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||- Chapter 9 -||
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~~~~~~
>Day 1
~~~~~~
 
>It's not the rays of dawn that awaken you as they have so many times in the past due to your habit of forgetting to close your blinds, but that's not too surprising. The island's shape prevents you from seeing the sun until late morning, after all.
>Instead, you're pulled awake by an odd warm stirring of air brushing across your nose and mouth, constant but gentle.
>You open your eyes and take in your surroundings. The sky is brightening and the forest is beginning to stir with life. Birds flitter around, scavenging and pecking at the ground for their breakfast. The fire you built last night is nothing but a pile of ashes now, cooling within the stone circle you made. Your right side is very warm, and a white hoof is draped across your chest, holding you close.
>"Good morning."
>You turn your head and your lips touch hers, forcing an impromptu kiss. She breathes out and in again, savoring the air between you as you part, and you both smile.
"Hey. What were you up to just now?"
>She adopts a look of confusion and slight embarrassment as strands of her strawberry mane fall in front of one of her eyes; a quick shake of her head revealing the second magenta iris once more.
>"What was I up to...? I..." She chuckles and blushes. "I appear to have forgotten that you're not a pony."
>The pretty white horse curls her forehooves and hugs you tighter, then lays her head next to yours.
>"Exchanging breath is one of the most intimate acts ponies share with one another. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that you didn't know. Forgive me; I hope I'm not moving too fast for you, but I..."
>You reach a hand over and stroke her muzzle.
"No, you're not. It's cute, and I'd like to try."
 
>She repositions herself a bit and you touch your noses together without much strain. She exhales deeply as you take your next breath, and you do the same for her for several moments. Your eyes reflexively close with every intake of breath, and when they open again to find her there you feel that odd, but familiar warmth wash across your body.
>Damn, this really is intimate. And you really do love her. You can feel it. Last night wasn't just a spur of the moment impulse, it was a confession, more to yourself than her. She had your heart from the moment you locked eyes with her in the orchard, but it's taken you until now to admit it.
>Your eyes meet again, drawing a smile from you both. She's beautiful. She's so beautiful you almost can't believe it, and you can't resist turning your head slightly to change your eskimo kiss into a real one.
>You part once more. She moves forward and drapes her head across your shoulder and you wrap your arms around her.
>"If I could stop time right now, I would. I don't want this moment to end."
"I know the feeling. But she's not gonna wait for us, is she?"
>The white alicorn pulls away and stands to her hooves, shaking off the last of her sleep.
>"No. She certainly won't." She holds out a hoof and you take it to stand beside her. In several minutes you've packed up camp and are on your way toward the first of Equus Island's thirteen Wayshrine Gates.
>The two of you munch on some energy bars while you walk. Not the most ideal breakfast, but foraging or preparing something more complex would require time that you don't really have. You need to get through as many of the initial gates as possible today if you're ever going to stand a chance at completing the Orb before Twilight's armada descends upon the island.
 
>The first gate appears on the horizon as you swallow the last piece of your meal. It's a simple structure, consisting of two 20 foot tall pillars and an arch between them. It rests in the middle of an open field of short reeds, and in no time at all you're close enough to make out the arcane inscriptions that cover it. You stop at a safe distance about 100 feet away and crane your neck to the side, resulting in a satisfying pop from your vertebrae.
"Well, here we are."
>Celestia gazes upon the gate with ears folded back, and her tail nervously swishes from side to side.
>"I had forgotten how close this first one was to where we camped."
>You chuckle and scratch her ears.
"What're you so nervous about? This is one of the easier ones."
>She scoffs and pulls away from your hand. "It most certainly is not! Many times we almost..."
>You shake your head.
"Sorry... I'd forgotten. But you shouldn't forget that I'm here with you now. Things'll probably go a little differently this time. For the both of us."
>She trots forward and places her head underneath your outstretched hand again.
>"Yes, I suppose you're right about that." With a deep breath, she meets your eyes. "I'm ready when you are."
>The two of you continue toward the gate, side by side. The precious stone in your pocket begins to shine as you approach and the arcane lettering engraved upon the arch glows with a mystical light.
>With one last glance between you, you step underneath the arch together and vanish.
 
~~~~~~~~~
 
>You open your eyes to see only darkness, but the familiar sound of flowing water tells you where you are. You reach a hand out to find the familiar texture of Celestia's soft coat beside you. She jumps a bit at your touch.
>"...Five fingers; a human hand. You nearly scared me to death, Anon..."
"Sorry. Has your vision adjusted yet?"
>"Not completely, but we arrived here at a good time of day. I can already see a bit of the path."
"Me too. Let's take it slow, okay?"
>"Right."
>Carefully, the two of you begin your trek forward, making sure each step is on level, safe ground. Droplets of cold water fall on your head and run down your neck periodically, giving you a nice jolt and causing you to gasp with surprise, which your alicorn companion finds funny. You resist the urge to tickle her in response.
>The sound grows louder and louder as you advance. There's enough light to see your footfalls now, and you increase your pace now that it's safer. In time, the two of you emerge from the tunnel you've been traversing to see a familiar sight...
 
|- The First Trial
|- Subterranean Waterfall
 
>A large stream of water cascades down the nearly vertical shaft you now stand within. Rocks of various sizes jut out from the far cavern wall, dividing the waterfall into multiple smaller sections as it travels down into the abyss below you. The two of you stand on a narrow rock bridge which connects the tunnel you came from with the waterfall's bedrock. Below the bridge is only darkness, while the light of early morning filters through the fall's source high above, giving you more than enough light to see what you're doing.
>The sight of the sunlight dancing upon the falling droplets of water is mesmerizing. It's almost like someone's pouring a bunch of diamonds into the chasm below. You look up to the top of the falls; your ultimate destination.
 
"I'm guessing we can't fly up, huh?"
>Celestia shakes her head. "No, the cavern is much too narrow. Even Lulu didn't have enough room to maneuver here, so there's no hope for me. We'll need to climb..."
>She takes a hesitant step back, and you don't blame her. The rock wall is slick as hell from all the water, and any fall here would mean instant death. It even makes someone with climbing experience like you nervous.
>But you're a human. Your hands and feet are meant to climb a narrow rock face like this. Celestia, as a quadruped, and a large one at that, doesn't exactly have a lot going for her here. When she said this wasn't easy for her, she was telling the truth. Again, you pat her reassuringly.
"It'll be okay. The key here is patience. If we work together, we'll make it out of here just fine."
>You walk forward across the bridge and beckon Celestia to follow, which she does with trepidation.
"And I left something here that you guys probably didn't have last time..."
>You tap a glimmering piece of metal embedded into the rock wall.
>"...An anchor?"
"Yep. I've got 'em going all the way up the wall to the top. How do you think I got through this the first time? Now hold still."
>You pull out some sturdy rope from your pack, and using your knife and some well-placed knots you fashion a pony-harness for Celestia which wraps around the pits of her forelegs and withers. She examines the harness as you work, somewhat amused by the dexterity of your fingers as you tie each knot.
"I'll climb up first and use the rope to guide you. We'll take it as slow as we need to. Trust me, I won't let you fall."
>She smiles, some of her nervousness fading away.
>"I'm in your hands."
>Over the next few hours, the two of you slowly make your way up the waterfall. You try to stay as dry as you can, difficult as it is. Thankfully there are outcroppings that are shielded from the flowing water which you can rest under while Celestia catches up, and the relative peacefulness of these areas allows your mind to wander.
 
>She told you so much last night in front of the fire, much of which you're certain she's shared with hardly anyone throughout her entire long life. The words are unforgettable and her steady voice begins to echo in your mind, powerful enough to drown out the constant flow of water, as you recall them while you rest...
>...
>...
>...
 
>"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."
 
>"I was a child of the Earth, one of the three pony tribes. There had been constant strife and conflict between us since before even my great great grandparents could remember. Nopony knew how or even why it began, but we despised each other, and the only thing preventing a full scale war was the dependence we had upon one another for food."
 
>"The unicorns controlled the cycle of day and night, the pegasi controlled the weather, and the earth ponies were the only ones who could effectively farm the land. This relationship meant that if one tribe fell, the rest would quickly follow. Much time and effort was spent on searching for ways to break this interdependence, from all sides, in order to gain a decisive advantage, and I suppose that is the root of how this all started..."
 
>"The legends of the Cradle were older than time itself. It was a place held in both fear and reverence, built and blessed by our progenitors. Many times throughout history had the tribes sought to uncover the fabled great magic hidden there, but despite sending numerous expeditions, which often clashed against one another, the great magic was never found. All three tribes had given up searching before I was even born, determined that the rumored magic was nothing more than myth and devoting their resources to other pursuits."
 
>"But the Chancellor who came to power during my youth, Puddinghead, was a superstitious sort. He strongly believed that the old myths held truth, one of which being that the great magic of the Cradle did exist, and that it would only make itself known to one who already possessed exceptional magical power. By the time I was a young mare, word of my unusually strong growth magic reached the Chancellor, and I was tasked with finding and harnessing the great magic of the Cradle for the earth pony tribe. As you can imagine, it was quite a weight upon my shoulders, but I felt it was my duty to my kin, for at the time the hatred for the other tribes which burned in our hearts burned strongly in my own as well."
 
>"Alone, I made my way across the great bridge and the threshold of the Grand Gate. I spent weeks wandering the island. I found each of the wayshrines, exactly as I was told I would, and pondered their meaning. But there was no magic within them, and I began to fear that I would never find that which I sought. I was prepared to return to the tribe with my tail between my legs in failure, when I crashed headfirst into a twist of fate. Though, upon further reflection, I believe she crashed headfirst into me..."
 
>...
>...
>...
>With a heave, you pull Celestia up and over the waterfall's edge and onto dry land. The sun shining through the cave's entrance warms your back, and you can already feel your clothes starting to dry. Your alicorn companion thankfully refrains from shaking herself until after you step a safe distance away.
"See? That wasn't so bad, was it?"
>She blows a few damp strands of mane away from her face. "No... I suppose it wasn't. Shall we go?"
>Together, you step outside the cave and into the warm sun, and in an instant you find yourselves back on Equus, just beyond the first gate.
 
>You pull the stone from your pocket and hold it in your hand. You can feel the warmth now stored there as the dullness of its surface begins to fade.
"One down..."
 
~~~~~~~~~
 
>You let out a tired sigh as the next wayshrine comes into view. Celestia nudges you in the shoulder in response.
>"Something the matter?"
"Well, my clothes just finished drying out and now we're gonna have to go for a swim. You've probably never had to worry about this, but walking around with wet socks and underwear sucks."
>She giggles. "Yes, the swim is a pain, isn't it? I remember Lulu being quite annoying as we struggled on our way..."
>She steps in front of you and curls up, presenting her back.
>"...but this time, I think we'll skip over it. Like you, I feel we've had enough fun in the water for today."
>You can't suppress your joyous laughter as you take your place upon her back. Why didn't you think of this before? The last time you were here this trial almost killed you. But with Cel to carry you, it should be trivial!
>She turns to the gate, spreads her wings, and gallops ahead. You pass under the arch, and suddenly you're flying over the vast Equestrian Ocean.
>With a beat of her wings, she flies higher, narrowly avoiding the crest of a wave. You breathe deep, taking in the fresh sea air as it rushes by you.
>Celestia turns her head back, her strawberry mane whipping in all directions. "This is much better, wouldn't you say?"
"That's a helluva understatement. I can already see it over there."
>"Ah, so it is." She tilts her wings and banks toward the small island in the distance...
 
|- The Second Trial
|- The Great Ocean / Horseshoe Island
 
>Four hooves touch down on the sandy beach. You dismount and walk beside Celestia as the two of you make your way toward the small island's center. You keep one hand on her withers as you walk, if only to remind yourself that she's there, while you watch the waves roll in in the distance.
 
>The silence between you is only interrupted by the sound of the ocean. In time, you speak, not so much to the pony beside you, but to yourself:
"I... almost died out there."
>She sighs. "As did I. Despite all her teasing, it was Lulu who saved us when our strength gave out. She truly was incredible. I can't imagine what it was like for you to face the terror of nearly drowning alone."
"It was more scary than anything else, I think. I was lucky that I got close enough to the island for the waves to dump me on the shore..."
>You close your eyes and try to bury the memories. When you open them again you find Celestia standing in front of you with tears threatening to fall.
>"Forgive me."
"...What?"
>"Forgive me. I was the one who sent you here alone. It was foolish. I was foolish. I should've never..."
"Hey."
>You place a hand on her neck and trail your fingers through her mane as you smile and touch your forehead to hers.
"It was worth it. Don't you think?"
>"Yes. Were I given the chance to undo all of the mistakes that led to this moment, I wouldn't dream of it, and I suppose that's my own selfish nature shining through. But still, Anon..."
>You shake your head.
"There's nothing to forgive. After all, it was my dumb ass that listened to you and actually came here."
>You move in and touch your lips to hers. She closes her eyes and leans into the kiss with surprising strength. You savor it for a while, then use your thumb to wipe a few tears from her eyes as you pull back.
"I wouldn't change anything either."
>Her smile returns, and you continue on your way.
>Eventually the sand gives way to reeds and then a forest as you make your way inland. The rune which marks your exit shines on the ground before you, and the two of you pause to examine it.
"There's something I never figured out."
>"Hmm?"
 
"Why do these wayshrines dump us in random places around the world, anyway? I mean, some of 'em sort of make sense, but this one chucks you in the middle of the ocean near a tiny uninhabited island with nothing on it. Where's the sense in that?"
>Celestia ponders for a moment. "Ah, I see. I suppose to one who doesn't have a sense for magic, these places may seem random, but that's not the case. I mentioned before that each wayshrine is the wellhead of a leyline that runs throughout the world. The places the gates send us are locations found along each gate's associated line. As we travel to the exit, the Orb gathers the leyline's magic. It's not so much the act of passing through the gate, but overcoming the trial, that empowers the Orb."
>You scratch your head.
"Yeah, okay, that sort of makes sense. But still, out of all the places on this leyline, why here?"
>"I... suppose I can't say for certain, as only the progenitors would know. But my personal opinion, based on the things I was able to discern from my studies of them, was that they likely had a somewhat... annoying sense of humor."
"...Figures."
>The two of you step into the rune and through the second wayshrine's arch. You continue on your way, thankful to have both dry socks and underwear, and for the pony by your side who made it all possible.
 
~~~~~~~~~
 
>The noonday sun bares down on you from overhead, reflecting off the desert sands with an almost blinding intensity.
>Yeah, you kinda wish you had soaking wet underwear and socks right now. At least maybe it'd cool you down some.
>Your trusty steed / newfound special somepony (to use Pinkie's term) seems to be faring a little better, though it's tough to tell since she's facing forward, scanning the sands intently.
"...Can't we just go?"
>"Do you want to be eaten by the sandworms? Because I'd rather not be eaten by the sandworms."
 
"Yeah, I'll pass on that. But why can't we just fly over?"
>As if on cue, a large brown worm emerges from the swirling sands several hundred feet ahead of you and fires a disgusting glob of acidic mucus at a passing buzzard. The bird is easily struck by the projectile, falling directly into the waiting worm's tooth-lined maw as it descends below the sands once more.
>"Well, there's that."
"Right."
>"...And I need my hooves on the ground in order to sense them."
"Okay."
>"And right now their movement patterns aren't ideal, so we'll be waiting here until I determine it's safe."
"I totally agree with this course of action."
>"Good, I'm glad."
"Yep."
>You wipe the sweat from your brow. Yeah, maybe roasting here for a little longer isn't so bad considering the alternative. It took you about three days to traverse this area by yourself once you realized the worms primarily sense using the shadows on the sand as a way to determine if something is moving on the surface. Thankfully that sense is greatly diminished on overcast nights or you'd probably have never made it.
>But you don't have the luxury of waiting till nightfall now, so that means a mad dash through the desert to your destination. Hooray.
>"...That's it!"
>And just like that, she's off like a bullet...
 
|- The Third Trial
|- Desert Ruins
 
>You grab her mane to steady yourself just in time to keep from falling off. The scorching air rushing past you does little to cool you down, though it's still a welcome change from standing still for the past twenty minutes.
>You hear a roar behind you. Or more accurately a series of roars. Against your better judgment you risk a glance back and...
>Yep, sandworms. Pissed off sandworms.
 
>Celestia dodges to the right as a mucus blob crashes into the space she would've been had she not changed course. She dodges left again to avoid another volley as you consider whether or not you should keep your eyes open throughout this whole ordeal. The sandworms pursue you with that special level of fervor reserved only for hellish abominations such as these. They swarm from all sides, hot on your trail.
>Thankfully, the great series of carved stone pillars marking the road to the ruins you're heading toward appears on either side of you, blocking off several angles they can attack from. Still, one attempts to leap at you, only to smash its disgusting tooth-filled maw into one of the pillars.
>"Ha! You'll have to do better than that!" Celestia yells in response, and you catch the huge smile on her face as she gallops as fast her legs will carry her.
"You're enjoying this, aren't you?!"
>"To be... perfectly honest..." she pants, dodging to the side to avoid yet another leaping worm. "I am!"
>...Yeah, should've known. This is definitely the earth pony in her. You found out before that she loves to run, after all.
>The ruins come into view ahead of you as another worm gets a mouthful of pillar after a failed lunge. Turning away from the sight, you lean forward and yell into Celestia's ear.
"I hate to be a buzzkill, but what do we do about them once we get there?"
>"Hadn't thought that far ahead!"
>You laugh. She always knows exactly the shit to say during times like these to raise your blood pressure to dangerous levels.
>You hear another roar and find three worms still behind you. Celestia pulls to the far right of the pillar-lined road and then abruptly stops. The pursuing worms? Yeah, they're continuing to tear after you intent on having a delicious human and pony lunch.
>You let Celestia know your feelings regarding this change of events by rapidly smacking her withers.
 
"WHAT'RE YOU DOING YOU CRAZY FUCKING HORSE?!"
>"Quiet Anon, I need to concentrate in order to time this properly."
>She waits for several more seconds before rearing up and bucking the nearby pillar with such force that it rattles your teeth. The sound of the impact is like thunder and the struck pillar begins to teeter, its foundation damaged beyond repair.
>The worms are nearly right on top of you now. You resign yourself to your fate.
>They leap from the sand, maws agape and dripping with viscous nasty-looking worm saliva.
>Celestia gracefully steps aside.
>And the falling pillar crushes all three, causing their internal organs to be ejected out of their mouths and onto the sand ahead of you.
>Some kind of weird lung-like piece nearly smacks you in your face as it sails past.
>The corpses writhe for a while, then fall silent. The desert winds kick up, already attempting to claim the bodies beneath the sands.
>You're utterly speechless at what just happened, but the alicorn merrily trots away from the scene in triumph, holding her head up high. Without looking back, she proudly quips:
>"I suppose this means we arrived before the early bird. Or perhaps he slept in today."
>You groan and slump forward, resting your head on Celestia's own.
"...What am I gonna do with you?"
>She grins. "Something fun, I hope."
>You half sigh / half laugh as she carries you up the worn steps of the ruins to the shimmering rune that marks the trial's end.
 
~~~~~~~~~
 
>"Strange ape and big white pony went that way! Sniff them out! Sniff them out!"
>The two of you remain huddled together in a forgotten side passage, daring not to breathe as a pack of diamond dog grunts marches past.
 
>You risk a glance around the corner to confirm that the coast is clear after the noise of their footsteps fades into the distance. Celestia pokes her head out as well, which you quickly push back into your hiding spot when you spy another patrol crossing through the adjacent corridor.
>You turn to the alicorn in the darkness and whisper:
"(Do you not know the meaning of the word 'stealth'?)"
>"(A spider landed on my flank! There's not a single pony in this world who wouldn't be startled by that! Except for maybe Luna because she's weird and likes spiders!)"
>She puffs out her cheeks in annoyance and you quietly facepalm.
"(Fine, whatever. We just need to lay low for a while until things settle down, then we make a break for the exit. I still remember where it is.)"
>"(That's all well and good, but you shouldn't put too much trust in your memory. They could've altered the general layout of the tunnels since you were last here.)"
>You lean back against the rocky wall of the passage. She raises a good point...
 
|- The Fourth Trial
|- Terror Caves
 
>In all honesty these caves probably weren't all that terrifying before this extremely aggressive pack of diamond dogs moved in and started mining for gems. Now you can't turn a corner without risking a spear in your face. Celestia did mention something about giant spiders lurking about in the past, though you never encountered any.
>The first time you were here you managed to survive due to the fact that the dogs didn't know what the hell you were and were terrified of you. You basically ran screaming from each other until you stumbled upon the exit rune.
>This time... yeah, that's not gonna work. Especially since they're keen to abduct the 'big white pony' for free slave labor.
 
>Yeah, well, tough shit, guys. She's -your- big white pony now.
>You turn to Celestia as she peers out into the hallway again before retreating back into the shadows. Her pretty strawberry mane wildly frames her face as she moves to peer out again, eyes searching and thoughts racing.
>It's hard not to imagine her without her wings and horn here, peering around the cave wall with her friends, trying to piece together a plan.
>As you watch and listen for further patrols and prepare to make your move, more of her words from last night find their way into your thoughts...
>...
>...
>...
 
>"A twist a fate crashed into me in the form of a dark sapphire blue pegasus with the rather funny name of Gloomy Plume. At first I figured her for an agent of the Pegasus Tribe, sent to find the great magic just as I was, but it quickly became clear that wasn't the case. Gloomy was an odd sort, but she was unlike any pegasus I had ever met before. She seemed unconcerned by the conflict between the tribes. She seemed unconcerned about anything at all, really, as long it didn't involve her primary hobby of stargazing, as the spyglass imposed upon the night sky on her flank so reflected."
 
>"I learned that she was a deserter from the pegasus army who never had any interest in fighting or politics. She merely wanted to study the stars, and the powerful wings upon her back were able to carry her to places few other pegasi could reach in order to gain the appropriate vantage point to observe the night sky. This talent came to the attention of Commander Hurricane himself, and she soon found herself drafted into service and a life of misery."
 
>"She fled to Equus because she felt she wouldn't be followed to a place most ponies considered cursed or at the very least hallowed ground. Something about her plight touched my heart, and I found my prejudices slipping away as we spoke. Perhaps I was a little lonely by this point too, but I could tell she was happy to have found a friend. The difference between us, that I was an earth pony and she a pegasus, was the very reason she was able to trust in me."
 
>"I didn't share my reason for being on the island. Not yet, at least. But we spent the next several weeks together, myself searching in secret for the great magic, and she recording star charts in her journals. Our friendship grew, even to the point where she begrudgingly accepted my silly nickname for her, 'Lulu'..."
 
>...
>...
>...
>"THERE! THERE! WE'VE FOUNDS THEMS!"
>Shit, shit, shit!
>So yeah, Cel was right. Some of the old tunnels have been closed off, so you've been sneaking in the direction you -think- the exit might be.
>Or, you were sneaking until just a few seconds ago...
>With a crack, Celestia bucks the sentry unconscious. She even put a damn dent in his stupid looking helmet... you make a mental note never to startle her from behind.
>"Please tell me we're near the exit."
"Uh... probably? Let's just keep running this way."
>She rolls her eyes. "You're not inspiring much confidence in me, Anon."
"That sounds like a personal problem. I have full confidence in my ability to randomly stumble across the way out of this hellhole!"
>And just like that, you turn the corner to find a room with the exit rune shining on the floor. Score one for human intuition!
>Unfortunately said room also seems to be the diamond dog's mess hall, and apparently most of them just sat down for an early dinner.
 
>Hundreds of eyes stare at the human and pony in the doorway and all chatter ceases. There's a loud clamor as utensils are placed down and chairs slide out as the dogs stand from their tables, accompanied by a weird scratching sound that you can't quite place.
>Yeah, looks like you're fucked. One of the dogs, his pockets stuffed with gems, paces before you with the swagger of a leader.
>"Well, well, well! Looks what we haves here! A big white pony and ugly monkey! Perfects labor for the deep mineses, eh boys?!"
>Hundreds of grunts of agreement echo from behind him.
>"Um, boss..." A small dog tugs at the leader's coat. The bigger dog smacks his paw away.
>"Leader is speaking now! What do you want?!"
>The smaller dog cowers. "B-Boss, don't ya hear the scratchings?"
>Huh, come to think of it that weird sound has been getting louder...
>'Leader' perks his ears up. "Scratchings? Oh... oh no..."
>The scratching gets even louder, a nearby wall collapses, and giant fucking spiders begin streaming into the room.
>"THE SPIDERSES! THE SPIDERSES ARE BACK!"
>"GYAAAAAAA!"
>"OUR... OUR ONE WEAKNESS!"
>"WE DUG TOO DEEPSES! CURSE OUR HUBRISSSSSSS!"
>The room erupts into chaos as the giant spiders pounce on the panicked dogs, their many black soulless eyes radiating pure evil as they begin lovingly pumping neurotoxins into their prey.
>You don't think. You don't question it.
>Both you and Celestia run like the wind toward the exit rune, NOPE'ing the fuck outta there faster than you ever have in your lives.
>You stumble out of the wayshine gate at Equus and nearly kiss the ground in relief.
>Yeah, turns out the Terror Caves were aptly named after all.
>Fucking spiders...
 
~~~~~~~~~
 
>A bolt of lightning rips through the air to the side of you, seeking the earth far below. The boom of thunder fades in your ears as Celestia speaks:
>"I hope you're not going to ask me if we can simply fly over there."
>Several more bolts flash in the distance.
"Nah... not for this one."
>The two of you stand atop the peak of a gigantic floating chunk of obsidian stone suspended amidst an eternal storm. Various stones of a similar size and shape can be seen in the distance when the swirling storm clouds permit it, connected to one another by a vast network of hanging chains. You can recognize the shape of ruins built upon each one in the same style of those you encountered in the desert.
>The carved stairs before you descend from the stone's tall peak into a series of ruins, beckoning you toward them with the promise of safety from the storm...
 
|- The Fifth Trial
|- Forgotten Outpost
 
>Both of you enter the ruins just as the rain begins to fall. The various rooms here are mostly empty, their contents hastily removed by either the previous occupants or explorers who came later. Thankfully the lights still function, bathing the facility in a soft teal glow.
"Man, who even built this place, anyway? And what for?"
>"Again, this is a ruin of the progenitors; those who came before ponykind. As for its purpose, my best guess is that they wanted to study the effects of lightning or electricity. This storm has been raging for thousands of years, and lightning strikes every several seconds. I imagine they had a variety of devices, both magical and mundane, to harness and experiment with the currents."
"Huh. Makes sense, I guess."
 
>You kick a loose stone and listen to it echo across the large room as you walk. The exit point isn't even on this stone "island", it's on one far in the distance. You'll need to traverse several of these islands and small ruins in order to reach it by using a series of gondolas that run along the chains which connect the islands together.
>You try not to think about what actually causes these large stones to float in the first place. The gondola rides are scary enough... if you knew what kind of science / magic / whatever was involved you'd probably be scared shitless that it'd fail while you were up here...
>"Still," the alicorn continues, admiring the architecture, "such experiments wouldn't necessitate the need for such strong security, especially between these linked facilities. I hope you remember the solutions to the various puzzle locks we'll encounter, as my memory is a bit hazy."
>You raise an eyebrow.
"Uh... 'puzzle locks'?"
>Celestia looks confused. "Surely you must remember them. They secure the gates which prevent normal passage between the islands, each one an intricate puzzle that must be solved by gathering clues from the various murals which remain here...?"
>You scratch your head.
"Yeah, that's not ringing any bells."
>"But... but that can't be! There's no way you'd be able to advance to the next island without..."
>The two of you come to a stop in front of a half-open metal gate. The large lock panel there has been disassembled, and the hundreds of tiny, expertly crafted pieces of the mechanism are scattered across the floor nearby. Celestia looks to you, completely incredulous.
>"What did you do?!"
"Hey, I didn't know they were puzzles, I just figured I didn't have the key and wasn't likely to find it! If these 'progenitors' or whatever wanted to keep people out they shouldn't have made these things so easy to take apart with a multitool and a piece of scrap metal."
 
>You force the gate the rest of the way open, making the exit big enough for Celestia to pass through.
>"And... you did this to all the locks along the path?"
"Well, yeah. Again, how else do you think I got through here?"
>She remains silent for a moment, her expression unreadable. Slowly, her muzzle scrunches up as she tries to contain her laughter, which echoes throughout the ruins and overcomes even the sound of the driving rain outside.
>"You... you're just... humans are full of surprises, aren't they? These stupid locks drove us to hysterics when we first encountered them, especially some of the later ones which were pure trial and error! We spent months here!" She steps forward and nuzzles you, ending with a kiss on your cheek. "Perhaps I should take this as a lesson, and try to 'think outside of the box' more often myself."
>You smile, happy to see her so pleased.
"Well, sometimes the most direct solution is the best one, I guess."
>The two of you continue past the open metal gate to board the first of the gondolas that'll take you to the next series of islands.
>You shut the door as Celestia takes her seat inside, then take your own seat at the front. You pull the control lever to release the gondola and the car begins its journey through the stormy skies, lightning flashing all around and rain pelting the cabin's single window.
>There's not much for you to do in the pilot's seat since there's nothing to really 'drive', so you abandon it to sit beside your alicorn companion. She turns to you, a serene smile on her face, and rests her head on your shoulder. Surprisingly you're not afraid of the turbulent ride as you focus on her obviously tired but steady breathing. A hand finds its way into her mane, seeking out her favorite spot.
"I've been thinking about one of the things you said yesterday."
>"Oh?"
 
"And you're even more right than I realized at the time. Whatever the trial, and whatever the triumph, having a friend with you changes everything."
>"It does, doesn't it?"
>She closes her eyes and you enjoy the moment of respite together as the gondola travels along.
 
~~~~~~~~~
 
>The stars are out by the time the two of you emerge from the fifth Wayshrine Gate. Celestia flops down on the ground nearby and lets out a tired sigh.
>"I don't know about you, but I'm utterly exhausted."
>You pull the stone from your pocket and examine it. Its surface now reflects its surroundings and you can feel the radiance of the magic within it warm your palm.
"It's getting dark anyway. Let's stop for today. Five gates in fifteen hours is pretty good, right?"
>The white alicorn stands and shakes herself before trotting over to you. "It's incredible." She peers at the stone in your hand and smirks. "...And it seems you could create a lowborn now if you wanted."
"Do you think, if worse comes to worse, that this would be enough?"
>She closes her eyes and shakes her head. "No. Though she's still young, Twilight commands the power of a true alicorn. I'll need the full power of an Orb in order to stand against her."
>You re-pocket the stone pat her on the head.
"Then I guess it's back to the grind for us tomorrow, my big pony. C'mon, let's look for a place to camp."
>You start foraging for deadwood while Celestia searches for a suitable campsite. The area around the fifth gate is a dry and exposed section of the island with sparse vegetation. With no nearby trees you're forced to scavenge from the scattered shrubs you can find. It won't be enough to last the night, but it should be enough to prepare a meal. Celestia waves at you, having located a promising looking rock outcropping, and you wave back.
 
>The thought of having her warmth by your side is comforting, especially since tonight looks to be colder than the last. You're getting dangerously close to adding 'cute ex-princess horse' to your standard list of essential survival items. It's getting harder and harder to imagine leaving home without one, that's for sure.
>Soon, you have a modest fire going and the two of you are gulping down another helping of Applejack's 'So easy even Anon can make it!' stew.
>You lean back against the rock outcropping, the remaining warmth of the starving fire radiating against it, and stare up at the stars.
"What do you think the others are up to right now?"
>Celestia drains her current bowl with a satisfied sigh. "Oh, I imagine Applejack and Macintosh are having a disagreement, little Applebloom is attempting to mediate it, and Pinkie Pie is either blissfully ignorant or completely aware of what's going on and working to resolve things in her own way. Admittedly, sometimes it's tough to tell with her."
>You chuckle.
"Yeah, she's an enigma all right."
>The pony places her empty bowl aside and curls up beside you.
>"We did well today. Far better than I imagined, but our task is not yet complete. We should sleep, Anon. We'll need all the energy we can muster for tomorrow."
>You throw a few more scrub branches on the waning fire, attempting to revive it so that at least the two of you will be able to fall asleep in relative comfort.
"Yeah, I guess you're right. But I was kinda hoping for another fireside confession from you tonight. The last one was something else."
>She giggles and lightly bats you with a wing. "I'm afraid I'm all out of material to entertain you, Anon. One can only do so much over the course of thousands of years to make for good stories, so you'll have to go to bed without one. That is, unless you'd like to be the storyteller this time."
 
>You shake your head.
"I think I've told you most of my good stories already. We've been living together for a while now, after all."
>You place your own bowl aside and lay down next to her. Her wing unfolds to cover your body as you turn to face one another.
>"There's a simple solution to this problem, you know."
"Hmmm?"
>"Yes. All we need to do is make new ones..."
>Her hooves pull you to her in a light embrace as your breath mingles together, the meager fire forgotten.
 
~~~~~~
>Day 2
~~~~~~
 
>Dawn finds the two of you on the move once again. The flight to each wayshrine is becoming longer and longer as each subsequent gate is further away than the last. It's a little sobering to think that without Celestia you'd have to spend days merely hiking to each one, never mind actually overcoming the trials within.
>She lands a safe distance from the sixth shrine and you prepare to dismount, only to be stopped by a raised wing.
>"There's no need."
>Before you can ask her why, she's carried you through the shining portal. The world around you wavers and vanishes, only to be remade anew as the trial begins.
>You open your eyes to see the silver sands of a secluded beach beneath your alicorn's snow white hooves. Small, wispy white clouds are scattered across the bright blue sky, still tinged with the lingering colors of dawn. A peninsula linked to the mainland rests across the ocean waters far in the distance. But easily the most striking aspect of the scenery is the constantly shifting sandbar, visible just below the water's surface, which connects your beach with the far peninsula. The shifting currents constantly distort it, creating a silver road through the water that dances like the aurora of the northern skies...
 
|- The Sixth Trial
|- Forsaken Shoals
 
>Yeah, you remember this one. Running across that continually disappearing and shifting sandbar, trying to time your movements with the tides, and ultimately contending with the giant crabs that lurk just below the sands...
>You didn't make it on the first try, or even the seventeenth. To put it bluntly, this trial was hell for you, and you dearly hoped that you'd never have to see this god-forsaken place ever again.
>Celestia spreads her wings and begins to gallop toward the water. With a leap, she takes to the air, carrying you above the silver road and the challenges you once faced, and beyond the unpleasant memories of your time here.
>Just like that.
>You start to laugh, and soon she joins you.
"This feels like cheating, but I can't bring myself to give a shit."
>"While I understand what you mean, there is no 'cheating' in the trials. As long as one reaches the exit, any method may be used. This was another place where Lulu taunted us endlessly while still assisting us when needed. I admit I was quite jealous of her wings at the time, and believe it or not I was actually looking forward to returning here, if only to stretch my own pair in contempt of this ridiculous trial!"
>Though you can't see her face, the turned-back ears on her head betray her angry expression, which you know from experience is kinda cute in its own way. You reach a hand forward and scratch the space between them, causing the ears to perk up.
"Sounds like you and I had a similar experience."
>"...I wouldn't doubt it. But that was in the past, and now we're free to fly."
>She soars higher and you look down to the world below. The various inlets, bays, islands, and lagoons of this region are breathtakingly beautiful from the air, and you take a moment to admire the view, committing it to memory. Already, it seems you and Celestia are writing a new story together.
 
>You silently watch the scenery drift by for several minutes before you hear her songbird-like voice ring out on the wind.
>"...We don't have to return to Equus, you know. I could carry us to any one of these little islands, where we'd be alone. There would be food, and materials for a shelter... a peaceful place just for the two of us. Would you like that?"
"Yeah... it sounds nice, but how long would it be until Twilight tracked us down? Like a week at most? And then where would we be?"
>She sighs. "Yes. You're right, of course. In truth, with her magic it'd be a matter of days, possibly less. We really have no choice but to advance to the exit, to challenge the remaining trials, and to face her. That is the one and only path available to us if we want to hold any hope of resolving this."
>She adjusts her course toward the now much closer peninsula, where the rune marking the exit awaits.
>"But if that is true, and we have no choice in the matter... why do I feel freer and more unfettered during these past few days than I have in the last several millennia of my life...? It's so strange... freedom is what I desired for so long, and that desire prompted the foolish decisions that placed us here. And now, even though I know and understand that I'm truly not free, I can still feel it, from the depths of my heart; this lost, precious thing. It rings as both true and false at the same time, and I don't understand how, or why, but still the joy remains, and I don't dare try to quell it."
>You don't respond right away, instead falling into your own thoughts as you consider her words and your fingers dance along the side of her neck. You close your eyes and lose track of time, only opening them again when you feel her start her descent. And as you watch the peninsula's beach and the glowing rune there move ever closer, you suddenly have the answer.
 
"I think I know why. And I think you know why, too."
>You can feel her tense beneath you before the next beat of her wings sends you further still.
"But if you really want me to tell you, I will... after the last trial."
>She doesn't look back as she replies:
>"I can dump you into the ocean anytime I want, you realize."
"True, but I think you like me too much to do something like that."
>She turns back to you and smiles. "Yes, I do like you. But I also think you're very cute when you're soaking wet." She tilts her body in the air, throwing off your balance.
"Whoa, whoa! Hold on a second! I'm not trying to torment you here... just think of it as like an extra incentive to get through the rest of this BS!"
>She tilts her head up in thought. "Hmmm... an incentive, you say? That does sound tempting, and I have been prone to give into temptations lately..."
>You breathe a sigh of relief.
>"But what's even more tempting right now is hearing the unique series of obscenities you'll no doubt string together on your way to the water. From all our time together I must say, your creativity always surprises me. Bon voyage, my little human..."
"NO--!"
>You plea falls on deaf ears as she turns the rest of the way to drop you in the water. It's not a long fall, and she recovers you right away, but the damage is done.
>For the second day in a row you have to walk around with wet socks and underwear.
>But on the plus side, you invented a new swear that was able to put a blush on the face of a 2500+ year old horse goddess.
>And sometimes, it's the little victories that make all the difference.
 
~~~~~~~~~
 
>The quiet is striking. Aside from the crunch of long-dead leaves under your boots / hooves and the occasional unanswered bird call, only the faraway breeze rustling the top of the forest canopy produces any sound.
 
>You'd never seen overgrowth like this before, and haven't seen it since. The tall but warped trees intertwine with one another as they rise, creating a series of almost solid walls of trunks and vines. Very little sunlight can pierce the canopy above, but that's not as big an issue as it sounds, because a species of phosphorescent moss clings near the base of each tree, providing a ghostly soft-white glow to light your path. The floating mist which fails to rise above your waist softens the light from the moss even more, spreading it everywhere...
 
|- The Seventh Trial
|- Labrynthian Woods
 
>It's tough to tell how long you've been here. It's been hours, that much is certain, but without the sun an exact count is difficult. The more time that passes, the more you're afraid you've been going in circles.
>It really doesn't help that your method of getting through this place last time failed and you found the exit via sheer luck. Originally you intentionally broke shoulder-level tree branches to mark a path and hopefully avoid backtracking, but it turns out the trees here don't take kindly to that.
>Speaking of which, there's a vine wrapping around your leg now.
"Uh, Cel, a little help here?"
>Celestia steps over, places a hoof nearby and concentrates. The vine slowly releases you and slithers back toward its point of origin until it's indistinguishable within the network of plants that compose the nearby "wall" of the maze.
>The alicorn sighs. "They're not used to obeying commands from ponies... these plants certainly are obstinate."
"Well, at least they've been staying away from you so far. I don't know why they're so interested in feeling me up and I don't think I wanna find out."
>Celestia giggles. "You're just irresistible to the denizens of Equestria, it seems. Ponies, plants, and from what you told me before even the kiang and minotaurs are eager to get to know you."
 
"Yeah, I told you I don't like to talk about that."
>"My apologies. But perhaps you should stay closer to me, and maybe my unpopularity will rub off on you."
"I guess. Come to think of it, I'm the only one who's had a bath today thanks to your little stunt earlier, so maybe..."
>Her pink tail smacks you as you get close, with an angry glare as a follow-up. Totally cute, and totally worth it.
>You rest an arm across her back and drum your fingers on her withers.
"So, I hate to be the one to bring this up, but... are we lost?"
>"Only temporarily."
"What does that mean?"
>"It means I'm searching for something, but haven't found it yet. But once I do, I'll know exactly where we are and where we need to go."
"Oh. That makes me feel better. Sorta."
>With a roll of her eyes, she lets out a sigh and thrashes her tail again. "I swear, sometimes you're almost as bad as he was."
>She increases her pace and your arm slips from her back. Looks like you've managed to push one of her buttons.
>You know who she's talking about, of course. He was the third of the three 'siblings'; her older brother...
>...
>...
>...
 
>"While Gloomy's company was welcome, her presence brought me no closer to discovering the great magic. For several more weeks I found only failure while she composed her star charts with the aid of Equus Island's unusually clear night sky. It was disheartening for me, but at the very least I was happy to see that my friend was fulfilling the dream she was not permitted to chase amongst her own kind. But again, I was coming to the conclusion that there was nothing to be found, and began to mentally prepare myself for my return to the tribe, when another chance encounter changed everything."
 
>"He was an older unicorn stallion, obviously entering his twilight years, though with a certain stubbornness that indicated he was only as old as he felt. His brown, somewhat faded coat, black mane and tail with streaks of grey, and almost comically bushy eyebrows presented an odd dichotomy between a venerated elder and somepony you weren't certain you should trust. His odd cutie mark of a four leaf clover drawn upon the pages of a spellbook did little to reflect upon the nature his character. He appeared out of the blue one day as we were walking toward the caldera's southern edge, and he seemed almost as surprised to find us as we were to find him."
 
>"Gloomy didn't trust him at all, and I didn't blame her. Of the tribes, the rivalry between pegasus and unicorn was the most bitter. I was cautious too, but the lesson I learned from meeting her, that I shouldn't judge a book by its cover, lingered in my mind, and I approached him. And, just like with Gloomy, what I discovered was completely unexpected."
 
>"His name was Clover, and he was an exile. Even I had heard of him; he once held a position as an advisor to Princess Platinum herself, but was shamed and cast out due to his constant urging for peace and reconciliation. Even more amazing still, the very reason he came to Equus was the same as mine; he was searching for the great magic, for he felt it was the key to finally ending the conflict between the tribes."
 
>"I couldn't fully bring myself to trust him upon our meeting, and obviously I didn't reveal my own purpose, though I suspect he already knew. But the more I came to learn of him, the more my heart softened. His greatest joy was to make ponies laugh and smile; a quality that I've only ever seen reflected in a similar capacity by our own Element of Laughter. He and Gloomy eventually bonded when they discovered a mutual love of pranks, much to my chagrin."
 
>"I can't remember exactly when it was, though I do remember exactly what I felt. We were camping near a hill, and as the sun began to set I was suddenly struck by an odd sense of calm. In that moment, I knew in my heart that I trusted the two of them completely, and that they felt the same. We glanced at each other and I could tell they were having a similar experience. Before a single word could be spoken, a column of fire descended from the sky, consuming the nearby hill. It danced and swirled, but strangely burned nothing, and when it disappeared, a strange altar was left behind..."
 
>...
>...
>...
>"Ah, there it is!"
>Celestia prances over to an odd looking section of the forest wall and you follow her.
"What? Did you find something?"
>"Yes, this is exactly what I was searching for. Amazing... it still holds residual magic."
>You look more closely at the wall and notice that an image of a four leaf clover has been carved there. The lines of the cut still have a dull shine to them, as if empowered by a lingering energy.
>"Clover carved these to mark our way. He had to use a spell, as any other method would be quickly erased by the speed at which the plants here heal themselves. I was hoping they would remain, and I was right. If we follow the direction the stem points we'll come across the exit soon enough."
>She trots away, eager to find the next mark, and you're quick to follow, eager to not get molested by more vines.
>And sure enough, the marks hold true, and you find the return rune amid a secluded grove, deep within the forest's center.
>Together, you step into the glowing circle, feel that familiar sensation of falling, and open your eyes to see that Equus surrounds you once more.
>You pull the stone from your pocket, now constantly warm to the touch and radiating a dull silver light.
"Halfway there..."
 
~~~~~~~~~
 
>"I AM ROCKHOOF GUTSCRUSH! I HAVE STOOD UPON THE FIELD OF BATTLE SINCE BEFORE I COULD FORM WORDS! COUNTLESS TIMES HAVE I HEARD THE SWEET LAMENTATIONS OF THE COWS AND CALVES OF MY ENEMIES AS THEY WITNESSED MY HAMMER RAIN DEATH UPON THEIR VILLAGES! THE TEARS THEY SHED QUENCHED MY THIRST AND THE SPOILS OF THE CONQUERED SATED MY HUNGER! AND NOW, YOU DARE TO TELL ME THAT I MUST STOOP TO EATING MERE---*Ooomph*"
>You jam a spoon in his mouth before he can keep yelling at you. God damn, at this rate you're gonna lose your hearing before this is all over.
"Yeah, yeah. That's great. Now eat your mush. Do you like your mush?"
>The old minotaur swallows, then swipes the spoon from your hand. The scowl of unfathomable rage never leaves his face as he takes another unsteady bite.
>"IT IS ACCEPTABLE."
"Good. Hit the buzzer to let the nurse know if you need anything else."
>With a relieved sigh, you push your supply cart out of the old minotaur's room and back into the hallway, careful not to bump the white horn conspicuously sticking out between the folds of the tablecloth covering its lower shelf into anything.
>Yeah, this was the stupidest idea ever...
 
|- The Eighth Trial
|- Bloodfeast Slaughterfields Retirement Community
 
>So, from what Celestia said, this place has been around for thousands of years. Apparently minotaurs have either great respect or absolutely no respect for their elders, depending on how you look at it. Once a minotaur reaches a certain age, they move here to live out the rest of their days in relative peace. It doesn't sound so bad until you consider that minotaurs are kinda all about not-peace, so it sorta sucks for them. No wonder most of the residents here are so angry all the time.
 
>Really, it doesn't take much to set them off, and brawls are common. But if there's one thing these old assholes really fuckin' hate, it's ponies. So it's only natural that one of the Wayshrine Gates of Equus leads to a random supply closet somewhere within this fine institution!
>You roll your eyes and curse under your breath as you push the cart along. She really wasn't kidding about the 'progenitors' having a bad sense of humor.
>Then again, from the perspective of just about anyone else, this is probably goddamn hilarious. You're walking down the hall, decked out from head to toe in an orderly's outfit (including surgical mask) that's about 3 sizes too big for you, pushing a cart with delicious senior citizen mush on the top and a barely concealed Sun Horse on the bottom shelf. You've been pretending to do your job of taking lunch around to the residents as you make your way toward the exit. Yes, this idea is absolutely retarded, but you decided to go for it for two reasons:
 
> 1) Most of the old minotaurs here have Mr. Magoo-level eyesight. They probably think you're some kind of scrawny minotaur with a hair problem, and the oversized duds you stole form the supply closet do a good job of covering up any obvious differences, like the lack of goat legs.
 
> 2) Your silly horse companion couldn't sneak her way out of a wet paper bag. Seriously, she's terrible, so it's up to you to get the two of you out of here.
 
>Based on what you remember, you're a little over halfway to the exit rune. It doesn't look like anyone's on to you yet, so if your luck holds out...
>Your supply cart sneezes and you facepalm. Hoping for this to go smoothly was probably too much to ask.
>"Gesundheit, sugarplum~"
>And it just became infinitely worse.
"Oh no. No, no, no..."
 
>A wrinkly four-fingered hand grabs your ass.
>"I knew you'd come back to me, my hornless little love-cake. They never could resist the beautiful Loretta Loveglutes. Not durin' my glory days, and not now~"
>It's her...
>You barely escaped last time. Even though they're old, these minotaurs can still crush rocks with their bare hands. Yes, including the females, and especially this one. Even the most battle-hardened badass retirees who still hobble through these halls hobble even faster in the other direction at the sight of her, for a variety of equally valid reasons.
>"You know, I've had my fill of every bull here, whenever and wherever I want. All except for you, sugarplum. You were the one that got away, and I must say... I've been thinkin' 'bout you..."
>She spins you around to face her.
>"And since you're here... I know you've been thinkin' 'bout me~"
>The fact that you don't immediately throw up is a miracle. Sure, you knew what to expect, but to see it in person again would be more than most could take.
>The geriatric female minotaur wears an oversized sun hat with a matching 'seductive' red dress that's almost bursting at the seams when she flexes her still sizable pecs. She's like a giant California Raisin with horns and a massive nose ring, but that in and of itself isn't too bad.
>No, the thing that turns your stomach is the fact that the, uh, cut of the dress reveals way more crotch-cleavage than you, or anyone else in the rest of the world, would ever want to see. The shriveled sack that was once possibly an udder is practically falling out like a waterfall of flesh and teats. Without the dress there she'd be dragging the damn thing across the smooth tile floor in her wake, undoubtedly leaving a trail of---
>YOU KNOW WHAT, LET'S NOT THINK ABOUT THIS ANYMORE.
 
>"Anon, who is this?"
>Oh, and now Celestia's emerged from the cart and is staring the aging minotaur down. Great, now your cover's completely blown.
>You wriggle your way out of your stunned captor's grasp to face the alicorn.
"...What're you doing?"
>"I'm simply curious about who this is. It appears you know her."
"Yes, and I wish I didn't!"
>"Are you attracted to her?"
>Your jaw almost hits the floor.
"Are you fucking serious?!"
>"It's because she's old, isn't it? You must have a fetish for older mares. I should've known... why else would you be interested in a plain old mare like me?" She folds her ears back and sniffles.
>Loretta wretches at the sight. "Ugh! A... a pony?! Who let that vile creature in here? Are you... 'familiar' with this thing, sugarplum?!"
"Um..."
>Celestia steps between you. "Yes, I'm afraid he is! And you won't win him, because I can assure you that between the two of us I am -much- older! Why, he told me he can't even get aroused unless his partner's seen the passing of the 500-year Horsehair Comet twice or more! I'm afraid you're out of your league here, you hussy."
>The minotaur stumbles back and dry heaves a bit. "That's bestiality! It's wrong! Oh, oh my stars... I can't believe I wanted him... I..." She swoons. "A-Attendants! Come quickly! There's a pervert on the loose~!"
"What...?"
>You're completely lost as to what the fuck's going on now as a bunch of orderlies begin pouring into the hallway. Celestia brushes past you, whispering as she kneels:
>"This is the part where we make our escape."
>Her words are enough to snap you back to reality. You mount her and she begins tearing through the hallway at top speed, toppling food service carts and bowling or vaulting over hapless retirees as necessary.
>You lean down to speak in her ear as she runs.
"What in the hell was that back there?!"
 
>"It didn't seem like you'd be able to easily escape her once she grabbed you, so I felt a distraction was in order."
"And out of all the things you could've possibly done, that's what you chose?"
>"It worked, didn't it? Oh, and which way at the next intersection?"
>She pauses to buck a wheeled service cart behind her which smashes at high speed into a pair of pursuing orderlies, dousing them with warm mush.
"...I guess. And turn right, I think."
>She does so, using a beat of her wings for a quick speed boost to traverse the long hallway.
>"So you admit that it was effective."
"We blew our cover and have to run for our lives from homicidal minotaurs now. All I'm saying is that it could've been handled in a way that kept us incognito."
>"And I'll concede that point." She stops, allowing you to pull a nearby fire alarm which causes water to begin pouring from the overhead sprinkler system, further slowing your pursuers when their hooves lose traction on the now-slick tile floor. "But a wise individual recently taught me that sometimes the most direct solution is the best one. I'm merely following his advice."
>You chuckle to yourself. There's no winning with her, so you just scratch behind her ears as she runs.
"Fine. It was a good plan, and you made the right call."
>She giggles. "Indeed I did. The look on your face was even better than I imagined it would be."
>The hand scratching behind her ears flicks one instead, but it does nothing to quell her laughter as the exit rune comes into view.
 
~~~~~~~~~
 
>Stealing that surgical mask ended up being the best decision you've made in a while. Right now it's the only thing preventing you from choking to death on the smoke and ash-laden air. Celestia wears a mask of her own, fashioned from a strip torn from your orderly outfit as the two of you slowly trudge along the uneven rocky ground.
 
>This place is a vision of hell. The radiating heat of the lava pouring down the side of the distant volcano is debilitating, robbing you of your strength. Each step must be careful and measured in order to ensure that your next footfall will be on ancient igneous rock instead of 1000 degree black lava.
>The earth rumbles and a nearby vent erupts, spewing deep red magma and superheated rock behind you. It's impossible to predict where the next one will be, and honestly it feels like it's up to pure random chance whether you'll live through this or not...
 
|- The Ninth Trial
|- Road of Fire
 
>There was no special trick to this trial. No secret shortcut or clever way to lessen the danger. The gray ash clouds that waft a few feet above your head make flight a more dangerous prospect than remaining on the ground. Ash-caked feathers don't work so well to hold winged creatures aloft, after all, and the superheated air from the eruptions above could prove to be fatal.
>You can feel the soles of your boots starting to melt and quickly reposition your feet to a cooler patch of ground. You glance down at Celestia's now soot-blackened hooves and wonder if she's in any pain from the heat. She notices your gaze and gently nuzzles you in a wordless reply that everything's okay.
>You trudge on in silence. Speaking is an unnecessary risk when the air is so harmful, so the two of you keep quiet and use body language to convey any instructions or warnings to one another.
 
>If there's one positive thing in all of this, it's that the exit is only several miles from where you arrived. You will yourself to place one foot in front of the other with the knowledge that each step brings you closer to the end. But despite the amount of concentration it takes to keep yourself moving in the heat, your mind still finds time to wander, flittering between disconnected memories and daydreams; anything to take you away from your current circumstances.
>You think back to your arrival in Equestria, and all the things you had to adjust to. The first day was quite a shock, but you adapted quickly because your first defense mechanism was to convince yourself that you'd fallen into a coma somehow, either on the trail or due to a previously unknown medical condition. Believing that this colorful world was merely a very vivid dream made accepting things as they came easy.
>Yet there's a certain point you normally reach when the fact that you're dreaming becomes obvious. You kept waiting and waiting for such a time to come, or for there to be even a hint of it, but it never appeared, and that's when you started to become afraid.
>You weren't mistreated. The ponies were all welcoming. Your eventual audience with Celestia was a little cold and intimidating, but she deemed you no threat.
>You then asked her if there was a way for you to return home, and she replied that it wasn't possible. And just like that, your greatest fear was realized, and you didn't know what to do.
>It was a blow you didn't think you'd ever recover from, but two ponies wouldn't let you fall into despair. Not if they had anything to say about it, at least.
>The first was Pinkie Pie, your friend from day one. She convinced the Cakes to hire you and kept you busy with either working together, playing games or assisting in her antics.
 
>The second was Twilight Sparkle, the little unicorn who was endlessly fascinated by you. She wanted to know everything, EVERYTHING, about your world, your species, your culture, your habits.
>And yes, her enthusiasm was very cute. You spent a lot of time talking with her at the end of each day, and she filled journal after journal with notes as the candles burned down to their wicks inside the cozy Treebrary...
>You stumble for a bit and Celestia catches you with her shoulder. She flashes a worried glance but you hold a hand up to indicate that you're fine.
>You turn your gaze over to the river of lava flowing down the far side of the mountain as you resume your march. Being transported to a land of magical horses is one thing, but who'd have thought you'd ever end up in a place like this? Where did it all go wrong?
>It was so gradual you barely even noticed, but Twilight's obsession grew. And you spurned her, over and over again, first unintentionally, and then with the intention of gently guiding her interests elsewhere.
>You didn't want to break her heart. Looking back, you were a coward about the whole thing. Maybe if you'd been up front about it from the start, this all could've been avoided, and you could've lived your entire life without having to literally stroll along the river Styx.
>But then again, maybe not. Especially given the lengths she's gone to bring you back. It might just be in her nature, and it could've been some poor colt on the receiving end of all of this instead of you.
>Yet, despite all that's happened, some good has come of it. No, not just 'some' good... a LOT of good.
>You met a girl. Well, a mare. You lived together. You had to deal with all her annoying mannerisms and habits. You pulled huge multicolored balls of hair from the shower drain more than once, and any sweets left around the house would quickly vanish, among other things...
 
>But along with all that stuff came a gentle warmth that filled your life and drowned out the emptiness left behind from being torn from your world and your home. Like the sun rising on the last day of winter, she melted it all away and uncovered the real you again, and in doing so, she revealed her own self to you.
>And in that way she captured your heart...
>Your gaze has unconsciously shifted from the burning river to the exhausted alicorn. She notices and you see the crease of a smile form underneath the piece of cloth she's using as a mask.
>And then there's a loud whistle from the ground beside you; the sound of a new vent opening. The initial blast of air is followed by a small spray of molten rock, and in that instant you know you're going to die.
>A large white wing wraps in front of your body to shield you from the lava, and you hear Celestia's cry of pain as it sears her. The two of you stumble to the side to escape the vent, even as the white feathers burn away.
>When you're certain you're both in a safe place, you examine her wing. The secondaries are all but gone, and most of the primaries are either missing or burned beyond use. The flesh of the appendage is badly burned in places and needs treatment as fast as you can muster.
>You see the tears in her eyes for a moment before she stands again and ushers the both of you forward. A thousand thoughts are flashing through your mind that you want to voice, but you know you can't without inhaling too much of the fouled air.
>You reach out to pet her neck, she turns to you, and everything is answered by the expression in her eyes:
>'Some things are much more precious.'
 
~~~~~~~~~
 
>She leaps from the top of a ridge, and you feel weightless for a mere moment before her hooves make contact with the snow once more, sending a large plume of white spray into the air. You clutch her mane tighter as she gallops faster than you've ever seen, as if she could outrun the frigid wind itself.
"Geez, Cel, take it easy! You're gonna work your bandages loose at this rate!"
>She snorts as she turns to avoid the remains of a shattered progenitor pillar rising from the snow.
>"I'm not that fragile. And it's just a wing. I grew up without them, just as I grew up without unicorn magic, and I needed neither to overcome something as trivial as this!"
>You lean back a bit as she drives on through the frozen fields and take a moment to admire your surroundings. Intricately carved pillars reach toward the heavens all around you; some easily 15 feet in diameter and 10 stories high or more. They resemble larger versions of the pillars found near the desert ruins, though they're carved from what you assume is a much sturdier type of local stone. The stars are already visible above in the slightly cloudy midnight blue sky as the setting sun paints the snow-covered horizon various shades of yellow and orange...
 
|- The Tenth Trial
|- Progenitor Graveyard
 
>This place is the polar opposite, in nearly every way, of the last trial. Instead of there being a scant few miles of terrain to traverse to reach the exit, this vast, somewhat uneven snowfield easily stretches for over a hundred. Instead of the ever-present danger of erupting lava and toxic air that would kill you relatively quickly, the greatest threat here is the creeping cold which drains the strength of the unwary traveler until they fall into a sleep from which they'll never awaken.
 
>In short, it's a different kind of test of endurance. While the Road of Fire required everything you had at once, this place requires everything you have in a strictly measured amount; too little and you'll never advance, too much and you'll never see the exit.
>You learned all this the hard way. Your hobbies of mountain climbing and backpacking back on Earth helped prepare you for this somewhat, but to actually make it the entire way through here on your own put every survival skill you had to the test. For you, this was by far one of the hardest trials you faced.
>But don't bother telling Cel any of that. She's moving so fast you rub your eyes to make sure you're not riding a goddamn motorcycle instead of a horse. At this rate you'll traverse all 100 miles in 3 hours or less!
>Though you can't see her face, her determination is all too evident from the positioning of her ears and head that you're able to catch a glimpse of as the strands of her mane not currently in your hands whip about in the air. Now, more than ever, you can see an image in your mind of the proud Earth Pony, Celosia, as she galloped onward through these same fields with her friends in an age long forgotten by most...
>...
>...
>...
 
>"The appearance of the mysterious 'Altar on the Hill' changed everything. We quickly discovered that standing near it at dusk would grant each of us a special stone of incredible latent magical power attuned specifically to us. This was, without a shadow of a doubt, the great magic both myself and Clover were searching for. But no matter what we tried, we couldn't determine how to harness it in any useful way. It was frustrating, but I knew it was only a matter of time until we discovered the secret. It was right in front of us, so tantalizingly close, but I felt in my heart that together we would prevail."
 
>"To have the existence of the great magic confirmed caused me to have a crisis of conscience. My mission and duty was to return this power to the Earth Pony Tribe so it could be used to overcome and subjugate the pegasi and unicorns. But in my months getting to know my new friends, I came to learn that not all ponies of the other tribes were bad. Far from it, as from what they told me, others of their kind were growing tired of the constant state of war between us, and the same was true of some of my old earth pony friends. As I held the strange, but precious stone in my hooves, I came to realize that I could never do such a thing, and that I would have to betray the wishes of my people in order to stay true to my heart."
 
>"Tearfully, I confessed my purpose to the others. Gloomy was shocked; Clover, not so much, but neither spurned me. We spoke long into the night, and eventually made a vow with one another: that we would unlock this power, and then use it to unite the tribes in friendship and harmony. Though such a thing would've been unthinkable to me mere months before, I knew it would be possible now, because the three of us were living proof. Through the vow we made, we became siblings, and as an only foal I was delighted to have suddenly found an older brother and younger sister."
 
>"Our next great discovery was learning that, if we held one of the special stones and approached the Wayshrine Gates, they would become active portals to other, faraway places throughout the world, some of which nopony had ever seen or dreamed existed. Further still, when one eventually returned from these places via a special exit spell created by the shrines, the stone they held would be empowered by incredible magical energy, though the energy still couldn't be harnessed. As a result, we came to the conclusion that we would have to pass through all thirteen gates with a stone in order to unlock its potential."
 
>"It took us two and a half years, Anon. We had to learn everything ourselves. We lost many of the stones to trial and error, and had to start from scratch over and over again. We completed some of the earlier gates more times than I can count, but we persevered, and eventually each one of us held a true, completed Orb of Ascension. But still, much to our endless frustration, the magic remained sealed within the Orbs, forever out of our grasp. We didn't understand; they were filled to capacity with the world's magic, so there could be no more gates. What were we missing? What more was there to do?"
 
>"Like so many other times, the answer came by chance. Gloomy willingly passed her Orb to Clover for him to examine, and in that moment the great magic we sought for so long was unsealed..."
 
>...
>...
>...
>The field drops off as a vast frigid ocean comes into view on the horizon, marking the trial's end. You take the time to examine the bandages on Celestia's injured wing again, as you've done the entire time, to make sure they're holding. You don't care how much she bitches about it at this point; you'll be changing them again and reapplying some burn ointment after you return to Equus.
>You can see the rune shining on a nearby cliff overlooking the ocean now. Celestia slows her pace as she nears it, then stops and collapses in the snow, throwing you from her back.
"Cel!"
>You quickly recover and scramble over to her. Her chest heaves and her deep, gasping breaths flow through the cold air and drift away on the wind. You brush her mane away to get a look at her eyes and assess her condition.
"Cel, are you alright? Can you see me? How many fingers am I holding up?"
>She takes a few more gulps of air and shakes her head a bit before laying it back down in the snow.
>"I'm... I'm fine... I just need a moment, please..."
 
>She doesn't look fine. Not by a longshot. This amazing pony just ran for over a hundred miles at top speed, never stopping once, all while carrying you and your gear upon her back. You run your fingers through her mane as you uncork your canteen and help her drink what's left inside.
"We could've stopped to rest, you know. We had the time."
>The exhausted alicorn shakes her head. "No. I couldn't stop, Anon. Because if I did, I knew I wouldn't be able to get started again."
>She attempts to stand, but quickly falls back to the snowy ground. She flashes you a sheepish smile.
>"I'm... I'm afraid I'll need you to help me the rest of the way, my little human. I hope it's not too much trouble."
>With your assistance, she's able to stand, and you slowly guide her toward the nearby exit.
"It's not. But I'm used to you causing trouble, so even if it was it'd be no big deal."
>That gets a slight giggle out of her. "You're so gracious to put up with me. Is it too late to ask for a humanback ride?"
"Yeah, way too late. If you were as small as Applebloom, maybe, but I kind of like my spine to be not-collapsed, if you know what I mean."
>"Oh. So you're saying I'm fat, then."
>You sigh and ruffle her mane a bit as she leans against you.
"I'm saying you're my big pony. And it's one of the many, many, many reasons I love you."
>She closes her eyes and places her head on your shoulder.
>"You're such a charmer. That was a good save... I suppose I'll need to lay a better trap for you next time."
>You chuckle and switch your mane-ruffling into a noogie as you step onto the rune together and return to the much warmer open fields of Equus.
 
~~~~~~~~~
 
>Despite her protests, you didn't allow Celestia to lift a single hoof as you made camp and prepared dinner. Her absolute exhaustion was more than obvious, whether she was willing to admit it or not. Thankfully, this also meant she was too tired to misbehave, so she calmly remained within the safety of the shelter you built, her magenta eyes following you as you went about your work.
>You even fed her her dinner yourself, one spoonful at a time, which she initially strongly resisted. That attitude quickly changed after the first few bites and she savored the treatment, even playing with you a few times by refusing to let go of the spoon.
>After dinner, you removed her bandages and retreated and redressed her wounded wing. She was surprisingly more cooperative this time, so you were actually able to do a proper job.
>Once that task was done, you went foraging for more fuel for the fire in addition to some leafy plants to provide extra bedding (and possibly a midnight snack) for her.
>You return to camp to find the pony resting with her eyes closed. She opens them again when she hears your approaching footsteps. You kneel down and gently push her shoulder, and she understands the gesture and rolls over on her good side so you can lay the additional bedding down underneath her.
>"You know, if you keep this up I'll become spoiled."
"More spoiled than me, you mean? Because if I remember right, you've been carrying me on your back for most of these trials."
>You place a few more branches on the fire and sit down beside her. Soon enough, a pair of white lips find your cheek for a chaste kiss.
>"That doesn't count, because I enjoy doing it."
"Then none of this counts either, because I enjoy doing it too."
>She leans against you and you gently guide her head to your lap, where she lets out a contented sigh as you begin to scratch her favorite places.
 
>"...I was a little silly back there, wasn't I?"
"Yeah, a little. But you were damn determined, that was for sure. It was amazing."
>"Yes, well, when I realized I couldn't fly anymore, I thought about how much time we'd lose as result, and I wanted to push myself to make up for it. But any time we gained would've been easily lost and more had my strength given out and I collapsed far away from the trial's exit. I promise I won't be so reckless again."
"It's okay, Cel. I would've carried you the rest of the way. I don't know how, but I would've figured it out."
>"I know. But I don't want to have to ask that of you. What you're doing now is more than enough."
>You gently place her head on the bedding as you stand to tend the fire again.
"You should sleep."
>"Yes, I should. The adrenaline is wearing off, and the food in my stomach will coax me to sleep soon, I'm sure..."
>You turn back to her, and her tired eyes plead with you in that way she knows always works.
>"But you've become a bit of a security blanket for me, and I'm afraid if you're not by my side I'll have nightmares."
"Right, right, I get the message..."
>You remove your gear and lay next to her, and like always two hooves soon find themselves around you. Celestia lets out a contented sigh as you both settle in and close your eyes.
>You both begin to drift off, but just as you're almost asleep, you hear her mumble:
>"Three gates remain. They'll be difficult, but I'm confident we'll succeed."
"Yeah... me too."
>"The true challenge will be what comes after, I fear..."
>You don't answer, her warmth and steady breathing having already lulled you to sleep.
 
~~~~~~
>Day 3
~~~~~~
 
>Again, you've packed up camp and are off at dawn. You can't fly to the next gates now, so the travel time between each one will be longer than usual. Still, you restrict Celestia's pace to a comfortable one to give her more time to recover between trials, and since you also insist on walking yourself.
>Unfortunately, this guarantees that she'll be pouting and huffy the entire way, but oh well. Sometimes you have to make sacrifices, right?
>You reach the next gate just as the sun peeks above the volcano's rim in the distance. You move to enter, but she stays back, nervously pacing a bit.
>"There's... there's something I feel I should mention."
"What? Is it the fact that they're all changelings? Because I already know they're all changelings. You know, from the last time I was here."
>Her eyes dart around a bit. "Changelings? Oh. Yes, of course. That was a bit silly of me. Of course you'd know. I suppose I'm worrying over nothing."
>She lays down and turns to you.
>"Well, go ahead. Hop on and let's try to get through this as quickly as possible. We don't have any spare time to dawdle here."
>Mindful of her wing, you mount Celestia and she stands and carries you through the gate.
>A great, verdant valley appears before your eyes. Grassy inclines turn to steep, rocky mountains on each side. A calm river weaves its way along the single, well-worn road, providing plenty of pure water to drink. The sun is warm, but not overly hot. In essence, it's perfectly relaxing. Well, aside from the fact that this is...
 
|- The Eleventh Trial
|- Estrus Valley
 
>Yeah, good old changelings. They sure love their... well, their love, and they'll go to any lengths to get it.
>One old hive in particular had the bright idea of settling in a valley that happens to be a major thoroughfare between two pony cities. To avoid it, one would have to make a pretty inconvenient detour around the mountains.
 
>From what you found out later, courtesy of a little reading, they were highly successful at first. Even though the area was well known as a changeling hive, travelers couldn't really avoid it, merchant caravans especially. Some even enjoyed their routine trips through, much to their wives' displeasure.
>But with the advent of modern air travel, the need to cross the valley on hoof for both personal and commercial traffic was greatly reduced. Not many ponies come through anymore, except for those specifically looking for what's on offer, or those completely unaware of what they're getting into. Long story short, the changelings here are usually starving, so when you showed up the first time they were on you like flies on shit.
>"Welcome to the Valley of Dreams~!"
>...And so it begins. You're surrounded by ponies who've appeared from seemingly nowhere. They're all different shapes, sizes, colors and types. Well, not really. You see the familiar face of Bon Bon in the crowd, along with several other Bon Bons, and repeats of other ponies too. Looks like the changelings don't have a big catalog of disguises to choose from, or maybe they're just lazy.
>"Hey, you're that weird looking thing from before!"
>"And wow, you're a big pony! You like sweets, I bet! Want some candy?"
>"You're cute!"
>"Would you like to come somewhere with us? There's lots of things to see and do here..."
>"You two look tired. I run a comfy inn a little ways down the road..."
>"I love your mane!"
>"I love your weird little eyes! So cute!"
>"Oh! Oh! Please, play with us..."
>"Whip your cock out! I wanna see it!"
>Another pony grabs that one and scoots her away. "Ehehehe. Sorry about that. She's new. We really do want to see your cock though, if you wouldn't mind."
>You open your mouth to say something, but before you can get a word out your new special somepony speaks for you.
 
>"He would mind! He's in a committed relationship! We both are! With each other! Deeply committed! So he's not interested! Now please be courteous and leave us alone; we're only passing through! Good day!"
>With a snort, she quickly trots away, leaving the throng of disguised changelings behind.
"Are you okay? You're kinda... I dunno, on edge or something."
>"I'm fine. (But those bucking whorses over there won't be if they keep bothering you...) Anon, do you love me?"
"Uh... yeah. I thought we established that by now."
>"Good, just checking. So, on a related note, when would you like to consummate our relationship? Because I'd really like to do that soon."
>Yeah, she's definitely acting weird.
"Well... me too, but I hadn't really thought about it. I mean, we just confessed to each other a couple of days ago and we've been busy with this other stuff since then. You know, the deadly trials, the batshit crazy purple alicorn who wants to kidnap me, plus her retarded friends and the military who're after us... stuff like that. It didn't seem like the appropriate time."
>"Oh. So you'll find time to face the Trials of Equus, and run from being forcibly wed to a demonstrably crazy pony, but you won't find the time to rut me? Am I that ugly to you?"
"What? What the hell's gotten into you?!"
>"Nothing! That's the problem!"
>Okay, what the fuck is going on here? What the hell is she... wait...
"What was it that you didn't tell me before we went through the gate?"
>"What does it matter? You never listen to me anyway!"
"For fuck's sake, it's like you're..."
>This isn't good. Not if it's what you think it is, anyway. You reach forward and turn her head toward you. Her normally white cheeks are now a rosy shade of red, and it looks like she's been sweating even though she's only maintaining a canter.
 
"Cel..."
>"Anon..."
"I need you to answer me."
>"Yes?"
"Does 'Estrus Valley' actually send ponies into estrus?"
>She leans forward and kisses you, but it's surprisingly restrained, so you go along with it. Several beads of sweat roll down her forehead as she pulls away.
>"Of course it does. It's the result of an aphrodisiac pollen released from the unique flowers which bloom across the valley. The changelings settled here because they knew it would be difficult for travelers to resist their advances..."
>She folds her ears back and looks away.
>"I'm sorry, Anon. I lost myself for a little while there and my behavior was inexcusable. Normally my estrus is easy to control, but I had forgotten how powerful the aphrodisiac really is. I was wrong to not mention it to you."
>You affectionately stroke her muzzle.
"It's alright. But are you going to be okay?"
>"Yes, I can manage it long enough for us to escape. Come, I think we should leave, especially now that they're pursuing us."
>She turns her head forward and begins galloping away at top speed.
"Wait, they're what?"
>You risk a glance back to find the changeling herd galloping after you with lust in their eyes.
>"Don't let him get away!"
>"Wait, big pony!"
>"Come baaaaack!!"
>"I just want a little bit of love! Just a little!"
>"We need you!"
>"Imma get that dick!"
>But despite their best efforts, they have no hope of outrunning a pony of Celestia's gait, speed and stamina, and she quickly leaves them in the dust.
>Even still, she doesn't slow down as the sweat rolls down her face and her body fights the heat. You wish you could do something to help her other than offer your encouragement as she tears through the valley, but words are about all you can give her without making her condition worse.
>In time, you see the exit rune approaching. As soon as you point it out, you hear her call back to you.
 
>"Anon?"
"Yeah, Cel?"
>"I really do want you to... r-rut me soon. But not like this... not when I'm clouded by this h-haze. I want... I want for us to share it... to share each other, willingly, and completely... to love each other w-without restraint... Would you... like that...?"
>You smile. God, she's so adorable right now you don't know what to do, so you do the best thing you can think of.
>Carefully, while maintaining your balance, you slide down her back a bit until you're lying on top of her. Your arms wrap around her neck in a hug and you place a kiss atop her mane, right between her ears, then whisper:
"It sounds great. When this is all over, I promise that's one of the first things we'll do."
>You think you hear a squee from her, though it may just be the sound and sensation of warping as she steps upon the exit as the words leave your mouth. But either way, you can feel her happiness through your shared contact, and it warms your heart as well.
 
~~~~~~~~~
 
>You stare into the gleaming crystal wall beside you and countless distorted reflections of yourself stare back. A pleasant memory crops up of a time when you helped with a grueling catering job at a carnival for work. Pinkie noticed you were feeling down and convinced you to go to the funhouse with her during a break. Watching her make funny faces in the mirrors there raised your spirits and you were able to take on the rest of the day at your best.
>She'd probably have something funny to say about this place, too. But honestly, you hope she never has to come here. Nobody should ever have to come here.
>Celestia notices where your attention is focused and giggles.
>"You know, if there were two of you, maybe all of this could've been avoided."
 
"That sounds like something Twilight would say. And then she'd try to clone me, but it'd end up being some kind of mutant abomination that'd run around destroying Ponyville while she freaked out trying to fix it, only to make things worse."
>"...And then she'd turn to her friends for help, and using one or more of their unique talents, they'd band together to overcome the problem and I'd receive a letter that evening detailing what she learned about friendship from the experience, with a postscript from Spike requesting a raise and/or reassignment depending on how she'd been treating him lately."
>You sigh.
"Those were the days."
>"Good times. Good times. But this isn't too much worse, is it?"
"I dunno, you tell me."
>The two of you step out of the crystal corridor and into the upper portion of a massive cavern. Countless thin and unsteady looking crystal bridges crisscross through the void on the way down to the bottom, and glowing crystals embedded into the walls and walkways give off plenty of light for you to see despite the fact that the cavern seems to be completely isolated from the surface.
>Yet, the light the crystals provide seems to be waning. They flicker on and off sometimes in response to the pulses of the vast, spherical swell of swirling dark energy that floats near the cavern's bottom, almost as if it were trying to absorb the light. Screaming, wraith-like pony spirits fly through the air in erratic patterns, circling the strange energy as if they both revere and abhor it...
 
|- The Twelfth Trial
|- The Dark Star
 
>A spirit nearly flies into you and you jump back into the safety of the corridor, clutching your chest in terror.
"I never got a chance to ask anyone, but what the fuck -are- these things? Are they ghosts or something? And what's with that crazy glowing thing they seem to like so much?!"
 
>Celestia's expression turns somber as she trots to your side. "Not everything the progenitors created had a benevolent purpose. We came to call it the Dark Star. From what we understand, it was created as a great magical weapon, but even the progenitors themselves feared its power, so they sealed it here, in this cavern far below the earth. I suspect they either couldn't destroy it themselves, or they wanted to keep it as a reminder of their past mistakes. Regardless, it resonates with a type of dark magic that neither Luna nor myself were able to control. It's my sincere hope that it remains entombed here until the end of time."
>She begins trotting back across the bridge and you follow her into the cavern proper. The exit to this trial is far below, in front of the great Dark Star itself, and the only way to get there is to follow the linear path, crossing the many bridges on your way down while somehow avoiding the ghosts.
>Speaking of which, you duck as one of them nearly collides with your shoulder, but the motion throws you off balance and nearly off the side of the bridge. Celestia's good wing stretches out to catch you in the nick of time, pulling you back to safety.
"Thanks for the save."
>"Always. And yes, as for these spirits... we're not sure of their exact nature. It's possible that they're the end result of ponies who delved too deep into the dark arts, or perhaps they originate from the Star itself. I doubt we'll ever know, as even approaching the artifact for study is walking a dangerous line."
>You breathe a sigh of relief as the two of your cross into the next embedded corridor; the staircase there leading you to the next lowest bridge.
"I'm guessing you know that from experience?"
 
>"Not directly, no. There was a powerful unicorn sorcerer who long ago managed to separate a fragment from the Star and use it for his own ends, but it eventually consumed him. Luna and I retrieved the fragment and sealed it within Canterlot's Forbidden Archives, since we had no way of returning it here, as you'd imagine."
>You begin crossing the second bridge while keeping a close eye on the nearby ghosts. Though they're not fast, the very thin and dangerous bridges leave you little room to move to avoid them, and because of their fondness for the Star, their numbers increase the further you progress. You hold up an arm to stop Celestia from walking into one as her concentration was elsewhere.
>"It appears we're now even."
"Yeah, well I'm not too anxious for either one of us to get touched by one of these things. It hurts like a bitch."
>"That it does."
>The entrance of the next embedded corridor comes into view and you repeat the process from before, descending the stairs within and cautiously making your way across the next bridge. You briefly wonder whether this would be any different if Celestia could fly, but quickly banish that thought almost as soon as it crops up. If she were touched by one of the ghosts while in the air you'd both be on a one-way trip to the bottom and a gruesome end.
>Your first time through here, you were at least smart enough to realize that the damn things were probably bad news and best avoided, but one of them managed to pass through your leg from behind. The pain is really, really tough to describe. The point of contact feels like it becomes instantly frostbitten, the skin blackens and a sharp stabbing sensation radiates from the injury. It was so severe you could barely walk afterwards, and it persisted for days before healing, even after you successfully escaped the cavern. For a while there, you weren't sure if it would heal at all and you spent a few sleepless nights fearing for your life...
 
>It goes without saying that Cel's felt it too. You can tell from her expression and the way she eyes them as they float around.
>Given your shared past experience, the two of you exercise extreme caution as you carefully make your way forward. Together, you attempt to cover for each other's blind spots and time and time again manage to avoid a close call. As you begin your crossing of the second-to-last bridge, you start to hold out hope that things are almost at an end.
>The Dark Star is nearly right in front of you now. Its constant, steady pulsing and barely perceptible hum have drilled themselves into your subconscious after the hours you've spent here. So when the rhythm of the pulse suddenly changes, you take notice, as does Celestia.
>"What...? What's happening?"
"I was about to ask the same thing!"
>The light from the crystals above starts to flicker and fade. Fuck... if those lights go out, the two of you will have no chance of safely making it across the remaining bridges...
"We need to move! Now!"
>She doesn't hesitate, and the two of you run as fast as you safely can the rest of the way. You slide into the next embedded corridor to avoid a low-flying ghost and quickly make your way down the stairs to the final bridge.
>The light of the cavern is quickly fading, and the ghosts are beginning to react to the Dark Star's strange activity. They move much faster in chaotic, unpredictable patterns. The exit rune shines before you on the bridge's other side, so tantalizingly close but still out of reach.
>Any light, aside from the exit's, will be gone in mere moments...
>"We have to go, Anon."
>Celestia's voice is oddly calm. You turn to find her stare locked on the Dark Star, almost as if she were trying to see beyond it.
"There's no way we'll get through there safely! Not when they're going crazy like this!"
 
>"There's a chance. It's small, but it's there. But if we remain here, I can guarantee this will be our last day. The Star is growing. I don't know why, or to what end, but it will soon consume the bridge and with it our only way out."
>She's right. You know she's right, so you steel yourself for what's to come.
>With a final nod, the two of you begin your run. The ghosts are barely visible in the darkness now, and you power forward. At about the halfway mark, you feel the sting as one passes through your left shoulder. The incredible pain nearly takes your breath away, but you suppress it and keep moving, and by some miracle manage to make it to the platform where the exit lies.
>But just as you cross the platform's threshold, you hear a cry of pain beside you, and Celestia stumbles. You react on instinct, pulling her toward you and guiding her into the light of the exit rune. The cavern falls into darkness before it fades away and you find yourselves on the other side of the wayshrine on Equus.
>You take stock of your situation. A quick glance under your shirt reveals that your struck shoulder is starting to blacken and it hurts so much that moving your left arm is very difficult. You push past the pain and move to Celestia who lays panting on the ground nearby. One of her forehooves is starting to turn black near the cannon, and you can see tears of pain forming in her eyes.
>Still, despite it all, she smiles at you.
>"It appears we made it..."
"Yeah... just barely."
>"I'll... need a hand to stand, if you have one to offer."
>You bend down and give her your right hand, and she places her good hoof in your palm. With a heave, you pull her up and she takes a few unsteady steps, her breath hitching each time too much weight is placed on her injured leg.
"How is it? Can you walk?"
>"Yes... I think so. But anything more than walking is out of the question."
 
>You chuckle.
"Well... like you always say, let's look at the bright side. Only one trial left and we're done."
>She giggles in response. "When you put it that way, I suppose it doesn't sound so bad. We should... we should get started on our way to the next gate. At a walking pace, we should reach it by sundown."
"No rest for the weary, huh?"
>She shakes her head. "No. Not at a price I'm willing to pay, at least."
"You can say that again..."
>The two of you begin your slow trek to the final gate together. You think back to your last trip to Equus and shake your head. A hike to the last gate while suffering from agonizing pain. Deja vu, huh?
>But this time, you notice that having someone to talk to on the way helps take your mind off of it. At least a bit.
>It's a small consolation, but it's enough.
 
~~~~~~~~~
 
>As always, she's right. The two of you reach the final gate just as the stars show themselves in the fading blue sky.
>During your walk here, the two of you talked about many different things. Yourselves, your pasts, your future together... and even a little about Twilight.
>But now there are no more words left to share. You know what needs to be done, and how to go about it. All that's left is the doing.
>So it's without a single word between you that you step through the gate together without fear.
>You emerge in a pine forest. A cool evening breeze rustles the branches of the surrounding trees and already the nocturnal insects and animals are beginning their songs. You look to the sky through the branches overhead and breathe out a relieved sigh. It's cloudless, with no storms lingering as far as you can see. You'll desperately need the light of the moon and stars to guide your path, so hopefully Luna's in a creative mood tonight.
 
>You begin your march through the forest, eventually reaching the crest of a hill where you can see over the trees below. Beyond lies your destination, your final trial...
 
|- The Thirteenth Trial
|- The Nameless Mountain
 
>A mountain lingers in the distance. Though it's the tallest mountain in its range, it's nowhere near the tallest in the world, and it's not really even a particularly difficult climb. It only requires endurance, as a winding path, though broken in places, leads all the way to the summit.
>There aren't any great dangers to contend with, either. Not that you know of, anyway. No feral creatures, tricky natural obstacles, ruins or structures, or even vengeful ghosts. And now, on your second trip here, you think you understand why.
>If the 'progenitors' designed these trials with the purpose of testing those who sought their power in mind, then the purpose of this final leg of the journey was probably to reflect upon all the others, and upon the burden of the power the bearer would soon come to hold. You can feel the weight of the stone in your pocket, and you remove it for one last look before the end. It radiates incredible energy now; even someone with no magical experience like you can feel it. Yet, you can also sense that it's not yet finished... not perfect. But it will be, soon, as long as your legs still carry you.
>The two of you continue on, down the hill and into the forest at the mountain's base. Soon you're ascending, gradually, with bright, pure moonlight shining down to show the way.
>The path is too narrow for you to walk side by side with Celestia, so you take the lead to watch out for anything that could give her difficulty with her injured leg. When you run into a tall rock or incline, you stop and help her up. Though you can tell she's in a lot of pain, she utters not a word of complaint.
 
>You climb, and climb, and climb even higher. The series of switchbacks in the trail finally takes you above the treeline. It's much, much colder at this altitude, and with no trees to protect you from the harsh winds, the cold only bites deeper. Even as you shiver underneath the warmth of your windproof jacket, Celestia carries on, seemingly unaffected by it all.
>The two of you reach a sheltered overlook about halfway up the mountain and stop to rest. You pull out your canteen and offer her some water and she doesn't respond until you wave it in front of her face. She mumbles a distant apology before drinking, and you suddenly understand what's going on here.
>She doesn't feel the cold. She doesn't feel pain. She can't, because she has no room for those things here. She's climbing this mountain, but she's not really here. Or at least, not now.
>No, those magenta eyes see 2,500 years into the past. This is a place of reflection, where past triumphs and failures resurface, and where one either leaves their burdens behind or carries them all the way to the summit and beyond...
>...
>...
>...
 
>"And that was the key. It was so simple. The Orb was bound to the one who forged it, but the power it contained was sealed from them. But, if it was freely given to another, the magic was freed as well. It was the beginning of Friendship Magic as we now understand it, and as you'd expect, we were elated."
 
>"We all passed our Orbs to one another. Clover to me, me to Gloomy, Gloomy to Clover. And each one shone with their final, perfect light. It was entrancing. But there was still the great question of what would happen when the magic was unleashed. Not one of us knew. Nothing we found through our time spent in the many ruins of the trials, or near the wayshrines or the altar itself, shed any light on what the effect of the Orb on a pony might be. There was only one way to know... to try it ourselves."
 
>"Clover volunteered to go first. His reasoning was that, being by far the oldest and a true outcast from his tribe, he'd be missed the least should something go wrong. We knew he was mostly joking, of course, as that was his nature. He trotted a safe distance away from us and even mockingly waved goodbye, and of course we waved back."
 
>"Had I known that this was the last time we'd ever see him... that this really was our goodbye... I..."
 
>"He... he consumed the stone, and we watched the transformation begin. And then... the latent magic of Equus Island... that powerful magic which all creatures in the world hold in awe... tore him apart. Our brother, Clover, was gone, right before our very eyes."
 
>"If that was the end of it, maybe it would've been easier to bear. But the magic was not yet finished. Clover had half-ascended. His body was destroyed, but his spirit lingered on, empowered by the Orb's magic. It writhed in agony, a half-formed yet undying entity, and in its throes drew to itself many of the other lingering spirits from the surrounding area. What resulted was a chimera... an amalgamation of all that was there. It appeared before us, hovering in the air with that carefree, mocking demeanor that he takes so much pride in..."
 
>"At first, we were overjoyed that our brother had survived. But we quickly realized that this creature, who called himself 'Draconequus', was not him. Though certain aspects of his personality would sometimes surface, this was not Clover. Our brother had died there, and in his place was a monster."
 
>"Make no mistake. We got what we wanted. The war between the tribes ended that day, and in its place the Reign of Discord began. Perhaps some piece of Clover's will still wished for harmony and was partly driving the monster's actions... but I suppose we'll never know. Regardless, under his torment the tribes could no longer muster the will to fight one another. Instead, they merely sought to survive."
 
>"Gloomy and I... we knew we had to fix it. We eventually learned that the island itself was the cause of what happened, so we fled to Latigo and completed our ascension. But we were like newborns compared to him. Being born from an earth pony and pegasus, we had no understanding of how to manipulate the unicorn magic we now possessed. We had to learn, but he was always one step ahead. We fought, and lost, time and time again, until our research led us to the Elements and finally, after 500 years, we prevailed."
 
>"The battle against Discord left pony civilization in ruins, but there was still hope for recovery. Once Luna and I set the necessary events in motion, we retreated to tend to our wounds and determine what to do next. But, to our horror, we found that mere years after peace was restored, the old prejudices between the tribes began to resurface, and we came to the grim realization that there would never be peace without a benevolent ruling force to oversee it. And we, as immortals who reflected the aspects of all three tribes, were the tragic but foregone choice for the position.
 
>"We appeared before them again as princesses... and our first decree was that we would start again in a new land, with the secret hope that one day our guidance would no longer be needed..."
 
>...
>...
>...
>The constant pain in your shoulder is nearly forgotten now that the ache in your legs from the uphill hike is starting to really show. Maintaining this constant pace was a bad idea, and now you're in the same state as Celestia was in the snowfield... if you stop moving now, you won't start again for a good while.
>But amazingly enough, with one last surge of strength, you take a few more steps and find yourself on the summit. You turn to help your alicorn the rest of the way and the two of you collapse in the soft mountain snow, breathless, in pain, but euphoric at your triumph.
 
>Celestia leans against you, panting, and you run your hand through her mane.
>"I think... I think I understand the nature of my mistake. The Trials of Equus... they're not meant as a test to prove one worthy. They're meant to prepare one for their ascension. The perspective granted from the hardships, and the bonds of friendship formed between two or more who could overcome them... these things can't be taught from another's words, or learned from a book. They have to be personally experienced, and that's why I was such fool to give Twilight the Orb. She, who never set a hoof here, and never learned of the true depth of the bonds she holds with her friends... she lacks the perspective needed to truly guide the power she holds. Hence all this foolishness."
>Her eyes meet yours, her breath visible in the cold air around you.
>"And the key lesson from the way the Orbs are unsealed... the most important from all of this, and the one I learned at the cost of almost everything, is that this burden cannot be borne alone. And yet that's what she's doing. She will never have the relationship with Luna that I have. She will never have the relationship with -you- that I have. She will lose her friends to Eternity, and she will be alone, just as she is now. Mistakes cannot be undone, but they can be corrected, and they can be prevented. And I will -NOT- allow this tragedy to unfold before my eyes. Not again. Never again."
>She nuzzles your chest with her nose. "Thank you for giving me this opportunity, Anon. It means more to me than I'll ever be able to express."
>You look to one another and smile. Celestia makes a move toward the exit rune nearby, but you hold up a hand to stop her.
"No, wait."
>"Anon?"
"I owe you an answer, like I promised. And there's something I wanted to show you."
 
>You motion for her to sit beside you with your backs to the mountain face. The two of you stare out across the vast landscape below, the winding rivers and shifting treetops still glimmering in the waning moonlight.
"You asked me before why you felt so free, and I told you I'd have an answer for you here. Well, here it is."
>You remain silent after that, and when she turns her head to question you, you direct it back out toward the horizon. Slowly, the light of dawn begins to creep in, and soon you bear witness to a spectacular sunrise from a place few will ever reach.
>"It's been so long since I actually watched the sunrise... it's beautiful. I... think I understand you even more now, Anon. Is this why you climbed all those mountains back on Earth?"
"It was part of it, yeah. But like I said before, the euphoria from reaching the top, and from overcoming your own limitations... it's a little addictive. It's what you're feeling right now, and it's what you were feeling when you spoke to me about freedom."
>She turns her head. "What do you mean?"
"No matter where I was, I always knew in the back of my mind that I'd have to go back to work the next week, and that I still had responsibilities to tend to, and that that reality would never change. We're all bound by something, in one way or another. A debt, a duty, an addiction..."
>You pull your pretty pony closer and run your fingers through her mane.
"But when I was on a mountain, or standing on the summit, I was -there-. I wasn't in the office on Monday. I wasn't thinking of how I'd pay my bills. I wasn't thinking back on all the stupid shit I've done in the past, or about all the missed opportunities or what could've been. I was only -there-. I was forced to live in the present."
 
>Two fingers dance between her ears, tracing their outline.
"It's a nice side effect of being presented with overwhelming beauty. When it captures you, you can't focus on anything else. And funny enough, it's a side effect of being in love, too. When you see her, it's impossible to be elsewhere in your thoughts. And that's why, when it ends, it hurts so much."
>Her ears perk up. "I think I understand. So this feeling of freedom that's slowly been building within me is because..."
"Yep. It's 'cause I'm so damn cute."
>She begins to laugh, and soon you're laughing with her, together, with the world and the burdens you bear so far away in that moment.
>"I suppose I can't argue with that..."
>With a turn of her head, your lips meet, and you share a kiss in the sunlight of a new day.
 
~~~~~~
>Day 4
~~~~~~
 
>The Orb shines and hums with energy as you step back upon the soil of Equus Island. What was missing is now there, and you can feel that it's finished.
>Celestia stretches and sighs. "Our task is done. It took a bit longer than expected... but at last, we have what we came for. Now all that remains is to return to the ship and leave the island. I certainly hope the others were able to complete their task as well."
"I'm sure they did fine, and I bet they're worried about where we are right now."
>"Yes, we shouldn't keep them waiting. We're only seven miles or so from the cypress forest, and from there two miles to the hidden lake. Shall we go?"
"Yeah... let's go."
>And with that, the two of you start back. You're both probably a pitiful sight right now. Walking is about all you can do with the pain in your shoulder and the utter exhaustion from the last day slowing you down, and the alicorn by your side can't run, fly or do magic. Even so, you feel like you've just won... well, everything. You survived the Trials of Equus not once, but twice! And you're one of only two who can ever make that claim.
 
>It's a great accomplishment, to be sure, but something even better came from this. You found your special somepony, just like Pinkie always wanted. She probably has the party already planned and a cake in the oven, just waiting for your return.
>But your happy thoughts are interrupted by a series of blood-curdling howls from the trees ahead. You and Celestia both freeze in your tracks as two huge, lumbering hounds stalk in front of you, blood seeping from their fang-filled mouths. And standing between them with a sheepish expression is...
>"Um... I'm afraid this is the end of the road for you, mister."
"Fluttershy..."
>Yep... it's fucking Fluttershy. You knew she'd show up sooner or later, but now?! This is the worst possible timing...
>You try to put on a brave face. She's always been kind of skittish, so maybe you can intimidate her into running away.
"We don't have time for your games, Fluttershy. Go walk your dogs somewhere else."
>You attempt to take a threatening step forward, but Celestia's good wing unfurls to stop you.
>"Don't. Those are murderhounds. They're extremely dangerous and will attack in response to any perceived act of aggression. I don't know how she's tamed them, but we need to be cautious here..."
>Fluttershy rubs one of the hounds' chin with her hoof. "Awwwww, that's not true. I know their species has a bad reputation, but it's not like they murder things -all- the time. It's more like maybe 90% of the time or so. Isn't that right, Patches?" The hound makes a dumb expression as its tongue flops out and blood pours to the ground from its mouth.
>"These three in particular are VERY friendly. Any animal can learn to be nice if you show them a little kindness."
 
>Three? Wait a minute, you only see two here. You glance back to make sure one's not sneaking up on you, but there's nothing there. Fluttershy seems to sense something's wrong too, and she begins to look around.
>"Wait... where's Baxter? Oh no..." She turns a disapproving stare toward the two hounds present. "Patches, Mr. Woof Woof... did you murder him?"
>They whimper and turn away while the butter yellow pegasus hovers in front of them with her hooves on her hips.
>"I'm very disappointed in the two of you. Momma's busy right now, but you'll be getting a punishment later. We do NOT murder our friends. Do you understand me?"
>With another whimper, the hounds back off a bit and lay down, though their eyes never leave you and Celestia.
>Fluttershy turns back and lands with a sigh. "They're usually good boys, but a responsible pet owner knows how and when to properly correct bad behavior. It's not fun, but it's necessary for them to live a happy, healthy life."
>The meek pegasus looks you in the eyes and suddenly you feel a cold pang of fear in your heart.
>"You've been a bad boy too, Anon. You keep running away from poor Twilight, even though she only wants what's best for you. I know you're scared... getting married is a big step after all, but it'll be okay, because I'm here to take you home. Momma's gonna make it all better~"
>She begins drifting forward, her gaze still piercing you, and you take a step back toward Cel.
>...You take a step back.
>You take a step back!
>What the...? Your body's not moving! You can't even bring yourself to look away from her!
>"I'm afraid you won't be taking him anywhere."
 
>Celestia moves to block Fluttershy's path, but the hounds rise to counter her. Or at least they try to, but the strong, thin vines that've grown around their paws where they were lying on the forest floor prevent them from moving. They yelp and begin gnawing to try to free themselves, but their binds hold firm. Celestia turns her cold gaze to Fluttershy, who meeps and backs off when she realizes her pets aren't able to help.
>Whatever it is that was holding you in place fades, and you find you can move your body again. You and Celestia stare the yellow pegasus down as she scuffs a hoof on the ground, her ears folded back and a forced smile on her face.
>"Oh. Um... I... uh... maybe... maybe we should start over? I'm sorry, I'm not really good at this..."
"You can say that again."
>"I'm not really good at this."
>Did she just...?
"You... didn't actually have to say it again."
>"Oh, I didn't? I'm sorry..."
>You facepalm. She is, without a doubt, the worst goddamn villain ever.
"Just go home, Fluttershy..."
>"Okay. Oh, wait! I almost forgot... I have a letter for you." She reaches under her wing and mouths over a sealed envelope bearing a royal crest, which you take with some hesitation.
>"W-Well... I guess that's it. I'll be going now. Have a nice day..."
>She flutters off, leaving the two of you and the trapped hounds behind.
>You turn to Celestia, who merely shrugs back at you, and examine the letter in your hand.
"Yeah... there's no way I'm gonna open this. It's probably some dumb poetry from Twilight or something."
>The alicorn trots beside you to regard the letter as well.
>"No, wait... that's Luna's royal seal. It's impossible to forge... this could be important."
"But why would Fluttershy be delivering it?"
 
>"I can't say... but if Luna went to the trouble of getting this in your hands, it must be something that can't be conveyed via a dream, and something critical enough that she deemed we'd need now. I think you should open it, Anon."
"If you say so."
>You break the seal on the envelope and pull out the letter inside.
"...I can't even read this."
>The page is nothing but strange arcane symbols. Celestia peers over your shoulder, then rears back in shock.
>"You must release it! Release the letter now!"
>You do so, and the paper begins to drift on the wind as the symbols scrawled across the page shine with magical fire. The page is nothing but ashes before it hits the ground.
"What?! What was that?"
>"A spell scroll, and the spell it held was cast! We can't stop it now..."
"A spell? What kind of spell?!"
>"I only had a glimpse, but it appears to teleportation magic." Her ears fold back, a look of despair on her face. "Anon..."
"No..."
>You can feel something begin to overtake you.
>The world begins to shimmer, and your vision distorts.
>But even still, you reach for your pocket. No matter what happens, you have to give the Orb to her...!
>There's a deafening crack as the magic activates. Your head spins and you fall to your knees, clutching your head as the wave of nausea passes.
>"Hello again, my love. I see you got my letter."
>You rise to your feet and open your eyes to find yourself in a decadent conference room. A huge oaken desk sits in the middle, emblazoned with the Equestrian Royal Crest in its center. Two ponies... two alicorns rest on their haunches nearby, their mystical manes and tails bathed in the glow of the room's warm artificial light.
"Twilight... Luna...?"
 
>The midnight blue alicorn turns to her peer. "If our assistance is no longer required, we shall take our leave. While we've been whiling away our time out here there have been many events which require our personal attention."
>"Oh, of course," the purple alicorn replies. "Thanks again for your help. I really do appreciate it..." She giggles. "...Sister."
>Luna sighs. "...Indeed. Farewell." And with that, the Princess of the Night vanishes in a flash of magic.
>"Welcome to the Concordia, Anon. The two of you posed a good challenge, but it's finally over, and now you're back where you belong... with me!" She rears up and clops her hooves together. "Statistically, my victory was nearly guaranteed, but it still feels good to win! I have to admit, princess duties are really, really boring, so this has been the most fun I've had in a while..."
>You tune her out and focus on the weight in your right hand. Carefully, so she won't notice, you shift your thumb aside ever so slightly to reveal the Orb of Ascension in your palm. Fuck! You weren't able to pass it to Celestia before you were taken...!
>"Oh? What's that you have there, Anon?"
>Your blood freezes.
"Nothing, 'dear'..."
>A giggle. "Oh, don't be like that. You do a cute thing with your lips when you tell a lie, so I always know. Why don't you have a seat?"
>Her horn shines and a chair rolls up behind you. You feel a pressure on your chest and you fall back into it, and despite your struggling, find you can't stand again. Against your will, your hand lifts up and your fist opens to reveal the Orb to Twilight.
>"Ah... you actually managed to complete the Orb! That's amazing, Anon, you conquered the trials twice! That's so... so... HOT!" She blushes and flashes you the patented Sparkle Bedroom Eyes. "If this isn't more conclusive evidence that you deserve to be my Prince, then nothing is!"
 
>She levitates the Orb away from you, but as soon as it leaves your hand it transforms into a dull, lifeless stone, indistinguishable from any ordinary rock.
>"Wow... so the information in the books was accurate. I can still feel the magic, but it's dormant... almost like it's completely cut off from our dimension."
>You grit your teeth.
"That doesn't belong to you, so I'd appreciate it if you'd return it."
>The purple alicorn sighs. "Sorry, Anon, but I'm afraid I can't. This introduces a variable that I haven't accounted for, so..."
>She drops the stone from her telekinetic grip and it falls to the floor.
>And with one, swift application of her earth pony strength, she brings down her hoof and smashes it into dust.
>Everything that you worked for.
>Everything for her...
>Gone, in an instant.
>You feel something inside yourself... something indescribable, and you turn your gaze to the purple pony princess...
>"There, all better! And now the margin of error is only +/- 0.0001%! Well within acceptable parameters!"
"I'll kill you..."
>She giggles again. "Oh, Anon, don't be silly. I know you're upset but--"
"I'LL KILL YOU!!"
>You pour all the swirling, chaotic emotions within you into your force of will, and you -DEMAND- that your body stand.
>And, sure enough, it starts to happen. Twilight flares her wings before jumping back in absolute shock.
>"W-What?! But how?!"
>You're free. You can feel it now.
 
>How many steps did you take on this journey? Countless, and all for nothing.
>How many steps will it take to carry you to the point where you can wrap your hands around Twilight's neck? Only four...
>You lunge, and she panics, her horn igniting with magic.
>"SLEEP!"
>And everything goes black...
>...
>...
>...
>...
>...
>You open your eyes momentarily to find yourself surrounded by darkness.
>You lift a hand to rub your eyes, only to see a purple arcane band wrapped around your wrist, shining faintly in the dark.
>And with that, your strength fails again, and sleep takes you once more.
 
Next Time on Exchange: Wedding Preparations