In Ponyville's new castle, sat Twilight, on her throne, her nose in a book. While her friends were looking for Applejack, she was trying to figure out the origins of a mist that's appeared seeping from the Everfree the last couple of days.
It was mystical, she at least knew that much, and it seemed to have averse affects on ponies that breathed in too much. The pegasai were keeping it contained in the forest, but it was getting thicker with each passing day. Her efforts to find out why the moon had also turned red came up fruitless, and not even Luna had an answer, so she dug through what remained of her library, hoping to find answers.
She closed the book, quite loudly as she sent it over to a large pile with the others. Nothing in that one either! she thought in frustration. Grabbing the last book she hadn't checked with her magic, she found it odd that it had to be the very last one in the pile. The title brought back some nostalgia of how her friends first met.
'Predictions and Prophecies' was hovering before her, and she considered putting it with the other discarded books. She had already read it plenty to know that what she was looking for wasn't inside. But since it was the last book, she had little else to do till the others returned, so she gave it another look through, a smile growing on her face as her eyes poured over the old prophecies.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rainbow Dash stood before the wolf. It was no timberwolf, but a canine of brown fur and sharp fangs. Her attacks had done nothing more than annoy it, but she had succeeded in giving Apple Bloom time to flee from it. Dash could simply fly away now, abandon the fight, but that was anything but awesome. She glared at the wolf in frustration, Just what does it take to send this thing packing!?
It charged her, and she took to the air, staying of its reach, she then dive bombed it again, and again the attack connected. The attack would send a timberwolf flying, blow away all the nearby clouds, almost topple trees. But it did nothing to the odd wolf. It was nothing like the normal creatures of the Everfree, of that, Dash was certain. The wolf eyed the blue mare, snorted out a puff of hot air, then put its nose to the ground. Sniffing around, it started to follow Apple Bloom's trail.
“Oh, you did not just ignore me!” She declared as she charged at it, and it immediately turned around, surprising the mare as it got a hit on her. It was the first hit the wolf had gotten on her, and it sent her sprawling. Did it just bait me!? The wolf then charged her with startling speed, reaching the mare before she could take flight. She heard the sound of metal clanking nearby as the wolf plowed into her, sending her rolling back. Okay, this is starting to not look good! She got on her hooves and tried to get in the air before it could follow-up its charge, but the darn thing was taking full advantage of the grounded pegasai. Before it hit her, a wall of shabby metal got in front of her, flinching back slightly as the wolf connected with the thing that protected her.
“Good lady,” the rust bucket began, in a slightly deep voice, “if you wish to fight monsters of the mist, you'll need a weapon!” It then pushed the wolf off of itself, and slashed at the wolf with its sword. The wolf now distracted, Rainbow Dash found her attention given to this strange creature.
It stood on two legs, and had arms, like Spike, but it lacked a tail, and it was completely covered in metal armor, except for a part of its face that was exposed. It's attack sent the wolf back, and it attacked the guardian again as Dash took flight, moving to flank the wolf with the warrior. He caught the wolf with his blade, and it perished, slumping over, its body dissolving into mist. Wait! That was mist!? Dash thought as she appraised the stranger.
“I totally had that,” she proclaimed as she folded her forelegs, “but thanks anyway.” She then smiled sheepishly to herself, glad nopony she knew saw that fight. “I'm Rainbow Dash. Who, and what, are you?” The creature appraised her for a moment before standing tall, giving her a salute, the metal he was wearing clanking with his movements.
“I'm Captain Adelbert Steiner of Alexandria. And I'm human, is that so odd?” He then tucked his hand under his chin in contemplation, before nodding to himself. “Ms. Dash-”
“It's Rainbow Dash, or just Dash, if you'd like.” She quickly corrected.
“Right, Rainbow Dash, I was wondering if I could trouble you for assistance, as I am lost.” Steiner admitted, waving his hands in exasperation.
“Human?” Dash tilted her head in thought, placing where she had heard that word before. Her eyes then widened in comprehension, “Oh, I know! Twilight's talked to humans before, so she should be able to help!” She then started flying towards the castle, motioning the captain over. “Follow me, I'll ask her for you, it's the least I can do,” then she added under her breath, “since you saved my tail.”
“What was that?” Steiner asked, not getting what she whispered.
“N-Nothing!” She stalwartly proclaimed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Twilight was eyeing the book with Sunset Shimmer's cutie-mark on the cover. Twilight had no answers, and neither did Luna or Celestia. Discord was looking into the problem as well, and they were waiting, and hoping, that he found something useful. Maybe, Sunset could help... An extra bright mind on this matter would be a boon, but she wasn't sure if Sunset would respond to the call for aid. Hoping her friend would come through, she opened the book, and started writing a letter.
'A strange mist has been seeping from the Everfree. The moon has also turned red, and nopony knows why. I was wondering if you had any thoughts on it. I can tell it's anything but safe, and I believe the longer is persists, the worse the magic tied to it will become. I was wondering if you'd help us solve this one.'
'-Your friend, Twilight Sparkle'
The magic in the book shimmered as the message was sent. The magic behind the sending felt different from usual, and Twilight couldn't help but think that whatever caused the mist also caused that strange sensation. She then put the book down as she saw Rarity return.
“Goodness, dear,” Rarity said as she saw the state her friend was in, “your mane is a mess! You really should get some rest!” Twilight had been looking into this problem tirelessly, and it was showing. Pinkie and herself were the only ones that were losing sleep to the mist. Pinkie's been throwing more parties than usual to keep everypony in Ponyville smiling; the mist was terribly worrisome to the ponies of Ponyville.
“I know,” Twilight replied, “I'll try to get some rest later, thanks Rarity. Did you find Applejack?”
“I'm afraid not.” She then sighed as she looked to Twilight. “I was wondering, have you seen Spike? He was suppose to help me search the farm,” she explained with a hint of worry, “but he never showed up.” Now Twilight's worry started to show, concern for her missing friends showing on her face.
Spike, he would never leave Rarity waiting! Twilight thought as Fluttershy entered the room. She hesitated before noticing it was just her friends in the throne room, and trotted up to them.
“I couldn't find Applejack,” she reported softly, “and none of my critter friends could either.”
“Hey Twilight!” Rainbow Dash shouted, making Fluttershy jump and hide behind her chair at the circle. Twilight and Rarity's eyes widened as the blue mare came in with a clanking suit of armor behind her. Fluttershy noticed the armor and quickly stopped hiding to confront it, an excited smile on her face.
“Oh, oh. A dulahan! I've never seen one before!” She then flew around the armored man, appraising his head. “And you have your head too! Good for you.” She added, smiling at the armored human. Twilight didn't have the heart to correct her mistaken friend, and looked at the human in surprise.
“This guy needs some help,” Dash proclaimed as she landed next to Twilight. “I don't think he's in the right world,” Dash's brow then furrowed, “Or something like that.” Twilight's eyes met the man's, and he immediately bowed, then kneeled before her.
“I am humbled, Your Majesty,” he said with respect, which got a chuckle from Dash.
“I told him you were a princess, and he got all nervous!” Twilight got up and walked to the man while Rarity looked on in disgust, not taking kindly to the rusty armor he wore.
“Please don't call me that. Just call me Twilight, and you are?” She asked, overcome with curiosity. How did a human end up in our world?
“Adelbert Steiner, Captain of the Pluto Knights, soldier of Alexandria!” He replied without hesitation. “I humbly ask for your assistance in returning back to Alexandria. I know not how I ended up in this 'Equestria', but I have duties to attend to, and royalty to defend!” Twilight nodded, her horn glowing, her magic feeling over Steiner. She picked up on traces of teleportation magic on him, and could tell that it was constructed, orderly, as if made by design.
That's strange, it looks like somepony must have deliberately sent him to Equestria. Twilight's brow furrowed at the implication, and noticing the worried look Steiner was giving her, quickly abandoned her expression.
“Oh, I think I can send you back to your world, but I don't know how far Canterlot High is from Alexandria,” Twilight admitted. Steiner smiled as he nodded.
“Being in the same world will be more then enough,” he stated, “I can handle myself from there, and would be very grateful! I'll be sure to put in a good word with the queen for a trade agreement!” He promised, right as Sunset Shimmer's book shook with magic, getting Twilight's attention. She quickly thanked Steiner for the sentiment as she read the message Sunset had sent.
'If you really need me, I'll help as best I can. Do you want me to come over?'
Twilight considered it while Fluttershy asked Steiner what it was like to be a dulahan. Twilight then nodded to herself and wrote her reply.
'Yes, the sooner the better, I'll activate the mirror, so come when you're ready.'
Twilight then walked over to the mirror, asking Steiner to accompany her. She wanted to figure out how he had gotten on this side of the mirror, but didn't want to keep him from his home. Placing the book in its receptical, she pored magic into the device attached to the mirror, activating it.
“Steiner, do you know how you ended up on this side?” Twilight asked the knight of Alexandria, who shook his head.
“All I remember was a bright light and appearing in a farm of some sort. As I wandered around, a small pony called Apple Bloom found me, and after I assured her I wasn't a monster, she told me about the wolf that she encountered. I found Rainbow Dash fighting the wolf, helped her, and here we are.” He explained, then appraised the now shimmering mirror, “What manor of magic is this?” He asked in wonder.
“It bridges the connection between Equestria and your world, so if you go through, you should end up back there. I'm afraid I can't help you past that, but if you ask the principal of the school nearby, I'm certain she can point you to Alexandria,” Twilight assured him.
“Thank you Princess Twilight, I am in your debt.” He bowed lightly again, then turned to the mirror, and started to walk through it as it shined. As we went into it, a large crack racked the mirror, immediately putting Twilight on the edge of panic. “Uhhh” Steiner said in confusion as Twilight hastily teleported herself and her friends behind cover.
“Steiner, get away!” She shouted as mirror glowed brighter and brighter, its cracks growing by the second. The knight stared at it dumbly as something red started to come out of it. Then the mirror exploded in a blinding flash of purple and red magic, sending Steiner flying back, crashing into Twilight's throne.
As the light dissipated, Twilight and the others got out from behind her throne, unscathed from the blast. Steiner groaned in pain as he got on his feet, and they all heard coughing from where the mirror was.
With a light gust of Dash's wings, the dust cleared, and they saw Sunset Shimmer standing there. She was brushing off her clothes in confusion as she saw Twilight, and waved to greet her. She then noticed that she was waving with a hand. She was still human. Her surprise in not being a pony was replaced by shock when she noticed the mirror was destroyed. The only part of the entire mirror and the magical device attached to it that survived the blast, was the book. She looked at the shattered mirror, not quite registering the fact that her only way back to Canterlot High was now gone.
“I most humbly apologize for ruining your artifact!” Steiner proclaimed, on his knees, before Twilight. “I will accept any punishment!”
“Wha- What happened?” Sunset asked, eyeing the fragments. “And why am I still human?” She looked over herself, felt her forehead, and was sad she didn't have her magic. Twilight's horn glowed as she picked up all the shards of the mirror, walking to Sunset.
“I, I don't know! That shouldn't have happened.” Twilight stuttered, afraid she had trapped her friend away from her friends. Before they could speculate what went wrong, there was a light popping sound. Discord was now in the throne room with everyone, standing there with a large tuning fork in his claw. He pointed the fork at the broken mirror, nodding to himself.
“Well, that would certainly explain that odd feeling,” he said as he looked at everyone, prompting Steiner to draw his blade. Sunset moved away from Discord in surprise, not sure what to make of him.
“Stay away from the princess, you demon!” Steiner said as he got in between Discord and Twilight.
“It's okay Steiner, he's a friend,” Twilight assured the knight, as Discord scoffed at him.
“And just what were you going to do with that can opener anyway, remove your armor?” Discord said as he snapped his fingers, but nothing happened. His brow furrowed as he did it again, and again nothing. He turned to the broken frame of the mirror, and with a snap, it got up and started dancing. “Very interesting. You~!” He said, getting close to the knight. “Why doesn't my magic work on you? Ah! You're from another world! But not the one that flimsy mirror was tied to.”
“Wait, you're friends with Discord?" Sunset whispered to Twilight, who nodded in return. A snap later and Sunset's shirt had the symbols of her cutie-mark, Discord, and a big pink heart in-between the two.
“Looks like it works on you, so what makes you special?” He asked Steiner, who had no reply for him.
“Discord, fix her clothes, she doesn't like the change,” Fluttershy asked of him. He gave her a caring smile and did just that.
“You're just like the mist, my magic doesn't work on it!” Discord admitted with a harrumph, making Twilight's eyes widen in understanding.
The source! The mist and Steiner must be from the same place! Twilight realized at his comment, looking to her side, she saw comprehension also dawn on Sunset's face.
“You'll never guess who I found~!” Pinkie proclaimed suddenly as she bounced into the room, getting their attention. She paid no mind to the fact that Discord, Steiner, and a human Sunset Shimmer were crowded near Twilight. Pinkie's eyes had some shadow under them, but besides that, you wouldn't know she was tired from all the parties she's been working on. “Well, go on~! Guess!”
“Applejack?” Rainbow Dash hoped. Pinkie pulled out a small button and pressed it, letting a loud low pitched buzz, indicating that Dash was wrong.
“Spike!?” Rarity asked in concern, and Pinkie pressed it again.
“Is it another Dulahan?” And it was pressed again, Pinkie's smile wider than ever.
“Is it somepony not from this world?” Twilight asked.
“It is, I would be able to see them from here otherwise,” Discord added with a glare. Pinkie pressed the button again, and it chimed three times like a bell!
“Ding ding ding~ We have a winner~! Come out Vivi, meet my friends!” A short figure, a little taller than Spike, walked into the room. He wore a blue vest and green/white striped pants. He had a long steepled hat that bent over, and his face was hidden in darkness, only two yellow orbs as his eyes were present. Walking into the room, he stumbled unexpectedly, tripping. He got up and dusted himself off, righting his hat as he quietly greeted everyone.
“Um, hello. I'm Vivi, and I'm very lost,” he admitted bashfully.
“A Black Mage?” Steiner said, recognizing Vivi's features as he approached him. “Greetings! Master Vivi, did you perhaps come from Alexandria?” Vivi saw the knight and immediately familiarized himself with him. He nodded to his question. Twilight's horn glowed as she felt the magic on Vivi. The traces of teleportation magic were stronger, but seemed more natural than constructed.
“Discord,” Twilight began, turning to the spirit of chaos, “can you tell us where Spike and Applejack are?” He opened his mouth, about to answer, then frowned. He thought for a moment, then shook his head.
“I don't know where JackleApp is, or that little bookshelf with legs you keep around,” he admitted.
So, Applejack and Spike disappear around the same time two strangers from a land called Alexandria appear? A connection being made in her head, she looked to Steiner and Vivi.
“Spike and Applejack must be in Alexandria.” She proclaimed to the others, getting concerned looks from everyone, minus Pinkie. “Is there mist there as well?” She asked of them.
“No, not in the city itself,” Steiner began, “but there's mist everywhere on the Mist Continent, below a certain altitude,” he replied. “It spawns monsters and has strange effects on those that breath in too much.” Twilight nodded in understanding.
There must be a link between our two worlds! The mist must have been getting in through that link! Twilight deduced as Sunset approached Steiner.
“How do you handle the mist?” She asked Steiner as she dowerly looked over the remains of the mirror, wearing the same contemplative look Twilight had.
“By not living in it! Alexandria and most other cities reside above the mist.” Twilight and Sunset shared a look.
If the mist gets worse, we may have to evacuate Ponyville! Twilight considered worriedly, hoping it wouldn't come to that.
“We need to see where the mist is coming from,” Sunset stated as she looked to the others, “we'll have to go into the Everfree.” Twilight noticed that Rarity and Dash weren't warm to Sunsets suggestion, and she couldn't blame them, considering their last encounter involved stealing Twilight's crown.
“She's right,” Twilight affirmed, “we need to check it out. We should also see how the tree of Harmony is handling the mist.” Rarity let out a sigh as she appraised Twilight.
“I was afraid you were going to say that,” Rarity admitted.
“I just remembered!” Fluttershy began, almost in a panic, “I need to feed Angel!” She said quickly as she moved to leave, her tail being caught by Rainbow Dash. “But I'm sure he's really hungry!” She insisted, unable to get away from the blue mare.
“I'd like to help,” Discord admitted, “but the mist is bad for my lungs, and I can't pop you into it, so I'm just gonna share what happened here with the others.” He finished as he teleported out, returning to Celestia and Luna.
“We should all go,” Dash suggested, after having calmed down Fluttershy, “Those mist monsters pack quite a punch. Strength in numbers and all that.”
“And if there's some means back, it would be good to have you two with us.” Twilight said to Steiner and Vivi.
“Umm, thank you for the help.” Vivi replied, getting a 'squee!' from Pinkie.
“Isn't he just adorable!” She said as she hugged him, making him look a little uncomfortable, and a little happy.
“My blade will protect you,” Steiner assured, “the monsters of the mist have no chance against a Captain of Alexandria!” As they all made to leave, Twilight saw Sunset looking over the mirror again, and she moved to her side to assure her.
“Don't you worry, I'm sure Celestia can fix it, and if not, we can manage something. The book still works, right?” Sunset looked to Twilight, and picked up the book, writing something in it, and it glowed weakly.
“It does,” Sunset admitted, “but, it kind of seems like the connection is stretched, like Canterlot High is far away.”
“If the book still works, then the connection is still there! We can tackle that problem once we've dealt with the mist, sound good?" Twilight asked, hoping she wasn't asking too much from her. Sunset turned to her with a smile.
“I miss using magic,” she admitted, “but I'll get over it. Lets go tackle this mess, together.” She and Twilight shared a nod, and with that, the group of friends and outsiders moved out, towards the Everfree Forest.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Twilight Sparkle
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Items Equipped:
Lvl-1 HP 96/96 MP 44/44
AP 17/17
Abilities:
Teleport Magic:
Teleport 1 MP - Increase chance of attacks missing Twilight for short duration.
Summon Magic:Spike the Dragon 2 MP – Summon's your number one assistant.