Every single one who knew Twilight Sparkle just dropped their jaw hearing the words coming out from Celestia's mouth. Even the ones who didn't know her personally were still surprised. There was not a single face not looking at Celestia, not being absolutely confounded. In her hiding place, even Misery was taken aback. Twilight was sure she must have misheard.

"Her?" asked Misery from where she was sitting.

"Her?" asked Luna to her sister.

"Her?" asked Twilight's friends.

"M- Me?"

"Yes. I choose Twilight. She is young and inexperienced, but she is also well taught, intelligent, kind. She knows more than a lot of you do." She gave Twilight a very telling look. "She knows a lot more." This was more than just her believing in Twilight, this was about Twilight knowing about Cesom. Twilight recalled something Celestia had said.

'Only if I would no longer be head ruler of Equestria would that information part from me.'

Twilight was going to be told where to find Cesom.

"I know we can expect several mistakes from her side, but she will have the advice of both Princess Luna and Princess Cadance. She will also be tutored in leadership by my best scholars. I trust that she will be a decent leader within merely two years," said Celestia.

"Couldn't I just get advice from Celestia?" asked Twilight. She was swept up in the moment, she noticed her own body was shaking in fear of the risk of all this impending responsibility, not even she would be able to enjoy all of that. This was more than just studies, this was about ponies' lives.

"The law makes that impossible. In fact, it us forbidden for Celestia to even get close to you or any of your associates. You will most likely never be allowed to see her again," said King Pero.

Twilight's entire world just sort of crumbled around her.

"But, but why?"

"It is to make sure she is unable to manipulate you," said King Pero. "It's a safety precaution."

"But she wouldn't-"

"Twilight Sparkle. Just drop it," said Celestia. Twilight looked at her. She looked back with a very stern look. "This vote is final. It is like it is written in the old laws. Everyone here has voted, and the vote is final once cast. You have to stop complaining."

"Yes, Princess," said Twilight, almost like it was a reflex. She tried to hide how hurt she felt from that harsh tone.

"Twilight Sparkle, come here," said Celestia.

After a short moment of hesitation, Twilight approached Princess Celestia. She used her magic to remove her tiara. It was a symbol of her as a ruler. She didn't wait to start it.

"Twilight Sparkle. I wish this could have been something of a celebration, that this day could have been marked by something great and wonderful. Frankly, it would have been nice if this day hadn't arrived at all. But we are here now, and it is my duty to appoint you my successor. I am still very proud of you, Princess Twilight," said Celestia and gently placed the golden tiara on Twilight's trembling head. She wasn't prepared for this.

"It has been done. Guards, seize Citizen Celestia," said King Pero, doing his best to keep his voice steady.

Some griffin guards started to approach Celestia who quickly leaned closer to Twilight. She whispered something very important into her ear.

"It is beneath the foundation of Canterlot. When you think you've hit rock bottom, dig a little deeper," she whispered as silently as she could. As she was pulled back, away from her, Twilight only managed to see a melancholy smile.

"Princess..."

"That's not a title fit for me," said Celestia as she was being escorted off the premises. Twilight could not hear any inflation in her voice. "I suppose Erase was right. When you do something wrong, you are indeed punished," said Celestia. Twilight could see a single tear fall from her cheek.

"Please, don't take her away from me! Please!" yelled Twilight.

"Guards, restrain the new Princess," said King Pero, himself openly weeping.

***

While that tragic drama was happening before her eyes, Misery was smiling like she never had before. Celestia had been disgraced before her eyes, she had managed to break her. Still, she was not even close to finished with her revenge. She knew everything she needed to do just that. Reading lips had never been such a dangerous skill. Misery jumped down from the tree onto the garden grounds. The sun was slowly setting in the distance.

"Mrs. Misery. Have your plan succeeded?" asked Erase as both he and Instrumental approached her.

"It has. Your curses will soon be lifted. Celestia has been disgraced and will be punished," said Misery.

"I'm glad," said Solitary sneaking up behind a bush.

"We've done it. After all of our struggles, we've finally done it," said Mood, crying from joy. Walking up to them disguised as a guard.

"Not yet, my dear Mood," said Random. He was carried in by Rerry from above.

"Right, we still need to actually find Cesom," said Solitary, looking at Erase. "Wow, Erase, you look really ferocious, haven't seen this in a couple of years," said Solitary.

"Fortunately, it was of little use except escaping."

"Speaking of which, what about Y?" asked Random.

"Y has done his part, and he did it well. He's so typically greedy. He'll do anything for money. Let's go, we need to get down into the old sewers," said Misery. Instrumental grabbed her.

"Wait, what about Dot?" asked Instrumental.

"She was found out. With a little luck, they will realize she is innocent and let her go home to her foster parents," said Misery.

"B- but, what about her curse? She deserves to not have her parents fight each other every time they both look at her at once! She deserves to be happy! She didn't even know! She's not part of Group Misery, she's just a manipulated innocent girl," said Instrumental. Misery turned towards her with little patience.

"Instrumental, don't worry. I will make sure her curse is cancelled out as well, now will you hurry? There isn't much time. Soon everyone will know we are here," said Misery.

"Why are we all here, by the way?" asked Rerry.

"I thought that Cesom would be in the castle, so I planned ahead. I was wrong, however," said Misery. "Come on, at least once we get away we might not have to worry about them going down into the sewers with us. Once they realize what I've done, it will be too late to do anything about it," said Misery and turned around towards the safest exit.

***

Twilight was still standing exactly where she had been standing when Celestia had left. She was in shock. Her friends hugged her in an attempt to comfort her, but nothing helped. Had this been Misery's plan? Getting Celestia step down by force? How would that have helped her with finding Cesom. It didn't matter, she was too hurt to really think on anything except her sadness for Celestia's departure, and the fact that those terrible, awful, despicable nine members of Group Misery had been able t-

"Nine?" said Twilight.

"Twilight?" asked Fluttershy through her tears in worry. Twilight started to think, there was just something wrong with that way she was thinking. She repeated it out loud to herself.

"Misery, Mood, Instrumental, Solitary, Erase, Random, Dot, the changeling. Those are the members we know about without a doubt. So why do I think it is nine members? There are only eight, right?" asked Twilight. Because they thought there was a Y somewhere? No, that's not the reason. It was just a possibility, not outright confirmed. That's when Twilight realized something. All the pieces of the puzzle had finally fallen into place. She stopped crying and instantly turned towards the pony who had started the vote and pointed at him.

"Guards! Seize that pony!" ordered Twilight, surprised her first act as a ruler had come so quickly. Shining Armor followed his sister's command and quickly apprehended the pony without a moment's thought.

"What is the meaning of this!?" exclaimed the pony.

"That is a very good question, Princess Twilight Sparkle," said King Pero.

"I noticed it just now. We have confirmed eight members of Group Misery, with this little filly here," said Twilight.

"But I don't know what that is!" yelled the filly in fear.

"However, remember what this pony himself said whenever he mentioned Group Misery. At first, he said it was seven, but when Dot was introduced, he suddenly said it was nine. So who was that extra pony he counted by mistake?" asked Twilight Sparkle.

"I don't know what you're-"

"Silence! It makes sense, if Misery knew Celestia had to... say farewell like she did, then it would have suited Misery's plan and gotten revenge on her. You are the one who instigated the vote, in fact, you've made everyone feel negatively about her even before the meeting started! You are Y, aren't you?" asked Twilight Sparkle. The pony looked up in shock.

"How do you know my codename?" he asked with fear.

"Wait, your name is actually Y?" asked Twilight. The pony's irises shrunk in terror and he started to immediately sweat. There was even more whispers from all of those around her.

"I- I mean- Um..."

"Because that was just our nickname for you. Tell me everything, Y," said Twilight Sparkle.

"Damn it."

"Now!"

"I... I want to be payed, that's what I do, I'm work for hire. I was just payed to do a job, nothing else," said Y.

"You just forced me to make a young mare say goodbye to her beloved mentor and my friend. Here's a good price you can accept: I won't cut up your neck and eat your head," said King Pero with such a terrible voice and posture that Y made a sound like that of a mouse.

"I- I, I just did what Misery told me to do, use my position and power to make this meeting go badly," said the pony, backing away from King Pero.

"What is your curse?" asked Twilight.

"I just make things that hold liquids break, that's it! Nothing sinister!" said Y. "Just look!" said Y and waved his hoof towards the table. More than a dozen glasses just broke, splashing water everywhere. "It's harmless! I just put it to use to incite the fight after Dot used her own curse. She can't control it," said Y.

"What are everyone talking about?! Will you tell me?! I want my mommy," said the filly. Spike walked up to her.

"Hey, Dot, come with me. I'll tell you everything," said Spike and reached out his claw to her. She hesitated before accepting it. He gently pulled her along.

"She doesn't know anything about this, she's as innocent as you can be. I've talked to her before, but I did so disguised."

"What are your plans for figuring out what Celestia told me?" asked Twilight Sparkle.

"We- We- I, we should..."

"Spit it out!"

"But she will-"

"That's nothing compared to what I will do to you unless you tell me!" yelled Twilight. "This is important! Who knows what that maniac will do!?"

"Hey, Mrs. Misery is a grand-"

"SHUT UP ABOUT HER AND TELL ME!"

***

The rest of Group Misery was getting closer every moment. It must have been at least an hour. The sound of water was everywhere. They were deep beneath Canterlot, deeper than she ever had been before. Still, she felt nostalgic in this wet cold darkness. It reminded her of her youth.

"I had never expected something so powerful to be beneath Canterlot," said Misery.

"Where did you think it would be then?" asked Solitary.

"I expected on the other side of Equestria. Still, it makes sense. Celestia wants to be close to Cesom at all times, so that's why she decided to found Canterlot here, despite the fact it's on the side of a mountain. Considering the castle is the oldest structure, it seems reasonable Celestia made that first, and the city grew around that as time went on. I think it must have been quite amusing once she must have realized that her little vacation home had turned into the capitol of a kingdom," said Misery and chuckled, sounding ominous.

"These sewers are so big," said Solitary, looking around them. It was true. These sewers were actually abnormally large. The tunnel's curved brick ceiling was about as high as the ceiling in the castle's corridors. The water next to their little walkway was steadily flowing forward.

"I am certain these are not really sewers at this stage, but rather part of a magical system to clean the water before it flows out into the river at the foot of the mountain. It is possible it is so large because Celestia wanted to easily travel here, if she needed to reach Cesom," said Misery.

While the green light from Rerry lit up well, there was something ahead in the curved tunnel: a few glimpses of blue light. Eventually Rerry ceased with her magic. They walked right up to an edge, looking out over something old, impressive and splendid.

"Woah," said Random.

The room they were gazing into could have easily fit more than thirty of Celestia's throne rooms inside it. It was completely circular, every little bit of the walls made from gray stone bricks, older than Canterlot itself, yet holding up an entire mountain without even a crack to show for it. Large parts of the walls were covered in green vines, clinging and growing every which way they could. The large hole in the shape of an old doorway they were standing in was just one of at least twenty spread randomly in the walls. Each and everyone of them had water flowing from them in large quantities, creating beautiful waterfalls that fell down at least a hundred meters until they hit the bottom, an underground lake with crystal clear water. In the middle of this incredible sight, there was a large platform, roughly cut out from the sturdy mountain rock resting on a gigantic pillar. In the ceiling there was something magnificent. It was the largest ocean sapphire anyone had seen, ever. It was as large as a house, flawlessly cut, and it was clearly enchanted as a coldly blue light with a warm radiance shone, lighting it all up like it was day.

"Impressive, I admit," said Misery.

"Is that Cesom?" asked Solitary and pointed upwards towards the sapphire.

"No, stupid girl. That is merely a fancy light bulb," said Misery and pointed towards the large rock platform. "That is our next stop. Cesom is even further down. We aren't even close to the old abandoned gem mines, and I doubt they are even near Cesom. We need to use that old magical elevator." In the middle of the platform was a large circle made completely out of metal. It was large enough to fit a house on it. It appeared to not be connected to anything, it was merely floating.

"We need to get down there, though," said Solitary, looking down. It was a very large drop. Solitary felt something slightly sharp in her sides. She looked up and saw Erase hold her in his strong grip, it stung slightly, but that wasn't what she was having a problem with. "Erase, what are you doooooiiing!?" she yelled in a panic when Erase jumped with her. His strength could have handled thrice the weight in that form. He landed, easily managing to dampen her from taking damage in the fall. He was very gentle, considering his strength.

"There, we're down," said Erase.

"Wonderful. You are such an jerk! You could have hurt me, you idiot...ic dumb pony, Erase," said Solitary.

"Nice save, if you don't mind me saying," said Erase. Solitary laughed nervously.

.

"Just warn me next time," said Solitary and put her hoof on his dark shoulder, both as a kind gesture and as a way to cancel out the curse she had accidentally left on him. Suddenly Rerry floated down with Mood and Random, tumbling as they hit the solid, wet surface, splashing plenty of puddles on their way. Misery used some sort of mechanical tool to create a line that she and Instrumental slid down.

"Hm, if I patented this, I could make a lot of money," said Misery, laughing to herself over how silly that thought was at this late stage.

"So, how do we go down?" asked Random.

"I think we are only required to stand on the platform and tell it what to do," said Misery.

"MISERY!" yelled another voice so one could not even hear the waterfalls. They all looked up in surprise. Twilight Sparkle was standing up there on one of the ledges, looking down on them with a fierce look on her face. She was holding Y in a magical grip right next to her.

"Ah, if it isn't the new Princess. How are you, Your Highness?" asked Misery, making a mocking welcoming gesture towards them.

"Quiet. I'll get Celestia back on the throne even if it kills me," said Twilight Sparkle with determination.

"So, Y, you could not keep your mouth shut, after all. You've endangered us all. Were you not aware of the Cycle's return? Of all the harm it could cause?" said Misery, giving him a cold look.

"Sorry, Mrs. Misery, they had a really nice price. You know, letting me live," said Y and laughed a bit sheepishly. Misery did not look even remotely amused. She turned to the other ones.

"Considering he seems to place his own well being over that of everypony else in the kingdom, and you on top of that, I've come to realize I need to inform him of something quite awful," said Misery. She pointed her hoof towards him. "Y, our agreement was not just over money. They might let you live, but I won't," said Misery.

There was an explosion in the room that echoed and lingered. Twilight dropped Y from surprise. He look shocked, he felt on his chest, there was blood. His eyes started to blur, and then he fell. He fell right down towards the lake beneath them, hitting the wall as he went, smearing it with even more blood before he hit the surface of the water, dead.

"What the hell was that, Misery?!" yelled Random in shock. Even Erase hadn't been rendered insensitive to violence enough to not stare in horror.

"I... I'm so sorry, but I was just so sickened, he didn't even seem to care that ponies could both be curse and die with the Cycle's return. After such a long time, after everything we've gone through, and he didn't even seem to respect any of you. I just couldn't allow him to live. Would any of you have talked if you were in his situation?" asked Misery.

"Of course not but-"

"There you go," said Misery. "I will pay for this later, no doubt, but for now let us focus on Cesom," said Misery and looked at Twilight, years of servitude helping them regain trust in her in an instant as they remembered their goal. Twilight was still in slight terror, but she didn't go into a panic after witnessing a death. Her heart helped her stay strong, because this was just too important. She just knew it. She focused her eyes on Misery again. Her intellect didn't even have time to be curious about that weapon on her leg.

"I won't let you reach your goal," said Twilight Sparkle.

"'Won't let me reach my goal'? Are you insane? Twilight Sparkle, there are seven of us, each and everyone could defeat you with ease. What do you have? A new useless title and some magic you've never used as a weapon? You might as well attack us with a dinner fork, at least that has a pointy end to it. You do know the pointy end is used for stabbing, right?" asked Misery, never having sounded so condescending. She was impatient.

"What I have? I have something that you don't have, something that even Celestia herself didn't have. I have absolute, unmoving, unquestionable trust in my friends," said Twilight Sparkle.

"We know what Cesom is," said Applejack, appearing in another one of the holes.

"Why? Because she told us," said Fluttershy, appearing in another.

"We know you can't be allowed to use it," said Rainbow Dash, keeping up the pattern.

"Why? Because you're a lying dangerous psychopath," said Pinkie Pie.

"We will stand by Twilight as she opposes you," said Rarity. The next one would be Shining Armor, they needed a strong warrior on their side now.

"Why? Because we're her friends!" exclaimed Spike, proudly keeping his pose with folded arms as he looked down on them.

"Spikey?!" shouted Rarity in surprise.

"Spike?! What are you doing here?! Where's Shining Armor?!" yelled Twilight.

"He's going to be a dad, and he was a bit unsure about leaving Cadance when she was in that stupid meeting, so I filled in for him down here. He didn't mind," said Spike. Twilight glared at him for a moment. "If I can't get Celestia to become head princess again, I'm going to make sure my brother get demoted so far down the chain of command he might as well be down here with us! My sister-in-law is a princess and so am I right now, I can totally do that!" said Twilight angry.

"Hey, this is important stuff, about our home town! I will defend it, I don't care how old I am or how dangerous this is. I'm a dragon, I'm supposed to be noble and proud!" said Spike.

"What a bunch of idiots," said Misery and walked off towards the platform. She turned towards Erase. "Erase, stay here and make sure as few as possible can follow us," said Misery. Erase bowed to her.

"Yes, Mrs. Misery. I will protect you all," said Erase, turning towards the seven intruders. He walked off the platform as Misery walked onto it. She stomped her hoof on it, and it started to go down, deeper into the mountain. Erase got up on his hind legs, producing a second sword to go with the first one. He showed his teeth to intimidate in his form, hissing. "If you all want to pass, you must first defeat me!" yelled Erase.

"Not it," said Spike.

"Not it," was said about six times in all. Spike, Twilight, Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, but Rainbow Dash never said anything.

"I'll take you on, Erase!" said Rainbow Dash with no fear and pointed her wing at him.

"The boldness of a warrior, but without the wisdom. Still, that spirit is not seen often when faced with a monstrosity as me. Very well, Rainbow Dash. I will take you on first."

"Why didn't she pick Instrumental? She could have stopped us all at a time," said Pinkie Pie.

"Actually, not possible. The echoes in here would interfere with the beat, making it hard to dance to anything," said Erase. "Don't threat, she will surely be ready for you down there if you manage to get passed me," said Erase.

"Rainbow Dash," said Twilight and gave her a telling look.

"Gotcha!" said Rainbow Dash and flew out into the room. "Come at me, bro!" Without much choice, Erase pounced with speed and strength. He was already right next to her high up in the air. Rainbow Dash just barely managed to not get cut with a quick roll in the air. "Okay, you're more nimble than I thought you'd be," said Rainbow as she circled him. Still, she had managed to force him to get away from the hole.

Twilight was already down there, having teleported them all. She focused in order for them to hover, gently and slowly going down the huge vertical tunnel, down into the darkest depths.

"Good luck, Rainbow!" they all shouted with confidence.