Ruby sat on the couch between Emmy and Epona. Link stood opposite them on the other side of the table with Navi atop it. Twilight sat in her comfy chair with a quill and parchment. "After you saw she wasn't there after two days, you came straight here?" Link asked.

"Yes," Ruby replied. "Well, I got my bags back first, but yes."

"Did anypony try to get in your way?"

"No. Nopony at all."

"So," Twilight held up her scroll. "After you went for your bags at Zecora's, you found she wasn't there. You just came from there, and she was still missing. Was there a note she left for you? I mean, she knew you were coming for your bags, right?"

"No note. No nothing. Just a messed up hut." Ruby looked at Twilight.

"I see..." Twilight saw Link give her a look. "No rest for the courageous?"

"Nope. But I have a feeling of who did this. Only... This time, I don't want to go in alone." He pointed at some of the others. "Twilight, Epona and Ruby. I'd like you to assist me in rescuing Zecora."

Emmy tilted her head. "What about me?"

"Zecora doesn't mean much to you. I doubt you even know who she is. Epona is my comrade, Ruby knows the layout of the woods better than any of us, and Twilight ... Twilight can work a scene." He paused. "Besides, you need to watch the library. And Spike."

"Hey!" he countered.

"He's not wrong Spike. You do get into trouble on your own," Twilight joked.

Link made sure his weapons were on him. "Get yourselves ready. We leave as soon as we can."

Everyone glanced at the clock, which read 9 minutes to twelve. Ruby had her bags on. Twilight put her quill, ink and scroll in hers, as well as a hoof-bound booklet. Epona didn't bring anything with her. And Link had all of his pouch stuff ready.

At noon, they set off. Emmy waved from the steps at the team as they disappeared from sight.

Link and the others arrived at Zecora's hut in good time. Like Ruby before, they ran into no other pony along their way from the edge of the woods.

Inside, Twilight walked around the room, looking everything over, and around everything else. "Uhm... What is she doing?" Ruby asked.

"I did say she knows how to work a scene. She's learning about what happened here." Twilight walked to the cauldron and touched it, then wiped off the dust from her hoof.

"Okay." Twilight sat down. "That on the wall." She pointed to a patch of light brown wood on the wall. "She threw a bottle of something at the wall from over there. Zecora then had a brief scuffle with her attacker before voluntarily leaving the hut two days ago."

Ruby asked, "How could you possibly know all that?"

"Take a seat everypony This could take a minute or so." Link and the others sat down. Navi came up and sat on Link's muzzle.

Twilight took a breath. "There's glass on the floor by that stain on the wall. So she threw something at it. The age of the stain suggests it's at least a day old. Now, the glass is on both sides of the stain, so she threw it head-on. If she threw it from the left, glass would mostly be on the right and so would the spray of the stain. Vice versa if she threw from the right. from that distance, there's no way she'd miss; not with objects she handles every day. The fact she attacked at all shows us she either didn't know them or knew and was afraid. I lean toward the latter. As the attacker got closer, she fought as hard as she could. The counter's a mess. No alchemist leaves their work station in disarray like this. Ever. The fight was taken to the ground, made evident by the overturned carpet edge and cracked table leg. She left willingly because there were no hoofmarks or signs of struggle on the way to the door suggesting otherwise. While the fire is out, the cauldron is cold. With a mixture inside it. This kind of material is made to retain heat and it's cold as ice, so it had to have been out for at least two days ago. But, in all of this, there's one thing I don't understand. Why did he go after Zecora?"

"That's incredible!" Ruby exclaimed. "All that from just this room?" Twilight nodded. "What about the attacker? What of them?"

"Strong male unicorn. Strong enough to pin Zecora to the floor, and talented enough to mentally force her to walk out. He's a little taller than Link's human form from the angle she threw the bottle. She'd be aiming for his head. The stallion can probably phase through walls, because the door is away from the splatter mark."

"Correct on all points, but one," Link added

"Oh? I feel like I said that to you once," Twilight said.

"You did. And neither of us are wrong. It's not a unicorn. The guy's an alicorn. And, he took Zecora, because she knows the mixture to turn me back into a human."

"Bravo, Link! Bravo!" a male voice commended. A stallion entered through the wall and saw the group. "Well done in your deductions, Twilight. You are much smarter than you look." The four of them got into attack stances. "Please, calm down. If I came to fight, I'd have won already." A black mist shrouded the room. Link tried the door, and failed to open it. The alicorn laughed madly as they all became blinded by blackness.

When at last the mist dissipated, they found themselves in front of a perfectly lively tree in the middle of a clearing in the woods. "What is this?!" Ruby shouted. "Where are we?!"

"My home," the alicorn replied, flying down from the sky. He landed gently and leaned against the tree. "You like what I've done with the place?"

"The only thing that keeps changing is that tree. Everything else is the same as always."

"Oh, that's not true. The grass has grown an inch since the last time you were here, boy." The alicorn walked around the four of them and looked at each one. "Let's see. One, two, three, four of you? This works out rather well." He stopped and hit the ground with a hoof. Four wooden arches appeared from the grass floor on each side of the tree. The doorways were shrouded in darkness, and couldn't be seen through. "Zecora, the one you seek, is at the end of one of these paths. However, she won't appear unless all four are gone through."

"Link told us about you!" Twilight yelled.

"How flattering." He looked at Link. "You're already telling your friends about me? It's only a matter of time before they call you crazy. 'Help! There's an alicorn in the woods with a rusty pipe stealing foals from the schoolyard.' Hah! As if anypony would buy that spectacle."

"We did." Epona turned to face him directly. "We trust in him, as he puts trust in all of us."

"A comrade to the end of time, huh? Well, let's see how well you hold together after you get through these doors.

"Each one is tailored to who enters. Twilight, your path is one that challenges your intellectual prowess. Epona, your path will test your inner strength of will. Ruby, yours will push the limits of your endurance. Link. Yours is the fun one. Your path will lead you to your greatest fear. Bring forth your bravery and all will be well. Go on. Zecora won't wait forever."

"Let me guess. Nightfall?"

"That's right."

Both Link and the alicorn asked at the same time "Why are you doing this?"

"Because I'm bored. Oh, and no magic this time. At all." The alicorn hit the four of them with black magic, sealing their powers and halting all currently active spells. "That means no ocarina tricks like last time. Don't think I'm some pushover, boy." He disappeared into a black shroud and vanished on the light breeze.

Ruby stomped her hoof. "No flames. No strength... I'm normal."

"Oh no. What a nightmare," Epona said bluntly. "Look, we're all here, we're all blank slates. No fire, horn, wings, magic, strength or any other spells like your pouches and barriers."

"She's right," Link said. "This is a test of inner power. We can overcome on virtue alone, provided there's a way to do so in the first place."

"Wouldn't it be just like the villain to provide unbeatable tests?" Twilight asked. "Good thing my path challenges intellect."

"Mine is strength of will, but I don't know what that means."

"Lucky you. Mine's endurance. It'll probably be like a run or something, being chased by demon goats or something." Ruby chuckled. "Zecora won't save herself, so it's up to us four. Best of luck to you all." Ruby headed past the tree to the north gate. As she stepped through, she became swallowed by darkness.

On the other side of her passage, Ruby stood in the middle of a small town. In that town, houses were far apart.

"This is..." Ruby saw a pony approach her from one of the closer houses. She looked around and saw she was somewhere familiar. As she turned again to the approaching pony, she said, "No... I can't be here." Quickly, she turned and faced the archway, which had lost its mist. "No! No escape! No power, no ability... maybe..."

The pony got right behind Ruby. When she faced the newcomer, it resembled an exact likeness of Ruby herself. "Cast away!" she shouted at Ruby.

"What?" she asked. "I don't-"

"Sell-out!" the mare added. After a moment of silence. "Firestarter!"

"RRRRAAAAAAAAAHH!" Ruby smacked the other pony in the face, dropping her to the ground. On contact, Ruby felt heat. On the ground, the pony crumbled into embers, from which two more likenesses emerged. "What?!"

"Burner! Destroyer! Danger! Natural Disaster! Forest Fire! Infernal Torrent!"

"SHUT UP!!!" Again, she brought the two ponies down to the ground, stomping their heads in. And like before, two rose from the coals, making four more likenesses.

Ruby spent what felt like hours hitting, bucking and throwing the clones of her down. Exhausted and out of breath, the several dozen copies of her shouted worse and worse things to her, adding hits of their own into the mix. On occasion, there'd be a silence among them when they shouted one single thing. One such verse echoed "Selfish!" across the town. Another one was "Burden!" Both insults hit harder than any of their punches. Then, another silence. Bruising and beaten, Ruby curled into a ball in tears and waited for their next assault on her emotions.

It never came.

"Oh, come now Ruby. Are you really this hard on yourself?" The alicorn appeared amidst the frozen-over clones. "You are the prime example of one's own worst enemy."

"What... what do you want with me..." She struggled to stand, and failed to do so. Ruby resigned to sit up at the very least.

The stallion parted the clones and walked toward her, sitting down. Even at that height, he was far taller than she was. "I want to know how long you've been fighting this."

"What do you care?" she replied, looking away.

"You'd rather I unfreeze them, and surrender you to your tides?" Ruby shook her head. "Then?"

With hesitation, Ruby said "Many years... I left this place behind. On my own."

"That's not it, though."

"No... They cast me out. They were afraid of what I could do. What I've already done..."

"So you left. You could have stayed there, why leave?"

"Nopony wanted me around. That was obvious by the names they called me." Ruby looked around. "Much like these did."

The alicorn stood to his full height. "All of this is in your head, you know. You are calling yourself these names now. Why, I bet if you went back, they'd be thrilled to see who you've become."

"Again, why do you care?"

"It's my job to care. Princess Luna watches over her subjects in the night. I do so during the day. You, specifically, for you need my help the most."

"Why me?" Ruby stood, regaining her stability.

"Well," the alicorn began. "You live in my woods."

"So does Zecora, and you took her hostage."

"And it got your attention. See, I wanted to tell you that your home town misses you dearly. They see you in a much better light now."

"No they don't!" Ruby yelled. "They don't miss me, they don't want me back, and they don't care about me!"

The alicorn paused. "And you really believe that?" Ruby nodded through gritted teeth. "There is a part of you that believes my words are true. One way or another, there is an answer. You believe that going to your home town will clear your worries. Prove it to yourself, Ruby Inferno." The world around them started falling like glass into an endless abyss. Ruby turned quick to the wood doorway and ran. The moment she got close enough, the ground below her gave out and she leapt through the black shroud.

"Best of luck to you all." Ruby turned and walked through the northern arch, beyond the tree. The others watched as she disappeared.

Twilight looked at Link. "Well, I've got intellectual prowess. After all, I passed my prelim tests with flying colors. How hard could this be?" She turned and walked west.

"Be careful Twilight. This guy means business in the worst way possible," Link cautioned.

"I'll be fine. The worst thing he could do is give me an impossible quiz." She stepped toward the gate and stopped. "Just... Be careful in yours, alright?" Twilight became enveloped in shadow.

Beyond Twilight's west gate was the throne room of Canterlot Castle. The sun was shining brightly through the windows to the side, and both princesses sat on their respective thrones. The wood arch dispersed the black gate behind the doors just before the doors themselves closed behind Twilight. As she walked closer she saw there was a guard to either side of the thrones. Beside Luna was a mare with two blades, one on each hip, and beside Celestia, was a mare with only one blade, but larger than the others. Both were wearing full armor, though the former wore lighter metals.

"Twilight Sparkle? Had I been made to know of your arrival, I'd have set aside some free time." Princess Celestia smiled at her.

"That's alright," Twilight replied. "I didn't know I'd be here either..."

The scene halted, and all noise hushed. "Okay, so I forgot something: context." The alicorn from before reformed from Twilight's cast shadow. "Let me fix that for you." The entire area changed to the library with Spike. "Remember this? You once thought that Princess Celestia was up to something when she called Spike away. But, and I quote, "treason incurs a penalty."" He spoke in Twilight's voice when he quoted her words. "Well, here..." Again, it shifted, this time back to the throne room where they were standing before. "There is something. Might not be what you expect. Your task is to figure it out. Best of luck, Twilight." The alicorn turned back into Twilight's shadow and winked.

"Twilight Sparkle? Had I been made to know of your arrival, I'd have set aside some free time." Princess Celestia smiled at her, again. The tone was exactly the same as the first time she said it.

"That's alright," Twilight assured. "But, you're here. With your sister... and two guards. Armed."

"As they should be," Princess Luna interrupted. She looked at the guard at her side. "Should they not?"

"That's... not it. You're busy, you said?"

"Correct," Celestia said.

"Doing what, may I ask?"

"Have caution, sister. I did warn you this might happen," Luna whispered to Celestia.

"Planning for tomorrow's day," she replied.

"In your head? I see no parchment, nor utensil with which to write." Twilight looked around. "Your attendant is nowhere either."

"Yes, in my head. Do not think me some commonfolk who cannot plan for longer than an hour in advance."

Alright... so... the problem might be with Princess Celestia. That was an uncharacteristic response. She might be on edge, though... "Okay, so... if all you're doing is planning for the next day, why are your guards armed?"

"To protect in case of an attack."

"Why two?"

"There are two of us. Come now, Twilight. Surely your analytical skills extend beyond the obvious inquiries." Luna tilted her head.

"No, there's more to it than that. If it were a simple matter of protection, you'd get a pair of Uniforms to do the job. These two are Uniques. With special skills. Why the increased security?"

"..." The two fell silent. Luna spoke up. "Agreed, Uniforms would be more suited for mere looks. But, a threat has been made to the throne. And far worse, the Royal Guard has been infiltrated by those individuals. We don't know who to trust right now, but we trust these two."

"That might be a problem." Twilight walked over to Luna's guard. "May I interrogate them?" Both princesses nodded. "Thank you." Twilight looked at the mare with the two weapons. "What is your name?"

"Steel Saber, ma'am." She saluted and returned to her attentive position.

"Steel Saber. How many turncoats have been tallied thus far?"

"Uncountable, ma'am. We suspect numbers in the dozens."

"That many, undetectable... No marks, must be verbal communication only, some code word or phrase shared between them... All to get at the throne." She paused. "Do you have one in custody?"

"No ma'am," Steel Saber replied. "Their covers are too great. We just know that they are here."

"So you're telling me, that a threat was made to the thrones, and you don't even have them in custody? How'd they get away?"

"We don't know. We do have a team of intellectuals looking into it."

"Hmm..." Twilight looked skeptical at Saber, then walked to the other guard. "You. What is your name?"

"Polaris, ma'am."

"Polaris. Among the several dozen turncoats, how many have died?"

"That's a loaded question, ma'am. You said so yourself: there's no identifiable marks of any kind. And since they're dead, they can't talk anymore. I can't answer that, because there isn't an answer, ma'am."

"Okay. So-" Twilight saw a drop of sweat fall from Polaris' brow. "Take off your armor."

"Ma'am?" She looked at Celestia, who nodded. Slowly, Polaris undid all of her straps and set her armor to the side. Her sheathed blade fell to the floor loudly as she stood bare for Twilight.

"You're nervous. Scared, almost. It can't be hot in here, it's almost winter. So why were you-"

A look of panic showed across Polaris' face as a sword was shoved through her eye socket. Twilight shrieked and turned quickly. Saber had already drawn her second sword and thrown it at Luna's chest, piercing her stomach and pinning her to the throne."You fools!" The first blade came back into Saber's magical grip. Polaris fell to the floor beside her armor, blood coming out of her head. Twilight saw Saber throw the first one at Celestia who was focused on Luna's wound. In pure instinct, Twilight shot a beam at the sword, snapping it in two.

"Luna!" Celestia cried. She saw the sword get pulled out and Luna slumped into Celestia's embrace. She tried to heal the wound, but it was too deep and severe to do quickly.

Twilight glared at Saber. "YOU!!" She fired a beam at Celestia, protecting her in a rather thick energy field. "You face me now!"

Saber swung at Celestia, but the blade bounced off. "I see what you've done. You've sealed your fate." She picked up the two pieces and mended them. Both blades hung at her sides. "Come at me!"

Twilight charged at her, and fired a beam. Saber leaned away and threw one of her swords at her. Easily, Twilight side stepped it and got within melee range. Saber brought her sword's edge across Twilight's cheek, giving her a scar to match the one that Link gave her. Twilight took it and turned away, bucking Saber square in the chest armor. Unfazed, Saber summoned blades of light and brought them crashing down on Twilight, piercing her hooves and pinning her to the floor.

Twilight shouted in pain as she fell to the ground. Saber approached her and cut her horn in half, eliciting higher screams of pain. With her free blade, she threw it at Luna and got her through the head, like she did to Polaris. "LUNAAA!!!" Celestia shouted. In her magic, Saber dragged Celestia down to Twilight's level and pinned her in the same fashion.

"You... You do not deserve that crown."

"Princess Celestia..." Twilight managed to say.

"You taught this one all she knows." A blade of light got run through Celestia's foreleg, causing the princess to cry in agony. "Now watch, student, as I kill your teacher, and ruler of this land!"

Twilight tried to cast a spell, anything that might help, but the attempt blew apart the remains of her horn all the way down to the carbuncle.

Saber, with her two real swords over Celestia's neck, asked, "Any final words, dear princess?"

"Twilight, I-" Before the sentence could finish, Saber crossed the blades and relieved the body of its head.

"NOOOOOOOOOOO!" Twilight yelled, closing her eyes.

"Whoa, calm down there Twilight." The alicorn's voice cleared the hall.

When she opened her eyes, she was looking at the scene from a third person perspective. Looking down, she was still herself. Then, she felt her horn, complete. No wounds, no pain. "A... am I ... dead?"

"No. You're not dead." He walked over to Celestia's frozen-in-time head. "That could have ended better, I think."

"Of course it could have!!" Twilight yelled at him. She trotted over and looked at Saber. "She was the real threat! She was so far under cover I should have known she was one of them. The way she called me ma'am and the trust the rulers put in her only put her in the prime position to end their lives!"

"Alright, so-"

Twilight snapped at him. "Is this really going to happen?!"

"That's for you to decide." The alicorn's voice became sharper. "You want to prevent this tragedy. You want to punish the would-be assailant. You believe you can prevent this outcome by intervening before it starts. Prove it to yourself, Twilight Sparkle."

As before, the world around them cracked and fell away into nothing. First the walls, then the thrones, the scene before her rewound and vanished, the floor gave way as Twilight ran back through the open door. Quickly, she turned back to the emptying space. "I will succeed, mark my words." She jumped through the black gate.

Twilight departed through the west gate. Link and Epona watched as she vanished in darkness. "The former turned to the latter. "Epona, I want-"

"What do you need?"

"... I ..." A moment of hesitation fell over Link as he just stood there, speechless. Then, after a few minutes, he continued. "I don't know what you'll face on the other side. But if it came from him, it can't be anything good. Please, be careful, and make your way back home."

Epona took him in a hug. "You silly, I'm not going in alone. I have you with me." She thumped her chest over her heart. "Right there. And I'm not letting go without a fight, ya hear me?" she asked with a smile. "I'll give it my best for you, so you do the same for me, alright?"

Link stood there, and watched her walk to the south gate. "Wait..." She paused and turned around. "... Nah, it's nothing. Best of luck, Epona." He turned to his own gate.

Epona smiled, and turned to her own. She stepped through and fearlessly disappeared in the mist.

Epona stood at the gate's exit point and saw it vanish behind her. "No turning back. I'll do you proud, Link." She walked on and found herself at the water's edge. "Hm? Water?" She looked around. "Trees, houses..." Her hooves shuffled. "Sand? It's everywhere. Gonna have to get used to it for now." Epona walked around and noticed other ponies. Some drinking, some working, some just begging. "This is a sorry place, but, it's got good structure. This town is solidly built."

"I'm glad you think so!" A stallion approached wearing a desert cloak. "You're a long way from home, miss. Or perhaps you're returning home?"

"The former, I assure you." Epona looked at the stallion. Tan, gray eyes, easily hidden... Bandit or welcome committee? "Thank you for your kind words all the same. Where am I?"

"Green Leaf Oasis. Several hundred miles from any big town in all directions. A good place to thrive, if you've got the means."

"Not a fitting place for me then; I only deal in nices." Epona started walking on her own. She saw the stallion keep pace with her. "Something I can do for you?"

"No, but there's something I can do for you. How's about you let me show you around?"

"Or I could show myself around. You had it right though. I am a traveler. I've seen a lot of places with a wider variety of ponies than this place. Surely that qualifies me to be able to take care of myself." Epona brushed him off and trotted along. She heard sounds beside her. Apparently, she wore her travel bags, despite not carrying anything with her from the get-go. "Wh-"

Again, the stallion confronted her. "Then at least let me walk you to where you're going. The least I can do."

"Back off, buddy. I know your cloak and dagger type. What is it? A kris? Athame? Perhaps a stiletto? Surely you think I'm some commoner who doesn't do her research?"

"I, uhh..."

"Get lost already, before I make you go away. Now's not the best time to get in my way."

"Well, then... Uhh. I guess... Later?" The stallion slumped and walked away.

Epona continued on and walked into a building to get out of the heat. Inside, she was met with a waitress wearing a skirt made of the same cloth as the cloak the other one wore. "Evenin' ma'am. Take your order?" She placed a glass of water on the table.

"Well, how about a map of the town?"

"We ain't got none o' that here. Place is so small, ya could draw one yerself and be accurate. New to town?"

"How'd you guess?" she replied. With a sigh, she asked, "What do you have in the way of fruit?"

"Mighty bananas. They grow much larger 'round these parts, an' we got a few good chefs what know how to make 'em right. Grilled or fried or plain?"

"Hmm..." Epona said. What is up with this place? He said this was a test of will. What do I have to overcome? It'll present itself soon enough. Just keep biding my time... "Plain, if you please."

"Be right back dear." She sauntered away.

I'm not your 'dear'. Epona waited at her table and looked round. There were other patrons in various booths. A couple kids with smaller cloaks on playing with some clay toys, a mare deep in her cups, a stallion with a notebook and tie, another mare with a deck of cards and a couple who didn't seem to be enjoying themselves.

Epona looked closer at the couple. "Here y'are dear." The mare placed the plate before her and walked off. Epona barely blinked at the food.

"They look familiar..."

There was a stallion behind her in the booth. Black coat, mane, tail and covered with an equally black cloak. "They should look familiar. Sure their manes grew, but their faces are the same."

Epona turned quick and saw the alicorn from before. "You're here too?"

"Sure am. I'll give you props. Not even Twilight's imagination was this lively."

"Lots of practice."

"Props to pointing out the bandit, too. That was my touch." He turned around and placed a few bits on the table for her meal. "My treat. Tell you what, go over and say hi to them. You haven't seen them in how long?

"Ten years, easily. Maybe longer. The days and months and years just kinda slipped on by the longer they were away." Epona reached in and pulled out her picture of them. "I always swore I'd meet them when I got my cutie mark..."

"And is that what's stopping you now?" The alicorn stood and walked to the table.

It was in that moment Epona realized the ambient sounds and distinct chatter of the tavern had quieted. Epona looked around. Nopony was moving or breathing. Even the bartender had stopped mid shake. Frozen in time. "Wait..."

"This isn't real, but I'll be darned if that means I get to slack off." He lifted her saddlebags with his magic and set them aside. "Well, lookie there. You got a cutie mark." Epona looked down and saw the sacred triangles that adorned her flank. "Much like Link's own marking."

"H-how-"

"Your destiny lies with him, and you've known it since he returned to the library that time. But I wonder... Nah, no way."

"What is it?" she asked with increasing curiosity.

"Well, the thing is, those two over there are your parents Epona. They've missed you so much since they left."

"And yet they couldn't send me letters..."

"About that... Do you know how hard it is for the mail carriers to find an oasis in the desert?" He waved his hoof to the left. ""It's over heeeere!"" Then to the right. ""No, it's over theeeere!" Not easy, I'll tell you what." His hoof fell to the floor. "Well?"

"I can't just walk up to them..." Epona took a breath.

"Sure you can. Just one hoof in front of the other." He waited. "Alright, so you can't just yet. Why?"

"I didn't earn my cutie mark. It was given to me. There was no revelation, no crowning moment where I realized my destiny. How can I face them not knowing the why and how of it?"

The alicorn's voice cut through the air. "Because you don't even know if they're alive. You want to believe they are, but you can't know for sure. You want to find the truth, whichever the outcome is. You believe your search will bear positive fruit. Prove it to yourself, Epona." He looked out the window at the crumbing world. "Better hurry too. The others were much closer to the exit than you are."

Epona blinked and darted out of the tavern. Quickly, she hopped over missing patches of sand and stone and finally charged through the opened gateway.

Link turned his back on Epona's closed gateway and faced his own open one. The same swirling black mist occupied the way as it did for the three prior.

"Hey, Link..." Navi asked. "Are you scared?"

"Terrified. I'm almost shaking..."

"Take a breath." She waited. "Do it, come on." He took a slow breath. "Good. Now, think."

"Well... he said my path is for the courageous. So... either I have to face my fears, or fight something meant to be fearsome."

"Good, good. Think a little harder." Navi sat on his sword handle. "Why would he do all of this?"

"Drag the four of us out here? I don't know. But, I know Zecora is in need of help, and here I am thinking about doing that. Look Navi, I genuinely appreciate you trying to get me to think longer term, and honestly it's something I need to work at, but right now, Zecora is the main concern. For all of us here." He stepped forward through the gate.

Link appeared on the other side of the gate. He noticed he stood his full height as a human. Alright! A most familiar form! He looked around at the stone walls. A pair of great doors were opened behind him. One pedestal stood in the middle of the room and a single blade was stabbed into it. "Oh... oh no..."

"What is it?" Navi stood on his shoulder.

"This is... my nightmare..."

"You have those?"

"Yes. And.. it's always this room. That sword. And... !!" Link turned quick to the door behind him and saw it shut instantly. Link backed up toward the sword. "I don't want to be here any more. Not without my magic."

"What's so bad about this place?"

"You haven't told even her yet?" Link's shadow rose upward and created the dark version of him from his nightmares. "How sad." He drew his blade and shield.

"YOU!!" Link shouted. "You don't get to be here! Get back to where you belong!"

"I will never retreat into your mind. This world has set me free! There's just one thing... You're still alive." Dark Link thrust his sword tip at Link, who dodged to the side and drew his own weapons. He brought his blade down at Dark Link, connecting with his shield before stepping back. "I see you have some fight in you, kid."

"More than enough for you."

The two exchange swings and blocks for what felt like half an hour. Both tired, and wounded, they lower their shields. Link's armor, made of magic, lost its defensive ability when spells were sealed, leaving him unprotected. He received many cuts to his upper body and a few to his legs, and paid them back in full to his dark clone. Both combatants fell to their knees in exhaustion.

Then, like something from a nightmare, Dark Link rose to his feet uninjured. "On your feet kid! I'm not done with you yet!" Link felt his wounds healing. He could stand. He could fight! Link gripped the handle of his sword and dug deep, picking himself off the ground in one motion. Again, the two fought for 30 minutes almost to the second.

What is happening?! Link thought as he was forced to his knees covered in wounds once more. How long have I been fighting this one guy?! As before, the wounds on both fighters healed near immediately. Both of them returned to their feet. How many more times must I do this?

"You'll never beat me!" Dark Link shouted.

The door behind him opened a little. "Link! Are you in there?" Twilight called.

"Twilight said it was alright that I see what's there," Ruby said beside her.

"And I've been worried sick about you, Link." Epona came in just after the first two.

"No! Get back!" Link faced the clone and blocked a wild swing.

"Oh! We have some visitors! Guess I'll make them pay as well!" Link became paralyzed somehow and watched as Dark Link hurt and injured his friends and family before him. "They're not nearly as difficult as you to beat. Huh?"

Link got to his feet through sheer will and became calm as ever. His eyes seemed to give off a glow as he stepped forward, ready.

"You don't scare me!" Dark Link charged Link with his sword raised. Easily, Link parried it and cut through Dark Link's chest cloth. He got shield bashed and got flung against the ground. Then, he was kicked hard enough to hit his back against the stone wall. "What?! Where did all this come from?!" Dark Link couldn't get out of the way from Link's attacks and suffered critical damage before dissolving into shadows.

"Bravo, kid." The alicorn absorbed the three visitors and regained his own form. "I would not have believed it if I hadn't seen it for myself." Link only looked on with narrowed eyes and broad shoulders. "I'll tell you now, before you go back to being yourself. I've never seen anyone with as much heart as you. Congratz, you passed your test of bravery. Standing up for your loved ones through any and all pain and odds is a remarkable trait." The glow from Link's eyes faded as he regained consciousness. "Your friends could be in danger, and you won't be able to help them all. After all, you're only one stallion."

"I passed your silly test, now set me free."

"Fine." The wood arch way glowed black as it was forcibly opened. "But remember this: whatever choice you make, two will suffer. Best of luck, kid."

Link wordlessly approached the gate. "Tell me: Would you have let me go even if I lost?"

"... Yes."

Without so much as a second glance, Link exited the realm he was in.

The four of them, their tasks completed, returned to the meadow with the single tree in its center. The alicorn was standing beside Zecora, who was bound with dark chains to the tree itself.

"Welcome back, heroes. As promised, I return Zecora to your care." The chains disappeared, and soon after, Zecora got to her hooves, brushing off the dust from her shoulders.

"Why did you do all this if you're giving her up so easily?" Ruby asked. "Not that I want you to make it harder, mind you."

"I said so already, didn't I? I was bored. You four provided adequate entertainment." The alicorn hovered up and sat on one of the limbs of the tree. "Anything else?" Silence. "Then if you'll all excuse me, I have a new puzzle to put together."

"Wait," Link said, holding out his hoof. "There is one thing..."

"What is it?"

"I know there's a special stone in these woods. I found a blue one where it was really cold. Blue and ice match. Then I was given a red one near the mouth of a mining cave in the mountains. Red and fire. So, it stands to reason there's one in the woods. And it'll be green. Leaves and green match. Tell me I'm wrong."

"You're not wrong. You want a hint? I'll give you one." The alicorn looked at Zecora. "But I'll only tell you her way." He cleared his throat and hovered in the air. "The stone you seek is indeed colored green. A bond newly forged, a path newly seen. With support from Azure, Shamrock does fight. Together, onward, into endless night."

Twilight quickly penned the rhyming puzzle for later study.

"That's all I'll give you... For now..."

"What about our powers?" Ruby asked.

"They'll return when I leave." He touched down and added, "Farewell, everypony. We will meet again..." He vanished into a puff of black smoke. The smoke covered them and transported them through space back to the hut they were in before he moved them away.

Twilight stated, "I believe we were here the whole time. We were just caught in his illusory realm brought on by the hallucinogenic mist."

"Well, we're all safe, and Zecora is here." Ruby put her hoof on Zecora's shoulder. "Are you alright?" Zecora simply nodded. She and the others sat down from their various levels of exhaustion.

"Thank you for coming to save me. I could not do it on my own, see. I was unprepared to face such a foe. Especially one that could just come and go. A stallion like that is a dangerous threat. But you've saved me. I owe you a debt." Zecora stretched herself out, easing herself from the strain the chains put on her.

Don't worry about it, Zecora. You should thank Ruby; she came to get us all the way in Ponyville." Link shrugged. Then, he added, "But, if you really want to make it up to me, I need a favor. Last time I was in these woods, I stumbled into a patch of blue flowers. The next morning, I woke up like this."

"You want to be turned back, is that it?" Link nodded. "This may take some time, but meanwhile... Sit." She kicked over a stool and watched as it slid across the floor. He caught it and sat atop its wooden cover.

Zecora spent half an hour mixing and making a blue colored ball. Upon completion, she gave it over to him. "Thank you," he responded.

"Put it into a tub of water big enough to hold you. Hop in, clothes and all, wait ten and you're back to being you."

"There's a shower with a tub in the tree. I think it's big enough now," Twilight said, looking over her written phrase.

"I'm gonna stay here and help clean up," Ruby said, correcting some rugs.

"We're going back home, then," Twilight said, putting her stuff away. "Got a code to decipher. See you later, Ruby. And thanks again for your help."

They waved goodbye as they departed for home. The way was quiet. Not even a single bird chirped along the way back. When they arrived, Emmy had fixed some tea for them, but they all fell asleep before they could drink it. Twilight hit her slumber zone on the chair. Link and Epona fell over each other on the larger couch. The only one still awake was Navi.

"What happened in the woods?" Emmy asked.

"Lots of strange stuff. There was an alicorn there, and we were put through tests. Each one of us. We all passed, too. Got Zecora freed, and the stallion ran off." Navi looked back at Link, who was asleep so heavily, he didn't move when Epona held him close to her.

"Well, the tea will still be here when they wake up later." Emmy set the tray of teacups on the coffee table and watched them sleep. "Sounds like they had a real tough time with their tests, though..."

"Sorry you couldn't go?"

"Yeah. I want to be with Link as he goes on his adventures. They're always so cool, you know? Of course you know. You're always with him.

"... Now you're jealous..." Emmy shook her head. "No?"

"Nope. Just, surprised is all. Not many decide to venture out into the world at that age. I mean, I did, but that's not the issue."

"That's justified; you were scared and couldn't face Rainbow." The two talked a while as the others slept.

The alicorn stood by his tree with three gates. Each one displayed an image of the ponies he tested earlier. "Epona... Twilight... Ruby... The three of you have important tasks to attend to in the coming hours of night. Quite fortunate that you will be going in separate directions."

This one took a while. I'm going somewhere with this, I promise!