Applejack stuck her tongue out in concentration as she kept her eyes focused on the apple on her nose. It wobbled, and she moved her head to keep it balanced. A bead of sweat formed on her brow, but she didn't dare flick it away with a hoof for fear it would tip the fruit.

The train car hit a small bump, and the apple wavered. Applejack tried to keep it centered, but it was too late. Almost in slow motion, it fell off of her nose and bounced on the floor.

“Ha!” said Rainbow Dash, still balancing an apple on her own nose. “I win!”

Applejack rolled her eyes and picked her apple off of the floor. She brushed the dust off of it and took a bite. “Yeah, yeah,” she said, nudging Rainbow in the shoulder. “Ya better find some ice fer that swollen head, sugarcube.”

Rainbow Dash smirked, and caught her apple with a wing. “Maybe I'll do that. Want me to get some for your wounded pride while I'm at it?”

An airy laugh came from the other side of the car. Rarity covered her mouth with a hoof as she chatted with Fluttershy. “You found him wearing what, darling?”

Fluttershy sipped from a travel-mug of tea. “It isn't that funny, Rarity. He can wear a tutu if he likes.”

Rarity nodded her head. “Of course, dear. It's just... the image of you walking into his den to find this ten foot tall bear dancing to the tune of the Sugar Plum Fairy...”

Fluttershy hid a small giggle behind her hoof. “Okay, maybe it is a little funny,” she admitted.

“Wait, you're talking about Harry?” Rainbow hovered over to join them.

Fluttershy nodded, smiling. “He's taking ballet lessons from Soft Shoe. He's actually getting very good; I'm so proud of him.”

Dash laughed. “Oh, you gotta tell Twi about it when we get to Canterlot!”

“I reckon she'd get a kick out of it,” Applejack said. “Don't ya think, Pinkie?” There was no answer. “...Pinkie?”

Four pairs of eyes turned to the corner of the car where Pinkie Pie sat. She stared wide-eyed at the table in front of her. She went very still when she inhaled, and shuddered as she exhaled. Her mouth gaped open.

Rarity stood up and stepped closer, concern etching into her face. “Darling, are you all right?”

Pinkie looked up with a start, as though she had only just noticed there were other ponies in the car. The beginnings of tears formed in her eyes. “Girls,” she said, her voice cracking, “I think something really, really bad—”

A harsh screech filled the air as the train's emergency brakes were pulled. Plates crashed and shattered and ponies tumbled over one another as the train jerked to a stop.

The mares picked themselves off of the floor and looked around. They appeared to have stopped just outside the gates of Canterlot.

Rainbow Dash poked her head out the window and peered up the tracks. “What the...” Before anypony could stop her, she jumped the rest of the way out of the window. The others shared worried looks and opened the door to follow her.

Other than the fact that Rainbow was already by it, it wasn't immediately apparent what was blocking the tracks up ahead, so they moved closer. As the shape of the obstruction became clearer, Rarity gasped. Fluttershy soon joined her with a horrified squeak.

Applejack's pace slowed to a stumble as her mouth hung open. It looked like one of the many statues that always decorated Canterlot. The only indication that it wasn't a statue was the fact that it was planted in the middle of the tracks, and the fact that no sculptor could ever have made such a close likeness.

“...Twi?”

Twilight Sparkle stood in front of the city gates, baring her horn in an aggressive crouch. Her wings were fully flared. From horn to hoof, she was completely frozen in stone.

Princess Celestia stepped quietly around her, a faraway look in her eyes. She addressed the five of them as they slowly gathered. “I... I am sorry,” she said, hanging her head.

She was bombarded with questions. “What happened?” “Where's Spike?” “What was Twilight doing?” She did not raise her head to respond to any of them, save for one.

Applejack stood up straight. “What can we do?”

Celestia's eyes swept across the five ponies. She took a long time before finally speaking. “I need you to find the Cockatrice King...”

The request hung in the air between the five friends. Of course, all knew that there would be no refusing. Why would they refuse? There was Twilight, a mere statue of the pony they knew and adored. The one who had befriended five very different ponies and led them through both adventures worthy of legends, and smaller, more personal and intimate adversities.

And yet.

And yet, strangely, the silence dragged on. None volunteered to be the voice of the five of them and let the Princess know that yes, of course they would take on this mission.

With a jolt Applejack realized that it was usually Twilight who did just that. Ever the voice of reason and logic. More outspoken than Rainbow Dash, bossier than Rarity—

Applejack chastised herself. She was speaking as if Twilight was dead, and that was a trail of thought she refused to adhere to.

“Of course we’ll find him.”

The words were easy to say, because they were true. Applejack had never had more conviction in anything before. And as she looked at the grim, nodding faces of her best friends in the entire world, she knew that her statement was shared.

Celestia smiled at them. It was forced, but driven forth by a shiny spark of hope and trust. “Come to the castle. There is much for you to learn if this mission is to be a success.”

Applejack buried her face in the open book, using it as a sort of makeshift pillow. The pages smelled old and musty but were well worn and soft against her face. She closed her eyes for just a moment, more of an extended blink to drive away the haze in her vision than an actual attempt to rest them.

“I’m so tired.” Rainbow moaned beside her. Applejack turned her head and laid the side of her face against the book in order to peer at her friend.

“How does Twilight do this all the time?” The pegasus continued, and if she were less tired it would have been a huff, but for now it was borderline whiny.

Applejack did not have a reply.

It was three in the morning. A grand clock from somewhere deeper in the castle had let them know that a couple of moments ago. It was almost comical, but the five of them had started groaning in unison with each other for every clock strike in the distance.

“Come now, darlings,” Rarity soothed, or tried to at least. Her voice came out in a chastising snap, and if she was less tired she would have apologized and tried again. “We need to acquire as much information on our target as we can.”

This is the only way to save Twilight. She didn’t say that part. She didn’t have to. It passed through each and every one of them like a wave from the ocean. Applejack sat up, or rather, raised her head since she was sprawled on her stomach. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Rainbow straighten up as well, with all the grim conviction of a soldier.

Celestia had given them an outline of a mission. In three day’s time—all of which were to be spent gathering information, she stressed—they would head out on a tracking mission across the entirety of Equestria to search for the Cockatrice King. Celestia assured them that the Cockatrice King would not venture outside of Equestria—she didn’t explain why. Once they found him, they were to contain him if they could, and exterminate him if they couldn’t. Either one would lift Twilight’s enchantment.

And so, after dinner they were sent here—to the Magical Creatures wing of the Canterlot library. Splitting up, the five managed to accrue several books about Cockatrices and started reading.

Rainbow tossed another book to the side carelessly, adding it to the ever-growing pile to her left.

“Books are so repetitive.” She grumbled. She had failed to find any new information since the third book she read, and all the ones so far had only restated what she had already learned.

They were down to general creature encyclopedias now, which only gave them the most basic of facts. Facts that any filly or colt in Equestria could tell them from the ghost stories that surrounded the creatures.

Nevertheless, they pressed on. One by one, the impressive amount of books about the subject disappeared and by quarter past six in the morning the last one sat there.

And the five sat around it, barely awake, with massive headaches and blurry eyes.

“So who’s got this one?” Applejack asked, glaring at the book as if it had morally offended her.

“Buck no.” Rainbow Dash almost squealed, making an exaggerated show of scooting away from the book. Rarity rolled her eyes at the dramatics but said nothing, glancing at the book; she stuck her nose up in the air in refusal.

Applejack almost groaned, and glanced at Fluttershy, who promptly tucked herself behind her long mane and shied away from her eyes.

Just as the farm pony considered relenting and reaching for the book herself, one pink hoof slid it away from her line of sight. Applejack looked up in surprise and slight startled confusion.

Indeed, Pinkie was leaning against the wall and now had the book in her hoofs, but she was some fifteen feet away from where the book had been before. Applejack doubted she had moved anything but her hoof to retrieve it.

Shaking off the logic defying stunt, Applejack took to studying her fellow earth pony. Pinkie worried her—ever since her prediction on the train the pink baker said not another word. Looking at her now, Applejack saw not even a hint of wariness in her, but instead a dour determination. Her blue eyes no longer sparkled with mirth; her mouth did not twitch into a smile. She was a dark shadow of the pony she usually was and it sent all kinds of warning bells inside of the cowpony’s head.

Eventually, Pinkie put the book aside. “Nothing.” She said, and then yawned mightily.

The others exchanged a sigh and one by one got to their hoofs. Celestia had, naturally, reserved bedchambers for them in the castle, and their beds were calling them.

Rainbow Dash gritted her teeth, partly in annoyance and partly to suppress her yawn. She rubbed her eye with a hoof and then scowled at Princess Luna.

"Where we going?" she grumbled, peering around the Princess but only seeing a normal hallway.

"Patience, Rainbow Dash. All questions will be answered soon." Princess Celestia murmured kindly. Rainbow huffed and rolled her eyes.

Luna led the six of them onward with no further vocal inquiries. The hallway was oppressively slim so they had to walk in single file. After they had been walking for ten minutes, Rainbow glanced around the Princess again, a tad bit nervous.

"My apologies, Princesses," Rarity spoke up with a polite clear of her throat. "But, this corridor seems to be quite... elongated."

"Yeah. It's going on forever!" Rainbow complained.

"Fear not, we are almost there." Luna grunted from the front.

Indeed the end of the corridor was now visible, marked by a single oak door. Luna lit her horn when they stopped in front of it, but the door did not open. Instead, several whirling and popping noises could be heard, and the door jumped and shuddered as if the walls around it were not holding it in place, and it had suddenly come to life. The door shuddered some more, and then calmed down, swinging open silently.

Immediately, sound emitted from the room. It was a song, with a heavy beat and a female singer. She was singing something about milkshakes.

"What." Applejack uttered when the song reached her ears. She stepped into the room with the rest of her friends, seeing her own bewilderment reflected on their face.

The room behind the door was blindingly lit, but there were no lamps or lights of any kind. Instead, the light seemed to just exist in ever nook and cranny of the space.

Magic, 'o course, Applejack thought wryly, and then winced when the song—which was blaring from a rather large phonograph in the corner of the room—continued ringing.

The room was modest and seemed more like a wing of the library than anything else. Floor-to-ceiling bookcases were overstuffed and framed every single inch of wall. On the far side of the room stood a gigantic desk with an equally gigantic, overstuffed, teal-colored leather office chair. Strangely, the office chair seemed to be singing along with the song in a deep bass tone.

"Princess—" Applejack started, but both of the Princesses in the room shook their head.

“Just wait.” Celestia said in a low tone.

The five friends exchanged confused glances, but dutifully waited until the end of the song. The record player made no hesitation to move on to the next tack, which had a loud drum intro.

“How polite for you to wait for my song to be over.”

The office chair swung around.

A rather small unicorn stallion sat on it. Maroon, with a flowing, wavy jet mane pushed away from his forehead and deep-set red eyes. He tutted, jumped out of the chair, and sauntered over to Luna.

“Princess.” He addressed her, bowing. His tone of voice was smooth, with an almost mocking quality to it, as if he was making fun of the Princess.

There was something familiar about him. Applejack could not for the life of her put her hoof on it, but she was nevertheless wary of the new pony.

“Hello, Escuro.” Luna greeted the unicorn stallion, her voice even and dark.

“Have you brought me more music?” Escuro went on conversationally, completely and utterly ignoring the rest of the ponies in the room, even Princess Celestia.

Luna shook her head. "I'm afraid not."

"Mm," Escuro hummed, clearly not amused. "Something better perhaps?"

Celestia stepped towards him, her face hard. "We have a mission for you." she snapped.

The maroon coated stallion looked up at her in vile disinterest. "Hello, Celestia."

"Focus, Shadowborn!" Luna barked. Escuro looked at her for a long moment, face blank.

"Yeeessss," he drawled. "Yes, of course... Your Majesty."

"This mission is your test, Escuro," Celestia went on. "We need you to help find the Cockatrice King."

The small stallion huffed, rolling his eyes. "That guy? What's your beef with a weakling like him?"

"He turned one of our friends to stone!" Rainbow Dash snapped, taking to the air.

Escuro looked at them, then, for the first time since they walked in the room. His gaze was intense and patronizing and felt more like an X-ray than a gaze.

"I see."

Slowly, he moved towards Rainbow Dash, who dropped down to the ground. When he was close enough for a normal conversation, he smirked. His eyes gleamed for a short moment, the whites of them becoming green.

"Loyalty." he said.

Rainbow Dash blinked. "Huh?"

"Your aura is that of the Element. Does it posses you?"

"Escuro." Celestia growled, stepping towards him in warning. The stallion paid her no mind, leaning his face closer to Rainbow's. His eyes flashed again.

"Yes?" Rainbow answered, uncomfortable under the gaze. Her wings flared defensively.

"Interesting," he murmured, and then, in a flash, he pulled away and turned to Luna. "I'll help you." he said, his smirk growing. "I would be honored to help you."

"Whoa. Wait a minute." Applejack interluded. "We're not about to travel with somepony we don't even know."

"Yeah, who even is this guy? And how did he know what aura I had?" Rainbow seconded, scrunching up her face.

"Because I can see it, duh." Escuro answered her, examining his hoof as a show of clear nonchalance about their problems.

"See auras?" Rarity huffed, joining the conversation. "What kind of magic is that?"

"The dark kind." the stallion answered her dryly. "Generosity."

Applejack shook her head. "We can't travel with someone using dark magic!"

Escuro sighed in annoyance and sauntered over to her. "Look, do you want to save your friend or not...?" he looked her up and down. "...Honesty."

"Of course!"

"Then you're just gonna have to put up with me being a stranger who uses dark magic." He shrugged and turned away from her. "I would cut down your search time by decades, though."

"I highly doubt that." Rarity said.

"I know the Cockatrice King. He moves around a bunch and I know all of his little spots. You five would be helpless to track him. He's familiar with dark magic, so I can trace him. Besides, what are you going to do once you find him? Throw rocks at him and fly around in circles? You have only one unicorn with you," he paused and snorted at Rarity. "One who's really not all that strong if her level of magic I'm feeling is anything to go by."

"Enough, Escuro." Luna ordered evenly, putting a hoof on his chest. The unicorn stallion tisked and brushed it off.

"I was done anyway. These guys need me, obviously. Like I said, I'll help you." He walked back over to his office chair and climbed on, swirling around away from them. "Leave me." he ordered as another song came on the phonograph.