//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1 - Awakening 
// Story: Return 
// by MadameDragonFlower 
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Silence. There was not a sound. Not a cricket, not a bird, nothing. The lack of sound seemed to deafen me as I came to my senses.

I opened my eyes, blinking in the dim light. Slowly, I turned my head to take in my surroundings as my eyes began to focus. I appeared to be in an underground cave. There were shelves hewn into the rock walls, a doorway leading to another room, and another doorway blocked by a curtain. As I shifted, I realized I was lying on a bed, a bed which was surrounded by numerous large crystals. My mind was fuzzy. I couldn't remember anything, I couldn't even remember who I was. Where was I? 

As I sat up, a male voice began speaking from the air around me.

“Welcome back, Sir Cloud Twist. After thy long hibernation thou shalt need food. There is food on the shelf directly in front of thee and the doorway to the left leads to bathroom facilities. Thou may wish to wash up. When thou art finished, take the stairs to the dwelling above and somepony should be there to meet thee. 

“And Cloud... good luck, old friend.”

The voice startled me. I looked around the room again, trying to find the source of the sound. There was no one there save myself. The voice had called me Cloud Twist. That sounded right. I sat for a moment, pondering what I had heard, trying to prod my mind into remembrance. The voice sounded familiar, but I could not place it.

Suddenly, my memories came back in a rush, leaving me slightly dizzy. My name is Cloud Twist and I was put into hibernation by Star Swirl. It was Star Swirl’s voice I had heard. More importantly, my hibernation would only end when hers ended. Then realization struck. I was awake! Princess Luna had returned.

☁  ☁  ☁  ☁  ☁  ☁  ☁  ☁  ☁

A short time later, washed and fed, I looked around my chamber one last time before heading for the curtained doorway. I found stairs leading up to a heavy-looking wrought-iron door. I didn’t remember the door from before, but many of my memories were still hazy. I pushed on the heavy door and it opened easily, but screeched loudly. 

The room beyond was clean and well-kept. Star Swirl was never this clean. Brilliant yes, but rarely clean. How long was I in hibernation? Where was Star Swirl? He said somepony would be here to meet me, but who? Where was he?

"So, you're awake now? I was starting to worry that Great-Grandad had messed up the spell and you would never wake up.” The voice spoke from directly behind me.

My wings snapped open and I jumped in the air, my mane brushing the ceiling of the chamber. Looking down, I found a young mare looking up at me with a bright smile on her face. "Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you. My name is Heart Charmer."

I exhaled heavily and landed back on the floor. Inclining my head to the mare, I introduced myself. "Thou’rt well met, Ms. Heart Charmer. My name is Sir Cloud Twist. I wouldst presume that thou art here to assist me in the absence of Star Swirl? ” 

Heart Charmer laughed. I didn’t understand her reason for laughter, but she laughed all the same. “Yes, I’m here to help. First, could you tell me a bit about yourself? I need to make certain your memory is alright, and it will also give me a starting point for the questions I’m sure you’re going to ask. Start with the year you were put into hibernation, if you would.”

I regarded Heart Charmer a moment before answering. Her bright eyes had taken on a concerned but confident look. “The year is, or was, 1010. I am 23 years old. I am in Fillydelphia where I met with Star Swirl to place me into hibernation. By the fact that I am awake I assume all went well and that Princess Luna hath returned from her banishment?"

Heart Charmer nodded to herself at my answers. "Well, you certainly have a one-track mind don't you Cloud Twist? You only just woke up and already you're asking about Princess Luna. Yes, Nightmare Moon escaped from the moon almost six months ago on the eve of the Summer Sun Celebration. She was defeated by the personal student of Princess Celestia and now all is forgiven and Princess Luna is settling back into the palace, resuming her rightful place as the Princess of the Night." Heart Charmer smiled. "Would you like some breakfast as we talk? I just put on some coffee and was going to make some eggs."

"Sir Cloud Twist, an’ it please thee,” I stressed the word ‘sir.’ It would not do to have this mare, whoever she was, forgetting niceties, even if she did talk strangely. The term Nightmare Moon stirred something hazy within my memories, but I couldn’t quite place it. For now, I decided to overlook it. “And thank you, I would like something to eat. Apparently hibernation leaves an empty pit in one’s stomach." The dried food I had eaten sat in my stomach like pebbles; unfilling and unsettling. I followed Heart Charmer into a small kitchen where she set an extra place for me at a round wooden table.

“I suppose I should start at the beginning. As best I can. I guess you should know the when before anything else. Based on what you just told me, it has been just over a thousand years since you were put into hibernation,” she filled my plate with food as she spoke. “The current year is 2010.”

My mind seemed a blank as I took in the information. One thousand years. I knew this had been a possibility when I decided to go into hibernation, but I never thought it would actually come to pass. A few years, perhaps. Fifty or sixty at most. Certainly others loyal to Princess Luna would have found a way to free her sooner?

I took a bite of the food before me, chewing but not tasting it. “And my friend, Star Swirl?”

“Long gone, I’m afraid. There has been forty-three generations since that time.” Heart Charmer sat across from me, her white coat glinting in the sunlight pouring through a window.

That meant my family was gone as well. "Tell me, Ms. Heart Charmer, what information hath been passed down about me?"

"Just that you were to be protected, you were a close friend of Star Swirl the Bearded, and that you would likely return to Princess Luna’s side as soon as you awoke.” She shrugged.

I nodded to myself. That was sufficient. I looked up from my empty plate to see Heart Charmer watching me intently.

“You love her, don’t you? Do you want to tell me about it?” she leaned forward expectantly.

I frowned at her. "What makest thou think I am anything more than a loyal servant? Princess Luna is the true ruler of Equestria, and she was never given her due." I looked at the ground to hide the pain in my eyes. "I am her loyal servant. I am the only one who was willing to await her return. I alone shall be rewarded for my faithful service." I looked back up and saw a knowing smile on Heart Charmer’s face. What was wrong with this impertinent mare? I stood up. "I have to go, I must to return to the castle."

"Do you even know where the royal court is now? They aren’t in the Castle of the Two Sisters anymore. They moved to Canterlot after Princess Luna's banishment. They’ve stayed there even after her return.” Heart Charmer’s eyes were earnest as she gazed at me. 

I stayed silent. This was news. So they abandoned the old castle? I wasn’t certain how I felt about this information. I had to see the princess. Then maybe I would know. Certainly she would. Her presence would sort everything out. I decided to ignore my conflicting feelings until then. I would have leisure to sort things later.

Heart Charmer continued to regard me, though I couldn’t tell what she might be thinking. “I will take you there."