Twilight's Dollhouse II: Lyra's Quest

by Kaidan

First published 27th of July, 2013

Thirty ponies remained trapped in plastic shells as Twilight’s dolls. Lyra left them behind without a second thought. She joins Scootaloo to help rescue them, lest they be trapped for eternity as the last of Twilight’s sanity slips away.

Thirty ponies remained trapped in plastic shells as Twilight’s dolls. Lyra left them behind without a second thought. She joins Scootaloo to help rescue them, lest they be trapped for eternity as the last of Twilight’s sanity slips away. . .

Scootaloo will have to get past thoughts of revenge and her anger. Lyra will have to move past her guilt of failure. Once they have learned the skills they will need to defend themselves they will set out to find the Dollhouse and rescue their friends.

Unfortunately, time waits for no pony.

Pre-readers / Editors: Selbi, Abcron, Jaestring, TypewriterError, Breath of Plagues

I. Prologue

One month after the Ponyville incident.

Lyra was awoken by a guard knocking on the door to her chamber. Part of her wanted to ignore him until he went away, but she knew it didn’t work like that.

“Come in,” she shouted.

The guard opened the door slowly causing it to squeak. The light from the hall glimmered off his obsidian armor, which gave away who sent him before he had spoken. “Lyra, Princess Luna has requested your presence in the throne room.”

“Thanks,” she groaned. Lyra carefully slid out of the comfortable indent in the mattress so she didn’t collapse. She recalled how weak her muscles had been after being turned from a living toy doll back into a flesh and blood pony. Everything from her appetite to her magic returned slowly over that first week as she realized how much she was missing out on as a doll. Now she appreciated every little thing: brushing her teeth, stretching her legs, or the feel of a gentle breeze.

Lyra walked out the door and towards the throne room, wondering what was more important than a good night’s sleep. She stepped into the room only to find it dark and deserted. “Luna?” There was no reply. “Celestia? Scootaloo? Anyone?”

“Aren’t you forgetting someone?” a voice asked. “Or, have you forgotten me just like everypony else?”

A chill ran down Lyra’s spine as she froze in place. Twilight stepped out of the shadows with her disheveled mane and a large wound covering her entire left shoulder. Blood was trickling down from her shoulder and pooling on the floor. There was no joy in her narrow eyes as she glared directly at Lyra.

“You failed me, Lyra. I’m not just upset you lied to me—your actions led to Bon Bon’s death. You said she was your friend, just like you said I was.”

Lyra felt her legs shaking. “T-Twilight, I—”

“You left over thirty ponies behind. . . of course they all hate me. I’ve had to kill several of them after you left me to die in the Everfree.” Twilight grinned from ear to ear. “Now, I don’t need you anymore. I’ve finally made new friends and I’ve come to punish you for running away.”

“But y-you set me free! I’m s-sorry, Twilight, I t-tried!” Lyra blurted out.

“It’s too late for apologies. I survived everything Celestia threw at me after you left. You aren’t worthy of my gift of immortality or having your life back.”

Twilight’s horn glowed, and Lyra gasped as she felt her muzzle solidify into plastic. Her mouth and nose were sealed shut as she struggled in vain to breathe. She tried to pry the plastic off by hooking her hooves under it. It had melted into her skin and wouldn’t budge. She then tried to use her magic to tear it off. Nothing happened, and Lyra realized she couldn’t feel her horn. She felt the plastic dripping down onto her eyelids. Instead of hardening like wax, it was seeping into her pores.

“You said you were my friend. You promised you’d never leave me.”

Lyra’s legs went limp and she collapsed onto the ground. Twilight cackled as she made Lyra’s legs twist around her chest and stomach like a straight jacket. She tried again to force a scream past her solid plastic lips as her joints popped out of socket. Soon the feeling turned ice cold as they morphed to plastic The only warmth in her icy prison passed briefly as her legs fused to her skin, melting into a permanent embrace.

“An eternity as a rubber ball seems fitting for a traitor.”

Lyra felt her mane and tail encase her and tighten up while pulling her head down to her chest. She tried to scream and struggled as the plastic fused her into a mint green ball. Lyra continued to thrash and weep inside her prison until she was sealed into a solid sphere. A few seams were the only indication of where her limbs and head had once been.

“Don’t let the guilt eat you up,” Twilight mocked. “Eternity is a long time, and we’re just getting started.”

As she lost the last of her senses, Lyra felt a comforting presence. She began to notice the moonlight as her body reverted to normal and began to tremble. She found herself whimpering like a foal in the middle of a soft cloud. All around her was the night sky, far darker and more pristine than would be visible from the ground.

“It’s alright, you’re dreaming.” Luna trotted over and pulled Lyra against her side and placed a wing over her. “You are okay, Lyra. It was just another nightmare.”

She continued sobbing. “It’s a-all my f-fault. I’m s-sorry, Luna, I’m sorry. . .”

Luna lifted Lyra’s chin to look at her, and smiled. It was something Celestia insisted made ponies feel better, and after a few seconds, Lyra managed a small smile of her own.

“You must stop blaming yourself for what has passed. It pains me to see you going through the guilt I once passed through. Many nights on the moon I wish I had just one pony to comfort me, like I am comforting you.”

Lyra nuzzled against her flank, afraid that if she moved from under that wing she would see Twilight, Bon Bon, and the others watching her. “T-they all needed me, they treated Twilight l-like a monster. She j-just wanted one friend to comfort her, b-but I ran away.”

“She let you go. Twilight valued your friendship enough to let you go.”

“Then why do I feel so horrible?” Lyra sniffled. “Why won’t the nightmares stop?”

“Don’t worry,” Luna said. “Just lay down your head and close your eyes. When you do, I’ll make sure you have no further dreams tonight.”

Lyra continued to mumble apologies until she calmed down enough to close her eyes. She had lost count of how many times Luna had stepped in and helped her control the nightmares. They haunted her almost nightly, ensuring she could not escape what had happened. True to her word, Luna eased her into a deep sleep and blocked Lyra’s ability to dream.

Luna sighed, remembering how hard it had been for her to get past her own guilt, before she vanished from Lyra’s dream.

Lyra picked a spot in the tall grass and laid down, letting it cushion her. She was finally able to put the past couple of months of nightmares out of her mind. Ever since she found this serene glade to spend her afternoons in, she had found peace of mind. Luna no longer needed to dream walk and protect her. Instead, Lyra now spent her days wondering what had happened to Twilight and her friends.

From her new sanctuary just outside Canterlot she could lay on the gentle slope of grass and look out over the Everfree and the distant speck that once was Ponyville. From her private spot amidst a few scattered trees she could be alone and focus on relaxation techniques she had learned. She had spent every day navigating her emotional issues and trying to sort out her thoughts.

The sound of hooves touching down reached her ears. Scootaloo would visit her here once or twice a week. Lyra turned around and to her surprise, saw Soarin instead. She just glared and didn’t even bother to get up. This was her place of solitude, and he was intruding.

“Uh, hi,” Soarin said. Lyra groaned loudly, and he gulped and kept what he hoped was a respectful distance. “You know, I see you out here every day, and Scootaloo said we should give you some space. . .” He glanced away and poked a hoof in the grass.

“Why is such a nice mare always out here alone?” Soarin asked. “Do you. . . need somepony to talk to?” He had seen Lyra soaking up the sun every day for months while he practiced. It bothered him that she was always alone, and at the same time, he couldn’t deny wanting to get to know her.

Lyra tilted her head back to look over the Everfree. For several moments she listened to the wind rustling through the grass.

“I don’t need anypony to talk to.”

Soarin lowered his eyes and frowned. “Okay, well uh, see you later.” Soarin turned and spread his wings to take off.

“Wait—” Lyra took her own deep breath. “Maybe you could stay awhile and not talk?”

Soarin smiled and walked over, laying down several feet away from her to leave her some personal space. “I’d like that.”

The two lay there, staring wordlessly out at the clouds. As much as Lyra wanted someone to talk to, she couldn’t quite put it into words. Neither Luna, Scootaloo, or her doctor seemed willing to just listen. She wasn’t sure who Soarin was, aside from knowing he was famous.

After a couple of hours, Soarin found himself nodding off to sleep. He had stolen a few glances at Lyra to see if she was still awake. He had no problem enjoying a relaxing day in the sun. However, the fact she hadn’t spoken was starting to worry him.

“It’s my fault,” she stated.

Soarin looked over, not sure if she expected a response.

“Nopony seems to understand. I thought being Twilight’s friend would be enough, but I failed everypony. I don’t know what to do, and Scootaloo doesn’t understand. Luna is still working on her social skills, and Celestia is always off scouring the Everfree. I almost talked to Trixie about it, but she’s busy working with Luna to restore the Element of Magic, and well. . . she’s Trixie.” Lyra let out a loud sigh. “Twilight wasn’t evil, at least not at first. She was so depressed she shut everypony out, and the loneliness ate away at her. She let me in, but I couldn’t fix it.”

Soarin took a moment to gather his thoughts. He knew what he wanted to say, but wasn’t sure if she wanted him to talk, or just to listen. As he looked into her golden eyes he noticed her lip quivering slightly. “You can’t blame yourself. You just said you reached out, you were her friend. I bet you did the best you could.”

Lyra turned her head and stared at him. “If you’ll stick to listening, I’ll start from the beginning.” Soarin caught on, and gestured with his hoof to zip his lips and throw away the key. If just laying here and listening would make her smile, it would be worth it.

“I never imagined so much military tradition existed in the Wonderbolts,” Scootaloo said. “It’s only been a few months and I’ve already learned so much!”

She was walking down a main street in Canterlot alongside Spitfire. They weren’t in their uniforms, having just finished practice and showered.

“Well, now you know. Pegasi have always had a strong belief in the military and protecting the flock. It’s a tradition we share with the Griffins, and in times of war, we are the first ponies to respond.” Spitfire turned a corner and walked towards a cafe with Scootaloo.

“Still, all that tradition when there hasn’t been a war in a hundred years?”

“A hundred and forty two,” Spitfire corrected. “You know, it’s tradition that builds the camaraderie and trust between us. Sure, most think we’re just stunt ponies, but formation flying and air-to-ground combat are key. If you’re serious about finding Dash, you’re going to need all the training you can get.”

They walked into the outdoor seating at the cafe. As they were talking, a stallion wasn’t looking where he was going and ran into Scootaloo, knocking her down.

“Oh, sorry,” he said and reached a hoof down.

“The hell is your problem?!” Scootaloo batted his hoof away. “Open your eyes next time!”

He took a look at the two of them before walking away with a grimace. Spitfire gave Scootaloo an apologetic smile. “It was an accident, you know.”

“I’m tired of putting up with all the idiots around here.” Scootaloo pointed around. “These aren’t my friends, they’re a bunch of strangers.”

Spitfire looked at her and rubbed her chin. “These angry outbursts are starting to concern me. Is there something you want to talk about?”

Scootaloo climbed into a chair at the cafe and watched as Spitfire sat across from her. “I’m going to find Dash and rescue everypony. And if Twilight tries to stop me, I’m going to snap her neck.”

Spitfire raised an eyebrow. “This isn’t something you can do for revenge, Scootaloo. We can teach you self-defense and how to fight. We do not teach ponies how to murder.”

“She deserves whatever she gets—”

The waiter walked up and interrupted. “Ready to order?”

“Hay fries, double tofu-burger with extra cheese, and two orders of deep fried onion rings,” Scootaloo said. She saw Spitfire staring again. “What? You wouldn’t believe how good this stuff tastes when you spent months as a doll.”

“I’ll take a salad and tomato juice,” Spitfire said. “Some of us don’t have that youthful metabolism and have to stay fit for flight.”

“Coming right up,” the waiter replied as he left to get their food.

“Scootaloo, I think I know a pony who can teach you to fight as well as control your anger. I get that you’ve been through a lot, but if you go out looking for revenge on Twilight, you’ll end up having to dig two graves,” Spitfire said.

“Ugh,” Scootaloo rolled her eyes, “ I’d only need one grave for that jerk.”

“It might be your own if you can’t control yourself. Ever since you came back you’ve bitten off just about everypony’s head but mine. I guess I’m lucky to be the hoof that feeds you.”

“Well, I really appreciate you taking me in and standing up to that smelly old hag they sent to homeschool me. I’m not a kid anymore.”

Spitfire chuckled. “That’s true, you’ve seen more horrifying things than most of the royal guard. You can’t just rush in to save Dash blindly, however, she’d never forgive me. Perhaps if you see this friend of mine you can go from honorary to full-time Wonderbolt when you get back from your rescue mission.”

Scootaloo bit back a witty remark and relaxed her tense muscles. “Fine, I’ll see this pony, but it better not take too much time.” She licked her lips as the waiter hurried back with their food. “But first, I need to show off my youthful metabolism.”

As soon as her plate touched the table, Scootaloo shoved half the burger in her mouth and began stuffing her face. Spitfire smirked as she recalled seeing Dash eat in much the same way at the Gala when she thought no one was looking. Dash and Scootaloo were more alike than they realized.

Celestia landed on her balcony and stumbled over to her bed, collapsing on it from exhaustion. She would have gone to sleep if Luna hadn’t been sitting in the room, waiting for her.

“Six days. It was six days this time, Tia. I assume you haven’t slept either or I would have sensed you dreaming,” Luna said.

“Lulu, not now,” Celestia whimpered. “I’m very tired.”

“And I’m very upset, Tia! You are a ruler, not a vigilante. You have to stop searching for Twilight personally. Our responsibility is to rule. Dispatch the guard if you wish, but your place is here.”

“This is not a conversation I want to have again. . .” Celestia buried her head under the pillow. “I will find her. . . I just. . . need a nap.”

“Tia, of course I do not wish to argue. I have stepped up to rule, I have generously raised the sun so you could spend more time searching. . . but it has to stop.”

“She’s still out there.”

“Please, be reasonable. There is no need to run yourself ragged. Look at you, gone for days at a time, scouring the one place in Equestria where magic still runs wild. You won’t find her there unless she wants to be found, or if her diary holds clues.”

“No!” Celestia barked. She tossed the pillow aside. “I will not have Lyra corrupted by that foul book. Twilight’s legacy ends now! Only once I find her body will we put this behind us. She had a reason to enchant it so that only Lyra could open it. Once again, I order you to destroy it.”

“And as your sister and your equal, I will not incinerate our only link to your pupil. She might still be alive, and either way, our subjects are trapped as dolls. It will remain locked up until we reach an agreement,” Luna said.

“Fine.” Celestia got up just briefly enough to get under the covers.

“And you will no longer search for Twilight,” Luna added.

“I. . . fine. I’ll delegate it to the guard, and to you.”

“I will not spend weeks looking for her either.”

Celestia felt herself melting into the mattress, barely able to stay awake. “I’m closing the School for Gifted Unicorns. I will not repeat my mistakes. If you want to continue teaching skilled unicorns to control their abilities, you will have to open a school.”

Luna chuckled. “Tia, I don’t know the first thing about running a school.”

“Well, it’s time you learn. I need a break, Lulu. A thousand years ruling alone, my pupil going crazy. . . why don’t you take that unicorn you like so much to be a pupil? What was her name? Trixie? It’d be good for you. You’ve come this far in learning to rule. Take over for me and let me handle the Twilight problem myself.”

Luna sighed, deciding to accepting greater responsibility for her sister’s own good. “Fine, you will no longer vanish for days to search, and I will do as you’ve suggested.”

She waited for a reply, but instead was rewarded with the sounds of Celestia’s boisterous snores.

Lyra sighed as she slowly recounted her story to Soarin. It had taken most of the day and the sun was setting. From the glade, they had a wonderful view. The sky had turned orange as the red sun sank below the horizon.

“Well, that’s the whole story. Twilight set me free, and did something to modify her spell. Celestia and Luna were able to reverse it easily, yet it took me nearly two weeks of bed rest to get my strength back. It took them a few days to reverse the spell for Scootaloo. . . Twilight hadn’t left them an easy way to break her spell.”

Soarin lay there in silence until he was sure she had finished. “I still say it’s not your fault. You tried your best to reach her. Yes, you may feel guilty for escaping when the others didn’t, and I agree, it’s a tragedy what happened to Twilight, but none of that is your fault.”

Lyra shrugged. “I wish it were that simple, Soarin. Every day I’m out here trying to make sense of the events and replaying them in my head. What I did wrong, how I could have saved them. . .”

“Well, maybe it’s time you got out of this glade and let somepony buy you dinner,” Soarin said.

“It was really nice to have somepony just listen—” Lyra finally realized what he had asked. She turned her head to look at him in surprise. “Are you asking me out on a date?”

Soarin’s eyes went wide. “I uh—yes—I mean if you want—or you know, just some coffee.”

Lyra slowly grinned and began to giggle as she watched him stutter. There was something liberating about feeling an emotion other than sorrow and guilt. The soft chuckling soon turned into rambunctious laughter. It was wonderful to finally let her guard down and let her worries slip away.

For several minutes Soarin could do little more than sit there blushing, as Lyra rolled around in the grass in a fit of laughter. Of all the responses he had received when asking a pony out on a date, this was a first.

Crest had lost count of the days. From the moment Twilight had walked into the dentist’s office, she had known something was off. The mare’s smile just looked wrong. Twilight had come to the dentist’s office looking for Colgate. Seconds after telling her she would be back in fifteen minutes, Crest had been turned into a miniature doll.

Now, Crest had nothing to do but replay the events of that day in her head.

She had been separated from Colgate and kicked under Twilight’s refrigerator when somepony walked into the kitchen. Twilight never came back to retrieve her. Since then, she had stared uselessly out at the sliver of light that came in from under the fridge.

Not long after, there had been loud noises from outside and a crew came through to investigate and clean up. Crest heard them discussing the poisons in the pantry, and the missing dollhouse downstairs. She struggled and screamed but to no avail. Crest was completely frozen, hopelessly stuck in her prison of plastic.

Eventually the crew finished investigating and cleaning. They spoke for a while about how Ponyville was rapidly turning into a ghost town. They even lamented the ponies trapped as her living dolls for eternity.

Eternity.

As the workers left the house, Crest realized rescue may never come.

She would be trapped here forever.

Crest could do nothing but wait. She had time to piece it together, realizing Colgate and other ponies must be trapped just like her. She imagined the other ponies in the same nightmare: frozen solid, trapped in the shell of their bodies, and Twilight playing with them like toys. She wanted so badly to move, scream, or feel the touch of somepony. Being trapped within her mind was starting to eat at her, like a small itch that was growing.

The sun was setting and the light flowing under the refrigerator vanished. Crest tried to recall how many days it had been, and decided it had been twenty-three. Surely, somepony would find her soon. It mattered little to her that yesterday had been twenty-three days, and that tomorrow would be twenty-three days. It had always been twenty-three days.

Crest knew on the twenty-fourth day, somepony would finally free her from her eternal prison. She giggled in her head and knew she only needed to wait until the day after twenty-three.

Author's Notes:

The sequel to Twilight's Dollhouse is finally here! Expect the updates hard and fast, except while I'm at BronyCon.

Not excited enough? I have plans to continue this story, possibly farther out than 4 more sequels. If I don't, Twilight says I'm next.

II. Master

“You’re kidding me, Spitfire,” Scootaloo said. She looked at the steps in front her that ran all the way to the top of the mountain above Canterlot.

“Nope. If you want him to teach you martial arts, you have to climb to the top of the mountain,” Spitfire explained. “He’s one of the few samurai left in Equestria who knows the oldest ways of war.”

“And we can’t fly up there, because it’s some sort of test?”

“See, you do understand,” Spitfire said. “He’s teaching more than self-defense, he’s teaching self-control, patience, and other things. Trust me, if you want to find Twilight, this is the pony to teach you how to do it and get out alive. Do whatever he says, no matter how ridiculous it sounds.”

Scootaloo rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I don’t understand. Still, I better get started.”

“You won’t need those saddlebags.”

“What?” Scootaloo sighed and shrugged the saddlebags off. “This is the worst day ever.”

“And don’t try to fly halfway or anything, he’ll know.”

“But there’s like a thousand fucking steps!” Scootaloo threw up her forelegs in exasperation.

“Hey, it’s this or a lifetime ban from the Wonderbolts. Sorry, squirt, but this is tough love.”

Scootaloo mumbled to herself as she began to trot up the steps towards the top of the mountain. She found it ridiculous to have to walk anywhere when she could fly, much less up the side of a mountain, but Spitfire forced her hoof, so she bit her lip and continued up the mountainside.

Lyra relaxed in her peaceful glade again, talking with her newest friend, Soarin. She had found a pony who was willing to listen, and she was quickly growing attached to him. It felt like years since she had really talked with another pony openly.

“So what do you think happened to all those dolls?” Soarin asked.

“Twilight had a plan in case she got caught. She teleported everypony somewhere. I hope for their sake Celestia didn’t mortally wound Twilight. I may never be able to find them. . .” Lyra sighed and continued to stare out towards the Everfree.

“Are you going to take Luna up on her offer to teach you magic and go find them?”

“Of course I want to, but look at me, Soarin.” Lyra stared into his eyes, and then pointed down at her cutie mark. “My talent is music not magic. As much as I want to learn self-defense spells or a way to track Twilight, I can’t. . .”

Soarin reached over and held her hoof. “Hey, I believe you can do it. Us Wonderbolts don’t get cutie marks in stunt flying. Most of us were weather team, but with hard work and determination, any pony can do any job. If you want to learn magic, then you’ll be able to.”

“Thanks, that means a lot.” Lyra smiled and squeezed his hoof, then got up. “I guess I should head off to see her.”

Luna hardly noticed the door open or the unicorn that entered shortly after. Before her on a table lay the Elements of Harmony. One of them was clearly inert—the once golden apple now black as obsidian. The Element of Magic thrummed softly, yet its purple glow was cloudy. Luna could sense it was still active but it was searching for something.

“Luna? You asked to see me?” Trixie asked.

Luna snapped out of her thoughts and turned around. She smiled at one of the few ponies who had walked out of the Ponyville incident alive. “Trixie, please have a seat. Would you like some tea?”

Trixie’s eyes went wide and she stuttered something in response.

Luna smirked before breaking her facade and laughing. “And Celestia says I have no sense of humor.”

“Trixie—I mean I don’t really find that funny.”

“Well I suppose that’s fair.” Luna took a seat across from her at the table. “So, have you made up your mind on my offer?”

“I still can’t believe it. I mean, why me? Why would you want me as a pupil?” Trixie played with her cape under the table, nervously fidgeting with the cloth between her hooves.

“You are a skilled magician, Trixie, and I have decided to be prepared for the day Twilight returns. Can you think of a unicorn more gifted than yourself?”

Trixie blushed slightly. “No I just—you’re serious? You trust me enough to teach me everything you know about magic and ruling not one month after Celestia’s pupil snapped?”

“That is all the more reason I need your help. I can not study how to fix the Elements of Harmony while ruling in my sister’s stead. She needs time to come to terms with what has happened. I need somepony who can not only help in my own research, but be prepared should Twilight Sparkle return.”

“That explains why you’re starting your own school. Alright, I’ll do it. So what do we do first?” Trixie asked.

Luna gestured at the elements. “We don’t fully understand the Elements of Harmony. They can be used like any tool, and yet to harness their full power requires a special connection that only the Element can make.” Luna lifted up the Element of Honesty. “Applejack is dead. I know from experience the element is only inert when it has no bearer alive. They were in this state when we used them on Discord, fueling the Element with my own Honesty.”

“So if you don’t need bearers, why’s it important to fix them?”

“Neither Celestia nor I have the strength to power six elements, especially as often as they’ve been used lately against Discord, Chrysalis, and to save me. When Celestia used them to banish me to the moon she fell into a coma for months to recover. I must find a way to link the elements to new ponies, because we do not have the strength to constantly wield them.”

Trixie picked up the Element of Magic, and watched it pulse slightly. “So let me get this straight. We have to find six new elements, break the bond to Twilight, and then find Twilight and use them on her?”

“I’d settle just for getting them working again, but yes. In fact, I was going to attempt to bind the Element of Magic to you.”

Trixie set the tiara down on the table and scooted back. “Wait, but you just said they choose a bearer. You’re telling me you can just force it on me?”

“The Element of Magic is a special case,” Luna explained. “Since Twilight last used it, it has been. . . in a state I am not familiar with it. Not inert, not active, almost as if it’s searching for a bearer. I hope to influence its decision.”

Trixie shrugged. “Well then, I just put it on?”

“Yes.”

She reached forward and lifted up the Element of Magic as if it was going to bite her. When nothing happened, she levitated her magician’s hat off and put the tiara on. After a few moments of silence, Luna’s horn glowed briefly and then faded.

“So, looks like it didn’t work?” Trixie asked.

Luna sighed. “It looks like you can not become the next Element of Magic.”

The door to the chamber swung open as Lyra trotted in. “Luna, I hope I’m not interrupting but I came to accept your offer—”

Her eyes scanned the room and landed on Luna and Trixie. Between them the elements sat on a table. The Element of Magic was rattling on the table and glowing brightly

“Oh crap! Sorry to interrupt!” Lyra quickly backed up out of the room, swinging the door closed. The glowing tiara fell to the table and the light faded from the six pointed star.

“Wait!” Luna shouted.

Lyra gulped and peeked her head back in. The two ponies were still glancing between the elements and her. “Yes, Princess?”

“Lyra, come sit down.”

She walked in, letting the door close behind her. As she got closer, the Element of Magic began humming again and glowing green. Lyra stopped halfway. “Is it supposed to do that?”

Trixie could only stare in shock as the tiara bathed the chamber in magic. She had to shield herself from the raw power being given off by it, and it amazed her Luna wasn’t more concerned. Instead, she sat there with a surprised smile on her face.

“Yes, Lyra, it’s perfectly safe to approach the Elements.”

She walked up to the table, her eyes mesmerized by the tiara. As she reached a hoof towards it, the tiara fell to the table glowing a cool mint green. The other elements also stopped rattling.

“I’ve never seen anything like this,” Luna said. “At least, not since the night of my return from the thousand year banishment. Lyra, I believe you’re the next Element of Magic.”

Lyra gasped. “No! There must be some mistake, I’m just a lyrist! I’ve never even tried to do more then levitate.”

“Then it’s a good thing you accepted my offer to be trained.”

Trixie slapped a hoof on her shoulder. “Hey, it’ll be easy. Why, I bet we’ll have you teleporting in no time, and if you’re lucky, you won’t lose all your hair the first time you try it!”

Lyra gulped and smiled, chuckling nervously.

Nine hundred seventy-two, nine hundred seventy-three, nine hundred seventy-five. . . wait, I skipped one. Was it seventy -wo? No wait, I was higher. Nine hundred. . .

“Fuck.” Scootaloo stomped a hoof and looked behind her. She had really wanted to find out if it was really a thousand steps to the top. She was nearly to the peak of the Canterlot mountain and had been climbing up the cursed steps all day long.

She stopped briefly to catch her breath but was careful not to lay down. Her legs felt like lead and she was convinced she would fall asleep if allowed to rest. Her wings twitched in irritation, as if signaling her brain that they were—in fact—still there. Scootaloo could use them to fly to the top of the mountain any time she wanted.

Scootaloo felt her anger from earlier resurfacing. She was angry at Twilight for destroying the lives of her friends and taking Dash from her. She was angry at Spitfire for telling her to hike up the side of this damn mountain. And most importantly, she was mad at whoever the hell this master was that wanted all of his students to hoof it up a freaking mountain in the first place.

She licked her teeth and spit on the ground. There had been nothing to drink as she hiked up the mountain, and at one point she had considered eating some of the permafrost off the ground. Scootaloo was probably higher up now than Cloudsdale. She closed her eyes for a moment to feel the air currents and gauge how high she had hiked.

With a sigh, she began walking up the rest of the steps. Scootaloo focused on the anger to help move her exhausted legs. She didn’t notice when she reached the last step, and she stumbled.

Looking up, she saw a short stone fence running around an ancient wooden building. There were pieces of equipment of various design littered around, with a large central courtyard, and a pit of sand with several large smooth stones in it. All around the stones, lines had been drawn in the sand.

Scootaloo smirked. She had seen sand gardens before and thought it was funny to see Pegasi flying around raking dirt. She didn’t have time for that artistic crap, she was here to learn how to track down and bring Twilight down.

She trotted forward into the courtyard looking around for the master. Scootaloo saw an aged grey pegasus sitting in the middle of the sand garden. He was perched on a smooth stone surrounded by concentric circles. His gaunt face was framed by short white hair and his eyes were closed in contemplation.

Scootaloo walked to the edge of the garden. She looked around and tapped her hoof, waiting for the pony to acknowledge her presence. After only a couple minutes she began to crack—fidgeting around and clearing her throat loudly.

The aged pegasus made no sign that he saw or heard her. He sat perfectly still on his rock.

“You’ve gotta be kidding me, this is so stupid,” Scootaloo muttered under her breath.

“Then why did you walk up my mountain?” the pegasus asked.

“To learn how to fight, and free my friends—not have a staring match with an old man.”

The pony showed no emotion as he sat there, and simply moved one hoof to gesture at the rock next to him. “Then come and sit.”

Scootaloo spread her wings to fly over to the rock without disturbing his sand garden. Without opening his eyes, the pegasus spoke a single word. “Halt.”

Scootaloo rolled her eyes, “What?”

“You must not fly or you’ll disturb the sand.”

She huffed and retorted. “So I should walk in it?!” Scootaloo took a step forward into the sand. her hoof sank a few inches into it.

“You will get the rake, and clean up your hoofprints behind you.”

“Are you out of your mind?” Scootaloo barked. She looked down at the sand and swirled her hoof in it. “I’m outta here.” She turned and walked towards the opening in the fence.

“Dash would not have quit so easily.”

Scootaloo bit her lip and spun around, glaring daggers at the old man. She wanted to fly over there and knock his smart ass off the rock. “What did you say?”

“Do you expect to find your friends and defeat one of the most powerful alicorns who ever lived in under an hour? Or are you always this impatient?”

She could feel the familiar anger welling up in her gut. Ever since being turned back into a pony, Scootaloo had become known in the bars throughout Canterlot for her short fuse and left hook. She was barely able to control herself as she stood there and trembled, but recalled Spitfire’s advice.

Trust me, if you want to find Twilight, this is the pony to teach you how to do it and get out alive.

Scootaloo counted backward from ten in her head and took a few deep breaths. The pegasus on the rock smiled as he heard her steady her breathing. Finally, she turned and found the rake that was used to create the intricate patterns in the sand garden.

She moved to the edge and fixed the spot she had stuck her hoof. Scootaloo pondered for a moment how to get over to him in a straight line, however the sand had been arrayed in circles. She took a few steps in and tried to cover her tracks, but she couldn’t get the rake at the correct angle without flying.

Scootaloo looked behind her at the pegasus, and slowly spread her wings. He cleared his throat, somehow sensing her intent before she had flapped once. She growled and walked back out of the sand garden.

Finally she figured out how to get to the old man. She began walking backwards along one of the spirals, towards the center. As she walked the rake was dragged behind her, covering her footprints. She smiled, realizing she had won his little test. Scootaloo looked towards him, and realized she would have to circle the rock several more times to reach the center.

Finally, after what felt like hours of carefully working her way to the middle she reached the smooth stone. She climbed up onto the stone and spit the wooden rake out. “There, I made it.”

The pegasus smiled and opened his eyes, which had also gone grey with age. “Good work, Scootaloo. You may call me master or sensei. Now, I’m rather tired so I will leave you here until morning when your training begins.”

Master picked up the rake and flew towards the small building that was his home. His wingbeats did not disturb a single grain of sand as he left Scootaloo trapped in the middle of the sand garden.

“What? You’re just gonna leave me here? Are you fuck—”

Master cleared his throat loudly. “You will not use such language again while staying at my house, or on the stairs leading to it. Now you will sit there until morning, at which time you will tell me what you learned. If you want to run away—well you know the way down the mountain.”

Scootaloo was overcome with anger, but also determination. She had to prove this pony wrong, and beat his silly challenges. Scootaloo was stronger than he gave her credit for and with a fierce stare at him, she made herself comfortable on the rock. It took several deep breaths as Master walked into the house before she had calmed down.

The sun was slowly setting and it was framed by the opening in the fence. Beneath it far in the distance was the Everfree, a vast sea of untamed wilderness. As the stars came out she began to count the rings in the sand garden out of boredom.

Looking up at the moon she groaned. “Why am I here again, Luna?”

Luna looked back once she had finished raising the moon. “What, Lyra?”

“I said, why am I here again, Luna? You wanted to see me once you raised the moon.”

Lyra stood there, wearing the uncomfortable tiara on her head. She was a musician who had gotten turned into a doll, and now was a key piece of Equestria’s most powerful weapon. She tried not to think of how she’d soon have a household name as the Element of Magic, and the weight of a nation depending on her to protect it from Twilight.

“I have a gift that will help you learn magic. I want to share some of my memories and knowledge of spells with you. The gift may help somewhat with your lack of a formal education in magic. You will still have to work hard, study, and you’ll still be limited by your own unicorn physiology. There is a risk, however.”

“What kind of risk?” Lyra asked.

“Have you heard of wolfponies?”

Lyra laughed. “Yeah, they’re an old wives tale, a story to scare fillies around a campfire.”

“Not entirely.” Luna looked her in the eyes, fixing her gaze squarely on her. “During the Nightmare Wars, some of my most gifted warriors were known as the Moon Touched. I had bestowed upon them some of my knowledge and power to give them an edge on Celestia’s troops.”

Lyra gulped, not liking where this was headed. Before she could protest, Luna continued. “The memories and power I offer you may easily drive you mad. Deep within me still lies the emotions of jealousy and rage that lead to my fall. Each pony I gifted with my power was also tested. Half of them turned feral and had to be. . . put down—giving rise to the legend of wolfponies. The other half became some of the most powerful unicorns of their time, such as Starswirl the Bearded.”

“Wait, Starswirl was Celestia’s student,” Lyra corrected.

Luna grinned. “Only after I was banished, and he surrendered my forces. They do say to keep your friends close and enemies closer.”

“Maybe this isn’t such a good idea then. . .”

“The choice is yours, Lyra, but know this: as a musician there is only so much you can learn—advanced levitation, maybe a beginner’s shield spell. if you truly want to study magic, I have to alter your destiny and unlock the new power being fed to you by the Element of Magic. And—” Luna looked down towards the floor. “There is a risk it will drive you mad.”

Lyra thought about it for a moment, feeling the Element of Magically tingling above her horn. “It’s my best bet to find Twilight and save the others, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

She thought about the possibility of saving her neighbors, and most importantly, finding the strength deep inside so she could save Twilight from herself. Lyra smiled. “I’ve come too far to turn back now—do it.”

The moon grew brighter in the sky as Lyra was bathed in its light. She closed her eyes, and when she opened them, she was no longer in Canterlot.

Scootaloo nearly fell off her rock as the moon flared in the sky. For a fraction of a second, the bright moonlight cast long shadows across the sand garden. She felt something awaken inside her, and knew that Lyra was in trouble. Her pulse quickened as she contemplated quitting her training to check on her friend, yet she sensed something else too.

She closed her eyes and could feel Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. The moment passed quickly and Scootaloo cried out in frustration. For that brief moment she knew they were okay and had been there with them, trapped underground in a damp cave. She had been so close to reaching out to her best friends, yet now the sensation was gone.

Author's Notes:

I hate love my fans so I posted this chapter one day early. It may have more grammar errors then you can shake a stick at, but if you're shaking a stick at my story, you should ask yourself where you got a stick from in the first place.

III. Fool's Paradise

Lyra had stared up at the scattered clouds on that warm sunny day. Birds chirped and a gentle breeze brought the rich smells of wildflowers to the bench she was leaning back on. For the first time she could remember, Lyra felt at peace.

“Quit sitting like that. You’re embarrassing me,” Bon Bon said.

“What?” Lyra looked to her side, startled out of her tranquility. “Come on, I heard this is good for my spine.”

“Really? Because it looks like you’re about to slide right out of the bench to me. Could you sit like a normal pony, please?”

Lyra laughed and leaned forward to take on a more normal posture. She crossed her hind legs and leaned over them. “Okay, but I want to hear you say it again. Tell me what a wonderful job I did at the Gala.”

“Lyra, you’re the best lyrist I know.”

She huffed. “I’m the only lyrist you know!”

“Yes, but you’re good at more than just the lyre, aren’t you?” Bon Bon leaned over and kissed her.

Lyra wrapped her hooves around her to prolong the moment. Finally she broke off when she heard the sound of fillies approaching. She was getting excited, but it wouldn’t be good to get caught by the children like this.

Bon Bon wrinkled her nose and chuckled. “You’re insatiable, Lyra. Why don’t we head home and you let Bonnie take care of your needs?”

“That’d be wonderful!” Lyra got off the bench and looked at it. She attempted to wipe a small stain off with her hoof, and quickly gave up. “Let’s go!” She was blushing as she lead Bon Bon back towards their bedroom.

“Slow down. It’s not a race, Lyra.”

Lyra trotted ahead and held her tail up high. Surely her marefriend could see her excitement. She was so caught up in her display that she ran into Twilight’s side.

“Oomph!” Twilight fell over and looked to the side at Lyra, who had also fallen. “Oh, sorry, Lyra. I wasn’t looking where I was going.”

“Twilight?!” Lyra stood up and rubbed some of the dust from her front legs.

“Yes?”

“What are you doing here? I thought you were—” Lyra choked on the words. There was something itching at the back of her mind, something not quite right.

“I was what? I’m actually on my way to see Applejack. Cider season starts tomorrow and we’re going to taste test some new batches.”

“Applejack?”

“Oh dear,” Bon Bon said. She caught up and looked between the two mares. “I hope Lyra didn’t hurt you. She’s been incorrigible lately.”

Lyra took a step back from them, suddenly frightened by the pleas from her mind. “Bon Bon, but I thought she was dead, and Applejack and. . . and you. . .”

“Oh, sweetie.” Bon Bon walked up and hugged Lyra tightly. “You’ve been having nightmares again, haven’t you? It’s okay. Twilight and Applejack are fine, and I’ve never loved you more.”

“I. . . I love you too, Bonnie.”

“Sorry, Twilight,” Bon Bon whispered. “Now, Lyra, let’s go home and put you to bed. I promise to make it worth your while.”

Lyra was pushed towards her house by Bon Bon, trotting along as she had little choice. Something was still nagging at her, but a familiar complacency was creeping over her. Everything was just perfect the way it was. Nothing ever went wrong here in Ponyville.

“Ah don’t like this, Pinkie,” Big Mac said. “She’s been layin’ there nearly a month now.”

Pinkie and Fluttershy sat on the ground, their colorful plastic forms dwarfed by the Big Mac the plushy. Behind them was a replica of Ponyville, full of frightened dolls and mares hell-bent on escaping. However, that concerned them less then the condition of their jailor.

Twilight lay against the wall, moving only when absolutely necessary, such as to eat, drink, and use the restroom. She had teleported the dollhouse to a cave in the Everfree. She had brought along enough food and hygiene supplies to live comfortably for a year. The dolls expected her to capture more ponies, or threaten them. None of them had expected her to wallow in pity.

“She looks like she’s still in shock,” Fluttershy explained. “I’ve seen animals get depressed before but never a pony like this. And look at her shoulder, that wound from Celestia looks like it’ll never fully heal.”

“There must be something we can do to cheer her up,” Pinkie said. “If she just keeps laying there, she’ll die!”

“Good,” Dash said. She had snuck up behind the trio and stood there defiantly. Her wings were still trapped in a small plastic sleeve Twilight had banded around her to prevent her escape. “The quicker she dies, the quicker we get out of here.”

The mares gasped and Big Mac looked back at Twilight. “Dash!” Fluttershy stood up and walked towards her. “She’s our friend, how can you wish for something so horrible?”

“Pfft, my friend died with Shining and Cadance. She’s a monster, trapping us all here in this eternal hell. I only wish Celestia’s sword had hit her heart and not her shoulder.”

Pinkie walked up to Dash until her muzzle was directly in front of her. “Oh yeah? And what happens after she dies? You’ll still be stuck here and live your whole life regretting it! I thought you were the Element of Loyalty, and yet you want to murder Twilight! Look at her! Does she look like a monster?”

Dash looked past them to Twilight. An occasional breath was the only movement coming from her. Dry stains left by tears had formed streaks down her cheek. “Look at her! She’s pathetic. Crying for a whole month because she got caught. She could have turned herself in. Celestia would have been gentle and kind. Instead, she tried to kill Celestia and Luna like the mad mare she is!”

“There’s nothin’ more important than family, Dash, and ah reckon she’s the closest thing y’all have to a sister,” Big Mac observed. “How can ya show no pity?”

“Hah! She’s not my sister.” Dash marched over towards the giant. “My sister is Scootaloo, and Twilight took her from me just like she took Applejack from you. Who knows if Scootaloo is alive or dead? I don’t, because she just lays there crying like an upset foal!”

“Please, Dash, calm down,” Fluttershy said. “This isn’t like you.”

“Well, apparently you don’t know me as well as you thought. I didn’t spend the last month cooped up in this cave playing pattycake like you three. I’ve searched every inch for an exit with Vinyl and Octavia. I’ve helped Sprocket come up with plans. Now we only have one plan left and it’s time to implement it.”

Dash walked past them towards Twilight. “What do you mean, Dash?” Pinkie asked.

They followed her towards their captor and saw several ponies carrying over dental floss, thumb tacks, and other toiletries. “We’re gonna tie Twilight up and force her to surrender. It took a while but Sprocket finally made a magic limiter. And, if that doesn’t work we’ll. . . do what needs to be done.”

Fluttershy flew in front of Dash, stopping her with a hoof. “No! I won’t let you hurt her.”

Dash growled and hooked a leg around her wing, using it to pin her to the ground. “You and your fucking wings! She took those away from me too because I tried to escape. And you guys, you get to do whatever the hell you want because you’re her friends. She’ll kill us all if she can’t keep us here forever. Is that what you want?”

Fluttershy struggled to lift her muzzle out of the dirt. Her forelegs were also pinned and she found herself crying into the soft soil. Tears fell down her cheeks as she whimpered.

After a moment Dash let Fluttershy go. “Flutters, I’m sor—”

“No,” Fluttershy said. “No you’re not. You’ve become just as bad as you claim she is. Just. . . go away, Dash!”

With a loud huff, Dash turned and stomped away towards Twilight. She shouted back over her shoulder “Fine, be that way! But don’t you try and stop us!”

Pinkie came over to hug Fluttershy and comfort her. Big Mac sat down next to them and watched as the mob of dolls surrounded Twilight. They began unspooling dental floss and tying her forelegs and hindlegs together.

“Why ain’t she movin’?” Big Mac asked.

“Maybe she wants to die,” Pinkie said.

Fluttershy wiped the dirt off her face. “No, I think she has just given up. She thinks nopony loves her or wants to be her friend. She has nothing left since she let Lyra go.”

Twilight continued to stare blankly ahead as if the wall she stared at held the answer to her predicament. She had been foolish to attack Luna and Celestia, she wasn’t strong enough yet. Twilight had ruined everything, and lost everything, and would now die of old age, alone in this cave, surrounded by her former friends that hated her.

Maybe dying wouldn’t be so bad after all.

Sprocket walked up to Twilight’s horn alongside Vinyl, and was soon joined by Dash and Octavia. “So, Sprocket, you sure this’ll work?” Dash asked.

“It’s the last of the conductive metals I could find around town, but this horn limiter should cut off her magic,” Sprocket said. “Assuming I built it well enough.”

“We won’t need it for long,” Vinyl stated. “Just long enough to force her to give in.”

A dozen ponies continued winding dental floss around her legs, binding them together. They began anchoring the floss to the ground using pins, nails, and whatever else they could find to dig into the ground. It was beginning to look like a large spider web was laid over her, trapping her in a net.

The commotion had caused Spike to leave the replica library. He spent most of his days organizing it, hoping that perhaps his routine of normalcy might give him back the sister and friend he had lost. No matter how hard he tried, he never felt the library was clean enough to present to Twilight. Spike assumed that getting the library just the way she liked it might cheer her up.

He was followed shortly after by Rarity, Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom. They all took seats next to Big Mac to watch the show.

“What’s goin’ on, brother?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Y’all fillies stay here until this is over. Ah think they’ve finally gone mad from bein’ trapped down here,” Big Mac said.

“Quite the opposite,” Rarity explained. “We’ve come up with a way to block her magic and force her surrender. We have planned for any contingency to get my sister, and all the others, out of here.”

“You’re in on it too?” Spike asked. “Rarity, Twilight needs our help!”

“Hah, don’t be naive, Spike. It was endearing when we met but this isn’t the kind of situation kind words can fix.”

“Oh yeah? How would you even know? Name one nice thing you’ve done for Twilight since you got here.”

Rarity grinned wickedly and looked over at them. “Nice? I’m not down there tying her up with the others. It’s more than she deserves.”

Fluttershy began bawling again as Pinkie tried to comfort her. Both mares were hurt at how quickly their friend’s hearts had hardened. The more time they spent with the other ponies, wallowing in their bitterness, the more determined the town became that Twilight was the devil.

Sprocket lifted up the horn limiter and with the help of the nearby ponies began to force it down her horn. Twilight looked up for a moment and tried to shift her weight. The dental floss had turned her into something looking like a ball of twine and she couldn’t move. Twilight just sighed and relaxed, not caring what they were up to.

With the horn limiter in place, Dash and the others walked in front of her. “Time to talk, Twilight,” Dash ordered. “You’re going to let us out, or else!”

Twilight licked her dry lips and swallowed. “Or else what?” she whispered hoarsely.

“What?” Dash asked.

“Or else what? How can you make this any worse?”

Vinyl stepped forward and stared in one of Twilight’s eyes. It was larger than the dolls and gave the impression of facing down a dragon, even if it was currently hog-tied. “Twilight, if you don’t let us go we could kill you. You’re trapped now, at our mercy.”

“Mercy? Death would be a mercy.” Twilight chuckled weakly as she fixed her gaze on Vinyl. “No friends, abandoned by my mentor, so stupid. . . I ruined it all, and for what? I didn’t account for all the variables. I didn’t expect you all to hate me. So, go ahead, do it.”

Dash and Vinyl looked at each other before consulting the other ponies nearby. “What do you guys think?” Dash asked.

“Well, I trust Vinyl and Sprocket. If they think her death might reverse the spell. . . let’s just do what needs to be done and put this horrible task behind us,” Octavia said.

“Without her to sustain it, the magic will fade,” Sprocket said.

“Death or freedom, I’ll take either over imprisonment,” Vinyl stated.

Dash frowned and shook her head. “Then we’re in agreement. It. . . it should be me to end her suffering. I owe her that much.”

The ponies split up and carried their weapon of choice over. Dash walked up to Twilight. “If you won’t free us, Twilight, you’ll leave me no choice.”

“You’re all horrible ponies! I did what I thought was right, what was best so we could all be happy! You ruined it all, stomped on me while I was down, and threw away our friendship! For what?”

“For what? You kidnapped us and trapped us against our will in your basement! You poisoned most of us, and why? For fun? You turned Vinyl without poisoning her, so why’d you have to give Rarity and Sweetie ricin? Does our suffering bring you joy?!” Dash screamed.

“I-I had to know what would work best on Celestia. . .”

“Listen to yourself, you’re insane! The new Nightmare Moon. I’m sorry, Twilight, but there is no other way to end this if you won’t listen to reason.”

Vinyl handed the end of a small plastic bag to Dash, and held the other end. She walked forward with Dash, sliding it over Twilight’s muzzle. Octavia and Sprocket came forward in case she started to struggle. Dash held the bag over her nose and stared into her eyes.

“No!” Pinkie shouted. “They’re gonna kill her, how could they?”

Pinkie started to run forward only to feel Rarity tackle her to the ground. “Pinkie, it’s the only way!”

Fluttershy made it further, gliding over the mob of dolls who had been whipped into a frenzy. One of them grabbed her hoof, causing her to smack down into the ground. She squealed in pain. “Big Mac!” she screamed.

Twilight smiled and closed her eyes. Her body began convulsing as it fought for oxygen. Her breath fogged the bag. As her lungs burned and she realized she was going to die, images of Cadence came back to her. The thought of what lay beyond—the unknown—was too horrifying.

Twilight changed her mind; she didn’t want to die. Not now, not ever. She began to struggle against the dental floss. Several of strands attached to the ground broke, but the strands wrapped around her legs held them tightly together. She couldn’t move enough to get free.

The giant plush Big Mac barreled through the crowd of ponies, kicking them aside with ease. The ground would have shook under his hoofsteps were he not made of cotton and polyester. He finally got up to Twilight, and with one swipe sent all the ponies but Dash flying.

“No!” Dash screamed. “She has to die!”

Big Mac frowned, and then kicked Dash with all his might. She spiraled through the air, flailing, until she hit the far wall and fell to the ground. Mac pulled the plastic bag off Twilight’s face, and she took a deep breath of air.

With renewed strength, Twilight began to break more of the bonds surrounding her. The dolls were in a panic. Half of them scattered and headed into town to hide. The other half were hanging onto the floss, trying to tie Twilight up again. The lead conspirators were over with Dash, trying to figure out how to salvage their plan.

Across the damp cave, the wall began to rumble. Cracks formed in the ceiling as the air resonated with a deep rumbling. Small pebbles and sand fell from the roof, landing inches above the floor and hovering there.

Fluttershy, Pinkie, and Spike joined Big Mac at Twilight’s side just in time to realize they might want to back up. Her eyes opened and were glowing white. Her hair was standing on end as a sickening greenish-purple glow surrounded her body.

All the dolls still out in the open, except Big Mac, were light enough to start floating off the ground. They dangled in the air alongside all the rocks and pebbles, vibrating as magic coursed through the cave. The protective wards Twilight had put in place began to hum with energy, attempting to contain the torrent of arcane energy.

The limiter around Twilight’s horn exploded, and seconds later the dental floss had been violently ripped apart, freeing her.

Big Mac did his best to scoop up Fluttershy, Pinkie, and Spike. Finally, he managed to gather them up and huddle over them to protect them.

At this point Dash was struggling towards the Everfree in a last ditch attempt to escape. Octavia had already been sucked up into the magical aura and was flailing in mid air. Sprocket was hanging onto a root, and Vinyl was straining to force magic past the block that Twilight had cast on her horn.

Just as Dash thought she’d make it to safety, there was a deafening pop, and she felt the ground slip away. She opened her eyes to see a furious Twilight, her mane and tail standing on end.

“You tried to kill me!” Twilight bellowed.

Dash cursed her luck. She had been so close to freeing everypony. “Yes! It’s what Applejack would have wanted!”

The cave trembled, causing a chunk of ceiling to fall down and crush the replica barn on Sweet Apple Acres. “You dare speak her name to me? You dare imply Applejack would try to murder me like you?!”

“Do your worst!” Dash screamed. “None of us wanted this, and we’d all rather be dead! Just do it, you whore!”

Tendrils of magic snaked out from Twilight, seeking out and strangling every doll they could find. Dash was choking, and felt like she couldn’t breathe. Despite being a doll, Twilight’s magic was mimicking asphyxiation to kill her.

“If I can’t have you, nopony can!”

Twilight’s magic had found almost every pony. It finally fell upon Fluttershy, Pinkie, Spike, and Big Mac. She found something different, and paused to look over at them.

Big Mac was shielding them with his body, and she lifted him up, not wanting to hurt her last friend. Beneath him, Fluttershy and Pinkie were crying uncontrollably. As soon as Spike saw Twilight, he started to run towards her. He didn’t make it far before tumbling into the air.

Twilight could see them speaking and focused on their words. As Pinkie turned to face her, she heard her speak. “Please, Twilight, don’t hurt your friends! We’re still your friends, but don’t hurt anypony!”

She felt her anger surge through her magic, and fought the urge to turn Dash into dust. The sheer audacity of the stunt pony, one of her closest friends, to try and murder her was too much. As Twilight struggled to reign in her magic, she continued to listen.

“Please, Twilight, I straightened up the library, just like you like it!” Spike pleaded. Even Big Mac was looking at her in shock—or disgust.

Twilight felt a twinge of guilt. She realized she still had friends, that perhaps she hadn’t messed everything up. A larger part of her was still filled with anger at all of her former friends and neighbors agreeing to murder her.

Fluttershy, Pinkie, Spike, Big Mac, Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom fell from Twilight’s magic grasp.

The rest of the ponies began to scream in pain. “I’ll spare your lives, for them, but you will all suffer for your insubordination!”

Scootaloo was fighting to keep her head upright. It had been exceptionally cold last night, yet she had not moved from the rock in the middle of the rock garden. Finally, after what seemed like years, Sensei came out of his house carrying a bowl of food.

“Thank Celestia, it’s about time!” Scootaloo shouted. She watched as Sensei came to the edge of the sand and sat down, and began eating his oats. “Oh, you’ve gotta be kidding me!”

Sensei sat there eating his breakfast, testing Scootaloo. His wings folded against his side, helping keep him warm. Though he showed no outward sign of expression, he was pleased the pony had caught on quickly and learned to do as he said. So many students lately were too impatient to make it through the first couple days.

The wind was still cutting through Scootaloo’s feathers, chilling her to the bone. She wanted to warm up and stretch her wings, yet she had been tasked with waiting patiently on the rock. I swear I’m gonna let Spitfire have it when I get done with this training. Who in their right mind learns anything sitting on a damn rock?

Once he had finished eating, Sensei glided over to the rock next to Scootaloo. “Not bad for your first day, my student. You may want to be more careful what you are thinking though. You wear your anger like a badge on your shoulder.”

Scootaloo bit her cheek and grinned slowly. “Anger? What anger?”

“You’d also do well not to lie to me, at least until you learn to hide your tells. Truly, Celestia mastered that skill better than anypony.”

“Fine, I’m angry. Twilight is a fu—” Scootaloo remembered his instruction to never swear again. “She’s a psychopath! She has my friends, my family!” Scootaloo shouted, letting her anger out in a loud burst. “She has to pay for what she’s done and I’m the only pony that cares enough to do anything about it!”

“Honesty and patience will be important to help you master your emotions. Furthermore, you will not raise your voice at me again. Am I clear?”

Scootaloo started to roll her eyes but stopped, feeling his gaze upon her. She sighed and slumped in defeat. “Yes, Sensei.”

“Good. Now, there are three aspects to your training: mind, body, and soul. Only in perfect unison will they allow you achieve the level of prowess you would need to combat an alicorn. And I will only teach you such skills when I am convinced you will use them for the greater good, and not petty emotions such as revenge or greed.”

“Alright, so let’s hurry this up. It’s damn cold out here.”

Sensei sighed and stood up on his rock. “I can see you’ll need more time to think about what I’ve said.”

“No, Sensei, I’m sorry! Please, it’s really cold out here. Can I just come inside? I’ll be patient.”

“I’m not looking for you to say you’ll be patient. Words are cheap; meaningless. You can learn all you need about a pony by how they act, for words—by their nature—were built to deceive.”

It took her a moment to process and make sense of what he said. Finally, she made herself comfortable and sat back down on the warm spot in the center of her cold rock. “Yes, Sensei.”

He smiled as he left her on the rock and flew to the edge of the rock garden.

Scootaloo felt a twinge of pain, and got another one of the disconcerting images of Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom in trouble. She didn’t understand how she knew, or how she was connected to them, but she felt it deep inside. There was definitely a connection, and Scootaloo knew beyond all doubt that they were in trouble.

In a flash, she had flown to the gate of the dojo and was prepared to run off in search of them. Looking back, she realized Sensei was watching her with a frown on his face. Scootaloo flew over to him and kneeled down in respect. “Sorry, Sensei, but my friends are in trouble. I will never abandon them.”

Sensei let the silence linger a moment before speaking. “Loyalty. It is a powerful emotion, Scootaloo, one that can give a pony much strength. To seek strength in revenge leads only to suffering, yet if you can feel this strongly for your friends then there is hope for you.”

Scootaloo looked up at Sensei and saw something different about him. His stern features seemed almost inviting, as if she had passed some unspoken test and been deemed worthy. Scootaloo smiled, and was about to turn to leave when he spoke.

“If you leave now, you will not find, let alone defeat, Twilight Sparkle.”

“How do you know so much about me, Sensei?” Scootaloo asked.

“Spitfire is not the only pony who cares greatly for you and wants to see your anger controlled. I promise you, your friends will be alright. You must stay and complete your training. If you can keep your focus on the inner strength loyalty gives you and avoid the instant gratification of feeling angry, you will see your friends again.”

Scootaloo’s jaw had fallen wide open. “H-how can you know that they’re o-okay? I keep seeing images of them. . .”

“It is the way of the world, Scootaloo. There is far more to our existence than the eyes can see. Even a non-unicorn can learn to sense the ebb and flow of magic, to feel the spell being cast before the unicorn casts it. This is what I will teach you; it is what I have taught Celestia’s elite personal guard in for decades.”

She smiled, realizing this crazy old pony actually did know what she needed to learn to rescue her friends. Scootaloo flew over to the rock and sat back down, swallowing her fears for her friends. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, ready to stay on the rock for another day.

“Come, Scootaloo,” Sensei said. “There is breakfast inside and you must be starving.”

Lyra woke up smiling, still feeling warm under her blankets and happy that Bon Bon had just satisfied her needs in the bedroom. She tried to roll over and curl up under the blankets, only to find her legs unable to move.

As her groggy mind caught up to current events, she felt thick leather straps holding her legs spread eagle to the corners of the bed. “What?” she asked the empty room. “Bon Bon?”

Lyra pulled against the restraints uselessly, and then tried her magic. Her magic was blocked by something on her horn, and she started to shout for help. “Bon Bon!”

Finally the door opened and Bon Bon walked in, dressed as a French maid. “Lyra, I’m glad you’re awake.”

“Bon Bon, why am I tied up?” Lyra asked.

“Why, this is your fantasy, your paradise,” Bon Bon stated.

“No, let me go!”

“You wanted me to ravage you for days. You said it yourself. Tied up and hopeless, the object of all my twisted desires. . . this will be a week to remember.”

Lyra struggled and began to cry, realizing how hopeless her situation was. Bon Bon was supposed to be dead, not dominating her in the bedroom. She tensed her muscles in shock as she realized what this meant.

The itching in the back of her mind, the silent warning her brain had sent her: Bon Bon was dead. Whoever this was, it couldn’t be Bon Bon. Lyra felt her marefriend’s hoof caressing her.

Even if it wasn’t Bon Bon, Lyra did miss her so much. Would it be so wrong to enjoy her company here, in this illusion? Lyra moaned and whimpered, torn between her fool’s paradise or reality. Did she want the world with Bon Bon, or the one without?

“Lyra, honey, you’re crying? Do you want to use the safeword and have me let you go?” Bon Bon asked.

“It’s—I can’t. . .” Lyra looked at Bon Bon who had a concerned look plastered on her face. “You’re dead. This isn’t real—it never was.”

Bon Bon stepped back in shock. “What? Lyra, I love you. Did you find another mare?!”

“No, Bonnie. . . I love you, but you’re not real. I’m sorry, I need to go now.”

Lyra focused on that itch in the back of her mind, on all the forbidden truths that had been hidden there. Bon Bon and Applejack were dead. Twilight was lost or dead after trapping dozens of ponies as dolls. Lyra had become the new Element of Magic.

The realization dawned on her and she felt the ring around her horn shatter as arcane energy seeped into her body. Lyra felt the straps vanish and the room around her flicker and swirl away.

She bolted forward in bed breathing heavily from her nightmare. Looking around revealed that Lyra was in a large bedroom in Canterlot castle—judging by the ornate designs. At a nearby table sat Trixie, who rushed over to check on Lyra.

Trixie scanned her with her magic and felt her forehead with a hoof. “I think you’re okay!”

“What happened?” Lyra tried to bat the hoof away.

“After Luna gave you her gift you went into a coma. She said I had to watch you in case you. . . turned into something evil.”

“I was in a dream. Bon Bon was still alive. . .”

Trixie levitated over a piece of paper with her instructions on it. “She wrote that you’d face some sort of challenge or inner demon as you came to grips with your new power.”

“New power?” Lyra asked.

“Well, you are attuned to the Element of Magic now. Also, from what I’ve gathered she basically gave you a blank check on your destiny. You’re not just a lyrist anymore, you can study any field of magic you want just like a pony with a magic cutie mark.”

Lyra chuckled and pointed a hoof at Trixie’s flank. “Well, looks like you magic unicorns are going to be given a run for their money then.”

Trixie looked between Lyra and her flank, then. “I guess so, but you’ve got a lot to learn.”

She noticed Trixie was missing most of her tail, and that it appeared singed. “Say, Trixie, what happened to your tail?”

“Oh, it was nothing, just a teleporting accident.”

“I’m glad you’re alright! Teleporting sounds like difficult magic.”

Trixie tilted her head in confusion. “Huh? Oh! I didn’t teleport myself. I teleported Luna’s cat.”

Lyra scratched her head. “Then what happened to the cat?”

“If I ever find it, I’ll let you know. As for this,” Trixie pointed to her tail, “That was Luna’s reaction when I told her what happened to her cat.”

Laughter filled the room as Lyra fell back in bed, rolling around. All the stress and worry evaporated and she knew that she was back in the real world. It wasn’t perfect, and she’d never see Bon Bon again, but she had new friends and a new destiny now.

Dash dragged her hooves down the streets of the replica Ponyville. The ghost town was much quieter than usual. Whole days would go by without seeing another pony. Just when Dash thought this hell couldn’t get any worse, Twilight had doubled their suffering.

As part of their punishment, Twilight had used her magic to remove the wings and horns of every pony in town. Then, she had removed their mouths by sealing them shut. They could no longer talk and conspire against her, fly, or use their magic for their misdeeds and inventions.

There was no telling when, or if, Twilight’s new group of ‘friends’ would convince her to end their punishment.

Dash happened to glance down an alleyway and see a small scooter. Curious, she walked in and found a small shack that contained Scootaloo’s scooter, helmet, and a few other belongings.

This must be where Scootaloo lived as an orphan, and Twilight had recreated every detail. Dash wanted to scream in anger at her loss. She loved that little filly, and had lost her before she had even gotten to really know her.

Dash curled up in Scootaloo’s bed of cardboard and pulled the threadbare blanket over her. She cried herself to sleep, lamenting all the bad choices in her life that had lead up to this moment.

Author's Notes:

My editor pointed out the third chapters of all my stories always take the longest, and are often what makes or breaks my stories. It's sort of like the Curse of the Ninth, only for me it's the Curse of the Third.

I hope you enjoyed and that it's a return to form. Lyra still needs a better internal conflict, but I think Scootaloo, Twilight, and the new direction Dash is headed are an improvement.

A free cookie to the first one who figures out the connection between the CMC.

IV. Twilight's Journal

One Month Later. . .

Scootaloo had been training with Sensei for five weeks, and had finally started training with live weapons. Instead of the wooden practice sword and hoof blades, she had been given a beaten-up metal sword and dull blades to train with.

Thick wooden pillars were scattered around the training yard, full of nicks and scratches courtesy of her attacks. Sweat was dripping off her wings and legs as she stood perched on one such cut tree trunk, awaiting the command to start again.

“You’re still striking too hard, as if you’re angry. It only takes a few pounds of pressure to break skin. If you waste energy delivering your blows you will fall victim to the beasts of the Everfree. There are worse creatures than hydras in that forest.”

“Yes, Sensei,” Scootaloo answered. She took a deep breath and got ready to go again. Her sword was tucked into a scabbard on her left shoulder, allowing her to draw it and attack in one swift motion.

“Again!” Sensei shouted.

She drew the sword with her mouth and leapt forward, beating her wings hard to gain lift. The sword nicked the crossbeam in the target in front of her. Instead of fighting the impact and straining her neck, she let the blade be pushed back and glide over the beam, cutting deeply without getting the blade stuck.

The next target was nearly ten feet below her to the right. She was aiming for the underside of that beam in a narrow gap between the ground and the wood. Her sword would not have room to strike, so she brought it to a ready position that allowed her to fly without being encumbered. With the blade out of the way on her left side, she dove and turned upside down.

As she bent her forelegs, the training blades shot out, each half the length of her forelegs. She slammed them into the wood, allowing the blades to bury into the wood, getting stuck. Her speed towards the ground shifted as it pulled her in a loop beneath the log. Her momentum had changed to allow her to fly away from the ground. At the end of her arc beneath the beam, she tugged her legs forcefully, withdrawing the blades, then orienting herself to be right side up again.

She nearly flinched and hit the next target, as she had two runs ago. This time she rolled to the right to dodge it, instead of trying to strike it with the sword. Just after she’d cleared the obstacle, she stopped and spun in mid air, hitting the backside of the target and leaving a long gash.

The next two targets ahead of her should have been easy, and she withdrew the hoof blades and prepared to strike them both in quick succession. She pictured Twilight in her head, imagining the target was her and not some beast from the Everfree. Scootaloo struck the target and her head was snapped sharply to the side.

Tumbling in mid air, Scootaloo managed to orient herself but had left the sword buried to the hilt in the wooden target. The last target was closing quickly and she knew her hoofblades would not extend and lock in place in time to strike it.

She tucked her head down and rolled in mid air, folding in her hind legs. Once she was upside-down, she bucked her hind legs hard, and heard wood splintering. Scootaloo fell to the ground, unable to gain her bearings in time to avoid the crash.

She got up and groaned, not from the pain which she had learned to ignore, but from yet another failure on the obstacle course. Her sword was buried to the hilt, her hooves probably cracked, and she had left one target standing.

“Good work, Scootaloo. Unorthodox, but they say one must adapt or die.”

Scootaloo looked back at him and saw the foot thick wooden beam had been cleaved in two. The top half lay a good thirty feet away and looked like lightning had split the trunk in two. “I did it?”

“Yes, you’ve cleared the obstacle course. Yet your self-control leaves much to be desired. I’ll put the weapons up. You are to go meditate on why you are still letting anger power your strikes when finesse and dexterity are far more lethal.”

“Yes, Sensei.” Scootaloo unstrapped the hoof blades and scabbard then bowed on her forelegs to her teacher. She flew over to his small dojo and headed into her room. After drying off most of the sweat with a towel, she sat down at a small workbench in the corner.

To teach her dexterity, Sensei had bought her a small sewing kit designed for unicorns. The needles were thin like blades of grass, as was the string. At first Scootaloo was insulted, for no pegasus or earth pony could sew with such tiny needles. She had stuck herself countless times attempting to master it just to spite her Sensei.

After gaining a little proficiency, she had been provided a thin cyan headband. It was of high quality, and some day she would ask Sensei how he had acquired it. For now, she focused on the small emblem in the middle of it. Scootaloo had spent the past week slowly stitching six colors into it. Today she would put the final streaks of red in it, and complete the rainbow icon that reminded her of what she fought for.

Scootaloo deftly clasped the needle between her two hooves and began pushing it through the cloth over and over again, using her mouth to flip the headband over between each stitch. Her mind cleared as she focused on the task and she found her anger fading away.

She knew Sensei was right, and that her thoughts of revenge would often appear at the wrong moment and ruin her training. Scootaloo felt it was only natural to want to get back at the pony who had ruined the lives of an entire town. Still, a single slip-up would result in the jaws of a predator or the offensive spells of a crazed alicorn to hit her.

Scootaloo gasped and drew her hoof back. She hadn’t been paying attention and pricked herself in the delicate frog inside her hoof. The blood-filled area of her foot trickled steadily and she examined it closely. Despite the small size it was aching and bleeding, the small strike against a larger beast. She had not needed to strike hard to wound herself, and Scootaloo realized there was merit to Sensei’s school of thought.

“Luna, you asked to see me?” Lyra questioned. She walked across the princess’s chambers and stood next to the table she was seated at.

“Please, join me,” Luna instructed.

“Yes, Luna.”

“Do you know what this is?”

Lyra sat down and saw a simple tome sitting in the middle of the table. Two simple words had faded into what looked like a leather cover. They read Twilight’s Journal. “Was that written while Twilight was capturing ponies? She used to take notes in a book.”

“Yes, though Celestia and I have had no luck opening it. She is worried what might happen should we allow you to open it, yet I have trained you long enough to know you will not fall victim to delusions of grandeur. The speed at which you’ve been learning almost rivals Twilight, and I believe that is what gives Celestia pause.”

“She’s worried I’m turning out just like her former pupil?”

“Indeed, though I can see you are two completely different ponies. Try to open the journal for me, and do not worry. I will not let you come to harm.”

Lyra chuckled and reached out with her magic towards the book. She knew Twilight, and if Twilight wanted to place a trap on a book there was little even an alicorn could do to bypass it. As she pulled the book over the cover lifted easily. “That wasn’t so hard.”

“Celestia believes Twilight left you this journal so you could pick up where she left off. I, on the other hoof, believe she left it so you would know why she did what she did. We were not able to risk opening the tome without triggering an enchantment designed to incinerate it.”

Luna looked over at the book as Lyra flipped through the pages. “Looks like all pages but the first are blank.”

“What was written on it?”

Turning back to the front page revealed the first stanza to a lullaby. A chill went down Lyra’s spine as she recognized it. “This is the lullaby I had intended to play Twilight the night she captured me.”

“It may be a further protection. Can you play it for me?” Luna asked.

“I don’t have my lyre.”

Luna smiled and levitated a lyre out from under the table. The frame looked like a flawless marble, housing silver strings between it. They caught the moonlight and sparkled, and the gentle breeze in the room caused faint notes to sound from it. “I expected you might need one.”

Lyra laughed and lifted up the lyre. “Always one step ahead of the rest of us? Well, I’ll play the song but if it turns me back into a doll you have to promise to play with me every day.”

Now it was the princess’ turn to chuckle. Her horn began to glow as she prepared to intervene if any enchantments were triggered.

The notes of the lyre started softly and beautifully. The light of the moon pouring through the window flickered and danced across the floor, matching the rhythm of the lullaby. For a tense minute they sat there, listening to the beautiful serenade. Once it was done they both looked at the book expectantly only for nothing to happen.

“I suppose that would have been too easy,” Luna intoned.

“Yeah, unless. . .” Lyra chewed on her lip and looked between the book and the lyre. If Twilight had wanted to ensure only Lyra could read it—for whatever reason—she would have needed a better enchantment than playing a simple melody. Something only Lyra would remember would be best. “I think it has to be played in the room of the library where Twilight captured me.”

“You can’t be serious! You want to walk back into her library with an enchanted book and play that song?”

“What’s the worst that can happen? I’m starting to think you’re right, she wanted me to find and read this. She needed something only I could open. The exact place, musician, and song would be a perfect key.”

“Very well then, I’ll fetch a carriage for us.”

“That won’t be necessary, I’ve been dying to try out long distance teleportation,” Lyra said.

Luna’s eyes went wide in surprise. “That requires a great deal of energy, and you’ve barely mastered teleporting across a room.”

“I have a feeling that this book may hold clues to her whereabouts. If I’m going looking for her, I need to know I can get out if I absolutely have to.”

“Alright, after you.”

Lyra smirked and put a saddlebag on, inserting the lyre and book inside. Her horn glowed and she let her mind go blank, taking extra time to ensure the spell formed properly.

In her mind’s eye she pictured the room she was in, then the atrium of the library in Ponyville. She imagined a doorway joining both rooms that she could step through, to travel the distance in one step.

The most challenging part came next. She imagined the various arcane sigils and drew upon magical conduits to open the door. As soon as the door opened she could see and smell the library, as if it were inches in front of her face. Her energy was draining quickly, as opening a teleportation spell required manipulating several dimensions at once.

Lyra struggled to take a step forward, feeling as though her body was surrounded by molasses. She could feel her horn shutting down as it ran out of energy and began to protect itself from the spell when her magic depleted. At the last second, Lyra dove forward and felt her entire body get stretched and then smashed back together.

The wooden floor of the library appeared and she landed face-first on it, toppling into the nearby wall. Her muscles ached in protest, yet in her mind she was already celebrating. She got to her hooves and stood up, only to feel so exhausted she fell onto her haunches.

Lyra focused on her breathing and letting the magic flow back into her, to deplete her energy stores. In front of her the oak flooring had been scorched black where she’d teleported in..

Luna materialized a moment later as well. She looked around with unease because the library was exactly as they had left it. By royal decree, it was not to be disturbed and was still considered an active crime scene.

“Amazing, Lyra. You nearly got flung across my room when at the last second you pulled it off.”

Lyra rubbed at her nose, seeing a little blood trickling from it. “Yeah. Well, I hit this end pretty hard. At least I know if I get into trouble in the Everfree, I can fling myself towards Ponyville or Canterlot to get out.”

“You make teleporting sound like a trebuchet.”

“And I’m not wrong, from what I’ve seen so far. Distance is easy, but accuracy may take a lifetime to master.”

Lyra levitated out the lyre and book and placed them in the middle of the room. In front of her was the table she had sat at with Twilight. “Well, no time like the present.”

Luna nodded and the lyrist began to play the lullaby in the room. Immediately the book floated off the ground and was engulfed in a purple hue. It sparkled and cracked as the song progressed, and Lyra noticed it shared none of the green tint that Twilight’s magic had taken on. She had no time to ponder the significance of this when the song stopped and the book fell to the floor.

“Fascinating, I thought for sure that would work,” Luna said.

Lyra walked up and opened to the second page. “It did work. See?”

Luna walked over and shuffled through a few pages. “It still looks blank to me.”

“I can read it as plain as day.” Lyra turned back to the first page. “Here, allow me.”

Dear Diary,

Celestia suggested I start a diary to express my emotions, as if they were something I could scientifically quantify. My brother is dead, forever, because I failed to act. I could have gone on the boring mission with him as an Ambassador. Instead, I stayed here to research the long-term effects of earth pony magic on growing crops.

It’d be bad enough losing him, but the pain hasn’t faded one bit and it’s been weeks. Applejack is the only one who I think understands; since she lost both her parents as a filly. Still, it’s applebuck season so she can’t make it over much more often than once a week.

The others are. . . well, they’re living their own lives now. Dash is finally trying out for the Wonderbolts and practices sixteen hours a day. Pinkie has been throwing parties from here to the rock farm she grew up on. Fluttershy is sheltering three times as many animals now as when I came to town. Rarity is trying to open a boutique in Canterlot.

I should be happy that they are moving on with their lives and being successful, but all I can think about is why they aren’t here for me. Is that selfish?

It hurts so much and I feel so guilty laying it on Spike every day. He always listens, but I can’t help but wonder where my friends are. Nightmare Moon, Discord, Sombra, Chrysalis. . . my friends have always been here to help me face every obstacle in my life.

Now when I need them most, they all have different schedules and can hardly visit. What worries me more is that this was just one tragedy. How will I cope with death after they’re gone? Me and Spike are the only ones who will live as long as the princesses.

I’ll have to ask Celestia during my visit tomorrow how she handles loss, having lived several millennia and lost thousands of subjects.

During that I’ll be there to attempt to comfort Cadence. As horrible as I feel, I can’t imagine how she must. Her domain is love, and she loved nopony as much as Shining. I’ve heard rumors she can no longer cast her signature magic to mend broken hearts.

She’s more than a foalsitter or sister-in-law, she’s my closest and only family. Her and I will face eternity together, and I’m determined to hide my own sorrow long enough to comfort her.

-Twilight Sparkle

Luna sat silently for a few minutes, processing the journal entry. Finally Lyra broke the silence. “I, uh, need some water.”

She got up and walked into the kitchen and pulled a glass out of the cupboard like she was in anypony else’s house. Lyra walked to the fridge and pushed it against the water dispenser. It was set to ice, and instead of water a torrent of ice cubes shot out, knocking the glass to the floor.

“Perhaps we should get water somewhere else?” Luna asked. “I still feel so much negative energy here.”

“I guess so. Let me just grab that glass from under the fridge.” Lyra leaned over to find the glass and couldn’t see where it had gone too. She used her horn to illuminate the underside of the fridge. Amidst the scattering cockroaches and glass cup she had dropped was a colorful object towards the back. It took Lyra a moment to realize the familiar sight of a pony turned into a doll, yet covered by a layer of dust was the old dental hygienist of Ponyville, Crest.

Lyra pulled the doll out and held it in the air in front of Luna. “Look, somehow she missed a doll. This is horrible.”

“I can’t believe it.”

Crest stared out at her newest hallucinations. She had thought of a million ways she’d been rescued and been wrong a million times. Her favorite was how the cute mail stallion would rescue her. Swift Package, the one pony she had always wished would ask her out on a date. He would find her and break the curse with a kiss. They would start a family and live happily ever after.

She laughed inwardly as she watched the two ponies talking. She couldn’t hear them, nor did she care. Crest would wake up back under the fridge, just like every other time. She was just a toy, and her dreams of being a real pony were just that: dreams.

“Luna, allow me. I’d like to know I’ve got the transformation spell mastered,” Lyra said.

“After the teleport, do you have that much energy left?”

Lyra nodded to the open window and the moonlight pouring through it. “With the full moon and your gift? I think so.”

Crest felt funny. This had never happened before in her hallucinations. All she had ever felt was the bite of the cold and the tickling of the dust that settled onto her side. For months she had wanted to sneeze but been unable.

All those sensations fled her as Crest felt the most alien and painful sensation of them all: warmth.

Crest felt like she was on fire. It was too warm, and her body felt like jelly. She froze in terror, wishing it would stop. It was a lie, another trick. The pain hurt more than the realization she’d never be found by anypony.

Luna fired up her horn to scan her and find out if the spell had worked.

Crest wanted to cry but knew she couldn’t. There were painful movements in her chest as her body convculsed. It shouldn’t move. It wasn’t supposed to move. Toys don’t move. The thudding of some organ inside her burned in agony. It was responsible for the warm tingling she was feeling in her limbs. It was the organ torturing her with lies and false hope of an end to the cold lonely nights.

“She’s perfectly fine, but not moving,” Luna explained.

“Crest, it’s me, Lyra? Are you okay?”

She heard the pony talk to her and felt her chest stop moving. Her eyes and ears rotated towards the unicorn. She began to feel another pain in her chest which only stopped once she allowed it to start moving again.

“Crest?” Lyra put a hoof on her shoulder and patted her.

She felt the hoof push into her tender, soft flesh, and lost control. She was plastic. Plastic is hard. Plastic doesn’t move or talk or feel.

“Get back! This is another trick!” Crest screamed. She spasmed and found her alien limbs moving beneath her. Seconds later she had scurried towards the fridge. She was too big to fit under it, but tried anyway. Crest was stuck out here, vulnerable, the safety of the fridge forever out of reach.

“I don’t think she took her imprisonment well,” Luna said. “We best get her to medical attention.”

“Lies, lies! Twenty-three years and twenty-three days of lies! Come back in twenty-three hours!” Crest kicked out her hind legs and managed to slide her head a little further under the fridge. “The sandman isn’t coming for tea, stallions need larger spoons for their oatmeal!”

“Lyra, hold on. I’m teleporting us to the throne room,” Luna explained.

There was a brilliant silver flash, and the three ponies, the lyre, and the book were teleported into Celestia’s room in Canterlot.

The princess of the sun woke up immediately, finding three ponies standing at the foot of her bed. “Luna?” she asked, groggily.

“Sister, we have rescued another pony and opened Twilight’s journal,” Luna explained.

“They keep talking, they don’t know. They can only hear the colors they have been given,” Crest said. She dove under the bed, vanishing beneath it before anypony could stop her.

“What the hell?” Celestia said. “Did you botch the spell?”

“She’s been trapped for months, Tia. I fear she needs medical attention.”

“Very well. And what’s this about the journal?”

“Lyra unlocked it, though it is still enchanted only to allow her to read it.”

“Luna!” Celestia got out of bed and frowned. “I told you not to let her near it!”

“And I told you we are of equal rank, and having tried every other option I would take responsibility for showing Lyra.”

“Lyra, get out. I’m going to have some words with my sister.” Without waiting Celestia turned to face Luna. “You had no right, Luna!”

“Lyra is not Twilight! Now, let us sleep and talk of this on the morrow—”

“Oh no, you don’t!”

“Tia, please. I’ve been covering the day court, giving you time to mourn, but you’re still irrational.”

Celestia’s horn glowed, causing the sun to rise early. “Me? Irrational? Oh no, I’m just fine!”

Lyra had inched her way to the door and backed up through it, closing it behind her. She looked over to the two guards in golden armor.

“Ma’am,” the guard said, “they okay?”

“Yeah,” Lyra said. “Still some old wounds festering, but I have faith Celestia and Luna will get past them together.”

Twilight poured some more tea for Fluttershy. “Please, tell me if you can taste this one. I worked hard on the spell to restore more of your senses.”

Fluttershy no longer had a plastic shell of a body, and instead had individual strands of plastic hair. They mimicked her old mane and tail perfectly. An artificial peach fuzz covered her body, replacing the fur. As reward for their good behavior, Twilight had chosen to test her ever-improving grasp on immortality magic on her closest friends.

She took a sip of the tea and was able to taste a hint of bitterness and sourness to it. “It, um, worked. I can taste bitter and sour in it.”

“And you can still taste sweetness?” Twilight asked.

“Yes, that only leaves, um. . . salty?”

“This is great news! Soon you’ll have a full sense of taste. I’m sure everypony will be happy if I can make them feel more normal.”

Beside Fluttershy sat Pinkie and Big Mac. This trio, along with Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, had become the first of a new group of ponies to embrace Twilight as a friend. While their captor still held reservations about them, her mood had improved considerably.

Unfortunately, the rest of the town was still being punished for their attempt of escape and murder. Twilight left them wandering around without their mouths, unable to talk to one another and thus conspire against her. She had also forbidden them to be outside their houses at all during the artificial night time. The small gem in the ceiling would simulate sunlight during the daytime to help them mark the passage of time.

Pinkie walked up to Twilight and hugged her foreleg. “This is super duper! And with how tiny my cupcake oven is and how much flour you brought, I can now bake cupcakes for every single pony for years! They’ll be so happy to taste cupcakes!”

Twilight grinned and pet Pinkie. “Yes, but I’ll only improve the doll spell for the good ponies. The bad ponies can stay as plastic, barely able to taste or feel. The good ponies will get nicer and nicer, until I’ve preserved you all in mint condition.”

“Can you make me bigger so I can give you a superific hug?” Pinkie asked.

A frown crossed her face as she considered whether or not a life-size Pinkie could overpower her. “I, uh. . . only trust Big Mac to be that big. Sorry, Pinkie, he’s the only one I know would never hurt me.”

Pinkie’s mane straightened out. “Aww, shucks. I’d never hurt you, Twilight. I feel really bad that I didn’t make you happy all those months ago in Ponyville. I bet if I had tried harder, you would never have turned anypony into dolls.”

“Pinkie, we’ve been over this. You’re not allowed to talk about the real Ponyville, Celestia, Luna, Cadence, or Shining,” Twilight warned. “They put me in a bad mood, and you wouldn’t like me when I’m in a bad mood.”

Pinkie backed up and sat next to Fluttershy. “Sorry! I Pinkie promise to be more careful. So, now that us three are super-dolls, are you going to do the crusaders next?”

“I guess so. Where are they anyway?” Twilight asked.

Fluttershy blushed and looked away. “They, uh. . . are playing with their friend.”

“Oh really? Which friend?” Twilight asked. “There aren’t many fillies in town, I kept meaning to capture some more for them.”

"It's Silver Spoon."

Twilight moaned. “Oh? I’ve been wondering what they did to her.”

“It wasn’t them, but Rarity threaded strings through Silver to turn her into a puppet. She’s been, um. . . Well, I don’t really like to hang out with Rarity anymore.”

Rarity was asleep at the boutique while Sweetie and Apple Bloom sat in the basement, watching Silver dangle from the ceiling by half a dozen threads.

“Ah don’t know why we keep debatin’ it, look at her. She killed my sister!” Apple Bloom exclaimed. “She deserves what she gets.”

Silver hung from the strings, flailing her legs occasionally but getting nowhere. Her mouth had also been sealed shut by the spell that swept over the town. She had spent her days since being captured as a piñata for Rarity, Dash, and Apple Bloom to take their stress out on. They were the three least forgiving of her role as co-conspirator and murderer of Applejack.

“Look at her,” Sweetie said. She pointed to the filly who was whimpering pathetically. “Your sister was honesty, and since she’s dead I bet you’re the Element of Honesty now. So tell me, is this what Applejack would have wanted? You think she’d have done this to Silver?”

“Well, ah ain’t gonna just forgive her. Besides, she’s not even a real pony anymore, so I can treat her however I want. . . right?”

Sweetie pulled out a pair of scissors and dropped them in front of Apple Bloom. “Look, all we’ve got is each other. I’m not saying you have to forgive her, but we can’t just keep torturing her for fun. Otherwise we’re no better than Twilight. You’ve seen the others: Rarity is no longer generous, Dash no longer loyal, your sister is dead. . . Twilight is the one who is truly tearing everypony apart.”

Apple Bloom sighed and looked at the scissors on the floor. After a minute of thinking carefully, she took the scissors in her mouth and went over to Silver, then cut her down.

She thudded to the floor, then grabbed Apple Bloom and hugged her. Wet tears stained her cheek as Silver cried, glad to have finally been spared her torture yet unable to voice the words.

“This don’t mean ah forgive you, but ah can’t honestly justify anypony suffering,” Apple Bloom said.

“That was very generous of you. Now, why don’t we take her to the clubhouse where she’ll be safe, and maybe we’ll have another one of those dreams about Scootaloo tonight?” Sweetie asked.

“Yeah, those flashes are strange. Remind me to ask Twilight if we’re s’posed ta be dreamin’ or not. Let’s go before Rarity wakes up.”

Lyra was back in her favorite meadow, overlooking the vast reaches of forest beneath Canterlot. Earlier today Celestia had confiscated the book, though agreed that it was a good thing Lyra had unlocked it. They would look for clues in the journal once Celestia was convinced it was safe enough.

Now, Lyra’s hoof was curled around the foreleg of her special somepony, Soarin.

“Celestia calmed down after Luna explained. They both tried to help Crest, but the doctor said he had no choice but to commit her to Broadhoof Asylum,” Lyra stated.

“At least you found her. I can’t imagine being stuck as a doll, unable to move, for months. Please, Lyra, are you really going to go looking for Twilight when your training is done?” Soarin asked.

“You know my answer. The second I’m confident in my abilities, I have a duty to all those ponies we left behind.”

“Including Twilight?”

Lyra sighed. “Yeah. Someone has to, she is the victim as much as the villain: all alone out there without a friend in the world.”

“Well, if I can’t change your mind then I want you to make me a promise.”

She rolled her head to the side to look into his eyes. “Yeah? What’s that?”

“Promise me, no matter what, you’ll make it back alive. I’ve never planned to do more than be a Wonderbolt, but since I’ve met you I’ve been a much happier stallion. I can’t stand the thought of losing you.”

Lyra began to blush, then leaned in to kiss him. She parted his lips and probed his mouth with her tongue, enjoying the taste of his saliva. Once she withdrew, she answered him. “I’ve never been as happy as I am now with you. Not even with Bon Bon. . .”

Soarin saw her mood shift as she looked away, remembering a long-lost best friend. He nuzzled her side and hugged her. “Hey, let’s just enjoy this lovely sunset.”

“You’re right.” She cuddled up next to him and looked at the setting sun. “And after that you can come back to my room in the palace for some hot coffee.”

“Hmm.” Soarin looked off into the distance. “It’s awfully late for some coffee.”

“Seriously?” She poked him in the ribs with her foreleg. “What about some of my pie?”

Soarin couldn’t hide his grin any longer, and looked back at Lyra. “Well, I do love pie.” As he kissed her the wind rustled through the wildflowers beside them.

Author's Notes:

It's been too long... I'm focusing on better writing habits, to write something every day. It's so easy to get complacent, and when you have multiple stories that turns into monthly updates. With luck, this will update weekly alongside Dash of Humanity.

Thanks for patiently awaiting the next chapter.

V. Opening Old Wounds

“I’m glad you could join us for dinner,” Luna said.

Lyra led Soarin over to their seats at the banquet table. They appeared to be the last couple of ponies arriving to the nearly-full table. Eight chairs were set around a large ebony table. The dark-black hardwood provided a nice contrast with the redwood floor. The flooring ran up against the red-brick walls. Candle holders were spaced evenly along the sides of the room, with large tapestries depicting famous events in Equestrian history placed between them.

At the front of the room was a display case housing the Elements of Harmony. Three of them were still stuck glowing dimly, while the other three shone strong. At the foot of the room were large stained glass windows of darker red hues portraying a rich sunset.

It was breathtaking each time Lyra entered it. Celestia had this room built during the past year, as it offered her a warm and inviting room in which to eat or lounge about. The massive hearth even had a fire going in it right now, adding to the ambience.

“We’re honored to be here,” Lyra said. She glanced over at Soarin, squeezing his hoof briefly.

“Keep him away from my pie,” Scootaloo said to him. “Sensei hasn’t let me near junk food since I started training under the nut.”

“I’m a nut now, am I?”

Scootaloo jumped out of her chair in fear, eyes wide as her wings began to flap. She hovered in mid air over the table, slowly turning to see Sensei behind her. “What?! No! I just—when did you get here? I just meant your training is, well—unorthodox. I still have nightmares about that deep tissue massage that was supposed to fix my dislocated shoulder!”

“Luna invited me, as did Celestia,” he explained. The wizened grey pegasus sat down at the table. He carried himself as if her were light as a feather, sitting down without making a noise. “As for your training, if you let me sneak up on you that easily I fear you’re in for more dislocated joints.”

Celestia stifled a giggle and sipped from her tea. The gathered ponies watched her intently, not used to getting much of a reaction from the pensive ruler. “Pardon me, it’s just refreshing. Seeing you all here—it makes me feel like I have family. It’s hard to believe only a year has passed since Twilight vanished, and yet I feel the wounds have faded.”

“The Great and Powerful Trixie proposes a toast!” She levitated up her glass, expecting the other ponies to do the same. Instead, those assembled at the banquet table just rolled their eyes and moaned. “What? I thought it was funny.”

“Here, here,” Lyra said. She levitated her cup up into the air. “What wise words does the pupil of Luna have for us?”

Trixie gulped, having not given much thought to exactly what she would say. “Well I uh. . . I’m grateful we’re all here today. I believe we are all given a second chance, even when we don’t deserve it, and I am surrounded by some of the most honorable ponies in Equestria.”

“Speak for yourself,” Soarin said with a grin. “I’m only dating Lyra because she’s the Element of Magic.”

The table broke out in laughter, and Lyra punched Soarin in the wing, causing him to flinch. “Watch it, buddy,” she scolded. Everypony tapped their glasses together in toast. The unicorns made sure not to leave the Pegasi out, floating their glasses over so they could reach them too.

Servants had begun to bring out bowls of soup for each pony and made sure everyone’s wine glass remained full. As they began to eat they were all thinking about Celestia, yet none wanted to ask what was really on their mind. She had seemingly reversed roles with Luna since the incident with Twilight.

Now, Luna proudly ruled as the public figurehead, allowing Celestia to perform all her own duties and responsibilities in the peace and quiet of her study. Rumors circulated that she still wasn’t over the loss of her pupil.

“So, I managed my first long-distance teleportation yesterday,” Lyra said to Trixie.

“Really? How far?”

“A hundred yards.”

Trixie smiled. “Impressive.”

Scootaloo had already eaten her soup and was now gulping down the broth. She wiped her mouth with a foreleg and burped. “A hundred yards? That’s not that far, I could fly that in two seconds.”

Lyra sighed. “Really, Scootaloo, you run your mouth faster than you fly. I might have to show you how far a hundred yards really is.” She stuck her tongue out, drawing some laughter out of Soarin.

“Hah, I’d like to see you try,” Scootaloo said. “Sensei here taught me this cool—” She turned to look at her teacher and saw the unamused look on his face. Her smile vanished in an instance, and her demeanor changed to a somber one. Scootaloo turned back to Lyra. “I’m sorry, please excuse me.”

Soarin leaned in until he was shoulder to shoulder with Lyra and whispered. “Wow, Sensei taught her a cool trick. You should ask him to teach it to you.”

“It’s fine, Scootaloo.” Lyra smiled, and shot a glance at Sensei. “Everypony needs to cut loose and relax once and a while. Perhaps you three would be up for a friendly race after dinner?”

“A wise man does not flaunt his speed for the amusement of others,” Sensei answered. He glanced at Scootaloo, who seemed to deflate a little at hearing they wouldn’t get to race. He smirked, before glancing back at Soarin. “Besides, I’d hate to shame a Wonderbolt in front of his marefriend.”

Scootaloo looked up and watched Soarin’s mouth fall open in shock, soup dribbling down his chin. “What?! No disrespect, sir, but you’ve got to be at least sixty. There’s no way you could keep up with a Wonderbolt.”

“Yeah right!” Scootaloo said, flaring her wings. “It’s on now, I’ll beat you both with two hooves tied behind my back.”

“Well, I suppose after dinner I’ll try this cutting loose you mentioned and teach these fillies and colts to respect their elders.” Sensei smiled, then turned to face the door.

A second later, a pony threw the door open with his magic. The royal guard rushed inside, dressed in his ornate golden armor. “Princess Celestia!”

“Flash Sentry, what is so important that you’d interrupt our meal?” Celestia asked.

“It’s uh. . . well, you’re not gonna believe this. . .”

“Spit it out, or I’m putting you on the moon until the feast is over,” Luna said.

Several ponies stifled their laughter as the guard’s eyes darted around nervously. “I uh. . . it’s Apple Bloom. She came back.”

Celestia leveled a stare at the guard, causing him to take a step back. “Everypony out.” She did not yell, but her tone carried more weight than the Royal Canterlot Voice.

Nopony moved at first, each considering what this meant. Finally, Luna slid her chair back, causing a harsh screeching against the floor in the quiet room. “What’s your name, guard?”

“F-Flash,” he replied.

“Bring Apple Bloom here and notify my advisor that any appointments I had today are canceled.” Luna glanced at her sister, who continued to stare at the guard as though he were Twilight herself. The uncomfortable guard snapped a quick salute and left to retrieve the filly.

“The rest of you may leave,” Celestia said with more control over her voice. She smiled gently, showing a hint of her pearlescent teeth. “I’ll question Apple Bloom alone.”

“More like interrogate Apple Bloom,” Scootaloo said with a hint of venom. “No offense, Princess, but I’m staying to make sure my friend is okay.”

Celestia rubbed her hooves against her temples, trying to prevent an oncoming headache. She closed her eyes and answered calmly. “I will not be interrogating anypony, but I will be throwing somepony in the dungeons if they try to interfere with me following the necessary leads to bring Twilight to justice.”

Sensei and Soarin were heading quietly for the door, with the Wonderbolt gesturing to Lyra and trying to get her to join them in their hasty retreat. “We have a vested interest in this,” Lyra gestured around. “We should all be here to greet a fellow survivor warmly.”

“You’d like that, wouldn’t you? Twilight’s little pet and spy—”

“Tia!” Luna barked. “I will not have you lapse into this quest for revenge again. What happened to Twilight is not your fault, and you will not treat our guests poorly on account of it.”

Celestia turned to stare at her sister, who seemed all the more imposing now that she was confident in her abilities and not afraid to take charge of the nation. “You’re right, Lulu. I’m sorry, my little ponies. You may stay.”

Scootaloo picked up her chair and sat back down. She glanced over at Lyra who had a pensive expression and stared down at her plate.

“You know, Celestia, I blame myself about Twilight too.” Lyra wiped her cheek and continued talking. “Maybe I could have done something different to prove to her that her friends, that all of us, cared about her. However, I can’t go back and change any of that.” She looked up at Celestia to make sure she had her attention. “If I spent every day thinking about the pained look in Bon Bon’s eyes as I chose Twilight over her, thinking about how she died thinking her best friend hated her. . . I’d. . .”

Lyra couldn’t finish and had to return her gaze to the silverware in front of her. Luna shot Celestia a sharp frown, nodding at Lyra.

“Lyra, please forgive me for what I said. I know you had no more control over the situation than I did. At least you tried to reach her, and I thank you for it.” Celestia sighed, having calmed down from her outburst. “It is a wound unlike any since I banished Luna. For a time, I even thought Twilight might have to replace my sister, if the Elements banished her again. To have all my hopes and aspirations, my star pupil, torn from me. . . I fear that wound will never heal.”

There was a knock at the door as Flash led a frightened yellow filly into the room. Apple Bloom looked around, not yet sure why she had been brought here. Her eyes spotted Scootaloo quickly. “Scootaloo!”

All pretense of playing it cool flew out the window as Apple Bloom ran towards her. Scootaloo jumped out of her chair and met her halfway, hugging her tightly as Apple Bloom began to sob. “I’m so glad you’re all right.”

“What happened?” She sniffled and tried to choke back her tears long enough to talk. “Ponyville was empty, and ah looked everywhere! Applejack, Big Mac, and Granny were all gone!”

Scootaloo rubbed her back with a hoof, calming her down. “You’re safe now, she won’t turn us back into dolls.”

“Dolls? What do ya mean?” She shivered, pulling herself closer to Scootaloo. “Last thing ah remember was talkin’ to Silver and goin’ for some cookies at Twilight’s house.”

“You don’t remember Twilight capturing the town, turning everypony into dolls?” Celestia asked.

“N-no, but ah did get a little nap on the way here and. . .” Apple Bloom began trembling so much that Scootaloo wrapped both wings protectively around her. “Ah had these horrible nightmares. Ah was trapped in a box and couldn’t see or move and. . . and. . .”

“Shhh, it’s okay now.” Scootaloo kept her wrapped up as she looked over at Celestia, using her wing like a barrier to protect Apple Bloom from the temperamental ruler.

“Amnesia. Why would Twilight send her here if not to deliver a message? To taunt me? To flaunt her power?” Celestia asked. She got up and started to walk towards Apple Bloom. “Some trap to injure me when I explore her mind for answers?”

“Sister, she escaped. Is that not enough? We now know why we never found a body: Twilight and the other trapped ponies are still out there, we need only find them,” Luna stated.

“And this filly holds the answers. Twilight’s location, the number of victims, the status of the Element bearers,” Celestia loomed over Scootaloo, staring at the filly sobbing beneath her.

Scootaloo grimaced and stared at Celestia. Beneath her wings, her legs we coiled and ready to leap into the air and take flight, with Apple Bloom in tow, at any moment. She had at least learned enough from Sensei that Celestia actually seemed to not notice her defensive posture.

“Celestia, I know better than anypony what obsession can do to an alicorn. It can give rise to great evil and cast the land to darkness. I fear you are too close to this to question Apple Bloom.” Luna got up and walked over, finally putting herself between her sister and her prize. “I will watch her dreams closely and find what truth I can. Even the most powerful alicorn hasn’t succeeded in eliminating memories entirely. It is her subconscious we will need to question, not the frightened filly beneath your hooves.”

“You’re right.” Celestia seemed to relax, turning to head towards her room. “I think it best that I retire for the remainder of the day. I need. . . time.”

“Take care, Tia, and do not do anything rash. If you run off into the Everfree searching for Twilight again, I will make sure you don’t see another slice of cake for a year,” Luna threatened.

Celestia chuckled softly as she walked through the far door, closing it behind her. Everypony in the room visibly relaxed after she was gone, and came over to check on Apple Bloom.

Lyra and Luna sat down as Scootaloo folded up her wings. “D-did ah do somethin’ wrong?” Apple Bloom asked.

“No,child, you did not,” Luna observed.

“L-Lyra?” Apple Bloom looked up at her in disbelief. “How come you and Scootaloo didn’t disappear, what does she mean about dolls?”

“Twilight is very sick, and Celestia is filled with so much grief she can’t think clearly all the time,” Lyra explained. “Everypony and your brother are still trapped with Twilight.”

“And my sis?”

The three looked at each other uncomfortably, not wanting to tell her Applejack was dead. “We’re still searching for all the ponies,” Luna stated, dodging the question.

Apple Bloom finally lifter her face from Scootaloo’s shoulder and got a good look at her. “How come you’re so much bigger than me now? Ah couldn’t of been gone more than a week.”

Scootaloo smiled and put a hoof on her shoulder. “It’s been a year since you disappeared.”

“How? What about my family? Why won’t you tell me about my sister?”

Luna’s horn glowed as her aura encircled Apple Bloom. “Sleep now, my little pony. I will watch over you and you will feel much better in the morning.”

She yawned, finding her eyelids to feel as heavy as concrete. A wool curtain seemed to fall over her body, dragging it down into Scootaloo’s lap. Apple Bloom felt warm and cozy and began snoring lightly, snuggling against her friend.

“I have to tell her about her sister, she has a right to know,” Scootaloo stated.

“If that is your wish, yet you will tell her tomorrow before you leave,” Luna said.

“Leave? Just where do you think I’m going?”

“To look for Twilight, of course,” Lyra replied. “That is why you’ve trained with Sensei, is it not? To find your friends, just as I have learned magic in the hopes of doing the same.”

Scootaloo nodded. “Well, yeah, I just thought I’d have finished the training by now. I can’t just run off into the Everfree alone.”

“Which is exactly why you and Lyra are traveling together,” Luna explained. “Surely you two did not find it mere coincidence that you spent this last year pursuing the same goal. It has always been my intention to aid you in your quest when you were ready.”

“Shouldn’t we wait until you get a location from Apple Bloom?” Lyra asked.

“I would not count on that. Twilight would have known to cover her tracks. Just the fact she erased all her memories for the past year, and not just those of how or why she was released, shows how serious Twilight is. It is up to you to continue examining her journal for clues.”

“I’ve read it front to back several times, though I guess reading it again couldn’t hurt.”

“I’ll have to tell Sensei I’m going,” Scootaloo stated. “Hopefully he’s got some old gear he can loan me; also he said I probably had six months left of training minimum.”

Luna nodded, and levitated Apple Bloom away from Scootaloo and onto her back. “Do not worry on your journey. No harm will come to your friend.”

“Thanks. Celestia sure seems more. . . intense, ever since Ponyville,” Scootaloo said.

“Mortality is one of many challenges alicorns must face. It is our first rule that all that lives must die. Yet sometimes it is the simpler problems that corrupt us: jealousy, regret, or fear.”

Scootaloo stretched, popping several joints loudly, as she stood up. Luna and Lyra gave her puzzled looks. “What?”

“That’s bad for you, Scootaloo,” Lyra replied. “Popping your joints gives you arthritis.”

“Bah, that’s an old mare's tale.” Scootaloo started to walk towards the door while tilting her head sideways to pop the joints in her neck. “Besides, Dash always used to do it—”

She paused as she stared at the Elements of Harmony, where one was glowing brightly in the display case. The red stone which embodied Loyalty had begun to shine as if it was a piece of the sun fallen to Equestria.

Scootaloo couldn’t help but feel drawn to it, walking towards it slowly. Something inside her clicked as she stared at it, coming to an epiphany as her purpose in life was made clear. Since the first time she had met Dash and started emulating her, to the year she started training, to this very moment.

Her purpose was to be loyal to her friends, to ponies she didn’t even know, and free them from a tyrant.

The Element of Loyalty stopped glowing, and the feeling of loyalty settled in her mind. She had proven her self worthy by standing up to Celestia, and felt her connection to the Element strengthen.

Lyra was the first to make it over to Scootaloo, pulling her in for a hug. “Congratulations. You just got promoted.”

Luna came second, more slowly, because as she approached the case the orange stone of Honesty was beginning to glow more brightly. “It couldn’t be. . .”

Lyra and Scootaloo glanced at her, following her gaze to the display case.

“Could it be that simple? The Elements passing to family members?” She turned to the side so that Apple Bloom was as close as she could get to them while asleep. The Element of Honesty, inert and black since Applejack’s death, was now pulsing a rich orange hue.

“I wasn’t Dash’s family,” Scootaloo pointed out.

“You two were very close, and Loyalty just chose you,” Lyra countered.

They stood there for a moment, wondering if there would be a sign that the Element of Honesty accepted Apple Bloom as its new host. Instead, it just continued to steadily pulse.

“Perhaps she isn’t ready,” Lyra observed. “For all that we have studied the Elements it would seem they have a mind of their own.”

“Indeed, this is very promising. If it passes to Apple Bloom, and we can rescue Sweetie Belle. . . perhaps we are well on our way to replacing the Element bearers, and turning them on Twilight to free her of her curse.”

“Sounds like wishful thinking,” Scootaloo said. “I’d rather help Twilight out by knocking her unconscious, rescuing everypony, and letting Celestia sort her out.”

“I hope there won’t be a need for violence. What must have gone through her mind to make her free Apple Bloom?” Lyra pondered.

One Day Ago. . .

The Dollhouse was bustling with life, almost like it had been before Twilight’s capture of the citizens of Ponyville. All over town, ponies were carrying on their normal lives to the best of their abilities to avoid Twilight’s wrath. They had quickly learned a happy jailor meant a happy life. When their jailor got unhappy, mouths would vanish, wings would cease to function, and household comforts like electricity or running water would be revoked.

Twilight had been improving the doll spell substantially in her free time. Ponies could now eat and taste, though the food served no real purpose in their plastic bodies. Behaved unicorns could levitate objects, Dash could manipulate small weather clouds that Twilight created to keep her from being too bored, and Earth ponies could grow plants. They had a full sense of sight, smell, and touch to go with their hearing.

Were it not for the fact she could freeze them instantly, you might mistake them for a miniature living pony.

Yet all was not as it appeared.

Though Dash, Vinyl, and Octavia would play nice, there were still leading a resistance movement. Pleasantries such as tea time with Twilight covered up their activities as they slowly, methodically, and secretly worked on new plans to escape over the past year.

Several times Twilight had tried to force them to admit their plans. When Town Hall caught fire, she had frozen them all for two weeks under a heat lamp, threatening to increase the temperature another few degrees to pass their melting point. Yet, nopony caved in and snitched.

It was a problem she hadn’t been able to solve, until an old piece of advice from Big Mac came to mind. Most of the ponies here had family, friends, or lovers in the dollhouse. Twilight might be able to buy compliance, or convince ponies to turn on each other, by freeing their loved ones.

Having fewer ponies in the Dollhouse wasn’t ideal, but it was better than constantly freezing the town and threatening them to force them to act the way Twilight wanted them to act. Forced friendship isn’t really friendship, as gratifying as it might have been to her. Besides, she had been able to carefully acquire a few new ponies over the year.

“Twilight?” Big Mac asked.

“Hmm?” She looked up from her journal and set down her quill.

“Today’s the day.”

“Yes, I was just reflecting on the past year and our deal. Despite our rough start, you truly have been my closest friend since I let Lyra go free. The ponies may not be happy with you, but we should go get this over with.”

Twilight got up from her desk, taking a moment to stretch her wings out. Since she lived in a cave they didn’t see much usage. Visiting town would prove a nice oppurtunity for a daisy sandwich, since she mainly ate nutrient-rich survival rations or dry grains now.

Big Mac walked to the edge of the table where a set of bookshelves and books acted as his impromptu staircase. Twilight could change him to any size she wanted, and lately was comfortable leaving him almost the same size as her. Mac was a little smaller, so that he was more comfortable to cuddle with, but she rarely had reason to shrink him to the hoof-tall height of the other ponies.

Mac followed over as Twilight walked towards town, taking note of how much Twilight had improved the cave. Hoof-carved crystals simulated the sun, moon, and stars in the ceiling of the cave. Right now it was early morning, and Apple Bloom would no doubt be hanging out with Sweetie Belle and Silver Spoon at the farm.

“Attention everypony!” Twilight’s voice echoed through the Dollhouse, getting everypony’s attention.

At Carousel Boutique, Dash and Rarity were having a low-key discussion about smuggling Sweetie Belle out of the cave when Twilight went for supplies. They believed they could find a way to sneak her past the anti-magic field to the alcove that had Twilight’s bed and supplies.

“Great, what do you think she wants this time?” Dash asked. She walked over and looked out the window, seeing her towering over the edge of town.

“We better go see, darling, or we could wind up without mouths for another month,” Rarity answered.

“Yeah, let’s all pander the crazy mare so she doesn’t snap. I’m getting tired of this.”

Rarity opened the door, gesturing for her to come outside. “I understand why you three are looking for a way out, but is it worth the constant punishments? Why not relax and bide your time for a little while?”

Dash walked by her, shaking her head. “You don’t get it. That’s not the kind of crazy you can fix. Pinkie, Spike, Fluttershy, and Big Mac are all sympathizers and look where it has got them: nowhere.”

“I wouldn’t say nowhere.” Rarity closed the door and followed Dash out into the street. Ponies from all over town, and some travelers who were unfortunate enough to try to take a shortcut through the Everfree, poured out of their houses. Rarity estimated there must be seventy or so ponies in the town by now. “She hasn’t tested out any spell modifications on those four sympathizers. When Town Hall ‘mysteriously’ caught fire, they weren’t held under a heat lamp.”

“How’s that make us any different than prisoners? We do what she says, we get to live life in a gilded cage. We misbehave, she threatens and tortures us. That isn’t the Twilight I remember,” Dash stated.

“Citizens of Ponyville!” Twilight shouted out, her voice filling the entire cavern without increasing in volume due to her magic. “Today is a special day. As you all know, Big Mac has been a kind, gentle, and caring soul to me this past year. Some of you have behaved, some of you have rebelled, yet he has always been a true friend.” She glanced down at Dash, adding some venom to her voice. “Unlike some of you.”

“Pfft,” Dash mumbled. “If I was her size I’d knock that smirk off her face.”

“Don’t antagonize her, darling.” Rarity put a foreleg over her shoulders to keep her from flying off and doing anything rash.

“While it pains me to say goodbye to any member of my community, nearly a year ago today I made a promise to Big Mac. Depressed and hurting from my. . . misunderstanding with Celestia, I promised to set his sister free if he held to the tenets of true friendship: honesty, loyalty, laughter, kindness, and generosity.”

Twilight surveyed the crowd and her horn began to glow. There was a squeal from Sweet Apple Acres, and soon Dash could see Apple Bloom levitating over towards Twilight. Like most of the fillies that had been captured, she was scared of Twilight and her constant mood swings.

Apple Bloom hadn’t always been that afraid of her, yet one of the newer fillies captured while on the road with their parents had some interesting campfire stories to tell. Across Equestria, Twilight had become the new ‘boogie mare’. Ponies had created many colorful campfire stories about how ‘The Dollmaker’ could steal a pony’s soul through their nose, or cause them to freeze to death so slowly they never truly died. They told their children if they misbehaved, they’d be lucky if all she did was turn them into a doll.

After the initial shock of being levitated out of the Cutie Mark Crusader clubhouse, Apple Bloom had calmed down somewhat. Despite never forgiving what Twilight and Silver had done to her sister, she wasn’t about to pick a fight.

“Yeah, Ms. Sparkle?” Apple Bloom asked, hiding her fear and anger behind a paper-thin smile.

“Oh, please call me Twilight.” She returned the smile, then froze Apple Bloom so she couldn’t move or speak. The doll rotated around in the air to face the crowd. “Apple Bloom is being set free, as a show of good faith. If you accept your place here, if you are true friends,” she shot a glance at Dash and Rarity, “then I may let you bargain for your loved ones.”

“Sweetie,” Rarity whispered. She had always known that her little sister deserved to be free, even if it meant Rarity had to suffer the punishment for the escape. Now, Twilight was offering to set Sweetie free for good behavior.

“Don’t buy it,” Dash muttered. “This is the same murderer who killed Applejack, Diamond Tiara, and Filthy Rich.”

“I’ll be back by tomorrow morning. While I am gone, do not cause trouble. If you need anything, see Big Mac.” Twilight walked over to the smaller room cut into the side of the cave, where her bed was. She walked through the magic barrier that prevented ponies from getting nosy and invading her privacy, and put Apple Bloom into her saddlebag.

Twilight put on a thick travel cloak, the saddlebags, and an amulet she had crafted to help ward her from detection outside the Everfree. She couldn’t be certain that it worked, yet she had not been caught so far.

Dash watched in amazement as Twilight walked out of the cave. “She can’t be serious? If she just starts letting ponies go, then everypony will want to go. No, this is all some sort of lie. I have to warn everypony before they sell out the resistance!”

Rarity tightened her grip around Dash as the pegasus tried to take off and call Twilight’s bluff. “Please, Dash, think! You can’t contradict her in front of everypony. I don’t want to spend another month wondering if you’re dead or alive, having dreams each night of what horrible things she might be doing while she interrogates you.”

The tones of worry in her voice were enough to make Dash stand down and exhale. After a moment she nuzzled Rarity’s neck. “I. . . I know. She already hates us enough without me adding to it, but I can’t just sit here and do nothing.”

Rarity squeezed her shoulders then let go. “Visit Vinyl and Octavia then, make plans and resist, but do it safely. . . for me.”

Dash chuckled and smirked. “Hey, you’re not gonna get rid of me that easily. I’ll kick Twilight’s flank if that’s the only plan we can come up with.”

“Fair enough, but do try to warn me this time before burning any buildings down.”

She flew up into the air and turned around. “And ruin the surprise? Where’s the fun in that?” Dash flew off towards the resistance safe house, leaving Rarity alone in the street. With nothing else to do, she headed off to check on Sweetie and Silver.

Rarity was not pleased they became friends, still holding Silver responsible as an accomplice. Yet there were so few fillies Sweetie’s age that Rarity tolerated it. The fact Silver was terrified of Rarity helped her make sure there was no trouble.

Halfway to the farm she heard Derpy and Sprocket talking.

“Do you think I can get Dinky out? I know where one of the safehouses is,” Derpy explained.

“Please, be quiet,” Sprocket warned. “You know I’ve helped them in the past, and if anypony suspects either of us of snitching to Twilight. . .” He frowned and shook his head. “I wouldn’t put it past Vinyl to make us both disappear.”

“If Dinky got to leave her and live her life, it’d be worth any punishment,” Derpy stated.

Rarity stopped walking, turning to approach them, “Derpy, I couldn’t help but overhear.” She watched the grey pegasus step back, unsure if Rarity would report her to the resistance for planning to snitch. “Twilight is unstable. Any promise she makes to free Dinky, no matter how tempting, is likely a pipe dream. The best thing you can do is spend as much time with your daughter as possible, and enjoy the time we all have left.”

Without waiting for a response, she shook her head and left. It truly was tempting for her to try and buy Sweetie’s freedom, but Rarity just couldn’t tell who to trust anymore.

Lyra followed Nurse Redheart down the hallway of the Royal Hospital in Canterlot Castle. It was reserved for the Princesses, royalty, emissaries, and the like. Only ponies of important standing, or related to the Princesses were treated here.

Redheart had been offered a job here, choosing to work in Canterlot where she felt safe. She realized how easily she could have been captured and quickly agreed to join a team focused solely on treating survivors of Twilight’s rampage.

There was one pony that Lyra wanted to check on before spending one last night with Soarin. After several minutes had gone by they reached a custom suite at the end of the hospital’s mental ward. This would be her fifth visit to the first pony she had truly saved from the Dollhouse.

“I can give you half an hour tops, but we’ll have to medicate her for bed after that,” Redheart explained.

“May I know what you’re medicating her for?” Lyra asked.

“Luna’s been appointed her legal guardian so I can’t disclose her medical information without consent.” Redheart sighed, looking down at the floor for a minute. “I can tell you her recovery hasn’t been easy. Remember, Lyra, do not corner her as she has severe claustrophobia and do not use magic due to her severe rhabdophobia. Try to avoid topics related to the incident.”

“Thanks.” Lyra opened the door and walked inside, letting is close behind her.

Crest sat in front of a massive window that overlooked Canterlot. The plexiglass wall stood in place of the much more common magical windows, which offered a much clearer view. Lyra also noticed that the ceiling, which could have had a simple enchantment to show the night sky, instead had small sparkling gems embedded in it to create the illusion of stars.

Despite the obvious efforts to help Crest feel like she was outdoors, the deep green floor and light blue walls were covered in thick foam padding. The bed and cubby’s for her belongings were made of lightweight plastic, which wouldn’t be able to be used as a weapon.

“Crest, how are you?” Lyra asked.

She smiled, but continued to look outside. “It’s beautiful.”

Looking out the window Lyra saw that the sun had already set. “What’s beautiful?”

“The Hotel Fillyfornia. In the distance, you’ll see a shimmering light.”

Lyra came over and sat near her, but still out of hoof’s reach. Moments later, a hotel below the balcony and outside the castle walls lit up, as timers in each room turned the lights on.

“It seems so much more welcoming when the lights are on and the windows are open. I want to visit someday,” Crest said.

“I’ll take you there when you’re better, if you like,” Lyra offered.

“I would. Maybe we’ll meet Colgate there.”

A moment passed in silence, as Lyra could not remind her that Colgate was still a prisoner without agitating her.

“She still visits me, when I’m sleeping. I don’t think Redheart likes it when I dream about them. She gets this look in her eye, like when I first got here, like I’m an animal. Am I an animal, Lyra?”

“Of course not, Crest. May I hug you?” Lyra asked.

“Yes.”

She got up and as she walked over, Crest reached out to let Lyra get under the blanket with her. “Thanks.” Lyra wrapped the blanket over her shoulder and felt Crest lean against her. The mare seemed emotionally distant, perhaps still trying to rationalize the actions of an irrational mare, or face her own demons.

“You’re going to find them, aren’t you?” she asked.

“Who?” Lyra knew she was asking about the Dollhouse, but still was unsure it was a safe topic for conversation.

“Colgate, Rarity, Big Mac. . . her.”

“I am about to leave, and won’t be able to visit again for a while. Did an orderly tell you?”

“It’s all I can dream about, that’s why they don’t like when I dream, but they can’t make me not dream all the time. They try, but I can still hear them screaming. Frozen in horror, trapped in a shell, their mouths gone and their wings and horns as heavy as lead.”

“Crest, they’ll be fine, don’t think so negatively.”

“They’re not fine!” Crest screamed, causing Lyra to flinch. “They’re not, I want them to be, but they’ve been trapped over a year. I barely lasted months. Gone. . . my friends, my neighbors, all gone. . .”

Lyra felt Crest collapse into her side, sobbing. This was more emotion than Lyra had seen from her in previous visits, and did the only thing she could in a situation like this: comfort her friend.

Redheart had entered the room when she heard the scream along with two orderlies. When Lyra turned to address her, the nurse simply smiled and whispered “take as long as you need.” She motioned to the orderlies and left.

Crest continued to cry into Lyra’s shoulder, trapping her here for now. Soarin would have to wait. If there was one lesson Lyra had learned more than any other, it was to never abandon a friend in need.

Scootaloo returned to her room atop the mountain at nearly midnight. Despite the fact Sensei had not forbidden her to fly to the top, Scootaloo still took the stairs every time she went up or down the mountain. It served to remind her of the discipline she had lacked when beginning her training.

Once she got to her room, Scootaloo was not surprised to find Sensei waiting for her. “Come to tell me I’m not ready?”

“You don’t intend to listen, so why tell you what you already know?” Sensei asked.

She took off her saddlebags, which she had filled with some provisions from town. Scootaloo went to the nightstand and sat on her bed, lifting up the headband she had stitched. It was cyan blue with a rainbow sphere in the middle.

“I don’t have a choice. Ponies are counting on me, I thought I could just train and wait and it’d be easier. However, Apple Bloom showing up reminded me what it was like, what every day must be like, that Twilight would wipe her entire memory of it.”

“Every day your friends will suffer, yet what of your rescue attempt? Go too soon and you will fail, to join them for eternity. It is a mark of wisdom to wait until you attain the rank of master to embark on the journey,” he explained.

“Well, it’s my duty to try.” Scootaloo really hoped she could make him understand that this was something she had to do. Even if she wasn’t ready, even with some self-doubt, she had to try.

“Impressive, but words do not make you ready.”

She turned to face him, “but what’s in here,” she tapped her chest, “does.”

Sensei smiled and stood up off the floor. “And I suppose you’ll want me to find some old armor and weapons for you to use?”

“Yes, Sensei.”

“I did not have as much time as I wished to train you, yet I can see the difference in you like night and day. You have a strong sense of loyalty, replacing the thoughts of revenge you had when I first met you. Thoughts of revenge will continue to tempt you, so remember this, Scootaloo: the best revenge is to be unlike the pony who injured you.”

Sensei turned and bowed to Scootaloo, catching her off-guard. He had never paid her that sign of respect as it was a courtesy a master would only give to an equal. She quickly hopped off the bed and bowed back to him, at a loss for words.

“Now, I believe I had something set aside for this occasion. I will have it ready for you in the morning.” Sensei ended his bow and smiled. “Get a good night’s sleep, Scootaloo. Your true test of character starts tomorrow.”

Author's Notes:

Long overdue update.

The time skipping is done now. The entirety of the story now takes place one year after the Ponyville incident. Also:

Twilight's Dollhouse. Population: 71
(Yes, Twilight has been busy during that year.)

VI. The Search Begins

“I know it seems a bit sudden, Lyra, but I’m actually kinda happy we’re on our way at last.” Scootaloo walked down the dirt road clad in fine black armor. It’s made from dragonscale, which is rarely donated by dragons to Celestia as tribute. This set of armor was custom made for her, in the hopes she’d have some luck finding Twilight. It would deflect magic, though she would still be vulnerable to a well-placed shot. On her back was a long bladed sword, and her armor hid other weapons such as wrist blades.

“I just wish I’d had a little more time in Canterlot with Soarin. I understand her wanting us to leave before the trail from Apple Bloom to Twilight gets cold, but we only had one day to get ready.” Lyra walked down the road in her grey travel cloak. It bore Luna’s cutie mark as a symbol of her authority as an agent of the crown. Beneath that, Lyra had some slim saddlebags and supplies for their journey. They would largely rely on what they could scavenge to eat during their journey.

“Well, do you really think we’ll find anything? Twilight isn’t the kind to forget the details.”

“New Harmony is a town made entirely of ponies from Ponyville, who couldn’t bear to live in the town anymore. If anyone has a lead to Twilight, it’ll be there.”

Scootaloo rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I’m sure they’re all dying to relive that chapter of their lives. I say we just go into the forest and smoke her out, then kick her flank.”

“I wish it were that easy to find her and help her get better.”

They walked down the last stretch of road towards New Harmony. The town was barely a year old, yet already was buzzing with activity. Families from Ponyville such as the Cakes, and bachelorettes such as Derpy and Cheerilee, had taken up residence here. Ponies from the extended apple family had come to help the construction efforts, with a revitalized Granny Smith to serve as mayor. Since the loss of her grand-children, she’d received a second wind and looked as alive now as ever.

Once the town came into view they headed over towards some ponies in the park. “They seem to be looking at something,” Scootaloo said.

As they got closer and passed by the last of the trees, they realized the ponies were gathered in a cemetery. Granny Smith recognized Lyra, and headed over towards her. “Ah didn’t think ah’d be seein’ you again. How are ya?”

“I’m good,” Lyra said. “What’s going on here?”

“Cheerilee died in her sleep a few days ago, darn shame. Since y’all are here, figure it’d be fittin’ for you two to pay respects too.”

“Yeah, I’d like that,” Scootaloo said. She hadn’t paid much attention in school, but that didn’t mean Cheerilee was any less important to her. As she got closer she recognized some of her classmates, like Peppermint Twist and Featherweight.

Lyra hung back with Granny Smith as Scootaloo caught up with her friends. “You say she died in her sleep? Did they find a cause of death?”

“No, Doctor Stable been so busy lately and he didn’t find anything strange. Released her after just a couple days to bury.”

“Hmm. There’s two more stones there, who were they?”

“Oh, a darn shame. Carrot Top and Flitter. Seems they had a heart attack, both of ‘em, and so young too.”

Lyra raised an eyebrow. “Same day?”

“Nah, week apart. Then Cheerilee two weeks later. It’s the darndest thing, for them to die after spendin’ a whole year helpin’ us build the town.”

“It sure is.” Lyra thought about it and chewed on her lip a little. Already she was planning to come back after dark with Scootaloo to do a little digging.

Fluttershy walked up to the frozen doll in town square. As the Element of Kindness it had fallen to her to welcome new ponies to the town. It was the least she could do for the poor souls.

With a deep breath, she stood up straight in front of Cheerilee. “Hi, Cheerilee. I’m so sorry we had to meet again like this, and I hope it’s okay but I was sent to explain Twilight’s rules to you.”

It was a very one-sided conversation, and aside from a few ponies peeking out of their homes across the street, the town square was empty. Aside from the small decorative fountain featuring an alicorn Twilight wearing a crown, and a bulletin board, there wasn’t any decorations in the square.

“So, I know how horrible it was… being captured, but Twilight is really nice if you behave, and it’s not really her fault after all the heartach—”

“Yeah, I suppose she slipped and fell and accidentally captured us all,” Dash spat. She was laying on the roof of Town Hall, looking down at Cheerilee and Fluttershy.

“Please, don’t do this again. I just want to help her understand.”

“Understand that you’re on Twilight’s side? That she should be a good pony or the warden will punish her like a prisoner? It’s not to late, Fluttershy. You can still do the right thing, like I did.”

“Dash, that was so long ago.”

“Yeah? Because I seem to recall you were my best friend. I seem to recall quitting flight camp to come live with you in Ponyville. I would have graduated with honors and been on track to be a Wonderbolt in four years, but I chose you, Fluttershy.”

She looked down, kicking at the dirt. “That’s not the same… my parents kicked me out for fooling around, with you, Dash. I appreciate you didn’t want to leave me alone, but that has nothing to do with Twilight. Why can’t you just be nice to her?”

“For the same reason I can’t be a Wonderbolt, or teach Scootaloo stunts, or sneak into the barn without Applejack knowing to fool around with Big Mac. Because of Twilight. Because she took our lives away from us.”

Fluttershy had turned her mane so that neither Dash nor Cheerilee would see her tears start to flow. “Cheerilee… Twilight will be back soon. Just… Just don’t antagonize her, the other rules aren’t important.”

With a beat of her wings, she flew off towards her cottage to escape the confrontation with her old friend. Dash stretched and flew down to the ground, landing in front of Cheerilee. “Meet me behind the schoolhouse after Twilight unfreezes you, if you want to help us escape. Or, you can go play for the other team, but don’t think she won’t go crazy and kill us all before long in the name of science.” Dash shrugged. “Your call.”

Dash flew off towards her cloud house to re-read the Daring Do books Twilight had given her. She’d read each one fifty-two times now, as she literally had nothing else to do when she wasn’t planning sedition and treason against Twilight’s regime.

Twilight’s Diary, Page 2.

She’s dead. She’s dead. She’s dead. She’s dead. She’s dead. She’s dead. She’s dead. She’s dead. She’s dead. She’s dead. She’s dead. She’s dead. She’s dead. She’s dead.

Dead.

And she called out to me to join her.

Lyra looked at Twilight’s journal and closed it. It had taken Luna a long time to convince Celestia to let Lyra keep the journal and read it. Yet, for all that effort, Lyra still hadn’t made it past the second page of the journal.

There was something about the way Twilight had written that last line that haunted Lyra. It could have been something in the hoof writing, the way the ink flowed from quill, and how the thickness of the lines wavered. It could have been the red tint, as if the entry had been penned in blood.

Whatever it was, Lyra still wasn’t ready to move past it. She kept telling herself there would be plenty of time to read the journal, to steel herself for whatever horrors of logic flowed forth in the following pages, rationalizing Twilight’s actions.

She kept telling herself this, but still hadn’t convinced herself of it. Looking at the clock, Lyra saw it was half past midnight, and woke Scootaloo up with a rough nudge. “Time to get going.”

“I can’t believe you’re serious about this, Lyra,” Scootaloo said.

Lyra ignored her, walking to the freshly packed dirt above Cheerilee’s grave. “Look, I mean her no disrespect but this has Twilight’s hoofprints all over it. What better way to start turning ponies to dolls again? She practiced with all those poisons, she could fake a death and then turn them to dolls after they’re buried! Or maybe even before.”

Scootaloo walked up beside the grave, setting her shovel down. “Next you’ll tell me she is raising dolls from the dead.”

“Is it that far beyond her, the former Element of Magic? Arguably the most powerful spell-caster alive?”

“There’s a difference between knowledge and power, and If that were true, how’d Apple Bloom come back?” Lyra used her magic and a shovel to start scooping dirt out, making rapid progress. The dirt began to pile up behind her. The tombstones cast an eerie shadow under her green aura.

“Yeah, well if she isn’t dead, I’ll fix that right quick.” Scootaloo took the shovel and began to dig. It was designed to be used with mouth and hoof, and for each one scoop she took, Lyra took three.

“I wish you’d stop saying that, Scootaloo.”

She spit the shovel out. “I wish you’d stop taking her side. Just because I want to break her horn off doesn’t mean I will. Sensei taught me better than that. I just realize that she might not leave me a choice, and I’m not gonna hesitate if I get a chance to take her down. That’s the difference between you and me, Lyra. You’ll hesitate, and you’ll wind up her prisoner again. I won’t ever let that happen to me.”

Lyra’s shovel hit wood, making a loud thud. She pulled it out of the wood, and began to clear the dirt around it. “Whatever happens, I hope we end this soon. Celestia’s starting to worry me, and if Twilight could go south so fast—”

“Hey,” Scootaloo interrupted. “She’s off the rails but she’s Celestia. She’s had like, a bajillion years experience and she wasn’t really gonna hurt Apple Bloom or anything. She’s just stressed.”

“Well, I’m done digging up the dirt. Thanks for the help,” she quipped. Next to Scootaloo was a tiny pile of dirt one-tenth the size of the pile next to Lyra.

“Yeah, well I can’t be awesome and shovel at the same time. Pop her open.”

Lyra nodded and pulled at the lid of the coffin with her magic. Nails slowly loosened and the wood creaked, until finally the lid popped off in a quick motion. Lyra tossed it to the side and looked down into the empty coffin.

“Shit, Celestia isn’t going to take this news well. Better check the other two graves to be sure.”

Soarin laid on his sofa looking at the ceiling wistfully. Lyra had only been gone a few days, but he already missed her. They’d formed a special bond in what little time they had and he felt so powerless now that she’d gone off on her own to face the Dollmaker.

Everypony on the Wonderbolts called Twilight that now. The name had been spreading, along with rumors of ponies both escaping, or being abducted in their sleep. They were campfire stories, but the Dollmaker rumors still bothered him.

Lyra assured him he’d be putting her in danger if he came. Soarin rolled over and kicked one of the pillows off the sofa, causing it to hit the far wall of the room. He thought it was bullshit. Without Dash around, he was arguably the fastest pegasus alive. He could have at least tried to help with the search.

Unfortunately, Luna had backed Lyra’s decision and ordered Soarin not to run off and put himself in danger. “Lyra loves you, and Twilight will use that against her,” Luna had said. Soarin couldn’t argue with the logic, and in the end, had stayed behind. He had even gone so far as to let Luna put a tracking spell on him, in the unlikely event something bad did happen.

There was a whistling from the kitchen as the water in his kettle began to boil. Soarin used to be able to go to bed as if a light switch was flipped. Eight hours of flight practice did that to a stallion. However, lately he needed some chamomile tea in order to fall asleep without worrying.

Soarin finally reached the kitchen, letting out an exhausted sigh. He carefully lifted the boiling water off and set it aside. Next he reached into the cupboard and pulled out a packet of freshly-cut tea leaves, and stuck it in a ceramic cup.

The final step was to pour the boiling water in and let it steep for three minutes. The aroma of the tea filled the air and was already calming his nerves. Soarin set the egg timer and let his mind wander to practice that day.

Spitfire had been pushing the team hard lately. Ever since the incident in Ponyville, she took the Wonderbolt’s status as Auxiliary Equestrian Air Reserves very seriously. In addition to practicing new stunts, they did strength and stamina building drills daily. Soarin never thought he’d need to know how to use wingblades, but now he could cut the stems off an apple in mid-air with them. Granted, several hundred apples had been sacrificed to learn that kind of accuracy.

The timer dinged, and Soarin pulled the tea bag out of the cup and threw it away. He left the excess hot water on the stove top and carried the tea into his bedroom. He sat down on the bed and took a sip of the tea, then put it on the nightstand. Soarin rolled over and pulled the blanket over him, and propped himself up on the pillow to finish his tea.

Soarin closed his eyes, saying a quick prayer for Lyra’s safety. He looked out at the full moon and yawned, then took another sip of his tea. Glancing back down at it, he swirled it around and blew on it. Taking one more sip he put the cup down and sank under the bedsheets.

He felt an odd twinge in his chest, as if his heart had skipped a beat. Soarin, sat there, staring awkwardly at his covers, wondering what it was.

Another beat was missed, then another. Soarin sat up, worried he might be having a heart attack. He didn’t have any pain in his left foreleg, but there it went again: another skipped beat. Soarin realized if this was a heart attack, and he didn’t make it outside to where someone might see him, he was as good as dead.

As he rolled over to get out of bed, his heart seized. He clutched his chest as crushing pain hit him like ten tons of bricks. There was a single beat in the chaos before his heart fell silent again, and paralyzed his entire body.

Soarin slumped down in bed, mouth open, drooling on the pillow. He couldn’t move a muscle. He could only wait to die.

And yet, he did not die. He was forced to endure the pain as he lay there, unable to move even the tiniest muscle in his body. Soarin felt like he jumped out of his skin when he felt another one of the odd heartbeats. All alone, that single beat repeated a few minutes later. Somehow, something refused to let him die.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw a steaming tea cup float over to his night stand, identical to the one he had made himself earlier. The old cup floated away, a purple glow surrounding it.

Magic washed over Soarin. “Hmm, tracer spell. How juvenile. I’ll be back for you after the funeral, Soarin. Maybe this will win Dash back over.”

Without another word, the voice vanished and the door to his room softly clicked shut.