"Home is now behind you; The world is ahead."
-Gandalf, The Hobbit
"Twilight... I think that is a wonderful idea."
To say the young alicorn was startled by that simple sentence would be an understatement.
Three days had gone by since Twilight had talked with Celestia and made her decision to leave Ponyville. It hadn’t even been a week since the almost-wedding. During that time she hadn't talked to many ponies and those she could not avoid speaking received only short and stilted answers from the newly made alicorn. Twilight's mind was elsewhere and it was clear just looking into her eyes; she was forgiven by all for not having her head 'in the game', as it were.
She'd discussed her plans with only two, and both of them would be coming with her. Spike would be accompanying her on the trip, thrilled for the adventure that lay before them. The baby dragon had agreed within moments to the idea of a 'holiday' and had supported Twilight fully and helped her prepare. Of course, she had been forced several times to remind him that this was not a trip for pleasure and he shouldn’t be packing sunscreen and comic books.
The other conspirator had been Faith, and he had been included mostly because Twilight knew he would follow her anyway, even if told not too. The silver alicorn had sworn to protect her to the end of their days and she realized that he would forever be at her side and trying to leave him behind would be asking for folly.
‘I really need to find him a girlfriend,’ Twilight thought to herself. ‘If I don’t I’ll never be able to date without him hovering about… it will be worse than my dad!’
The ones she had worried about were friends and family. While she knew that she needed to take this journey she feared that they would take it as a slight against them. Even after everything that they had gone through she didn't want them believing that she was trying to ditch them or was leaving out of anger. Worse, she didn’t want them thinking she was running away from her problems. It was for that reason that she did tell them of her plans, as she knew that not letting them know before would only lead to search parties.
She’d… just waited. Until the timing was right.
Twilight had gathered them together and explained everything: her plans, what she would be doing… and why.
"I am still broken," Twilight had said, holding up a hoof before they could complain. "It's true. No pony goes through what I did without damage and a few days aren't going to cure anything." She had lowered her head and sighed. "It's not just you guys... I don't want you thinking that. I'm not myself anymore, and not just because of these." She had flexed her wings a few times.
"I'm... I'm not in control anymore. I use to be able to handle my emotions... other than in a few extreme situations..." she'd coughed as the others chuckled. "But now I just find myself swinging between extremes. I am crying or screaming or-" Twilight had let out a laugh even as the tears began to gather in her eyes. "See? I'm... I'm doing it right now!
"My worst fear is that I am going to do something stupid and hurt one of you. If it weren't for Faith I would have hurt you Shining... and despite everything I couldn't live with myself if you were hurt. You girls… have been so understanding through all of this. I know at times I must have seen insane or really wolfish… I know that I blamed you guys more than you deserved.” She held up her hoof against to stop the protests. “We all made mistakes but for a while there I wasn’t focusing on mine. And for that… I am sorry.
“ It... it feels like I am no longer in control of my own body and I have to do something to fix that!" Twilight had then sucked in a quick breath, trying to steady herself for the next part. “I... I need to get away. I've talked with Spike and Faith and they are going to go with me. I need to leave Ponyville and maybe even Equestria. I need to find some distant place and work on my control and my powers. I need to figure out who I am now... I know you guys aren't going to like it, but… but I need to do it so I can be ready to be your friend again… not just to accept you all… but to be the kind of mare you all deserve to call friend."
She'd been prepared for tears and whining and complaints.
But the happy, supportive faces before her? Those were unexpected.
"I... uh..."
"I think you broke her!" Pinkie giggled, kneeing Twilight Velvet in the side.
Twilight shook her head violently. "I... I don't..."
"Sweetheart, we've all seen you struggling," Velvet stated, taking a step forward and gently nuzzling her daughter. After everything that had been said it was now her turn to take the lead and mend fences. "So many things happened, good and bad,” on the last word she glanced as a very quiet Celestia and awkwardly shifting Shining Armor, “and you've barely had a chance to breathe. The fact that you haven't ended up in a heap sobbing or blowing up trees just shows how much control you have... but if you feel you need more than you go get it. You go and you find it and we will wait for you to come back!"
"You... you mean it?" Twilight whispered, daring not to hope.
Luna smiled. "Twilight, if you need the time then you go take it. It takes a wise being to know when they need to help themselves… this world would be better if all of us had that strength… myself included."
"And besides," Applejack stated, "the time away from you will be good for us all also. Give us a chance to look at ourselves and figure things out too. I know all this has been an eye opener and I want to take a real good gander at how I treat others."
"Time heals all wounds, after all," Rarity stated. "I can think of nothing better than a bit of time apart… because it also makes the heart grow fonder."
"Even if you hadn't had your psycho dark breakdown you'd need a break!" Rainbow Dash proclaimed. "Even I can't be awesome 24/7!"
Fluttershy merely smiled, scuffing the hardwood with her hoof. "We'll miss you, of course but... but I'd rather you come back happy then stay here and be sad."
Every other pony nodded, echoing the sentiment.
"Besides... this means we get to have a 'Going Away Party!' and then a 'Welcome Back Party!'." Pinkie was bouncing up and down in delight.
"Of course," Twilight said softly.
"How mad would all of you be if I revealed that this was all part of my evil plot to sneak Twilight away?" Faith suddenly asked.
Even the lavender alicorn scowled at him.
"I am joking, of course!" Faith said, backing away with wide eyes. "You ponies have no sense of fun!" Faith rolled his eyes.
"Yeah we do!" Pinkie said, pulling out her party cannon and giving it a blast right in the silver alicorn’s face, leaving him covered in so much facepaint that he looked like a cheap mare of the evening.
Even the morose Celestia laughed at the sight.
~MC~MC~MC~
Two days later, Twilight looked over her shoulder at her waving friends. The party had lasted nearly an entire day and the entire town had become engulfed in it. She’d gotten well wishes and thanks and advice and even a few marriage proposals (which she had politely declined while Night Light and Faith growled at the suitors; the abstract and her father instantly became the best of friends after that). It had warmed Twilight's heart and made it hard to continue with the final preparations... but in the end she knew she was doing the right thing.
"It's only two months," Spike said softly from his perch on her back. "We'll be back before you know it!"
"I know... but I am still going to miss them."
"That is why you should begin moving," Faith said, his wings spread wide. "The sooner we leave the sooner we can return."
Twilight nodded, taking one last look at Ponyville. Her friends and family were still watching them, even though they were nearly a mile away. "Two months..." she whispered.
“What is it Twilight?” Spike asked.
“I don’t know… just a feeling… like I’ll never see them like this again.”
Faith scoffed. “I would hope not! Life can’t be static… it needs to be moving and changing. If you want things to remain still change them to stone.” He turned when he noticed the thoughtful look on Twilight’s face. “That wasn’t a suggestion.”
“I know, I know,” Twilight said playfully.
"I'll send them letters all the time and they will do the same!" Spike reminded her. "It will be great Twilight... think of all the stories you'll have to tell."
"You're right Spike... it's just never easy saying goodbye."
"I prefer goodnight," Faith stated. "It offers hope for a new day."
"I like it," Twilight stated, a smile slowly blossoming on her face. "Goodnight, Ponyville... goodnight girls... till tomorrow."
And with that, she spread her wings, galloping forward and leaping into the air.
She slammed into the ground four seconds later.
"Alright, lesson one: flying," Faith said with a smirk.
~END OF VOLUME ONE~
Faith and Doubt
Cast
Twilight Sparkle and Twilight Velvet: Tara Strong
Applejack and Rainbow Dash, : Ashleigh Ball
Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy: Andrea Libman
Rarity and Princess Luna: Tabitha St. Germain
Spike: Cathy Weseluck
Princess Celestia: Nicole Oliver
Night Light and Shining Armor: Andrew Francis
Princess Cadence: Britt McKillip
Queen of the Changelings: Kathleen Barr
Doubt/Faith: Tom Hardy
Volume Two: The Abundance
"Are you sure?" the multi-hued alicorn asked, her normally wide smile drooping slightly and her puffy wings, which looked more like balloons than feathers and flesh, falling against her side. She, along with her brothers and sisters, shifted in the void, still trying to get use to their new forms.
"I am sure," the luminous figure before the five stated. It was hard to judge just how big her form truly was; at times she would appear to be a small flicker of flame, like a candle lit during a dark night. Other times she was gigantic, like a volcano erupting without care for those it destroyed. And yet, during the entire conversation, even when she looked her smallest, the five alicorns felt as if the speaker held a great strength and power. "Doubt has returned... and he has claimed Twilight Sparkle."
"No way," a masculine navy alicorn declared. He took a step forward, his wings flared as he snorted. Instead of feathers his wings were made of long gossamer threads that were forever entangling themselves around the legs of his brother and sisters, fading into the ether before reforming. "I don't believe you."
"It is against our nature to lie... you know this," a brilliant red alicorn stallion proclaimed. His deep voice rumbled like thunder rolling across the plain and all listened as he spoke. His great wooden wings creaked and groaned, each beautifully carved feather shifting in unison as if they were all pieces of some bizarre clock
"We must do something to help her!" a small, dainty alicorn said, head tilted up and long dainty legs held poised. She fluffed her wings, plumes of feathers drifting off and turning into glittery dust every time she did so.
"And the others," a mint-colored alicorn said. Her own wings, much like her sisters and brothers, were different than a normal pegasi; hers were overly long and limber and seemed to be lined with velvet that offered comfort and support.
"And that is why I have gathered you here," the shapeless force stated. "Twilight is, at the moment, lost to us." The others began to clamor but the shapeless being talked over them. "But there is still a chance to save her! Doubt may have hooked his shards into her but he has not infected the others. With them you can save her and Equestria."
"What you speak of..." the velvet alicorn whispered.
"Yes Kindness," the shapeless one said, "I speak of drastic action. To protect the bearers... they must bond with each of you... their Elements."
Laughter, Loyalty, Honestly, Generosity, and Kindness stared at each other in surprise.
"Why do you look so shocked?" the shapeless one stated. "It is the only way... with each of you merged with your bearer, they will become alicorns themselves and have the strength to protect Equestria. And that is your duty, is it not? Of course it is; that is your duty. Would you deny the call?"
"It... might be fun," Laughter admitted. Visions of all the fun she and Pinkie could have filled her thoughts.
"I... I don't want Rainbow Dash hurt," Loyalty declared, his threads grasping his siblings in a move to reassure himself that they, unlike their fallen brother Doubt, remained.
"Equestria has become corrupt. Celestia's lies led to Doubt's fall, Luna tried to destroy harmony... they cannot be trusted," Honesty declared. He was always the leader of them, the largest and oldest of the abstract siblings and he took it upon himself to say that which was true... no matter how disheartening.
"We owe it to all those under our care to give everything we have," Generosity said, her dainty head held up tall and proud.
"It would be wrong to abandon them now," Kindness added gently, smiling as she thought of joining with the shy Fluttershy and giving her the strength and courage to help protect all.
The shapeless form nodded. "Good... good... now go... do what must be done."
The five abstracted left the void, racing towards the sleeping forms of their bearers.
"So it begins," the shapeless one purred.
~MC~MC~MC~
And Introducing:
The Shapeless One- Cate Blanchet
Laughter- Arleen Sorkin
Loyalty- Nathan Fillion
Honesty- John Rhys Davis
Generosity- Keri Russell
Kindness- Kristen Bell