Ranger
Chapter 214: Fiction
By Wanderer D
Equestria
Spike jumped and almost dropped the books he was carrying when Twilight screamed in frustration.
She had returned to her old tower while in Canterlot, needing her own space and work area near the castle more than anything. Piles and piles of books containing theories about the origins of forbidden magic, including the ones found in Luna's room, along with studies on magical possession, soul-projection, gathering, transmutation, infusing, transplanting, negating, inducing and dispersing, in addition to the several thick tomes on runes, metallurgy, psionic theory, and non-forbidden mental magic stacked the work tables and walls of her very spacious lab.
"Calm down, Twilight," Spike said, putting down the four tomes he had been carrying, "you won't get much done by panicking."
"I know! But I promised Laetitia to help her! She's not going to die if I can help it, alright? There has to be a way!" She slammed her hooves down on the table, upturning an empty ink bottle. "But half of the methods that I know for sure will work require forbidden magic! Soul Magic. Mind Reaping spells… we could use them for that… but we'd end up the same as Sunset!"
"It can't be that bad," Spike said carefully, his mind thinking about possible ways of using forbidden magic like some of his superheroes. "if we only use—"
"No." Twilight slid down, sitting on her rump. "Spike. They all start the same. It's always a good intention that starts ponies into the forbidden magics. But they demand more. They corrupt you more and more, little by little. You helped once. Why not again? You made this pony forget pain, why not help this other one forget their breakup? Or this other one should forget that they almost died during that accident. Or this other one… it piles up. It's easy and it deludes you into thinking you're in control.
"Sunset thought she was in control. She thought the different magic levels in the human world would help. Look where she is now." Twilight sighed, motioning Spike to come over and gave him a hug. "She's my sister by battle… and a great leader, and she took care of me and she taught me and… and she's lost! And Laetitia comforted me when I was scared, she listened to my problems… and I told her all that I was feeling at the time, and I never realized just what she was going through… Spike, she's dying! Luna's spell cannot stop her from fading eventually into little more than a memory... And I promised I would help her."
Spike sighed, disengaging from his hug to look around the place. In one corner, Owlowiscious slept, and next to a window, the docked Gremliniscious slowly gathered sunlight to feed its batteries. He sighed, wishing he could be of more use.
Twilight was different now. Well, mostly the same but still different. And not only physically—her time in the human world had trimmed away a lot of the baby fat she had and she woke up every morning not straight to a book, but straight to training with the guard.
She was more confident, stronger and decisive than ever before, so much so it was almost like dealing with well… Spitfire. Or some of the old guard that watched over them when they were younger. Sometimes, he thought he'd have to get used to this new Twilight and really missed the old one… and then she would do this and as much as she was frustrated, it brought some relief to Spike to see that she was still in there.
If things weren't so bad, he would suggest she take a break. Read some light literature, or borrow some of Rarity's books, or maybe catch up with Rainbow Dash and read the latest…
Spike blinked, his eyes trailing to a specific bookshelf, and his brain screamed at him that he was onto something.
Slowly, he made his way to the shelf and stared at the books there, before slowly pulling them out and piling them so he could carry them over.
Once he had this new stack, he made his way over to where Twilight was now muttering to herself something about redirecting the evil out of the magic. "Hey Twilight? Why not look at these?"
Twilight raised her head from her dribbles and glanced at the books Spike had brought before sighing. "Spike. Please."
"No, no, seriously!" Spike said, raising his arms to get her attention. "Look… you once told me that a few of these were based on real lost items, right?"
Twilight didn't look convinced, but she had turned to give him her undivided attention. Spike gulped. She was a lot more intense now. "So… could we maybe draw inspiration from some of the artifacts?"
Twilight blinked, levitating one of the books. "I mean… I had read about some of the artifacts mentioned here… but this is fiction, Spike."
"And remember how you didn't believe Supernaturals would be useful? Or that Pinkie's Pinkie-sense was a real thing?"
"Well, I—"
"Twilight…" Spike interrupted, taking her hoof in her hand. "What does your gut tell you? The same instinct that told you the Elements of Harmony and Nightmare Moon were real?"
Twilight grimaced, then turned to look at the books, levitating one and flipping the pages. "You don't think…" she ventured, the other books floating up and opening, pages ruffling as several artifacts were revealed, illustrated within the contents. "That—" she stopped, shaking her head before looking back at him, eyes wide. "You really think this is real?"
"Twilight…" Spike motioned with his claws at the several stacks of books, crumpled papers and discarded meals. "What do you have to lose right now?"
He watched as she licked her lips, mind working fast, considering his words. "Spike… if there is an artifact that could help us... " she shook her head. "These might be fiction, but they are really well researched."
Spike felt a smile grow in his face. He hadn't felt useful at all lately, and hearing her honest admiration for his idea felt… wonderful. He had almost forgotten how good it felt for her to acknowledge him.
"You said it before! Even you couldn't argue much about the research put into it."
"Spike," Twilight pulled him into a hug. "You're a genius."
"I know."
Twilight giggled. Another, much-missed part of her. "Come on, let's get Rainbow Dash, I don't think she'll want to miss out on this one."
Spike nodded. "So we're doing this?"
Twilight smiled, nodding. "Yep. Spike, take a note: Dear Princess Celestia, Spike has given me a good idea of where we can find possible help. We'll be departing immediately to meet with Rainbow Dash. I will write again, to you as soon as we know anything. Sincerely, Twilight."
"Done!"
"Send it off. Now, where's Rainbow Dash?"
o.0.o End Chapter 214 o.0.o
You will find a Way, Twilight. You always do.
"and next to window"
"and next to a window" or "and next to the window"?
Huh... If Daring's idiot badguys are trying something with THIS Twi around they might not make it back with all four hooves.
Still, if anything can help it's probably from the pre-discordion era. Hell, their could be something to help Sunset. What's happening to her hasn't progressed this far in 1000 years. So you have to go back farther. Who knows what you might find that can work with modern understanding of magic?
9421090
Ha! Yeah, I wanna watch Twi defeat Ahuizotl with sheer violence.
9421090
I see I'm not the only one who noticed the implication that Daring Do is going to make an appearance.
Now this, I agree with completely. After all, sometimes the best answers to a problem are the ones we often overlook
- Thunder
Probably getting banged by a guard or wonderbolt.
9421121
Relics from Season 7. Basically proto-elements of harmony, and in fact helped create the elements according to the show.
9421206
I am indeed aware of The Pillar's "proto-element" artifacts, but are you really willing to rule out Daring Do making an appearance? after all, Daring Do hasn't met the Mane Six yet, Twilight is specifically taking Rainbow Dash with her, furthermore the timeframe also matches up better. . . Not to mention Daring Do is an Archaeologist/Treasure hunter. After taking Occam's Razor to it the implications are rather hard to ignore, no?
- Thunder
Oh! We're going to meet Daring Do. This is sure going to turn more action pack than in the show.
I'm sure Alejandra will also come along, but it would also be nice if Laetitia and Galahad also tag along.
Oh that's right, Yearling hasn't met them yet...
Riiight ... Fiction.
Professor Binns said so about the Chamber of Secrets, but look at what Harry found.
"It belongs in a museum!"
"I agree! Just let me use it real quick. It's for a good cause, alicorn's honor."
"That's not a thing. That is so very much not a thing."
"How about a Pinkie Promise?"
"Hey now, we don't need to go bringing infernal oaths into this."
9421267
I didn't remember that. It's indeed quite early in the series, isn't it?I wonder if they'll stumble upon Daring Do in an adventure or simply explain their lead to the Princess and receive an "Actually, I think you should come meet me, Twilight, I might've an inkling or two on those options..."
9421074 Fixed! Thanks!
9421533
Correction the current events are set in early Season 4, which was the very same Season in canon where the Mane Six first found out Daring Do is a real pony, and not just a fictional character from the book series with her namesake. . . Which the big reveal Daring had during the Season 4 episode "Daring Don't" (Which in the Fic's timeline hasn't happened yet) showed is actually Daring Do's autobiography cleverly disguised as an adventure book series, because Ponies would find her adventures too outlandish to believe otherwise. . . Though most of us will likely know all this already on account of having watched the said Season 4 episode. . .
As for the idea of Twi explaining her lead to Celestia and then Princess "Hooves-Off-Approach" Celestia herself directly helping. Doing something like that is neither Twilight nor Celestia's style. Twilight because she's too neurotic, and Celestia because Princess Cake Flanks doesn't really ever get directly involved in this sort of thing, even if it involves her own sister (i.e. the Nightmare Moon incident, though in that particular case having Twilight make friends so they could use the elements was her plan all along.) which it could be argued technicallyit does, due to both Laetitia currently inhabiting Luna's body, and the relationship/dynamic Luna shares with Laetitia, but that's a topic for another time.
In hindsight this is a lot longer of a comment than I'd originally intended. . .
- Thunder
9421206
More elements of harmony wouldn't add much to a situation where the elements of harmony are already considered not a good enough option.
It's going to be Daring Do, that is the only thing about ancient potentially fictional artifacts Rainbow Dash specifically would want anything to do with.
9421547
You're welcome!
I sense a certain author is going to make an appearance...
I like the idea of using artifacts/tools to do the job.
Humans don't do well when asked to deal drugs, but a vending machine is immune to these problems. Humans don't do well unsupervised around large piles of money, but an ATM solves the problem. If the magic is too tempting, build a machine to do the job : )
9421119
"First, you must place the 12 Markers in their totems. Then, at the pinnacle of the eclipse, activate the medall--"
<Twi violences the lock out of the goddamned way>
9421119
"First, you must place the 12 Markers in their totems. Then, at the pinnacle of the eclipse, activate the medall--"
<Twi violences the lock out of the goddamned way>
I know exactly what they need ... the matrix of leadership ... just gotta find optimus ... what wrong crossover .. let me check my notes ... oh yah xcom .... hymn .. the crystal heart ... the staff that sucks magical energy out from the movie ... discord ... hippogriff pearl. Hell maybe their are other sirens that werent problems.
Yay! Everyone's favourite intrepid archaeologist is on the way!
I don't get why this chapter started with the Elements of Harmony logo rather than a Spike logo though.
Oh is THIS what that side story is about?
I see...
-GM, master of Daring Do.
Twilight might actually be wrong about forbidden magic here. Sonata flat out stated that it was possible to not lose sanity going down that path, but that it was too late for Sunset when they talked. She could be lying or wrong, but the first doesn’t seem to serve any purpose and the second seems unlikely. Plus, the way their conversation went, Sunset seemed to have gotten very far before starting on the Path of Madness (and Fugue does seem to almost be a separate personality), so she might’ve been close to avoiding it.
If that’s the case, I’m wondering what the breaking point was. My main guess is that when Twilight went back to Equestria, Sunset hit the point of no return. She seemed to be slipping ever so slightly with the whole Michael demon transformation, but other than some temptation from the Element, she seemed clean until Twilight left, at which point she started going downhill fast.
I haven't said anything these past few chapters.
Mostly because I really can't stop crying, but I have to say this: Thanks, Spike. I don't know what we'd do without you.
Hm... Maybe a Symbiotic life form mimicing artefact to balance out the Blood magic influence? Perhaps a voice in her head giving her a moral compass?
Or the Staff of Siconers like the Yeti calling himself Storm King used to steal magic?
Arguably Sunset Magic has her on a constant drug like high, the 'Staff of Siconers' the Yeti Storm King used to steal magic? Might be exactly what the could use to get her on a cold turkey withdrawal.
There is a sickness that causes to be permanently hungry.
Despise it there are ways to teach people to live with it.
They are always HUNGRY no matter hiw full they are
Just like Sunset is starving for lust, famished for blood, ravenous for death, empty with a new rush of another victim,malnourished of foreign desire, voracious for another drop of blood... she can learn to be satisfied, satiated by adding some blood in her food like some add vitamins to a meal as supplements.
Eventually lesrning to mentally be sated.
She just needs a artefact to tone down the overflow Fudge is feeding her! ♤
This - might actually... work ♡