"So we know it works, now we just need to save Rune Shift as well." Dr.Stable was reviewing the data the had collected during Brigades trip into Acropolis' mind. Twilight's lab was quiet, the machines were quiet, the library was dark, there was no evidence of what had transpired except for the tandem helmets recharging their energy in the foyer. Brigade himself had recovered almost completely, he had a headache and some slight disorientation. But he was in good hooves, Twilight and Fluttershy were tending to him. He didn't mind the attention though, it wasn't often he had mares tending him.

"Yes, but Brigade cant risk another mind-walk." Trixie was reviewing Brigades charts. His scans were stable but another walk might drive him mad. And that was a risk she didn't want to take. Brigade was a valued member of the Celestial Guard, and Acropolis' friend. "Were going to need somepony else to volunteer to walk."

"But who? Twilight and Fluttershy don't know her well enough." Dr.Stable put the stack of papers he was reading aside and began to ponder who could do it. "Brigade worked so well because Acropolis and him had a bond. Does Rune have a friend like that? They would be the best choice."

"There is only one pony I am aware of, me." Trixie replied slowly, almost sadly. She had realized that Rune was introverted, and beside Acropolis she hadn't really opened up to any pony. Except for her.

"But then who is going to regulate the magic flow?" The doctor asked, shocked at the suggestion, "Its s delicate matter to maintain a connection between two beings, let alone one of such importance!"

"I could teach Twilight the spell." She was warming to the idea of saving her own savior.

"No offence to the princess but isn't she more of a," he paused as if to find more appropriate words, "a hammer, we need a, a surgeon. This requires precision, and Twilight, while her magic is strong, she lacks the fine manipulation skills for this project."

Twilight clears her throat. Dr.Stable went white as he slowly turned around to see Princess Twilight standing there.

"A hammer huh?" Twilight had that look, a look the doctor knew well.

"A colorful metaphor, not a reflection of your character, princess." Dr.Stable tried to back pedal.

"His point stands," Trixie interrupted, "I need a scalpel, not a hammer." Trixie turned to face Twilight, her face was serious. Twilight was surprised by Trixie's expression, she was serious, more serious than she had ever seen her. "Any suggestions?"

"Brigade?" Princess Sparkle suggests.

"No, another walk would kill him."

"Rarity, Maybe?" Spike spoke up, no one had even realized he was in the room. "She's good with manipulation magic, like, the best at it."

"Shes the white one, right?" Trixie thought back to her first encounter in Ponyville, "She had the green mane?"

"Purple, actually, you turned it green." Spike had little love for the soft blue once terror.

"Twilight, can Rarity perform this type of magic?" Dr.Stable asked.

"She may, she is talented, and a quick learner." Twilight pondered her friends ability to perform such a complicated spell. "I'll see."

Rarity stood in Twilights lab reading a scroll Trixie had prepared for her. It was the connection spell and instructions on how to maintain the connection between the two helmets. It was complicated but Rarity's confidence was high and she was sure she could pull off the spell. She was practice casting as Twilight approached Trixie.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" She asked.

"I have changed quite a bit since we fought, that mare up stairs, she pulled me from my own prison. Burned the stage, the high and mighty, the boasting, right out of me." Trixie looked to Twilight, "She saved me from myself, you may have shown me the limits of my power, but she showed me that my limits were imposed on myself."

"I can see you have changed, and I am glad it is for the better. And I do hope you are putting Starswirls lab to good use." Twilight spoke slowly, as if trying to whisper.

"The fact that Acropolis and Brigade are sane and alive attest to that fact." Trixie said flatly, "Now, Rarity will be ready soon, she nearly has it down. And I must prepare. Come get me when the doctor has the helmets calibrated." Trixie walked off into the library leaving Twilight and Rarity alone in the lab.

"Is she alright?" Rarity looked up from her scroll for a moment.

"She's fine, just needs a few moments before we do this."  She looked back into the library. "Her only friend is in trouble and now she needs to find the courage to dive into the maw of the unknown to save her."

"Very poetic darling." the white unicorn said as she returned to her study.

Trixie sat across from Rune shift in Twilights bedroom, both wearing the helmets. Dr.Stable tended to their machines, reviewing data from Brigades run, adjusting levels accordingly. Since Acropolis' revival Rune's readings had spiked, she was stressed, something was going on in her head and they needed to get in there. If her levels stay that high for too long she will  lock up and go into a real coma. And that was not an option, Trixie was to see to that end, regardless.

"Ready Trixie?" the doctor asked as he finished his calibrations. Trixie just nodded. "Rarity?"

"Ready as ill ever be darling." She was confident but still nervous to preform such complicated magic.

"Okay, Rarity whenever you are ready." The doctors voice held in the room like a echo as Rarity began the spell. Trixie could feel herself slip away, fading from consciousness. soon there was no room, she was alone.

Torch's slowly burst to life in the dark and dank cave. Trixie stood paralyzed as she realized where she was, that cave, the bandits cave. She shook her head in a attempt to clear her mind. She was committed to finding Rune and saving her from whatever was in here with her. She walked over to one of the wooden doors and slowly opened it, inside were some small tables littered with papers. She didn't need to check them to know they were maps and letters. This was one moment from her past she never thought she would see again. She heard hooves on the stone and hid under a table. Rune came running into the room, slamming the door behind her.

"What is that thing!" Rune panted in the few moments she had before Trixie stepped out from under the table, "Trixie?!" Her shock was evident on her face. "How? What?"

"We are in Twilights room, and using some of Starswirls research to mindwalk into your mind, you have been trapped in your mind, and I am here to get you out." Trixie tried to explain what was happening but Rune apparently wasn't listening. She began moving the tables against the door, "What are you doing?"

"It's coming. I cant touch it, you cant touch it, and I cant kill it." There was a pause as Trixie watched her stack tables, "Trust me I tried, wires, fire, smashing, stabbing, electricity, everything!" She shouted and threw a desk at the wall.

"Rune, i'm here now, we can solve this together." Trixie approached the shaken Rune, "But I cant touch you or share magic, or-"

"Yeah ill imprint on you right?" Rune had calmed down a bit.

"Yeah, and there would be two of you." Trxie said with a smile.

"Acro would be happy about that." They shared a laugh at Runes joke, but after a moment a serious look came over her face, "But seriously, yesterday that thing changed, it got bigger, and faster."

"So I was right about that, what does it look like?"

"Well," Rune was looking for the proper words, "Like a nightmare manifested in flesh."

"Okay, and what does-"

"RUUUUUUUUNE!" The scream echoed through out the cave, or to Rune the school.

"Its coming-" the words barley left Rune's mouth as the makeshift barricade shattered as the creature came through. It was huge, the size of a princess, but it looked like Rune Shift, except in nightmare moons armor. Seeing the creature with her own eyes a lot of things made sense to her. It's eyes lit up with a green glow as it roared at Rune.

"RUNE!" It hollered.

RUN! The voice echoed in Trixies ears. Balcony!

"HEY!" Trixie hollered at the creature, "THIS WAY UGLY!" It turned its attention to her  as she ran out into the hall. "Rune, balcony!?" Rune was right on her heels as she barked.

"LEFT!" Rune shouted, as she followed Trixie down the corridor.

"What is going on!" Twilight shouted.

"These are similar to the reading we got when Brigade saved Acropolis," The doctor tried to explain and watch the data stream closely, "We just need to maintain the link until shes finished."

"That is becoming harder to do doctor." Rarity was looking pale, well, as pale as a white unicorn can get.

Trixie ran through the cavern looking for a balcony or anything that could be a balcony, she knew what she was seeing wasn't what Rune was seeing and that meant Rune could see what she couldn't. They ran down a corridor with openings to the outside, they looked like blasting holes from mining charges.

"Look! Out the window!" Rune shouted as she ran.

So thats what she sees these as, Trixie thought as she looked out into the darkness. There was a light, a pilliar of light coming out of the sky near a outcroping. A balcony! "I see it! how do we get there?"

"Next right!" Rune gave directions as they ran. Trixie was focused more on how they were going to defeat the creature than where going to do it. They came around the corner and came skidding to a stop just shy of the ledge. "What now?" Rune panted.

"Dont know, maybe we could-"

Trick, The voice echoed through Trixies mind. The shaft of light behind her stregthened exposing a statue in the darkness below. It was a statute of Luna thrusting her horn to the skies in triumph, standing on the corpse of Nightmare Moon. Trxie stared at the statue for what seems like a eternity, watching the pulsating light flicker and gleam of the statues horn.

"HORN!" Trixie shouted suddenly startling Rune.

"RUNE!" The voice of the creature echoed out into the chasm before them.

"If you ever trust me," Trixie turned to look into Runes eyes, "Now is the time, stand by the door but out of sight."

"But,-"

"There is no time," Trixie motioned with her horn for Rune to go and hide. Her horn lit up and she divided into two. One of the Trixies took cover opposite Rune at the door. The other cast another spell, turning her fur and mane colors to match Rune's. Rune just stared at the doppelganger, amazed that Trixe's illusions had become this complex. She thought back to their fight, she was prepared then, but now she is doing this level on the fly, Rune was impressed. The half Nightmare Moon, half Rune Shift came out onto the out cropping. The doppelganger stood there scared, quivering. The creature lunged at the illusion, rushing at it, brandishing its horn. It's horn made contact with the doppelganger, and with a poof the illusion vanished. The creature tried to stop but momentum took over and its slid off the balcony and vanished into the darkness below. It made no sound as the shaft of light grew once more, dispelling some of the darkness.

"Is it dead?" Rune asked as she approached the ledge. Below, impaled on the statues horn, was the creature. Writhing in pain and screaming it thrashed about, every mad thrust pushing it further and further down onto the horn. Trixie said nothing as she watched the life drain for the horrid creature before her. As it stopped moving light began to pour of it, it was bright, to bright for Trixie to even look at.

"Pull her out! Rarity cant handle this anymore!" Twilight shouted as the doctor helped Rarity pull Trixie back to her body. There was moment of silence as the machines fell quiet. Rune and Trixie lay still as Dr.Stable and Twilight tended to them. After a minute Trixie opened her eyes.

"Rune?" Her head felt like split wood.

"Trixie?" Rune's faint and raspy voice replied. Her eyes were open, she looked over at Trixie, smiled and promptly passed out again.