“Spike?”

The dragon sniffed and wiped a clawed hand across his nose. “It’s you. It's really you. I can't believe you are alive.”

Twilight felt compelled to wrap a hoof around the young dragon and to hug him tightly. An urge she quickly decided not to resist, as there was no doubt that he needed someone right now. She wanted to say something, to comfort him, but she knew there was something she needed to say first. “I’m…. I’m not Twilight. Or at least, I’m not your Twilight,” the unicorn whispered slowly.

Spike blinked and looked up at the pony with wide, terrified eyes. “What do you mean you are not Twilight?”

“I’m not your Twilight. The one you knew, she passed away around a thousand years ago,” Twilight explained, the pony lowering herself to his level. “I’m a reincarnation of hers, though I have some of her memories.”

“How- wait…” Spike blinked, and looked Twilight up and down. “But you look exactly like her. I mean, you are not quite as tall and don't smell very nice, but other than that you are the same!”

“I know. Some reason I, or we have been reincarnating as almost the exact same pony over and over again,” Twilight continued. “I don't understand the exact details of all that, but I know she loved you very, very much.”

Spike stood there a moment, too shocked and confused to know what to feel. Then, a dam burst, and tears flowed down his cheeks, the young dragon sobbing uncontrollably. Twilight stood there awkwardly for a moment before leaning forward and pulling the younger being into a hug. One that he fought against for a few seconds before reluctantly giving in and pressing his face against the fur under Twilight’s chin.

The unicorn sighed and began to rub the younger being’s back in slow, gentle circles. Though Twilight knew this should feel awkward and unpleasant, there was a part of her that celebrated being able to do this for the dragon. Being able to help the young drake in some small way made her heart rejoice in a manner she couldn't quite explain. In the end she decided to merely let it happen and channel whatever part of her former self that lived on through her.

“There there, Spike. I know I’m not your Twilight, but I’d still like to be there for you. If you would let me,” Twilight whispered.

Spike sniffed. “R-really?”

Twilight nodded slowly. “I saw you grow up, in a way. I know this whole situation is strange, but I feel like I already know you.”

“Well you are right about one thing. This is really weird,” Spike replied while taking a step back.

Twilight winced and rubbed her forehoof. “I know and something tells me it's only going to get weirder before it gets more normal. Normaler? Whatever the word for it is.”

Spike sighed. “I don't suppose you know where she is buried by chance. Do you?”

Twilight grimaced. “She wasn't and isn't. Been buried yet, that is. Her body was left in the undertower this entire time and I was just now able to reach it.”

The dragon nodded, a strangely intense look crossing his face as he began to pace. “Then we need to recover it. Twilight always said that she wanted to be buried along with her mother in Ponyville cemetery.” He frowned and rubbed his chin. “That's assuming it’s still there.”

“I don't actually know the answer to that,” Twilight muttered. “I’m sure someone around town knows though.”

“I should get to work then,” Spike remarked. “Twilight deserves to rest easy.”

“Trust me, Spike. She's resting soundly knowing you are safe,” Twilight added with a faint smile.

For a moment the serious mask the dragon had donned slipped and Twilight could see the hurt and guilt just beneath. “I-I need time to plan. She would want a funeral and to be cremated. I remember that much.”

“That can wait,” Twilight interrupted, trotting up to the dragon. “She's waited a thousand years, so she can continue to do so just a little bit longer.”

“No, you don't understand,” Spike declared angrily, brushing off Twilight’s hoof. “That's exactly why this can't wait!”

“It's not safe yet. There are golems down there,” Twilight explained. “What would Twilight think if you rushed off and hurt yourself at this point, huh?”

Spike stopped and let his hands fall to his sides. “I guess you are right.”

The unicorn breathed a sigh of relief. “Everything has changed. The world is going to seem strange and wrong for a while. Just relax and focus on taking it all in. We can have a funeral for her soon.”

The dragon sniffed and nodded slowly. “So what do I call you?”

Twilight blinked and cocked her head. “What do you mean?”

“Well I can't call you Twilight. That just feels… wrong in a way,” Spike replied, wincing slightly as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Sorry, I know how that must sound.”

“That's okay, Spike. I understand where you are coming from,” Twilight reassured, placing a hoof on the dragon’s shoulder. “What would you like to call me?”

“Umm…” Spike tapped his chin. “How about Dusk Shine? It was Twilight’s pen name.”

Twilight had to resist laughing aloud when she realized that she had taken the same pen name. “Sure, you can call me Dusk Shine.”

“Okay… Dusk,” Spike remarked, a weak smile on his face.

“You know, I’m impressed you are taking this as well as you are,” Twilight exclaimed proudly, taking a step back.

The dragon sniffed and nodded. “Twilight always taught me to keep calm and to think about things logically.” He chuckled darkly. “I’ll probably end up crying myself to sleep tonight though.”

Twilight frowned. “I know you don't know me very well. But if you need to talk, I’ll be there for you.”

“Thanks, but I don't know if I can be around you right now.” Spike winced and looked away guiltily. “It's just… you look so much like her.”

Twilight nodded. “It’s okay. Just, remember I’m here, and that this is still your home.”

The dragon nodded and turned away. “I think I’d like to be alone for a while.”

Twilight’s frown deepened, but she nodded anyway. “Okay. I might leave in a bit, but I’ll be back tonight or later today.”

Spike gave the pony one last look before turning and scampering up the stairs, and disappearing into the second story, the door closing firmly behind him.

Now alone, the unicorn let out a long breath. “That was awkward,” she murmured to herself.

Using her magic, Twilight placed her riddle book back where she found it. “Now what?” she asked noone.

When no answer came, Twilight trotted into the kitchen and looked around, a strange urge suddenly overtaking her. She pulled open a few cabinets and found that they contained all the necessary cutlery and crockery for two beings. There was even an entire cupboard dedicated to spices of all kinds, some of which Twilight had never seen before.

Opening a few revealed that they still smelt good, meaning they were likely preserved by the same petrification process that had kept Spike safe. “Well, that's one less thing to worry about,” Twilight muttered, closing the door.

Turning to the fridge, Twilight was surprised to find that it too was working properly and its contents had been preserved. The freezer was similarly fine, and the enchantments keeping it, and the rest of the fridge cold were still functioning perfectly. It was also filled with food of all kinds, meaning she didn't have to worry about Spike going hungry. But he was a dragon though…

With that thought in mind, Twilight opened up the last cupboard, which lay directly above the fridge, and found it to be full of gems. Somehow she knew that was where they were, yet she was still surprised to see them, unnerving the pony slightly. These odd, foreign urges were becoming more prevalent, and she was starting to feel as though her old self wasn't quite as dead as she thought.

Before she could really contemplate such a notion, she felt compelled to walk toward the door of the library. Opening the wooden portal revealed the same bat pony she had seen earlier, hoof raised and ready to knock. “Can I help you?” Twilight asked.

The bat pony blinked, and lowered his hoof. “I, err, yes, yes you can.” He cleared his throat. “The commander has decided that you will meet him at a different location, rather than here.”

Twilight raised an eyebrow. “And why is that?”

“Well, see for yourself,” the bat pony offered, taking a step off to the side and gesturing to the crowd of beings that surrounded the library, some of whom were merely passing by while others stood there, gawking at the enormous tree.

Twilight frowned. “I suppose they would be a bit of a security risk,” she admitted.

“Indeed they would. Furthermore, the location he chose is much more private and easier to secure,” added the bat pony. “If you will just come with me, I will take you to him.”

“I don't really have a choice in the matter, do I?” Twilight muttered.

The bat pony blinked. “Of course you do. We can't arrest you on anything. If you really don't want to come, you can stay here and commander Dark Hallow will merely communicate with you via correspondence.”

Twilight’s jaw hung open, the pony shocked that she actually had a choice this time around. She briefly considered staying home and forcing this Dark Hallow fellow to come to her, but something told her Spike really needed to be alone. Furthermore, Dark Hallow did potentially have more answers for her, ones that she wasn't about to wait for, if she didn't have to. Add to that the fact that her friends were likely still getting settled into the hospital or home, and she couldn’t exactly see them either, narrowing down the places she could go considerably.

She sighed. “Lead on.”

The bat pony nodded and motioned to someone above them, signalling another guard who landed next to the door and took up position. He was a little taller than the bat pony Twilight stood next to, which made the unicorn feel a little more comfortable for whatever reason. She couldn't help but think that Spike was better off with a larger, more intimidating pony watching over him.

Twilight shook her head. “He's not yours, Twilight.”

“What was that?”

The unicorn grunted, and waved a hoof dismissively. “Nothing, let’s go.”

“Alright…” the bat pony muttered, before turning and pointing down the street. “It’s at the edge of town, follow me.”

Twilight nodded and trotted after the other pony, easily keeping pace with the much shorter-legged stallion. It was at that point that Twilight couldn't help but notice just how short the guard was, as the top of his head only came up to Twilight’s chest and even then, only just barely. Not wanting to embarrass the proud night guard, Twilight kept her thoughts to herself and focused on the road ahead.

A road that quickly emptied of beings, which made sense, as it was getting fairly late, or early, depending on how you thought about it. Twilight shook her head, ignoring the fact that she had yet to fully adapt to this reversed land of darkness. Meanwhile the town passed her by, relatively unnoticed by the focused unicorn, who would have normally stopped and stared at the many odd and unique structures that littered the town.

Now though, even the four story tall house carved from the trunk of some enormous, and long dead tree did not garner her attention. Twilight had more important and pressing matters to consider for once. The first was Spike himself, as Twilight felt oddly conflicted when she thought about him. On one hoof, he was a minor that had essentially just become an orphan, and Twilight felt an odd connection because of that. There was also a deeper, more primal urge that made her want to… mother him, for lack of a better word.

She wanted to hug him, squeeze him tightly, and never let him go, or at least not until he was happy again anyway. That feeling was as unpleasant as it was strong, and Twilight couldn't help but be unnerved by its intensity. She hardly knew how to be a good friend, never mind a parent, or whatever this urge wanted her to be.

With a sigh, she did her best to ignore that feeling and focus on what was happening right now, namely the fact that she was currently at the edge of the town itself. Looking around revealed that there didn't seem to be any houses in the area, or any sign of civilization other than a rough path that led to the hospital. “So, where exactly is this place anyway?” she asked.

The guard chuckled and stopped in front of a large oak tree. “Right here,” he declared, before tapping three times on the side of the tree.

The bark melted away to reveal a spiral staircase leading down into the ground. A flameless purple torch burned just within, and a glance inside revealed that the staircase was completely illuminated in the same purple light. “You can't just have a meeting at someone’s house or something?” Twilight deadpanned.

The guard shook his head. “The commander has a flair for the dramatic. Besides, an underground meeting place is convenient, easy to defend, and very secret.”

“I mean I guess,” Twilight admitted reluctantly. “I should have guessed something like this would have happened, shouldn't I?”

“It’s Ponyville,” the guard declared with a shrug. “What would you have expected anyway?”

“Point taken. So, do I just go down?” Twilight asked.

“I’ll be right behind you. I just have to seal the exit first,” the guard replied, before extending his hoof. “Oh, and the name’s Bright Silver.”

“Twilight Sparkle. Nice to meet you,” Twilight replied, clopping her hoof against his.

The guard pulled back the limb and gave it a brief shake. “Huh, that does feel kind of odd.”

“Sorry about that. I guess I’m a little hungrier than I thought.”

Bright Silver shook his head. “It’s fine, just go on in.”

Twilight nodded and did just that, trotting through the hole in the tree trunk, and beginning her descent. For almost a minute she walked in silence, before she could hear the smaller, lighter hooves of her companion catch up to her. Shortly after that they emerged out into a long hallway, lit by more of the same purple flameless torches. The walls were well-cut stone, and were tall and wide enough to allow an arachne to pass through with ease.

After a few dozen feet the hall split left and right, and Twilight paused, waiting for the bat pony guard to catch up. When he did, he pointed to the left. “It’s down there,” he announced with a smile. “Oh, and don't go to the right.”

Twilight leaned forward and looked down the long hallway to the right, noticing that although there were many oaken doors, it didn't look intimidating or like it hid anything secret. “Why?”

“Noone’s allowed down there but the commander, and maybe a few others. Trust me, it's better not to know,” Bright Silver answered.

Twilight shrugged and turned to the left, and found that it was identical to the right passageway, only at the end of the hall there was a large door, rather than a flat wall. Making her way to the end of the hallway, Twilight paused and stood off to the side, allowing Silver to walk up to the door and place his hoof on a moon seal just under the door handle. After a second, the door clicked and the bat pony pulled it open, bowing slightly to the unicorn.

“After you.”

“Thank you,” Twilight said, slightly awkwardly, unused to such acts of kindness.

“You are welcome,” Bright Silver replied. “Oh and watch your step.”

Twilight stopped and looked down, noticing that the floor was an inch lower than the hallway. “Thanks again, I guess.”

“No problem. Now all you have to do is stand in the center of the room so we can make sure you don't have any spells or hidden weapons. Then you can talk to the commander,” Bright Silver announced, pointing to the center of the room.

Twilight frowned when she recognized the familiar scanning array in the middle of the room. It was large, well-designed, and seemed intended to search out everything Bright Silver had mentioned. Other than that, the room seemed to serve as a storage room of some kind, with weapons, boxes, and racks of armor along the wall as well as a few random barrels.

Not seeing another way out of this, Twilight trotted into the center of the room and stood patiently, waiting for Bright Silver to get into position. Only for a thought to occur to the mare and make her nose wrinkle in confusion. “Wait, how exactly do you use a scanning circle anyway? Don't you need magic for that?” Twilight asked, watching the bat pony out of the corner of her eye.

“Who says we don't have magic?” replied Bright silver, who extended his wings, before pulling them forward, and pointing the tips of them at the circle itself.

Immediately his dark purple wings lit up, illuminating the room even more and allowing Twilight to see his short silver mane that was almost completely hidden by his helmet. Though his appearance was unique, that wasn't what caught Twilight’s attention, rather it was the familiar aura of magic that now surrounded his wing tips that made her stop and stare. Having spent the majority of her life practicing magic, Twilight knew well the sight of one’s personal aura, which for Bright Silver was a slightly lighter shade of purple than his fur.

That aura flowed down his wings, building from the base of his spine and extending down to the ground and the circle drawn upon it. Sure enough, just like if he was activating the circle as a unicorn, the scanning spells jumped to life and began to work. Despite the shock Twilight felt, she had enough presence of mind to remain still, waiting for the spells to finish, and the circle to dull before she stomped over to the stallion.

“You must tell me how you did that,” she demanded, her hooves gripping either side of his face.

The smaller being blinked. “Erm Mokay,” he muttered. “Can oo et go a mah fasche?”

Twilight blushed and took a step back, releasing the hold she had on him. “Sorry about that.”

“No problem,” he muttered, rubbing his cheeks. “Though I’m surprised you are interested in our brand of magic. The few unicorns I’ve met have always dismissed it out of hoof.”

Twilight scoffed in disbelief. “You are casting spells without the use of a normal focus. Of course I’m interested in hearing about your magic.”

Bright Silver’s lifted an eyebrow, the male temporarily shocked by just how passionate the unicorn was. “Er well, you see it has to do with our connection to the night. After we become attuned properly, we can cast a limited number of spells. I would like to tell you more, but I’m not sure how much of this information is supposed to only be known by members of the guard.”

“Can I just ask you one teensy weensy question then?” Twilight asked, hope swelling in her voice.

“Sure. So long as it's not super secret,” Bright added hastily.

“What is involved in this attunement thing?” Twilight asked hesitantly.

“It's not some ritual or something, if that's what you are asking,” Bright Silver began. “It's a matter of connecting one’s self to the aspect of the night, and seeing it reflected within yourself. It's an intensely personal experience that's different for everyone, which is one reason it's hard to explain.”

“Sorry if that sounded acustory.” Twilight breathed a small sigh of relief. “I must admit that although I’ve left Canterlot behind, it's sometimes hard to stop myself from imagining a circle and a blood sacrifice when you say something cryptic like that.”

“That’s fair, it does sound kinda culty, doesn't it?” Bright replied.

“Just a little bit,” Twilight admitted.

Bright Silver clopped his hoof against the floor. “Well, we better get moving before commander Dark Hallow gets bored and starts bothering our other guests.”

“Other guests?” Twilight asked.

“You’ll meet them in a bit. Oh and the scan was good, obviously. Though you should check out that foreleg of yours, you got some pretty nasty bruising going on,” Bright Silver pointed out, before walking past the pony and to the door.

Leaving Twilight to lift her forehoof and remember that it had been broken quite badly not long ago. Yet now it felt nice, though a little sore. It definitely did not feel like it had been badly broken not long ago. Am I still healing somehow? Furthermore, what mechanisms could even help a corpse heal itself anyway?

Twilight sighed and mentally filed that away amongst all the other things she wanted answered. Giving her head a shake, she followed after Bright Silver, who was holding the door open for her.

Nodding to the stallion, Twilight stepped into the next room only to feel as though she was transported to somewhere far from where she had just been a second ago. Gone was the cut stone, and vaguely creepy underground feeling, replaced by the homey warmth that came only when a room was well-lived in. A sentiment further reinforced by the fact that it looked like a room from someone’s home as well, if the carpeted floors and the exhaustively decorated interior was anything to go by.

The carpet was a soft brown and the wall paper was a mix of green and brown stripes that stopped halfway up the wall before becoming a dark solid brown. A fireplace burnt in the middle of one wall, and five large, high backed leather chairs faced it while forming a semi circle, though Twilight could tell only two were occupied. The rest of the room had a similar sort of rustic feel, with a few end tables sporting ash trays, one of which had a hefty cigar resting in it. Along one wall was rack after rack of dark bottles no doubt filled with alcohol, while another was completely covered in an enormous book case, the titles of which were completely new to Twilight.

“And I’m telling you that's a load of horse apples,” declared a slightly elderly and clearly male voice. “There is no way that Supermare would lose to her!”

Another, far more feminine, yet also far stranger, more alien voice scoffed back, “Like Batmare would ever fight her without preparing first.”

“But Supermare could just fly up to her and punch Batmare’s head off!” declared the angry male voice.

“But why would she do that? Hmmm?” asked the alien voice rather arrogantly. “If she were under the effect of black kryptonite, Batmare would know about it and have a counter ready.”

Bright Silver groaned and leaned towards the lone unicorn. “Good luck,” he whispered, before turning and leaving Twilight alone, slamming the door behind him.

Instantly the conversation stopped and two very different, very strange faces peeked out from around the chairs in order to look at Twilight. One was very obviously a bat pony and a relatively normal one at that, while the other was a changeling, but there was something off about her, and it wasn't just her missing horn. The bat pony stallion was a little shorter than Twilight, but was clearly a thestral through and through as even in his older age his mane and tail were still a stark black. His grey coat was the only real sign of his more advanced age, as his gentle blue eyes remained sharp, as did his long, prominent fangs.

The other being was no doubt a changeling, that much was clear, but she was also very obviously not one of the usual shapeshifters Twilight had seen around Ponyville. For a moment the unicorn kicked herself for not learning more about the insectoid race before coming here, but then again it was not like she had been told who exactly she was meeting with. The most obvious difference Twilight could notice was the other creature’s height, as this changeling towered over even Twilight, though her stumped horn diminished her stature slightly.

Her mane was long and ragged, hanging nearly to her knees, and framing her incredibly sharp green eyes quite well. The look she gave Twilight was the first big thing to jump out about her, as it was quite intense, and the unicorn felt as though her very soul was being appraised and judged under a harsh and indifferent light. There were other, smaller differences like a small black crown that rested on her head, which had bluish pearls sitting on the ends, in addition to a multitude of scars that covered her body but nothing quite struck the pony like the changeling’s gaze did.

“Ahh, the prodigal daughter has returned at last. Cadance is going to be quite happy to see you alive, and in one piece no less,” exclaimed the changeling, who patted the seat next to her. “Come, sit. We have much to discuss, you and I.”

Twilight looked to the bat pony for help, only to have him shrug and pop his cigar back in his mouth. Grumbling to herself, Twilight stomped over to the spot the changeling had indicated and sat down in it. “Ooh, that's comfortable,” she remarked suddenly, her irritation instantly gone.

“It is, isn't it?” replied the bat pony with a hint of pride. “This is one of my favorite rooms to receive visitors in.”

“You just like showing off all the books you’ll never read, and the booze you’ll never drink,” remarked the changeling pointedly.

Rather than be offended, the bat pony merely laughed. “You say that like I won't spend my retirement years either drunk or reading.”

The changeling chuckled harshly. “That's if you make it to retirement. You know those things'll kill ya.”

The bat pony looked down his nose, to where his cigar stuck out of his mouth, before rolling it into the corner of his mouth. “Ahh, it can't be that bad. My father smoked his whole life, and he made it to retirement.”

“Your father was also twice the stallion you are,” shot the changeling.

“Uh, why am I here?” Twilight asked, interrupting the bat pony just as he clutched his chest, and dramatically readied himself to act offended.

“I suppose we should start with introductions,” exclaimed the bat pony, who sat back up in his chair, and placed his cigar on the ashtray.

The changeling sighed. “Yes, yes, banter can wait.” She turned to Twilight. “I am Chrysalis, Queen of the changelings. You may call me Your Highness or Your Majesty.”

Twilight blinked. “Uh hello, Your Majesty, I’m Twilight Sparkle.”

“We know,” Chrysalis replied evenly.

The bat pony rolled his eyes. “Oh don't let old buggy boo get under your skin, she's just being a bother ‘cause she can.”

“I swear on the very stars, if you call me that again I will flay you alive,” Chrysalis declared, fangs bared.

“See? Total kidder... I hope,” the bat pony added hastily.

“And you are commander Dark Hallow, I presume?” Twilight asked pointedly.

“Ahh yes, it's a pleasure to finally meet you, Twilight. Would you like a drink or a cigar?” asked the bat pony, who was already reaching towards a case.

“No, I’m quite alright. Thank you though,” Twilight replied hastily.

“Alright, suit yourself,” Dark Hallow replied, before puffing on his impressive tobacco product.

“I don't mean to be rude, Your Majesty, but why are you here?” Twilight asked, turning to the changeling. “I was under the impression it was just commander Dark Hallow that wanted to talk to me.”

“Oh this is bigger than just you, I’m afraid,” the changeling announced rather cryptically. “Bigger than myself as well, if you can believe such a thing.”

Twilight blinked, only now noticing that the queen had a heart brand on the spot where her cutie mark would be, if she were a pony. Noting how ugly the brand was, Twilight hastily looked away, staring down at the floor. “S-sorry,” she blurted out on instinct.

Chrysalis sighed and shifted in her chair until her sides were no longer visible. “Worry not, child. You have offended noone.”

Dark Hallow cleared his throat and gestured to one of the empty chairs. “So is she coming, or?”

The changeling nodded slowly and pulled a crystal from seemingly nowhere. “She is quite busy at the moment, but has made the time to meet with you all as best as she can.” Chrysalis grinned and leaned towards Twilight. “Her name is Cadance, but she likes to be called Candy Flanks. You’ll earn some big brownie points if you call her that.”

Twilight blushed and nodded quickly, still unable to look the changeling in the eye. “O-okay.”

Dark Hallow sighed. “Would you stop teasing her, Chrysalis? The poor girl looks like she's ready to give you her lunch money and beg not to get a swirly.”

The queen winced, and placed a hoof on Twilight’s back. “You are right, Dark Hallow. I was just teasing you. Call her Cadance.”

Twilight smiled, distinctly aware of the small flow of positive energy that came from Chrysalis’ hoof. “Thanks.”

The queen snorted and pulled back her hoof. “You want a tip? Grow a spine. It will serve you well.”

“I was fine, but being around you guys made me remember the brief time I went to school,” Twilight whispered darkly.

The changeling let out an irritated chirp. “If it was up to me Bulk Triceps would have been expelled, not just slapped with detention.”

“Wait, how did you know about that?” Twilight asked in shock.

“We see more than you know, little morsel,” Chrysalis replied cryptically, before tossing the crystal into the chair across from them.

“What do you-” Twilight began, only to be shushed by Chrysalis, who pointed to the dull grey crystal, which was rapidly becoming far less dull, and far less grey.

Frowning, Twilight did as she was told, watching as an alicorn shimmered into existence in the center of the chair. Or at least, Twilight assumed it was an alicorn, as the pony that appeared had a shattered horn, one eye, one foreleg, and had suffered numerous other injuries, if her dense web of scar tissue, and spotty covering of fur was anything to go by. She would have been beautiful, Twilight thought, only to silently curse and remind herself that the alicorn was still beautiful. The gentle and kind look in the alicorn’s eye was more than enough to prove that she was relatively unbothered by her physical limitations.

“Ahh, Twilight Sparkle. It's so wonderful to meet you,” announced the mare in a slightly gravelly voice, her ruined lips revealing too much of her teeth.

“It's nice to meet you too, miss…” Twilight replied expectantly.

“Mi Amore Cadenza, but my friends just call me Cadance,” replied the pink-furred mare, who flashed Twilight a wink.

Already Twilight could tell that some part of her knew this strange and unfortunately mutilated pony. Though her past self’s memories had never shown her this particular alicorn before, nor did they explain the oddly familial feelings swirling in her chest. Stuffing those feelings down deep inside of her, Twilight ignored the look Chrysalis was giving her, and smiled as best she could. “A pleasure, Cadance,” she replied at length.

Cadance smiled, only to gasp. “Oh, pardon me, you are all sitting down. Give me a moment.”

The pink-furred alicorn turned and limped over to the chair next to the crystal and slowly sat down, wincing when she did. That alone made Twilight’s blood boil, the sight of Cadance barely able to complete a normal task filling the unicorn with an unpleasant amount of alien rage. Cadance however, didn't seem to notice, and smiled at the other mare. “I assume you have all introduced yourselves, and my other half hasn't teased you too much. I hope?” Cadance half asked, half stated, her gaze leveled on Chrysalis.

Who snorted dismissively. “Of course. I would never bug such an important ally.” Chrysalis turned and flashed Twilight a quick wink.

The undead mare nearly giggled, only for something to suddenly stick out about what Cadance had just said. Namely the way the words ‘other half’ were used, and the implications behind the word choice, which sparked a memory she didn't even know she had. It was brief, only a few seconds long, but in it Luna referred to the nightmare as her other half with that same strange inflection. An inflection that Cadance used when referring to Chrysalis.

“Huh,” Twilight muttered, “I remember Luna saying the same about the nightmare before. The other half thing, that is.”

The temperature in the room plummeted, and Twilight was suddenly aware of Chrysalis’ gaze turning from slightly guarded but kind, to icy in an instant. “I wouldn't ask about that, if I were you,” warned the changeling.

Twilight blinked and looked over to the alicorn, who was shaking slightly, clearly hurt. “I’m sorry, I didn't know,” blurted the unicorn.

“It’s- it’s fine,” Cadance replied at length. “It's just not something we want to talk about.”

“I won't mention it again,” Twilight added hastily.

“See to it that you don't,” Chrysalis remarked with a snort.

“So uh, why am I here?” Twilight asked, turning to Dark Hallow, hoping to change the subject.

The thestral sighed and stood up from his chair. “Before we get into that, would you like some wine at least? It’s an excellent vintage.”

“I doubt I would be able to taste it,” Twilight replied sadly.

“Chrysalis?”

The changeling shook her head. “I’m afraid I must abstain. For now.”

The bat pony shrugged and poured himself a glass from one of the wine bottles on the racks. Trotting back to his chair, the thestral plopped back down and took a long sip of the red liquid. After a content sigh, Dark Hallow glanced over at Twilight. “Well, to start, I’d just like to apologize for all this cloak and dagger. I’m not a fan of secrecy myself, as I feel like it alienates potential allies.”

Twilight snorted. “Could have fooled me.”

“Yes, well. Strange circumstances require different approaches unfortunately,” Dark Hallow replied.

Twilight frowned and crossed her hooves over her chest. “Don't expect to win much trust like that.”

“I know, I know. Just, give us a chance okay?” Dark Hallow requested. “Things have not been good for us over the last ooh, eight hundred years.”

Chrysalis laughed bitterly. “Too true.”

The unicorn sighed. “I suppose that's true. Alright then, why should I trust you?”

“For one, I can promise you there won’t be any more lies, spying, or anything else happening behind your back,” Dark Hallow declared with a bittersweet smile.

“Anymore?” Twilight asked, leaning forward in her chair.

“Yes, I’m afraid Rainbow Dash’s original goal was to spy on you, but her mission has changed,” Dark Hallow admitted before sipping more of his wine.

“Wait, she was spying on me? For how long?” Twilight demanded.

“Not long, actually,” Dark Hallow replied. “You seem to have won her loyalty rather quickly.” He shrugged. “I suppose that's on me though. That mare doesn't have a dishonest bone in her body.”

Twilight opened her mouth to say something, only to stop before the words reached her lips. Rainbow Dash had been spying on her, but had stopped of her own volition, going against orders, and potentially sabotaging her career in the process. Something that meant more to the pony than pretty much anything else in her life, save for maybe Fluttershy. Realizing that, Twilight felt a lot less angry, and couldn't help but forgive the thestral, despite how angry she wanted to be with her.

“Fine,” Twilight muttered, sitting back in her chair. “So what is her mission now then?”

“To make sure you don't get in over your head,” Dark Hallow replied simply.

“Like it or not, Twilight, you have a rather important part to play in the destiny of not only the Everfree, but Canterlot as well,” Cadance added.

“So don't discard any potential allies just for doing their job,” Chrysalis exclaimed.

“I wasn't going to,” Twilight admitted, looking down. “She's saved my life already, and done a lot to help me. Even if she spied on me, that doesn't change the fact that she's my friend.”

“Well that's good,” Dark Hallow commented. “Because I was hoping you would accept her as a sort of bodyguard. Obviously you don't have to tell her where you are going at all times or anything like that, but if you wouldn't mind taking her with you before you go somewhere dangerous that would be beneficial to not only us, but yourself as well.”

Twilight chose not to admit that she was already thinking of doing that, and just nodded. “I’ll think about it, but you have to give me something in return.”

Dark Hallow blinked, and stopped mid-sip, his blue eyes gazing over the lip of his glass. “I suppose I could at least hear you out.”

“I want you to give Rainbow Dash a promotion, and more options to help out the community,” Twilight declared as sternly as she could muster.

Dark Hallow swallowed hard, put down his glass, grinning madly. “No wonder you earned her trust so quickly.” He laughed and shook his head. “And here I was preparing to pay some kind of reparations for putting you through all that.”

Cadance giggled. “That is adorable. Well said, Twilight.”

The unicorn blushed and rubbed her forehooves together awkwardly. “I mean, a little money would be nice. I didn't exactly bring anything with me.”

“That’s fair,” Dark Hallow reclined in his chair, and puffed away on his cigar. “We can talk about it more later, but there has been an opening for a researcher here in the guard. Something I believe you would be able to do quite well.”

“That would work.” Twilight paused and pursed her lips. “Though I’m curious as to what you would have me research.”

“Just spit it out, Dark Hallow,” Chrysalis remarked with a sneer. “The young thing deserves to know our intentions with her.”

“Yes, it would help build trust,” Cadance added.

The bat pony nodded slowly. “I suppose it would.” He put out the last dying embers of his cigar, crushing it into the ashtray. “We have a request of you, Twilight Sparkle.”

“And that is?” Twilight replied hesitantly.

“We would like you to raise the moon,” Dark Hallow announced coldly.

“Luna needs to return to the world of the living,” Chrysalis added, quite matter of factly.

“You want me to bring back an alicorn?” Twilight asked in disbelief. “That's impossible, for multiple reasons.”

“We know you can do it, Twilight,” Cadance declared with complete and utter confidence.

The unicorn raised an eyebrow. “How do you know that? The energy required to raise an alicorn could only be wielded by another alicorn, or at least that's what I’ve been able to gather from the scattered memories I’ve received.”

“Trust me. You can,” Chrysalis added with the same level of confidence that Cadance had.

Twilight looked from the alicorn to the changeling queen and back again. The amount of confidence on their faces, the assuredness in their tones, it all made Twilight wonder whether her past self had done this before. Or had they already been here before, and had this same conversation before? There were too many questions, and Twilight quickly shook her head, doing her best to dismiss those cloying thoughts for now.

“Okay, so I have a few questions,” Twilight began. “Like for one. Why do you want her back?”

“Is it not enough to right a wrong?” Chrysalis snapped.

The unicorn wilted slightly and tapped her forehooves together. “Err yes, but surely there is more to it than that.”

“There is,” Cadance declared. “I may have fallen into the leadership role of this makeshift alliance of resistance fighters and scattered towns, but I am by no means a good leader.”

Dark Hallow nodded slowly. “The creatures of this forest will simply not rally behind anyone but the moon. She is the only being who could gain the support of every community hidden within the Everfree.”

“Luna’s cult of personality has only grown over the centuries,” Chrysalis explained. “With her rise, just about every city, and scattered band of woodland wanderers would flock to our cause.”

“And Luna herself was a brilliant tactician, as well as a world class general,” Cadance remarked. “In addition, she was an excellent fighter and also a potent war mage.”

Twilight glanced over at Cadance curiously. “You say that like you knew her.”

The alicorn smiled. “I did, though not as well as you did. Or as your former incarnation did, I should say.”

The unicorn blushed when she remembered just how close her past self had gotten to courting the lunar princess. “I suppose. You must tell me about her sometime. The memories are… incomplete.”

Cadance nodded. “When the time is right, I will tell you all I know.”

“And that will have to do,” Chrysalis added pointedly, shutting down the questions swirling in Twilight’s mind.

“Getting back to the point,” Dark Hallow interrupted. “The moon is the only being capable of holding back a determined Celestia. Something the forest itself has done until now.”

“I remember the books mentioning something about that,” Twilight muttered, tapping her chin with a hoof. “I was told the forest is inhospitable and infected with chaos magic. Or at least, that's what Celestia likely wanted us to believe anyway.”

Dark Hallow chuckled. “That is true, and not quite true at the same time.” He shook his head. “Regardless, that is a topic for another time. The point is, if Celestia really wanted to, she could assault the forest directly, and we would have little hope of resisting her without the forest’s help. With balance restored, and the moon returning to us, we could hold our own.”

Twilight leaned back in her chair and chewed on her bottom lip nervously. “I just feel like this might be asking for trouble. I mean, if Celestia knew Luna had returned, wouldn't that prompt her to attack the forest like you all fear she would?”

“Although not untrue, I don't think it's quite so simple,” Chrysalis responded.

“I’m afraid Chrysalis is right. Celestia has been mobilizing for a while already, and although we think its because she intends on launching another assault on the dragon lands, we can't be certain of that,” Cadance explained. “It might well be that she has figured out a way to bypass the usual barriers the forest puts in her way.”

“Which would mean the destruction of pretty much all we know and love,” Dark Hallow concluded.

Twilight ground her teeth together, and thought hard on the subject, unsure of just where she stood. It was the right thing to do, raising Luna that is, but that was assuming Twilight even could, which was something she wasn't totally certain about, even if Chrysalis and Cadance were confident that she could do it. Even then, it would mean war at the very least, the only variable was time, and just how long it would be until there was some manner of conflict. Provided it wasn't already coming anyway, something that was distinctly possible given Celestia’s well-documented expansionist tendencies.

“I suppose you are right,” Twilight admitted, after a long pause. “Though I still don't like the implications this action may have.”

“But you will do it anyway, right?” Cadance pressed.

The lone unicorn nodded. “Yes, but there are complications, and things that I want out of this deal as well.”

Chrysalis raised an eyebrow and seemed to appraise the mare carefully. “And what, pray tell, do you want, exactly?”

“I want my brother to be safe,” Twilight declared confidently. “He’s innocent in all this, and doesn't deserve to be dragged into things.”

Cadance nodded. “That may be possible, if it isn't already too late for that.”

“What do you mean?” Twilight asked quickly, her voice falling significantly.

“He joined the royal guard in a misguided attempt to find your killers, I’m afraid,” Cadance began with a sigh. “The official story is that terrorists blew up your house after convincing your mother to carry a bomb for them.”

Chrysalis snorted. “Which is ridiculous, as we would never endanger an innocent in such a manner and there simply are no other resistance movements around.”

“So it's all just a hoax perpetrated by Celestia,” Twilight muttered, her shoulders slumping. “I guess it's to be expected that she would do something like that, given all the propaganda she uses.”

“Don't worry, that won't stop me from trying. I’m just putting it out there so as to not get your hopes up too much,” Cadance cautioned.

“If anyone can turn that brother of yours around, it's Cadance,” Dark Hallow declared confidently.

“I guess,” Twilight muttered, only to sigh. “I suppose you should also make sure my father is okay as well… Not even he deserves to get caught up in whatever Celestia is planning.”

“Your father loves you very much you know,” Cadance cautioned.

Twilight snorted. “Really? Did he love me when he blamed me for what happened to-” Twilight caught herself, only now realizing that her father was right, and that just about everything he had ever said had been right as well. Somehow the knowledge that her father was right about almost everything, wasn't a pleasant one, and Twilight ground her teeth together in barely contained irritation.

“I know he may have said some hurtful things, but he's still your father, and trust me when I say he has suffered greatly at the hooves of Celestia,” Cadance added.

“What do you mean?” Twilight inquired nervously.

“Your history has been more or less erased, or smoothed over for lack of a better word. His memories of you are pure, knowing you only as his scholarly young daughter, and loving you unconditionally,” Cadance explained.

“And he's been put under a curse,” Chrysalis remarked with an irritable snort. “A dark magic curse no less, the twisted bitch.”

“R-really? Why would she do that?” Twilight asked in disbelief.

“She likely wants him out of the way, as he's another witness to one of her atrocities,” Cadance muttered, her entire body shaking with rage. “She likely thinks that because Shining Armor is young, he can be molded into a useful tool, while your father is simply a loose end.”

“What kind of a curse is he under?” Twilight inquired, the pony chewing on her lip as her mind churned over just how to feel right now.

“It's… not good,” Cadance replied slowly, the mare placing a hoof over her heart and steadying herself. “I struggle to imagine what kind of monster came up with such a dreadful curse.”

“What Cadance is too polite to say, is that he's under the effects of a miasma curse,” Chrysalis explained. “It turns one’s thoughts towards their darkest possible conclusions, and makes the mind ponder their implications at length. This usually has the affect of driving someone to madness, or suicide within days.”

Twilight gritted her teeth and stared down at the floor, her mind a million miles from her body. Her first thought was just how cruel such a curse truly was. He may have been many things, but Twilight struggled to rationalize her hatred for the stallion knowing he had just lost his wife, and daughter only to be cursed to basically kill himself. That was not something Twilight wished on anyone, save for maybe Celestia herself, of course, but even then the unicorn would have preferred if she was able to kill the alicorn with her own hooves.

“I suppose we’ll have to cross that bridge when we get there,” Twilight remarked after a long pause.

“I should be able to talk your brother out of this whole royal guard business, but it's likely that Celestia has sunk her talons into him already,” Cadance announced with a sad sigh. “He hasn't left the castle in a long time, and I doubt it will be easy but I swear to you I will do my absolute best to save him.”

“I suppose that's all I can really ask for, huh?” Twilight sighed.

“Don't worry, kid. One way or another we’ll save them both,” Chrysalis commented.

“Thanks,” Twilight whispered, the pony still a little confused by the way the changeling’s tone and mood seemed to shift so quickly and so radically as well. The unicorn didn't quite know what to make of her, or the way that she went from kind one second, to angry the next, but Twilight knew it wasn't her place to judge.

“So, does that mean you are onboard?” Dark Hallow pressed.

“I suppose I am, but I want a few other things, if at all possible,” Twilight answered after a brief pause to think about it.

Dark Hallow raised an eyebrow, but nodded regardless. “Go right ahead.”

“But don't push your luck too much,” warned Chrysalis.

“I won't,” Twilight declared. “I just want it recognized that the library is my private residence, or at least the basement and the apartment sections of it anyway. If you have plans of using it as a library again anyway.”

“No, the regular library will serve just fine, we don't need a second one,” Dark Hallow answered, only to lean back in his chair. “As for the rest of what you asked for… I’ll consider it.”

“If it helps any, my previous incarnation owned the library, and had the same name as me,” Twilight added hesitantly, unsure if such a gambit would even work.

“Well actually that does help out the process somewhat,” Dark Hallow commented. “We do have records going all the way back to before the rise of the sun, or when Celestia took over.”

“I figured as much,” Twilight remarked.

“So is that it then?” Chrysalis inquired.

The unicorn shook her head. “I also want Spike recognized as my adopted brother, and that we are both residents of Ponyville,” Twilight insisted. “And Rainbow Dash gets that promotion we talked about.”

“Provided this Spike being consents to such an action, then I don't see a reason I couldn't have all that done for you,” Dark Hallow replied after a few seconds of consideration. “That would make things easier in some regards and it's not like the citizenship test is very difficult.”

“And of course I want that other stuff we talked about already, like the job,” Twilight added, looking to Cadance.

The alicorn nodded slowly. “So long as you understand that nothing is guaranteed, you have my promise that we will do our absolute best.”

Chrysalis nodded as well. “Don't worry, squirt, we’re experts when it comes to this type of thing.”

Twilight let out a breath she wasn't even aware she had been holding. “That's wonderful to hear. I can't wait to see them… one day.”

“Is there anything else you need?” Dark Hallow offered.

“Yes, just one last thing,” Twilight replied, with a soft chuckle. “Time, I’m afraid. I simply don't know anything about necromancy, and though I have a book now at least, I still don't have a teacher or anything.”

The thestral nodded slowly. “That is very true. Not even Zecora could teach you very much on the subject I’m afraid.”

“And my memories of my former life are patchy and generally unhelpful in this regard,” Twilight added. “Without any kind of information on what to do and what not to do, I’ll be learning from experimentation alone pretty much.”

“Which might take a while,” Chrysalis pointed out.

Twilight nodded. “I’m afraid so. Other than that I have some unfinished business with my new friends. Things they need help with, and things that I owe them that need to be done first.”

“Oh, like what?” Cadance asked, leaning forward, a smile on her lips.

“Like… things,” Twilight replied, wincing slightly. “I’m sorry, but it's personal. I don't think they would want me to air their darkest nightmares in such an open manner.”

Thestral, changeling, and alicorn alike all nodded, with Cadance smiling a little wider when she did so. “I think we can trust you to handle such issues while managing your own research time.”

“And if we have anything on necromancy, we will make sure it reaches you,” Chrysalis declared before turning to the lone male in the room. “Isn't that right?”

Who nodded enthusiastically. “We don't have much, but I’ll make sure everything we have gets to you within a week or so.”

“That would be very helpful, thank you,” Twilight remarked, only to pause. “I’m assuming you guys know where Luna’s erm, body is? Because I really don't feel like going on another big adventure looking for it.”

The commander of the night guard nodded. “We do indeed. No need to look death in the eye in order to find that out at least.”

“That's one less thing to worry about then, I suppose,” Twilight commented.

Dark Hallow stood suddenly, grinning like a mad man. “You have no idea how good this feels to get right out with everything!” Before Twilight knew what was happening, she found herself being hugged by the smaller being, who was surprisingly warm. “This night is truly one for the history books.”

Twilight blinked and awkwardly patted the stallion on the back. “Err absolutely.”

Dark Hallow backed up, still grinning happily. “If I had grandkids, this would be a story I’d definitely pass down to them.”

“What, is Silent Sanctuary not planning on giving you some kids?” Chrysalis interjected with a snicker.

The male laughed heartily. “Certainly not for lack of trying, let me tell ya.”

Cadance shook her head. “As great as it is to hear that you two are still very much in love after all these years, I was hoping to speak to Twilight before I had to go.”

Twilight perked up. “Oh, what did you want to say?”

Cadance smiled and patted the empty seat next to her. “Would you come here a moment? I don't feel like this is something everyone needs to hear.”

Chrysalis nodded, got up, and pulled Dark Hallow aside. “Why don't you fix me that drink, and you can tell me all about what Silent has been up to recently.”

“Ahh, trying to get me to leave those two alone by making me gush about my amazing husband,” Dark Hallow declared with a smirk. “You are lucky it’s my one weakness.”

“One of many,” Chrysalis muttered under her breath as they walked away.

“You know us thestrals have great hearing you know,” Dark Hallow quipped.

“Who said I was trying to be subtle?” Chrysalis shot back, before laughing along with the stallion.

“Those two. I swear he's the only one who can put up with Chrysalis’ endless teasing,” Cadance remarked, before turning to Twilight, who now sat next to her. “Sorry if that was you a few minutes ago. Chrysy can be a little rough around the edges when it comes to new people.”

“It's fine…” Twilight murmured, glancing over at the changeling, who was now sipping from a small glass of wine while Dark Hallow told some lengthy tale. “She wears her heart on her sleeve, and is surprisingly honest. It's hard to be angry at her.”

“She does, doesn't she?” Cadance whispered, her gaze lingering on the changeling queen.

“So, what did you want to say to me?” Twilight pressed.

Cadance shook her head, dismissing her glazed expression. “Err yes. I have a message from your previous self. She wanted me to tell you to be patient and to remember to look for allies even in the darkest places.”

“Wait, what?” Twilight exclaimed. “How did she give you a message? How does that work?”

Cadance shrugged. “I have no idea how this all works. The other Twilight tried to explain it, but I never was the best spellcaster in the world, so it was all Greek to me.”

Twilight ground a hoof into her forehead. “Augh. Just when I think I’ve got it all figured out.”

“She also told me to tell you all I know of the past only when we meet in person,” Cadance continued. “I’m not sure why, but she was quite insistent on this.”

The unicorn sighed and breathed in and out slowly and repetitively. Until finally she was no longer quite as bothered by this newest and most irritating revelation. “Okay, so is there anything else I should know? Any other dark portents that read like fortune cookies and play out like horror movies?”

Cadance giggled and shook her head. “Not that I know of. But I wouldn't put it past her, er you. No matter what life you live, you always seem to turn out morbid.”

“Wait, no matter what life I’ve lived. Have we done this before?” Twilight asked.

Cadance smiled knowingly. “I don't know Twilight Sparkle. Do you recognize me?”

Twilight frowned and shook her head. “I mean, kind of. It's hard to explain.”

“Anything is possible, my friend,” Cadance exclaimed cryptically. “Either way I’m thankful you came around to our proposal. Hopefully things will work out better this time.”

“Wait, I have questions,” Twilight insisted.

“And I’m all out of time,” Cadance interjected, the mare placing a hoof on Twilight’s foreleg. “We will speak again soon. Trust me.”

The unicorn sighed and grumbled for a second before stuffing down her annoyance. “It was nice to meet you.”

“The sentiment is mutual, sister dearest,” Cadance announced before vanishing all at once.

“Augh!” Twilight shouted. “Enough of this cryptic nonsense!”

Chrysalis chuckled evilly as she leaned on the back of the nearest leather chair. “She dropped the ol’ S bomb on ya, didn’t she?”

“Yes! What does that even mean?” Twilight asked in disbelief, turning to Chrysalis.

“Look, I’ll save you the headache and just tell ya,” Chrysalis responded, slipping around the chair and plunking down next to Twilight, after moving the crystal out of the way. “Way back she was married to your former sister. Also, you two share a rather interesting history but your memories may not contain a lot of references to her as the last few years of your former life Cadance was abroad.”

Twilight sighed, sinking fully into her chair and falling slack. “That makes sense. Thank the gods.”

“I wouldn't bother, their all dead,” Chrysalis quipped, before slipping away.

“Augh!” Twilight shouted, catching Chrysalis in her magic and stopping her in place. “Please tell me you are going to add some context to that. I was always told that the gods were merely silent and had grander concerns.”

The queen brushed off Twilight’s telekinetic aura, and walked back over to her. “First off, don't do that again.”

“S-sorry,” Twilight exclaimed hastily.

“Don't worry about it. And second. The gods were alicorns, and they died fighting dragons, but not the dragons you know, but their ancestors. True immortals with unimaginable powers,” Chrysalis explained. “There is more, but frankly I’m a little ticked about you grabbing me like that.”

Twilight frowned. “That’s fair.”

The queen shrugged. “It was an honest mistake, just don't let it happen again. Oh and Twilight? I was gonna pull this whole tough guy act and say something like ‘if you disappoint Cadance, you’ll regret it’ but I’m pretty sure you wouldn't do such a thing on purpose. Right?”

Twilight shook her head. “Not intentionally, no.”

“Cool. Then just pretend like I said that instead of this.” Chrysalis smirked. “I got a reputation to uphold after all.”

“Err s-sure thing, Your Majesty,” Twilight stuttered.

Chrysalis chuckled. “I like you. Don't screw this up, kid.”

“I don't suppose it's going to be another year before I see you again,” Dark Hallow announced with a smile, pulling Chrysalis into a begrudging hug before she had a chance to resist.

“It won't be that long, unless something happens,” Chrysalis replied, giving Twilight a quick, sidelong glance when she did.

“Oh, I think we’ll have more time than that before things start to get hectic again,” Dark Hallow declared, only to smirk. “Or at least it better, or I’m going to have to hunt you down. You know I’m not far from giving this whole thing up, you won't be able to bug me much longer.”

“You’ve been saying that for the last ten years, you old fart,” Chrysalis pointed out before roughly pushing him back a step.

If the thestral was bothered by her roughness, he didn't show it. “And it only gets more true with each time I say it,” he replied with a grin.

The changeling shook her head. “You are ridiculous.”

“It’s a gift.”

The queen quickly slunk away, shaking her head nearly the whole time, not making a sound, and leaving without saying another word.

Now alone with the male, Twilight rose from her seat. “I suppose we’ll be in touch soon then, correct?”

“Absolutely. We can walk and talk more while we sort out some of the details,” offered the stallion, who turned to the door.

Twilight nodded and followed him closely. “I appreciate you being so open to my demands.”

“To be entirely honest, they were all things I was hoping you would want,” Dark Hallow admitted, the stallion holding the door open for the female before walking through after her. “I wanted to offer those things at the beginning, but I was convinced to let you ask for them. Partly because it helps my negotiating position, partly because we weren’t totally sure you would even want all that to begin with.”

“Well I’m glad we can be honest from here on out,” Twilight concluded with a sigh. “Now, about the citizenship test, you said it was-”

“And that's it then?” Twilight asked in disbelief. “I could have everything I asked for within a month?”

“Indeed you could!” announced the thestral with a smile. “I don't know how things work where you come from, but here we don't have a lot of red tape and other such nonsense. Most folk tend to be honest and this is still a small community so people have a tendency to hear things if you try and skirt our loose rules.”

“That certainly is an interesting method of government,” Twilight admitted.

“It is, and it works great for us anyway. The larger you go, the more bean counters you need, I’m afraid.” Dark Hallow shrugged. “But none of that matters right now. All that matters is that we have hope and you are alright!”

Before Twilight had a chance to offer anything in return, she felt the older being hug her suddenly and tightly again. “Err, yeah,” muttered the unicorn, who awkwardly patted the stallion on the back, while feeling an odd sense of deja vu.

“You have no idea how much this means to me, and everyone else in Ponyville.” Dark Hallow backed up and slapped a hoof upside his head. “Speaking of which, don't go blabbing too much about this to people you don't know. Rainbow Dash is fine, and maybe your other friends, but the general populace doesn't need to know about this kind of thing. Can't accidentally let Celestia know, ya know?”

Twilight nodded slowly as she watched the stallion run a hoof down his chest, straightening his fur once more. “I understand completely,” Twilight replied slowly. “I’ll make sure to keep this on a need to know basis.”

“Excellent! I’m glad you understand discretion in this matter. I can't wait until I can break the news though. Everyone is going to be so excited!” Dark Hallow exclaimed almost giddily.

Twilight found his enthusiasm contagious and couldn't help but smile along with him. “Yeah, it certainly is going to change a lot of things.”

“You have no idea how right you are. Why this is one of the most freeing moments of my entire life! To think, the next generation won't have the spectre of invasion and genocide hanging over their heads.” Dark Hallow sighed. “This will be a defining time, I just know it.”

The unicorn gulped. “Y-yeah.”

“Oh, but don't let this get to ya. You’ve got friends, now you have allies, a place to call home. As a chipmunk friend of mine once said, ‘it's all coming together’,” Dark Hallow remarked.

“Err right, well I better get going then. I got a lot of reading and planning ahead of me,” Twilight replied awkwardly, turning in the direction of town.

Dark Hallow smiled and waved. “If you ever need anything just come on down to the depot and I’ll do my best to make time for ya.”

“I appreciate it!” Twilight called from several feet away.

“Seriously, anything you need, just ask!” Dark Hallow shouted after her.

“I got it!” Twilight yelled again, only to shake her head when the stallion disappeared from sight. With the friendly, if a little overbearing male now gone, the unicorn’s pace slowed, and she sighed. “Alright, now where to start?”

Sunset Shimmer stumbled through a bramble bush, cursing all the while, her magic plucking the irritating things from her fur. “Stupid forest, stupid Celestia, stupid burs,” she muttered, grimacing each time she yanked another from her fur.

She was glad that it wasn't quite as bad as it used to be, as the forest seemed to have let up on her a little, but it certainly wasn't easy. Even without the landscape twisting every few minutes, and the pony waking up to find that she had lost several days of travel while asleep, it wasn't a walk in the park. Sunset was able to figure out that this likely wasn't due to any meddling by the chimera… thing, but rather was a natural part of the forest itself. The thought was nice, and a little intimidating at the same time as it meant that she wasn't being driven away, at least not intentionally anyway.

After ripping the last bur from her fur, Sunset looked around, wholly expecting to find herself in another small clearing, or perhaps a grove if she was lucky. Yet that wasn't it at all, and Sunset’s jaw hung open when she realized that there were signs of civilization in front of her.

A path was laid out before her, and unlike the deer trails she had gotten rather used to seeing, this one was wide enough for three or four ponies to walk abreast on. Even more heartening was the fact that she could see wagon tracks in the mud, making Sunset’s heart surge. Finally something indicating that she was going in the right direction, and wasn't mindlessly running in circles without a hope in Tartarus of reaching her goal.

She couldn't help it, Sunset ran along the path, uncaring to the way the mud sucked at her hooves, threatening to slow her down. She didn't mind any of it one bit, and even relished in the sensation of it all. Within a few minutes, she stopped once more, skidding to a halt when she saw something she had genuinely believed she would never find.

A sign, only this one more literal than the last.

“Ponyville, ten miles!” she screamed at the top of her lungs.

If you want to read the next updates for my biggest stories at the begining of the month rather at the end, or want to get a commission from me as well as access to patreon exclusive content, and the chance to submit story requests every month, head over to my patreon!

Join me over on patreon and get instant access to exclusive content and early looks at new stories, patreon only stories and other great stuff! Check it out!
Or just join the discord to ensure that you dont miss an update.
This update was made possible by the wonderful support of readers like you: Anonymous, Apollyon, Astor, Blade Tech, Brendan, Canary in the coal mine, ceepert, chris, craig, dale, diokyo, doomgooey, egery, facinus, free, ghidrah, grub, I am unknown, Ivar, Jeffrey, Kali, M, Makani, Megatyrant, Menthol Qtip, Mike, Mikhalia, Mirvra, Nathan, Neverborn, Nfreak, Nicky, Octavia, Pacsik, Peter, Random Reader, Renegade, Soundtea, Sparkizeil, Starless, Steven, T Sparkle, Tiwake, Todd, Travis, Vigilant Watch, aaaand Xvos!