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JibberJams [2019-11-19 03:03:10 +0000 UTC]

The doors slowly creaked open. In the light that shone from outside, two figures' clear silhouettes were visible. The library wasn't open yet, and the sun was not yet up completely. Nopony was around, perfect for covert research... which was exactly what the two sneaky guests were there for.

"Ahhh… This takes me back," Twilight Sparkle sighed. "I still remember all the studies I performed in here... occasionally watching the sand pour through that giant hourglass. It's still a lot more spacious than the Golden Oaks Library back in Ponyville, huh?"

"Hehe, yeah," Mario laughed. "It-a sure is."

"Okay," Twilight briefly stated, "back to work. Let's have a look around to see if there are any references to Ghostli Grove here."

Mario saluted faithfully. "Yes-a, Ma'am!" He and Twilight started looking through her old study, looking for whatever clues they could about Ghostli Grove, where they suspected the Element of Magic was hidden. Twilight focused on the ground floor, while Mario searched the upper shelves along the walls with his jumping and climbing skills. The two looked through the innumerable tomes for what felt like hours.

Finally, Twilight heard Mario say, "Hey! I think I found-a something!"

"That's great, Mario!" Twilight praised. "Come down here and show me! I'll get the desk ready!"

Mario hopped down to the ground level with the book in hand. "Here I... am...?" He was distracted by the sight of Twilight giggling to herself. "Uh... Twilight?"

"Oh!" Twilight exclaimed. "I'm sorry, Mario. I just... teeheehee… I just had a little reminiscence hit me. Do you see that spot on the ceiling?"

"Yeah?" Mario answered, looking at where Twilight pointed.

"I still remember it like it was yesterday," chuckled Twilight. "That's the very spot you fell through when you literally dropped in that day! Hahahaha."

Mario clearly remembered, as Twilight did. "Oh... yeah..." he said, rubbing the back of his head. "I got-a the biggest-a bump after that... I'm-a so lucky I didn't get a concussion. It-a was-a bad enough when I lost-a my Lucky Star, but if-a I lost-a my memories, too..." He quickly cut off what was becoming a disgruntled rant.

Twilight nodded solemnly. "I know, Mario... You were extremely lucky to survive a fall like that. Dropping through the upper atmosphere, crashing through the roof like that, and slamming onto the floor... I'm still stunned that you're so durable! I thought you'd be unconscious for at least a week! ...But all it really took was a few hours of performing the Healing Horn charm."

Proud of himself, Mario teased, "Yeah. Not-a bad for a shaved-a chimpanzee, huh?!"

The Princess and her companion laughed loudly. Even after all the drama and danger they and their team faced, they still maintained the mirth from the early days.

When the two managed to curb their riotous laughter, Mario and Twilight took a deep breath. The set the book down and it.

"The Shadowlands..." Twilight mumbled. She skimmed a few pages, with Mario standing by and looking at the few pictures seen. "Mario! This is it! Even though this book names it differently, it makes clear references to Ghostli Grove!"

"Yes!" Mario cheered, before shushing himself and apologizing quietly. "Sorry, Twi. Library rules..."

"Well, since nopony's here right now, I think I can let it slide..." Twilight said playfully. "Anyway... take a look... So far, it looks like everything Nyx told us checks out. Ghostli Grove is under a spell that traps the region in eternal night, like when Nightmare Moon attacked at the Summer Sun Celebration. It's a land of dark illusions... under the control of the evilest of spirits. Most of the ponies that live there are bat ponies, and the place is ruled by... 'cloaked ponies wearing the masks of the dead...'" She turned a page and continued. "According to this, the land has grown barren due to the lack of sunlight. They can't grow food there! The bat ponies have to rely on food from... 'outside sources.' ...I highly doubt they get it from trades."

Agreeing, Mario said, "That-a makes sense. I mean, it's-a not like they can open trades when-a they're occupied-a by a ruthless band of-a unicorn cultists."

Twilight went back to the book. "Apparently, food is sometimes brought there from regions the Blackhorns have been to. But since they want to keep as low a profile as possible, they always bring back extremely small portions. Needless to say, it'd be far too little to feed themselves, let alone the helpless citizens... But... hang on." She took a much closer look, even squinting her eyes. "Huh? It says the biggest threat to bat ponies trying to leave is... the sun."

"The... SUN?!" Mario said in shock.

"That's right, Mario. The sun," Twilight confirmed. "The book says that bat ponies fear the sun, and the 'curse' that it enacts on them if they're exposed to its light without the direct permission of Princess Celestia to dwell in Equestria! The book doesn't say what the curse does, but... I know it can't be good."

"A curse from the sun..." Mario pondered. "Well, I guess-a that explains why-a we see so few bat-a ponies around. That stinks, fearing a curse-a that may take-a you out if-a Celestia doesn't-a want them here."

"But it doesn't make sense!" Twilight argued. "Princess Celestia is the nicest of nice! She wouldn't put a deadly curse on bat ponies just for being out of their homeland!"

"Maybe she didn't," guessed Mario. "Maybe they were-a just TOLD they had a curse. I mean, Ghostli Grove is a land of-a dark illusions, right?"

A nervous Twilight replied, "Well, something cursed those poor souls in Ghostli Grove, and anypony who's ever tried to document the place. How else could it be explained that everypony who ever went there has never come back?"

The two thought hard about it... but the brainstorm was cut short when the hourglass chimed. It was exactly 7:00 am, when the library always opens.

"Oh, crud!" Mario panicked. "We gotta get out of dodge, Twi! Any ideas?"

Twilight looked around. They couldn't leave through the front door, or else the librarian would spot them. "Ummm… Look! That big window!"

Mario hopped onto Twilight's back. The Princess flew up and quietly opened the large window. After slipping through, they quietly closed it back up and silently drifted away, flying fast and low to avoid letting any Canterlot Guards see them.

The pair made their way back to Ponyville the same way they snuck into Canterlot: on the wings of a newly-coronated princess that just defied her mentor's wishes.

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MichaelJohnMorris [2019-07-23 01:16:05 +0000 UTC]

Wonderful!! ^^

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Ellysiumn [2019-07-11 09:18:34 +0000 UTC]

Hallo!
U have been featured here EVERYONE DESERVES TO BE FEATURED57 Art Feature for all my watchers. Thank you all who participated in my request POLL Feature made in Eclipse. GGold LeafI am alight, with love,
Fabled leaves have turnedTThe Bird Queen, Part 22: Her Majesty and Her Grace    Both Avians shook hands, Alijarah nodding herEErwin x Reader - Patriot Of My Heart(AU Note: For maximum effect, listen to this)

You  

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TheforgottenSiren [2019-07-07 23:20:56 +0000 UTC]

nice

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HazzMania01 [2019-07-07 16:40:07 +0000 UTC]

Oh, I miss the old days

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lynx318 [2019-07-07 14:06:50 +0000 UTC]

Stay out of the shadows Twi....the other shadows!! (Vashta Nerada )

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DevciHUN [2019-07-07 08:08:32 +0000 UTC]

Hidden by Commenter

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SuperHyperSonic2000 [2019-07-07 01:43:14 +0000 UTC]

Very nice.

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PenguinsN1Fan [2019-07-07 01:39:52 +0000 UTC]

I'm digging this new style!

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Just-An-Artist97 [2019-07-07 01:00:27 +0000 UTC]

Beautiful

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Rizarus [2019-07-07 00:14:03 +0000 UTC]

Uh I love this old place of Twilight and this is a lovely wallpaper.

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