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  "writing": "[center]The Queen’s Curse\nPart Three – The Journey Through Night\nby Ixy[/center]\n\nFluttershy gently preened Elizabeak's wing with her teeth.  “Hold still now. Your feathers are really in a state,” she said very softly.  She was tempted to turn and watch what was going on behind her but resisted the temptation.  She hid her face behind her flowing pink mane.  \n\nTwilight levitated another carcass out of the henhouse.  Its featherless wing flapped pitifully.  She turned it the wrong way and what was left of its guts poured out onto the muddy ground.  “Eew, ick,” she said as she scooped them up and dumped the whole mess onto the pile of similar chicken parts beneath a shattered spruce tree.  \n\nSomething caught the unicorn's eye.  The upper half of a chicken was mucking through the mud with the stumps of its wings and dragging its giblets behind.  Its head was still there, a pale wattle falling across its blue fogged eyes.  It was quickly engulfed by Twilight's purple glow and in a moment its head twisted off.  The now-headless half chicken floated onto the pile along with the others.  \n\n“It's very fortunate your cottage survived, Fluttershy,” Twilight said, “that hill over there must have blocked the heat and blast wave. It still took the tops off the taller trees.”  The unicorn plopped a glob of chicken parts onto the pile and dropped spruce branches on top.  As strange as her actions were the events of the last day made burning a pile of headless undead chickens seem relatively normal.  A pink streak passed over the treetops, drawing her attention.  It dodged scraps of storm cloud that were still dumping rain onto the forest of smoking logs and mud.  \n\n“Pinkie!” Twilight shouted, magically enhancing her voice, “How is the search going?”  \n\nPinkie's wings frizzed in flight and she plunged precipitously toward the cottage among the  blasted trees.  Pinkie flared her wings and landed in the muddy chicken yard.  “Nothing yet, Twilight,” she said, “I'm beginning to get worried.”  \n\n“I'm [i]already[/i] worried, Pinkie,” Twilight said, “I don't know how Equestria could manage without the princess.”  \n\n“Don't worry [i]too[/i] much, Twilight,” Pinkie responded, “She's got to be out there. We'll find her by sundown. I'm sure of it.”  \n\nTwilight shook her head sadly.  “I certainly hope so Pinkie,” she said.  Her horn glowed and the pile of mangled chicken parts burst into white-hot flame.  \n\n[center]• • •[/center]\n\nRainbow Dash streaked among the churning clouds only occasionally getting a good look at the ground below.  Smoke and falling rain obscured the monochrome landscape.  She followed the slope down and down and down toward what she hoped was the center of the crater.  Suddenly the reflection of the sky appeared below her.  Muddy water was pooling in the great pit where a mountain had stood that very morning. Swirling mud and floating charred logs churned into a great turbid sea of destruction.  Rainbow skimmed low across the water, flying through drenching rain but not feeling any hailstones battering her wings.  \n\nChunks of shattered rock jutted up from the water, causing her to dodge and weave in flight.  Steam rose from huge boulders that were still hot from the blast.  Rainbow tried to ride thermals rising from them but discovered the updrafts carried a horrible stench like burning feathers that made her gag.  She relentlessly searched among the shattered rock and mud.  Approaching the center there was more rock and less turbid water.  The granite core of the mountain was exposed to the stormy sky.  Rainbow fluttered to a stop atop its central pinnacle.  The stone felt uncomfortably warm under her hooves.  \n\nShafts of sunlight shined down on the reddish stone.  Rainbow lifted off again and slowly circled the peak.  There was no sign of the undead she'd seen milling around on the mountain earlier in the day.  Everything in sight was a scene of unimaginable devastation.  It was strange to see so much rock and mud without one growing thing.  The heat had seared everything living along with the undead.  \n\nYet Rainbow thought she saw something bright among the shattered rock.  She turned and soared past the same spot.  Something was definitely lying twisted below.  There was a splotch of pinkish-white among the bare red rock and mud.  The pegasus circled down slowly, not sure of what she was headed for.  As she grew closer she saw the filthy gray feathers of a great wing tip sticking up awkwardly from a pile of debris.  A muddy mass of pink tail hairs emerged from beneath a blasted log.  Rainbow tore at charred branches and clumps of mud and ash with her hooves until she uncovered a great white flank with the mark of the sun on it.  \n\n“Oh princess!” she cried, her eyes full of tears, “Please, please, please be alive!”  \n\n[center]• • •[/center]\n\nCelestia lay on the bed as the nurse sponged her coat.  Each sponge full of water poured more mud and ashes into the wash basin.  Little by little the princess' ash-streaked coat returned to its normal pearlescent hue.  Her mane and tail lay in a sorry mess, barely recognizable as pink.  The colors of dawn could no longer be seen in it.  The long pink hairs lay limp like any other pony's on a bad mane day.  Her tail was filled with charred twigs and lumps of caked mud.  \n\nFluid from an IV bag slowly dripped, filling a tube connected to the princess' foreleg.  A melted and twisted mass of metal and cracked gems that was once a crown sat crookedly on her bedside table.  \n\nTwilight levitated a comb, lovingly teasing the debris from her mentor's mane.  Tears filled her eyes as she removed bits of burnt leaves and charred bugs from the tangled pink mass.  \n\nPrincess Luna walked into the hospital room levitating a small wooden box.  Twilight noticed the box was stamped 'Mane Brushes – Princess Size; 24 Count'.  All the gathered ponies bowed.  She sat her burden on the bedside table and turned to the nurse.  \n\n“Princess,” the nurse said, “Celestia's condition is not good. Her blood pressure is dangerously low and her heart rate is slowing. The doctors can't say how much longer she'll last.”  \n\nThe princess nodded and turned to Twilight.  “I have tried all I know, Twilight,” she said, “If my sister is to be saved it is in your hooves and those of your friends.”  \n\nTwilight was startled.  “Princess?” she asked, quite confused.  \n\n“You still have much to learn, Twilight Sparkle,” she said and put her hoof on the box she'd brought.  “I checked the luggage in my sister's carriage to see if she'd brought anything useful. I know her well. She always prepares for the unexpected.”  \n\n“What do you see here, Twilight?” the princess asked.  \n\nTwilight bowed involuntarily.  “A… box?” she asked.  \n\n“Do not use your eyes alone,” Luna said gently, “Use your magical perception.”  \n\nTwilight nodded madly.  Her horn glowed faintly and so did her eyes.  She looked intently at the box and gasped.  It cast a radiance that filled the whole room.  Within that glow she could see orbs of six different colors.  “The Elements!” she squealed.  \n\nLuna lifted her hoof and the lid burst open.  A tiara floated out, lifted by a violet glow.  \n\nTwilight turned to Rainbow Dash, suddenly excited.  “Rainbow! Get Fluttershy right now!”  Without a word Rainbow crashed through the window and was gone in a rainbow colored streak.  The sheets on the bed fluttered and the IV stand wobbled but did not fall.  Twilight turned to Pinkie Pie.  “Pinkie! Get Applejack!”  \n\n“That's easy,” Pinkie said, shaking the remains of her mane, “I saw her and Applebloom outside the hospital when I flew in.”  She daintily trotted to the smashed window and hopped out.  The pink pegasus disappeared out of sight.  \n\nA necklace with a blue diamond shaped gem in it levitated out of the box.  “What a horrid container for glorious finery. The last time it was stashed in a musty old book and now this,” Rarity said, “But if the princess doesn't want that other box anymore I'd be willing to take it.”  \n\n“Rarity! Seriously!” Twilight said, suddenly exasperated.  \n\n[center]• • •[/center]\n\nAll six ponies crowded around Celestia's bed, each wearing a different piece of magical jewelry.  Luna stood with her backside backed into the attached bathroom to make more room in the suite.  Despite the crowded conditions Applebloom crouched at the princess' bedside weeping and stroking Celestia's hoof.  The light of the setting sun shone in through the broken window and cast the princess' pearlescent coat in deep shadows.  \n\n“Ready girls,” Twilight shouted, “For the princess!”  \n\nTwilight's horn shined like a star in the crowded space.  All six ponies began to glow and float off the floor.  A blob of frizzy pink energy appeared atop Pinkie Pie's head, materializing into a fluffy new mane.  The pegasus grinned and squealed happily.  Threads of magic swirled around the princess lying abed and filled the room with light.  \n\nBed sheets fluttered aside as the princess levitated off the bed.  Her IV line detached and the pole with a bag on it fell aside.  Adhesive contacts separated from her chest and the wires scattered on the floor.  Celestia floated upward, her wings spreading out to fill the room.  An aura of golden light shined around her entire body.  Applebloom fell onto her back on the floor, gazing up at the beauty of the princess as she floated near the ceiling.  \n\nCelestia's mane floated free in the air, threads of light running all through it.  Her whole body became luminous as she floated, a serene expression on her muzzle.  The princess slowly settled back onto the bed.  Her eyelids fluttered and slowly opened.  She made a strange moaning sound.  \n\n“Twilight,” Celestia gasped, “What have you done?”  \n\n“Princess!” Twilight cried.  She ran to Celestia's side.  Tears filled her eyes as she stroked the princess' mane, which was once again a mass of limp pink hairs.  “Thank goodness you're okay!” she cried, “We used the Elements to revive you. It's all we could think of.”  \n\n“Twilight. Twilight,” she said, “You shouldn't have done this.”  Her voice was dull and raspy.  She looked lovingly at the purple unicorn.  “Sometimes the sun must set, Twilght,” she said almost in a whisper, “I've done what I must and I'm afraid it's time for me to go. The Elements can only restore harmony. They can't change things that must be.  When the sun rises it must set again.”  \n\nTwilight burst into tears.  “You can't go Princess!” she said, tears running into Celestia's pink mane, “You just can't.”  \n\nThe princess turned her head to the side and looked around at the gathered ponies.  “Equestria will be fine without me. Luna can manage,” she said quietly.  \n\n“Sister,” Luna said, rushing to Celestia's bedside, “Equestria will not be the same without you.”  \n\n“No,” Celestia said, once again in a whisper, “but it will be without me.”  A tear appeared on the princess' cheek.  \n\nA tiny filly crowded in.  “You can't die princess!” she screamed.  Applebloom grabbed Celestia's mane and buried her muzzle in it.  Tears poured from her eyes.  “It's all my fault!” she shrieked.  \n\n“Applebloom,” Celestia whispered in her ear, “I forgive you.”  She touched the filly's head gently with her hoof.  \n\nThe quality of the sunset light through the window seemed to change.  Celestia's whole body began to glow with the dull orange of the last trace of the sinking sun.  Sparkles like sparks from a fire rose from her form and she started to become transparent.  The light grew as the great mare's body dissolved in the last light of sunset.  Applebloom was left grasping at the air where the princess had been.  \n\nLuna stood in the crowded hospital room in the gathering darkness.  Her mane and tail, which had been thin and dark as the deepest void grew to nearly engulf the room.  The depths of her mane now blazed with the light of a million distant suns.  Spiral galaxies spun and comets soared through her flowing mane.  Its darkness seemed to contain the very depths of the universe.  A dark aura lit around her crown as it grew taller where it sat on her head.  Her entire body seemed to grow along with it.  \n\nTwilight Sparkle nudged Rarity, who was standing next to her, and bowed to the princess.  Rarity, and then the others bowed in turn.  Applebloom, who had been quietly sobbing on the bed struggled to her hooves so she could bow as well.  \n\n“My subjects,” she began, “We have witnessed the greatest act of heroism in the land in a thousand years. We must honor my sister and all she has done for Equestria.”  She bowed her great head and luminous tears ran from her muzzle.  “We have witnessed the setting of her sun,” she stated.  \n\nAll the ponies stood in silence for a long time.  \n\nLuna spoke at last, “As my sister said, the sun rises and so it must set. But the sun shall also rise again. The land would be a dark place without her light.”  Glowing tears ran down her cheeks.  After a long pause she continued, “I once deprived Equestria of her light and I shall not allow such a thing to happen again.”  \n\nThe other ponies looked up at her, not sure what she was saying.  \n\n“All hope is not lost,” Luna stated with even more authority in her royal voice, “You ponies have been her loyal subjects. Will you pledge yourselves to face even death himself to return her light to Equestria?”  \n\n“Yes!” Pinkie squealed.  She bounced forward, the balloon-shaped gem bouncing on her chest.  \n\n“I will!”  Rainbow said with great confidence.  She stepped forward and spread her wings.  \n\nThe others were less sure.  Twilight spoke up.  “Princess,” she said very obsequiously, “I'm not sure I understand what you're asking.”  \n\n“Twilight Sparkle,” the princess said, her voice like the sound of thunder, “I once imprisoned Celestia in the depths of Tartarus. She was only freed through your actions. There she lies once again but not for long if I succeed.”  She turned to Applebloom.  “You, child,” she said, “She has been cast into the depths due to your recklessness. Will you come with us and try to free her?”  \n\nApplebloom looked terrified.  She cowered at the far side of the bed.  “Y-yeess,” she said, her voice barely audible.  \n\n“The rest of you,” Luna asked, “Will you come on this dangerous quest?”  \n\nTwilight nodded.  Rarity bowed deeply.  Applejack grabbed her sister and said, “She ain't going into to no underworld without her big sister.”  \n\nRainbow Dash nudged Fluttershy.  “Yes,” the golden mare squeaked.  \n\n“What has transpired in this room shall not be known beyond it unless we fail in our quest,” Luna said more quietly, “All shall swear the most dire oath that this shall be.”  \n\nPinkie Pie stepped forward and bowed to the princess.  Luna nodded and a faint smile came to her muzzle.  \n\nPinkie held up her hoof.  “Cross my heart and hope to cry, stick a cupcake in my eye,” she said, miming the actions.  The others, even Applebloom, followed her.  It was the most solemn Pinkie Swear ever performed.  \n\n“Now all of you go. Eat well and prepare for our quest into darkness,” Luna said, “Join me in the clearing Southwest of Ponyville just after moonrise. Bring the Elements of Harmony. You will need nothing else.”  \n\nThe gathered ponies filed out of the room in a slow procession.  Luna stepped beyond the door and addressed Celestia's guards who stood outside.  “The princess is not to be disturbed for any reason until morning, if the sun does rise, or until I return” she said.  The guards saluted.  \n\nThe princess strode off down the hallway, her mane and tail filling its width with the swirling darkness of deep space.  \n\n“Applejack,” Twilight said, “you and Applebloom should come to the library to wash up, I think. You too, Fluttershy.”  \n\nApplejack nodded.  The filly beside her seemed to drag her hooves with every step.  \n\n“That's very gracious of you, Twilight,” Fluttershy said, “I don't think I want to fly back to my cottage right now anyway.”  \n\nTwilight nodded.  “We should all get ourselves ready and get something to eat,” she said.  \n\nRarity nodded and trotted off.  \n\nPinkie started bouncing for the first time since she'd returned to the hospital.  “I'll go home and feed Gummy and bring a cartload of gruesome goodies we can all chow down on before the trip,” she said.  The pink mare bounced straight out the front doors of the hospital.  \n\n“Fluttershy,” Rainbow Dash asked, “I think I'll stick with you and hang out at the library for a while, okay?”  She nuzzled the yellow mare's flank.  \n\nFluttershy nodded shyly.  \n\n“Oh, Fluttershy,” Twilight said suddenly, “I've thought of something. I think we'll need a potion for our journey too. It's too bad I don't have Zecora's help to prepare it.”  \n\nThey all stood quietly in the corridor for a long moment.  \n\n“I think we should visit her,” Applejack said.  \n\nTwilight put her head down.  “I've pretty much forgotten about her in all the excitement,” she said, “We have some time right now. We definitely should.”  \n\nThe other ponies nodded.  Twilight led them up a wide corridor to the isolation suite in another wing of the hospital.  \n\nOn the other side of the glass Zecora lay immobile on a bed.  Twilight examined a chart hanging on the wall.  Scribbled notes lay all over the desk Spike had sat at the previous evening.  The unicorn looked closely at the chart.    \n\nA doctor sitting at the desk looked up and nodded toward Twilight.  “She's still unconscious but her fever is slowly going down,” he said.  \n\n“Doctor,” Twilight asked, “This medication she's receiving? Is that what I think it is?”  \n\n“Which?” he asked, “Oh, that potion. The princess ordered it. It seems there have been strange things happening near the patient.”  He raised a hoof and indicated a patched hole in the far wall of the suite.  “There was some unexplained magic. It doesn't make much sense being she's a zebra but it seems to be her.”  \n\nTwilight looked long and hard at Zecora's prone form.  “When I was a filly I dreaded taking sleeper potion,” she said, “It's so bitter and I felt disconnected from my own magic. It's like losing a limb.”  \n\n“What is this stuff y'all are talking about?” Applejack asked.  \n\n“It's a potion that turns off a unicorn's magic,” Twilight responded, “After I got my cutie mark I used to have uncontrolled magic outbursts sometimes, like little Pumpkin Cake does only a lot stronger. I took the potion for a while until I got it under control. It was horrible. I'm not sure how Zecora could have uncontrolled magic. She isn't a unicorn, an abada, or even a pony.”  \n\n“Royal blood,” the doctor said unexpectedly, “She received plasma transfusions from the Princess. That's never been done before so the effects could be unpredictable. We're hoping the effect is temporary. It's a unique case so there's no telling.”  \n\n[center]• • •[/center]\n\nThe ponies milled around in the clearing in the darkness.  Occasional moaning or screaming sounds could be heard from the great aperture in the ground.  Every resident of Ponyville knew it was near town and nearly all avoided the grim gateway.  It looked like an angry scar torn open in the ground.  Stalactites hung above its entrance like sharp predatory teeth.  \n\nOf all the ponies in the area only Fluttershy frequented the place.  She didn't tell anypony about her visits but still came, delivering occasional treats to Cerberus.  The mare made sure to always bring three equal things so his heads wouldn't fight.  She had kept quiet about it for fear everypony would think she was crazy.  The only friend she'd confided her secret in was Twilight, who had a way of understanding weird things.  Feeding and playing with the guardian of the gates of the underworld would seem kind of weird to most ponies.  The purple unicorn could be a great confidante.  \n\n“I think we have the Cerberus situation covered,” Twilight said.  She flicked her quill and checked off a box on the lengthy checklist floating before her.  She giggled, watching Fluttershy rub the massive creature's belly with her hoof.  \n\n“You're such a good boy, yes you are,” the yellow mare said as the creature rolled on his back.  \n\nRainbow Dash held three huge bone-shaped doggy treats in an oversized napkin.  “Are you sure these are big enough?” she asked.  \n\n“They're just little treaty-weeties for the puppy wuppy,” Fluttershy said in a sing-song voice.  \n\n“With enough potion-wotion to knock out a rhino-whino,” Twilight said, watching the whole strange scene.  \n\n“Here, boy,” Rainbow said, “Get the treats.”  She hovered over the suddenly drooly creature and barely zoomed out of the way before all three heads snapped up falling biscuits.  \n\n“Potion delivered,” Twilight said to herself, checking off another box on her checklist.  \n\nThere was a jingling sound as Pinkie Pie fluttered down from the dark sky with a wagon loaded with rather out-of-season Nightmare Night goodies and a small keg of cider.  A lantern swinging from the wagon cast its light on the assembled ponies.  “Goodie woodies for pony-wonies!” she cried.  \n\nThe three-headed hound stood transfixed for a moment and drooled.  Before the slobber had a chance to fall from his black lips he fell flat on his face and started snoring.  \n\nTwilight checked off one more check box.  “Check,” she said.  \n\n“I've got creepy cakes and spiderweb pies and dungeon muffins,” Pinkie said, “More than enough to stuff all your bellies.”  She landed and rolled up to the gathered ponies.  \n\n“Thank you, Pinkie,” Twilight said, “You're a lifesaver.”  \n\nNearly everypony descended on the wagon and dug in.  Everypony ate well except for Applebloom who nibbled a rather dry raisin muffin.  \n\nOnce she was stuffed Twilight toyed with something that sparkled in the lantern light.  She rotated it in the air, sending scintillations into the surrounding darkness.  \n\n“Twilight,” Rarity asked, “[i]where[/i] did you get such a lovely little bauble?”  \n\n“From a zombie,” she responded, between sips of cider, “In fact it was the first zombie Lucifer and I encountered. It was a blind three-legged unicorn.”  She shook her head.  “It sounds strange since we've been through so many weird things together but I'd never felt so creeped out as I did when I encountered him. I'd never been so frightened before,” she said quietly, “I only found the ring again when I was going through the saddlebags I took on the mission to hold back the zombies.”  \n\nRarity nodded.  “It's a lovely bit of silver in an ancient style. It's like a prop from a grand historical drama. A wedding ring for a fair princess but perhaps a bit big and stallionly,” she said.  \n\nTwilight nodded.  “I thought I'd at least show it to Luna,” she said, “She may recognize it.”  \n\nTwilight nudged a draped tablecloth aside and took a look at the wagon Pinkie had brought.  The wheels were old but in good shape.  The frame was made of light spruce like the wagons pegasi used.  It didn't have the logo of Sugarcube Corner on the side.  It said “Granny Pinkie's Pies” in an old-fashioned font.  Twilight thought she'd have to ask about it someday when things were more normal.  Somewhere deep down she didn't believe that day would ever come.  Too much had happened for Equestria to ever be the same again.  \n\nPinkie put a hoof on her shoulder.  “Don't worry, Twilight,” she said, “Luna knows what she's doing. She's the princess of the night, and the ruler of Equestria right now.”  \n\n“I hope you're right, Pinkie,” Twilight said quietly.  \n\nThe first sliver of the newly waning gibbous moon crested the horizon.  The orb slowly rose, chasing away the dimmer stars.  The sky itself seemed to glow with its reflected light.  The night above looked glorious.  \n\nLike a bolt from the blue a great flash of light lit the sky overhead and a grand chariot appeared.  Two bat-winged pegasi drew it by long chains.  The dark chariot circled and descended.  \n\nAll the gathered ponies bowed deeply as Princess Luna stepped out.  She dismissed her pegasi, who hauled the chariot up and away again.  She wore her dark crown and pectoral with a small purse hanging at her side.  Her mane of stars sparkled in the darkness like the sky above.  \n\n“Arise my subjects,” she said, “Art thou prepared for the night's journey?”  \n\nTwilight spoke up.  “We are, Princess,” she said, bowing again, “We're as prepared as we'll ever be. Cerberus has been drugged so he should sleep all night.”  \n\n“Good,” the princess said.  She suddenly noticed something.  “Twilight!” she shouted, “Where did you find that ring?”  \n\n“Oh, uh, Princess,” she stammered.  The floating ring flew from her glowing grasp and spun in the moonlight.  \n\nTwilight found herself being drawn straight toward Princess Luna.  Luna pulled Twilight to herself and kissed her full on the muzzle.  “Oh, wonders, dear child!” she shouted.  She lifted the purple unicorn and tucked her under her massive wing.  Luna spun in a circle, doing a strange dance in the moonlight.  “I doubted the success of our enterprise but you've found us not only a charm but a guide in the underworld,” she said happily.  A whicker escaped her lips.  \n\n“Uhh, Luna?” Twilight asked, now rather dizzy.  \n\n“Tis the ring of Spiral the Blind, my tutor in magic,” she said, “If I have his ring, surely we will be able to find him and employ his services as a guide in our quest.”  The princess put Twilight down on the grass.  \n\n“Oh!” Twilight said, “He was the first zombie Lucifer and I encountered. He was eyeless and his horn shattered. I didn't realize who it was.”  \n\nLuna nodded.  “No matter, Twilight,” she said, “you have found the one perfect thing we will need.”  She floated the ring onto her own horn where it fitted perfectly.  \n\nLuna stood tall and opened the small purse she carried.  Then she took off her crown and pectoral and laid them carefully in the grass.  “I set aside the raiments of power. In Tartarus I am no longer ruler of the world above. All of you keep your Elements,” she said, “You may need them to dispel the illusions of the netherworld.”  She floated silver coins from the purse to each pony.  “Each take one in your teeth,” she said, “You will need them. Neither eat nor drink anything where we are going and don't believe anything you see or hear.”  She took one herself.  \n\nThe princess strode toward the gaping cave opening without a pause.  Her energy seemed to sweep the other ponies into line behind her.  They all strode forward with purpose, except for Pinkie who bounced happily into the underworld and Applebloom who trailed reluctantly behind.  \n\n[center]• • •[/center]\n\nThe group made their way slowly down a cavern that spiraled deeper and deeper into the earth.  At first the tunnel was pure black and the ponies followed the stars of Luna's tail but as their eyes adapted to the strange light of the nether regions the cave walls seemed to glow with their own darkling light and the stars of Luna's swinging tail were astonishingly bright.  \n\nAfter some interminable time the sound of flowing water began to echo in the distance.  Luna stepped forward into a great cavern whose ceiling was pure blackness.  A great luminous river flowed through the cavern, its depth home to strange dark shapes that flowed with its waters.  The princess strode forward in silence onto a dock of dangerously rotten wooden boards.  It creaked under her weight.  The others followed as she silently approached a strange boat moored on the end of the dock.  She bowed her head and offered the coin she carried to a skeletal figure holding a long pole.  He passed his hoof over the coin and it simply vanished.  \n\nLuna stepped into the boat and the others followed her lead one by one until the ferryman seemed to stare at Applebloom with the eyeless sockets of his skull.  She raised her muzzle and offered the coin to him, her eyes filled with tears.  He touched the coin and it vanished like the others.  Applebloom's tiny legs shook and she nearly fell into the river.  Luna grabbed her by her mane and pulled her into the boat.  \n\n“Be careful, child,” she whispered, “You do not want to be in that river.”  \n\nThe boat moved slowly along the river.  A lantern at its bow swung and cast a faint bluish light upon the water as they moved deeper into the underworld with the slow current.  At times the walls of the cave came very close and stalactites threatened to block their progress but onward and downward they went.  At last the boat emerged into a cavern so vast it was hard to imagine its size.  The whole place was dimly lit by flickering lights and filled with a dull raucous noise.  On the shore many ponies and other things that weren't ponies milled around aimlessly.  \n\nThe boatman touched ground in the midst of them, causing the creatures to scatter.  They stood on the edge of the lantern light, staring with strange whitish eyes.  The boatman directed the ponies onto the shore with his hoof.  One-by-one they stepped onto the coarse black sand of a dark beach.  \n\nOnly Luna stood confident.  Her aura seemed to repel the strange dark beings.  They fled from the light of her stars.  She made room for the other ponies as the boat silently departed.  “Everypony stay together,” she said, “Do not allow yourself to be separated from the group in this place.”  \n\nLuna's horn glowed brightly and the silver ring shone with a strange light that cast beams up into the ceiling of the vast cave.  She stood tall like a beacon in the darkness.  \n\nA commotion arose in the group of strange ponies that surrounded them.  Out of the shoving mass came one handsome unicorn who stood out from the rest.  His silvery coat shone in the light from Luna's horn.  The symbol on his flank was a wand casting sparkling stars.  He stepped forward and bowed to the princess.  He looked up at her with tear-filled blue eyes that glittered in the darkness.  “My Princess,” he said in a very courtly way, “How may I be of service?”  \n\nLuna stepped forward and nuzzled his cheek.  “It has been far too long,” she said, “Merely to be in your presence again is worth a journey to this dark place. I'm pleased to see your sight is restored to you.”  She floated the ring from her horn onto his.  The moment it landed his whole body glowed with an unearthly light.  \n\n“You do me great service, my lady,” he said, “and restore great power to me here. I know not if my sight is a blessing or a curse in this place though it be of service to thee.”  \n\n“I would be greatly pleased if you would lead me and my party,” Luna said, “We seek the place where my sister is held.”  \n\nThe silvery unicorn nodded.  “I shall take you there directly,” he said, “though your party will still face the dangers and distractions of the underworld.”  \n\nSpiral turned and the crowding ponies parted before him.  The group made slow progress into the depths.  \n\n[center]• • •[/center]\n\nTrailing behind the rest, Applebloom was in a state of complete despair.  The grown-up ponies paid no attention to her and she was thankful for it.  She could hide from their gaze and trail along behind in the darkness.  The shiny silver unicorn scared her.  Would he even really lead them to Celestia?  Was Celestia really here in Tartarus?  Even if she was here somewhere how would they set her free?  It was all her fault the princess died.  She'd saved Equestria from one filly's stupidity and doomed herself doing it.  Applebloom didn't even try to blame Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo anymore.  It was all her fault.  Everything that had happened was her fault.  \n\nThe filly's stomach was achingly empty and she didn't care.  The darkness seemed to draw the life out of her and the energy from her every step.  \n\nThe group passed through a cavern filled with huge dark crystals.  The whole chamber was filled with their dark reflections as they passed.  Applebloom was in such complete despair she hardly noticed her own reflection.  It flickered past and she saw something on her flank.  She spun on the spot and faced a crystal.  The tiny filly turned her rump toward the flat surface of the crystal and saw the image of a pony skull on her flank.  She spun around and around unsuccessfully trying to look at her flank.  She looked in another crystal and there it was again.  Tears welled in her eyes.  \n\nShe cried harder and harder.  Tears ran down her cheeks and dripped from her chin.  \n\nA skull, the symbol of death, she thought.  She felt her whole body overtaken with a feeling of despair.  She'd finally gotten what she always wanted.  Was she the harbinger of death?  She was Applebloom, the little filly of death.  Is that her special talent?  No wonder she hadn't found her cutie mark.  She hadn't been responsible for unleashing the doom of the undead on Equestria before.  She was the pony who brought living death in her wake.  \n\nThe filly collapsed to her knees and quietly sobbed.  She couldn't stand to open her eyes.  All she could see in the chamber were reflections of herself and her stupidity.  Finally she knew who she was.  She was the filly of death.  She belonged here in the underworld.  She'd finally found her cutie mark and place.  \n\n[center]• • •[/center]\n\n“Where's Applebloom,” Applejack asked, suddenly frantic, “I can't see her back there.”  \n\nSpiral spoke quietly, “She is facing her challenge. All ponies must face them alone. Each of you will face despair or temptation in this place. There is no avoiding it. If you should best the challenge you will find your way back to me. If not you may be lost here. The filly will choose her own fate.”  \n\n“But she doesn't have an element or anything!” Applejack cried, “That's not fair at all!”  \n\nThe silvery unicorn nodded gravely.  “Death is not fair and neither is this place,” he said.  \n\nApplejack tried to run back the way they'd come but Twilight grabbed her tail with a flickering glow.  “I'm sorry, Applejack but I believe he's right,” she said, “Applebloom came here of her own free will and I think she'll have to face her challenge alone.”  \n\nApplejack tore her tail from Twilight's grip and ran off into the darkness.  The sound of her pounding hooves receded into the distance but then came to a sudden clattering stop.  Everypony stood still, listening.  Applejack's voice echoed from the depths.  Twilight thought she heard her say, “Mama?”  \n\n“We must continue,” Spiral said.  \n\nLuna nodded toward Twilight.  “We must all face one thing or another. Applejack must face her temptation alone,” she said.  \n\nTwilight reluctantly turned to continue.  A feeling of despair came over the whole group.  Each thought of what her own challenge might be.  The wielders of the Elements had each been tempted by Discord into becoming their opposite.  What strange new temptations would they face here?  They maintained their silence as they slowly progressed through the dark caverns.  Even Pinkie Pie began to walk slowly.  She didn't have the energy to bounce anymore.  \n\nPinkie felt tears come to her eyes.  She'd seen so much poverty and despair as a filly.  Despite the laughter that filled her heart she felt the tug of the enveloping darkness seeping into her.  Her mane began to droop and her hooves began to drag.  For the first time in a long time she didn't feel like smiling.  She didn't even feel like making other ponies smile.  She began to wish for something, anything, to happen.  She desperately wanted a sign that there was laughter and happiness in this place.  The distant caverns echoed with cries of despair.  She couldn't bring herself to laugh in response.  The tiny seed of a laugh died in her throat.  \n\nOut of the corner of her eye she saw something bright.  Here in the darkness there was a touch of pink.  Pinkie wondered if she'd seen her reflection like the distorted reflections in the cave full of crystals.  One of the crystals had shown the refection of a tragedy mask on her flank instead of the balloons she knew were there.  She thought she saw pink feathers flicker in the dark again.  She fell behind the others and slipped away into the enveloping darkness.  \n\nPinkie trod on quiet hooves in the direction she thought she'd seen the colorful something.  The pink pegasus trotted faster into the darkness.  She thought she could hear something that didn't sound like despair.  Something out there sounded like the fluttering of happy wings and the squeaking of balloons.  In the damp depths she could smell the scent of pies baking.  \n\n[center]• • •[/center]\n\nTwilight noticed Pinkie was missing and nudged Rainbow.  The pegasus nodded silently.  She was feeling the despair herself.  There was nowhere to fly down here and she couldn't imagine how she could be tempted away.  She represented the element of loyalty after all.  The heavy necklace was hanging around her neck.  She looked at Rarity and Fluttershy and Twilight in turn.  If each of them was to be tempted, what would each of them face?  Rarity had been tempted by a rock she thought was a giant diamond.  Rainbow quietly thought that she'd be the next to go.  All it would take is a cavern full of gems to turn her steps aside.  Rainbow bowed her head and kept walking, her hooves getting heavier and heavier.  \n\nRainbow turned toward Fluttershy and was surprised to find the yellow mare wasn't there anymore.  She was startled to see a pink tail disappearing around a turn into another cavern.  A strange clucking sound echoed from that direction.  Rainbow tried to fire up her wings and found she didn't have the energy to pursue her friend into the darkness.  \n\n[center]• • •[/center]\n\n“Henrietta? Are you there?” Fluttershy asked the echoing darkness.  The only response was a dull clucking.  The mare trotted further and further into the darkness until she found herself in a huge cave.  Water dripped from far above into a great pool.  Green light from the luminous ceiling cast strange shadows making the rock formations almost look like trees.  \n\nFluttershy was startled when a whole group of hens fluttered out of the darkness and gathered around her.  “Oh girls!” she cried, “I thought you were all…”  Her wings and tail drooped.  \n\n“You're all dead,” she said, holding back tears, “Twilight burned your, um, bodies under the spruce tree by the chicken yard.”  Tears burst forth and ran down her cheeks.  She collapsed to her knees.  The hens all gathered around and covered her with their wings.  “Thank you, girls, thank you, thank you,” she sobbed.  \n\nAcross the cavern a huge buck trotted forward and began to drink from the pool.  Behind him more creatures came forward.  A whole herd of deer came to the pool to drink.  They were followed by bears and ferrets and ducks and a cockatrice.  One by one every creature of Everfree Forest came forward to drink at the dark pool.  Fluttershy looked at their reflections in the pool, which she saw were charred skeletons.  The pegasus sobbed, the river of her tears running into the dark waters of the underworld.  \n\n“Every creature in the forest,” she whispered, “All the poor animals…”  Her voice trailed off in echoes in the vast cavern as more and more creatures came forward.  \n\n[center]• • •[/center]\n\nThe much smaller group continued winding their way through the dark caverns.  A great trepidation came over Twilight.  Now only two of her friends remained.  She didn't know who would go next or if any of them would return again.  She grabbed Rarity and Rainbow in her embrace and kissed them both.  “Please don't abandon me, you two,” she sobbed.  \n\n“Twilight, dear, there is simply nothing that could possibly tempt me in this dingy place,” Rarity said, “I will stick by you both until the end.”  \n\nSpiral snorted.  \n\nRainbow Dash turned to him.  “What's with you, shiny butt?” she asked, suddenly aggressive, “You want us to get lost in this maze!”  \n\n“Rainbow Dash,” Luna said, speaking up, “He is our guide and he tells the truth. You too must face a temptation on our journey no matter how hard you fight it. It is the way of this dark place.”  \n\n“Rainbow,” Twilight said, tears in her eyes, “Just promise to do your best. You're the strongest and most loyal pony I know. I know you can make it through this better than anypony.”  \n\nRainbow buried her muzzle in Twilight's mane.  Rarity joined her and all three embraced.  A strange sound grew around them.  It was the sound of swing music that seemed completely foreign to the underworld.  \n\n“Rarity,” Twilight said suddenly, “I think your time has come.”  \n\nThe other two opened their eyes and saw what she was talking about.  On one side of the cavern was an open door to a vast ballroom.  Mares in elegant dresses and stallions in tuxedos danced under a vast art nouveau chandelier lit by candles.  \n\n“Rarity,” Twilight said, “I think this is where you need to go.”  \n\nRarity nodded, her elegant mane swirling.  “I will return to you, I promise,” she said.  Her hooves clicked on the black and white tile as she ran, approaching a mare in a little black dress with a gold dollar sign for a cutie mark.  The sound of the band seemed to recede in the distance.  \n\nSpiral, Luna, Twilight and Rainbow continued on their way, entering another vast cavern.  Its ceiling was lost in sheer distance.  Dark clouds drifted in its heights.  Sounds echoed in the distance in the vast space.  A group of pegasi flared their wings and came to a stop in front of them.  One saluted.  \n\nTwilight embraced Rainbow one last time.  “Go, my loyal friend,” she said, “you have an important mission.”  \n\nRainbow saluted and trotted to the pegasi with tears in her eyes.  Twilight recognized about half of them.  They were some of the greatest fliers of the past wearing the uniforms or armor of their various periods.  Commander Hurricane was among them.  A tear came to her eye as she watched her friend fly off with what had to be her greatest heroes.  Twilight's heart fell.  What would her temptation be?  \n\n[center]• • •[/center]\n\nTwilight stuck close to Luna's flank.  \n\n“There is something you must face as well, young one,” Luna said.  \n\n“I know,” Twilight said, swallowing hard, “I just can't imagine what it might be.”  She shuddered in her hooves.  \n\nSomewhere in the distance Twilight heard a sweet voice.  She was sure it was calling her name.  \n\nLuna nodded toward her.  “Go, little one,” Luna said, “and remember who you are. Remember why you are here and who you mean to save. Know that of all the ponies in Equestria you are the most special to her.”  \n\nTwilight nodded.  The voice tugged at her heart.  Her hooves followed.  She could not resist the soft sweet voice that drew her toward it.  She heard her name over and over.  The unicorn's hooves began to run of their own accord drawing her closer to the mysterious voice.  Twilight's hoofbeats died away in the darkness.  \n\n“At last we're alone together,” the silver unicorn said in his silky voice.  \n\n“Indeed we are,” Luna responded in much the same way, “Now where are you leading me?”  \n\n“I lead you true, my beauty,” he said, “but I think we might stop in a private place along the way.”  \n\nLuna stood well over a head taller than the silvery stallion.  She dipped her head and nibbled his crest.  \n\n“You are more forward than I remember, my lady,” he said, “I knew you when you were a shy filly fumbling with the simplest spells and unfamiliar with the ways of love.”  \n\n“And now, Spiral?” she asked, “Now that you can behold me as you never could in life, what do you see before you?”  \n\n“I see the beautiful princess of the night. In this place of darkness you are the light in the underworld. You are the most lovely mare my eyes have ever beheld.”  \n\n“For once you are truthful. I am a fully grown mare of great power,” Luna snorted, “and I am no longer your plaything. You should have learned your lesson when an angry husband gouged out your eyes with his horn. He should have attacked your other orbs instead. It might have discouraged your predatory ways. You were a bold stallion who would toy with the affections of a young princess then. Now you are to be my temptation?”  \n\n“I am sorry, but it is the nature of this place,” he said.  \n\nLuna laughed.  “Yours is a sickly sweetness I have tasted and it turned sour in my mouth. They said you were the most handsome unicorn at court despite your mutilated eyes and they were right. They also said you'd bedded every lovely young filly you could get your hooves on.”\n\n“Now I am proud,” Luna continued, “to be your temptress in this place.”  She turned and showed her dark flank to him.  “I am the sweetness of the living you can never taste again,” she said and flicked her tail in his direction.  The light seemed to drain out of the silvery unicorn's countenance.  His glittering blue of his eyes faded to the dull cyan of a sky before an approaching storm.  \n\n“Now lead me to the place where my sister is held,” she said with great confidence, “Despite it all you are still a temptation to me and I'm proud to reject you once and for all.”  \n\n[center]• • •[/center]\n\nTwilight's hooves left the rough stone and clicked on smoothly polished marble.  The avenue of golden stone led into a truly vast atrium.  High above an unearthly light shone through stained glass windows portraying the founding of Equestria.  Twilight glanced at the figure of Commander Hurricane.  She decided it was very accurate compared to the actual pegasus she'd seen mere minutes earlier.  \n\nThe voice drew her further.  The atrium opened into an enormous library.  Five stories of stacks rose on all sides.  Iron spiral staircases led to the upper levels.  On the end of each row of stacks was a life-sized statue of some significant pony of the past.  She ran past a statue of Starswirl the Bearded and continued into a maze of reading rooms.  \n\nShe ran from one room to another following the voice.  At last she found a huge open door at the end of the last hallway.  Within was a vast oval room lined with bookshelves with a fireplace of bright stone.  In the middle lay a pile of golden cushions and what lay upon them made her heart leap.  \n\nTwilight ran to the princess as fast as her hooves could carry her.  She dove into the pile of gold and bowled Celestia over.  The two tumbled, rolling over and over.  \n\n“Oh, Twilight,” Celestia said, “You've come to me even here in the underworld.”  \n\n“Princess!” Twilight cried, “I'm so glad I found you!”  \n\n“I'm glad to see you again too,” the princess said sweetly, “Only a very talented unicorn like you could have found her way to me.”  \n\n“Princess,” Twilight said very seriously, “We have to leave right now! The others are here too and they're facing their temptations. I hope none of them get lost. If they do we have to save them and we all have to get out. We've drugged Cerberus but he'll only stay asleep for a few more hours. We all have to get out before he wakes up!”  \n\n“Twilight,” the princess said, tossing her flowing pastel mane, “You're always so serious. You need to relax. Why don't we spend some time together first? We could read a little. You've always wanted to spend time with me.”  \n\nTwilight nodded.  “But princess!” she said, “I don't know who much time we have left!”  \n\n“The morning won't come until I raise the sun again. There's plenty of time,” Celestia said dismissively, “Why don't we settle down together for just a little while?”  \n\nTwilight sighed.  She snuggled in next to the princess who covered her with an alabaster wing.  \n\nThe purple unicorn felt her heart soften.  It felt so wonderful to be tucked under the princess' wing.  She could hear the beating of Celestia's loving heart.  For a long moment she lay there snuggled up beside the princess.  It felt like the most amazing dream.  She opened her eyes and gazed up lovingly at the princess.  She felt as if she could stay there forever.  \n\nCelestia floated a book off one of the shelves.  “How about Tales of the Ancient Unicorns?” she asked, “You loved to listen to these stories when you were a filly, didn't you?”  \n\nSomething tore at Twilight's heart.  How did Celestia know that?  Only her mother ever read her those stories.  The dark unicorn squeezed her eyelids tight, squeezing out bitter tears.  She had never felt the pull of such complete contentment.  For once in her life she had nothing to prove.  There was no homework to do and no tests to take.  She could just stay there by Celestia's side in happiness forever.  \n\nHot tears formed beneath Twilight's eyelids.  She knew what she must do.  She had not forgotten her mission.   She sighed deeply.  Twilight raised her head and pressed the point of her horn against the great mare's neck.  “Where is she?” Twilight asked, her voice low and angry.  \n\n“Why, Twilight,” the princess said.  \n\n“Where is the real Celestia?” Twilight asked, her tone dead serious.  \n\n“This is so unlike you, Twilight,” she said.  \n\n“Okay, you asked for it,” Twilight said.  Her horn glowed brightly and so did the six-pointed gem in the tiara she wore.  The princess recoiled, trying to get away from her.  Twilight pressed her horn hard just under her chin.  “Who are you really?” she demanded.  \n\nThe princess suddenly dissolved, leaving Twilight tumbling among the golden cushions.  Then the cushions disappeared and along with them the floor and the library and all the wonderful books.  The purple unicorn was left tumbling in the dark on the wet stone floor of a cavern.  \n\nPrincess Luna and Spiral stood before her in the half-light of the underworld.  Twilight felt drained and her heart pounded in her ears.  “Luna,” she said, bowing, “I…”  \n\n“I believe you've faced your challenge and bested it, Twilight,” the princess said quietly, “You've done so honorably and surprisingly quickly. Now we will wait for the others.”  \n\n[center]• • •[/center]\n\nA tiny filly sat and cried and cried and cried.  A pool had formed around her in the cave full of crystals.  She looked at her own reflection in the bitter tears.  Her eyes were bloodshot and ringed by dark circles.  Then she was startled.  She saw the reflection of somepony behind herself.  \n\nApplebloom's ears flattened and she looked around frantically.  She saw nothing but more crystals and reflections of herself in the cave.  The pony skull on her flank in the reflections mocked her.  \n\nHer ears flickered.  Somepony was calling her name from a great distance.  The sound trailed off then came back again.  She looked in the pool and another tear fell into its darkness.  Something moved in the depths of the pool.   The ripples condensed into an image.  The filly backed away in fear.  A face and flowing pastel mane appeared in the reflection and then vanished again.  \n\n“Applebloom!” the distant voice said, “Follow my voice.”  \n\n“No!” the filly cried in the darkness, “I won't follow you! Just leave me alone!”  \n\n“Listen to me,” came the sibilant response, “This place is deceiving. You must follow your heart and follow my voice.”  \n\nApplebloom looked down a dark passage.  It looked darker and more frightening than any other.  Jagged rocks stuck out like rotten teeth.  The floor was rough and covered with loose gravel.  The voice was definitely coming from that direction.  She looked back at her flank and saw it in the half light of the underworld.  It was creamy yellow and completely blank.  \n\n“Applebloom,” she heard the voice call again, “Hope is not yet lost. Follow my voice. Come to me.”  \n\nThe filly's hooves began to move.  Her hooves clicked on the stone and stumbled forward down the dark passage.  Before she passed into the deeper darkness she looked at her flank one more time.  It was still blank.  She had never been so glad to see it that way.  Stones rolled under her hooves and made her stumble.  Still, she continued into the deeper darkness.  \n\n[center]• • •[/center]\n\nApplejack suddenly tumbled out of the dark.  She covered her face with a red and white checked apron.  Her eyes were full of hot tears.  \n\nTwilight ran to her and put a hoof around her shoulder.  “Are you okay?” she asked, “What happened, Applejack?”\n\nThe earth pony snuffed back tears and looked into Twilight's eyes.  “I'm okay, Twi,” she said, I-I just don't want to talk about it right now, okay?”  \n\nThe two ponies simply embraced for a long time.  \n\n“You, uhh, faced your temptation, did you?” Applejack asked.  \n\nTwilight nodded.  “The princess,” she said sadly, “but not the real princess. I knew she'd never act the way she did. She was just too sweet and accommodating. She wanted me to stay and spend time with her when we have an important mission.”  She shook her head.  “It was much too perfect,” she said.  She closed her eyes and sighed.  \n\nApplejack nodded and nuzzled the side of Twilight's neck.  “I know what you mean, Sugarcube,” she said.  \n\nTwilight opened her eyes and found a pair of happy blue eyes staring into hers.  She jumped, nearly knocking Applejack over.  \n\n“Pinkie!” Twilight shouted, “Are you? Oh no!”  \n\nShe grabbed the pink pegasus.  “You're so pale! Your mane is flat! Where's your element?” she cried, “What did you do? You didn't eat anything down here, did you?”  She shook the winged pony and forced her muzzle open with magic, making her choke.  \n\n“Oh nononono!” Twilight shouted.  She released her magic causing the other pony's muzzle to snap shut.  \n\n“Young lady,” the pegasus said in a stern voice, “There's no need for such foolishness.”  \n\n“But…” Twilight began.  She backed up and bumped into somepony else.  She turned and was shocked.  She'd backed into Pinkie Pie.  “Pinkie?” she asked, “You're normal! I mean as normal as you ever are. You're so pink and frizzy! You have your element!”  \n\nThe second pegasus giggled.  “Of course I am, Twilight,” she said.  \n\nTwilight looked back and forth between the two pink pegasi.  “I almost hate to ask but which of you is the real Pinkie?” she asked.  \n\n“I am!” the two said at the same time then both began giggling.  \n\n“Twilight!” the darker Pinkie said, “I'd like you to meet my Grandma Pinkie.”  She indicated the other Pinkie with her wing.  The two surrounded Twilight with their wings.  \n\n“Oh!” Twilight gasped, slapping her hoof to her head, “Now it makes sense. Well, actually it doesn't. Or does it?”  \n\n“It does, Twilight,” the lighter pink Pinkie said, “Pinkie always wanted to see me again. I've watched over my favorite granddaughter from beyond but this visit is so special. It brings fresh laughter into my old heart.”  \n\n“Yeah, but it's not forever,” Pinkie said seriously, “It's just for a little while and that's okay.”  \n\nThe older Pinkie nodded.  “Still, I want to help with your quest if you don't mind me coming along,” she said.  \n\nBoth Pinkies looked toward Luna.  \n\n“Any help is welcome,” the princess said.  \n\n[center]• • •[/center]\n\nA tiny filly stumbled along in complete darkness.  She couldn't see anything at all and ran straight into a wall of slippery wet rock.  She heard a voice calling her name coming from above.  She felt the rock with her hoof.  There were some hoof-holds here and there but it was so slippery and she had no idea how high the wall was.  The voice seemed to be directly above her.  \n\nShe put one hoof in front of another and soon was able to jam her back against an equally slippery rock wall behind her.  It was difficult to make her way up but not impossible.  Something like a bat's wing brushed against her face and skittered away in the darkness.  The feeling made her shudder and squeeze her eyes shut.  \n\nWhen she opened them again there was the faintest of light coming from above.  She held her hoof up and could see its dark outline against the pale light.  It reflected off the wet rocks surrounding her.  She pushed herself higher and could see a little more.  The vertical passage rose at least another thirty hooves and got even narrower.  Only a tiny filly such as herself could possibly make it through.  \n\nShe pressed her hooves against the rock and pushed herself up little by little, slowly making her way toward the light.  \n\n[center]• • •[/center]\n\nLuna sat on a rock in a very regal way.  The light of the stars in her mane glittered on the dripping walls of the cavern.  \n\nTwilight's anxiety grew and grew and grew.  Time dragged on and nopony appeared.  \n\nThe two Pinkies played hide and seek in nearby caverns.  The clattering of their hooves and the sound of their giggling echoed through the dark place.  It grated on Twilight's nerves.  \n\nGranny Pinkie cantered past the others and dove into a pool of darkness.  “Gotcha!” she cried.  She pulled a long pink tail out of the dark and much to Twilight's surprise a yellow pegasus came with it.  \n\nFluttershy cowered on the floor of the cavern.  “I'm sorry,” she said, “I hope you don't mind if I hide here just a little longer.”  She started to crawl back into the pool of blackness.  \n\n“Fluttershy!” Applejack shouted, “You're okay!”  The earth pony pounced on the pegasus and held her tight.  Twilight and Applejack both embraced her.  \n\nThe other Pinkie appeared from a side cavern.  “Hey, no fair!” Pinkie Pie said, “Fluttershy wasn't even playing the game!”  \n\nRarity trotted out of the darkness without a word.  She had tears streaming from her makeup-streaked eyes and was missing an eyelash.  She joined the pony pile and pressed herself against Twilight's side.  \n\n“Want to talk about it?” Twilight asked.  \n\n“Not right now,” Rarity responded.  She looked around.  “Why am I not surprised to see two Pinkies?” she asked nopony in particular.  Both pegasi grinned at her.  \n\nAnother pegasus appeared out of the darkness.  She looked dispirited.  Her azure wings drooped at her sides and her rainbow mane was damp and tangled.  \n\nFluttershy ran to her side and held her in her wings.  “Oh, Rainbow,” she cried, “Thank Celestia you're okay!”  \n\nThe light returned to Rainbow's red eyes.  Fluttershy kissed her sweetly on the cheek and she returned the favor.  They wrapped their forelegs around each other.  \n\n“Rainbow,” Fluttershy said, “It's you who saved me. I would've stayed here forever but I couldn't have returned to you.”  She kissed the blue pegasus on the muzzle.  The two stayed locked together for a long moment before parting.  \n\nRainbow Dash looked embarrassed.  “Same here, sweetie,” she said, “I met every pegasus I've ever admired or looked up to except one. They were the strongest and the fastest and the bravest in battle.”  She looked deeply into Fluttershy's eyes.  “There was one missing. The kindest and sweetest pegasus wasn't there. I could never abandon her. I could never leave you.”  \n\nThe two pegasi joined in a long kiss, wrapping each other in their wings.  \n\n“You are all most impressive,” Luna said to the group, “Every one of you has returned to the path so quickly and without my help. Still, we must move on soon if we are to find my sister.”  \n\n“Luna,” Applejack said, “Applebloom hasn't shown up yet. We have to wait for her.”  \n\n“Applejack,” Luna said, “All wielders of the Elements are reunited. We must move on now.  You may be all we have. If the filly is lost we may be able to find her but we must find Celestia. She must be our first priority.”  \n\nTears welled in Applejack's eyes.  Twilight held her in her hooves as she sobbed.  \n\n“Spiral,” Luna said with conviction, “Lead us on to where my sister is bound in darkness.”  \n\nThe silver unicorn bowed.  “The way is now clear, my Princess,” he said obsequiously.  \n\nLuna held her head high as the group moved onward into the darkness.  \n\n[b]Notes:[/b]\n\nI almost couldn't believe it when it was revealed in It's About Time that Taurtauros (Tartarus) is within walking distance of Ponyville and Cerberus is pliant to anypony willing to play with him.  How can you not use that in a fic?  It's just too amazingly awesome.  Monsters can escape from there.  Ponies can lead a quest to recover their newly dead loves or companions from the clutches of Hades.  It's freaking canon, bronies!  \n\nZecora with magic?  What else has Luna's plasma done to her?  The idea for sleeper potion comes from Spiritto (and Babylon 5).  \n\nFlutterdash?  Eeyup!  \n\nGrandma Pinkie's light pink appearance and wings are based on a comic by that sweaty guy in the background of the AP video from Bronycon Summer 2012.  ",
  "writing_bbcode_parsed": "<span style='word-wrap: break-word;'><div class='align_center'>The Queen&rsquo;s Curse<br />Part Three &ndash; The Journey Through Night<br />by Ixy</div><br /><br />Fluttershy gently preened Elizabeak&#039;s wing with her teeth.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;Hold still now. Your feathers are really in a state,&rdquo; she said very softly.&nbsp;&nbsp;She was tempted to turn and watch what was going on behind her but resisted the temptation.&nbsp;&nbsp;She hid her face behind her flowing pink mane.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Twilight levitated another carcass out of the henhouse.&nbsp;&nbsp;Its featherless wing flapped pitifully.&nbsp;&nbsp;She turned it the wrong way and what was left of its guts poured out onto the muddy ground.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;Eew, ick,&rdquo; she said as she scooped them up and dumped the whole mess onto the pile of similar chicken parts beneath a shattered spruce tree.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Something caught the unicorn&#039;s eye.&nbsp;&nbsp;The upper half of a chicken was mucking through the mud with the stumps of its wings and dragging its giblets behind.&nbsp;&nbsp;Its head was still there, a pale wattle falling across its blue fogged eyes.&nbsp;&nbsp;It was quickly engulfed by Twilight&#039;s purple glow and in a moment its head twisted off.&nbsp;&nbsp;The now-headless half chicken floated onto the pile along with the others.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;It&#039;s very fortunate your cottage survived, Fluttershy,&rdquo; Twilight said, &ldquo;that hill over there must have blocked the heat and blast wave. It still took the tops off the taller trees.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;The unicorn plopped a glob of chicken parts onto the pile and dropped spruce branches on top.&nbsp;&nbsp;As strange as her actions were the events of the last day made burning a pile of headless undead chickens seem relatively normal.&nbsp;&nbsp;A pink streak passed over the treetops, drawing her attention.&nbsp;&nbsp;It dodged scraps of storm cloud that were still dumping rain onto the forest of smoking logs and mud.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Pinkie!&rdquo; Twilight shouted, magically enhancing her voice, &ldquo;How is the search going?&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Pinkie&#039;s wings frizzed in flight and she plunged precipitously toward the cottage among the&nbsp;&nbsp;blasted trees.&nbsp;&nbsp;Pinkie flared her wings and landed in the muddy chicken yard.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;Nothing yet, Twilight,&rdquo; she said, &ldquo;I&#039;m beginning to get worried.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;I&#039;m <em>already</em> worried, Pinkie,&rdquo; Twilight said, &ldquo;I don&#039;t know how Equestria could manage without the princess.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Don&#039;t worry <em>too</em> much, Twilight,&rdquo; Pinkie responded, &ldquo;She&#039;s got to be out there. We&#039;ll find her by sundown. I&#039;m sure of it.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Twilight shook her head sadly.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;I certainly hope so Pinkie,&rdquo; she said.&nbsp;&nbsp;Her horn glowed and the pile of mangled chicken parts burst into white-hot flame.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br /><div class='align_center'>&bull; &bull; &bull;</div><br /><br />Rainbow Dash streaked among the churning clouds only occasionally getting a good look at the ground below.&nbsp;&nbsp;Smoke and falling rain obscured the monochrome landscape.&nbsp;&nbsp;She followed the slope down and down and down toward what she hoped was the center of the crater.&nbsp;&nbsp;Suddenly the reflection of the sky appeared below her.&nbsp;&nbsp;Muddy water was pooling in the great pit where a mountain had stood that very morning. Swirling mud and floating charred logs churned into a great turbid sea of destruction.&nbsp;&nbsp;Rainbow skimmed low across the water, flying through drenching rain but not feeling any hailstones battering her wings.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Chunks of shattered rock jutted up from the water, causing her to dodge and weave in flight.&nbsp;&nbsp;Steam rose from huge boulders that were still hot from the blast.&nbsp;&nbsp;Rainbow tried to ride thermals rising from them but discovered the updrafts carried a horrible stench like burning feathers that made her gag.&nbsp;&nbsp;She relentlessly searched among the shattered rock and mud.&nbsp;&nbsp;Approaching the center there was more rock and less turbid water.&nbsp;&nbsp;The granite core of the mountain was exposed to the stormy sky.&nbsp;&nbsp;Rainbow fluttered to a stop atop its central pinnacle.&nbsp;&nbsp;The stone felt uncomfortably warm under her hooves.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Shafts of sunlight shined down on the reddish stone.&nbsp;&nbsp;Rainbow lifted off again and slowly circled the peak.&nbsp;&nbsp;There was no sign of the undead she&#039;d seen milling around on the mountain earlier in the day.&nbsp;&nbsp;Everything in sight was a scene of unimaginable devastation.&nbsp;&nbsp;It was strange to see so much rock and mud without one growing thing.&nbsp;&nbsp;The heat had seared everything living along with the undead.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Yet Rainbow thought she saw something bright among the shattered rock.&nbsp;&nbsp;She turned and soared past the same spot.&nbsp;&nbsp;Something was definitely lying twisted below.&nbsp;&nbsp;There was a splotch of pinkish-white among the bare red rock and mud.&nbsp;&nbsp;The pegasus circled down slowly, not sure of what she was headed for.&nbsp;&nbsp;As she grew closer she saw the filthy gray feathers of a great wing tip sticking up awkwardly from a pile of debris.&nbsp;&nbsp;A muddy mass of pink tail hairs emerged from beneath a blasted log.&nbsp;&nbsp;Rainbow tore at charred branches and clumps of mud and ash with her hooves until she uncovered a great white flank with the mark of the sun on it.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Oh princess!&rdquo; she cried, her eyes full of tears, &ldquo;Please, please, please be alive!&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br /><div class='align_center'>&bull; &bull; &bull;</div><br /><br />Celestia lay on the bed as the nurse sponged her coat.&nbsp;&nbsp;Each sponge full of water poured more mud and ashes into the wash basin.&nbsp;&nbsp;Little by little the princess&#039; ash-streaked coat returned to its normal pearlescent hue.&nbsp;&nbsp;Her mane and tail lay in a sorry mess, barely recognizable as pink.&nbsp;&nbsp;The colors of dawn could no longer be seen in it.&nbsp;&nbsp;The long pink hairs lay limp like any other pony&#039;s on a bad mane day.&nbsp;&nbsp;Her tail was filled with charred twigs and lumps of caked mud.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Fluid from an IV bag slowly dripped, filling a tube connected to the princess&#039; foreleg.&nbsp;&nbsp;A melted and twisted mass of metal and cracked gems that was once a crown sat crookedly on her bedside table.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Twilight levitated a comb, lovingly teasing the debris from her mentor&#039;s mane.&nbsp;&nbsp;Tears filled her eyes as she removed bits of burnt leaves and charred bugs from the tangled pink mass.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Princess Luna walked into the hospital room levitating a small wooden box.&nbsp;&nbsp;Twilight noticed the box was stamped &#039;Mane Brushes &ndash; Princess Size; 24 Count&#039;.&nbsp;&nbsp;All the gathered ponies bowed.&nbsp;&nbsp;She sat her burden on the bedside table and turned to the nurse.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Princess,&rdquo; the nurse said, &ldquo;Celestia&#039;s condition is not good. Her blood pressure is dangerously low and her heart rate is slowing. The doctors can&#039;t say how much longer she&#039;ll last.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />The princess nodded and turned to Twilight.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;I have tried all I know, Twilight,&rdquo; she said, &ldquo;If my sister is to be saved it is in your hooves and those of your friends.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Twilight was startled.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;Princess?&rdquo; she asked, quite confused.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;You still have much to learn, Twilight Sparkle,&rdquo; she said and put her hoof on the box she&#039;d brought.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;I checked the luggage in my sister&#039;s carriage to see if she&#039;d brought anything useful. I know her well. She always prepares for the unexpected.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;What do you see here, Twilight?&rdquo; the princess asked.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Twilight bowed involuntarily.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;A&hellip; box?&rdquo; she asked.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Do not use your eyes alone,&rdquo; Luna said gently, &ldquo;Use your magical perception.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Twilight nodded madly.&nbsp;&nbsp;Her horn glowed faintly and so did her eyes.&nbsp;&nbsp;She looked intently at the box and gasped.&nbsp;&nbsp;It cast a radiance that filled the whole room.&nbsp;&nbsp;Within that glow she could see orbs of six different colors.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;The Elements!&rdquo; she squealed.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Luna lifted her hoof and the lid burst open.&nbsp;&nbsp;A tiara floated out, lifted by a violet glow.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Twilight turned to Rainbow Dash, suddenly excited.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;Rainbow! Get Fluttershy right now!&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;Without a word Rainbow crashed through the window and was gone in a rainbow colored streak.&nbsp;&nbsp;The sheets on the bed fluttered and the IV stand wobbled but did not fall.&nbsp;&nbsp;Twilight turned to Pinkie Pie.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;Pinkie! Get Applejack!&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;That&#039;s easy,&rdquo; Pinkie said, shaking the remains of her mane, &ldquo;I saw her and Applebloom outside the hospital when I flew in.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;She daintily trotted to the smashed window and hopped out.&nbsp;&nbsp;The pink pegasus disappeared out of sight.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />A necklace with a blue diamond shaped gem in it levitated out of the box.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;What a horrid container for glorious finery. The last time it was stashed in a musty old book and now this,&rdquo; Rarity said, &ldquo;But if the princess doesn&#039;t want that other box anymore I&#039;d be willing to take it.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Rarity! Seriously!&rdquo; Twilight said, suddenly exasperated.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br /><div class='align_center'>&bull; &bull; &bull;</div><br /><br />All six ponies crowded around Celestia&#039;s bed, each wearing a different piece of magical jewelry.&nbsp;&nbsp;Luna stood with her backside backed into the attached bathroom to make more room in the suite.&nbsp;&nbsp;Despite the crowded conditions Applebloom crouched at the princess&#039; bedside weeping and stroking Celestia&#039;s hoof.&nbsp;&nbsp;The light of the setting sun shone in through the broken window and cast the princess&#039; pearlescent coat in deep shadows.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Ready girls,&rdquo; Twilight shouted, &ldquo;For the princess!&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Twilight&#039;s horn shined like a star in the crowded space.&nbsp;&nbsp;All six ponies began to glow and float off the floor.&nbsp;&nbsp;A blob of frizzy pink energy appeared atop Pinkie Pie&#039;s head, materializing into a fluffy new mane.&nbsp;&nbsp;The pegasus grinned and squealed happily.&nbsp;&nbsp;Threads of magic swirled around the princess lying abed and filled the room with light.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Bed sheets fluttered aside as the princess levitated off the bed.&nbsp;&nbsp;Her IV line detached and the pole with a bag on it fell aside.&nbsp;&nbsp;Adhesive contacts separated from her chest and the wires scattered on the floor.&nbsp;&nbsp;Celestia floated upward, her wings spreading out to fill the room.&nbsp;&nbsp;An aura of golden light shined around her entire body.&nbsp;&nbsp;Applebloom fell onto her back on the floor, gazing up at the beauty of the princess as she floated near the ceiling.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Celestia&#039;s mane floated free in the air, threads of light running all through it.&nbsp;&nbsp;Her whole body became luminous as she floated, a serene expression on her muzzle.&nbsp;&nbsp;The princess slowly settled back onto the bed.&nbsp;&nbsp;Her eyelids fluttered and slowly opened.&nbsp;&nbsp;She made a strange moaning sound.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Twilight,&rdquo; Celestia gasped, &ldquo;What have you done?&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Princess!&rdquo; Twilight cried.&nbsp;&nbsp;She ran to Celestia&#039;s side.&nbsp;&nbsp;Tears filled her eyes as she stroked the princess&#039; mane, which was once again a mass of limp pink hairs.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;Thank goodness you&#039;re okay!&rdquo; she cried, &ldquo;We used the Elements to revive you. It&#039;s all we could think of.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Twilight. Twilight,&rdquo; she said, &ldquo;You shouldn&#039;t have done this.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;Her voice was dull and raspy.&nbsp;&nbsp;She looked lovingly at the purple unicorn.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;Sometimes the sun must set, Twilght,&rdquo; she said almost in a whisper, &ldquo;I&#039;ve done what I must and I&#039;m afraid it&#039;s time for me to go. The Elements can only restore harmony. They can&#039;t change things that must be.&nbsp;&nbsp;When the sun rises it must set again.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Twilight burst into tears.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;You can&#039;t go Princess!&rdquo; she said, tears running into Celestia&#039;s pink mane, &ldquo;You just can&#039;t.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />The princess turned her head to the side and looked around at the gathered ponies.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;Equestria will be fine without me. Luna can manage,&rdquo; she said quietly.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Sister,&rdquo; Luna said, rushing to Celestia&#039;s bedside, &ldquo;Equestria will not be the same without you.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;No,&rdquo; Celestia said, once again in a whisper, &ldquo;but it will be without me.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;A tear appeared on the princess&#039; cheek.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />A tiny filly crowded in.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;You can&#039;t die princess!&rdquo; she screamed.&nbsp;&nbsp;Applebloom grabbed Celestia&#039;s mane and buried her muzzle in it.&nbsp;&nbsp;Tears poured from her eyes.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;It&#039;s all my fault!&rdquo; she shrieked.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Applebloom,&rdquo; Celestia whispered in her ear, &ldquo;I forgive you.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;She touched the filly&#039;s head gently with her hoof.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />The quality of the sunset light through the window seemed to change.&nbsp;&nbsp;Celestia&#039;s whole body began to glow with the dull orange of the last trace of the sinking sun.&nbsp;&nbsp;Sparkles like sparks from a fire rose from her form and she started to become transparent.&nbsp;&nbsp;The light grew as the great mare&#039;s body dissolved in the last light of sunset.&nbsp;&nbsp;Applebloom was left grasping at the air where the princess had been.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Luna stood in the crowded hospital room in the gathering darkness.&nbsp;&nbsp;Her mane and tail, which had been thin and dark as the deepest void grew to nearly engulf the room.&nbsp;&nbsp;The depths of her mane now blazed with the light of a million distant suns.&nbsp;&nbsp;Spiral galaxies spun and comets soared through her flowing mane.&nbsp;&nbsp;Its darkness seemed to contain the very depths of the universe.&nbsp;&nbsp;A dark aura lit around her crown as it grew taller where it sat on her head.&nbsp;&nbsp;Her entire body seemed to grow along with it.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Twilight Sparkle nudged Rarity, who was standing next to her, and bowed to the princess.&nbsp;&nbsp;Rarity, and then the others bowed in turn.&nbsp;&nbsp;Applebloom, who had been quietly sobbing on the bed struggled to her hooves so she could bow as well.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;My subjects,&rdquo; she began, &ldquo;We have witnessed the greatest act of heroism in the land in a thousand years. We must honor my sister and all she has done for Equestria.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;She bowed her great head and luminous tears ran from her muzzle.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;We have witnessed the setting of her sun,&rdquo; she stated.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />All the ponies stood in silence for a long time.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Luna spoke at last, &ldquo;As my sister said, the sun rises and so it must set. But the sun shall also rise again. The land would be a dark place without her light.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;Glowing tears ran down her cheeks.&nbsp;&nbsp;After a long pause she continued, &ldquo;I once deprived Equestria of her light and I shall not allow such a thing to happen again.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />The other ponies looked up at her, not sure what she was saying.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;All hope is not lost,&rdquo; Luna stated with even more authority in her royal voice, &ldquo;You ponies have been her loyal subjects. Will you pledge yourselves to face even death himself to return her light to Equestria?&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Yes!&rdquo; Pinkie squealed.&nbsp;&nbsp;She bounced forward, the balloon-shaped gem bouncing on her chest.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;I will!&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;Rainbow said with great confidence.&nbsp;&nbsp;She stepped forward and spread her wings.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />The others were less sure.&nbsp;&nbsp;Twilight spoke up.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;Princess,&rdquo; she said very obsequiously, &ldquo;I&#039;m not sure I understand what you&#039;re asking.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Twilight Sparkle,&rdquo; the princess said, her voice like the sound of thunder, &ldquo;I once imprisoned Celestia in the depths of Tartarus. She was only freed through your actions. There she lies once again but not for long if I succeed.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;She turned to Applebloom.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;You, child,&rdquo; she said, &ldquo;She has been cast into the depths due to your recklessness. Will you come with us and try to free her?&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Applebloom looked terrified.&nbsp;&nbsp;She cowered at the far side of the bed.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;Y-yeess,&rdquo; she said, her voice barely audible.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;The rest of you,&rdquo; Luna asked, &ldquo;Will you come on this dangerous quest?&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Twilight nodded.&nbsp;&nbsp;Rarity bowed deeply.&nbsp;&nbsp;Applejack grabbed her sister and said, &ldquo;She ain&#039;t going into to no underworld without her big sister.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Rainbow Dash nudged Fluttershy.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;Yes,&rdquo; the golden mare squeaked.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;What has transpired in this room shall not be known beyond it unless we fail in our quest,&rdquo; Luna said more quietly, &ldquo;All shall swear the most dire oath that this shall be.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Pinkie Pie stepped forward and bowed to the princess.&nbsp;&nbsp;Luna nodded and a faint smile came to her muzzle.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Pinkie held up her hoof.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;Cross my heart and hope to cry, stick a cupcake in my eye,&rdquo; she said, miming the actions.&nbsp;&nbsp;The others, even Applebloom, followed her.&nbsp;&nbsp;It was the most solemn Pinkie Swear ever performed.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Now all of you go. Eat well and prepare for our quest into darkness,&rdquo; Luna said, &ldquo;Join me in the clearing Southwest of Ponyville just after moonrise. Bring the Elements of Harmony. You will need nothing else.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />The gathered ponies filed out of the room in a slow procession.&nbsp;&nbsp;Luna stepped beyond the door and addressed Celestia&#039;s guards who stood outside.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;The princess is not to be disturbed for any reason until morning, if the sun does rise, or until I return&rdquo; she said.&nbsp;&nbsp;The guards saluted.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />The princess strode off down the hallway, her mane and tail filling its width with the swirling darkness of deep space.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Applejack,&rdquo; Twilight said, &ldquo;you and Applebloom should come to the library to wash up, I think. You too, Fluttershy.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Applejack nodded.&nbsp;&nbsp;The filly beside her seemed to drag her hooves with every step.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;That&#039;s very gracious of you, Twilight,&rdquo; Fluttershy said, &ldquo;I don&#039;t think I want to fly back to my cottage right now anyway.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Twilight nodded.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;We should all get ourselves ready and get something to eat,&rdquo; she said.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Rarity nodded and trotted off.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Pinkie started bouncing for the first time since she&#039;d returned to the hospital.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;I&#039;ll go home and feed Gummy and bring a cartload of gruesome goodies we can all chow down on before the trip,&rdquo; she said.&nbsp;&nbsp;The pink mare bounced straight out the front doors of the hospital.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Fluttershy,&rdquo; Rainbow Dash asked, &ldquo;I think I&#039;ll stick with you and hang out at the library for a while, okay?&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;She nuzzled the yellow mare&#039;s flank.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Fluttershy nodded shyly.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Oh, Fluttershy,&rdquo; Twilight said suddenly, &ldquo;I&#039;ve thought of something. I think we&#039;ll need a potion for our journey too. It&#039;s too bad I don&#039;t have Zecora&#039;s help to prepare it.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />They all stood quietly in the corridor for a long moment.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;I think we should visit her,&rdquo; Applejack said.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Twilight put her head down.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;I&#039;ve pretty much forgotten about her in all the excitement,&rdquo; she said, &ldquo;We have some time right now. We definitely should.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />The other ponies nodded.&nbsp;&nbsp;Twilight led them up a wide corridor to the isolation suite in another wing of the hospital.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />On the other side of the glass Zecora lay immobile on a bed.&nbsp;&nbsp;Twilight examined a chart hanging on the wall.&nbsp;&nbsp;Scribbled notes lay all over the desk Spike had sat at the previous evening.&nbsp;&nbsp;The unicorn looked closely at the chart.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />A doctor sitting at the desk looked up and nodded toward Twilight.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;She&#039;s still unconscious but her fever is slowly going down,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Doctor,&rdquo; Twilight asked, &ldquo;This medication she&#039;s receiving? Is that what I think it is?&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Which?&rdquo; he asked, &ldquo;Oh, that potion. The princess ordered it. It seems there have been strange things happening near the patient.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;He raised a hoof and indicated a patched hole in the far wall of the suite.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;There was some unexplained magic. It doesn&#039;t make much sense being she&#039;s a zebra but it seems to be her.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Twilight looked long and hard at Zecora&#039;s prone form.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;When I was a filly I dreaded taking sleeper potion,&rdquo; she said, &ldquo;It&#039;s so bitter and I felt disconnected from my own magic. It&#039;s like losing a limb.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;What is this stuff y&#039;all are talking about?&rdquo; Applejack asked.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;It&#039;s a potion that turns off a unicorn&#039;s magic,&rdquo; Twilight responded, &ldquo;After I got my cutie mark I used to have uncontrolled magic outbursts sometimes, like little Pumpkin Cake does only a lot stronger. I took the potion for a while until I got it under control. It was horrible. I&#039;m not sure how Zecora could have uncontrolled magic. She isn&#039;t a unicorn, an abada, or even a pony.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Royal blood,&rdquo; the doctor said unexpectedly, &ldquo;She received plasma transfusions from the Princess. That&#039;s never been done before so the effects could be unpredictable. We&#039;re hoping the effect is temporary. It&#039;s a unique case so there&#039;s no telling.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br /><div class='align_center'>&bull; &bull; &bull;</div><br /><br />The ponies milled around in the clearing in the darkness.&nbsp;&nbsp;Occasional moaning or screaming sounds could be heard from the great aperture in the ground.&nbsp;&nbsp;Every resident of Ponyville knew it was near town and nearly all avoided the grim gateway.&nbsp;&nbsp;It looked like an angry scar torn open in the ground.&nbsp;&nbsp;Stalactites hung above its entrance like sharp predatory teeth.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Of all the ponies in the area only Fluttershy frequented the place.&nbsp;&nbsp;She didn&#039;t tell anypony about her visits but still came, delivering occasional treats to Cerberus.&nbsp;&nbsp;The mare made sure to always bring three equal things so his heads wouldn&#039;t fight.&nbsp;&nbsp;She had kept quiet about it for fear everypony would think she was crazy.&nbsp;&nbsp;The only friend she&#039;d confided her secret in was Twilight, who had a way of understanding weird things.&nbsp;&nbsp;Feeding and playing with the guardian of the gates of the underworld would seem kind of weird to most ponies.&nbsp;&nbsp;The purple unicorn could be a great confidante.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;I think we have the Cerberus situation covered,&rdquo; Twilight said.&nbsp;&nbsp;She flicked her quill and checked off a box on the lengthy checklist floating before her.&nbsp;&nbsp;She giggled, watching Fluttershy rub the massive creature&#039;s belly with her hoof.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;You&#039;re such a good boy, yes you are,&rdquo; the yellow mare said as the creature rolled on his back.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Rainbow Dash held three huge bone-shaped doggy treats in an oversized napkin.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;Are you sure these are big enough?&rdquo; she asked.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;They&#039;re just little treaty-weeties for the puppy wuppy,&rdquo; Fluttershy said in a sing-song voice.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;With enough potion-wotion to knock out a rhino-whino,&rdquo; Twilight said, watching the whole strange scene.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Here, boy,&rdquo; Rainbow said, &ldquo;Get the treats.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;She hovered over the suddenly drooly creature and barely zoomed out of the way before all three heads snapped up falling biscuits.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Potion delivered,&rdquo; Twilight said to herself, checking off another box on her checklist.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />There was a jingling sound as Pinkie Pie fluttered down from the dark sky with a wagon loaded with rather out-of-season Nightmare Night goodies and a small keg of cider.&nbsp;&nbsp;A lantern swinging from the wagon cast its light on the assembled ponies.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;Goodie woodies for pony-wonies!&rdquo; she cried.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />The three-headed hound stood transfixed for a moment and drooled.&nbsp;&nbsp;Before the slobber had a chance to fall from his black lips he fell flat on his face and started snoring.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Twilight checked off one more check box.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;Check,&rdquo; she said.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;I&#039;ve got creepy cakes and spiderweb pies and dungeon muffins,&rdquo; Pinkie said, &ldquo;More than enough to stuff all your bellies.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;She landed and rolled up to the gathered ponies.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Thank you, Pinkie,&rdquo; Twilight said, &ldquo;You&#039;re a lifesaver.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Nearly everypony descended on the wagon and dug in.&nbsp;&nbsp;Everypony ate well except for Applebloom who nibbled a rather dry raisin muffin.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Once she was stuffed Twilight toyed with something that sparkled in the lantern light.&nbsp;&nbsp;She rotated it in the air, sending scintillations into the surrounding darkness.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Twilight,&rdquo; Rarity asked, &ldquo;<em>where</em> did you get such a lovely little bauble?&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;From a zombie,&rdquo; she responded, between sips of cider, &ldquo;In fact it was the first zombie Lucifer and I encountered. It was a blind three-legged unicorn.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;She shook her head.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;It sounds strange since we&#039;ve been through so many weird things together but I&#039;d never felt so creeped out as I did when I encountered him. I&#039;d never been so frightened before,&rdquo; she said quietly, &ldquo;I only found the ring again when I was going through the saddlebags I took on the mission to hold back the zombies.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Rarity nodded.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;It&#039;s a lovely bit of silver in an ancient style. It&#039;s like a prop from a grand historical drama. A wedding ring for a fair princess but perhaps a bit big and stallionly,&rdquo; she said.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Twilight nodded.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;I thought I&#039;d at least show it to Luna,&rdquo; she said, &ldquo;She may recognize it.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Twilight nudged a draped tablecloth aside and took a look at the wagon Pinkie had brought.&nbsp;&nbsp;The wheels were old but in good shape.&nbsp;&nbsp;The frame was made of light spruce like the wagons pegasi used.&nbsp;&nbsp;It didn&#039;t have the logo of Sugarcube Corner on the side.&nbsp;&nbsp;It said &ldquo;Granny Pinkie&#039;s Pies&rdquo; in an old-fashioned font.&nbsp;&nbsp;Twilight thought she&#039;d have to ask about it someday when things were more normal.&nbsp;&nbsp;Somewhere deep down she didn&#039;t believe that day would ever come.&nbsp;&nbsp;Too much had happened for Equestria to ever be the same again.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Pinkie put a hoof on her shoulder.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;Don&#039;t worry, Twilight,&rdquo; she said, &ldquo;Luna knows what she&#039;s doing. She&#039;s the princess of the night, and the ruler of Equestria right now.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;I hope you&#039;re right, Pinkie,&rdquo; Twilight said quietly.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />The first sliver of the newly waning gibbous moon crested the horizon.&nbsp;&nbsp;The orb slowly rose, chasing away the dimmer stars.&nbsp;&nbsp;The sky itself seemed to glow with its reflected light.&nbsp;&nbsp;The night above looked glorious.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Like a bolt from the blue a great flash of light lit the sky overhead and a grand chariot appeared.&nbsp;&nbsp;Two bat-winged pegasi drew it by long chains.&nbsp;&nbsp;The dark chariot circled and descended.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />All the gathered ponies bowed deeply as Princess Luna stepped out.&nbsp;&nbsp;She dismissed her pegasi, who hauled the chariot up and away again.&nbsp;&nbsp;She wore her dark crown and pectoral with a small purse hanging at her side.&nbsp;&nbsp;Her mane of stars sparkled in the darkness like the sky above.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Arise my subjects,&rdquo; she said, &ldquo;Art thou prepared for the night&#039;s journey?&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Twilight spoke up.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;We are, Princess,&rdquo; she said, bowing again, &ldquo;We&#039;re as prepared as we&#039;ll ever be. Cerberus has been drugged so he should sleep all night.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Good,&rdquo; the princess said.&nbsp;&nbsp;She suddenly noticed something.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;Twilight!&rdquo; she shouted, &ldquo;Where did you find that ring?&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Oh, uh, Princess,&rdquo; she stammered.&nbsp;&nbsp;The floating ring flew from her glowing grasp and spun in the moonlight.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Twilight found herself being drawn straight toward Princess Luna.&nbsp;&nbsp;Luna pulled Twilight to herself and kissed her full on the muzzle.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;Oh, wonders, dear child!&rdquo; she shouted.&nbsp;&nbsp;She lifted the purple unicorn and tucked her under her massive wing.&nbsp;&nbsp;Luna spun in a circle, doing a strange dance in the moonlight.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;I doubted the success of our enterprise but you&#039;ve found us not only a charm but a guide in the underworld,&rdquo; she said happily.&nbsp;&nbsp;A whicker escaped her lips.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Uhh, Luna?&rdquo; Twilight asked, now rather dizzy.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Tis the ring of Spiral the Blind, my tutor in magic,&rdquo; she said, &ldquo;If I have his ring, surely we will be able to find him and employ his services as a guide in our quest.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;The princess put Twilight down on the grass.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Oh!&rdquo; Twilight said, &ldquo;He was the first zombie Lucifer and I encountered. He was eyeless and his horn shattered. I didn&#039;t realize who it was.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Luna nodded.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;No matter, Twilight,&rdquo; she said, &ldquo;you have found the one perfect thing we will need.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;She floated the ring onto her own horn where it fitted perfectly.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Luna stood tall and opened the small purse she carried.&nbsp;&nbsp;Then she took off her crown and pectoral and laid them carefully in the grass.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;I set aside the raiments of power. In Tartarus I am no longer ruler of the world above. All of you keep your Elements,&rdquo; she said, &ldquo;You may need them to dispel the illusions of the netherworld.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;She floated silver coins from the purse to each pony.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;Each take one in your teeth,&rdquo; she said, &ldquo;You will need them. Neither eat nor drink anything where we are going and don&#039;t believe anything you see or hear.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;She took one herself.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />The princess strode toward the gaping cave opening without a pause.&nbsp;&nbsp;Her energy seemed to sweep the other ponies into line behind her.&nbsp;&nbsp;They all strode forward with purpose, except for Pinkie who bounced happily into the underworld and Applebloom who trailed reluctantly behind.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br /><div class='align_center'>&bull; &bull; &bull;</div><br /><br />The group made their way slowly down a cavern that spiraled deeper and deeper into the earth.&nbsp;&nbsp;At first the tunnel was pure black and the ponies followed the stars of Luna&#039;s tail but as their eyes adapted to the strange light of the nether regions the cave walls seemed to glow with their own darkling light and the stars of Luna&#039;s swinging tail were astonishingly bright.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />After some interminable time the sound of flowing water began to echo in the distance.&nbsp;&nbsp;Luna stepped forward into a great cavern whose ceiling was pure blackness.&nbsp;&nbsp;A great luminous river flowed through the cavern, its depth home to strange dark shapes that flowed with its waters.&nbsp;&nbsp;The princess strode forward in silence onto a dock of dangerously rotten wooden boards.&nbsp;&nbsp;It creaked under her weight.&nbsp;&nbsp;The others followed as she silently approached a strange boat moored on the end of the dock.&nbsp;&nbsp;She bowed her head and offered the coin she carried to a skeletal figure holding a long pole.&nbsp;&nbsp;He passed his hoof over the coin and it simply vanished.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Luna stepped into the boat and the others followed her lead one by one until the ferryman seemed to stare at Applebloom with the eyeless sockets of his skull.&nbsp;&nbsp;She raised her muzzle and offered the coin to him, her eyes filled with tears.&nbsp;&nbsp;He touched the coin and it vanished like the others.&nbsp;&nbsp;Applebloom&#039;s tiny legs shook and she nearly fell into the river.&nbsp;&nbsp;Luna grabbed her by her mane and pulled her into the boat.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Be careful, child,&rdquo; she whispered, &ldquo;You do not want to be in that river.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />The boat moved slowly along the river.&nbsp;&nbsp;A lantern at its bow swung and cast a faint bluish light upon the water as they moved deeper into the underworld with the slow current.&nbsp;&nbsp;At times the walls of the cave came very close and stalactites threatened to block their progress but onward and downward they went.&nbsp;&nbsp;At last the boat emerged into a cavern so vast it was hard to imagine its size.&nbsp;&nbsp;The whole place was dimly lit by flickering lights and filled with a dull raucous noise.&nbsp;&nbsp;On the shore many ponies and other things that weren&#039;t ponies milled around aimlessly.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />The boatman touched ground in the midst of them, causing the creatures to scatter.&nbsp;&nbsp;They stood on the edge of the lantern light, staring with strange whitish eyes.&nbsp;&nbsp;The boatman directed the ponies onto the shore with his hoof.&nbsp;&nbsp;One-by-one they stepped onto the coarse black sand of a dark beach.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Only Luna stood confident.&nbsp;&nbsp;Her aura seemed to repel the strange dark beings.&nbsp;&nbsp;They fled from the light of her stars.&nbsp;&nbsp;She made room for the other ponies as the boat silently departed.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;Everypony stay together,&rdquo; she said, &ldquo;Do not allow yourself to be separated from the group in this place.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Luna&#039;s horn glowed brightly and the silver ring shone with a strange light that cast beams up into the ceiling of the vast cave.&nbsp;&nbsp;She stood tall like a beacon in the darkness.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />A commotion arose in the group of strange ponies that surrounded them.&nbsp;&nbsp;Out of the shoving mass came one handsome unicorn who stood out from the rest.&nbsp;&nbsp;His silvery coat shone in the light from Luna&#039;s horn.&nbsp;&nbsp;The symbol on his flank was a wand casting sparkling stars.&nbsp;&nbsp;He stepped forward and bowed to the princess.&nbsp;&nbsp;He looked up at her with tear-filled blue eyes that glittered in the darkness.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;My Princess,&rdquo; he said in a very courtly way, &ldquo;How may I be of service?&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Luna stepped forward and nuzzled his cheek.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;It has been far too long,&rdquo; she said, &ldquo;Merely to be in your presence again is worth a journey to this dark place. I&#039;m pleased to see your sight is restored to you.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;She floated the ring from her horn onto his.&nbsp;&nbsp;The moment it landed his whole body glowed with an unearthly light.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;You do me great service, my lady,&rdquo; he said, &ldquo;and restore great power to me here. I know not if my sight is a blessing or a curse in this place though it be of service to thee.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;I would be greatly pleased if you would lead me and my party,&rdquo; Luna said, &ldquo;We seek the place where my sister is held.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />The silvery unicorn nodded.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;I shall take you there directly,&rdquo; he said, &ldquo;though your party will still face the dangers and distractions of the underworld.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Spiral turned and the crowding ponies parted before him.&nbsp;&nbsp;The group made slow progress into the depths.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br /><div class='align_center'>&bull; &bull; &bull;</div><br /><br />Trailing behind the rest, Applebloom was in a state of complete despair.&nbsp;&nbsp;The grown-up ponies paid no attention to her and she was thankful for it.&nbsp;&nbsp;She could hide from their gaze and trail along behind in the darkness.&nbsp;&nbsp;The shiny silver unicorn scared her.&nbsp;&nbsp;Would he even really lead them to Celestia?&nbsp;&nbsp;Was Celestia really here in Tartarus?&nbsp;&nbsp;Even if she was here somewhere how would they set her free?&nbsp;&nbsp;It was all her fault the princess died.&nbsp;&nbsp;She&#039;d saved Equestria from one filly&#039;s stupidity and doomed herself doing it.&nbsp;&nbsp;Applebloom didn&#039;t even try to blame Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo anymore.&nbsp;&nbsp;It was all her fault.&nbsp;&nbsp;Everything that had happened was her fault.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />The filly&#039;s stomach was achingly empty and she didn&#039;t care.&nbsp;&nbsp;The darkness seemed to draw the life out of her and the energy from her every step.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />The group passed through a cavern filled with huge dark crystals.&nbsp;&nbsp;The whole chamber was filled with their dark reflections as they passed.&nbsp;&nbsp;Applebloom was in such complete despair she hardly noticed her own reflection.&nbsp;&nbsp;It flickered past and she saw something on her flank.&nbsp;&nbsp;She spun on the spot and faced a crystal.&nbsp;&nbsp;The tiny filly turned her rump toward the flat surface of the crystal and saw the image of a pony skull on her flank.&nbsp;&nbsp;She spun around and around unsuccessfully trying to look at her flank.&nbsp;&nbsp;She looked in another crystal and there it was again.&nbsp;&nbsp;Tears welled in her eyes.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />She cried harder and harder.&nbsp;&nbsp;Tears ran down her cheeks and dripped from her chin.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />A skull, the symbol of death, she thought.&nbsp;&nbsp;She felt her whole body overtaken with a feeling of despair.&nbsp;&nbsp;She&#039;d finally gotten what she always wanted.&nbsp;&nbsp;Was she the harbinger of death?&nbsp;&nbsp;She was Applebloom, the little filly of death.&nbsp;&nbsp;Is that her special talent?&nbsp;&nbsp;No wonder she hadn&#039;t found her cutie mark.&nbsp;&nbsp;She hadn&#039;t been responsible for unleashing the doom of the undead on Equestria before.&nbsp;&nbsp;She was the pony who brought living death in her wake.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />The filly collapsed to her knees and quietly sobbed.&nbsp;&nbsp;She couldn&#039;t stand to open her eyes.&nbsp;&nbsp;All she could see in the chamber were reflections of herself and her stupidity.&nbsp;&nbsp;Finally she knew who she was.&nbsp;&nbsp;She was the filly of death.&nbsp;&nbsp;She belonged here in the underworld.&nbsp;&nbsp;She&#039;d finally found her cutie mark and place.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br /><div class='align_center'>&bull; &bull; &bull;</div><br /><br />&ldquo;Where&#039;s Applebloom,&rdquo; Applejack asked, suddenly frantic, &ldquo;I can&#039;t see her back there.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Spiral spoke quietly, &ldquo;She is facing her challenge. All ponies must face them alone. Each of you will face despair or temptation in this place. There is no avoiding it. If you should best the challenge you will find your way back to me. If not you may be lost here. The filly will choose her own fate.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;But she doesn&#039;t have an element or anything!&rdquo; Applejack cried, &ldquo;That&#039;s not fair at all!&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />The silvery unicorn nodded gravely.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;Death is not fair and neither is this place,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Applejack tried to run back the way they&#039;d come but Twilight grabbed her tail with a flickering glow.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;I&#039;m sorry, Applejack but I believe he&#039;s right,&rdquo; she said, &ldquo;Applebloom came here of her own free will and I think she&#039;ll have to face her challenge alone.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Applejack tore her tail from Twilight&#039;s grip and ran off into the darkness.&nbsp;&nbsp;The sound of her pounding hooves receded into the distance but then came to a sudden clattering stop.&nbsp;&nbsp;Everypony stood still, listening.&nbsp;&nbsp;Applejack&#039;s voice echoed from the depths.&nbsp;&nbsp;Twilight thought she heard her say, &ldquo;Mama?&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;We must continue,&rdquo; Spiral said.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Luna nodded toward Twilight.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;We must all face one thing or another. Applejack must face her temptation alone,&rdquo; she said.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Twilight reluctantly turned to continue.&nbsp;&nbsp;A feeling of despair came over the whole group.&nbsp;&nbsp;Each thought of what her own challenge might be.&nbsp;&nbsp;The wielders of the Elements had each been tempted by Discord into becoming their opposite.&nbsp;&nbsp;What strange new temptations would they face here?&nbsp;&nbsp;They maintained their silence as they slowly progressed through the dark caverns.&nbsp;&nbsp;Even Pinkie Pie began to walk slowly.&nbsp;&nbsp;She didn&#039;t have the energy to bounce anymore.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Pinkie felt tears come to her eyes.&nbsp;&nbsp;She&#039;d seen so much poverty and despair as a filly.&nbsp;&nbsp;Despite the laughter that filled her heart she felt the tug of the enveloping darkness seeping into her.&nbsp;&nbsp;Her mane began to droop and her hooves began to drag.&nbsp;&nbsp;For the first time in a long time she didn&#039;t feel like smiling.&nbsp;&nbsp;She didn&#039;t even feel like making other ponies smile.&nbsp;&nbsp;She began to wish for something, anything, to happen.&nbsp;&nbsp;She desperately wanted a sign that there was laughter and happiness in this place.&nbsp;&nbsp;The distant caverns echoed with cries of despair.&nbsp;&nbsp;She couldn&#039;t bring herself to laugh in response.&nbsp;&nbsp;The tiny seed of a laugh died in her throat.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Out of the corner of her eye she saw something bright.&nbsp;&nbsp;Here in the darkness there was a touch of pink.&nbsp;&nbsp;Pinkie wondered if she&#039;d seen her reflection like the distorted reflections in the cave full of crystals.&nbsp;&nbsp;One of the crystals had shown the refection of a tragedy mask on her flank instead of the balloons she knew were there.&nbsp;&nbsp;She thought she saw pink feathers flicker in the dark again.&nbsp;&nbsp;She fell behind the others and slipped away into the enveloping darkness.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Pinkie trod on quiet hooves in the direction she thought she&#039;d seen the colorful something.&nbsp;&nbsp;The pink pegasus trotted faster into the darkness.&nbsp;&nbsp;She thought she could hear something that didn&#039;t sound like despair.&nbsp;&nbsp;Something out there sounded like the fluttering of happy wings and the squeaking of balloons.&nbsp;&nbsp;In the damp depths she could smell the scent of pies baking.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br /><div class='align_center'>&bull; &bull; &bull;</div><br /><br />Twilight noticed Pinkie was missing and nudged Rainbow.&nbsp;&nbsp;The pegasus nodded silently.&nbsp;&nbsp;She was feeling the despair herself.&nbsp;&nbsp;There was nowhere to fly down here and she couldn&#039;t imagine how she could be tempted away.&nbsp;&nbsp;She represented the element of loyalty after all.&nbsp;&nbsp;The heavy necklace was hanging around her neck.&nbsp;&nbsp;She looked at Rarity and Fluttershy and Twilight in turn.&nbsp;&nbsp;If each of them was to be tempted, what would each of them face?&nbsp;&nbsp;Rarity had been tempted by a rock she thought was a giant diamond.&nbsp;&nbsp;Rainbow quietly thought that she&#039;d be the next to go.&nbsp;&nbsp;All it would take is a cavern full of gems to turn her steps aside.&nbsp;&nbsp;Rainbow bowed her head and kept walking, her hooves getting heavier and heavier.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Rainbow turned toward Fluttershy and was surprised to find the yellow mare wasn&#039;t there anymore.&nbsp;&nbsp;She was startled to see a pink tail disappearing around a turn into another cavern.&nbsp;&nbsp;A strange clucking sound echoed from that direction.&nbsp;&nbsp;Rainbow tried to fire up her wings and found she didn&#039;t have the energy to pursue her friend into the darkness.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br /><div class='align_center'>&bull; &bull; &bull;</div><br /><br />&ldquo;Henrietta? Are you there?&rdquo; Fluttershy asked the echoing darkness.&nbsp;&nbsp;The only response was a dull clucking.&nbsp;&nbsp;The mare trotted further and further into the darkness until she found herself in a huge cave.&nbsp;&nbsp;Water dripped from far above into a great pool.&nbsp;&nbsp;Green light from the luminous ceiling cast strange shadows making the rock formations almost look like trees.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Fluttershy was startled when a whole group of hens fluttered out of the darkness and gathered around her.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;Oh girls!&rdquo; she cried, &ldquo;I thought you were all&hellip;&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;Her wings and tail drooped.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;You&#039;re all dead,&rdquo; she said, holding back tears, &ldquo;Twilight burned your, um, bodies under the spruce tree by the chicken yard.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;Tears burst forth and ran down her cheeks.&nbsp;&nbsp;She collapsed to her knees.&nbsp;&nbsp;The hens all gathered around and covered her with their wings.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;Thank you, girls, thank you, thank you,&rdquo; she sobbed.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Across the cavern a huge buck trotted forward and began to drink from the pool.&nbsp;&nbsp;Behind him more creatures came forward.&nbsp;&nbsp;A whole herd of deer came to the pool to drink.&nbsp;&nbsp;They were followed by bears and ferrets and ducks and a cockatrice.&nbsp;&nbsp;One by one every creature of Everfree Forest came forward to drink at the dark pool.&nbsp;&nbsp;Fluttershy looked at their reflections in the pool, which she saw were charred skeletons.&nbsp;&nbsp;The pegasus sobbed, the river of her tears running into the dark waters of the underworld.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Every creature in the forest,&rdquo; she whispered, &ldquo;All the poor animals&hellip;&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;Her voice trailed off in echoes in the vast cavern as more and more creatures came forward.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br /><div class='align_center'>&bull; &bull; &bull;</div><br /><br />The much smaller group continued winding their way through the dark caverns.&nbsp;&nbsp;A great trepidation came over Twilight.&nbsp;&nbsp;Now only two of her friends remained.&nbsp;&nbsp;She didn&#039;t know who would go next or if any of them would return again.&nbsp;&nbsp;She grabbed Rarity and Rainbow in her embrace and kissed them both.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;Please don&#039;t abandon me, you two,&rdquo; she sobbed.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Twilight, dear, there is simply nothing that could possibly tempt me in this dingy place,&rdquo; Rarity said, &ldquo;I will stick by you both until the end.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Spiral snorted.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Rainbow Dash turned to him.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;What&#039;s with you, shiny butt?&rdquo; she asked, suddenly aggressive, &ldquo;You want us to get lost in this maze!&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Rainbow Dash,&rdquo; Luna said, speaking up, &ldquo;He is our guide and he tells the truth. You too must face a temptation on our journey no matter how hard you fight it. It is the way of this dark place.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Rainbow,&rdquo; Twilight said, tears in her eyes, &ldquo;Just promise to do your best. You&#039;re the strongest and most loyal pony I know. I know you can make it through this better than anypony.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Rainbow buried her muzzle in Twilight&#039;s mane.&nbsp;&nbsp;Rarity joined her and all three embraced.&nbsp;&nbsp;A strange sound grew around them.&nbsp;&nbsp;It was the sound of swing music that seemed completely foreign to the underworld.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Rarity,&rdquo; Twilight said suddenly, &ldquo;I think your time has come.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />The other two opened their eyes and saw what she was talking about.&nbsp;&nbsp;On one side of the cavern was an open door to a vast ballroom.&nbsp;&nbsp;Mares in elegant dresses and stallions in tuxedos danced under a vast art nouveau chandelier lit by candles.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Rarity,&rdquo; Twilight said, &ldquo;I think this is where you need to go.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Rarity nodded, her elegant mane swirling.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;I will return to you, I promise,&rdquo; she said.&nbsp;&nbsp;Her hooves clicked on the black and white tile as she ran, approaching a mare in a little black dress with a gold dollar sign for a cutie mark.&nbsp;&nbsp;The sound of the band seemed to recede in the distance.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Spiral, Luna, Twilight and Rainbow continued on their way, entering another vast cavern.&nbsp;&nbsp;Its ceiling was lost in sheer distance.&nbsp;&nbsp;Dark clouds drifted in its heights.&nbsp;&nbsp;Sounds echoed in the distance in the vast space.&nbsp;&nbsp;A group of pegasi flared their wings and came to a stop in front of them.&nbsp;&nbsp;One saluted.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Twilight embraced Rainbow one last time.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;Go, my loyal friend,&rdquo; she said, &ldquo;you have an important mission.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Rainbow saluted and trotted to the pegasi with tears in her eyes.&nbsp;&nbsp;Twilight recognized about half of them.&nbsp;&nbsp;They were some of the greatest fliers of the past wearing the uniforms or armor of their various periods.&nbsp;&nbsp;Commander Hurricane was among them.&nbsp;&nbsp;A tear came to her eye as she watched her friend fly off with what had to be her greatest heroes.&nbsp;&nbsp;Twilight&#039;s heart fell.&nbsp;&nbsp;What would her temptation be?&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br /><div class='align_center'>&bull; &bull; &bull;</div><br /><br />Twilight stuck close to Luna&#039;s flank.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;There is something you must face as well, young one,&rdquo; Luna said.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;I know,&rdquo; Twilight said, swallowing hard, &ldquo;I just can&#039;t imagine what it might be.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;She shuddered in her hooves.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Somewhere in the distance Twilight heard a sweet voice.&nbsp;&nbsp;She was sure it was calling her name.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Luna nodded toward her.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;Go, little one,&rdquo; Luna said, &ldquo;and remember who you are. Remember why you are here and who you mean to save. Know that of all the ponies in Equestria you are the most special to her.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Twilight nodded.&nbsp;&nbsp;The voice tugged at her heart.&nbsp;&nbsp;Her hooves followed.&nbsp;&nbsp;She could not resist the soft sweet voice that drew her toward it.&nbsp;&nbsp;She heard her name over and over.&nbsp;&nbsp;The unicorn&#039;s hooves began to run of their own accord drawing her closer to the mysterious voice.&nbsp;&nbsp;Twilight&#039;s hoofbeats died away in the darkness.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;At last we&#039;re alone together,&rdquo; the silver unicorn said in his silky voice.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Indeed we are,&rdquo; Luna responded in much the same way, &ldquo;Now where are you leading me?&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;I lead you true, my beauty,&rdquo; he said, &ldquo;but I think we might stop in a private place along the way.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Luna stood well over a head taller than the silvery stallion.&nbsp;&nbsp;She dipped her head and nibbled his crest.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;You are more forward than I remember, my lady,&rdquo; he said, &ldquo;I knew you when you were a shy filly fumbling with the simplest spells and unfamiliar with the ways of love.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;And now, Spiral?&rdquo; she asked, &ldquo;Now that you can behold me as you never could in life, what do you see before you?&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;I see the beautiful princess of the night. In this place of darkness you are the light in the underworld. You are the most lovely mare my eyes have ever beheld.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;For once you are truthful. I am a fully grown mare of great power,&rdquo; Luna snorted, &ldquo;and I am no longer your plaything. You should have learned your lesson when an angry husband gouged out your eyes with his horn. He should have attacked your other orbs instead. It might have discouraged your predatory ways. You were a bold stallion who would toy with the affections of a young princess then. Now you are to be my temptation?&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;I am sorry, but it is the nature of this place,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Luna laughed.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;Yours is a sickly sweetness I have tasted and it turned sour in my mouth. They said you were the most handsome unicorn at court despite your mutilated eyes and they were right. They also said you&#039;d bedded every lovely young filly you could get your hooves on.&rdquo;<br /><br />&ldquo;Now I am proud,&rdquo; Luna continued, &ldquo;to be your temptress in this place.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;She turned and showed her dark flank to him.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;I am the sweetness of the living you can never taste again,&rdquo; she said and flicked her tail in his direction.&nbsp;&nbsp;The light seemed to drain out of the silvery unicorn&#039;s countenance.&nbsp;&nbsp;His glittering blue of his eyes faded to the dull cyan of a sky before an approaching storm.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Now lead me to the place where my sister is held,&rdquo; she said with great confidence, &ldquo;Despite it all you are still a temptation to me and I&#039;m proud to reject you once and for all.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br /><div class='align_center'>&bull; &bull; &bull;</div><br /><br />Twilight&#039;s hooves left the rough stone and clicked on smoothly polished marble.&nbsp;&nbsp;The avenue of golden stone led into a truly vast atrium.&nbsp;&nbsp;High above an unearthly light shone through stained glass windows portraying the founding of Equestria.&nbsp;&nbsp;Twilight glanced at the figure of Commander Hurricane.&nbsp;&nbsp;She decided it was very accurate compared to the actual pegasus she&#039;d seen mere minutes earlier.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />The voice drew her further.&nbsp;&nbsp;The atrium opened into an enormous library.&nbsp;&nbsp;Five stories of stacks rose on all sides.&nbsp;&nbsp;Iron spiral staircases led to the upper levels.&nbsp;&nbsp;On the end of each row of stacks was a life-sized statue of some significant pony of the past.&nbsp;&nbsp;She ran past a statue of Starswirl the Bearded and continued into a maze of reading rooms.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />She ran from one room to another following the voice.&nbsp;&nbsp;At last she found a huge open door at the end of the last hallway.&nbsp;&nbsp;Within was a vast oval room lined with bookshelves with a fireplace of bright stone.&nbsp;&nbsp;In the middle lay a pile of golden cushions and what lay upon them made her heart leap.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Twilight ran to the princess as fast as her hooves could carry her.&nbsp;&nbsp;She dove into the pile of gold and bowled Celestia over.&nbsp;&nbsp;The two tumbled, rolling over and over.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Oh, Twilight,&rdquo; Celestia said, &ldquo;You&#039;ve come to me even here in the underworld.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Princess!&rdquo; Twilight cried, &ldquo;I&#039;m so glad I found you!&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;I&#039;m glad to see you again too,&rdquo; the princess said sweetly, &ldquo;Only a very talented unicorn like you could have found her way to me.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Princess,&rdquo; Twilight said very seriously, &ldquo;We have to leave right now! The others are here too and they&#039;re facing their temptations. I hope none of them get lost. If they do we have to save them and we all have to get out. We&#039;ve drugged Cerberus but he&#039;ll only stay asleep for a few more hours. We all have to get out before he wakes up!&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Twilight,&rdquo; the princess said, tossing her flowing pastel mane, &ldquo;You&#039;re always so serious. You need to relax. Why don&#039;t we spend some time together first? We could read a little. You&#039;ve always wanted to spend time with me.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Twilight nodded.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;But princess!&rdquo; she said, &ldquo;I don&#039;t know who much time we have left!&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;The morning won&#039;t come until I raise the sun again. There&#039;s plenty of time,&rdquo; Celestia said dismissively, &ldquo;Why don&#039;t we settle down together for just a little while?&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Twilight sighed.&nbsp;&nbsp;She snuggled in next to the princess who covered her with an alabaster wing.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />The purple unicorn felt her heart soften.&nbsp;&nbsp;It felt so wonderful to be tucked under the princess&#039; wing.&nbsp;&nbsp;She could hear the beating of Celestia&#039;s loving heart.&nbsp;&nbsp;For a long moment she lay there snuggled up beside the princess.&nbsp;&nbsp;It felt like the most amazing dream.&nbsp;&nbsp;She opened her eyes and gazed up lovingly at the princess.&nbsp;&nbsp;She felt as if she could stay there forever.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Celestia floated a book off one of the shelves.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;How about Tales of the Ancient Unicorns?&rdquo; she asked, &ldquo;You loved to listen to these stories when you were a filly, didn&#039;t you?&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Something tore at Twilight&#039;s heart.&nbsp;&nbsp;How did Celestia know that?&nbsp;&nbsp;Only her mother ever read her those stories.&nbsp;&nbsp;The dark unicorn squeezed her eyelids tight, squeezing out bitter tears.&nbsp;&nbsp;She had never felt the pull of such complete contentment.&nbsp;&nbsp;For once in her life she had nothing to prove.&nbsp;&nbsp;There was no homework to do and no tests to take.&nbsp;&nbsp;She could just stay there by Celestia&#039;s side in happiness forever.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Hot tears formed beneath Twilight&#039;s eyelids.&nbsp;&nbsp;She knew what she must do.&nbsp;&nbsp;She had not forgotten her mission.&nbsp;&nbsp; She sighed deeply.&nbsp;&nbsp;Twilight raised her head and pressed the point of her horn against the great mare&#039;s neck.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;Where is she?&rdquo; Twilight asked, her voice low and angry.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Why, Twilight,&rdquo; the princess said.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Where is the real Celestia?&rdquo; Twilight asked, her tone dead serious.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;This is so unlike you, Twilight,&rdquo; she said.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Okay, you asked for it,&rdquo; Twilight said.&nbsp;&nbsp;Her horn glowed brightly and so did the six-pointed gem in the tiara she wore.&nbsp;&nbsp;The princess recoiled, trying to get away from her.&nbsp;&nbsp;Twilight pressed her horn hard just under her chin.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;Who are you really?&rdquo; she demanded.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />The princess suddenly dissolved, leaving Twilight tumbling among the golden cushions.&nbsp;&nbsp;Then the cushions disappeared and along with them the floor and the library and all the wonderful books.&nbsp;&nbsp;The purple unicorn was left tumbling in the dark on the wet stone floor of a cavern.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Princess Luna and Spiral stood before her in the half-light of the underworld.&nbsp;&nbsp;Twilight felt drained and her heart pounded in her ears.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;Luna,&rdquo; she said, bowing, &ldquo;I&hellip;&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;I believe you&#039;ve faced your challenge and bested it, Twilight,&rdquo; the princess said quietly, &ldquo;You&#039;ve done so honorably and surprisingly quickly. Now we will wait for the others.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br /><div class='align_center'>&bull; &bull; &bull;</div><br /><br />A tiny filly sat and cried and cried and cried.&nbsp;&nbsp;A pool had formed around her in the cave full of crystals.&nbsp;&nbsp;She looked at her own reflection in the bitter tears.&nbsp;&nbsp;Her eyes were bloodshot and ringed by dark circles.&nbsp;&nbsp;Then she was startled.&nbsp;&nbsp;She saw the reflection of somepony behind herself.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Applebloom&#039;s ears flattened and she looked around frantically.&nbsp;&nbsp;She saw nothing but more crystals and reflections of herself in the cave.&nbsp;&nbsp;The pony skull on her flank in the reflections mocked her.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Her ears flickered.&nbsp;&nbsp;Somepony was calling her name from a great distance.&nbsp;&nbsp;The sound trailed off then came back again.&nbsp;&nbsp;She looked in the pool and another tear fell into its darkness.&nbsp;&nbsp;Something moved in the depths of the pool.&nbsp;&nbsp; The ripples condensed into an image.&nbsp;&nbsp;The filly backed away in fear.&nbsp;&nbsp;A face and flowing pastel mane appeared in the reflection and then vanished again.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Applebloom!&rdquo; the distant voice said, &ldquo;Follow my voice.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;No!&rdquo; the filly cried in the darkness, &ldquo;I won&#039;t follow you! Just leave me alone!&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Listen to me,&rdquo; came the sibilant response, &ldquo;This place is deceiving. You must follow your heart and follow my voice.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Applebloom looked down a dark passage.&nbsp;&nbsp;It looked darker and more frightening than any other.&nbsp;&nbsp;Jagged rocks stuck out like rotten teeth.&nbsp;&nbsp;The floor was rough and covered with loose gravel.&nbsp;&nbsp;The voice was definitely coming from that direction.&nbsp;&nbsp;She looked back at her flank and saw it in the half light of the underworld.&nbsp;&nbsp;It was creamy yellow and completely blank.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Applebloom,&rdquo; she heard the voice call again, &ldquo;Hope is not yet lost. Follow my voice. Come to me.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />The filly&#039;s hooves began to move.&nbsp;&nbsp;Her hooves clicked on the stone and stumbled forward down the dark passage.&nbsp;&nbsp;Before she passed into the deeper darkness she looked at her flank one more time.&nbsp;&nbsp;It was still blank.&nbsp;&nbsp;She had never been so glad to see it that way.&nbsp;&nbsp;Stones rolled under her hooves and made her stumble.&nbsp;&nbsp;Still, she continued into the deeper darkness.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br /><div class='align_center'>&bull; &bull; &bull;</div><br /><br />Applejack suddenly tumbled out of the dark.&nbsp;&nbsp;She covered her face with a red and white checked apron.&nbsp;&nbsp;Her eyes were full of hot tears.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Twilight ran to her and put a hoof around her shoulder.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;Are you okay?&rdquo; she asked, &ldquo;What happened, Applejack?&rdquo;<br /><br />The earth pony snuffed back tears and looked into Twilight&#039;s eyes.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;I&#039;m okay, Twi,&rdquo; she said, I-I just don&#039;t want to talk about it right now, okay?&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />The two ponies simply embraced for a long time.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;You, uhh, faced your temptation, did you?&rdquo; Applejack asked.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Twilight nodded.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;The princess,&rdquo; she said sadly, &ldquo;but not the real princess. I knew she&#039;d never act the way she did. She was just too sweet and accommodating. She wanted me to stay and spend time with her when we have an important mission.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;She shook her head.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;It was much too perfect,&rdquo; she said.&nbsp;&nbsp;She closed her eyes and sighed.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Applejack nodded and nuzzled the side of Twilight&#039;s neck.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;I know what you mean, Sugarcube,&rdquo; she said.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Twilight opened her eyes and found a pair of happy blue eyes staring into hers.&nbsp;&nbsp;She jumped, nearly knocking Applejack over.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Pinkie!&rdquo; Twilight shouted, &ldquo;Are you? Oh no!&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />She grabbed the pink pegasus.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;You&#039;re so pale! Your mane is flat! Where&#039;s your element?&rdquo; she cried, &ldquo;What did you do? You didn&#039;t eat anything down here, did you?&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;She shook the winged pony and forced her muzzle open with magic, making her choke.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Oh nononono!&rdquo; Twilight shouted.&nbsp;&nbsp;She released her magic causing the other pony&#039;s muzzle to snap shut.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Young lady,&rdquo; the pegasus said in a stern voice, &ldquo;There&#039;s no need for such foolishness.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;But&hellip;&rdquo; Twilight began.&nbsp;&nbsp;She backed up and bumped into somepony else.&nbsp;&nbsp;She turned and was shocked.&nbsp;&nbsp;She&#039;d backed into Pinkie Pie.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;Pinkie?&rdquo; she asked, &ldquo;You&#039;re normal! I mean as normal as you ever are. You&#039;re so pink and frizzy! You have your element!&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />The second pegasus giggled.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;Of course I am, Twilight,&rdquo; she said.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Twilight looked back and forth between the two pink pegasi.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;I almost hate to ask but which of you is the real Pinkie?&rdquo; she asked.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;I am!&rdquo; the two said at the same time then both began giggling.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Twilight!&rdquo; the darker Pinkie said, &ldquo;I&#039;d like you to meet my Grandma Pinkie.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;She indicated the other Pinkie with her wing.&nbsp;&nbsp;The two surrounded Twilight with their wings.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Oh!&rdquo; Twilight gasped, slapping her hoof to her head, &ldquo;Now it makes sense. Well, actually it doesn&#039;t. Or does it?&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;It does, Twilight,&rdquo; the lighter pink Pinkie said, &ldquo;Pinkie always wanted to see me again. I&#039;ve watched over my favorite granddaughter from beyond but this visit is so special. It brings fresh laughter into my old heart.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Yeah, but it&#039;s not forever,&rdquo; Pinkie said seriously, &ldquo;It&#039;s just for a little while and that&#039;s okay.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />The older Pinkie nodded.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;Still, I want to help with your quest if you don&#039;t mind me coming along,&rdquo; she said.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Both Pinkies looked toward Luna.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Any help is welcome,&rdquo; the princess said.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br /><div class='align_center'>&bull; &bull; &bull;</div><br /><br />A tiny filly stumbled along in complete darkness.&nbsp;&nbsp;She couldn&#039;t see anything at all and ran straight into a wall of slippery wet rock.&nbsp;&nbsp;She heard a voice calling her name coming from above.&nbsp;&nbsp;She felt the rock with her hoof.&nbsp;&nbsp;There were some hoof-holds here and there but it was so slippery and she had no idea how high the wall was.&nbsp;&nbsp;The voice seemed to be directly above her.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />She put one hoof in front of another and soon was able to jam her back against an equally slippery rock wall behind her.&nbsp;&nbsp;It was difficult to make her way up but not impossible.&nbsp;&nbsp;Something like a bat&#039;s wing brushed against her face and skittered away in the darkness.&nbsp;&nbsp;The feeling made her shudder and squeeze her eyes shut.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />When she opened them again there was the faintest of light coming from above.&nbsp;&nbsp;She held her hoof up and could see its dark outline against the pale light.&nbsp;&nbsp;It reflected off the wet rocks surrounding her.&nbsp;&nbsp;She pushed herself higher and could see a little more.&nbsp;&nbsp;The vertical passage rose at least another thirty hooves and got even narrower.&nbsp;&nbsp;Only a tiny filly such as herself could possibly make it through.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />She pressed her hooves against the rock and pushed herself up little by little, slowly making her way toward the light.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br /><div class='align_center'>&bull; &bull; &bull;</div><br /><br />Luna sat on a rock in a very regal way.&nbsp;&nbsp;The light of the stars in her mane glittered on the dripping walls of the cavern.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Twilight&#039;s anxiety grew and grew and grew.&nbsp;&nbsp;Time dragged on and nopony appeared.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />The two Pinkies played hide and seek in nearby caverns.&nbsp;&nbsp;The clattering of their hooves and the sound of their giggling echoed through the dark place.&nbsp;&nbsp;It grated on Twilight&#039;s nerves.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Granny Pinkie cantered past the others and dove into a pool of darkness.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;Gotcha!&rdquo; she cried.&nbsp;&nbsp;She pulled a long pink tail out of the dark and much to Twilight&#039;s surprise a yellow pegasus came with it.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Fluttershy cowered on the floor of the cavern.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;I&#039;m sorry,&rdquo; she said, &ldquo;I hope you don&#039;t mind if I hide here just a little longer.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;She started to crawl back into the pool of blackness.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Fluttershy!&rdquo; Applejack shouted, &ldquo;You&#039;re okay!&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;The earth pony pounced on the pegasus and held her tight.&nbsp;&nbsp;Twilight and Applejack both embraced her.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />The other Pinkie appeared from a side cavern.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;Hey, no fair!&rdquo; Pinkie Pie said, &ldquo;Fluttershy wasn&#039;t even playing the game!&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Rarity trotted out of the darkness without a word.&nbsp;&nbsp;She had tears streaming from her makeup-streaked eyes and was missing an eyelash.&nbsp;&nbsp;She joined the pony pile and pressed herself against Twilight&#039;s side.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Want to talk about it?&rdquo; Twilight asked.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Not right now,&rdquo; Rarity responded.&nbsp;&nbsp;She looked around.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;Why am I not surprised to see two Pinkies?&rdquo; she asked nopony in particular.&nbsp;&nbsp;Both pegasi grinned at her.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Another pegasus appeared out of the darkness.&nbsp;&nbsp;She looked dispirited.&nbsp;&nbsp;Her azure wings drooped at her sides and her rainbow mane was damp and tangled.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Fluttershy ran to her side and held her in her wings.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;Oh, Rainbow,&rdquo; she cried, &ldquo;Thank Celestia you&#039;re okay!&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />The light returned to Rainbow&#039;s red eyes.&nbsp;&nbsp;Fluttershy kissed her sweetly on the cheek and she returned the favor.&nbsp;&nbsp;They wrapped their forelegs around each other.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Rainbow,&rdquo; Fluttershy said, &ldquo;It&#039;s you who saved me. I would&#039;ve stayed here forever but I couldn&#039;t have returned to you.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;She kissed the blue pegasus on the muzzle.&nbsp;&nbsp;The two stayed locked together for a long moment before parting.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Rainbow Dash looked embarrassed.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;Same here, sweetie,&rdquo; she said, &ldquo;I met every pegasus I&#039;ve ever admired or looked up to except one. They were the strongest and the fastest and the bravest in battle.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;She looked deeply into Fluttershy&#039;s eyes.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;There was one missing. The kindest and sweetest pegasus wasn&#039;t there. I could never abandon her. I could never leave you.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />The two pegasi joined in a long kiss, wrapping each other in their wings.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;You are all most impressive,&rdquo; Luna said to the group, &ldquo;Every one of you has returned to the path so quickly and without my help. Still, we must move on soon if we are to find my sister.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Luna,&rdquo; Applejack said, &ldquo;Applebloom hasn&#039;t shown up yet. We have to wait for her.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Applejack,&rdquo; Luna said, &ldquo;All wielders of the Elements are reunited. We must move on now.&nbsp;&nbsp;You may be all we have. If the filly is lost we may be able to find her but we must find Celestia. She must be our first priority.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Tears welled in Applejack&#039;s eyes.&nbsp;&nbsp;Twilight held her in her hooves as she sobbed.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;Spiral,&rdquo; Luna said with conviction, &ldquo;Lead us on to where my sister is bound in darkness.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />The silver unicorn bowed.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;The way is now clear, my Princess,&rdquo; he said obsequiously.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Luna held her head high as the group moved onward into the darkness.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br /><strong>Notes:</strong><br /><br />I almost couldn&#039;t believe it when it was revealed in It&#039;s About Time that Taurtauros (Tartarus) is within walking distance of Ponyville and Cerberus is pliant to anypony willing to play with him.&nbsp;&nbsp;How can you not use that in a fic?&nbsp;&nbsp;It&#039;s just too amazingly awesome.&nbsp;&nbsp;Monsters can escape from there.&nbsp;&nbsp;Ponies can lead a quest to recover their newly dead loves or companions from the clutches of Hades.&nbsp;&nbsp;It&#039;s freaking canon, bronies!&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Zecora with magic?&nbsp;&nbsp;What else has Luna&#039;s plasma done to her?&nbsp;&nbsp;The idea for sleeper potion comes from Spiritto (and Babylon 5).&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Flutterdash?&nbsp;&nbsp;Eeyup!&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Grandma Pinkie&#039;s light pink appearance and wings are based on a comic by that sweaty guy in the background of the AP video from Bronycon Summer 2012.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>",
  "pools_count": 3,
  "title": "The Queen's Curse - Part Three - The Journey Through Night",
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