//------------------------------// // Ch. 23: The Foal Who Walks Through Walls // Story: The Road Not Taken // by levarien //------------------------------// The diminutive filly rubbed at her eyes as she yawned. As with most young foals, it didn't take long for her to discard any remaining lethargy after a restful night's sleep. She hopped up and down on her small, low, toddler's bed singing a playground song she had invented with her best friend. After the second refrain, the foal stopped and looked at her door with a puzzled expression. Her mommy should have opened the door and gone on about how good little fillies didn't jump on their beds. She hopped off the bed and skipped to the door of her bedroom. She wrinkled her nose as she tried to make it open. Yet again, nothing happened. She looked up at her tiny horn and tapped it with her hoof. The filly couldn't understand why her horn wouldn't make sparklies like her mommy's did. "Open!" she commanded the stubborn door. When the wooden sentinel wouldn't budge she stomped her little hooves in a huff. The filly galloped across her bedroom and into her small closet. Wood scraped against wood as she pushed her toy chest towards the door. With a solid thump, the heavily laden box bumped into the wall next to the door. She crawled onto the rounded top and reached up towards the doorknob. She squeaked while trying to will herself to grow the few more inches necessary to grab onto the latch. Looking back up at the door, the filly stuck her tongue out of the corner of her mouth while flexing her stubby wings. She flapped them as fast as she could, like a hummingbird, and hopped towards the handle. With a triumphant giggle, the alicorn foal grabbed onto the latch and twisted it while pushing against the wall with her hooves. The door swung open to the inside of the room and the filly dropped to the ground. She galloped through hallway towards her mommy's room while humming to herself. "Moooooommyyyyyyyyy!" she yelled while bursting through the open doorway, "I wanna go play with Breezie!" She saw her mother sitting in front of her vanity, a brush slowly pulling its way through her long blue and violet mane. "Mommy?" she asked, confused as to why she wasn't reprimanded for shouting. Twilight wiped a hoof under her eyes and turned around to smile at her daughter. "Come here Corrie," she said as the brush continued its progress through her disheveled mane, "Mommy needs a hug." Corona Gleam galloped into her mother's waiting forelegs and was swept into a tight embrace. Twilight wrapped her wings around the the filly and stroked her silver streaked red mane. She kissed the top of her daughter's head and spun her around to face the mirror. "Now you want to go see Apple Breeze, do you?" she asked. Twilight watched as the foal's face lit up with excitement. "Yuh huh!" exclaimed the filly, "Auntie Applejack said we could play with the new lambs." "Sounds like fun," said Twilight, "but we have some things we have to do first." She began using her magic to pull the brush through the foal's mane. "First, we're going to try to tame this mane once again," she said, "even though I know it's a futile effort." "What's Fyu till?" asked the filly. "Futile," said Twilight, pronouncing the word for the young foal, "It means I don't think it will work. Your mane is too much like your daddy's." The brush briefly stopped its progress before starting back up. "But we keep trying anyway," she said. After a few minutes of ineffective brushing Twilight conceded defeat and set the pearl handled brush on the vanity. "Alright my little shepherd in training," she said while placing the filly's hooves back on the floor, "you can bring one toy. Go fetch it while mommy gets her things." She smiled as her daughter skipped out the door and down the hallway towards her room. She stood and collected an empty set of saddlebags. Several thick tomes bearing arcane symbols floated from her bedside end table and slid into the panniers. She wound a thick wool scarf around her neck and grabbed a smaller one before walking to the doorway of Corona's room. "Come on Mister Stripes," she said as she pulled the stuffed zebra doll from her toy chest, "Breezie hasn't met you yet." She used her teeth to pick up the doll by the leg and dropped it into her small, ladybug shaped saddlebag. She held her head up as Twilight gently wrapped the plain white scarf around the foal's neck. She followed her mother out the front door of their little cottage and out into the cloudy autumn day. "Where are we going mommy?" she asked. "Mommy needs to drop some books off at the library," said Twilight. She looked back at her daughter's adorable pouting face. "Don't give me that look young filly," she said, "the library is a wonderful place. I used to live in a library, you know." "Boring," whined the filly. "Once your reading has improved you'll be singing a different tune," said Twilight, "Even your auntie Rainbow Dash loves reading." She turned onto the small dirt road and began walking towards the center of Ponyville. "One day you'll thank me for these weekly trips. Now, tell mommy all about the fun you and Apple Breeze plan on having today." "You don't have to do this today," said Rarity, "we can always reschedule for next week." "And miss out on the penultimate chapter of Daring Do and the Minotaur's Maze" said Argent, "I think not. What would Twilight think if I let those colts and fillies down?" "She would think that you needed a day to yourself," she replied, "this day most of all." Argent sighed and set down the small stools he had been carrying up from the basement. "What am I supposed to do Rarity?" he asked. "Crying about it didn't help. Shouting about it just makes me angrier." He pushed the stool next to the others in the library's lobby and arranged them into three arcs. "This helps me feel closer to her," he said, "closer to both of them." Rarity levitated the heavy box and started walking along the rows of low padded stools, placing identical copies of the latest Daring Do novel on top of each seat. "Would you at least join us tonight for dinner at Pinkie's?" she asked, "If you're going to be miserable, you might as well be miserable with your friends." She discarded the empty box behind the librarian's desk. "Maybe," said Argent, "The princess doesn't usually arrive until later in the day, so don't wait up for me." Rarity gave the stallion her best crestfallen look and hugged him around the neck. "Come over with Savory if you change your mind," she said, "and bring the letter; we all want to hear how the little one is doing." She kissed his cheek and trotted towards the front door. "I need to get back to the boutique to put the finishing touches on my fall line," she said, "but if you need any help at all, just ask." "Will do Rarity," said Argent to the mare as she exited the front door. He looked around the tidy library and judged that everything was ready for Cheerilee's bi-monthly library field trip. He sat down at the front desk and idly leafed through the checkout register. Examining the regularly spaced entries, he marveled at how much neater his hoofwriting had become over the years. Long gone was the barely legible chicken scratch that had earned him more than a few push ups in his academy days. "Like anypony ever read the nightly reports," he said to himself, "I could have written that a giant crab attacked the castle and nopony would have noticed." A gust of wind from the blustery fall day outside found its way into the library through the briefly opened front door. Argent looked up from the desk and waved at the young mare that entered. "You're early today Savory," he said, "the kids won't arrive for a few hours yet." "Mother and Father inferred that my time would be better spent baking," said the seemingly dour older filly. "I countered that I would rather alphabetize the periodicals." "Go easy on your parents," said Argent, "they don't know what to do with this whole early graduation thing. Pinkie probably thinks you'll be leaving the nest before you're ready." Savory gave the stallion a confused stare. "Should my application to the Royal Academy of Literature be accepted, I will only be a short train ride away," she said, "and I believe I am mature enough to conduct my day to day business as well as the older students." "That you most certainly are and can, Savy," he said to the young mare, "but try to humor your mom. It's not the physical distance that scares her: She doesn't want either of you to miss out on what's left of your childhood." The fact that he was speaking from experience was not lost on the mare, and she nodded in understanding. "Perhaps you are right," she said. "I will strive to spend more time with both of them. Perhaps a visit to Gummy is in order." The young mare's eyes lit up and her normally straight grey mane threatened to poof up at the idea of playing with her fully grown foalhood pet. "That will have to wait for another day though," she said while making her way to their impressive collection of first editions, "Mother was quite set on baking, and my disinclination towards the culinary arts has been thoroughly documented." Savory pulled a thick tome from the shelf, carried it to one of the reading couches and promptly immersed herself in a book she had probably already read. Argent chuckled to himself and looked back to the desk. The momentary breeze had scattered parchment all over the desk. The stallion flared his horn and began gathering up the papers. Receipts for new book orders, correspondence with the Equestrian Association of Libraries and Archives, and several attempts at writing a letter were swept into a pile and had a paperweight dropped on top of them. Looking back down desk, he noticed that the wind had blown the pages of the register back by several years worth of entries. He read the first entry and quickly slammed the book shut. "Savory," called out Argent, "Would you mind things down here? I... I need to go upstairs for a while." The young earth pony looked up from her book at the stallion who was already halfway up the stairs. "Of course," she said, "take as long as you need." Argent reached the top step and froze in place. To his right was his familiar room, as it had always been. A twin sized bed, a small dresser filled with a few curios, and a closet filled with his old dress uniforms was all that awaited him inside. Straight ahead was Twilight's bedroom. Whether out of some sense of superstition or sentimentality, he had declined to move his few belongings into the much larger and more comfortable bedroom. He hoped that when she returned they would move in there together. "Hope" he bitterly thought to himself, "That's really all I have left." He looked to his left at the closed door that led to the study. He took a few unconscious steps toward's it before catching himself. Argent took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "Better to get this out of my system now," he thought, "can't let the princess see me like this." A large cloud consisting of a year's worth of dust announced his entrance to the empty room. He quickly opened the door that led to the balcony and fanned most of it outside. Shafts of light that made their way through the tree's thick canopy illuminated the remaining dust motes. The stallion sighed and and turned to face the desk. Piles of books as tall as he was formed piles that flanked each side. Everything was exactly as he had left it a year earlier. Twilight's spellbook sat closed on the center of the desk, wrapped in the silk scarf Rarity had provided. The Crown of Harmony sat atop the book, it's pink gem seemingly afire with the same magenta light it had been emitting since his return. Whether by some enchantment Twilight had placed upon the crown, or some trick of the relic itself, it appeared as if it had been polished and tended to on a constant basis. It certainly didn't have the same layer of dust that permeated the rest of the room. He sat in front of the large writing desk, reached out his hoof to the tip of the crown's pink jewel, and gently caressed the platinum ring that hung there. Twilight held the door to the Golden Oaks Library open while Corona scampered through. Seeing the Apple family cart outside had instantly changed the filly's opinion on their trip to the library. She hopped up and down excitedly while Twilight slowly removed her scarf and hung it from one of the pegs that lined the wall of the vestibule. Twilight smiled at her daughter's impatience. "You're going to make yourself dizzy if you're not careful," she said. "Wanna play with Breezie!" replied the alicorn filly. She tried to push the door to the inner library open, but her tiny mass was no match for the thick oak board. She turned back and furrowed her brow at her mother who was slowly and deliberately hanging her own scarf on the wall. "Hurry up mommy!" she yelped. Twilight pushed open the door, and watched her daughter run through as soon as it was cracked open enough for her to squeeze through. She entered the imposingly large main floor of the library and walked up to the front desk. "Hello Argent," she said, "how are you doing today?" The baggy eyed young stallion smiled at the older alicorn. "I'm just fine, your highness," he replied, "I just wish she could go a night without kicking me in her sleep." He pulled one of the foil wrapped chocolates that sat in front of him and surreptitiously passed it down to the filly who had stealthily made her way behind the desk. "It won't be long now," she said, "just keep telling yourself that." She looked towards the rows of bookshelves and the relatively large number of ponies milling about. "Where is your blushing bride?" she asked. "She's in the kitchen," he said, "just follow your nose if you dare." His own nose wrinkled in disgust as he subconsciously sniffed at the air. "Oh come now," she said, "it's really quite good if you would only give it a try." She ignored the stallion's deadpan stare and looked to the right of her hooves. "Corrie?" she asked. "Yes, mommy?" asked the filly at her left. "Did you say hello to uncle Argent?" she asked. Twilight lifted the filly with her magic and held her in front of the stallion. "Hi uncle Argy!" shouted the filly. "Hi Corrie!" he shouted back. He reached back into the bowl of chocolates and held one in front of her. "Want some chocolate?" he asked with a wink. "Yes please!" answered the filly. "Just one, Corrie," said Twilight, "you'll ruin your appetite." "Okay," said Corona as she quickly unwrapped the treat and popped it into her mouth. "Thanks uncle Argy!" she said while reaching out and hugging him around the neck. "Anything for my favorite princess," he said as the filly was lowered back to the floor. He looked back at the alicorn and smiled. "Princess Celestia should be here any minute now," he said. Twilight nodded and walked towards the kitchen. Argent's warning had apparently been heeded by the library's patrons as the sections closer to the source of the strong odors were deserted. Corona ducked under the saloon style doors as Twilight pushed them open. The two mares sitting at the table were happily chatting while eating a breakfast of fresh bread and particularly pungent cheeses. Her own cravings had instilled in her some limited tolerance to the offending odors, but she found herself wanting to copy her daughter as the foal held her hoof to her nose. "Really Applejack?" asked the older alicorn, "after all the snide comments and disdainful sniffing?" "I reckon it's not so bad," said the farm-mare as she wiped her mouth with a napkin, "It's no apple-onion-peanut butter sandwich, but it gets the job done." She looked down at the foal tugging at her tail. "Well hey there sugar cube," she said warmly. She reached down across her large belly and ruffled Corona's already messy mane. "If Y'all are lookin' for Breezie, she's upstairs playing with Spike." The foal looked up at her mother with hopeful eyes. "Give your aunt Twilight a hug and you can go play," she said. The foal disappeared under the table and soon reappeared climbing onto the younger Twilight's lap. "I was gonna..." she protested to her mother while trying to wrap her tiny forlegs around the pregnant alicorn. "when is the baby coming?" she asked while laying her head on Twilight's belly. "Not long I hope, my little bookworm" said Twilight, "your cousin isn't in much of a hurry to say hello." "Come out and play!" said Corona as she pressed her ear against Twilight's belly. Twilight giggled as the young filly's antics woke the unborn foal. "Wait until he or she's born," said Twilight between laughs, "no fair tickling me at the same time!" The older alicorn lifted her daughter into the air with her magic and and flipped her over, giving her younger self easy access to the foal's ticklish tummy. The library was soon echoing with the foal's laughter as she was mercilessly tickled by her aunt. A tiny red maned head peeked in through the kitchen door. "Corrie, come play with us!" said Apple Breeze, "Spike is cheating." Twilight set her daughter on the ground and watched as the two fillies galloped back into the library proper. "Hi Princess!" they shouted together as their tails disappeared underneath the hanging doors. Princess Celestia's ever waving aurora mane peeked over the top of the swinging half doors. "Hi girls" she exclaimed while strolling into the kitchen. "They're getting so big," she said to the three mares sitting around the table, "and loud." She rubbed a hoof into her ear. "Hello my faithful students," she said warmly, "no, no, don't you dare stand on my account." She walked over to the pregnant alicorn and wrapped a long feathered wing around her. "Are you feeling well, Twilight?" she asked, "is there anything you need? Maybe some food that doesn't smell like a wet diamond dog?" "I'm right as rain, as AJ would say," replied Twilight, "and don't blame me for the cheese, it's all this one seems to want." She rubbed her stomach and smiled sheepishly. "You two go ahead and use my room," she said, "I don't think either of us feels like taking on the stairs." Applejack squeezed a swollen ankle and nodded her agreement. The older Twilight stood and followed Celestia out of the kitchen and through the rows of bookshelves. "Has Professor Trotsworth made any progress with his experiments?" asked Twilight, "His last report hinted at a possible breakthrough." "Twilight," said Celestia, "it's all quite theoretical. The professor himself is merely interested in the geological fallout." "But what about-" began the alicorn as they reached the top of the steps and walked towards the large bedroom. "My faithful... no, my friend," said Celestia, "You know that we're trying everything we can to safely return you home; most of our attempts have been based on your research." She sat on the edge of the large bed and patted a hoof next to her. Twilight sat down next to the tall alicorn and looked down at the floor. "We will continue our efforts for as long as it takes," she said, "but taking a day off to stop and think is often exactly what we need to move forward." "Every day I waste is a day that Argent loses with our daughter," said Twilight. "Twilight," said Celestia, "today of all days..." "Can we just go?" asked Twilight, "I'm sure the princess is waiting for us." "One, Two, Three, Four," said Argent as he covered his eyes with his hooves. "Five, Six, Seven, Eight," continued Spike. The stallion and the young dragon stood beside the front desk, their backs turned to the two foals. "Follow me!" whispered Apple Breeze. The pegasus filly bounded to the steps leading up to the second floor. One step at a time, the pair of fillies crawled to the hallway and looked down to make sure the two seekers were still counting. The red maned, brown coated, filly grabbed her friends hoof and pulled her to the left. The large, usually closed, door into the study stood ever so slightly ajar. "Mommy says not to go in Auntie Twilight's book room without a grown up," whispered Corona. "You heard the princess," whispered Apple Breeze, "she said we're big!" The pegasus filly pushed on the door with all her might, slowly opening it until she squeezed through. Corona nervously looked from the door to the stairway, listening to the two seekers counting higher than she had ever reached in her counting games with mommy. Apple Breeze stuck her head out of the door and furrowed her brow at her friend. "They'll find you!" she said in a hushed tone. Corona took one last look down at the stallion and dragon patiently counting before closing her eyes and running headlong into the study. "Is just books Corrie," said Apple Breeze, "lookie over here!" She trotted across the small room to a pile of books stacked as high as a tall stallion. Corona watched her friend disappear behind the wall of literature. "See," whispered the pegasus filly, "they won't never find us back here!" "Ever find us," corrected Corona, "I don't know Breezie, I think we should find somewhere else." "I want that candy Corrie," said Apple Breeze as she poked her head from behind her book fort. "Ready or not here we come!" came the combined shout of Argent and Spike. "Hurry!" hissed Apple Breeze. She dashed out from behind the books, grabbed Corona by the hoof, and began pulling her across the floor. As Corona passed the desk, her horn began glowing a bright yellow. "Sparklies!" she exclaimed loudly, "My horn made sparklies!" "SHHHHH," shushed Apple Breeze as she used her Apple Family strength to haul the alicorn behind their perfect hiding spot. Certain that her friend's outburst had been heard, she remained perfectly still and silent and waited for the two seekers to enter the study. As Daring emerged into the daylight, she doffed her trusty pith helmet and waved it at the onrushing newsponies. She reached into the hat, pulled out the Medallion of Kings she had recovered from deep within the deadly maze, and held it aloft for everypony to see. "That has to be a fake," said Scoops to the assembling crowd of camera wielding journalists, "The medallion is nothing but an old mare's tale. Immortal Minotaurs and ancient magical medallions? Come on ponies, use your heads." The rumbling ground caused the grumpy unicorn to look over his shoulder at the smirking greyscale maned treasure hunter. "What's wrong Scoops?" she asked innocently, "Is there something behind me? Behind Daring, the enormous Minotaur climbed out of the hole she had just pulled herself from. Its massive cloven hooves cracked the ancient weathered flagstones that covered the grounds of the ancient Istallion ruins. It towered over the seemingly oblivious pegasus mare, its massive hands clenched into fists. It tilted its enormous maw into the air and let loose a deafening roar. Scoops' face went white; no small feat for a red coated pony. "Muh... muh... muh," stuttered the unicorn. Daring slipped the amulet around her neck and turned to face the hulking monster. Steam erupted from its nostrils, blowing her mane back. Daring didn't flinch as the Minotaur rose its fist high into the air." Argent closed the book and smiled as the young colts and fillies groaned in frustration. "That's right," he said, "If you want to find out what happens to Daring Do, you'll have to come back in two weeks!" A chorus of boos and and pleas followed the stallion as he he stepped away from the lectern and let Cheerilee take his place. "Settle down everypony," she said, "I know we're all anxious to hear how everything ends for Daring Do, but remember our deal. You have half an hour to find a book to read and write a report on before our next trip!" "Remember to show Miss Savory which book you're borrowing," said Argent. He pointed over at his assistant sitting at the front desk. "She's exhausting," said Twilight, "how can anything with legs that small move that quickly?" "Did you bring the pictures?" asked Celestia hopefully. Twilight nodded and reached into her saddlebags with her magic. "I'm no good with cameras," she said, "so Pinkie Pie was kind enough to play photographer. At least we didn't have a difficult time getting her to smile." She arrayed the photos in front of the hovering screen containing Princess Celestia. "Getting chocolate icing out of a foal's coat is harder than it seems like it would be," she said with a laugh. "There's a spell for that," said both Celestia's in unison. They both blushed and the younger, standing at Twilight's side, held her hoof out, inviting the older, in the viewscreen, to continue. "Awww," cooed the older Celestia, "I wish photos taken here would develop properly." Twilight stacked the photos and tucked them back inside her panniers. "So about my experiment," she said, "By my calculations, the circle of power would need to be, at a minimum, two leagues in diameter, with collection nodes spaced every forty five degrees. What I need is at least forty unicorns with experience-" "Twilight," said the alicorn at her side, "we both think that perhaps you should forget about your experiments, at least for a day." "We're not saying that you should give up," said the alicorn in the window, "far from it, but maybe you'd like to spend the day with your friends. It's been four years to the day, and from what I've gathered from our weekly meetings, you've not gone a single day without some sort of study, experiment, or combination of the two." "So?" asked Twilight. "So we're worried about you," said the younger Celestia. "You dote on Corona; you bury yourself in your studies; you even take time to continue your flying regimen." She glanced back at herself through the view screen and received a nod in return. "You never cry Twilight," she said, "and you have more reason to do so than most. Every week you have my counterpart tell Argent about how much you are doing to get back home, and yes, you send your love, but you never cry. If one were to go by the letters you've sent to him, they would think this was barely phasing you, and we all know that's not the case." "I cry," said Twilight, the tears at the corner of her eyes proving her assertion, "do you think me so cold?" She sat down on what passed for ground in the astral realm they shared. "Every time I tuck my daughter in, and she asks when her daddy is coming home, I cry," she said, "every time I see your Twilight and Argent together, I have to hold in my tears." She pushed away the wing that the younger Celestia tried to drape over her shoulders. "I know what day it is," she said, "I sat in front of my mirror this morning reliving it in my mind. I gained and lost a future in the blink of an eye, and as painful it has been for me, it pales before what Argent has been through. This is the second family he's lost." "Do you really want him to face that same sadness alone?" asked the older Celestia, "alone and scared to tell you that he's in pain because it might make you feel worse?" "I think we win Breezie," said Corona, "I wanna find mommy." "It's a trick!" whispered Apple Breeze, "mister Argent won't gimme candy if he finds us!" She saw the tears welling up in the corners of her best friend's eyes and winced. "Okay, okay," she said, "You keep hidin' and I'll get the candy!" Corona looked around the room, dried her eyes with the side of her hoof and nodded weakly. Apple Breeze walked to the door of the study and growled at the now closed door. She didn't waste time wondering how it came to be shut, and instead reached into her plain brown saddlebags. She dug past her Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust dolls and pulled out the small lasso her mother had given her. The filly held the looped end of the rope at eye level and carefully took aim at the door latch. A quick flick of the hoof later and she was stealthily making her way down the stairs to the library below. Corona wandered out from behind the pile of books and cautiously examined the study they had been hiding in for the last ten minutes. She looked around the room in confusion. She had only ever been in the study in the company of her mother and aunt, and then, only briefly, but she didn't recognize the ornate glass display cases or the shelves full of pictures and mementos. A picture of Spike caught her attention, or at least, she thought it was Spike. Spike didn't have wings though. She turned back towards the desk and was about to return behind the wall of books when a sparkle of light from the desk caught her attention. The foal climbed onto the padded chair and peeked her head over the top of the writing table. "Pretty..." said the filly as she reached out to the glowing crown and the ring that hung from it. Apple Breeze crept down the stairs and watched the unfamiliar older fillies and colts excitedly frolicking around the bookshelves. She didn't recognize any of them, but it didn't surprise her, they were probably all at that school place her daddy had told her about. At the base of the staircase, she caught sight of the familiar silver coated stallion using his magic to put books in a box. Apple Breeze barreled across the room, deftly weaving around the older fillies and colts, and sliding underneath Cheerilee. "I win!" she said triumphantly as she stopped in front of Argent, "gimme chocolate!" "Excuse me," said Argent with a laugh, "what exactly did you win? Most adorable first impression?" He bent over and patted the red maned filly's head. "I hided, and you couldn't seek!" shouted the foal, "and you promised candy!" "I think you might be confused, little one," said Argent as he put the box down looked around the room. "Cheerilee?" he called out, "Is this one of yours?" "Way too young," she called back before turning to a pair of running fillies. "Sunny, Dreamy, if you two don't stop running you'll both be cleaning chalkboards for a week." "Come on," said Argent as he lifted the filly with his magic, "Savory probably knows who you came in with." "Savory's just a baby!" said the pegasus filly with a laugh, "I gotted here with momma!" "Now we're getting somewhere," said Argent, "and who is your momma?" The filly looked at him in confusion. "Did you drink the silly apple juice?" asked Apple Breeze, "Applejack is my momma." "AJ doesn't have any foals your age, dear," said Argent. "Momma says it isn't nice to tell fibs mister Argent," said the filly as he set her down next to the front desk. The stallion looked up at the perpetually bored looking young mare. "Savory, did you see who she came in with?" he asked. "Who?" replied Savory as she looked over the edge of the desk. Argent looked to where he had just set the foal down and spun around in a panic. "Stay by the front door," he told the mare, "if you see a brown coated, red maned filly about yea high, let me know." Apple Breeze peeked out from behind the bookshelf she hid behind and furrowed her brow. "No fair!" she thought, "mister Argent just wants the candy for himself." She watched as he trotted to the kitchen, probably to brag about his victory to her mother. She waited for the kitchen doors to stop swinging before sprinting to the stairs and scrambling up to the second floor. She ducked back into the study in time to see Corona closing the flap of her saddlebag. "Your uncle is being a meanie," she said, "let's go tell our mommies on him!" "Uncle Argy isn't mean," said Corona, "but I do wanna see mommy." As she hopped down from the stool and landed on her friends back, her horn flared again, it's bright yellow aura causing both young fillies to shut their eyes. "I did it again!" said Corona happily. She ran to the door and pushed it open. "Mommy! Mommy!" she shouted while hopping down the steps, "my horn sparkled!" She reached the bottom step and nearly ran right into an angry looking alicorn. "Young lady, where have you been," said Twilight as she swept the foal up in her magical aura, "Do you know how much you worried everypony?" She brought her daughter to her chest and wrapped a foreleg around Corona's waist. "Why didn't you come when we called for you?" she asked. "We didn't hear," said Corona, "and Breezie said that we could get candy, and my horn sparkled, and-" "Apple Breeze," said Applejack, "get yer rear down here ya little varmint." The pegasus filly winced at the edge in her mother's tone. She hung her head low as she crawled down the stairs and stood next to Applejack. Before she could offer up any excuses or apologies Princess Celestia reached her long elegant neck down and nuzzled the pegasus foal. "Now, now, you two," she said, "foals will be foals. I think you might have missed the part where little Corona Gleam says she finally had her first magical surge!" Twilight held her daughter out in front of her and examined her mane to tail. "You didn't hurt yourself," she said, "thank Celestia for that." "Nopony was turned into cacti either," said the younger Twilight. "Or giant dragons," said Celestia with a snicker. "Argent?" asked Celestia as she peeked into the study, "nopony has reported a missing foal. Is it possible you might have imagined the whole thing?" She looked around the dusty room and gasped. Books were strewn everywhere; shelves were emptied of their contents; and the entire writing desk had been upended. "That depends," muttered Argent, "do figments of one's imagination typically run off with things that don't belong to them?" "Whatever was lost can be replaced," said Celestia. She flared her horn and objects all around the room began moving on their own accord. Books sorted themselves into neat piles while photos and curios returned to their places on the shelves. "Now come," she said, "I have your weekly letter and a few words of advice." "You can leave the letter on the front desk," said Argent sullenly, "I'll read it... soon" "You will read it now Guardspony Defender," said Celestia. The stallion sighed and levitated the rolled up parchment from the alicorns upturned hoof. He straightened it out and began reading Celestia's now familiar hoofwriting: Argent, No long check ins or clinical status reports on the progress of my experiments this time, my love. Corona is adorable as she is clever, and she keeps me on the tips of my hooves. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't marvel at the beautiful miracle we brought into the world. When you finally meet her; and you will meet; I doubt that there's a force in our worlds or any in between that will make you let go of her. I could go on for hours about everything that we're trying to do to get home to you, and I suppose I already have. Hundreds of these letters, and it's taken me this long just to tell you that I'm hurting. I've ached for you every day over these last four years. The silver streaks in Corrie's mane are enough to send a jolt of pain into my very soul. I'm sorry if this saddens you, but I can't keep bottling these feelings up inside: That's what got me into this mess in the first place. As bad as it has been for me, it must be twice as difficult for you. So please, don't be afraid to tell me that it hurts; that you're lonely, or afraid. Know that I feel all these things with you. Don't be scared to tell me that you worry for us, because I worry for you too. But don't you ever, for one moment, doubt that we will all be together again for the first time. All my love, through all of time and space, Twilight Argent dropped the parchment to the ground and slumped over against the alicorn that had sat beside him as he read. She carefully rerolled the parchment and placed it on the desk next to the spellbook and crown. "I know that after four years, even your faith in Twilight's return must be shaken," she said, "but I can tell you, that despite her tears; despite her fears and her worries; she is going to come back to us." "You're wrong," said Argent, his voice shaky but resolute, "I've never doubted her." He felt a familiar presence within him. Something he had only ever felt when he thought about Twilight: Something he missed dearly in the four years since their separation. "Come on," she said, standing to her hooves, "I hear Pinkie Pie is holding a little soiree." She held her hoof out to Argent and smiled as he took it and stood. "Did you two have fun today?" asked Twilight as she pulled the blanket up to her daughter's neck. "I don't think I've ever seen happier lambs in my life." "Yeah!" exclaimed Corona, "Apple Bloom said I was as good as she was when she was little." The young filly kicked her tiny hooves under the blanket, causing it to nearly fly off the bed. "Can we go back tomorrow?" she asked hopefully, "Breezie said her daddy was going to do some tricks!" "Mommy promised Rarity that we would go to the boutique for tea," said Twilight as she tidied the sheets. "Sweebelle will play with me?" asked the foal. "She might," said Twilight with a grin. "She wouldn't dream of missing tea with her sister." Twilight bent down and kissed her daughter's cheek. "You won't be playing with anypony if you don't get a good night's sleep." She laughed softly as the foal's eyes snapped shut and loud, obviously faked, snores erupted from her tiny mouth. "Sleep tight my little miracle," she said. "Mommy?" asked Corona softly, "I'm sorry I hided and seeked too long." "Oh that's alright sweetheart," said Twilight, "if Princess Celestia forgives you, who am I to argue." She used her magic to dim the lights in the foal's room. "Anything else?" she asked, ready for parade of requests that usually preceded the foal's surrender to sleep. "Can I have mister Stripes please?" asked Corona. "I guess he had a busy day too," said Twilight as she lifted the ladybug shaped saddlebags from the hook on the wall, "even zebras need sleep huh?" She dug her hoof into the pack and pulled out the stripped stuffed zebra. As she bent over to place it in her daughter's outstretched hooves, something that had been tangled in the doll's tail came loose and fell to the floor. Twilight bent over and felt around the dark floor before standing up with something small and round in her hoof. "What's this?" she asked while casting a dim light spell on her horn. The brilliant pink diamond that refracted the magical light caused Twilight to freeze in shock. Corona saw the ring she had found in the study and panicked. "I'm sorry," she said quickly, "I was scared, and it was so pretty. I was gonna put it back!" She sniffed loudly, trying to fight back her tears of guilt. "Where did you find this Corona," asked Twilight numbly. She sat on her haunches and turned the ring around in in her hooves, watching as the platinum band seemed to twist in on itself. "Auntie Twilight's book room," she blubbered, "I'm sorry I stole. I know you said stealing is bad: I don't want to be bad." Twilight threw back the blankets from the foal's bed and pulled her daughter to her chest. "You're a good filly," she said, "and you can't steal something that was already lost." She flared her horn and closed her eyes, visualizing the front of the library in her mind. With Corona firmly in her grasp, she snapped the spell into place and teleported them both out of their small cottage. Argent stared at the ceiling and gritted his teeth to keep from yelping in pain. Twilight snored loudly next to him, oblivious to the pain her inadvertent kicks were causing her husband. He slowly turned over in the bed and tried to salvage some sleep. Thanks to his years spent as a guard, his finely honed sense of hearing caught the sound of a door opening downstairs. He was up and out of their large bed in a flash. "s'not morning yet," said Twilight as she pushed herself to her haunches. "Sorry, love," whispered Argent, "I think somepony is nosing around downstairs." He levitated his silver shield from the rack by the door, slowly opened the bedroom door, and peered down the dark hallway. "Who is it?" asked Twilight from behind him. "Are you crazy," whispered Argent loudly, "get back in bed this instant." "Please," said Twilight, "as if a burglar would try to rob a library." "Just stay behind me," he replied. Taking his wife's silence as a yes, Argent slowly inched his way down the dark corridor. He stopped as shadows danced at the top of the stairs. "Try to remember sweetheart," said a familiar voice, "What did it feel like? What were you thinking about? Did you say anything? Did you hear anything?" "Twilight?" asked the alicorn behind Argent, "is that you?" She flared her horn, much to her stallion's consternation. The doctors had been quite insistent on limiting magic use this late in her pregnancy. Lights flickered on all throughout the library, illuminating the older alicorn and her young foal. "Corrie?" asked Twilight, "It's much too late for you to be out of bed. What's going on here?" "It's her!" said the older alicorn excitedly, "my little miracle is the key. She's the key, and the door!" She waited for the two younger ponies to join them at the top of the staircase. "All this time; all the magic we threw at the problem, and it was one little foal's magical surge that opened the way." "Twilight," said Argent, "are you saying-" "We can go home!" shouted the older alicorn. The younger Twilight stepped around Argent and slowly walked next to her counterpart. "Slow down," she said. "No!" said the older Twilight happily. She laughed as she picked up her daughter with her magic and dashed into the study. The filly giggled as her mother set her on the ground next to one of the shelves. To her daughter, Twilight was a loving, doting mother, but even the foal could sense the undercurrent of melancholy. Corona had never seen her mother so carefree and exuberant than she was at that moment, and her excitement was infectious. "Come on Twilight," said Argent, "whatever this is can wait until the morning." "I wouldn't come in here," said Twilight, "unless you want to come stay with us for awhile!" She dropped down on her knees in front of her daughter and smiled ecstatically. "Corrie," she said, "do you want to go see your daddy?" "Really?" asked the foal excitedly, "when?" "Right now, sweetheart," said Twilight, "All you have to do is remember what you were doing when your horn made the sparkles!" The foal looked from her mother to the desk. "Breezie pulled me over to the books," she said, "and my horn got ticklie and then it went sparklie." Twilight picked up her daughter and set her on her back. She looked over at the two younger ponies watching anxiously from the open doorway. "Give our love to everypony," she said before walking towards the desk. The filly's horn began to glow and before either onlooking pony could speak, Twilight and Corona disappeared in a flash of white light. Twilight opened her eyes and looked over her shoulder at her wide eyed daughter. She remembered her first tastes of magic: Equal parts awe and fear; the realization that the impossible might be possible given enough study and practice. "That's my girl," she said proudly, "now, what happened next?" Corona pointed at the crown on the desk. "I took the shiny off auntie Twilight's pretty hat," she said, "and when Breezie came back, my horn went sparklie again." Twilight, ever curious, took a step towards the crown and nearly shouted for joy as her daughter's horn flared once more, surrounding them both in a nimbus of light. "What the-" said Argent as he jumped back from the magical flash, "I thought you two-" Twilight didn't hear him finish as she jumped back towards the desk and into another world. She stepped away from the pulsating crown and nodded in satisfaction as its gem settled to a soft pink glow. Fading sunlight filtering in through the small windows illuminated the small room. The alicorn looked around her study and jumped for joy. Her shelves, full of familiar pictures from her past, lined walls that were bare just seconds before. "Mommy, my head feels funny," said Corona. Twilight looked over her shoulder. "That's your horn taking in more magic, sweetie," she said with a smile, "It means that you get to start magic school soon." She hopped up and down with excitement for her daughter. "Homework and grades and recess and syllabuses... syllabi; either works I think." She shook her head and fought back the tide of giddiness. "Argent," she said breathlessly. She burst through the study door into the second floor landing of the significantly smaller library. "Hold on Corrie," she said before running down the hallway and into her large bedroom. "Argent!" she called out. Silence answered. "Uncle Argy!" shouted Corona. Twilight peeked into Argent's small bedroom and quickly shut the door. "Corona," she said while bounding down the stairs, "you know how mommy and auntie Twilight have the same name and look alike?" "Uh huh," said the filly, "Auntie Twilight is mommy's sister!" She dug her little hooves into her mother's sides as Twilight sprinted through the bookshelves of the library proper to the front desk. "That's right," said Twilight as she leafed around the neatly organized desk, "and I've told you that your daddy's name is Argent too, right?" "Yeah!" said the filly. Her eyes widened with understanding. "Oooooh!" she said before shouting, "Daddy!" Twilight and her shouting passenger ran through the front door of the library and out into the plaza. A few ponies milled around the market stalls as the vendors packed up their carts and prepared for a restful evening after a long days work. To Twilight, the cupcake festooned building on the other end of the square shone like a beacon of light. If anypony knew where Argent was, it would be Pinkie Pie, and if she didn't, Twilight would still have found one of her dearest friends. Ponies looked on in confusion as the alicorn galloped across the plaza with her foal riding on her back. Argent took the proffered cup and sipped at the sugary coffee. "You know," he said, "I never liked sugar in my coffee until I lived with Twilight." He smiled as he swished the dark beverage around. "At some point I just started putting it in mine as well," he said, "and I never went back." "Twilight has always had a sweet tooth," said Rarity, "as much as she would have all of us think otherwise." The unicorn adjusted herself on the padded chair and used her magic to bring a steaming cup of tea to her lips. "Playful hypocrisy: Honestly, it's part of what I miss about her," she said after taking a drink. "She used to sneak cookies from the kitchens in the castle," said Celestia, "there were crumbs in half of her workbooks. I never had the heart to tell her to stop; she takes criticism far too seriously. She may never have touched another sweet had I said something." Argent looked around the long table at the gathered mares. Wistful, but happy faces looked back. The remains of a large meal lay scattered on the table, daring somepony to stand and begin cleaning. He had never been to one of these get togethers the elements held. At first, the entire concept angered him: To the stallion, it had the stink of acceptance. Later, as the years wore on, he simply didn't want to face the reality of the situation. "I'm sorry," he said aloud, "I should have come to one of these a long time ago." "There ain't nothin' to apologize for sugar cube," said Applejack, "yer here now, and that's what matters." "It feels good to be with friends at times like this," said Celestia sagely. "That it does," said Argent. The evening, combined with Twilight's letter, had left him in a far better mood. He leaned back on his haunches and flared his horn. "So good, in fact, that I think I'll volunteer to do the dishes," he said while levitating the plates and glasses towards the kitchen, "It's only fair after leaving you all to fend for yourselves all these years." "Should we tell him that Princess Celestia usually just magics them away?" asked Fluttershy as the stallion left. "I think not," said Rarity, "you heard him; he's happy." The sound of frantic knocking on the front door drew the attention of the six mares. "I thought you put the closed sign up Pinkie," said Rarity. "I did," said the prolific baker, "but maybe it's a catering emergency!" She reached behind a potted plant and pulled out a pristine white apron which she quickly tied around her waist. "I've got this!" She trotted out of her dining room and through the bakery's display room. She put on her best smile and pulled open the front door. "Welcome to Sugar Cube Corner!" she exclaimed while tossing a hoofful of glitter in the air, "we're closed but if you-" She had the air knocked out of her as Twilight leapt through the doorway and squeezed the pink mare for all she was worth. "I missed you so much," said the alicorn as she hugged Pinkie Pie, "I'm never taking that smile for granted again." "Pinkie," said Applejack as she walked into the front of the bakery with the other mares, "what's all the ruckus-" She stopped as she saw Twilight, causing the others to bump into her. "Tw...Twilight?" she asked. The alicorn released Pinkie Pie long enough to see the remaining Elements of Harmony charging at her. She sat back on her haunches and spread her forelegs out wide. The sound of excited screams and laughter filtered back to Argent as he placed the last set of plates in the sink. "Never a dull moment with those mares," he said with a chuckle. He walked back into the dining room and followed the sounds of laughter and crying. "Crying," he said to himself, "Well, I suppose it's to be expected." He pushed open the swinging doors and nearly tripped on his own hooves at the sight before him. Twilight sat in the middle of a pile of ponies, tears streaming from her eyes. Pinkie Pie laid on her back in front the alicorn, laughing raucously. Rarity and Applejack flanked her sides, each squeezing the alicorn around the stomach, while Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash stood behind, their forelegs wrapped around Twilight's neck and their cheeks pressed against hers. Princess Celestia sat on her haunches a few paces away, her wings wrapped around her forelegs. "I..." said Argent, his brain not ready to believe what his eyes had seen. He forced himself to take a few hesitant steps forward "You..." said Twilight. She stepped over Pinkie Pie and out of the embrace of her friends who looked on with beaming smiles. Her wings flared open, displaying their new healthy wingspan for all to see. She swiftly crossed the short distance between them and stopped in front of him. "I told you I would make it back-," she said weakly while sinking to her haunches. Argent suddenly lunged forward, wrapped his forelegs around her chest and silenced her with a passionate kiss. The world lost clarity to the two as they celebrated a reunion long sought after. Argent, his knees weak, fell over, pulling Twilight down with him. Their lips never parted as they wrapped their legs around each other. "Mommy?" asked a tiny voice. Twilight's eyes shot open and she smiled while pushing Argent back with her forehooves. The out-of-breath mare panted as she struggled back to her hooves. She looked back towards the front door and nodded at Celestia. The elder alicorn pulled her wings to the side, revealing the foal sitting between her forelegs. The princess leaned over and whispered to the foal. Corona's eyes lit up as she dashed across the room. She flapped her tiny wings as she jumped in her mother's waiting hooves. Twilight brought the foal to her chest and squeezed gently. "Corona," she said, "somepony would very much like to meet you." She set the filly on the ground and turned her to face the stallion who sat before her. "Are you Uncle Argy's brother?" asked the foal. She reached out a tiny hoof and poked the stallion's nose. He looked over at the blissfully smiling Twilight and arched his eyebrow. She shrugged her shoulders and winked. "I suppose I am," said Argent. "Are you my daddy?" she asked. Argent's eyes watered as he sat back on his haunches. "If you want me to be," he said, "if you'll have me." Corona jumped forward and hugged him, burying her face in the stallion's chest. Argent closed his forelegs around the foal, shut his eyes, and took a deep breath. The feeling of feathers brushing against his face caused him to look up. Twilight draped her wings over the stallion and foal and brushed a tender kiss across his lips. Argent stroked the filly's unruly mane and smiled as she twitched in her sleep. "I thought you said she was a light sleeper," he said softly, "this one could sleep through a buffalo stampede." Twilight reached across the filly that slept between them and caressed the stallion's cheek. "It's been a long and exciting day for her," she said, "what with playing with the newborn lambs and all." Argent stifled a laugh and turned his head to kiss the side of the mare's hoof. "It was long after her bedtime when we arrived," said Twilight, "It would appear that our two worlds' are slightly out of sync. That's something to remember for the next time." "Next time?" asked Argent, a panicked look on his face, "I don't think that's a good idea, love." "I don't think that's up to either of us," said Twilight. She looked down at the sleeping alicorn foal and smiled. "I don't know how she did it," she said, "I doubt she even knows how she did it, but our daughter walked through the barrier between our worlds as if it were made of tissue paper." She rested a hoof on top of Argent's as he stroked Corona's mane. "I don't know if it's something that Equilibrium did to her, or for her," she said, "or maybe it's her talent. She is an alicorn after all, and a full born one at that." "Can you promise me something?" asked Argent. "If it's within my power, I will," replied Twilight. "I know you're going to work with her to understand whatever it is she can do," he said, "don't deny it; it's who you are." "It's better she know sooner rather than later," said Twilight, "and she has friends and ponies she considers family back there." "I just ask that we all stay together," said Argent, "where she goes, we go." "That I can promise," said Twilight, "now you owe me a promise." "Oh?" he asked with an arched eyebrow, "and what can I do for you that would compare with what you've given me today?" Twilight flared her horn and floated the platinum ring from the end table next to the bed and slid it onto her horn. "I want a wedding," she said.