Applejack was by one of the windows in the living room of the farmhouse at Sweet Apple Acres. This was the last day that Apple Bloom was supposed to be foalsitting for the Cake twins this week. While it made everypony in the Apple Family happy to see Apple Bloom taking on additional responsibilities, it had recently made Applejack worry.

Apple Bloom usually had one of her friends or another Crusader help her, it was difficult to watch after two infants going through magical surges, harder still when one was an Earth Pony. This week however, all of Apple Bloom's friends at school had plans this week, even Ruby Pinch and Dinky Doo were going to be busy with their jobs. And the new colt had 'graciously' offered to help Apple Bloom with foalsitting.

Applejack knew Rumble's older brother Thunderlane, but also knew that Rumble had been at Cloudsdale Flight School for the last four years. There was only so much you could know about somepony when you haven't been face-to-face with them for many years, even when concerning kin. A shudder went through Applejack as that thought made her think of the Apples along the eastern coast of Equestria, specifically the Apples in Trottingham.

Applejack shook her head as she put herself back to the task of watching out for her little sister. Not even Applejack would usually be so paranoid as to watch out for Apple Bloom, but tonight had special circumstances. The hills the farmhouse sat upon allowed one to see the Everfree Forest clearly, not even most Ponies in Ponyville could see the trees of the Everfree because of the buildings. Applejack's gaze kept going to the skies above the Everfree Forest, specifically the storm clouds in the airspace above the foreboding forest.

To the average observer, the clouds wouldn't look like much. But after a life spent watching Everfree Storms brew, Applejack could tell just by looking that this modest looking storm would become a deluge if it wasn't dealt with soon. Speaking of which, Applejack just happened to look in time to see the multi-colored streak of a well known Pegasus dive directly into the storm clouds.

Applejack turned her head to look at the clock on the wall of the living room, and bit her lip. Applejack turned to face Big Macintosh and Granny Smith, both of whom had worried expressions on their faces, “Should one of us go lookin' fer Apple Bloom?”

“Don't bother!” Called out a familiar voice, “I just beat the storm.”

Everypony turned to look at Apple Bloom. Though it hadn't started raining outside of the Everfree Forest, Apple Bloom was still wet, “I had to leg it at the last leg so Ah didn't get caught by the rain.”

“Do yah have homework?” Asked Big Macintosh.

Apple Bloom nodded her head, “Got it done at Sugarcube Corner,” Apple Bloom was panting slightly from galloping.

“Well then, Ah'm gonna hit the hay,” Announced Applejack with a yawn, “What about you Apple Bloom?”

“Not yet,” Said Apple Bloom, “My heart's still racing from galloping half a mile.”

Big Mac and Granny Smith traded a knowing glance. Nopony else seemed to have caught it, not even Apple Bloom herself, but Apple Bloom's voice lost the accent she usually spoke with when she lied. So Apple Bloom had a secret to tell that needed to kept from Applejack.

“Alright Apple Bloom,” Said Applejack not catching her sister's tell, “Ah'll see yah tomorrow.”

The sisters traded 'good night's' and 'love you's' and Apple Bloom waited for her sister to go up stairs and listened for the sounds of a door opening and closing. After Apple Bloom was sure that Applejack was either in bed or in the restroom, she turned around and went up to her grandmother and brother.

“Do yah have somethin' yah need tah tell us Lil' Bloom?” Asked Granny Smith using the nickname she gave Apple Bloom.

Apple Bloom blushed slightly at the use of her nickname and nodded in the affirmative, “Yeah, Ah do. But it's real important that Applejack doesn't know 'bout it yet.”

There were few things that Apple Bloom would ever keep a secret from Applejack, and the fact that she was only trying to keep it from Applejack temporarily significantly narrowed down the list of things that it could possibly be. It was Big Mac that figured it out first, “Did somethin' happen with that colt that's been helpin' yah foalsit?”

Apple Bloom blushed slightly, “Yeah. Rumble asked me on a date, and Ah said yes.”

“Yer right 'bout needin' to keep it secret from Aj,” Said Granny Smith wryly.

“We can probably give Aj a slightly larger workload tah keep 'er off of you 'nd Rumble,” Said Big Mac as stoically as ever.

“Thanks you two,” Said Apple Bloom with a happy smile on her face, “Ah really appreciate it.”

Apple Bloom brought her hoof to her mouth as she yawned, “Ah'm gonna call it a night, good night and Ah love yah both.”

Big Mac and Granny Smith said good night and watched Apple Bloom head up the stairs, “Looks like Lil' Bloom's growin' up,” Said Granny Smith contemplatively.

“Eeeyup,” Said Big Mac just as contemplatively.

Twilight woke up with blurred vision and a severe headache. Even with her vision blurred, she could tell that she was someplace unfamiliar, the bed was the most comfortable thing she had ever laid in though. Twilight remembered that some guardponies were helping to the hospital, and laid down to go back to sleep.

Twilight's eyes shot open as she realized that the creature leading the guardponies was a Changeling. Twilight sat back up in the bed and tried to channel the magic in her horn, only to get the worst case of Meridian Feedback she had ever suffered. The headache worsened and Twilight brought a hoof to rub the area around her horn in hopes of relieving it somewhat, only to discover the cause of her headache. Twilight could feel a metal ring around the base of her horn with gems imbedded into it. Twilight deduced that this was an Unicorn Inhibitor Shackle. Inhibitor Shackles were made to keep Ponies bound by them from using their magic. Unicorns only needed one around the base of their horns, similar to wedding bands used by Unicorns. Pegasi needed two on their wings to completely ground them, though rope or a giant metal brace keeping them to the Pegasi's side was cheaper and more effective. Earth Ponies needed four, one for each of their hooves. The most annoying aspect of Inhibitor Shackles is that they could only be removed by an Unicorn that knew the spell to disable them, meaning that Twilight was completely at the mercy of her captors.

Twilight was contemplating how she could escape as she awaited for her vision to return. It was another five minutes before her eyes lost all of the clouds that occluded her vision, and another ten before another living creature entered the room. Two Surface Ponies wearing metal armor with the colors of House Platinum, the third was a young Unicorn mare that appeared to be about the age of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. The Unicorn mare's coat was the exact color of Nightmare Moon's eyes, which Twilight took as an ill omen. Her eyes were a deep green, similar to the color of the leaves found in the trees of the Everfree Forest. Finally, the Unicorn's tail and mane were three stripes of white, red, and amber respectively.

If the mare's mane style didn't sell it, her voice certainly made it clear that this was supposed to be an Unicorn from Canterlot, “How are you this evening Dame Twilight?”

If Twilight didn't know any better, she would have thought that this Changeling actually care for her well being, “I'm not falling for it!” Exclaimed the angry and distressed Twilight, “I know that you're Changelings!”

Out of all of the responses Twilight expected from the shape shifter, she did not expect the creature to rub space between her eyes and give an annoyed sigh, “Sargent Gastor mentioned that you might have figured him out, this complicates things,” Twilight couldn't tell if the Changeling was still trying to deceive her or not.

“Dame Twilight, while there are Changelings here at Everfree Palace, I am not one of them,” The damn thing was actually trying to deceive her even though it was already figured out.

“Do you think I am an idiot!?” Twilight was legitimately insulted by the Changeling's blatant lies, “Why would there be Changelings here?”

The Changeling raised an eyebrow at Twilight, “So, because a single group of Changelings attacked Canterlot, you assume that all Changelings are enemies of Equestria?”

That comment actually confused Twilight, “But Queen Chrysalis-”

“Was killed by Prince-Escort Shining Armor and Princess Cadance,” Said the Changeling plainly, “The whole Chrysalis Hive was flung from the top of Mt. Equiss to the southern border of Equestria, the skies in Appleloosa were blacked out by the corpses of the Changelings, and any survivors died upon impact with the cliffs of the Macintosh Hills.”

While it was reasonable to assume that Changelings plotting to take over Equestria would know the names of import Ponies in Equestria politics and society, even some land marks, it was unlikely that they would know the names or existence of a small frontier town like Appleloosa, there were even some Equestrian made maps of Equestria that didn't list Appleloosa or other frontier towns. This was when Twilight realized that this mare was telling the truth.

The mare saw Twilight connecting the dots in her head, “Are you going to teleport out of the Palace to warn Ponyville of the 'Changeling Threat?'”

Twilight shook her head, “No, at least not yet.”

“Are you going to blast everything in case we're Changelings or under Changeling mind control?”

“No.”

The young mare's horn was encased in a wood brown glow and Twilight noticed the headache fading immediately. Twilight felt the Inhibitor Shackle sliding off of her horn and into the hooves of one of the guardponies, guardlings? Thought Twilight. If the mare's words were to be believed, then there were Changelings in the palace that were not enemies, “Are your guards Changelings?” Asked Twilight.

“There would be no reason for them to keep their disguises if they were,” Replied the mare.

“I should introduce myself,” Said the mare, realizing she was being slightly rude, “My name is Legal Procedure, though I would prefer you call me Legalese,” Legalese stoke out a hoof to Twilight.

Twilight nervously shook the mare's hoof, “A pleasure,” She wasn't sure how she felt about Changelings being so close to her.

“The pleasure is mine,” Said Legalese happily, “It is an honor to meet the Element of Magic herself.”

Twilight blushed in embarrassment, “There's no need to give me, or the others, special treatment, you can just call me Twilight.”

“Okay Twilight,” Legalese sighed, “I know you just got out of bed, but I need you to put this blindfold one,” Legalese then produce the piece of fabric.

“What? Why?” Asked Twilight.

“My cousin has demanded an audience with you,” Replied Legalese somewhat grimly, “It's about the Black Resonance you helped Ruby Pinch with.”

“Noblesse Oblige!? How does he know about that anyway?” Asked Twilight. She wasn't sure if she could trust the noblecolt after today.

Legalese needed a few moments to think about how to answer Twilight's question, “It will be more simple if he just explains it himself.”

Twilight wasn't happy with that answer, but accepted it and took the blindfold in her magic. Twilight realized something about the words Legalese used as she wrapped the blindfold around her head, “Legal Procedure? Aren't you Polished Gong's daughter? Celestia's granddaughter!”

Twilight couldn't see it, but Legalese rolled her eyes, “Yes yes, please don't get bent out of shape over that.”

Twilight could feel the guardponies pressing themselves to her sides, like her escorts to the Everfree Palace, “Why do I need the blindfold anyways?” Asked Twilight, it wasn't an odd question, she had been to Noblesse's audience chamber before.

“Noblesse is bedridden,” Answered Legalese, “His bedroom is also hidden. So for your safety, and his own, the exact location of his bedroom will be kept from you.”

Twilight moved with the guardponies at her sides for the next several minutes. The trip probably wouldn't have been nearly as long if Twilight could accurately read the turns the guardponies made with their bodies. They couldn't use words, as that could give the secret location of Noblesse's bedroom away to Twilight. Even if Twilight would never willingly sell out the young noblepony, there were several spells and methods of torture that could make her tell everything she knew. After what seemed like an eternity, the guardponies stopped moving, Twilight thought this was the time to take her blindfold off, but stopped when Legalese's tail wrapped loosely around Twilight's muzzle.

“What are you doing?” Asked a flustered Unicorn. A mare wrapping her tail around another Pony's muzzle was a sign that said mare wanted to be more than friends, it was also commonly used as a gesture to signal more 'intimate' desires.

Though Twilight couldn't see it, Legalese was also blushing furiously, “The guards don't have the security clearance to know the exact location of Noblesse's bedroom, so I'll have to guide you myself the rest of the way.”

“I'm not sure how I feel about this,” Twilight's mind knew that Legalese was simply doing what was needed of her, but the rest of Twilight only knew that a young beautiful mare seemed to be hitting on her, while she was blindfolded no less.

“Join the club Pegasister,” Said Legalese as she started guiding Twilight.

The pair went straight forward for several minutes before Legalese spoke, “Left.”

“I thought you weren't supposed to use words while guiding me,” Said Twilight, pointing out the explanation Legalese gave earlier when the guardponies were with them.

“Do you have any idea where you are at the moment?” Asked Legalese.

Though Twilight couldn't see it, she could almost feel Legalese's teasing smirk on her stupid face, “Point taken.”

By Twilight's count, the pair took one hundred and fifty-seven steps before Legalese told Twilight to stop moving. Twilight could hear the sounds of several stones sliding and something on wheels against the stone tiles of the palace floor as Legalese's tail fell from Twilight's face.

“Take three paces forward then turn right,” Commanded the younger Unicorn.

Twilight obeyed without question. She walked forth three steps then turned to the right. Legalese waited for a good ten seconds before she noticed Twilight's smirk. Legalese rolled her eyes, “Take twenty steps forward.”

Twilight giggled as she walked forward. She heard the sounds of wheels and stones sliding behind her. Twilight was about to take her thirteenth steep forward before she walked into something face first, “Ow!”

Legalese took Twilight's blindfold off and Twilight saw the noblemare's shit-eating grin, “That will teach you to be a smartallec with me♪”

Twilight looked around and saw that the pair were in a near empty chamber. The only things inside aside from the pair of Unicorns, were a couple of long benches along two of the walls. Legalese pushed in the stone on the wall where Twilight smacked her muzzle, the stone was actually right below where Twilight ran into the wall, but the studious Unicorn would never know that.

The stone bricks on the wall slid away from each other revealing a dimly lit bedroom. Twilight didn't need to be instructed to walk into the room. Twilight saw the dozen or so Lighting Stones imbedded into the walls close to the ceiling that were lighting the room. On the left hoof wall, there was was a desk and chair with a three with a three panel mirror inbetween a pair of bookcases. Twilight was too far away to tell if the mirror was affixed to the desk or not, though Twilight did notice that one of the books was missing from the right hoof bookcase.

A voice brought Twilight's attention to the space in front of her, “Welcome Twilight Sssparkle.”

Noblesse's voice brought Twilight's attention to the bed he was resting in. To the right of the bed was a desk with drawer a few bottles on it and a large glass filled with what Twilight assumed to be water. Legalese had already made her way to Noblesse's left side, the royal purple carpeting in the room deafening her hoofsteps. A little ways behind Legalese was one of Noblesse's personal medics, Malpractice if Twilight remembered correctly. The canopy bed Noblesse was resting in had it's all of it's curtains opened, though Twilight could tell that each curtain was made to look like half of the national Equestrian flag.

Twilight didn't notice the bed the Ponies or things around it however, as her horrified gaze was centered around Noblesse Oblige himself. He was under the covers of his bed, only the chest, forelegs, and everything else above that point of the body showing. Though Twilight could see little of the noblepony's body, she could see too much for her tastes. Noblesse was completely without a coat, Twilight had expected that, what Twilight didn't expect were the large sections of skin where Twilight could see his sickly skin due to a distinct lack of scales. Even in the poor lighting of the room, Twilight could see his blood and oxygen veins contrasting against Noblesse's deathly pale skin. Oddly enough, the noblecolt's left foreleg looked completely normal. What really caught Twilight's attention was the piece of fabric covering his eyes. The cloth had one string on each of it's corners attaching the cloth to the bed itself. Most peculiar, was the pentagram pattern stitched into the dark tan fabric with bright silver thread that glowed in the dim lights.

In modern society, the pentagram was used for a number of things: the universal symbol of anarchy, demon worship, opposition of tradition, etc. In Classical Culture however, the pentagram was used an Arcane Rune to symbolize life in general. The pentagram was seen as symbol of healing, similar to the scarlet cross use to signify medics and hospitals today.

After standing there for what must have been several minutes, Twilight Sparkle remembered why she was here in the first place, “Uh, you summoned me your grace?”

Noblesse raised his normal leg, which appeared to still have fur on it instead of the scales his body should have after molting, “Pleasss, Twilight. Thisss iss not a formal occasion, there isss no need for formalitiesss.” Twilight could see Noblesse's new narrow forked tongue that is typically seen in the mouths of serpents.

“What happened to you?” Asked Twilight. A Serpicorn was supposed to have his or her body almost completely covered in protective scales, Noblesse Oblige was clearly missing several rows of scales on the upper part of his body.

“The ball that knocked me out of that tree broke the old ssskin that wass layered on top of mine ssscalesss,” Explained Noblesse, “Which then causssed me to molt before I had all of my ssscalesss.”

“Will you be okay?” While Twilight didn't trust this colt, she didn't wish him any ill will.

“I jussst need to ssspend the ressst of the week in bed taking medisssine, I'll be able to ssstand on my hoovesss afterwardsss.”

“Forgive me for asking, but why are you talking like that?” Twilight wanted to pretend that she didn't notice, but it was getting annoying.

“I am ssstill getting usssed to thisss new tongue, I will probably be ssspeaking with the Ssserpant'sss Lisssp for a few weeksss.” Answered Noblesse. He probably would be stifling giggles at the Unicorn's chagrin, but he was in too much pain to feel too much joy.

“Y-you said that you wanted to explain to me what happened to Ruby Pinch?” Twilight got to the point as the atmosphere in the room was making her uncomfortable. The sooner she could leave, the better.

“I have introdusssed Ruby to the sssame kind of magic Sssombra usssed,” Replied Noblesse nonchalantly, “I have started educating Ruby in Dark Magic.”

Twilight actually needed a few minutes to process what she has just been told, “W-w-why!? How!? Do you know what that could do to her!?”

“Yesss I do, better in fact than you do.”

That comment made Twilight stop panicking. The only experiences Twilight had with Dark Magic was the brief display Celestia made before she and her friends were sent into the Crystal Empire, and the late King Sombra. Twilight assumed that using Dark Magic drove one insane, but Sombra was buried alive in ice in snow for a thousand years after having his physical form obliterated and his soul bound to his shadow. Then there was the fact that Celestia could use it without going mad, and if Noblesse was skilled enough in it to teach others, then Dark Magic probably didn't necessarily drive one to madness.

Twilight calmed herself before she spoke again, “Okay, why Ruby Pinch? Why teach Dark Magic at all?”

Noblesse nodded his head, “Dark Magic doesssn't work the sssame way asss Innate Magic or Academic Magic dossst. You are not born with it, and it can't be taught in the sssame sssenssse asss Academic Magic. One only gainsss the ability to ussse Dark Magic after sssufering through an abnormal amount of pain in one'sss life. Thisss can be literally anything: ssspending life asss an orphan, having night terrorsss early in life, etc. Whatever the cassse, the practitioner hassst been traumatisssed at some point in life and that pain fessstersss in one'sss mind. Thisss fessstering boresss unusual pathwaysss in the meridiansss of the practitioner which allowsss sssaid practitioner to channel their emotionsss in addition to their mana.”

Twilight nodded in understanding, “Okay, that explains how Ruby Pinch can use Dark Magic, but why spread it's usage?”

“It ssspreadsss itssself,” Answered Noblesse, “When practitionersss gather within a certain disstance of each other, their darknesss amasssesss in their sssection of the collective subconsciousss. Thisss darknesss eventually leadsss to the practitionersss first Dark Resonanssse, a Dark Magic Surge. By teaching Ruby how to control it while the ssseed isss ssstill jussst that, she will be better able to control herssself when her nessst Dark Resonanssse sssurgesss.”

“Would she have been trapped in her own mind without help?” Asked Twilight, deeply concerned for any Dark Magic practitioners.

“Ssshe would have broken free eventually,” Replied the colt, “Whether it'sss a matter of hoursss or weeksss isss dependant on the practitioner.”

“Are there any other practitioners in Ponyville?” Asked Twilight urgently.

“Ssseveral,” Answered Noblesse, “You're one of them in fact.”

This had Twilight taken back, “But I've only used it once.”

“The fact that you can ussse Dark Magic at all makesss you a practitioner,” Said Noblesse coolly, “The sssettlementsss in Everfree Provinssse have the highessst consssentration of Dark Magic Practitionersss in Equessstria becaussse of the dangersss of the Everfree Foressst.”

“But I've never heard of somepony going through a 'Dark Resonance' before now,” Argued Twilight.

“Becaussse Equessstria is such a peasssful contry,” Replied Noblesse, “There are ssso few sssircumssstansssesss here for a Pony too actually sssuffer that it rarely buildsss up enough to trigger a Dark Resonanssse. The people of Equessstria alssso put ssso much faith in each other that they're willing to forgive and forget, thisss meansss that ssspite and anger usually isssn't a factor in Poniesss' livesss.”

“How do you even know when somepony becomes a practitioner?” This greatly concerned Twilight as she never told anypony about using Dark Magic in the Crystal Castle. And given how much Dark Magic seemed to revolve around manipulating the mind, it might give one the power to read minds.

“When a practitioner becomesss powerful enough, they can read into the collective subconsciousss and find other practitionersss and what made them practitionersss in the firssst plassse,” Answered the colt, “For esssample, I can 'sssee' that you have ssspent your entire life afraid that you will disssapoint mine great aunt and ssshe will disssown you.”

This comment made Legalese give Twilight an incredulous look, “Really? Do you have any idea how much Grandma raves about you when given the chance? How you're the brightest student she's ever taught? How-” Legalese was stopped by a hoof on her shoulder.

“Enough,” Said Noblesse plainly.

“How can Dark Resonances manifest themselves?” Asked Twilight, “I would like to know what to expect when and if somepony else has a Dark Resonance.”

Noblesse nodded, “Assside from the illusssionsss a practitioner can sssuffer through: they can encassse themssselvesss in a dome of cryssstalsss colored to match whatever emotion happensss to be dominate, while thessse are the ssshortessst in duration, these Resonances are also the most dessstructive as the crystals can attack other lifeformsss. Finally, there are psychotic breaksss like the one you went through during the 'Lessson Sssero' fiasssco.”

“That doesn't actually sound too bad,” Said Twilight.

“Like regular magical sssurgesss, Dark Resssonancesss can vary in ssstrength,” Warned the bedridden colt, “Ssso, while the illusssionsss you and Ssspike went through can be broke by a touch, sssome will sssuffer illusssionsss sssturdier than the onesss Ruby went through.”

A shiver went down Twilight's spine as she tried to imagine what those illusions must be like. Twilight would also most likely have nightmares about the severe cases of the other types of Dark Resonances.

A thought occurred to Twilight, one she should have had much earlier, “Who are the other practitioners in Ponyville?”

Noblesse sighed, in his condition, it was hard to speak for long periods of time, “The onesss you need to care about are: Ssscootaloo, Sssweetie Belle, Rumble, Flutterssshy, Rainbow Dash, and Ssspike.”

“Not Applejack or Apple Bloom?” Asked Twilight. She would have figured that the two orphans would be prime candidates for practicing Dark Magic.

“Applejack wasss mentally sssound enough to bare the losss of their parentsss, and Apple Bloom didn't bound to them like ssshe did with Applejack and Big Macintosh.”

Noblesse started panting hard. The bedside medic approached as Legalese moved out of the way. The medic used her magic to levitate one of the bottles and the glass of water over to her. She hoofed two pills from the bottle and feed them to Noblesse shortly before helping him drink.

Malpractice turned her head to face Twilight, “That's is enough for today, I fear his holiness has pushed himself too far with that conversation.”

“I'll have to lead you out of here,” Said Legalese, “Please put your blindfold back on.”

Twilight grabbed the blindfold in her magic. Twilight started turning clockwise to the door out of Noblesse's bedroom, when the right side of the room caught her attention. In the corner of the room stood a wardrobe, which was odd considering that Noblesse doesn't wear clothes. But what really had Twilight's attention was the table next to it. The table had what seemed to be a cake stand on it, but there were no confections on display. On each of the four tiers of the small cake stand were dolls. On the highest tier sat four dolls, Twilight recognized them as being dolls of Celestia, Luna, and Cadence, by their horns and wings, though Twilight didn't know who the forth Alicorn doll was supposed to be. On the third tier sat dolls of Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, Legalese, and an Unicorn that was slightly bigger than the dolls of the foals. On the second tier sat dolls of Dinky Doo, Pipsqueak, Ruby Pinch, and Rumble. Twilight felt shivers go down her spine as she looked at the bottom tier of the cake stand, six dolls of herself and the other Bearers of the Elements of Harmony. Each tier was spinning slowly which allowed Twilight to look at all of the dolls, though what truly disturbed Twilight was the detail with which the dolls were made with. In Twilight's peripheral vision was an open box filled with what crafting materials. Twilight would definitely need Princess Luna's help dealing with nightmares.

“Pay that no mind,” Said Legalese, “Noblesse makes dolls of Ponies who are important to him out of boredom.”

Twilight finished blindfolding herself as she spoke, “Will you be taking me to the palace gates?”

“No,” Said Legalese, “Ponies have been migrating to the larger settlements of Everfree Province. All of that extra magic generated by the increased populations is feeding directly into the Everfree Forest. At the moment, the Ponyville Weather Team is working on containing a large wild storm in the Everfree Forest, so it would be too dangerous for you to try and leave, which means you get to spend the night here♪”

Twilight sighed as Legalese wrapped her tail around Twilight's muzzle, “Joy,” Said the older mare plainly.