"I think it's safe to say that this is the mine we're looking for," said Twilight, examining a rotting warning sign. "I just wish we had found it a little sooner."
"If I recall correctly, it was you who insisted we travel by hot air balloon," retorted Princess Luna, looking back the way they came. "It took us almost three hours to get to Ponyville, not to mention the time we spent walking here. If we had just taken my chariot..."
"No," Twilight interjected. "I've seen Rainbow Dash crash one to many times. I have no intention of experiencing it myself. In any case, we're here now."
"So we are," Luna said walked forward, carefully eyeing the boarded entrance. "Though, it may be that we are not the only ones. We should proceed with caution."
"Right." Twilight readjusted her saddle bag. "Let's get going then."
As both ponies entered the mine, light emanated from Luna's horn, cutting a path through the darkness. They followed the tracks that ran across the cold ground, neither uttering a word. The pair came to a sudden halt, as the tracks split into two paths leading different directions.
"Which way do we go now?" Twilight asked.
Neither path was marked.
"I'm not sure," replied Luna.
"Well, when in doubt, the right way is right," Twilight began to trot toward the path leading right.
Before she was able to take two steps in her direction of choice, the sound of a terrible roar filled the tunnel.
A wall of debris raced towards Twilight, billowing over the young unicorn as she tumbled to the ground.
The air, as well as her eyes, were filled with dust.
Her ears, filled with a loud ringing.
She thought she could feel something pulling at one of her forelegs.
Something began to push through the ringing. A new sound. Unlike the ringing, this one seemed to have purpose.
"Twilight," it said.
The voice seemed familiar, but she couldn't quite place where she had heard it before.
"Twilight."
There it was again, clearer this time.
The ringing was starting to go away.
"Twilight!"
Twilight blinked opened her eyes, letting out a series of rasping coughs. When she was finally able to breathe again, she noticed a hoof resting lightly on her back. Twilight could just make out the face of the moon princess behind blurred vision.
"Are you alright?" Luna asked. Her eyes were filled with concern.
"I- I think so." Twilight stood up slowly, rubbing the grit out of her eyes. "What happened?"
"Something must have made the tunnel collapse," Luna answered, looking at the pile of rubble. "It appears as though your right way was not as you say, 'the right way'."
Twilight swung her saddle bag onto her back with a groan. "Joking aside, it looks like our only choice now is left."
Luna gave a sly grin. "Would you say that it is our only option, left?"
Twilight's head dropped down as she tried to stop her self from snickering. Despite almost being buried alive, Twilight was able to retain her sense of humor.
"Yes, it looks like left is right. Can we go now?"
"After you," Luna said, bowing mockingly, then added seriously, "That is, if you feel up to it."
"I'm fine, thank you," Twilight reassured her as she began trotting forward. "And I'd rather not wait around to be almost crushed again."
As the ponies continued forward, the tunnel began to grow in size. It seemed sturdy enough, considering it hadn't collapsed on them yet.
The tracks they had been following soon stopped, as the tunnel gave way to a spacious cavern.
Near the end of the tracks rested some discarded pickaxes and rail ties.
The cavern seemed to devour any form of light, making it quite difficult to see, even with the aid of magic.
"It looks like they didn't have time to even finish building the tracks," Twilight said, inspecting the discarded equipment.
"And these carts are filled with gems," Luna called out. "And more in the walls, waiting to be mined. The crew seemed to have left in quite a hurry."
"This cavern probably wasn't dug by the miners, but I question whether or not it's natural." Twilight began to wonder how deep they were. "How many team members did you say made it out?"
"Not very many. Only thirteen if I recall correctly. Though, I am curious as to what became of the workers that were left behind," Luna said, sifting through one of the carts.
"I don't think I want to know the answer to that question," Twilight replied walking, her gaze focused on the ceiling's curve. "Which way do you thi- whoop!"
Her sentence was cut short as one of her hooves caught on something, sending her sprawling to the ground once again. The light from her horn flickered out as she knocked her head against the stone floor.
"Twilight?" Luna called out into the darkness, her own light flashing about. "Are you alright? I can't see you."
"I'm fine," Twilight let out with a groan, her horn beginning to glow once more as she shook her head to get up. "I just tri-."
The sentence was never finished, as the unicorn's mouth had locked, along with the rest of her body as she gawked at the image before her.
Staring directly back at her was the skull of a pony.
Its own jaw hung open, as if it were screaming in pain.
The dark abyss that were its eye sockets locked with her living ones.
Or, at least one did.
The other was filled by the blade of the pickaxe that had been firmly lodged into it.
Twilight gave a startled yelp as she scrambled back onto her hooves. She barely noticed the princess was now standing beside her.
"It looks like you figured out what happened to the rest of the team," Luna said grimly, looking at the tormented figure.
"Wh- whe- where's the rest of him?" Twilight stuttered.
From the spine downwards, the skeleton had no remains to speak of.
Luna shined her light on the walls nearby, coming to rest in a dark corner.
"I suppose we could always try asking them."
Both companions' eyes fixed on the gruesome display that was previously shrouded by the darkness.
Dozens of skeletons cast disfigured shadows onto the walls behind them.
Most of the bones were cracked or broken.
Some rested in a tangled mess.
Others looked as if they had been clawing at the wall until their final breath.
"I'm not sure they'll be of much assistance though," the princess whispered, almost afraid of waking the resting souls.
It felt like an eternity before either pony dared to utter a sound.
"What could have done this?" Twilight murmured, breaking the silence.
"As you said," Luna responded, "I don't think we want to know the answer to that question."
"Why do I feel like we don't have the luxury of choice?" Twilight said, glancing over her shoulder.
She could've sworn she heard clicking.
"We should go. We need to find what we're looking for and get back to Canterlot as soon as possible," said Luna, who seemed to have regained her calm demeanor.
Twilight didn't buy it.
"Okay then." Twilight lifted her saddle bag from off the ground once again. "Let's find the main chamber."
Twilight stretched out with her magic, concentrating the light. After a few seconds, it found an opening to another passage in the wall.
"There." She took a step forward, then stopped. "Although, if it's not too much trouble, maybe you lead from here, Princess."
Luna gave a forced, yet comforting smile.
"Of course, Twilight. Just be sure to stay close."
Leaving the darkness to consume the ghastly sculpture once more, the two ponies continued their search on the newly found path.
As they walked, Twilight thought she could hear the clicking sound again. Except this time, it was louder and accompanied by a steady hum.
Just as she was about to ask Luna if she could hear it too, the clicking ceased.
Twilight strained to listen for the slightest hint of its existence, but could detect none.
She was so focused on her task, Twilight barely realized that the princess had stopped. As she was about to ask if something was wrong, Luna spoke first.
"Twilight," Luna whispered. "I think I may have found something."
The princess was looking at a large hole that had been dug through the rock. A faint glow seemed to be flickering against the stone walls inside.
"I guess you did," Twilight said, looking to see where the light was coming from. "Do you think it could be the thief's hideout?"
Luna didn't hesitate as she walked into through the entrance. "Only one way to find out."
The room was fairly large and the glowing light made it easy enough to see without magic. Strange shiny boxes rested on tables around the room. A few were connected to flashing pictures by black vines that ran along the floor.
"What is all of this stuff?" Luna asked, picking up one of the vines with her hoof.
"It looks like some sort of research equipment," Twilight said, her thoughts drifting back to her lab under the library. "Though I've never seen devices like these before."
She walked over to the table that had the most boxes resting on it.
"Look at how the image moves without a projector," she said tapping one of the pictures with her hoof, only to be met with the clink of a glass screen. "It's like looking through a window."
It took a moment before she realized what the image actually was.
"This- that's my house!" Twilight exclaimed, taking a step back. "And that's the palace entrance!"
"Whoever put this here must have been looking for something," Luna said, taking a shooting a glance at the images before walking over to another table. "Perhaps they were gathering information before the robbery."
Luna noticed what looked like a red rock encased in glass. She was about to speak up, but it sounded like Twilight had found something as well.
"Princess?" Twilight called out.
"What is it?" Luna turned to see the unicorn had stuck her head under a table.
"Does the term 'C4' mean anything to you?"
Twilight was looking at a package, with what appeared to be a calculator and a blinking light strapped to it. Printed in block text on the side of the package were the characters "C4."
"Not that I know of," the princess answered, turning back to the red rock. "Why, is it something important?"
"Probably not," Twilight said, lifting her head from under the table. "What did you find?"
"I think it's one of the red shards that the miners discovered." Luna gestured to the case. "Whoever was here must have found one as well." She reached out with her magic and began to lift the case.
"I wouldn't recommend touching that if I were you."
Both ponies turned, startled by the sudden interruption.
"Who's there?" Twilight called out, searching the dark corners of the room.
"Now that could be a difficult question to answer."
The voice seemed to call out from everywhere. It sounded deep. Relaxed. As if it could have belonged to a stallion.
"I suppose it depends on who you think I am," the voice said.
"You sound like somepony who is going to a lot of trouble not to be found." Luna let her horn glow once again, searching for the source of the voice.
"Heh." The voice let out a light laugh. "I suppose that's a matter of both perspective and opinion. For instance, it is my opinion that I went to a lot of trouble to make sure that you did find me."
"What do you want?" Luna called out. "Show yourself!"
"Alright then, how about a little face to face?"
A bright light burst behind the two companions, blinding them as they turned.
"Whoops, sorry about that," the voice said.
The light dimmed by half, making it easier to see.
"Flipped both switches."
When their eyes had adjusted, Luna and Twilight saw a figure that now stood in front of the light. It wasn't a pony, but rather a strange creature that stood tall on two legs. The pair of arms it had were crossed over its chest, almost as if it was waiting for something. A head of short, dark blonde hair was accompanied by a face that had a tough, yet intelligent look about it. It was further accented by a strong jaw covered in a light stubble. The apparent lack of any natural coat was made up for by the clothing the figure wore. A grey, short-sleeved, button-down shirt covered its torso, while a dark pair of blue pants and brown boots took residence on its lower body. Two blue eyes twinkled with a sort of knowing amusement as they looked back at the ponies.
"I was told as a child it's rude to stare, but I can't help but feel flattered by the attention around here," the figure said, breaking the silence.
"You're not pony," Twilight stated, gawking at the creature.
"Well now," the creature said with a smile that seemed to be dripping with sarcasm. "You really are as smart as everyone says you are!"
Luna took a step forward. "Who are you?" she asked firmly.
The smile on the creature's face faltered a little.
"Ah, yes. My apologies your highness. I suppose it is time for a proper introduction, isn't it? Why don't we start with the five 'W's', as I like to call them."
"The five 'W's'?" Twilight asked, still trying to comprehend the situation.
"Who, what, when, where, and the ever elusive 'why' my purple friend," the creature listed off, pointing his finger at the Twilight after each word. "A formal beginning for us all, if you will. So, who wants to go first?"
Neither pony was quick to answer, both thrown off by the stranger's demeanor.
"Why don't you start?" Luna replied, finally braving the question. Her gaze was sharp enough to cut steel. "Considering we seem to know absolutely nothing about you."
"Fair enough," the creature said, clapping his hands together. "Let's see, uhhh... Hello everyone," he said, giving a small wave. "You can call me Jay. That's what my friends call me."
There was a relaxed and friendly tone in this "Jay's" voice. It was unsettling to the ponies.
"I am obviously not from around here," Jay continued. "Umm... I am what you would call a human, or homo sapien for you science types." He gave a small nod to Twilight, only to be a met with a moderately confused stare. He didn't seem to notice.
"I have been staying in Equestria for about six months now, and I came here to study rocks. Now, let me see..."
Jay counted his fingers for a moment. "Yeah, I think that was all five. This is fun! Who wants to go next?" He looked back and forth between the two ponies in front of him, a bright smile on his face.
In response, there was only an awkward silence. The two ponies glanced at each other, unsure of how to answer.
"Alright, alright," Jay said, holding up both of his hands. "Perhaps a little too forward on my part. Why don't we skip the middle and start with just the who and finish with the why?"
After a few seconds, Twilight took a timid step forward.
"I'm- My name is Twilight. Twilight Sparkle." She looked back at Luna for any hint of direction and was rewarded with a small nod. "And this is Princess Luna."
She had begun to speak a little more confidently now, looking directly at her questioner.
"We're investigating the theft of a stolen artifact from the Canterlot vaults. The only information we had led us here." Twilight paused for a moment, thinking of what to say next.
"Do you mind elaborating on why we found you here?" Luna asked, stepping in to aid Twilight.
"Hmm," Jay hummed as he scratched his chin. "Well, I suppose I do look rather suspicious. But alas, I am not the one you seek. Besides, I doubt I could have stolen that damned Codex even if I tried. On account of not being, well, a pony." He gave a quick gesture to himself, as if to confirm the statement. "Not the most inconspicuous form around here, know what I mean?"
"Wait," Luna's eyes narrowed into an accusing glare. "How do you know about the Codex if you're not the one who stole it?"
"Oh, I don't know." Jay reached behind his back and produced a small remote. He pointed it at the screen titled "ARCH," and pressed one of the buttons. The sound of Luna's voice began to play from a set of speakers nearby.
"It was here that the miners found an artifact which had been dubbed, 'The Codex.' It was said to be a metallic cylinder, just over a foot in length, and with foreign symbols etched into the surface."
Jay pressed the button again, pausing the sound.
"Just a lucky guess?" he suggested with a shrug of his shoulders.
"How did you do that?" Twilight asked, astonished at what she had just heard.
Jay gave a smile. "Pretty easy actually. Just tagged one of the servant's bags at ye' ole fort with a microphone. Wish I could have used a camera, but they probably would have noticed the weight difference. Might have even caught your thief on film."
He reached into another one of his pockets and pulled out a small black dome, about an inch in diameter.
"I can make em' small, but not that small."
"You've been spying on us?" Luna's voice was as cold as the night was black.
"Just observing points of interest." Jay gave a wave to the multitude of screens before them. "Any place that may have info on your Codex. For instance, the library and the archive. Though, for the record, I did know what it was called before I set this stuff up, but only thanks to this little gem."
He walked over to the table where the two ponies stood, both of them stepping back to let him by. Jay reached past the glass case that covered the shard of stone and grabbed a brown journal.
"It was one of the miner's," he said, flipping through the stained pages, finally locating the one he wanted. "Ah, here we go!."
Clearing his throat, Jay began to read from the passage.
"The Codex is not the source of the problems that plague us, as we had once thought. The red rocks of Tartarus are to blame for the corrupted souls of those around me. Their vile infection of the mind has killed many a friend. I have borne witness to the ghastly horrors of split heads and running blood as I myself hide from such a fate. I can hear them even now, chanting their damned words as they roam these tunnels. I pray to Celestia that they do not find what they are searching for."
Jay snapped the journal closed.
"That was his last entry." He walked over to a small chest near the table and opened the lid. "Funny how the color of blood changes over a few thousand years, eh?"
"Very well," Luna said. "That explains how you know what was stolen. But what were you doing here in the first place?"
"Like I said," Jay turned around, a metal can in his hand. "I came here to study rocks. Granted, they're very special rocks. Would either of you care for a drink? Cola perhaps?"
"Not at the moment, thank you," Twilight replied politely.
Jay gave a shrug and opened his can. "Suit yourself."
He took a long swig from the drink, setting it down on the table when he was done.
"Man, that's good stuff. It's nice out of a cold can, but nothing beats a good ol' fashioned glass bottle."
"What's so special about the rocks you're studying?" Twilight asked, still confused by the behavior of this "human."
"Okay, I guess it's time for a bit of exposition." Jay sat down in a chair next to a smaller monitor.
"First off, the most prominent reason I'm here is because of that little bastard right there." He pointed to the rock in the glass case. It seemed to glow faintly in recognition. "That is a fragment of a much larger bastard, known as a Marker." He waited for a few moments, looking back and forth between his two guests.
"Y'all obviously don't know what a Marker is. I probably should've expected that. Either way, Markers are big stone spires that look like two horns that are twisted together. The funny thing is though, a Marker isn't really made of just conventional stone. Twilight, what do you know about DNA?"
"Well, it's the building blocks of all life as far as we know," Twilight said, thinking back to her own research on the subject. "Why do you ask?"
"I ask," Jay continued, "because that's what a Marker is. A big tower of tightly packed, alien DNA. Not exactly sure where they originated from, but they seem to be all over the galaxy, acting as radio towers almost. You see, they send out a hefty signal that tends to turn those with a weaker mind a bit..."
The human gave a quick whistle and circled a finger next to his head.
"Not to mention the possibility of a few other unpleasant side effects. If one of these Markers is activated, its signal is boosted so it can interact fully with its environment." Jay picked up his can and took another drink.
"Sorry, I get a bit shaky when I dump this much info." He held up a wobbly hand. "Anyway, a Marker that was here in Equestria was destroyed a long time ago. By what, I've got no idea. Y'know this Codex that everyone is so focused on? It's a blueprint to build a Marker." Jay had begun to pace back and forth. "Well, more of a Rosetta Stone actually. A DNA translator, if you will."
"Which means?" Twilight asked.
"Which means, it can help you build a Marker or destroy one. User's choice really. That's why I'm looking for it." Jay got up and walked over to a black bag that was on the ground.
"So, whoever stole the Codex, they want to rebuild the Marker?" Twilight asked, still confused by the logic of such a plan.
"Well, either that, or they really think it would make a nice centerpiece. Can't say I blame them. The Codex really is a work of art when you think about it." Jay pulled a metal box attached to a round shaft out of the bag.
"Of course if you do happen to have a Marker and you can't find one of your handy translation rods lying around..." He casually tossed the device, along with a few other items, back into the bag. "You're caught in a bit of a pinch."
"What's that?" Twilight inquired, failing to get a closer look at the object.
"Oh just a little experiment. Another thing I don't recommend messing with," Jay said, zipping up the bag. "Along with the explosives you were sticking your nose in earlier."
"What explos- Wait a minute!" Twilight quickly spun around to look at the blinking package that she had found before. "You're saying that stuff explodes!?"
"Not unless I tell it to." Jay held up a small box with a switch on it.
"Why do you keep explosives underneath your desk?" Twilight shot a nervous look to Luna.
"I try not to make a habit out of it. Though, to be honest, I can't just leave this kind of tech lying around for someone to find," Jay explained, slinging the straps of four duffel bags over his shoulders. The weight didn't seem to bother him that much.
"Anyways, the warranty on this stuff goes out in like two days and I really could use a reason to write it off as a refundable expenditure. Besides, this mine is freakin' creepy. So, any excuse to blow it back to the hell from whence it came is my personal pleasure." Jay glanced at the ponies. "Not while we're still in here of course."
"Though it seems a tad eccentric, I must agree." Luna approached the human with a cautious manner. "It is better not to leave evidence if those who seek to build a Marker find this place. I take it you're planning on leaving now?"
"Kinda have to, no?" Jay replied. "Now that you know that I'm here, it makes it a little less awkward to be seen in public." He stopped for a moment and took a look around the room.
"Perhaps we could help each other out?" Jay suggested, turning back to face the ponies.
"How so?" Luna asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Well, it's obvious you have no understanding of the current situation. Beyond what I told you that is," Jay said. "I propose a simple partnership. I help you with your investigation and you catch whoever stole the Codex."
"You're not going to ask for compensation?" Luna questioned, suspicious of the offer.
"No need to," Jay said. "I came to find the Codex. Now you need to as well. Why not work together?"
Luna contemplated the option, not giving an answer.
"We could use his help," Twilight whispered to the princess.
"Hey, take your time to think it over," Jay interjected. "For right now though, I suggest we leave. I can't remember if the C4 has a back up timer and I'd rather not stick around to find out."
"I suppose we should be off then," Luna said, shooting a look at the desk behind her.
"Oh, one other thing," Jay said, pointing at Twilight. "Could you grab that chest over there for me. Got my hands a bit full at the moment."
"Sure," Twilight said, using her magic to grip the handles of the container. "Now... how do we get out of here?"
Jay gave a hearty laugh, picking up a small flashlight from the table behind him.
"Sorry to say, but it's back the way you came."
If there had been any trace of a smile on Twilight's face before, it was gone now.
"Don't worry, nothing but the dark to be afraid of." Jay turned on the flashlight, which was surprisingly bright given its size. "I'll lead the way."
It wasn't but a couple of minutes before the group reached the chamber where the tracks had ended. Jay had been whistling the whole time, a tune that neither Twilight or Luna were familiar with. He stopped and stood for a moment when his cone of light found the array of bones that crowded the corners of the chamber.
"Heh, I'm gonna miss these guys." Jay gave a wave to the skeleton with the pickaxe stuck through its eye. "Jerry here most of all, the poor bastard."
Twilight didn't seem as happy to see the skeleton again as Jay was.
"He always was a good listener." Jay continued. "Though he could be a bit picky, about the conversation topic."
Neither of the ponies seemed to find the humor in the situation.
"Oh come on you know that was funny!" Jay said laughing. "Say, whenever Jerry here tried to tell a joke, he didn't have a leg to stand on!"
The cave echoed with the laughter of the human. Jerry the skeleton just sat there, not seeming to be the least bit offended by the puns made at his expense.
"Please, oh please, for the love of Equestria stop!" Twilight groaned as the laughter died down. "That is beyond morbid! Can we just go? It's late and I don't like this place."
"Alright, just give me a second," Jay managed to say through broken laughter.
He reached into his back pocket, pulling out the miner's journal that he had read from earlier. He looked it over for a moment with a sad smile, the humor in his eyes replaced by a regretful sorrow.
"Rest easy, pal," said Jay as he set the journal down next to the skeleton, giving it a small pat.
He suddenly became aware of his company staring at him once again. He slowly stood up, shifting the weight of the bags he carried as he did.
"Let's get a move on then," Jay said.
As they began walking again, Twilight gave a final look back.
She thought she could hear the clicking again, but chose not to say anything.
Quickly, she hurried after the others, not wanting to be left behind.
After a few more minutes of being guided by the bright aura of Jay's flashlight, the trio was standing at the mine entrance, relishing the night air.
"Welp, here we are," Jay said, patting his pockets, finally pulling out the small remote with the trigger on it. "Who would like to do the honors?" He held the device out for the others to see.
"I'm not trained for explosives," Twilight said, scratching the back of her neck.
Luna shook her head. "Your work, your hoof."
Jay pointed at the princess and nodded. "You are absolutely right. 'Cept for the hoof thing. On account of the... hand... situation. Anyways." Jay tightened his grip on the detonator. "Three-two-one boom!"
With a flick of his wrist, Jay squeezed the lever on the side of the box.
The ground shook violently, a firm indication of what had just occurred in the depths below. It seemed to stop just as soon as it started, leaving only the sounds of the forest to be heard.
"Well," Twilight said, "That's... done with. What now?"
"I must return to Canterlot and report our findings to Celestia as soon as possible." Luna gave a small stretch of her wings.
"About that," Jay began, shoving the detonator back into his pocket. "You still haven't given me an answer about my offer."
Luna looked up at the dark sky. There were no stars over the Everfree Forest.
"Very well," she sighed. "I will discuss with my sister about finding a spot for you as a consultant. Expect to make an appearance before the court."
The princess turned to Twilight. "Will you be alright with our new... 'acquaintance'?"
"I think I can manage," Twilight said looking Jay over for the hundredth time that evening. "We should be able to make it back to Ponyville on our own."
"Right then," Luna said, addressing Jay. "Please understand that I am putting a tremendous amount of trust in you by letting you leave my sight. It is not something I do often. With that said, I bid thee farewell." Luna finished off her goodbye with a formal bow of her head.
"The pleasure was all mine, your majesty," Jay replied, returning the bow. "I hope we can all become the best of 'acquaintances' by the end of this."
"Perhaps," the princess said, spreading her wings. "We shall see." With that, she was off into the night sky.
"Well, I don't know about you," Twilight said after Luna was out of sight, "but I'm exhausted. We should probably make our way to back to town now."
"I suppose so," Jay said, beginning to walk through the forest. "Is there any place that you would recommend staying at? Maybe and inn or something? Preferably somewhere I wouldn't get arrested just for existing."
"You know," Twilight said, surprising herself. "You could just stay at the library if you want." She wasn't really sure if that was what she meant to say.
"Are you sure?" Jay asked. "I wouldn't want to impose."
"You might as well," Twilight continued, perplexed by her own voice. "I mean, I'm the only one who you know right now, and I've got a guest room in the back. Plus, I'm supposed to be keeping an eye on you. So... yeah."
"I don't know what to say," Jay smiled. "That's awfully nice of you Twilight."
"Well, I came to Ponyville to learn about friendship," Twilight said as they kept walking. "I guess we can just consider this... another lesson?"
"Fair enough," Jay said in agreement.
They walked in silence for a little while longer. Even though she knew almost nothing about this human, Twilight felt a burning need to ask him something.
"Um, Jay?" she said, having to lift her head up to see his eyes.
"What's up?" Jay replied, still focused on the trail ahead.
"Do you think something bad is going to happen? I just can't shake this feeling I have." There was a slight tremor in Twilight's voice.
Jay gave a light chuckle, looking down at the pony beside him.
"All I know is that something is going to happen. Now if it's good or bad... Well, that's up to us to decide."
Twilight struggled to find comfort in those words.