Twilight Sparkle reacted instantly to the flame wrought shrapnel flying past in the hallway, covering the open door to the bedroom with a tinted bubble and looking back at the other mares. Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash had shielded Rarity and Fluttershy, both cowering at sound of the explosion. She called out to them.

"Is everypony alright?" Applejack stepped up beside Twilight wide-eyed, glancing amongst the others.

"Ah think so sugar cube. All’a them debris just swept straight ‘cross the hall. Now what in Equestria is goin' on?" Twilight opened her mouth to speak when a trio of cloaked ponies appeared across from them on the other side of the shimmering bubble outside the doorway.

"You will lower your shield and submit to us, or we will force you into submission. The choice is yours- the fates do not decree the method in which you join us." Twilight raised an eyebrow.

"The fates? Who are you, and what do you want from us?" One of them responded tonelessly.

"We require your submission. Whether it is willing supplication or not is beyond our knowledge. However, two of your number are in no position to offer resistance, and Rainbow Dash does not seem to be much better off. We would much prefer your cooperation." Rainbow jumped off of Fluttershy and flew right up to the shield, glaring at the concealed speaker.

"Just you try and take us anywhere you jerk. How do you even know who I am?!" Shaking his head, same pony responded.

"Of course I do. We do." He turned his attention to Twilight. "Twilight Sparkle, I suggest that you reel in your attack dog." Twilight's jaw dropped.

"H-how do you know my name?"

"We know everything about you, and your friends. Now, for the last time, our master eagerly awaits your presence. Your shield, if you please." Twilight frowned and reinforced the shield that separated the mares from the cloaked figures.

"If you know who we are, then you know it would be foolish to try and attack us head-on, even if there are only four of us. That's more than enough to deal with three nutcases." She stamped her hoof on the ground, and snorted to accent her point. The cloaked speaker sighed and Twilight could make out a slight frown.

"I was hoping this wouldn’t have been the outcome." He let off a sharp whistle. A moment later the wall behind the mares exploded. A shocked Twilight Sparkle spun on her hooves, throwing up her hooves to shield herself from the debris. Her friends did much the same, Rarity throwing up a smaller shield, though Pinkie had to cover Fluttershy's face with her body, taking a piece of wood lit aflame to her side. A dozen cloaked figures filed through the hole that had been made and quickly and easily detained the mares. Her concentration lost, the shield that Twilight had projected faded away and the three original ponies stepped into the room.

"This way." Twilight's looked incredulous.

"Wh-what? Where are you taking us? What do you want?"

"All will be explained in due time my dear. Just stay calm, and most importantly quiet. The walk won't take long." Twilight shook her head.

"No! You listen here! I am Twilight Sparkle! Chief Student of Princess Celestia and I demaAGGH!" Her protests were cut short as the speaker for the group levitated a chunk of lumber and struck the unicorn on the back of the head. The other mares screamed as her body went limp and she passed out of consciousness.

"Do the rest of you desire to join your friend?" A few muffled squeaks escaped their lips, but for the most part they kept silent. "Good. Now, we should get moving." The speaker walked out the hole the others had made, and followed a path into a forest to the east of the farms. Taking no further risks, the aggressors had used their telekinetic spells to restrain the Elements, including the now passed out form of Twilight. The captive ponies were held helpless in the air, unable to do anything except float along and watch the scenery pass by.

Initially Pinkie Pie had been worried, especially for Fluttershy. Their captors had not stopped to allow them to gather their belongings, and as they left the farm house, they shivered as the cold winter air chilled them. She noted with some relief, however, that not only had the pegasus been allowed to retain the journal she held so dear, wrapped in her hooves as it was, but the weather had also begun to warm.

The further they were carried the more the temperature was rising and the less snow they saw. Looking amongst her friends, she could see similar looks of confusion and apprehension. At one point Applejack muttered something about "Ah knew Ah missed winter wrap up" but she was quickly silenced by a glare from one of the robed figures, who by that point Pinkie had made out to be unicorns, based on their use of magic. The forest thickened, and as the last of the snow disappeared turned into a thick humid jungle. Mentally, the pink pony realized that wherever they were corresponded to the part of Twilight's map that was unmarked. That knowledge alone created an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of her stomach.

Another ten minutes of walking brought the entire procession to the front of a large stone monument. One central boulder was ringed by several smaller ones, all bearing different iconography and images relating to various events in Equestria's past. Pinkie didn't recognize most of them, however she did note the battle between Celestia and Nightmare moon, as well as Luna and Celestia's efforts to seal Discord before that. Another boulder had an unfamiliar figure headed against the other three, Discord, Celestia and Luna. Each smaller boulder was topped with a sconce holding a torch, while the large one had two. The speaker for the group halted in front of said boulder, while each other unicorn stood in front of one of the others.

"Oh Fates Above and Below. Hear our calls to you, and answer. We submit to you these ponies, that they may light your way and bring about your will! Allow us passage, that your servants might beseech your eternal wisdom!" The cloaked figures removed their hoods, and their horns glowed in turn, one after another. A moment later a large archway began to rise out of the ground, revealing a majestic entrance and a marble staircase leading down into the ground. Before proceeding, the speaker addressed the mares.

"While you are welcome in our home, the fates require the knowledge of our facilities to remain concealed from those who are not of our society. Enjoy your nap." Any cries to the contrary were drown out as several spells intended to make a pony fall asleep were cast and the rest of the mares joined Twilight in a deep slumber.

"Spiiike, why can't we see that thing you picked up? It looks like one of Rarity's lipstick tubes. What are you afraid of? That the human likes to look a little pretty?" Sweetie Belle bounded along beside the diminutive dragon, frustrated that he had so far refused to relinquish the shell they had found. Spike smirked at the thought of Nathan dressed up like Rarity, but quickly renewed his focus on the task at hand. He rolled the shotgun shell over and over and shot a sidelong glance at the fillies crowding around him. It had been a couple of days since their adventure into what had been the human’s workspace, and Spike had quickly sent the fillies back home while he decided what to do with the aforementioned shell. He had stashed it in his room, however after constant pestering from the Cutie Mark Crusaders, he felt that the best course of action was to get outside help.

"It is not a tube of lipstick. This is one of those shells he uses for that weapon of his. I don't think it's like the others, and if Twilight knew he had more of them I'm pretty sure she would be upset." Applebloom sighed and shook her head.

"So where're we going Spike? Ah don't think there's anypony else left in town that would know what it is." Spike looked into the night sky deep in thought, though his mild scowl remained.

"True, but I think it would be a good idea to send a letter to the princess. I don't have a chance to reaching Twilight or the others, but the mayor is probably going to want to know, and she can help me with what I should write in the letter. That way when the girls reach Canterlot, and if I'm right, Princess Celestia can warn them." Scootlaoo looked confused.

"Warn them about what?" Spike frowned and looked off towards the castle far off in the distance.

"That Nathan is far more dangerous than they think... and could be planning to kill them all." Applebloom looked shocked.

“What Nathan? Nah, mah older sis and Big Macintosh both say he’s good apples. Ah can’t reckon why you’d think such a thing. You haven’t even explained to us what that weird thing is.” Spike sighed and shook his head.

“That might very well be Applebloom, but none of us really know what he’s capable of doing, and if there’s any risk to the girls then they need to know. As for what this thing is… I don’t know. Not for sure. Not until I talk to somepony that knows better than me, and as I said there’s only so many ponies that might be able to help me, and, right now, none of them are in town.” Scootaloo looked deep in thought, then a small smile crept across her face.

“I know one pony that might be able to tell us what this is. Except she’s not a pony.” Spike shook his head.

“Who?” Applebloom and Sweetie Belle caught on to what Scootaloo was suggesting and the three of them shouted in unison.

“Zecora!” With that, Sweetie Belle grabbed the shell out of Spike’s hand and the three of them ran off towards the Everfree forest.

“H-hey! Come back here with that! You shouldn’t be going into the Everfree alone!”

Applejack awoke from her sleep, her eyes flying wide open and leaping to her hooves. A moment of panicked heavy breathing overtook her, but seeing that the room she was in was devoid of any other ponies, she quickly calmed. She trotted over to the door and attempted to open it but the method of its opening escaped her, no handle or latch to be found.

Taking a moment to take in her surroundings, she allowed her eyes to wander the room she had been placed in. Other than the simple bed that she had slept in, the room was sparsely furnished. It had a couple shelves which currently held a couple books and paper, a desk, and a chair. The whole room was hewn from solid stone, and the only source of light was a pair of sconces near the roof holding torches. The door was constructed of the same stone and appeared to slide to the side rather than swing out like a normal door. A few more futile attempts at pushing it open later and she huffed and gave up in frustration.

Sitting back on the bed, she found herself deep in thought, going over the last few days, not to mention the last few months, over and over again. Rainbow Dash was right, for once. Everything about the last few months had been different, it had been terrible. Applejack had managed to tell herself that whatever anguish or discomfort she had been going through had been worth it- she was supporting her friends and been helping to avert what could have been a major crisis. Who knows what damage that human could have caused? She sighed again, the memories of him working on the farm playing across her conscious.

She had been wrong. She had lied to everypony, including herself, and very nearly missed the opportunity to make a friend that had more than once proven his worth. He wasn't the nicest, or the most polite, but he had been there when they needed him, and Sweet Apple Acres had never looked better. So why had she done it? What had possessed her to commit a deed that was so against her very nature? True, Pinkie Pie had talked her into it, but if she was going to be the Element of Honesty, which she was, Pinkie had merely tipped her over the edge. Twilight practically had her convinced before the party pony had ever come downstairs.

She could be disappointed with her friends, and call them out on their lies and mistreatment of the human, but in the end she had to acknowledge that she, Applejack, Element of Honesty, had lied to and deceived them all. It made her sick to her stomach, and nothing would have felt better than curling into a ball and letting the world pass her by. But…

Applejack’s face tightened, and her eyes narrowed. Ah spent the last two months doing gosh knows what, ain’t been thinking straight an’ proper-like, it’s high time ah buckled down the harness and start pullin’ an Apples weight. Somethin’ warn’t right with mah friends, and it look’t be like there’s only goin’ to be one pony that kin help me.

Rainbow Dash found herself in a similarly shaped room and aimlessly paced around the room, frustrated and restless. Unlike Applejack, their captors had seen fit to give her a roommate, though Pinkie Pie was still asleep. After similar attempts to open her door, which involved her throwing herself shoulder first into it more than once, she had given up and turned to brooding. She scowled and started yelling.

"Hey you stupid unicorns! You come in here and try that again! No pony gets the drop on Rainbow Dash more than once!" Neither hearing nor seeing evidence of the cloaked figures, she walked back to the bed, where Pinkie was stirring awake from her yelling.

"Rainbow Dash? Why are you yelling? This room is so small and it's making my ears all hurty wurty. You need to relax." Dash growled.

"Relax? I can't relax. Not when there are crazy unicorns out there doing who knows what to our friends!" Pinkie frowned.

"I thought you didn't have any friends?" Dash stopped and stared at the pink mare, feeling daggers impale themselves in her heart. She looked around the room aimlessly while trying to come up with a response for Pinkie.

"W-well yeah they're my friends, you are too. Well, I'm your friend, I just don't feel like anypony is being my friend. Y'know?" Pinkie sighed and nodded.

"I do actually Dash. I think I know exactly how you feel." For the second time in as many sentences from Pinkie, Dash found herself nearly speechless.

"Y-you do? Really? Pinkie?" Pinkie slowly nodded.

"I see what they're all going through- Rarity coming to terms with her feelings, Applejack not being entirely honest, Twilight..." Pinkie felt a knot in her throat and took a moment to steady herself. "Twilight doing whatever it is Twilight is doing. It doesn't seem right coming from any of them, and it makes you angry and upset, right?" Dash looked away and grimaced.

"Yeah, I guess that about sums it up. Why are they being like this? These aren't the ponies that I've come to call my best friends." Pinkie sadly dropped her head and frowned.

"I don't know Dash. The more I think about it, the more it seems weird to me. Even that letter from Celestia. It all seems off to me- she would never say those things to Twilight, let alone the rest of us. We really need to think about what's going on around us here." Dash's ears perked up and her eyes narrowed.

"What did you just say Pinkie?"

"That we really need to think?"

"Yeah that..." Dash slowly backed away from Pinkie. "The better question is, what's going on with you?" Pinkie sat back up, confusion etched on her face.

"What Dashie? Nothing's wrong with me." Dash shook her head.

"Uh-huh. Like suddenly Pinkie is this deep thoughtful pony that can see all of her friends being weird and needing to evaluate the situation carefully? When we threw you a surprise birthday party, which I might add you forgot about, you thought we were throwing a party to celebrate us getting rid of you as a friend." It was Pinkie's turn to be speechless.

"W-well I know I acted a bit weird that day Dashie..."

"Weird? You were having a party with a pile of rocks and a bag of sugar..."

"Flour."

"Whatever! Point is who are you, and what have you done with Pinkie? For that matter can you bring back Twilight and Applejack?" Pinkie could feel herself about to cry again.

"D-Dashie, this is me. I'm the same old Pinkie Pie that you've always known, I've just..."

"Just gone nuts, like the rest of them? Do me a favor, leave the thinking to the sane ponies."

"Dashie..."

"Don't call me that. Only Pinkie Pie calls me that, and she's clearly not here. Be quiet and leave me alone." Rainbow Dash trotted back to the door and continued to struggle with it, leaving a sobbing Pinkie on the bed. Pinkie dropped her head and focused on the floor, her mind wandering.

When you told me to be honest with my feelings, you said they would accept me for who I am. These aren't the ponies you told me about, these aren't the friends that you expected me to show myself to. They can't be. Please, Nathan, tell me what I'm suppose to do. We need you. I need you.

Twilight Sparkle was seated at the desk in her room, a collar placed around her neck. Her focus was on perusing one of the books that had been left on the shelf. It was one she hadn't seen before, involving old Equestrian legends and myths from a time before even Starswirl the Bearded up until more recently. Of interest to her was a version of The Mare in the Moon that differed from her own. Rather than the stars aiding her escape, this copy suggested that the fates would decree her release, and it would be so, whether by hoof or by claw. She levitated down a piece of paper and found a half-used inkwell, and began to jot down a few notes.

"This peculiar tome seems to have subtle variations on many folktales and myths that I have encountered or heard as a filly. The main differences tend to stem from the execution or results of many of the legends. Rather than have a defined outcome, they tend to be vague, or simply state that it's going to happen in one way or another, as if written by a pony that knows the future, but has no idea what they're writing about. However, the Mare in the Moon incident happened as stated, so it leaves me wondering what I'm reading. Princess Celestia will likely..." There was a knock at the door and the hair on Twilight's neck stood on end. She stood and stepped in front of the door.

"Yes?" The door slid open and a pair of the cloaked unicorns stood outside the door.

"Twilight Sparkle your presence, as well as those of your companions, has been requested by the master. You are to join him for dinner. A banquet had been prepared for you. Please follow us. So that you are aware, an magic dampening field has been placed on the collar around your neck. Any spell other than limited telekinesis will fail." Twilight had guessed as much after several attempts to loosen the collar had failed, while she could still effortlessly lift a book. She frowned.

"If I refuse?"

"Then we escort you by force." Twilight rubbed the back of her head with a hoof, still sore from where she had been struck the evening before.

"Alright. Let's meet this master of yours. I am confused about one thing though- you said dinner. What time is it? How log was I out for?"

"Nearly twenty-four hours. It's around six in the evening." It wasn't so much as shocking as it was interesting to Twilight. She mentally noted to herself to research the spells that would force her and her friends to sleep for an entire day.

Following her captors into the hallway, she joined with the other mares and they made their through a series of halls and doorways until coming to what could only be described as a grandiose banquet hall. It surprised even her- normally she had only seen a room such as this in Canterlot. That a group of sheltered unicorns could create such a hall out of solid stone was amazing to her.

The hall consisted of enough tables and chairs to seat at least four-hundred ponies by Twilight's estimation, and banners and statues lined the walls, many of them again pertaining to the legends she had read about. At the front of the hall was a larger table perpendicular to the others and at its head sat another robbed unicorn with his hood down. His horn had been cut off at a jagged angle, and the auburn fur that covered his body had receded from his eyes, leaving a skull-ish look. He smiled at the approaching mares and they could see several of his teeth had begun to rot.

"Good evening good mares of Ponyville!" Rainbow Dash flew up in his face.

"Good evening nothing! What's the big idea dragging us down here?! I oughta..." A telekinetic field wrapped itself around the agitated pegasus and forcibly planted her in one of the seats. The smile never left the robed unicorn's face, though Dash caught a glint of what could only be described as malice behind his eyes.

"Now, now my dear Rainbow Dash. I'll explain everything in due time. For now, please, let's not spoil dinner. We've prepared some of our finest dishes this evening. It's not every day that the princess' favorite students come for dinner." Twilight beamed.

"Why thank you! It's an honor." She planted herself in one of the chairs next to their "host" and motioned for the others to sit. Aside from Fluttershy, who was lead by a hoof and gently made to sit by one of the cloaked figures, the others shot Twilight a glare. One by one they too were wrapped in fields and placed on chairs, though their uncomfortable glaring continued, much to Twilight's confusion and dismay.

"What? He knows who we are, so he must know the princess! It's alright girls!" Applejack growled at her.

"Oh yeah? Then why've they got you an' Rarity in those fancy magic stoppin' collars?" Twilight shook her head and began to answer when she was cut off by the apparent leader of the group of unicorns.

"Enough. I can see that waiting to give an explanation until after dinner would be foolish, and force me to suffer your incessant chatter for far longer than the fates require of me, so I'll get right to it. I am Truth Seeker. I have been the Voice of the Cult of the Fates for decades. The title is largely ceremonial- all of us share the responsibility equally." Pinkie cocked her head.

"And what is that responsibility?"

"We deliver the will of the Fates. Magic permeates the world we live in, and if you stop to listen to it long enough, it will reveal all of its secrets. We help the secrets come to fruition." A chill ran through the pink mares body. She was no stranger to the concept of precognition, but something about the atmosphere and the attitude of Truth Seeker unnerved her. For the first time within the previous two days, even Twilight was starting to be nervous.

"I'm sorry... what does any of this have to do with us?" Truth Seeker grinned again.

"One of our oldest prophecies is about to come true, and we seek the one who will bring it to light." Applejack wrinkled her nose and tried to wrap her head around what she was hearing.

"So, lemee get this straight. Yer some kinda cult of magic worshipin' unicorns, and ya think one o' us is gonna usher in some sorta prophecy?" Truth Seeker shook his head.

"Not quite. While we do work tirelessly for the Fate, we don't worship it. It bends to our will. Also, we don't know if one of you is the one we need. We have brought you here to test you." Applejack smiled.

"Aww heck a test? That'll be no problem if we all work together, right girls? If we pass yer little test will we be free to go? What is this prophecy anyways?" The other mares didn't look so confident. Truth Seeker sighed.

"Oh it won't be so simple Applejack. These tests are meant to tax you physically and emotionally, and must be undertaken alone. If one of you is the pony we seek, know that we will do all in our power to support you. Should you fail though, and in the best case scenario only one of you will succeed, this shall be your fate." With a glow of his horn stump, a section of the floor opened up and the mares could look below. They gasped and recoiled in horror.

To their disgust, dozens of ponies milled about below. For all intents and purposes, they were earth ponies, but on closer inspection, they could see vestigial bumps on some of their shoulders and heads marking where horns or wings should be. Most distressing of all, not a single cutie mark could be seen amongst them. They milled about like dumb animals, rolling in filth and eating out of troughs on the walls.

"As I said, the tests are physically and emotionally taxing to the extreme. Failures are left as mindless thralls, and we're forced to remove their horns and wings in order to prevent them from hurting themselves further. They do make excellent beasts of burden however." Dash growled.

"You sick twisted deviant! Those are ponies down there! Like you and me!" Truth Seeker growled back.

"Fool, they are nothing like me! They were weak and powerless against the Fates! I- I mean we- wield it like a knife, carving out the world Equestria is meant to be! Now go, return to your rooms and eat in silence. Prepare yourselves- at least five of you will share their fate." He cast a particularly cruel gaze towards Fluttershy. "I can already tell that one will be joining them. A shame too. So young, so beautiful. Perhaps I'll 'entertain' her first." He reached out with a tendril of telekinetic energy and gently stroked her chin, a slick smile breaking across his face. Rainbow Dash leapt out of her seat.

"I'mma clean ALL of your clocks you arrogant little-urk!" Once again grasped in a field, she found herself being floated away by one of the other cloaked figures. Truth Seeker frowned.

"Bah, she hardly moved when I touched her. She wouldn't be any fun. Escort them all back to their rooms that they may prepare. I'll call for you all in the morning. Be ready." Thinking better of wasting their energy on berating the cult leader, most of the mares allowed themselves to be lead away quietly. Most. The last Truth Seeker heard from them was Rainbow Dash shouting.

"I'm going to buck that look right off your face, mark my words!" Finally left alone, Truth Seeker sighed and shook his head.

"If I had a bit for every time I heard that..."

Luna sat once more in her parapet and filtered through a few documents that she had managed to pry from a confused scribe that had managed to get horribly lost in the castle halls. In reality, she had conjured up walls of darkness and illusions that lead the hapless pony by the nose in circles until he gladly parted with the scrolls he was carrying, desiring only to go lie down.

The documents were largely useless to her, mostly pertaining to kingdom finances and a few reports on the movements of zebra tribes near the border with Equestria proper. One scroll, however, caught her interest. It was report on problems they were having on ES-24. According to what she was reading, every time Celestia's researchers brought a site on-line, another would go down. They were toying with the idea of an alternate power source, one which they claimed was powering the Everfree Forest site, but so far were reluctant to commit due to "possible unforeseen consequences".

Luna pondered what such a power source could be- as far as she could ascertain, the only power source capable of generating the energy necessary for such a site would be magic on the order of what several unicorns could provide. An alternate source with such power was concerning. Her thoughts were interrupted by the appearance of Slatehide. He set himself down near Luna and tipped into a bow.

"Your majesty." Luna waved a hoof at him.

"At ease, Slatehide. Why are you here? I believe my order was to watch over the human." Slatehide averted his eyes and tittered nervously.

"I... I bring terrible tidings Princess Luna. I'm afraid Ypsilon is... dead." Luna narrowed her eyes and inspected her guard carefully.

"What? How?! I sent you specifically to prevent such an event! Slatehide cowered before the lunar princess.

"My apologies your highness! We went as fast as we could, but by the time we arrived it was too late! The generosity element fell off of a cliff and he sacrificed himself to save her! We attempted to help, but an enormous freak blizzard impeded our intervention." Luna looked away from Slatehide, and began to dwell on the ramifications. If the human was dead, her plans against Celestia, as well as against Equestria, would have to be rehashed.

She growled at the thought of her sister. To Luna, Celestia had always been the big sister. They both wielded amazing magical powers, and even the cosmos bowed to their whims, but Celestia was the one that at the end of the day, Luna could take solace in her companionship. Now, every day saw Celestia grow further into a being she didn't even recognize anymore. Or rather, it saw her growth into a being that Luna recognized far too intimately. It made her angry, furious. The closest she could recall Celestia ever being like this was...

"Uh... Princess Luna?" Slatehide took a few timid steps back as a field of energy blacker than pitch began to flow from Luna and snake around the parapet, a few tendrils wrapping themselves around Slatehide's legs. Snapped back to reality by her guard's query, Luna realized what she was doing and the blackness dropped away, leaving the room free of the inky tendrils. She looked down at Slatehide.

"My apologies Slatehide. I forget myself at times."

"I-It's fine your majesty." Luna nodded.

"Where is Stoutheart?" The guard shook his head.

"Currently searching for the human. While we strongly believe him to be dead, his body was never recovered. Shall I return to him and aid in the search?" Luna pondered for a moment and shrugged.

"I currently have no assignment for you, and the knowledge of his fate may bring my sister solace. Report back within two nights with news on the body." Slatehide bowed and took flight.

"I shall do your bidding. By your leave." Luna watched her loyal guard fly off in the direction of the northern foothills. Once he was out of earshot, she attempted to focus back on her papers, but the knowledge of the human's death proved too much of a distraction. She huffed and looked back over Canterlot.

"Damn."

Fluttershy lay on her bed, and continued to roll the journal in her hooves over and over again. Though the others wouldn't have known it, her talk with Rarity, or rather Rarity's talk with her, the night before had gone far in helping her to be able to cope with the death of Nathan. While she wasn't showing any outward signs, on the inside she was a veritable storm of emotions. Her trembling hooves fumbled and the journal fell out of her grasp, bouncing off her nose and flapping open beside her. She reached idly for it a few times, until her eyes came to rest on the page open in front of her. It was an entry Nathan had written on Twilight's friendship reports. It was sarcastic, making fun of a ruler that asked one of her prime students to send her reports on something as inane as friendship, especially with the multitudes of potentially predatorial species residing in Equestria, but taking a moment to actually read between the lines, she could feel a sort of jealousy- a world where friendship reports could genuinely be made. She could feel a knot of emotion catching in her throat, all this time he was so bitter. Unable to contain her misery, she cried out, showing the first outward signs that she was still capable of interacting with the outside world.

“Why?! Y-you said that you could never be happy staying here with me, that you would be trusting me that I would always want you. Well what about my trust in you? What about my need for you? My happiness?” She shakily rose to her hooves and walked over to where Rarity was sound asleep.

“You were so cruel to him. Every day I watched as you would say or do something to undermine his happiness… and mine along with it. He could have stayed with us and been another friend. You saw how he protected us when we needed him. You saw how happy he made me. Why wasn’t that enough for you? Why did you have to wait until it was almost too late to be able to come to terms with that. I… I was so happy. We could have all been so happy. Instead he’s dead, and nothing will be the same again.” She trotted back to her bed and leafed through the journal again.

“It’s alright though… he’s not really dead is he?"

Once again Rarity found herself in the body of a human- to her relief it was back in her first host, surrounded be the sights and smells of the Wilson household. She was in the same house, the same kitchen, however the decor had changed. Decorations covered most of the walls- lights, cut-outs of a little plump human in a red suit, and some sort of green strings of tree branches lined the tops of the cupboards. Her host looked outside, and she could see snow covering the ground, as well as multi-coloured lights along the eaves of the neighboring houses. That's strange. I don't recognize all of the things I'm seeing, but it seems just like Hearth’s Warming Eve. That's promising.

After her last dream, she had feared returning to sleep and encountering another unfortunate episode of human history. She had tried to reason with herself that it was only a nightmare, however no matter how many times she told herself that, she couldn’t shake the uncomfortable feeling that there was more to it than that. In Rarity’s mind, the scenes she saw unfolding in front of her, both in the house of Andrew and Chloe, as well as the basement of that horrible Gregory, were events that had either taken place before, or were taking place as she dreamt of them, and nopony, including herself, could convince her otherwise.

So it was that a great feeling of relief came over her that she was once again partaking in the evening of the little human family she had enjoyed several nights before. The smell of something delicious cooking wafted into the nose of her host, and Rarity could feel her subconscious taste-buds watering for whatever delicious meal it could be that the woman was cooking. On the stove were several pots, and the human she was sharing the experience with went to each pot in turn, stirring or checking on the contents- boiling potatoes, yams, other assorted vegetables. She didn’t recognize the contents of one of the pots, but the brownish liquid had an absolutely divine smell and her host stirred it frequently, adding what she assumed was some sort of thickener.

Turning down the heat, the woman nodded to herself and walked around the corner to where her husband, children, and several other humans were sitting in the living room. A tree- Rarity believed it to be pine or spruce- stood in one corner, lights and decorations hanging off of it. Wrapped gifts of various shapes and sizes could be seen underneath the tree, and the children were eagerly pawing over each one, checking the tag and squealing in delight. Aside from Andrew and Chloe, Rarity could see another child about the same age as Andrew.

“Now now, Andrew and Chloe. You need to wait until after dinner for your presents. Grandma and Grandpa were late getting in on their flight from Toronto, and it’s only fair to them that we eat when they get here. They’re on the way here now- a taxi will be dropping them off. Come help me set the table.” One of the other humans that Rarity didn’t recognize gave a hearty laugh as the children scampered off to the kitchen to collect the cutlery and dishes, the third child following closely behind them.

“Samantha your children are so well behaved. If I tried to get Tommy to wait on his presents until after dinner he’d laugh me right out of town. I am getting pretty hungry though. The turkey going to be ready soon?” Turkey? Oh I think I’m going to be ill again. Well of course their eating meat, I can’t imagine why I thought they would eat anything else for what is obviously an important meal. I have to remember that in their world things are a little different. Even at their nicest, they are still humans. Another woman blushed and nudged the man who had spoken.

“Gene, don’t make a scene. The Wilsons have been so nice to have invited us over for Christmas dinner.” The man laughed.

“Alright, alright. I’m sorry. I’m serious though, you two have done a marvelous job raising those kids. Tommy’s good too, but I think Andrew’s a little more polite.” Rarity’s host smiled.

“This isn’t a contest Gene. Tommy is a wonderful boy, and I’m happy Andrew has made such a good friend. I’m sure the two of them will be friends for a long time to come.” All of the adults in the room smiled and nodded. “Can I get anyone a drink while the kids finish setting the table?” Daniel motioned to his wife and smiled.

“You know how I take mine Samantha.” Gene followed suit.

“I’ll take whatever he’s having.” The other woman in the room looked unsure.

“Well I don’t know. It is Christmas I guess. What are you drinking Sam?”

“I found a new recipe for a peppermint spice martini Carol, perfect for the season. I can make yours with a bit less of the good stuff?” Carol nodded.

“Sure that sounds lovely.” A few moments later, the two couples were sitting around the living room, drinks in hand, reminiscing about holidays and Christmases past. Rarity was enjoying just listening to them talking- happy and content with life. While both men were obviously successful in their careers, they also showed a bit of a mischievous side. She particularly delighted in a story about Daniel and Gene going swimming without any clothes on as youth and having their clothes stolen by some of the other neighborhood kids. Gene was laughing so hard tears were rolling down his cheeks.

“You should have seen the look on Daniel’s face when Officer O’Phearson caught up with us. We were using a pair of cardboard boxes we grabbed from the back of the old appliance shop to run around in. You know what he said to us? ‘You better have sufficient postage for those ‘packages’ or I’ll be forced to return them to sender.’!” Daniel went noticeably red, but was laughing along as well. The children finished setting the table, and had wandered back into the living room by that point. Samantha stood up.

“Well, I’d say the turkey should be about done, and I need to make sure I don’t boil off that gravy. You folks have a seat at the table and I’ll bring everything out.” Daniel stood himself.

“Do you need a hand dear?” Samantha smirked.

“No no, you go have a seat and enjoy the company. It won’t take me long and your parents should be here before long.” Daniel nodded and he, as well as the other couple and the children took their seat around the table. True to Samantha’s words, the children’s grandparents arrived soon after, brining in more gifts and ushering in another round of smiles, hugs and laughter. The children are so excited to for something as simple as their grandparents coming to visit. The gifts are merely and afterthought, or at least so it seems. I wonder how many children are really like this in the human world? I know a few fillies that could learn a thing or two from Andrew and Chloe.

All of the humans sat around the table and enjoyed the huge meal that Mrs. Wilson had cooked for them. Rarity felt queasy again at the idea of carving up a dead cooked turkey, but she eventually got used to the idea, and she had to admit the scents that were tickling her host’s nose were positively delectable. The taste wasn’t anything to write home about, but that gravy. Oh that gravy! There was nothing on the plate that a lavish pool of it didn’t make better. If only she could’ve squeed in delight.

Soon after the dinner and dessert had been finished and cleaned up, the children were indeed allowed to open their gifts. Most of them were simple- clothing and a few small toys- however, every one of them saw a smile light up on the receiving child’s face. The Wilson’s had also had the foresight to purchase a couple of gifts for Tommy, to which Gene and Carol were surprised and glad for. The evening wound down, and the small visiting family said their goodbyes and made their way out the door and to their own home. After a small bit of family bonding with the grandparents, the children and elderly made their way to their own beds, tired and content. It left only Mr. and Mrs. Wilson standing alone in the living room. Samantha walked up to her husband, hands grasped behind her back.

“There’s a bit of mistletoe on the roof dear. Would be a shame to let it go to waste.” Daniel smiled, and pulled his wife in for a passionate kiss. Rarity felt uncomfortable being privy to such an intimate moment, but she reasoned that at least it was only a kiss. Anything more than that, and she would likely faint.

“What waste? I would never waste an opportunity to remind you why you’re the best wife in the whole world.” Samantha blushed and giggled.

“That’s only because I have the best husband in the world.” Daniel nodded and tilted his head towards the stairs.

“You should get yourself up to bed Mrs. Wilson. I think there’s a bit more mistletoe on the roof that needs tending to.” Samantha slowly strode half-way up the stairs, and turned back to look at her husband, mischief playing in her eyes.

“Are you coming, Mr. Wilson?” Daniel muttered something under his breath. “Pardon?” He flashed her a smile and started to follow her up.

“Of course dear.” Rarity was certain her host hadn’t made out what the man had said, but Rarity had heard it clearly.

“She’s so beautiful. My surprise for her is going to be so amazing, it’ll be sure to drive her crazy.” Oh he’s such a gentleman! I wonder what sort of surprise he’s talking about? I do so hope I get to find out.

As the white unicorn slumbered blissfully for the first time in several nights, Rainbow Dash was back in her room trying to figure out how to escape the chamber she had been sealed in. The stone door continued to thwart any of her attempts to slide or break it, and she had long since inspected all of the corners of the room for some sort of weak point or hole she might slide out of. Frustrated, she set herself back down on the floor of the room and started pacing.

“Nopony is going to turn us into mindless beasts. The rest of them might be acting weird and saying some dumb stuff, but that doesn’t mean I’m alright with them becoming- well whatever those freaky things are! I would give anything if that stupid door would just open!” In a final bout of denial, she threw herself at the door, her shoulder forward, as hard as she could. Crashing into it, she fell into a lump in front of it, pain shooting through her entire body. Dash sat on the floor rubbing her shoulder, and glared at the door. “Stupid door!”

To her shock and surprise, the door slid half open. Not enough that a pony could walk through it, and she noted with a pang of regret that she doubted a human would have any chance of slipping through, but with a little grunting and wriggling, and not just a little bit of discomfort in her wings as she pinned them against her body, she managed to squeeze out. Still not believing that the door had opened for her, she took a cautious look around the hallway she was in, and back into the room she had come from. There were no signs of anypony else and she couldn’t deny that she was in fact free from the room that had entrapped her. Not one to look a gift-pony in the mouth, she proceeded to trot down the hall and called out as quietly as she could for her friends. Many other doors lined the passageway, and she assumed they were likely all sealed as hers had been.

“Pinkie? Rarity? Errr…Twilight?” She continued her subdued calls for a while, until she finally heard an answer come from behind one of the doors.

“Rainbow Dash?” She jumped over to the stone slab, easily recognizing the voice that had responded to her.

“Applejack! I’m sure glad to hear your voice! Are you able to get out of your room? Is it still locked?!” She heard a bit of grunting coming from the other side of the door.

“Ah’m trying, but it don’t wanna budge. How’d you git outta there anyways?”

“I don’t know, the door just opened for me. I threw myself up against it a few times, and shot it a dirty look and it just opened.” Applejack sighed.

“Ah’ve been throwing myself at this door, not to mention bucking it for all Ah’m worth, for the last hour. Ah don’t think anything short of a key is going to open it.” Dash nodded, forgetting that there was no way for Applejack to see her body language.

“Alright, I’m going to go look for a key. Stay put- if you hear from the others, tell them to wait here!”

“An here Ah was thinking’ Ah’d head down to Sugar Cube Corner for a cupcake.” Dash giggled.

“Oh shut up. I’ll be back.” Leaving the farmer’s cell behind, Dash began to prowl the hallways in search of some sort of key that would open the door. The only outward evidence there was for such a thing was a glowing circle that seemed to change it’s orientation anytime an object or hoof was brought near it. Dash didn’t know what that sort of key would look like, but she imagined the cultists would likely have one. As she crept along the passageways doing her best to remember how to get back to the cell that housed Applejack, she continued to have an uncomfortable creeping feeling that somepony, or something, was watching her. It started to weigh on her, nearly distracting her to the point where she came up to an intersection and almost walked headfirst into two of the cultists. Ducking back around the corner, she took a steadying breath and watched them walk past. Neither were wearing any robes, or had any possessions of any sort she could see, though by their demeanor and ease at which they walked the stone-wrought halls, it was clear where their loyalties lay.

Shaking off the feeling that nearly saw her back in her cell, she found herself in a new part of the underground complex that the cultists had built for themselves. The narrow claustrophobic hallways gave way to wide sweeping rooms and tunnels, obviously intended for the movement of goods and furniture. Dash noted with mild admiration that they had done a near ingenious job of using the stone to fashion out support columns, alcoves for torches, even small huts along the longer tunnels that seemed to serve as rest stops of sorts. It rivaled even Cloudsdale’s artistry with clouds. She gave a low quiet whistle.

“Rest areas and service tunnels? How big is this place? I’ve gotta find that key and quick.” She renewed her search, taking careful peeks inside every little building and doorway she came to. Many of the rooms were exactly as she would expect- bedrooms, dining halls, and kitchens. Some of them were slightly more confusing to the pegasus. A couple seemed to be near perfect replicas of Zecora’s hut, at least to Dash’s memory, with herbs and spices hanging from the ceiling and jars lining the walls, but then there were rooms that seemed to drip with a strange arcane energy. In one, housing at least seven of the unicorns that Dash could see, they seemed to be deep in meditation, speaking in strange tongues and projecting some sort of crackling energy sphere that would have made even Twilight Sparkle envious. A slight feeling of dread filled her stomach, though as she stepped away from the door it quickly passed.

She finally found herself back in a series of narrower passages with a very similar design as the ones she had originated from. She crept along one wall, and carefully stretched her neck out around the corner, and allowed one eye to view the hallway beyond. A single grisly looking cultist sat in a chair nearly half asleep. On a table in front of the unicorn was a piece of stone floating slowly in the air a few inches above it’s surface, glowing in a way similar to the markings on the cell doors. She scowled and ducked back, concealing herself from the pony’s vision.

“They wouldn’t make it easy would they? He seems a bit tough. Now what would Nathan do…” She had an idea, though she was pretty sure he wouldn’t do things exactly the same way. She stuck her head in the air and slowly trotted past the hallway where the cultist was seated, swaying her hips and giving a smug look. Fanning her wings like a peacock, she gave the suddenly enthralled unicorn a long look and forced a smile onto her face.

“Hey, I uh, seem to have gotten lost. Know how to show a girl where to go? If you know what I mean?” She winked and disappeared from sight just on the other side of the passage. The grisly old unicorn smiled and praised his good luck. It had been months since he had known the comfort of a mare, and the Fates had blessed him with such an athletic looking specimen! If she wanted to have a good time before her inevitable final fate as a mindless thrall, then he was going to give it to her. He loped down the hallway in a state of semi-bliss and turned the corner… just as a pair of hind- hooves shot out and bucked him half-way down the other passage, crumpling him in a heap. Dash trotted over and checked his injuries- she was starting to like the way the human did things, though she wanted to make sure she hadn’t done any permanent damage. To her relief, he seemed fine.

She quickly trotted up to the “key” and grabbed at it with her hoof. To both her astonishment and curiosity, it reacted to her touch and began to lightly float above her head. Several attempts to grab it proved futile, so she shrugged and moved on. Retracing her steps was slightly more taxing than before, and she assumed the early morning hours were giving away to day, as more of the strange robed unicorns were beginning to walk the passageways and tunnels. Nearly running headlong into several groups of them as she walked, she had to constantly remind herself to take it slow and easy. The last thing she needed was to be caught hours before they were to partake in the “tests” that would likely result in their… well for a free roaming spirit like Dash, she considered it worse than death.

Passing by the room where the cultists had earlier been performing some sort of ritual, she paused for a moment. She knew that time was of the essence, and that every minute she delayed was a minute less they had to escape the bowels of the cultist’s lair, but something about the room and the ritual they were performing drew her in. She looked longingly down the hallway towards the holding cells where her friends were kept. Every muscle in her body screamed at her to keep moving, but to their frustration, and subconsciously hers, she was unable to move on without taking one last look at the robed unicorns.

The sphere of energy hovering in the air between the meditating cultists was now smooth and uniform, with wisps of several colours swirling about beneath the surface. One of the unicorns gently pressed his horn up against the orb and began to speak, his words barely above a whisper.

“Fates below and above, your humble servants beseech you. We have gathered this day to divine the secrets of the worlds, those which have come to pass, those currently passing, and those that have yet to pass. We have naught to offer you but our unwavering devotion to the truth, and the fate you have determined for Equestria. If we are worthy, bequeath to us the knowledge we desire.” Dash had to mentally remind herself that being discovered would be something really, really bad, and that laughing would almost certainly lead to that. However, it was becoming difficult for the pegasus to keep a straight face… until the orb of energy responded.

“You have spoken well and true, and your heart bares testimony to the honesty of your words. The secrets of the fates are not easily obtained.. The years of study and belief required alone are surely signs of such, and I accept your offerings. What is it that you desire to know?” Rainbow Dash’s jaw dropped, and if it could disconnect from the rest of her face it would have. Her attention was drawn back to the speaker for the group of cultists.

“Oh Fates, we are about to put six ponies we have waylaid through the time honored test to discover which of them may be the one we seek. Truth Seeker believes the time of our oldest prophecy is at hand, and the search eagerly continues.” The orb was still for a moment and when it spoke again the words rumbled out slowly.

“You wish me to go against your traditions and tell you outright which of the ponies might be responsible?” The speaker shook his head.

“No, great Fates. We would not be so callous to ask such a thing. We merely wish to know if there is anything else we should know of these mares. One of them is the student of Princess Celestia herself, and there is concern that they could be troublesome.” The orb glowed several different colours, and then subsided back to the pale blue that it had been most of the time.

“A wise quandary. I shall reveal to you what you must know, but none more." There was a brief pause and several colours rolled over the surface of the orb. A few moments later, the deep voice returned.

"A thousand years gone past, long left the rain of chocolate from the skies. By light, and dusk and colours all, the one of deceit was cast aside. As sure as spring calls to helm flowers and life, so too must come release from solidity.

Once, twice, and thrice be done.

Elements, pure of heart and sound of mind, the lick of the claw threads amongst their souls. Ties without blood, closer than any kin. One has concealed their motives, unable to recognize truth. Another oblivious, foreign to all but the call of knowledge. Yet one more slumbers in visions of madness and fire, five fingered cruelty. For love immortal another one toils, in care for one’s ward. Time is fleeting, and the tides of fate bode ill for all. Only a rainbow of truth can strike deep at the heart of the matter, erasing the pains of the past.

Only once the prophecy is fulfilled may they be one again. Echoes of the chosen can be felt, but amongst them they are not."

The gravely voice faded away and the orb winked out of existence as the last words were said. The group of cultists stood straight again and looked amongst themselves. The speaker for the group nodded and quietly addressed the group.

“So the Fates have spoken. We must meditate on this brothers and sisters, and divine its meaning.” They started towards the door and Dash’s eyes went wide, ducking away. She quickly scampered down the hall as fast as her wings and feet would carry her. As soon as she was far enough away that she felt comfortable resting, she stopped and took a breather. She had never felt more sick to her stomach.

Only a rainbow of truth.

Rainbow Dash leaned against the wall, dry heaving, trying to expel whatever she'd eaten earlier. She had to get to Applejack. Moving as rapidly as her hooves could carry her, and she dared to progress with the cultists about, she quickly found herself back in the cell block that held the farmer.

“Applejack? APPLEJACK!!” She had tried to not sound panicked, but her words still came out more worried than she would have liked.

“Ah’m still here Dash. Wouldn’t you know it, they were outta cupcakes.” Dash wasn’t having any of the farmer’s humour.

“Shut up. Seriously this is bad. I need help.” Applejack laughed.

“In case you were confused or something’, Ah’m the one trapped behind the door here.” Dash moved closer to the door and tried maneuvering the key towards the glowing symbol on it. To her relief, it floated over of its own accord, having somehow sensed the intentions of it’s current owner, and the door slid open, revealing a similarly relieved Applejack. “Thanks Rainbow. Ah was worried we might all get our brains replaced with apples.”

“We might yet. Look, we need to talk, and then find the others and get out of here, quickly.” Applejack nodded.

“Of course we gotta get outta here, but why do you wanna talk? Shouldn’t we just grab the others and…”

“No!” Dash’s outburst caught Applejack off-guard and she narrowed her eyes, regarding the pegasus carefully.

“Ah’m sorry?” Dash scrambled to come up with an explanation that wouldn’t make her sound completely insane, and failing that, gave an explanation that only made her sound slightly insane.

“Look, while I was looking for the key, I saw some of those freaky cultists doing some crazy ritual. I didn’t think much of it but when I was on the way back I heard them talking. We’re not the ones that Truth Seeker is looking for. We’re all going to end up like those ponies we saw down below!” Applejack rolled her eyes.

“Well Ah could’ve told you that. Buncha loons.” Dash’s concerned look didn’t fade.

“Well yeah, but that’s not all they said. They also had a vision about us, and it said something about me needing to get to the heart of the matter!” Applejack sighed.

“Now Dash, Ah don’t know if Ah’d put any stake in something some…”

“You lying is totally normal and something you would do?”

“No…”

“Twilight being a heartless and only caring about the princess above anypony else and her research?”

“Well now that you mention it… alright fine. Let’s say Ah believe you. Why you? What so special about you that you‘re the one that needs to figure it all out? Don‘t get me wrong, Ah‘m not trying to be insulting… but you ain‘t the most smartest pony.” Dash shook her head.

“I don‘t know. We need to get the others and get to the bottom of this nonsense. Do you know where their cells are?” Applejack tipped her head over her shoulder.

“Ah think Rarity and Fluttershy are down that way, but Ah’m not sure where the others are. Ah thought they were keeping Pinkie with you?” Dash stopped and thought for a moment.

“Huh, I didn’t even think about it until now. I wonder why they separated us?”

“Ah don’t know, but it can’t be for any good reason. C’mon, let’s find ‘em before anything else goes wrong.” The pegasus nodded to Applejack and they barreled down the hallway towards the cells that they hoped housed Rarity and Fluttershy. “And Dash?”

“Yeah?”

“For what it’s worth, Ah’m sorry Ah lied..” For once, Dash didn’t have a response.

“Awaken, Twilight Sparkle and Pinkamina Diane Pie. I desire to speak with you.” Twilight arose from her sleep, groggy and under-rested. By her estimation, she could have only gotten around six hours of sleep. Beside her, Pinkie was similarly awakening, heavy bags hanging from her eyes. If Twilight was tired, Pinkie had to be positively exhausted. They looked towards the door as a single figure strode through, an air of haughtiness surrounding him.

Truth Seeker.

Pinkie was the first to respond to his entry.

“What do you want from us? Isn’t it enough that you’re going to tear out friendship apart in the name of some cruel test that you claim is ordained by some ‘Fate’?” Truth shook his head and smirked at the pink pony.

“Oh Pinkamina, if you only knew the true power of the Fates. Don’t misunderstand, I care not what happens to you or Twilight in the end. If it is the will of the Fates that you become a mindless servant, then so be it. I however, have felt in both of you a power that I rarely see in ponies. Twilight, being a unicorn naturally, and one of the chief student of Princess Celestia, has magical abilities far beyond what a normal pony might hope to wield. I find myself envious of her powers. If I could command even half of her raw natural talent, there is no telling what we might achieve.

“Pinkamina, much to my utter confusion and lack of understanding, you yourself seem to be some sort of raw outlet for the Fates. Normally, as an earth pony, I wouldn’t think twice about sending you to the depths of my hall. After all, you are physically stronger than any pegasus or unicorn. However, your latent natural ability leaves me in a unique position. Normally, it takes years of practice and hours of intense meditation in order to reveal a minor vision, let alone a prophecy. I believe you yourselves of course, have seen our cult’s work. The Mare in the Moon?” Twilight’s ears perked up and shrank back slightly from the unicorn.

“I’m familiar with the legend…” Truth Seeker laughed.

“Of course you are! There isn’t a pony in Equestria that doesn’t know how you and your fellow Elements of Harmony channeled the ancient magical devices of the same name and released Princess Luna from her entrapment within the spirit of Nightmare Moon.” Twilight shook her head.

“No, Princess Luna was Nightmare Moon. She just took the personae when she went against Princess Celestia and the rest of Equestria. There wasn’t really any Nightmare Moon.” Truth Seeker laughed again.

“Oh my dear Twilight, how very wrong you are. I take it your precious princess hasn’t explained to you the origins of her kind? Her, Luna. Chrysalis… Discord?” Twilight blanched at the name, confusion etched on her face.

“What does Discord have to do with Celestia? She told me enough- he made Equestria miserable for ponies, toying with their lives and causing all sorts of unnatural disasters around the country. Celestia and Luna sealed him away, and then we did the same only last years. And you‘re wrong- Nightmare Moon doesn‘t really exist. All of my research on the subject has never turned up any mention of her other than Luna.” Truth Seeker smiled.

“You will believe what you believe. Discord most definitely did the things you speak of, but I wonder if that’s all he ever did? Where he came from? Who he truly is? I’m sure that you especially, Twilight, as a seeker of knowledge would be most interested in learning such things.” Twilight shook her head.

“I don’t know that it matters. Fact is, he was evil. Get to the point- why are you here other than to test us?” Pinkie jumped out of the bed and bumped up against the lavender mare.

“Anything he’s offering isn’t worth the price Twilight. For all of our misunderstandings, for all that we’ve said to one another in the last few days, if our friendship stands for anything you will turn away.” A field of static energy encapsulated the pink mare and suspended her above the floor, blocking out any and all sound that might be coming from her mouth.

“Obviously our overzealous little earth pony has made her decision before hearing my offer. Such a shame. Don’t make the same mistake Twilight. I offer you a position by my side- together we could lead the cult to heights it has never seen before. Do you understand what I am offering you? I have lead these unicorns for decades, been privy to only a few of Equestria’s greatest secrets, and yet the amount of knowledge I have learned could fill entire libraries. I’m getting older, I need somepony who can take up the reigns from me so to speak. Let me pass on the knowledge I have acquired and help you to discover more. More than being a student of the princess could ever offer you.”

“So… If I agree, what are the terms?” Truth smiled. While no sound could be heard coming from the bubble of energy that suspended Pinkie, it was clear that she could hear everything that was being discussed below her, and she was screaming for all she was worth.

“I’m glad you’re interested. The terms are quite simple- you will stand by me as we test your friends one by one. They will all undoubtedly fail, but that was going to happen whether or not you acquiesced to my request. All I ask is that you stand with me, rather than them. Simple, no?” Twilight looked up at the pained expression on Pinkie’s face, and back at the cult leader in front of her. She looked deep in thought, and slowly answered.

“While I find it hard to believe that you could know more than the princess, I have seen enough in your books and pictograms to indicate there is some truth to your word. Not only that, but some of the knowledge you have I wouldn‘t have even though to research, and that‘s intriguing to me.…” She looked back up at Pinkie who’s expression had turned to horror. “… and I don’t see any way to save my friends.”

“Then you accept?”

“I…” Just as she was about to answer there was a knock at the door. Truth Seeker scowled and turned his head.

“I left explicit instructions to not be disturbed! What ever could be so important that you need to interrupt me?” The door slid open and a whirling rainbow blur flew in rear-hooves first and kicked Truth in the jaw, sending him spiraling against the far wall. The bubble holding Pinkie broke and she fell unceremoniously on top of Twilight. Applejack, Rarity and a now moving on her own Fluttershy brought up the rear. Rainbow Dash smirked, and called over to the heaving unconscious form of the cult leader.

“I was just trying to warn you that there’s been a break out, but I think we got here too late. I told you I‘d kick that smug look off your face.” She turned her attention to Twilight and Pinkie. “Hurry up, we have to get out of here. We raised some sort of alarm when we released Rarity and Fluttershy, and the cloak freaks are crawling all over the place.” Rarity trotted forward and helped Pinkie to her feet.

“Indeed. While we were being placed in our cell I overheard one of those fashion victim unicorns talking and I think I know the way out. I don’t think it will be easy however.” Twilight nodded.

“Alright, let’s get out of here then. Celestia will be waiting for us back in Canterlot and I have a lot to talk with her about.” Pinkie looked at Twilight and nearly went ballistic.

“Canterlot? Celestia? Why don’t you explain to everypony else about the conversation you were having with our friend in the corner there.” She pointed a hoof over at Truth. Twilight shook her head and frowned.

“I was merely stalling for time Pinkie. I knew the others would come for us soon. We just had to hold out. Now we’re together and everything is good.” Pinkie snorted and turned her back and walked out the room.

“Sure Twilight. Whatever you say.” Dash looked between Twilight and Pinkie confused.

“There something we need to talk about?” Pinkie shook her head.

“No. We should go. Quickly, before anypony else offers Twilight a deal that she couldn’t possibly refuse.” Rainbow still looked confused, but she slowly nodded her head and started to follow the pink earth pony.

“Alright then. Rarity?” Rarity nodded to Dash and walked over to Twilight.

“Darling, let me get that hideous collar off of your neck.” Free of her own collar, it was a simple matter to remove the one that had been placed on Twilight’s neck. She gave a little smirk and wrapped it around Truth Seeker’s neck. “He’s going to be ever so cross when he awakens and finds he can’t cast the simplest of spells.” With a wink and a nod, she took point and started to skulk about the passageways in the direction that she had ascertained from the conversation she had heard. At the rear Fluttershy and Applejack were quietly having a conversation.

“So uh… ya seem to be doing a mite bit better.” Fluttershy lowered her head and nodded slightly.

“W-well I’m still very upset, but Nathan’s still with us, and I’m sure that everything is going to be alright.” Applejack raised an eyebrow.

“He is?” Fluttershy nodded and tilted her head towards her back. Between her wings was pinned the journal.

“Mmm-hmm. He talks to me. Through that. All I need to do is read the pages and it’s like he’s right beside us helping us along.” The orange earth pony gave a weak, pained look towards Fluttershy.

“Uh-huh… you realize that’s just a…” She was cut off by several ponies shushing them from the front. Rarity looked cross.

“Do you want us to get caught again? I for one would like nothing more than to be free of this wretched place. Caves and tunnels are no place for a lady.” Dash growled and shook her head, remembering the episode with the manticores a few days before.

“I thought you said a lady doesn’t sneak?” The white unicorn cuffed her on the back of the head.

“Shhh! A lady does what a lady must. Now, shall we move on?” The others nodded in agreement and carefully made their way through the winding passages, doing their best to avoid any and all cultists. A few times a panicked group of them ran past, completely oblivious to the hallways to their sides, calling out to other groups. It was becoming increasingly clear to the mares that their escape from the subterranean lair was going to be much more difficult then they had assumed. Rarity scanned the next hallway and held up a hoof for them to stop. She carefully walked around the corner, and soon came back shaking her head. Twilight trotted up beside her.

“What’s going on Rarity? Why did we stop?” Rarity frowned.

“The next room over is directly in our path towards the exit. Unfortunately it seems to be full of those robed maniacs making plans to find us.” Twilight nodded.

“They make any mention of Truth Seeker that you can hear?”

“No, so far they’re more concerned with finding us. They’re apparently quite afraid of what our gracious host will do if they don’t find us before he does.” Dash shook her head and grunted.

“How many of them are there?” Rarity mentally calculated before answering.

“Oh, around eight or so. With only two ways out of that room, I assume at least half will be coming this way shortly. Why? What are you thinking?” Dash looked amongst her “friends” and made a split decision. She growled at the white unicorn again.

“Well, when dealing with a crazy out of control situation you know nothing about, I’ve learned from a true friend the best way to handle it.” Twilight smiled and walked up to her.

“Aww Dash that’s so kind of you to say. Careful planning and negotiation is the key to handling new situations.” Dash shoved Twilight away and had to hold herself back from spitting on the unicorn.

“Are you kidding? Buck that. I’m talking about Nathan. Like I said, a true friend.” Applejack groaned.

“That think what Ah think it means?” Dash sighed.

“I don‘t see any other way, if we‘re going to get out of here...” Dash wheeled around the corner and planted herself hoof-first into the first cultists’ face to the shock and dismay of the rest of the mares. Applejack looked at the rest of the stunned mares and frowned, before trotting into the room herself and bucking the first cultist she saw.