“Alright, review time. Let's see what you’ve all managed to learn,” stated Twilight, who stood up from her desk near the corner of the basement and trotted over to the table Sunset Shimmer was using.

The skeleton quickly pulled back her book and watched curiously as her teacher approached her work space. “I know we are leaving for our little adventure soon, but you don't need to quiz me. I’ve got those spells down pat,” she assured the other undead.

Twilight nodded slowly. “And I trust that you aren't lying to me. I would just like to know for certain that you have it mastered, is all.”

Sunset Shimmer nodded, placed a mark in her book, and put it off to the side. “Alright, and how would you like me to demonstrate my knowledge of healing magic? I don't think it would be very ethical to drag someone off the street. Though I suppose we could hang around the hospital until someone shows up.”

“I don't think they’d appreciate us moving in on their business, and besides, I have a better idea,” Twilight stated, her eyes beginning to glow a faint bluish green.

Sunset Shimmer held her non-existent tongue and watched as her teacher worked one of the most complicated necromancy spells the skeleton had ever seen before. The underlying weave of magic was incredibly dense, with its central matrix layered with several overlapping layers. Then, just when Sunset Shimmer was certain she knew what Twilight was about to cast, the necromancer’s eyes flashed white and the spellform twisted.

It formed into the shape of a one-foot-tall, featureless purple pony, the magical creature testing each one of its legs before looking up at Sunset expectantly.

“You're not the only one who’s been studying,” quipped the necromancer.

“That is amazing,” Sunset muttered. “Is it alive?”

“Not exactly,” Twilight replied. “It doesn't think or feel, but when you use a scanning spell on it, your magic will think it's a living creature. I don't think I need to tell you how useful this thing is for testing more complicated healing magic on.”

Sunset Shimmer watched as the other unicorn grabbed a scalpel and ran it down the side of the magical construct. With eyes wide, the skeleton stared closely at the creature, expecting it to react, only for it to continue to stand there. Inspecting the part of its body that had been cut, Sunset found that there were no visible wounds.

Remembering what her teacher had said about the scanning spell, Sunset Shimmer lit her horn and cast just such a spell. “That is beyond weird. The spell thinks it's alive, and I can even imagine what the laceration would look like,” she muttered as information poured into her mind.

“Then you can proceed whenever you’re ready,” Twilight urged, gesturing to the magical construct.

Sunset Shimmer nodded and began to cast the healing spell she had in mind, only to remember that it wasn't from a traditional school of magic. The unicorn let her magic dissipate, and, instead of focusing on her horn, forced the energy to gather at the tip of her raised hoof. Which quickly began to glow with the color of her magic, the boney limb hovering over the injured side of the fake pony.

Once Sunset Shimmer was certain she had done everything correctly, she touched the entity, willing her spell into the target. The construct glowed briefly before returning to its natural purple coloration once more, signalling that it had received the spell. Sunset Shimmer wasted no time in lighting her horn once more, quickly going through the motions in order to scan the tiny creature.

When her horn flashed a second time, the unicorn immediately let out a gasp. “It worked. That's truly remarkable. How did you even come up with such a thing?” she asked, looking up at Twilight.

Who chuckled bashfully. “Oh, it was nothing. I just found a false life spell that was created with the intent of serving as a test dummy and then wrapped it around a simple shape in order to make it a little more intuitive.”

“So this is a wholly new spell then?” Sunset Shimmer asked, gesturing to the tiny pony.

“I guess so,” Twilight replied, shrugging.

“What are you going to name it?” Sunset pressed.

The necromancer blinked. “I… don't know. What would you call it?”

“Why not call it… the spell testing dummy? Or maybe paitent something?” Sunset Shimmer continued, tapping her chin thoughtfully.

“Patient zero?” Twilight asked.

“No that sounds like a disease spell of some kind,” Sunset Shimmer replied.

“I suppose… Aha, what about just ‘patient dummy’?” Twilight offered.

“That is descriptive enough,” Sunset admitted, shrugging. “I think that's good enough for now.”

Twilight chuckled. “You know, I didn't even think about naming it. I was just going to call it the false life matrix dummy.”

“Remove the matrix part, and I think it's perfect,” Sunset Shimmer remarked.

Twilight nodded. “Good thinking, and you did well by the way. Though you should remember to focus your spellwork solely on the point of injury. The chance is small, but if you try to heal something that isn't broken, you could cause a bunch of unnecessary tissue to grow, which would need to be removed.”

“Of course,” Sunset Shimmer replied quickly. “I admit I was a little startled by your dummy.”

“It's fine. Honestly you’re doing very well for how long we’ve been working at it,” Twilight exclaimed. “I wouldn't be entirely surprised if we could start moving up to more invasive treatments sometime next month.”

Sunset tried to sigh, only to remember she didn't have lungs and simply made the sound as if she were sighing. “Well, that's good. Perhaps I could even set up my clinic by the end of the year.”

“Perhaps,” Twilight said, trotting around the desk. “You would have to be clear on what you could and couldn't treat, but so long as you do that, I don't see a reason why you couldn't get started at least.”

“Provided the town council allows it,” Sunset Shimmer added, only to pause. “Wait, does Ponyville even have such a thing?”

Twilight chuckled. “You could call it that. From what I’ve heard, it's just a bunch of the major business owners, the mayor, and Dark Hallow who get together to drink as well as occasionally make decisions.”

“They certainly do seem rather lax in that regard,” Sunset Shimmer admitted. “It's quite the departure from Canterlot.”

Twilight nodded slowly. “Very true. Now then, how good have you gotten at channelling life energy?”

Sunset Shimmer would have winced, had she the necessary face muscles to do so. “Not great. I’ve spent so much time casting offensive spells, and my necromancy simply doesn't flow that way.”

“Your spells will fight you at first,” Twilight warned. “The pathways of your soul lend themselves to healing, not hurting, and it will take some time before your magic adapts to this.”

Sunset Shimmer nodded. “It's like a part of my brain, or whatever is now doing the thinking, can't get over the fact that I’m not trying to cast something offensive.”

“This push and pull will continue for some time, I’m afraid,” Twilight remarked sadly. “Even I took months to learn some of the more basic necromancy spells. Plus the way the knowledge builds off itself is hard to get used to.”

“It's almost like learning unlocks certain pathways within your soul. Allowing the magic to flow in different ways,” Sunset Shimmer exclaimed.

“That is… a very apt description of what happens,” Twilight muttered.

“So, how exactly do I channel life energy anyway? I’m not entirely sure I’m doing it right,” Sunset Shimmer murmured.

“Simple. All you have to do is reach within yourself in the same manner that you would if you were going to cast a simple mana beam,” Twilight began, demonstrating such a thing by channelling her magic into her broken horn, which sparked erratically. “But instead of bringing that energy from your head to your horn, you must call the magic from your heart and grip it tight in your hoof.”

“I don't know if you noticed, but I don't have a heart anymore,” Sunset Shimmer remarked, waving a hoof around her empty rib cage in emphasis.

Twilight rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean.”

“Still, that can't be all that's necessary, right?” Sunset Shimmer pressed.

“No, that's pretty much it,” Twilight countered. “Here. Watch me and after I’m done, you repeat what you’ve seen, so I can offer a few pointers.”

Sunset Shimmer tapped her hooves excitedly. “Oh, now this I want to see.”

Twilight took a few steps back and turned toward an empty section of their impromptu lab area. The scattered boxes of books and currently unused equipment that littered the ill-used space were thankfully not piled very high. It gave Twilight plenty of room to stretch, before standing as tall as her lanky frame would allow her to do so.

Pressing a hoof against her chest, the undead mare closed her eyes and focused inward, her skin glowing a faint teal. The light quickly shifted, becoming brighter as well as twisting into a greenish-blue coloration that morphed and folded in on itself. This folding miasma permeated through the unicorn’s flesh, emerging as a small bundle of strange otherworldly power.

Sunset Shimmer had only a few seconds to study the other pony before Twilight suddenly pulled her hoof away, raising it into the air. The mass of energy was all but pulled out of her, creating what looked like an orb of green and blue smoke which sat atop her hoof. Though even calling it smoke felt wrong to Sunset, as it flowed like water, yet hung in the air like it was a gas.

Odder still were the shapes which moved within the brightly glowing mass of energy, each one taking on a new and strange appearance. Some looked almost like the faces of ponies, while others were flowers in bloom, the branches of a dying tree, and even the moon itself. This writhing coagulation of colors instantly caught and held Sunset’s attention, keeping the skeleton from looking away.

Staring into the weird orb, Sunset Shimmer found herself struck with a sudden and intense hunger. One that was growing harder to brush aside the longer she watched the ball of magic twist and fold in on itself. Shaking her head, the undead mare tried her best to focus on the task at hand, only to once more find herself unable to focus.

She couldn't honestly even consider how she could replicate such an action, as it seemed too great of a feat to copy. It was an incredible example of just how powerful her new teacher was when it came to necromancy, and it reminded Sunset of staring directly into the sun. Just when she felt as though she was becoming lost in the strange flow of the ethereal energy, Twilight pressed her hoof back against her chest.

The magic vanished, and Sunset Shimmer was left standing there, the undead mare now quite glad that she didn't have facial muscles as the unicorn was certain she’d have a dumb look on her face. One that would have remained there until finally Twilight dismissed the glow completely and took a step back. The necromancer’s face tightened for a moment, the demonstration having evidently taken a toll on the pony.

“Sorry I couldn't describe what I was doing, but in order to channel it properly, you must focus every facet of your being into the act,” Twilight explained.

Sunset Shimmer nodded dumbly. “That was… amazing. I’m not even wholly sure what I just witnessed, but it felt significant.”

Twilight blushed and rubbed one foreleg with the other. “Oh, that's not all me. Some of that is the nightmare.”

The necromancer’s shadow bulged, a feline head emerging from the mass of darkness, followed closely by the neck and body of a cat as black as pitch. Pulling its paws from the gloom, the creature shook itself before rubbing its side against Twilight’s foreleg. Its pur was deep, rattling Sunset Shimmer’s bones and unsettling the skeleton almost as much as the nightmare’s void-filled gaze.

“Twilight, please tell me that thing isn't about to pull my soul out of what was my nose,” Sunset Shimmer muttered, her attention remaining fixed on the cat’s twin pools of inky blackness that served as eyes.

Twilight chuckled and ran a hoof down the cat’s spine. “The nightmare wouldn't do something like that. It just wants to see how you fare. Or at least I think that's what it wants.”

The cat nodded once before slipping out from under Twilight’s hoof and leaping atop the nearest desk, peering expectantly at Sunset Shimmer.

The skeletal mare shuddered, unable to stop herself from imagining the cat looking down at her despite the fact it was only a foot tall. “I guess so…” whispered the skeleton.

“You’ll do fine, Sunset,” Twilight encouraged. “You’ve already managed a few quite difficult spells. I’m sure you can channel quite a bit.”

Sunset Shimmer breathed deeply, or at least mimicked the action. “Alright. Just give me a moment.”

Twilight nodded and took a step back. “Whenever you are ready.”

It took a moment, but Sunset Shimmer managed to get her mind back on track and think back to what she had witnessed. After contemplating what she had seen for a full minute, Sunset Shimmer pressed a bony hoof over where her heart used to be. Though it took much longer than when Twilight had done it, Sunset Shimmer managed to conjure a weak glow under the limb.

She, however, did not have flesh, and thus the necromancer could see a small orb of teal magic visibly swell within her student’s chest. It didn't remain that color for long, however, as it morphed into a deep red orb tinged with flecks of the purest gold. The energy grew several times before at last Sunset Shimmer shakily extended and raised her forehoof, creating the same magical orb that Twilight had.

Unlike the necromancer, Sunset Shimmer could only conjure a third of the same raw power, and the ethereal orb was barely the same size as a golf ball. It seemed almost sickly in comparison, and Twilight leaned in close, peering intently at the strangely flickering sphere Sunset Shimmer had created. The first thing Twilight noticed was that her student’s magic rippled like a barely contained inferno, one that was quickly growing smaller with each passing second.

Turning her attention away from that aspect, Twilight focused on the flecks of gold which intermingled with the skeletal mare’s soul. At first glance she feared that some trace of Celestia’s influence remained, but Twilight quickly reminded herself that such a thing was impossible. Stranger still was the fact that Twilight could see brief images of the contemptible alicorn within the small flecks of gold.

Summoning her magic into her hoof, Twilight waved the faintly glowing limb over her student’s orb, only to be interrupted when Sunset slammed her hoof against her chest. The second this happened the unicorn all but fell forward, her body shuddering briefly, as if she was only just barely keeping herself together. Placing a calming hoof on the other pony’s shoulder, Twilight waited patiently for Sunset Shimmer to gather her wits once more.

“Who would have thought that pulling your own soul out of your chest would be so difficult,” Sunset Shimmer muttered bitterly.

“It's not… well, I suppose it kind of is,” Twilight admitted. “Though it's more apt to say that you are merely channelling and holding a part of your soul.”

Sunset Shimmer pushed herself back up, standing once more on steady hooves. “So, how did I do?”

Twilight winced. “I won't sugarcoat things. It wasn't great.”

Sunset Shimmer’s shoulders sagged. “I may have already known that, but hearing it outloud like this is still unpleasant.”

“Though I don't think it's completely your fault,” Twilight cautioned. “If the bits of info I’ve managed to piece together are correct, then extreme stress can create faults in one’s soul. I believe that these faults grew out of a preexisting predilection towards healing magic and ultimately cut off your ability to cast anything else.”

“Other than focusing my abilities towards healing, are there any other side effects?” Sunset Shimmer pressed.

Twilight hummed thoughtfully. “I don't know, to be honest. My past self wrote about such a thing happening, but it was vague and not terribly well-detailed. If I had to guess, then I would say that as you mentally heal from what happened, your magic will come easier.”

The skeleton placed a hoof against her ribs, as if attempting to still a heart that was no longer there. “Well that's… something, at least,” she murmured.

“So the next time I encourage you to make an appointment with my therapist, you are going to say…” Twilight began, glancing expectantly at the other unicorn.

“That it sounds like a good idea, and that I will do so right away,” Sunset Shimmer replied with a hint of reluctance. “I’m still not sure they will be able to help, though. I mean, who has experienced getting tortured and held prisoner by an alicorn?”

“Every situation is unique,” Twilight continued, the necromancer briefly touching her student’s shoulder. “You should trust that the experts will be able to help you.”

Sunset Shimmer shook her head. “Let's talk about this later. For now why don't you show off that fancy spell you were working on with Trixie the other day?”

Twilight perked up, a grin springing to her features. “I’d love to! But don't think for a second that I’ve forgotten about our little discussion.”

“I wouldn't dream of it,” swore the skeletal mare.

“First off, I have to warn you that it looks rather strange,” Twilight cautioned. “But don't worry, I won't be harmed unless I’ve really screwed it up.”

“That does not make me very confident,” Sunset deadpanned.

“Just stand back there and watch,” Twilight exclaimed, gesturing to the desk her student had been working at only a few minutes earlier.

Sunset nodded and did just that, trotting back over to her spot and noting that the nightmare cat was eying her curiously. “And what do you want?” demanded the skeletal unicorn.

The creature smirked knowingly, as if mocking the pony.

“I’d like to see you do any better,” muttered Sunset Shimmer.

The nightmare stuck its tongue out at Sunset before hopping down onto the ground and strutting back into Twilight’s shadow, vanishing.

The necromancer herself was standing across the room, her entire body glowing faintly in the dim light of the basement. The light surged suddenly, and Twilight collapsed to the ground, only for an ethereal copy of the pony to remain standing in the same place.

Sunset Shimmer watched curiously as her teacher looked around and upon seeing her own body lying on the ground, grinned excitedly. She then proceeded to walk around the room, a thin misty trail of greenish blue energy lingering behind her and connecting the ghost to her body. The skeletal unicorn watched as her teacher trotted around the area, before ending her little jaunt next to Sunset Shimmer.

The necromancer then proceded to move her mouth as if talking, but no sound came out. “I can't hear you,” Sunset Shimmer quickly replied, cutting off her teacher mid-sentence.

The ghost blinked and poked the false life dummy with a hoof, mouthing something in a slow, deliberate manner.

Sunset Shimmer planted a hoof against her forehead. “I cannot read lips either!”

Twilight rolled her eyes and raised a hoof, muttering some more unheard words before suddenly becoming corporeal once more. “I said-” was all the necromancer managed to utter before the false life dummy began to flicker, grabbing both of the undead’s attention.

Looking down, the two mares found that a thin strand of blueish-green connected it to Twilight. That same connection seemed to be sapping it of magic, as it began to shrink, losing more and more definition as time passed. The wards holding it together broke down completely, and the entire thing vanished in a puff of smoke, leaving behind only a few scattered motes of magical energy.

“That was new,” Twilight remarked.

“How did you manage to do that anyway?” Sunset Shimmer asked, the pony watching as the last flickering specks of magic finally died.

“I have no idea, but it felt like I stole some of its essence. Which is as useful as it is unnerving,” Twilight murmured.

“Couldn't you already steal people’s life force if you wanted?” Sunset Shimmer pressed.

“I try not to think about it, but yes, I could. Though not nearly as easily as that,” Twilight admitted.

“In that case, how are Trixie’s studies going?” Sunset Shimmer inquired, shifting the conversation.

“Very well, actually. She has recently started learning more complicated hexes and is actually teaching me a few things,” Twilight exclaimed, a small, proud smile slipping onto her face.

“You’re surprisingly good at this whole teaching thing, you know,” Sunset Shimmer pointed out, poking the other pony in the chest. “Maybe once this is all over, you could start a school of some kind.”

“A school of necromancy… Now wouldn't that be something?” Twilight whispered, her expression becoming distant.

“Speaking of necromancy, are we still going to try finding that tablet I saw?” Sunset Shimmer pressed, the unicorn closing a few of the books she had open. “I know we have been planning on doing so for a few days now, but I still think you should speak to your friends before we actually head out.”

Twilight shook her head. “I can't do that. Most wouldn't even be able to help in the first place, and second, it sounds like the tower itself is warded against the forest’s inhabitants.”

“Still…” Sunset Shimmer continued. “They are your friends, Twilight, and they would be more than willing to help you.”

“I know they would, it's just…” Twilight sighed. “I feel bad about dragging them around all the time and in this instance, I really do feel like it's for the best. The tower is warded, and as soon as we get the tablet, we’ll be teleporting straight back to the library anyway.”

Sunset Shimmer finished cleaning up her supplies and began to trot towards the stairs. “Well, I’ve been packed and ready to go for a few days now, so if you wanna do this thing, I’m more than willing to head out like right now as we originally planned.”

Twilight nodded. “That does sound like a good idea. I’ve been putting this off for long enough.”

The necromancer followed behind the other undead until they reached the top floor, where she caught the other pony by the shoulder. “Thanks, by the way. Trouble has a way of finding me and I have a feeling a little extra help will be welcome,” Twilight remarked.

Sunset Shimmer quickly brushed aside the other pony’s hoof. “Don't mention it, Twilight. Besides, I swore to serve you for all time, remember? What kind of knight would I be if I didn't accompany you into battle?”

Twilight chuckled. “Knight? You're more like a starving orphan I took under my wing.”

“Really? I thought I’d at least be a squire or something,” Sunset Shimmer retorted.

“Nah, she's more like an enemy you disarmed, then took pity on, and is now your indentured servant,” commented Spike, who stood at the end of the hallway.

“Well, yes, but also no,” Sunset Shimmer countered.

“Wait.” Twilight lifted a hoof and peered into the living room. “Is someone there… Wait, what are you all doing here?”

Pinkie Pie waved an excited hoof from her spot on the couch. “Spike told me you were going to run off on another adventure without telling us again, so I made sure to let everyone know first.”

Twilight frowned as she looked around the room, from Fluttershy who was currently a cat sprawled out on the back of a couch to Rarity who was inspecting one of the few books in the library as well as both Rainbow Dash and Applejack who were playing a heated game of tic tac toe. The only pony missing was Trixie, though even after all they had gone through together, Twilight hesitated to call the illusionist her friend.

“And we thought that was an absolutely dreadful idea,” Rarity continued, closing her book and placing a hoof on Rainbow Dash’s shoulder. “Isn't that right?”

“Err, yeah. I guess,” muttered the thestral with a shrug.

Applejack snorted. “Come on, Rainbow, you said it yourself. She can't go running off into danger whenever she feels like it.”

“I said that like three months ago,” Rainbow Dash countered, throwing up her hooves. “Since then she's become a veritable demigod and the single most accomplished necromancer in like a dozen generations.”

“I wouldn't go that far,” murmured Twilight.

“We’ll see here, Rainbow. We ain't no slouches either,” Applejack began, the pony rising out of her seat. “Why, I’ve been getting rather good at controllin’ plants lately, and I can take a hit like nobody’s business.”

“Plus I’m apprenticing for the most accomplished shaman around!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed.

“You must admit, we are rather formidable now,” Fluttershy remarked, the spirit leaping off the couch and turning herself back into a pony before she hit the ground.

“They got a point, ya know,” Spike exclaimed, gesturing to the small group.

“Look, girls, I appreciate your concern, truly I do, but there won't be anything for you to do,” Twilight began, stepping forward. “Heck, I’m pretty sure Sunset Shimmer is going to be the only one who will be able to help me with this.”

“Which is not something I ever thought I’d ever hear you say,” Sunset Shimmer muttered.

“Life throws us curve balls all the time, Twi,” Applejack continued. “If we weren't with ya when you went to the undertower, do you think you’d have made it as far as ya did?”

Twilight sighed. “No, but this is different.”

“How?” countered Pinkie Pie.

The necromancer stomped her hoof. “Because now I can take care of myself, and I don't have to keep putting my only friends in life threatening danger.”

“Darling, are you okay?” Rarity whispered, touching the necromancer’s shoulder.

“I’m fine,” Twilight retorted. “I just have to do this, okay? Don't you all trust me?”

“You know we trust you, Twilight,” Fluttershy exclaimed.

“Just please let me do this. I’ve planned it all out in advance and trust me when I say this won't be some grand adventure,” Twilight pressed. “I’ll be gone a day tops, and should it take longer, I’ll set up a two-way teleportation circle.”

“See? I told you she had it all planned out,” stated Rainbow Dash, who hopped off the couch and began to walk to the door. “Let me know if you need a hoof, until then, try not to get yourself killed again.”

Fluttershy bit her lip and looked from Rainbow Dash to Twilight. “I suppose if Rainbow is letting you leave without help, then I should too.”

“Now just hold on one cotton-pickin’ minute,” Applejack interrupted. “I ain't about to let one of my best friends go wander off on some wild adventure without at least someone going with her.”

“I’ll be there,” Sunset Shimmer offered.

The earth pony trotted up to the skeleton and suddenly grabbed her by the forehoof. “Promise me you’ll do everything you can to protect her.”

“Sunset, you don't have to-” Twilight began.

Sunset Shimmer nodded. “I promise.”

Applejack held the skeletal mare’s forehoof for a moment longer before taking a reluctant step back. “Alright, I trust ya. I expect you’ll round us up after ya get back to let everyone know how it went.”

“I will,” declared Twilight.

As Applejack walked away, Sunset Shimmer looked down at her hoof in confusion. “I feel like I just signed a deal with the devil.”

“That will happen,” Twilight remarked.

“I suppose if that's how you feel, Twilight, then I cannot in good conscious force my company,” Rarity exclaimed, pulling the necromancer into a brief hug. “Do try and be safe, darling. I would hate to have to attend another funeral for a Sparkle.”

Twilight hugged the arachne back. “Thank you, Rarity. I’ll be fine. I promise.”

“I can't do whatever is that Applejack does, but I will give you quite the tongue lashing if you come back as a ghost,” Rarity remarked with a giggle.

“Well, at least I’d have something to look forward to,” Twilight replied, taking a step back from her friend.

Pinkie bounced out of her spot and looked Twilight up and down. “Are you leaving right now?” she asked.

Twilight blinked and glanced to Sunset. “I think so. We had everything packed, right?”

Sunset Shimmer nodded. “We can leave in five minutes if necessary.”

“Wait, don't tell me you are going to leave without accepting help from any of your friends,” Spike stated.

Before Twilight could offer a response, Pinkie Pie had suddenly pulled him aside and whispered something in his ear.

Confused, the necromancer turned to her assistant. “Would you grab the bags please? I’ll finish up here in a moment.”

“Sure thing, boss lady,” Sunset Shimmer replied before trotting up the stairs and disappearing into the second floor.

When Twilight looked back at the shaman, her and Spike had parted, the dragon now seemingly content.

“I’ve decided to trust you,” he stated.

“I’m glad,” Twilight remarked. “What were you and Pinkie Pie talking about?”

“Don't worry about it, Twi. All you need to know is that I’m leaving, and that I’ll see you again soon,” Pinkie Pie declared.

“Oookay then,” Twilight muttered, watching as the troll bounced out of the library, leaving the necromancer alone with Spike. “So what are you planning on doing while I am gone?”

“I was thinking of doing some more reading and maybe plan out another dungeon for my play group,” Spike began. “After that, I’ll probably go see Sweetie Belle and probably have dinner at her place.”

“I made sure to stock the fridge and left plenty of gems on the counter in case you wanted to go out,” Twilight offered.

The dragon winced. “So you’re saying those weren't snack gems?”

The necromancer sighed. “I suppose that was for food anyway.”

“Got it!” Sunset Shimmer exclaimed, the skeleton stopping next to Twilight, a pair of bulging saddlebags on her back.

She also wore her usual outfit, as well as a mask she had been working on recently which obscured her face. Though it was completely featureless and white as bone, Twilight knew her assistant would have no troubles seeing with it on. With a thought, Twilight summoned a rugged set of hiking leathers which covered her form almost completely.

It wasn't quite as cumbersome as Sunset Shimmer’s red and yellow robes, but the simple brownish green set of studded leather suited Twilight just fine. The high collar offered some protection for her neck, and the cured manticore hide that it was made from would blunt most of the hazards that she would come in contact with. It also left the pony plenty of room to move, as the leather undershirt was loose without being so large that it became baggy.

“I’m glad you at least have some armor now,” Spike remarked.

“Yes, well, I hope to make something a little more protective than this, but at least now I don't have to worry about getting covered with burs again,” Twilight exclaimed.

“Or thorns,” Sunset Shimmer pointed out.

The necromancer snorted. “Yes, or thorns.”

“See ya later, Dusk, and best of luck acquiring that tablet thinger,” Spike shouted, before walking past the two undead.

Sunset Shimmer watched the dragon go before turning back to Twilight. “I felt like I missed something important.”

“It was nothing,” Twilight declared hastily. “He and Pinkie Pie had a brief talk while you were upstairs, is all.”

The skeletal mare shrugged. “Well, I’m ready to go when you are.”

“Are you sure you don't want me to carry some of that?” Twilight offered, gesturing to the stuffed bags which adorned the other pony’s back.

“Nah, I got it. Honestly I don't even feel the weight, and because of my, erm, state, it's unlikely that I’ll ever get tired,” Sunset countered.

“In that case I will follow your lead, Sunset,” Twilight exclaimed. “Hopefully the forest decides to cooperate today, and we can actually get to our destination relatively quickly.”

“Even if it doesn't, I packed plenty of bottled life essence so we should be able to march for a few days without having to stop,” Sunset Shimmer offered, wiggling her back and causing the bottles within her bags to clatter against one another.

“Perfect. Then let's get moving. I don't like leaving something so important out in the open while this Tempest Shadow pony is on her way here,” Twilight remarked.

“I wouldn't worry about it too much. It will be weeks before she shows up, provided the forest doesn't do away with her all together,” Sunset Shimmer replied.

“You managed to get here relatively quickly, and you are only one pony,” Twilight retorted pointedly, the necromancer trotting towards the exit.

“Yes, but I feel like I would never have made it, had the forest not decided to let me find you,” Sunset Shimmer explained, the skeleton opening the door and trotting out into the street.

“Why do you say that?” Twilight asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I told you how hard it was at first, right? And the tests the forest seemingly put me through?” Sunset Shimmer inquired, waiting patiently for Twilight to lock the door behind them and enact the defensive wards.

The necromancer’s hoof glowed briefly, and she turned from her home to her assistant. “I do remember you telling me something about that.”

“Well, I don't think I would have made it here, had I failed the forest’s tests, nor would I be alive right now,” Sunset Shimmer stopped and looked down. “Or half alive, for that matter.”

“That does make some sense,” Twilight admitted. “I mean, it did seemingly help you get into the library for whatever reason.”

“You don't think it can see the future, can you?” Sunset Shimmer asked as the pair began to trot towards the edge of town, passing by and occasionally waving to the odd creature who recognized them.

Twilight shrugged. “If it can't, then it's really, really good at playing the odds.”

“Have you considered the possibility that you may need security at this clinic you hoped to open?” Twilight inquired as she hopped over a fallen log.

Sunset Shimmer paused and glanced over her shoulder towards Twilight. “Are you sure that's necessary? I mean, I’m just trying to help people.”

“I don't mean to bring up bad memories, Sunset, but that's literally what got you into this mess in the first place,” Twilight replied.

The skeleton’s jaw slammed shut, and she stood there awkwardly. “I had not thought of it like that,” she admitted.

“Health is an industry out here, and where there is money, there is greed, and where there is greed, there are bad people,” Twilight continued.

“I suppose you’re right. Though who would attack a healer offering their services for free?” Sunset Shimmer asked, the unicorn trotting up to her friend.

“The same person who would charge you an arm and a leg for something you need to survive,” Twilight pointed out.

“I--wait, do you hear that?” Sunset Shimmer whispered, kneeling down next to a tree.

Twilight ducked behind a bush and focused on bringing up her ability to sense the life force of others, pointing it at where she had heard the same rustle that Sunset had. “One person, with a surprisingly robust soul that feels faintly familiar…” Twilight muttered.

A brief rustle of leaves and a pink hoof appeared on the path ahead of them, followed by the smiling face of a familiar troll. “Wowee, if it isn't Twilight Sparkle and Sunset Shimmer. Fancy meeting you girls out here!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed, the troll bounding over to the pair despite the fact that they were almost completely obscured by the foliage.

Sunset Shimmer awkwardly stepped out from cover. “Hey, Pinkie Pie, what are you doing out here?”

“Yes, what are you doing out here?” Twilight pressed.

The troll blinked owlishly. “Isn't this the way back to Zecora’s?”

“I don't think so,” Sunset shimmer muttered, glancing at the much taller necromancer.

“You know very well that it isn't,” Twilight retorted.

“That’s crazy!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed, throwing up her hooves. “Who would have guessed that the forest would put me here of all places?”

“It isn't that crazy. The Everfree is a strange place,” Sunset Shimmer exclaimed.

“It isn't that weird,” Twilight murmured, glaring at the troll. “You weren't following us, were you?”

“Pffft, following you? No way I could do that. Not with your life detection spell thingy and those sharp ears of yours,” Pinkie Pie claimed, flicking the necromancer’s ear in emphasis and recoiling as if she had cut herself.

Sunset Shimmer chuckled. “I guess she's just going to have to come with us then.”

“Great idea, Sunny Buns!” Pinkie Pie happily declared. “It is the forest’s wishes, after all.”

Twilight glanced from her skeletal assistant to the troll companion before letting out a sigh. “I guess it is. Though I’d like to point out that you have quite a bit packed for someone who just a few minutes ago didn't even have any bags at all.”

Pinkie Pie looked down at her bulging saddle bags and shrugged. “I just picked up some snacks for the road and some supplies, a map, a rope, and a few other essentials. You know, walking around stuff.”

Sunset Shimmer used her magic to flip open one of the bags, revealing that it was nearly full to bursting with potions, cookware, food, and even a grappling hook. “Woah neat. I didn't think to bring one of those. We definitely should grab one for next time though,” Sunset Shimmer remarked.

Pinkie Pie hastily closed her bag and chuckled nervously. “Oh, that? It’s, uh… family heirloom. My Granny Pie was an adventurer, you know.”

Twilight shook her head. “I suppose things did go rather poorly the last time I ignored one of your warnings.”

“In the grand scheme of things, it wasn't so bad, right?” Pinkie Pie pressed, nudging Sunset Shimmer in the shoulder.

The skeletal mare nodded. “All things said and done, I honestly think what happened was about the best we could have hoped for.”

“Which is why I forgave ya for being a stubborn grumpy pants,” Pinkie Pie exclaimed, bouncing around the necromancer. “Now come on, we got a laptop to find!”

“I think you mean tablet,” Sunset Shimmer corrected.

“Ah, right, I always get those two mixed up,” Pinkie Pie shrugged. “Oh well, onwards and upwards!”

Despite the disruption to her plans, Twilight couldn't help but smile, the presence of the upbeat troll turning her somewhat dour mood right around. “You know, Pinkie, we never got the chance to talk very much about your skills as a shaman. Maybe now you could regale us with a story or two,” Twilight offered, the necromancer following close behind her friends.

Pinkie Pie gasped. “Oh my gosh, you’re so right! Buuuut I’m not sure if I should go spilling the beans so soon. Wouldn't want to ruin the surprise.”

“What surprise?” questioned Sunset Shimmer.

“You’ll see!” Pinkie Pie declared, flashing the other pony a wink.

Twilight shrugged. “As long as it isn't another happy deathday party.”

“Oh, come on, that one was fun!” Sunset Shimmer proclaimed, only to frown. “If a little on the creepy side. Especially that animated tombstone that was in charge of the music.”

“Aww, come on, ol’ Tomby is the best!” Pinkie Pie replied, the troll eagerly bouncing around the trail, humming an upbeat tune that Twilight had never heard before.

“If you say so, Pinkie Pie,” Twilight murmured.

“Hold on, I smell something funny and not funny, haha,” Pinkie Pie reiterated, the troll crouching low at the edge of a clearing.

Sunset Shimmer stopped immediately, the skeleton looking hesitantly out into the open space. “What do you sense, Pinkie Pie? ‘Cause I don't see anything,” Sunset Shimmer whispered.

Twilight sent out a pulse of magic, searching the area for any life signs. “There isn't anything living around here. Other than all the plants, obviously,” remarked the necromancer in a low tone.

“This whole thing is all wrong,” Pinkie Pie murmured, her gaze narrowing as she scanned the area.

Twilight quickly followed suit, the unicorn doing her best to find whatever had set off her rocky friend. Only to come up with nothing as the clearing looked normal, with only a few burnt trees being the sign that anything had happened here. Even still, whatever had burnt them had likely passed quite some time ago as a few small bushes and tall grasses had already returned.

“I don't see anything,” Sunset Shimmer murmured.

“Yeah, Pinkie, are you sure-” Twilight began, only for the troll’s eyes to pop open.

“Aha! Wait right here,” advised Pinkie Pie before the troll turned and sprinted into the woods, vanishing into the thick foliage.

Twilight watched her go before quickly losing sight of her. “What was all that about?”

Sunset Shimmer shrugged. “I don't know, but I think we should wait for her though.”

“I’m not so sure. There isn't a single living thing in the area dangerous enough to threaten us,” Twilight began, her gaze returning to the clearing. “Plus I don't know about you, but I don't want to deal with those crown-of-thorn bushes that seem to litter the area.”

“You’re telling me. I don't even have skin, and still I don't want to deal with those things. They damn near tore through my bag,” Sunset Shimmer added.

“Right, I’m gonna head in and check things out. You hang back and let Pinkie Pie know where I went,” Twilight commanded, the necromancer extending a hoof to step into the clearing.

Only to be caught by Sunset Shimmer who grabbed the sleeve of Twilight’s leather armor. “Are you sure that's a good idea? Pinkie Pie doesn't say stuff for nothing, after all. Well, not when she gets serious.”

“I’m sure it will be fine, you heard the girls. I’m practically indestructible at this point,” Twilight assured the mare.

Sunset Shimmer relented, pulling back her hoof and giving her head a shake. “Alright, but for the record, I don't think this is a good idea.”

“You worry too much, Sunset,” Twilight proclaimed before extending her hoof once more.

The mare didn't even make it a single step however, as this time she was interrupted by Pinkie Pie. “Gangway, coming through!” shouted the troll a second before she appeared, an enormous rock held in her hoof and a grim expression on her face.

The two undead quickly stumbled out of the way, allowing Pinkie Pie to sprint up to the edge of the clearing. Where she stopped suddenly, throwing all of her weight into tossing the pony-sized stone through the air. The small boulder flew several dozen feet, impressing both Twilight and Sunset, right up until it vanished into the ground.

“What the heck?” Sunset Shimmer muttered.

“Where did it go?” Twilight asked, turning to Pinkie Pie.

“Shhh, watch,” Pinkie Pie urged, pointing to the clearing once more.

And so the three creatures sat in rapt attention, staring at the empty clearing and waiting for whatever it was that Pinkie Pie herself was waiting for. Just when Twilight’s attention had nearly run out and she was about to launch into a question, the entire clearing shimmered. It reminded Twilight of when she had assisted Trixie in testing out a new illusion spell that had ended up being a bit too draining for the other unicorn.

“Is that-” Sunset Shimmer began, only for the entire clearing to vanish and reveal an enormous conical hole in the ground.

Twilight looked on in a mixture of horror and curiosity, studying the strangely slimy-looking sides of the hole which lead down to a central pit. A pit the last ten feet of which was filled with downward facing spines and a single enormous lipless maw filled with dozens of sword-length teeth. The mouth heaved, and with a sound not unlike someone horking up a loogie, the hole spat out the enormous rock that Pinkie Pie had thrown into it a few seconds earlier.

The small boulder shot over their heads, forcing the trio to duck lest they get crushed by the projectile. Once it had passed, Twilight perked right back up, peering down into the strange pit to find that the mouth had closed itself. A second later the clearing flickered back into view, as if there wasn't some great beast right below them.

“What in the nine hells of Tartarus was that?” Sunset Shimmer shouted, pointing a shaky hoof to where the creature’s mouth had been.

“A Calrasian bull worm!” Pinkie Pie declared, nodding knowingly. “Very dangerous and very, very rare.”

“How did it do magic? I thought only sentients could do that,” Twilight stated nervously, stepping away from the edge of the clearing.

“Oh, it's not that smart, though it can do magic though,” Pinkie Pie helpfully replied. “Nobody knows for sure how it does that, but Zecora said that when it is very young, the creature creates a simple trap of leaves and sticks. Then after it's caught its first sentient victim, it eats the creature as well as its memories in order to rebuild the landscape with magic. This one must be really old though, ‘cause this part of the forest hasn't had a fire in like a few hundred years or so.”

“You're telling me there is an ancient worm that can use magic and eats people’s thoughts and we almost walked right into its mouth?” Twilight murmured.

“Nah, I knew something was wrong like a mile away, I just couldn't figure it out until we got here,” Pinkie Pie replied.

“And just like that, those thorn bushes don't seem so bad,” Sunset Shimmer offered.

Twilight nodded, taking another step away from the clearing. “I agree. Pinkie Pie, why don't you lead us around this thing?”

The troll grinned, and snapped off a salute. “You got it, el capitan!”

Twilight followed the excitable girl at a slight distance, her skeletal assistant joining her a second later. “I hate to say I told you so, but well…” Sunset began.

“No, you earned it. Go ahead,” Twilight bade.

“I did tell you,” Sunset Shimmer finished.

“Wait,” directed Pinkie Pie who stopped in the center of the path.

This time Twilight did as she was told, standing alongside Sunset Shimmer on the wide, well-worn path. The necromancer’s mind instantly went back to the strange creature that they had seen earlier, only to quickly dismiss such a notion. There was no odd clearing, only a wide path which stretched on into the distance, flanked on either side by towering pine trees which threatened to blot out what little light that was reflected by the moon above them.

“What is it?” Sunset Shimmer whispered.

“Twitchy tail, itchy neck, and achy hoof means magic of some kind, but I don't feel anything yet,” Pinkie Pie replied.

“Did you get the same feeling when we came to that worm thing?” Twilight inquired.

Pinkie Pie shook her head. “That was more like a general feeling of danger with a hint that some kind of animal would block our path.”

“What do we do then?” Sunset Shimmer pressed.

“I have a feeling that a spell I know will come in handy, but it isn't the most comfortable, and it may take a while to wear off,” Pinkie Pie warned.

Twilight’s initial urge was to dismiss such a notion outright, but she quickly resisted that desire. “If you think it prudent to cast this spell of yours, then I say do it,” Twilight reasoned.

The troll grinned. “Thanks, Twi. Trust me, this will only take a second.”

Sunset Shimmer and Twilight both watched as the shaman shucked off her bags and retrieved a small burlap bag the size of an apple. Which she reached her hoof into, the limb remerging with a thick blob of purple paste covering the end of it. Using her other hoof, the troll grabbed a hoofful of dirt, and after uttering a few strange words, sprinkled a pinch of the gravel over the paste.

This caused the mud-like concoction to glow a deep blue color, an event which seemed to be the desired response as Pinkie Pie grinned. “Alright, Sunset, you take off your mask and Twilight, close your eyes. This may sting a bit,” warned the shaman.

“What if we don't have eyes,” asked the skeleton, who removed her mask as requested, stowing it in her bag.

“Then just pretend to blink or something,” Pinkie Pie replied with a shrug, turning to Twilight. “Ready?”

After a brief moment of hesitation, the necromancer closed her eyes. “When you are,” she replied.

“Alright, now don't open them until I say so, alright?” Pinkie Pie asked.

Twilight nodded.

The unicorn could feel the troll’s hoof press against her right eyelid, the shaman smearing a good bit of the purple and blue mud against it. She also made sure to rub some around the eye itself as well, a process she repeated with the left a second later. The tingling started after Pinkie Pie had walked away, presumably repeating the same action with Sunset Shimmer.

Though not painful per se, it was quite distracting and felt like a great number of bugs were crawling all over Twilight’s closed lids. However, it wasn't enough to make the necromancer open her eyes prematurely as she trusted the troll implicitly at this point. So it was that she waited until nearly a minute later when Pinkie Pie muttered a few more strange, foreign sounding words and stomped her hooves against the ground.

“There, you can open them now,” Pinkie Pie declared.

Twilight did just that, the necromancer finding that nothing had changed other than the fact that the world had gained a slightly purplish tint to it. Looking around revealed that both Sunset and Pinkie Pie herself also had the strange mud-like substance smeared over their eyes. Which was particularly humourous when it came to Sunset Shimmer as the pony had no eyes, and instead the bones around where they would be had been painted.

“Did it work?” Twilight asked.

Pinkie Pie nodded. “Yuppers. We can keep going, but if it's what I think it is, then remember to stay on the path and not touch anything, okay? Just keep walking straight,” stressed the troll.

Sunset Shimmer nodded. “Just keep walking, got it.”

“Ready when you are,” offered the necromancer, gesturing to the path before them.

The troll’s smile flickered for a moment, a look of uncertainty passing over her features. “Right, let’s go.”

Twilight followed close behind, standing side by side with Sunset Shimmer who had pulled down her hood and was observing their surroundings closely. “What do you think it is?” whispered the undead mare.

“I have no idea. The forest is a dangerous place, and I am starting to think that it is becoming increasingly treacherous as of late,” Twilight remarked.

“You’re telling me. I never came across weird magic or a monster like that during my travels. I hope the forest isn't trying to kill us,” Sunset Shimmer considered.

“I don't think so,” Twilight replied after a short pause. “I always felt a presence before, now it's almost like it's gone. Or that the forest is focusing elsewhere.”

Whatever Sunset Shimmer had been about to say was cut off when she ran into Pinkie Pie’s backside, the skeleton bouncing off the troll’s rocky exterior and landing on her back.

“I was right,” Pinkie Pie whispered. “Remember what I told you.”

Twilight didn't even have a chance to question what the shaman meant before she began to trot away, vanishing into a sudden mist which had come out of seemingly nowhere.

Sunset Shimmer followed a second later, and Twilight did the same a moment after that, her gaze flicking about the area, searching for anything out of the ordinary. She didn't have to wait long to find what she was looking for, as an ethereal shape suddenly drifted before her. Though her instinct was to follow it, presuming it was Pinkie Pie or Sunset Shimmer, Twilight held back and searched for nearby life forces.

The pony ended up even more confused when she found that she was completely surrounded by the unique energy produced only by living things. It was at a very low level however, with slightly larger, pony-shaped blobs flickering in and out of existence all around her. Two more pressing and more vibrant concentrations could be felt in front of her, and, remembering Pinkie Pie’s words, Twilight kept her hooves pointed straight.

Trotting after the two shapes, the unicorn did her best to keep her eyes forward, though it was hard not to be distracted when she heard someone whisper something right next to her. Assuring herself that it was nothing, the necromancer continued down the path, catching what looked like a thestral passing by on her right. The shape seemed to be armed and armored, though he was the same color as the greenish blue fog that enclosed the unicorn from all sides.

He vanished a second later, and for a moment Twilight was alone until a heavily injured and absolutely massive troll passed in front of her. Easily twice her size, the creature was the same color as the fog, though he also sported dozens of small wounds as well as a deep cut that nearly severed his right foreleg. Pushing past the fear, Twilight trotted straight through him, catching a faint repeated murmuring from the enormous creature before he vanished.

This continued for several more minutes, with various creatures both large and small walking past her, through her, or over her. Each one seemed to be armed for battle or otherwise injured, with the majority being golden armored ponies of all three tribes. The whispering continued to bother the necromancer, becoming so constant at times that Twilight could have sworn one of her friends were talking to her.

It took a considerable amount of willpower and focus to remain on the path, but Twilight managed to do just that, emerging from the fog several minutes later. Like a great weight being lifted from her shoulders, Twilight took a deep breath, clearing her lungs of the cool fog. A brief look around told her that both of her friends had made it through, though not unscathed as they both wore haunted expressions on their faces.

“I think we both deserve an explanation,” Twilight offered.

Pinkie Pie nodded and wiped away a tear. “They all died suddenly, and their souls got all tangled up with the wild magic of the forest.”

“Now they just… wander?” Sunset Shimmer finished.

Pinkie Pie nodded and wiped the purple substance from her eyes. “There is nothing we can do for them.”

Twilight glanced over her shoulder, only to find that the fog was gone, leaving no trace of its existence. “There has to be some way to put them to rest,” she exclaimed.

The shaman shrugged her shoulders. “I doubt it, but I’ve never heard of a real necromancer making the attempt.”

Sunset Shimmer wiped her eye sockets clear of the strange substance. “We aren't going to run into those clouds often, are we?”

“No. I’ve heard there are at least three of them, though they usually remain close to the site where they died and the other two are really far away,” Pinkie Pie explained.

“Then let's keep going. I’d like to get as far as I can before sun up,” Twilight pressed.

Sunset Shimmer nodded. “Sounds good, Twilight.”

“It's getting early, how much further do you want to go?” Sunset Shimmer inquired, the skeleton brushing aside a low-hanging branch.

Twilight weaved around the obstacle. “Not much longer. I think we were getting pretty close, or at least I hope so.”

Pinkie Pie nodded. “I concur,” she declared. “Now that we are so close, I can almost smell the celestial magic from here.”

“You can smell magic?” Sunset Shimmer deadpanned.

“Kinda,” Pinkie Pie exclaimed with a shrug. “It's more like I know what the forest feels like and foreign magic makes it different somehow.”

“You know, I’m starting to notice that as well,” Twilight admitted. “The Everfree’s magic has a tinge of necromancy to it while Sunset’s normal spells contained none.”

“Hey, uh, girls, we got a problem,” Sunset Shimmer exclaimed.

Twilight trotted up next to the other unicorn, emerging from the trees to find that she was standing in front of a sheer cliff face. Rising at least nine metres into the air, the wall of stone had no visible ledges to speak of, and it was utterly devoid of vegetation. They couldn't even see a single tree atop the ledge itself, though they couldn't be sure, given their current poor angle.

“Now that's a cliff,” Pinkie Pie remarked.

“It sure is,” Twilight added. “Ready to try out that grappling hook of yours?”

“Heck, yeah I am!” Pinkie Pie proclaimed, the troll quickly pulling out a length of rope and the metal attachment.

Tying them together, the troll stepped off to the side and began to spin the entire thing before releasing it in a powerful throw. The hook soared through the air, landing several feet back from atop the ledge with at least twenty feet of rope left over. Pinkie Pie chewed on her lip as she gently tugged the hook back, seeking out something to latch onto, but coming up with nothing.

The hook clattered down the cliff, landing back in front of the now disappointed troll.

“I’ll start trying to find a way around,” Sunset Shimmer offered.

Twilight nodded. “Don't go far.”

Pinkie Pie whirled the grappling hook once more, seeking out a slightly different spot, but ending up with the same result. She repeated this a dozen or so times before eventually giving up and plopping down on the ground with a sad sigh.

“This stinks. It's not like Zecora’s stories at all,” Pinkie Pie whined.

Twilight glanced down at her shadow. “Could you maybe scope out a spot to hook the grapple?”

The small patch of darkness grew an equine head, which it shook before producing a hoofed limb and pointing at the horizon. Where the sun rose in the distance, bathing the land in a thin veneer of gold light and causing the shadow to shrink back down.

“I guess it is pretty early,” Twilight murmured.

Sunset Shimmer strode up to them and shook her head. “It goes really far in both directions. I don't think we are going to get around this thing very easy.”

“What about your magic? Could you teleport us up there?” Twilight asked.

The skeleton shook her head. “I was never the best at teleportation magic, and I don't think I can get that far.”

“Ah, don't worry about it, girls, I got this,” Pinkie Pie declared, the troll using another length of rope to tie her bags to her midsection before biting down on the grappling hook.

Sunset Shimmer stepped closer to the other unicorn. “What do you think she’s doing?”

Twilight shrugged. “I think she's going to climb it.”

Sure enough, Pinkie Pie did just that, though it didn't exactly happen like either pony would have assumed it would have. As the troll simply rammed her hoof into the stone wall, creating a ledge which her back hoof could use to hoist her weight higher up the side. Repeating this action with one foreleg and then the other, Pinkie Pie rapidly ascended the cliff, leaving behind wide hoof holds for her companions.

“Huh,” Sunset Shimmer muttered.

A few minutes later Pinkie Pie disappeared over the top, returning a minute later with a smile on her face. “The rope is secured, come on up!” she shouted.

“Why didn't you do that from the start?” Twilight yelled back.

“Where's the fun in that?” Pinkie Pie replied, cocking her head.

“She’s got a point there,” Sunset Shimmer remarked.

Twilight shook her head. “I think I can feel a headache coming on.”

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