Original Link:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/16JJVn2oRYZIjms66QJMwPIFChkbU1XeNAfNfuxvIdJg/edit?usp=sharing

The villagers were very confused when they saw the Ponyville library completely sealed off the next morning. Even more confusing were the actions of Derpy Hooves. She kept patrolling around the library and used a piece of charcoal to draw some kind of symbol around it. Somehow, the symbol reminded them of those she had as cutie mark, which she by now did not need to paint to bubbles anymore. Finally, Twilight Sparkle and her friends met up with the grey mare.

“Morning. Hey, Fluttershy! Haven’t seen you in ages! How are you doing on your training?” Derpy greeted.

“Good, I think,” Fluttershy replied.

“That’s nice to hear. I still remember how boring the first few years were for me. Barely any missions and mostly just patrolling around. But don’t worry. It will get more exciting once you get stationed in a city,” the grey mare assured, smiling widely.

None of the friends could respond that smile. Of course, Derpy was a reaper for over fifty years already and used to these things. But for ponies, an assault is nothing they can just see as a minor thing that happens from time to time.

Twilight had informed all her friends and Derpy about the assassin who committed suicide after failing to kill her. They exactly knew they should not talk about this publicly, so they just remained silent. One of them was a lot calmer than the rest, though.

“Ya’ve been awfully quiet since that happened, Twi. Ah’m startin’ to get worried about ‘cha,” Applejack commented.

“Oh, you have good reason to be worried... I’m worried myself,” the purple mare replied.

“It’s been a few years since the last time we saw something like... that. I can imagine you must be quite shocked right now,” Rarity analyzed.

“That’s just the thing that worries me. I’m not shocked in the least. I think after all we have seen, I just became dulled. The only thing I would describe as shocking is how automatically I reacted... Is she still inside?” Twilight asked.

“Yep. Along with the gas, which is why I set up this catalyst rune here,” Derpy replied.

She really had a talent when it came to rune magic. Twilight once attempted to draw a few very basic runes, but she needed dozens of attempts to get them right. A whole set of mathematic and graphic tools were needed to her to draw even the simplest runes in the required perfection. So, it is no wonder that Twilight was always quite impressed when she saw how perfectly Derpy could draw them by hoof, and in record time at that.

As the grey mare activated the catalyst rune, the charcoal lines gained a very mild, grey-greenish hue coming from the library and spreading outwards through the lines as if they sucked out the poison gas. As soon as the whole rune had minimally changed in color, it disappeared into thin air.

“All done. You are free to go inside now. H-hey, hey! Twilight and her friends! Not you guys! Stop being so curious and go do your own duties!” Derpy spoke to prevent the villagers from marching in.

“Thank you, Derpy,” the purple mare replied and stepped inside, followed by her friends.

---

The mare who attacked Twilight last night was no longer at the same place where she had died. Like all ponies living in Equestria, Maledictum Insania forced her to wake up again as an undead. It seemed like she spent most of the night trying to get back on her hooves and leave the library, but miserably failed to do so because the poison she consumed had drained her of all her strength and cramped her muscles.

The table in the main room had been tossed over and several books were scattered on the floor, as if the mare had tried to get up by crawling up on the shelves. In the countless attempts to stand back up, she even tore a hole in her red robe.

Now that the poison was neutralized, the mare could finally stand up again. She was very shaky on her legs, leaning against the wooden stairs leading up to Twilight’s bedroom. But what truly puzzled the purple mare was her expression. She no longer had this typical grin and these horrifying eyes. Instead, her expression was of confusion and suffering.

As the mare spotted Fluttershy, her expression swiftly slipped into extreme fear. She fell back over again and slid backwards on her back, apparently falling into panic.

“N-No! Lo...yalist! Get... away!” she spoke with a very rough voice and coughing so heavily, she could barely speak out a single word clearly.

“Loyalist? Don’t you mean reaper?” Fluttershy asked neutrally.

“S-scum! Trai... tors! Here...tics is... what... you are!” the mare kept speaking, still coughing very badly.

“What is she talkin’ about?” Applejack wondered.

“I have no idea,” Twilight replied, then turned back to the undead mare, gaining an angry expression. “But I would very much like to find out! Explain yourself! Why are you here and why did you try to kill me?”

“Haha... hahaha! Not... telling you... anything! Hope Night... mare Moon.. kills all... of you!” the mare tried to shout in a mix of coughing and laughter. Now, the expressions of Rarity and Applejack slipped into shock.

“Did... did she just say Nightmare Moon?!” Rarity wondered in disbelief.

“So I wasn’t just imagining that... She knows of Nightmare Moon and even called her the demon queen,” Twilight spoke calmly.

“What in tarnation?! How in Equestria is that even possible?” Applejack shouted out.

“Theh... hehe... Keepers of... lies. Har... mony. Fake... All a... lie. Burn to... death!” the undead mare kept mocking.

Ultimately, Fluttershy had had enough. She turned her head sideways, letting a dark cloud appear in front of her mouth. It immediately formed into a sturdy black scythe, which she then picked up and started approaching the undead mare with.

“She’s not in my book of death, but I already learned that all undead ponies have to be reaped on sight. I don’t know what has gotten into you to say and do all this, but I will still make you stop suffering,” the yellow mare spoke.

“No! No! Go... away! Demon... Queen! Help me!” the undead mare shouted, trying to crawl away.

While she turned around on her stomach in order to get back up again, Fluttershy simply rammed her scythe through her back. The undead mare collapsed nearly instantaneously and her soul began to rise out of her body moments later.

“Ugh... Why does reaping always have to be so graphic... “ Rarity commented in mild disgust. “Well, I suppose we would not have gotten anything out of her.”

“Ah just don’t understand! How could she’ve known of Nightmare Moon and her bein’ the queen of them demons? Ah thought we were the only exception ever made when it comes to sharin’ that secret! Or do reapers just curse everypony with the curse o’ secrets these days?” Applejack wondered.

“Well, no. You are right, Applejack. It should have been absolutely impossible for her to know all this. I have no idea where she got that information from,” Fluttershy answered.

“Anyway, we better inform Princess Celestia. I will write to her right away,” Twilight suggested.

“That will not be necessary,” a soft, female voice spoke behind them. “Apprentice Derpy Hooves has already done that for you, which is why I am here.”

As the group turned around, they were facing a light blue mare with snow white mane. As the black eyes, the cloak, the curved horn and the demon wings indicated, she must have been an elder reaper. Her cloak was wide open and moved to one side, exposing her cutie mark: A snowflake surrounded by a blue magical aura. Fluttershy immediately bowed down to her.

“Salvē, elder Crystal Blossom,” she greeted.

“Salvē, apprentice. It is a shame the reunion with your friends took such an unpleasant turn,” Crystal greeted back.

The light blue mare then started walking towards Twilight, Applejack and Rarity, bowing down to them.

“It is an honor to meet you, keepers of harmony,” she spoke.

“Wow, wow. It’s alright. We aren’t even keeping the elements of harmony anymore,” Twilight commented.

“Even so, you still earned your title. You can not imagine how much good your actions have done for the land and for us,” Crystal Blossom spoke, then got up again. “But Mistress Celestia does not want any of you to carry any more burdens. She sent me to investigate the case."

“I see...” the purple mare commented, then turned her focus back to the dead mare, whose blood now started to soak the floor.

“Do not be worried. We will take care of the body and clean up for you. So, what can you tell me?” Crystal asked.

“She just randomly appeared at my door while I was making dinner. She told me she had to inform me about something, so I let her in. But as soon as I closed the door, she started attacking me with a knife. I was able to defend myself and disarm her, but then she poisoned herself. I am pretty sure the leaves she swallowed were from a Basilisk Tongue flower,” Twilight explained.

“Hm... and she knew that Nightmare Moon still exists and that she is the queen of the demons? Did I hear that correctly?” Crystal inquired.

“Yes. That is the confusing part. I guess it is normal that an insane pony would attack another pony from time to time... But that does not explain why she knew of Nightmare Moon and the demons. Also, there was something very odd about this mare,” Twilight replied.

“What do you mean?” the light blue mare asked.

“She... I don’t quite know how to describe it... One moment, she appeared to be perfectly normal. The other, she suddenly showed all signs of insanity. Then, when we just confronted her again, she looked normal and sane again. It’s like she could flip a switch in her behaviour, enabling her to choose to either appear sane or let out her madness...” Twilight explained.

Her focus lowered to the ground and she bit her lower lip. Memories flooded her mind. Pictures of days gone by. Of a past she would have prefered to just forget if she could.

“The only pony I ever heard of being able to do that... was...” Twilight spoke, pausing for a brief moment, since this was still a very difficult topic for her. “Pinkamena Diane Pie...”

Applejack and Rarity gained expressions of fear, disgust and sadness as soon as she spoke out that name. Even Fluttershy seemed to still be affected by those memories, since she turned her head away and glanced to the ground. Crystal Blossom observed the four friends.

“It fills me with remorse to see how much you are still suffering from Obsidian’s last mission. We reapers forced you through all of this... I still wished Mistress Celestia would have been able to find a better way,” the light blue reaper mare spoke in condolence.

“Don’t...” Twilight started again, bringing her by now tear filled eyes back on the same height as Crystal’s. “Don’t take it that way. I am very, very grateful your kind showed me all this. I really prefer knowing the truth than living a lie all my life long. What was done had to be done and you reapers pulled it off the best thinkable way.”

“I am quite stunned how strong you are. You four ponies truly are extraordinary. Anypony else would have fallen under the influence of Maledictum Insania by now,” Crystal commented.

“No. Never again. I’ve already been at the brink. I won’t let the curse take me that far ever again...” the purple mare spoke, wiping the tears out of her eyes. “Sorry... I need to be alone for a moment... These memories are getting a bit much right now... I’ll be in the graveyard if you are looking for me.”

“Certainly,” Crystal Blossom spoke and bowed down.

While Twilight left the library, Rarity and Applejack were sitting around the table again. They as well had tears in their eyes and were sinking into the memories of their two lost friends Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie with mixed feelings.

Fluttershy did not join them. She was still looking at the ground. But suddenly, something caught her attention. For the fraction of a second, she could have sworn to have seen something in the corner of her eye. Something grey that didn’t feel like Derpy, standing by the window. But as she raised her head again, nothing was there.

---

While it was true that the memories were still a heavy burden for Twilight, they were not the main reason why she left the library and aimed for the graveyard. As she sunk into thoughts, Twilight realized she did not visit a certain grave yesterday, filling her with guilt. So, she wanted to make this up immediately.

“In Memory of Spike, the dragon. The best friend a pony could have.”

Twilight stopped in front of the grave and gazed at it. She quickly came to realize somepony had placed down fresh flowers on it, causing Twilight to smile gently and a tear to roll down her face. It made her happy to know that, although years had passed, Spike had not become forgotten.

Not much later, her last memories of him resurfaced. How they were fighting, how he was leaving and how this filthy demon Despair presented what she had done to the baby dragon. Twilight’s expression shifted into anger and she pressed her eyes shut while showing her teeth.

To her, it never stopped. In the last three years, she never could just leave all the horrors behind her. She couldn’t and she didn’t want to. Deep inside, she always wished she could have done more. Not just for Spike, but for all her now dead friends. Of course, the purple mare knew she could not be blamed for not directly participating in the war against the demons. Neither Obsidian Shards, nor Princess Celestia wanted her to. But still...

Suddenly, Twilight could hear hoof steps behind her. As she turned around, she spotted Crystal Blossom, approaching her.

“Your friends are worried about you, Twilight Sparkle,” she spoke.

“There really is no need for that. I’m fine and I mean it this time. No matter what, the curse of madness won’t get me a second time...” Twilight replied.

“Yet I can see that there is something going on inside you. I can confirm that you appear to be stable, but I can also see that the recent events seem to have started stirring some thoughts in you,” Crystal analyzed.

“Honestly, I am impressed how much you care for an elder reaper. When I think back to Obsidian... he was so cold for the longest time and as soon as he started warming up, he also started to break down,” the purple mare commented carefully.

“Obsidian... yes... His life was one of the hardest, even for a reaper. You have to see... He never had a choice. He knew nothing but duty, obedience and pain. But the big difference between him and me is that he was forced into the live as a reaper, while I chose it on my own free will,” the light blue mare spoke.

“You performed the Tradition willingly? There are ponies who actually do that?” Twilight wondered in genuine surprise.

“Yes. You see, I was unicorn-born with my special talent being ice magic. Where I came from, this did not really bring me far. I was always very unsatisfied with my life, because I felt like I could do much greater, much more important things for all of Equestria. Then, one day, a dying elder reaper showed up. I befriended her and she entrusted me that she was looking for a successor. I instantly saw this as my one big chance to finally be able to help all of Equestria in a much larger scale. Even though she warned me that this would have big consequences for me, I did not care. I had no family that would miss me and barely any friends who would wonder where I had gone to. Not even the Tradition itself could scare me off. I wanted this destiny more than anything and up until today, I never regretted my decision,” Crystal explained.

“Wow... that is... pretty impressive... To imagine you gave up so much and accepted so many burdens just because you wanted to help...” the purple mare commented.

“Maybe. I can just say that even Mistress Celestia sees how much I strive to help others, which is why I am, by now, one of the oldest living reapers,” the reaper mare spoke.

“How old if I may ask?” Twilight wondered.

“426 years,” Crystal replied, causing Twilight’s mouth to fall open.

“That’s nearly one hundred years older than Obsidian was! How come you could handle your duties for such a long time?!” the purple mare asked in stun.

“You really have to see how special Obsidian was in his ways. While most of us know a healthy pace, he only existed to please Mistress Celestia. No matter what she demanded, he would do it. He risked his life countless times... I am actually surprised he made it until the end of his book of death...” the reaper mare explained.

“Hm... I suppose...” Twilight spoke, her focus returning to Spike’s grave.

A few minutes passed by while the purple mare’s thoughts ran wildly through her head. Somehow, it deeply impressed her how much Crystal Blossom was willing to do to help Equestria stand strong against the demon threat. Slowly, it seemed like Twilight’s mood started to change. From thoughtfulness and sadness, an expression of determination slowly began to grow on her face. Finally, she closed her eyes and nodded towards the grave.

“Alright. Let’s go back,” the purple mare finally spoke.

Crystal nodded shortly as well, then turned around and began to walk. Twilight followed immediately, her pace slowly increasing until she was equal to the reaper mare. She had just set her mind on a decision and needed to inform the rest of her friends. Hopefully, she would be able to convince all of them to join in. Together, there might be a chance for them.