Getting to Ponyville was becoming harder than Annabeth anticipated. The monsters were fighting back in greater numbers. Twilight was able to protect their little party with her magical shield, but Annabeth was getting worn down with every battle. Even Twilight was looking tired from keeping a shield up for so long. It was mid afternoon, and they had only made it half-way to Ponyville.

"At this rate it will be dark by the time we reach Ponyville." Apple Jack complained.

"There seems to be a place that the monsters are avoiding. Maybe we should rest of there for tonight." Flutter Shy suggested.

"Sounds like a good idea." Twilight agreed. "What do you think, Annabeth?"

Annabeth was sitting down trying to catch her breath, so she just nodded in agreement.

Flutter Shy led the way with her creature friends close by. Annabeth noticed that Twilight and Apple Jack exchanged a knowing look. "I think I know where we're going." Twilight said.

After another while, they arrived at a deep chasm where they followed a path down to the bottom. At the bottom of the chasm, a giant crystal tree glowed warmly inside a cavern. It had a different shaped and colored jewels at the end of each of the branches.

Annabeth stared at it in awe. "What is it?"

"It's called the Tree of Harmony. It holds an ancient magic of the land to help keep balance. My friends and I were selected to help keep that balance. It actually sent us to find you and your friend." Twilight explained.

"This sent you to find us? I thought you were just following the streaks in the sky?" She said sceptically.

"You were having a hard time grasping the fact that you were a pony. I didn't want to freak you out any more." Twilight explained.

"That's fair." Annabeth agreed. Annabeth was completely entranced by the tree as she stared at it. She felt a warmth about that she couldn't explain. The closest thing it could be compared to is when she crossed the border into Camp Half-Blood.

"You should get some rest." Twilight interrupted her thoughts. "We'll be safe here."

Annabeth managed to pull her gaze from the mezmorizing tree to look at Twilight. Annabeth nodded mutely and everyone settled down close to the tree, but not too close, as if the tree was too sacred to be touched.

Annabeth fell asleep quickly, but with sleep came dreams. Annabeth saw a beautiful unicorn. The most beautiful she had ever seen, even in Camp Jupiter. It had a thick chain around its neck, cruelly imprisoning it. Seeing this beautiful unicorn inprisoned so cruelly, saddened Annabeth immensely. She wanted to help it escape, to be free. A man approached the unicorn. He was dressed ancient Grecian attire, his large belly protruding out.

"You will use your gifts to tend to my greatest possession, when you are not building my wall that is." He spoke to a man standing just behind him. "Am I clear?"

"Yes, master." The miserable man said.

"Good. See if you can get it to eat." He motioned to a bucket of oats. "Oh, and clean the stables as well." He said with a malicious smile. "It shouldn't be too hard for a former god to pick up dung." The man laughed cruelly.

The man clenched his fists angrily.

"Remember, you serve me." The man grabbed him by the shoulder and pushed him into the stable.

Annabeth gasped when she saw his face. "Percy?" No. Not Percy. The resemblance was uncanny. This must be his father, Poseidon, when he was much younger. Annabeth racked her brain. When was Poseidon a servant? Of course,KingLaomedon ofTroy became the master of Poseidon and Apollo after they rebelled against Zeus. But she had no idea he also owned a unicorn. That was unheard of until the time of the Romans.

"I'm going to enjoy having you around." King Laomedon laughed as he left.

"Guess it's just you and me, then." Poseidon scooped up some oats and held them out. The unicorn reared up against the chains around its neck. "Easy. Easy. I don't want to hurt you. We're in the same boat, you and I. A couple of magical creatures enslaved for his collection."

The unicorn bowed its head sadly.

"Don't lose hope. Don't let him win." Poseidon held out his oat filled hand, filled again.

This time the unicorn ate hungerily.

"That's it. Keep up your strength." He looked around the dangy stall and said. "Now let's see what we can do about your stall."

The scene shifted to a familiar-looking Lester peeking over the gate, watching Poseidon tend to the unicorn. "I thought unicorns didn't exist."

"Obviously, they do."

"But you didn't create it?"

"No."

"So how is it possible?"

"I don't know." Poseidon stepped back to gaze appreciatively. "But there's something special about her. Can you feel it?"

"Yeah." Lester sighed as he stared at the unicorn.

"Do you two need a room?" Poseidon joked.

The dream shifted and Annabeth stood at the base of the Tree of Harmony. A reflection in the trunk of the tree stared at her. It was her human self. Annabeth's pony self walked closer to get a closer look. Her human self walked toward her at the same time. Now that she was closer, she could see someone in the distance behind her. Annabeth squinted and looked into the distance inside the trunk. She realized with a start that it was Percy. Annabeth turned to look behind her, but he was nowhere to be seen. She turned back around to see him again on the other side of the trunk's reflection. She watched in horror as Thorne, in all his manticore glory, snuck up behind him and attacked. She watched Percy's limp body fall from the attack. She screamed, "Percy!" and pounded against the crystal trunk as she desperately tried to get through the reflection.

"Annabeth!" A voice snapped her awake.

Twilight, Apple Jack, and Flutter Shy hoovered over her with concern on their faces. "You all right sugar cube?" Apple Jack asked.

Annabeth realized that her face was wet from tears. Her heart was pounding in her chest. She willed heart to slow down and wiped the tears from her face, regaining her composure. "I'm fine."

"It sounded like a terrible nightmare." Flutter Shy looked at her with concern.

"Half-Blood dreams are never what they seem. I saw Percy in the reflection of the tree. Thorne killed him." Annabeth fought to control her voice, but it cracked despite her best effort.

"Who's Thorne?" Twilight asked.

"He's a manticore, etremelyy vicious. He's the one that used us to open the portal."

"You don't think he's in Ponyville?" Apple Jack asked.

"It wouldn't make sense for Thorne to leave Canterlot. It's where the portal is that's bringing all the mosters." Annabeth reasoned.

"Twilight!" A voice interrupted them. Theyturned to see a light purple unicorn with pink streaks in her hair climbing down into the gorge."Thank the stars, I found you."

"Starlight? What are you doing here? I thought you were shielding the refugee camp at Zecora's?" Twilight asked.

"Trixie's covering it. I wouldn't have left, but Lighting Dust returned with an other message." Using her magic, she pulled out a partchment.

Annabeth expected it to go to her, but Twilight opened it and began reading. "It's from Rainbow Dash."

"Is Percy aright?" Annabeth fretted as visions of Percy in Thorne's clutches taunted her.

Twilight ignored her and kept reading until she gave Annabeth a side long glance. "They're headed to Canterlot, because Percy had a dream that they were trying to turn Luna into Nightmare Moon."

"What's Nightmare Moon?" Annabeth asked.

"Nightmare Moon is Princess Luna's alter ego. Her dark side, if you will. She tried to reign once before and create eternal darkness. But we were able to defeat her and return her into Princess Luna."

"Eternal darkness?! Monsters are stronger at night. If there were eternal darkness . . ." Annabeth rushed.

"It would be bad." Twilight finished her sentence.

"It would be near impossible." Annabeth dreaded the thought. "Wait! Percy's in Canterlot?"

"Just like your dream." Flutter Shy said in awe.

Annabeth stood up hastily. "I have to get to Canterlot! Percy can't face him alone!"

"Woah, Nelly." Apple Jack held out a hoof to stop her. "What about Ponyville?"

"I, Percy . . ."

Twilight laid a gentle hoof on her shoulder. "I am as anxious as anyone to get to Canterlot. But if we don't secure Ponyville, we could be fighting a two-front war. They're counting on us, on you, to protect their flank."

Annabeth evened her breathing. "You're right." As much as she didn't want to admit it, they had to secure Ponyville first. She looked at the tree, glowing innocently in the cavern. The vision of Percy's death clawed at her, but she stifled the rising panic inside her. She had to concentrate if she was going to make quick work of Ponyville. "Let's move out." She got up. The sooner she secured Ponyville, the sooner she could get to Canterlot and to Percy.

"We could maybe rest a little . . ." Starlight began.

"They've already headed to Canterlot, which means we need to cut off what monsters that would trap them. Time to get our own army together and head for Canterlot." Annabeth reasoned.

"Now we're talk'n. Let's giddy up." Apple Jack reared up in anticipation.

The adrenaline rushed through Annabeth like a shot as she slapped her cap on and ran up out of the gorge. They made quite the ruckus as they picked up the pace. They should have drawn attention from every monster in the vicinity, but none appeared. Annabeth started to get concerned.

"We're almost home." Flutter Shy said excitedly.

"Yesterday we were wading through monsters, but today, there are none in sight." Annabeth said worriedly. "Do you think Percy has attacked already?"

"Only one way to find out." Twilight said nervously. The woods thinned and they soon stepped out into a clearing. A quaint looking town lay before them, nestled neatly among the low hills with a river winding through. In the center of town, several monsters milled around.

"They haven't left." Annabeth sighed with relief.

"Looks like they' re fixin to." Apple Jack observed.

A single pony was dragged out among the monsters, who became excited. "That doesn't look good." Annabeth felt as if she had missed a step. She was taken back to the Titan war where mortals and uncooperative half-bloods were fed to the monsters. "We need to move! Now!" Annabeth slapped her cap on and ran towards the center of the town as fast as she could. She could hear the others right behind her.

Annabeth eyed the first row of monsters and slashed through them before they knew what hit them. She did the same to the second and third rows. In the center was a tightly bound pony glaring at the monsters defiantly. She was cream colored with a tightly curled blue mane with a pink streak in the middle.Annabeth cut through the pony's bands, yelled, "Run." and whirled around to see several monsters bearing down on her. The pony, much to Annabeth's annoyance, didn't run. She didn't cower, or cringe. Instead, she let out a war cry and attacked. Annabeth had never seen a horse, er, pony move like that. She was like a pony version of Bruce Lee. The pony, however, wouldn't stand a chance against the immortals. Come to think of it, that was probably how she arrived at her current predicament. Annabeth took advantage of the chaos the pony was creating and took out several of the monsters as they were kicked, punched, and/or thrown at her, each one exploding into a cloud of golden dust. Twilight had put up her shield, effectively trapping them. A body collided with hers in the chaos, and she lost her hat. She didn't have time to retrieve it as a telekine spotted her and began screaming, "Half-Blood. Half-Blood." As one, they attacked Annabeth. The pony and Annabeth fought ferociously and ended up standing back to back. They fought until they were down to the last monster. The pony gave it a nice swing kick in the face and Annabeth ended it with one last swing of her sword, causing it to burst into golden dust.

"Nice knife." the pony commented.

"Thanks." Annabeth replaced the knife on her flank. "Nice moves."

The pony seemed mezmerized by Annabeth's cutie mark.

"Bon Bon, are you alright?" Flutter Shy rushed over to the pony.

Annabeth located her hat and dusted it off before she returned it to her flank as well.

"Who exactly are you?" Bon bon narrowed her eyes as she asked.

"Annabeth." She replied coolly.

"It's a long story, one that we can go over later." Apple Jack interrupted. "Have you seen my family?"

"I saw them with the rest. They tied them together and we're forcing them to march to Canterlot."

"Oh no," Apple Jack moaned, "Granny. Big Mac."

"We're getting them back." Twilight stated with conviction and determination that showed why she was a leader. "First, we need to get the word out to everyone we can. It's time to retake Canterlot." She stared up at a mountain that shone in the afternoon sun.

Annabeth followed her gaze and then realized that she was looking at a palace, shining on the top of the mountain. As she squinted, it looked like there were several more homes below the palace as well. Percy was there. Somewhere. She was so close; her heart hammered at the thought.

"Stay alive, Seaweed Brain." Annabeth whispered to no one. "I'm coming."