The journey back to library was surprisingly short and pleasant. Twilight was astonished that she had made it to the tree without tripping over her hooves or going to sleep in the frigid street. She and her friends had separated with a couple of exhausted nods and sighs. Everypony had been too wrung out to cheer or even discuss the events, although the feeling of victory surged within Twilight's blood. The fresh, crisp morning air had a delicious scent and feel as it blew into the unicorn's eyes. Perhaps that refreshing feeling was what drove her hooves, which were moving with the dexterity of a pile of bricks.
She was too drained to pay attention to the earth ponies fearfully emerging from their homes. They looked both eager and terrified to investigate the mob of returned ponies shuffling around. The unicorns had begun to chatter, but they found their jaws dropping to the ground upon spying several of their copies. The golem imitations still roamed the streets with cracked, giddy smiles. Twilight couldn't care less as to how the situation would be handled. She just assumed the princess would take care of it as she threw the door to the library open.
A pungent scent of burnt sugar, honey, and something rotten rushed into her nostrils as she opened the door. She choked, her dry throat and nose unable to deal with the sudden vile aroma. She reeled as her eyes rolled and watered uncontrollably. A strange humidity hung in the library as Spike stumbled into view. His movements were drunken, and his eyes were swollen and bright pink. He sniffed at the air before waving lazily at Twilight and collapsing.
"Ohhhhh...heh, heh. Hey, Twiiiiliiiight..." Spike chuckled. He hiccuped as he grabbed at his belly, scratching it. He slurped at his lips as Twilight fell inside, almost forgetting to shut the door behind her. "Whassup...? Oh man, heeey...Dash was riiiight. That tree's preeeetty coooool..." Spike's words were drawn out and slurred past comprehension. Twilight pricked up her ears as she hastily covered her snout.
"Spike! What happened here?" Twilight said nasally. "What's that smell?" Spike blinked twice before slapping his knee and laughing uproariously.
"Ohhh-ho-ho! Thaaat...um, well, the tree started smellin' and stuff," Spike began before hiccuping and laughing feebly. "Heh...that's funny. Trees can't smell. They don't got noses...heh, heh..."
"It's the tree? Makes as much sense as anything, I guess?" Twilight questioned absently as she looked everywhere she could think. She searched atop tables, under books and all around the ground floor. She panicked as Celestia's tree failed to show up. "Spike, where is it again?" Spike erupted into obnoxious laughter again.
"Hah! Ya know? Ya put it up by your bed and stuff! ...Ohh...no wait...I did that, huh...? Or didn't I...? Umm...ha ha!" Spike said, trying to stand up. He teetered upon his feet and spun. He landed on his tail, crushing it beneath his squirming body. He made no attempt to follow Twilight, who moved for the stairs. "Heh, heh...oww. Think I broke something...ahhh, who cares, really...?"
When Twilight reached her room, she saw the weird, wavy tree placed near her bed. It was placed near the tightly shut window, a strange pink mist wafting off its slightly wilting leaves. Twilight nodded weakly and reached for some magic. Her horn sputtered like a failing lawnmower. She huffed and tried again, aiming a spell at the window. It creaked open, prompting Twilight to send another spell at the tree, lifting it close to the open frame. It kept chugging out tiny pink cloud puffs, which were blown away by the morning breeze. Twilight spread herself out on bed, which felt far softer than it ever had. She looked to the tree.
"Ugh...what's wrong now?" She said hopeless as she massaged her sleepy eyes. She gave a deep breath, inhaling soggy, putridly sweet air. "Well...I'll figure it out later...I'm too beat..." She barely managed to slip out those words as she rolled onto her side and straight into much desired rest.
Twilight awoke to find the sun halfway across the brilliant blue sky. The nasty scent had ebbed slightly, although traces remained in the air. Twilight shook her head and rubbed against her blankets. She winced as she felt a greasy film covering them.
"Ew, e-ew! I knew I should've taken a bath before lying down," Twilight said, inwardly fuming. Getting up off the sweat-sopped bed, she made a bee-line for her bathroom, taking the tree with her. She was careful not to get it too close to her face, as it kept periodically expelling stinky sweet clouds. She set the tree down on a table downstairs before creeping quietly to the bathroom. She didn't want to awaken Spike, who had drifted off into slumber.
After an hour long bath, Twilight managed to scrub every last bit of grime and filth out of her fur. She smiled in front of the mirror, analyzing her now glossy, clean and smooth coat and mane. They were a dazzling far cry from the battle worn pelts they had been, and Twilight nodded in approval as she swished her tail, leaving the bathroom.
The bath and the long nap had left her fit and ready to go out into the streets. However, she surveyed the still very messy and paper-strewn library, and gave an appropriately morose sigh. Spike had woken up, and was rubbing his tail. It was pulsing and red in places. He seemed to have returned to his normal self, as his walking now had some semblance of control.
"Twilight...what the heck did I do to myself?" Spike cried as he noticed his friend. He ran over to her, keeping his sore tail from dragging along the wood floor. "I don't remember anything!"
"It was that tree, or something," Twilight explained. She savored her returned energy with a big grin. Spike looked puzzled at her enthusiasm. "It was making some kinda smell. It was terrible! And on top of that I guess it made you tipsy."
"Definitely feels like I tipped something," Spike groaned. He rubbed his tail, but that only seemed to make the pain worse. "I dunno. Did I do something wrong? I watered it and got it sunlight and stuff! So, why's it look half-dead?" Twilight bit her lip as she got a good look at the tree. The shaggy leaves were browning, and they gave a decrepit wheeze with each expulsion of fumes.
"Fragile thing, huh?" Twilight said to herself. She shrugged as she eyed the little puffs and gathered some magic. "Well anyways, I'd better open this place up so we don't suffocate." Twilight laughed to herself as she opened up the door with magic. Majesty was standing there, an innocent look about her. Twilight jumped so high that she almost touched the ceiling, and the scream she made caused Spike to look around in concern. "Y-y-you...! What're you doing here?" Majesty waved placidly.
"Ah...hello," she said softly. Although her dark eyes showed no malice, they remained as half-lidded as ever, portraying a bored expression. "I just-"
"You just what? I don't know what you're planning, but-"
"Whoa, easy there Twilight. You know her?" Spike said, letting his tail flop onto the ground. He bit down hard, cringing before he tried to take hold of Twilight's madly flailing legs. "N-not well? Is she scary or something?"
"Ha, ha! Scary? No, of course not!" Twilight shouted, fumbling over her hooves, which tangled and twisted in panic. "I mean, it's not like she tried to kill me and everypony else or anything, if that's what you're thinking!" Spike heaved and looked to Majesty standing idly in the door frame. The motion of her lazy waving hooves changed to embarrassed, awkward movements.
"About that. I was hoping to-"
"What? When? Huh? Kill?" Spike blared, overriding Majesty. He was flailing around with Twilight now. The two friends collided, crumbling into a big purple heap. "...Twilight, did you get too much of that pink stuff too?"
"No! I'm serious!" Twilight said, throwing Spike off her and glaring at Majesty. Instinctively, she readied some magic. "She's the one Celestia sent us to stop! She's the one behind-"
"Listen to me, Twilight Sparkle," Majesty said calmly. Twilight raised her horn high, ready to slam the door in Majesty's face. "I know this is bizarre, but I...I want to talk with you. I have no intention of fighting. That is not what civilized ponies do." Twilight shifted her rapidly twitching eyes and lowered her horn slightly. She gulped.
"...What about?"
"There are some things I would like to discuss-" Majesty began before several screams came from outside. Both the brown mare and Twilight looked in their direction. Lyra's golem copy streaked through the streets of Ponyville, giggling profusely.
"Imma unicorn! Imma Lyra!" she called up to the bright sky, trotting happily and stupidly in a zig-zag pattern. Landscape, Anima and Hertz were in hot pursuit.
"No! Come back you little reject!" Anima roared. "Come back so that I may melt yooooou! Back to the kiln with you..! Oof!" She tripped and fell flat on her face, ripping up her lacy green mantle. Landscape screeched to a halt, going to her master.
"Master Anima...?" Landscape said distantly. She nudged at the green unicorn's side after retrieving her glasses. "Injured...?"
"Uggh...when was the last time I ever ran anywhere?" Anima lamented. "What a chore, not being able to fly..." Hertz snickered from up ahead.
"Hah! You're gonna have a hard time up here, you old crone!" Hertz sneered. "And today's gonna be long too! We haven't even caught a single one of these weirdos yet!"
"It would be easy if they would listen to me!" Anima screamed, getting back up and galloping after Hertz. "Why won't they? It is incomprehensible, I say! Landscape! To me! We've some golems to melt!" The ponies vanished from sight, Anima laughing and gasping maniacally as Twilight gazed outside, slack-jawed. She wasn't the only pony looking to the street with a completely floored look. Majesty smiled weirdly.
"Umm...leave the cleanup to them. They will handle it, more or less," Majesty said in a less than assuring tone. She paused, looking at the skeptical Twilight. "...May I come in?" Twilight remained silent for a few very long seconds before wilting. She rolled her eyes, exhaling roughly.
"Fine."
Twilight had been planning to put some tea on in preparation for her tidying of the library anyway. The boiling kettle seemed to steam all the more cheerily in the presence of a house guest. Majesty's appearance had changed dramatically, Twilight noticed as she brought the mare a cup. Her hair had been trimmed to a fraction of its original length. Now it dropped just barely past her neck, the brown fur light and puffy as opposed to the ragged mat it had been upon her unsealing. Majesty's body had looked petite when shrouded in her cape of a mane, but without it she looked even smaller. Her limbs and body were strangely thin and weak looking. Twilight chalked it up to the length of time she had been locked up.
"So uhh...what'd you wanna talk about anyway?" Twilight said, fiddling with the tree upon the table as her own teacup floated next to her head. The collection of leaves provided a good barrier between her and Majesty. The wisps of smelly pink billowed out less frequently. "This is uhh...kinda awkward." Majesty coughed after taking a sip from her own levitated cup.
"W-well...I suppose it is," Majesty said dimly. "You have a lovely...plant here." Twilight huffed.
"It's a tre...erm, I mean yeah. It is, huh?" Twilight said impatiently. She slurped her tea loudly. Majesty sighed.
"It is also...uh, in the way, don't you think?" Majesty said, batting the branches and coaxing out a big cloud of pink. Both unicorns choked on the fumes as Spike groaned from beneath the table. He was curled up and stroking his pained tail.
"Well, pardon me for not wanting to get a good look at you!" Twilight murmured. "Last time I saw you, you were crazy and oh, you know, ready to kill me." Majesty nodded.
"Yes...oh yes, that is what I wanted to talk about," she said quietly. She tried to angle her head around the wilting tree to look at Twilight's face, but Twilight would twist her own head in the opposite direction. Majesty sighed sadly. "About that...how I acted back in the cavern was inexcusable. I am ashamed that you had to see me that way."
"Can't say you made a good first impression," Twilight said, chuckling bitterly.
"Indeed so," Majesty said. "I apologize, Twilight Sparkle. I apologize for my misdeeds and for my acts of brutality against you and your friends. I am so sorry..." Twilight was silent as she craned her head over the tree to see Majesty. Her head was hung and motionless, as though it had been carved from stone. Upon hearing no answer, Majesty looked up. At this, Twilight recoiled, returning behind the tree. "I can only hope your friends have different reactions..."
"What? What're you talking about?" Twilight said, almost choking on the hot liquid going down her throat. Majesty blinked, but Twilight didn't see this. "What're you gonna do to my friends?"
"Apologize to them, as I have to you," Majesty said. "You are the first I have visited-"
"Ya know, I wouldn't do that if I were you!" Twilight said quickly and sternly, already shuddering at a plethora of mental pictures. The images of Majesty showing up to see Applejack or Rainbow Dash were both horrifying and violent. "I'd keep your distance and try to avoid contact with us, as much as you possibly can!" Majesty clicked her tongue.
"...I don't think that will be an option, Twilight Sparkle."
"Oh? And why's that, may I ask?" Twilight interrogated. Majesty set her cup down and clasped her hooves.
"Because...I'll be settling down here in Ponyville...?" Majesty had to pry at the words to get them out. They were broken and scrambled with nervousness. Twilight magically lifted the plant off the table and set it down on the floor. The pot made a reverberating crash upon the floor, making Spike jump at the shock. Twilight stared angrily at Majesty, who giggled a little. "...For the time being, of course. Possibly."
"Whaddya mean, 'settling down here in Ponyville?' Why here?" Twilight said, blasting spit across the table. Majesty saved her cup from being drenched. "I-isn't there somewhere else you can go? Anywhere else? I-I mean, you said you were Celestia's court magician once, right? So you've got a home in Canterlot, right?" Majesty shook her head slowly.
"That's what I thought at first too. However, the princess has forbidden it," Majesty said. Twilight moaned as Majesty tapped the tabletop. "She wishes for you all to keep a close watch on me, should I...what were her words? 'Attempt suspicious behavior?'" Twilight looked blankly at Majesty, her now dull purple eyes half-lidded. Majesty chuckled lightly. "But you needn't worry about such a thing. I promised her that I would not attempt to revive the Mystery Vein, and that I would leave my ambitions behind. I will not break that promise." Twilight slunk back onto her haunches, rubbing her eyes.
"Oh...how did this happen?" Twilight said sorely. She waved a dismissive hoof at Majesty, who got the message and arose, leaving her teacup behind. "On second thought, why not go apologize to the others? I'd rather not have to repeat this news five times..."
"Understood," Majesty said as she turned to leave. Twilight looked up and eyed her flank in confusion. Majesty looked back, talking over her shoulder as she walked. "Thank you for allowing me a chance to apologize, Twilight Sparkle."
"W-wait!" Twilight called. Majesty did so, but didn't turn around. Twilight's hooves were spread across the table as she gestured to Majesty's flank. Specifically, her eyes and hooves were directed at the mare's cutie mark, which was now visible due to her shortened mane. It was a trio of thick swirls, each colored red, blue, green, and gold. They spiraled around a milky white sphere in the center. "...The heck kind of cutie mark's that? Just what's your talent anyway?"
"Magic," Majesty said dryly. Majesty turned to her side, offering Twilight a better view of her flank. Twilight was making eye contact with her now, though. "But I should be more specific. This did not appear until I saw...it."
"What?" Twilight said, genuinely curious.
"The Mystery Vein," Majesty said. She returned to the table. Twilight's skeptical and ruffled attitude had given way to a strange kind of fascination. "Celestia once told me I was the only unicorn that could see it, apart from herself and princess Luna. Thus, it is a talent unique to me. The ability to see Equestria's magic flow." Twilight exhaled cautiously.
"Can you...can you see it now?" she asked. Majesty wavered before shaking her head.
"No. I cannot. Ever since Celestia locked the Vein away, I have been unable to view it," Majesty said. Twilight chipped at the wooden tabletop, staring at it. A depressing air seemed to emanate from Majesty as Twilight cradled her cheek with a free hoof. "I ended up sealed away alongside it, though. I got to know it better than I ever could have hoped. I suppose one could say I became a part of it. An extension of it. In a way, Celestia helped me to get closer to my talent than ever before." Twilight nodded intently as Majesty continued. "When you and your friends fought against me in the cave, you essentially did battle against all of Equestria's magic. You normal ponies somehow managed to draw upon something special. A kind of magic that exists beyond the Mystery Vein. I had twelve hundred years to comprehend the Mystery Vein and learn its secrets, and yet I cannot understand how you defeated me. It is...unsettling." Twilight tried to absorb Majesty's words. However, she ended up laughing at her seriousness.
"Really? You think that's unsettling?" Twilight said through her laugh. Majesty took another sip of tea, bewildered but pleased by the recovering conversation. "You wanna know how we did it? It was just our friendship. Nothing more, nothing less. Didn't Celestia tell you that?"
"I suppose she did," Majesty said in vague recollection. "But that's ridiculous. Friendship cannot just generate magic out of thin air." Twilight nearly choked on her tea, pounding the table as she laughed louder. Her tone was now a bit mocking.
"Ha! You stiff! Guess you never had too many friends, huh?" Twilight said. Majesty raised an eyebrow at this before shrugging lazily. Twilight paused, her laugh giving way to a sheepish giggle. "U-uhh...I know the feeling. I don't really get it myself, but that Mystery Vein of yours makes magic stronger, right? Any magic? Even the 'special' magic generated by me and my friends? If that's the case, you lost the second you went all out."
"...You may be correct, Twilight Sparkle," Majesty said, nodding her head in reluctant agreement. Twilight shook hers, blinking erratically.
"Wha...? You're serious?"
"So...that explains it," Majesty said, her voice rattling. Her eyes opened up as her teacup fell from a short height. It clattered on the table, nearly spilling. The mare's mouth trembled open in realization. "That must've been it. That's why she urged me to seek friendship..." Twilight waved her hoof, wordless prompting Majesty to elaborate. "Err...it is a distant memory, but...you don't want to hear it, I'm certain."
"Hey, you're the one who showed up on my doorstep looking for a conversation," Twilight reminded, her teeth knocking together loudly. She waved her hoof again, directing Majesty's actions. "So go. This had better be interesting, though." Majesty nodded in gentle agreement.
"Very well. I discovered my ability to see the Mystery Vein when the princess took me down to the cave of forbidden magic some twelve hundred years ago," Majesty said. Twilight yawned artificially.
"Uh-huh. Old news," she said, thoroughly unimpressed.
"After that, I became interested in learning as much magic as I possibly could," Majesty said, determined to win Twilight's interest. Her usual monotone sounded very silly as she attempted to add bombastic emphasis in places. "So much so that I would not leave the royal library for days at a time."
"Hmm. Sounds like somepony I know," Twilight said mysteriously. Majesty raised an eyebrow, but Twilight merely laughed and gestured at the mare again.
"...E-eh...I became so absorbed in my research that the princess began to worry," Majesty said. She shook her head sadly as she stared at a pile of disheveled books. She sounded lost in deep remembrance. "But...I did not listen. I paid her no heed as she ordered me to the world outside of Canterlot. But I knew what she was planning. Or...or so I thought." Twilight's eyes widened a little.
"...What?"
"You see, unicorns had a great deal of magical power when the Mystery Vein was active, as you know," Majesty said. "So much so that pegasi and earth ponies feared them. They grew to hate what they feared, and started committing acts of violence against unicorns. The unicorns responded in kind. Soon enough, the peasantry and nobility alike were cast to turmoil. This was all too evident, even from behind the castle walls." Twilight was awed, her jaw hanging ajar.
"That's horrible! I-I've never read anything about that! Even in my highest level history books!" she said. Her mind was racing, wondering whether or not she should accept what she just heard as the truth. Then her chest expanded as she blew a big, relieved breath. "Whoo...! Glad I didn't live back then. Really, really glad!"
"Things do seem more peaceful now," Majesty said. "But that's beside the point. I had no desire to make any friends. Rather, I was more focused on the Mystery Vein. I sought to draw more power from it. I sought to give unicorns more power, in order to fight their oppressors."
"Well, I think we both know that was a terrible idea," Twilight said. Majesty grumbled in shameful agreement. Her eyes were shut tight. "Hey, we all make mistakes. Yours just happened to be a big honking one!"
"Yes...the Mystery Vein was the source of the chaos. It needed to be sealed," Majesty admitted begrudgingly. "When Celestia told me this, I scoffed at her. I was arrogant. I raved, saying that the unicorns needed to tap into their full potential to make the other ponies learn their place. The princess...she looked at me as though I had lost my mind. Now that I think about it, I very well might have."
"And that's when she sealed you away," Twilight finished. Majesty nodded with grim clarity. "Yeah, well if you were acting like you did back at the cave, I can't blame her. You brought it on yourself, you know."
"It was necessary," Majesty agreed with great difficulty. She scowled, swirling the leftover tea in her cup. It splashed out, steaming in the cold winter air. "I was such a fool. She was trying to show me that a more powerful magic existed, beyond the Mystery Vein. She was trying to show me that it could be acquired through something positive, as opposed to hatred and vanity." Majesty said. "Yes...the princess may seem like a silly prankster at times, but she always knows best. Such a wise pony...she trusted me and I tossed her concern aside." Majesty got up, a crooked smile upon her face. Twilight got up along with her, shaking her head.
"Majesty...what're you going to do now?" Twilight said. Majesty did not turn to face Twilight this time. Instead she headed for the open door frame. Twilight pouted and stamped the floor, disturbing a jagged paper pile nearby. "Hey! You'd better answer me! I'm not through with you."
"There is still much to learn about magic, even for one such as me," Majesty said. Her voice was stained with optimism as she neared the door frame. She finally turned, standing against the cool air and looking straight at Twilight. Her eyes burned with passion and hope. "And for you as well, Twilight Sparkle! Perhaps one day, when we both understand magic a little better, might we have a contest of prowess? As...friends?" Majesty was shivering. Twilight smirked, getting back onto her haunches and sipping the last of her tea.
"No tricks. No rage. No hard feelings," Twilight said flatly. "Maybe. Just maybe. I'll need to think about it." Majesty swallowed before quickly nodding and departing.
"Thank you, Twilight Sparkle," she said as she left. "For that lovely chat." As Majesty left, Twilight gathered up the teacups and made for her sink. Spike slithered out from beneath the table. His tail looked a bit less swollen as he followed Twilight.
"Jeez, she's gloomy," he said, holding his arms out. "Was she really gonna kill you? Are you sure she wasn't just trying to write sappy poetry at you?"
"Um, yeah! I was there!" Twilight said as she deposited the dishes. Spike went to wash them without so much as an order. "But...somehow I don't think she's gonna try anything. I mean, she's a complete freak but I don't think she's dangerous. Not anymore, anyway."
"Twilight, who're you trying to convince?" Spike said sarcastically. "Certainly not the princess? I mean, if you can show her that mare's not a threat, she won't have to stay here, huh?"
"That's a good point," Twilight said. She tapped at her chin. "Yeah...real good point. Y'know, I'd really rather not have to deal with her. Maybe I should write to the princess..."
"Huh. Well if you want," Spike said as he scrubbed at the cups. He called over his shoulder. "Still, it'd make things interesting if somepony was here to cause a ruckus every now and then, huh?" Twilight turned away from a now floating book and paper stack to look incredulously at Spike. He snickered, putting his hands behind his head. "Y'know, just for play? I mean, not to be all evil and stuff. Just to be entertaining?"
"There's nothing entertaining about ruckus, Spike!" Twilight said firmly as she straightened out the books and papers. She levitated the books onto their proper shelves as she gestured to the dragon. "Now when things are nice and neat and orderly? That's entertaining!"
"Ain't nothing fun about cleaning," Spike said, dropping a wet rag he had been using to dry the dishes. He crossed his arms as Twilight tossed him a book.
"Oh, silly Spike. That's...those are the words of a lazy-bones!" Twilight spoke as though she were already covered with dust and loose pages. She looked to the mountains upon mountains of discarded tomes. "Eh...why don't you start sorting? We've got a lotta work ahead."
As the sun continued to hang happily over the restored populace of Ponyville, groups of pegasus ponies began to usher in large groups of fluffy white clouds. As Twilight and Spike paid the outside no heed, instead devoting their efforts to getting the library ship-shape, a cheerful feeling remained strong. Although Twilight shifted book after messy book in a futile effort to get things perfect, she couldn't help but be filled with a sense of accomplishment. With the unicorns returned safely and a great threat extinguished, Twilight was confident that the only hassle in the foreseeable future would be an unkempt library, mitigated by the approaching, wondrous glow of countless winter stars.