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||- Chapter 10 -||
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>A boom of thunder tears you from your dreamless sleep and you bolt upright in your bed, clutching the covers close.
>Bright flashes of lightning burn in the sky, partially hidden behind the curtains which shroud the great glass doors lining the room's far wall. Each bolt paints an intricate lattice of shadows throughout the large room for an instant before they disappear along with the ephemeral light. The sound of the driving wind rattling the glass begins to echo in your ears as you grip your head and try to pull a coherent thought from your mind.
"Where...?"
>You move your legs beneath the silken sheets. No pain. That can't be right. You could barely walk after climbing the mountain...
>A hand instinctively reaches inside the perfectly sized shirt of your pajama top to pull it aside. Your shoulder, where you were touched by the wandering spirit within the crystal cavern of the Dark Star, is now completely healed.
"What...?"
>It's not right. It's not right! What happened? You overcame the Trials with her. You had the completed Orb of Ascension, shining within the palm of your hand! What...
>There's another flash, and it all comes rushing back. Fluttershy. The letter. You were pulled to Twilight, bound and helpless. And then...
>Your gift to her, gone. Everything you struggled for, turned to dust. It was all for nothing...
>You heave out a sob as the sense of loss washes over you. Your right hand reaches up to wipe the pooling tears in your eyes away before they can escape, and you notice a faint violet light from your wrists. You hold them in front of your face to observe the steady pulse of the radiant magic which dances seemingly below the skin.
>A Geas. And there's no question as to its source or its purpose.
 
>Your primal screaming drowns out the sound of the raging wind as you cry and slam your fists against the bed. It's all you can think to do now in the face of the overwhelming truth.
>She won. She won, and these arcane bands that now bind you are the declaration that you'll never see Celestia again.
>"My Prince, is something the matter?!"
>One of the large oaken doors swings open and an armored guard stallion charges in. You turn to face the entryway as he trots up to the side of the bed, eyes cautiously scanning the room for any threats. There's another flash of lightning and your gaze meets his. You can see him visibly cower at the sight of you, and surprisingly it almost causes you to laugh.
>And really, Anon... why not laugh a little? You've lost everything worth caring about already, so there's no point in holding back. You place your head in your hands and laughter fills the silence. You look up again to see the poor pony take a few cautious steps back, which only causes you to laugh harder.
>From his perspective, this heaving, angry, unstable ape who's currently half-chortling, half-crying like a maniac must be pretty scary. You were so lost in your rage that you almost fucking lunged at him when he burst through the door! From the way he's slightly trembling he must've realized it too.
>But now? The utter absurdity of the situation, and of all that's happened, is oddly starting to calm you down. Your breathing begins to regulate as your laughter subsides and the stallion backs away.
>"It... appears everything's in order here. Please forgive me for disturbing y--"
"No! Stay."
 
>The lingering adrenaline in your system causes you to almost scream the command, and you catch him gulping with nervousness before resting on his haunches and saluting. You rub your face with your hands, removing the dried tears from your eyes and allowing the last of the anger to subside. In an attempt to defuse the situation you give the guard an apologetic smile, but another flash of lightning and a glimpse of your incisors only serves to startle him further, the sight of which causes you to chuckle again.
"Water, please."
>He gives you a questioning look. "My Prince?"
"You're my guard, right? I'd like a glass of water. And pull up a chair for yourself when you get back. We need to talk."
>"R-Right away."
>He sheepishly trots away and disappears through another door that you hadn't noticed before, likely leading to a bathroom of some sort if the sudden sound of running water is anything to go by, before quickly returning with a glass carefully balanced atop an unfurled wing. Pegasus, huh?
>You slide yourself to the edge of the bed as the guard approaches and carefully lift the glass away. Without hesitation, you down a few large gulps of the cool water and shake your head. It's simple, but it goes a hell of a long way toward calming you down. The guard folds his wing and stares at you with cautious, questioning forest green eyes, almost as if he isn't sure if you're the fabled human or some monster that just stumbled out of the Everfree or something.
>You let out a chuckle between drinks.
"Well? Go get yourself a chair. That's an order. And if you'd turn some damn lights on you'd realize I'm nowhere near as scary looking as you think."
>The words seem to snap him out of his trance and he quickly leaves the bedside to do as you requested. You close your eyes to take another gulp of water and when you open them again the room has been transformed by the warm light of the many magical candelabras that line the walls.
 
>It's your first opportunity to see just how massive the place really is. 'Royal suite' is nowhere near enough to describe it. The four-post bed is so large that you might risk getting lost if you venture too far from the edge, and the other furniture is also huge and most definitely hoof-crafted by master artisans. Priceless pieces of art line the walls, and the deep blue flowing curtains look as if they were woven from the very fabric of the sky itself.
>Your pegasus guard, his golden armor reflecting the flickering candlelight, drags a chair over to the bedside with his mouth. He has the same white coat and blonde mane typical of the Solar Guard: the result of an illusion spell forged into the armor itself to make them indistinguishable from one another. He sighs with exhaustion once he finishes positioning the heavy piece of furniture and, after a nod of assurance from you, he leaps into it, resting his back against the ancient wood and flashing you a nervous smile.
>You set the now empty glass aside and rub your eyes again.
"So, do you have a name?"
>The guard salutes before stammering out an answer. "E-Empyrean Blaze of the Solar Guard! But my friends just call me Pyre!"
>He instantly claps his hooves over his mouth in response to his unintended slip into casual speech. You extend a hand toward him to show that no harm was done.
"Nice to meet you, Pyre. I'm Anon."
>Hesitantly, he places a hoof in your palm, and you shake. While the nervous looking pegasus is still a bit jumpy, the gesture seems to calm him down a bit.
>"It's... it's a real honor to meet you face to face, Prince Anonymous. I can't tell you how excited I was when I heard I would be assigned to you! Being personally assigned to guard of a member of the Royal Family is every Guardspony's dream! I swear on my honor, I'll serve you to the utmost of my ability, and if there's anything you need I'll do my best to provide it!" He gives you another salute.
 
>Damn, these guys are dedicated. Or maybe it's just this one in particular; it's not like you've talked to many guards in the past. Either way, you return the salute and hope doing so isn't some sort of breach of protocol here.
"I'm, uh, I'm sure you will. What I need from you right now is to answer some questions, Pyre. Do you think you can handle that?"
>"Of course! If the answer is known to me I'll be sure it's known to you, My Prince! And if it's not I'll find somepony who does know!"
>You let out a sigh and steel yourself for what's to come. Although it's nice that he's so willing to answer, you deeply fear what you're about to learn.
"We'll start with an easy one... where am I?"
>"My Prince, we are currently in Canterlot Castle's southeastern guest wing. This room specifically is the master chamber reserved for visiting Royalty from other nations. The castle is located within the City of Canterlot, which itself is in the region of Canterlot Mountain and its surrounding environs, which together form the central heartland of the Kingdom of Equestria. Our current co-ordinates are..."
>You hold your hands up.
"Whoa, okay! I think that's good enough. Thanks, that was really... specific, but also exactly what I was looking for."
>The pegasus beams at your praise for a bit before regaining his composure. You let out a breath and try to calm yourself for what's coming next.
"What day is it?"
>"My Prince, today is Wednesday, the 4th of January of the year AU 2133. The current time is..." He glances to the nearby grandfather clock. "...10:22pm. The lunar phase is..."
>Again, you hold up a hand to silence him while you briefly fall into your thoughts.
>The 4th... you try to count back in time, but everything that's happened since that snowy day Twilight nuked your house with a Rarity bomb has understandably been a blur. That happened on December 28th, which is the last specific date you remember. You fled to Latigo the next day and...
 
>Pyre looks on with concern as you ponder how much time has passed in your head. He shuffles in his seat a bit before speaking.
>"Um... Prince Anonymous? Forgive me for interrupting, but if you're wondering, you've been sleeping for about 36 hours. The royal physicians had to keep you asleep with magic so that your injuries would heal faster."
>You snap out of your trance and blink a few times.
"...Oh. Thanks."
>Well, that answers your next question.  That only leaves one left... the one you're most afraid to ask.
"Why are you calling me 'prince'?"
>The pegasus' pupils shrink and his face flushes with embarrassment. Before you can say anything else he leaps from the chair to the floor and bows.
>"I'm... I'm sorry! I know it's not proper since you're not officially married to Princess Sparkle yet, but I was only practicing! Please, Sir Anonymous, I beg your forgiveness if I've offended you!"
>Not yet married... you release the breath you've been holding and flop back on the bed in relief. Thank. Fucking. God.
>You savor this small victory for a few moments before sitting up again so you can tell the flustered guard that everything's okay. However, before you can even get a word out he's back on his hooves, his panic intensifying.
>"Oh no, I completely forgot! The Princess! I was ordered to inform her as soon as you awoke! I'm sorry, My Prince, I must see to this immediately! I shall return to you as soon as I'm able!"
>And just like that he's out the door, leaving you alone with your thoughts.
>From what he told you and what you can remember, it's been nearly two days since you were captured. Other than this Geas, which you have no doubt is designed to repel a certain white alicorn, you don't seem to be any worse for wear. But what about the others? What about Cel...?
 
>Your mind races through all the various things that could have happened to them after your capture until your thoughts are interrupted by a small crackle of energy in the air. There's a rift in space, a portal opens, and out steps the Purple Princess herself. Now it's your turn to feel the pull of fear deep within your heart as your eyes meet hers.
>The small alicorn flaps her wings once and lands on the far edge of the bed, then takes several hoofsteps toward you. You scoot away until your back touches the headboard and you have nowhere else to go, but to your surprise she stops short and curls up atop the sheets several feet away, her wings folded neatly against her sides.
>"How are you feeling, Anon?"
>She almost whispers it, and you immediately notice there's something different about her voice. It's like she's hesitant, or slightly nervous. She's having a hard time looking directly at you, her eyes darting away to the floor or the far wall...
>What's happened here? Where's the supremely confident Princess Twilight who's pursued you all this time? Is she... afraid of you now? And if so, why? With her magic she should be able to control you completely... the fact that you still apparently have a free will is baffling in and of itself.
>You have no idea what this means, but you're going to use it to your advantage. Instead of answering her question, you hold one of your wrists up and adopt a slightly angry tone.
"What's the meaning of this, Twilight? What have you done?"
>Again, she fails to meet your gaze. "It's only temporary. I'll remove it after the wedding. I'm sorry, Anon, I know that Celestia's your good friend. She's... she's important to me too, but I'm afraid she's not invited to the ceremony. It's for the best. The Geas is just a safeguard."
"Is that really all it is?"
 
>"Yes!" She looks at you now, tears welling in her eyes. "I don't intend to use the Geas to chain you, or confine you to this room, or anything like that! You're free to move about the castle, or the city, or anywhere you want to go. That's why I assigned you your own personal guard. I love you and I want you to be happy!"
>She looks genuinely on the verge of crying, and it's got you completely taken aback. This isn't Rarity you're dealing with; despite how powerful she is you don't think Twilight is truly capable of faking something like this. What the fuck has her so upset? You're really curious now, but you can't be complacent here, so you remain guarded.
"I'm free, huh? Sorry, but I don't think I can believe that after all that's happened."
>Again, she looks away. "There... there are limits. It'd be bad for you to miss your own wedding, so the guards won't let you stray far enough away to risk it. But aside from that, you really can go anywhere you please."
"...Why?"
>"I just told you! I love you, Anon! And... and even if you don't yet, I know you'll come to realize your love for me..."
>She stands and slowly closes the distance between you until her nose is right in front of yours. You glance at her exposed neck, dig deep, and try to summon the anger that gripped you on the airship, but now it's nowhere to be found. You feel exhausted, both physically and emotionally, and on top of that her change in behavior has you completely on tilt.
>Then, she exhales deeply, and you feel the heat of her breath travel across your nose and mouth. Unlike before, when she would do this to you back in the Treebrary so long ago, you now know what this gesture means. You immediately hold your breath and turn away from her, and a bit of that lost anger returns as your fists begin to clench.
>But before you can move to act on it, you hear a hiccup from Twilight and see some tears escape from her eyes. She hops back and shakes her head a few times to clear them away.
 
>"Once..." She sniffles. "Once we're married, and we have our honeymoon, I know you'll love me. You won't even think to look at anypony else. We'll be perfect together, a Princess and her Prince, and Equestria will enter a golden age..."
>She wipes her face with a hoof before flaring her wings with anger. "Don't you understand?! This is why you were brought here! You were meant for me! Because of you I gained this power, and I gained the throne, and all that's left is for us to stop pretending and be together! It's our destiny, fated by the stars and the very fabric of the world's magic itself!!"
>She turns away and hops from the bed to stand in the center of the room. You hear that familiar crackle of magic again and another portal opens. She moves to step through it, but pauses and speaks to you without turning back.
>"The... the wedding will be at dawn the day after tomorrow. I plan to raise the sun as we kiss to usher in the first day of our new life together..."
>She shakes her head again, and the anger in her voice shifts to sadness. "I'm sorry I won't have the opportunity to see you again before the ceremony. It's a lot of work to plan a wedding and run a country at the same time, after all. Rarity will be by to fit you for your suit tomorrow, but aside from that you're free to do whatever you want..."
>She turns back, and her tearful eyes have been replaced by an icy stare that sends a chill down your spine.
>"But let me make one thing clear, Anon. She's not going to save you. I've accounted for all the variables and every possibility. You're mine now... my very special somehuman. I love you, and I want you to be happy, and the sooner you come to accept that, the sooner you will be..."
>Swishing her tail to accentuate her point, she steps through the portal and vanishes.
 
>You're left alone in the room. The constant flashes of lightning have dwindled and are now seen only every so often, so the storm must be passing. You stand and test your legs and realize you're a lot weaker than you thought. Whatever magic they used to heal you must've really sapped your energy, because even though you've just woken up from a day and a half long nap your body is screaming at you to return to the comfort of the nearby bed.
>Regardless, you fight the fatigue and soldier on toward the great glass doors on the far side of the room. You move the curtains aside and to your surprise you discover falling snow instead of rain outside.
"A thunderstorm in winter..."
>As you gaze out at the illuminated snow-covered city of Canterlot below, your thoughts wander to the pretty pony you actually do love, her smiling face and songbird-like laughter now only a cherished memory. You close your eyes and place a hand on the glass, hoping from the bottom of your heart that she and the others are safe, wherever they happen to be now.
>The door to the room opens and Pyre steps in. He asks if you need anything, but you end up dismissing him to be alone with your thoughts. He nods, then dutifully returns to his post outside the door. You have a feeling that no matter where you go tomorrow with your newfound "freedom", he won't be far behind.
>You stumble back over to the bed and crawl beneath the sheets. There's no way in hell you're gonna go through with this wedding. Something has to be done. Anything! But what...? You're practically powerless here, and the Geas means that Twilight's absolutely right: Celestia can't save you this time.
>Is this really the end? You can't run from this any longer, and honestly you can't see any way out anymore. But there has to be one! There has to be something she's overlooked, and it's up to you to find it.
 
>You should get started right away. There's not much time left. But you're so tired... your mind and body are so, so tired...
"Cel..."
>Slowly, your eyes close, and soon after your consciousness fades...
 
~~~~~~~~~
 
>You reach out and pluck a ripe apple from the nearby tree, placing it in the crook of your elbow along with the others you've picked. Four should be enough, so you begin to make your way back to the large weeping willow tree in the center of the sunlit grove where your pretty white pony awaits.
>She lays beneath the tree, her forehooves curled up underneath her and her back legs flush with the ground. Her waving multicolored mane gently flutters in the breeze, and her matching curled tail does the same. Her magenta eyes watch your approach and a slight smile begins to pull at the corners of her mouth.
>"And what have we here?"
"Red apples. I can't tell you the specific name; you'd have to ask an expert about that. All I know is that they're delicious."
>She peers at the apples in your arms. "Red Galas. Indeed, they are delicious. Come, lay with me and we'll share." She flutters her exposed wing against her body, beckoning you to recline against it, and you happily comply.
>The soft feathers make the perfect backrest and you fight the urge to drift into a satisfied slumber. Instead, you hold out one of the apples, and soon enough a golden aura lifts it from your hand. You take one for yourself and bite into it, savoring the sweet flavor, and the two of you eat in silence, allowing the singing robins and blue jays that flutter around the grove to perform uninterrupted by your idle chatter.
>Soon, all the apples are gone, and she uses the opportunity to curl her head around to steal a kiss.
 
>"I'm glad you convinced me to come here. Everything's been so hectic at the castle... I needed this, even though it's tough to admit."
"Just doing my job to look out for you, Cel. You're good at hiding it, but I can tell when you're getting overwhelmed."
>She giggles. "...That you can, and it means so much to me. I'm a bit tempted to take the rest of the day off to show you my appreciation. I'm sure Lulu wouldn't mind..."
>She moves her tail to gently caress the exposed skin of your arms and you feel a tingle of electricity run down your spine before you settle back and relax with the gentle motions.
>"What do you think, my little human? Would you like that?"
>You reach a hand out to stroke her muzzle.
"How could I resist?"
>You move in for another kiss when a familiar sensation washes over your body. Your eyes snap open to see Celestia staring at you with a fearful expression.
>"No..."
>You can feel the magic starting to pull you away from her. You reach a hand out, but even though it makes contact with her soft coat you can't feel it beneath your palm.
>"Anon!"
"Help me, Cel!"
>The world around you begins to fade as the teleportation magic takes hold and you're ripped away and cast into a lightless void. You flail your arms and cry out to her again and again, but she can't hear you now. There's only darkness...
>"There you are, Anon. I've been searching for you~"
>You can't see anything, but you know that voice. Your blood turns to ice as the Purple Pony Princess speaks, seemingly from all directions at once.
>"Where were you? I needed you and you weren't there for me. It's not nice for you to ignore your wife, Anon, especially if it's to spend time with another mare. I suppose I'll have to do the same thing I did with the last few to this one too." She giggles. "You never learn, do you~? So, who was it?"
"No one..."
>"Liar."
"I'm telling the truth!"
>"LIAR!"
 
>Her booming voice nearly shatters your eardrums, and you cower in the dark.
>"I'll find her, you know. I'll find her, and then..."
"No, stop! Please! I'll do anything!"
>As your tears start to fall, Twilight merely laughs.
>"I don't believe you~"
"Please..."
>You place your hands over your ears, attempting to drown out her voice. Maybe if you can't hear her she'll go away...
>Surprisingly it begins to work, and the laughter fades. It's replaced by the sound of ripping fabric, and suddenly your eyes are assaulted by a bright light which consumes everything. In an instant, the dark void is now blinding, and an indistinguishable eyeless midnight blue figure begins to approach you.
>"Fear not... we shall not allow this nightmare to trouble thee further..."
>You rub your eyes again, and the Princess of the Night stands before you in the empty white space, her mane and tail reflecting the light of countless stars.
"Luna..."
>"Ah, 'tis Anonymous the Human. How unexpected."
>You begin to tremble with anger, your fists clenching as you stare blue alicorn down.
"You... you have a lot of fucking nerve to show your face in front of me after what you pulled."
>She gives you a questioning look. "We are merely performing our duty as the Guardian of Dreams. We know not of what you speak."
"Bullshit! You helped Twilight capture me with that fake letter! You were in the room when I arrived!"
>She nods. "Correct. And?"
"'And'? 'AND'?! Do you have any fucking clue what you've done?!"
>You rise and stand face-to-face with the dark alicorn, but she doesn't flinch when confronted by your anger.
"You begged me, BEGGED ME to bring your sister back by getting her an Orb! You even helped us reach the island! And then you betrayed us at the very last second! What was the fucking point of all this?!"
 
>She frowns. "Betrayed you? Quite the contrary; we assisted you in ways you likely do not realize. Were you not successful in completing the Trials?"
"YES! But it doesn't fucking matter now, 'cause Twilight smashed the Orb! And all because of YOU!"
>Without thinking, your hand shoots out to grab the pony by her neck. Again, she doesn't flinch. Instead, she begins to chuckle, which only serves to infuriate you further.
"What's so goddamn funny...?"
>"Well," she giggles again, "to start, your threatening behavior is pointless. This is the Realm of Dreams, and you are powerless here." Her horn ignites and she vanishes from your grasp, only to reappear several feet away.
>"Secondly, it appears there's been a misunderstanding. You accomplished exactly what we requested. While we are grateful for your assistance, what comes afterwards is of no consequence to us."
"Like hell it isn't! Did you not just hear me say that Twilight DESTROYED THE ORB?!"
>The Night Princess yawns. "Indeed she did. The Orb of Ascension you carried was destroyed, but the Orb of Ascension Sister carried is still intact, and that is all that matters. Only one is required to restore her power. As we said, you accomplished exactly what we requested."
>The haze of anger quickly leaves you, leaving only confusion behind.
"W-What...? She was carrying one too?!"
>"Of course. One cannot pass through the Wayshrine Gates and enter the Trials proper without possessing an Orb. It's odd that you weren't aware. She was with you at the altar when you forged your own, was she not?"
>You think back. Yeah... she was there, right with you at the altar. You were so focused on your own at the time that maybe you could've missed it. But why would she hide it from you? Did she assume you knew...?"
>You stumble back.
"But... but even if she has one of her own, she can't use it! It won't work! She told me herself!"
 
>Luna nods. "Correct. She must pass it to another to free the magic, but the recipient can then pass it back to her to complete the ritual. There is only one in this world she would trust with such an exchange, given the potential power at stake, so when she returns from Latigo we shall assist in her ascension. Once that is done, she shall be as she was, and finally this ordeal will be behind us. We are grateful for your assistance."
>You collapse on the dream's formless ground.
"You... said you weren't my enemy. You used me, and then sold me out at the end. I can't believe it..."
>She sighs. "We are not your enemy, Anonymous the Human, but nor are we your ally in these matters. We have no authority to interfere in the affairs of a fellow Princess. Who she chooses to marry is her own prerogative and matters little to ourself or Sister. It is regrettable that events had to transpire in this way, but there are bigger things in this world than the wishes of one wayward ape."
>You laugh and look away.
"You're... you're one hell of a bitch, aren't you?"
>"Anonymous."
>Her tone, much more serious now, compels you to look back, and what you find strikes terror in your heart. You're no longer looking into the eyes of a mere pony, but of an immortal ruler, with all that entails. You've seen this look from Celestia before, rarely, but never from Luna, and it's startling to say the least.
>"Understand that we had no choice. Something has changed within the last several days and a great threat to this world is looming just beyond the horizon. We can sense it on the wind, and had we allowed you to remain with Sister, it would've forced a clash between herself and Twilight at a time when Equestria cannot afford it. We implored Twilight to return to Canterlot, but she refused to do so without you. We did what was necessary as a result."
 
>She turns away to stare into the void, her voice tinged with a hint of remorse.
>"This petty squabble between them became a great problem which could no longer be overlooked when Sister's power was lost. Now, more than ever, she is needed to help guide this world, until such time as Twilight Sparkle becomes truly worthy of the position she has come to inherit. We know, and -she- knows, all too well, that the responsibility is more than one pony alone can bear. This foalish fantasy of abandoning her duty to live in the past has resulted in an imbalance that is damaging to the order we've strived so long to build and maintain, and it cannot be permitted to continue. We are sorry, but this is the truth."
>She turns back to you, and it's as if she's looking beyond you, into the past, or perhaps the future.
>"You shall marry Twilight, which will help temper her obsession with you and allow her to focus on her duties. We shall re-empower Sister, so that she might regain her station and her place by our side. With this, the strife will be over and balance restored, and this lingering darkness thwarted. The world will continue in Harmony. If nothing else, remember that you have done a great service for Equestria, and you shall be honored for it, even if not all of your wishes can be fulfilled..."
>The dark alicorn begins to trot away from you and you feel the effect of the dream ending. You can't help but start laughing as the white void begins to vanish.
"Okay, I get it. You don't give a shit about me, and that's fine. But what about your sister? Have you ever thought about what she wanted? What she wished for? Or does she have to be miserable for the rest of her life too?"
 
>You can hear Luna's voice all around you as she replies:
>"It is a consequence of the choices we made. She understands this, which is why she runs from it, just as we did in the past. But it is inescapable, and she knows this in her heart..."
>The lingering echo of her voice eventually subsides, and only the silence of the broken dream remains.
 
~~~~~~~~~
 
>You were hoping you'd wake with a newfound vigor. A drive to seek a way out of this mess, by any means. Surely you could find one if you gave it your all! Surely there's a way to overcome this, just as you've overcome every other difficulty you've faced since being thrust into this strange world...
>But as you sit up in bed and stare at the particles of dust wafting in the rays of sunlight lingering between the curtains, that motivation is nowhere to be found.
>It's true that physically you feel a lot better. A natural night's sleep has done wonders for you in addition to the healing you received. But mentally? You're a goddamn wreck. The dream with Luna has drained away any lingering hope you had.
>You figured that, if you could somehow find her, she'd stand with you. That maybe with her immense power she could break the Geas and allow you a chance to flee. Even if the odds were a million-to-one, you still had a chance, and with it the sliver of hope you desperately needed...
>But after last night... not only is she indifferent to your plight, she actually wants this marriage to go through. For the good of Equestria, or some such bullshit. She'd probably even actively hinder you should you try to make a break for it.
>You've run the scenarios in your head over and over again since you woke up. You, a normal human with no magic and without Cel's aid, against two true alicorns and the entire Equestrian military.
 
>There's not a single possibility, even in your wildest imaginings, where you win here. You're not the type to give up or fall into despair; you never were. But the pragmatist in you, that little voice that always told you when you could push the envelope to drive yourself further, and when caution was called for, is screaming -THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE- over and over again.
>You laugh. In cases like this where logic and reason are no help, you've usually fallen back on Pinkie's advice to follow your heart and do what you feel is right. The problem with that? Your heart's far away now, held by the snow-white pony you can no longer touch.
>So that's it, huh? That's the end of the story?
>Yeah, you suppose it is. But moping around in your room all day is something you grew out of a long time ago. This is Canterlot; surely there'll be some good bars open to mope around in later tonight. And prior to that, maybe a little sightseeing is in order. You wouldn't want to waste your last day of freedom cooped up inside the castle.
>You stumble out of bed and explore the room a bit. A tailored casual outfit has been laid out for you on the nearby dresser. Another work of Rarity, no doubt, but this one's a lot different than the others you've gotten in the past. With no one there to veto her design decisions, the result is a gaudy mish-mash of frills, bold colors, and sewn-in gemstones. You stand in front of the room's full-body mirror in the outfit and fight back a few dry heaves. Even Liberace would be spinning in his grave at the sight of this shit...
>But it's not like you can just go out and buy a less nausea-inducing outfit for yourself, so you might as well roll with it. Your hiking clothes were probably burned considering the state they were in by the end of your journey, but even still you dearly wish you had them right now.
 
>You open the door to the hallway and immediately hear a crash as your snoozing pegasus guardspony loses the support of the door he was leaning his side against. He yelps with surprise, but quickly regains his composure, flopping over to his hooves and giving you a wobbly salute.
>"M-My Prince! A good morning to you!"
"Hey, Pyre. Sleep well?"
>"Yes, I-- er, that is to say..." He gulps.  "S-Somepony was supposed to relieve me overnight, but I turned him away thinking I could handle the full watch. But it looks like I was wrong, and I've endangered you by falling asleep at my post. I beg your forgiveness!"
>He bows for good measure and you chuckle.
"It's fine. I'd probably welcome a visit from an assassin at this point."
>He gives you a confused stare. "I'm... I'm afraid I don't understand."
"Don't worry about it."
>He nods. "Understood. I shall proceed to not worry about it. My Prince, is there anything you need? If so, I will provide it to the best of my ability."
>You yawn and scratch your head. Yeah, there's tons of shit you need right now. A ticket out of this fucking nightmare, for one. The 'anti-nerdy purple alicorn' amulet you were going to ask Luna for would be nice. Hell, maybe if you had a suitcase nuke you could chuck it at Twilight and slow her down a little...
>But you have a sneaking suspicion that despite his enthusiasm, your plucky pegasus guardspony wouldn't be able to you get you any of that stuff. Best to stick with something realistic. You ponder for a few moments, and then...
"How well do you know the city? I want you to take me to the best coffee and donuts place around."
>Pyre salutes. "As you wish! Please follow me."
>And so starts your last day of freedom.
 
~~~~~~~~~
 
>Canterlot's not a bad city, you suppose. Sure, some of the ponies here are complete uptight arrogant elitist assholes, but there are just as many who are polite and good natured.
>You've just been aimlessly wandering around, with Pyre at your heels, doing nothing in particular. Aside from some snacks, you haven't bought anything from the various shops you've dabbled around in, despite the pegasus' constant reminders that anything you want would be covered by the Treasury. A nice perk, sure, but you don't think your average Equestrian taxpayer would take kindly to a freaky alien monkey buying random shit on their dime, 'prince' or not.
>As a result, the little shops have lost their appeal, and with no bars open at this time of day the city really doesn't have much to entice you. Perhaps that's why your wandering has led you back to the castle grounds, and you've been exploring the royal gardens ever since.
>They're really nice. The pathways are perfectly maintained, with not a speck of snow on them, and everything is beautiful and serene. But it all seems so artificial to you; so out of place. You're used to the wilderness after all, where aside from some previously blazed trails nature is left to its own devices.
>You sit down on a bench near the base of an odd-looking statue to rest, and Pyre takes a seat beside you. With a sideways glance, he begins surreptitiously munching on the candy apple you insisted he buy for himself when you caught him eyeing it at one of the outdoor markets you visited.
>The sight of it draws some genuine laughter from you. He seems to be a nice pony, if a little overeager. In different circumstances, and if he'd drop this 'my prince' crap, you'd probably be happy to call him a friend.
>A rumbling pulls you from your thoughts, and you look over to see Pyre clutching his stomach.
 
"Something wrong?"
>"I... I..." he gasps, another gurgle reaching your ears. "I think I need to go to the little colt's room."
"Well, go ahead. You don't need my permission."
>"But... but I can't abandon my post! What if you were ambushed?! What if I lost you in the crowd?! I'd never forgive myself!"
>You glance around. Aside from some winter birds, the two of you are the only creatures here as far as you can tell.
"We're inside the castle grounds, so I think it'll be fine. I don't intend to go anywhere, and if something happens I'll take the blame."
>"B-But..."
"And are you really worried about losing the world's only human in a crowd? I'm like twice as tall as most of you."
>His eyes dart around as his back legs twitch, and finally, after more consideration, he relents.
>"I'll return as soon as I'm able! I swear on my honor!"
"Take your time."
>And with that, he flies off, leaving you alone in the garden.
>Now's your chance, Anon! With no watchful eyes upon you, you can do anything you want! You can start acting on your plan to get the hell outta here!
>You laugh again. Yeah, right. As long as these arcane bands are wrapped around your wrists, thoughts like those will only lead to disappointment. You rest your arms on your knees, hands clasped together, and sigh.
"Fuck..."
>"Oh, what's the matter my dear boy? Do you not like your new glow-in-the-dark tattoos? I can't say I blame you. They look awful."
>Your head snaps to attention and you look around. No one.
"Who said that?"
>"And what kind of question is that? I don't see anyone else here but a misplaced monkey and yours truly. Unless you happen to think the birds can talk, but that'd be crazy!"
>You stand from your seat and whirl around. It's like the voice was whispering directly in your damn ear! But still, you find yourself alone.
 
>"Oh come now. Don't tell me you're really that dense. Of the two of us, -I- should be far denser at the moment!"
>The voice's laughter echoes all around you. "Ah, statue humor! It almost makes this punishment worth it."
>Your eyes settle on the large statue positioned behind the bench you just leapt from. Recorded in almost life-like stone is an odd creature unlike anything you've ever seen before. To be honest, it looks like someone took a bunch of random animal parts and slapped them all together. What the hell is this thing?
>"Ah, there it is. That glimmer of recognition in your eyes that proves you're capable of learning. For a moment there I was almost worried."
>Hesitantly, you approach the statue. The creature's pose is as equally as ridiculous as its general shape. It almost looks like it's about to get hit by a truck or something.
"What are you...?"
>The voice scoffs. "Puh-lease! Don't tell me you've never laid eyes on my magnificently chaotic visage before! Our mutual acquaintances Cotton Candy Head and Moody Featherduster plastered their throne room with stained glass artwork of all my greatest hits, for crying out loud!"
>Wait... now it's starting to register. You heard the story from Twilight before, about how she and her friends sealed this creature after he escaped shortly prior to your arrival...
"You're Discord, aren't you?"
>You can hear the sound of clapping, even though the statue remains perfectly still. "Bravo, bravo! Exactamundo! I was beginning to fear I'd have to spell it out for you. You're not a bright one, are you?"
>You frown.
"You're really talkative for a chunk of stone. I'm surprised they haven't moved you to the basement with all the other unwanted artwork yet."
 
>He laughs fairly hard at your insult. "Yes, despite my current predicament I can't resist a good conversation. There are so few willing to listen, or worth talking to in the first place. I'm delighted that you happened to stop by."
"Well too bad, 'cause I was just leaving."
>You start to walk away, but the phantom voice's momentary panicked tone causes you to pause.
>"Wait, wait, wait! I don't want to lose this opportunity! I'm a tremendous fan of your work!"
>You raise an eyebrow.
"...My 'work'?"
>"Of course!" the statue replies, regaining its composure somewhat. "It isn't often that I see a creature who can spread chaos as gracefully as you. Well, there -is- a mailmare in Ponyville who's also a bit of a prodigy, but she's more of a small scale disaster type. But you, YOU, my dear boy... you're positively wondrous!"
"What? What the hell are you talking about?"
>He gasps. "What am I talking about? What am I talking about?! You... you don't even know, do you? You don't even realize it! You're such a natural, I'd be tearing up with joy right now if I wasn't made of stone!" He sniffles some for emphasis. "Think about it! Your mere presence transformed the always studious, always dedicated, always -boring- Element of Magic into an obsessive maniac, with her friends split between helping and hindering her! You managed to fulfill an impossible dream for our dear Celestia, and in turn allow her to cast away her duties and behave like a teenage filly again, complete with a crush! And to top it off, all of this together has worked to drive poor Loony Luna positively batty! I've been watching your little cat-and-mouse chase across the world play out, and it's the most amusing thing I've seen in ages! I can't -wait- to find out what you have planned for the wedding!"
 
>You start to feel that familiar sensation of anger welling within you as his laughter swirls in your ears.
"I'm glad all my problems have been so damn entertaining for you. But I don't have anything 'planned' for the wedding. I'm done. There's nowhere left for me to run."
>The laughter immediately ceases, and the voice adopts a tone of sincere-sounding concern.
>"You're giving up? No, no, no, that won't do at all! It's not like you! What happened to that can-do attitude of yours that's been so great at driving our little purple nerd to hysterics?! Are you just going to let her win?"
>You hold up one of your wrists to the statue and shout your reply:
"And what the fuck do you expect me to do about this, huh?! I can't enchant pony-clones into bombs to break the Geas like Twilight. I don't have magic, period! Luna won't help, Cel -can't- help, and Twilight can paralyze me with pain using the bands anytime she wants! Hell, she could turn -me- into a bomb if she wanted, so don't fucking act like this is just something I'm not trying hard enough to beat!"
>You hear Discord sigh. "Well, to put it bluntly, -you're not trying hard enough-, but I can't blame you. When you mortals are pushed this far without the slightest ray of hope, you almost always give in to despair. It's such a delicious moment for me, and I look forward to it each time... but in your case, it's counterproductive, so allow me to offer you some friendly advice..."
>You tense up. A part of you is extremely wary about taking any sort of advice from a character like this, but another part of you desperately wants hear something, -anything-, that could lead to a way out. The statue takes your silence as a prompt to continue.
 
>"You can't always think of things in absolutes, my dear boy. What you believe to be a boon could turn into a burden. And what you believe to be misfortune can open doors you never even imagined! That's the beauty of chaos; you never know what to expect! It's even been my own undoing in the past, ending with my certain victory snatched away at the last moment, but I wouldn't have it any other way! Why, it's positively thrilling!"
>Another round of laughter rolls through your thoughts before he continues.
>"I don't expect you to figure this all out on your own, so I'll give you some hints. Take it from me; I was quite the magical prodigy back in my youth, much like the problematic purple pony we both adore so much. You say you 'don't have magic', but that couldn't be further from the truth now. Look at your wrists! You may not be able to sense it, but you're positively bursting with it!"
>You look down at the glowing bands as they constantly shift, dull and brighten.
"I am?"
>"Of course! A Geas is a difficult spell, not only to cast, but to maintain. You're like a little flea attached to our dear Twilight Sparkle, constantly sucking out a bit of her magic in order to feed the curse. If too little magic is siphoned, the spell fails and the Geas breaks, and if too much magic is siphoned, well... *POP* goes the weasel, as they say! I invented that turn of phrase, you know. Ah, those were the days..."
>You cough in annoyance and he continues.
>"Hmph. Tough crowd. As I was saying, the flow of the magic is constant, and we all know constants are -boring-. Our studious little OCD alicorn will be sure to strictly regulate it down to the tiniest degree, as is her nature. But what if I were to tell you that you had the ability to... liven things up a bit? And maybe take more of her magic than she's willing to give?" He can't help but follow his own question with a short, sinister laugh.
 
"I'd say I'm not interested because you said not two fucking seconds ago that if I drained more magic I'd explode."
>"Yes, yes, of course you will if you allow the extra magic to remain within your body. But, if you were to redirect it somewhere else for a while, it could end up being a particularly perplexing problem for our purple pony princess!"
>You turn back to address the statue, crazy as it sounds.
"Redirect it? How?"
>Again, he laughs. "Sorry, but that, my dear boy, is the end of my hint. It's no fun for me if I give it all away! But as a completely unrelated aside, I love your suit. A Rarity original, I'm sure..."
>You notice the chimera's voice beginning to fade as he speaks, and he seems to take notice as well.
>"Ugh. All this yammering on is too much effort. It's using up what little magic I'm able to control like this, so I suppose the hint line is closed. Besides, I need to save my energy to observe the wedding~! Even though I'm not on the guest list, I can assure you I'll be there in spirit..."
"...I'll save you a slice of cake anyway, just in case."
>"Ha! Don't count on it, but I appreciate the gesture..." His voice is almost gone now, and you have to strain to hear it. "Oh! And one last thing! When you see Cotton Candy Head, tell her I said I approve. She'll know what it means. Arrivederci!"
>And with that, the voice is gone. You step closer to the strange statue just to see what'll happen, but the only sounds come from the various birds perched atop the nearby hedges. Looks like he really is gone.
>Pretty much every instinct you have is telling you to not trust this guy. He's undoubtedly bad news, and he seems like the type who'd definitely betray you down the line. You trust him about as far as you can throw him, and considering he's like a 2 ton solid piece of stone, that's not very far at all.
 
>But still, he's given you what you so desperately needed - a ray of hope. Something to cling to. If you can just figure out the specifics of what he was talking about, you might have a way to beat this thing and to find your way back to Cel's side.
>There's no time to waste. Looks like you won't be doing any bar-hopping tonight, but that's okay. There'll be more opportunities, because it's not like you're getting married tomorrow or anything! Not if you have anything to say about it, at least...
>You mumble an apology to your still-absent guardspony as you forego your promise to wait for him and make your way toward the castle proper.
>You've got some reading to do.
 
~~~~~~~~~
 
>"Rainbow Dash, don't you -dare- move that leg before I have everything pinned in place."
>"But it itches!"
>"Just ignore it! The more trouble you make for me, the longer this will take. I only have a few alterations left to do on yours."
>The blue pegasus groans and bites her lip while a spool of measuring tape and several needles sail around her in the air.
>"There! All done. You can relax now."
>She breathes a sigh of relief before slouching and scratching her itchy leg with her other back hoof.
>"I hate wearing dresses like these. I can't even move my wings right."
>The white unicorn sighs. "And that's precisely because it's considered rude to fly during the ceremony and I don't trust you to remember that."
>A giggle from the nearby butter-yellow pegasus causes Rainbow to roll her eyes. The frazzled looking unicorn dashes over to her, tape and pincushions in magical tow.
>"Fluttershy, dear, I'm going to need you to help make these basic alterations for the bridesmare gowns. I still have Twilight's dress and Anonymous' suit to finish and I'm running out of time! Do you think you can do that for me?"
 
>Fluttershy nods. "Oh, yes. Of course, Rarity. None of this seems too hard, so I think I should be okay."
>Rarity smiles, a bit of the tiredness leaving her face. "Thank you. It appears it'll be yet another sleepless night spent working. But to have my designs featured in yet another royal wedding... oh, the amount of publicity will simply be staggering!" She rears up and squeals for emphasis as she magically removes the dresses from their owners to place them on the nearby dressforms.
>Rainbow cracks her neck. "Well, I'm glad you're excited but I'm gonna go stretch my wings."
>"Be a dear and fetch Anonymous for me while you're out, would you? I suppose I should go ahead and get his fitting out of the way."
>"On it!" She disappears, leaving a rainbow trail behind, and the two remaining mares begin their work altering their respective gowns.
>"Aren't you excited for Twilight? First she becomes a Princess, and then she gets to be married to her true love! She's so lucky..."
>Rarity coughs and grits her teeth. "Yes, it's wonderful... but once again, I find myself ever the bridesmare. If somepony were to tell me that among us -Twilight- would be the first to get married, well... I don't know if I'd be able to contain my laughter. And yet here she is! Then again, her way of courting her stallion was somewhat... odd. And I suppose calling him a stallion is a bit of a stretch..."
>Fluttershy giggles. "I don't think it matters as long as she loves him. And don't worry, maybe you'll find somepony you're interested in at the wedding. Maybe you'll even catch the bouquet!"
>Rarity adopts a deadpan stare. "Darling, I've caught the bouquet at the last five weddings I've attended. I believe I'm conclusive proof that it doesn't work."
>"Oh. R-Right, I forgot."
 
>She sighs. "Still, despite the oddity of it all, I can't help but envy how romantic it was. Chasing your stallion across the world, never giving up, ending with the perfect storybook royal wedding... it's the stuff of romance novels!"
>"Oh yes, I agree. I think I heard something about that famous author Mistress Notfluutershai writing something like that for her next book."
>Rarity hops up and down a bit. "Oh! I absolutely -adore- her work! Wherever did you come across such juicy gossip?!"
>Fluttershy folds her ears back and looks away. "Oh, um... I-I heard it as a rumor at the market..."
>"Well, I certainly hope it turns out to be true. She has such a way with words. And her, ahem, intimate scenes... so raunchy!"
>The pegasus whimpers. "Um... anyway... d-do you think Applejack and Pinkie Pie will come? They were invited too..."
>"Hmph. After the way they behaved, I'd rather they not. It was very gracious of Twilight to send them invitations by dragonfire. I think it was more of a gesture of goodwill than anything, as I doubt they'd be able to return to Equestria in time with their airship in such a state." She giggles. "I suppose if my career in fashion ever fizzles out, I have another talent to fall back on. Commanding an armada was more fun than it had any right to be~! But then again..."
>She steps away from the dress to admire her work and Fluttershy does the same.
>"...I suppose I should stick to what I do best."
>"They're beautiful, Rarity."
>The unicorn beams. "Oh, darling, if you think these look good, wait until you see Twilight's wedding dress! I'm certain, without a single doubt, that tomorrow will be a day to remember..."
 
~~~~~~~~~
 
>The castle's great library puts Twilight's old one to shame. It'd be easy to lose yourself among the endless rows of filled bookshelves. In fact, you're not quite sure how to get back to the main hallway from the little secluded table you've occupied for your research, but you suppose that's what your personal guard is for.
>Pyre the pegasus sits nearby, an annoyed look on his face. Every once and a while he glances over and mumbles something that you promptly ignore. You don't have time for his antics, especially now that you're so close to actually making a breakthrough with th--
>"...You didn't keep your promise..."
"A) Shut up, this is a library. B) I never promised you anything. And C) I already apologized like a million times. Bring me that book, third one from the top of that stack closest to you."
>He does so, sulkily, and you return to your research.
>God you hate reading. Especially about subjects you have no interest in, like magic. This is the kind of shit you'd let Cel handle, and you dearly miss her right about now for this and a million other reasons.
>You're surrounded by various volumes, cross-referencing and pouring through them looking for relevant information. You've got all the classics: The Nature of Curses, Magic for Dummies, Encyclopedia Arcana, Sacred Bond: A Treatise on the Geas, A Study of the Lost Arts, Spellcrafting 101, Mommy, Why is This Stuff Coming Out of My Horn?: A Unicorn Foal's Introduction to Magic...
>Yeah, if Twilight saw you like this she'd probably be gushing like a fire hose. Thank god she's not here.
>Between all this stuff, you're finally starting to understand what Discord was getting at. There -is- a way! It's a longshot, especially for a total amateur like you, but it's possible, and you already have everything you need to make it work. You'll have to run a few tests in your room later tonight to iron out the details, but things are finally looking up for once!
 
>It's not going to be enough to beat Twilight, but that's not the goal. You just need to run. Everything else will sort itself out like it always does. Maybe.
>Best not to think about what comes after too hard, Anon. Focus on the present. You close the book you're holding and stand.
"Put all these back where they came from, please."
>Pyre glances over at you with a questioning look. "My Prince? You don't intend to check any of these books out?"
>You shrug.
"Nah. Too boring. I was trying to learn a little about one of Twilight's interests since I'm, y'know, gonna marry her and everything, but I guess I'm not cut out for it. We should probably head back."
>It'd be way too suspicious to leave a paper trail by checking out the books, so you've committed everything you need to know to memory. It's sort of a paranoid step, but right now you're operating under the assumption that Twilight's keeping tabs on you through your guard here. Luckily Pyre doesn't seem like the type to be able to put two and two together when it comes to magic either, so he shouldn't be too curious about your true intentions. You sincerely hope Princess Autismo's not -constantly- monitoring you, because If she is, your plan's fucked before it even gets off the ground...
>You hear a short whine as the pegasus protests. "B-But that'll take forever! And it's more a job for the library's caretakers!"
"No, Pyre, it's rude to leave this mess for them. The sooner you get started, the sooner you'll be done. I'm going to head back to my room."
>"Yes, My Prince..." his ears fold back and he pouts.
>Poor guy. You hate to be a dick, but you've got work to do and the precious remaining time until Zero Hour is constantly ticking away. You leave the pegasus behind and begin to make your way through the great labyrinth of bookshelves.
>Fifteen minutes later, you realize this was a bad idea.
 
"Fuck..."
>Yeah, you're totally lost now, and you haven't seen another living creature this entire time. Turns out this place is even bigger than you thought... you should've definitely had your guard escort you out.
>He's sure to track you down eventually, but this lost time is really going to hurt you in the long run. You pick up the pace and begin to jog. It's not like there're any stern-faced librarians around to scold you anyway...
>You turn a corner and come upon a sight that stops you dead in your tracks. The good news: It's a door. The bad news: It's not the door to the hallway you were looking for.
"'Forbidden Archives'...?"
>Before you stands the most imposing gate you've ever seen. It's sealed tightly shut, carved from ancient stone and absolutely covered in intricate carvings that seem to tell some kind of story when taken together. Ghostly blue flames dance from the nearby wall torches. You'd have mistaken the whole thing for an entrance to some sort of dungeon or ancient ruin had the nearby wall-mounted plaque not tipped you off.
>There's obviously something very important beyond this door. But it's odd... why aren't there any guards to protect it? It doesn't make any sense... are they going by the honor system or something? Or maybe the damn thing's booby trapped...
>Your curiosity is killing you now. Goddamn it, Anon, you never could resist this sort of stuff... you cautiously reach out for the handle but an invisible barrier shines and causes you to jump back.
>Well, that explains that. Sealed by magic. No need to station valuable sentries in an out of the way place like this when you can hang a big old magical DO NOT ENTER sign on the doorknob. Looks like you're not getting through to see what's so 'forbidden' about the place.
 
>Oh well. It'd probably just be another distraction you couldn't afford anyway. You move to leave when you notice the Geas bands on your wrists start to shine. There's a hum of magic in the air, a creaking sound, and to your utter amazement, the barrier vanishes and the great doors begin to open.
>You immediately jump behind a nearby bookshelf, fearing that someone from inside the Archives is leaving, but a quick glance back reveals no one to be there. The corridor beyond the door continues into the darkness with no end in sight.
>You glance at your wrists again and the light starts to fade back to its normal level. That can't be a coincidence... what the heck is happening? Did the Geas act as some sort of key? That's all you can think of, but it doesn't make any sense...
 
>~...
>"From a magical standpoint, you and Celestia are the same pony because you now share her magic. And likewise, anypony -I- cast a Geas on will share my magical hoofprint too..."
>...~
 
>A part of Twilight's speech from the day she confronted you and Cel on the snowy path outside your home suddenly flashes through your mind, and combined with the research you just did, it all becomes clear.
>Who would have access to the Forbidden Archives? Equestria's Princesses.
>And Twilight's Geas, by its nature, gives your body the same magical signature as her, and the spell on the door can't tell the difference!
>You shake your head and laugh.
"'What you believe to be misfortune can open doors...' The bastard meant it -literally-! Imagine that..."
>There's no longer any doubt in your mind. There's something here that Discord wanted you to seek. Something that'll help. To be honest, your whole plan still has some holes in it that you were planning to fill with optimism and a little luck. Not exactly the most sound approach...
 
>But maybe, with whatever you happen to find, you can come up with something more concrete. Every little advantage you can scrounge up will help, and if there's any place you'll find such an advantage, it'd be here.
>You step beyond the threshold without fear as the doors close behind you. The corridor quickly opens up into a vast circular chamber, the various candles lighting themselves with a flourish of magic as soon as you set foot inside the room.
>You deflate a little. More bookshelves, and with them more books, though these look much older than the ones you've been flipping through up till now. It makes sense, you suppose, since the entrance to this place is found within the library itself. To even stand in this room is probably a dream within a dream for most pony scholars, but being here doesn't do much to help you now since you have no idea what you're looking for in the first place.
>You begin wandering the room, looking for anything of interest among the dusty tomes and scrolls, most of which are written in some crazy ancient horse language you can't read anyway. Several minutes of fruitless searching causes you to think you might be wasting your time after all.
>And then you see it. Resting on a reading table positioned in the center of the room is...
"Well now... what's this?"
>You lift the item, carefully balancing it in your hand.
>Oh, this'll be useful. This'll be -beyond- useful, and it's exactly what you were lacking. You carefully pocket it within your gem-encrusted jacket before starting toward the exit. It doesn't look like there's anything else here you can really effectively utilize, and this should be more than enough.
 
>You emerge from the archives just as Pyre flutters around one of the nearby shelves in his search for you. With his help you manage to escape the library and make your way back to your room, which you order him to stand watch over from the outside...
>...
>...
>...
>The sun has long set by the time you finish your testing and preparations. There's not really much more you can do at this point. From here on out, you'll either succeed or fail. Worrying about it won't help, and it'd be best to get some shuteye to recover some of the energy you know you'll desperately need soon.
>You're almost asleep as soon as your head hits of one the many pillows of the comfortable bed. But before you allow yourself to be lost to Luna's domain completely, you instinctually reach out to capture yet another pillow and pull it close to your body.
>It's a poor substitute.  It's nowhere near as soft, comforting, or as warm as her, but it'll have to do for now.
>A soft smile begins to form on your lips. It won't be long until you're holding her in your arms again.
>You'll accept nothing less. Twilight, Luna, and the world itself be damned.
>If there's one thing for certain, tomorrow's going to be a day to remember...
 
Next Time on Exchange: A Promise Is A Promise