//------------------------------// // Chapter 29 // Story: Severed Ties // by Carol Heart //------------------------------// After listening to Twilight’s recount of the day, particularly who else had been involved in kidnapping Spike, the amber unicorn’s ears drooped and her heart fell. “This isn’t your fault Twilight,” Sunset said dejectedly, “It’s mine,” she breathed causing the teen to lift a puzzled eyebrow. “What do you mean?” asked Twilight. “Last week while you were in class, Indigo snuck into your lab,” Sunset replied. “She was taking pictures of your research and she was trying to get into your computer.” Sunset sighed and looked away. “Spike wanted to chase her off, and…” Sunset hung her head, “I used magic to make him a bit more intimidating. I just wanted to make Indigo think twice before messing with you again. I was trying to help, but I only made it worse. I’m so sorry, Twilight. I promise I’ll do whatever it takes to get Spike back safe and sound.” “I know you will Sunset,” Twilight said and then offered the unicorn a weak smile. “You’ve been trying to protect me since we met. You saved me from Indigo and her gang when they tried to attack me at school. You saved me from the magic portals my device was causing, apparently you’ve even been protecting me when I didn’t know. Twilight sighed, I just wish you didn’t have to protect me all the time. I just wish you believed I was strong enough to at least me able to hear the truth.” “Twili-“ Sunset began but Twilight continued right over her. “I know I remind you of her, your princess friend. I’ve seen it in the way you looked at me and how you've reacted in the past. I might look like her, I might have some of her habits, but I’m not her. I wish I was as good as the Twilight Sparkle from your world. Some important princess with tons of friends that saved you and multiple worlds in addition to being a ruler of the country.” Twilight’s tone went from sad to serious as she met the pony’s eyes. “But, I’m not. I’m just me, a regular girl who prefers books to people and is in way over her head. But I have been trying my best despite it all, and I think I deserve to know the truth about what’s going on if I’m going to be a part of this.” “You’re right you do, and Twilight, and I’m sorry I made you feel that way,” said Sunset hanging her head. “The truth is I didn’t tell you about the Princess Twilight because you reminded me so much of her. It’s because you reminded me so much of myself.” “Wait, what?” questioned the teen, the surprise draining the serious she had exuded a moment before. “Really?” Sunset asked surprised Twilight didn’t see it. “Okay, well tell me if this sounds familiar. Brilliant student, top of her class with all the pressure to meet the expectations of the head of your school. So you bury yourself in your studies leaving no time for any meaningful interactions with others. You might not have my bad attitude as a result, but we do seem to share a knack for causing magical mischief.” Twilight chuckled at that. “I know what it’s like comparing yourself to Princess Twilight and coming up short. She was my replacement as Princess Celestia’s student and she was the one who did everything right; found the Elements of Harmony, saved Equestria more times than she can recall, and even became a practical demigod for her efforts. Needless to say, I didn’t take it very well and one hastily thought out plan to steal the Element of Magic later found me at the bottom of a crater in front of CHS reevaluating my choices in life. I guess I just wanted to protect you from my mistakes. Princess Twilight is great, but she’s not perfect. Trust me, I’ve seen her eat a hay burger.” That earned a blush from the teen, obviously indicating something two might have in common, as well as a small chuckle. “Twilight, you shouldn’t worry about trying to be as good as Princess Twilight-“ “I know, I know. Trying to gauge myself by a mythical pony princess version of myself is bit of a high-“ Sunset shook her head as she interrupted, “Because you’re already far more impressive.” The teen fixed the unicorn with a doubtful look. “I know you’re trying to make me feel better, but-“ “I’m serious,” Sunset cut in. “From what I’ve heard, Princess Twilight was a standoffish book pony. When she was in school, despite having people want to be her friend and invite her out, she still buried herself in her studies. She was also the personal student of the ruler of the nation. Do you think anyone ever threatened her or hurt her? “You, on the other hand, are just as smart, but instead of learning under a benevolent sun princess, you got stuck with Cinch and the antagonistic environment she’s’ created in this school that makes everyone see you as a threat. And, defend yourself, you’ve been forced to deal with these hostile students without magic. But through it all, you didn’t close yourself off to the others, still trying to be kind and polite to those who ignore and bump you in the halls. You even managed to get one grumpy unicorn to open up and start connecting with others again, something I might add, Princess Twilight has failed at for over a year.” “What I’m trying to say is, yes you remind me of Princess Twilight, but me not telling you about her had nothing to do with me wanting you to fill in for her as the Element of Magic or anything else. The parts that you have in common with her are what I should have seen and trusted enough in to trust in you. You’re both geniuses able to find information no one else would even to know to look for. You both try to see the best in people or ponies that have been less than nice to you. And you both would do anything to stand up for what’s right and protect those you care about. That’s why I know Spike is going to be okay, because he’s got you to look out for him.” Twilight enveloped the little pony in another hug. Though this one was less desperate, it was no less wet than the previous embrace. “Thank you, Sunset.” “I mean it, Twilight, I don’t know where I’d be if it wasn’t for your help, both you and Spike. I promise we won’t let Cinch hurt him or get her hands on magic.” “How?” the teen asked. Though she wanted to believe in what Sunset was saying, she didn’t see a lot of options. “Clearly you’ve never had to manipulate an entire school into being under your control.” Sunset smirked. Leave Cinch to me. I have a plan. I’ll track down Spike and make sure Cinch doesn’t come after you again.” Twilight frowned, “Are you really keeping secrets from me again after we just had this conversation? I am going to help get Spike back.” Sunset met her frown with a lopsided smile. “I mean I can tell you, but part of me wants you to hang onto your innocence lest I corrupt you further into being even more like me,” she said earning a giggle from the girl. “Plus, plausible deniability and all.” Twilight rolled her eyes, “Fine, but you are not leaving me out of your plan.” “Of course not,” the unicorn assured. “Tomorrow you have the most important job. You have to finish collecting all the magic.” “Pinkie Pie?” “Pinkie Pie,” Sunset nodded. “Your best bet will be at the welcome party when we get there. The Element of Laughter, expect her to have gone all out. You have to locate her and syphon her magic, preferably without her or the other CHS students spotting you seeing as they probably already know you’re coming." “Oh, is that all,” Twilight blanched. “Don’t worry, you’ve got this,” Sunset assured her. “Then, once we have all of the magic, we meet up at the Wondercolt statue. We’ll have to take the magic from Spike, or Cinch won’t give up on using him. I know it’s not the best option, but at least he’ll be safe.” Twilight was sad at the prospect of having to take the magic from her puppy but knew it would be for the best so nodded. “Then we open the portal and I go through taking the magic with me, and given the rate the magic in this world is fading, what’s left will be gone before Cinch can get her hands on it.” A worried look crossed the teen’s face as she lit upon the obvious flaw in Sunset’s plan. “But the magic, we still don’t have all of it. We’re still missing the last Element, Magic. I’m not…so I never-” Twilight started worriedly before being cut off. “It’s okay. As much as you spontaneously gaining magic would have simplified things, like I said, I wasn’t really counting on it,” assured Sunset. “Okay, then how did you plan on opening the portal?” Seeing the unicorn hesitate, the teen quickly added, “It’s okay if you don’t want to tell me. I mean I know I didn’t like secrets, but if it’s personal, I don’t want to make you feel you have to tell me.” Sunset smiled at that. “No, I promised I’d be honest and not hide anything from you anymore, and I think you’ve more than proven I can trust you.” That earned a slight blush from the teen as Sunset continued. “Okay, so do you remember when I told you about cutie marks?” “Yeah,” the girl replied slowly, “you said they’re symbols that appear when you discover your special talent, the power that’s innate within you.” The pony nodded and shifted herself so that the two-toned sun adorning her flank was visible. “My special ability is to help bring out the best in other ponies.” The teen raised a questioning eyebrow at the symbol, making the unicorn roll her eyes. “Look, cutie marks aren’t always the most literal. They sometimes take a bit of creative license with what they represent. Mine, I guess it’s supposed to show how I can help others shine their brightest.” “No, that’s not what I was wondering about,” said Twilight hastily, “it’s just that you seemed so reluctant to talk to about your, uh, talent, but now that I know, I wasn’t sure what prompted your…hesitance?” Twilight finished awkwardly, not knowing how delicate a subject something like this was or not. The comment made the unicorn’s ears droop as she stared at the dusty garage floor. Sunset sighed. “A lot of reasons really. Knowing how to bring out the best in others, means I’m also really good at doing the opposite, and that was pretty much the only thing I did with my talent when I first came to this world.” “Okay, that makes sense,” Twilight said carefully. “Essentially I can act as an amp for others, helping them do their best, with their abilities. But even using my talent the right way, to help ponies or people, there’s always the chance that others will take advantage of you for that power, often for their own selfish goals. After enough times of thinking I’d found people who cared for me only to find out I was being manipulated for my talent, I stopped trying. I shut myself off from others and vowed that I would become powerful enough that no one could ever use me again. It’s why I wanted to become and alicorn and when I started to believe that Princess Celestia was holding me back so she could take advantage of my talent, well…it’s how I ended up in this world the first time.” Sunset felt a hand on her shoulders and looked up to meet the knowing gaze of Twilight. “I understand. I guess that’s one more thing we have in common.” She smiled, “Thank you for trusting me enough to share that with me.” Returning the smile and leaning into the teen, Sunset continued. “You’re welcome, but the point is, I think I can use my powers to amplify the power we’ve collected enough to use it to trigger the portal and hopefully get it to connect with power of the Elements in Equestria.” “Are you sure that will work,” Twilight asked skeptically. “Sure? No, but I do have some experience channeling and enhancing Harmony magic and I think this will work,” the unicorn assured. “And if it doesn’t?” Sunset sighed, “Then I’m stuck here until the portal opens again in two years. I’d have to hope that my magic is enough to stabilize the magical field of this world so that the portal remains anchored here.” “Would you even be able to produce enough magic to maintain the field and yourself?” said the teen concern seeping into her voice and the fact that the unicorn wouldn’t meet her eyes, did nothing to alleviate it. Twilight blanched, “But Sunset, without magic, you…” “I know,” Sunset said, meeting Twilight’s eyes before offering a reassuring smile, “but like I said, I think our plan is a good one. If I’ve learned one thing from Princess Twilight, it’s that you have to trust in Harmony and count on your friends. And with a Twilight on both sides of the portal, I have faith that this will work out.” Sunset’s look of sincere belief did little to lessen the worry that had washed over Twilight and left her stomach a roiling sea of anxiety. Sunset believed in her, so much so that she was quite literally trusting the teen with her life. Why couldn’t Twilight feel even a fraction of that belief in herself? Looking down at the little pony that had come to be such an important part of her life, Twilight made a silent promise to herself; she would prove she was worthy of Sunset’s belief and do whatever it took to make sure Sunset got home.