wouldn’t welcome me back.

What would Bon Bon even think? I shouldn’t have left without telling her...

Where would I go if not to either of them? I’ve never been out on my own!

Without even thinking Lyra picked up her instrument with her magic and settled it in the grasp of her hoofs. She held the golden lyre for a while, warming its cold metal frame. Without even thinking she began pulling its strings, the music but a translation of her emotions. Waves of frustration created a series of fast-paced plucks, while her embarrassment drew out long vibrations of depressing notes. One song turned into a couple, and then a couple turned into many.

Even over the course of an hour, though, her mind searched for words to put into song. But with traffic of irksome ideas traveling through her cluttered head, the chance to even begin a line never emerged.

“Hey Lyra,” came a gentle call from behind.

The minty mare ceased her playing and turned. Behind her approached Twilight and Starlight, both stepping toward her with a slow and steady pace.

“Is this a secret meeting you two are having?” Lyra asked, shocked. “I would offer to leave, but... I don't think I can.”

Twilight rolled her eyes and giggled. “No, Lyra, we're here to see how you were doing.”

“Twilight, what ever do you mean?” Lyra asked, shooting Starlight a nasty grimace.

Starlight looked away, abashed, as Twilight examined the two.

“Is there something I should know about?” Twilight inquired, switching her gaze between the two.

Lyra stuck her nose in the air and harrumphed. “I thought I had told somepony not to go tattling about certain things he was told.”

Starlight gasped. “What? I didn't say anything!”

“Starlight didn't say anything about you, if that's what you're suggesting,” Twilight stated. “I found him painting the main hall facade from the commons lawn and checked to see what he was up to. When I came outside, though, I thought I heard you playing your lyre. We both went searching to see if it was you.”

Lyra looked back at the sea, unsure of what to say any longer.

Twilight, after a pause, added, “If you want us to leave, we can. I was just a bit concerned about how you were doing. With how disoriented you seemed this morning, I thought I'd let you know the time, too, since we didn’t catch you at dinner-”

“It doesn't matter,” Lyra sighed.

Twilight tilted her head to a side. “What do you mean it doesn't matter?”

“Twilight, I never had the chance to tell you,” Lyra said, putting her lyre down. “That is to say, I've been trying to tell you just what has been going on, but things have been getting in the way. But I suppose now that I've thought things through, it doesn't matter anymore.”

Twilight blinked. “What doesn't matter? Is something wrong?” She gasped. “Is this about your trip?”

“Yes, Twilight, it's all about my last trip. I wanted to find you to talk about the whole ordeal before I went to Princess Luna.”

“But I thought you spoke with her last night?”

Lyra shook her head. “No, I didn’t. I couldn’t.”

“Why not?”

Lyra exhaled her anxiety, but her body continued to shake. “I wanted to speak with you first, but I got too nervous last night. I tried to practice with Starlight, but I’m not sure it helped a lot.” Starlight’s head bowed in shame, but Lyra shook a hoof. “Don’t worry, Starlight, you shouldn’t have had to put up with my mess.”

“I’ll still listen,” Twilight said. “That’s what good friends do! So, what’s the problem?

“Well,” Lyra began, “I had some unfortunate things happen over the break. Bon Bon found out that I'm not studying what I had hoped to, and so she convinced me to tell my parents I wanted to switch.”

“I'm guessing your parents didn't like the idea,” Twilight said.

Lyra's head waved about with the winds of incertitude that had been blowing from the sea. The waves that accompanied them made the waters slowly rise.

“They did not like it in the least,” Lyra said, teeth clenching. “My parents said that they won't help me pay for my attendance here if I switch studies. As a result, I'm now at a point where I must choose whether I wish to stay and study what I don't enjoy, or head home and leave this wonderful place.”

“Lyra, why didn't you ever say anything?” Twilight asked. “I mean, is there anything we can do to help your decision?”

Lyra looked out at the ocean once more. Her heart began beating in her chest as the very thought of what she was about to say made her insides churn.

“No, Twilight, there is nothing that can be done now.”

Twilight and Starlight exchanged concerned glances.

Starlight angled his head to the side to capture a glimpse of Lyra's shadowed face. Her amber eyes were locked on the waters. “What do you mean?”

Lyra dug in the sand with her hoofs and planted them in as deep as she could, bracing herself for the declaration.

“I'm leaving the Winter Magic Academy.”

The two accompanying her gasped.

“You're what?”

“Leaving!?”

Lyra nodded as she composed herself. She could see the water in her own eyes blurring the nearing tide. She held her lyre with her magic and began playing again, its long, soft notes filled with pain and sadness.

“As much as I love the ocean and the company here, I don't think I can stand to sit in another class and suffer having to deal with longing for something I cannot have,” Lyra explained. “It's worse than giving a filly candy and telling her she can't eat it. Far, far worse.”

“Why don't you just take some extra lessons on the side?” Twilight asked. “I'm sure one of the professors would be willing to lend at least an hour a week to teach you-”

“I thought of that, too,” Lyra said, “but my parents refused to allow such distractions. They said that even the professors couldn't convince them otherwise.”

Lyra continued to strum the strings of her lyre, but above its music was the growing sound of the sprightly tide. She closed her eyes as she felt as though the sea were trying to speak to her, its words mere drones in the breaking of the waves. As the emotion inside forced out a whimper and tear Lyra could feel the sea calling out with a greater intensity.

Starlight tried to speak. “Uh, Lyra-”

“It's no use, Starlight,” Lyra stated. “I've already made up my mind.”

“No, Lyra, I-”

“Please, Starlight, no more questions!”

Twilight tried to speak as well. “Lyra, I think he’s trying to...”

Her voice drifted beneath the sound of the waves, which by then were screaming as though in pain. Lyra, swept up by the pent-up frustration and sorrow, kept on playing her lyre, which mysteriously overpowered the surrounding noise.

All of a sudden a tremendous zephyr brisked through as the breaking of the waves echoed louder. The cold was nothing like the frozen heart Lyra bore; she wished to escape the icy depths of her dejection and swim to shallow waters where she could wade in peace. But peace became unknown to her as the sea began spurting violent waves. They rolled in with rapid succession and broke with a force Lyra could begin to feel.

“Lyra, look out!”

The mare's eyes shot open to reveal a wave ten times her height tumbling right over where she stood. She turned galloped to escape the crash, only to have the icy waters numb her hoofs. The tingling liquid lingered for only a moment before trickling back to the shoreline behind her.

Lyra glanced back over her shoulder at the bay. Cruel winds blew about sand and tiny grains of ice as giant waves cavorted through the bay. The changing water level was nothing Lyra had ever before seen: as waves built up the waters retreated meters out into the bay, only to crash and surge all the way up the beach to where the three ponies stood shivering.

“What's going on?” Twilight asked. “Lyra, did you do something to summon a storm?”

Lyra glanced at her golden instrument.

I didn't do this, did I?

She turned and faced the others that stared out at the new face of the ocean.

“We need to find Princess Luna!” Lyra said, turning around to head for the school. “She'll know what to do-”

“Wait, Lyra!” Twilight shouted as she jumped in the way. “Remember when I was telling you about Luna and her odd behavior the other day?” The moment flashed through Lyra's head as a speculative gaze crossed her face. “Do you think this has something to do with it?”

Is she suggesting... Luna is causing the moon to do all this-?

“What do we do?” Starlight panicked. “If we can't go to Princess Luna, what can we do?”

Twilight looked up the cliff-side at the stone stairs leading upward, her eyes eventually resting upon the edge where the school grounds reached.

“Let's head back before things gets worse!” Twilight suggested. “We can’t tell Princess Luna, though. Maybe we could tell one of the teachers about what's going on-”

“I don't think we'll make it!” Starlight interrupted.

“What do you mean?” Lyra asked. “It's just a bit of a high tide, Starlight, I think we can outrun-”

But as she turned to face the sea her eyes kept her from finishing her thought. Out in the distance a giant wave rose from the depths of the sea, reaching as high as the school itself. Every smaller wave in it ran into was absorbed, until the water formed a wall fast approaching. Lyra could only stare in awe.

“What do we do?” Starlight asked, his eyes darting between the two mares.

Lyra felt her heart stop. She had never seen the ocean in such a vicious state before. She had never seen the waters display such might.

Like the water, calm, my spirit...

“I've got a plan!” Twilight suddenly stated before hopping between the others. “Hold still, I'm going to teleport us back to the school!”

Her horn lit a dazzling violet color, but she stopped the second Lyra began walking away.

“Where are you going!?” Twilight yelled. “Lyra? Lyra!”

The mint-colored unicorn made her way to the edge of the water, which continued to retreat into the giant wave. The wall of water, which then spanned the entire length of the bay, approached like a train at full speed with no intention of coming to a halt. But Lyra felt no fear at the surreal sight. Her ears had all her attention.

She could hear it, the voice of the sea, saying with greatest clarity:

“Show thy sense of perfect peace...”

Chapter 24: Facing the White Horse

Lyra could hear the soft voice resonating inside her head, clearer than a resounding shout bounding between canyon walls. With the rocky edges of the bay stretched far apart, though, the mare's ears twitched at the sound that teased her hearing. Even her steps seemed strangely loud as she drew closer to the swelling wave. With the wall of water drawing ever closer, Lyra wondered if it were turning the open cove into an echoing cave.

“Will you learn, young one?”

The voice spoke again. Its clarity was astounding, especially for one so hushed. It was at that very moment, however, when Lyra suddenly noticed the discomforting silence surrounding her. In the midst of disaster she could sense a mysterious force, something that blocked her ears from hearing the charging wave. It also numb every inch of her body, to the point where she could no longer tell layers of muck packed beneath her hoofs.

The awkward sense of safety, though, was anything but assuring.

“Will you learn?”

The soft voice asked again, snapping Lyra from her state of awe and alarm.

“L-Learn what?” Lyra felt herself ask, though she had not thought to move her lips in response.

Lyra’s own voice rang like a church bell, its waves of sound echoing up and over rolling hills. The distinct sound in such an unlikely setting slowed her pace; Lyra started to wonder if she were beginning to walk straight into a trap.

“My song.”

The amber-eyed mare halted her advance toward the building waters. Her limbs, much like her lips, acted seemingly against her will, though she felt no immediate sense of opposition from what they did. Her real concern came more from her inability to understand why her body was acting all on its own. Anxiety began stirring beneath a mind blanketed with a strange tranquility.

Something about the voice, either its soothing speech or the very words it spoke, exuded a sense of reassurance, as though it – whatever it was – knew precisely what was happening. Lyra began wondering if the ocean itself really were speaking to her. In her mind, that was the only thing that could have complete control over the situation.

‘Your song’... but who, or what, are ‘you’?

As though searching for confirmation, Lyra scanned the span of the raging tsunami. The wave scraped the edges of the rocky cliffs to the north and south as the array of deepest blues and lightest whites charged on, unhindered. At its base was a navy blue, cold and void; the icy white peak of the wave appeared no less frigid.

Most chilling of all to Lyra, however, was a lingering sense that something was inside the revolving wall of water. Though her gaze swept over the approaching tide numerous times, not a thing came into view. The only thing that held the mare from giving up her search was the whispering voice. Though it did not plead for her to stay, Lyra felt compelled to find its source. She needed to see something.

“What is ‘your’ song?” Lyra asked, eyes locked on the wave not a minute away from hitting the shore.

“The words that you have heard; sing them, and they shall save you from the cause of this disaster.”

Lyra paused. “But what is the cause?”

She waited, but no answer came for some time. The silence left Lyra stranded in a sense of timelessness; the wave careening towards her and the others, however, served as a swift reminder that time was still passing, and not a second slower than before.

Lyra observed the totality of the approaching wave once more. Its height had not diminished in the least; in fact, it had only grown. As it hurtled into the shallow ends of the bay the waters grew to a size Lyra had never before seen nor heard of; no book she had picked up ever mentioned the waters rising to swarm the mountaintops.

A sense of panic begin to arise from the covering of calmness, striking thoughts of escape and fright. Even still Lyra could not coerce herself to even move a muscle to look away. Her hoofs felt planted where she stood a minute’s walk out to sea. The tiny pebbles and moist sands had grabbed a hold of her, but not enough to keep her put. What kept her was a sense of confidence, one Lyra knew was not coming from herself.

“Sing, young one.”

A flash caught the corner of Lyra's eye. No longer restrained, the mare moved her neck to stare down the source of light. Floating beside her on its own was her lyre, the one instrument she had brought from home. Its dull gold shone like a lighthouse against the darkening atmosphere.

As the mare examined the instrument and its mysterious independence, a tune – like a whistle, or a hum – sounded ever so softly through the mare's mind. It was sweet and slow, but also rich and powerful. Such a combination of notes across the scale had never been sung for her; it was like a lullaby, but filled with richer, vigorous tones.

Is this the song..?

Lyra listened and lifted her hoofs to strum her instrument in accordance with every note she heard. The introduction repeated once more, but that was all Lyra needed; she sang the words she knew along with the notes she played:

“Like the water, calm, my spirit,

Show thy sense of perfect peace...”

She paused, but continued trying to play; however, as she strummed, the strings she plucked grew stiff as a different portion of the melody began playing itself. Lyra let go as the instrument hovered in the air on its own, soon accompanied by the mysterious voice:

“Halt ye winds and rest ye waters,

Force thy restlessness to cease!”

The energy of the melody turned on a switch in Lyra's brain. She felt as though she had known the song all along, from its force to its liveliness, even the sense of peace it evoked; all of it was contained within a single song. It played over and over in Lyra’s head, until the stranger's voice began fading in its echoes. The only voice Lyra could hear then was her own; yet, it felt as though it were the only voice she had heard sing it.

Her blood began rushing, faster than the waters of the raging wave. Lyra opened her eyes to behold the sight of the oncoming breaker once more. There was no fear. There was no panic.

What... What is this feeling?

“Serenity, young one; may the waters mimic you. Shoo-be-doo-wa, shoo-be-doo...”

Suddenly the rush of the waters boomed through Lyra's eardrums. She winced at the noise that suddenly from the waves scratching against the rock and bottom of the bay. Her coat began shivering involuntarily as cold winds and grimy muck teased her sense of touch, reminding her of their irritable presence.

But the words in Lyra's head cried for the greater potion of her attention as the mare tried to kick off the shivers and shudders. She needed to remember the song.

“Lyra, the wave’s coming!” shouted Starlight back at the beach.

Lyra felt concern jab her in the side, to which she only allowed a quick glance over her shoulder. Standing back on the beach was Starlight, his eyes lit up with horror. Twilight, who stood halfway between her and the smokey violet stallion, had a similar look of shock on her face as she too stared at the approaching water. After a moment, both sets of fearful eyes plunged from the tip of the wave straight down onto her.

Lyra could sense their fear, but she couldn't find her own. Her mind was occupied with resounding notes, with words she had just learned.

Sing them, and we'll be saved from the cause of this disaster.

Without another moment to lose Lyra turned, faced the wave, and strummed her lyre to begin the song again. This time, however, to her surprise the first few notes vibrated with tremendous power. Their echoes landed blows against the wall of water; some shot straight up into the violet sky. Lyra spotted a spark from her horn, which quickly grew into a mysterious light blue. Soon her lyre was surrounded by the same color.

“Lyra, we need to get out of here!” Twilight shouted. “I can get us back-!”

Lyra turned to face Twilight, who stopped upon seeing her countenance, and shook her head ever so slowly. “I know what I need to do, Twilight! Trust me!”

Lyra faced the wave, stood tall and cleared her throat. The waters began shifting until they pointed like a point on a plow. Its sharp edge dug through the mud and stone on the bottom of the bay, adding brown to the mix of navy within the wave. With clumps of mud tossed in its trail, the wave took on the appearance of a stampede. The worst part of it all was that the head of the charge pointed straight where Lyra stood.

But Lyra didn't run, nor did she hesitate; she confidently strummed away at her lyre. As the wave grew close the mare played the song all the louder, until its notes began bounding forceful waves against the watery surface. It cut into the wave with powerful vibrations, shooting light blue shudders that vibrated throughout the water. Note after note the blows of the music hit the ocean, but the wave continued its advance.

After the memorized introduction, Lyra raised her head and sang the exact words she had been taught:

“Like the water, calm, my spirit,

Show thy sense of perfect peace:

Halt ye winds and rest ye waters,

Force thy restlessness to cease!”

Her words were like slashes from a blade as they diced the wave into pieces. Portion after portion of the wave collapsed upon itself. The wall of water came crumbling down like a barricade shattering beneath its own weight. The sounds of defiant roars died down to confused bellows, and then to weakened howls.

Lyra watched as the arrow pointing straight for her was mere seconds away. With a final strum of the lyre Lyra finished the song, and a great resonance shot forth. The energy shot out like a light blue partition, splitting the water’s pointed edge in two. The solid front broke off to Lyra’s left and right, crashing to the sides as though the mare were standing behind an invisible barrier.

What remained of the dying waves crumbled until they were no more than leveled ripples. The crashing waters turned to silent waves. Lyra could only stand and stare. The towering wave was no more.

The muddy ground beneath Lyra’s hoofs soon became covered with the salty waters again as the extending waters on the beach retreated back into the bay, soaking her tired limbs with an icy sensation. She felt her breaths leaving, long and hard, as though her lungs were emptying the hot air of excitement.

She felt more alive than ever before.

“Lyra!” shouted Twilight, her voice normal and undistorted.

She and Starlight trotted their way over to Lyra. Their splashes of water mere trickles in the mare's ears which still rang from the waters that had crashed before her very eyes. The stood in silence as they examined their friend, who was dripping and shivering, yet beaming all the same.

“Lyra!? Are you okay?” Starlight asked. “W-What just happened?”

But the mare, breathing heavily, could not summon enough air together well enough to fully reply. She stared down at the soothing water as tiny waves retreated from where her breath touched the surface.

What did just happen..?

“I'll tell you what happened!” a voice echoed from behind.

The three turned to face the source of a most familiar voice: Doctor Ingrid Marie. Her blue eyes reflected the deep sea like a mirror, and her beige coat and umber mane were like the dark sands of the shore. What made her stand out was the shining apple cutie mark which the students all spotted even from where they stood in the water.

The professor’s approach toward the group was oddly slow as the others made their way quickly onto dry land. Her gaze was a pensive one, and Lyra could feel it bearing down on her the entire time.

“That was something even I have never seen nor heard before,” Doctor Marie stated as the four congregated on the shore. “Yes, yes, breaking waves is no easy task, Miss Heartstrings, especially not waves like those! In fact, the dispelling of such White Horses has been a spell lost for over a thousand years; could it be possible that you have rediscovered it?”

“White Horses?” Lyra asked. “Aren’t those simply a part of folklore?”

“Yes, yes, I thought the same,” Doctor Marie said, panting. “A most curious incident we have witnessed, though, yes; did you not see the charge? No, I would not have had I not spotted you so far in the bay! But, what were you thinking? Did that spell give you such confidence that you thought you could face it alone!?”

Lyra felt taken aback. “Spell?”

“What, do you think that was some ordinary song you just chanted?” the professor asked before ceasing her approach at the calming water's edge. She stared out at the three students with careful eyes, then past them at the settling waters. “Yes, yes, surely you must have learned it somewhere before.”

Lyra shook her head. “No, professor, I had no knowledge of it until just now.”

Doctor Marie looked around the beach, her eyes wide open in amazement. “No! You mean to say that you... created it? Just now!?”

“No, professor, not at all! That is to say, not exactly,” Lyra admitted as she glanced about the bay. She felt as though the wave were still standing before her and the others, placing an odd pressure upon her shoulders. “I think... I think the sea might have very well taught it to me.”

“The sea?” Ingrid Marie asked, skepticism lighting her old eyes. She stared long and hard at the waters again, contemplation overtaking her expression. She began mumbling to herself, “Most curious, yes, most curious indeed. Being spoken to by the ocean. Yes, perhaps from within the ocean-” She stopped and lifted her eyes to Lyra. “You wouldn't have happened to have seen something inside that wave when it approached, would you have?”

Lyra looked to her two friends, who merely shook their heads. “Nothing, not that I could see.”

“Most interesting,” Doctor Marie stated, pacing along the beach. “Yes, if I have learned anything over the years in Equestria, it is that there is always a possibility for the peculiar to happen. However, the sea speaking... yes, there certainly is something peculiar about this, but I dare not make any assumptions just yet.”

“What do you mean by 'peculiar', professor?” Twilight asked, intrigued to a degree Lyra could not quite understand. “Not that I doubt what you're saying, Lyra, but can the ocean really speak?”

“But I heard it!” Lyra remarked.

“You heard something speaking,” Doctor Marie asked. “Yes, yes, I feel that it was not the ocean itself.”

Lyra said. “But it taught me the song! It sang it for me!”

“Sang?” Doctor Marie paused as she stared at the waters herself, an eye of careful examination running over the surface. “Curious. Yes, most curious indeed.”

“What do you make of it, Doctor Marie?” Twilight asked. “I’ve never heard of the ocean talking or singing. After all, I don't remember hearing anything myself. Did you, Starlight?”

The stallion shook his head. “I didn't hear anything but Lyra's singing.”

Doctor Marie looked each of the students in the eye one at a time. “Yes, what I make of it is this: though the sea may not be able to sing or speak itself, there were rumors long ago that there were entities living within the waters that could do so. Yes, but that was many, many years ago.”

Lyra tapped her muzzle.

She couldn't be talking about... sea ponies?

Doctor Marie, eyes then waving about between two sides in her brain, laughed away the matter. “In any case, Miss Heartstrings – if I may – I would like to speak with you in great detail about all this; yes, you may have discovered the spell that many elemental magicians have been seeking, and in the form of song, nonetheless! An ancient discovery of sorts, at least.”

Lyra stared with heavy eyes at the shore and its soaked sands. Her hoofs trembled in the cold mush as she breathed in a lung full of chilly, salty sea air.

“Professor, I'm afraid there won't be a chance to talk anytime soon.”

Doctor Marie raised an eyebrow. “What? Why is that?”

Lyra hesitated, feeling what went through her head was not exactly what she wanted to say. Regardless, she answered, “I'm leaving the academy, professor.”

“Leaving? But why?”

Lyra looked back at the ocean, as though taking in her final view up-close. She could feel her heart extending its reach for some kind of embrace, but nothing was reaching back; not that she could sense in that moment.

“I'm afraid I cannot continue on with my studies,” Lyra said. “I've given misleading information on the placement exam, and as a result have ended up in a class I do not enjoy in the least. I understand that I cannot change for a number of reasons, and therefor can only choose to take my leave.”

Professor Marie could only respond with a dumbfounded look. Lyra could sense her own honesty squeezing her general emotion from its strong sense of security into a conflicting shame.

“But, Miss Heartstrings... what compelled you to do such a thing?” Professor Marie asked.

“My parents,” Lyra admitted. Her blood went cold at the mentioning of it; she felt not only surprised at her own honesty, but also at the thought of just what this all revealed. Her parents were somewhat well-known, after all. Regardless, she continued, “They only wish for me to study light magic, and thus I have made it so, despite the fact that I do not enjoy it and have already mastered much of the field.”

Doctor Marie thought her words through a moment as the students watched eagerly.

“No, none can be a master of one field,” Doctor Marie said, “especially with no passion for it. I learned such a lesson myself years ago. Consider this, Miss Heartstrings: what if I could offer you a chance to switch tracks?”

“My parents would not allow it,” Lyra stated. “I already have asked. That is why I have returned early; so that I may leave before this next portion of the semester begins.”

“They won't even listen to the words of a professor?”

“They think of themselves as such.”

A loud voice broke in, “What about the words of the headmare herself?”

It was not Doctor Marie who said this, nor any of those Lyra knew to be present. All turned to face the rocky stairs leading up to the academy on which a dark blue figure stood. The eyes of Princess Luna shone their usual luminous authority as she made her way down to the shore where the conversation had come to a screeching halt.

The headmare held her head high as her eyes looked down at each of the figures before her. Her dark figure, even in the dim evening, stood out with its shaded and starry splendor; all Lyra could see were her teal eyes, but that was enough to captivate her attention.

The princess restated, “What might thy parents say if I were to personally deliver such a proposition?”

Lyra pictured the scene; she knew her parents stubbornness. They would argue at first, but there was no way they would oppose Princess Luna herself.

She managed to reply, “I-I don't know-”

“Explain to me as well, my student, why thou hast not said anything of this matter before?”

Lyra felt backed into the sea; she had intended on telling the headmare, and even had the chance.

“I-I wasn't sure if I was going to leave or not earlier,” Lyra said, ears retreating.

“I offered to help with whatever I could,” Princess Luna stated, her words strangely twisted with a sense of irritation. “If there is anything that I wish to convey to you at this moment, it is that my offer still stands.”

Lyra looked up at the headmare, who stared down with her powerful eyes. She suddenly recalled the feeling of intimidation again.

“Princess Luna, if I may make a request,” Doctor Marie solicited.

The headmare looked down on the professor with curious eyes. “What is this request, Doctor Marie?”

“Yes, well, if I may be so bold as to inquire,” the professor said, stepping forward with a slight bow, “would it be possible for Miss Heartstrings to switch tracks?”

Princess Luna's eyes suddenly bore down into Lyra. “I require a detailed explanation for such a request.”

The mare shivered at the sight she so often admired. The professor, sensing the young mare’s distress, pressed on, “You see, Princess Luna, there were outside factors that influenced her to answer incorrectly on the placement exam. I should think another chance to take the exam would put her in a more favorable position.”

Lyra gulped. She could feel Luna's gaze intensifying, though neither her gaze nor her body language were not seeming to change in the least.

“It shall be so,” Princess Luna finally said, directing her gaze once again to Lyra, “but only if thy word is kept of our appointment tonight.”

The reminder went off in Lyra's head; she was to meet with Princess Luna that evening.

“Oh! C-Certainly,” Lyra said. “I’ll tell you everything you want to know, Princess Luna. Before we go, though, may I say something to my friends?”

“You act as though it shall be thy final opportunity,” Princess Luna said with a smile. “Very well, a quick word. Make haste, for tonight there is much to do after this strange happening.”

Lyra turned as the headmare headed toward the stairs and walked over to Twilight and Starlight. She could see the joy in her own eyes reflecting off of her friends'.

“So... crazy evening, wouldn't you two say?” Lyra mumbled with a humble laugh.

“Is everything you said true?” Twilight asked. “Were you really forced into taking the light magic class?”

“Unfortunately,” Lyra said, “but really, I should thank you two. You made the first part of this semester bearable, both of you. Even if Starlight was stalk-” She caught herself just as Starlight began cocking his head. “I suppose I'm speaking too soon; it's possible that nothing will change. Only Princess Luna knows.”

Twilight looked over Lyra's shoulder at the headmare and professor and quickly lowered her head after. She pulled the others' heads closer and began whispering.

“Tonight was really strange, Lyra,” Twilight said. “You saw it yourself: the low moon, the high tide, that mysterious wave! With the princess acting the way she has recently, I'd be careful going to see her alone. Are you sure you want to do this?”

“What, meet with Princess Luna?” Lyra asked. “I am a little nervous, for more reasons than one-”

“Art thou almost prepared, Miss Heartstrings?” Princess Luna asked.

“Coming!” Lyra replied, then returned to whispering. “I'll see if I can learn anything about all of this from her. Don't you two worry about me, understand? I feel something strange, as though I know everything will be all right. If not, at least I had this opportunity to... well, you heard Doctor Marie. What happened was something out of the ordinary; and it didn’t have to do with light magic!”

“I’m glad you got to do something you like,” Starlight said, “even if it did mean we almost got swept into the ocean.”

“Oh, don’t be such a downer,” Lyra laughed, patting Starlight on the side. “I must be going now. I’ll see you two later tonight or tomorrow morning, okay?”

The two nodded and smiled, and without another word uttered Lyra turned and followed behind Princess Luna, who headed straight up the stairs and to the main hall. Lyra felt her spirits jumping inside of her; the sense of freedom she felt, the sense of accomplishment that was overcoming her – it all defeated the seed of worry that had been planted inside.

Could it be possible that I created a spell? My parents will never believe this...

She glanced at Princess Luna, who showed a soft smile.

… or will they?

Chapter 24.5:

Surveillance

The gargantuan doors leading out to the main hall creaked open with a strong push of magic, allowing Lyra to take her leave from the dark chamber and break free from Luna's intimidating vibe. The unicorn’s head hung heavy with deep thought, with no help from her physical exhaustion; subduing a tsunami was one thing, but speaking with the headmare of personal matters was another entirely. All Lyra was looking forward to after both such things happening in the same day was a long, undisturbed rest.

But her preparedness was immediately delayed the second she lifted her eyes.

Standing in a huddle before her was a blockade seven ponies wide. Fourteen curious stares shone white against the otherwise shadowy foyer. Anticipation filled the very hues of their eyes as accompanying smiles - however uneasy or over-confident - sparkled like the stars in the sky.

“Well?” Quirky Q dared to speak up first.

The others leaned in, pressing for the answer, but Lyra merely let out a long sigh. The seven standing before her only leaned in closer as alarm shot their eyes wide enough to span the distance between their retreating ears.

“Well, what?” Lyra replied weakly.

“You know, how’d it go?” Vinyl clarified, or at least tried.

The large doors to Princess Luna's boudoir suddenly slammed shut, sending a jiggle through the bodies of those standing before it. Lyra's head turned with a jerk, only to roll back so her eyes pointed skyward. She raised a hoof to her forehead, sat herself on the smoky marble tiling and moaned.

“How do you think it went?” Lyra answered with a whine.

The others suddenly exchanged concerned glances. Some would have whispered had not the foyer fallen completely silent from their shock.

“I guess we thought it was going to go well,” Twilight stated, looking to each of the others for confirmation. “What happened that it didn't?”

Lyra, whose eyes were closed and teeth bare as though in intolerable agony, sprung onto all fours and stated abruptly, “Just who said it didn't go well?”

All eyes fell on the mint-colored mare as she assumed a defensive stance, back to the doors and eyes avoiding those of the others. Another silence ensued, though swarmed with far more confusion than the last. The seven would have shared their concerned looks with one another, but their speechlessness and muddled body language left the lot unable to collect themselves not just individually, but also as a whole.

After a bit of a pause Pokey Pierce broke the silence with his slow, low voice. “You were just moaning like something went really bad, Lyra.”

“Oh please, I moan about everything,” Lyra stated matter-of-factly. “I'm just tired, that's all.”

Twilight flipped her head back and forth as though it were a bobble-head sorts, stealing glimpses left and right of others’ eyebrows raised and mouths agape like barn doors swung wide open.

“You mean... everything went just fine?” the bookworm inquired.

Lyra groaned, this time with obvious irritation. “Yes, YES! Everything's perfect! Never better. You all are acting as though you've seen a ghost.”

“Or a clone,” Starlight mumbled. “A very, confused, mood-swingi-”

Vinyl, butting in before Starlight could continue and Lyra could further inquire, stepped forward, “So-ho-hooo, you switched classes and all, huh? Looks like you'll be joining Team Awesome in the elemental track.”

Lyra took her turn in displaying a genuine expression of curiosity. “Team... Awesome?”

“Yeah, Windy and 'Equestria's Next Top Guard' are in the ranks too,” Vinyl stated with pride. Windchaser smirked and added a nod of approval, while the third member, Gallant, had not yet returned from his break. “Trust me, you'll like studyin’ the elements. I personally think it's boring at times, but Doctor Marie's not all that bad.”

“I sure hope she's not ‘all that bad',” Lyra remarked. “I'll be working with her on this ancient spell I may have rediscovered. Princess Luna thinks I should return to Canterlot and work with her and Professor Marie when our time here is through.”

“Shnazzy,” Vinyl said with a smirk. The others ooh'd and ahh'd appropriately. “So what all happened, anyway? I know most of us were chillin' in the dorm lounge when we saw some huge wave at sea.”

“Too scared to come out and see what was happening, hmm?” Lyra teased.

“As if!” Vinyl laughed. “Professor Yorsets from the lame light magic track came and told us to stay put. I can see why you'd want to leave his class, 'Strummer Girl'; he's grade-A boring-”

“Wait a second, guys,” Pokey Pierce suddenly interposed, pausing shortly after as he stared into space. “There was a huge wave at sea!?”

Lyra giggled as the others collected themselves from the brief rewind. “It really was something else. From where I stood it looked taller than the cliffs down at the beach! Why, if it hadn't been broken, it very well might have flooded the grounds!” The others gasped. “Luckily, I learned a spell that dispelled... well, whatever it was.”

“How did you learn that?” Twilight asked. “I've seen some pretty powerful magic spells myself, but stopping a natural disaster like that must have taken some serious studying and practice. When did you learn it? Did you read about it in a spell-book?”

“No, no reading required,” Lyra answered. “It just... came to me, this evening. I don't even know how to explain it all myself. That wave seemed hardly natural, if you ask me. Speaking of unnatural, there was this voice inside my head, as though something were right beside me teaching the song the entire time.”

She thought back to the mysterious voice that echoed through her head; its clarity was so astonishing that she could still hear it perfectly then.

Lyra continued, “Exactly what it was, even I'm not sure. There are a couple of ideas split between Doctor Marie, the headmare and myself at the moment. All that really matters, however, is that the mysterious spell worked, and that we're all safe as a result.”

“Safe from what, though?” Windchaser asked.

Silence. Lyra caught herself thinking back to what she had been told by the mysterious voice.

“The words that you have heard; sing them, and they shall save you from the cause of this disaster.”

“I-It didn't say what all was happening,” Lyra replied, unnerved.

The group collectively asked, “It?”

Lyra sighed and shook her head softly. “The voice, the voice! How many times do I have to say it!?” The others leaned away suddenly, though they still stared at Lyra with their most intent gazes. Lyra, seeing this, calmed herself at once. “You really must excuse me, I'm just very tired from a long day; well, more like a long week. My break wasn't a great stress-reliever at all.”

“We heard,” Quirky remarked, looking to Twilight and Starlight.

Lyra let her eyes focus on the targets as well, but with less delight and more hints at murderous action in her eyes.

“You did, did you?” Lyra asked, slowly. “Look at which ponies have turned into quite the gossipers. Well, it's no skin off my muzzle, it's a thing of the past I have mostly come to terms with. Mostly.” She closed her eyes and swung her head around and exhaled her tiredness once again. “For now, let us be on our way back to the dormitory. I'm in dire need of some beauty sleep.”

“Right, beauty sleep,” Vinyl said with a snicker.

Lyra, before setting a hoof on the stairwell, turned and stared with red-hot irises. “That better not have been sarcasm I sensed in your tone.”

Vinyl rolled her head around and scrunched her lips into a childish smile. “What ever do you mean, Lyra?”

“Oh, that is it!” Lyra said before suddenly taking off down the stairs at a doubled pace. “I'm leaving before my instincts make me buck you in the mouth!”

The others laughed as Lyra took off, who in the end was giggling about the matter herself. By the time she reached the bottom the others had quite a ways to go down the central staircase; all but one, that is.

“Lyra! A word, if you please,” called Quirky Q, who had trotted down the stairs right on the huffy mare's tail.

Lyra continued her walk but turned her head enough to spot the fast-walking, light lavender mare. Her pink eyes grew larger, despite their naturally curved edges, with every step she took.

“Yes, what is it, Quirky?” Lyra asked, feigning offense.

“First of all, I know you're not really upset,” Quirky Q remarked smartly. “However, I do know that something was in fact wrong when you walked out from the headmare's meeting room.”

Lyra's paced slowed down, but only enough to allow Quirky to completely catch up at her semi-hurried pace.

“What makes you think that?” Lyra asked.

“Lyra, my friend, I am an actress. I can spot when somepony tries to hide something in a heartbeat,” Quirky declared.

Her eyes lit up into a hot pink as the two set hoof in the glass corridor, revealing the bright moon glistering overhead. Her silvery hair glowed as the curls bounced with every skip.

“Would you care to discuss what it is that has you troubled?”

Lyra smirked. “There is something on my mind, but it's nothing that I think you would understand.”

“Try me.”

Lyra, truly desiring to not have to explain herself, showed a slight pout. “Oh, well, fine.” Her eyes darted quickly in every direction before the mare lowered her head. “As of lately, Princess Luna has been acting strangely; at least, that's what Twilight and I think.”

“Sounds serious,” Quirky said, suddenly assuming a very earnest and quiet tone as she walked closer beside Lyra.

“Oh it is,” Lyra confirmed as her amber eyes flashed open. “I tried to be subtle and ask exactly what was happening in the princess's life recently, but she avoided my tactics quite well.”

“What were your tactics, exactly?”

“Well, I, that is to say... I asked her directly, of course.”

Quirky squinted. “That's... not subtle in the slightest.”

“Hidden in a larger conversation it is!” Lyra barked, though in an undertone, for the rest of the group began to catch up. “In any case, Princess Luna said nothing of the strange happenings recently. She's been very secretive, almost to an alarming degree. She’s also disappeared at strange times. After all, where was she when that wave struck? Shouldn't she have been the one to stop it?”

“She has been rather out of character recently,” Quirky noted. “I even think I've heard her return to her old speech pattern with particular vocabulary and the way she addresses certain ponies.”

“You've noticed that too?”

“But of course,” Quirky said as the overhead light soon disappeared and the two were in the dim foyer of the dormitory. “The question now is ‘what do we do’?”

“What do we do?”

“That's what I said.”

Lyra cocked her head. “I don't suppose we could find somepony over the course of the next week or two to keep an eye on her, would you?”

Quirky's eyes flashed. “Twilight Sparkle.”

“No, no!” Lyra objected the second it came out of her friend's mouth. “Twilight is pretty unsettled by all of this. She may be more suspicious than I am, and thus not in her right mind as much.”

“But Twilight was the one who helped Luna readjust to regular pony life a few months ago,” Quirky stated. “Although, now that you say that, I have noticed her acting somewhat strange as of recently. If Twilight's acting more suspicious than you, perhaps she knows something that you don't?”

Lyra blew a raspberry. “Please, the only way Twilight could keep a secret from me is if her life seemingly depended upon it, and even then I could probably see right through her.”

Quirky stopped. “But, if not Twilight, then who?”

Lyra looked back at the approaching group, then two-thirds of the way through the crystal clear walkway. She eyed each of the possible members, but none seemed quite suitable in her mind. When she glanced back at Quirky, however, an idea struck like a match in the dark room that was her fragile skull.

“Why not you, Quirky?” Lyra proposed.

“Me?”

“Naturally. What, with your experience dressing up and playing different roles, perhaps you could sneak about and follow Princess Luna while avoiding suspicion. You could most likely find leads of her activity through others as well with your ability to read faces and spot lies. In addition, the headmare hasn't really had an eye on you, which helps with blending into a crowd. I think you'd be perfect!”

“You think I should follow Princess Luna around and see what she's up to, hmm?” Quirky asked. “It sounds like quite a challenge for an aspiring actress, especially if it's for over a week.”

The two exchanged glances once more, until a suddenly mutual consensus spawned in their brains. Lyra grinned as Quirky delivered a most mischievous grin and rubbed her front hoofs together.

“I do love a good challenge.”

EPISODE 7: MARE OF DISGUISE

Chapter 25: Where Inquiry May Lead

Princess Luna's presence spread a wave of quietude over whichever room she entered. From what Quirky could tell, the headmare didn't mind in the least. With her head held high and expression unwavering, the princess appeared quite accustomed to such a response as all eyes and ears paid a significant fraction of their attention upon her graceful entries.

In places such as the main hall foyer – where Quirky found herself safely trailing after Princess Luna then – such instances were especially evident. Not only those on the same floor as the alicorn partially paused, but those on floors above did as well; a number that strolled between classrooms, the library, and even the observatory on the top floor took a moment to behold the mare's presence as she glided her way from place to place.

Quirky thought it a funny phenomenon. At the same time, however, the actress understood most had not been noting the princess's activity throughout the past few days, if at all. Though not much had occurred besides patrolling and random encounters Quirky felt deep inside that something important was on the verge of happening.

This sensation was different than her twitches that warned of danger, the latter of which were said to run in the family. Quirky only accepted the helpful intuition as a result of her theatrical endeavors. They saved her from embarrassment – and in this case, being spotted – countless times.

It was impossible to try and read the princess given her body language; it said about as much as a blank piece of paper. Not a dot of informality or inconsistency surfaced during the hours Quirky watched the alicorn. The actress credited the proper behavior and purposeful movements to her high status and calm demeanor, both of which were things anypony could have figured out.

Princess Luna's eyes, on the other hoof, held many signs. They were always narrow in observation with the teal-colored irises half-hidden, though Quirky liked to think of them more as ‘half-seeable’. They wandered throughout the chambers in which she roamed, examining only things of importance. At times her eyes seemed to wander without aim, and it was in those times that Quirky watched most fixedly.

Earlier in the day Quirky had seen the headmare's eyes moving more actively than in previous days. The shadow magic class had let out a few minutes early in the morning, and as the first one out she caught a glimpse of Princess Luna's eyes before she could hide them away. Quirky could picture how wide open they looked, as well as their intense color and focus.

It was a split-second sight, for soon enough the rush of students brought the headmare back to her usual consciousness. But Quirky had stored a mental picture in her brain. Its memory throughout the afternoon pressed her to follow the princess more earnestly than ever before.

To hide her face and body Quirky had briefly thrown on sunglasses, a straw hat, her bags, and a pair of overalls to hide her cutie mark. Though initially she received strange looks, none said anything nor confronted her. Things, on the most part, were going according to plan.

This costume isn’t drawing too much attention, is it..?

“Quirky? Is that you..?” inquired Starlight from a few measures away, his volume and pace decreasing as the mare stood completely still.

The stallion’s happy expression shifted into unease, but just before he could turn and walk away Quirky rushed toward him and covered his mouth before he could panic.

“Keep your voice down!” she hissed. “Ugh, I knew this disguise was bad. Stand still for a moment, would you?”

With a quick shift of her pink eyes back and forth, Quirky removed a blanket from one of her bags and draped it over the stallion like a cloth over a mannequin. Concealing herself behind the makeshift curtain, the mare swiftly dug through her things and threw together a disguise quite unlike that of before. She whipped out her mirror for a moment and then, in the blink of an eye, repacked everything into her packs, including the blanket she had thrown over Starlight.

Quirky settled her saddlebags on her back and stared at a wall nearby as though nothing had happened. Meanwhile, her friend's face started turning different shades of red.

“What is it, Starlight?” Quirky whispered, ruffled.

“Well, I- uh, I was going to ask what you were doing, but-”

“It's a theatre thing, you wouldn’t understand,” Quirky stated sharply. “And for the record, none of this ever happened, understand? Now, haven't I told you not to call me by name when I'm in ‘stealth mode’?”

“How am I supposed to know-?” Starlight started, but stopped. He looked over the mare, who now wore a moustache with a cowboy hat and shining star badge. “Actually, forget it. What am I supposed to call you if not by your name?”

Quirky suddenly felt her back hoofs twitching.

“Starlight, something's ahoof!” she gasped as she looked down to confirm that the quivers in her hind legs were, in fact, real.

“‘Something's Ahoof’? That's a bit of a weird name-”

“No no no, I mean my Quirky senses are tingling,” the mare explained. “Back hoofs shaking... that means-” She quickly scanned the foyer and spotted Princess Luna descending the spiral staircase. “Quick, turn around!”

She swung around and faced the corner of the chamber, which Starlight immediately imitated. Quirky collected her breaths as she imagined herself standing on set right as the curtains were rising. A crowd of stone statues faced her, but the mare did not mind the sight of them. Starlight, however, was holding his breath as his eyes expressed the shock toward the Princess Luna statue he had never before noticed.

Quirky tried to get his attention as she furrowed her eyebrows and wrinkled her nose, a clear message to hold himself back from exploding into panic. In the middle of her non-verbal message, though, Quirky's nuzzle started to fidget.

The mare gasped, “Quick, Starlight, I need you act natural!”

The stallion's head shook with unsureness. “What? Natural? We're facing a corner-”

“Just pretend like we're talking,” Quirky ordered.

“But we are talking-”

“Perfect, then just keep it up.”

Starlight stuttered. “But, but- for how long?” He stopped, but Quirky motioned for him to keep going. “I mean, uh, I-I guess I could tell a story. Okay, so, this one time when Twilight and I were going to check the observatory together-”

He paused. His face turned deep sanguine.

Quirky snarled, “What are you doing, keep talking!”

“On second thought, I-I don't want to do this anymore,” he uttered, still blushing. “How about you tell a story instead?”

All of a sudden Quirky felt her nose cease its twitching. “Oh! I think we're safe now.”

Upon hearing this, Starlight let an deep breath escape. “What... What's going on here, Quir- I mean, uh, 'stranger'? Or am I not supposed to ask that either?”

“You may. Currently, I'm following my target,” Quirky stated.

“Princess Lu-?”

Quirky shoved a hoof in Starlight's face. “Shush shush shush! Yes, her. I've spotted some strange signs in those eyes of hers. She's up to something, I know it.”

“So, you're stalking her?”

“'Stalking' is not the appropriate word, Starlight,” Quirky scoffed. “I'd rather you use the word 'tracking'.”

“I'm not sure that sounds any better.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Quirky cut in as she spotted the last bit of the princess's glowing blue tail disappear through the towering doors leading outside. “Follow me, Starlight, I may need your help real quick.”

Quirky dashed toward the door as Starlight scurried behind, confused yet compliant. As the two drew near it a wave of cool air from outside slowed them down to a trot, then a walk, until the both stood at the edge of the doorway.

“We need to keep up with her. Otherwise, we risk missing a cue that could better hint at what’s going on in Princess Luna’s mind,” Quirky whispered as she peeked outside. She immediately spotted the princess heading east toward the dormitory building. “And it looks like the only way to get closer is by sneaking through the bushes.”

The mare scanned their intended passage. Layers of snow covered the pines and brush, with large piles of the frozen precipitation sitting directly below the edges of the main hall roof. For the most part Quirky knew covering their tracks would be impossible. The only way to stay mostly out of sight was to sneak between the foliage next to the path and the buildings.

“We need to keep our distance,” Quirky said softly. “And be sure to keep as quiet as possible!”

Starlight could only gather himself enough to nod. Quirky, satisfied, felt the gravity of the situation help lower her body to the ground as she snuck her way out through the bushes along the path.

Every few steps she popped her head up enough to spot where the princess stood. Each time she checked, though, she also ended up staring back at Starlight, whose noisy steps in the crunchy snow constantly brought the leader to a stop. Quirky faces of frustration grew more intense each instance, which in reality was not far from the degree of annoyance that burned inside.

Halfway to where the princess then stood, though, Quirky's muzzle started to wiggle.

The mare turned and shoved Starlight's face into the snow, then quietly dropped to the ground herself. She knew Princess Luna was scanning the perimeter, and so halted their progress a minute. When her nose stopped twitching she peeked over the bushes and caught a glimpse of Princess Luna, who then stood at the edge of the central park facing the empty bay.

After a prolonged stare eastward, the princess cast her eyes up, then let them back down, and shortly after proceeded into the dormitory.

After the doors to the edifice closed with a solid thud, Quirky snorted in frustration. She gave Starlight a swift jab in the side, and the stallion's head wrenched from out of the snow as a yelp jumped out of his lungs.

“Ow! What was that for!?” Starlight whimpered.

“You were supposed to be quiet!” Quirky hissed back. “Haven't you ever tried treading lightly before?”

Starlight's eyes rolled upward in thought.

“Never mind,” Quirky said, calming herself. “In any case, I don't think we were seen. Ugh, this is just awful; I haven't made much progress in understanding the headmare's expressions.”

“What expressions?” Starlight asked, dumbfounded. “She always looks the same to me.”

“I’m beginning to think that's what she wants everypony to think. In reality there's a complex voice inside of her head, one that constantly tells her to conceal whatever it is she's feeling. I just know it.”

Starlight sighed. “Have you ever wondered if you're just imagining things? I'm pretty sure I've heard of this tendency to over-analyze-”

“On the contrary, dear Starlight,” Quirky interrupted with a smirk, “I call this strange situation 'hidden dialogue'. You should really take some theatre courses if you can. You as well, Colgate.”

Starlight's eyes twitched. “Wha-? Colgate?”

“SHOOT!” boomed the voice of the named mare from behind, sending Starlight launching into the air in surprise.

The stallion landed in a pile of snow on his back. When his eyes opened they could only wander in circles across the cotton-clouded sky above. The two mares wandered over to his twitching body and giggled.

“Looks like I least got one of you,” Colgate stated with pride. “How'd you know I was right there, Q?”

“Your deep breaths gave you away,” Quirky said with a grin. “Specifically, I've noticed that you inhale more deeply when outdoors than any other pony I know.”

“What can I say? Outdoors are the best,” Colgate said as she inhaled a lung full of the fresh, cool air.

“Now, what is it that gave us away, Colgate?” Quirky asked.

“I saw you two ever-so-slowly make your way out of the main hall,” Colgate laughed. “I watched you two sneak around for a bit from the door after the headmare, too. It was entertaining enough to keep me watching, especially Starlight; he really needs to learn to keep his rump closer to the ground.”

“I see,” Quirky grumbled. “It seems I may be in need of a new companion as Starlight is not quite... up to snuff. Maybe I should find some other pony to help me.”

Colgate puffed out her chest and announced, “Well, Quirky, I'm happy to inform you that I know just the pony for the job. Sneaky, smart, the whole package.”

“Do you-? Ah! Ahaha, I see what you're getting at,” Quirky said as Colgate smiled as she closed her eyes and smiled proudly. “The question, then, is how best to get Twilight to comply.”

Colgate's sense of uplifting crashed head-first into a cliff. “Twilight? Really?”

“Oh! Silly me. Cut, take two,” Quirky giggled as she snapped her hoofs together. “Lyra said it would be best not to involve that busybody in all of this.” The lavender mare glanced over at Colgate, who was still staring with an unimpressed frown. “I’m kidding, Colgate. Would you care to help? You like your little adventures and whatnot after all even after what happened last time...”

“Would I!?” Colgate exclaimed, but suddenly feigned uncertainty. “Well, I mean, I dunno. I'm pretty busy and everything.” She pretended to think through her schedule as she patted her head pensively. “Okay, I'll help.”

“Splendid!” Quirky blurted out. “You’ll play the part well enough. For now, I think I'll see where the princess is headed. Dinner's in a few hours, so I guess that would be the best time to meet again, don't you think, Colgate?”

“Yeah, sure, this evening,” Colgate muttered as she trailed behind her prancing friend. “‘Play the part well enough’... psh.”

Carrot soup was always a special on some day of the week, and it typically was served the supper before each restful weekend. Quirky knew its scent the second she walked in, but the actress did not care to head for the buffet right away. Instead she set out to find the others and fill them in on what she all had witnessed.

She found her friends at their usual table in the middle of the hall, though some had not yet arrived. Each of their faces were filled with the typical delight that emerged at least three times a day. The conversation of those present – Colgate, Lyra, and Pokey Pierce – was minimal. Their mouths were full almost every second; when they were vacant, each pony was too busy licking their lips in anticipation of the next taste.

A majority of the tables surrounding them acted in a similar manner, leaving the dining area far less noisy than during any other meal at the academy. Quirky was prepared to inject some vigor into to the hushed atmosphere.

“Good evening, everypony,” Quirky said with a smile as she sat herself down.

The three nodded in acknowledgement of her presence and continued. Quirky felt her smile fade, but quickly gave the greeting game another try.

“How has everything been going today? Anything interesting in particular?”

The three halted for a moment again, this time for more than a split second. Lyra lifted her head to swallow the mouthful of soup she had stored in her cheeks like a chipmunk and let a drawn-out breath ease out to demonstrate the bliss from that which she ate.

“Nah.”

And with that she went back to eating. The others nodded at the reply and continued as well. Quirky rolled her eyes as she fished for another idea.

“I see, nothing interesting,” Quirky said. “Well then, what if I told you that I had something interesting to share? Not to mention, it concerns our dear Princess Luna?”

The others kept eating, but Quirky could see their eyes beginning to shift in her general direction. When Starlight arrived bearing his own tray, his eyes fell on the group whose ears were all pointed to the actress. The lavender mare let a grin slip from her otherwise serious facade as she knew everypony present was at least listening.

“I just so happened to observe the princess acting differently today,” Quirky stated, “and I must admit: something strange is ahoof.”

The others began eating slower and slower as the magic holds on their spoons started to fade. Quirky could spot eyes growing wider.

The mare continued on, only then with her typical story-telling voice, “It was not a half hour ago when classes let out. Princess Luna had an extremely lost expression on her face, one I've never seen her show before. As session ended this morning she returned to her usual emotionless facade, but I saw hints of that strange look when Starlight and I followed her outside.” She paused as the image of Princess Luna's face flashed into her memory. “It was almost as though she were contemplating a most serious matter, something that she wouldn't tell another soul in the world.”

“Really?” Starlight questioned, but Lyra interjected.

“Shh! Go on,” Lyra instructed, absorbed by the tale at that point.

Quirky nodded graciously. “If I had to guess, I would think that Princess Luna is planning something. Just what, though, I'm not sure.”

“Wait a minute,” Pokey remarked, “what's Princess Luna doing while we're in session in the morning staring at stuff?”

“I, I don't think the ‘morning’ part of that is very significant,” Quirky answered. “What I think is important is that she's hiding something. Trust me, Pokey, I know odd behavior when I see it; after all, I've had to act it out many times before.”

“I didn't think Princess Luna looked that strange when we followed her,” Starlight stated, though below his breath.

But Quirky heard and replied, “That's because you were too busy making a ruckus.”

The stallion rested his head on a hoof and grabbed his spoon dejectedly. “It's not my fault you dragged me into it.”

“Well you did approach me-” Quirky stopped. Her eyes shot open, a sight the others did not often see outside of her acting. “Wait! Princess Luna hasn't arrived late for supper yet. But, she's never late to anything, she's driven by clockwork. That must mean-”

All eyes watched as Quirky stood.

“There's no time to waste!” the mare proclaimed. “Colgate, we need to find her right away!”

But the blue mare, whose bowl of soup wasn't even half-finished, shot a nasty glare as she hovered over her meal.

“Not until I finish this,” Colgate growled.

“No! Now!” the actress ordered with a stomp. After a second passed without Colgate moving – except for the spoon closer to her mouth – Quirky grabbed her friend by the tail and dragged her away from the table.

Colgate flailed her hoofs about as her carrot soup slowly slipped from her reach.

“Nooooo! Carrot soup, Quirky! CARROT SOUP!”

“Don’t worry, Colgate! There will be another time for you to enjoy your soup,” Quirky stated as her friend whimpered. “On the other hoof, we only have one shot at this opportunity.”

Quirky continued to drag Colgate out into the foyer, right where the coolness of the giant chamber fell upon the faded golden light of the dining hall. The blue mare, cross, rose after her friend let go of her tail.

“Are going to join me or what?” asked Quirky.

Colgate rolled her eyes and growled, “Fine, but you owe me.”

“What? You volunteered!” Quirky exclaimed. “Don't act like this is so random – trust me, I know. Now, if I recall correctly, Princess Luna is only late if she has last-minute meetings with professors. She meets students only after mealtime unless they're in trouble. In either case, she typically holds her meetings in one of two places: her own chamber, if time permits, or-”

“Outside along the walkway?”

Quirky paused. “How'd you know?”

“Because I see them outside along the walkway.”

Quirky darted over to the nearby window where, surely enough, she could spot two figures – one a majestic alicorn's silhouette, the other one a unicorn like so many at the school – pacing along the path. The moonlight, partially hidden by dark patches of clouds, only permitted Quirky and her companion to make out the outlines of the two characters.

Quirky squinted. “Who is that accompanying the headmare?”

“Probably an instructor,” Colgate proposed.

“Why don't we listen in and find out, hmm?”

Colgate smirked. “Yeah, like it's that easy. Wait, did you drag me along so I could be your decoy?”

“Nonsense!” Quirky replied. “I have better, safer plans.”

The mare lit her horn a light lavender color, and in a flash a large black cone was hovering before them.

“What the hay is that?” Colgate asked, holding back a laugh. “You plan on capturing sound waves or something with that dinky thing?”

“Actually, yes, with the help of my 'Secrets, Secrets Are No Fun' spell. We use it in theatrical performances to talk to each other backstage when we're on opposite sides of the scene. It's actually quite useful, especially when you want hear somepony whispering without them knowing.” A devilish grain slipped across Quirky's face, to which Colgate shied away. “What I need you to do, Colgate, is to hold open one of those doors so they don't get in the way.”

Colgate, speechless, nudged open one of the main hall doors until Quirky motioned for her to stop. Safe within the confines of the foyer – though not out of reach of the freezing temperatures outside – the two listened as two voices spouted from out of the actress's creation.

“Hast thou news of progress, then?” came the voice of Princess Luna. “Thou hast indicated that word has come from Canterlot.”

The voice of Madame Lonsdaleite followed, “Yes, I do have some things to say. After having spoken with the others, we have come to a general consensus, which we have written here. It shouldn't involve any more... disasters.”

“Magnificent,” the headmare said with a short laugh as the unfurling of a scroll followed after. “I only hope that things shall begin to take a turn in our favor. Our plans hath been delayed for far too long.”

“Y-Yes, Princess Luna, what you say is most true,” Lonsdaleite confessed with a stammer. “I believe we have a better idea now of what needs to be done and what kind of time we need. I do wonder, though, if this strict secrecy has really been for the better-”

“Nothing more needs to be said, Lonsdaleite. Or dost thou wish to question my commands?”

“N-No, Princess Luna,” Lonsdaleite replied apologetically. “I meant nothing of the sort. Do forgive me, my mind is not as it should with all this thinking and planning.”

“In time, Lonsdaleite, and this burden of which you speak shall pass.”

Quirky felt her insides back-flip; her inner alarm was going off like a siren warning of an oncoming tornado. She could even sense the warning signs going off in Colgate's head as the two locked eyes.

“It seems favorable to me that we return to the dining hall promptly,” Princess Luna stated. “It is uncharacteristic for us to be late and may arouse suspicion amongst the students.”

“I wouldn’t worry if I were you, Princess Luna,” Professor Lonsdaleite laughed nervously. “I'm sure the students haven't noticed a thing.”

Chapter 26: Improvisation

The first morning of the weekend had approached. Hours of observation and silent stalking had led to the very moment where Quirky stood, coat colored gray like the statues to her left and right. She stood as still as the static sculptures, daring not to even itch the bites of anxiety across her back. The only key that would free her from her stationary state was the sound of a distinct set of hoofsteps.

Where is she? Wheeeere is she..?

The actress had woken up before the sun had risen; her heavy eyelids reminded her every other blink. She had hoped to map the headmare's morning activities throughout the early hours of dawn, but to Quirky's dismay there had been not a single sign of the headmare's awakening. As a result, Quirky had not budged for hours.

Rather than tracking the princess and coming closer to her secrets as expected, the mare found herself watching the foyer fill with life as blackness turned to colored shades of royal violet and blue. Whatever surface or object the sun touched jumped onto the scene as though it were in the spotlight. Quirky wanted no part in the attention-grabbing, and so felt panic rise as the sun's reach drew ever near where she hid.

But inches before the sunlight could touch her the mare’s ears sensed something approaching. A set of delicate and slow steps ascended the marble staircase, gracing the air like the sound of a strengthening breeze on a blazing summer day. Quirky held her breath to keep her hammering heartbeat from drowning out the noise in her ears.

Quirky watched in anticipation as a horn rose above the top of the stairs, followed by a mane, and then an entire head. They were exactly the lavender and violet hues she had been waiting to see, with the purple eyes popping into sight with a contented smile curving beneath-

Wait... that isn't... how did she..? But weren't those..?

Cogs within Quirky's mechanical brain started falling from their places. The pony passing by was not in fact Princess Luna, but rather Twilight Sparkle. The actress wondered how her senses had ever mistaken the violet-colored, dusky-maned bookworm for her actual target. The passer-by’s nose was buried deep within a book as she walked past.

“Psst.”

Twilight stopped. Her head turned from side to side, but her wandering eyes never settled. With a shrug she returned to her reading.

“Psssssst!”

The mare swerved around again, this time with more apprehension flaring in her violet eyes. She wheeled around a few times before hesitantly lowering her head into her book again; her eyes shifted between the area and the text every following second.

“Twilight! Over here!”

The mare finally turned and faced the direction from which Quirky called. Upon spotting the actress's pink eyes standing out from among the bland ones of adjacent statues, Twilight dropped the book and backed in fright into the marble railing behind her.

“Oh! Quirky!” she gasped, quickly trying to collect herself. “You startled me.”

She paused and examined Quirky's new gray coat and completely motionless figure.

“Should I even ask-?”

“Shh! Quiet!” Quirky answered in swift interruption. “Come closer, I need to ask you something.”

Twilight giggled as the shock melted into relief. “I think I might have something to ask you, too.”

Quirky rolled her eyes. “Fine, you go first.”

Twilight stared for a moment as she took in just what was happening; her eyes were still squinted, signaling the mare's disbelief. In time her skepticism turned into a strange mix of understanding and curiosity.

“I was just wondering what you were doing pretending to be a statue,” Twilight stated rather matter-of-factly. “Is this practice for another performance you're interested in?”

“No, no, none of that,” Quirky laughed, maintaining an unshaken body despite the puffs of laughter than swept through her lungs. “I'm just waiting for... a certain somepony.”

Twilight cocked her head to a side. “Does this have to do with you following Princess Luna around?”

“Ah, yes, so you-” Quirky suddenly broke character as she leaned closer to where Twilight stood, leaving the two staring face-to-face. “Wait a minute, you know!? But how do you know? You weren't supposed to know!”

In her excitement Quirky lost her balance, and in less than second found herself tumble from the pedestal on which she stood down to the carpeted section of floor. The bookworm could only stare.

“I-I don't see what the problem is, Quirky,” Twilight said calmly. “Lyra explained everything to me.”

But wasn't it Lyra's idea not to say anything?

Twilight added, “I understand what you're doing. I'm not necessarily opposed to it; I just don't know if it's the best way to go about figuring things out.”

Quirky's ears suddenly stood on end. Twilight could only watch as her friend began zipping in every direction at the speed of light, stopping only long enough to capture a short glimpse of the chamber in each and every direction she faced.

“Where’s Princess Luna?” Quirky asked as she began casting a spell, turning her horn a vivid violet. “I haven't seen her all morning. It's strange, I thought she would have come out of her chambers by now.”

With a flash the mare's coat went from completely gray to the restored colors of silver and light lavender. Twilight, impressed by the concealing spell and its swift removal, paused for only a moment in admiration.

“She's over visiting with the others back in the dormitory,” Twilight said. “You of all ponies should know that she visits us before or after noon on the weekends-”

“I know that,” Quirky snapped, “but how did she head over without me spotting her? Did she get up earlier than me? Does she not use doors anymore?”

“Well, she does know how to teleport-”

“Of course!” Quirky exclaimed, knocking a hoof against her own head. “Quick, Twilight, we need to get back and see what the princess is up to, pronto!”

“But I need to return this book on telescopes-”

“The observatory will still be there this evening, now come on!” Quirky said, nudging Twilight on toward the stairs she had just climbed.

“All right, all right!” Twilight said as she picked up her hoofs.

The two hurried down the stairs and headed straight for the glass hall. Quirky was relieved to find that at least the corridor was not busy; it meant that the foyer of the edifice ahead was not too crowded. As they reached the doors – both of which were closed – Twilight slowed down and caught her breath after the brief gallop.

Quirky, on the other hoof, was panting as though she had run a marathon. Twilight's eyebrows raised as she looked over her friend with a trace of care in her eyes.

“Quirky, are you okay?”

“Oh... yes, fine... I just... need to get... back... to my room,” Quirky got out between breaths.

Her stomach suddenly gave a terrible growl, to which Twilight's eyes grew larger than the moon.

“Was that your stomach?” Twilight inquired.

Quirky blushed as she held her gut, as though hiding it would make any difference. “So what if it was?”

“Quirky, I know all this spying and stuff is important to you, but are you eating and resting enough?” The mare said nothing in reply. “If not, that explains why you're so tired and hungry.”

“It doesn't matter for now,” Quirky said with a harrumph. “If I have to skip a meal or two and some hours of sleep, it's no big deal. I have more important matters at hoof.” Twilight tried to rejoin, but Quirky pressed on, “Right now it's of utmost importance that I return to my room, unseen by the headmare, to acquire a new disguise.”

“Well, that’s not happening,” Twilight chuckled.

“What? Why not?” Quirky asked, horrified.

“Do you really think that you can make your way through the crowds of ponies in the foyer unnoticed by the princess?”

“Of course! I can't even hear a thing beyond these doors right now, so there can’t be that many ponies out and about-”

But the second Quirky pushed the doors open, echoes from within the foyer poured out like warm air from a steamy sauna. The sensation was anything but pleasing to the mare.

Ponies occupied every seat within while others had brought items from their rooms. Games of chess and checkers littered the room while others silently read alone or in groups. A few were practicing magic spells as they discussed readings from their weekly sessions. The noise level of combined laughter and chatter rivaled that of the dining hall during any given meal.

Quirky knew it wasn't the time to panic; rather, when Twilight gave a smart look of 'I-told-you-so', the mare returned one mischievous grin.

“Say, Twilight, is it true that you know an invisibility spell?” Quirky asked slyly.

Twilight nodded nervously. “Actually, I do. But...”

“But what?”

“Well, the trick is that you can't make contant with any other pony, otherwise its effect will wear off. I found that out back before our classes started. That was a hard lesson learned-”

“Cast it, cast it anyway!” Quirky implored as she spotted ponies nearby glancing in their direction. “Please, for the love of Celestia, just do it!”

Twilight examined her friend – whose desperation revealed itself through a puppy face Twilight knew the mare had practiced – and gave in to her request, promptly lighting her horn and focusing at once on the spell.

“Just hold still for a second,” Twilight said as she summoned the required magic power.

“Thank you thank you thank you-!” Quirky chimed, until suddenly with a flash her hoofs and curly hair disappeared from her own sights. When Twilight looked up, she seemed just as unable to spot the mare's figure.

“Quirky?”

“Still here, have no fear!” Quirky chirped. “I'll just try and follow along the walls on the side until I get to the stairs.”

But the second the actress set hoof in the building, it became evident that such a plan would not work. To one side an art group practiced splatter paint on giant spans of paper held up against the wall; on the other hung giant mirrors as those involved with fashion and modeling were obsessing over their new manes and accessories.

If we were supposed to pack light, how is it that these ponies have seemingly everything? And why have I never noticed this before..?

Once her mind cleared of the questions, Quirky started to develop a new plan of action. Near the middle of all the chaos was a narrow passage through which the mare could see herself fitting. Though there was movement – Quirky had no doubt that either the fencing team or the dancers would cross over the center carpet piece – the mare thought back to her practice with choreography and felt confident in her ability to elude any flailing hoofs.

Only, Quirky knew there would be no practice; improvization was not her favorite, either.

“On second thought, Twilight,” Quirky began, “do you think you could possibly-?”

But when she turned to face her friend, there was no familiar character standing beside her any longer. Instead, somepony else had taken her spot; the stranger, confused, turned her eyes in Quirky's general direction.

“Wha-? Who said that?”

The mare glanced around, nearly bumping into Quirky, but the actress leaped forward and avoided the wandering body. Her jump, though, knocked her into a small table on which a collection of paint cans sat. Their unstable tower began teetering and tottering, until the top one tipped toward where Quirky stood breathless.

Out of instinct the mare rolled on her side just in time as the container of yellow colorant hit the floor. A puddle of bright gold liquid hit the marble, echoing just enough for the group of painters nearby to hear it. Their ears pricked up and their jaws dropped, until suddenly one ran over and began hopelessly scooping the paint back into its canister.

“Not the oil-based!” the frantic pony, a young mare, cried. “My grandma just made this special color for me during the break!”

As she wept Quirky let out a sigh of relief as not a spot of the previous pigment tarnished her coat. She got back on her hoofs and started once more for the stairs, but quickly discovered that the gap between dancers and fencers had grown all the more thin. Quirky gulped.

Whose terrible idea was it to have these two so close together, anyway!?

On the tips of her hoofs the mare made her way past the first few scattered ponies as each stood staring at whatever activity entertained his or her sights most. Their tails flickered in excitement, which Quirky had to dodge all the while, as they constantly shifted for a better view.

One stallion in particular, Gallant, was watching the fencers' duel; his thrill drove him to constantly step back and then forward as he cheered louder than those around him. At first Quirky did not see him, but after he began stomping and hopping up and down like a crazy mule, he came just close enough to nearly nick Quirky right in the nose as she passed behind.

The mare jerked her head back, avoiding the rearing stallion's wheeling hoofs by less than an inch, but could not keep her balance afterwards. She stood on her two rear legs while the front two swung to maintain balance. After her back arched back as far as it could, Quirky felt something sweep her off her hoofs. She tumbled backwards like a loose bowling ball until she hit against something strange.

Her back hit against a relatively soft surface, though it was not comfortable or cushioning in the slightest. The hollow sound of the collision and light weight of the object made Quirky turned and stared with spinning eyes. From what she could tell, it was just a simple box.

With a quick scan over the room Quirky crawled into the giant upside-down container and hoped no pony was going to need it soon. A thought came and went as to why it was there in the first place. Wondering whether Princess Luna had spotted her or not, Quirky waited for her breaths to grow short. As they slowed down along with the mad beat of her heart, the mare slowly realized there were other warm breaths sounding within the box.

“H-Hello?” Quirky asked, suddenly feeling a hoof touching her tail.

“Quirky?”

“Pokey?”

“Arr?”

The last voice – a stallion's – was unfamiliar, but Quirky took comfort in recognizing at least one of them.

“What's... what's going on in here?” the actress inquired driven by the purest form of curiosity.

Pokey’s dopey laugh sounded. “Well, back home when there were lots of things going on at home or at school, but there was nothing I thought really fun going on, I always grabbed a box and played 'Imagination'.”

Quirky contained a titter. “'Imagination'? Is that a game?”

“Yeah, you know,” Pokey replied, surprised by her seeming ignorance, “when you pretend that you're somewhere where you're not, or that something really fun is happening and you pretend like you're there?”

“I'm sure I did that in theatre once or twice,” Quirky remarked with an uneasy laugh. “Who's the other pony in here?”

“Arr, the name's Seven Seas,” came the reply. “The hootin' and hollerin' going on ain't settin' sail for any ports of interest fer me, neither.”

“Let me guess,” Quirky said, “you're pretending to be pirates.”

“Yep, we sure are,” Pokey replied happily.

“Aye, I didn't think it would work,” Seven Seas added. “One’s mind can truly wander with some isolation and creativity.”

Quirky felt that she had lingered in their strange realm long enough; feeling for the edge of the box to her left she lifted the bottom and peered into the foyer. A new round of fencing had begun, and a new dance was underway as well. Off near the wall were a couple of chairs with a large group or mares she had spotted earlier giving make-overs and trying on outfits.

Perhaps that new disguise is in order now?

“Well, gentlecolts, it's been... interesting,” Quirky remarked as she lifted the box to slide out.

Pokey only managed to get out, “But we haven't even started-”

But before he could finish Quirky left the two in their upside-down box and crouched behind the package. She cautiously lifted her eyes and scanned the room. With no sign of the headmare, Quirky made her way over to the gathering of mares toying with a myriad of cosmetics and accessories, daring not to look in any other direction but straight ahead.

“Quirky? Quirky Q?” called one of them.

A white mare with a purplish pink mane and tail approached her, her cutie mark a familiar shining carving tool.

“Diamond Chisel?”

“You do remember me!” Diamond smiled. “Are you coming over here for a make-over? Or maybe you're just looking to chat?”

Quirky acted as though she had not seen what they were doing, and so approached with a feigned hesitance. “Why, make-overs? Is that what you girls are doing? Splendid! I suppose I wouldn't mind a bit of tidying up my mane and whatnot-”

“Why not a facial as well?” one of the fashion ponies remarked, grabbing the mare and sitting her in one of the vacant cushions nearby.

“What about your horn?”

“Have you applied mascara yet!?”

Suddenly a swarm of fellow mares surrounded her and began preparing as though they were surgeons heading into an operation. A couple began wiping down Quirky's face while another prepared a variety of creams of powders. One filed her horn and another her hoofs. A grin crossed the actress's face as everything was going as according to plan.

“So, Quirky Q, what is it you've been up since our last... incident?” Diamond Chisel said as she combed through the mare's silvery hair.

“Ah, yes, that,” Quirky said; she knew Diamond was referring to the Tigbalan. “Nothing new is happening, really. Sessions are as engaging as they were before break-”

She winced as Diamond Chisel began pulling a bit too hard on her mane. The white unicorn laughed upon spotting the grimace.

“Oh, I apologize in advance: I work more with stone carvings than I do hairdressing. Nevertheless, I try.” Diamond all of a sudden looked in every direction, as did the others, before all fell into a huddle with Quirky in the middle. “You are aware that this is the gossip corner, yes?”

Quirky jerked forward suddenly, smearing what mysterious gels were being rubbed on her face.

“What!? Er, I mean, of course,” the actress replied. She sat up straight again and laughed. “What's new that's worth hearing?”

Diamond Chisel giggled herself as she lowered her voice, “Well, Quirky, we were hoping you would tell us.”

Quirky felt her throat squeeze. “Excuse me..?”

“Oh, come now, there's no need to hide anything from us,” Diamond Chisel said, returning to straightening the mare's mane. “We know about you and your secret mission following Princess Luna.”

Quirky's eyes shot open. “How do you know!?”

“Relax, Quirky Q, relax,” Diamond Chisel said as she pushed the mare back onto the grooming seat. “Your secret is safe with us. Lyra filled us in on the details.”

Lyra, again!?

“I-If you don't mind me asking, what details are you talking about?” Quirky asked, keeping her cool despite the aggravation that bubbled within.

“Oh, you know,” Diamond replied, “nothing more than that the princess is planning a very special ball!”

Diamond Chisel squealed, as did almost everypony standing in the circle. Quirky, however, was pale a ghost, and quiet as one too.

“A-A ball?” Quirky uttered, dumbfounded. “Err, yes! Ha ha you found it out, a ball. Isn't it just so interesting? Well, I suppose I really should be going now-”

“Oh, but what's the rush?” Diamond asked as Quirky rose from her seat. Those around her gasped in horror. “You know we haven't even gotten everything on your face evenly applied-”

“Oh! No rush, I, uh...” Quirky stumbled as she backed away, “... I need to get something back in my room-”

Quirky's rear hoofs started twitching, followed by her nose wiggling. Her heart stopped shortly after.

Faster than a flash of lightning the mare bolted into hiding behind the box she had crawled out from earlier. She curled into a ball behind the barrier and hoped with all her might that she had made it without being spotted by Princess Luna - Quirky knew she was near.

In silence she waited with the worst kind of anxiety as performances of her capture or discovery began to play in her mind. She could hear the mockery of those nearby after a clueless pony told Princess Luna of what he or she had overheard.

First Twilight, now the gossip girls... how many has Lyra told!?

“Hey Quirky,” came the voice of Pokey Pierce from beneath the box. His and the blue stallion's heads currently stuck out and faced where the mare lie shivering. “You pretending to be 'stranded alone on an island' again? And what's all that stuff on your face?”

Quirky, holding back a scream, swallowed the bellow that had nearly given her away. “U-Um, y-yes, Pokey, I'm practicing. This is... face paint. It's symbolic; theatre nonsense, don't worry.”

“Oh, okay,” Pokey replied. “Sorry if I was interrupting.”

“Don't worry about it,” Quirky said as she dared to peek over the box.

Princess Luna was facing the dancing bunch to the left but still stood close to the center of the room.

Quirky, still shaking, inquired, “Say, Pokey Pierce, might I ask you a question?”

“You might,” he replied in his typical slow manner.

Quirky paused and stared as her friend continued to stare with his usual content demeanor.

“Right. Well then, it's a strange question, so here goes: how 'in the loop' are you regarding the, oh say, latest gossip?”

“Gossip? Don't you know that gossip doesn't do anypony any good?” Pokey questioned.

“He speaks the truth,” Seven Seas stated with a vigorous nod.

“Right, right,” Quirky carried on. “I'm asking because I suspect that there has been gossip traveling around about me in specific.”

“Oh, there sure has,” Pokey stated.

“WHAT!?” Quirky squeaked, too late to cover her mouth. “What do you mean by that!?”

“Well, I heard that you were acting like some kind of secret agent with your sneaking around and stuff. Did you really overhear Princess Luna talking about bringing eternal night to Equestria?”

Quirky felt her breath almost completely leave her until her brain processed the last portion, at which point her loss for words felt hardly any different.

“Pokey,” Quirky began, “I don't know who told you that, but it isn't true. Actually, I'm pretty sure you're thinking about Nightmare Moon, not the Luna we know.”

Pokey’s eyes ambled up to the ceiling. “You mean, there's a difference?”

Quirky slapped her face and sighed. “Look, Pokey, maybe I'll act it all out for you later. For now, I just need to know who told you about this.”

“Lyra.”

“Lyra?”

LYRA!?

“I-I see,” Quirky said with quivering breaths, a combination of agitation and anger shaking her chest. “And you haven't repeated this to any other ponies, correct?”

“Wrong,” Pokey said, almost triumphantly. “I told some of our friends from Ponyville about all this. Some thought it was crazy, but others seemed pretty concerned-”

“How could you do that, Pokey? That's the very definition of gossip!”

Her sharp words pierced through clenched teeth, loud enough for a number nearby to catch hint of her voice. Those that were in ear's reach paused and stared, to which Quirky shrunk until she fell back below the span of the box, sprawled out as if in defeat.

“Do you know where Lyra currently is?” Quirky muttered.

Pokey pointed toward the doors leading outside. “She's out playing some complicated game in the snow. It didn't sound very fun to me.”

“Thank you, Pokey,” Quirky said as she slowly stood, searching for lingering eyes. “Try not to spread any more rumors around; that's the last thing I need right now.”

Quirky looked back over the top of the box to find Princess Luna exiting the foyer through the glass corridor. With a sigh of relief she rose on all fours and pushed down on the box to put Pokey and his friend back in their imaginary world. With only a second of scanning over the room Quirky made a mad dash for the door. She put all her faith in the mess on her face to hide her from immediate recognition.

Not a soul shouted her name out loud as she ran, and by the time she reached the door the adrenaline drove her on without pause. With all of her momentum and strength Quirky pushed the thick doors open leading outside.

A gentle waft of wintry air greeted her. She tried her best to ignore the cold as the heat from her blushing and chills from her ever-present panic took over her sense of feeling. Through the clear air she could make out a large number of her peers lounging outside in the snow. Some observed the scenery while others played a game of croquet in a cleared patch of lawn.

But all activities stopped as the large doors creaked open. All eyes fell on the actress, whose face appeared as though it were melting with the sweat dripping from her forehead down.

“Quirky!” came a shout from a pony nearby, which the mare suddenly knew to be Lyra’s.

The minty mare approached with a croquet stick, an object Quirky very much would have liked to have taken and bopped her on the head with. At the same time, though, she was struck motionless as mouths began to mutter words Quirky knew concerned her.

“What's the matter?” Lyra asked. “You look somewhat flustered. And what is that on your face?”

Quirky held the anger still as she closed her eyes and tried to swallow the words that would have otherwise come straight from the depths of frustration.

“FLUSTERED!?” Quirky screamed anyway. “You've told everypony exactly what I've been up to! You even made up things that I saw or overheard! I THINK I HAVE A RIGHT TO BE FLUSTERED!”

“Calm down, calm down,” Lyra said, lifting a hoof to protect her face from the spittle that flew along with her friend's words. “It was an accident, Quirky.”

“Accident!? How does everypony know if it was an accident!? And what about these fake stories everypony's asking me about?”

“After I realized I wasn't supposed to have said anything on the matter, I added a couple lies so as to create confusion. I thought if they all heard different stories, they wouldn't think a single one of them to be true.”

“How many times did this happen?” Quirky begged. “I've heard at least two different – and incorrect – claims of what I’ve ‘overheard’!”

Lyra looked off to the poofy white clouds in the sky. Her amber eyes scanned over the gaps of baby blue between covers in the atmosphere until Quirky couldn't take it any longer.

“You can't even count them!?” the actress screeched. “Well, how- What am I supposed to do if Princess Luna finds out-!?”

All of a sudden a chorus of deep peals rang. Strike by strike the bells' chimes echoed across the grounds. Though once a beautiful sound in Quirky's ears, they were nothing but a siren to her then. Those of the main hall never rang on the weekend.

“All students, I repeat, all students are to report to their rooms immediately!” shouted one of the professors, Yorsets, from the doorway directly behind Quirky.

Lyra and Quirky's eyes locked. Worry dotted both pairs of eyes.

“Maybe it's an unrelated emergency?” Lyra suggested optimistically as she headed indoors.

Quirky mindlessly nodded and prepared to follow, but a booming voice in her head stopped her dead in her tracks.

“Thou art an exception, Quirky Q; report to my chambers at once.”

Chapter 27: Strike!

No stage production had prepared Quirky for what she pictured awaiting her then. Panic allowed for no time to practice any lines, only the chance to imagine those that she would hear. The tension that tightened with every newly developed script left Quirky with an aggravating stress wrenching at her pounding heart.

Every step up the main hall staircase brought the actress closer to what she felt would become her final destination of sorts. The image of the broad doors at the top were the last sights Quirky could take; her legs were nearly collapsing beneath her as though something like stage fright were locking every joint in her quivering body. Her perspiration grew so severe that she felt the foyer would soon flood from her fear; not even the third floor where she stood seemed safe.

The mare stood for a moment staring at the giant doors to Luna's chambers. The concealed portal was like the gate of doom itself with its dark and ominous build. Even the impressive collection of gems that decorated the doorway abandoned their beautiful behavior as they took on gloomier shades. For weeks the entrance had been somewhat surreptitious – for Quirky neither saw nor heard activity within – but in that moment it took on a new kind of cryptic sensation, one more ominous and far less inviting.

Catching herself envisioning a number of situations, from being banished, punished, or other frightening things of the sort, Quirky soon began to wonder just how long she could stand in front of the doorway. Only anxiety grasped her as though with invisible chains and kept her from fleeing the scene last-minute.

Before alarm could take over the mysterious portal began to open. The growing gap between doors revealed a strange darkness, like that of a scene not yet prepared to be revealed to the audience. Quirky would have normally jumped at the chance to perform, even if it meant just her stranded out in the open; in this case, though, she knew none would be watching.

All that awaited was an impromptu exchange to take place somewhere within the darkened milieu. Altogether impromptu acts were nothing to fear; usually they made for good entertainment. Quirky knew, however, that this particular routine was not meant to be enjoyed.

“Enter, my student,” echoed the familiar voice of Princess Luna, clear as glass.

Quirky bowed her head and slowly headed onward into the blackness. She glanced about and wondered just why the hall remained so dark; after all, it was approaching noon and the sky was not all that clouded. She figured it must have been one of the headmare's spells; just why she would cast such a mystical spell extended far beyond Quirky's comprehension. She wasn't sure she even wanted to know.

As the mare made her way deeper into the dark a number of tiny lights like blue flickering flames ignited. Their reach only extended in a circle on the walls, showing old paintings and windows with nothing but a lack of color outside. None in particular helped light the way for Quirky, and so every step the actress took was but a cautious advance.

“Much dialogue has recently circulated through the academy, Quirky Q,” Princess Luna stated nearby, stopping the mare dead in her tracks. “There is no secret as to why I have summoned you here, but nonetheless I am obliged to hear your part before any judgment is passed.”

The princess emerged from the darkness a few steps ahead of where Quirky stood, her shimmering mane bright enough for Quirky to watch her slow and thoughtful approach. The actress marveled at the breathtaking sight, for the headmare appeared like a spirit gracefully walking towards her. Her loud voice, however, was an indicator that she was in fact present, live and well.

“I-I don't know quite what to say, princess,” Quirky stuttered. The volume of her voice seemed hardly audible; the mare couldn't tell if it was due to her lack of breathing or the unknown size of the room in which she stood. “I really don't know all that much, I just know some things have gotten really out of hoof-”

“Indeed, and such is the reason I have summoned you here,” Princess Luna stated with slight irritation. “From what I have gathered recently, thy peers all seem to indicate that thou hast a particular responsibility for this unwanted chatter that has spread.”

“Unwanted chatter-? I mean, yes, there certainly has been some, hasn't there?” Quirky said with an attempted laugh. Silence ensued. “L-Like I was saying, a lot of what you might have heard others saying might not have been what I said- well, to be honest, I didn't actually say anything myself, except maybe to a few friends-”

“Thou didst not say such things thyself?” Princess Luna inquired as her eyes dialed into a tightening stare that latched onto Quirky's sights. “If such things were not said by thine own voice, how could they have spread with such consistency? From those with whom I spoke, each and every story was the same.”

But which story did she hear..?

“W-What do you mean?” Quirky asked.

Princess Luna's stare intensified to the point where Quirky felt her entire body freeze. “What things I have learned that my students know vary in their depth and detail. Regardless of this variation, all have shared a common link, and that link is the source. Thou, I understand, art the source.”

Quirky gulped.

Princess Luna's eyes flickered. “Thus, my student, I must ask: how didst thou know of my scheme?”

Quirky could hear her heart beating in her ears. She coughed as her throat went dry, a sensation she only ever knew when a once-memorized line slipped her mind.

“Princess, if I may admit, I don't actually know of your 'scheme'-”

“Impossible!” Princess Luna barked with a stomp. Her white eyes flashed against the blackness of the chamber. “No pony could have simply guessed what it is that I have been plotting for weeks! Dost thou wish to imply that such rumors began based off of nonsensical gossip?”

Quirky couldn't even speak; the horror struck her like lightning and left her reverberating with the shock. Her mind went blank from the jolt.

“There are means with which I can obtain the information I so desire,” Princess Luna stated as her horn lit a light blue color. “However, I would prefer that thou tellest of thine own will, Quirky Q. What say you?”

Quirky, unable to back away, felt cornered against the wall of darkness surrounding her.

“I overheard your conversation yesterday!” Quirky finally blurted. “You were speaking with Madame Lonsdaleite about what you had been planning and how it'd been foiled and that they had drawn up new plans, but you wanted to make sure everything would go just fine and when you finished talking you headed in for dinner and that's when I stopped! I swear!”

The rant brought Quirky to panting as Princess Luna looked down at the mare with her usual straight face – only, an eyebrow had been raised; and not just due to curiosity, but also in surprise at the amount of words spilled out in a single breath.

“Is that so?” Princess Luna finally inquired. “Pray tell, my student, what compelled you to overhear such a conversation? Surely you understood it was meant to only be heard by your professor and myself, and I doubt that it was an accident.”

Quirky felt her heart pumping even harder; her brain contemplated just how much she could reveal. She then wondered how much Princess Luna already knew.

“Y-You've been acting kind of strange lately,” Quirky answered, words fumbling. “I could see it in the way you've been carrying yourself this past week.”

Princess Luna continued her curious stare.

“Dost thou wish to suggest that I... have made it obvious through my actions as of late?”

“Not extremely obvious,” Quirky rejoined in an attempt to comfort the confused alicorn, “but as an actress I could sense it.”

“Thou alone?”

Quirky showed a nervous smile, “I think so?”

But Princess Luna seemed hardly convinced as she turned her head away and looked to the far end of the hall.

“I suppose I have underestimated the ability of my students,” Princess Luna said. “No matter. My plans shall continue on regardless. Tell me, Quirky Q, dost thou feel the slightest sense of guilt for what has happened?”

Quirky thought the question rather strange, but her head dropped in shame nonetheless. “Yes, princess, I do feel ashamed-”

“Perfect,” the headmare stated suddenly, to which Quirky looked up in a daze. “Then thou art obliged to aid me in this operation.”

“Wha-!? B-But, I don't even-”

“There is no reason to act with such astonishment. I understand that thou knowest of my plans, and therefore we need not delay in bringing its happening. I had planned on doing everything myself, but now that thou hast seemingly volunteered thine assistance, certain fears of ours have been quelled. After all, the most secretive of situations call for the actions of more than one.”

A siren went off in Quirky's head as a flood of thoughts began pouring in.

W-What is she dragging me into!?

Princess Luna continued, “There are two things that thou must do: first, speak no more of this matter, not to a single soul, until I say. Understood?” Quirky must have nodded her head, for the princess continued, “And second, to change things to a more favorable approach, we shall have to move our plans to an earlier time. Yes, meet me after midnight – thou hast my special permission – in the foyer of the dormitory. Tonight. Have I made myself clear?”

Quirky could do nothing but mutter an agreement, to which Princess Luna revealed a hint of a stunning grin the actress had never spotted on the headmare's lips.

“Be on thy way, then,” Princess Luna said, “and prepare thyself mentally and physically for what is to happen tonight.”

Pale as the moon itself, Quirky backtracked all the way to the entrance. Just before touching the doors, however, Princess Luna added, “Be sure to wear something dark; neither of us can be seen tonight. One cannot be too careful.”

Quirky, still lost and in a terrible state of shock, backed out through the opened doors and into the foyer. Without another thought even able to form the grand doors to the chamber shut and left the mare standing speechless. She stared at the closed doorway with vacant eyes. Her mind wandered through the last few words she and the headmare had exchanged.

Just what did I agree to?

Waiting for the evening to pass felt similar to practicing patience on awaiting a judge's verdict. All of Quirky's attention fell on thoughts of what was going to happen while the mare attempted to distract herself with other activities. Her friends, unaware of the situation, continued to talk about their classes, extra activities, and – worst of all – the latest gossip. The entire time Quirky wore her mask of contentment, never uttering a word herself as she nodded at whoever spoke and pretended to be interested in what all was happening in others' lives at the time.

But deep down Quirky was shaking. Her spirits felt as though they had shattered and were helplessly falling apart. Years of acting held up the dam that was her disguise as a raging river of emotion battered the barrier of her facade. Only after mealtime and within the safety of her room did the actress feel she could let everything loose.

“You'll manage, Quirky Q!” the mare told herself as she lie on her bed, eagerly waiting for yet dreading the night to come. “Everything will be all right in the end.”

You do know this is the end, right?

“What? No!” Quirky replied to her inner voice with a shiver. “S-She wouldn't be plotting anything bad, right? Don't be silly!”

But Princess Luna sure did sound suspicious last night, didn't she?

“I know, I know! But what could she possibly be planning that would be delayed?”

You've heard Twilight mention encounters she and others have had the island, haven't you? Didn't you experience something yourself first-hoof?

“You don't mean-” Quirky gasped, sitting up straight. “No! Could Princess Luna be behind all those stories!?”

Is there any alternative?

Quirky stared out from her second-story bedroom window facing south. The vast span of nature, from the hills to the forests that covered them, could not provide any other answer; in fact, all it did was make Quirky ponder the possibilities even more.

“The mysterious wave, a cave-in,” Quirky uttered, “but what about that monster out in the forest? That seems like hardly something she would do. What about the motivation?”

Does any monster that calls for two powerful mares to banish it seem normal to you? And when else for it to emerge than when a few troublesome students have been left behind on the island?

“I suppose-” she stopped. “Oh, for Celestia's sakes, look at me! I'm talking to myself... well, that's normal, actually. But thinking that Princess Luna's evil... that'd just be, ridiculous, right?”

Is it really that ridiculous?

“Quiet you!” Quirky growled. “What do you know, anyway?”

What do you know?

Quirky sighed, defeated by herself. “P-Princess Luna wouldn't harm any of us! She doesn't have any reason to.”

Then what do you suppose she's up to?

“I don't know,” the actress murmured. “But whatever it is, it involves me now.”

Her eyes lifted to behold the rising moon. She didn't have much time left before the body would reach its peak in the sky, marking the time she would have to leave for the foyer where Luna said she would be waiting.

What do I do, what do I do!?

The mare tried to think through everything she had overheard once more, but the words she recalled were beginning to twist every time she played the memory through her head – an unlikely thing for one so used to memorizing scripts. There were hints but no links; ideas but no facts. Luna had seemed vexed the night before, but that didn't guarantee that what she plotted would be 'bad'. Involving a professor seemed clue enough that she was not trying to push a secret agenda on her own.

But then again, it meant that the professors may have been involved the entire time; at least, some of them may have been. Lonsdaleite had mentioned 'the others' after all, and not a single student was discussed in their secret planning.

“What if that wave had been the disaster?” Quirky wondered.

What if Lyra's spell was the disaster?

“But what would that make the wave? Luna's plan?”

What else?

Quirky tried to regulate her breaths, but the anxiety was beginning to set in worse than ever before as pieces of an unpleasant puzzle started to connect.

“Lyra did say something about the moon causing the tides to rise,” Quirky said. “Does that mean Luna caused everything herself?”

Silence. Quirky glanced up at the moon once more; it looked the same size as usual.

“This is pointless,” the mare said to herself. “I need to worry about what to do now. Think, Quirky, think...”

But her brain refused to dwell on anything else other than the disturbing idea crying for attention at the front of her mind: Luna was plotting something. The two were meeting alone, at night, with no other pony joining them.

Quirky glanced over at her mirror; the dark superhero costume that covered her from horn to tail – a present from her cousin Pinkie Pie – suddenly took on a whole new meaning.

What's the real reason she doesn't want us to be seen?

Quirky spotted the moon out of the corner of her eye reach its zenith in the sky; midnight had finally come. There was no more time to think. Her conscience, only able to follow Princess Luna's orders in fear, dragged her out of her room and to into the shadowy common room of her suite. Not a soul in sight, the actress slipped out and into the corridor as quietly as a mouse.

The actress looked in every direction with each step she made through the hall. With hardly a sound breaching the cool air, Quirky made her way to her secret rendezvous. The entire sight of the open space came slowly into view, until she stood staring out into the darkness of the foyer lit only by a portion of the moon. Quirky couldn't see the headmare present.

Quirky figured she would wait a while, and so headed down to the main floor as instructed. The second she set hoof on the stairs, however, Luna's figure appeared out of nowhere into the room. Quirky suppressed in a sudden gasp, which caused the headmare to stare straight in her direction. The second their eyes locked Quirky froze. The headmare motioned for her to join her in the middle of the foyer, and Quirky slowly made her way down.

“Commendable costume,” Princess Luna said. “Art thou prepared?”

Unsure of what to say, Quirky simply nodded.

“Then let us be on our way,” Luna stated.

Quirky, words on the tip of her tongue and far from her mind, asked, “Princess, what would you say the chances are of, oh, say... us getting caught by... somepony else?”

“Thou hast beheld with thine own eyes the barrier which I created,” Princess Luna stated. “My magic shall prevent any from seeing what I wish to keep them from seeing. I could see the surprise in thine eyes as thou approached me; wouldst thou not agree that such a plan is sufficient?”

“Oh, yes, quite,” Quirky laughed nervously. “So, what we're doing, shouldn't be witnessed by anypony other than us?”

“Indeed, it shall only be us,” the headmare remarked. “There is no need for anypony else to be involved... for now.”

For now?

“O-Of course,” Quirky said, “we wouldn't want to be seen now, would we?”

“'Twould ruin everything, indeed.”

The confirmation in the headmare's voice came in a most mysterious tone. Quirky thought she could sense something dark within her words, something secretive beyond even her imagining.

After passing through the glass corridor with nothing but the sound of their steps echoing against the glass, the two arrived in the main hall where a mountainous pair of silhouettes towered in the middle of the chamber. Quirky held her breath as she tried to make out just what the two dark shapes were.

Suddenly, her eyes adjusted to the gloaming: the mountain was a pile of coffins. Quirky's jaw dropped to the floor.

Princess Luna spotted the actress's unhidden shock. “What is it?”

“W-What? Oh, nothing,” Quirky said as she blinked to hide her dilated pupils.

“Why dost thou display such a look of surprise?” Princess Luna insisted.

How else am I supposed to react to this!?

“I-I thought I saw something else!” Quirky stated as she slowly backed away. “Silly me, I should have known that these weren't... coffins.”

Suddenly, the headmare had a semicircle of the cases lined between the mare and the door to the glass hall. A thought of running crossed Quirky's mind, but everything happened so quickly; the headmare had her trapped.

“Whatever dost thou mean?” Princess Luna inquired. “These most certainly are coffins.”

Quirky wanted to scream, but no other pony was even close by. They all were asleep besides. Princess Luna had probably set up some kind of sound barrier as well. The actress felt beads of sweat beginning to soak into her tight-fit costume.

“Thou hast agreed to the aid me in my plans, my student,” Princess Luna stated as she placed a single coffin in front of where Quirky stood. “Now, open this case and let us begin.”

The actress stared at the solid wooden casket. Its silver hinges shone in what little moonlight made its way in. She stole one more look of the headmare, who watched with a frightening grin on her face. Unable to do anything else, Quirky slowly pried open the coffin door.

The mare closed her eyes as the creaking ensued, but aside from the noise nothing happened. She pried one eye open and stared at the darkness inside the door. A single thread hung in the middle of the black space.

“A... string?”

“Ah, 'tis no ordinary string,” Princess Luna said. “'Twas a safety measure of sorts, my student. Thou shall see why with a tug.”

Quirky gulped as she wondered just what a strangely regular-looking string could possibly do. With her magic she pulled the string, when suddenly the darkness spewed forth a mysterious mass that tumbled down over her, swallowing the mare and dragging her down to the floor. The actress struggled to stay on one hoof at least, but the mysterious stuff that poured from the coffin came down with such force that she was flipped onto her back. Feeling a chance to escape, Quirky rolled over and stood, breaking her head free of whatever it was that engulfed her.

She stared out at the darkness, which held an odd stillness. She felt as though she had been drowning but quickly realized that such was not the case. She looked down at the strange mass that covered her body. Not one inch of it seemed consistent in texture, shape or color.

The first thing her eyes could make out was a heart with dark threads sewn against its white fabric.

“Love?”

Princess Luna blinked.

“Is something the matter with my choice in decoration?”

“Decoration?” Quirky asked as suddenly her hoofs were digging through the assorted mess of garnishings piled on top of her: pink and red-colored pony cut-outs, wreaths strung with violet and white ribbons, and colorful lights were all in the mix.

“What is all this stuff?”

Princess Luna stopped sorting through the coffin she had just opened. “Whatever dost thou mean, Quirky Q?”

“I mean, I just-” she stopped the second pieces began connecting. “What... am I supposed to do with these?”

“Why, hang them up, of course. Every last item,” Princess Luna stated. “Is this not what thou had anticipated?”

“Oh no, I mean, of course!” Quirky remarked. “I-I was, just, uh... shocked! Yes, completely shocked. These cut-outs are just... cute! Right, very cute. I mean, they're perfect for the, uh-”

Princess Luna waited for a moment before finishing, “Hearts and Hoofs celebration.”

“Right! That. Of course, that's what the hearts are for. I just, err, I didn't know you had so much!”

She scanned over the mountain of coffins again, realizing that the pile in which she sat was only one of hundreds.

“Splendid, I had hoped this would be sufficient,” Princess Luna stated. “Hearing this from one with experience in the theatrical arts grants me slight comfort. I assumed such a background had granted you the ability of scene design and set-up. I also have heard that thou art closely related to an exceptional party-thrower. I was most pleased when I found an excuse to summon thee to help aid in my plans.”

Quirky lost her grip on the red heart-shaped cut-outs she held with her magic.

… What!?

“Oh, o-of course, Princess Luna,” Quirky laughed as deep down she could feel her soul crying. “But, if I may ask, why do you have Hearts and Hoofs decor stored in... coffins?”

“A fair enough question,” Princess Luna stated. “Coffins are far superior to mere boxes. As these are made of strong oak, the chances of their breaking is far less likely than simple boxes made of cardboard.” She smirked. “To add, boxes are more likely to be stolen, as I discovered the other day. You wouldn't happen to know what became of that, would you?”

Quirky shook her head violentely. “Nope! No clue. No idea whatsoever.”

“I see,” Princess Luna sighed. “I wonder if that perchance started rumors as well. Unfortunately, some ornamentation was left in there, and any student that found them may have come to a logical conclusion.”

Quirky looked over the mountain of coffins once again and sighed. “Why do you have so much? Are you planning on filling the entire academy with this stuff?”

“Yes, I take my beautification most seriously,” the headmare stated. “Many years ago my sister and I would compete to see which of us could design our castle at Canterlot better every other holiday. Though it was never agreed upon which of us was superior, my sister always admitted that she thought my work was greater. Since then I have taken great pride in my celebrations and festivities.”

Quirky nodded and mumbled, “You must be very particular on your planning and secrecy as well.”

“But of course!” Princess Luna declared. “Only the greatest moments of delight are those which we least expect. Now let us begin now so that we may finish as soon as possible.”

Quirky examined the string of ponies dancing about on the cut-outs of red she held.

What makes for the greatest moments of relief?

Chapter 27.5: Moonstruck

“This is incredible! Look at all this ornamentation!”

Quirky's eyes twitched. She hadn't realized that she had dozed off, and the sudden clarity of voices cascading through the foyer came as a rude awakening of sorts.

“Whoa, tell me about it; totally forgot about Hearts 'n' Hoofs Day, too. Wait, wasn't it like a week ago or something, though?”

Quirky could make out the voice of Vinyl – her accent was one of a kind at the academy – as well as that of Twilight's and some other pony's.

“Who set all this up?” Twilight wondered aloud. “Wait, look! Who's that over there?”

The actress could hear hoofsteps pattering in her direction until the noises against the marble and carpet encircled her. Before the silence could last long, whispers started to shoot back and forth as Quirky, unwilling to open her eyes, lie on her back as though dead.

“Is she breathing?” the stranger asked.

Quirky felt a hoof poke her in the side, to which she flinched and grumbled loudly. Those surrounding her recoiled, but didn't take the obvious hint to leave the light lavender mare be where she had collapsed.

“Seems pretty alive to me,” said Vinyl. “Question is, who's the mare behind the mask? Last time I saw this Mare-Do-Well get-up was when you had it on, Twilight.”

“You wore that outfit, Twilight Sparkle?”

Twilight cut in, “Never mind that, girls, let's just get this mask off-”

Quirky had had enough; she jerked her head forward and sat up in the blink of an eye. “I'm up, I'm up!”

The ponies around her jumped back in shock as the actress removed the disguise of her own will. She waved her silvery hair about, but the bedhead-like effect did not leave. Rather, her hair only turned into more of a twisted, curly mess. Quirky opened her eyes to see Twilight, Gallant, Vinyl and a petite, white pony standing over her.

“Hey, Quirky!” Vinyl asked. “What, uh, what're you up to this morning?”

“Oh, nothing much,” Quirky replied, “just lying around.”

The others exchanged confused glances, followed by heads cocked sideways to silently display their comprehensive lack of understanding.

“That's cool, I guess,” Vinyl said. “Any particular reason you're all sprawled out on the floor? In here? You know there're couches and stuff around-”

“I'm on the floor here because I'm exhausted! I must have dozed off after decorating last night... er, this morning?” She patted her muzzle a few times as her mind wandered off. She gathered herself upon realizing all eyes were still on her. “What, did you think I like to just pretend I'm a rug or something and just sprawl out in the middle of nowhere in particular?”

“Well, I wouldn't put it past you,” Twilight spoke up with a giggle. “You were pretending to be a statue earlier.”

Quirky rolled her eyes and sighed.

“Why are you so exhausted?” asked the unfamiliar pony, a tiny white mare with curled, pink hair. “Did you not sleep well last night?”

“Psh, come on, Twink, what else-?” Vinyl laughed.

“Actually, I didn't sleep at all,” Quirky confessed with a groan. “Guess who set up all these decorations last night?”

The four standing over the actress looked at one another until a silent consensus arrived.

Twilight guessed, “Princess Luna?”

Quirky stared at the ceiling as her final bits of expression drained like the color and last bit of joy in her face.

“Not all alone, she didn't!”

“You helped her?” the mare named Twinkle inquired.

Quirky rolled over and got on all fours as she stretched her legs. “Yeeeep, I helped her. Forced to, courtesy of our very own... ugh, never mind. I was enjoying setting the scene for a while, but once I could see the sun coming up I felt like I'd been at rehearsal from sunset to sunrise. Now you all can see why I need sleep.”

“Good thing it's still the weekend,” Vinyl said. “Plenty of time to take a nap or somethin' before classes start up again tomorrow.”

“I think I'll do that,” Quirky remarked as she wiped her dry eyes. She stumbled and bonked her head into a marble column nearby, but caught her balance just in time to keep from collapsing. “Enjoy your Hearts and Hoofs décor.” She suddenly stopped and turned to reveal daggers in her eyes. “By the way, have any of you seen... Lyra?”

Those present looked around, but no sign of the mint-colored mare stood out. Each one present.

“Be sure to warn her... she's in for a world of PAIN,” Quirky said, and then drudged off in the direction of her suite. “Tha's awwlll. Time for my sweet, sweeeet nappie...”

The others, contemplating her parting words, simply shrugged.

“Well, she seemed nice,” Twinkle remarked with a chirp. “Should we get breakfast, then?”

The others agreed, and soon the group was off. One that had not yet spoken, however, was too busy staring at the assorted embellishments with wide-open eyes.

Gallant could feel his hoofs shaking at the thought of what the day held in store.

The worst day of the year...

It was the single event he dreaded every year. Academic tests were nothing he couldn't handle; physical training was something the stallion rather enjoyed. Travel always turned out to be enjoyable occurrences throughout the years, and lazy days were welcome on occasion.

But Hearts and Hoofs Day didn't fit any of these cases; it was a twenty-four hour period of its own. Gallant feared it with every fiber of his being.

“Gallant?” Twilight called as the group headed into the glass hall.

The stallion turned his head, unable to wipe the alarmed look off his face. Twilight could only stare as she noticed the extent of dread covering her friend's face. As the others initially pressed on without notice, Twilight trotted back to the frozen figure of the faded white stallion.

“What's the matter?” Twilight asked.

Gallant shook his head as his mouth continued to hang open.

Twilight scanned the foyer for a minute, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

“Did you see something strange?”

Again, the stallion only motioned a negative response with his head as the short, dark silver hair on his head stood as though on end like the hair on his neck.

Twilight tilted her head down and muttered, “Would you care to tell me anything?”

The stallion took in a large breath, as though he were about to dive to the bottom of the sea, and held it in for a good minute. When the air came back out, his words slowly trickled out, “I... can't... stand... Hearts... and Hoofs.”

Twilight blinked. “You mean the holiday, or you literally can't stand the sight of hearts and hoofs-?”

“The holiday! What else coud I mean!?” Gallant said in a panic. “Oh, I'm sorry Twilight. Of all the worst possible things... why would Princess Luna want to bring that wretched celebration here!? All it does is get my nerves strained.”

“What's so wrong about Hearts and Hoofs Day?” Twilight asked cautiously, hoping not to push Gallant too far; he already seemed on the verge of exploding with hysteria.

Gallant held his breath as his eyes shot in every direction, as though searching for some means of escape. Suddenly his eyes froze. Twilight examined the stallion for a minute as the silence grew awkward, until she realized that her friend's face had gone completely red. His eyes fixed on something moving across the far side of the hall. The mare slowly turned and followed where his gaze was pointing.

Stepping across the dormitory foyer to the corridor was a most determined-looking mare. Her emerald eyes were slanted and held a stare of tremendous intensity. Her red hair, long and trailing behind with an admirable sense of grace, flowed as though they were wings of a wonderful flier dashing across the sky with the greatest of ease.

Twilight looked back at Gallant, whose taken expression hadn't shifted in the slightest, even after the mare had left the scene.

“Don't tell me-”

“WHAT!? No! I mean, what? You were saying?” Gallant said with a nervous chuckle.

Twilight raised an eyebrow.

“No no no, it's not what you think!” Gallant pleaded. “Please, Twilight, stop looking at me like that-!”

The mare only laughed. “I think I understand, Gallant. You're not the romantic type.”

Gallant let out a sigh of relief.

“So, what's her name?”

The name spilled from out of Gallant's mouth with the sweetness of honey, “Prim Rose.”

Wait-

“I MEAN, who? Ha ha, what are you, uh, what you talking about, Twilight?” Gallant tried to back away, but Twilight had a smirk on her face. She knew.

“That's quite a name she has. That almost seems kind of intimidating, if you ask me.”

The stumbling stallion dug at the section carpet beneath him with a shaking hoof. “Oh, she certainly is. She's as strong as – if not stronger than – me. She's of royal descent, too; a real noble and well-trained mare from Fillydelphia. From what I understand, she wants to become a royal guard in Canterlot.”

Twilight, amazed at the detail of Gallant's recollections, tried to flash a comforting smile.

“So, you've spoken to her?”

Gallant shook his head violently. “Oh no, no, I couldn't. But maybe someday...”

Gallant started floating his way over to where Prim Rose had disappared into the glass corridor, his gaze blinded by a blanket of his imagination.

“Well, today seems the best time to get to know her even more then, right?”

“What!? Dear Celestia, no!” Gallant stammered, suddenly snapping out of his hypnotic state. “I-I couldn't! Like I said before, Hearts and Hoofs is a cursed time of year.”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “I don't get it; what makes this celebration so bad?”

Gallant looked around with a few quick glances and began whispering, “Let's just say romance is not allowed in the royal guard.”

Twilight said with thick skepticism, “You're making that up, aren't you?”

Gallant, defeated, bowed his head. “Okay, maybe I did make that up. I'm really just... scared. No, not scared; I'm not scared of anything. I'm going to be a guard, after all.”

“Aren't you scared of caves-?”

“Oh, every guard has some weakness, of course. That's what I was going to say.”

Twilight narrowed her gaze. “This whole Hearts and Hoofs Day thing doesn't count as a second?”

“Allow me to explain,” Gallant said. “I've been scarred ever since elementary school-”

“You were rejected in elementary school?” Twilight asked, then quickly changed the focus as soon as she spotted Gallant's dejected face. “I mean... it couldn't have been that bad, could it?”

“I wasn’t outright rejected, mind you! I did have a jar of jelly stuck over my head for nearly an hour, though. The whole school witnessed it.”

Twilight could only stare for a moment. “That doesn't seem so bad.”

“The note I wrote that day was spread around the class, and then the school, until everypony had memorized the poem I wrote.”

“That sounds like a nice little thing to have done,” Twilight remarked.

“If it was actually a good poem it would have been,” Gallant remarked. “Everypony was reciting it for the next month to mock me.”

“But-”

“They even wrote it on our school flag and raised it, chanting it as though they were hoping to scare away evil forces throughout the following days.”

Twilight paused, and Gallant eventually ceased his storytelling.

“Are you done?” Twilight asked, to which Gallant nodded slowly. “Look, Gallant, that's just ridiculous. You have plenty of things going for you now! Maturity tends to increase the farther along as you get older-”

“Oh come now, Twilight, you don't think I've heard all this before? I know we've all changed. Unfortunately, my approach hasn't. I'm no more a poet or artist than I used to be; trust me, if I had something clever to say or do, I would do it in a heartbeat. I’m just not... resourceful! Yes, that’s it. The reason I hate this holiday is because it forces me to reveal this sad fact every waking minute.”

“Hearts and Hoofs Day isn't all about drawing and writing heart-warming notes, Gallant. Come on, I know some of the others might have some advice. I could always help you find a book on love and romance from the library, too, if you'd like!”

With the cheery thought on her mind, the mare led the way to the dining hall. Following behind her with his head drooped was a far less delighted Gallant. His eyes dragged along the floor, unable to behold the sights of the red, pink and white decorations hanging all around him. A glimmer of hope was shining, but Gallant wondered just how long it would last that day.

Please, Celestia... have mercy on my soul.

EPISODE 8: CAUSE AND AFFECTION

Chapter 28: Hopeful Hearts but Empty Hooves*

*I've heard your guys' rage (kidding): from here on out, “hoofs” > “hooves”, just because I love you guys so, so much and listen so, so intently. That's all.

NOW REEEEAD!

The dining hall rumbled with life thanks to the phenomenal Hearts and Hooves décor. The energetic atmosphere was atypical compared to most mornings where students calmly consumed their first meal. Bodies moved about from table to table as curious ponies discussed with their peers the meaning behind such colorful decoration, or otherwise made known their forgetfulness regarding the special holiday.

Gallant did not particularly enjoy the shift in sprightliness; he found joy in the regular peace and quiet that came with breakfast. Calmness often went side-by-side with a sense of order, and that tidiness was something Gallant greatly valued.

What greeted him in the dining hall was far from such a well-ordered state; the only redeeming factor of this chaos was the tremendous amount of scents - from blueberry pancakes to chocolate chip muffins - packed into clusters along the way. He struggled through bustling crowds to keep up with Twilight, who seemed hardly affected by the peculiar forenoon liveliness. Despite the messiness, Gallant tried to carry himself as a gentlecolt, which at this point called for avoiding bumping into anything and anypony at all costs - a goal even Gallant found nearly impossible.

This task became even more challenging, however, when his eyes found themselves a distraction. Sitting at a table off in the corner was none other than Prim Rose; how Gallant's eyes found her in the sea of students, even the stallion could not tell. All he knew was that her shining figure and delicate face were things worthy of standing out in such a crowd.

“Gallant, where are you going?” Twilight called, her voice farther off than the stallion expected.

He looked back to see Twilight headed in a different direction than which he faced. He paused and observed his location and direction; his mind had subconsciously led him in the direction of his heartthrob. Gallant tried to justify it all in his head as he blushed, smiled, and backtracked to where Twilight waited.

I can't help it! What with the sun beaming down on her, and those glowing emerald eyes...

The stallion felt himself being led off like a wandering sheep up until what self-control he could muster tugged his reigns back toward Twilight, who he found waiting and examining him head-to-hoof once closely following again.

“Is everything all right?” Twilight asked, concern speckled in her eyes. “You look kind of-”

“Oh, quite all right! I just thought I saw something strange, that’s all. Let's be on our way,” Gallant explained with a faked chuckle. “My tiredness is kicking in already; last night I couldn't sleep at all, restlessness and whatnot, you know the drill.”

“But didn't you say earlier that you slept just fine-?”

“Compared to, uh, the nights spent at Canterlot's knight training!” Gallant cut in. “Yes, those were difficult nights – or rather... difficult mornings. If my terrible speech isn't clue enough that I'm tired, well then, I don't know what is.”

He gave what felt like the cheesiest grin. A raised eyebrow from Twilight signaled her awareness of his unease. Ever so slowly she returned her focus on the way through the labyrinth and she continued to lead the way to the table of fellow Ponyville residents.

Well, that was close.

It wasn't long before the two arrived at their destination. Their table looked just as embellished as all the others. Large roses of red and white reaching out from a milky-white vase centered on the table. Pink and cherry cloths wrapped each set of silverware, which themselves were silvery pieces of artwork with hearts spun into their forms. The plates were fine porcelain pieces with unique heart and pony designs imprinted on the rims of each plate.

All Gallant could do was stare at the splendid display; in return, all of his friends collectively stared at him.

“Not hungry or something?” asked Colgate from across the table. “Or do you want recommendations? In my opinion, the french toast is-”

“He knows what's good, Brushie,” Vinyl interrupted. “I think he's got somethin' a little more special on his mind.”

“What?” Gallant yelped, trying to contain it to a chuckle of sorts. “What? Special? Vinyl Scratch, what gave you that idea?”

Vinyl rolled her eyes. “Oh, you know, just the fact that your eyes are drifting off every few seconds.” Upon finishing her statement, Gallant wasn't focusing on her anymore. “Come on, you can tell us. What's goin' on-? Yep, there he goes-”

He could see Prim Rose almost perfectly out of the corner of his eye. Her perfect countenance stood out from all the others, making her easy to find in the disarray of the hall. She ate with a certain grace, one Gallant did not often behold; after all, a number of the stallion's fellow Ponyvilleans generally had the table manners of goats.

“Gallant! Hellooooo.”

The gentlecolt felt a spoon smack against his cheek, instantly bringing his attention back to his table. Vinyl sat grinning, no signs of guilt but plenty of pride. “Is there a lucky mare involved?”

Gallant lifted his nose and answered with disdain, “It's none of your concern.”

“Gallant, what are you talking about?” Twilight remarked, shocked. “I thought we were going to try and help you with-”

“Oh no, don't tell me,” Vinyl started to laugh, “you're one of those 'shy stallions', aren't you? Seriously? Of all ponies, the big ol' brave one's scared of a little romance? I mean, I guess that’s the stereotype-”

“I don't see what being big and brave has to do with romance,” Gallant snorted. “Quite frankly, my only struggle is managing to properly express myself.”

“Aha! So you're suggesting there is a mare involved. Who is it?” Vinyl asked as she leaned in over the table; the others gradually followed suit.

“I'll only talk if I'm guaranteed good advice,” Gallant declared. “I'm not afraid of the approach, just what to say or do. How's that for groundwork?”

Vinyl nodded as she leaned back again, a look of understanding and slyness twisting the edges of her lips. “All right then, Big G, you got it. All we need to do is help you with some ideas to woo some mare so you two can get together and be happily ever after and bla bla bla. Right? In return, we get to see who the lucky mare is.”

Gallant felt his secrets ever so slowly drawn out like flavor from a stick of gum. Somehow every one of his confidants from his hometown seemed capable of doing so whenever they wished – which turned out to be quite often. Ponyvillean curiosity was the strongest of any kind Gallant had ever witnessed.

“You really wish to pursue this?” the gray stallion asked.

Everypony present shook his or her head as smart smiles started to turn mischievous.

Vinyl brushed strands of her untidy mane off to the side. “Let's see here, the best way to begin is by sayin' somethin', yeah? If the so-called 'art of speech' is anything like that of music, it probably starts with rhythm or tune...or somethin'.”

“Hold on one moment, are you suggesting that you're not experienced in this regard?” Gallant inquired. “Come to think of it, have any of you had romantic relationships?”

He looked to each of those seated before him one at a time, starting to his left. Twilight shook her head.

“I spend enough time doing research that I don't really have time to think about 'romance',” the bookworm clarified. “I don't have time to schedule in those kinds of things, either; not with how busy I usually am.”

He looked to Colgate, who simply waved a hoof and said, “If I needed a traveling companion, I'd rather get a pet or something.”

“A pet?” Gallant questioned.

“Well duh,” Colgate riposted, “they're good at following my lead. Also, they pretty much never talk back.”

To this, none of the others verbally responded, though a number of them exchanged concerned glances. The DJ, next in the circle, nodded her agreement.

Vinyl added concisely, “Music's the only love I need. True as blue and free as the sea.”

She immediately cranked her head to the side, leaving Starlight – who had been silent the entire time – in the spotlight. The stallion that had been eating in peace held a spoon of oatmeal up but couldn't get it to his mouth in time before dropping it, aware of the attention now fixed upon him.

“What? You mean you're asking me about sentimental experiences?” he asked, dumbfounded.

The others stopped and looked at each other, then shrugged.

“Yeah, I guess that is pretty ridiculous,” Vinyl commented.

“Hey!” Starlight objected, but fell back into his humble state. “I'm working on my approach... sort of.”

“Oh really?” Colgate inquired, leaning closer over the table. “You getting advice from Lyra? I heard she's good with-”

“No, Colgate,” came an exhausted voice from an approaching figure, “Lyra is definitely NOT reliable for good advice.”

The whole group looked to see Quirky's zombie-like appearance as she reached the table at a snail's pace. She set down her tray of plates, bowls, and cups – more than half of which had somehow been spilled or overturned along the way – and collapsed inches short of her seat.

“Weren't you gonna take a nap or somethin'?” Vinyl smirked.

“Well yeah, I was,” came the muffled reply through the seat cushion. Twilight helped the mare back onto her hooves with a magic tug and seated her at the last open spot at the table. “But before I had the chance to doze off I remembered that I can't sleep unless I have something in my stomach.”

Twilight gasped as her eyes swept around those seated at the table. “Wait a minute you guys, this is perfect!”

Quirky frowned. “What, that I'm starving-?”

“No, just look at everypony at this table,” Twilight remarked, which is exactly what each pony at the table did. They eventually threw their confused gazes back at the mare. “Really? No pony? Look: all of the artistic ones from Ponyville are right here at this table! Vinyl's the musician, Quirky’s the actress, Starlight’s the painter-”

“Since when were you an artist, Twi?” Vinyl remarked with a smart grin.

The bookworm glared at her friend. “Research is an art, Vinyl Scratch. Everypony knows that.” The others looked to one another, but no sign of agreement seemed to spread. Twilight brushed their empty expressions out of her mind and continued, “Look, if we want to help Gallant with this 'romantic situation', then we have to think together of a way to help him.”

“Look, here's what I don't get, Gallant,” Colgate began, “you don't have any issues walking up to that special somepony in mind? No fears at all?”

I've come face-to-face with a lot scarier individuals than mares.

“Essentially,” Gallant replied.

“Sweet,” Vinyl said, clapping her hooves together. “You just lack in the creative department. Let's get to it, then: what do we have to work with?”

The stallion tried to roll the question over in his mind a number of times, but the more he thought about it, the less it made sense. “What exactly do you mean by that?”

“You know, like what's your normal approach?”

Gallant racked his brain for an answer, but nothing really came to mind; nothing that he wanted to share, that is.

I... don't really have one.

“Gallant, I know you might be apprehensive, but this is the only way we can help you,” Twilight said, butting in. “If you don't let us know what you're comfortable with or how you normally would talk in this situation, we can't really expand upon your abilities.”

“What the hay, Twilight,” Colgate said as she jabbed a hoof into her friend's side, “who changed the order of the universe and made you a love expert?”

Twilight cleared her throat. “Well, to be honest, I've heard bits of advice here and there exchanged between some friends of mine, not to mention the number of books I've spent reading on this subject-”

“Look, Twi, we can talk about books and stuff another time. Right now we're talkin' real life,” Vinyl stated. “Whaddaya got for us, Big G? Strut your stuff.”

“W-What? I'm not approaching Prim- er, her now! I'm empty-hoofed!”

“No, dude, I mean practice,” Vinyl affixed. “Pretend... Quirky's your target. She's half asleep anyway, so she won't care what you say.”

Indeed, Quirky's head was buried in the bowl she had carried over. Luckily for her it had been empty after bobbling it about, leaving next to nothing inside. Gallant tried to picture Prim Rose's figure in her stead, her gleaming eyes and extraordinary mane and tail.

Her slightly rosy cheeks and strong build started to appear in front of the slumped body of the actress. The stallion could feel his chest pump out as if he were 'strutting his stuff'; the very phrase reminded him of past company.

What would they say to entice a mare..?

Gallant remembered one phrase that had been practiced and repeated within his circle of comrades but had never been said aloud. It was a special line, he figured, and so he rolled it through his mind a few times in order to perfect its execution. After a secure feeling set in, Gallant let the words flow straight to his tongue as he pictured Prim Rose looking him straight in the eye.

“You have the most perfect flank.”

A collective gasp nearly sucked the air from the entire hall. Breaths were held around the table as all eyes – including Gallant's in his sudden fright – fell on Quirky, the recipient of Gallant's honeyed words. The mare's head slowly lifted as her pink eyelids bobbed open and closed. A strange half-grin and half-frown made her lips look like a zigzag. Her head rolled in circles around her neck, until suddenly her face plopped back into the bowl before her.

The others let out a tremendously deep sigh.

“That's your idea of flattery!?” Twilight exclaimed, catching her breath.

Gallant stumbled, “Well, y-yes, I was aiming to-”

“Who in Celestia’s name taught you to say that!?” Vinyl asked as her stomach began to ache from holding in explosive laughter. “Your pals from knight training?”

“Um... yes.”

“Apparently, not all knights are gentlecolts,” Colgate got out as her laughter roared alongside Vinyl's. The two nearly fell to the floor as they threw their heads back and kicked at the air.

Gallant could only stare; he had no clue what all was happening.

Twilight placed a hoof on his shoulder and sighed. “Look, Gallant, I know your intentions were good, but frankly that wouldn't be well-received. Maybe we should scrap everything you've 'observed' and start from scratch.”

“Start from scratch?” Starlight questioned. “But Hearts and Hooves Day isn't going to last more than twenty-four hours-”

Quirky's head suddenly popped up from the near-empty bowl in which it had been buried. Her eyes were fiery red as a terrible snarl shone her pearly whites – they looked more like a shark's than a regular pony's.

“Decorations'll be up all week! There's no way I helped setting this up ALL NIGHT just to take it down less than twenty-four hours later!”

And then her head plopped back into her bowl.

“What about festivities?” Twilight promptly asked in hopes of a follow-up. “Will there be stuff going on for the whole week as well?”

The group paused and stared, but Quirky didn't move a muscle.

Starlight chuckled, “That's funny, I thought she said she couldn't sleep unless she had a full-”

“Yes! All week,” Quirky suddenly shouted as she threw a hoof in the air, accidentally drawing the attention of a number of tables all around. Unaware of her volume - or rather, the situation entirely - Quirky stared at her food and started taking bites of what remnants were scattered on her tray.

The group waited for another random insert, but after a good minute of nothing but the sounds of Quirky's chomping and chewing, their expectations dissipated. Ears raised as all eyes fell on Gallant once more.

“What? What am I supposed to do?” asked the stallion in desperation. “I already showed you what I know, but apparently all I'll get is a good slap the face.”

“Worse than that, but that's beside the point,” Twilight mumbled. “What we need to do is give some suggestions. I'll start us off: I think I remember reading somewhere that the best encounters are the ones that you least expect-”

“Whoa, whoa, where'd you hear that bit?” Vinyl questioned as her teeth shone in a doubtful smirk. “Sounds like you're just quoting fairy tales or somethin'.”

“Well, I can't remember exactly where, but-”

“Then you of all ponies should know that's unreliable information,” Vinyl retorted smartly. “Go around spurtin' random ideas and you're no better than Lyr-”

Suddenly the table started shaking. All eyes shot over to Quirky, whose tired hooves were shaking with such rage that one could hardly tell she hadn't slept the night before. After the trembling drew attention of every surrounding group of diners, the tremor came to a sudden halt. All stared at the light lavender mare until she returned to her slow eating, quietly.

“You get my point, Twi,” Vinyl whispered.

The bookworm reluctantly complied. “Fine, but then do any of you have a better idea?”

Quirky loudly knocked on the table as she placed her hoofs on opposing ends. Without saying a word she began bobbing them up and down. One slowly inched over to where the other one was, and as soon as they were inches from one another they stopped. Then, one at a time, each one bounced up and down a number of times, until finally they hopped along together off the table.

And with that, Quirky went back to eating.

“Care to narrate?” Colgate requested.

“Really!?” Quirky growled. “Obviously I was signaling that you need to walk over to this mare's table, politely tell her your name, ask her to tell you hers, then say that you want to do something with her, and after agreeing walk off happily and do whatever it was you agreed to do.”

Twilight, as well as the others, blinked. “That... definitely oversimplifies things.”

“Fiddlesticks! You all just think too much about it,” Quirky said. “If it's one thing theatre has taught me, it's that you can literally work with almost nothing to make a wonderful something.”

Work with nothing... to make something?

It was like an order one of his captains had yelled at him during training. He was always called 'nothing', along with the others, but later would be labeled surely enough as 'something', sometimes 'something else'. The very sound of Quirky's idea made sparks fly as though a sword were being sharpened.

“Yes, I think I understand!” Gallant remarked victoriously. “Quirky, heeding your advice, I believe I know what I need to do.”

He rose from his seat with a new wave of confidence. Gallant could picture the perfect play-by-play in his head as he made his over to Prim Rose's table: his success, his walking away from the moment with the one mare that he truly admired – at least, that was what he thought the feeling was – by his side. He would become something, the something he always dreamed to be. Hearts and Hooves Day would no longer be the time he would fear every year.

His mind went off picturing scenes of the near future, of what would happen next, of the picture perfect moment when Prim Rose would look at him with her gorgeous green eyes, rich and vivid like the Western Wood, and utter the words “Why yes, I would love to go with you”.

Reality struck when something hit against his puffed-up chest mid-stride. He looked down to see he had run straight into a pony currently sitting at Prim Rose's table. Across the way was the mare herself, her gaze strong and inquisitive.

“A-Apologies!” Gallant laughed as he watched an evil glare emit from the eyes of the stallion he had run into.

His heart wrenched as he realized just what had happened and all that entailed, but he stayed sharp and tried his best to ignore the falter. He had seen great performances and fights turn even after a terrible warm-up.

Gallant raised his head and put on the most serious face he could as he looked his target in the eye. “Prim Rose, there is something I wish to ask you.”

The mare's skeptical gaze did not flinch, but instead thoroughly searched every inch of his body as he stood in wait; Gallant knew such was not strange for a future royal knight. With great patience and control he hoped for something, anything, to come out of Prim Rose's lips, but all she gave after a few seconds was an acknowledging nod.

Gallant continued, “I was wondering if, perchance, you have found somepony suitable with whom to spend time with over the course of this Hearts and Hooves celebration.”

Gallant bit his lip; he couldn't believe what he had just said.

Did I just speak those words? I-Impossible! Quirky's advice... it worked!

Prim Rose looked to each of those seated at the table, which Gallant suddenly realized were all stallions like himself: well-built, formal, and strong-looking unicorns. He held his ground as he had been taught in training despite the fact that a number looked ready to get up and attack him.

“I suppose I have,” Prim Rose finally stated, her voice loud and strong, yet contained, much like the royal Canterlot tone.

Gallant's mind went blank. He hadn't thought of the possibilities besides that of his acceptance. He tried to search for some kind of manner in which to follow the subtle refusal, but not a single phrase passed through his brain. Rather, a means of excusing himself ran laps through his head until he gave in to the dizziness.

“Very good then,” Gallant said, backing away hesitantly. “Good day to you, Prim Rose. Gentlecolts.”

Gallant stepped away from the group, which suddenly burst out in laughter as the stallion turned and headed back to his own table. Numb, the stallion backtracked to where his friend’s curious faces greeted him. For some time he couldn’t satisfy their lingering inquisitiveness. His mind was still processing all that had just occurred.

“Gallant?” Twilight asked softly. “What happened? Why were they laughing?”

“Twi, did you see who he just faced?” Vinyl asked with what little breath she could manage to draw in. “That was the Iron Mare, Prim Rose! Gallant walkin' up to her all lovey-dovey's like a fanfilly meetin' her idol. Prim Rose is the top prospect for becoming a royal guard, something Gallant would almost kill to be - no offense.”

“I don't think it matters who she is,” Twilight replied in an attempt to justify the stallion's actions. “Gallant seemed pretty sure of himself when he walked over. I would've thought she would appreciate the confidence.”

Rain started to patter against the windows, leaving a new chorus of noise to echo throughout the spacious hall. All but Gallant looked at the upper windows which displayed a dreary sky sitting above them, showering down tiny tears for the poor stallion. Gallant himself didn't notice, though; the realization of his failure rang loudly in his ears.

“Talk about timing,” Colgate muttered. “Whatever. Gallant, here's what I think: who cares if she's taken. When it's Hearts and Hooves Day, relationships are like unexplored terrain: there's a whole lot to discover!”

“That's possibly the weirdest analogy I've ever heard,” Vinyl smirked. “To add, Brushie, that's by far the creepiest thing you've ever said.”

“I thought it was clever,” Starlight murmured.

Colgate dismissed both of their remarks and added, “Anyway, Gallant, it doesn't matter if she's 'taken'. She wasn’t one of those ponies laughing when you walked away, after all. Probably didn’t see that, did you? What the hay, I say you go after her; it'll give you a nice confidence boost and whatnot. Knights like that kind of stuff, right?”

Vinyl nodded. “Not sure how I feel about that adventure thing still, but I am all for battling for somepony's affection. Actually sounds pretty fun to me, especially if I'm watchin', so here's my advice for the next move: do something sweet. You know, put on a performance or somethin'.”

Gallant blinked. “I don't sing.”

“How about... painting?”

Starlight's face lit up, but Gallant shook his head. “I'm not artistic in any way, shape or form, Vinyl Scratch.”

“Hmm, then we'll have to go a less artsy route,” Vinyl grumbled as she rubbed her chin.

“Take her somewhere!” Colgate hollered. “Mares love adventures.”

“No, little fillies named 'Colgate' like adventures-” Vinyl stopped mid-insult. “On second thought, that's not a bad idea...”

“I don't understand,” Gallant admitted as he leaned back and drew a breath. “She said 'no' to me already; wouldn't approaching her a second time wield the same result? Not that I'm afraid to check; it just seems counter-productive.”

“He has a point,” Twilight said. “How would we get Prim Rose to meet with Gallant without forcing it again? Won't she get tired of it eventually?”

Quirky pointed at Colgate with a swift motion, but her loose hoof ended up smacking the mare in the face. “Oops. Ask her. She specializes in getting ponies to do things they don't want to.”

Colgate rubbed her face, throwing an angry glare in the meantime. “Don't tell me you're referring to the whole cave incident-”

“What else?” Quirky asked, rolling her eyes. “You fooled quite a number of our friends into going.”

Every pony present paused as they reflected on the memory of Colgate’s mischief.

“Hey, you're right!” Colgate declared, suddenly proud. A flash of white followed by a thunderous roll went off outside as she stood and pondered the notion. “That gives me an idea.”

Gallant gulped; the weather and frightening look on Colgate's face matched up too perfectly for his liking. “R-Really?”

Colgate began rubbing her hoofs together as a menacing smile completed her devious countenance.

“Oh yes, Gallant, I have a wonderful plan in mind. It's just so wonderful that I might dare to call it... foal-proof.”

Chapter 29: Something Stolid This Way Comes

Thin pools lined the stone paths of the commons as ponds drowned the grassy lawn. Drop after drop added to the downpour's deposits as Gallant watched mud form and puddles grow. In the span of a few minutes the field of scattered trees had turned into something more akin to a marsh. The stallion shivered at the thought of having to saunter through such muddle.

“Well, Colgate, obviously the conditions are a bit harsh at the moment. Perhaps we should try your plan again some other time?” the stallion suggested as he headed back into the main hall foyer.

“Harsh? This is perfect!” Colgate declared, turning him back around. “It's bonus pity points for you if you're standing out there. What, first it was caves, now it's storms you can't stand?”

“I am most certainly not scared of storms,” Gallant stated. “In fact, they fascinate me. I've been studying lightning lately since our elemental track focused on it a few weeks back. The fact of the matter is that I would much rather watch this wonderful tempest rather than trek though it.”

“'Trek'? Sheesh, all you just have to sit out here and act like you're helpless for a few minutes. Just be sure to make it convincing, otherwise Rose isn't going to buy it and you’ll be stuck out here for a while. Now come on, let's find you a good spot.”

She dove deeper into the wet weather and trotted along as though it were cool out with clear, summer skies. Gallant stared into the misty atmosphere and shivered. Maintaining cleanliness and collectedness was a basic principle of knighthood; irrationally throwing oneself into the rain was a sure-fire way of breaking such a mandate.

Yet, he felt he had no choice. Reluctant as a picky eater with a foreign dish, the stallion stepped forward and reached his nose out from the doorway to feel just a touch of the rain. A drop tapped onto his nose, its wet touch unwelcomed by the surly stallion, and as soon as Gallant had stuck his head out into the open he drew it back in.

“Don't be such a filly!” Colgate shouted. “Get out here!”

Gallant stomped and snorted. “This carelessness goes against my ideals, you know!”

“What, walking in the rain? Celestia, here I thought you were desperate for some kind of encounter with that intimida- I mean, delightful somepony,” Colgate yelled above the sound of the storm. “Come on, it's just this once. Can't you just step out of your comfort zone for five minutes?”

Gallant felt an arrow pierce his hefty heart. A battle of his principles and his interests began, the former his soul's coat of armor and the latter a sword trying to break it. His standards brought back memories of everything he had been taught in Canterlot, from recitation to exercises and day-to-day training; welling up inside, though, were thoughts of Prim Rose, along with more immediate and pressing things. As the senseless battle ensued, though, his infatuation snuck in like a Trojan horse.

It is just this once, I suppose.

Still with a hint of hesitation, Gallant reached a hoof forward and dragged himself into the downpour. He found the cold quite bearable, but the feel of his coat pestered him. Every step further into the rainy atmosphere led to another cringe, and another, until an uncomfortable blanket of water wrapped around him. Even his short mane was nothing but a floppy mess as his tail dragged along through murky puddles.

“Hurry up, this storm isn't gonna last forever!” Colgate urged as she waved Gallant over to a spot near the middle of the flooded lawn.

As cross as a cat tossed into a bath, Gallant slogged over to the indicated spot. A curve of pines blocked most of the view of the sea to the east. The near side of the main hall, though, lined with windows on every floor, left the spot visible from many angles.

“You want me to wait... here?” Gallant asked, hoping Colgate was joking.

But the mare nodded vigorously. “You'll need to be in plain sight for when Prim Rose pass by one of those windows. All you need to do in the meantime is think of a way to pretend you're frozen, maybe hurt-”

“Frozen? Hurt?”

Colgate rolled her eyes. “Look, knowing Rose's oh-so-virtuous ways, seeing another pony in distress should flip a switch in her brain. She'll come save you in a jiffy, I'm sure. After that I'll sneak off, you two share a bonding moment or something, and that's that. Got it?”

Gallant's eyes dropped, leaving his vacant stare to watch the flooded grass sway about beneath him. His reflection suddenly emerged as though the glassy surface had turned into a spotless mirror. His frown and empty eyes were clear signs of misery.

“Colgate, I appreciate your thoughts and efforts, but I'm not looking for pity,” he explained. “Please understand that the most noble of knights do not seek commiseration-”

“Can it, G, we're going with the plan,” Colgate growled. “You don't have to be Mr. Hero all day, every day. Take this as an opportunity to... I dunno, reflect. Think self-exploration and all that jazz. Yeah... exploring’s fun.”

Gallant whimpered as the rain started to fall harder.

“It's just that it’s a bit wet out-”

“Oh my GOODNESS, Gallant!” Colgate yelled. “How is it that a wannabe knight is so whiney? Seriously, it's just a bit of water. I know you're high maintenance and all, but just forget about it for once. You'll thank me in the end when this works.”

Gallant sighed. “If this works.”

“Look, you're just gonna have to trust me. Now, lay here and pretend you had a heart attack or play dead. Hold that stance until I come by, got it?”

“What if somepony else sees me?”

“Just say you're cloud-gazing,” Colgate replied, annoyed. “Wait, didn't you say you were studying lightning recently? Pretend you're searching the skies for a thunderbolt. See you soon!”

Gallant raised a hoof to correct her, “It’s ‘lightning bolt’-!”

But by then the mare had headed off, unwilling to hear another word Gallant could muster. The stallion could only watch as his friend headed into the main hall, gave one final wave, and closed the door.

Gallant waved back as politely as he could before his head drooped down to the surface of the pool of water in which he sat.

This is humiliating.

He observed the mushy earth and water beneath him, unsure of whether he really wanted to go through the agony of lying in the dirty water just for another chance of meeting Prim Rose face-to-face.

But then an image of the mare, her fine white coat and wonderfully arresting appearance, began lingering in his mind. He lifted his eyes and could see her face projected against the delicate sheet of the clouds above. Her green eyes glowed against the gray like a shining gemstone in the water, its color clear despite its slightly distorted shape. He wished he could stare into those eyes every single day.

Gallant felt a rush of emotion gather as a sense of valour heated his blood.

I need to do this, for another chance!

The stallion, still standing, fought his natural instincts as he lowered his bottom down to the ground. In order to be convincing, Gallant knew he’d have to get down and dirty. His mind screamed a warning signal as his whole tail grew thick with moisture. Gallant clenched his teeth in mental agony.

The standing water was frigid, worse than the individual droplets that cascaded from the sky. It felt as though ice has just barely melted, or rather the rain were about to freeze. The chill was not helped as gales howled through, though the air carried a most remarkable scent of the rain.

The only redeeming factor besides this was the opportunity Gallant found himself in to use a new spell he had learned to detect lightning strikes nearby. He didn't dare try more intensive ones like the Lightning Rod spell unless he really wanted to injure himself. The downpour and discomfort of being stranded in the rain was bad enough.

But it should all be over soon enough.

An hour passed by with no sign of Colgate. Though the bulk of the rain had mostly come and gone, Gallant was still soaked and could hardly feel the tips of his hooves. He hadn't spotted his friend nor Prim Rose pass by any of the main hall windows nearby.

Perhaps Colgate simply can't find her. I imagine Prim Rose is a very busy mare during the day, though we don't have dueling this evening. Perhaps she's spending time with the likes of those stallions that were at her table...

The optimism gradually faded. Gallant recalled the jeers of those during breakfast when he first had approached Prim Rose as clear as day; they all had seemed like robust, chivalrous stallions; that is, until he heard their snickering. He thought their mockery quite uncharacteristic for what he thought were a respectful bunch.

But then again, by taking such a demeaning approach to draw the attention of a special mare, Gallant himself felt quite foolish. Seeing his shameful reflection in the water only made him feel less worthy of respect and more deserving of the torrent he endured.

This whole plan was hopeless from the start. Why would I act as though in trouble-?

Suddenly, the doors of the main hall burst open with a terrible force. Gallant went as limp as a fish as he tripped himself and lie waiting in his sizable puddle as Colgate had ordered. All Gallant could think to do was move as little as possible. The only things that jumped were his eyes, once, to see if the approaching figure was Prim Rose.

It was. Strutting toward him was the dreamy mare, though at a strangely relaxed pace. Her fixed stare was speculative and its hold strong, but Gallant managed to wrench his eyes away and stare off as though he had been ice-bound – his heart certainly felt frozen solid.

The heavy hoofsteps drew near until Gallant could feel the mare's presence standing not a meter away.

Just keep acting like a fish out of water...

But when the thought of the water came up, there was none to be felt anymore. It was only a second before Gallant realized he was floating up into the air. He caught sight of his front hooves and saw a white radiance glowing all around their shapes, but before further inspection the whole world started to spin. One moment the sky was beneath him, then the clouds were once again overhead. The buildings of academy came and went out of sight, sometimes left to right, sometimes the other way around.

He began to worry that the dizziness was a side effect of his excitement, but after a moment he came to realize that Prim Rose – whose face passed by from time to time expressing a certain attentiveness – was spinning him around.

This... could this be what my peers meant by... 'checking me out'?

He had heard the phrase – much like the compliments he had thought of earlier – tossed around between his fellow trainees at Canterlot. Most had told him the process of examination would be a rare occurrence, and that when it happened he should take it in stride. All Gallant felt was nausea; he didn’t understand what the hype of the occurrence was all about.

Suddenly his body dropped down, and not into a puddle, but onto stone. The fall nearly knocked the air straight from his lungs as, combined with an element of surprise, it shook every bone in his body. Before his eyes could stop rolling something began tugging on his tail, heaving his body along the rugged walkway.

Gallant suddenly wished that the cool rain hadn't stopped, for a burn slowly grew on his chest as it rubbed against the rocky path. Its sting was only put off at times by the shallow puddles here and there. No matter the intensity of the swelling burn, Gallant ran a message through his head.

This is all part of the plan. I can manage. This is all part of the plan. It'll all be worth it-

“Hey Prim Rose!” called a pony up ahead. “I've gotta tell you something-!”

The voice stopped, as did Prim Rose's advance with Gallant dragging behind neat the main hall entrance.

Prim Rose spoke, “Yes, what is it?”

The mare's voice was ever strong and rich, somewhat chilling. Gallant wished he could see the expression on her face as she sounded slightly agitated.

The stranger laughed nervously. “Well, you see, I- wait, were you just wandering outside?”

The voice belonged to no stranger, Gallant suddenly realized; it belonged to Colgate.

“I was,” came the concise answer.

“Oh, then... did you happen to see a friend of mine out there?”

Gallant felt his tail tugged up the stairs leading to the main hall doorway. Though he thought the whole act of carrying him along endearing, the ensuing smacks of his head against the stone steps quickly turned his opinion neutral. Once at the top Prim Rose swung his body until Colgate could see his face.

“Oh. Yeah... him,” laughed Colgate uneasily after a pause. “You, uh, you found him like this?”

“Yes,” Prim Rose stated, “Though uninjured, his lack of coordination on a number of levels indicates a possible cognitive or mental breakdown. I am bringing him to the infirmary immediately.”

Colgate stammered, “I-If you say, Rose. I'm, uh, I’m gonna go do some flying now.”

And without another word Prim Rose headed straight for the staircase. Gallant could only watch as he was towed along past Colgate, who winked and mouthed 'good luck'. The stallion, suddenly realizing he had no idea what the next part of the plan was, tried to wriggle his way back to her, but Prim Rose's pull overpower his efforts. He reached out to Colgate as his eyes went wide with horror.

No, wait! I've made a terrible mistake..!

The door to the infirmary flew open and hit the nearby wall with a terrible bang. The noise would normally have made Gallant flinch or cover his ears, but the ringing in his head from it knocking against every stair to the top floor made every resounding boom sound more like a muffled bleat.

“Is that you, Prim Rose?” came a sweet and motherly tone from an adjacent room. “I'm assuming you have another poor soul you've managed to save... or hurt.”

“The former, Nurse Lionheart.”

Prim Rose gave Gallant's tail one more tug and slammed the door shut behind them. The stallion remained silent as his rattled brain tried to settle.

“How are his bones? In tact, I hope?” the nurse asked.

“I believe so,” replied Prim Rose emotionlessly. “Though I worry about a sturdy spine.”

“Oh, Prim Rose, I was only kidding,” said the nurse as she rounded the corner to enter the scene. “Well, look at this one! I thought you had brought in one of those fliers. You know, that 'Pony Pilots' club should have known better than to fly their fancy machines during a storm. I wonder how they haven't had any incidents yet.” She shook her head and clicked her tongue. “Now then, what is the matter with this one? I sure hope it isn't another victim of that potions class.”

Prim Rose shook her head slowly. “I cannot make any formal conclusions. I found him outside in the rain in a rather odd state, staring up at the sky with a blank expression. He has not spoken for the past few minutes.”

The nurse blinked as her eyes scanned the two, both of them soaking wet from the rain. “You found him outside, hmm?”

“Yes, he was lying in the middle of the commons lawn,” Prim Rose said. Gallant could feel his head grow hot from the embarrassment of hearing its pathetic nature. “His only injuries may include the usual-”

“Don't tell me you dragged him up the stairs like the others.”

Prim Rose took a deep breath as she puffed out her chest. “I did, Nurse Lionheart, for his own good. I am aware of his knighthood aspirations and thus abide by the concept of 'building character'-”

“Oh, that mentality was devised by a bunch of loose screws,” the nurse replied, shooing the thought away. “But the real screwball here is this stallion. He's not the only one I've seen today, either. So, since you know his aspirations, would you happen to know his name?”

Gallant felt his heart skip a beat. He had only ever introduced himself once before, though not personally; it was a goal of the magic dueling course he took for fun to get everypony acquainted with one another on the first day, and so introductions were mandatory. He was surprised that she knew of his ambitions.

Prim Rose muttered, “I do believe so...” The stallion's heart skipping beats as though it were jumping rope. “... I believe it's 'Silver Shield'.”

Gallant felt his pulse cease. The nurse walked over to the slumping stallion's body and examined him from head to hoof.

“No, he has a different cutie mark, and I would know – that stallion's had to stop in here a number of times.”

This only made matters worse; Gallant recalled having sent Silver Shield, an acquaintance of his, to the infirmary due to several magic dueling mishaps – they were all mistakes of Silver Shield, in Gallant’s defense. Added to the rejection earlier that morning, the mix-up, Gallant knew, most likely only made Prim Rose's opinion of him less favorable.

“Oh, that reminds me!” Nurse Lionheart remarked. “Let me get this one situated real quick; there's something I need your help with.”

Gallant struggled to keep any and all emotion within as he continued his motionless act. His heart slowly started to beat again as the nurse swept him up off the ground with a telekinetic spell and carried him off into a nearby room full of beds. Nurse Lionheart slowly set him on a soft mattress and headed to the back room with Prim Rose promptly following behind.

Their conversation carried off in whispers as though Gallant and the others were sleeping; but Gallant was far from heavy-eyed. He was, however, heavy-hearted.

How was this supposed to be an opportunity!? If anything, this has been an utter failure. Does she not even know my name-?

“Hey, Gallant.”

The stallion looked over to his right and noticed a familiar figure lying down in the bed next to his. The cast around the pony's neck wasn't enough to distract Gallant from instantly recognizing the golden eyes that met his stare.

“Pokey Pierce?”

“Small world, huh?” the blue stallion asked in his usual slow manner. “What're you in for?”

Gallant shook his head in shame. “I was just outside and, well, I think I was cloud-gazing... but not really.” He sighed and gave up the act, aware that lying would do nothing for him. “I was trying to get a certain mare's attention.”

“Oh?”

“'Oh', yes.” Gallant paused, then groaned. “That sweet, sweet mare, Prim Rose.”

“Oh.”

“It just seems so silly. It was a terrible plan, really; as a knight, I should not be the one looking to be saved. But then again, I had no say in the matter.”

“Oh!”

Gallant paused. “What?”

“Well, why would you want her attention?” Pokey Pierce asked. “I heard all Prim Rose does is act like a drill sergeant.”

“She is tough, yes, and I... admire that,” Gallant remarked. “I like to think that she's a very kind-hearted individual, that she's just a bit rough on the outside. She has her thorns, but deep down I feel like she must be a most delicate flower-”

“I wish others would say that of me,” whined a mare with a sniffle.

The two stallions watched as Lyra's upper body slowly lifted from a bed across the way like a zombie from a tomb. Her unfocused eyes wandered about as the two looked between her and one another in befuddlement.

“W-What do you mean, Lyra?” Gallant eventually asked.

The mare moaned as she held a hoof up to her pale face.

“Oh, it was the worst possible dream! There he was, the perfect stallion for me, excellent in every way, shape and form! But he rejected me, stating that I was simply too perfect for him! I begged and begged him to reconsider, but he just apologized as he drifted off out of sight, never to be seen again. I can't remember for the life of me what he looked like.”

“Did he have a cutie mark?” Pokey Pierce inquired.

“Of course he did!” Lyra snapped. “All handsome ponies do. I just can't remember it...”

Gallant observed Lyra's face, wet with tears, and began to wonder if she was really being serious.

“You said that was just a dream, right?” he asked.

“Well, yes, but it was so real!” Lyra replied, wiping her eyes. “How would you like it if you were rejected outright for who you are? Once you've experience it, then you can whine and complain-”

Gallant's ears drooped. “I have.”

The two accompanying him gasped.

“You had a sad dream too?” Pokey asked as he tried to pat his friend on the shoulder. His neck cast did not allow him much movement, though, and so he swung at the air a few times before giving up.

“No, Pokey, no sad dream,” Gallant said, disconsolate, “I was rejected.”

But by whom?” Lyra asked, suddenly void of sadness as curiosity began to kick in. “Who could ever say 'neigh' to such a gentlecolt like you?”

He suddenly recalled Quirky's warning. He remembered the warning and how horrible of a state the actress had been that morning. Holding his breath, Gallant tried to muster up a lie.

Pokey, however, went ahead and replied with a jolly, “You said Prim Rose, right Gallant?”

“What!? Her?” Lyra shrieked. “Why that no-good, insensitive- It's no wonder you're dripping wet from all your sobbing! She is quite a beautiful mare, I’ll admit - perhaps a bit masculine in some regards - but I personally think she’s more stuff and prideful than any pony I’ve ever met. She probably thinks she's the greatest thing to ever set hoof in Equestria.”

Gallant shook his head. “I don’t see what’s wrong with her. If anything, I think my approach was poor; that, or my timing. I don't know anymore, and I'd rather not think about it-”

“No, no, ignoring it all is the opposite of what you need to do!” Lyra protested as she got off the bed on which she lie and began pacing the room near the two stallions. “When at first you don't succeed, try, try again! Isn't that right, Pokey?”

“I like succeeding,” Pokey said with a nod.

Lyra continued, “Now, here's what you must understand about the proud ones: they only notice the exceptional things. The reason she must have rejected you is because you must not stand out very much from the others she knows.”

“For what it's worth, I think you're special,” Pokey Pierce added.

Gallant rubbed his forehead. “You wish to suggest that I need to do something... dramatic?”

Lyra nodded happily. “Of course! It's not that hard, you just have to think of something no pony else has ever done – or rarely does – and follow through with some exceptional execution! Simple as that.”

“You are aware that you're dealing with a very unimaginative soul here, yes?” Gallant questioned.

“Of course, why don't you let Pokey and I help you?” Lyra requested. “You could just... do... well, there's always... Ahem, Pokey? I know you obviously have an original idea, right?”

Pokey tapped his muzzle. “You’re a knight, right? You could fight something. A basilisk! Battles are always dramatic, and I heard those monsters are pretty mean.”

“No, I feel like that's been done before,” Lyra muttered. “And where would we even find one? How about... um, ah! Pokey, are you thinking what I'm thinking?”

This time Pokey nodded right away. “I think so, Lyra, but if we tried to have a Mage's Cup, wouldn't that mean we'd need another school besides this one and Canterlot's-?”

Lightning interrupted with a flash and succeeding thunder, its might powerful enough to shake the entire room and very souls of the three inside it. Gallant felt his breath jump from his lungs as the vibrations shocked the life out of - and just as quickly back into - him.

“Another storm?” exclaimed Nurse Lionheart. “What is it with all these storms lately- oh! Prim Rose, where are you going?”

The door to the room full of beds burst open as the white mare charged towards the windows. She threw open one, allowing a strong wind and droplets of rain to blow in and sprinkle all over Pokey. She perused the stormclouds above for only a moment and then closed and locked the aperture.

“Nurse Lionheart, I shall return to help later,” Prim Rose stated as she hurried out. “I fear that those flying outside may be in grave danger.”

“They're flying again!?”

“Yes, a mare informed me on my way here.”

Colgate!

“Go to them, then, and I'll inform Princess Luna,” the nurse said, and with that the two disappeared into the foyer.

Gallant couldn't help himself; hearing of an imminent danger, he could not stand by. Watching Prim Rose head out left him slightly torn, however; he wasn't sure where his true motivation for joining her was. As he got off of his bed and stretched he tried to clear his jumbled mind.

“Following her?” Lyra asked with a devilish smile. “This could be your chance to impress her!”

Gallant shook his head. “No, Lyra. My goal is to help the others, not to impress Prim Rose.”

With that, he turned and ran for the foyer after the mare.

At least, that's what a knight should say.

Chapter 30: Winds of Change

The clattering of brisk steps echoed through the foyer at a volume that rivaled the very downpour beginning outside. Though Gallant dug up every ounce of energy that he could to quicken his pace, he found himself falling behind Prim Rose; in his defense, the mare's speed was nothing short of admirable, and her swiftness in her twists and turns put typical knights-in-training to shame. The stallion felt as though he were stumbling every step of the way compared to his counterpart's delicate yet powerful strides.

Upon reaching the door leading outside, Prim Rose paused as her ears shot up in attention. She turned her head just enough to let one of her green irises show its color to the stallion staggering behind.

“What are you doing?” she asked in the manner which a commander would address a slow subordinate.

Gallant gathered himself and, upon reaching the thick doors, proceeded to buck one open with a single kick.

“I'm coming too. My friend's out there.”

Gallant could see something flash in the mare's eyes, something that did not linger too long. Gallant wondered if it was some form of surprise. He didn't care to think of it long, for the image of Colgate stuck in the storm jerked his body into a full-sprint once more, diving head-first into the freezing rain outside.

Before he could even make it out of the commons, Gallant found himself being passed by his peer as she sped ahead to lead the way, showing off her tremendous speed.

With an uneven path winding southbound through wooded terrain Gallant could only manage to steal glimpses of the sky ahead. His breaths, already drawn short, almost left him completely upon spotting the multitude of vehicles dotting the clouded sky ahead. Their shapes were strange and irregular, nothing like the stallion had ever seen in his life; they were also very tiny, small like ants on a walkway. With the storm having returned, Gallant wondered why they flew so high.

Don't they know the risks of-?

Lightning cracked. Its peal resounded not a second after its blow, and its power shot through the air with the greatest of clarity from the west. An echo bounced off the cliffs nearby and traveled back out east to the sea, its rolling audible across the span of miles it traversed. Gallant slid to a stop as he remembered the unit his elemental track had spent on lightning.

“Always be cautious,” he recited aloud.

He mustered what magical power he could as his horn started to glow a bright yellow color. Sparks shot out as raindrops dissolved upon touching the magic surrounding his horn. Soon enough the energy formed a tiny ball of electricity and floated up into the air like a bubble. Gallant watched the it until it hovered over to his head. Cross-eyed, the stallion watched the flickering ball of white until suddenly it touched against his forehead. The zap shocked him for a split second, and upon opening his eyes after a brief flinch, the sphere was no more.

Did it work, this 'Buzzer' spell..?

“What are you waiting for?” shouted Prim Rose, whose snap quickly slapped the stallion from his puzzled stupor.

For only another second Gallant tried to search for a sign of successful casting, but nothing reached came to his immediate attention. All he could sense were the vigilant eyes of the mare up ahead, whom he hastily ran to catch up with without further delay.

Gallant's mind never recovered from its messy state as the two continued to gallop. A deluge of thoughts and plans poured heavy into his head. His brain flooded with mixed emotion: fear of what could possibly happen to Colgate, anxiety in his determination to impress the mare with whom he traveled, and some confusion as to what might have gone wrong with his spell. Even a bit of shame lingered in the blend as Gallant wondered if it were an appropriate time to think of such things. Acts of valor, his Canterlot teachers had told him, were neither planned nor devised; when they happened, they happened.

And so the stallion tried his best to clear his mind.

His heart, however, was in shambles. As he caught sight of the fliers ahead once more he could feel fear arising; lightning seemed to draw near again, and having failed his detection spell Gallant could do nothing to predict a strike. Colgate and countless others were still high in the sky, still at risk, for reasons Gallant could not begin to imagine.

From time to time through the thin canopy of leafless trees and breaks between evergreens he thought he spotted some of the machines moving left and right, up and down, in every direction at an alarming rate.

Are they being tossed around by the winds!?

He brought his eyes back to earth upon spotting the tip of the gateway to the practice field ahead. Its black, spiked gates and bleachers left their silhouette state to stand out from the dark scenery of the stormy sky and shadowy grounds below. Within its giant clearing stood a single individual, an earth pony of golden color that appeared more burnt orange beneath the sunless sky.

The mare wore a flat leather cap and dark goggles, leaving only the lower half of her face visible. All this revealed was a focused frown, which Gallant felt unsure of how to interpret.

“Instructor Gearheart... is everything under control?” Prim Rose shouted over the howling winds.

“Sure, everything's just fine,” the instructor replied with a wave of a ease. “Look at these pilots! First time flying in questionable conditions and they're not even scared. Not a single one has showed signs of wanting to touch back down.”

Gallant, remembering how tossed about the fliers appeared, wondered if they were off the ground of their own will.

“Are you sure they aren't stuck up there?” he asked with an implied sense of emergency in his tone.

But Gearheart heard none of it. “If they wanted to get down, they could. The first thing I taught them besides how to lift off was how to descend. All they have to do is pedal slower and those bicycopters should climb down.”

“Do you not think they are in the least bit of danger?” Prim Rose asked, slightly jolted herself by the instructor's casual demeanor. A gust of wind flew past them with enough force to blow each of the three a few inches away from where they had been standing.

“I happened to have planned and worked on all of those air-crafts, thank you very much,” Gearheart remarked proudly. “And I trust that they all remember the safety rules and instructions in case of emergency. I taught them the basics a couple of weeks ago.”

“You taught them 'the basics' of emergencies a couple weeks ago?” Gallant questioned.

Gearheart nodded. “And the details we talked about a few days back, I think. I'm not worried.”

“Perhaps the vehicles and students are reliable, but do you wholeheartedly trust this weather?” Prim Rose inquired.

“Sure it's strange weather – how often do we get these kinds of raging storms in the winter? – but I don't think anypony's in any real danger,” Gearheart said. “We just have some powerful gales here and there, that's all.” Another zephyr slid the three sideways across the wet grass of the field. “Not to mention the lightning's already passed; I can feel it. Now, if you two will excuse me, I need to keep my eyes on these ponies in case any are actually in need of-”

“HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP!”

Gearheart's smart grin quickly vanished.

“I'll help them down,” Prim Rose stated before charging off toward the middle of the field.

She summoned a spell as she charged, her horn lighting a rich red hue. Her telekinetic reach rose into the like an extended limb and grabbed hold of the machine with the driver screaming for help. With a powerful tug Prim Rose pulled the copter down from its height and dropped it to the ground. The driver quickly hopped out before impact, hitting the ground with a bump and a slide. She motioned a grateful wave and stared upward where the others were trapped.

“You've got to get the others!” the mare cried as she pointed upward. “They're stuck in some kind of unnatural winds!”

Gallant thought it his turn as he made his way onto the field. He scanned the sky for the nearest flier and spotted Colgate off to the left.

“Colgate! Hold on!” he yelled.

He could see Prim Rose shoot a glace in his direction, but at the moment all it did was shake him for but a second.

“Try to stay in that one spot!” Gallant shouted to his friend at the top of his lungs.

He saw Colgate look down and begin waving madly. She grabbed onto the steering wheel of her bicycle-like helicopter and held onto it as tightly as she could.

Gallant quickly focused his power on a wind spell – one he had become familiar with while at the academy – and focused his reach up near the clouds. The spell formed into a conical barrier, blocking the surrounding gusts with its windy partition. The copter inside began lowly descending as it began spinning in circles. The stallion hurried over to the vehicle as it touched safely back on the ground.

Gallant ran over to help Colgate out of her seat, but the mare jumped out and chucked her helmet at him.

“You jerk!” she yelled.

Gallant, confused, rubbed his head from the blow. “W-What did I do!?”

“I was having a blast up there! Why'd you go and drag me down!?”

The stallion, shocked by his friend's words, could hardly manage to find what seemed like the obvious answer.

“I thought you were in trouble like the others were! You were even waving to me when I called out to you-”

Colgate dropped her head, exasperated. “That wasn't a motion of 'Oh no! Help me, Gallant, I'm a helpless little mare!'; that was a 'STOP IT I'M OKAY, PLEASE, STOP FOR THE LOVE OF CELESTIA!' wave-”

Gallant's ears suddenly filled with the sound of a strange, prolonged honk. His eyes twitched from the noise as a tingling sensation danced between his eyes near his forehead. The peculiar pressure didn't hurt him, but its presence was a shock – a notion which brought Gallant to a sudden realization.

The 'Buzzer' spell? But that means...

Gallant scanned the sky where a number of aviators were still stranded. If lightning suddenly struck nearby – which he knew it were – he knew somepony was in danger. Aware that he only had a few seconds to act before its strike, the stallion summoned a means by which to stop the sudden strike.

All he could think of was another spell he had looked up in the great wizard Ixion's lightning spellbook. It had been an accident that he had found it; in fact, it appeared while searching for the Buzzer spell on the opposite page. Thinking he would never have the chance to see it again, he memorized it and put it at the back of his memory.

Without a moment to lose he brought the stored recollection forward and began casting what was called the 'Lightning Rod' spell, unsure of what all it entailed. As he cast it, his horn began to glow a brilliant white and fizzled as it grew like the 'Buzzer' spell had, but rather than a small ball of electricity forming, a large needle, like an extension of his horn, stretched up and into the sky, tall as a flagpole.

When his mane started to stand up straight on end, Gallant felt his gut churn.

A gathering of fiery bolts surged out from the ominous clouds and collected into a great flash before the stallion's eyes. Its light was blinding and thunderous roar deafening. The jolt threw Gallant off his hoofs and into a shocking daze; his hearing gave way to ringing as his nerves shook with a numbness as he lie scatter-brained.

His head freely rolled from shoulder to shoulder as the grey clouds occupied his gaze. Colgate's head popped into view, revealing a pair of deep blue, wide-open eyes.

“Whoa, Gallant, what was that!?” she suddenly exclaimed with excitement. “Are you okay? Gallant?”

The stallion could only smile like a drunken fool, but even he didn't know what message his own body was trying to send. With every inch of his body seemingly paralyzed he couldn't tell what hurt and what didn't. He had a feeling his nerves had dissolved and would never have to deal with the pain, but ever so slowly the first aches started in his head.

Gallant waited for some kind of sign for another strike, but a strange sense in his head indicated that the heart of the tempest had passed. He watched the skies as the rain slowly died. Not another thunderclap resounded. With the throbbing in his head, the stallion wondered if he had attracted all of the lightning with his single spell.

“Is everypony... safe?” Gallant groaned, still dumbfounded. He tried to look at Colgate but his eyes would not follow his brain's commands.

Colgate surveyed the area for him. “Looks like good ol' Prim Rose got everypony down. Wait a second, did you two-?”

“No... she headed out here... and I followed,” Gallant said.

Colgate bit her bottom lip. “Well, things seemed to have worked out, so it's all good, right-?”

“What took you so long earlier?”

The mare laughed nervously. “'Took so long'? What, uh, whaddaya mean?”

“You took over an hour to find Prim Rose for your so-called plan,” Gallant growled, trying to ignore the stinging across his skin. “What took you so long?”

“Oh, that. Well, it wasn't entirely my fault,” Colgate said, shying away. “Twilight pulled me aside and asked me if I wanted to go on an expedition with her to check out some ruins here on the island. It could've been quick if she hadn't pulled out all those books and explained every detail to me – though I must admit, that stuff was pretty interesting...”

“Look, Colgate, I think it might be better if we just pretend none of this ever happened,” Gallant said as his body began to act the way he wanted. He began by trying to rub his eyes free of the bubbling colors that remained from the blinding flash of lightning. “I'm beginning to regret that any of this foolishness went on in the first place.”

“There is nothing to regret,” said a strong voice.

Gallant paused, leaving his hooves over his eyes for the moment. The daze shook right out of him the instant he knew it was Prim Rose speaking, but dared not say anything in return for the moment. He could only uncover his eyes, which were suddenly free of their blurriness, and stare uncomfortably at the white mare standing before him. Her green eyes were in their usual strong, intent state; but something else was in the mix, if only the faintest hint.

Is that... acknowledgement? Perhaps even... gratitude?

“A-Are they all safe?” Gallant managed to ask, to which the mare nodded.

“Yes, everypony has set hoof on the ground again,” she explained. “I shall take the shaken ones back to the infirmary and have Nurse Lionheart look at them. Shall you be joining us?”

Too shocked to say anything else, Gallant uttered, “I think I'm fine.”

“Very well.”

And without another word, Prim Rose turned and marched back toward the academy grounds, with each soul she had saved plodding along behind her, gratefulness but also shame evident in their weary eyes.

Colgate, who stuck with her friend, helped Gallant onto his hooves.

“Gee whiz, Gallant, she really is something else,” Colgate said. “And I may or may not mean that in a negative way. Did you two get to have a nice chat earlier?”

Gallant rolled his eyes. “Nice? Well, let's think back: first, she dragged me up a set of stairs and dropped me in the infirmary. After that, not a word was exchanged. Then, before she could disappear, we heard the storm surging, and in the end I followed Prim Rose out here and that's all there is to say.”

“You followed her, huh?” Colgate laughed. “So, did you come out here to help out, or were you just trying to impress Rose?”

Gallant shook his head. “I'm not sure I even thought about her when the storm was at its worst. My mind was on the situation, on saving you and the others.”

Colgate patted her friend on the back and smirked, “Aw, that was nice of you.” Gallant looked up at the mare, who tried to hold back a laugh but failed almost immediately. “Seriously, I'm glad you kept your head in all this.”

“I don't know, I feel like I'm slowly losing my mind after that shock,” Gallant admitted with a laugh of his own.

Colgate smirked. “You know, if you wanted to restore some of your sanity, you should finish what you started with this whole Hearts and Hooves ordeal.”

“I've already come to a conclusion.”

Colgate cocked her head and looked over the stallion. He still shook from the tiny shocks that tickled his coat and from the cold of the icy drizzle.

“Let's hear your 'conclusion' then,” Colgate said as the two headed back to the school, leaving behind the field full of flying machines.

“Well, to be frank-” The stallion thought of a way to put it concisely. “-I'm deathly afraid of Prim Rose.”

“Afraid!?” Colgate snickered. “First you were just clueless about to say to her, but now you're saying you're just flat-out afraid of Prim Rose, period!?”

“You don't understand!” Gallant retorted. “She's... it's not exactly what she's done- well, I guess she has done some rather harsh or unexpected things. It's just, she's nothing like I thought she'd be! I've been coldly rejected, stared at as if I'm crazy, heartlessly dragged up several flights of stairs, and now that I've done something noteworthy, she acts as though it were nothing. I was hoping that stoicism was some kind of cover, but I'm starting to realize I had just painted a false picture on a rather attractive body. Was... was that rude to say?”

“Sort of, but I'll let it fly. So let me get this straight: you were waiting for her to suddenly become all lovey-dovey and soft if you waited long enough? G, I hope you're aware it doesn't always work that way. In fact, I almost never see it work that way. Was it really that bad that you're scared of her, though?”

“Scared of whom?” came a powerful voice from behind.

The two turned and gasped at the sight of none other than Prim Rose. She stood tall and stared down at the two with the eyes of an eagle.

“Forgive me for overhearing that last sentence,” she said with her usual emotionless tone. “I have merely come to clarify something.”

Colgate cut in, “His name is Gallant, in case you-”

But Prim Rose pushed her off to the side and approached Gallant with a stomp.

“I have made several observations about you as of late, Gallant,” Prim Rose began, “This morning you asked me if I had company on this holiday, to which I answered that I had. The way you carried yourself was unbelievably calm, and responding to my brothers by respectfully leaving the scene as they laughed was most noble. No pony should be disrespected when checking to see if others have made satisfactory plans for their holidays.”

She bowed. Gallant gulped.

W-What!?

“Second, I believe now that I understand why you were outside earlier during the storm. Having seen your capabilities, I have come to the conclusion that you were, in fact, trying to sense an oncoming thunderstorm. Sticking to your duties, you did not intend to leave the area until you knew it was safe. I dragged you off the scene by mistake, and for that I apologize.”

A new numbness started to take over Gallant's body; he wasn't sure what it was, but it felt hot and cold at the same time. His brain felt as though it had frozen over but was melting at the same time, and thus not a single coherent thought could formulate as Prim Rose bowed once more and continued.

“Lastly, I beheld your power and quick action to not only save one life, but potentially all of those in the area with your lightning ward spell. I should have known to cast it, and am thus humbled by your effort and quickness.”

Gallant could only stare as she bowed a third time. He thought about everything the mare had essentially reflected on and declared as silence ensued after the drizzle ceased. Although half of what she had stated was inaccurate, he was not prepared to correct her or explain himself.

Colgate barged back into the conversation. “So what, that's it? You're just gonna tell him that's that?”

Prim Rose nodded. “Good deeds should not go unnoticed. I am a strong believer in this. I have notified Gallant that his work today has been beneficial to this school, and now I shall be off.”

“How about a reward?” Colgate proposed.

Colgate!

Gallant blushed, but when he caught glance of Prim Rose's face, nothing had changed about her expression. He tried to remain as emotionless as her.

“Those who aspire to achieve knighthood have no desire for monetary rewards or gifts,” Prim Rose remarked. “I trust you hold this view, Gallant?”

“Y-Yes, I do,” Gallant said as he tried to hold push Colgate back out of the discussion. “Very strongly.”

But Colgate fought her way back in. “What about a pat on the back? Or better yet, how about a 'present'? Knights like to give stuff, right?”

COLGATE!

Prim Rose considered the notion with a pat of her muzzle. “Do you mean to suggest that I give him something?”

“Well, duh. Nothing complicated or hoof-made or anything; how about, say, giving him the honor of being his partner for the Hearts and Hooves ball this week?”

FOR THE LOVE OF CELESTIA, COLGATE, PLEASE SHUT UP!

“I was not made aware of this event,” Prim Rose remarked. “Very well, then. Gallant, you shall join me in the Hearts and Hooves ball that is to be had this week. I trust that you are a decent dancer. Good day to you both.”

And without another word or motion for the two, Prim Rose turned and headed back. The Ponyville duo sat and watched as the mare marched off down the path toward the academy grounds. Both of their mouths fell wide open, one smiling in delight and the other frowning in horror.

Colgate was the one grinning. She elbowed her friend in the side.

“So, how about that ball, you lucky stallion?”

Only when Gallant knew Prim Rose could no longer hear them did he shout, “What were you thinking, speaking on my behalf!?”

“What, it's not like you would've been able to smooth-talk her into dancing with you,” Colgate commented with a sneer.

“Of course I wouldn't have 'smooth-talked' her, Colgate, because I don't want to go to the ball with her!”

Colgate blinked. “Gallant, this is your chance! You've been trying all day to get some kind of romantic encounter with her, and now you've got an opportunity. I know you were just saying all that stuff before to make yourself feel better about failing-”

“Colgate. You forced me into my doom.”

The mare looked her companion from head to hoof. “You mean... you really meant it when you said you were scared of her?”

Gallant massaged his temples slowly and let out deep breaths. “Yes, Colgate, I really am afraid of her now. She's powerful in every sense of the word, three times as intelligent as myself, very loud, and, as you just saw, quite insensitive and emotionally detached.”

“Aw, that's not what you're looking for in your perfect mare?”

“No, Colgate. Not at all. After today, those are things I definitely am not looking for,” Gallant commented. “No matter how beautiful the facade, one can never be too sure about compatibility. Let's just head back and get dried off so we can have dinner without any questions.”

“Whatever, Dr. Filly! I'm totally telling everypony about this,” Colgate remarked with a yip.

Aware that the mare was not ready to back down, Gallant rolled his eyes in frustration and shivered. He had no clue how he would be able to explain everything without making a mess of things. He figured Colgate wouldn't do a cleaner job, either, and so gave up anticipating what awaited him at the next mealtime.

After all, more ominous thoughts were at the front of his mind.

Now I have to encounter Prim Rose at the Hearts and Hooves dance...

… That means I'll have to face her yet again... most likely for many, many hours...

… and I don't even know how to dance.

Chapter 30.5: Calamity

Days had passed for planning and conditioning, but Gallant found himself less ready for the ball – physically and mentally – than he had been when he first thought of it earlier in the week. Countless hours of self-encouragement did little to no good, and all he ever got from his Ponyville friends were pats on the back and remarks along the lines of 'everything will be just fine'.

But they just don't understand!

Time saw the change in Gallant's memories, the turning of the bad into good and the fortune into misfortune. His initial rejection and failed attempts suddenly seemed like signs he should have interpreted differently. On the other hoof, the delightful images of the mare's impressive eyes and stature, along with her strong character, had turned into frightful snapshots of an intimidating and thick-skinned individual.

Gallant had tried his best to avoid looking at her in class and elective course, but he could never forget the strength of her gaze and the unwavering voice that had essentially ordered him around that fateful day.

The haunting recollections and anxiety only grew worse when the ball was minutes away.

As he sat inside the refurbished dining hall, the hapless stallion tried to distract his mind by looking around or talking with others. For some time it worked. The dining hall had, after all, put on a new facade: additional embellishments had been thrown into the mix, from white curtains covering the flat, dark walls to extra lighting hanging on every wall, in every corner, and from every beams overhead. It was a most impressive display which Gallant did not mind observing the place he once thought of as the home of his nightmares.

In essence, the nightmare still lived on: Gallant was still not looking forward to the festivities in the least. His only relief was that he would not be the one stranded from the crowd of couples that happily occupied the floor as he had been in years past. There would be no laughing at his solitude – however content or discontented he may have been with it – nor questioning of his courage or interest.

If anything, he would be the one stallion looked up to for his valour. Facing the notorious Prim Rose, a born noble and renowned knight-to-be, Gallant figured he would gain others’ respect. That, or he would in fact be laughed at for his paling in comparison to his partner in every regard. All in all it wasn't the end of the world; that's what Gallant told himself, at least. Prim Rose had been willing to join him, after all.

More like she made me join her...

Gallant examined the crowd as sweat began to form on his brows. A hint of thankfulness warmed his shivering heart upon noting that, for once, he felt as though he had joined the Hearts and Hooves holiday crowd. He fit in with the groomed bunch with his tidy, dark mane and uniform; to an extent, he felt especially well-dressed. He could tell some were observing the suit he had obtained in Canterlot, as well as the few badges he had received from lower-level training.

A tap on his shoulder, however, jerked him into a half-circle spin like a frightened filly at her first prom.

“Whoa!” yelped Twilight as the stallion nearly bumped her in the nose in his swing. “Everything okay, Gallant?”

“N-Not exactly,” Gallant stated, collecting himself, “that is, unless you mean the negative side of the word 'okay', in which case you're one hundred percent correct.”

“Don't tell me you're still scared?” Twilight asked. Upon looking over her friend's shaking body, though, she figured out the answer herself. “I thought you of all ponies would be able to overcome the fear factor.”

“This uniform of mine is a symbol of successful training, not a ward against apprehension,” Gallant remarked. “Having to survive tonight may be the most difficult thing I've ever faced.”

“'Survive'? You're making this sound like it's going to be strenuous.”

“Allow me to say that Prim Rose is a most respectable individual. I do hold her in the highest regards,” Gallant remarked humbly. “Having said that, I think that she's very much a different breed, one that doesn't typically communicate well or possibly fails to comprehend pony psychology and emotion. That, and she's extremely intimidating.”

Twilight blinked. “Weren't you saying at the beginning of this week that she was something along the lines of ‘the most beautiful mare you had ever-’?”

“What? I said that? Ridiculous, she's completely frightening,” Gallant interrupted with a nervous laugh. “I can barely look her into the eyes without thinking about when she dragged me up those stairs to the infirmary. My head still aches from time to time because of that.”

“Well, hopefully you think of some way to cope with all that. You two are dancing together, aren't you?”

Gallant let out a long sigh. “Unfortunately, yes. We'll see if she doesn't step on me first or break my bones somehow. Perhaps I should just back out of this before it has a chance to-”

“Too late,” Twilight giggled. “Here she comes right now. Good luck!”

Twilight saw Gallant's eyes shoot open in horror. His face froze in an unsettling expression Twilight could barely manage to look at without laughing, though a bit of pity also lingered at the back of her mind. She walked away and watched as the Prim Rose drew near, eyes unwandering and steps nearly cracking the tiles beneath her metal boots. Dressed in elegant, shining armor, she appeared more like a royal guard at the event than a participant. Ponies all around the room stopped and stared at the sight of her, their faces freezing in expressions of awe.

Twilight stayed close enough to listen in on the two's conversation. She justified her curiosity by promising herself she'd jump back in to help if Gallant were in need of it. After all, Twilight hadn't forgotten the stallion's first attempt at flattery.

“Good evening, Gallant,” Prim Rose said in her usual dispassionate voice. “I trust that you are prepared for this evening.”

The stallion looked over what he had on – his rather simple-looking uniform from training – and began to shrink like a crumpled piece of paper. His confidence was like that of a peasant in the presence of his lord. He shot a glance at Twilight, his eyes sending a desperate plea, but all the mare could do was wave his sights back to Prim Rose.

Gallant looked up to his partner and did his best to nod. “I-I suppose.”

“Good. Before the event begins, I would like you to meet my brothers,” Prim Rose requested as she turned and began to walk. Gallant scampered on behind her. “They have yet to apologize for their mockery the other day...”

And with that Prim Rose dragged Gallant off with an invisible leash, leaving Twilight to watch in concern while simultaneously laughing. Though the two walked nearly side-by-side it looked as though Gallant were leaning away, prepared to make a mad dash, until the unfortunate soul disappeared into the crowd, his final look back to Twilight full of dread.

“Good evening, Twilight!” called Lyra, who suddenly stood by her side. “Would you happen to have a dance partner for tonight?”

Twilight shook her head. “No, but that's all right. I'm not really one for dancing.”

“Not one for dancing? Oh, I see. You're one of those,” Lyra rejoined. “You dance like a madmare when you're alone, I bet. Still, this is such a wonderful celebration! Just look at the all effort that was put into this ball. How could you want to miss out on the lovers’ dances?”

Lyra puckered her lips as she suddenly began frolicking about, an invisible stallion her partner. Just as she started the musicians began to play on stage. The harp and piano played with the small string section a delicate, flowing introduction. A few of the students began dancing to the rhythm, and soon enough a tuba and trumpet joined in to add a delicate melody.

As a flute and clarinet chimed in, Twilight thought back to the small orchestras she had listened to in Canterlot. They made the most perfect reading music. The swimming of the soft notes made Twilight sway, but she stopped upon seeing Lyra going all out as her imagination seemed to provide an energetic danseur.

“Are you waiting for a certain stallion to come this evening?” Twilight asked her friend, who suddenly snapped out of her imaginary world.

The minty mare sadly shook her head. “Such has been the case my whole life, Twilight. But, it is in times like this that I must remain optimistic! I've been waiting for a wonderful soul to come sweep me off my hooves since I can last remember. When that happens we will dance the night away!”

But before Lyra could begin twirling about on her own again, Twilight added, “Have you ever thought about asking somepony else to dance?”

“Of course not! That would be unmare-like. However, this time around I was feeling somewhat sorry for Windchaser, the poor stallion,” Lyra answered. “He just seems so lonely all the time, so I asked him if he would like to go tonight. He made a strange face and said that he doesn't dance. Imagine that, a pony quick on his hooves and swift as a bird that doesn't know how to-”

Twilight spotted the grey stallion of whom they spoke from the corner of her eye. At the moment he was dancing with a mare Twilight did not immediately recognize. The two of them cautiously stepped around one another, tiny smiles showing when they weren't bumping into one another.

“That's strange, isn't that him over there?” Twilight asked and pointed.

Lyra growled like a wolf suddenly on the prowl.

“Why that little-!” she snarled. “He was trying to avoid me, wasn't he!? Why, that ungrateful-! What is it with some ponies being so wary of me this past week? Have I done something to lose trust? To my memory, I've been nothing but honest and loyal...”

“What's up Twi? Harpie?”

Vinyl stepped in between the two with a glass of punch and nodded to each of the mares before taking another sip.

“'Harpie'?” Lyra inquired, irked. “Vinyl, where do you come up with these random nicknames?”

“Oh, you know, they come to me,” Vinyl replied with a grin. “It all depends on the time and place. Speakin' of situation, how about this 'gala'?”

She winked at Twilight, who suddenly thought back to a certain embarrassing event from roughly a year ago.

“I'm just hoping there aren't any disasters tonight,” Twilight said with a blush.

“'No disasters' equals 'boring', Twi,” Vinyl declared with an exaggerated yawn. “I offered to liven things up, but the headmaster shot me down about as soon as I got the proposal out in the air. She said it might not be in everypony's best interest. I mean, please, like dubstep can't be romantic.”

Twilight and Lyra exchanged looks of concern, unsure of how to share their opinions aloud.

But Vinyl continued, “Anyway, I'm not sure I'll be sticking around. Dancing to this is like wading through mud. Just look at 'em! Seriously, their hooves look glued to the ground.”

Twilight spotted Gallant off to the side, his steps back and forth terribly hesitant and often off-beat. Meanwhile, Prim Rose stomped in perfect tempo as her powerful steps shook the ground. Every time one of her hooves touched the floor it sounded as though a drum were being added to the band. There was no question as to why the two, though standing near the middle of the floor, had a fairly-sized cushion of space all to themselves.

The opening song finished with a drawn-out close, and each set of dance partners bowed and stomped their applause. Princess Luna got up from her seat up front where she had been silently watching and took the center of the stage. She surveyed the crowd as a tiny grin began to show.

“My students, I am pleased to welcome you all to the academy's very own Hearts and Hooves ball,” she declared, to which a number applauded once more. “It was unfortunate that some caught wind of its happening, for I wished it to come as a surprise. But no matter!” The yell accidentally came out louder than usual, which caused a number to briefly shield their ears. “With a majority of the student body and teachers present, I feel this is the most suitable time to share an important piece of news regarding tomorrow.”

Her tone suddenly turned very serious, and the bit of joy that had danced in her eyes and tone died out. Ponies in the crowd began to whisper, Lyra being one of them.

“What's tomorrow?” she asked.

Twilight could only shrug.

“Maybe more plans?” Vinyl suggested. “Luna's got tons of secrets up her sleeves. I mean, remember that random hide-and-seek game-?”

“There have been certain events that have occurred on this island as of recent, ones even I cannot fully explain,” Princess Luna continued. “Though no serious harm has come to anypony yet, I have come to the conclusion that it is necessary to take certain safety measures. At the crack of dawn tomorrow, all students are prepare to evacuate the island.”

The crowd's whispers suddenly turned into confused discussion, but the headmare continued regardless, “I have made arrangements for you all to be housed in Canterlot. My sister, Celestia, has prepared rooms at the royal castle for all to stay in and spaces in which you all may continue your studies.”

Twilight felt her throat go dry; Princess Luna had not said anything to her of whatever danger she foresaw. She remembered the Tigbalan creature telling her that there was nothing else on the island that would harm them.

What else could be the problem?

“Do not fear, my students,” Luna declared, “all things shall return to normal in time. All I ask is that you prepare for departure from Crescent Island tomorrow, and that you enjoy the rest of the celebration tonight in the meantime.”

After the mysterious announcement, though, Twilight hardly felt like she would be able to do so. Glancing around at the others, she guessed that all of her peers were in the same boat.

“Sheesh, don't you think Princess Luna could deal with a couple of storms?” Vinyl whispered.

“Not if they include incidents like the one I had to deal with,” Lyra interjected. “It's enough work for Luna to raise the moon and spend all the rest of her time watching over this establishment. Requiring extra effort to watch the skies and fend off this strange weather – I can't blame her! In all honesty, I don't mind going to Canterlot, either...”

“This is all so strange,” Twilight muttered. “Why would Princess Luna wait until now to move us? I thought all the weird monsters were gone from the island. And haven't there been strange storms going on for weeks? I was beginning to think those were normal.”

“Well, this is an island in the middle of the sea that gets snow,” Lyra stated. “Given the strange terrain as well, I shouldn't think anything around here is normal, even whatever ‘monsters’ of which you speak.”

Twilight tried to laugh, but her anxiety kept anything of the sort from escaping her lips. “I guess you're right. I'm just worried about Princess Luna.”

“Relax, she'll be fine,” Vinyl said. “She's dealt with worse stuff before, I'm sure. Heck, she fought Discord with her sister, after all.”

“That's what I'm saying,” Twilight riposted, “if Luna can handle pretty much anything, why is she having us evacuate the island? It just doesn't make sense.”

“Guess she knows something we don't,” Vinyl commented.

Twilight's head drooped as heavy thoughts began plaguing her mind.

What does Princess Luna know that she can't tell us?

EPISODE 9: SNOWSTORM OF THE CENTURY

Chapter 31: Locking Horns

Slow songs and dances carried along the Hearts and Hooves ball, but Twilight felt stuck in time. Crowds around her complied with the musicians' efforts to put aside Princess Luna's strange declaration, but Twilight wanted no more than to think on the announcement. Partners returned to their pirouetting, on-lookers back to their observing. Twilight, however, abandoned her position as a spectator, and instead shied away from the edge of the dance floor to ponder.

Her mind occupied itself with far deeper things than shallow notes of clothing or vanishing impressions of couples. The headmare's every word rolled through Twilight’s mind, time and time again, as though she were inspecting an album through and through in search of some inconsistency.

What was Princess Luna talking about? What danger could she be worried about?

Ideas popped into her head, one by one, none waiting their turn in line. More monsters, intensifying storms, mysterious forces affecting the island, anything and everything underwent at least a second of consideration. Twilight had planned on the island acting as a new home away from home for the winter season; leaving it suddenly for Canterlot felt not simply unusual, but unnerving.

Of course, Canterlot had been Twilight's home for some time. She had spent plenty of years on the castle grounds and knew the establishment like the back of her hoof. Its access to old archives and to the grand city below were conveniences that the island could not offer. Canterlot’s mountainous location and wonderful view – especially of the night sky from the castle’s telescope high-up telescope – were also second to none in Twilight's mind.

Crescent Island, meanwhile, was a place no pony would visit more than once in a lifetime; at least, that was how Twilight understood it. With no city or surrounding landmarks, the island was a get-away all by itself, and most likely had little to most as a brief vacation spot with its out-of-the-way location and few things available for entertainment.

To Twilight, however, the island was a carnival. She knew there was more than just the establishment to enjoy. The island's mysterious history had contributed an unexpected thrill through the winter, though at times its intensity had grown beyond her liking. In addition, its unique setting and climate were something else to witness as well. What topped all of these things, though, was the opportunity to study under the newly-returned Princess Luna.

Twilight felt her spirits drop at the thought of this. She had spent most of her time focusing on her studies, however challenging or easy they had been. On occasion she had run into the headmare in the evening or at night in the observatory, but their discussions had not gone as deep as she had hoped. It was a strange contrast, Luna and Celestia; since Twilight had spent a fair amount of time with both, it was interesting to see – though tough to adjust to - the sisters' distinct polarities.

One of these significant contrasts was Princess Luna's seeming aloofness.

The shocking announcement only backed the impression. Twilight felt that if she been in Canterlot and such news came up, she would have been one of the first to hear from Celestia. With Princess Luna, not a word was said to Twilight, nor anypony in particular – except for maybe the professors – until the time to spread word to all came.

Twilight wondered if there was a hint of mistrust; after all, she had shared all about her encounters and mishaps on the island, yet had not heard clarification or information in return. Princess Luna had come off a quiet character before, yes, but Twilight saw a fine line between silence and secrecy.

“Twilight, Equestria to Twilight, come in, over,” came a muffled voice, which tugged the mare from her profound pondering.

Twilight turned her head to see Vinyl covering her mouth. With a clicking motion of her hoof the DJ laughed and shook her head.

“You're really spacin' out there, Twi,” Vinyl remarked. “What's up?”

“She's probably dreaming about dancing,” Lyra answered instead. “I know that's what I'm thinking about.”

“Except you actually are... 'dancing',” Vinyl said as she watched Lyra twirl about. She chuckled and shook her head as she returned her attention to her friend deep in thought. “Seriously though, Twi, what's got your head in the clouds?”

Mind still occupied with an ocean of notions, Twilight could only stare into space. “I just... I don't know what to say about having to leave the Winter Magic Academy like this.”

“Oh come on, it's probably just for a few days,” Vinyl tried to say comfortingly, but the lightheartedness sounded more carefree. “We'll be chillin' like villains back in this joint soon enough. Don't you worry that bookworm brain of yours.”

“I guess it's not the coming and going that bothers me,” Twilight noted truthfully. “I'm more concerned about why we have to leave. Princess Luna wasn't being very specific when she was addressing us.”

“That's because she doesn't want hyper-active minds like yours overreactin',” Vinyl retorted. “I think it's safe for me – heck, try anypony from Ponyville – to say that you can go bonkers over the small stuff.”

“I know, but still-”

Vinyl stuck a hoof in Twilight's mouth. “Can it. Remember the last time you freaked out? Week one? Pretty sure that's how most of us got in trouble.”

Twilight held her tongue despite a myriad of rejoinders jumping into her head. She recalled the embarrassment from her first real encounter with the headmare in the infirmary after the cave-in. All of her worrying had been for nothing, though in the end it had ultimately brought something important to light. Twilight suddenly wondered if that misadventure – along with the other concerning the Western Woods – had anything to do with the Princess Luna's consternation.

“Twi, don't do it,” Vinyl cautioned. “I see that look in your eye again...”

“What look?” Lyra popped back into the chat. “Did she find somepony?”

Vinyl shoved their minty friend away. “Don't worry about it, Harpie, there's no love or any of that mush involved here.”

Lyra stumbled back and, regaining her balance, stomped. “Well! Excuse me for being a little bit curious.”

“That's not being curious, that's being nosy,” Vinyl snorted.

“Well! Look who's brought quite an attitude to the ball tonight,” Lyra remarked as she brushed her mane. “What's the matter, Vinyl? Mad that you couldn't find a date?”

“Psh, like I'd want one. Who'd want to dance to this trash anyways?”

Lyra choked. “Wh-What!? ‘Trash’? Last I checked it was you had that foul taste in mus-”

“ENOUGH!” Twilight shouted, jumping between the two before their heads could butt.

A number of ponies standing around them stopped and stared, to which Twilight could only lower her outstretched limbs – with hopes that the two arguing had finished – and back out of the spotlight as though nothing at all had occurred. Vinyl and Lyra said nothing more, but parted ways with an unpleasant glare. Twilight, numb, was taken aback.

Where did that come from?

Standing alone once more, Twilight settled in an empty space near the wall behind her. She surveyed the room as though a guard in a watchtower, though a rather lazy one at that. Ever so slowly her mind drifted off once more into thought about the mystery of Princess Luna's announcement. She wondered if in fact it was affecting the others as much as it was her. Recalling Vinyl's heedless remarks, though, she figured she may very well have been alone.

Without even thinking her violet eyes wandered up onto the stage where the headmare sat watching the activity on the floor. Something about her expression was off, but Twilight could not pinpoint the peculiarity. Princess Luna’s straight face was accompanied by the typical keen pair of eyes and emotionless frown. From time to time she seemed to smile, but her lips never seemed to want to stay in such a position.

As badly as Twilight wanted to speak with her, or even outright confront the princess about her message, she knew the time was not appropriate. What time seemed right, though, was a mystery. She feared that during the festivities there would be no chance, but similarly afterwards there wouldn't be one, either.

The worry and overload of thinking began to put Twilight into walking. She paced along the walls, avoiding any contact with her peers, and found herself headed straight for the door to the entrance hall outside. Her conscience drove her to leave the formal earlier than she had expected. There was little to enjoy when her mind could only think on other things, and so if all she wanted was to think, Twilight figured it was better to do so in a more quiet environment.

This quietness and a cooler air greeted Twilight as she entered into the main hall foyer. Its cold was refreshing compared to the heat from the dance and the lights within the converted ballroom, and the tasteless air was a preferable alternative to the heavy-scented atmosphere she had escaped. Music continued to leak from the doors, even echo through the foyer, but its reach diminished with every step Twilight took toward the study at the opposite side of the ground floor.

“Leaving already, Twilight?” came a voice from the doorway she had just exited.

The mare's ears perked up in response as she turned to face her follower.

The light lavender coat and silvery white hair standing in the fading light of the hall belonged to none other than Quirky. Her mane and tail seemed to have received far more attention with their long, graceful curls, and the strange dress she wore made her shape look more like a cut-out of a house. Twilight could at least recognize the voice.

“You certainly didn't look like you were having fun,” the actress added as she approached her speechless friend.

Twilight half-heartedly replied, “Oh, you saw me leave?”

“Yes, but I saw more than that,” Quirky noted with a worrying tone. “Your face changed after Princess Luna's announcement. I had a feeling you'd do something, but leaving the party so soon? Don't tell me you're planning another expedition for tonight-”

“I'm game!” blurted a mare from behind as Quirky was shoved out of the way.

The dark-coated newcomer moved toward Twilight with an excited step – more like a dance on the tips of her hooves – until Twilight could recognize the spark of interest on Colgate's nearing face.

“I'm not planning on going anywhere tonight,” Twilight clarified with a shake of her head. “And I think that's probably for the best. I don't want any of us to get into any more trouble-”

“Why? Doesn't matter anymore,” Colgate said. “We're leaving tomorrow, aren't we? Why not take a shot and go check out some more of the island? No pony will notice...”

“They will if word spreads,” Quirky snapped.

Colgate turned to face the stubborn actress, whose eyes narrowed.

“What, are you gonna tattle or something?” Colgate jeered. “That's being a good friend, now, isn't it?”

“I'd prefer you and Twilight not get kicked out rather than have you leave but with an hour's worth of thrills,” Quirky retorted. “That's what it means to be a friend, Colgate.”

“Caring, shmaring,” Colgate mocked with a roll of her eyes, “I just wanna be free for a while. My little air ride was cut short this week, after all. I was hoping to get a sweet view of the northern part of the island. Speaking of which, Twilight, weren't you telling me about possibly exploring all that again?”

“Exploring?” Quirky asked as she drew near. “Twilight, are you serious? You were planning on taking off tonight before we head out tomorrow?”

Twilight tried to shake her head and explain, but Colgate jumped forward with vigour.

“You bet she was,” Colgate gushed, “and I was gonna help lead. There's some cool stuff we could check out in the woods, Quirky-”

“I actually did see it all myself, thank you very much,” the actress cut in, “and I happen to remember a series of unfortunate events roll out after that. Isn't that right, Twilight?”

Twilight's head swayed in uncertainty. “Actually, Quirky, I think that monster is gone, but even so I wasn’t planning on-”

“Monster?” Colgate asked. “Wait wait wait, there's a monster involved?”

Twilight held her breath.

No! She wasn't supposed to know!

“A metaphorical one, obviously,” Quirky quipped. “Getting lost is a beast no pony can tame.”

Twilight let out a sigh of relief. Meanwhile, Colgate faced her with a new fire burning in her soul; the passionate flames were visible even in her cobalt eyes.

“Well I can tame that,” Colgate proclaimed with a proud look toward the sky. “Just get me Windchaser to fly up and tell me if we're headed where I think we're headed, we'll be okie dokie.”

“Present,” said a stallion.

The group turned and watched as Starlight and Pokey Pierce – the former of which pushed the latter along in a wheelchair – joined the Ponyville string at the far side of the foyer. Pokey had a contented look on his face despite the cast around his neck while Starlight, pushing the vehicle, panted as he wheeled his friend along with a magic force.

“I said 'okie dokie', not 'Pokey',” Colgate remarked.

“Oh. Well, what's okie dokie?” asked the stallion in return.

Quirky stomped. “Nothing of importance, that's what. Isn't that right, Colgate?”

The blue mare stuck out her tongue. “No. In fact, you're very wrong. Twilight and I were planning on checking out some of the island before we have to leave tomorrow.”

“But... there's... no time to... is there?” Starlight got out between breaths.

“Horseapples!” Colgate exclaimed. “If we leave tomorrow around noon, and we start our adventure at midnight tonight, that's twelve hours to hit the trails, or blaze new ones!”

Starlight groaned, “What about packing?”

“There's no need to worry about it, Starlight,” Twilight said, “because this adventure is not going to happen.”

Colgate nearly jumped out of her skin. “What!? But... didn't you want to explore before we took off? Maybe those ruins you were telling me about have something to do with Luna's sending us to Canterlot!”

“It's too risky and it's against the rules,” Quirky stated firmly. “I'm telling you it's a bad idea!”

“I'm with Quirky on this one,” Starlight murmured. “Safety first.”

Colgate clicked her tongue. “Come on, don't be a bunch of fillies. I'll bet some others are up for a little something tonight besides sitting around at a boring dance party.”

“I'm sorry, Colgate, but I'm just not sure I want to go,” Twilight said. “I mean, I do want to see if there's anything strange going on out there, but I can't just go and deliberately break the rules.”

“Why not? You did it before,” Colgate remarked, to which Twilight felt her gut sink.

But her insides did a complete stop, drop and roll when a louder voice chimed in like thunderous bells.

“Did what before, my student?” came the familiar voice of Princess Luna.

The tiny crowd of five fell dead silent. Even the dark could not hide the white of their eyes as the colors inside them shrank. One by one their sights made their way over to the headmare who stood outside the dining hall entry. She promptly closed the doors and, with a wave of her horn, lit every candelabra hanging on the walls of the main floor.

Colgate gulped. “Oh, you know, uh... going to bed early! Yeah, Twilight's trying to ditch the party. She always does.”

Princess Luna remained silent for a while as she examined the five present. Her students’ faces no longer hid beneath the thin veil of darkness. Her powerful eyes shifted in Twilight's direction as she asked, “Is there something you wish to tell me, Twilight Sparkle?”

Twilight could barely feel her pulse as her veins went icy cold. A following heat of a blush warmed up her face, but the rest of her body quivered like an undressed filly’s in a snowstorm.

“Well, Princess Luna, I was just thinking... regarding that announcement you made-”

“Yes, it is disturbing news indeed,” the headmare stated. “It is most unfortunate that I have come to resort to such actions.”

Twilight could sense an intentional skipping of details. Though unwilling to leave the grounds, she dared to try and explore the outskirts of the Princess Luna's mind while she could.

“What made you come to this decision, princess? What danger could possibly be on this island?”

“It is a danger I fear may not be easily kept under surveillance,” Princess Luna stated.

Princess Luna, afraid?

Twilight found it harder and harder to develop new questions without asking outright what the danger was. She felt that the headmare were hiding something, a significant detail she did in fact know, but the mare feared that directly addressing the subject would possibly bring about more mistrust between Princess Luna and her.

“Do you think maybe we could help out with anything?” Twilight asked, hoping to find a new avenue which to explore.

But Princess Luna shook her head. “I could not in good conscience allow for my students to become involved in this matter. Enough has happened thus far where luck has been on our side; thou knowest this most of all, Twilight Sparkle. I dare not roll the dice of fate once more to see if we shall come out favorable in the midst of this storm.”

“So it is a storm we're worried about, then?” Twilight inquired.

Princess Luna made no signs. Her face went completely still, and thus the foyer went silent as the group watched their headmare observe them quietly.

“I do not wish to worry you,” Princess Luna stated, “and so I shall say no more. Know that in time you all shall become aware of what the situation is, and so let not thy curiosities get the best of thee. I trust that you all shall not seek to repeat the happenings of your first week at this school.”

As Luna looked over the bunch each one nodded vigorously, unable to express their absolute compliance in words.

“Princess Luna,” Twilight pleaded upon receiving the stare, “would it be at all possible for us to-?”

The headmare narrowed her gaze as her eyes began flashing white. “This matter is not up for discussion, Twilight Sparkle. I do not dare stray from my duty as princess and headmare in protecting those under my watch. What evil is at bay is my concern. Understand that I take this mindset most seriously having been raised upon them and having obeyed them since my first days ruling Equestria.”

But Celestia asks for help!

Twilight dared not say the thought aloud. All she could do was watch as the headmare turned and headed back into the ballroom.

“Please understand that I do not mean to act so abrasively,” Princess Luna stated. “I am merely concerned for thy well-being and prefer to handle important matters such as this danger myself. My sister may have asked favors, but that is because she rarely can leave her throne. I, on the other hoof, am capable of seeking out and dealing with present issues as the one which is upon us.” She paused and stared at the stained-glass window sitting over the main hall doors on the north end. She struck a pose similar to that in which she was pictured gazing up at the stars. “Know that I value your lives more than my own, and if that means that I must make decisions that are not favorable in thine eyes, then so be it. I can only hope that each of thou shalt come to understand why I do what I have done in due time.”

With that, the princess’s eyes slowly dimmed to their usual color. Lighting her horn, she opened the doors to the ballroom again and entered in, leaving it open for those in the dark foyer to witness and consider returning through.

“I guess that settles it,” Starlight spoke up, voice shaking.

Twilight nodded, but headed for the glass corridor rather than the dining room.

“No adventuring tonight,” she uttered. “I'm going to bed before I do anything else I regret. Good night, everypony.”

The sounds of the beach were more soothing than anything Twilight had ever heard. Wave after wave crashed upon the shore, its sands void of layers of snow or drifts of ice as they had been in previous weeks. The blanket of blue reflecting the clear morning sky extended past the inner bay of the island and out onto the horizon, its surface flat and even like distant plains plastered onto the backdrop of the baby blue sky. Sparkles lit the undulations as the sun lent its light to the scene. As Twilight stared out, though, the clarity slowly dimmed as the sun's strength gave way.

The mare paused; there hadn't been a cloud in the sky up until then. She stared upward and suddenly noticed a giant, dark cloud swirling directly overhead. The twisting puffs were like an airy whirlpool, absorbing the light and leaving the land below void of the sun's light and warmth. The sands went cold as snow and the air as bitter as a winter storm's winds.

The seas began to rage as more clouds gathered from every direction. A thick layer approached from the east over the flat horizon, which no longer had shades of blue but rather tints of gray. Lightning struck in clusters across the sky, dashing against the sea and spurting up waves that flowed out like undulations from a rock being tossed in the water; only, the farther the waves out at sea traveled, the taller and thicker they got.

One was headed straight for the island's bay.

Twilight tried to turn and run, but her hooves felt glued where she sat. The sand held her down as she struggled to try and get away, pinning her down as if being forced to witness the oncoming tsunami. It stretched high and wide like the monstrous wave a few weeks ago, but this time there was not a soul in sight to save her.

“Somepony! Help!”

But her cries for help went unanswered as they were drowned out by howling winds.

Rain began to pour down, but its drops were not liquid, but ice. The pellets spread across the beach until layers of frost hid the grains of light brown sands, burying Twilight in the process. The mare felt as though she were suffering being buried alive and being sucked down by quicksand.

The towering wave drew nearer until its wall crashed against the ends of the island's moon-like shape, the gap in between allowing a significant portion of the roller to push through. Its size grew proportionally as it drove into the shallow waters. Its peak began to break. The deafening charge of the waters straight for Twilight began hurting her ears, until suddenly she couldn't hear anything at all.

“Twilight Sparkle? Is that thy voice? I heard a cry for help...”

Suddenly, everything twisted into a tunnel of white as the mare felt her senses begin to fade.

… Princess Luna?

“Twilight!”

A sudden slam threw Twilight up and out of her bed. She tumbled out of the sheets and found herself scrambling on the floor. Her breaths were short like those from seconds ago when the wave had swarmed her. But there was no water surrounding her, nor any sand holding her down anymore. With the frightening image fading from her eyes a vision of reality set in.

Thank Celestia... it was all just a dream.

She had a quick look around her room, its space lit by the dim morning light, and suddenly realized that her name had been called by the familiar figure standing in her bedroom doorway. It was Lyra, and her face displayed a most horrendous form of fear.

“What's wrong?” Twilight asked she got up and walked over to her.

Lyra stuttered, “S-Sorry to wake you, Twilight, b-but the school... it's f-frozen over!”

Twilight suddenly realized the cold that swarmed over her coat; the night sweats had protected her from its touch only for a minute. The mare suddenly caught herself shivering uncontrollably.

“W-What do you mean 'f-frozen in'?” Twilight asked, her own teeth chattering. “O-Obviously it's just a b-bit chilly-”

Lyra ran over to the bedroom window and pushed with all her might against the panels, but the partitions did not budge in the least. Twilight inspected the glass panels closer and noticed that the view through the glass was completely distorted by a thick layer of ice.

“W-Were we hit by a s-snowstorm?” Twilight wondered aloud.

“W-We don’t know... b-but that's n-not the w-worst of it!” Lyra exclaimed. “P-Princess Luna... s-she's gone!”

Next Chapter >

Chapter 32: Snowy Snare

“W-What do you mean s-she's gone?” Twilight asked as her frizzled mane straightened like the prickling hairs on her neck. “W-When was Princess Luna l-last seen?”

“The professors said that they haven't seen or heard from her since last night,” Lyra replied through clenched teeth; unfortunately, the attempt to resist the chattering of her pearly whites didn't last long. “Hey, T-Twilight, w-would you m-mind if I borrowed your c-comforter for a while?”

Twilight glanced at her bed and the sheets she had flipped and turned in her troubled sleep. After witnessing enough of Lyra's shaking and shivering, she couldn't help but motion her friend over.

“S-Sure, knock yourself-”

Before she could finish, Lyra snatched the thick, tangled blanket up from Twilight's bed and threw it over her body, completely covering herself and the mass of bags she carried. She looked like a dark but cottony ghost until the wearer shifted it around until it fit more like a cloak.

Twilight grabbed a couple of the leftover bedsheets herself and wore them like layered robes, their silky white texture smooth and wonderfully soft. The duo's shivering slowly came to a stop, though their hooves still trembled as the ground didn't warm up in the least.

“Ah, that's better,” Lyra exhaled soothingly. “I was getting tired of my jaw shuddering. Wouldn't that have been annoying to listen to until we get out of this mess?” She reveled in her contentment a little longer before suddenly shrieking, “What am I saying!? With the way things are, we'll never get out of here!”

Twilight recalled the urgency Lyra had initially displayed. “What exactly is going on-?”

“We don't know! Everypony's been trying to figure that out, but even the professors don't seem to understand the situation. We've tried to ask nicely, but we all just keep getting sent back to the entrance hall like we're... we're... sheep!”

“They're sending you away without explaining anything?” Twilight asked, puzzled. “That doesn't seem very much like our professors.”

“If you don't believe me, ask the others! They're all just down the hall with their bags and everything,” Lyra said. “We've been trying to figure things out for the past hour, but we're just being told to stay put.”

'Past hour'? What time is it?

Twilight tried to spot the sun's position outside her window, but was swiftly reminded by the icy layer outside the glass that her attempt would be in vain. Instead, the bookworm squeezed past Lyra through the doorway and checked the grandfather clock in the suite's common room. The hands on the clock hadn't reached a half hour past seven.

“You guys have been awake since before seven?” Twilight asked, rubbing her eyes at the mere thought of getting up so early.

“Well, maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration... but only slightly! Still, everypony's out in the foyer trying to make sense of things. It's all a mess! I figured I should come get you since you would probably know what's going on. Come on, let's find the others.”

The two made their way out of the quiet suite and into the corridor. A number of fellow students sat about, idle, their ears and eyes shifting at every sight and sound nearby as if in eager expectation. Bags, big and small, saddlebags and suitcases, were strewn throughout the span of the hall and beyond, not a single one standing more than a few paces from its owner.

Twilight's brain eased into awakening as the mare tried to summon an explanation for at least the ice. It was a strange phenomena; ice was not an uncommon form of precipitation, she knew, but that it would freeze over the windows and in such thick layers seemed unbelievable. Whatever it was, the fact that a terrible storm had possibly come – and already gone – made Twilight wonder about Princess Luna's words the night before. If the headmare's goal had been to stop an oncoming storm, then she obviously had failed.

That is, unless the worst was yet to come.

But if that were so, where's Luna? Either she's off figuring things out... or maybe she's the one-

The mare stopped dead in her tracks. Twilight wasn't sure she even wanted to finish her train of thought. She shied from the recollections of Nightmare Moon as they swarmed her head. She labeled every such involuntary accusation that her mind threw out as 'silly' or 'unfounded'. More and more, however, pieces seemed to fit more snugly together.

Except for that Taraxippus ghost, Luna's always been absent in times of disaster...

“Twilight?” Lyra interrupted her thoughts as she tried to keep up their pace. “Is everything all right?”

Grateful for the distraction, Twilight nodded.

“Yeah... I think so,” she muttered. “Just some... memories coming back to me.”

She continued to follow Lyra to the end of the corridor and into the entrance hall where a mass of students flooded the main floor. A number of them were shivering, their own collective body heat unable to conquer the overwhelming cold. Some had been wise enough to grab the covers off their own beds, and around such resourceful spirits a number gathered for just the touch of the warmth. While some chatted with teeth chattering, most just stood about with worry glimmering in their eyes.

Lyra tried to push her way into the herd, but the large saddlebags she carried made her horizontal span three times its usual length. Ponies she bumped into glared to communicate their irritation, but the mint-colored mare didn't seem to mind them one bit.

Twilight, however, grew uneasy with each and every glower.

“Lyra, why are you even carrying your bags around?” Twilight asked. “Didn't you say you were out here already?”

Her friend harrumphed. “Well of course I was! But I don't know if I trust the others with my things. I have some valuable items in these bags.”

She wiggled her bags side to side and nearly tipped over from the tremendous shift of weight.

Twilight sighed and headed into the crowd. “I saw where the others were; try and follow me.”

Twilight began leading the way. She felt more as though she were dragging an unwilling pet through a park as Lyra took every opportunity to try and stop to explain her unnecessarily large load to everypony along the way.

In time the two reached the Ponyville pack, who greeted the two with inquisitive stares.

“Hey guys,” Twilight asked nervously, hesitant in being met with such anxious eyes. What's, uh, what's going on?”

Each of the seven in the circle looked at one another silently.

“We were hopin' you'd tell us,” Vinyl muttered.

Twilight looked around the foyer, its windows completely frozen over and its air chilled just like the conditions in her own bedroom were.

“I have no idea what's going on; I just woke up.”

“Just woke up?” Quirky asked softly. “Lyra said you'd probably have been awake for a couple of hours now.”

Twilight examined the bunch, their weary eyes and limbs, and guessed that they hadn't been awake much longer than she had been. She glared at Lyra and wondered if she had, in fact, woken them all up herself bright and early.

“Do you know where all this ice could have come from, Twilight?” Starlight whispered. “I mean, I'm guessing there's a lot of snow, too, but we can't tell-”

“Starlight, why are you whispering?” Twilight interrupted, then raised her voice. “Why are you all whispering? Can't we just talk normally?”

The ponies in the circle looked at one another, dazed, and shrugged.

“We were being too loud for everypony else's liking just a minute ago,” Quirky remarked.

“Loud?” Twilight asked. “Why? Were you guys yelling or something?”

“There was maybe a teeny tiny bit of an argument,” Quirky answered in a snap. “Somepony thought it would be a good idea to try and coax some others into heading outside to see what was going on.”

“What? No pony else was thinking it!” Colgate exclaimed. “Excuse me for wanting to go and find some answers.”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “So we don't actually know what's going on outside?”

“Well, we can't just go and figure it out,” Starlight explained. “The doors leading outside won't open, and all the windows are covered in ice, and in thick layers, too.”

“Have any of you tried to teleport outside?” Twilight asked.

“That's what I was saying!” Colgate remarked, frustration lighting her fiery tone. “The professors told everypony to just stay put, and that they'd handle the situation. No going outside, no leaving the halls, nothing. They're making this little storm out to be some major catastrophe.”

“That's why they'd rather we stick together,” Windchaser stated.

“Oh, that's funny, coming from the 'lone wolf' of the group,” Lyra suddenly stated. She muttered, “Don't think I forgot about your rejection last night, either...”

Windchaser looked away, red-faced, but Vinyl came to his defense, “Better a lone wolf than Miss Lone Dancer.”

Lyra drew in a breath in shock, during which Twilight swiftly guided the conversation elsewhere.

“You guys! We need to focus,” the bookworm barked. “Quit quarreling, all of you, and let's think of a plan. Now, I've heard you say that the instructors won't let anypony outside. Have they actually said anything about what going's going on outside?”

“Oddly enough, they haven't said much, if anything” Gallant told. “They were in here just a while ago keeping order, but suddenly they left, most likely to avoid all the chaos and questions. I was asking around to see if anypony knew where they had gone, but none seemed to know-”

All of a sudden, as his eyes brushed over the crowd, his face went pale. His mouth shut tightly and the dark blue color in his eyes disappeared. The others turned their heads and watched as a distinct individual, clad in bright, cold-weather armor and robes, parted the sea of students with only the intent look on her face. It was Prim Rose, her eyes set like those of a dragon hunting down a phoenix egg as she made her way toward the Ponyville group.

With one last stomp she entered the circle, and all were more than willing to step aside – though it was done in fear and not exactly courtesy.

“Gallant,” Prim Rose began in her usual emotionless tone, “I heard you were seeking information regarding the whereabouts of our professors. I believe that they are currently inside the main hall discussing a note they found on the headmare's door.”

Gallant, shaking, gave the best grin he could – though it turned into more of a wobbling simper at best – and quickly looked to Twilight.

“Should we try and see if we can speak with them?” he asked.

Twilight felt a gravity in her mind outweigh her quivering heart. “I want to get to the bottom of things. There might be some way that we can help.”

“Then I'll go with you,” said Gallant.

The others nodded one by one and spoke their agreement as they grabbed their bags and prepared to head out as well, ready to find some answers.

“I shall go as well,” Prim Rose declared.

At that moment, the group fell dead silent.

Starlight itched his neck and said, “On second thought, maybe I'll just stay here.”

“Yeah, I'm actually feeling kind of warm right in this spot, so I'm good,” Colgate added.

The others also started to change their minds, one by one, until only half were still sticking with their original choice. After all had spoken and eyes began to linger on the floor, Prim Rose turned and headed out, followed closely by Gallant – as though still pulled along by an invisible leash – and Twilight brought up the rear.

Even at the tail end of the trio, Twilight found the second trip through the crowd far less troubling. It made all the difference when no pony wanted to cross paths with the ever-intimidating red-and-white mare leading the way.

One thing hadn't changed, though: mutters followed where the group passed through.

“Are they allowed to leave?”

“Where do they think they're going?”

“Isn't that Prim Rose? I wonder what they're up to...”

The whispers burned like kindling fires as the three made their way to the glass hall. Twilight recalled Lyra's explanation that none were supposed to leave the bounds of the dormitory. Though discouraging as the murmuring seemed, Twilight felt there was no other way to speed up the process of getting to the bottom of things.

Prim Rose grabbed the doors with her magic grasp and threw the doors to the corridor wide open. The wood and metal clang echoed through the foyer, suddenly silencing all talk and drawing complete attention to the three. Twilight blushed, but didn't turn around to show it.

That was a little dramatic.

The panels frozen over with crystallic shards of ice made the glass hall feel more like a translucent freezer. The sight of the grounds outside were tremendously distorted, but the phenomenon seemed so surreal that it looked more like a piece of art than the remnants of a natural disaster. Still, unpleasant elements such as the crispy cold lingered, its touch more raw than the air back in the foyer. Twilight wrapped herself tightly in the blanket she carried. She glanced at Prim Rose and Gallant – neither of which had much on to fight the cold – and shivered for their sake.

Visible around the bend of the glacial tunnel were the professors standing in a circle, their voices resounding through the main hall. Though Twilight couldn't initially catch their word-for-word discussion, the heated tones and loads of inquiries indicated that a bewildering exchange was underway.

As the three drew close their instructors' eyes drifted over to them, especially over to Prim Rose. Though a number gasped at the sight of students approaching, most let out a sigh upon seeing the strong mare leading the troupe.

“Ah, Miss Rose! It's nice to have a reliable student nearby for safety measures,” Madame Lonsdaleite said. “Mister Gallant, Miss Sparkle, what brings you all here?”

“We were just wondering what was going on,” Twilight answered as she examined the hall. She quickly noted that every window was frozen over like in the dormitory, and a strange white glow hovered near the top floor. “I heard that Princess Luna disappeared. No pony seems to know where she is-”

“Wait a minute, 'Twilight Sparkle'?” inquired Instructor Gearheart as the earth pony pushed her way through the circle. “Isn't this the one you all were talking about getting a hold of for some kind of-?”

“A moment, Gearheart,” Bastion Yorsets stated, calming the restless aviator. “Twilight, to answer your question, we are not completely sure of what is happening. The reason we're gathered here is because your peers were assaulting us with questions, when in reality we don't have all the answers. Princess Luna is missing. We've all tried a number of spells to contact her, but something strange is happening and we cannot seem to find – or sense – where she is.”

Twilight felt her heart stumbling, unable to keep up its usual pace. She looked to Instructor Gearheart, whose expectant eyes were bouncing as a result of her shaking.

She asked, “Is that why you're trying to get a hold of me? I don't understand, what can I do that none of you can?”

Professor Yorsets replied, “We think something is affecting our magic, a special barrier of some sort. We've tried different methods of communication, different kinds of magic – everything – but we cannot seem to hear or reach Princess Luna.”

“A special barrier?” Gallant asked. “Do you mean-?”

“We're not sure where it came from,” Professor Yorsets stated. “Drawing any assumptions would be dangerous. All we do know is that Princess Luna is either out of our range of contact, or our magic ability is being hindered by this storm.”

“Out of range?” Twilight asked. “Do you not have any trace of Princess Luna's whereabouts?”

Professor Yorsets looked to the other professors, all of which nodded, and replied, “We have but one note. Follow me.”

He departed from his group of colleagues and led the three up the main hall staircase to the top floor. Awaiting them was the entrance to Princess Luna's chambers, but they looked far from their ordinary state. Massive bulks of ice stuck out from the cracks like needles as tendrils of frost wrapped along the massive doors.

Trapped within a chunk of ice wrapping the handles on the doors was a small piece of parchment.

“What's that?” Twilight asked, eyeing the notepaper.

Professor Yorsets lit his horn, which glowed a blue color like his coat, until a magnifying glass appeared. He hovered the instrument up to the object caught in the thick ice and motioned for the others to look.

“It seems to be a note from Princess Luna herself. We cannot remove it and observe it ourselves as none of our spells seem able to melt this ice.”

Twilight was the first to look, and as she examined the paper she read:

I have left in pursuit of what I think is the cause of these storms.

Keep the students safe until the chariots from Canterlot arrive.

~Princess Luna

Twilight gasped. “The 'cause of the these storms'?”

“It's a most curious thing, indeed. None of us have been able to figure out what 'cause' she could mean,” Professor Yorsets stated. “Perhaps she means to be vague so as to not worry us, but even so, it concerns me as a caretaker of you, our students. In any case, Twilight, about that spell we may need you to try...”

As he went on to explain the rationale, Twilight felt a strange clicking at the back of her mind, as though it were fitting pieces together that even her immediate consciousness could not.

The dream... Luna was asking if anything was wrong. Wait a minute, there was a storm that came from the sea!

“Wait a minute!” Twilight exclaimed.

Professor Yorsets stuttered, then blinked. “W-What is?”

“This morning, I heard Princess Luna's voice,” Twilight said. “She was asking me if anything was wrong. Maybe that was some kind of message telling me that I specifically had to contact her.”

Gallant blew a raspberry. “Well, that seems rather selective, or egoistic on your-”

But Yorsets threw him a silencing glare, which immediately brought the hopeful knight's words to a stop.

Twilight, unaware of the remark, began summoning a spell for telepathic communication. She had only used it a couple of times before, though the attempts were with her assistant Spike, who had only ever stood a few feet away. As she closed her eyes and focused she began to see at the back of her eyelids a ball of energy floating in an environment that pieced out to become like the main hall. It was a strange feeling, having a part of her mind leave her body, but Twilight had no other choice but than to continue.

Every mind had its presence represented by a glowing light, each one bright and brilliant. Against the dark atmosphere of space they stood out tremendously, and Twilight only took a moment to recall how extending her telepathic reach worked. She hovered over to the middle of the foyer and looked down to see the cluster of professors on the main floor. Without further delay, Twilight directed her aim upward to slip through the ceiling and look out at the horizon as the walls seemed to have a block on her telepathic viewpoint.

But the second she got to the foyer's ceiling she felt a barrier, like glass, hinder her progress. She continued to try and push her mind past the hurdle, but the harder she drove, the more she felt like a bee trying to fly through a window panel. Twilight turned her focus to the stained glass window at the front of the hall, but the result was much the same.

Twilight retracted her spell and groaned as the slight pain from bumping her mind into the magic barriers set in.

“Did you see anything?” Professor Yorsets asked eagerly.

“No,” Twilight said, rubbing her head. “I don't think I could even reach outside of the building.”

“Ah, you have not been able to advance your skills with that enchantment yet,” Yorsets said with dismay. “I should have known, that particular spell is only taught to very special individuals. The advanced version, where you can explore beyond the physical barriers, is reserved for even fewer.”

“Would it be possible to go outside and try?” Twilight asked. “You know, where there aren't any of these physical barriers?”

Yorsets cast a sideways glance at one of the windows nearby, its glass coated in ice. The dim light that made its way through seemed far more gray than anything else, as though the clouds were falling to form fog and seep into the building.

“It's dangerous, and you certainly will not do so alone,” he replied with words strong as iron. “Perhaps the best plan of action, though, is to head outside for as long as we can.”

“I'm willing to try. How long do you think it could take to find Princess Luna?” Twilight asked.

Yorsets shook his head. “That depends on how close or how far away the headmare has traveled. You might be able to spot her if we head to the field to the south; it's relatively close by and offers a wide space for your mind to see. I may try again as well.” He looked over at Gallant and Prim Rose. “Very well. One of you inform the other instructors that Twilight and I are going to teleport to the field and then back in not more than a few minutes. The other one needs to stay here and wait for our return.”

The two knights nodded and looked each other – Gallant with greater reluctance – and Professor Yorsets began casting his teleportation spell.

“Brace yourself, Twilight,” he directed, “we don't know what's out there.”

In a flash the hall's atmosphere disappeared, and in its stead a brighter, colder place materialized from the ground up. Twilight felt her stomach churn form the speed and power of the spell, but she had teleported and practiced many times herself in order to avoid getting too queasy; after all, she wasn't fully accustomed to others casting it.

What made Twilight far more uncomfortable, though, was the sudden storm in which the two had been emerged. Thick bits of ice and snow fell together heavier than the biggest downpour Twilight had witnessed. It almost felt as though a waterfall of freezing particles were pouring down on the two, for within the first few seconds an extra inch of the layer of snow and ice had been added to the bank Twilight had already sunken into.

The field was hardly recognizable with the bleachers completely coated in white and the grass of the field not even visible beneath layers of white. Twilight could barely see a few feet away from herself, and aside from the white on top of and surrounding her, the only thing that really stood out was Professor Yorsets.

“Cast the spell!” he shouted, preparing one himself. “We won't have much time in these conditions!”

Twilight wondered if there was a spell that could help fight off the cold around them, but she let go of the thought and instead focused once more on the telepathic reach of her mind. Concentrating, she closed her eyes and let her mind focus reach up and out of her body as the plane went from white to black.

She looked as far as she could with her mind, but the horizon looked completely black. The only minds she could detect nearby were hers and the professor's. She looked off to the south where Professor Yorsets had said he would look, but nothing was out in that direction. She turned her focus off to the north, far out into the distance, all the way across the island. She turned to face to the west once, and suddenly spotted something at the cloud-level directly above the academy.

Is there somepony up there..?

She reached her spell up to the cloud level to check and see to whom the glowing ball of consciousness belonged. The closer she drew near, however, the more her head began to hurt. A low rumbling rang like a growl until Twilight felt her physical body trembling from the sound. She drew her spell to a stop and gasped for air as though she had been drowning.

“Twilight?” came Yorset's voice.

It sounded as though she were inside a bubble, and when Twilight opened her eyes she found that they were indeed within one. Its tint was a reddish color, and from its walls emanated a warmth that heated the inside of the sphere. The snow inside had already melted to reveal blades of grass, dry but dead, and the air made it felt as though spring had already come. The wind outside did not enter, and roared as though passing by a set of tightly-shut windows.

“Miss Sparkle?” Professor Yorsets asked. “Did you see any trace of Princess Luna?”

Twilight shook her head.

“I-I'm not sure what I saw,” she answered. “There was something over by the academy, floating up in the sky.”

Yorsets tried to look off in the direction of the buildings, but the thick mist and snowy downpour did not allow his eyesight to travel beyond the bounds of the practice field.

“Students aren't allowed to leave the grounds during an emergency like this, right?” Twilight asked.

Suddenly, a terrible crash sounded from the direction of the grounds. Twilight and Yorsets turned and watched as the intensifying snow only made the horizon whiter, covering up whatever activity was happening.

“That's no student,” Professor Yorsets uttered. “Come!”

He disabled the bubble of warmth he had created and dug his hoofs into the ground. He began plowing a trail back to the grounds with a magically-summoned giant shovel and pushed without a moment to lose.

“Shouldn't we just teleport back?” Twilight asked, shivering as the cold poured over her once again.

“Teleport possibly into the middle of danger?” Yorsets retorted. “I'm afraid we have no choice, Miss Sparkle. Let's be cautious and follow the trail back. Here.”

He cast another spell while holding the other, the sign of a true master of magic. Twilight felt the blankets she had draped over herself suddenly grow warm like the bubble they had been in. Its heat kept the makeshift garment dry even despite the heavy snow and ice that fell upon it.

Still, Twilight could not help but tremble at the thought of what they were approaching.

Chapter 33: Lost and Found

Visibility had hardly improved by the time Twilight set hoof on the academy grounds. In fact, she couldn't tell that she had reached the commons area until Professor Yorsets pointed it out. He motioned to the left, in the direction of the dormitory, and only then did Twilight barely make out a few of the building’s dark bricks through the surging snow.

For a moment the wind died as it changed direction, granting a brief, clearer view of the grounds. As far as Twilight could tell, the dormitory was in tact. The main hall, however, remained out of sight. Not even the calming breeze permitted a good enough chance to see its facade through the snowy fog.

“What should we do?” Twilight asked, shivering as her professor's warming spell had worn off.

Yorsets narrowed his eyes in careful examination. “At least one building seems secure. I only hope that all of the students have stayed put.”

Twilight recalled that the professors had isolated and gathered within the main hall. Gallant and Prim Rose had left the dormitory as well.

What if something happened to them?

Yorsets's gaze focused on the building in sight, and in a snap his horn started to glow.

“Prepare yourself,” he ordered, and Twilight knew another teleportation spell was in order.

With a bright flash the white atmosphere melted away and the cold lessened to a fluttering chill. Firm, solid ground formed beneath the two's limbs. The gusty winds died off in a snap. The pouring snow no longer piled high all around. Rather, upon opening her eyes, Twilight found a large crowd filling the dormitory foyer.

And not a pair of eyes wasn’t focused on her and Yorsets standing right in the middle of the gathering.

“Yorsets! Good to see you’re fine,” declared Coach Pony Dungy.

Professor Yorsets calmly wheeled around as his fellow instructor addressed him, and then inspected the students encircling him. Twilight looked around as well and noted that a number of her peers were lying down or stretched in strenuous positions.

“What is the meaning of this?” Yorsets asked, puzzled.

“Push-ups, warm-ups,” Coach Pony Dungy said with pride. “Keeping warm and staying active is key to surviving when the cold sets in.”

“You had them exercise..?” Yorsets began, but cut himself off. “No matter. Where are the others?”

“Not sure,” Coach Dungy replied. “Should be in the dining hall. They headed there when more students started barging in. Apparently that student of yours and the two buff ones - Prim Rose and... uh, that other one - set quite an example.”

Yorsets did not hesitate to explain himself. “Miss Sparkle will be helping us, Coach Dungy. We were at the southern field surveying the island, as one of the other two students you mentioned should have informed you. When we were out there, however, we heard a noise come from this direction and returned as quickly as possible. Can you tell me what that noise was?”

“I'm not sure myself,” the coach replied, squinting. “I was hoping it was one of the others with a spell or something. Celestia knows what you academic magic users resort to-”

“Well, ahem, thank you for your help,” Yorsets interrupted as nonchalantly as possible; but Twilight could sense the irritation in his tone. “Coach Dungy, I would advise getting the students to head to their rooms.”

“That's asking a lot of me,” the coach retorted with a smirk. “These students are an unruly bunch when they get uneasy; jumpy as a bunch of sheep-!”

“It’s for their own good,” Yorsets added firmly, after which Coach Dungy ceased his rambling. “I’ll return shortly to see how things are.”

Professor Yorsets looked at Twilight, who reciprocated the suddenly anxious stare he displayed. Before his student could react, though, he turned and headed for the door to the main hall, all expression erasing from his face in what Twilight assumed was an attempt to not startle the others that watched him.

“Follow me, Miss Sparkle,” Yorsets urged. “Your assistance may be needed yet.”

Coach Dungy raised his voice and addressed the crowd as the two made their way out. “Students! Grab your things and gather in your suites now! And when I say now, I mean NOW...”

As he went off, murmurs began to rise. Twilight could hear them clear as birds’ chirps outside her bedroom in Ponyville.

“Is the storm getting that bad..?”

“But why should we get in our rooms?”

Twilight gulped at the obvious awareness that was rising. She could sense the unease of her peers as the same agitation drove her mind into an endless state of wandering and wondering. When she looked to Yorsets for some kind of sign of assurance, none was given. In fact, he never acknowledged her stare. All he did was head for the main hall, and Twilight – without question – followed.

The corridor of glass between the buildings hadn't itself been broken, but tiny fragments between layers of ice permitted a clear view – however small the window – through the once-clouded panels. There was not much to see, though, aside from the snow that continued to build like white sands forming dunes on the beach.

“Brace yourself, Miss Sparkle,” Professor Yorsets warned as they drew near to the main hall doors. “I would have told you to stay behind with the other students, but we both know that you're no ordinary student. You have been quite an asset for Princess Celestia, and so I expect that you may be of significant aid in a crisis like this.”

Twilight tried to downplay the compliment, but she knew that he was right; that, and it wasn't the time to act humble. She had dealt with plenty of disasters before – from a hydra to Cerberus itself. Still, she always had a teetering heart when the time came to face another mysterious – or sometimes familiar – monstrosity. Being asked to get ready for whatever was ahead did not put her mind at ease in the slightest.

Yorsets pushed the doors to the foyer open but then jumped away from the gap. Twilight flinched as well, prepared to duck, fight, or run, but the air went still for the next few seconds. The student waited for her teacher to move again or at least signal something, but his body was still as a statue. Twilight feared for a second that Professor Yorsets himself had frozen over.

“It appears to be safe,” he stated, though hardly with any kind of relief. “Let us continue to be cautious. Be sure to warn me if you see anything.”

The two slowly walked into the hall and hugged the walls, their eyes jumping from surface to surface. Things had fallen from the walls and ceiling – lamps and pictures especially – as though an earthquake had shaken the majestic structure. The great, pointed windows had even changed a little as cracks allowed tiny bits of the unblocked atmosphere outside to show itself. Unfortunately, just like in the glass corridor, there was little to see but a white blur.

“It can’t be,” Yorsets mumbled as the two made their way to the far corner. It didn’t take long for Twilight to spot the cause of his verbal grievance.

The dining hall doors were shut and had frozen over, ice spilling out from the cracks as though the door had been splashed with frost. The glossy surface sparkled as it reflected the white snow that cascaded outside. Yorsets did not hesitate to light his horn as he summoned a blazing chisel and sent it beating away at the freezing blockade with the speed and power of a jackhammer.

After a minute of driving the flames into the obstacle, Yorsets realized his efforts were all in vain.

“This again?” he growled, terminating his spell.

Twilight watched the fiery tool disintegrate and looked at the ice covering doors. Its surface was unscathed. “What do you mean ‘this again’?”

“You saw this same thing earlier with Princess Luna's doors,” Yorsets stated, wiping his forehead. “It’s frozen over by this mysterious ice. We tried to teleport past it to get into Luna's chambers, but we were unable to. We were and still are not sure of its cause.”

“We can still try to get inside, right?” Twilight suggested. “You don’t think there could be something in there, do you?”

Professor Yorsets walked as close to the door as he could and put an ear up to a section of wall close to the doorway. He ground his teeth and suddenly jerked his head away and began rubbing the side of his head.

His teeth clattered for a moment. “All I can sense is the cold just on the other side of this wall. I can't tell if anypony is inside, or anything at all for that matter. There’s only one way to find out.”

Twilight looked at the frozen doors to the dining hall, aware of the solution he was about to propose. Yorsets began a new spell, and in a flash the two disappeared from and returned to the inside of the building, only they found themselves somewhere different than where they had just been standing.

Twilight recognized the shape and size of the dining hall, but aside from its dimensions it had little in common with its typical appearance. Shattered glass spread beneath a grouping of windows behind where the headmare usually sat. From the aperture crept trails of ice all throughout the room. Snow drifted through the opening, piling high below where the broken window sat and otherwise scattering to make the once-dark tiled floor littered with flakes.

Huddled in the nearby corner was a sizable block of ice, both tall and thick, its surface like a glossy layer of glass. From a distance one would think it a giant, roughly-shaped ice cube, but up close – as the student and her professor soon discovered – it appeared more like a frozen casket, for trapped inside were three individuals.

Lonsdaleite? Windchaser!? VINYL!?

Twilight could feel the air escape and avoid reentering her lungs as she stared at the victim's faces. Lonsdaleite, though in front as though shielding the students, had the worst kind of expression on her face, one reflective of pure fear. The two behind her had their own fearful gazes, though Vinyl’s was more of a surprise and Windchaser’s filled with anger, ready to strike.

“W-What happened!?” Twilight managed to get out, though she could barely hear herself above the heartbeat pounding in her ears.

As she backed away, breathless, she bumped into something solid and cold, and upon turning around saw it was another bulk of ice. Within it were two more ponies: Doctor Ingrid Marie, posed as if ready to cast a spell, and Instructor Gearheart, covering her head and cowering helplessly. Twilight couldn’t even move anymore due to the horror that wrenched her shivering soul. Upon spotting another chunk of ice nearby with more instructors trapped inside, the mare ceased completel movement of her eyes as well.

A gust of wind gushed into the hall, bringing along with it a hefty load of snow and ice pellets. Yorsets did not hesitate in lighting his horn, which Twilight could see in the reflection of the ice before her. In a second the frozen container and individuals inside disappeared from sight. The white abruptly morphed into darker tones, and the cold lessened to a chill. Twilight found herself back within the foyer, and breathing hard as though just having escaped from a deadly trap.

That might as well be what we saw...

“I'm not sure what happened,” Professor Yorsets finally said, gasping for air. “I'm not aware of any creatures that would do this.”

A light bulb went off in Twilight's head.

“You don't think it could have been... Windigos?”

Yorsets shook his head slowly. “To my knowledge, they are ethereal beings. They have no physical attributes except for the cold and the storms that they bring.”

Twilight gulped. “You mean they couldn't have broken the windows?”

“Unless they had thrown a giant slab of ice, but I saw no evidence of such an incident.”

Twilight thought back to the only blocks of ice within the room, as well as the ponies trapped inside of them, their horrified expressions and frozen states.

“What about the instructors? What about my friends? What happened to all of them?”

“I could tell just by looking at that ice that its composition is similar to that covering Princess Luna's doorway upstairs. It's no ordinary magic that created it – we can only hope that such spells will not have extremely damaging effects on those trapped.”

Twilight felt her head spinning as though she had been twirling like a skater on ice. “What could have done such a thing? What monster uses ice spells like these? And why-?”

“I wish there was another way to say it, but we have more pressing things to worry about, Miss Sparkle,” Yorsets interrupted. “First, we need to round up all the others. From there we will find out what we need to do next. After the rest are safe, then we can worry about saving the others.”

As he took off for the glass corridor Twilight thought she could see pure, unadulterated fear in her professor's eyes. It was strange, thinking that even those in charge at the academy could be in such a panic themselves. But, then again, Princess Luna was missing, no longer present to reassure them all that she was coming to save the day.

And that means no pony is safe.

“If you wish to round up all the others,” echoed a voice throughout the hall, “they've all gone to the dormitory building.”

The two stopped dead in their tracks.

“Who goes there?” Professor Yorsets shouted. He turned a side to Twilight as though taking her under a protective wing.

“Gallant, professor!” came the sudden reply. “I've waited up here near the headmare's doorway for your return as ordered.”

Professor Yorsets rolled his eyes. “There's no need for that anymore, Mister Gallant, now come down here this instant!”

Quick steps patted like a quickened metronome as the gray stallion spiraled down the staircase. Once at the bottom he approached with a paleness added to his typical gray coloring, which prompted Twilight to enter into an extremely inquisitive disposition.

“What happened, Gallant?” she asked hurriedly. “Have you been here the whole time? What all did you hear? Why are all the instructors, even Windchaser and Vinyl, frozen solid in the dining hall!?”

Gallant paused as the shocked expression he displayed told the two that what he had just heard was news to him.

“A-All I know is that before the crash, Windchaser and Vinyl entered before a swarm of other students came barging in here. Lonsdaleite pulled the two aside into the dining hall, and soon enough the instructors left Coach Dungy to calm everypony down as they made their way into the dining hall. After Coach Dungy recruited the help of Prim Rose and forced every student back into the dormitory, it was only minutes before the sounds of shattering glass erupted.”

He stopped as he his eyes dimmed as he relived the horrible incident in his mind.

“And then what?” Professor Yorsets urged.

“That's it.”

“What? Nothing more?” Yorsets inquired. “You didn't bother to see what had happened, or see what Coach Dungy was doing!?”

“You specifically told me to wait here until you two returned,” Gallant replied. “An order is an order, sir. What should we do now?”

Yorsets shook his head and continued, “Miss Sparkle and I have seen what happened inside, but we are not sure of the details. Regardless, if we act quickly we may be able to save everypony else as well as the others. For now we must take extreme caution and develop a plan to keep you and your fellow students out of harm's way.”

Without another word he headed for the glass corridor, with Gallant and Twilight on his tail. Nothing inside the icy hall had changed since they last passed through earlier, except that anticipation brought Twilight to look to the sky through the fragmenting layers of ice around the glass.

Where’s Princess Luna? And what was that thing I saw in the sky?

Loud murmurs could be heard from the dormitory entrance hall even halfway through the connecting segment. The panic and fear emanated in the intensity of the crowd's speech, their every word coated in worry for themselves and for each other.

The second the doors opened, the talking ceased. Twilight, Yorsets and Gallant found themselves face-to-face with a company of exasperated characters. Nearby was Coach Dungy, his face beet red with frustration, and around him the crowd of students whose faces were red with embarrassment.

“A moment,” Yorsets whispered to the two following him as he headed for his fellow overseer.

The crowd went utterly silent to listen in, but the two instructors kept their voices low. Once in a while one would raise his voice enough to hear, but no bits or pieces gave the listeners a taste of just what was being planned. In time the two nodded, and Yorsets lifted his as he stared every student in the eye.

“Coach Dungy shall take care of you all for the time being,” said the professor reassuringly. “I need more time to think of a plan-”

“What about the other instructors?”

“Where are they?”

“And where's Princess Luna?”

It was the last straw for Coach Dungy as he roared, “If she Princess Luna here, we wouldn't be panicking-!”

Once more the foyer went silent. Eyes fell on the coach, whose eyes went wide with horror at the revelation. All eyes of those around her looked no less alarmed.

“Princess Luna is missing!?” came a cry.

“We're doomed!”

The student body suddenly began to run rampant, but Twilight and the teachers composed themselves. Professor Yorsets began summoning a spell, one that took longer than just a few seconds.

The whole building began to shake; rock rumbled, glass shuddered. Every pony stopped dead in their tracks. Twilight looked to Professor Yorsets, assuming the work belonged to him. But the professor's spell-casting had halted; his golden eyes scanned the foyer in confusion.

“Everypony follow Coach Dungy, Prim Rose, Gallant or myself!” Professor Yorsets shouted as he grabbed the three he had named with a magic grasp and pulled them in close. “Listen: we need to spread out. From what I understand, this creature can freeze an entire chamber in seconds. Coach Dungy, take a group to the main hall training basement. Prim Rose, head for the student lounge, and be sure to put out the fire so as not to draw attention. Gallant, see if you can find a classroom that has its blinds shut and hide there for the time being. I'll head for the performance hall. Expect me to contact you through telepathic communication. Now go!”

Professor Yorsets turned, split off a chunk of students with a magic barrier, and slid them closer to himself like a rake grabbing hold of an assortment of shaky leaves.

“We're headed to the performance hall,” he announced. “It’s one of the larger rooms with the least amount of windows. Do not lose sight of me and do not stop until we are there. Follow me!”

He darted back into the glass corridor, and Twilight found herself dragged along with him. She felt as though he had done so for a reason, but she didn't have time to think about why. She simply obeyed and galloped toward the foyer they had just come from minutes ago.

Little had changed in the entrance hall over the course of a few minutes, but Twilight could sense something odd. The windows were covered in ice, the doors up above and leading to the dining hall were frozen shut, and the hall overall was freezing cold, but more so than before. Twilight could tell that that was the difference: the temperature. With nothing else changed, she wondered why.

Without missing a step, Yorsets threw open the stone doorways of the performance hall on the main floor and ushered his followers inside. Awaiting them was a cold and scentless air, and up front were thin windows that had little to see through them, though they themselves - colored and forming wonderful historical designs - were a sight to behold. Not one of them appeared to be broken. Yet.

Professor Yorsets closed the doors to the chamber and the group took a moment to breath. Twilight felt as though her lungs were ready to burst; not because of the running, but because of the situation. She had run into trouble before, but never had she been in the thick of things with so many others present. It almost made her nervous just to see others so frightened.

“W-What's going on?” came the voice of Lyra, a familiar face that had been caught in the fray.

Professor Yorsets shook his head. “We're not entirely sure, but something is lurking outside.”

“Something? Like what?”

The professor took a moment to breath. “Something unfriendly. Something that favors all this snow and ice.”

“Where's Princess Luna?” asked one of Twilight's suite mates, Lemon Hearts. “Was it true what Coach Dungy said, that she wasn’t-”

“We don't know,” Professor Yorsets stated forcefully, warning the others to watch their questions. “She must be nearby, though. She must know what is happening.”

“Have you tried to contact-?”

“Yes, yes! We've tried a variety of things,” Yorsets replied, irritated, as though he were quickly growing tired of all the inquiry. Twilight could imagine the questions he was asking himself; the relatively calm demeanor he put on could not completely disguise his hard-pressed mind.

Lyra shook her head as she approached Twilight, groaning under the weight of all her bags that she still had strapped on. “Oh please, please tell me this is just a bad dream!”

Twilight wished she could, but there was hardly any chance that the panic she felt, along with the cold and other tangible elements that had thus far signaled a most realistic day.

“Wait a minute!” Professor Yorsets exclaimed. “A dream, that's it! Miss Sparkle, did you not say that you heard the headmare in your dream last night?”

Twilight nodded. “She told me to call her if we were in trouble! Wait, but I already tried to contact her, remember? It didn't work-”

“But she contacted you!” Professor Yorsets pointed out. “And this was not done by ordinary means as we tried, but through your dream. Yes, that must have been what she was saying to you!” The students all exchanged puzzled looks except for Twilight, who understood exactly where her professor was going. “Princess Luna has a special magic that allows contact through dreams.”

Whatever the magic barrier might be, it must not block out any connections made through dreams!

Twilight felt her heart racing again. “If I can just get back into my dream state, then maybe I'll be able to speak with Princess Luna!”

“Yes, it's the only way! Be sure to tell her everything,” Professor Yorsets advised. “Also, be sure to ask as many questions as you can. Can any of you students cast a sleep spell?”

“What? Why can't you?” Twilight asked.

“You very well know that sleep spells require fair amounts of concentration,” the professor replied. “I need to keep my mind ready in case things go wrong. If something happens while you’re not conscious, I may get too distracted, thus severing your tie with Princess Luna via your dream.”

“No worries, I gotcha covered,” remarked Colgate as she trotted into the scene.

Twilight couldn't help but grin. “Using a spell on me that I taught you, huh Colgate?”

Her friend smirked as she started casting, turning her horn a dark blue. “You never did let me try it out on you. I guess this’ll be payback for Linky, Berry Punch, and the other passers-by you had me try it out on.”

Twilight frowned, “I don't remember making you do that-”

But her words began to slip, losing their coherency, as Twilight began drifting off into a daze. The world began to slowly fade as blackness took over. Her senses slowly lost track of everything, from sight to sound, until Twilight could no longer hear her heartbeat calming to a restful rhythm.

It was hazy. There was no evidence of exactly where she was. Not a surface beneath her hooves, nor a visible inch of sky above her head. The time and place were both mysteries. Twilight felt stuck in some kind of mirror-like room with walls painted black but dyed white with a translucent cloudiness.

“Heeeeeeeeelp!” she cried.

The feeling of confinement quickly dropped as the mare’s voice trailed off into the distance. The echoes carried along like a train whistle fading away.

“Luuuuuuunnnaaaaaaaa!” Twilight shouted.

The echoes resounded again, but this time as they died out, a new sound quickly approached. It sounded like a tempestuous roar, its volume tremendous like that of a dragon. It boomed like an explosion and its echoes only grew louder. All of a sudden a strong gust hit Twilight from behind, knocking her off of her stable stance and into flips, horn over hooves.

The mare spun in circles until whatever resistance there was made her body stop, and before her violet eyes could settle they could make out something hovering before her.

Tall, proud and dark like the night was Princess Luna, her teal eyes fixed on something off to the left. Her extended wings and lowered head indicated that she was anything but motionless, though in fact she was not moving in any direction.

Without losing a single ounce of intensity from her dashing pose, she asked, “What is it, my student?”

Her words came out so calmly, they did not seem fitting to come from the alicorn who appeared to be flying with tremendous wing power.

Meanwhile, Twilight stuttered to find her own. “I-I, well, something's gone wrong at the academy.”

Princess Luna continued to fly, but the span of her wings began to spread as though she were slowing down.

“What dost thou mean by this, Twilight Sparkle?” she asked, curiosity piqued. “Dost thou refer to thy restless dreams?”

“No no no, Princess Luna, not my dreams,” Twilight urged. “There’s something at the school right now! In real life! Professor Yorsets and I found a number of instructors and some of my friends... frozen.”

Princess Luna's flying figure suddenly came to a screeching halt. Her eyes continued to follow something in the distance, and with every passing second Twilight could see her focus slipping. The young mare tried to look off in the distance to see whatever it was Luna watched, but with the mist it was to no avail.

“What dost thou mean, 'frozen'?” Princess Luna suddenly asked.

Twilight felt as though she were actually speaking with Princess Luna then as the alicorn stopped her flying and turned to face her. The confrontation made Twilight stumble over herself for a minute as she tried to gather everything important that she could remember.

“A terrible storm is trapping everypony inside the buildings; there’s no way out unless we teleport. However, when Professor Yorsets and I left to go outside to see if we could find you with a telepathic spell, we heard a noise come from the main hall. When we investigated, we found that the dining hall windows were broken, and inside were most of the instructors and a couple of my friends frozen by a mysterious ice.”

“Mysterious ice?” Princess Luna asked, her eyes glowing white to signal her rage. “What else? Tell us everything!”

“Nothing else has happened, except that it - whatever it is - may still be around,” Twilight said. “I think we just heard it hitting against the dormitory before we all evacuated-”

“IMPOSSIBLE!” Princess Luna muttered, though it sounded like a shout, for Twilight heard it clearly enough. “WE HAVE BEEN CHASING IT FOR MILES! WE SEE IT NOW LIKE A SHADOW WITHIN THE SEA! I CAN SENSE A TRACE OF HIS ANCIENT MAGIC!”

Unsure of what she meant, Twilight could only watch as Princess Luna looked up to the sky and took in a mighty breath. When the headmare looked back down, her eyes had returned to their normal state, but the intensity in her gaze had not yet subsided.

“It seems I may have been tricked,” Princess Luna stated, collecting herself. She still seemed hesitant to turn from whatever it was she had been tracking far away as she constantly looked off into the distance. “Twilight Sparkle, I am far away from the academy, but I shall return soon enough.”

She prepared to take off at the speed of a cannon, but Twilight shouted, “Wait! What am I- er, are we supposed to do?”

“Hold off until I return,” Princess Luna commanded. “I shall recommend that you all conceal thyselves in chambers with no exposure to the outdoors. Never lose contact with one another, and shouldst any receive the opportunity, find thy way safely to the academy library. There you must search for an ancient book on dragons. Be sure to read and remember as best you can about...”

But her voice suddenly faded away, as did her the color and shape of her figure. Twilight felt something pulling her from the dream sense by sense as reality began setting in again.

No! I need more time!

“Princess Luna! What do I need to look up? Wait, waaaaaaait-!”

Chapter 34: Game of Hide and Seek

“Luna!”

A hoof pressed against Twilight's chest, keeping her from springing onto her hooves. Her head stretched as far as her neck would allow it in every direction, but it was no use.

“Twilight, be quiet!” came a harsh hush.

Twilight released her struggle, but her nerves continued to jostle. A certain darkness that lingered made it seem as though color had been sucked out of the atmosphere. The swirling white mist had gone, and the mirror-like walls were no more; corners and columns stuck out from the dark walls, and spread between them on the floor were ponies lying down, their eyes either closed or dark with fear.

The unique pastel colors of Twilight's peers slowly began to emerge from the dimly-lit chamber, though their eyes, manes and coats never shed the layer of gray. It took a moment for Twilight to realize that the hoof holding her down was dark blue.

“What happened, Twilight?” came Colgate's voice as her eyes, navy like the deep blue sea, went to work examining the bookworm's quivering figure. She removed her hold from Twilight as she figured her friend was no longer aiming to run off screaming.

“I spoke to her,” Twilight uttered, sitting up. “I spoke with Luna- wait, where's Professor Yorsets?”

Colgate's breaths quickened as her mouth opened and closed, a sign that was not so reassuring to Twilight.

“Where is he, Colgate?” Twilight repeated, then standing up.

“He said he'd be right back,” Colgate answered, then muttered, “a while ago...”

“How long ago was 'a while ago'?”

Twilight watched as her friend's eyes mimicked the slow circling of the hands on a clock. They moved counterclockwise as though counting back.

Colgate's answer squeaked with uncertainty, “An hour, maybe?”

“An hour!?” Twilight shrieked before swiftly being hushed. She looked around at the others, most of which had the hair on their manes standing on end. It was only then that Twilight realized the entire company had spread across the performance hall, though most were in some proximity to the entryway. They kept their heads low and limbs tucked as though they were trying to compact themselves into little balls.

Twilight surveyed the group and broke the silence with a whispered, “What exactly is going on?”

Lyra approached the two and, true to her expression, said with a trembling voice, “While you were out, there wasn't a noise for some time. Professor Yorsets said something about checking up on the others, and teleported out of here, saying he’d be right back. Right before you woke up, we heard another crash.”

“The dra-?” Twilight cut herself off; she wasn't sure how much she should reveal. Her friends already seemed worried as it was.

Telling them might only cause more panic.

“Yeah, I guess I lost my concentration on that sleep spell,” Colgate admitted, heavy-hearted. “But it sounds like you heard from Luna anyway; what did she say?”

Twilight thought back to the peculiar encounter and the scene within the strange clouds.

“She gave me instructions as to what we need to do until she gets back,” she whispered. “When I think about it, though, we're basically doing everything she told us to. The plan is to try and stay safe by hiding until Luna gets back.”

Colgate's ears perked up. “Where is she?”

Twilight tried to remember the mysterious place where she had been floating, but the image was quickly fading from her mind. The vagueness grew only more mysterious in her memory, and before long she found herself struggling to recall her entire conversation with Princess Luna.

“She didn't say. Since I was in my dream, she came to me to speak. I think.”

Lyra bowed her head, though her eyes stayed fixed on Twilight's. “Nothing at all-?”

The shadow in the sea...

“I think she said something about the ocean,” Twilight rejoined, though reluctantly. “She must have meant the Equestrian Sea.”

“So she's close by? Thank Celestia,” Lyra remarked as her eyes began to shine, however dim they still appeared. “Maybe she's just a mile or two out. She'll be here in no time!”

Twilight intervened, “Still, Lyra, with Professor Yorsets gone there's no way to contact the others, and staying in contact with everypony possible was something Princess Luna told me to do. Do you think somepony here knows how to use advanced telepathy spells?”

Twilight caught sight of all those in hearing range, including Colgate and Lyra, but not a single one made any signs; just stares.

“Hello? Anypony there?”

Twilight paused as the voice echoed in her head. “Professor?”

“Um, Twilight, I'm not a professor...”

Twilight patted her muzzle. The voice sounded very familiar, and the more she thought about it, the less it sounded like Yorsets's.

“Who is this?”

“My name's Pokey Pierce. Who is this?”

“Pokey? You just said my name; it's Twilight Sparkle. How in Equestria do you know an advanced telepathy spell? You're not in the performance hall, are you?”

“My mom made me learn this some years ago. I help mom keep track of my younger siblings back in Ponyville.”

Twilight blinked. “You have younger brothers and sisters?”

“Yup. Nine.”

“Wow, how didn't I know- er, what am I saying? Listen, Pokey Pierce, Professor Yorsets left our group a while ago and hasn't come back yet. Where are you, and have you seen him recently?”

“Gee, that's a lot of questions... Who is this again?”

“It's Twilight, Pokey.”

“'Twilight Pokey'? That’s a strange-”

“Twilight Sparkle!”

“Oh, gotcha. Uh... what were you asking again?”

Twilight slapped herself before the frustration could burst, taking the anger out on herself. The motion generally worked, as it did then.

She asked again, this time more slowly, “Have you seen Professor Yorsets?”

“No, but he talked to Gallant not too long ago. They were talking for quite a while.”

“What were they talking about? Do you know?”

“I think Gallant said something about somepony slamming a window shut in Prim Rose's group. I think it broke.”

“It WHAT!?”

The performance hall filled with a violent hush once more, but Twilight paid the others no heed. Their shushing noise was more irritating than embarrassing due to the heat of the moment.

Twilight lifted her eyes to the thin but long windows at the front of the hall. A shiver shot up the mare's spine at the thought of something similar happening.

“Listen, Pokey, where are you right now?”

“In a box.”

Twilight exhaled; she had learned to be patient with Pokey, but at times his cluelessness could be irritating.

“Where in the building are you?”

“Oh, I'm in one of the classrooms.”

“So you're on the second floor, then. Who else is with you?”

There was a pause, one long enough to make Twilight begin sweating over picturing just what could be happening all of a sudden. With the mysterious ice and frost as well as the random monster's strikes – combined with a vivid imagination – anything seemed possible.

“Looks like I'm all alone.”

“Wait, what? How's that possible?”

“They must not have seen me get in my box.”

Twilight could barely control herself from beginning to bark at her friend; though flustered, it was really her concern that was beginning to make her nerves twinge.

“Pokey, stay right where you are,” Twilight ordered. “I'm coming to get you.”

But Lyra, who had overheard Twilight's whispered answers, stepped forward.

“Oh no you're not,” she said stubbornly. “Professor Yorsets told us to not leave this room, no matter what.”

“No, Lyra, you don't understand: Princess Luna told me to find a book in the library on-” She stopped upon noticing everypony staring her down. “-er, books.”

“A book on books, huh?” Colgate asked as a grin slowly began to show. “Whatever, a trip to the library's a trip to the library. Count me in.”

Lyra gasped. “Colgate! Professor Yorsets put us in charge while he was away. We can't just leave our peers unsupervised. My conscience would simply be weighed down if I just left on a whim like that.”

“I have to go,” Twilight said. “After all, Yorsets didn't put me in charge.”

“Then I'm going, too,” Lyra suddenly interjected. “Colgate, you stay here in case Yorsets needs to reach one of us.”

And with that she trotted toward the doors with her head held high, eyes closed, a look of complete decisiveness covering her face. With a magic nudge she pried open the exit and peered outside, and within seconds she beckoned Twilight to join her.

Twilight glanced back at Colgate, who could only watch in utter disbelief, and – unsure of how to handle the situation herself – simply allowed herself to be dragged out, leaving behind all the others.

This should only take a minute. Once we get Pokey, we'll be able to contact Colgate in case of emergency.

Planning and survival were the only things on Twilight's mind. A checklist of what to do and how to accomplish such measures had already formed from the minute she woke up from her magic-induced slumber. One by one she checked off items on her mental list as she followed Luna's plan as closely and efficiently as possible.

“First we need to get Pokey,” Twilight whispered to Lyra as the two flattened themselves against the wall besides the doorway. “He's in one of the classrooms upstairs.”

“Got it.”

Lyra suddenly took off at a speed Twilight had only ever seen in races, despite the minty mare bearing all of her belongings. Her steps were oddly silent as her sprint continued up the stairwell, until she was crawling upon reaching the second floor.

Twilight marveled at the speed. Soon after she herself took off, though, she found herself more astonished by her silence. The loud clapping of Twilight's hooves against the floor echoed off of every wall in the foyer, and its resonances made the mare slow her pace. The slower she went, however, the more she pictured the dragon – whatever it was – spotting her from one of the chamber windows. After a minute of edging her way along in the open, Twilight clenched her teeth and galloped, closing her ears as best she could to drown out the mysterious thundering of her steps.

Once at the top, she found Lyra holding a look of exasperation.

“Could you be any louder?” she growled beneath her breath.

Twilight snorted.

How is she so quiet!?

The two made their way to the nearest classroom, and this time the carpet absorbed most of the sound. Still, Twilight’s steps sounded awfully clamorous in her own ears, though the mare wondered if her nerves were simply getting the best of her. Every other step she would glance at a window nearby, waiting for something to creep into view.

A dragon... what kind could it be?

Lyra cracked open the classroom door and peeked inside. Her undisturbed stare signaled a sign of safety, but Twilight didn't feel the least at ease.

“Is it safe?” she asked.

Lyra removed her nose from the gap in the doorway. “Yes, but I don't see Pokey anywhere inside.”

Twilight nudged her way past Lyra and entered the room, scanning for the boxy fortress inside of which she knew her friend was hiding. The far wall was lined with dark curtains, not a single glass panel in sight. The small desks and chairs sat piled along the screen, forming a blockade to protect the windows. The rest of the room seemed empty except for a lone coffin sitting in the corner.

“Pokey?” Twilight called. “Are you in here?”

Silence. Twilight started to back into the doorway; the curtains had suddenly grown a little darker.

Twilight called again, this time whispering, “Pokey Pierce? It's Twilight.” She turned to Lyra, heart pounding. “Well, he said he was in a box. Let's check the next room-”

Suddenly the lid on the casket flew open and ever so slowly a head rose from within the container. A blue figure with goldenrod eyes stared at Twilight.

“Coffin? Is that what this is?” came the voice of Pokey Pierce.

Twilight let out a sigh of relief after nearly retreating all the way back to the performance hall.

She nodded. “Yes, Pokey, that's a coffin, not a box. Now, we need to get to the library. I want you to come along so the three of us can stay in contact with the other groups with your telepathic spell. Okay?”

Pokey weighed the thought in his mind; with what else, Twilight wasn't sure.

“Can I bring my box?” he asked in his usual dopey manner.

Twilight rolled her eyes. “No, Pokey, no coffin; it'll only slow us down. We don't want to lose you or anything.”

Pokey nodded in understanding as he climbed out of the wooden casket, a slight sadness filling his eyes. Twilight wondered if he was even aware of the overall danger that they were in; his cluelessness hadn't seemed to have faded even in such a perilous state of affairs.

As he approached the two, Twilight asked, “Do you think you can contact Colgate real quick? You know, to tell her we're safe?”

“Sure,” Pokey replied with no sign of complaint.

He closed his eyes as his horn glowed a baby blue color. The look of concentration on his face multiplied immensely as his eyes scrunched tightly and teeth clenched as though biting through a sheet of metal. The color of his horn gradually expanded to form a larger and larger cone, until the light flashed and proceeded to fade away.

He opened his eyes and stared off into space. Twilight and Lyra looked at each other, puzzled.

Twilight waved a hoof in front of the stallion's face. “D-Did you find Colgate-?”

Pokey suddenly chuckled. His mouth hung open before he suddenly laughed again, after which he closed his eyes and shook his head as though ridding of a wetness in his mane.

His eyes instantly shot to Twilight. “What? Did you say something?”

Twilight swallowed the anxiety that was beginning to choke her. “Did you find Colgate? Is she okay?”

“Yup. Just dandy.”

Lyra raised an eyebrow. “But how do you know? You didn't even say anything.”

“I do it all in my mind,” Pokey replied without a care in the world. “I've practiced a lot. I think having a big imagination helps, too.”

“Why were you laughing?” Twilight inquired.

“Colgate said that she wasn't happy with Lyra's decision-making skills.”

Twilight sighed. “Well, if that's all, then let's head to the library. There's no time to waste.”

She made her way to the door and eased it open, taking one safe glance out into the open. The windows were still frozen over, and the view outside was white. The hall was dim, the air cold and stale, but it beat coming face-to-face with a monster.

Twilight stepped out into the open, the other two right behind her, and took on the cold once more for a battle of endurance. The three tiptoed their way along the dusky-colored carpets, breaths held, until they reached library across the way. From a distance Twilight tried the door with a magic grab. The handle jiggled.

Locked.

The mare turned to face the other two. She tried to contain the pressure that was making itself evident all throughout her body, but she could see Lyra and Pokey giving worried looks as they soon understood the situation.

“Any ideas?” Twilight asked.

Pokey and Lyra over the door behind her from top to bottom. With a solid oak composition covered in metal bars and embroidery, the door seemed like an unlikely target for brute force.

Yet, Pokey stated, “We could try and buck it open. That's what I did at home if I couldn't get inside.”

“How barbaric!” Lyra opposed with a gasp. “Why not just make like a couple of thieves and break in?”

“That's what he just said, Lyra,” Twilight mumbled.

“No, not like that!” Lyra snarled. “Like this.”

One pouch from her overloaded saddlebags opened and a couple of blue and pink hairpins floated out. Lyra approached the door and lowered herself until her eyes were level with the silver handle. Carefully she stuck one of her pins into the keyhole and began jiggling the flimsy thing around. After a few seconds of metal rustling a distinctive click made the trio's ears stand.

“Well, that was easier than I expected,” Lyra laughed, though quietly.

Twilight was taken aback as the three entered through. “Do you do this often?”

“I used to forget my house keys all the time, so I took on lock-picking as a hobby. It's come in use a number of other times as well.”

Pokey paused mid-step. “What else do you use that for..?”

“No matter! We're in,” Lyra laughed uneasily. “Let's just get this book Twilight so desperately needs-”

A shake of the floor threw the three into the library and the door slammed shut behind them. A series of cracking and creaking broke the air in rapid succession as though stone were grinding against stone. Books began plopping onto the floor as shelves tipped and swayed ever so slightly. A terrible shattering of glass suddenly sounded off in distance, and in its fracturing din a distant scream broke out. Powerful winds quickly swept the sounds beneath its might.

Twilight couldn't breath. Another loud thump against the great structure followed, along with stronger gales blasting time and time again. It took a moment before Twilight realized that the noises were not coming from their own room; in fact, when Twilight came to her senses it seemed as though it were happening on the opposite side of the grounds.

The clamor returned as bursts of wind sounded in the distance, like the beating of winds against the air.

Is that... the dragon!?

Though void of breath, Twilight got to her hooves and ran over to the towering windows. They faced the west where the hills and low mountains sat, but none of it was visible through the icy glass and snowy curtain behind it. Trembling, Twilight couldn't seem to pull herself from staring outside. She had to know what was out there.

She only turned her head enough to relay a feeble order aloud. “Pokey, try and contact Professor Yorsets.”

The stallion's eyes wandered around the library for a moment before his full attention went into processing the request.

“Professor Yorsets, got it.”

Pokey closed his eyes and the sequence of his telepathic spell began anew as the baby blue light flickered into life. Pokey sat and lowered his head as though ready to drive it into whatever obstacle was in his way, his teeth grinding audibly, more so than before.

After a minute of this, Twilight began to feel her stomach twisting. She was losing patience, and fast. Thinking of the dragon being right above them, ready to strike as it just had not a minute ago, put her in a terrible panic. She managed to contain herself, however, thanks to previous experiences in tight situations.

“I'm going to look for the book,” Twilight said to Lyra, who had gone pale as a ghost. “Find a place away from this window, but be sure to stand somewhere nearby.”

Twilight headed straight for the animals section, a part of the library she had not often browsed herself. That had always been where she could find Fluttershy and, on occasion, Spike.

Memories began flashing into Twilight's mind, of Ponyville, her friends, and of her home, the library. The warmth from just picturing home gave a distracting comfort. Winter was going to clear in just a couple of weeks, after the annual Winter Wrap-Up, of course. By then the town would experience its summer months once more and she and her friends would enjoy the return of the sweet flora and friendly fauna.

Fauna. Animals.

Twilight's attention returned to the present. She jumped upon realizing a book was floating before her very eyes, one with a black silhouette on its cover. As Twilight looked closer, she saw that it was a flying dragon. She quickly looked around her, but no pony was nearby. She figured her subconscious must have sorted through the shelves on its own while her mind wandered off into the dream world; after all, it wasn't uncommon for her to find and shelf books without even thinking about it. After living in a library for a year, she could pretty much do so in her sleep.

Without further ado the mare made her way back to the others, flipping through the pages as Luna's final words ran through her mind.

If only I had had an extra minute or two in that dream. What kind of dragon is it?

Twilight approached her friends, who hadn't moved far from the library entrance, and held up the book in weak triumph.

“I think I found it,” she said.

“'It'? You mean there was only one?” Lyra asked, bemused. All of a sudden she shrieked. “Wait, is that a book on... dragons!?”

Twilight held out the thick tome and leafed through the pages. Pictures of different kinds of dragons decorated in all sorts of colors passed through the three's sights, along with paragraphs of information and warnings.

“I didn't want to scare the others before,” Twilight answered as she held the book up and buried her nose into it. “Princess Luna said it was a dragon, but I woke up before she could tell me what kind it was.”

“We don't even know what kind?” Lyra asked, nearly crying. “And t-that thing that's attacking us is a dragon?”

Twilight gulped. “Yes.”

“But, that means...” Lyra couldn't even finish her sentence as she sobbed. “We're doomed!”

“No we're not,” Twilight stated. “Fluttershy scared off a dragon once. I'm sure there's a way we can do it too. We just have to figure out its weakness.”

“Well, first we have to figure out what kind of a dragon it is! You saw how many entries there were when you flipping through there; that could take hours!”

“Not if we use some common sense,” Twilight said. “Dragons are usually pretty rare, so they're called by simple names that generally describe them, like 'Fire Dragon' or 'Forest Wyvern'.”

Lyra frowned. “So what, is it going to be called 'Frost Wyrm' or something?”

Pokey suddenly exhaled as though he had been holding his breath for the past few minutes.

“Pokey, what's wrong?” Twilight asked. “Did you find Professor Yorsets?”

The stallion stopped as he looked at the ceiling. His eyes then lowered as he stared Twilight eye-to-eye.

“No.”

Lyra leaped back and onto her hooves. “You don't mean-!?”

“He's frozen too,” Twilight uttered in shock.

Her eyes wandered down to the book in her magic hold and began madly flipping through its pages. “Something with White, maybe Snow...”

“Should I see if I can find somepony else?” Pokey asked, unusually calm.

“Tell Colgate that Yorsets is missing. Who else was put in charge? Prim Rose? Gallant? Find them too!”

Twilight found herself going through pages faster than she ever had, even while skimming through. Her eyes only need the title or a picture, even a single piece of a sentence on each page to tell what its content covered. The shivers and shakes made her flicking through the pages faster.

One page flew past, its title 'Ice Drake'. Twilight paused the frantic flipping through and backtracked to the the entry. A white and light blue dragon, thick and massive, was sketched on the opposite page. Its small black eyes were menacing, its closed mouth a sign of silence.

Twilight read aloud, “Ice Drake: This creature is extremely rare and only found at great heights or in isolated areas. It can only travel when snow or ice is present as it cannot survive without the touch of cold. It often freezes its prey with a mystical ice breath that normal magic cannot undo. A touch of its talons will cause whatever comes in contact with them to freeze as well.

“Its stare is what distinguishes it from most other dragons. It is said that the joints of anything that comes eye-to-eye with the Ice Drake will lock up momentarily, allowing the dragon a moment to contemplate its next move. It is aggressive and extremely defensive, though what criteria it takes into account regarding its territory is unknown. They generally inhabit mountains or entire tundras, though some are said to temporarily dwell within icy waters where they are often mistaken for glaciers.”

“But there aren't any mountains around here,” Lyra remarked, shaking. “And the ocean hasn't been particularly cold recently, has it?”

A memory flashed back into Twilight's mind. She remembered discussing the idea of remaining monsters with the Tigbalan; it had been one of her wishes.

He said there weren't any more monsters on the island. Was it all a lie?

A deafening crash blew the three off their hoofs. Glass shards littered the floor like stormy waves washing up on shore. Cold spewed into the library like an icy waterfall, and along with it came a flurry of snow and pellets of ice. Twilight got up, stumbling, adrenaline coursing through her system. She looked up to see the library windows completely shattered, leaving the dim sky outside in plain sight. Two frames were not empty, though, for two sets of giant white talons reached inside.

Shelf after shelf of ancient books and text fell to the floor as the long, sharp claws reached deeper into the library. White and light blue scales began to shimmer against the darkness of the chamber, their colors breathtaking, their size nothing but frightening.

It was the dragon. It had found them.

“Get out of here! Hurry up!” Twilight screamed.

She pushed the other two toward the door just a few paces away, but stopped as the rows of bookshelves fell like dominoes, cutting off their exit. Twilight looked to her right and left quickly; there was no other way out that she knew of. Pokey and Lyra looked just as helpless.

But there was one spell that came to mind.

“Brace yourselves!” Twilight warned as the tip of her horn began to light. “I'm going to try and get us out of here!”

Her spell zapped into action, and before she knew it the three were standing out in the foyer, quaking, just a steps away from the performance hall entry. The terrible sounds of the dragon carried through the foyer, but something else tickled away at the air as well. It took a moment for Twilight to hear it, and when she did she began scanning the hall. It didn't take long before she spotted a sparking white line of frost slowly covering the central staircase.

Another breaking of glass sounded, and with that there was no more waiting; Twilight made a dash for the performance hall. She pushed the doors with all her strength, even with magic power added in, but for some reason the doors refused not budge. They seemed perfectly normal; that is, until a familiar white frost crept out from between the cracks in the doors.

“Colgate!” Twilight yelled. “Colgate! Can you here me!?”

Twilight held her ear up to the door, but a freezing sensation made her jump back. She waited. No response. The frost continued to consume the doorway.

Twilight turned to see which doors in the foyer still appeared untouched, but to her shock they all seemed iced over. The door to the lounge, the door to the dining hall, even the door leading outside had ice or snow piling around its edges.

Twilight felt on the verge of complete panic. “We need to get outside.”

“Outside, are you crazy!?” Lyra shouted.

“I'm teleporting us out of here,” Twilight announced, not taking 'no' for an answer. “We're sitting ducks if we stay in here!”

And in another flash the three found themselves outside in the commons. Snow reached halfway up their bodies, and the touch of the cold seemed one hundred times worse. More numbing was the sight of the academy: not a single inch of the buildings or grounds went untouched by the accumulating snow and ice.

Princess Luna... where are you!?

Chapter 35: The Secret Within

Snowflakes fell heavy like confetti at the blasting start of a party, only the colors that floated and flitted in the air were unvarying shades of white, and beyond the blizzard's stir was no more than the gray-stained sky.

Concealed within the dull heavens was the dragon; Twilight didn’t need eyes or ears to sense it. A white and blue beast lingered somewhere in the mass of clouds, its mere presence a warning even from miles away. Twilight could feel its eyes surveying the grounds, and as a result dared not stare upward for long in fear that the penetrating gaze would lock up her joints. The book had thankfully warned her.

But the book did nothing to prepare her or the others for the catastrophic snowstorm the Ice Drake had brought. Knee-high in the snow Twilight stood shivering, unsure of just what to do next. The mare figured her companions, Lyra and Pokey, were just as clueless as she as neither had uttered a single word, instead listening for something to break the monotonous but malign heckles of the winds.

Twilight questioned the plausibility of fleeing if the Ice Drake were to suddenly show. There didn't seem to be any other options; fighting seemed hopeless given the fiend’s tremendous size and the sheer power typical of most dragons. Hiding seemed impossible as there was no place left to go. With every inch of the grounds frozen over, the three were essentially trapped. Soon, Twilight feared, they too would become ice-bound.

But Twilight knew that she had to cling to hope, even if its warmth could hardly be felt. It had been the only light in past instances. It had saved her and her friends before.

There has to be a way out of this...

“Twilight!” Lyra yelled over the blaring breeze, her body shaking beneath the baggage that she still carried. “What are we supposed to do now!?”

A tremendous clamor shook the air. It sounded as though metal was scraping metal, sword sharpening sword, with thunderous peals resounding like a gong. It was the din of a dragon's roar, followed by the alarming sound of dragon's wings.

Twilight's chest tightened as the strain of worry gripped her very soul. If she and the others were going to hide, they had to move fast. They stood out from the snowy the landscape like pastel-colored frosting on a layer of white frosting.

“Head for the beach, it's the only place close enough!” Twilight yelled back, and without hesitation she led the way to the eastern staircase headed for the island's inner bay.

Exactly how they could hide along an icy beach, Twilight wasn't sure, but her gut instinct had spoken. Her brain failed to come to a decision, something rare for the bookworm to do. Perhaps they could hide along the slope, she thought, maybe even hide inside some recession in the wall. It beat burying themselves in the snow.

The mare glanced at the sky, but all she could make out were the gloomy clouds. If a dragon were approaching, the only warning of its proximity would be coming from the noises it made.

Within the minute the trio reached the edge of the commons lawn where the cliff dropped down to the bay’s beach below. The pile of snow covering the span of railing made the fencing appear more like a short, stubby wall, and it took a moment for the group to find solid matter on which to lean.

As Twilight cautiously stuck her head out over the edge, though, there was no precipice to look down. Rather, there was a steady white slope that started where the railings began that dipped into where the waters once sat. The dip reached all the way out to the edge of the bay, where the mist and thick snowfall blurred any further vision.

Lyra, struggling to stand with the saddlebags tied over the middle of her back, leaned over the railing as well, but her reaction could not be contained.

“What’s going on? What happened to the bay!?” she shrieked.

Soon Pokey Pierce joined in as well, only after looking for a moment he proceeded to climb atop the thin railing. Three hooves made it and balanced his body as he slowly lifted his last leg up; however, while carrying it up, it bumped against part of the rail, sending the stallion horn over hooves onto the snowy slope.

Twilight held her breath as the body slid along the smooth surface, breaking apart what apparently was a thick layer of snow. Pokey’s body inched towards the steep part of the slope before stopping just shy of the fringe. Dazed for a moment, Pokey backed away slowly until he suddenly stopped and stared at the ground. He poked at the ground as a look of curiosity occupied his face, a look similar to what a young pet shows when seeing something for the very first time.

“That's funny,” Pokey chuckled to himself as he looked up. “I could've sworn this slippery stuff was-”

A crack interrupted, and in the blink of an eye Pokey's body vanished.

“Pokey!”

The two mares shouted as they leaned farther over the railing, stretching their necks out as far as they could. Without thinking Twilight rose onto the stone guard and leaned out to see a hole where Pokey’s body had disappeared, its gap filled with a dark blue color.

“Pokey! Are you okay?”

The wind replied with a loud howl of its own, adding in giant flakes to force Twilight to shudder more than just because of her fear. The mare ignored the malicious tease of the weather.

She called again, “Pokey!”

Lyra then stood atop the railing as well as she peered into the hole through which Pokey had fallen. After a few seconds of racing hearts, the two observers exchanged worried glances.

“W-What do we d-do?” Lyra asked, face full of fright.

Twilight could only reply, “T-Try and go in after him.”

Gingerly, the two stepped off of the railing and onto the snow-covered surface of the slope. Their first steps sank through the white layer, sinking half their bodies into what they figured was snow. Their hooves met a solid surface below, but its touch was utterly bone-chilling, even worse than the air and frozen precipitation.

“W-What is this we're s-standing on?” Lyra asked as she tiptoed to evade of the icy sensation that bit the tips of her hooves. “Did they just build a cover over the stairs leading down to the beach or something? If so, I never got to see it!”

Twilight rolled her eyes as she cleared a patch of snow in front of her. Beneath it was a light blue veneer filled with tiny bubbles, its hue lighter than that which filled the hole through which Pokey Pierce had fallen.

The mare cocked her head in confusion. “I t-think it's j-just ice.”

“Ice?” Lyra repeated. “T-This must be a t-t-t-thick layer to hold the b-b-both of us-!”

Just as she said this the ice began creaking like old floorboards, until suddenly there was nothing beneath their hooves. A short scream broke the air as Twilight and Lyra fell, but the drop only lasted a second. Still, Twilight only had a moment to gather herself before she began sliding down a slippery surface. Her attempt to stand and balance herself turned into a sideways tumble down the smooth gradient, which only grew more painful when another body joined the topple.

All of a sudden there were grunts, followed by a face full of grains of some sort. Twilight, dizzy and dazed, collected herself as best she could. From the corner of her eye she spotted Pokey standing and staring in another direction, distracted.

“Pokey!” Twilight got out. “Are you okay?”

“Oh, sure, don't worry about me,” groaned Lyra. “You only sent me tumbling a few seconds ago-” She paused as she raised her head and brushed the mess from her mane. “Wait a minute, where are we now?”

Reaching over them was a giant wall of ice, curved upward like one half of an archway. Its span started not a stone's throw away, its smooth texture turning to ripples as it reached the top of the precipice behind them. Off to the right from where they had fallen was a smooth but steep slope of ice, and beneath it visible treads of stone.

“We must be on the shore,” Twilight noted aloud. “And that means we just slid down the stairs-”

“The stairs?” groaned Lyra. “But what's this glassy arch? It's like we're in some crystal palace, or inside some kind of tidal wave.”

Twilight shook her head in awe as words spilled out, “That would have to be a really large wave to reach up to the grounds-”

The mindless utter quickly turned into intense thinking.

“Wave of ice!” Twilight exclaimed. “But could it be..? Lyra, do you remember that wave that you stopped when that big storm hit the academy? Do you remember how tall it was?”

“How could I forget?” Lyra said with a shiver. “It practically reached the span of the bay. Even scarier was that it reached as high as the... cliffs...” The look of shock on her face demonstrated her awareness of Twilight’s train of thought.

“There was ice in the bay and heavy snow falling when that giant wave came,” Twilight added. “It was almost as though the waters were beginning to freeze.”

“And there was that terrible storm, too. That voice warned me about everything, even about something she referred to as the ‘source of the storm’. I couldn't see it, but I could sense it.”

Twilight’s eyes lit up. “Could that Ice Drake have been the cause of it all? And also the cause of this? If you sensed something nearby when that wave approached, maybe it was hiding off in the ocean out of sight! The book did say that Ice Drakes occasionally reside in giant blocks of ice mistaken for glaciers at sea!”

The two paused as the revelations began to set in. Pokey merely nodded in unison.

“That wave, that one wave,” Pokey pondered aloud, tapping his nose. “I don't remember anything.”

“That's because you were most likely not here, Pokey,” Twilight remarked. “There was a giant wave, a tsunami, that was going to hit the island. If it had hit, it would have looked like this... only, it didn’t look like it was going to freeze.”

“It's so strange; where did all this ice come from?” Lyra asked. “If the wave I faced would have frozen solid like this, there wouldn't have been a need to sing and stop it-”

“The song!” Twilight shouted, which echoed through the corridor of glassy, ice arches. “Lyra, that song warded off the wave last time, and didn't you say later on that it was supposed to be used against that 'source of the storm'? If the Ice Drake is the cause of this, then maybe that song is what we need to defeat it!”

Lyra blinked nervously.

“I-I don't know if I can do that,” Lyra murmured, breaths grew short. “Facing a dragon... that's... I just don’t think I can...”

“Lyra, you have to!” Twilight pleaded. “That's the only way we know how to fend off the Ice Drake!”

But the minty mare still held a reluctance about her as she stepped back, her shame almost the final straw to bring her shaking knees to collapse.

“It’s impossible, Twilight,” Lyra sighed. “There’s no way I in my right mind could put myself in such danger. You know me, Twilight: I can't take the thought of pressure! You should have known that the only way to get me into such situations is by accident or without me knowing-”

“Do you have your lyre?” Twilight questioned, violet eyes fixed on her friend.

Lyra gave a confounded look as she glanced at the massive pack she carried. “No, Twilight, I just have everything I've brought to the island on my back! You know I'd love to show you, but it's buried somewhere in all my things; I wouldn't want anypony making off with it so easily, you know.”

It's never easy with you, is it?

Twilight curled her lips into a dubious frown. “Hmm, I don't know if I believe you. You are pretty forgetful.”

“Wha-! To think my friends don't even believe me!” Lyra gasped, vexed. “Why are you acting like this? Do I really have to get it out and show you to prove myself?”

Twilight nodded, to which Lyra growled and used her magic to lift the bags from off her back and drop them on the ground. After a quick glare directed at Twilight, she began digging through her things, flinging items up in the air, too flustered to care where they landed.

Meanwhile, Twilight turned to Pokey, who had been watching silently.

“Pokey,” she whispered, “I need you to stay here while Lyra and I go face the Ice Drake.”

The stallion, dumbfounded, tilted his head. “But I thought she wasn't going?”

“She is, she just doesn't know it yet,” Twilight said, rolling her eyes. “I know her, she does well under pressure. Like she said, she just has to be fooled into going. She’s... strange like that.”

Pokey paused again to look over at Lyra, who continued to furiously dig through her belongings as her complaining came out in muffled mutters.

“You're not taking me, too?” Pokey inquired, a helpless look coming over his genuinely innocent expression.

“I need you to use your telepathic spell,” Twilight said, trying her best to ignore the puppy eyes that stared at her. “Try and keep a look-out for Luna. I don't know if there's a magic barrier that will hinder you from seeing far out, but I need you to try and contact her as soon as possible. Tell her to come right to the commons where Lyra and I are heading.” She gulped. “Hopefully we won't be frozen by then.”

“Wait, you're heading back out?”

“I thought I made this clear, Pokey,” Twilight groused, when suddenly Lyra jumped in.

“Heading where now?” she asked as she faced the two, her golden lyre floating by her head.

“Got it? Good. Brace yourself, Lyra!” Twilight warned, but her friend hardly had a moment to prepare as Twilight went straight into casting her teleportation spell.

In a flash the echoes and otherwise eerie silence of the chamber of ice disappeared, replaced by the raging winds and tempestuous precipitation once more. The white was strangely blinding as the scene of the academy blended into the pearly colors of the turbulent atmosphere, but Twilight forced her eyes to adapt at once. The cold was almost unbearable, however, as ice pellets began to fall instead of snow.

“What-!” Lyra wailed. “Why are we back out here again!?”

“We're facing the Ice Drake, Lyra,” Twilight stated. “We can't turn back now; you have to use that song you learned to stop that wave. I know you can do it!”

“You actually believe that whole connection?” Lyra squawked with a jump. “I thought we were just speculating!”

“Just get your song ready!” Twilight ordered. “You and I both know you do well under pressure. Didn’t you do better than me on the final test at Celestia’s school?”

Lyra gave an anxious grin. “Well, I might have lied about that...”

“You lied? About the- But why would you-?” Twilight slapped her face. “Just get ready for when the dragon gets close!”

Lyra looked at her lyre, which still hovered by her head, its thin strings vibrating from the bits of ice that tapped against them. Her ears retreated farther back with every second her eyes ran up and down the golden instrument.

“It's just that, well... I...” Lyra gulped. “I don't remember the whole song!”

Twilight’s eyes darted from the sky onto her friend.

“You WHAT!?”

A roar blared through the sky, followed by loud tears through the fabric of the air. Twilight knew the disturbances that beat in the distance. The thunderous blasts sounded closer and closer, and Twilight knew it wasn't the inner workings of the storm: the dragon was drawing near.

She looked to Lyra with begging eyes. “Try and remember it, Lyra, and fast! I know you can do it!”

The two surveyed the sky, searching for any sign of the monster hiding in the silvery mist of the low-floating clouds. Flake after flake hit against their eyes, making the search more and more of a struggle.

“But the test, Twilight,” Lyra muttered. “I didn’t actually beat you-”

“THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS!” Twilight hollered. “Just play!”

Lyra lowered her head, and after a pause began plucking the strings of her lyre as her eyes and expression went vacant. Twilight could hear the notes go off one by one, with an occasional familiar tune; each progression, however, went wrong sooner or later. As the seconds ticked by, Lyra's attempts sounded less and less on the mark.

“I can't do it!” Lyra shouted after only a minute of trying. “I just can't remember! Twilight, teleport us out of here!”

“Lyra, you’re supposed to do well under pressure!” Twilight growled as she clamped her friend’s face between her hooves, more overwrought than frustrated. “If we teleport now, that dragon will sense us move into our hiding spot, and then we’ll be done-!”

Another roar filled the air, this time showering down from directly overhead. Twilight spotted a light blue streak slither past a thin shroud of cloud like a large comet streaking against the night sky.

“What do we do!?” Lyra screamed, wheezing.

“You just need to concentrate, Lyra!” Twilight said. “Don't worry about the dragon for now; I'll try and distract it. Just try and remember that song!”

But Twilight nearly failed to follow through with her obligation, for as she made her way to the across the lawn with her horn lit like a fire, the dragon came searing down to the earth, eyes fixed on her, throwing the mare's mind for a spin.

The Ice Drake's wings screamed like blades whistling through the wind, and its breaths were one hundred times louder than that of an Ursa Major. The force of the winds beneath its wings nearly blew Twilight off her hooves, and once it landed the earth shook under its mighty claws made of frost. The more detail Twilight could make out of the beast, the more she began to doubt her strategy of diversion would last as long as she hoped.

The dragon's shadow cast out a new sheet of cold beneath its darkness, turning Twilight's breath into glistering ice crystals. Twilight swallowed and dared to raise her gaze.

No, don't look into its eyes!

Twilight remembered the warning in the book, and so kept her eyes around where its chest and front arms stemmed out as she continued to back away from the beast. It had mighty limbs, muscular like any dragon’s. Its wings which then rested were long and wide, nearly invisible with their clear white texture blending in with the clouds above. Its talons were like blue ice, its teeth not long but extremely sharp. As it rose from its four legs on to two, it revealed its true height to be almost as tall as the main hall itself.

“Lyra!” Twilight called, keeping her eyes on the flying beast's sapphire chest.

The dragon, still drawing near, continued to stare down, unaware of Twilight’s intentions.

Sensing no reply, Twilight's eyes slipped away from the dragon and off to where her friend stood. “Lyra!”

This time the monster stopped its advance. Twilight, horrified, watched as the Ice Drake turned around and looked where Twilight's eyes had accidentally aimed: right where Lyra stood with her instrument. The golden glow stuck out from the snowfall like a ruby in a stony brook.

Did she remember it? Why isn’t she singing yet?

The dragon abruptly turned and headed off towards the mare and her instrument. Twilight's eyes flashed wide with horror.

Not that way!

“Lyra! Lyra, watch out!”

But Twilight knew her call wasn't reaching far. The dragon's steps drowned out all sound, and when their mighty blows against the ground weren't resounding, the winds blew with a wrath of their own. Their combined power knocked Twilight off into the snow where, in her shock, she could only watch the dragon tower over Lyra.

I have to distract it somehow... but how!?

Twilight looked around, but nothing was readily available; nothing but snow, ice, and whatever was buried beneath. She had been practicing her creation magic for weeks, but nothing had prepared her for such an occasion. She knew she had to improvise.

Ideas ran through the mare's weary head, which were so wobbled that they poured out from her mumbling mouth. “There wasn't anything in the book about weaknesses. It only said something about limits, the only one being it can't go places without snow or ice... wait a second, maybe that's why it broke all those windows! It couldn't freeze anypony inside because they were protected from the reach of the snow and ice! That’s why the dragon came when the snowstorm came! But what can I do about it..?”

She glanced over at Lyra, who seemed completely unaware of the fact that a dragon was slowly approaching despite its earth-shaking steps. Twilight summoned what power she could and focused on a spell she had used only once before in similarly dangerous situation.

Her horn glowed a majestic pink, and soon a similarly-colored line encircled the dragon on the ground. With a forceful wave of Twilight’s horn it suddenly folded upward to form a dome around the Ice Drake. Every last bit of snow and ice inside began to melt as precipitation dissolved upon touching the protective veil. The dragon turned in circles, confused, examining the barrier with contempt. Suddenly, it began bashing its colossal head against the enclosure.

Twilight felt her magic power quickly diminish; her hold was fading from the violent attacks, and fast. With all her might, however, she held the protective sphere together as best she could, hoping with all her being that the dragon would somehow be drained with its supply of ice and snow cut off.

But one final blow shattered the bubble like glass, its sound similar to the smashing windows of the school. The barrier was no more.

Twilight stumbled to keep her hooves planted. She felt the energy drain from her like the last drops being drunk from a bottle. She slumped from the fatigue that suddenly hit her like a boulder flung from a catapult. But her physical exhaustion was not the worst thing on her mind – rather, it was the Ice Drake, which then was looking straight down at her.

The mare's mind went totally numb as her thoughts cleared like notes erased from paper.

Its eyes-!

Everything proceeded as though in slow motion. Step after step the dragon approached, staring the mare down, and Twilight couldn't do a thing. Body numb and thoughts slowly returning, all she could do was contemplate her final moments, eagerly waiting for a nerve or muscle to move again.

The Ice Drake drew close enough to reach down and strike her with one of its many giant talons, or even squash her like a bug under its legs. Instead of these, however, the dragon lowered its head as it examined immobile victim. Twilight watched as tiny crystals poured from the beast’s mouth like an icy mist. After the details of the dragon’s black eyes were imprinted on Twilight’s brain, the beast reached its neck up to the icy heavens and started to fill up its lungs with a tremendous inhalation.

Then, like a toll of dulcet bells, it began:

“Like the water, calm, my spirit...”

The words resonated with perfect tone; its power upstaged even the storming gales.

“Show thy sense of perfect peace...”

The dragon paused and turned to face the source of singing: Lyra, bearing her precious lyre, eyes wide open and glowing a celestial white.

“Halt ye winds and rest ye waters...”

The beast started to twitch, starting with its head, then arms, legs and wings. As soon as Twilight felt her senses return she stumbled onto her hooves and darted over to her friend.

“Force thy restlessness to cease!”

The dragon gave another deafening roar, this time growing weak at the end of its howl. Every successive breath was a struggle as it teetered and tottered across the lawn. It fell onto its brawny chest with a deep bellow, crushing the vegetation of the park, its head just steps away from the mares. Its eyelids twitched until finally closing, and its body went completely still.

Then everything went completely still.

Did we do it?

Even Twilight and Lyra couldn’t move as they watched the dragon with tense nerves. Each one waited for some kind of movement, their hopes hanging by the thinnest thread. Neither dared to move nor make any sound aside from the panting they could not hold back.

Suddenly something began to emerge from the fallen beast, and Lyra made it known with a terrible shriek. A strange light violet color floated out from the Ice Drake’s body, taking the form of an entirely new creature, one that started to walk in the mares' direction.

It appeared to be a full-bodied, ethereal being, an apparition of sorts. It looked somewhat like a pony.

It looked up at the two mares, eyes open and attentive like a hawk's. As it looked between the two, something strange wandered into its expression; surprise, joy, horror, Twilight couldn’t quite tell.

All of a sudden the dragon's body began moving once more, convulsing to life as though struck by lightning. It rose onto all fours and stretched its neck upward as its revitalizing breath recreated the winds that had disappeared. The first sound it made was like a terrible roar, only reversed.

Twilight knew she only had a second to react.

She summoned her protective shield once more, this time surrounding Lyra and herself. The pink enclosure quickly formed to cover the two, and no sooner after it materialized did a turbulent blaze of white and blue ice dazzle around them like a ferocious fire. The mysterious flames dispersed upon touching the thin veil, and otherwise ran across its surface like water over a rock. Angered, the Ice Drake stopped and stomped on the ground as it began to inhale again.

Twilight wasn't sure how much longer she could hold her spell.

The dragon reached its head high as though it were drinking from the very storm clouds themselves, when out of nowhere a flash of lightning struck its head. The creature stumbled back, shocked, and looked around, its gaze shooting in each and every direction.

Twilight looked at Lyra, but her friend looked as clueless as she did.

Another lightning bolt seared through the sky, this time hitting the dragon's wings. As the beast staggered back yet again, Twilight noticed the ghost-like pony in front of them mimicking the Ice Drake's movements, doddering and staring at the sky in perfect unison with it.

Twilight looked up again as a section of clouds slowly began to part, leaving a gaping hole in the sky. Sunlight shone through and painted the scene with streaks of gold, staining the bland canvass that had loitered since morning. A figure slowly descended from above the clouds, its dark colors contrasting with the light which it had brought. Twilight knew who it was from the leaping her heart performed inside her chest.

Princess Luna!

The alicorn zipped into action, swooping down to strike the staggering beast. One shot after another she released dark magic directed into beams or giant orbs which pummeled the dragon like cannonballs. Though thrashed numerous times by such strikes, though, the Ice Drake did not cease its fighting. It leaped into the sky and spreads its injured wings, staring down Princess Luna with a look that threatened to attack her with every last ounce of its being.

But the headmare seemed hardly intimidated. She flew back up to the base of the clouds and raised a hoof into the billows. The gray material began turning black as midnight as it twisted to form a whirlpool of storm clouds. The entire atmosphere went black as though another night were falling, but soon enough electric pulses lit the sky, beating like blood through the cloudbanks’ veins. Twilight thought she could see Luna's eyes glowing a similarly dynamic incandescence.

The dragon beat its great wings, ready to clash heads, sending gales which the grounded unicorns began to feel as Twilight's shield had faded away. Twilight spotted the ghost pony, still glowing a faint violet color, as it stared up at the sky unaffected by the vigorous breeze.

A mighty roll of thunder suddenly accompanied the electricity flowing through the clouds, its sound spinning like liquid down a cone. As the cracks of light drew close to Luna, the alicorn vaulted into the clouds and out of sight, only to blaze back through it with an ear-shattering explosion. She shot through the sky in the blink of an eye, her trail flashing like a dark lightning bolt, its violet and gold-glittering streak piercing the dragon's body. What energy remained branched off and cracked like regular lightning, but its sight - though a flash - was still far from ordinary.

The thundering roar trailed off miles into the distance, and the flash remained imprinted on Twilight's eyelids. She had never beheld such a powerful spell.

What... What was that?

The dragon's wings stopped flapping as its body hung suspended in the air. Bit by bit it began to fade away until its form, no longer white and blue but black as ash, dissolved as the twirling winds carried it off as though it were weightless dust.

Twilight’s eyes fell onto the ethereal being standing before them. The look on its face matched the shock on her own.

“This... This freedom,” it uttered, voice trembling, “I thought it would never come.”

Chapter 36:

The Phantom’s Omen

“Stay back!” Luna ordered as she swooped down over Lyra and Twilight, quick as an eagle and loud as a lion.

The alicorn landed with violent impact, but her body hardly seemed shaken at all. Body prepared to launch at the ghost standing before her, Luna only glanced to capture a glimpse of the students she protected. Twilight spotted Pokey Pierce nearby, his head hanging low and his eyes wide open with a certain curiosity that Lyra displayed as well. Twilight could not help but fall into a similar state of stupefaction.

The spectral creature standing before them was like nothing Twilight had ever seen. Its body matched the shape and size of a pony – a stallion, in specific. There was no horn on its head but there were wings attached to its side, their feathery flow forming a strong, broad set of wings. His build was narrow like a racer's except for his chest, bulging like a royal guard's. His silvery eyes, the only part of his body not navy or violet, held an imperceptible mix of emotion like a potion with many foreign ingredients.

His eyes were not the only peculiarity about him, though. His translucent body, its texture like a slow-flowing liquid of violet and navy, had a golden glitter throughout its figure. The sparkling skin flickered in the sunlight as though it were made of a mysterious, dark flame. Everything, mane to tail, blended into one singular, uniform figure, whose eyes focused on those examining it.

“What is thy business, apparition?” Princess Luna asked coldly.

The chilly tone was a cover of sorts, for Twilight could sense a hotness burning in the headmare’s teal eyes. The same power that had not long ago defeated a dragon burned as though warning that the fire of might had not been extinguished. The ghost responded to the alicorn’s authority with a shaken bow.

“I-I only thought you were merely a legend,” the stallion said, utterly amazed. His eyes raised to observe the great figure standing before him. “You... you're an alicorn!”

“Indeed, I am,” Princess Luna responded, lifting her nose while casting a threatening gaze downward, as though skeptical of the phantom’s reverence. “What, strange being, art thou?”

“All I know is no longer a dragon,” the ghost replied after a quick circle and self-examination. “Liberation may finally come...”

The ghost’s form began to glow, but its azure radiance quickly died down to a mere shimmer. The convulsion of color pulsated like a heartbeat, its burst of light coming and going numerous times. The apparition's ears lifted attentively.

“It seems this freedom comes with fate,” commented the ghost with sadness, though a sigh of relief freed itself from his lungs as well.

Twilight dared to step forward and whisper, “Princess Luna, shouldn't we ask him about the storm?”

The ghost gasped. “Princess Luna? Could it be..?”

The alicorn stared down the ghost once more, but this time the creature did not back down in fear; it only looked on with narrow eyes and mouth agape.

“I am she,” the princess declared.

The ghost stumbled as its glowing came and went slightly quicker. Its phantasmal form looked like a dark, dying candlelight being drowned out by an increasingly powerful wind. With such a dainty appearance, the ghost seemed ready to be carried away even by the slightest breeze.

“I would flee this island if I were you,” the ghost suddenly warned, “you and everypony else. He is watching.”

“‘He’?”Twilight stepped back. “You mean... Discord?”

The very name made the ghost shudder. “You know this name-? No, no, nevermind him. The one whom you must flee... his name is Tempest.”

“Tempest,” Princess Luna repeated with a grim tone. “What is he?”

“Even I do not know anymore,” the phantom replied. “He once was a pony, then became an amalgamation of beasts. He may as well be the very storms that strike this island; with his mystical magic, he is nothing short of a berserk creature wielding immense power.”

Princess Luna looked to the sky with her emotionless gaze as the ghost stood seething, irises shrunk at the memories that haunted his mind. Twilight watched as the beaming sunlight made the alicorn's eyes gleam white as they passed through the sky, and she - along with the specter - stepped back in reactionary fear, prepared for some form of fury.

But the princess's voice came calmly, “I thank thee for thy token, specter. The thought of leaving has most certainly crossed my mind most recently.”

Twilight gasped.

So she was planning on moving the school to Canterlot for good...

The ghost began to fade, his brightest colors of dark blue giving way to the sunlight that started to spread.

“Wait!” Twilight blurted as her brain tried to process all that her ears were perceiving. “If Tempest was a pony... what was his name? What happened to him?”

The ghost narrowed his eyes in thought as he looked at the ground.

“I've known him as Tempest for so many years now,” the ghost lamented, when suddenly his eyes shot open to display a strong sense of determination. “Wait! I can tell you that there is one place on this island that may hold the answers you seek. Yes, it was not long after the incident, while our minds still controlled our bodies, that we wrote of our past. It must have been in a cave; exactly where, I cannot recall.”

Suddenly the blue flames of his body began to go out, starting from his tail and rear hooves. The ghost glanced over his shoulder and knew his time was coming to an end as the flames of his body began to dissipate. The unexpected smile on his face hardly reflected any hint of sadness.

“If only you had come sooner, Princess Luna,” the ghost said, his body fading until only his head remained, “then everypony could have been saved.”

Princess Luna raised an eyebrow.

“I thought I had,” she said, perplexed, “one thousand years ago.”

The ghost's eyes went wide. The expression on his face was one Twilight could not make out entirely; there were a number of things within it, from acute shock to utter relief. As the fading reached the stallion's neck, the specter looked to the sky, then out to the sea, and smiled, until the rest of his head vanished.

Sunlight shot from behind the clouds, embellishing the entire island with warmth and brilliance. Twilight hadn't felt such a glorious warmth in her entire life. The shivers of shock and fidgets of fear melted away like the ice around her hooves, and soon the entire ground began to clear of the ever-present whiteness. Faded green grass popped into view as the stone path back to the academy showed itself through growing puddles across the earth.

Icicles clinked against stone as the thick layers of frost broke off from the academy buildings. The dazzle of the sun brought back the familiar sight of the dark castle, its facade no longer locked in the grips of snow and ice. Windows broke free of the glaze as walls dripped with the melting waters. Pools formed all around the grounds, reflecting the sun's rays like mirrors of light.

The beauty of it all granted Twilight a renewed spirit, as though she had just eaten after a week of starvation. Something strange made her insides churn, however, as she contemplated the final words exchanged between Princess Luna and the ghost.

“Princess, if I may ask, what was that thing you said at the end?” Twilight inquired. “What happened a thousand years ago?”

The headmare raised her head as a look of contemplation overtook the alicorn. With a swift turn to face the academy, Princess Luna sat and motioned with a hoof out at the academy as an old storyteller does to begin laying out a scene.

Gracefully, she began, “Many years ago, not long before I was banished by my sister, I once saved a colony on this island from a number of monsters that were reportedly lurking about. As you may know, Twilight Sparkle, that colony was known as Pony Relic.”

Twilight felt her head tilting on its own, a sign of exhaustion and of curiosity. “Did you know about that place before the others and I had found it?”

“I did, Twilight Sparkle,” Luna admitted, though her tone was more of an unabashed, and firm, statement. “There were many that lived here long ago. Their settlement began some time between the establishment of my first school on Crescent Island and the time of Discord's reign.”

“Where does Discord fit into all this?” Twilight asked, puzzled. “I remember the Tigbalan being surprised that I knew of him; was he the reason you had to save all the ponies here long ago?”

“No. As I said, Twilight Sparkle, I saved the townsponies here from a number of monsters they said were skulking about. All I remember was that a search party had left looking for a few heroes that had gone to ensure protection of the settlement, but only one of both groups returned. This caused panic, which resulted in a number of ponies called for me, and I came to their aid as soon as I could.”

“So, was this after Discord?”

“Yes, and consequently there is a period of time of which I know none of its happenings,” Luna stated. “Whatever happened on this island during Discord’s reign is unknown to me. I tried to ask the citizens of Pony Relic upon arriving in Canterlot about what all had occurred, but none seemed able to answer. It was as though they were too frightened to recall anything.”

“What about that other monster, Tempest?” Twilight asked. “Was he the one that was scaring the townsponies?”

“I do not know, but it is quite possible,” Princess Luna stated. “The complication in all this is that the denizens of Pony Relic spoke of multiple monsters when I arrived to save them. My primary concern was to save the citizens, and so I escorted them all to Canterlot without facing the enemy. When I returned to the island not a day later, I searched for monsters across the island, much like I did before re-establishing my school for this winter. Strangely, both times I found nothing.”

The shroud of darkness that covered the issue seemed to fade, only to suddenly grow even larger. Twilight could see the puzzlement on the princess's face and saw a concentration far deeper than her own.

“What about the cave it spoke of?” Twilight asked. “Will you be-?”

“Those are matters which we must set aside for the moment. First, we must check on your peers and your professors,” Princess Luna stated. “I would much rather ask questions after we have safely left this island-”

“I'm afraid I cannot allow that... Luna.”

Twilight turned in every direction. In her swaying and surveying she could see the others moving to look around as well, even Princess Luna. The princess, however, all of a sudden had her eyes locked on the trees and vegetation standing on the hills nearby to the north. Twilight slowed her turning about and directed her sights to match that of the headmare's. She noticed something strange that made her freeze.

The entire scene had paused.

“Tempest, I assume,” Princess Luna said with a coolness that seemed as cold and powerful as the storm that had passed.

“Yes, yes, I do apologize for overhearing your little conversation,” came the mysterious voice. “I couldn't help myself; after all, your voices do carry rather well in this clear, undisturbed air.”

“State thy business!” Princess Luna barked.

“Now, now, don't let what my... ahem... 'servant', alarm you. He was not one for words, after all, and it is worth noting that he failed to follow my command when I needed him most. After all these years...”

“‘Servant’?” Twilight uttered, her words barely audible. “The dragon?”

However, the voice seemed to hear as it laughed. “'Yes, yes, my little dragon which is no more. I forgot that you had learned his weakness... that accursed song!” A terrible growl made Twilight’s head shake. “My patience in dealing with you all has grown terribly thin, ponies of Equestria.”

“Then we shall leave your island immediately,” Princess Luna announced. “We shall be gone before the moon rises.”

“Oh, predictable, you would measure time by the rise and fall of your precious celestial body,” came the swift reply. “But there is much to learn about me: first, that I control the time on this island.”

All of a sudden the sun retreated in the west and the moon followed quickly on its heels. Light faded to the night's shading blackness, leaving the scenery lit by only the pale light of the moon. A wave of cold began anew though hardly a breeze could even be felt. Stars glistened above between thick billows that stood still in the sky.

“The second thing you must learn, Luna, is that I'm not planning on letting you leave.”

Princess Luna's eyes narrowed, and Twilight saw the white flash once again. “Why keep us here, Tempest? State thy motive!”

“Why, haven't you figured it out yet? You and I have unfinished business,” Tempest hissed. “I'm especially disgusted now that I've heard the lies you fed dear Blizzard. Telling him you saved the ponies of Pony Relic... disgraceful!”

“My words were true, but if thou wishest to challenge me regardless, then let us settle this score here and now,” Princess Luna challenged. “But leave my students out of this conflict.”

“Oh, on the contrary, Luna: I have a special use for them. I know the pain of losing those I loved, those I cherished and whose company I enjoyed... I wonder, though, ‘Princess’ Luna... do you!?”

Princess Luna growled as she bared her teeth.

“As I thought, 'your majesty'!” Temptest guffawed. “I've waited years and years for this chance to come! I finally have you here, trapped on my island!”

Not with Princess Luna, we can't be-

“Who do you think you're fooling, young one!?” the voice exclaimed, which promptly wiped Twilight's mind clean of any thought. “I know of your tactics; the dragon wasn't lying when he told you that I have been watching you all. Every storm, every snowfall, every thunder that tolled in the sky has been my doing. I’ve been watching since you returned. For now, I shall let you think, let you writhe in fear at the thought of your impending doom. Just remember: there’s no way out, not for you or for your students, Luna.”

“I am prepared to face you, Tempest,” Princess Luna demanded. “Art thou a coward who dares not show his face? Your talk lacks power given your lack of presence.”

The foe laughed. “Oh, Luna, you must sense that I am a being of rage; I applaud your sharpened senses. However, your teasing will not work; I am comfortable in my current form and have no need to face you now.”

“Thou cannot remain in thy present form for long; otherwise, thou wouldst not depart so swiftly. The rain doth come and go in a similar manner. How long until thou rearest thine ugly head?”

Tempest growled. “I shall enjoy watching you suffer, Luna. You and all your subjects here. Think twice before planning to escape, for the sea is my companion, and the clouds my very heart. Every spell that passes beyond the island, every cry for help that you send out will not go unnoticed, and therefore will not work. I’ll dash your hopes with lightning, blind your weakened eyes with fog! Should you or your students dare face one of my storms... that soul can expect to never be seen again.”

The voice departed with an evil laugh, his last words a terrible omen. Twilight could only listen in shock. For some time she continued to stare at the air, for her eyes had lifted as though Tempest were in fact in the clouds themselves. The billows, however, were clearing, and fast, soon enough long gone except for those floating in the east, painting a silhouette of solid black against the late night sky. A single flash inside of them revealed a horrendous outline of a monstrous face – one with enormous fangs and beady eyes – smiling, staring.

The image was imprinted in Twilight’s eyes.

It was then that the mare realized that time had returned to its original flow. Winds started up again, beating a chilly breeze against her face. Normally it would have felt refreshing, especially after such a strenuous struggle, but at the thought of Tempest lingering in the winds, hearing everything that they said and thought, there was no revelry in the feeling.

Twilight could only watch as Princess Luna started towards the academy, her steps slow but full of purpose. Her head did not droop in the slightest.

“W-What do we do now?” asked Lyra, who had suddenly burst from her shell shock only to be met with the cold.

“For now, we recover,” Princess Luna replied. “Then, we prepare.”

“Prepare for what?” Lyra inquired.

The headmare turned and faced her students, a most serious look on her face.

“For the very worst, whatever it be.”

A chill continued to linger in the air, but there the hint of the nerve-racking, bone-chilling fear that had accompanied it had died down. Light shone through the foyer windows, pale but stronger than during the storm, and every inch of ice inside had disappeared. Ponies moved throughout the great chamber, their eyes filled with confusion, one by one lighting up in relief as Princess Luna graced the scene with her powerful presence.

“Princess Luna! You're safe!” cried a professor nearby, Madame Lonsdaleite, as she ran to the alicorn and bowed. Her steps were weak and her motion slow, but Princess Luna looked grateful and satisfied nonetheless.

“In what conditions are all staff and students, Madame Lonsdaleite?”

“Drained, but well,” the professor replied. “From the sound of it, no students were seriously harmed. Bastion has informed me that all is well on his end, and Ingrid has indicated the same.” She paused and lifted her eyes to look into those of Luna's. “What happened? Is it all over? All I can remember was a terrible cold bursting into the dining...”

Her voice trailed off until her mouth simply hung open. Twilight could only assume she was remembering what all had happened to her and others within the dining hall. She herself shivered at the thought of the dragon when it rushed her and Lyra. The mere of sight of it had stolen her breath away.

Princess Luna answered after a pause, “I wish to summon the entire academy into the foyer, here. I shall explain everything promptly.”

“Very well,” Lonsdaleite said with another bow, and without further explanation headed off to the dormitory building as quickly as she could.

Princess Luna closed her eyes and shook her head, swaying her smooth, starry mane like a gentle river down to the floor. “Such misfortune has befallen this island. Had I never thought to revive this school - at least not here - we would not be facing such an inauspicious situation.”

Twilight stepped forward meekly. “Don't feel bad, Princess Luna. No pony could have anticipated all this.”

“It is not regret that I feel, Twilight Sparkle,” Princess Luna stated, “not yet. No student has been injured, it seems, and as far as I am concerned we are not doomed to suffer the fate that Tempest foresees.”

Lyra's ears perked up. “You mean... you have a plan?”

“My plan for now is to hope, Lyra Heartstrings,” Princess Luna replied. “Such ambition is essential to facing a great evil. Should we simply give in to despair, we would be better off falling into an eternal sleep, never to look forward to a new morning.”

She gave the three following her a brief look-over, one deep as though peering into their hearts.

“Thank you, Twilight Sparkle. Once again, thy quick thinking and actions have surely helped save the academy from the clutches of this mysterious monster.”

Twilight looked to Luna, who gave a complementary nod, and then to her friends, who also had looks of entrancement on their faces.

Princess Luna added, “See to thy peers and gather here when ready. As I have stated, I wish to inform all of our situation.”

She parted and headed off into the sea of students and staff, helping those that were lost or in panic while otherwise giving orders to the able-bodied. As she drifted further into the thickening crowd, a number of familiar faces emerged and took Twilight's immediate attention.

“Twilight! Good to see you're safe,” said Vinyl with a tired grin as she approached. Beside her was Windchaser, his platinum eyes searching the foyer with caution.

“Vinyl! Windchaser! You're all right!” Twilight called.

Just the thought of seeing them trapped within the magic ice put a chill down her spine, but a warming sensation ran through her body upon seeing them move again.

“What happened?” Windchaser asked in his usual quiet tone. “Are we safe again?”

“Yeah, what's the deal?” Vinyl added, “last I remember we were just chattin' with Madam Lion about plans for hidin' and stuff. Next thing we knew, BAM! Bunch of snow just blew in. That's all I can think of.”

Windchaser simply nodded in agreement.

“We found out it was an Ice Drake,” Twilight explained. “It froze the entire academy over. I think it was breaking windows so that it could enter inside and freeze everypony up.”

“Whoa, seriously!?” Vinyl exclaimed. “That's straight-up creepy. But what happened to you three? You look pretty exhausted, more so than anypony else here.”

Twilight rubbed her head as though comforting herself at the recollection of her recent battle.

“Well, we got outside to try and hide, but we eventually had to face it-”

“You faced that monster?” came the voice of Gallant as his large figure entered the scene.

Along with the strong stallion strolled in Starlight and Quirky, their faces bearing weak smiles. The total strength of their delight meant little – the fact that they had some kind of happiness on display was what overwhelmed Twilight with joy.

Lyra nodded as she leaped into action. “We did indeed face that beast! I headed the charge, of course, but Twilight provided me with some support. It was all thanks to my singing that the beast went down!”

“Don't forget Princess Luna,” Twilight growled, rolling her eyes.

“Oh, well, of course. She's always part of our most dangerous adventures nowadays, it seems-”

“I heard ADVENTURE!”

A blue mare stormed onto the scene, no sign of feebleness apparent in her volume. Twilight backed away as a blue blur zipped through the crowd to stand face-to-face with Lyra, her eyes filled with shining stars.

Soon enough, however, her tremendous smile began to fade. Lyra, unable to move away due to her surprise, simply stared as her prideful grin from earlier slowly turned upside-down. Colgate's eyes suddenly narrowed and her own smile went from joyous to mischievous.

“Well... well... well,” Colgate remarked, “look who happened to cross my path.”

Lyra snarled, “For your information, I was here before you decided to storm on in.”

“Funny, last thing I remember was you “storming” around, taking my thunder and all,” Colgate growled, twitching. “You and Twilight have fun? I sure enjoyed getting stuck inside the performance hall and freezing for Celestia-knows-how-long!”

Lyra harrumphed. “Actually, Colgate, Twilight ended up needing me to fight-”

“Oh I'm sure that you were just the perfect pony to be there, as usual-”

“Everypony, if I may have your full attention!” Princess Luna declared, her voice echoing through the hall. All voices came to an immediate stop, even those of Lyra and Colgate. “Students of the Winter Magic Academy... we have important matters to discuss.”

Chapter 36.5: Assembly

The crowded foyer fell deathly silent. Princess Luna surveyed her audience, her silent spectators and students, and drew in a long breath as she straightened her sturdy stature.

“My students, I find no use in obscuring the truth whatsoever: Crescent Island is no longer safe.”

A number in the crowd gasped. Those who tried to save their breaths merely shook their heads in shock.

Princess Luna continued, “This latest incident which you all have experienced has confirmed suspicions that there is something here that does not favor our presence.” Students began to murmur, but for a moment Luna did not raise her voice in response. Suddenly, however, her ears perked up. “I understand your confusion, my students, but I ask that you continue to listen to what I have to say. For those of you who ask how I have not foreseen such peril, I do not have an answer. This fiend, whatever it is, has mysteriously escaped my sights numerous times. Today, however, it has revealed its existence.”

Twilight caught of glimpse of her fellow Ponyville friends. Each one had been through at least one major incident on the island; the mare wondered why Luna had not yet mentioned any such occurrences.

“One matter that I must emphasize,” the headmare added, “is that the evil that lingers has no grievance against any of you in particular; it is I whom he wishes to distress. However, regardless of this resentment, he has made clear a malicious desire to harm whomever is within his reach. Due to this, I am enforcing a stronger set of security measurements.”

Amongst the murmurs and mumbles a cry erupted, “What about Celestia? Can she help?”

A white streak crossed Luna's eyes as the pale moonlight passed through her vision. She shook her head as though an anchor were tied around her neck and looked over the crowd with bitter woe.

“I do not think my sister Celestia shall be able help us. This villain, Tempest, claims to possess a strange force even I do not fully understand. Though he boasts of tremendous magical power, even the sole guardianship over this island, I cannot help but cast a shadow of doubt over such avowals. If he indeed had complete control over Crescent Island, I am sure we all would not be standing here today.

“However, I have found it suspicious to have not received word from my sister – not by spell or messenger – in the past couple of weeks. Due to my focus shifting to more immediate problems recently, I failed to continue effective communication with my sister in Canterlot.”

The student body began to erupt again, this time louder than before. Twilight could even hear her friends nearly shouting to have their voices heard by those just standing a hoof's reach away.

“What does that mean now?”

“Does she have a plan to get us out of here?”

“Why didn't Luna tell us this any sooner?”

Twilight felt a bit of panic herself. Her face began to heat up as though she were feeling embarrassment for the princess; exactly why, though, the mare could not tell. What she could make out all of a sudden were the alicorn's eyes which were lighting up again. Within seconds Twilight braced her ears for impact.

“STUDENTS!” Luna shouted, projecting her voice above the increasingly loud panic. “WE HAVE ACTED IN SUCH A MANNER IN ORDER THAT YOU ALL WOULD NOT PANIC AS YOU ARE NOW. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS SITUATION APPEARS MOST DIRE, BUT BELIEVE US WHEN WE SAY THAT WE SHALL FIND A WAY OUT OF THIS QUANDARY AT ALL COSTS.”

Twilight felt her hooves shaking, though her ears took the greater portion of her attention as they reverberated like giant drums being relentlessly pounded.

Princess Luna looked over her audience once again. With a more contained tone of proclamation, she carried on. “Though I had intended for the next few days to be a break for you all, I believe it would benefit us all if you all were to resume your magic studies, if not intensify your practice and scope of spells. Sharpening your skills is the best manner in which to prepare for an emergency.”

Twilight saw a couple of her friends flinch at the thought. The mare herself was indeed anxious, yet also adrenalized by the thought of already returning to her studies. She had felt as though the spells had been rather easy to learn and execute up until that point, and that now a new door of possibilities was opening.

However, aware of the others' lack of enthusiasm, Twilight prevented herself from showing more than a ghost of a grin. Deep down, though, a certain expectancy continued to well up.

“I shall prepare an official edict for later,” Princess Luna stated. “But for now, the most important mandate which you all should follow is that exploring beyond the academy grounds is strictly prohibited.” A few in the audience grumbled – Twilight spotted Colgate rolling her eyes – but after a couple of shoves and covered mouths, most were nodding in understanding. “Furthermore, in order to amplify our security measures - which regrettably have not changed since our second week of winter - groups shall be created in order to ensure accountability.”

Twilight overheard Starlight whisper, “What ever did happen to the guards? Weren't they around in the beginning?”

“Princess Luna dismissed them after the first couple weeks,” Gallant answered just as quietly. “I think I heard that Celestia thought her sister was being too overprotective of us. That, or something was stirring in the capital. I guess they never came around to returning.”

“Whatever the case, we could sure use them now,” Quirky grumbled. “I'd rather not have to keep a close eye on each other.”

“Aw, Q, but I thought you liked spying?” Vinyl jeered.

“As if!” Quirky remarked. “I’m more worried about those of us who wander off on their own all the time.”

A number of eyes fell on Windchaser, who up until then had been grinning at their small talk. He had always found listening somewhat entertaining; that is, until the subject somehow fell on him. The chances weren't always in his favor when avoiding the spotlight.

“What?” asked the light gray stallion.

“Come on, Windchaser, we all know you’re the one who goes off alone all the time.”

The stallion shook his head and laughed. “I don't hate company.”

I just can't be around some ponies for too long, that’s all.

Luna's announcement ran on, “Your groups shall be assigned by your professors according to which magic track you are currently enrolled in here at the academy. If you have not packed all of your things yet, prepare to do so now. Your groups - as well as new room assignments - shall become effective tonight.”

Windchaser remembered the small bag of winter clothes he had left in the dormitory foyer. With hardly anything packed, he was ready to go.

“Your professors shall await you in the dormitory building. Group and suite allotments shall be designated there. Once settled, please stay put until further word is received from your instructors or myself. We shall try and have a meal prepared as soon as possible. Should you observe any strange activity, do not hesitate to inform your instructors or myself. That is all for now.”

Like honey being poured from a bowl, the students gradually filed into the funnel of the glass corridor. An awkward blend of speechlessness and anticipation spread as ponies passed through, and Windchaser could feel it as he found himself caught in the crowd. Some simply had nothing to say, and so stared on as though lost in thought. Others buzzed about the new changes, either complaining or secretly expressing relief in having a chance to escape past suitemates.

Lyra, of course, was a part of the buzz.

“New suitemates?” she wailed, before suddenly perking up. “When I think about it, it's quite exciting!” Then her pace slowed down. “But now I might not be on the top floor...” Then she began hopping in place. “But now I might get to meet somepony new!”

Twilight, who was walking beside Windchaser at the moment, raised an eyebrow. “Lyra, I thought the last thing you wanted was to change rooms.”

“Well, Twilight, it’s not so uncommon that opinions can change frequently given certain circumstances.” Those within ear’s reach who knew the minty mare gave an appropriate stare. All Lyra did in turn was lift her nose and sniff. “What? If others were opening the lounge windows without asking, or even moving seats so they weren't evenly spread, you'd be annoyed from time to time too!”

Windchaser shook his head.

Typical Lyra...

“I'm glad we've got some food,” Vinyl said as her stomach grumbled loudly. “I was wonderin' if we were gonna have to resort to some crazy tactics for eating. You know, like in those stories where the main character has to eat carpet or something-”

“I'm pretty sure they have large reservoirs in case of emergency,” Twilight interrupted, uneasy. “Princess Luna is always prepared.”

“Prepared, but apparently not foreseeing,” Lyra whined. “We wouldn’t be in this mess if it weren’t for-”

All of a sudden a heap of ponies began to stack in the hallway. One by one bodies were being pushed up off their hooves into the figure in front, forming a clog in the artery of the corridor. At the tail end was Pokey Pierce, who – unaware of his inadvertent, forceful shoving – was panting just trying to catch up to the rest of the group.

“Guys, did you hear?” Pokey blurted. “We might have to move into new rooms.”

“Yes, Pokey, we heard,” Twilight explained in her kind – or rather, tolerable – manner. “And should you really be pushing your way through this crowd when you were just in a wheelchair this morning?”

Vinyl cocked her head. “Yeah, whatever happened to all that..?”

The chatter continued on, but Windchaser was too busy overcoming his discomfort. The number of his peers cramming into the hall was suffocating. The only relief he found was in looking at the night sky laid out overhead through the glass. Though cramped within the confines of the corridor, Windchaser felt as though he were losing himself through exploring the wide open territory of the star-filled space. His mind took the expanse and released what little thoughts he could.

Before long, a hoof nudged deep into his side, causing the stallion to jump.

“Earth to Windy,” Vinyl said with a victorious grin. “I know that look like I know my vintage records. What's goin' on in that dangerous mind of yours?”

The stallion shooed his friend's poking limb away and chuckled.

“‘Dangerous’? Nothing, really.”

“Nothing? Really,” Vinyl repeated in reply. “You sure you're not thinkin' 'bout who you're gonna get stuck with in this room swap?”

That was in fact what had been at the edge of Windchaser's mind, the thing that was spinning a new strand of anxiety. He had been content with his current suitemate, though in all honesty if he saw any individual as little as he saw Cheerio – a social butterfly from Fillydelphia – he would have managed just fine.

Really, the only individual he worried about wouldn't even end up in his room.

She could be in my group, though.

“It's crossed my mind,” Windchaser admitted after a pause.

“Knowing you, it won't be an issue,” Starlight said as he was pushed along by Pokey, who was still unaware of the disoriented bodies he was pushing along. “I wonder, though, if we're getting put into groups, do you suppose they'll try and put us with ponies we know?”

“Makes sense to me,” Vinyl said. “Stick the peas of similar green in the same pod, ya know? Whaddaya think, Windy?”

“Doesn't matter to me.”

“Aw, no love for your Ponyville sibbies?” Vinyl laughed. “Whatever, we'll see. I wonder, though, is there any pony that could drive you insane? I feel like you're the most low-key, quiet stallion I've ever met, though not the most harmless...”

Windchaser narrowed his eyes.

Vinyl laughed. “Ho ho ho, I know that look! You've got somepony in mind.”

Windchaser tried to wipe the serious expression from his face, but Vinyl's pointing it out only made matters worse. Soon Starlight's eyes were shooting open as the two stared at him like hungry pets awaiting a treat.

The gray stallion rolled his eyes. “I'd rather not risk it.”

“Aw, come on, it's not like Lyra's listening or anything,” Vinyl joked.

“Indeed I'm not!” came the voice of the minty mare from behind. The three shut up rather quickly; Windchaser let out a sigh of relief.

Saved by the ‘belle’.

Time passed ever so slowly until the assembly made their way into more spacious quarters. In the middle of the foyer stood the three professors, back-to-back, each holding a checklist and quill in the air with their magic. Student after student they searched for names, told of groups, and directed bodies to their respective rooms. Windchaser thought it similar to his mother’s descriptions of her first day at flight camp.

Windchaser waited until the crowds thinned out. He preferred not pushing his way through lines and had the patience to wait a great deal longer than most, whereas Vinyl and Starlight had made their way to their respective professors within seconds. When orderly lines began to form, he swiftly joined and found his mind occupied with worry.

What are the chances? The professor probably thinks that we’re ‘familiar’, but only because she’s forced us to be...

From time to time Windchaser could hear the names and details being read off clearer and clearer as he drew closer to the front. How the instructors had come up with their lists in such a short time, Windchaser wasn't quite sure. If anything, he was utterly impressed, but he also had his concerns. With a mother famous for racing, he of all ponies had been taught that sometimes speed comes at the cost of accuracy.

In this case, choosing groups quickly may have left poor placement.

“Mister Windchaser. Are you feeling well?” came a voice.

Windchaser snapped out of his daydream and found himself face-to-face with Doctor Marie, his professor.

“Yes, thank you,” he answered, quickly gathering himself.

So long as she's not in my group...

“Let's see, I have you staying in your current room,” Doctor Marie stated. “Lucky you, hmm? Your roommate now is Mister Seven Seas. I believe I sent him to the room already. He’s quite the character.”

“And my group?” Windchaser asked, then paused, surprised by the blip of anxiety that was rather atypical of himself to express.

Doctor Marie looked over the list. “Keep in mind that we tried to keep students more familiar with one another in the same collection.”

Oh no.

“Seems reasonable,” was all Windchaser said.

“Besides Seven Seas, let's see, I have you down with Miss Vinyl Scratch...”

Oh, that kind of familiar!

“...Miss Lemon Hearts...”

That’s all righ- wait...

“...and Miss Bonfire.”

Windchaser's blank expression remained, but beneath the facade was a terrible frown carved solid onto a frozen face.

“You'd best be on your way, then,” Doctor Marie suggested, waving him to the side. “Dinner should be ready sometime soon. Try and relax this evening; you’ve been through a lot.”

Windchaser nodded his thanks and started towards his room. The farther he walked away, however, the more his content appearance faded, teeth grinding and eyebrows furrowing.

I think I’m about to go through a lot worse starting tonight.

EPISODE 10: LIFETIME GRUDGE

Chapter 37: Revisit

ing Past Annoyances

There was much to celebrate, and much to abhor. Unfortunately for Windchaser, his mind couldn't settle on one feeling or the other for long. It felt a bit like a speedy Ferris wheel, violently swinging up then suddenly falling down, but despite the mental motion sickness he managed to keep it all inside his head, save for a small misstep or two as he paced the dormitory corridors. Otherwise, on the outside, there was nothing more than an expressionless gaze. His platinum eyes moved about every few seconds or so in their usual observational manner.

The way to his room was a trek occupied nothing more than Windchaser’s containing of his thoughts. None looked at him as though anything were escaping into a snarl or strange twitches as the stallion had seen in the others from Ponyville. Starlight tended to fidget in his anxiety, whereas Lyra was either bouncing off the walls in joy or had her muzzle glued to the floor in depression. Though he felt safe for the time being, Windchaser couldn’t help but see himself headed for such a state of emotional ruin given the thought of what he knew he would be facing in the next few weeks – if he were even to survive that long – embodied within the mare named Bonfire.

Of all the ponies, she had to be one.

“There ye are!” came a bellow from a room nearby.

When Windchaser stopped, he noticed a head sticking out from the door that was, in fact, to his own suite; however, thanks to his occupied mind, he had already passed by.

Backtracking a few steps, Windchaser made his way back to where the blue stallion stood waiting. As he entered the familiar abode, his eyes went up and down the strange pony that stood before him. He had an eye-patch over one eye and a cutie mark of a ship at sea. His blue colors were much like Colgate’s, but the stallion’s were much more vibrant like the demeanor he displayed through a funny grin.

“Nice to see another classmate o' mine; at least yer a familiar face,” said the blue pony. “What was it, now, Will-o'-the-Wisp?”

“Windchaser.”

“Ah, close enough,” the stallion mumbled. “The name's-”

“Seven Seas.”

“Ah! So ye do know me, do ye?” the blue stallion exclaimed. “Arr, it seems me fame has ever-increased as the weeks have gone by. Why, I certainly ain't one to complain-”

“You have a strange accent,” Windchaser stated, unsure of how else to put it. “It’s how everypony knows you. We’re also in the same class.”

He had heard it discussed in various circles when Seven Seas passed by. Such a distinctive identity had not been something that Windchaser envied.

“Well, good to know I'll be with a bit o' an honest one!” Seven Seas laughed as he pulled Windchaser close for a brotherly embrace. “And of course I know we’re in the same class, how could I forget? Speaking of forgettin’, between you and I, the last kooky I ended up with was a bit o' a strange one, he was, and I can’t quite forget the likes o’ him.”

For the sake of small talk – Windchaser figured he had nothing else to do – he gave in to curiosity. “Who was it?”

Seven Seas’ eyes lit up briefly. “Oh, he was a strange one! He was... er... well, it started with a ‘J’, or was it ‘Q’..?”

His voice trailed off, and soon Windchaser wondered if he could even remember his question, or even if he had heard it clearly the first time. The blue stallion stood on his hind legs suddenly and separated his front hoofs and began nodding as his eyes grew tremendously.

“This long,” he remarked, drawing out his words as far as his reach, then twisted his hooves to signal a vertical length. “This tall. Big land-lubber, he was.”

“Giant Geode?”

“That's the feller! Yer a good one with names, aren't ye?”

“I keep my ears open,” Windchaser replied succinctly.

But Seven Seas' eyes narrowed. “Ye got a good memory, too, it seems - like me! Good fer when yer in large groups-” He paused for a moment, letting go of Windchaser. Before the stallion could slip free of the grip, though, it returned. “Speaking of groups, what d'ye make of the mares in ours?”

This time Windchaser lifted the hoof of his acquaintance off of his shoulder and stepped back to gain back his individual space. He kept his emotionless stare in tact as Seven Seas stared for a second, then raised an eyebrow and patted his muzzle.

“Not too fond, eh? Either it's one of the three or all of 'em, I’m guessin’,” the sailor added. “Where are you from again? Yer not from Canterlot, are ye? No, Manehattan-?”

“Ponyville.”

“Arr, next on me list, naturally,” he coughed. “So, you must know Vinyl Scratch, yes?”

How does he know where she’s from and not me..?

“Yes.”

“I assume yer the best of friends, then. That leaves the beautiful Lemon Hearts and the sporty Bonfire. I can't imagine why ye'd not like either one-”

“There's more to them than meets the eye,” Windchaser said, then covered his mouth quickly.

No. Stop talking. Saying more will only make it worse-

“Well, what do ye mean by that, Stormchaser-?”

“Windchaser,” the stallion corrected, then sealed his own lips shut. He peeped, “I meant nothing. Really.”

Seven Seas cocked his head. “Yer a strange one. Not much fer talking, are ye?”

Windchaser merely nodded.

“Proves me theory straightaway!” he exclaimed with a laugh. “Well, I guess I'll just have to wait and see fer meself when the group meets next – sometime this evenin', methinks.”

“This evening?” the silver stallion gulped.

Seven Seas gave a devilish smile. “Oh come on now, don't be so shy. Yer one of those ponies who doesn't do well in large group settings, aren't ye? Well, not to fear, there's only five of us including you, so-”

“It's not the group,” Windchaser remarked, to which Seven Seas paused.

“Oh, it's not, eh?” The blue stallion's eyes suddenly lit up like fireworks. “Ah, I see what yer gettin' at. It's just the females we'll be crossing paths with. You afraid of the mares? They really are something to fear at times, like sirens at sea.”

Seven Seas laughed with his eyes closed and head held high. Windchaser laughed nervously and nodded.

“He he, yeah, mares are pretty... scary.”

Windchaser barely convinced himself of feeling any trace of embarrassment, but the sailor-speaking stallion didn't seem to notice in the slightest as he carried on waltzing about the room. His steps seemed somewhat strange, as though he were wobbling, as he constantly murmured to himself as though no one were watching him. Windchaser couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow.

Does this guy really think he's a pirate or something..?

Before Windchaser could ask aloud, the door suddenly flew open with a bang. In pranced a familiar figure whose blazing colors could have been spotted from miles away, even at night; the very sight burned Windchaser's eyes; that is, he wished that he would be blinded. Nothing was worse than the sight of the gold coat and wild mane and tail of the mare that trotted into their suite.

“Well well well, look who we have here,” came the voice of Bonfire, whose figure swayed into the room with the greatest of pride.

“Bonfire,” Windchaser muttered as a greeting, fighting back a scowl.

Seven Seas' eyes shot between the two before a giant grin came slipping across his face. “Seven Seas! Say now, do you two... know each other?”

“Why of course we do,” Bonfire confirmed with a devilish grin. “Ain't that right, Windchaser?”

“Unfortuna-” The stallion didn't permit himself to finish, but instead replied with a simple, “Right.”

“Isn't it just a lucky coincidence that we end up in the same group?” Bonfire added. “You must be overjoyed.” She added a devious laugh before continuing. The sound of it served as an enraging reminder of the many times Windchaser had heard it before. “I just thought I'd stop by and say hello since, you know, you've been avoiding me the entire time we've been here at the academy.”

Windchaser had made a point of it, but couldn't tell if Bonfire had in fact failed to notice until recently. He knew the mare able to accomplish whatever she put her mind to; if she had wanted to come face-to-face with him earlier, to poke her usual fun at him as she always did, Windchaser had no doubts that she would have. Given her typical teasing and spunk, he merely wondered then what had taken the mare so long.

“Old friends, eh?” Seven Seas asked, sailing above the undertones. “Well, hoist the anchor and-!”

“Acquaintances,” Windchaser said. “Nothing more.”

“Aw, why so cold there, Windy?” Bonfire teased. “Tsk, tsk, always the chilly one. I thought it was my job to have a fiery temper. Growing up, I did get in more trouble than you. What ever happened to your little bottled-up fury? You always tried to play the hero at school-”

“Mine comes and goes with the wind,” the silver stallion replied. “Speaking of which, I think you should get on with the 'going' part.”

Bonfire sat right where she stood like a stubborn filly refusing to leave a toy store. Her previously crafty expression shifted quickly into a tempered pair of furrowed eyebrows curved over goldenrod eyes.

“What makes you think I'm going to leave so easily? I haven’t been able to speak with you until now, and we have so much to catch up on, I’m sure-”

“Unfortunately, Miss Bonfire, this is not the time,” came a strong voice from the doorway.

Windchaser had spotted the dark figure of Princess Luna the second she began standing in the entryway. Because she had not yet entered, Bonfire hadn’t the chance to spot her even from her peripheral vision. The cocky young mare sprung onto her hooves in a shocked manner Windchaser had not seen in a long time, and it reminded him of many of their past encounters. The smug look only disappeared for a moment, though, as the paleness quickly faded like fog around a fire, and the golden color of Bonfire's face returned after a polite nod.

“Very well, Princess Luna,” Bonfire said politely. “I'll be back later then.”

But the second she finished her slight bow and stood behind Princess Luna, she stuck a tongue out at Windchaser and flicked her tail before promptly exiting the room wearing a rather childish smile.

Windchaser watched the obnoxious character exit, only to quickly find himself staring eye-to-eye with Princess Luna. Her teal eyes held a powerful but urgent sensation, which quickly brought the stallion to apologize as he realized how ruffled he felt. The anger had begun to spring a leak in his jar of sentiments.

“I'm sorry you had to see that, Headmare-”

“Think nothing of it,” Princess Luna stated. “I trust that things will not get out of hoof between you two.”

“I think I'll manage,” Windchaser replied, though he felt she could sense the lie. “Did you want to see me? Or Seven Seas?”

The princess did not hesitate one second, “Both, actually. I have come to see what thou might think in regards to aiding in a scouting assignment. It concerns the recent attack that happened not hours ago.”

Windchaser felt his blood go cold, far colder than when he had seen Bonfire burst into his suite. It was a strange couple of words to hear, especially from Princess Luna, but he didn’t mind too much since it got his mind off more touchy subjects.

The headmare continued, “I may need you two to join a faculty member in inspecting a part of the island. It is of utmost importance and could ultimately save everypony on this island.”

Seven Seas, though not spoken to, spoke up himself. “I don't mean to be rude, Princess Luna, but with all this danger and these here storms, isn't that a task a more powerful mare should do? Like you? We're only attending the school here-”

Princess Luna nodded in acknowledgement, but the intensity in her gaze hardly seemed forgiving or understanding. “This last incident was a result of my absence. If my presence is not at the academy, then I fear that something of equal or worse consequence may occur. We are dealing with a very powerful entity, one that may very well be limited to the bounds of this island. If I may be frank, Seven Seas, the matters of school have been far outweighed by this dire situation.”

The two stallions gulped as the severity of the situation started to seep into their minds. Windchaser felt a strange sensation emerging at the image of the island being overcome by a single being, whatever it was. Things were feeling less as though he were at school and more as though he were in military service of some sort.

“If the 'entity' overlooks the entire island, isn't it a risk for normal students – or whatever we are now – to go on our own?” Windchaser asked. “Even if with a faculty member?”

“Thy professors hold far more power than you may think,” Princess Luna stated. “I have merely required that they not leap beyond certain bounds of casting or methods so far as the safety of you students was of utmost priority. However, given the state that we are presently in, I feel that your instructors are well aware of emergency protocol; any kind of escape from the evil being's clutches is a step towards safety, even if it means casting powerful - even dangerous - spells.”

“What's the task, then?” Windchaser asked, barely believing what he was hearing. The last thing he had expected attending a magic school was being sent on some secret mission by the headmare. “Where would we be heading?”

Princess Luna approached the large window in the suite and looked westward. Accompanying the sight of the academy buildings was the pathway leading to the rocky beach where Windchaser had been dragged before.

Colgate...

“Facing westward is a cave that holds something of grave importance. The professor I hope thou shalt readily accompany is planning on searching the grotto for a clue of sorts.”

“A clue?”

“Yes, one that may point towards a way of defeating the monster of the storms,” Princess Luna remarked. “I have asked thee specifically because I know of thy capabilities. Thou art very fast and could serve as an effective scout with thy ability to hover. Having pegasus parents has granted thee this gift.”

“Right,” Windchaser said, still not sure of what all he was hearing. “What about this rule with sticking with our groups?”

“You won't be the only one assisting the professor, Windchaser,” Princess Luna explained. “I have asked thee first as I saw possible reluctance given your demeanor. Thou art very quiet and generally uninvolved, and therefore I was not sure if thou wouldst be willing to help.” She turned and faced Seven Seas. “Now, Seven Seas, thou may also be of assistance...”

From then on Windchaser didn't listen to the others as they talked. Instead, his mind was a flurry of wonder as thought after thought pitter-pattered in his mind concerning such a dangerous trip.

Princess Luna is really asking this of me? Who are the others involved, if only those from our group? Just when will we be going, anyway?

And why is it everypony thinks I'm some dark character? Even Princess Luna thinks I'm some mysterious-

“Have I made myself clear?” Princess Luna asked. “Are you two willing to help in this manner?”

Windchaser felt the voice being directly aimed toward him, and his eyes shot immediately up from the ground.

Out of reflex he replied, “Yes.”

But out of the corner of his eyes he saw a spark of surprise electrify the gaze he received from his fellow roommate. Windchaser suddenly felt shocked as he went still in wonder as to what he could have possibly misunderstood or missed in Princess Luna and Seven Seas' conversation.

“Good,” Princess Luna stated. “Be prepared any time when the sky is clear. That may very well be the safest time to go and observe the cavern, or at least provide the clearest time for when clouds are approaching. Thank you both for your compliance and understanding.”

With a brisk turn and chilly silence, she headed for the door and exited. Windchaser felt frozen from the rush of whatever storm he had just missed thanks to his daydreaming.

Seven Seas, however, seemed hardly concerned anymore as he bounced on over to his new friend.

“So, Bonfire?” the blue stallion asked with a nudge.

Windchaser turned away. “I'd rather not talk about her.”

Seven Seas shrugged. “Suit yerself. Sometimes I've seen it, though, that it's better to talk these things out. A sailor’s secrets can sink a ship-” A faint ring brought the pair's ears up. “Ah, the sweet sound of the dinner bell. No better thing like some good food after a hard day's work!”

“Work..?” Windchaser tried to ask, but the skipper had already made his way out the door, leaving Windchaser shaking his head and smiling.

If only it weren’t for her... I’d be that carefree.

Carefree was about the most inaccurate adjective that could describe Windchaser as time passed by. His teeth nearly broke day after day from clenching so tightly, and his eyes grew weary after days of torment, looking around to see who all could hear that mare’s voice. He even discovered a trick of shutting his ears all on their own, no hooves needed.

“What, Windchaser's never told you about his first year at magic kindergarten before?” Bonfire roared with laughter. “Oh he was such a crybaby! You think after years of noticing that your parents are pegasi and you're a unicorn, that it wouldn't be a big deal anymore, right? I mean, come on, I had the exact same thing going on, but of course my mother-”

The yapping had never ceased. Day after day after the icy incident Windchaser had dealt with story after story of himself being told, and by the likes of Bonfire, nonetheless. He tried to change the subject every mealtime, but typical Bonfire did what her mind was set to do, and for the time Windchaser saw her as only bent on making a fool of him, just like she had years ago, back when their so-called rivalry had started.

Vinyl suddenly nudged him, but even her jabs couldn't get him out of his morning slump, which after days of conditioning seemed rather permanent.

“I never knew your parents were both pegasi,” Vinyl remarked with a smirk. “Guess I shoulda known with your flyin' and all, huh?”

As though it were the final straw, Windchaser plunked his head down on the table and groaned. Bonfire's constant talking kept the attention of those at the table away from him except Vinyl, who had been constantly watching him our of the corner of her eye. She laughed and lowered her head and she poked Windchaser’s head.

“Come on, she's just tryin’ to carry on conversation,” Vinyl said, rolling her eyes. “Granted, it’s at your expense, but there’s no need to get worked up or whatever. It's keeping our minds off the scary stuff and classes and stuff.”

“I don't care that she's telling these stories,” Windchaser murmured. “It's that she's telling these stories.”

“Well, what do you expect? You’re the only ones with real history here, and nothing else is happening but classes. I like childhood stories, and you two seem to have a lot together. The bonus is that she’s telling us stuff about you we’ve never even asked.” She paused. “Now that I think about it, that might not be such a good thing. Still, you've been so quiet and mysterious all this time, especially towards her; you've barely spoken to anypony at this place.”

“And why do you think that is?”

Vinyl lowered her voice, “What, about Bonfire in specific, or you not talking to-?”

“I've talked with other ponies before, obviously, you just haven't seen it,” Windchaser grumbled, then clenched his teeth. “I'm talking about avoiding you-know-who over there.”

“I dunno, dude, she seems pretty funny to me,” Vinyl said with a grin. “Lighten up, I don't think anypony's opinions of you have changed; not that much, at least. Really, the only thing that surprises me is that a feather-hoofed stallion like yourself has never beaten that big-headed babbler in a race-”

“Three days, Vinyl, three days,” Windchaser begged. “Please, make it- And wait just a minute, I have beaten her in a race-”

“What's that, Windy? You remember another story?” Bonfire inquired. “I can’t tell them all, you know. Why not share yourself?”

Celestia knows you haven’t been telling them all faithfully.

Windchaser lifted his head and felt his face grow hot. Normally he could stand teasing. He didn't care about embarrassing stories or speaking of his earlier years, but hearing it all come from the lousy mouth of Bonfire was the activity that set the volcano off. It was like hearing the enemy share war stories of their victories - if not more - emphasizing the loss of those defeated seated right before them. Actually, that was almost exactly what was happening.

“I remember a story, Bonfire,” Windchaser said, his smile an obviously forced one, with rage clearly twitching between the seams. “How about the one you're afraid to tell-” He immediately saw Bonfire's face grow pale as it had when Luna walked in a couple days ago. He continued, “-the story where you and my mother-”

“Good morning, students!” came a voice from behind the fuming stallion, who abruptly turned to see a face he had rarely seen on the grounds.

The table fell silent. All eyes were on the older pony, whose white complexion bore a cutie mark of a red, curvy set of letters Windchaser could not initially make out. He guessed that none of the others could, either, as none spoke up with knowledge of who the strange character standing before them was. A minute of silence passed at the table, though the background sounds of the dining hall droned on.

“Quiet bunch, I see,” the elderly stallion - whose light blue mane and tail seemed very well kept - added. “Strange, you were happily chatting a second ago. No matter! Princess Luna has informed me that several of you are going to be heading with me to the cave.”

Windchaser suddenly remembered having previously agreed to the assignment. He looked to Seven Seas, who nodded, and then back to the stallion before them. His own slightly confused expression – as well as those he spotted on the others' faces – made it apparent to the newcomer that he had not been somepony they were expecting.

“Several from this group had agreed to join a faculty member on a venture to the western cave, correct?” the character laughed enthusiastically. “Well, speak up!”

Seven Seas finally did, “Well, I was under the impression we'd, er, be spendin' this time with a professor.”

“Well, technically I am,” came the response as the individual struck a dashing pose. “The name's Dramatico... Doctor Dramatico. Though you may not have seen me much, my name and cutie mark say it all, I'm sure.”

Vinyl then spoke up, “Are you the... theatre instructor?”

“What? No, I'm-”

“Makes sense,” Lemon Hearts added. “Dramatico, dramatic, though I'm not sure what that cutie mark is-”

“Some kind of fancy scribbles,” Seven Seas remarked. “Perhaps the writing professor?”

“We have one of those..?”

“Enough!” Dramatico barked. “I'm the school doctor, and I also am teaching a curative spell course now in the light magic track.” A collective ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’ rounded the table, and the doctor did a bow. “Yes, the school doctor, now you know. These 'scribbles', as you called them, are the letters 'Rx'. See?”

“That makes sense,” Windchaser murmured as the squiggly lines turned into understandable letters in his mind.

But Seven Seas continued to scratch his head. “Gar, I still don't understand-”

“No matter! I'm the professor leading this adventure, and we’ll be heading out shortly,” Dramatico stated. “We’d best be on our way right as soon as you're done eating – though exercise immediately after eating is not generally advised – and get to the bottom of this while the sky's still blue as a bottle of...” He paused, then eyed the student before him. “Well, blue as it usually is. I believe three of you are joining me, yes?”

Windchaser was a bit surprised; he knew that he and Seven Seas had been asked, but thought that they were the only ones as the stallions in the group.

“Right,” said Bonfire, looking to Seven Seas and then Windchaser with a wink.

And the one word and motion was all Windchaser needed to hear before suddenly realizing just what was about to go down. He looked to Seven Seas in his shock, but the stallion shrugged as though had known the entire time.

“Right then! Meet me outside the dining hall at the foyer doors and we'll be on our way when you three are ready,” Dramatico said cheerily. “A pleasure meeting you all. Until then!”

And with a quick turn he darted out and into the foyer, out of sight, leaving nothing but his quirky personality imprinted in the minds of those at the group's table. Windchaser's mind included him, but the doctor was not front and center in his mind.

Him, Seven Seas, myself... and Bonfire.

He glanced over at the mare, whose golden eyes flashed as her characteristic impish grin showed again.

Celestia help me through this day.

Chapter 38: Remembering Past Conflicts

“Now then, how many of you three have been this way before?” Doctor Dramatico asked as the four began their trek to the western school boundaries, a sunny and clear morning sky hanging over their heads.

After a bit of silence, none but Windchaser made any motion in the affirmative. The doctor, still not used to the shyness, wrinkled his nose at the students’ lack of verbal expression.

“Right then – Windchaser, was it? – I'm counting on you to lead the way,” the doctor said. “In the meantime, everypony keep an eye on the sky, understood?”

“Why?” Seven Seas asked. “I don’t see no point in it.”

The doctor laughed. “Oh you... students. So silly, really.” He nearly tripped over himself upon realizing the student’s seriousness, then tried to laugh it off. “Ah ha ha, yes! Of course, of course. You see, the sky... well, Princess Luna has said that it is most urgent. We need to keep an eye out for storms.”

“Storms?” Seven Seas asked, baffled. “Arr, ye mean like the one that struck a few days ago? Gar, ‘twas a rather nasty event, wasn’t it?”

Windchaser thought it peculiar himself; the air had grown slightly warmer, as though spring were approaching – it was, in fact, only a few weeks away. Still, winter had left its mark on the grounds, with ice and snow lightly piled up on the path's edges and frost covering the standing surfaces of the gateway they approached. Snowstorms were apparently still striking. Whether it was due to the island’s strange climate or because of something else; he hoped it wasn’t the latter.

Despite the changing conditions and strange sound of watching for a storm on a clear day, Windchaser’s eyes followed Seven Seas for a bit as he gazed into the deep blue as though the sailor’s life depended on it. The azure color in his own eyes made it look as though his stare had turned into a deep, reflective gaze of the empty atmosphere. Meanwhile, Bonfire let an eye slip across the great span of blue, only to click her tongue and shake her head apathetically.

Typical Bonfire. Not a care in the world, in the bad sense.

“Should any kind of danger, any cloud or even a sound of lightning, come along, tell me straightaway and we'll rush back to the grounds in the clap of a hoof,” Dramatico declared as the four stepped hoof outside the very boundaries of which he mentioned. “In the blink of an eye we'll be back thanks to teleportation magic. Nothing to worry about, I assure you.”

That's what they all say.

Really, there was some safety in the sound of it, but the assurance mostly relied upon the content. The tone and the one saying it, though, did not give the young stallion complete peace of mind. Not a second after thinking this, Windchaser swiftly scolded himself for his judgmental thoughts. Still, he felt he could hardly blame himself; it was hard when the older gentlecolt carried himself with such a strange swagger, as though he were king of Equestria, speaking as though an actor off stage who still acted in character.

“My, what a beautiful day!” Dramatico went on, worsening Windchaser's suspicions. “Not many mornings are this clear anymore. It's been all doom and dreary lately. I did notice it all, you know, before that whole ice storm-” His speech paused as his hooves faltered, but after a skip he gathered himself again. “Well, let's just settle and say it's a lovely day, yes?”

“If ye don't mind me askin',” Seven Seas began, “shouldn't we be in session?”

The doctor laughed heartily. “You'll be caught up on things later this evening when we get back. Have no fear, your professors know exactly what is happening at the moment (I hope). Princess Luna arranged everything herself, after all. You three are with me, and we are all en route to this west-facing cavern, and once there we'll take note of anything strange we can find. Spying for clues is somewhat like making a diagnosis; I suppose that's why I was given the task.”

“You mean it wasn't because you're the only professor not teaching anything at the moment?” Bonfire jeered.

The doctor's light-heartedness turned slightly grim, but Dramatico kept his skippiness in tact for the time being with a forced chuckle. “Of course not... that's not as important. You're quite a joker, aren't you, Miss Bonfire?”

The mare looked to Windchaser as she laughed to herself, but the stallion she looked to had nothing of the sort to show in return. He simply looked away and hid the oncoming snarl.

She still talks back all the time. I shouldn't even be surprised.

Doctor Dramatico inhaled a chilly bit of fresh air and began once more. “So, then, how do you all know each other? Same class, same towns or districts, same school?”

Oh, of course, that's the ice breaker.

“Elemental track,” Windchaser quickly answered.

But, to his dismay, it didn't keep the others from talking, one in particular.

“Windy and I have been well-acquainted,” Bonfire added, but this time there was no sneering or smartness; at least, none that Windchaser could see.

Dramatico cheered, “Ah! Childhood friends, lovely, lovely. You've even got nicknames! ‘Windy’, nice ring, really!” He rambled on, “Ah, yes, the beauty of years past and friendships that last across the ages. Was it mere coincidence (or fate?) that you two landed here at the academy during the same first year?”

“Well, Windy's a bit of an admirer,” Bonfire stated with a wink.

“Don't flatter yourself,” the stallion growled. “It was just a coincidence.”

Bonfire's eyes dropped to the ground. Windchaser held his breath, bracing for backlash. But nothing came.

… That's it?

With a deep breath through his nostrils Doctor Dramatico continued the march. He hastened his pace to walk right in front of Windchaser, who was still actually leading the way, and looked off into the distance, at the sea that began to form the horizon over the hump of the hill they climbed.

“Let's just enjoy this walk while we can, hmm? Let's not put a damper on things.” His horn glowed a quick light blue hue, and for a second Windchaser thought he felt a tap on his forehead. The professor continued, “Why don't we move onto a topic that's a bit more fun and entertaining? Seven Seas! You’re a peculiar character: do you have any good stories..?”

His voice, though colorful, started to drown out of Windchaser's hearing. The young stallion had just about mastered the ability after eating a number of meals with Bonfire over the past few days, after all. It was strange: for so long he had learned to train his hearing, even to decipher the strength of wind just by its sound. Now, though, he had found a way to do the opposite, to not hear anything. He didn't dislike conversation or talking, only if it came from one mouth in particular.

I'd be enjoying this much more if it weren't for her...

“Then get over your grudge and loosen up for this trip while you still can,” came a voice inside the stallion's head. Windchaser stopped upon realizing it was Dramatico’s. “With this mess we're in, we can't let the small things get to us. That's how the enemy will win.”

As Windchaser subconsciously slowed his pace to ponder, the others passed by. For a split second he could spot a strange look in Bonfire's eye, one that observed him but also let him observe her. Her cockiness seemed to have disappeared for a moment. The burning in her eyes and overconfident smile were nowhere to be seen in the glance he caught. Something else strange was lingering.

Is it... grief? Pssh, who am I kidding? This is Bonfire... the stuck-up. The slacker. The troublemaker. The one who ruined...

“Ah, what a wonderful cavern!” Doctor Dramatico exclaimed.

The black hole in the canyon's wall was hardly amazing, at least not to Windchaser, even if it did carry the professor's voice several times with a surprising clarity. The young stallion sighed at the sight of the mouth of the grotto and recalled his past expedition there and the trouble that had been caused. He remembered being dragged in, escaping, and finding the chase to be a hoax.

Wonderful indeed...

“Stay positive, you.”

The voice of Dramatico struck again, this time as the professor was talking to Seven Seas. Somehow he was observing Windchaser's thoughts even when occupied with other things like giving instructions. The student tried to clear his mind of the awkward sensation of being listened to, and so turned his attention to the blank sky to clear his mind.

It was a beautiful sky indeed. He hadn't seen such a clear sky for a long time, though they were quite common back home, in Ponyville and in Bloomburg. The pegasi in each town had a fondness for the open sky, and Windchaser had certainly inherited that admiration, obviously from his parents. One that shared the adulation in the group was most likely Bonfire, but Windchaser didn't care to let his eyes slip over to her.

“Ah, yes, Windchaser, that's exactly what I'll need you to do,” Dramatico said aloud this time as he approached the student. “Keep an eye on the sky, and Bonfire and I will be searching the cave for clues. Should you see anything, anything, out here, warn us. Holler. Scream! Do whatever you think stallion-like, I suppose. Give a hearty tell, or a pirate-y...”

“Sailor, matey,” Seven Seas remarked, a strange darkness swarming his eyes.

Dramatico backed away, his fright emerging in the form of a squeaky laughter, “Sailor, yes, whatever sailors do. Now, remember, you’ll have to reach both myself and Bonfire-”

“Are you sure about her... going with you?” Windchaser asked, or rather let slip; the mare didn't hear it, and to his luck Dramatico only laughed.

“Her name should say it all, really; she's a living torch. She’ll be able to check the cave walls faster than any of us, or so I’ve assumed,” the doctor admitted. “I’ve sensed the general shape of the cave after a quick spell; I detected the rough shape of the earth through vibrations in the ground. There's a split not very far in, and I'll only be able to go one way for a while. To save time in case a storm is already on the way, I need another student, one not watching the sky or the sea, to check the second route while I check the first. Understand?”

Windchaser nodded.

“Good,” Doctor Dramatico said. “Seven Seas, eyes on the sea for any activity, and Windchaser, eyes on the sky for anything strange as well. Let's see if we can't get this over with quickly and not get caught in anything tricky, all right?”

The two nodded and without another word, the professor and Bonfire were off in the cavern. Windchaser let slide one last glance of the two before they submerged into the darkness of the cave. Doctor Dramatico shouted something ridiculous before a light came sparkling from his horn, while Bonfire's body seemed suddenly consumed by flame. The brilliance was familiar, though; Windchaser knew it was just the magic-induced gold color on the mare's coat glowing like a lantern. She really did look like a glowing torch all on her own.

It reminded him of the past, the adventures they had gone on. He had been the younger one following the older troublemaker through abandoned homes, through the evening streets, into the teeny-tiny caves outside town. But those flames had grown until they were weapons, a harmful glow that turned into a burst of rage. He had seen it all unfold, and after one incident, he never saw her in the same light again.

“Got perty heated there, no pun intended,” Seven Seas suddenly smirked as he elbowed his friend in the side.

Windchaser, shaken from his memories, looked to Seven Seas, whose eyes then watched the calm, rolling waves. The silver stallion took his cue and cast his spell, emitting a silvery light, and hovered into the air as though he were climbing a nimble set of invisible stairs. The eastern sky and the top of the academy buildings emerged from the treetops near the cliff’s side and with great attention he watched for any sign of clouds, cirrus or cumulus or anything besides.

“By ‘heated’, do you mean back on the trail?” Windchaser asked after a minute of collecting himself.

“Arr, ye know what was meant,” the blue stallion replied. “If ye don't mind me askin', what's the matter 'tween you two?”

Windchaser had already opened the bottle of the memories, the ones from many years ago. He couldn't quite put the lid back on yet.

“Like she's said, we've known each other for a long time,” Windchaser stated.

“But have ye always been so hostile? I've seen ye these past few days; ye never seem to catch a break 'round her. Is it some kind of riv'lry?”

“Didn't used to be.”

Seven Seas chuckled, as though he had had a similar experience. “Well then, what released the Kraken? When?”

Windchaser wanted to pause, but couldn't help himself. “The last year I saw her, in Bloomburg.”

“Bloomburg? Gar, but ain't that a city of pegasi?” Seven Seas asked, for the first time turning his head to look up at his hovering acquaintance.

Windchaser, however, kept his eyes on the horizon, the division of dark and light blue. “It is. My parents were both pegasi, as you've probably heard. So were hers.”

But I forget that you forget... everything about your fellow male peers.

“Ye both were outcasts, then?”

“More like idols,” Windchaser uttered. “Unicorns aren't supposed to fly, and yet Bonfire and I were racing our pegasus peers. We almost made it into flight camp.”

“Gar, sailing's much better,” Seven Seas remarked with gruff. “No crazy storms or weather worries, ye know?”

… Not really.

“Of course.”

For a moment, the air fell free of speech as the waves continued to sweep the shore and the upper winds calmly breezed by. Easy winds meant low changes in pressure, and little changes in pressure meant no approaching systems. For all he knew, Windchaser couldn't detect a single storm moving in. He looked down at Seven Seas for confirmation, and the blue eyes and ears were just as void of any surprise as his own.

After a long enough pause, though, Seven Seas turned and looked into the cave.

“In quite a ways, they are. Never could do it meself,” he said with a shiver. “So, what happened? Between you and her? Ye never did say, matey.”

“I'd rather not go that far,” Windchaser replied. “Unpleasant memories.”

Seven Seas ha-yucked. “Aww, competitive love int'rest?”

“No, nothing like that involved,” Windchaser mumbled. “She was an older sister to me.”

Which is why what she did to mother...

“Actually, now that I think ‘bout it, that once-sister of yers hasn't made progress in that there cavern,” Seven Seas said. “I reckon she's struck gold.”

“Or more likely she's taking a nap.”

Windchaser knew his peer to be a rather lazy character. Upon hearing Doctor Dramatico's proposition, he had wanted to voice his concern about Bonfire's general demeanor, but had figured that the doctor might have spoken with her in her mind, too. Hearing the lazy mood it appeared Bonfire was apparently getting away with, though, Windchaser figured his professor had simply misjudged her.

With one last look at the sky, Windchaser lowered his altitude until his hooves were pretty much on the ground.

“I'm going in,” Windchaser said.

“If yer not on the best terms, ye'd best not be the one-”

“I have every right to get to the bottom of it,” Windchaser snarled. “Watch the sky for me. I'll be back in a minute.”

“But, I forgot why we're watchin' the sea and-”

“Just watch for clouds or tsunamis,” Windchaser replied coldly.

He couldn't help his tone. Windchaser was forming exactly what he'd say to her, and upon seeing the burning flame in the cave to the right, he had already started preparing his chilling words. He knew it scared some and gave him the 'lone ranger' persona, and as a result he rarely ever used it. This time, however, it felt appropriate.

She wants me to stop avoiding her? Fine. Here goes.

The light drew closer as he made his way. Once the sound of his hooves echoed loud enough, the flame moved slightly and the brightest point in the emanating redness pointed at him.

“W-What are you doing in here?” Bonfire asked, stunned. “Shouldn't you be-?”

“Unlike you, I actually care about us getting this clue and getting back to the academy safely,” Windchaser growled. “I've come to tell you to stop being your usual lazy self and keep looking around unless you've found something.”

Which I doubt.

He turned and began walking away, feeling he had expressed his anger enough to tell her off, but Bonfire's voice came back in a strange tone.

“You were going to tell them.”

The stallion slowly turned around. “Tell who, what?”

“Your friends,” Bonfire continued. No smugness. No smart tone. “You were going to tell the story of me and... your mom.”

Windchaser felt his spirits beginning to dim, not because they grew calm but because the remaining heat in his heart was leaving. A cold chill of memory started working an icy sensation down to his bone.

“Yeah. I was.”

“Is that why you're still angry? Even after, what, five years-?”

Windchaser turned around to face Bonfire again. This time, however, the innocent and desperate look had returned. He had hardly ever seen it before, with his friend being such a confident and snobby mare since they first met as filly and colt. It started to melt his heart, but the massive iceberg wasn’t going to be done in by a single candle, or rather a tiny bonfire.

“I was afraid you were still mad,” Bonfire said. “That’s why I didn’t try and talk with you until recently. When we were in the same group, I figured I would change my approach and tell some stories from the past to see where you were on things. Act like I used to when we knew each other. I mean, you were acting like your same old self every meal, expressionless and quiet; I still couldn't read you, so I kept going on to see when you'd say something. When you brought that... thing, up, I knew you still hated me.”

Hate’s... a bit strong, maybe.

“That’s a nice story,” was all Windchaser could get out, and very sarcastically, hoping to change the topic and make the point he had intended to make from the start, “but you need to keep looking for that clue.”

“I searched this entire part of the cave,” Bonfire replied, getting a bit of her snap back. “It's a dead end with rocks piled to the ceiling. Go see for yourself.”

If that's so, then why hasn't-?

“AHA! Found it!”

The echo rang through the cavern, traveling out of the tunnel but with a volume great enough to travel clearly to the ears of the two students. Bonfire, without another word, rose and headed for the split in the tunnel.

Without pause Bonfire said, “Sounds like somepony’s hit the jackpot.”

But her words weren't filled with any excitement. Really, Windchaser had expected some kind of snideness, but there wasn't any of that either. Just another hint of sadness, almost like the grief he had thought he spotted earlier. Unable to say anything about it, he simply followed behind Bonfire, whose pace was strangely slow.

She's probably faking it all. Wouldn't be the first time. Nothing’s changed.

The two made their way around the bend in the tunnel and to the dim light of Doctor Dramatico, who moved the beam about rather frantically. His breaths were short but loud, and from what Windchaser could tell the professor’s eyes were larger than a pair of ripe apples. In front of him floated a magic notepad he summoned, complete with a white quill that scribbled madly at the white surface, all of it surrounded by a light blue aura.

“Amazing, simply amazing,” Doctor Dramatico uttered, trembling.

“What is it?” Windchaser asked as he tried to make out whatever split-second sights he could gather from the frantically-moving light.

The doctor paused as his breaths only grew shorter. “I... I... I don't know!”

“Well, what's it say?” Bonfire inquired, though rather uninterested.

“Read for yourselves,” the doctor said, holding up his notepad for the two to read.

Despite his perceptive eyes, Windchaser couldn't make any sense of the scribbling. He looked up at the doctor, whose eyes were shifting between the two in some kind of worry.

“Well?” he asked urgently.

Bonfire, as usual, spoke up first, “Can't read a thing. Are you a..?” She stopped as the doctor looked confused. “Nevermind. Let me just light things up myself.”

The gold on her coat began to glow again, this time with greater power. The dark walls faded away as a yellow glow began to reveal the scratches on the cavern wall. Once Windchaser began reading, however, he gradually began to wish more and more that he hadn't.

The words, carved roughly in as though done by a knife or thin instrument, read:

Here lies Prince Platinum:

Forgotten by the ones he tried to save,

Ignored by the one to whom he prayed.

Retribution shall come through another form.

The students shivered, as did the doctor, but Dramatico gathered himself enough to point off to the right where larger letters were carved into the wall, this time by a larger instrument.

Here rises Tempest,

Spawn of a wrathful spell.

A mighty ruler of the squall,

Bound only by the limit of the treatise.

“Prince Platinum?” Windchaser wondered aloud. “Tempest?”

“Yes, yes, shocking news! We must return to the academy and tell the headmare at once,” Doctor Dramatico said, nodding. “Seeing as we haven't heard from the two outside, perhaps we won’t need any fancy spells to-” He paused and looked Windchaser dead in the eye. “Windchaser, my student... why aren't you outside? Watching the skies?”

The student stumbled, looking at Bonfire, then stuttered over his own words to make matters worse.

“I-I was checking on things-”

“It was only a few minutes! Things are just peachy keen here, can’t you see?” the doctor remarked. “What about things out-!?”

Lightning. Thunder. The flash and subsequent roll made a combined flash and boom that never had meant anything but a show for Windchaser. As he turned and looked outside, however, the darkness that shrouded the beach that hadn't been there a few minutes ago signaled that more than a show may have just arrived.

“Yar, storm's a-coming from the east!” came a cry from Seven Seas, who then was the last one to enter into the cave. “The waters couldn't tell me properly in advance, professor.”

The student bowed his head humbly – something which Windchaser knew he should have done, but in his shock he felt too stupefied to react himself.

“We'll just have to teleport back then,” Doctor Dramatico said, keeping his calm with a brush of his frizzled mane and tail. “Students, gather closely. I'll be able to get all four of us back, but we have to gather close for my magic to reach. Are we ready?”

The four indeed gathered close together; they were pretty much forehead-to-forehead in a circle of four. Windchaser didn't care anymore that he was standing with Bonfire and two others – but more noticeably Bonfire – so close together in a cave out in a storm. Really, he felt stupid just thinking about the detail. Bonfire couldn't seem to leave his mind, even when he was thinking about his own shortcomings.

I just had to watch the skies. Was that so hard?

“W-Where's he gone to?”

Windchaser opened an eye as Seven Seas began to tremble.

“Stand close,” Windchaser growled, pulling his peer’s head back into the circle. “The spell might not work-”

“It already went wrong,” Bonfire said.

And when Windchaser opened his own eyes, his worst fear had come true: Doctor Dramatico had vanished, leaving Seven Seas, Bonfire and the silver stallion standing on their own.

“I'm here, I'm here!” came a familiar cry. “Fear not, my students. It seems a magic barrier has limited my teleportation to only myself-” The students turned and saw a light start up a few paces away. “-and to moving only a meter in the right direction. No matter, we'll just wait out this storm and contact Princess Luna in the meantime. Perhaps it’s a normal-”

“D-D-Doctor Dramatico...” Seven Seas stuttered.

“What now, are you going to tell me you’re afraid of thunderstorms?”

Windchaser looked to his friend, then to the professor. Upon lifting his eyes, he could see more than one light hovering in the air. They were faint, red, and quite tiny compared to the light blue glowing from the doctor's horn. But the little gleams weren't just little lights of their own.

“Are those... eyes?” Bonfire shrieked.

The doctor laughed and turned around. “Eyes? Nonsense, what a preposterous-”

But when he turned around, his mind seemed to quickly change.

“RUN!”

Chapter 39: Returning to Abnormal

“STOP!”

Doctor Dramatico's shout brought the three students to an immediate halt, so quickly, in fact, that the professor himself nearly tripped over their bodies frozen on command. Their muzzles were inches from reaching out into the rain, out from the protection of the cave and into the storm that had so quickly set in.

By the speed and power of it all, Windchaser assumed it to be the work of some monster – possibly the 'Tempest' that was written about on the cave wall. With its work – whatever 'it' was – making apparent the beast's presence outside but yet the glowing, menacing red eyes behind them, danger awaited down either path.

“What are we supposed to do!?” Windchaser shouted, frightened but also irritated. “Go or stay!?”

The doctor's eyes suddenly shifted until they were pressed in concentration. Not a drop of fear showed anymore. Windchaser thought he had to have been trembling, at least inside, but after a quick look-over the older professor looked more confident yet analytical than an expert spy in enemy territory. The new look seemed hardly like a facade, either; the gravity of the situation had seemingly pulled away any and all incompetence Windchaser had previously seen.

“I'm trying it again,” the doctor said. “The teleportation spell. If I failed the first time, I should still have the magic power to get us at least on the grounds. If I fail again, I shall shield the exit and face whatever lies within this cave.”

Windchaser suddenly remembered that he had been in a similar situation before: not being able to teleport – or at least having the ability lessened, in this case – sounded strangely familiar. He remembered what happened when he fell into the pit before sessions began, when Twilight and Luna had saved them from the ghost-like menace. Twilight hadn't been able to teleport them out of the underground passage then, either.

What if that ghost is..?

He dared not turn around. That first encounter on the island with a mysterious entity had resulted in temporary paralysis. If that thing were still alive, and in fact was somehow right behind them in the cave, he wouldn't dare turn his eyes from the torrential downpour outside.

Though Windchaser avoided looking back, a stray light blue streak flashed from out between his hooves. Suddenly, before he could even think of what its source could have been, he was no longer shrouded in darkness; at least, not the surrounding blackness of the cave. It was the dullness at which he had been staring. Outside.

Flickering drops and splashes of water confirmed what Windchaser's mind took all too long to realize: they had teleported somewhere outside.

“Yar, we made it!” Seven Seas declared. “We teleported-!”

But he paused right when the entire group noticed that they indeed had teleported, but were not on the academy grounds. It wasn't even in sight. Instead, they found themselves standing halfway from the towering wall of the crag and the ocean on the beach. They had moved hardly anywhere once more, this time out from the safety of the cave, if that was even plausible still.

Fresh and salty waters mixed into giant puddles that carved conical pools into the sands, the interconnectedness spreading with every second. Rivers ran into the ocean, their starting points even from the top of the cliff. From the look of it, Windchaser figured some kind of flash flood was upon them. When lightning flashed and thunder rolled on just the other side of the island, he wondered if it all were something more.

“Back inside, back inside!” Doctor Dramatico shouted, motioning for the others to get back to the cave.

Windchaser thought it crazy, but he obeyed. He followed Seven Seas back to the mouth of the cave with haste, but as he passed the doctor he saw a horrified look on his face. His eyes were staring out in the opposite direction. Windchaser couldn't help himself; he quickly turned around as well.

Bonfire was headed off for the academy, flames on the tips of her hooves. Windchaser knew it was the sign that she was ready to use her magic for a sprint, one that push so many other self-proclaimed racers to shame.

Before any of the three could shout out at her, though, something more ominous emerged in the sky, something not as flashy but far more intimidating and breathtaking: drops of water were hitting against an invisible surface, like a glass statue, its shape like a carved face of some kind of monster. Its had long fangs and a giant, wild mane.

Is that... a lion's face?

“Bonfire! Get back here this instant!” Doctor Dramatico shouted, his confidence from before falling to pieces. “W-Where are you going!? The academy's too far away-!”

She's going it alone. Typical..!

Windchaser had already made up his mind.

“I'm going after her,” he growled.

And though complaints trailed right behind him, he left everything in the dust – or, rather, the sand – as he took off for the bottom of the trail with a quick magical push from the wind. He kept his hooves off the liquidy ground, but the stormy winds still gave him a great difficulty. But nothing was strong enough to keep Windchaser from completing his chase.

The academy was more than half an hour away, though with his and Bonfire's pace, they would certainly reach it faster than that. They had raced through city streets faster than any had dared to go, and had certainly gotten in trouble a number of times. Windchaser had learned his lessons on manners. Bonfire never really did.

Unless she's actually... changed.

Windchaser felt his heart pumping. He felt like an idiot going after Bonfire. He wasn't even sure of his motive; if anything, it seemed rational to leave her to her own devices. She had annoyed him enough already, and Windchaser had finally managed to get some of his point across in regards to how he felt towards her. But her eyes, the sadness, something was strange about her. She started out her usual snooty self, but something told him it wasn't normal anymore.

The rain didn't make things too much worse, but they didn't make matters better, either. Windchaser specifically had learned to cope with the weather, with his parents as pegasi and working often with the weather. Climbing the narrow zig-zagging paths up the cliff was the hardest part, but that was behind them soon enough. They were on flat land and sprinting against the winds.

Running in the rain had started to bring back memories, though Windchaser kept them in the back of his mind as best he could. He kept his eyes clear and vision focused, but his ears were drowning out the sound of pattering rain on their own; instead, he could hear the playful laughter of years ago. He remembered the first run around he had had across the hills outside the city.

Bonfire had led him out there; she was assigned with watching over him while their parents were off taking care of a storm that had passed. She took the lead the whole time, telling Windchaser to always trail behind. Her tiny figure flashed at the strike of lightning, coming and going just as quickly, and for a second Windchaser thought he had traveled back in time. He felt the same emotion of having a friendly companion.

Bonfire. I still remember...

“Bonfire! What are you doing!?” Windchaser managed to call out.

He knew he wouldn't be able to spare many more breaths. He was always the slower of the two, which is why she always was the one running off ahead. Even when the two practiced their versions of flying – which consisted of using wind and fire to fling their bodies about in the air – Bonfire always had the advantage with speed. She still did, as was made apparent when Windchaser noticed he was starting to fall behind.

Bonfire had always been faster, and he had never liked it. All he could brag about was that his mother was much more skilled a flier than any of the two families. Although she was involved in weather control, Windchaser's mother had been one of the original Wonderbolts. It was only a matter of years before she started helping Bonfire train; it was the young one's dream to become the first unicorn Wonderbolt.

And that was when it happened.

Windchaser felt his speed increasing, but his mind wasn't on that; all he could think about was that one fateful day. Bonfire got careless and, in her overconfidence, let loose too much fire. Her special move had done more than propelled her up and into the air; it dropped Windchaser's mother out of the sky. Wings with severe burns never heal completely. Windchaser wished they could; how fast he ran to save her then showed how strongly he had wished it so. The same speed was and intensity began to emerge in the present chase as well.

Windchaser spotted the entire process begin again before his very eyes. Sparks started to light up from Bonfire's tail as it wildly flailed, but the heavy rain doused it every try before the mare could even leave the ground. Once, twice, then a third time she tried, but Bonfire's flames never lived beyond two seconds. The fourth time she even lunged into the air like a leaping fox, graceful and prepared to take off, but her jump led to nothing. Her failed expectations brought her first-face into the muddy trail. Windchaser finally caught up.

He knelt down to get close, but still had to yell, “Are you all right? Bonfire!?”

The mare's nearest eye rolled over and acknowledged his presence, but her head lifted slowly. Her mouth was not moving but her head rolled about. Windchaser looked around to see if the others had followed them, then scorned himself for such high hopes.

“Windchaser...”

The stallion could barely hear the moan above the rain, but he heard it.

“... I'm sorry.”

He knew what she meant. He knew that she knew. The same look of disgrace, the same instance of a fiery collision, everything then fit the one moment to which she referred. Her 'Hot Rocket' move gone wrong, the crash, everything.

Windchaser shook his head quickly. “No, no, that doesn't matter right now-”

“What are you talking about!? This is it!” Bonfire said as she struggled to get back on her hooves. “There's something strange in this storm, Windchaser! Didn't you see it before!? We're done! I couldn't do it, I couldn't fly and make it back in time to get Luna. Why did you follow me you, you idiot! It's probably coming!”

Because... because...

He couldn't quite put it to words. He searched the sky for whatever 'it' was Bonfire just mentioned, for the monster's face he had seen in the rain, while also looking for some kind of answer to the question.

“Get out of here!” Bonfire shouted. “We're not little ponies anymore, Windy. I can't save you this time, you're just gonna have to-”

“No!”

The mare paused; her struggle to rise onto her hooves stopped. She looked up at Windchaser, who cast down a strong gaze.

“We're not a little colt and filly anymore,” he stated. “It's time we put the past behind us.”

Bonfire's eyes grew wide. Windchaser wondered at the power of what he said. There was much truth in it all, but he never thought Bonfire to react so drastically to anything.

Suddenly she screamed, “Watch out!”

The stallion felt a vibration in the air behind him just in time to roll out of the way, evading a scratch that cut diagonally at the air, slicing the rain as though it were a slim sword cutting through balls of butter. The speed of the strike was like lightning, the crack that followed thunder. Its burst deafened Windchaser, blaring a ring in his ears. He couldn't detect the sound of the winds anymore.

Windchaser closed his eyes, following a technique his mother had taught him. He tried to sense the flow of the air by feeling it, but his panic and the rain combined were interfering too much. The cold droplets that began to feel like ice, like hail even, beat against his head too hard. He opened his eyes, only to behold what he had seen not long ago.

Hovering in the way of the trail was a giant head, like that of a roaring lion. It was not a solid shape, but rather its invisible state merely perceived due to the rain which hit and dripped down its frightening shape. Windchaser had never seen anything like it before, not even as some sort of magic trick.

It reared its head back and let out a large roar, its rumble causing a strong and relentless wind. Windchaser could hardly breath as he fought to keep his hooves on the ground. Bonfire was slipping away on the trail that was quickly turning into thicker and thicker mud.

You may have apologized... but this isn't the end. It's time I play the hero, 'big sis'.

Windchaser remembered a move he had tried out years ago, inspired by the 'Hot Rocket'. Though far less quick and not as powerful, he had at least had it under more control than Bonfire's move; the problem was that he hadn't practiced it since the day of the incident. The day Bonfire took his mother out of the sky.

But that was the past. Windchaser felt he had no other choice. It was time to forgive and forget as best he could.

He began to cast, gathering together the most magic he felt he could use in one shot. The lion-like head grew uncomfortably close as the stallion's charge was growing stronger. His horn glowed a powerful silver, and the wind behind him started to propel him forward. As the launch began, the invisible lion's head drew even closer, until its jaws started to close in preparation to bite down on him.

Like a cracking whip Windchaser sprung forward, flying into the air at the lion's head. It numerous teeth were about to clamp down for a bite. Windchaser closed his eyes to brace for whatever was to follow. He waited, and waited, and waited.

After a few seconds he opened his eyes; he was still flying a ways above the ground, but the lion's face was no longer in front of him. He stopped and veered around to look back down the trail. His heart dropped at the sight of the monstrous face passing over Bonfire's shivering body.

Did it dodge me!?

“Bonfire!” the stallion yelled.

He used the wind's propulsion again, this time keeping himself low to the earth. He stopped short and skidded across the mud until he slid and stood over his old friend, shielding her from the monster's face that now hovered a ways away, eyeing the two as though ready to eat them whole.

Windchaser looked down at Bonfire. Her eyes were filled with confusion and desperation.

“Bonfire, I know it’s hard, but you need to try and use that move again!” Windchaser stated, though it hurt to think and to even voice such a thing. Detaching from his emotions as best he could, he repeated, “You need to do the 'Hot Rocket', Bonfire! I'm too slow to hit it myself!”

The mare's eyes glowed a familiar gold, but there was no accompanying smile. Her eyebrows did not furrow nor eyes narrow in the slightest. She simply stared up, as though lost in thought, leaving Windchaser to look between her and the inexplicable beast floating nearby.

“No, Windy. I can't.”

The monster suddenly opened its mouth wide open, and from within the gap poured out water like a fountain, ten times heavier and thicker than the rain that fell. Windchaser immediately began casting a spell he could only hope would grow powerful enough to help.

He focused on the winds that blew, feeling which bends of air that were near and turning them to form a dome around them. Windchaser crafted a bubble with the strength of the winds, tailoring a cloth of air that protected from the water. A tiny dry atmosphere was soon around the two, though the mud was still wet to the touch.

Windchaser held the shield as he looked back down at Bonfire, whose life still seemed to be fading.

“Look, Bonfire, I know you're nervous about using it!” he yelled, then felt exhaustion begin to kick in. “I... I'm sorry to have ignored you all these years. I shouldn't even be making you relive all this guilt. It just can't all end here!” A light faintly went off in the mare's eyes, but her expression did not change. “Have you really changed over these past few years? Were you really just 'acting like old times', or are you still all daring and troublesome? Huh!? If so, why don't you show it now!?”

He hoped the flare in his voice would kindle some new fire, but Bonfire's eyes weren't changing much anymore. Her body was still motionless except for the shivering from the cold and rain.

“Windchaser! Bonfire!”

The cries came from a ways back down the trail. Seven Seas and Doctor Dramatico had caught up. They were completely soaked but still running, their hooves covered in mud and their faces bearing a terrible fear. When they spotted the floating lion's head, which then was back to hovering with only its teeth bare once more, they both began casting separate spells.

“Watch out, Windchaser! We're going to try and zap it!”

But before they could cast anything, the stallion felt a warmth beneath him. When he looked down, there were no pair of eyes waiting for him. When he looked up, there was a red streak and bolstering flame leaving the confines of the dry bubble. It blasted at the head towering above them. Windchaser held his breath.

Like a bursting bubble the face popped and rain fell like normal again. Bonfire began curving in the air, her flame decreasing, until she was coming back down to the straight portion of the trail for a crash landing. Her body slid across the mud like a ball across a lawn, flying past where the professor and Seven Seas stood, then past where Windchaser was. The three hurried to where her body settled on the path, with Windchaser arriving first.

“Bonfire! Are you okay?”

The body shook with a series of coughs, but the mare managed to lift her head and grin. “Just like old times, yeah? Me saving little ol' you, Windy.”

Windchaser couldn't help but grin himself. The smile was cut short, however, when another terrible roar filled the air. The stallion's mind went from a familiar happy scene to the frightening thought that things were not yet over.

Flying straight at them was the invisible head of the lion. Its rush made the rain streak against its face more, revealing its horrifying details more than ever before. Its mouth was open, eyes wide and angry, mane swishing as though it were soaring like an eagle just inches off the ground. Just as soon as the group started to retreat, Doctor Dramatico made a stand as he began calmly casting a spell.

“Prepare yourselves, students, for something you've never seen before!”

He lit his horn a light blue color once more, but the power involved was immense, forming a giant orb that was nearly twice the size of the professor himself. He held it high and aimed it toward the monster, teeth clenching as he struggled to hold it. After enough aim, the ball suddenly disappeared. Sparks spattered and dissolved in the rain. Nothing happened.

“Actually, I've seen me fair share o' those,” Seven Seas cried.

The professor turned around, his face twitching.

“RUN!”

And the four were off once more. The gates of the academy were over the hill and down its slope, but what remained was still roughly half the trip back to the grounds. They were far from safe anymore, especially with the decreasing speed at which the entire group was traveling.

Slipping and fighting through the mud and rain, Windchaser felt his heart beating a thousand times per second. He had had his fair share of races and moments of fleeing, even times of charging for the sake of charging, but nothing made his mind and limbs as numb as they were than they were in that very moment.

“Windchaser!” yelled Bonfire. “How about we rocket our way back to the academy?”

The stallion thought for a moment, then knew with a look from Bonfire just what she meant.

This is possibly the worst idea. Ever.

Windchaser gathered the winds once more, but the task was more challenging on the move. Rather than using the storm's winds, he built up a shield, first weak then much stronger, from the wind that they broke while running. He spun the wind that flowed to each side of the group into the thread of the windy defense, its power sucking the mud off their bodies and pushing away the heavy rains that continued to fall. With a shake of her fiery mane and tail, Bonfire began to glow an intense red and gold all over.

“Everypony hang on tight!”

The other three did and, within a flash, the group was firing straight off down the trail, up, over and down the hill, hovering just above the ground. Trees flew by in the blink of an eye. Droplets passed out of sight so quickly it hardly looked like it was raining. Windchaser felt a speed he had never achieved on his own. What he could make of Bonfire’s face from the corner of his eye was a stretched smile. She had everything under control.

The advance suddenly ended in a crash through the academy gates as the four skidded to a stop on the commons lawn. There was a strange warmth that came from the earth. The sky suddenly looked much lighter. Windchaser tried to look up at the clouds, but a brightness forced him to close his eyes until something shadowed his vision. When he peeked through his eyelids, the shape of Princess Luna's head came into full view.

In a panic, the stallion stumbled onto his hooves as quickly he could. The ground was much firmer and somehow drier than that of the trail. The headmare looked extremely concerned.

“Is everything all right?” she asked softly.

Her tone made its way perfectly to Windchaser's ears, which the stallion thought peculiar as the rain had been drowning out much of the sound up until then. In his speechlessness he realized there was no rain to be heard nearby at all, nor any rolls of thunder.

“We made it,” Windchaser said, nearly laughing. “We... we really made it. Alive!”

The stallion began laughing as he turned to the others and laughed, helping them onto their hooves despite their weary states. But the rejoicing quickly turned to bafflement as Windchaser observed the ground.

“Did something happen?” Princess Luna asked.

Windchaser, puzzled, began looking around. There were still bits of ice and snow scattered in the grass. The path and lawn was void of any puddles. The air was thin and free of any rainy smell.

Seven Seas began bumbling, “But there... there was a nasty storm!”

Princess Luna looked up at the sky, then back to Windchaser. “A storm? When?”

“But there was lightning, thunder, it was pouring!” Doctor Dramatico added. “We saw the face of a lion in the rain! We tried to teleport back, but the spell wasn't working! Everything else worked but my magic...”

Seven Seas laughed, “As sure as there's mud on me hooves, we were fleeing from a beast in the rain-”

“But there is no mud on your hooves,” Princess Luna stated.

The four looked down. She was correct.

“Come, explain everything to me inside,” Princess Luna said, inspecting the sky carefully. “You all do appear to have scars and bruises. Perhaps we should make sure you are all well and then discuss this... phenomenon.”

Windchaser nodded, as did the others. He looked to Bonfire, who looked as puzzled as he was. Still, the two shared a glance that, to Windchaser, spoke a significant amount, and he hoped it did to Bonfire as well: a simple smile.

She walked up to him and tapped his head with a smirk. “Guess you were right, for once. We did make it out okay.”

“Princess Luna's making it sound like we're mad, though,” Windchaser noted.

But Bonfire giggled anyway. “Out with one issue, in with another.”

As she walked off, Windchaser thought of the matter himself. The grudge he had had not gone, but the initial tension had slacked tremendously. It felt good to be able to at least talk with his old friend again. There wouldn't need to be anymore misconstrued stories at the meal table or testing the waters. It was a step in a better direction.

Out with one issue, in with another... I guess that's an okay way of putting it.

Chapter 39.5: Incredulity

Windchaser shielded his eyes as the light in the foyer caught him by surprise yet again. The luminosity of the giant room had always come as a surprise to him and the others in his group when leaving Princess Luna's private meeting room on the top floor. It was the seventh day in a row it happened, right after lunch, but this time Windchaser was simply caught off-guard thanks to his tiredness.

For a second it was almost like a bad taste, as though he didn't enjoy the clear skies. However, in reality it was simply a reason that kept Princess Luna in doubt of the group's storm story. With no storms or even snowfall over the past week, the headmare seemed less and less convinced that something had actually happened, that there had been a downpour or thunder and lightning.

“Think she'll call us in again?” Bonfire asked, annoyed and tired after yet another hour-long group discussion.

Seven Seas, the last of the three in line, shook his head and mumbled something inaudibly. Windchaser did nearly the same, but managed to keep his thoughts in his head. Doctor Dramatico would have been their sides, trying to cheer them up somehow, but this time he had things to; apparently there was a minor injury to attend to.

“I think she will,” Bonfire said, answering her own question with a pessimism Windchaser remembered of her.

“I hope not,” Windchaser sighed. “This is, what, the seventh day in a row?”

“Eighth, me thinks,” Seven Seas corrected, though not proudly. “But then again, ev'erythin's startin' to blend together...”

He started to mutter again.

“Seven times it is,” Bonfire said. “You think she'd believe us, right? That there was a storm and that monster... thing, we were running from. I mean, what would we be lying about?”

“I'm not sure,” Windchaser remarked. “I want to think she believes us. Maybe she's calling us back in again and again to see if we're remembering more.”

“But we've all said everything we know,” Bonfire growled between clenched teeth. “I think we've painted a clear enough picture already. What's she getting at?”

Seven Seas began cocking his head about. “She's got the whole beginnin', clear skies and calm seas, then the writin' in that spooky cave, Dramatico's failed spells, and then that lion-thing that chased us all the way back here. There's nothin' more to say!”

The three collectively let out a frustrated exhalation.

“I don't get what more there is,” Windchaser grumbled. “I understand she's trying to get to the bottom of things to protect us better, but this is ridiculous.

“It doesn't help that there hasn't been a cloud in the sky since all that happened,” Bonfire whined.

“Ah, but the snow's all gone and spring is on the horizon!” Seven Seas cheered. “Ah, the season o' spring. No more of this cursed snow and horrible cold.” He suddenly stood on his two rear hooves and began waltzing, dancing, to the thoughts of the dreams that must have sparkled in his mind like some kind of trophy. “Just the sea breeze, and the sailin'; the coast and the call of the sea; the wide open-!”

“We've still got a week of sessions left, Seas,” Windchaser noted aloud. “Well, there was supposed to be, but given what's going on...”

The trio fell silent. All students had been informed on many details recently, from the monster Tempest to his very intentions. Windchaser thought it was obvious that the storm had been his doing; it came and went like no other. There was even a monster's head floating around in the rain. What Luna was trying to debate or disprove was beyond the young stallion.

It all had felt so real. Windchaser remembered the thunder ringing in his ears, and lightning flashing before his very eyes. There was no doubt he was in some kind of storm; the others had all seen and felt it, too. There was no coincidental craziness going on, unless it had all transpired in their minds like some kind of manipulative magic spell.

Realizing this, Windchaser had a new perspective, a new idea. However, looking at his friends, he could hardly begin to word his thoughts without feeling a bit of guilt. The other two were just starting their early-afternoon recovery from yet another long interview with the headmare, repetitive and exhausting as it was, and the last thing they needed was to be weighed down by more thoughts of the strange phenomenon.

In the racking his brain, Windchaser nearly ran head-first into another pony coming up the stairs. Initially the student was curious as to who else could have been so lost in thought or otherwise careless, but upon seeing the familiar blue colors and slightly bigger build – as well as a trademark pointy horn – Windchaser knew who he had just passed. The only strange detail was a cast around his friend's tail.

“Pokey?” Windchaser asked as he turned to see if it was, in fact, him.

The big blue stallion froze. Ever so slowly his head began moving around, just his head, arching in each and every direction. He still faced the opposite way as his body began to tremble.

“W-What's going on?”

Suddenly Pokey wheeled around and revealed a terrified look on his face. Windchaser stepped back, surprised, and after a pause watched Pokey's frightened expression melt away to his usual contented look.

After a pause, Windchaser tried the greeting once more. “Hey, Pokey Pierce.”

“Windchaser! For a second I thought you were a ghost,” Pokey replied. “What are you doing up here?”

“Just got out of a session with Princess Luna,” Windchaser said.

“Another one?” Pokey asked slowly. “But you've seen her every day for the past week.”

“Yeah, it's not anything special- well, I mean, it is, actually. I guess it's not all that rare anymore for us, though.” He motioned to the other two that joined him. Seven Seas waved cheerily, and Pokey nodded with a smile. Bonfire just stared. “What happened to your... uh, tail?”

Pokey turned around in circles as he tried to catch a glimpse of it. Due to his inflexibility, though, he never quite caught up to it. He stopped after a few dizzying rounds and let out a defeated sigh.

“I missed the cushion again.”

The three facing him paused.

Bonfire repressed a laugh as best she could. “You... you mean you missed sitting... in your classroom seat?”

Pokey shrugged as if it were nothing. “I'm used to higher chairs, not these fancy little pillows. You can climb on them all sorts of ways to get on. It's almost like an art.” He stopped, and the others exchanged confused looks. “With the little seats here, they're too close to the ground. I can't lower myself very good; I've never had practice before.”

“You mean, you never just... sit down?” Bonfire asked, this time her laughter was crackling into sputters.

Windchaser elbowed her. With a grunt and wipe of her face she shut her mouth, though her body continued to pulsate. Pokey seemed hardly affected.

Tapping his muzzle Pokey replied, “Hmm, I guess I never thought of it that way! Thanks, uh...”

“Bonfire,” the mare replied uneasily. “Don't, uh, don't worry about it.”

Seven Seas stepped forward and raised an eyebrow at his friend.

“So, Pokey Pierce, what are ye seein' the headmare for?” he asked. “Special appointment, eh? Ye earned yer special badge o' honor, some kind o' achievement?”

The stallion replied, “Something about cleaning.”

“Blimey! Yer in t-trouble!?” Seven Seas asked in shock. “B-But yer one o' the most innocent, kind-hearted-”

“Oh no, Princess Luna's asking every group about taking part in this year's Winter Wrap-Up!” Pokey answered calmly. “Our group's getting assigned first. We've got to clear the island of all that ice and snow, you know. Wake up all the hibernating animals, and-”

Bonfire didn't seem to care, “Are there even animals living on this island-?”

Windchaser elbowed her again, but this time she protested with a nudge back of her own. The two began squabbling until Seven Seas distracted Pokey with a good turn-around and directing toward the headmare's chamber doors.

“Ye just have fun with that then,” Seven Seas said merrily. “Sounds like it'll be a jolly good time, matey.”

Pokey nodded. “I sure hope so. We might not be in Ponyville, but I think we'll still get to do something similar for Winter Wrap-Up.”

“Yes, be rid of all this cursed snow, all this wretched ice and freezing air-”

“Do you know... how long it takes to get all the snow off a castle?”

Seven Seas blinked. “Eh, ye do know we're probably usin' magic, right?”

Pokey took his turn in blinking in surprise.

“Oh! Really?” he exclaimed. “Well, I'll be. How will we be able to prepare?”

“Eh... how do you mean?”

“Well, don't we have to start getting all the tools ready? Build the nests, get fit for ice skates-”

Seven Seas cut in as kindly as he could, “Well, er, like I just said, it'll all be done with magic and what-have-ye.”

“So... no shovels?”

Silence. Seven Seas gave his friend a push.

“Maybe it'd be best if ye asked Princess Luna all yer questions,” he said with a forced chuckle. “Gar, tell me how it goes later, understand?”

“But aren't you going to be participating?”

Seven Seas rolled his eyes, but quickly followed with a hearty laughed. “Sure, but we're not meetin' yet. I better take care o' these two bickerers, or we'll be back in there soon enough. Enjoy!”

“Okay,” Pokey mumbled over his shoulder. “See you later!”

The three disappeared down the staircase back to the main floor of the foyer, leaving Pokey all alone before the giant doors. He looked up at the dark doorway in front of him, its entryway opened a crack to reveal a mysterious darkness waiting inside. It looked as though it were evening or nighttime within. Baffled, Pokey stepped back and looked back up at the foyer ceiling where wonderful light streamed in through the giant panels of glass. He scratched his head and fell into deep thought.

Wait, what time of day is it again..?

“Pokey!” came a call from the stairwell behind him. The stallion turned to see Quirky Q smiling as she made her way towards him. “Ready to see what Princess Luna has to propose?”

“I'm sure excited for Winter Wrap-Up,” Pokey stated. “Do you think we'll be using shovels?”

Please say yes.

Quirky gave an uneasy laugh. “Well, um, maybe? I think we'll be using mostly magic, though.”

“Magic shovels?”

Quirky nodded. “Sure, Pokey! Magic shovels. Who knows, when it's Winter Wrap-Up-”

“I heard somepony say 'Winter Wrap-Up'!” came another voice from the stairs. The two turned to see Colgate beaming, standing as though the conqueror of some tremendous feat.

“I think Quirky did,” Pokey said.

“Well that's good, I'm not going zany just yet,” Colgate said as she drew near, energetic as usual. Quirky gave an expression that seemed to disagree. “We've got one heck of a holiday to celebrate. Just us three doing our thing with magic and stuff, and those... other guys... helping..?”

The excitement quickly died out, but Pokey couldn't tell why. The two mares were no longer looking in the huddle, but rather back at the stairs again. Pokey wondered if he had missed yet another introduction, but when he too peeked at the stairs he spotted none other than the remaining two of their accountability group from the shadow magic class.

“'Other guys', hmm?” said the first, Regality, a slim, shining white stallion with yellow hair and a thick rich-pony accent. “That's a bit uncharitable, don't you think, Tall Tale?”

The other one, a portly cyan stallion with a silvery mane and tail, snickered. “Some ponies're just jealous, I s'pose.”

“All right then, how's 'Piggy Bank Jr.' and 'Oink Oink'?” Colgate sneered.

“Come now, come now,” Regality remarked with fake remorse as he approached, “can't we have just one day where we get along? I thought class this morning went rather swimmingly between the five of us, wouldn't you agree?”

“Except when you moved the cushion from underneath Pokey,” Colgate growled.

The two stallions laughed, their chortling similar to a couple of pigs' snorting.

“You can't blame his clumsiness on us all the time, you know,” Tall Tale remarked as he lifted his nose. “I saw the whole thing, after all: he went and plopped himself down right in front of where his seat actually was... again!”

The two fell into laughter again, barely managing to stand upright. As they collected themselves and walked by they flicked their tails in Pokey's face with one final roar to end their chat. They made their way to the grand doors but took a moment to briefly look back.

Regality grinned as he locked eyes with the blue stallion who sat staring dumbfoundedly at the two.

“Don't worry, Pokey Pierce, we understand you're – what do they call it now – 'special'? Uhaw haw haw!”

And with that they entered into the chamber, through the crack in the giant doors, leaving the three standing and staring.

Colgate, for one, was fuming. “Pokey! How could you let them just do that to you!? Every single day they do that!”

Pokey blinked. “Do what?”

“That! That incessant mocking!”

“But he called me special-”

“I'm sorry, Pokey,” Quirky cut in gently, “but that wasn't exactly a compliment.” She sighed as Pokey merely stared, clueless. “Well, I guess we should head in, too. Hopefully they'll behave with Luna around. She can see everything, after all.”

“Everything?” Pokey asked, suddenly shaking like a stick in a storm.

The other two, confused, stared at each other for a moment and shrugged.

“Don't worry, Pokey, we'll just be talking about Winter Wrap-Up and get out of there,” Quirky said, trying to heighten their spirits.

“Yeah, let's do this!” Colgate cheered as well as the two helped Pokey back onto his hooves.

With smiles the three headed for the door as well, and Pokey could already see the darkness inside. The dimness of the room was slightly intimidating, but even scarier was the thought of Princess Luna. Pokey had never managed to feel at ease in the slightest when around her.

She can see everything! Luna just keeps getting scarier...