With a gasp and a sudden clattering of hooved limbs, the six creatures appeared far from where they had been only a second earlier. Cries of confusion and shock rang through the air as everyone tried to get away from one another at the same time. This sudden panic was due in no small part to the fact that the teleport had not been without its bumps, and most creatures appeared rather green around the gills. All save for Twilight who didn't seem bothered one bit, and was looking down at her dry heaving friends in confusion.

“That's funny, I could have sworn I did everything perfectly,” she muttered, watching as Trixie rolled around on the floor clutching her stomach.

“The back of my eyeballs itch, how is that even possible?” Rainbow Dash groaned, clawing at her eyes.

“I feel like I got turned inside out and then did the same thing in reverse,” Applejack remarked, one hoof pressed firmly against her lips.

“That is not the most eloquent way of putting it, but it certainly is the most apt description I could imagine,” Rarity muttered, her hooves gripping her stomach as her spider legs clattered this way and that, only barely keeping the arachne standing upright.

Twilight frowned down at her friends. “Well, it seems fine to me anyway.”

The rest of her friends save for Fluttershy all glared at her with barely concealed irritation. “Yeah well, every living creature feels like shit, so maybe there was something wrong with your little spell,” Rainbow Dash spat before her eyes suddenly went wide and she ran over to a wall, gagging hard while trying to contain her lunch.

The dead pony shrugged. “Fair enough, I suppose. But look, we made it! We’re in the library.”

Everyone who could look up did so, their gazes scanning over the root encrusted room that surrounded them. The same mirrored and slightly mutated pentagram complete with braziers and crystals were in the center of the room, while a larger crystal that was only slightly brighter was embedded in the ceiling. A ceiling that was made entirely of grey roots that cascaded down the walls, with only the floor being made of slate grey stone of some kind. The supports Twilight had seen in her dreams slash memories seemed to be gone, though if that was due to them no longer being needed or having collapsed and disintegrated over the millennia she didn't know.

Twilight frowned and walked over to the wall, a hoof running down the grey roots and making the mare realize that something was definitely wrong. “It's stone, everything is stone,” muttered the unicorn, pulling her hoof from the wall.

“Everything but the door anyway,” Applejack offered, pointing a hoof at said door.

The portal appeared average on first glance, other than the fact that it was made of an unknown type of wood and the knob had a dull white crystal embedded in it. The knob she recognized from her dream where she accompanied Luna, prompting Twilight to remember that it could only be opened by someone with the same magical signature as her old self. She hoped that whatever had changed when she had died and been reborn only to die again, did not include her magical signature, as she wasn't a fan of being stuck in a weird petrified room until she died again.

“This is amazing,” Trixie muttered, running her own hoof down the petrified root wall. “So the legend was true after all.”

“What legend?” Twilight asked. “I feel like I’m missing something here.”

“Well, you see, darling, the library is often referred to as the heart of Ponyville and as you know, it's been lost for eons,” Rarity began, gesturing with a hoof at the room. “No one knows how the forest hid it, but before that happened it was occupied by someone only known as the Librarian.”

“A mysterious figure that was supposedly very important to both princesses and was often called the Bridge by some folk,” Applejack added.

“That's all well and good, but can we skip the history lesson until we are out of this room at least?? I’m starting to feel claustrophobic down here,” Rainbow Dash asked only to grab the knob and turn, receiving a light shock for her effort. “Yowch.”

Now sucking her wounded hoof, Rainbow Dash grumbled silently to herself and took a step back, allowing Twilight room to walk up and grip the knob. “Allow me, Rainbow Dash, it's coded to my magic, but I don't know if it will still work, as I am not the same Twilight.”

“True, but you are about as close as we are going to get,” Trixie added.

Twilight nodded, funneled her magic into the crystal, gripped the knob and twisted in one swift motion. The door opened without issue and her premature wince of pain slowly disappeared when it became obvious that she was not about to get electrocuted. “Huh, so it did work, strange,” Twilight muttered, stepping into the next room and looking around.

It was almost exactly like her dream, unlike the room they had just stepped out of, which had changed somewhat due to the addition of the crystal that had been set in the ceiling. Taking a step back, Twilight looked up at the crystal, allowing her friends to wander into the next room while she inspected the strange object.

It hadn't struck Twilight as strange at first, but the fact that she did not remember it was odd in itself. The longer she inspected it, the more she came to realize that it seemed to have grown out of the roots, rather than be placed halfway inside them by some unknown force. How a crystal of such size and intricacy just grew out of the ceiling was beyond Twilight’s understanding and she put it out of her mind and made her way into the other room, where her friends were assembled.

“Well, that's unfortunate,” Applejack muttered as she lifted a solid stone book that had definitely not always been made from rock.

“Do you think they are all like that?” Rarity asked as she continued to rummage through the stone boxes and pushing aside stone books.

Lifting an eyebrow, Twilight looked around to find that just about everything seemed to have been turned to stone. From the books, to the shelves to even the boxes that held them, everything was stone. That was of course, all but the doors, though why that would be was beyond Twilight’s understanding as it was obvious at least to her that it followed no clearly discernible logic. The boxes hadn't even been a part of the structure but they were stone, yet the doors definitely were part of the library, yet they weren't stone like everything else.

Whatever the reason was, Twilight couldn't figure it out, and she was too excited to explore to sit down and try and consider the possible reason right now. “That's strange, but we should keep exploring, we might be able to find something useful, and maybe even find a way out for that matter,” Twilight remarked.

“Quite right, darling,” Rarity agreed.

“Sounds like a plan, but keep an eye out for danger, we don't know what is in here, or if there are more traps,” Rainbow Dash added.

Applejack snorted and started walking up the stairs. “No offence, but if Twilight really was this Librarian at one point in history, I don't think she would be the type to put a trap in a public place.”

“I wouldn't, but that wasn't exactly me,” Twilight replied with a slight frown.

“Just keep an eye out and don't do anything stupid,” Trixie muttered, pushing her way past Applejack and climbing the stairs.

The rest of the group filed after the mare, climbing the stone stairs and making their way deeper into the library. Something that most creatures found easy, save for the arachnee who was so physically large that she had trouble walking the stairs normally. Something she didn't seem to mind though, as she half crawled on the wall, half climbed the stairs, a sight that Twilight found a little strange, but normal for as far as Ponyville went.

Twilight paused as she reached the top of the stairs, the mare turning her head and looking down at the basement one last time, something telling her that she was missing something. As she stared she realized that there had been more doors in the basement other than the one they had exited from, yet she couldn't see any.

Shrugging to herself, Twilight turned and followed her friends into the library proper.

Once she reached the top of the stairs, Twilight noticed that her friends had gone on without her, leaving her alone in the odd hall. A hall that went from the main area to her right, and a small secondary room to the left. Deciding to check out the smaller room first, Twilight trotted down the hall and found that it was a small reading room that had several bookshelves filled with stone books, as well as what was once a comfy couch, but was now stone, like everything else.

Stranger still was that despite there being a window in the room, it was solid stone and could not be seen through for obvious reasons, or moved for that matter.

“Oh, hello Twilight,” a small voice greeted, bringing Twilight’s attention down to Fluttershy who had slipped out from between the two bookshelves.

“What were you doing in there?” Twilight asked.

The bunny sighed. “I was hoping there would be a mouse hole or something, but there is no way out, and something is blocking even the erm... Ghost me, from getting out.”

Twilight lifted an eyebrow and tapped the stone window. “It seems like normal stone, but let's see what my magic says.”

Lighting her horn, Twilight scanned the stone and found that although it was odd in the fact that it was unlike any stone she had ever analyzed, it didn't seem to have any other odd facets to it. “It seems normal, other than the rock being a little more like petrified wood than real stone, but that's to be expected as it was once wood,” Twilight muttered to herself, her horn brightening slightly. “Hmm, there is some low level magical disturbance, but it shouldn't be strong enough to stop ghost you from leaving.”

Fluttershy sighed. “I’ll keep looking for a way out. I know Angel wants to go see his family again.”

“You do that, but don't go too far by yourself, we don't know what's here,” Twilight reminded.

The bunny nodded and turned, hopping between the couch and the wall in search of another exit. Twilight turned and left, the mare trotting down the hall and trailing a hoof against the solid stone, silently contemplating what might have happened to the ancient structure. Though she hadn't exactly done much research into Ponyville history, she at least knew that trees spontaneously petrifying wasn't something that happened often, or at all outside this one time.

Walking into the largest area, Twilight looked around to find that Applejack and Trixie were already in the room. The farmer was tugging on the stone handle to the stone exit, her face contorting as she tugged as hard as possible. Trixie on the other hoof was using her magic to tug stone books from the many large book shelves that covered most of the walls.

Looking around, Twilight realized that this was indeed the same room she had seen in her dream. The same bookshelves stuffed with numerous tomes covered the walls, the same couch sat off to the side of the room under the large bay window. The same reading table sat near the center of the room which had a carved bust in the center. All of which was completely stone, including the windows, exit, walls, and everything in between.

“I wouldn't bother, Applejack,” Twilight remarked, placing a weary hoof on her friend’s shoulder. “You are just going to hurt yourself.”

The farm mare gave one last tug before reluctantly sighing, and taking a step back. “I suppose you are right, but I had to try. My family could be right out there!”

Twilight nodded. “I’ll figure out something and worst case scenario, we take the long way back.”

Turning away from her friend, Twilight glanced over at Trixie who was content reading the titles of the various stone books before putting them back into the same spot she found them in. Something about this respect for library protocols pleased the dead mare, though why that was, she didn't know.

Shaking her head, Twilight turned to the only other non-stone door in the room, one that was located right next to the bottom of the stairs. Pushing it open, Twilight took a peek inside, and found the room empty, the kitchen and small attached dining room being fairly plain other than the fact that they were built into a tree. A small breakfast nook sat to her left, while the right was jam-packed with a small, cramped kitchenette that was just barely big enough to house a full-sized stove, refrigerator, sink and a few cabinets and counters.

All of which were predictably made of stone, including the large window that hung over the sink.

With a shrug, Twilight turned away from the kitchen area and began to trot up the stairs that went up to the second floor. Stairs that ended in another door, one that was thankfully not made of stone and swung open easily. Twilight noted that other than the one in the basement and entrance, this was the only other door that could be locked.

Proceeding past the door, Twilight instantly got the feeling that this was almost like a small apartment, save for the fact that it lacked a kitchen, for obvious reasons. There was a short hall with two doors on each side and at the end of which was a large window that would have bathed the hall in light, provided it could be seen through that is.

The first door to her left lead to a bathroom, a sight that initially made Twilight sigh in frustration, as she assumed the pipes would be stone as well. Much to her shock, everything other than the walls, floors and ceiling was not, in fact, stone, baffling the mare even more.

“There is absolutely no rhyme or reason here,” she muttered under her breath.

Still, despite the fact that there was no apparent logic to the pattern of what was stone and what wasn't, the bathroom was still a sight for sore eyes. She had never anticipated the problems that would come with needing to relieve oneself in what amounted to a dungeon. There was a disturbing amount of bagging one’s own refuse or squatting in corners while someone stood nearby, keeping watch. Something that was thankfully over, for now at least, provided it all worked, which now that Twilight thought about it, sounded a little farfetched.

Approaching the sink slowly, Twilight eyed the surprisingly normal pearl-white object like it was about to turn into a snake and bite her. Her hoof slowly gripped the central tap and pushed it up and to the left, prompting the tap to slowly trickle a steady stream of water into the bowl. A bowl that actually drained and didn't seem like it was about to get clogged any time soon.

Catching some of the water in her magic, Twilight analyzed the water with a simple spell, and was surprised to find that it was drinkable and pure. “This is beyond weird,” she muttered.

Sure enough, both the toilet and the shower seemed to work fine, surprising her yet again and bringing a huge smile to the dead mare’s face and prompting her to run out of the bathroom and yell, “The bathroom works!” at the top of her lungs.

For a moment, there was silence, followed by a stampede of hooves up the stairs, both Applejack and Trixie fighting to be the first up, a terrified Fluttershy hanging onto Applejack’s back. Stepping aside, Twilight allowed the two mares to fight it out before making her way to the next room on the left and ignoring the continued shouting and insults being thrown back and forth.

Putting her friends’ antics out of her mind, Twilight scanned the room and was surprised to find a small bed, and an equally small shelf filled with comic books as well as a few chapter books. There was also a wardrobe off to the side and a hat rack that had several hats on it, all of which were again made of stone.

Walking around the room, Twilight got the feeling that this must have been the room of the young dragon, which she had seen in her dreams, as the bed was slightly larger than he was, and she remembered him holding a comic book in one of her visions. Flipping through the bookcase revealed that there were a few comic book titles that jumped out at her, namely the Power Ponies and a few others that stirred deep memories in the mare. Each comic book or chapter book seemed to bring back another wave of nostalgia, or other strange feeling that Twilight couldn't place.

Though it felt oddly normal, it also was completely disturbing. These were books Twilight knew she had never seen, and yet she felt as though she had, memories not her own apparently lurking in the back of her mind, waiting to be sparked.

She put down the books and took a step away from the bed, casting one last look around the room before sighing and stepping out. Maybe if she ever did meet Spike in this life, those memories wouldn't be quite so awkward, but right now it made Twilight feel weird, and unpleasant to have what felt like another pony’s memories in her head.

Putting that entire room behind her, Twilight walked back into the hall, instantly noticing Trixie standing outside the bathroom with an exaggerated frown on her face. “Lose the battle, eh?” Twilight offered.

“She's smarter than she looks, not a lot smarter, but still smarter,” Trixie muttered angrily.

“Now that I think about it, maybe I’ll just kick this toilet to pieces after I’m done with it!” Applejack yelled. “You know, just for fun.”

“You wouldn't dare!” Trixie shouted back through the door.

“Try me.”

Trixie grumbled to herself but reluctantly remained silent.

Shaking her head, Twilight turned to the first open door on her left, only to find Rarity holding up a simple soft purple dress, eyeing it up from every angle. A quick glance around the room told Twilight that this was the master bedroom, and perhaps one of the strangest rooms in the house. It was like the bathroom in the sense that only the tree itself was stone, with the exception being the large windows that upon a second glance looked like glass doors that presumably lead out onto a balcony of some kind.

The bed, the wardrobe, the end tables, the book shelves, the books on said shelves, the bed, the bedding, and just about everything else wasn't stone. “Nice dress, Rarity, where did you find it?” Twilight asked.

Rarity jumped and wheeled around, her wide eyes shrinking slightly when she realized it was Twilight that had spoken. “Oh dear, you nearly scared the legs off me,” Rarity muttered, a hoof pressed over her heart. “But yes, this is a nice dress, but that's not what's so intriguing about it.”

Twilight walked up to her friend and took a closer look at the dress, her calculating eye figuring out that other than it being made for someone a little slimmer and a little taller than the average pony, it seemed normal and rather plain. “I guess the color is… unique?” Twilight offered halfheartedly.

Rarity nodded slightly. “It's very average, but see here, along the seam, do you notice the unique way it's stitched? I’ve never seen anyone else use that method of stitching, other than myself and when I look at it I feel oddly… nostalgic? I’m not sure what it is I’m feeling.”

Though Twilight did indeed notice that the stitching was unique, it meant little to her. “Wait, now that you mention it…” The dead mare took a step back and looked at the dress one more time, this time getting a strange sense of deja vu that nearly overwhelmed her. “I think I get what you mean. You didn't happen to make a dress like this before and have it displayed at your shop by chance, did you?”

Rarity shook her head. “Ponies this tall and slim are rare, it would have to be a special order, an order I’ve never done before.”

“Weird. Well, what else did you find?” Twilight asked, noticing that one of the wardrobe’s drawers were open.

“Not much, whomever lived here had a very good sense of style, but they also didn't own very many garments, making me think that they simply got them as gifts or only owned enough to cover a variety of special events,” Rarity muttered, lifting various dresses, all of which were relatively plain, and stuck close to the same purple coloration that Twilight had seen in the first one.

“They also certainly don't look like dresses that have sat in a drawer for a thousand years,” Twilight concluded as Rarity tucked the dresses back into the drawer and closed it.

“It's the strangest thing, they even kind of smell nice, like someone just dried them on a clothesline or something,” Rarity remarked.

“Odd.” Twilight shook her head. “Have you checked out the books by chance?”

Rarity shook her head. “I didn't have the chance I’m afraid, though if what you say about a functional bathroom is true, I may have to belay my curiosity until after I’ve had a chance to do a few touch-ups to my makeup.”

Twilight snickered to herself as she watched Rarity grab her make-up kit and make a beeline for the bathroom. Leaving Twilight alone, and allowing her to peruse the small selection of books idly. Upon first glance most seemed surprisingly normal, with a majority being simple adventure books, or adult fiction of some kind. But there were also a few books that were tucked off to the side, all of which were non-fiction, and ranged in topics from the study of magic to structural engineering which caught her eye. Reaching near the end, Twilight grabbed an odd grey covered book, only to find that it was solid stone, while the rest were not.

“Huh, it looks like a journal of some kind,” she muttered, turning over the surprisingly plain looking little book that had the word ‘Journal’ written on the front in flowing script. “Why is this one stone, but the rest aren't?”

Confused, and evidently not about to find any answers here, Twilight put the book back on the shelf and walked over to the last door, slowly pushing it open and finding herself in a small study. Wherein Rainbow Dash was grumbling to herself as she tried and failed to get past the lock on a small stout chest resting on the floor. The room was mostly stone, save for the chest, which even at a glance, radiated magical energy in the form of what looked like a locking enchantment, a reinforcement enchantment and several other spells that did similar things.

Whomever had locked the chest had evidently wanted it to stay that way, and though Twilight was certain she could probably pierce said enchantments, she knew it would take a while, and she didn't exactly have that kind of time right now.

“Stupid lock,” Rainbow Dash muttered before turning to Twilight. “Don't suppose you can pop it open, eh?”

Twilight shook her head. “I could do it, but It would take weeks to break through the wards.”

“Hmm.” Rainbow Dash rubbed her chin as she stared down at the chest. “Maybe after we get the tower figured out, we can work on this little mystery.”

“Indeed,” Twilight agreed.

“Now then. Did you find anything interesting?”

Twilight shrugged. “I found some books that weren't stone, but the entrance won't budge, the windows are stone, and most of the collection is stone as well. The bathroom works though.”

“Well that's something at least. We were able to save enough food that we won't have to ration too much, but the water supply was destroyed, meaning we could hang out here for a day or so in order to get our bearings and plan our next move,” Rainbow Dash reasoned.

“That's all well and good, but unless we can figure out how to make the tree unpetrified I don't think we are getting back to Ponyville without walking back from the castle,” Twilight continued.

“Which means another teleport.” Rainbow Dash shivered. “Hopefully we figure out something then, because that was worse than the entirety of boot.”

Rainbow Dash looked down suddenly, directing Twilight’s attention to Fluttershy who was standing nervously to the side. “Did you find anything?” Twilight asked.

The bunny nodded vigorously. “I did actually… but, I think Rainbow Dash should come as well.”

“Is it another trap?” Rainbow Dash inquired.

Fluttershy frowned. “I don't know what it is, but I get a weird feeling from it.”

“Before we go check that out, would you girls mind filling me in on the history of the library?” Twilight asked as the trio walked out into the hall and towards the stairs, passing by Trixie, who was still in line for some reason, despite the fact that Applejack was whistling nearby.

“Like we said, the Bridge, the Librarian, or whatever you call her, was possibly your former reincarnation and may have worked here,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, gesturing a hoof around the main room. “After you or her, or whatever, died, the tree apparently shriveled up, unable to take the heartache of losing its friend.”

“That is… weird, but go on,” Twilight muttered, stopping in the middle of the library area.

“Anyway, the tree apparently swore to keep everything safe for its friend’s return, though the story doesn't exactly elaborate how a tree spoke, or was even able to perceive anything but whatever.” Rainbow Dash shrugged. “After that, it remained in the center of Ponyville for a few years until the forest swallowed the town, and no one could find the library again.”

Fluttershy sighed, hugging her fuzzy body tightly. “It's a sad story, I don't know what I would do if I found out you girls disappeared.”

“Would you petrify yourself and wait for us to come back?” Rainbow Dash remarked with a snicker.

The thestral was too caught up in her own humour to notice that Fluttershy seemed to consider it a second, though that didn't escape Twilight’s notice who recognized the expression on the bunny’s face before it faded away. “I wonder if…” Twilight muttered before clearing her throat and yelling, “I’m back!”

For a second she stood there quietly, only to shrug when nothing happened. “It was worth a shot,” Fluttershy remarked.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “Nothing is that easy.”

“Still. I would kick myself if that turned out to be the solution and we simply never tried it,” Twilight exclaimed before turning to Fluttershy. “So, what did you find?”

“A door, in the basement, but not the one we used.” Fluttershy beckoned with a paw, urging the group down the hall and towards the basement door.

Twilight spared a glance with Rainbow Dash, who nodded confidently, taking point and pulling the door open just enough to peek inside. The thestral stood there a moment before pulling back and shrugging. “Well, it certainly looks like a door, though how it just appeared where there was only roots I couldn't tell ya.”

“There were several rooms in the basement in my visions, maybe the tree was hiding them somehow?” Twilight offered.

“How would a tree hide a door?” Rainbow Dash sighed and ran a hoof down her face. “On second thought, don't answer that because something tells me your just going to ask how a tree spontaneously petrifies itself in the first place.”

Twilight chuckled. “Pretty much, strange is pretty normal around here.”

“Fair.” Rainbow Dash turned to Fluttershy. “Make sure the girls stay upstairs for now. I don't think it's dangerous, but you can never be too certain about this kind of thing.”

The bunny nodded, giving the thestral a cute little salute. “You got it, Rainbow Dash.”

Rainbow Dash held the firm neutral expression she had on her face for a few more seconds, until Fluttershy rounded the corner and disappeared. “That was adorable,” she declared.

Twilight just barely stifled a giggle. “Totally.”

“Now then, on to mystery door number two.” Rainbow Dash stepped into the basement, opened her wings, thought better of it, and walked down the stairs.

Followed closely by Twilight who looked down to the door, trying to remember anything she may know about what lay behind it. Only for the unicorn to frown when she realized that she knew nothing of what lay behind the door. The only inkling of information she could gather was a feeling of importance when she had looked over the various doors when she had used the teleportation array in her dream.

The door itself was directly across from the teleportation array and though the roots remained stone, they had somehow parted enough to reveal the wooden portal. It mirrored the teleportation door, save for this time it had two different crystals in the handle, one on top of the other.

Reaching the bottom, Twilight and Rainbow Dash approached the door, with the dead unicorn lighting her horn and analyzing the crystals. Though one felt identical to the crystal to the teleportation room, the second was strange, and it took only a few seconds to realize that this one was keyed for another creature’s magic entirely.

“Interesting. This crystal is green, and enables someone else to open the door, not only me.” Twilight muttered, pointing to the second crystal.

“That makes sense, any idea what's inside?” Rainbow Dash replied.

Twilight shook her head. “No idea. Though it's important, I couldn't even begin to tell you what's in it.”

“Open it and stand to the left side of the door,” Rainbow Dash commanded.

Twilight nodded. “Right.”

Pushing her magic into the crystal, Twilight unlocked the door, and with a twist of her telekinetic grip, it opened, revealing a small, dark room beyond. The door that had appeared normal at first glance was also far thicker then Twilight would have thought, and was nearly a foot thick and bristling with numerous enchantments. Whatever was inside this room was meant to be protected, though for what reason Twilight could only speculate at.

Leaning closer, Twilight peeked inside the room, only to find that it resembled a sort of panic room, with the walls, ceiling and floor all being solid stone as opposed to petrified wood, and it contained two small beds, a toilet, sink, stove, and collection of canned goods. All of which, were predictably solid stone.

Pulling back from the entrance Twilight shrugged. “Looks clear.”

“Stand back, I’ll double check,” Rainbow Dash replied before stepping past her friend and slowly creeping into the room.

Twilight watched closely as Rainbow Dash scanned the room, only to take a glance behind the door and nearly leap out of her skin. The thestral stopped mid-jump though, and quickly settled down. “You are going to want to see this,” she muttered, pointing behind the door.

Slipping quietly into the room, Twilight turned the corner, only to find herself nearly face to face with the statue of a young dragon. His body was pulled nearly into a ball as he huddled in the corner of the room, his face contorted in fear and sadness as stone tears paused midway down his cheeks. In his clawed hands was a necklace, one that instantly sparked a memory in the unicorn, making her think back to when she had accidentally walked in on Luna while she was making… something.

Anything more seemed fuzzy, and indistinct, with Twilight unable to come up with any idea what the necklace actually was or how it fit into what had happened here. Crouching down, Twilight was able to tell that the necklace itself wasn't stone like everything else in the room was, and despite the centuries that had passed, seemed untouched by time.

It had a long silver chain made from the smoothest metal Twilight had ever seen. At the end of which dangled an intricately carved full moon which glowed softly in the faint light. Upon closer inspection Twilight noticed that the level of detail was far beyond what she had first thought, as every last crater and dot on the moon was represented in perfect detail. As Twilight stared she realized that even the craters were perfectly placed, and were even to scale.

If Twilight didn't know better she would have imagined that someone had shrunk the moon down to the size of a golf ball, flattened it, and put it on a necklace. “Woah,” Rainbow Dash murmured, the thestral peering intently at the amulet. “What do you think it does?”

“I have no idea, give me a second,” Twilight muttered before lighting her horn and scanning the magic that resonated from the silver object.

Instantly Twilight’s face screwed up in confusion, baffled by the sheer scale of spellwork that was hidden just beneath the metal. The intricacy astounded her, but more than that was the way that there was simply so much inside such a tiny object. A minute later and Twilight pulled away, her horn dulling as she shook her head.

“I have no clue what's all in it, but there is a lot of spells stuffed into that little amulet,” Twilight muttered.

“It looks like an old protection amulet that I saw in a museum, but I haven't seen anything as detailed, or as well made as this,” Rainbow Dash added, gently cupping the amulet and pulling it a little closer.

“That feels right, as there was some kind of protection charm in it, but it's so layered with other spells and hidden clauses that I’m not even sure it can even be called a protection charm anymore,” Twilight replied.

“We should take it with us, maybe the archives or someone back in Ponyville might know more about it,” Rainbow Dash offered.

“Though I agree, I don't know if I have the heart to take it from him,” Twilight murmured, gesturing to the sobbing face of the utterly despondent stone drake.

“Pfftt, whatever, you weenie.” Rainbow Dash scoffed before leaning forward and lifting the amulet slightly, only to stop when her eyes gazed into the dragon’s. For a second the thestral simply stood there, staring into the statue’s unblinking gaze. “You know, it kind of does feel like robbing the dead.”

“Yeah…”

The thestral gulped and slowly lifted the amulet from the dragon’s claws, gently removing it while keeping a close eye on the statue. “Don't worry, little guy, I’ll give it back. If you ever unstatuify yourself anyway,” Rainbow Dash muttered.

“Thanks, Rainbow Dash, I’m not sure why, but that kind of makes me feel better about this whole thing. Though I don't think unstatuify is a word,” Twilight muttered.

Rainbow Dash shrugged. “No problem, ya want to check it out, I assume?”

Twilight nodded and took the amulet from Rainbow Dash’s offered hoof, the mare staring down at the piece of jewelry in wonder. Though it looked heavy, it was little more than a feather in Twilight’s hoof, and the mare had to stop herself from donning it. Brushing aside the strange urge which had come out of nowhere, Twilight gave it a gentle toss and caught it out of the air, strange thoughts and memories not her own swirling through her mind.

“You alright, Twi?” Rainbow Dash asked, leaning closer, an eyebrow raised. “Looks like you are a million miles away.”

“More visions, only they aren't… complete,” Twilight remarked, giving the thestral a shrug. “I get feelings of nostalgia, safety, and guilt for some reason.”

“Weird. You wanna check out the room more or get some rest, ‘cause I’m exhausted!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, the mare yawning at the end of her sentence.

Twilight chuckled. “I’m getting hungry?” Twilight half asked, half stated. “I don't really know how to describe the feeling of needing more energy. Either way, I’ll join you for supper before coming back down to study this room more.”

“Sounds good, you should bug Rarity. I’m sure she wouldn't mind giving you a little energy, plus she has trouble sleeping, something you might be able to help with,” Rainbow Dash offered before turning and slipping out the door.

“Right…” Twilight muttered, casting the weeping drake another glance before frowning and following after her friend.

With the door shut behind them once more, Twilight tried to shake off the strange shroud of negative emotions, that hung over her mind, only for the miasma to cling tight to her every thought. “You alright there, Twi?” Rainbow Dash asked, bumping into the dead mare’s side.

“Yeah, I just can't get over that dragon. He looked so sad and it feels like I should know why, but there's only darkness,” Twilight exclaimed before sighing. “I just wish I had all the answers for once, it constantly feels like I’m ten steps behind where I should be.”

Rainbow Dash shrugged and began trotting up the stairs. “That's the Everfree for ya. You only know enough to know that you don't know.”

Twilight smirked, the mare barely suppressing a giggle. “That's pretty deep, coming from you.”

“Coming from me?” Rainbow Dash spat, spinning around at the top of the stairs and shooting Twilight a glare. “What's that supposed to be?”

Twilight rolled her eyes and brushed past the thestral. “It means I didn't think you were the type to try and remember stuff like that.”

Rainbow Dash huffed silently, trotting beside her friend as they made their way back into the main library area. “I will have you know that I have a great memory, and that was a quote from my grandfather, if you were curious.”

“Your grandfather sounds like a wise stallion, it's too bad you didn't inherit any of that.” Twilight snickered.

Earning her a punch across the shoulder, from a pissed, but grinning Rainbow Dash. “I will have you know that even a broken clock is right twice a day.”

“True.” Twilight paused, and caught the thestral around the shoulder, stopping her friend before they entered back into the main area where they could see a few of their friends gathering around. “Thanks for having my back.”

The thestral smirked, and brushed the other mare’s hoof from her shoulder. “Don't worry about it, egghead, what are friends for anyway?”

The dead mare watched her friend trot away, joining the rest of the group and sitting down next to a sleepy looking bunny. Though Twilight wanted to join them, she hesitated a moment, her gaze lingering over each one of the room’s inhabitants. Rainbow Dash’s words continued to bounce around in the mare’s mind, making her stop and truly consider their significance.

They were really her friends, not merely hanger-ons, or one of the many who pitied the dead mare in her past life. She was strange, as were they, and they cared very little for all the ways Twilight was different. They had backed her up when she had asked for it, forgiven her for being bullheaded and easily distracted, and had ultimately stuck with her through thick and thin.

The entire time they were journeying through the forest, and the tower, Twilight couldn't help but wonder if this was truly real, and if these creatures were truly her friends, now though? Now there was no doubt in the unicorn's mind, they were her friends, and friendship was definitely worth the effort which Twilight had refused to give, until now.

“Are you joining us or what?” Trixie asked, glancing over her shoulder at Twilight while she levitated several apples over to her plate.

Around the table, the rest of her friends sat, their plates stacked high, and each one looking over at the unicorn in concern. Twilight took a step forward and opened her mouth to speak, only for the world to blur for a half second, and her friends were replaced by six nearly identical creatures that shared their colors, mannerisms, and heights. Only Trixie was truly different, the show pony having been replaced by a fiery maned unicorn mare who wore a prideful smirk on her face, and had a flaming horseshoe on her flank.

Then it was gone just as quickly as it came, with Twilight left with after images of what her friends would look like if they were members of the three more average pony tribes. “Yeah I’m coming,” Twilight replied, awkwardly trotting over to the table and plunking down between Rarity and Trixie.

“Are you alright, darling? You looked a little uncertain for a second there,” Rarity whispered, her own plate far emptier than most, with only a small bar made up of squashed bugs and nuts held together by some odd looking fruit mash sitting on her plate.

“It's nothing, Rarity, I just had a weird vision,” Twilight replied, grabbing one of the special apples for herself before biting into the incredibly fresh flesh of the delicious fruit.

“Anythin’ interesting?” Applejack asked before tossing back an entire apple and chewing the whole thing at once.

Twilight shrugged. “Not really. Did you girls find anything else?”

Fluttershy sighed, dropping the bundle of grass she was nibbling on. “I’m afraid not. There doesn't seem to be a way out of this place without going back to the tower.”

“The stone is harder than it looks too.” Applejack grunted. “Damn near chipped a hoof trying to kick the door down.”

“You really should ease off on the violence, darling, you wouldn't want to break a hoof down here,” Rarity reprimanded.

The apple farmer sighed, her shoulders falling. “I know, it just sucks being this close to town, only to not be able to do anything. Like, I bet there are folk walkin’ around like thirty feet ‘a this place and they don't even know we’re here.”

“When you put it that way it is kinda weird,” Rainbow Dash remarked, before biting a chunk off a mango and chewing the squishy fruit with gusto.

“I remember walking by it once after one of my shows. The library was pretty close to the center of town too,” Trixie began, tapping her chin with a hoof. “I tried looking for it a few years ago, but it seems as though the forest didn't want me to succeed.”

“Well either way, maybe we’ll find something that will turn the tree back to normal and we won't have to walk all the way back,” Twilight declared hopefully.

“True. I am not looking forward to going back the long way,” Rainbow Dash remarked with a snort of irritation.

“I’m sure my animal friends are worried about me too…” Fluttershy whispered, her tiny forepaws pressing nervously against each other.

“I’m sure they are fine, darling, they seemed like a well-behaved bunch of critters,” Rarity assured, the arachne gently patting Fluttershy on the back and making a faint smile to spread across the bunny’s face.

“True,” muttered the animal.

“Now then, who’s first in the shower?” Rainbow Dash asked. “Because I don't mind going last.”

“First!” shouted Trixie, who raised her hoof above her head. “I have not had a good shower in…” She paused, and tapped her chin. “I don't even remember to be honest with you.”

“I suppose I could go second then,” Rarity offered.

Applejack shrugged. “I’m just fine the way I am, but Bloomberg needs a good soak. Been a while since we’ve had a chance to enjoy a nice rain.”

“Then it's settled, Twilight you can go second last,” Rainbow Dash declared.

“That's fine with me. I was gonna head back into the basement for a while anyway and see if I can't figure this whole thing out,” Twilight replied.

“Best of luck, darling, I’ll be down in a bit to help you out,” Rarity added, touching the mare’s shoulder and flashing her a kind smile.

“Thanks, Rarity,” Twilight replied, a faint blush on the dead mare’s cheeks.

“Alright, after that I suggest we get some shut eye, as something tells me this is going to be the last chance we get to really sleep peacefully without having to watch our backs until we make it back to Ponyville.” Rainbow Dash nodded to Twilight. “One way or another.”

“True, who's getting the bed though?” Applejack asked.

“Seems only fair to leave it for Twilight,” Fluttershy offered. “It is hers. Kind of.”

Twilight shrugged. “I don't need as much sleep as you girls, so whoever wants it can have it.”

“In that case I vote for Rainbow Dash to have the bed,” Rarity announced with a smile. “After all, she has done a stellar job guiding us so far.”

Trixie crossed her hooves over her chest and frowned. “Fine, but if we stay here another night, I’m getting it next time.”

“Fine by me,” Applejack exclaimed.

“Any other orders of business?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Don't think so,” Twilight replied.

“Good, because I am starving,” declared the thestral and began to bite into her mango with renewed gusto.

Twilight chuckled, and chewed on her second apple as she watched her friends eat, a small smile crossed her face. Here we are again, after all these years.

Twilight pulled away from the arachne, the dead mare’s legs twitching as energy filled her body and her eyes snapped open, a fresh surge of wakefulness coursing through her. “Thank you for that Rarity. Though I admit I still feel rather bad about using you in such a way,” Twilight exclaimed, gesturing to Rarity’s wobbly limbs.

The arachne shook her head and placed a hoof on the mare’s shoulder, partly for reassurance, partly for balance. “Don't worry about it, darling. In fact, after everything we've been through, I’m using you as a sleep aid,” the fashionista remarked with a chuckle.

“True,” Twilight murmured. “Do you need a hoof upstairs?”

The arachne shook her head. “Oh no, I’m fine. I just need a moment to get past the woozines and I’ll be out of your hair, darling.”

Twilight nodded and watched as the arachne shook her head and breathed deeply, her legs ceasing their wobbling and the arachne standing tall and firm once more. “Have a good sleep, Rarity,” Twilight offered.

Rarity nodded and gave her friend’s shoulder one last pat. “You too, darling. Don't stay up too late, you do need some sleep, you know.”

“I will, Rarity,” Twilight replied confidently.

The dead pony remained standing in the centre of the room as she watched Rarity skitter up the stairs and out the door, the arachne’s balance perfect despite the fact she had been nearly falling over only a few minutes earlier. With a sigh, Twilight turned from one door to another, this one housing something far less pleasant than the generous arachne. With slow, tentative hoosteps, Twilight walked into the room and turned to where the dragon statue remained.

Though she hesitated a moment, the mare ultimately reached out and caressed the cheek of the dragon, sighing sadly when she realized she couldn't dismiss the young drake’s tears without first unpetrifying him. “What happened to you?” whispered the mare.

The stone dragon remained as motionless as ever, his sense of terror and sadness so palpable that Twilight herself felt a little sadder just looking at him. Pulling the necklace from her mane, Twilight looked down at the moon amulet for several long seconds before gingerly lifting it over her head, only to stop and pull back again. “It doesn't feel right to put it on,” she muttered.

Though she thought of other, less emotionally based arguments against wearing it, they all felt weak when compared to the fact that it felt like she had robbed a corpse and had been about to wear its jewelry. Even though the dragon wasn't dead, as petrification could be reversed, though Twilight knew not how, the feeling of wrongness remained.

Not for the first time, and certainly not for the last time, Twilight kicked herself for having ignored the medical section of her home library in favor of continuing her endless research into ever more esoteric studies of magic.

With a sigh, the mare went back into the main room, grabbed her bedding and brought it into the smaller area, the pony laying out her gear next to the bed, before lying down and staring at the dragon for a few minutes. Though it was weird to sleep here, so close to him, Twilight also felt a strange connection to the petrified creature, and she knew that he would have taken a small modicum of joy from her presence, if he could perceive it, that is.

“Goodnight. Or is it good morning?” Twilight chuckled mirthlessly. “I still haven't quite gotten used to which is which yet.”

The dead mare sighed and lay back down, pulling her blanket up to her chin and closing her eyes. The last thoughts that flickered through the pony’s mind were vague, only half remembered memories of times she had shared with the dragon. Though fleeting in the extreme, Twilight felt a small smile cross her face when she caught a half second of the dragon’s unique, and expressive laugh.

I’ll get you out of there someday, Spike. I promise.

Twilight stifled a giggle, the mare leaning in conspiratorily. “You didn't,” she whispered.

Luna flashed the mare a wide smirk while continuing to trot down the road, her friend close by her side. “And what if I did?” she asked with a hint of mischievousness.

“I’d tell you to cut it out ‘cause you are not helping matters.” Twilight’s stern expression fell away in an instant and she looked left and right before leaning in. “Off the record, I would also say that was a perfect prank played on a pony who definitely deserved it.”

Luna smiled and wrapped her hoof and around the other mare’s shoulder. “Good, because I put another bucket over the exit to his massage parlor, a bucket he will be learning about in oh, five minutes I’d say.”

Twilight barely contained another giggle. “Blueblood is going to be so pissed after he finds out.”

The alicorn released the other mare and scoffed as they continued to trot down the main road of Ponyville. “You underestimate me, Twilight. I’m the Princess of the Night! I can go wherever I please and nopony will ever be the wiser.”

“That's if you didn't also have a habit of leaving calling cards to make sure the ponies you prank know it was you,” Twilight shot back, poking the mare in the shoulder.

Luna shrugged. “I suppose, but after the last time I don't really need a calling card, now do I?”

“I guess,” Twilight remarked with a shake of her head.

Though on the one hand, she was quite happy that Blueblood was getting some sort of commopance for his unpleasant behavior, Twilight also knew that this kind of revenge never seemed to work out like Luna wanted. Twilight remembered well just how big a scandal it had been when somepony discovered that Luna had been tricking ponies into calling Celestia ‘Tia’ and that had been a fairly harmless prank. Yet it had still managed to blow up into nearly a two month long back and forth between Luna, and her critics, who conflated the harmless prank on her sister into a grand assault on the solar princess, as well as an attempt to undermine the very authority Celestia stood for.

Though ridiculous, they appealed to the common pony’s emotions, and generally negative opinion held about Luna. Though that couldn't be said for Ponyville, which was visited so often by the lunar mare that nearly every member of the small village considered her an honorary neighbor, a title given out surprisingly sparingly despite Ponyvillians’ friendly nature.

Twilight’s musings were abruptly stopped when the mare caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror-like finish of a nearby shop’s window. The appearance she beheld within the polished glass made her stop and stare, her eyes going wide when she realized just how much she had changed.

Her legs had grown longer, more angular, something her horn had done as well, becoming nearly as long as Luna and Celestia’s horns. Though her fur and mane had darkened significantly, they seemed to have stopped after shifting only a few shades darker. Something Twilight was immensely thankful for, as the rest of her transformation had been disturbing enough and that was without her fur turning completely black. Tugging at her eyelid, Twilight leaned closer to her reflection and gazed within the slightly darker orb set in her skull.

Though her deep purple orbs had become slightly darker and then had stopped changing early on, the mare was convinced that her pupils were narrowing, though no one seemed to agree with her on that sentiment. “Twilight, are you alright?” Luna asked hesitantly.

“Uh yeah.” Twilight took a step back and shook her head, forcing herself to look away from her reflection. “Just, a little put off by everything, you know?”

Luna nodded slowly, eyeing the mare carefully. “You know you can't keep hiding this from Celestia. Eventually she's going to either find out, notice you are avoiding her, or you are going to run out of mane dye.”

Twilight sighed and pawed the earth nervously. “I know, it's just… She was my teacher for a long time, and it's my fault that I’ve changed. I should have never studied that stupid timberwolf.”

“Hey now, think about what you are saying,” cautioned Luna. “We made great strides in our research due to capturing the beast, and if it was anyone’s fault, it was my own for having not contained it properly.”

“You are right about the research part at least,” Twilight muttered. “We both underestimated just how strong it was.”

“I suppose that is true, though in our defence it's not obvious that wood could trump well-forged iron,” Luna exclaimed with a smirk.

“True…”

“Now are we gonna stand around all day or are we going to go get some food?” Luna demanded, flashing her friend a wide smile.

“I suppose we should get some food, I haven't eaten since supper last night,” Twilight remarked idly, only to notice the look of shock from Luna. “What?”

“It's almost two in the afternoon! How are you not dying right now?” Luna asked in an over dramatic fashion.

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Oh it's not that long ago, besides, I’m still working off that librarian chub you pointed out a few weeks ago.”

“Though I’m tempted to congratulate you, you must realize that chub is already gone,” Luna pointed out, gesturing to the mare’s torso.

Twilight blinked, stopped and looked down at herself. “Huh, well would you look at that.” She shrugged. “I just haven't been feeling quite as hungry lately, I guess.”

“Except when it comes to more of Apple Turnover’s new preserved apples,” Luna pointed out. “You’d live on the stuff if Spike didn't make you eat something else every once in a while.”

“What? It's good and it's fresh. Apples are awesome,” Twilight muttered defensively. “There is nothing wrong with craving them occasionally. Besides, Apple Preserve does good work and we should support his efforts to make transporting fresh produce easier.”

Luna rolled her eyes as she trotted next to her friend, passing by a trio of mares as they turned a corner and proceeded towards the restaurant at the end of the street. “Though that much is true, I saw you eat an entire crate of them the other day. It's obvious you are not just helping an independent farmer. You need more than just apples in your diet, you know.”

“Fine,” Twilight admitted in defeat. “I’ll try and add other stuff to my schedule.”

“Good, ‘cause we were worried you’d get some sort of deficiency if you kept this up,” Luna shot back.

“I wouldn't worry about that,” Twilight declared, stepping forward and tugging open the door, holding it with a smile. “After you, Your Majesty.”

“Thank you, my good mare,” replied Luna as she trotted through the open door.

“My pleasure.”

Together they trotted into the restaurant, a restaurant which was at about half capacity currently and was mostly filled by earth ponies and pegasi, with the odd unicorn intermingled here and there. Though most tribes of ponies seemed to associate only with members of the same tribe, there were a few exceptions. Namely a very distinct table off to the side which seated two earth ponies, two pegasi, and a unicorn who were all laughing at a joke no one but them heard.

Twilight instantly recognized the familiar forms of each one of her friends, and was surprised to note that she was the last one to arrive, for once. Gale Force was always early, no matter what, and it seemed like today was no different, as the teal-furred pegasus mare was sitting on the far side of the table. Her usual black eyepatch remained fixed over her left eye as usual, the mare grinning widely, uncaring about just how many holes she had in her smile. Her mane had been cut exceptionally short recently, the two toned sky blue and darker royal blue hair so short that it made her look a bit like a stallion.

Apple Turnover on the other hand had an exceptionally long red and orange mane which was currently pulled back into her trademark twin pigtails, both were nearly hidden behind her wide brimmed straw hat. The earth pony was smirking as she sipped on what looked like hot apple cider, her copper fur as lusterous as ever despite the long hours and physically demanding work.

Twilight made a note of getting the secret for perfect fur from the earth pony the next time they were alone.

The lone unicorn at the table was leaning forward conspiratorily, her sharp blue eyes glinting with mischievous intent as she unloaded some form of gossip. Though her grey fur was, as usual, dusted with bits of coal, the unicorn was otherwise the picture of beauty and poise. Her short white and silver mane was styled immaculately, naturally drawing the viewer's eye to the mare’s own striking orbs. Her right hoof gripped her coffee cup, while the other held tight the other mare’s who sat to her immediate right.

A mare named Shutter Bug, who held a hoof over her mouth as she barely contained a giggle, no doubt already knowing where her partner’s story was about to end up at. Her pink fur shone in the dim light of the restaurant, and though she had a bit of soot and coal dust on the left side of her coat, she didn't seem to mind. As she was too engrossed with the story to care it seemed, and her deep green eyes glinted with joy from beneath the canopy of yellow hair that was as usual, pulled to one side and hung down the other side of her neck.

More engrossed than even the storyteller’s significant other was a mare by the name of Taffy Pull, who was leaning heavily on the table, making the entire thing tip slightly in her direction. The heavy set, white coated earth pony apparently not giving any attention at all to the ramifications of her actions. Her royal blue mane was pulled back into the usual massive bun that rested on the back of her head, keeping her mane out of the way and enabling all to see her merigold-colored eyes shine with barely contained excitement.

When the group erupted with laughter once more, Twilight couldn't help but grin and chuckle along with them, though she hadn't actually caught the punch line, their enthusiasm alone enough to make the mare laugh aloud.

“You coming?” Luna whispered, gesturing towards the table and smiling.

Twilight nodded. “Right behind you.”

Together the duo trotted up to the table, only for Taffy Pull’s lone, left ear to wiggle and the pony to spin around, a massive smile on her face. “You are here!”

“We are!” Luna replied with a smirk.

“I told you they were coming, Gale,” Taffy Pull announced, glaring at the aforementioned pegasus.

The former guard merely shrugged. “I never said they weren't gonna show up, only that there was a chance they were gonna spend all day snogging.”

“Snogging? What's that?” the youngest member of the group asked, pushing her hat further up on her head and looking around with a confused expression.

Shutter Bug sighed and leaned over, intent on whispering it in the young pony’s ear, only for Taffy Pull to beat her to the punch. “It means they were bumping nasties, doing the ol’ vertical mambo, ya dig?”

The other earth pony’s jaw hung open. “Oh,” she whispered, her copper cheeks becoming redder by the second.

“Oh, do behave, dear. We are out in public, after all,” Sterling Silver reprimanded.

“What? I didn't swear this time,” Taffy muttered, with a shrug.

“There is so much wrong with what you just said,” Twilight growled, rubbing her temples with her forehooves. “The most prominent of which is that our relationship is not like that.”

“Yet,” Luna added and shared a hoof bump with a snickering Gale Force.

“Augh, you are not helping!” Twilight groaned, the mare’s cheeks burning bright under the teasing of her friends. “Seriously, even my own mother assumed we were doing that, the other day.”

Luna snickered. “Was she annoyed I didn't ask for your hoof yet?”

Twilight’s face went from a two shades redder, to six in the blink of an eye, and the mare stammered uselessly for several seconds only to stop and glare at the alicorn. “I hate you.”

“Maybe we should leave poor Twi alone, at least for a few minutes?” Shutter Bug pressed, smiling weakly.

“Yeah you two better take a seat before they call the guard to remove you for loitering,” grunted Gale.

“Did you girls order yet?” Twilight asked as she pulled up a chair and sat next to Taffy Pull, with Luna taking a seat to the unicorn’s right.

Everyone nodded. “I wasn't sure what ya wanted so I ordered you some tea and brought these along,” Apple Turnover remarked, reaching under the table and pulling out a small bag of familiar looking apples.

Apples which instantly made Twilight’s mouth water and her horn to light, the unicorn pulling them over to her, only to be stopped by a teal hoof. “Now you wouldn't be thinking of eating before the rest of us, now would ya?” Gale Force asked.

“Oh just let her eat them, the poor dear looks like she's famished,” Sterling remarked, smacking the old guard’s hoof away and allowing Twilight to retrieve her prize.

“Don't worry, I won't eat them yet,” vowed Twilight.

“Good, ‘cause last time you dove in, I got hit with the viscera.” Luna snorted. “Did you girls order anything for me?”

“The usual,” Gale Force replied.

“Excellent,” Luna declared.

Twilight smiled faintly. “So, how are you girls doing today?”

“Oh oh, I’m doing fantastic!” Taffy Pull declared with a wide grin. “Why, just the other day the Pie twins were running around the bakery and-”

With conversation flowing smoothly, the mares fell into the usual routine of each speaking about the interesting day they had as well as anything else that was new in their lives. By the time each pony had a chance to speak, their food had arrived and just about everypony dug into their meals with gusto. While they ate, conversation was minimal, with everyone too hungry to really offer much in the way discussion.

Once everything was consumed, and most were satisfied, a few ponies ordered dessert, while the others enjoyed a full stomach and pleasant conversation. Which had turned from their lives, the weather, and the happenings of Ponyville, to the new shop being built in town. Once that trail of conversation and opinion sharing had been consumed entirely, and dessert had been eaten, an unfortunate topic came up.

“But I thought Celestia said the forest was bad news,” muttered Apple Turnover, who cocked her head at Sterling. “How is all those nasty trees supposed to help anybody?”

Sterling Silver winced, and released Shutter Bug’s hoof. “I just said that the forest is better for mining, wherever it grows there are more crystals in the mines. That's all I said.”

“But those same trees choke out the apples, how is that a good thing?” Apple Turnover demanded, her gaze narrowing as she leaned forward.

Sterling held up her hooves defensively. “I’m not saying the whole forest is good, just that it's good for me is all, I don't have to dig as deep, or as often, less chance of cave-ins too.”

“Plus there are so many new species migrating close to Ponyville,” Shutter Bug declared, her wings twitching excitedly on her back. “It's a wonderful opportunity to photograph different species.”

“Except when the forest up and eats all the grassland. Why, there are hardly any gophers round these days!” Apple Turnover declared. “Help me out here, Taffy, your family are farmers right?”

The larger mare’s shoulders sagged somewhat and she nervously scratched her foreleg. “Y-yeah, they aren't doing so good. They might have to move since the forest is getting so close. The wheat doesn't want to grow anymore.” She sighed. “But Pa is so stubborn I’m not sure they will.”

“I’m sure it's not all bad,” Luna began, leaning in and smiling. “Has your family considered moving to raising animals perhaps? I know goats don't mind rocky ground and they eat just about anything.”

Taffy Pull sighed and shrunk even lower still. “N-no. Ma says goats are the herald of disharmony, ever since Granny Pie had a nightmare about a terrible demon and all she could remember was that it had the horn of a goat.”

“Superstitious nonsense,” Luna remarked, the alicorn rolling her eyes.

“Now Luna, I don't think that's very nice to say. Taffy’s family may be different, but their beliefs are not nonsense,” Twilight counseled.

“Yeah! Shouldn't you know the power of dreams better than anyone?” Apple Turnover accused, jabbing a hoof at the alicorn.

“What is that supposed to mean? Do you doubt my knowledge of the dreamworld, mortal?” Luna accused, glaring right back.

“I’m sayin-” Apple Turnover began, only for the eye patch wearing pegasus to stand suddenly and grab everyone’s attention.

“Maybe we should call the afternoon here,” Gale Force announced before turning and leveling a glare at Apple Turnover. “Before one of us says something stupid to the princess.”

“Y-yeah, I think I gotta go back home for a bit anyway…” Taffy Pull murmured, stood up and turned around to walk away. “Later, girls.”

Twilight opened her mouth to speak, only to sigh. “Yeah, we better go too.”

“Yes, I do believe we had plans to visit my parents soon, right, my dear?” Sterling Silver asked, turning to Shutter Bug, who nodded.

“R-right. That's tonight,” she murmured.

The remaining ponies quietly excused themselves, with Twilight and Luna walking out of the restaurant and turning towards the edge of town and towards the park, the alicorn leading the way. “What a load of nonsense,” muttered Luna. “I’m the Mistress of Dreams, I know more about them than anyone alive today.”

Twilight sighed. “I think everyone is just a little tired of all the division recently. Plus Apple Turnover’s aunt and uncle’s farm has been hit the hardest and they've lost a lot of land.”

“And whose fault is that anyway?” spat Luna. “If Celestia and her solar guard were out there helping us research how it works, we’d know how to live with it.”

“Not everyone wants to live with the forest, Luna,” Twilight placated.

“I know…” Luna frowned. “I just wish my sister wouldn't fill our ponies’ heads with ridiculous ideas like they are going to hold back the Everfree.”

“You haven't exactly helped in that regard, Luna,” Twilight pointed out as the pair trotted past the entrance to the small park.

“What do you mean?” Luna replied.

“I mean it takes two to tango, and you releasing your own statements to the press creates as much confusion and division as Celestia’s constant assurances that the crown is working to halt the forest in its tracks,” Twilight explained.

“It is not my fault she continues this mad quest of destruction,” countered Luna. “She refuses to see my side, or even look at the data we’ve gathered. Imagine how far we could come if Celestia’s solar guard stopped wasting time throwing spells into the woods and actually tried to figure it out.”

Twilight shook her head. “But Celestia doesn't see it as a waste, and she is actually researching the forest too, only her focus is merely in resisting its influence and keeping it at bay.”

“‘Tis a wasted effort though!” Luna declared. “You have seen first hand the power the forest holds, its will can not be so easily resisted.”

“And you haven't seen how Celestia actually managed to push back the forest for a bit,” objected Twilight. “You are both too set in your own ways, why can't you both see this?”

Luna sighed and hung her head in defeat, the mare coming to a stop at the midway point of a small bridge overlooking a burbling brook. “Maybe I have been a little bullheaded.”

“And so has Celestia,” Twilight added, coming to a stop next to her friend and resting a hoof on her shoulder. “No matter who's right and who’s wrong, you both need to meet in the middle and talk this out, sooner rather than later.”

“Surely it's not that much of an issue that it requires such immediate attention,” retorted Luna. “It is merely a… sisterly spat. We will talk it out soon enough, I’m sure.”

“Your sisterly spat makes everyone nervous,” Twilight scolded. “Already there are ponies out there declaring allegiance to you or Celestia, as if a civil war is about to start tomorrow.”

“Now that seems a bit much. I love my sister dearly and there is no divide too large that we cannot cross together,” Luna countered.

“That's not how everyone sees it though,” Twilight continued, the mare leaning on the edge of the bridge. “I overheard Moon Willow talking about how her store was vandalized after she mentioned her support of you over your sister.”

“Well that's-” Luna began, only to be cut off by Twilight.

“I’m not done,” Twilight chastised. “I’ve also seen ponies start to get nervous and begin to stock canned goods. Sure it's not crazy yet, but you have to realize that when the royal family sneezes, the common pony catches a cold. Your actions have wider consequences, even if they are admittedly stupid consequences that only dumb ponies believe.”

“You are right, Twilight, as usual,” Luna declared with a small smirk. “When did you become so wise? Surely it wasn't my sister, and I doubt it was me.”

The unicorn rolled her eyes. “I learned that one from my piano teacher actually. She always seemed to have a quote stored in her back pocket, ready to be used whenever the time came.”

“Ahh Miss Ivory. I think I remember her. She is that tall, white-maned mare that lives on the east side of town, right?” Luna mused.

Twilight nodded, the mare using her magic to swirl the water flowing beneath her. “So, are you going to tell me why you are here or are we going to keep beating around the bush?”

“Can't I hang out with a good friend of mine for no reason?” Luna replied, leaning on the ledge of the bridge and grasping at her heart in a dramatic fashion. “Truly you wound me, Twilight.”

Twilight sighed. “We both know you have something planned, what is it?”

The lunar princess fell back to her hooves and frowned. “I was hoping things would turn out a little better with your friends so that we may have an excuse to wander the park alone and speak on lighter topics. It seems as though that possibility has been ruined however.”

“Quite,” Twilight deadpanned.

Luna winced and reached back into her mane and produced a small silver necklace, at the end of which hung a strange circular amulet that radiated power. “After walking with you in the gardens, I was hoping to find a more romantic opportunity to give this to you, but I suppose this awkward moment will have to suffice.”

Twilight lifted an eyebrow at the gift and leaned closer. “What is it exactly?”

The lunar princess presented the amulet to Twilight in her magic, allowing the unicorn to see the jewelry in all its beauty. The silver chain from which a small moon hung was made of the finest metal Twilight had ever seen, and looked surprisingly smooth. At the end of said chain hung the small silver moon which appeared to be a perfect replica of the real thing, albeit in miniature. Twilight watched closely as the amulet spun slowly on the chain, revealing the back side, and the darker, hidden half of the moon.

“It's a protection amulet,” Luna declared. “It comes apart like this in case you want to spread its protective charms across two people.”

Luna twisted the side of the moon, allowing the darker half of the moon to fall off and rest in her hoof. Yet where Twilight assumed there would be exposed gears, or some kind of mechanism there was nothing, only a tiny, hidden switch on the side of the silver moon that enabled the two halves to hook together with ease.

“When it is apart, it acts like a simple protection charm, keeping you safe from minor dangers, and ensuring that whoever is wearing it has no need to fear my night,” Luna explained before pressing the two halves back together and clicking them in place. “Then once it is whole once more all you must do is focus on it and ask for aid, and the nightmare will come to you. She will protect you, and keep you safe from all but the most thorough assassin.”

“W-why would you make something like this?” Twilight asked hesitantly. “Surely being separated from her would be… unpleasant.”

“It is not a feeling I relish, I admit,” Luna replied, before smiling faintly. “But it would be well worth it to know that you are safe, and that a part of me is with you, always.”

“I don't know what to say,” Twilight whispered.

“Well usually one would thank the pony giving such a wonderful gift,” Luna teased, extending her hoof and offering the amulet to Twilight.

“I don't know if I can accept something like this,” Twilight muttered. “It's obviously a very expensive gift.”

“It cost me a mere twenty bits to make,” Luna replied flippantly. “Take me out to dinner sometime and we can call it even.”

“Are you sure?” Twilight asked hesitantly.

Luna nodded confidently. “Absolutely.”

The unicorn’s frown slowly vanished and she reached out and took the amulet into her hoof, feeling its weight. “It's so light.”

“If you wish to learn how to make something like this yourself, I could be convinced to teach you sometime,” Luna replied coquettishly, smirking at the unicorn.

“That would be nice…” Twilight murmured, a blush coming to her cheeks. “Is there any way to find the other half if I were to lose it somehow?”

Luna nodded and tapped the silver half of the moon. “Simply focus your mind while wearing or holding one half and think of the other side, after that it should be able to impart a rudimentary sense of direction that will lead you to the other half.”

“Oh, thank goodness,” Twilight whispered, a hoof over her heart.

Luna giggled. “I know how scatterbrained you can get.”

The unicorn slapped her friend across the shoulder, though her own giggle dismissed any notion that she was genuinely angry with the other mare. “You are the worst.”

“At being the worst!” Luna declared. “Go on, try it on.”

Twilight nodded and gently lifted the amulet up and over her neck, the thin silver chain smooth and cool against her flesh. For a moment it seemed like nothing had changed, only for the protective aura to settle over her body, and for Twilight to instantly notice that she felt… invincible for lack of a better word. She could see into even the darkest shadows, and not only did her vision improve but so did her hearing.

“This is amazing,” Twilight whispered, extending a hoof and noticing a brief shimmer that covered the limb, making the unicorn’s eyes widen. “Did you finally master the reactive shield armor?”

Luna shook her head. “It's not quite perfect, but it should deflect most bladed weapons and some spells. Just don't try and catch a falling boulder or something because it won't help much against that.”

“That's amazing, Luna.” Beamed Twilight. “But why would you give me something like this? Don't get me wrong, it's truly a masterpiece, but why me?”

Luna smiled faintly and took a tentative step closer to the unicorn. “It's simple, Twilight,” she whispered, a hoof slowly running across the other mare’s cheek. “You mean a lot to me, and though I doubt we will ever have to worry about some sort of conflict, I want you to feel safe, no matter what happens.”

“Oh Luna,” Twilight whispered back, the unicorn caressing the other mare’s foreleg gently. “I don't know what to say.”

“You don't have to say anything,” Luna declared, leaning forward.

Twilight jerked backward suddenly, waking from her dream a second before her lips touched Luna’s. The dead mare had to blink several times and look around the room before her brain finally seemed to realize that the alicorn was no longer around. Though the curious part of her wanted to know if she actually did kiss Luna, or if the bit of hesitation and doubt in her dream counterpart had bloomed and stopped things a second before they kissed, Twilight was glad she didn't know.

It was bad enough that she already felt strangely about a mare whom she had never actually met, and may very well be dead but it felt like that kiss would have sealed things for the unicorn. “Come on, Twilight, get ahold of yourself, you’ve never met Luna,” muttered the unicorn. “But she smelled so nice, and she is so kind, and gentle.”

The unicorn blinked, only now realizing what she was saying. “Augh,” groaned the mare and threw back her sheets. “Stupid past me, stop thinking about Luna’s sweet, supple lips.”

“Augh!” she yelled, grinding her hooves into her eyes as she continued to grumble.

Sighing, and falling back into her makeshift bed, Twilight stared up at the ceiling in utter defeat. Her mind churned with ideas on how best to insulate herself from the feelings that weren’t hers, but without any real knowledge of how she was even getting these visions in the first place all she could come up with was never sleeping again. Something that was as stupid as it was impractical.

“Maybe if I nail my eyelids to my forehead I won't have to sleep anymore,” muttered the mare.

With one last sigh of defeat, Twilight put all thoughts of sexy alicorns from her mind, and reached over to her bags and grabbed the amulet. Turning it over in her hooves, Twilight nearly facehoofed when she realized she hadn't noticed how flat the back part was the first time she had looked at it. Now that she knew how the two sides attached, the amulet no longer felt… right, like it was missing something.

“I wonder if it still works,” Twilight whispered, sitting in her bed and gently levitating the amulet over her head and onto her neck.

For a second, nothing happened, then all at once, there were no shadows, and the room was lit up like there was a roaring bonfire at the centre of it. “Wow.” Twilight gasped.

Extending a hoof revealed that although she didn't feel quite as invincible as she did when she had worn the complete amulet, the fact that her already quite good night vision was improved significantly, was amazing all by itself. Her hooves, and the rest of her body also felt more… solid, for lack of a better word, like it would take more to injure her.

Wearing the amulet also made her feel oddly warm, and she couldn't help but blush slightly as her mind wandered back to thoughts of Luna. In a way it felt like she was no longer alone, like the dark alicorn was standing beside her, ready and willing to offer a hoof in any way Twilight needed. Shaking her head dismissed this feeling for the most part, but the warmth she had felt still remained, making Twilight smile despite the weirdness of the situation.

“Focus, Twilight, maybe the other half will lead you to more answers,” Twilight reminded herself.

The unicorn gripped the amulet tightly in her hoof, and followed Luna’s instructions, thinking about the other half, and putting a shred of her magic into the amulet. Though at first it seemed like it wasn't going to work, after Twilight relaxed, and allowed her thoughts to flow more normally, she got the feeling that the other half was behind her. Focusing even more revealed only a vague feeling of distance that Twilight assumed meant the other half was back in the tower.

Releasing her grip on the amulet Twilight smiled faintly, hope blooming in her chest. “This is it, this is the key. I’m sure of it,” she declared, only to stop and plant a hoof into her forehead. “I have got to stop talking to myself.”

A thought suddenly occurred to the mare, and she couldn't help but think back to the distant memories that contained her first visions. She focused on the images of her friends, of what they looked like, and what their cutie marks were.

Gale Force’s cutie mark was the easiest, as it was simply a gust of wind underneath a gold and silver shield. Apple Turnover’s was one of the strangest, as it was of an upside down apple, something Twilight didn't know the significance of. Sterling Silver’s was easy, as it was a bar of gleaming silver, while Shutter Bug’s was of a picture of a large dragonfly inside a frame of some kind. Taffy Pull’s was about as what you would expect, being of a stretched piece of orange taffy, pulled tight between two invisible hooves.

Their appearance came to mind easily, and yet Twilight remembered that they hadn't looked that way in her earliest visions.

Or had they?

Twilight groaned and flopped back onto the ground. “I swear to the stars. If this is going to be yet another mystery I’m going to tear my mane out. I better just be going crazy.”

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