Exchange - 8

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||- Chapter 8 -||

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>You feel as if you're floating.

>With eyes still closed, you move your arms and notice a strange resistance in the air around you. Something tickles your palm and the sensation causes you to gasp with surprise...

>...Which forces you to take in a mouthful of foul tasting water. You cough and a portion of the precious air from your lungs escapes you in the form of bubbles which quickly drift away.

>Your eyes snap open immediately and you flail your limbs in panic. The low visibility of the murky water gives you little clue as to which way you need to swim in order to reach the surface. Without thinking you choose a random direction and begin powering forward, desperate to cough up the water you've swallowed and take a breath of air.

>A little over a minute passes and you've made no progress. Your mind, desperate for oxygen, begins to shut down and your consciousness starts to fade. The last thing you feel is a tugging on your collar and the rushing of the water all around you...

>...

>...

>...

>The water spills from your nose and mouth to the damp ground in a seemingly unending stream as you cough and heave. You take in large gulps of air in between your bouts of vomiting while a comforting hoof strokes your back.

>"I'm so glad I found you... I was so worried..."

>An extremely soggy Sun Horse rests nearby, slowly massaging your back as you clear the rest of the water you swallowed from your system. The two of you are soaked to the bone, huddled together on a muddy patch of ground nestled between the countless cypress trees that litter the great swamp you've found yourselves in. Though the sun isn't visible there's enough light for you to see that the trees extend for miles in every direction not obscured by the lingering fog.

"What..." *cough* "What happened? Where the hell are we...?"

 

>Celestia shakes her head, her dripping mane partially hanging in large strands and plastered to her neck.

>"I don't know. I opened my eyes and found myself here on land. Before I could get my bearings I noticed a disturbance in the water nearby and realized it was you..."

>She moves forward and nuzzles you without thinking. "I was so scared I'd lose you... had I been a moment later, I..."

>You half laugh, half cough and push her nose away with your hands.

"I get it, I get it. Thanks for the save, but you smell like wet horse and you're dripping all over me, so stay on that side of the mud patch until you dry off."

>She frowns, but then quickly begins to smile again.

>"Well, you've recovered enough to banter with me, so I'll take that as a good sign. And if you'd like me dry, I think that can be arranged..." She stands and slowly trots toward you, an evil glimmer in her eye.

"No. Don't you dare. I mean it, Cel."

>Her smile widens and she takes another step. "But Anon, I'm merely trying to accommodate you since you find my scent to be so unpleasant..."

"Cel, no."

>Another step.

"No."

>She turns her head.

"NO---!!"

>It's too late. The dripping wet horse shakes her entire body, her mane and tail whipping gigantic droplets of water all over you. When she finally ceases, you're drenched again while Celestia is relatively dry and prancing in place with happiness.

>"Ah, much better!"

>You remove your shirt and begin the process of wringing the excess water out.

"I'll get you back for this."

>"And I look forward to it." She leans forward and sniffs a bit. "Oh. I never noticed it before, but a wet human has quite a distinctive odor. It's... nice?"

>You replace your shirt and dry your hands on the damp fabric.

"Yeah, it's my new cologne, 'Eau de Nasty-Ass Swamp'. Seriously, where are we?"

 

>Celestia trots beside you and then begins to examine your surroundings. "It's difficult to say, but I believe it's..."

>"...the southwestern edge of the Cradle, or our memory thereof."

>The two of you turn to face the new voice. There, standing atop the water as if it were solid earth, is the Princess of the Night herself.

"Luna?!"

>"Lulu..." It's subtle, but Celestia takes a slight step back and turns away. "A dream, then..."

>Luna pays no attention to her sister, instead leveling her piercing gaze at you.

>"A somewhat damp welcome to you, Anonymous the Human. Congratulations on reaching Equus Island. We must admit, we were not completely certain you would succeed after we last spoke."

>You cross your arms and glare at the midnight blue horse.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence. How are you even here right now?"

>The dark alicorn smiles and takes several graceful steps atop the water.

>"You are dreaming, and the realm of dreams is our domain. It is beyond time, beyond space, and beyond the influence of an island awash in ancient magic. As long as you dream, it is as if you are standing right in front of us."

>Ah, now you remember why Luna scares the shit out of you. She can tap into and manipulate your dreams anytime she wants, regardless of distance. Your body shudders involuntarily at the thought of Twilight having that ability... it'd be an unending rapetastic nightmare for sure...

>You glance over to Celestia and notice that she's being oddly reserved. Her ears are turned back and she's not even looking in Luna's direction. And the Princess of Dreams herself doesn't seem to want to acknowledge her sister's presence at all, instead focusing on your surroundings as she paces atop the water.

 

>"As we told you before, we are here to offer you aid upon your arrival." Luna turns her attention to you, a wry smile playing across her lips. "Your journey was undoubtedly tiring for you to seek refuge in sleep so early in the day, but this is most favorable for us. You will be able to act on the information we provide before nightfall, and at this stage every moment saved is precious..."

>You sigh and take a seat on the muddy ground. Since this is a dream it's not like you're going to be ruining your clothes or anything...

"Information, huh? I guess that's good, but if I remember all the adventure stories I read as a kid, I'm pretty sure our spiritual guide is supposed to give us some kind of artifact to help us on our quest at this point. Maybe an amulet that repels nerdy purple alicorns or something?"

>You turn and wink at Celestia, coaxing a slight smile from her.

>Luna chuckles. "Ah, so humans are capable of humor as well, or at the very least monumentally foalish thinking. Even if we were to possess such a thing, we could not deliver it to you in a dream. However, we believe what we have to say will be useful enough. Come."

>She begins walking across the water away from you. You're initially hesitant to follow, but a very careful step reveals that you can now walk on water as well. With trepidation you follow Luna's starry tail as she moves through the swamp with Celestia close behind. You catch up to her after a few minutes of walking without sinking into the swamp boosts your confidence.

"You've got me curious. What's so important that you couldn't tell us before?"

 

>Luna continues to speak without looking back.

>"You are currently moored in the shallows surrounding the island on the western side, far from the lone eastern bridge and gate. The damage your ship sustained prevents you from entering the island via the volcano's mouth. A bit of a quandary, is it not?"

"Yeah... we were so happy to just get here in one piece we didn't put much thought into how we were gonna get inside. Wait, how'd you know all that?"

>She attempts to hide her smile behind her mane. "We have our sources. The reason we've brought you here is to show you a way into the island that is open to you. Behold."

>You turn your gaze forward to see the path open up into a huge lake surrounded on one side by the many cypress trees of the wetlands you've been traversing, and on the other side by the volcano wall itself. A large outcropping of stone and foliage over the lake blocks out the sun, blanketing it in darkness.

"Wow... this is perfect! We could hide the ship here and no one'd be able to see it unless they wandered in from the swamp!"

>Celestia gazes around in wonder. "Yes... this truly is ideal for us."

"But how do we actually get here? This place is still inside the caldera and according to Mac there's no way we're gonna be able to fly again anytime soon..."

>Luna takes a few more steps into the lake. "There is a bridge here. Though it is not the kind of bridge you are likely accustomed to. It was crafted long ago to permit pilgrims access to the island during the years when the Grand Gate was sealed..."

>You hear Celestia's breathing hitch beside you. "It can't... it can't be..."

 

>Again, Luna turns away from her and focuses on you. "There is a small cove to the south about an hour's sail away from your current position. Move your ship there; it is the bridgehead you seek. Once you arrive, speak the keyword." For the first time, Luna's cyan eyes capture Celestia's own. "We trust you remember it?"

>She nods in response. "I do. But how can it still exist...? The magic empowering this gate should have long ago faded away!"

>The dark alicorn steps back and spreads her wings. "Some things will never diminish, even if we sometimes wish otherwise."

>Your surroundings begin to shimmer, an effect you recognize from experience means that the dream is starting to end. Luna turns and takes to the sky, leaving the two of you together in the rapidly disappearing marsh.

>You look to Celestia, her nose pointed down to the ground and ears folded back in an expression of remorse. You place a hand upon her withers to comfort her, but to your surprise she seems to come to some sort of realization and begins galloping toward Luna's retreating form.

>"Luna... sister, wait! I know you're angry, but please... I don't want our relationship to be this cold after we were finally reunited! We've been down this path before, and nothing good will come of it!"

>The dark alicorn stops in the air and turns to face her sister as the dream continues to collapse. Though they're far from you now, you can still hear them clearly.

>"It is difficult... difficult for us to call an oath-breaker such as thee 'Sister', let alone grant forgiveness. The reason we offer our aid is because circumstances have forced you to come to your senses and seek to correct your mistakes, and correct them you shall."

>She returns to the ground and trots over to Celestia. The two lock eyes, each with tears threatening to fall.

 

>"We understand the need to seek for joy to ease the burden. But such joy must only be found in certain places, and in moderation; a lesson we learned well after tasting the fury of the Elements at thine own hooves. So do not entertain the fantasy, for one single moment, that we do not understand what thy true intentions were, or the emotions swirling in thy breast. They spill forth even now from the very name he calls thee, Celosia!"

>'Celosia'...?

>The white alicorn rears back and collapses as if struck. You begin to move toward her, but your senses start to fade and you feel that familiar sensation of falling...

>...

>...

>...

>"Well now, ain't that just the cutest thing ya ever did see?"

>"Eeyup."

>"Awwww~!"

>A giggle. "I wish I packed my camera!"

>You slowly open your eyes to find your trusty crew gathered around you on deck. You're still in the position you were in when you fell asleep, leaning against the pilot's console, as the soreness in your back from where it was digging into your shoulder blade will testify. Celestia's head is cradled in your lap as she rests curled up beside you, and you seem to be instinctively running your fingers through her mane, scratching little spots to coax small smiles from her as she begins to stir and awaken from her own slumber.

>You yawn and rub your eyes.

"...How long were we out?"

>Applejack smiles down at you. "Oh, about half an hour ah reckon."

>"SISTER, WAIT~!" Celestia's eyes snap open and she raises her head in panic. You quickly take hold of her muzzle and begin stroking it to calm her. Your instinctive reaction surprises you a bit, mostly because it feels like second nature now. Gently but firmly, you turn her head to face you.

"It's okay, Cel. The dream's over, but I'm sure we'll see her again."

 

>"I... I..." Her panic fades as she blinks the tears in her beautiful eyes away. You gaze at each other, with only the sound of her breathing as her heart rate steadies ringing out in the silence. The other ponies exchange questioning glances with one another.

>Applejack coughs. "Er... ah hate ta ruin the moment, but..."

>Pinkie hops up in front of the two of you. "Lunch is ready~~! We've got daisy sandwiches for the ponies and a big old BLT for our Captain!"

>And just like that the spell between you is broken and you turn away, your mouth starting to water. Celestia pouts and flashes an annoyed glance at the pink party pony.

"You actually found bacon in the fridge?!"

>She laughs. "Of course not, silly! But we did have eggplants, so we made eggplant bacon!"

>...Goddamnit. You rise to your feet and offer a hand to Celestia, who after a moment's consideration decides to accept it by placing one of her perfect white hooves in your palm.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go eat!"

>The ponies, Celestia included, all descend to the living quarters ahead of you, save for Big Mac who remains by your side. He looks up at you with a hint of concern.

>"Ah hate ta pry, but... bad dream, partner?"

>You scratch your head.

"Sort of. But I know what we need to do next, so it was definitely worth it. C'mon, I'll explain everything over lunch."

>You give Equus a quick glance before heading to join the others.

 

~~~~~~~~~

 

>The massive Royal Equestrian Flagship Concordia hovers in the midst of the remains of the once-proud Purple Wings airship squadron. Various maintenance crews move back and forth between the ships that managed to stay afloat in the aftermath of the battle, hurriedly attempting to restart the discharged engines and repair the worst of the damage.

 

>With grace one would expect from a goddess, Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Equestria, gently touches down on the Concordia's flight deck after returning from the outer boundary of Equus Island. She holds her head high, a proud smirk on her face as the last of her hooves touch the deck to complete her perfect landing.

>And then her back hoof buckles, she stumbles forward, and smacks her face into the immaculately polished wooden deck.

>There's a collective gasp from those present, in addition to some stifled laughter, as one of Twilight's back legs twitches in the air. With a pop she separates her face from the floor and jumps back to her hooves, grinding her teeth and flapping her wings a few times in frustration.

>"UGH! Stupid flying! Why is it so difficult?! I have a Master's in Applied Flight Theory for buck's sake!"

>A cyan hoof reaches out and reassuringly pats her on the back.

>"Aw, don't worry, Princess, it's just a crash landing. You get used to it. And hey, since I started training you you've only crashed 138 times out of 210 flights, not that anypony's keeping score or anything. That's better than my record when I first started!" The pegasus does a small backflip ending with a dynamic pose. "You just need to put more flight hours in and someday you'll be as awesome as me!"

>Twilight sighs and facehoofs. "...Sometimes I wonder if I chose the wrong instructor. Rainbow, have you seen the others?" Her horn flashes and a scroll pops into existence above her, which she examines intently before dismissing it again. "According to my schedule we have a strategy meeting in 7 minutes."

>Rainbow nods. "Yeah, Rarity just came over from the other ship. They're in the main meeting room now." She flares her wings. "Wanna race there? It's good practice!"

 

>Twilight scowls. "Yeah, no. That's not happening. You go ahead of me; I need to get an update on the repair work from the officers in charge in order to better plan our next move."

>The cyan pegasus' wings droop. "Awww... okay, fine. See you there." She takes to the air and retreats into the confusing network of winding corridors that comprise the ship's interior.

>Unfortunately, several minutes of flying around the unfamiliar ship without paying attention has Rainbow completely lost. She stops in the middle of the hall and looks around.

>"What the... every darn room looks the same! Eh... mayyyybe I should've asked Twilight where the meeting room was again..."

>Before she can ponder her situation further the sound of overly dramatic crying catches her attention. Curious, she follows it and ends up stumbling upon the room she's been looking for.

>"Baaaaaaw! I'm ru-u-u-uuuuined!" A normally pristine white unicorn is sobbing her eyes out while a butter yellow pegasus slowly rubs her back in an attempt to comfort her.

>"There, there now. It's okay. Try to think positive... um... maybe the dress isn't as bad as you remember it?"

>Rarity looks to her friend, her mascara running down her face in a ghoulish display. "Do you really think so? It's... *sniff* it's the one Twilight asked me to make. You know, with the star patterns on it?" The unicorn's blue eyes shimmer, searching for the faintest sign of hope.

>Fluttershy grimaces and fights to hold back the bile that's pooled in her throat. "Oh. *cough* Um, well... um... that is..."

>"I knew it! It's absolutely hideous! After she wears that dress to the banquet the name Rarity will become the laughing stock of the fashion world! I'll... I'll have to go into hiding! Change my identity! Live in the streets, performing unspeakable acts just to afford my next meal! This is truly... the WORST. POSSIBLE. THING!!"

 

>Rainbow chuckles. "C'mon Rarity, Twilight was probably pulling your leg. I don't think she'd really do that."

>"Oh, no, I would." All eyes turn to the doorway, where the alicorn princess now stands. "I'm very disappointed in your failure, Rarity..." She giggles. "But I understand you tried your best, and my Anon can be a hoofful, so I'm willing to offer you a chance at redemption."

>The unicorn dives at Twilight's hooves and begins kissing them profusely. "Oh thank you, thank you, thank you, darling! I promise you I shall not waste this opportunity!"

>"Er... right. You're welcome. Please be seated."

>She trots over and takes a seat at the table, and the other ponies present do the same.

>Twilight clears her throat. "Thank you all for coming. Despite the setbacks we've suffered, things are finally coming to a close and soon Anon will be mine. I've called this meeting so we can discuss our next steps in retrieving him from Equus Island. As you all know, the island emits a powerful magical field that disrupts and ultimately rejects the magic of the upper tier of magical creatures, such as alicorns and full grown dragons. This field prevents me from entering the island directly, but that ultimately doesn't matter because normal ponies are unaffected by it. All we need to do is send a squadron in, retrieve Anon, and return him to the Concordia, at which point he'll realize his undying love for me whether he wants to or not and we'll live happily ever after forever and ever." She takes a deep breath. "Any questions so far?"

>Fluttershy raises a hoof. "Um... but didn't you say before that they're searching for some kind of stone that will restore Celestia's powers? What happens if they find it? We won't be able to stop her if she's as strong as she was before..." The butter yellow pegasus trembles a bit for emphasis.

 

>Twilight smiles. "That's just the thing. It doesn't matter if they find it, because they'll never be able to use it!" She adopts her typical Twilight lecturing pose. "Consider the following: what do you think would happen if Celestia reawakened her alicorn powers on an island covered by a field that disrupts alicorn magic?"

>Fluttershy sheepishly looks around. "Um... it wouldn't work?"

>Twilight beams. "Precisely! She'd become even more helpless than she already is! In order for them to actually use the Orb of Ascension, they need to leave the island and escape both its primary and secondary magic boundaries, which extend far into the surrounding sea." She adopts a sinister grin. "And that won't be possible, because we'll have the perimeter surrounded by the remaining Purple Wings. Even with our reduced numbers, they'll be more than enough to stop their damaged airship..."

>She rears up and clops her hooves together. "I've already run the calculations and they have no chance of winning! All we have to do is bring Anon back and then have the wedding! Yay!"

>The rest of the ponies look around at each other and then start clopping their hooves together as well.

>"Way to go, Princess!"

>"Well done, darling!"

>"Woohoo~"

>"Ahem. Yes, yes, thank you. But keep in mind that the reason our odds of success are 100% is because of all of you! When combined, the power of the Four Friends is insurmountable!" She grins. "And soon, Celestia will be made aware of that fact firsthoof!"

>Twilight trots to the back of the room and pulls down a map of the island.

>"Now, for the retrieval mission. They last thing they'll expect is an attack so soon, especially since the Purple Wings were incapacitated in the last battle, so I want to send a squadron of pegasi guards to go and capture Anon. Rainbow, you'll be in charge of this operation."

 

>The cyan pegasus hoof pumps. "Aw yeah! Go time for The Dash!"

>Twilight giggles. "Slow down, Rainbow. I've prepared something that will help." She levitates over an anklet with a strange looking embedded gemstone which the pegasus retrieves.

>"What the heck is this thing?"

>"That, my good Rainbow, is an enchanted anklet. I based it on an earlier design... it'll start flashing more rapidly the closer you get to Anon, so you should be able to use it to easily discover his whereabouts."

>Rainbow turns the item over in her hooves. "Oh... okay...?"

>"What? Is there a problem?"

>Rainbow shakes her head. "Nah. Well, not really. It's just..."

>The alicorn sighs. "Just spit it out already."

>"Look, no offense Princess, but the awesomeness of this thing isn't up to my standards. I've kinda got a rep to look out for, and Rainbow Dash always dresses in style!"

>"Pffft! HA!" The cyan pegasus shoots an annoyed glare at her unicorn friend before continuing.

>"If I went into a fight without my cool factor at max it wouldn't feel right. You know what I mean?"

>Rarity nods, regaining her composure. "You do have a point, darling. Now that you mention it the color -does- clash with your coat."

>Twilight groans and double facehoofs. "...What if I told you wearing it would make you go faster too?"

>There's a rush of air, and Rainbow circles the room with the anklet equipped. "YES! I can totally feel it working! When do we leave?!"

>Twilight smiles. "Good. You can leave after you assemble the rest of the guard squadron, but first there are a few things I should mention. One, the anklet has a slight, minor side effect."

>Rainbow stops and raises an eyebrow. "A side effect...?"

>"...And two, if you bring Anon back to me tonight I'll use my authority as a Princess to grant your greatest wish and make you the leader of the Wonderbolts!"

 

>The cyan pegasus leaps into the air with joy. "YESSSS! I-- wait, c'mon, that's not my greatest wish!"

>Twilight rolls her eyes again. "Sorry, I forgot. What I meant to say was I'll make you the leader of the Wonderbolts and have the Wonderbolts' name officially changed to 'The Amazing Awesome Aerial Acrobatic Stylings of Rainbow 'Danger' Dash, Master of the Sonic Rainboom, also featuring the Wonderbolts'."

>"Now we're talking!" The rainbow-maned pegasus takes to the air and twirls a few times. "Just you wait, I'll be back with your weird freaky monkey thing in no time!" In an instant, she's rocketed out of the meeting room and back toward the deck to begin assembling her squad.

>Twilight watches the rainbow trail left behind in the air gradually vanish while rubbing her hooves together and cackling evilly. Not wanting to be left out, Rarity and Fluttershy add their own half-hearted evil laughter to the mix.

>The purple alicorn licks her lips in anticipation. "I can almost taste you, my sweet, but also salty Anon. You're like a cute little mouse trapped in a maze I've built for you. One by one, I'll close off the paths you can take... until all you can do is run directly to me! Mwahahahahaha~!"

>"Um... Princess...?"

>The alicorn snaps out of her megalomaniacal trance. "Yes, Fluttershy?"

>"I'm sorry for interrupting your evil laughter, but you never did tell Rainbow Dash what the side effect you mentioned was. I hope it's not something bad."

>Twilight blushes and turns away. "Oh, that? It shouldn't be too much of a problem. My, uh, my 'research notes' were on the nearby table when I was enchanting the anklet and they sort of got absorbed into the spell. It shouldn't have any major negative repercussions. Everything's going to be just fine..."

 

~~~~~~~~~

 

>Two emerald eyes stare up at you with worry.

>"Are ya sure this is gonna work?"

>You nod your head to Celestia, who stands at the ship's prow.

"When it comes to magic stuff, you're asking the wrong guy. But I do believe Luna was telling the truth. I guess we'll just have to see what happens."

>The farmpony removes her hat and holds it in her hooves. "Yeah... ah suppose so. But between you 'n me, freaky unicorn magic sorta gives me the heebie jeebies. Though that might be my bad experiences with Twi's crazy backfired spells talkin'."

>You laugh. Looks like you've founded a kindred spirit in this little orange horse.

"You can say that again."

>You back off the throttle and turn your attention back to Celestia. You've entered what you think is the cove Luna mentioned in the dream, and now the rest is up to her. You watch her for a few moments, but she just stands there, unmoving, her eyes cast down upon the water.

>The longer you watch her, the more your heart wants to reach out to her. You've lived with this pretty white horse long enough to be able to read her body language like the back of your own hand. She's extremely proficient at hiding her feelings and pretending everything's okay, but you know what hints to look for to see the real her, and what you see now has you concerned.

>Her magenta eyes watch the water, not lazily, but not fully attentive either. Ears are ever-so-slightly turned back with worry. Her wings don't rest fully against her sides, as if she can't find a comfortable position for them, and her tail unconsciously moves to and fro in concern in an almost imperceptible pattern.

>Soon, your legs are carrying you over to her without a second thought. A hand finds its way to her withers once more, and you whisper to her.

"Are you okay?"

 

>She turns to you, and her expression is one of pleasant surprise, almost as if she didn't expect to see you there but is glad for your presence all the same. She whispers back.

>"Yes... there are many memories here for me, and I became lost in them for a bit. I promise it won't happen again."

>You shake your head.

"I don't need you to promise me that. I don't know what your memories are, but I've got a few of my own here, and I know for sure they're gonna creep up on me too."

>You stretch and then flop your upper body across her back. Your arms dangle over her other side, as if you're leaning on the back of a comfortable couch from the rear. She startles a bit, then starts to laugh at your antics while the other ponies look at each other in confusion at the sight.

>"W-What in the world are you doing?" Celestia asks, suppressing a giggle.

>You laugh a little too before replying to her.

"What I want you to promise me is this: when those memories get to be too much, promise that you'll lean on me. Because I'm definitely gonna be leaning on you."

>She turns her head back a bit. Your eyes meet and you can easily tell that those little signs of distress you noticed before are already fading away, a geniune look of happiness replacing them.

>"It's a promise." She trots forward a bit and you stand back up, and you notice the power and confidence in her voice return as she speaks.

>"This magical gate was crafted long ago. There are only three in the entire world who can use it, and I happen to stand among them. We're very fortunate that it's still here."

>She steps over to the rail and closes her eyes. "I'd recommend that you all hold onto something. It's a bit of a bumpy ride if memory serves."

>You quickly follow her warning and the ponies do the same.

>"Cotton candy." She speaks the words slowly and deliberately. This must be the 'keyword' Luna mentioned... wait, what?

 

"Really? THAT'S the keyword?!"

>"It was his favorite." With a sad smile, she steps away.

>Your follow-up question is cut off before you can speak it as the world around you begins to distort and shimmer. You grab hold of the nearby railing even harder as a deafening tone begins to echo in your ears and your sense of gravity seems to invert as the ship lurches.

>There's a flash and a crack and you suddenly find yourselves roughly 30 to 40 feet above the hidden lake from your dream. The magic fades, gravity kicks in, and you hold on for dear life as the Dawn Star plummets the distance and impacts the water, resulting in a crash that knocks you off your feet and the emergence of a huge circular wave that rolls outward from the vessel, which nearby waterfowl and other indigenous species quickly move to avoid.

>Mac is the first to pull himself to his hooves. "Everypony alright?"

>Applejack retrieves her hat. "Just a little rattled is all."

>"Oh! Oh! Can we do it again?" And of course Pinkie's hopping around like nothing happened...

>"Please no, Pinkie Pie, I didn't like that one bit!" Applebloom stumbles around in an attempt to shake off her dizziness.

>You move over to Celestia as she intently examines your new surroundings.

"We made it. We're definitely inside the caldera, but it looks a lot different than it did in the dream."

>That's a bit of an understatement. The lake seems bigger, and the overhanging rock and foliage is still above you, but the surrounding wetlands have been replaced by dry ground covered in dense vegetation.

>Celestia nods. "Yes, that dream was based on Luna's memory. Much time has passed since she was last here, and it appears the wetlands have drained away in the interim."

>You shrug.

"Hey, I'm not complaining. This just makes it easier for us to move around."

 

>The ponies all gather around you after taking in the sights. Mac chews on his wheat stalk in contemplation, (Seriously, where does he keep getting those?) then turns his steady gaze to you.

>"Well, you got us here more or less intact. What's the plan now?"

>You heft your backpack full of rope and other supplies and straighten the jacket of the sturdy survival gear that Celestia so kindly had commissioned from Rarity.

"Cel and I are gonna go after the Orb while you guys work on getting the ship skyworthy again. There's no point in doing all this if we can't leave, right?"

>The stallion nods. "Eeyup. Seems simple enough. Ain't nothing ah can do about the lost stabilizer with what we've got, but ah can patch the holes in the frame and get 'er filled again from the reserves. Problem is, ah'm gonna have ta go forage fer some supplies ta patch some'a the other damage... there ain't much spare timber in storage."

>Applejack struggles to lift a pair of saddlebags burdened with tools, including the collapsible saws they'll need to fell trees. With a surge of strength she manages to place them upon his back, though he doesn't even seem to notice the weight's there.

>The orange farmpony wipes some sweat from her brow with a hoof and leans against her brother. "Don't you worry none, Captain, if the Apple Family can raise a barn in a single afternoon, me, Mac & 'Bloom here oughta be able ta get this ship fixed up in no time."

>Applebloom beams. "Just leave it ta us!"

>"I'll be helping too! Every job is easier if you work together!" Pinkie's smile almost outshines the little filly beside her, and you can't help but smile yourself at their enthusiasm.

 

"I have full confidence in you guys. As for us... considering I've gone through this Orb bullshit once before I have a pretty good grasp of all the pitfalls to watch out for. If we're lucky we'll have it and be back here in two or three days."

>Celestia chuckles. "That's a highly optimistic estimate, but it's still within the realm of possibility. We're very fortunate to be able to enter the island in this fashion; we're much closer to the Altar than we would be had we entered through the Grand Gate."

>Together the six of you board the ship's emergency lifeboat and use it to reach the lake's shore. Celestia takes the lead with you by her side and the other ponies following close behind. Mac and Applejack pay close attention to the surrounding trees, looking for good candidates to cut down as you make your way through the now completely dry cypress forest. Applebloom rides her brother's back, her golden eyes following her siblings' gazes even if she doesn't quite know what to look for, while Pinkie hops along as she normally does, humming a cheery tune.

>The stallion increases his pace a bit until he's trotting alongside you and Applebloom seizes the opportunity to catch your attention.

>"So, Anon, what does an, err, 'Orb of Uh-sen-shun' look like? Is it pretty? Do ya think we'll find one out here in the woods? Should I be lookin' out fer one now?"

>You chuckle.

"I wish it were that simple."

>Celestia giggles as well. "Though, if it were, there would be many more alicorns running around Equestria, for better or worse."

>Applejack rolls her eyes. "No offense intended, yer former highness, but the four we've got now're plenty."

>The white alicorn's smile doesn't falter. "None taken. We are quite a hoofful sometimes, aren't we?"

"You can say that again."

>A pink tail lashes out to strike you in the back and you give your playful assailant a wink in response.

 

>"Aw, c'mon AJ, I think being an alicorn would be fun! I could throw all sorts of new parties with wings and unicorn magic added to my primarily partytacular Pinkieness!"

>"Oh sweet Celestia, NO!" Applejack runs in front of you, rears up, and puts her hooves on your chest, forcing you to look her in the eyes. "Anon, ya gotta promise me right now that ya ain't gonna let her get her hooves on one'a them things! Ah mean it!"

>You and Celestia burst out into full blown hysterics, much to the confusion of the others. Applejack's cheeks turn a rosy shade of red and she returns to her hooves.

>"Hey! Ah'm bein' serious here!"

>Celestia wipes a tear of mirth from her eyes. "Don't worry, there's nothing for you to fear. We won't find any lying about for a curious pink pony to discover. The Orbs are unique magical artifacts unlike anything else in this world... and they are not found, they are forged by the pony," she winks back at you, "or person, who seeks them."

>Applebloom stares at the two of you with wonder, her expression almost begging Celestia to continue. Applejack's confused look is also quite compelling.

>"Several miles from here," the alicorn begins, "there is an altar upon a hill. If one meditates there during twilight, the powerful magic of Equus Island will flow into their body, forming a small magical stone that only they can truly touch."

>Mac looks incredulous. "Are you serious? That's all you gotta do ta get one'a them things?"

>You smile and shake your head.

"Nope. All the process gets you is your very own personalized pet rock."

>Celestia nods. "Yes, that's right. The stone one receives, though forged of boundless ancient magic, is powerless and fragile. In order to transform the stone into an Orb of Ascension, one must pass through the thirteen Wayshrine Gates scattered throughout the island."

 

>Pinkie brings a hoof to her chin in thought. "Hmmmm... that sure seems needlessly complicated!"

>You shrug your shoulders.

"No argument there. Some of those gates are a total pain in the ass to get through, and some of them are nearly impossible."

>Celestia lets out a tired sigh. "Yes. But even so, it is necessary to visit them all in order to fully empower the Orb. Each gate marks the wellhead of one of the world's thirteen magical leylines, and as such, when the stone passes underneath the gate, it becomes empowered by the leyline's magic. That all thirteen lines originate from Equus Island is what produces its powerful magical field, and also what makes the island, quite literally, the center of our world and the very source of magic itself."

>"Wow, it sure sounds tough!" Applebloom exclaims. "And the two'a you are gonna really go ta all thirteen gates in three days by yerselves? Ya can't just go to a couple an' say ya did the rest?"

>The alicorn shakes her head. "No. Though visiting several gates will produce an Orb, it won't be complete and if consumed would only result in what we call a 'lowborn'. You are familiar with Princess Cadence, I take it?"

>The filly nods. "Yeah, I was at the weddin' too!"

>"Well," Celestia continues, "you may not know this, but she was born a pegasus. Her family, seeking to increase their station, paid an adventurer a handsome sum to retrieve an Orb for their daughter, but he failed to visit more than half the gates before returning, resulting in Cadence becoming a lowborn alicorn. Lowborns were much more common in the past, but ponies eventually realized that the risk involved was not worth the reward they obtained. Truly completing an Orb of Ascension is incredibly difficult and exceedingly rare, so you can imagine my surprise when Anon stumbled into my throne room one day with a fully empowered Orb in his hands."

 

>"Wow..." The filly leans back into her brother's mane to ponder what she was told. The six of you continue for several moments in silence until Mac suddenly raises a hoof.

>"Over there, AJ. Those trees're perfect!"

>The orange mare follows his gaze and nods. "Eeyup. We'd better unpack an' get started while there's still daylight. Ah don't much like the idea of tryin' ta find our way back ta the ship in the dark."

>The little ponies all gather around you and Celestia, who shows them that motherly smile that so defines her. "Well then, I suppose this is where we part ways."

>Mac holds out his hoof and you give it a bump. "You have mah word ah'll have yer ship ready ta sail when you make it back."

"I don't doubt it for minute."

>Applejack winks. "You two take care'a each other, ya hear?"

>Celestia chuckles. "Yes, ma'am."

>You bend down and ruffle Applebloom's mane.

"Make sure your brother and sister behave themselves for me."

>She salutes. "I'll watch 'em like a hawk!"

>And Pinkie... well, Pinkie appears behind you and wraps the both of you in a bone crunching group hug.

>"Be careful, Non-non! Be careful, Celly! No matter what happens, remember to trust each other! I'll be rooting for you all the way!" Somehow, the two of you manage to free yourselves from her vicelike grip and move away.

"Thanks, Pinkie. We will."

>Celestia smiles. "Yes, if there's one thing I'm certain of, it would be that."

>With one last wave goodbye, you and your alicorn companion move deeper into the island, bound for the Altar.

 

~~~~~~~~~

 

>Celestia isn't very talkative as you move through the forest together. You let her keep a slight lead so you can stay back and watch for those signs of distress she showed earlier, but none are visible now. She's either doing fine or she's realized her mistake from before and has moved to hide them. Knowing her, it's a coin toss as to which is the case.

>At several points you almost open your mouth to say something, but think better of it. Instead, you settle on gently resting your hand upon her folded wing as a subtle reminder that you're there. You try to play it off as merely using her to maintain your balance as you make your way over the root-filled uneven terrain, but deep down you know she understands the true meaning of the gesture, especially when she tenses the wing a little to 'lean back'.

>Time passes, and the sun moves below the volcano's rim in the distance. Due to its unique shape, the island only receives direct sunlight from late morning to late afternoon. The now much darker surroundings begin to put you on edge and your survival instincts start pestering you to see to your basic essentials - fire, food and shelter.

"How much further?"

>"At this rate, we'll reach the altar around half an hour before sunset, but we shouldn't dawdle. If we miss this opportunity we'll need to wait a full day for the next, and I'm afraid that's time we don't have."

>She's absolutely right. You got extremely lucky when the pursuing airship fleet decided to discharge their engines. It's bought you the several days you need to retrieve the Orb, but if you squander this opportunity you'll no doubt be contending with Royal Guards in addition to the Trials of Equus and your odds of getting through this with your purity intact will plummet even further.

 

>You subconsciously increase your pace and begin to pull ahead of Celestia. She notices and lets out a slight giggle before leaning into your palm with her wing again. The movement snaps you out of the minor panic you found yourself in and you slow your stride to match hers.

>"Jumpy, are we? You must have a short memory to have already forgotten what I told you last night."

"...I haven't forgotten."

>She turns her head back slightly. "A matter of trust, then."

"I trust you."

>She abruptly stops moving and your hand travels from her wing, to her shoulder, to her neck before you finally manage to stop yourself. You find yourself face-to-face with the white alicorn, her gentle eyes capturing your own. She wears that lovable, partially innocent and partially mischievous expression that has so defined your time with her, and for a moment you wonder if you're really on Equus Island, about to undertake its grueling trials once more, or if you're back in your home in Ponyville with the silly roommate who's brought so much joy into your life.

>"Then prove it to me and be at ease, my little human. You're not alone this time."

>Your hand moves up into her mane to offer a few thankful scratches.

"I know, and you're right."

>After accepting your scratches with a pleased expression, she moves away, circles you once and lays down in front of you.

>"Then, if what you say is true, and we so trust each other... why are we traveling as if we're each on a solitary journey?"

>With a smile you climb atop her back, making sure your gear is secure. She stretches as she rises and you take those long strawberry locks in your hands. A slight nudge of your boots is your signal, and the two of you are off like the wind.

 

>Celestia weaves through the trees and deftly steps over the protruding roots in the ground as if she can sense them without the need to even look down. You begin to laugh as you realize that everything's changed in this one instant; instead of being apprehensive and pessimistic about the challenges you know you'll be facing, and the amazing odds you'll have to overcome, you're actually looking forward to them! You're not alone anymore, and every graceful move of Celestia's body beneath you acts as a reminder of that fact.

>The trees begin to thin out a bit as you start to exit the forest. Things are beginning to look familiar now and you try to reconcile where you think you are with the places on the island you previously visited. You're so busy taking in the surroundings and comparing them to your memories that you completely miss the high pitched whistle that seems to be approaching from behind...

>A boom echoes over the wind and a bolt of rainbow rockets past the two of you, forming angular zigzag patterns around the trunks of the trees ahead before ending in a brilliant flash and shockwave that forces Celestia to turn from her course and come to a stop.

>"Ohmygosh ohmygosh ohmygosh!! I'm so fast now I can't believe it!!"

>You open your eyes to see none other than Rainbow Dash prancing around with glee in the small depression her landing's made in the ground ahead of you. She turns back to the sky, completely ignoring you.

>"GUYS! Did you -SEE- that?! Yeah, that's right, I -am- the fastest flier in Equestria, and one of you owes me 50 bits! You better pay up!"

>You and Celestia look to the sky yourselves but see no one there. Rainbow herself seems a bit confused as she spins around, her eyes still scanning the clouds.

 

>"Uh... guys? Hello...? Uh oh..." Her ears droop and she scratches the back of her mane with a hoof. "Heh... guess I left 'em in the vapor back there. Shoulda known it would happen... after all, it's tough to keep up with The Dash! Whoa!"

>Rainbow jumps back several feet when she turns around to see the two of you standing there.

>"What the-?! You're actually here!" She looks to a strange bracelet attached to one of her forehooves. "Twilight made an invention that actually does what it's supposed to on the first try! Crazy..." She shifts her attention to the two of you and her jaw drops a bit.

>The pegasus goes silent for several moments as she stares. She moves her gaze from Celestia, to you atop her back, to Celestia again before finally deciding to speak.

>"Uh... this isn't some kinda weird sex thing, is it? I'm not judging you or anything! I just need to know whether I should be really creeped out or not..."

>You release your 'reins', allowing Celestia's mane to fall back around her shoulders, and facepalm.

"Unbelievable..."

>Celestia adopts a grim expression. "Yes, Twilight is wasting no time in using her resources to pursue us. It appears we won't get any respite after all."

"Oh. Well, yeah, there's that too, but I was thinking more along the lines of if Skittles and Squiggletail are here it means Butter Squeak won't be far behind. Out of the goon squad trio she was the most annoying by far..."

>You rub your eyes and address the speedy pegasus.

"The answer to your question is no, by the way. What the hell is wrong with you?"

>She scoffs. "Hey, I just call it like I see it, dude. Some ponies think this kinda stuff is really hot."

>Celestia coughs and trots in place while you cross your arms and sigh.

 

"Look, I know I ask you this every single time you show up, but I'll give it another shot. Why are you doing this? Why can't you just leave me alone?"

>She frowns. "I'm doing this because Twilight's my friend and she really likes you. C'mon, Anon, she's not that bad once you get to know her! Just give her a chance! And she's a Princess now so if you say yes you'll get to have whatever you want!"

"Sorry, that's not happening."

>Dash snorts and stomps a hoof. "Anon, real talk here, but you should be glad she likes you so much. I mean, look at you: you're kind of a weird disgusting monkey thing. It's not like you have a lot of options if you know what I mean. And--"

>Celestia slams a hoof in response, silencing the brash pegasus.

>"Rainbow Dash, I understand that the call of your Element compels you to help your friend, but Loyalty can sometimes blind one to the truth of things and its bearer is more susceptible to this than any. Please, reconsider what you intend to do here."

>"Sorry, no can do. Twilight's my friend, and she's my Princess now too. I'm gonna take Anon back to her whether he wants it or not as soon as my squad gets here, so deal with it." She sticks her tongue out for good measure.

>"I won't allow it." The white alicorn flares her wings and you grab ahold of her mane again to help keep your balance.

>"Bwahahahaha! Seriously? Do you seriously wanna do this?! You probably stood a teeny, tiny chance before, but now that I have this baby..." She taps the bracelet on her hoof. "...There's no way you can win."

>To punctuate her point, Dash disappears over the horizon in an instant, only to reappear in front of you again a second later. You wouldn't even have noticed the motion without the shimmering U-shaped rainbow trail she left behind acting as evidence of the path she took.

 

>Great... looks like Twilight made Speedysnooze an artifact that lets her to tap into the Speed Force. You lean down and whisper into Sun Horse's ear.

"Uh... what the heck do we do now?"

>She bites her lip with worry. "Well, this is a bit problematic... we need to stall her until I can think of a plan to remove that anklet or nullify it somehow."

>Stall her, huh? You think for a moment, and then...

"Aw shit."

>Celestia turns back. "What? What's the matter?"

>You look to the sky and squint your eyes.

"I think Spergle sent the Wonderbolts after us too."

>"R-REALLY?! WHERE?" The rainbow-maned pegasus dashes behind you, her attention now focused elsewhere. You nudge Celestia and she seizes the opportunity to take off like a bullet back into the forest.

>The two of you manage to make it back under the thicker tree cover before a crack of thunder signals Rainbow's arrival in front of you. She doesn't look too happy as she taps one of her front hooves on the ground in annoyance.

>"Totally uncool, guys. It was a good try, 'A' for effort, really, but c'mon, quit being lame and just give up already. You've seen how fast I am. It doesn't matter if you trick me or how far you manage to run, you can't escape the pure radicalness of The Dash!" She closes her eyes and strikes a confident pose, seemingly expecting fireworks or something to explode behind her to complete the effect.

>"(Keep her talking...)" Celestia whispers to you. You pat her side to signal that you heard her.

"Yeah... I guess we really can't win. You're too cool for us."

 

>She laughs. "You know it! But look at the bright side, Anon. After you and Twilight get married you'll be a Prince! Royalty get to go to Wonderbolts shows for free, AND they get the best seats in the house! And with me as their new captain, they'll totally be 10 times more awesome than ever! You'll love it!" She's so giddy she's prancing in place.

"So that's what she promised you, huh? To make you captain of the Wonderbolts? Sounds like cheating to me."

>Rainbow laughs. "No way. Everypony already knows I'm the best. If you think about it, I'd become captain of the team eventually anyway, so it's not cheating, it's like taking a shortcut. It gives me more time to start working with the team to get our new routines to be perfect. Like, I want to do a thing where Rapidfire does a reverse corkscrew and Fleetfoot does the same thing in the other direction and I..."

>As the prideful pegasus goes on, you start to notice something happening on the ground beneath her. You can actually see the grass growing right before your eyes. Small flowers begin to spring up and unfold their petals as a series of thin vines snake their way toward Rainbow's bracelet-clad hoof. They rise up, careful to avoid touching her, and gently begin to wrap around the item...

>"Hey! What the-?!" She notices and takes to the air, ripping the bracelet free and flying out of the slow vines' reach. "What the hay was that?!"

>"(Damn...)" Celestia curses under her breath, just loud enough for you to hear. You bend down and whisper:

"(Wait... that was you?)"

>She nods slightly, her eyes tracking the startled pegasus who now seems reluctant to land anywhere.

>"Whoa, that was freaky. This place is starting to creep me out more than you guys' weird ponyback riding fetish."

>Sun Horse snorts and narrows her eyes. "You're beginning to get on my nerves."

 

>Rainbow merely laughs as she does a backstroke through the air. "Oh yeah? How about you come up here and do something about it, then? But you won't, will you, 'cause you're just a big white chicken! Bwak bwak bwak! Bwahahahaha!"

>Celestia gently lays down in the grass. "Anon, please forgive me, but I'll need you to step down for a moment. It appears this pegasus would like me to rearrange her facial structure with my hooves, and I find it hard to turn down such a heartfelt request. Maybe after I'm done she'll appear less coltish at first glance."

>"Hey!"

>You dismount, but keep your hand on her neck as you stand beside her.

"(Don't let her get to you.)"

>She huffs. "(I'm trying, but I find it difficult to remain calm when she insults you! I... I don't know why, but it causes my blood to boil. I won't stand for it!)"

"(That's fine, but don't do anything crazy. Remember, we're on a time limit here. We need to figure out how to get out of this before the sun sets.)"

>"Hey! Now you're just being jerks! Quit whispering to each other already and pay attention to me!"

>"As you wish." Celestia flares her wings and prepares to charge.

>Rainbow grins and moves into a floating ready stance. "Now that's more like it! I hope you're ready to lose! But before we get started I've got one more thing to say!"

>The pegasus does a few circles in the air before landing on a patch of barren earth. She puffs up her chest, takes in a deep breath, and begins to speak:

 

> " [

 

Chapter XIV, Scene VIII

Int. Treebrary Foyer

 

The sun is setting outside the small town of Ponyville as another day comes to a close. TWILIGHT SPARKLE, a unicorn, trots around the dwelling to begin lighting the candles for the evening. The door opens and ANONYMOUS, a human and TWILIGHT's lover, enters.

 

TWILIGHT: "Oh, Anon, you're back! How was work?"

ANONYMOUS: "Fine, but it was hard to focus today because I couldn't get your delicious plot out of my thoughts. Have I ever told you that it's ten times more luscious and toned than Applejack's?"

TWI: *giggles* "Yes, all the time!"

 

TWILIGHT moves to light another candle but ANONYMOUS quickly picks her up and holds her in his strong human arms.

 

TWI: "W-What are you doing, Anon?"

ANON: "You're so cute, Twilight... even cuter than your friend Fluttershy. And you're beautiful too, like Rarity, but way better and less bitchy. I... I want you now."

TWI: "Oh, Anon!"

 

> ] "

>Silence.

>Rainbow sits there, completely mortified at what just came out of her mouth. You're in about the same state, entirely unsure what to make of it.

>Celestia, on the other hand, is valiantly trying to contain her laughter. She has a hoof over her mouth, her body is trembling, and tears of mirth are beginning to pool in the corners of her eyes. With an almost herculean effort she manages to speak.

>"W-Well it could use some editing, but it's... it's not the -worst- Twinonymous story I've encountered. I... I never took you for a writer, Ms. Dash. I'm... pleasantly surpri-ri-ri--PFFFTHAHAHAHAHA!!!"

>Yeah, she's totally lost it. You're starting to feel a twinge of embarrassment yourself at being the subject of this literary travesty, but... wait a minute...

"Are you saying there's more of this stuff out there?!"

 

>Celestia looks up at you as she tries to get her giggling under control. "Ah, I forgot that you're not much of a reader beyond the Daring Do series and nonfiction. Since your arrival, human and pony novels have become a bit of a subgenre of romance fiction. They're quite popular among certain circles."

"Circles which happen to include you."

>She laughs again. "If you read them as comedies they're most entertaining."

"I can't believe this..."

>As Celestia laughs her head off and you digest this latest horrible revelation, Rainbow looks down at her hooves in a trance.

>"It's... it's like it's burned into my brain. I can't get the images out... what the hay is happening to me...?"

>She trots over to a nearby tree and bangs her head on the trunk several times. The two of you take notice as she stumbles away, completely disoriented.

"Are... you okay, there?"

>She raises a hoof while still stumbling around to maintain her balance. "I'm... I'm good. I think I got it to go away. Ugh, hold up..." She continues to sway for several more moments. "Okay. Okay, I'm cool now. We're cool. Everything's cool. Now, what I was gonna say was..."

 

> " [

 

ANONYMOUS carries TWILIGHT to her bedroom and places her upon her super cool looking star patterned sheets.

 

TWI: "Anon, what are we going to do on the bed?"

ANON: "We shall make love, Twilight. In the missionary position, as is the human tradition."

TWI: "You're... you're so... naughty!"

ANON: "Yes, but you should know by now that I can't control my carnal passions for my favorite pony. Now... let us begin the lovemaking ritual..."

TWI: "Oh... Anon~!"

 

TWILIGHT can feel her tail move aside and the petals of her marehood begin to unfold as her body prepares to receive her lover's maleness. ANONYMOUS begins to run his hands over the pony's quivering purple body, his strong fingers massaging her supple but totally NOT pudgy flanks. She moans and--

 

> ] "

 

>The cyan pegasus immediately jams her two front hooves in her mouth. Her face is so on fire with embarrassment that you'd probably mistake her for Big Mac from a distance. Slowly, she removes her hooves, curls into a fetal position and begins to tremble, her eyes the size of pinpricks.

>"Commander! We finally found you!"

>To your surprise, five pegasus guards swoop down from the sky and land near the incapacitated Rainbow, circling her with worry.

>"Commander, what's wrong?" A guard with a red cross on his saddlebags begins to examine her. "What did they do to you?!"

>"Jenson, what's going on?"

>The medic salutes. "I don't know, sir. She's not responding to normal stimuli. We need to return her to the Concordia immediately so the docs can look at her!"

>"Understood. Let's go, ponies!"

>Two of the guards scoop Rainbow up and begin to carry her away, while the three remaining nervously eye you and Celestia.

>"Should... should we attempt to capture them?"

>"Negative. They were able to defeat the Commander even though she had an item enchanted by the Princess herself. We wouldn't stand a chance!"

 

>"Y-Yeah, good point..."

>They take to the sky to join the others, and you watch with Celestia as their silhouettes slowly disappear into the distance.

>You've experienced a lot of crazy shit in your time here, but this particular encounter has left you absolutely speechless.

>Celestia giggles again and nudges you in the back with her nose. "Come now. While that was fun, we still have a task ahead of us."

"Right..."

>You begin walking in the direction of the altar once more, side by side. Instead of the pensive silence from before, Celestia hums a gentle tune which eventually starts to raise your spirits.

>She turns to you after a while, her coquettish smile in full bloom.

>"You know, that she recited the story aloud is one thing, but I believe the most amusing portion was the fact that she did those terrible impressions of you and Twilight for the speaking parts."

>You shake your head.

"Yeah, for better or worse, it was something I'm never gonna forget."

>"Nor will I. And nor likely will she."

>A chuckle escapes you as the image of Rainbow explaining this episode to a therapist pony enters your mind. Celestia takes notice and nudges you with a wing.

>"Any experience, whether good or bad, is always more joyous or at the very least more bearable when shared with a friend. Don't you agree?"

>She tilts her head toward you and you scratch behind her ears.

"Absolutely."

 

~~~~~~~~~

 

>Breathe in, breathe out. You attempt to empty your mind, but memories of this day just keep rushing back.

>A frantic airship battle. Flying with Cel through the clouds, dodging magic bolts, and the rush of air around you.

>A face-to-face encounter with Twilight herself, with a crash landing in the sea to follow.

>A dream of almost drowning, and a door opened by the ever mysterious Princess of the Night.

>Returning to Equus, but no longer alone. Riding together with Cel through the forest...

>...and of course, the crazy encounter with Skittles that you're still not sure what to make of.

>And now you're -here- again as the sun begins to set on this day to remember.

>It kinda makes you wonder what tomorrow will bring...

>"I'll let you in on a secret, Anon."

>You open one eye to find Celestia curled up nearby, regarding you with a gentle expression.

>"You don't really have to meditate for this to work. Merely being here at the right time is enough."

>You let out the controlled breath you were holding and lean back against the altar. Your half-assed attempt at the lotus position is quickly abandoned as you stretch out and relax. The clouds roll ever onward above you, and though the setting sun has long sunken below the rim of the surrounding volcano wall, it still paints them in a multitude of colors that shift and shimmer as the last light of day fades.

>You feel it now... that strange, ancient magic which courses through you. It's unlike anything you've experienced before or since. It starts as a tingling in your fingers and toes that travels up your arms and legs and then circles through your chest several times, eventually finding a synergy with your own heartbeat.

 

>You stand and cup your hands above the altar. A soft light shines from your chest and travels to your palms where it forms into a small stone which you cradle with the utmost care.

"Well, here it is."

>You softly roll the stone in your fingers, examining the currently dull surface. Celestia called it a 'unique magical artifact unlike anything in this world', but that doesn't even begin to describe it.

>This is -yours-. It's something formed from some quintessential part of you, and you can feel the weight of its meaning in your hands. It's a treasure that by its very nature cannot be stolen; only if the Orb is freely given to another will its true light shine forth. If the one who forges it never gives it away, it will forever remain a simple stone.

>It's no wonder so few true alicorns were born from this process. To abandon one's own desire for power and instead face the Trials all for the sake of another is definitely a tall order for most.

>You safely pocket the stone and turn to your pink-maned companion. Yeah, this already feels a hell of a lot different. Before, you sought the Orb as a mere token to purchase your freedom from Twilight. You gave it to the Sun Princess, who in turn gave it to her star pupil, and the rest is history. But though you freely gave the Orb to her, you cared nothing for Celestia. You just wanted her to solve your problem and be done with it.

>But now... yeah, there's no denying you're still running. And there's no denying that this is the only way you'll ever find peace. But as you stand here and watch her, you realize none of it really matters to you anymore. You want to do this for her, and her alone. For your favorite, silly horse. This stone is yours, but it's also hers, and it feels right.

 

>She steps away from the altar and turns to you. With a nod, the two of you walk down from the hill to the camp you made just beyond the tree line of the forest.

>A quick strike of flint with your knife easily ignites the tinder you gathered earlier, and you begin feeding it deadwood. Once the fire gets going you pull out your collapsible cookware and start combining some of the ingredients Applejack so lovingly packed for you to make a stew. Celestia curls up near the fire and watches you work, trying to hide her anticipation of the upcoming meal but failing completely. Soon enough, the stew is ready and the two of you sit down to eat, chatting with one another about whatever comes to mind.

>You pour yourself another helping of stew during a lull in the conversation and move to offer Celestia seconds, but you find she's turned away from you and is staring at the crescent moon high above.

>Well, there's no point in really asking, anyway. You know she wants more, so you go ahead and refill her bowl and bring it over to her. But as you near the white alicorn, you notice what the dancing shadows cast by the fire were hiding from you...

>Eyes unfocused. Ears turned back. Restless wings and tail. All the subtle signs of distress she's shown before have returned.

"Hey."

>You set the bowl aside and scratch her mane in one of her favorite spots.

"Talk to me."

>She relaxes a bit, closes her eyes and lets out a tired sigh.

>"...Everything Luna said today is true."

"Yeah, I kinda gathered that. We wouldn't be here now if it wasn't."

>She shakes her head. "No, not just about the bridge. Everything. Though, I suppose in order for you to understand, I'd need to start from the beginning."

 

>You place more wood on the fire and move to sit beside her.

"I'm not going anywhere."

>She watches the fire for a while, and with a sad, wistful smile she closes her eyes and leans against you.

>"Long, long ago, before my eternal life began, I was an earth pony. My name was Celosia, and wherever I tread, flowers would surely grow..."

>Over the next several hours, she tells you everything as your fingers dance their way through that pretty pink mane.

>She speaks of the world of the past that exists only as a faint echo in the world of today.

>She speaks of the friends she came to call Brother and Sister.

>She speaks of the trials they faced together; the triumphs and the failures.

>She speaks of her ascension and the tragedy that followed.

>She speaks of the world she and her sister built from the ashes that remained.

>And she speaks of the unimaginable burden of eternity that she learned she could never escape.

>You listen intently, your hands never leaving her. And when she finishes, that sad smile returns once again.

>"So there you have it, and now you understand. She calls me oath-breaker, and she is right. She believes that I'm trying to recapture what I once lost, and she is right. When you brought the Orb to me, I so easily relinquished my burden onto Twilight and fled without a second thought. And when my power was taken, I felt that I was finally free, and I actually laughed with joy!"

>Tears begin to form in the corners of her beautiful eyes. "But then... but then, as my laughter died in my throat and I lay there in the hospital, recovering from that whole ordeal, I realized what I had done to the both of you... that my immense selfishness had condemned not only my prized student, but my only true friend aside from my sister to lives of utter misery!"

 

>For the first time since she began telling her story, she turns to face you directly, and she doesn't try to hide her emotions.

>"Everything Luna said today is true, Anon. And she is right that I intend to fix this. I -WILL- fix this. Please..." You feel the cold patter of tears on the arm that still holds her. "Please trust in me, even if now you have no reason to. You're so special to me, Anon... I'd do anything. Anything, just to hear you say that you will. I'd even relive those darkest days a thousand times over just to see you smile at me. So please..."

>And here you are again, faced with a situation that you don't know how to handle.

>Her story has left you breathless. The things she's seen, the hardships she's experienced... everything that happened to her here... even thinking about it is too much to take. Any complaints you have about your own situation are beyond petty in comparison.

>And despite it all, she's here now with you. That in and of itself is so incredible that it nearly moves you to tears.

>You dig deep. You try, and try, and try to find the words you need to say. You try to find a way to express to her what she means to you, and how special she is.

>Nothing is good enough. Your jaw opens and closes but the only sound remains the crackling of the fire and the constant chatter of the nocturnal insects and animals hidden in the darkness surrounding you.

>And then it occurs to you all at once. It's so simple.

>Using the same hand that's been trailing through her mane the entire time, you guide her lips to yours and kiss her. Your first pony kiss.

>It's not the passionate kiss of two star-crossed lovers who've finally found each other in the emptiness of the world, or the type of frenzied, uncontrolled kiss that so often signals the start of the oldest dance.

 

>No. It's simple, loving, and warm. Just like her. And all too soon, it comes to an end.

>You pull away from each other, and immediately you know you've done the right thing. Where her expression once held sadness, fear, and doubt there's now only that goofy smile that you've come to know and love. Your eyes meet hers, and suddenly the words are there.

"I never really knew Princess Celestia. We met once or twice briefly, but that was all."

>You take one of her hooves in your hand.

"And I never met Celosia the brave earth pony. Though I've seen a bit of her shine through in another."

>You squeeze her hoof and watch the fire's reflection dancing in her eyes.

"But the pony in front of me... my silly roommate turned crewmate? My best friend? The pony who makes me smile and laugh more than any other, and brightens my day just by being there? I trust her with my life. And that has, and always will be true, Cel."

>She leaps toward you and quickly pulls you into an embrace as only she can. What were once tears of sorrow are now tears of joy, and her sobs are broken by laughter, which you match with your own.

>"How... how long have you felt this way about me?"

"Do you remember when I chased you out of the house that day after coming back from Canterlot? You ran from me, but at the same time you encouraged me to follow you. And when we got to the orchard, something changed and I really saw you for the first time. Everything after was just... I guess I was trying to come to terms with it, or something. I feel like an idiot now, though."

>She pulls you closer and you can feel the rhythm of her heart match your own.

 

>"That night on the porch, when you comforted me in your own, silly way... I suppose that was the beginning. Though knowing how you felt about Twilight and ponies in general, I was never bold enough to hope."

>The fire slowly dies as you talk. Eventually, the two of you lay down to sleep, an unfurled white wing acting as the softest, warmest blanket you've ever known.

>As you snuggle into the soft coat of your favorite horse, your smile still remains.

>Today was a hell of a day, and there will be challenges tomorrow that'll probably make this seem easy in comparison.

>But you're not alone this time. Another heart beats in time with yours. A precious heart.

>You touch the pocket that holds the stone that is both hers and yours, and fall into a calm, dreamless sleep.

 

> [ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBZF9RSyHWQ ]

 

Next Time on Exchange: The Road of Trials