All seven of the library's occupants sat in various furnishings around the room, with Navi choosing to sit on Link's shoulder as she does. "Let's go over the riddle he gave us and make sure we have this right. I only want to do this once," Link said.

Twilight nodded and retrieved her riddle. Opened in front of her, she cautioned, "I'll break it into pieces so it'll be open for discussion if we need it. 'The stone you seek is indeed colored green-'"

"That one's obvious enough," Ruby said. "You got blue from the ice cavern, sort of."

"And you got the red guy from the big boss guy in the mountains," Emmy added, putting a hoof on her head over the wrap.

"So it stands to reason your third should be green from a place of equal color, correct?" Prism asked. The others nodded.

"'A bond newly forged, a path newly seen-'" Twilight stopped.

"Also easy. That would be me," Prism said. "Link ventured into the north with Ruby, then into the mountain with Emerald. Now, you walk into the woods with me."

"Again, easy. 'With support from Azure-'" Twilight pointed at Prism. "'Shamrock'" then at Link, "'does fight. Together, onward, into endless night.' What's that one about?"

Link thought a moment, then retrieved his ocarina. "I think he meant this. In my travels to the mountain village, I came across a graveyard. Within which, was a burial site for a pair of noble musicians. In their crypt, I found two songs; one raises the sun or keeps it there, while the other makes it night or makes night last."

"That's... not okay..." Twilight said. "It didn't work out well for Nightmare Moon."

"That's because she had no intention of sharing the sky. I'll make the sun return soon as I'm done. Time picks up where it left off, so tonight's gonna last longer than usual."

Emmy looked at the wall clock with her good eye. "Does that mean all the clocks change too? Or do we have to fix them?"

"Not sure. I'd ask you to keep an eye on it, but you only have one to spare," Link responded.

She chuckled. "Hey, if it scars, I'll have a story." Emerald looked over at Ruby. "We'll both have stories."

When Link put away the ocarina, Prism chuckled as well. "I'll never tire of seeing that."

"That pocket thing?" Twilight asked. "That was me. I made them. The spell, not the pockets themselves..."

"Did you now?" Prism raised an eyebrow. "Impressive work. You are talent among your kind."

"You say that, but... Well, thank you. I went to the tryouts for the Spellcaster's Tournament. I know I passed them all, but... there are those far better than I am, there."

"And I'm sure you will make them sweat, if not rue the day they thought they could challenge your might."

Several hours passed. Night fell over Ponyville, bringing the stars out to play. Link stood in the lawn of the library with the ocarina up to his lips. As he played the familiar requiem, the black mist surrounded him once more, decorated with shining stars and blue hues. Upon completion, the mist drifted away on the light breeze.

"And that is how I make it eternal night. But don't worry, I just have to play the Sun's Song to make time flow again."

"Try not to do it so often; the world needs its light, you know," Twilight warned.

"I could swear I told you not to tell anypony about this trick of yours," Navi interrupted.

"You did, I remember that. But, extenuating circumstances." He looked at Prism. "Besides, if I don't play by his stupid rules, I'll never get the stone I need."

"Just how important are these stones?" Prism asked.

"You're asking a lot of questions, Commander," Link accused.

Prism stomped her hoof and raised her voice. "Second Commander Sapphire Prism. I may be helping you on your mission, boy, but don't think for a moment that that makes you my equal. Are we clear?!"

Link paused, and contemplated his response. "Yes, ma'am."

"That's more like it. Now, about the stones."

Everypony was quiet, unsure of how to respond to Link being bossed around like that. "With permission, I'll tell you on the way. I may have placed my trust in those here, but the rest of Ponyville is another story."

"Then off we go."

Prism led the way while Link shrugged and followed, stopped short by Epona's tugging on his sleeve. "I don't like this... Be careful."

"Of course. Besides..." He leaned close and whispered, "She's not who she says she is." He had said it just loud enough for the others to hear him.

They all looked between each other. "What do you mean by that?"

"Ask Ruby. She knows. Or, can help you out at least." Link turned and walked to catch up to Prism.

Then, they all looked at Ruby, who shrugged.

Along the way, Link talked about his grand mission assigned by Princess Celestia, about the need for the three stones, and about the alicorn they're sure to meet. Prism and Link found the forest edge and wandered inside, their wits about them. Easily, they made it to the meadow where the single tree stood with the alicorn sitting on a branch playing some woodwind instrument. When they stopped at the base of the tree, the alicorn stopped playing. "I assume by your presence that you've come to answer my riddle?"

"That's right," Link said, pointing up at him. "You know about my mission to gather the last stone I need of three. Second Commander Sapphire Prism is the newly formed bond, so there's a path to be newly opened, I can only assume from here. She's here to provide support when I need it, while I'm the one doing all the heavy lifting. And I've already made it eternal night. Now, pony up!" He held out his hand flat.

"What?" the alicorn asked with a light chuckle. "Wait," then, he hovered down and set his woodwind aside, "you actually think I have it? At no point in my riddle did I say the stone was in my possession. I just told you that I know about it. And that I know it's green. Now, how would I know that, without having it myself, hmm?"

Link thought some more. "You know where it is."

"Ding ding! Give the man a prize!" He waited. "No really, you get a prize."

"Yeah? What kind of prize?"

"Another riddle! 'Deep within my woods doth dwell, a village hidden by a spell. Follow the music and don't get lost, or with your souls, you'll pay the cost.' Kind of dark if you ask me, but hey. That's who I am."

"If I were to guess, the third puzzle will be given when I reach the village?" The stallion nodded. "Good. So, about this new path..."

"Hold on there, hero. Yeah, you made a new bond, but do you know with whom the bond was made?"

"I have an idea, yeah." He looked at Prism. "This mare right here. I have a feeling she's not being honest with me, but that doesn't matter. She's here like you asked."

"Right... Well, I guess that counts." He pointed to the edge of the meadow. "Go through there and remember, don't get lost in the woods." The stallion shimmered out of sight.

Prism shook her head. "He gives me the creeps."

"I told you about him, didn't I?" Link walked toward the entrance. "I wonder how he thinks I'll get lost. He basically told me how to find the place. Just follow the music."

"Easier said than done. He did not say what kind of music, or even how loud it would be."

"However... It's not like him to give us a question without first giving us the answer." Link moved a branch from his path. "I can't say I trust him, but he is the only chance I have at getting what I need."

"And if he's playing you?"

"Then he's playing me. I'll get the sword I'm after and get the answers from him directly."

"And if he takes the stone from you?"

"Oh please. You saw the metal lock box I put yours in. It would take a lot of power to break it, and you know that."

"Well, yeah, but this alicorn seems to have that level of power. For all you know he could be after all three and you're helping him." Prism took a breath. "We don't know for sure, but you can bet I'll keep an eye out."

Link turned and frowned a little. "You know... I think I chose right in asking you to come along."

Prism tilted her head. "What choice did you have? The stallion made it clear I was to be your guide."

"I suppose you're right," Link admitted.

Navi whispered into his ear, "You never put her stone into any box; it's still in your bag, next to the red one from the mountain." Link only nodded his head, which went unnoticed by his follower.

Prism looked at her surroundings. "I've never been in the woods before. Is it all like this?"

"Well, more or less. Gotta be careful. Never know what's going to come from this place." Link turned and listened following the highest volume of music he heard. "I've been in here a number of times. Let's see..." Another turn. "Once to bring back Epona, once to find a filly who ended up in here... Twice to go to the castle of old, and another couple times to go to Zecora's. She's a friend who lives in here."

"I see. So you know this place well?"

"It always changes." He walked forward through a split in the paths. "Never the same way twice. You saw that tree in the meadow back there?" Prism nodded silently. "That tree has been vastly different nearly every time I see it."

"How?" she asked. Link shrugged. "Every time?" Then he nodded. "Might also be that alicorn's doing."

"Maybe..." Link made a turn. "Might just be the woods. I'm not about to ask; it's none of my business." Another turn the other way. "Aside from that, whatever answer he'd give is one I can't trust right away."

"Because of his deceptive nature correct?" He nodded. "I see..." She followed his next turn. "Don't suppose you know how much farther?"

"Haven't the slightest. These woods go on for a long ways." On the last turn, a big round doorway appeared from the forest path. "I guess that's the end, huh? Shows what I know."

"Don't feel bad. The woods, I hear, are a mystery all on their own." Prism patted his back.

Suddenly, the alicorn appeared leaning against the side of the entryway. "Well well. Look who made it after all. You might not be able to tell, but you spent hours in there."

"That's impossible. Time's frozen," Link argued.

"That may be so, for all I know, but I still feel its flow." He turned to face them. "You see, boy. These woods are special. They can exist without time, or exist several times over in the span of a year. It all depends on how it feels. What it wants. You might even say the woods are alive."

"If the woods are alive, then what does that make you?" Link asked. "I feel like you haven't told us everything."

"And why should I? You like puzzles. To use your brain. You got a working one, I'm sure. You have to. After all, you followed my most basic instruction." He chuckled. "Though telling a dog to sit is basically the same thing."

"Get on with it. There's a third riddle isn't there?"

"Of course. All good things come in threes. Partners, stones and puzzles are no different. 'Stowed away behind the curtain, is one who faces death certain. Relieve him of his internal plight, and the stone you need will be yours tonight.'"

"Is that the last riddle on this?"

"Boy, I could write whole sonnets on things I want you to do, but yes. That is the last one. Deriving meaning from the words is the easy part, I assure you." The alicorn turned toward the village. "Oh, one more thing: don't tell anypony about me within the village."

Link folded his arms. "What's the matter? Scared?"

"They are, yes. They don't really... respect my authority over them. Apparently, their guardian deity is to whom they worship." He started to disappear.

"Hey," Link said. "When are you going to tell me your name?"

After he vanished, Link heard a voice. "You are under the assumption I'll tell you at all." Then silence.

"No good dirty rotten-" He sighed. "C'mon. Let's keep moving."

When the village came into view, it was below him. Rather, he was on a ledge at the edge of the village. Trees were everywhere; some lit inside, some not. Some fenced off, others with little gardens. There was a narrow river running through the place. Link assumed it was to help with irrigation. A bridge extended from a roof to a look-out near the middle of the village.

"Well," Prism said. "What first?"

"Shops. Shops are always first no matter what." Link hopped down from the ledge and looked around at his surroundings. "Not a bad place. I wouldn't mind living here." Across the water, he saw a tree with a hole in its bark. A red landing was above it, but nopony was around. When he got closer to the entrance, he paused.

"Hey," a filly's voice called. Link and Prism both looked around. "Up here, sillies." The two looked up and recoiled at the sight of a filly perched atop the red balcony looking down at them. "You two seem to be lost. Need some help?"

"Actually, is this a shop?" Link pointed. The filly nodded. "Thank you."

"But your mare friend here needs to stay outside. Rules and all."

"Forgive me, over-filly. To what rule are you referring?" Prism asked, tilting her head.

The filly took out a red book and flipped to a seemingly random page. "Ahem. 'No adults will be served after 21:00. Similarly, no adults will be allowed entry into the shop after 20:00.' Sorry, lady. Them's the rules." She slapped the book closed and set it beside her.

"What about me?" Link asked.

"That depends... How old are you?"

"13."

"You can come in and shop around to your heart's content. After all we serve children at all times of day," the filly informed. "So please, do come in."

Link looked inside and saw a dimly lit room. "Alright, then I will. Thank you." He turned to Prism. "Stay out here for me. We're in their village, and must obey their laws." She nodded and watched as Link entered the establishment.

The inside of the shop was more spacious than he expected. Shelves were lined with tagged bags of stuff, the floor was piled with sticks and such. Chunks of wood found homes along the left wall, while a small assortment of herbs were in jars on the right. A pair of candles were lit on the counter, behind which stood nopony at all.

"Uhh... Hello?" Link called. He rapped the counter with his knuckles. "Hello? Anypony home?"

A brilliant flash of green light appeared below the counter, followed by a groaning sound. Some rustling was heard, before a unicorn colt stood on a stool to peer over the counter. "Oh. Hello. Welcome."

"I'm looking for... wait... where's the owner?"

The colt tilted his head. "Oh you mean the one in charge." Link nodded. The colt turned around and hopped down before spinning in place a moment. Afterward, he hopped up on the stool once more and greeted again, "Welcome."

"You run this place?" The colt confirmed Link's inquiry. "Where are the grown-ups?"

"There aren't any. Just us children." Link tilted his head, and adjusted his hat. "No really. Kids run this village in its entirety. None of us ever look aged past 10 or so."

Link put a hand to his head. "Alright, fine. I'm looking for your sickest resident." That earned a strange look from the colt. "The one who is most ill?" A tilt in the other direction. "Uhh... Who is sick in your village?"

"Nopony that I know. Might want to check with the boss for that." The colt pointed to the east. "He's standing in front of the vine curtain just over there."

"What's over beyond it?"

"Our guardian spirit: Treant. He's a magnificent oak tree as big as the center of town and then some."

Something like that... I can easily fit inside... I wonder... "Alright. Why is he standing there?"

"To keep everypony out."

"He doesn't even let you pray?"

"We don't pray, per se. We give offerings. Like... Say we make more vegetables than we know what to do with. We sack them up, take them to Treant, and he takes care of giving back to the woods that support our way of life."

Link started nodding his head. "Okay, and when was the last time you were allowed to do that?"

"I'm not sure. My assistant on the roof is usually the deliverymare. She's the book-balancer too." The colt looked up at the roof. "I'm lucky to have her around.

"I believe that. Okay. So you tell her to deliver your extra supplies, is that right?" The colt nodded. "Good. This is good. Thank you." Link turned to leave. "Actually..." he turned back to the counter and eyed the bags on the shelves. In front of a couple of them were the product each bag carried. Link pointed at what looked like a large nut. "Think I’ll buy a bag of those for later."

"You’re kidding I hope..." The colt saw his unchanging expression. "No? Hmm." He levitated the bag down along with the extra on the shelf. "These are not for consumption. These are flash seeds. Throw them really hard on any surface and they’ll burst open in a brilliant flood of light. Be sure to shield your eyes."

"That sounds handy. How much?"

"3 per," he replied. How many?"

Link thought a moment. "I’ll take ten."

The little colt bagged up ten and accepted thirty bits as payment. Just as Link turned to leave, he called out. "Wait," the colt said. Slowly, Link turned around to face the colt. "I feel like I should know you... But I can't really say I do..."

Link scratched his head. "I don't know. You have a good night." Outside, Prism waited impatiently for Link's return. "Well, that was something."

"What happened?"

"Info gathering. I know where to go. But first..." He turned and looked up at the filly above them. "Miss filly. What do you know about Treant? Why has the boss denied access to him?"

The filly was silent. "Another rule: Outsiders are not to be trusted with information regarding our guardian spirit: Treant."

"Okay, but what about your boss?"

Silence. "Our boss is a very temperamental colt. He loves flexing his dominance on matters of all sizes." At that point, Link could see her glasses as they reflected moonlight when she shifted them. "He's rude, pushy and thinks he knows the best course of action. When I'm boss one day, I'll make him be up here."

"He made you be a look-out?" Prism asked.

"Well, no. I volunteered. It's not so bad, honestly, being a pegasus and all. But sometimes I wish I could drop this rule book and pick up the one he has to look at. The one that keeps all of us in line." The filly looked to the night sky.

"Okay, well. It was nice talking to you. But we have a Treant to save."

Just before he turned to leave, the filly landed in front of him. "'Save' implies a state of being where one's life or livelihood is at risk of ending or entering a state of peril. What do you mean by 'Save'?"

Link smiled. "You don't know?" The filly was quiet once more. "So I, an outsider, know more about your guardian spirit than the greatest book-keeper the village over?" More quiet, with a little glaring. "Alright, fine. Teasing aside, and because you need to know: Treant is sick. He's got some sort of... how'd it go... Internal plight. So like a virus, or parasite, inside him that's killing him. And if I don't do something quickly, he's going to pass without anypony knowing it."

The filly hovered before him. "You. Both of you. Follow me." She took off toward the east; toward the boss of the village. The two shrugged at each other before following. Not two minutes later, they were in the company of a short orange-maned colt with freckles on his face and a snaggle-tooth. "Boss!"

"You're off your post, and I don't recall you needing a break for at least another 40 minutes."

"I know, but this kid tells me there's something wrong with our guardian." The boss was quiet, shifting his sight from left to right. "You will tell me, or I'll pull that over-biting molar from your muzzle." Again, the boss was quiet. "Fine." She reached for his face.

The colt smacked her hoof away and frowned. "Touch me with that hoof and I'll remove it. The guardian spirit is in perfect health. Has been, and always will. Now buzz off."

"Perfect health, huh? I heard otherwise." Link folded his arms.

"Who are you, huh? I doubt you have business with Treant, so why don't you and your chaperone go on back to Equestria."

"Because we were summoned here by your Great Treant. Surely he told you?" Again, quiet. "No? Well. We can just walk ourselves back there and talk to him directly." Link started walking and stopped when the colt put a hoof on Link's shirt. Slowly, he turned. "Let go. I'm on a mission from the princess."

"I don't give a flying fish for your mission! You want in, you better take it up with Storm."

"Emerald Storm is the one who put in this request in the first place." Hang on... what? "Yeah. I know her. She's staying at the library in my hometown while I get this sorted out. She put in the request to the princess, and I got seeded with the mission." He was let go, so he turned around. "Sword, shield, whole deal. Trust me, I'm more than equipped to handle this."

"What about the lady?"

"Performance examination," Prism lied. "I'm going to test his ability to complete this mission without my interference."

"I can't believe she'd trust outsiders to take care of this..." the boss complained.

"Believe it." Link turned and shifted the vines aside to walk through the curtain they made. Prism smiled and walked behind him.

The filly called out, "I have faith in you!"

Link and Prism walked for a few minutes, twisting around the natural path. "'Performance examination'? That's what you came up with?"

"If I said companion, he'd think I was here to help you," Prism explained. "Besides, that filly thinks you can do this. I want to see for myself."

"But I already saved you once before, Polaris. What more proof do you need?" Link asked.

"That was a different scenario entirely. I- Did... did you just call me 'Polaris'?" Prism hesitated.

Link turned around and looked at her, halting his movement down the path. "That's your name, right? Polaris?" The mare was quiet. Much too quiet for her sake. "Unless you have a name I don't know about."

"I-I don't know what you're talking about." She briskly walked beyond Link, who turned to watch her walk.

"Oh, really?" Prism stopped. "A bond newly forged. That's you, without a doubt. And at first, I was confused. You and I already had our bonding moment. So it could hardly count as 'new' this time around. That stone you gave me wasn't put in any lock-box with a magic shield around it, and you should know because you were in the room with me when I stowed it away. But you also wouldn't know how, because you weren't even watching when I did put it away. I've only shown you my pocket thing once, and I'm not so sure you even paid attention to it because you were still in shock that I was able to rescue you. However, you being Polaris would make sense. I've shown you plenty of times. There is likely no record of her stone in her profile, available to everypony. Because I was sent to my room before you arrived, which happened too fast, by the way, you would have had plenty of time to pick up on her style of leadership. Without an actual look at her, you'd never be able to tell she's got a soft spot for me, making your sharpness when it was just the two of us unnecessarily over-the-top. And above everything else, you answered to 'Polaris', making me believe that that was your name long enough to be the most familiar name for you.

"So here's my question: Who are you? Really?"

Prism turned to look at him directly. For several minutes, she couldn't answer. Then, finally, she started. "You're... right. I'm not Second Commander Sapphire Prism." She tapped her head with her hoof and transformed in green fire back to Polaris as an earth pony. "It is me, though."

"Even if I were to believe that you are really the earth pony called Polaris, that still leaves you a liar. 'A bond newly forged' he said. You and I, even as 'Polaris', bonded already as well. The prison thing. So I'll only ask one more time: who are you?" He reached for his sword.

Polaris backed up a little, then without moving a muscle, transformed in more fire into a blackish bug creature with glittering red wings. "Fine. You got me. My name is Torren. I'm a changeling. But! I'm a good changeling. A nice one. I swear it on my life."

Link looked the bug creature over. "Torren?" he asked, She nodded. "Changeling? Sorry, Good Changeling? Implying there are evil ones?"

"Most of my race, yes. A small faction of us escaped and started living normal pony lives. Well, as normal as we could. Blending in physically was the easy part. You all have so many customs and social rules, it wan't easy. When I was caught by my wife, mind you I was a stallion at the time, she dragged me to the castle and deposited me before the ruler. I pleaded for my life, and she spared it. Whether whim or whimsy, she let me live as a guard at her side under a new name and visage: Polaris. Since then, I've fought hard to earn their trust. And I think I've earned it enough. After all, I'm out on mission with the heir to the throne. No chaperones, and unrestricted magic for my true and transformed forms."

Link took steps back himself, and leaned against a tree, falling to sit down. "So... you've been in hiding this whole time? Even back when I was imprisoned?" She nodded. "And you served at her side with ... Ohh, that makes sense now... Twilight's question of why there were Uniques instead of Uniforms; it was so Saber could keep an eye on you while you served your sentence. But of course we can't tell Twilight that. She'll freak the Tartarus out."

Torren was quiet again. Then, she asked, "Are you going to go home then?"

"I can't. Somehow, that alicorn saw through all of this and knew you'd come with. You impersonating an officer. He knew who you were. But, if we're to succeed, we must do this his way. With you as Second Commander Prism. Don't worry; I'll actually play along this time."

Torren transformed again into Prism. "Alright. So, we just go ahead with the plan?"

Link nodded, and stood. Slowly he walked down the path. "Yeah. We do..." He picked up his pace. "How'd the alicorn know? Actually, never mind. The only way he'd know was if he read minds. He must have read mine and saw you. Only, that alone shouldn't have been enough... Maybe I picked up some info on you and didn't piece it together..."

"Don't be upset, Link; he's likely been around for hundreds of years. He's bound to be smarter than you."

"I have reason to believe he's never been outside these woods. So how could he have known what to look for?"

"Maybe him being here is a sentence being carried out? And that he was outside beforehoof?" Prism guessed.

"Hmm... Maybe... I'll have to think about it..." The two of them walked further and found themselves in the middle of a meadow. Much larger than the one under alicorn care. "This... This is a really big tree..."

"Treant..." The tree spoke with a low voice. "Who disturbs my resting place?"

"Link. From Equestria." He threw up his hands. "Now, I know you're sick, and that's why I'm here. I'll do whatever I can to save you."

"Why fight so hard for me? We've only just met?"

"Be that as it may, Your Eminence, I can't sit by and watch as you wither."

The Great Treant shifted his eyes to look at the boy before him. "You have a brave soul, coming through these woods... Fine." He opened his mouth and revealed a black entryway. "Be warned and wary... the parasites are venomous and vicious alone, and equally fearsome when combining their efforts."

"I'll take my chances." He walked forward, and into the opened maw...

Sha-BAM! Third stone's retrieval is underway! Errybodeh wish him luck!