"Where... are we?" asked Shining as he gazed about the ruins. "This was not where we entered the Underworld. I mean, there are trees outside. Trees! Dear Celestia, it's been months since I've seen a tree. And grass. I must be in heaven."

Smacking him across the back of his head with a wing, Cadence trotted past. "We saw an oasis just hours before entering the cave so it wasn't that long ago. But yes, I agree, being out of that sweltering sun is rather nice." Humming a soft tune, she examined their surroundings. "Since Tartarus is everywhere, I'm guessing Gaia set us down here on purpose. I think we're back in the Everfree Forest actually..."

A sickly groan echoed through the silence.

There was no need for talking or for communications of any kind. Shining Armor knew Cadence would rush off towards the sound without a second thought to her safety and considering this was a ruin, it was entirely likely that whoever had destroyed the area was still around. It was times like these that reminded him of why he loved and hated that mare sometimes. Apart from trying to keep up with Cadence and sending out his magical senses looking for other ponies though, there was little else he could do to actively protect her.

This time, the injured pony coughed and if anything, Cadence seemed to pick up the pace, pulling away from Shining as she raced off ahead by her lonesome. With a frustrated growl, he had no choice, but to drop the magic he was casting and focus solely on the alicorn. With all the rubble everywhere, it was impossible to keep multiple spells on standby and not trip.

"Shit!" Shining's eyes widened at the sound of her swearing – whatever it was, it was serious. "It's the Element of Loyalty! She's seriously hurt."

Swearing under my breath, he turned the corner and skidded to a stop by the puddle of blood. Unlike Cadence, he didn't know how much blood a pony had in their body, but he had been in enough fights to know that the cyan mare had lost too much blood. The couple exchanged a single look and both knew what they had to do.

"You've got ten minutes," she said.

Shining Armor nodded. Ten minutes to find the right herbs and plants. Ten minutes to mix them together into a semi-decent anesthetic. Ten minutes to find somebody who knew what blood type the cyan mare was so that they didn't royally screw up. Even then though, it was unlikely she would survive. After all, ponies have died from lesser injuries in the past. And if that pony died? It'd be years before they'd find the replacement. In other words?

He had ten minutes to save Equestria.

"Knight Commander Twilight Sparkle," I whispered into the darkness. It rolled off my tongue so exquisitely like fine wine and just hearing those words sent a shiver down my spine – I was so close to my goal I could practically taste it. "Knight Commander of Nightmare Moon's army, answerable only to her..."

A giggle escaped as I walked down the damp, dark corridor. Each step echoed off the stonewalls as my metallic hoof struck the ground. It was still awkward to use and every so often, I'd stuff up, but overall I could walk. I'd probably never be able to run or jump, but I could walk and that was far more than I expected.

"What do you think?" I asked Phantom Celestia. "It has a nice ring to it don't you think?"

Before she could reply though, Nightwish interrupted, "I wish you'd stop doing that. It's seriously creepy."

Rolling my eyes, I fixed him with a flat look. "Insanity is not as bad as everypony makes it out to be. Insanity means the ability to think outside the box, to do things no other pony would dare attempt. In fact, I'd go so far as to say without insanity, progression in the arts and sciences would have been impossible."

"Of course," he muttered. "I still don't see why I had to accompany you here."

"Huh?" I titled my head to the side. "Well fancy that, I don't remember. Oh! That's right, I just wanted to show you where the Elements were kept so that you can tell Foxtrot who can inform the Dawn Brigade – if they still exist at all – so that they can come and rescue them in seven days time. Anyways, bye-bye!"

Opening a portal beneath his feet, he dropped through with a startled yelp. I couldn't help, but grin. There was something so addicting about using my magic now that it was fully unlocked – just all that energy coursing through me wanting to be released was like pure ecstasy. I spent the entirety of last night just playing with it, touching it again and again with loving caresses. How could I have given this up? I was so young and foalish! This was true power.

When I had mind read Nightwish, I had gained a wealth of information about my friends and their troubles. I had hoped they'd be powerful enough by now that I could free them, portal to Rainbow Dash then go straight to Nightmare Moon and blast her, but currently that was an impossibility. We'd be slaughtered and I still hadn't figured out where Celestia was.

Once my nerves had calmed down enough, I opened the metal door before me and stepped through. There chained on the wall before me were my old friends, each one looking worse for wear, but not too badly damaged. There was Applejack with clouded eyes and a half torn off ear. From what I gleamed she would be an issue, a weak link in the Elements, but I had seven days to fix that. Then there was Rarity looking as pretty as ever while lost in thought. As far as I was concerned, she was on the right track and didn't really need any sort of push. Pinkie Pie was totally silent, but eyes wide with shock and every so often she'd look off to the side and wince – was she fighting with somepony? Of course, the whole Pinkamina fiasco. Definitely a weak link then. Off to the side was Trixie, eye patch covering her right eye as she tried to set me on fire with her glare. She was inconsequential in the grand scheme of things. When the time came, I'd be taking my Element back. Last, but not least was Fluttershy hiding behind a lock of pink mane. Truth be told, I had no clue what to make of her, but seven days were more than enough.

A sharp buck slammed the door shut and all eyes were suddenly on me.

"Hello!" I said cheerily. "So how's life been?"

"Sugarcube, what happened?" asked Applejack, her gaze still lingering on my metallic leg.

"Oh this?" I raised it with my telekinesis to give them a little wave. "You know, stuff happens and life is unpredictable and blah, blah, blah. Doesn't it just look fabulous on me Rarity? It matches my eyes so well wouldn't you say? Really makes them sparkle if I do say so myself."

"Um... well... yes... I suppose so dear," chuckled Rarity nervously.

"Come on, no need to act so cautious around me. It's not as though I'm insane or anything like that." I turned to Celestia. "Right?"

"Of course not my most faithful student. You are the picture of sanity itself."

"Ha! See? Any who, I'm here to announce you'll all be executed in seven days time. Don't worry; she'll just chop off your heads just like that so you won't feel a thing at all," I said before grinning at Fluttershy and adding, "It'd be the kind thing to do after all. Isn't that right Fluttershy?"

"Um..." The yellow pegasus looked off the side, completely avoid my gaze.

"Oh geez. This is pathetic. You're all pathetic. I mean seriously, really, one hundred percent pathetic. I surprised Nightmare Moon took as long as she did to stomp you all flat considering how weak you all are. I thought you'd have done it in... How did it go again? Ah yes, ten seconds flat." My gaze snapped to Trixie. "Especially you. Element of Magic? Please. That gryphon seer of yours is vastly more powerful. You're weak and pathetic and worthless.

"You know something? You're right." Instead of deflating though, each word seemed to make her grow larger. The fire in her eyes was back. "Trixie is weak and she can't defeat you in a fight. But she doesn't have to. She has ponies who will stand by her no matter what, who will help her and give her strength."

"Because friendship is magic," added Applejack.

There was a poignant pause as I let them get a sense of their own deluded self worth before bursting out laughing. "Don't make me laugh. Friends? You lot?" I doubled over, giggling like mad then suddenly teleporting over to Applejack and caressing her cheek. "You mean Applejack, who you're all afraid to look in the eyes. How you all avoid her and answer vaguely? Oh dear me, I thought friends were meant to talk to each other when they're put in awkward situations. Not to mention confusing truth and honesty. I mean, seriously? You stupid country hic, truth and honesty are two different things!"

Before anypony could say anything, I cast an illusion of myself and teleported over to Pinkie. "And then there's Pinkie Pie. Tell me my excitable little friend, how's your other half doing?" Her eyes widened at my questions. "Is she having fun yet?"

"How did you-"

"How did I know? I looked. Anypony with eyes can see it you know." A little mad giggle escaped. "Well, apparently not your friends of course. Then again, it's not like I blame them. After all, they need you and if you were to work things out you wouldn't be able to fight would you? Such friendship! Maybe you should come to your enemies for help instead?"

"Stop it!" yelled Fluttershy. "Stop hurting my-"

"Friends?" I was suddenly by her side, with my illusionary clone on the other side as we caressed her cheek. "Tell me my dear, sweet Fluttershy; would friends have noticed your little problem? I'm beginning to wonder if I should call you Fluttershy at all. Tell me, when was the last time you weren't in your disguise willingly? A month? Three? I thought friendship was meant to give you power and what was it? Ah, that's right, "Help you, and give you strength". I'd have thought you wouldn't need it if you were strong. With true friends, you wouldn't ne-"

"That is quite enough! I can tolerate you mocking Trixie, but you do not mock Fluttershy!" Rarity was practically fuming at the sight of a quivering Fluttershy.

"Oh Rarity darling, I was just getting to you." Skipping over to her, I dispelled the clone and conjured up a dress. "Have you found beauty in war yet? It's there you know, torture and killing is an art form. From the look of things I'd say yes and that scares you doesn't it? Don't worry, be happy! Reveal in it, enjoy it, bask in it. After all, it is your cutie mark. I wonder if any of your so-called friends have noticed your lack of sleep or your diet. Heh, some friends they are am I right?"

I finally turned my attention back to Applejack and Trixie. "Friends? Don't make me laugh. I don't see friends here. I see comrades in arms, but definitely not friends. Friends talk to each other, friends ask each for help. Friends are loyal, honest, kind, generous and a joy to be around. That's what makes friendship so magical. None of you are friends."

With a disgusted snort, I turned my back to them. "I'll be back in an hour to torture one of you for information. I'm not sadistic or cruel, so I'll let you pick who gets to go first. Who knows, maybe out of friendship, one of you will offer yourself to go first."

"I'll go first." All eyes turned to Rarity. "After all, it's not the first time I've been tortured."

"Less reason for ya to go then sugarcube," remarked Applejack. "Ah'll go first."

"You most certainly will not." If it weren't for the chains, Rarity would have stomped the ground. "You are the Element of Honesty; you are physically unable to tell lies. All she would need was one second with you and she'd have all the information she could ever want."

Was this friendship? Trixie gazed at the two bickering mares as they argued back and forth, completely oblivious to the rest of them. Were friends meant to argue with each other over who gets to face Tartarus first? In fact, there was doubt over whether they were friends at all. They were companions, there was no doubt about that, but friends seemed like one-step too far.

Friends...

For as long as she had lived, she had never had friends for friendship was a foreign concept when living on the streets. It was a state of nature, a state of war – a state of all against all where only the strongest survive. To share food was stupidity for the next meal was always an uncertainty. To share shelter was stupidity for there was nothing stopping the other from taking it away. Breaking the law meant a night in some place warm, some place with a roof and free food. Breaking the law was something many resorted to. Yes, there was no doubt in her mind that friendship was impossible. That she most certainly was not friends with this herd of foals.

And yet, didn't Rainbow Dash come back for her? Didn't that insane pegasus rush into the middle of battle to take Twilight on in a one to one battle despite being woefully outclassed? Who would do that if not for friends? By all accounts, that was friendship. Right?

Perhaps the most important question though, was did she want to be friends with them? Would she extend that first hoof?

"Um... Applejack, if I may add something," whispered Fluttershy, "I think Rarity is right and that, um, sending you first would be a really bad idea. And... well... I agree with Rarity and that you should go last if possible, not that I don't think you couldn't handle the torture, just that... um... so we won't spill everything immedi-"

"Shut up!" Everypony stared at Pinkie as she yelled at the thin air beside her. "Just shut up! Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up!"

Ten seconds later, the party pony finally seemed to notice that she was the center of attention and her ears flattened back against her head. "I said that out loud didn't I?"

"Pinkie? You alright?" asked Fluttershy with those eyes of hers.

"I'm fine!" Her head immediately snapped to the side and something akin to a growl could be heard.

"Lie," snarled Applejack. "Tell me the truth."

The two were locked in an intense staring contest. With each passing second, Pinkie began shaking more and more and she seemed to sink into herself, as a cold sweat broke out. Though her magic was suppressed, Trixie could feel the magic radiating off Applejack in waves as she bent her will onto Pinkie. Just being the same room as the farmer sent chills through Trixie's body and though she was sure, she was just imagining it, the she could swear magic was crackling through the air.

"Applejack! What are you doing?" exclaimed Rarity. "Stop that at once you brute."

But her words had not effect. The staring continued and it almost seemed as though the color was being leeched out of Applejack fur. Then ever so slightly, as though fighting against herself, Applejack's head began moving to the left. Every so often, her head would snap back to Pinkie to look her in the eye, but with every attempt her head managed to turn a little bit further to the side until she was looking at the pink mare through the corner of her eye. And then she spoke in a strangled voice.

"Help... me..."

A metal pole suddenly found itself half embedded in the wall beside Applejack, cutting the eye contact between the two friends. Following its trajectory, the group found their eyes resting upon Twilight as she gazed at Applejack with a curious expression. In the absolute stillness of the room, she trotted forward and ripped the pole free before throwing it behind her.

"Well now, that was most certainly interesting." Tilting Applejack's head to the side, Twilight gazed into her green eyes. "You can't control it can you? How very interesting. What I want to know is, have you come to a decision about who goes first?"

"We have," said Trixie before anypony could speak. "I'm going first."

"Is that so?" Letting go of Applejack's head, Twilight unhooked Trixie from the wall and dragged her out the door. "Let's go then. I'm hoping to get through all of you today."

Friends. This is what friends would do. Even as the door closed behind them, cutting off her vision of Rarity and the rest of them, Trixie knew that they knew why she had done what she'd done. They weren't just fighting for Equestria or for Celestia; they were fighting for friendship and harmony. If she was to die in seven days, she wanted to be able to face her mother and proudly say she had made friends.

Friends worth dying for.

There had been one hundred and seventeen ponies as well as thirty-six gryphons. "Had" being the operative word there. Now? Gilda wasn't certain, it took all her concentration to keep moving one claw before the other in some semblance of a run. Behind her, another pony collapsed. Whether it was from exhaustion or from injuries she didn't know, but Gilda hoped the other groups had better luck.

Behind her, the hollow howl of the Canis Minor sent a shiver down her spine. They had been following silently ever since the assault on the base, taking out ponies that dropped behind and slipping in for quick hits before melting away again. The first time Gilda had ordered a stop to set up camp, they struck with such ferocity; half the perimeter guards were killed before they knew what had happened. It was a good thing there weren't enough to have surrounded her group; otherwise none of them would have survived that blunder.

The pony beside her hit the ground. His entire left side soaked with blood and there were deep gouges on his flank – it was amazing he held on as long as he did. Looking behind her, it was obvious those that were left were running on empty. She didn't have a plan; she knew that under an attack they were meant to meet at the Everfree Ranges, but where they even going in the right direction? All she knew was that the broken base lay behind them and she was getting the fuck away from that place.

But this was stupid.

They stumble on through the forest, slowly getting picked off with no hope of rescue. She wasn't some lame prey just waiting to be picked off. She was a gryphon. A predator. If she was going to go down, she was going to fucking take as many enemies with her as possible. She was going to die in the field of battle, with blood on her claws and break ripping into flesh.

And so, Gilda stopped in the middle of the forest and all those behind her looked up at her expectantly. A speech... That's what they were all looking for – some sort of awe inspiring, clichéd speech that'd get them all pumped up and leave them to some sort of last minute victory. Gilda hated speeches.

"Here's the deal dweebs," Gilda began, "we're screwed. So, I'm going to stand here and beat the shit out of anything that comes this way. Those who want to stay can stay. Those who want to leave, you better fucking make use of the extra time, or I swear I'll be waiting in Tartarus to kick all you lame-o's into next week. Got that? Dismissed."

None of them moved. And then, as one, they formed a defensive formation with the unicorns on the inside.

"Maybe ponies aren't so lame after all," remarked Gilda softly as the enemies came into view. "If any of you rack up a higher kill count than me, I'll buy you a round of drinks."

They were surrounded on all sides, over three dozen Canis Minors growled in unison as they began circling. This would be a massacre, but Gilda didn't care. The smart thing to do would be to keep the line and wait, but Gilda hated waiting and defense just wasn't her style.

Lunging forward, her spear snaked out, slashing one across the shoulder. Coming to a stop, she used her speed to pivot on her front leg. Spear raised, it found itself lodged between rows of sharp teeth, and falling back, Gilda planted a foot in the wolf's stomach and threw it backwards into a tree. Still in a crouch, she swept her spear low and as soon as they jumped to evade, the spear was embedded in its throat while her left claw ripped another's throat out.

Tackled to the side, teeth sunk into her shoulder as claws raked along her torso. She should have felt pain, her right side should have been useless, but with the adrenaline coursing through her system, all she felt was annoyance and anger. Turning her head to the side, her beak found her attacker's eye and black liquid filled her mouth. With a howl, the creature leapt back, but not nearly far enough. Grasping the fallen spear, she lunged out and effortlessly slit its throat.

A bolt of blue magic flew past her head and slammed into the wolf beside her. However, it only hit the stomach and without any internal organs, it simply stood back up. A second later, a pegasus crashed into it and in a flurry of feathers and stars, both lay dead on the ground. Taking a step forward, the ground tilted dangerously and Gilda found herself on the ground.

No. Not now. Just one more, please. Just one more.

Using her spear as support, she crawled back onto her feet.

And that's when everything exploded in magenta light. When fleeing the base, Gilda had seen Rarity's battle with Nightmare Moon and now she knew what it felt like to be in the middle of that. Bolts of pure energy slammed into the ground all around her, each one taking out a Canis Minor with pinpoint accuracy. No matter where she looked, all she saw were beams of purple magic. Well, looks like this was it, no doubt that sadistic unicorn pet of Nightmare Moon's was killing off her underlings so she could have the joy of slowly torturing everyone to death.

That was until Gilda saw the white unicorn on golden armor strolling calmly through the battlefield while blasting every last wolf in sight. Calm, cool and collected. He reminded her of Master Catarean – a constant battle awareness coupled with unrivalled precision. Gilda's eyes widened even further when he fired a blast behind him, hitting a Canis Minor mid jump without even turning around. Whoever this pony was, he was insane.

It took three seconds for him to reach Gilda. It took three seconds for him to obliterate every enemy in view. It took three seconds for him to heal up every person in sight. And then he looked down at a weary and blood soaked Gilda.

"Do any of you know the blood type of the Element of Loyalty?" he asked.

If it was possible, the entire place became even more silent. A dead pony would have made more noise.

"Dude, take mine," said Gilda once her beak could work again. "I don't know what blood type I am, but she once donated blood when I was accidentally hit by her Buckannear Blaze so I know we're the same type. It's about time I paid back that debt."

Nodding once, Shining Armor channeled magic into his horn and the next thing Gilda knew, they were in some old ruins and before them was an alicorn and Rainbow Dash.

"I'm back dear and we've got a donor."

"Alright. You know what to do," she said without looking up.

"So what's her chances doc?" asked Gilda as she laid down on the ground beside her clutch mate.

"Bad. Even with you donating, it's touch and go. She could die or she could live."

"Take as much as you need." Already she could feel sleep claiming her as Cadence cast a sedative spell over her. "We need Dash."