— Chapter 13 : Preparations —
A deep trance of swirling black filled her mind. It pulsed, pushing itself through her veins, down through her body, and back to the source. Time was at a near standstill, and in the darkness it felt like nothing changed, as if this is what it has always been. It was all around her, but in the distance, dimly, she thought she saw something. There was a small, crooked smile, cheshire like with lips twisted cruelly. It laughed, a joyless and cruel snicker. She laughed too.
Twilight awoke suddenly. One moment in the dark, and the next she staring at the exposed wood of the ceiling. Her vision spun, and for a moment she felt locked to the bed, as if invisible chains held her. Slowly, her breathing returned to normal, and she realized she was panting. Slowly, she felt the world turn to align itself with her vision. When it stilled, the world shimmered and wobbled in front of her. She wiped her eyes.
She glanced around the room, surprised she was indoors until she remembered.
That’s right, I’m in an inn. An inn in the town of…
The owner had said it yesterday, but she couldn’t recall, nor his name. She let it fade to the back of her mind, trying to focus on the present, what was important.
She got up, and walked to the door she assumed was the bathroom. She stopped in front of it, more so catching herself. Her nose was inches from the frame. She stared at the handle, frowning. Eventually, she reached out with her hoof, and opened the door, the action feeling both unfamiliar but correct.
She had guessed right. She walked to the sink, ran some water, and splashed her face. An unfamiliar Twilight looked back at her.
Nothing about the pony’s face appeared different on first glance, aside from the bandages. Nonetheless, she could see it in the way her mouth turned down, the way her eyes stared unfocused but scrutinizing. It was unnerving, knowing that the pony looking back at her was so different from the pony she was just a few days ago, so fractured inside but externally perfectly normal. It looked like she was just having a bad day.
Twilight never considered that before. Everypony she ever came across was usually pretty plain with themselves to others, except in cases like those cheats Flim and Flam. She wondered how many ponies she joined in keeping a dark secret. She wondered if any of their secrets were as black as hers. She wondered if she was alone. No, she knew she was alone. She stuffed that thought back where it came from and refocused.
It has only been two days since I’ve thrown away Rarity’s life… as well as mine. I’m still not free.
“I need a list.”
She considered the scientific method. If she was being honest, she wouldn’t need all the steps this time. Nonetheless, a flutter of a smile played across her mouth, unintentional and unrecognized by Twilight.
She spoke aloud, as she found it easier to keep organized that way.
“The first step would be the question phase, and the questions were obvious. Where is here, and how fast can I leave here whilst being prepared? For research: ask the town folks for information on location and what they know of the surrounding area. Hypothesis: a list of things I’ll need to survive.”
She mulled it over. There would be no time to test it nor analyze what worked and what did not in order to rework her hypotheses. That section of the experiment could only be completed once, so technically the experiment would be a live field test; she would merely take what she collected and flee. The only acceptable result was exile.
This meant the next step was research.
Her thought processes settled into the time-tested mantra of the research step. “First,” Twilight said, “I need to prepare for data collection with the hypothesis. Second, I must collect the data. Third, I must analyze the data. Finally, I must act upon the data.”
She would have to prepare to collect data discretely by hiding her identity. Going by Velvet Shine wouldn’t be enough with how prolific she was, and who knew where the ponies from this town had originated from. She could run into an old neighbor or even one of the many ponies who have witnessed any of her feats since her departure to Ponyville.
Her bright streak needed to go, and her cutie mark needed to be hidden. Thankfully the bandages helped with the latter, but it could be some time before she could do something about her mane. She doubted the town had something like a manedresser or a stylist. She ran a hoof through her messy mane, straightening her bed hair a best she could. She noticed the edges were singed from the destructive spell she cast on the monster. Instantly her heart picked up and her mind went to dark places, but she quickly stuffed that memory back down. She decided that she’d just have to let it go until she could find someone to take care of it. She couldn’t cut it herself, unfortunately. She’d have to have some sort of headgear.
Twilight turned to look at her cutie mark— or at least where it would be. Turning back and forth, she found that there were bandages over both her flanks. That solved her problem in the meantime, but she would still need to cover it up when she was healed. Thankfully, it would be easy; she just needed some clothes. Clothes were a staple of more populated cities of Equestria where style was less a luxury and more expected, but she couldn’t afford to fit in if it made it easier to identify herself. She sighed, remembering her decision to write her note before gathering supplies. If she had known she would have been interrupted by Applejack, she would have done things differently. She didn’t dwell upon it.
She came up with what she needed from the town. In addition to where she was, she needed to know how far away she was from Canterlot. What kind of dangers existed between the town and the kingdom’s borders? Where can she get a map? Has there ever been an earth pony that cast unicorn magic?
The last topic intrigued her greatly, constantly floating in the back of her mind. Actually, the last one may need to wait a while, who knew when she’d find someone who could answer that. Back to the plan.
“As for analyzing the data… Hmm.”
In this situation, analyzing the data would be near instantaneous, technically a frivolous step for such a small plan. What will matter will be acting upon the data. After finding out where she is, she’ll be able to properly prepare for a departure, preparing for the elements around her. Once she knows where Canterlot was, she would turn around and walk in the opposite direction, and never look back, with this detour town long forgotten. Finding the lay of the land would be critical to her survival. She needed to know how to take care of herself away from civilization. She decided a book about it would do.
Secondary objectives will be keeping an eye out for anyone who recognizes her, and taking steps to… Prevent that? Twilight didn’t want to think too hard about what she’d have to do if she found out a pony recognized her. Again, that urge, the same force that made her consider stopping the doctor— forcibly. What was wrong with her? She shut her eyes until the notion passed.
It wasn’t her best list, but that would do. A week was too long to wait, much less two. If she could help it she would be out on the town today, ignoring the recommendation of bed rest. If she wasn’t gone in a week she might as well be caught. What she needed was a library with an atlas inside. With how fragile she felt after last night, a library would probably do her mind good as well.
Satisfied that she was prepared to face the day, she turned around and left the bathroom, crossing the room and making her way downstairs. She walked quietly down the wooden steps, half due to the pain still in her body, half trying not to alert the innkeeper. Despite her efforts, the floorboards moaned under her hooves.
As she arrived at the first floor, she looked out into the empty lobby. To her right was a desk with a door behind it, shut. To her left was a scattering of tables and chairs. The door beyond it was open into another room. There was also an opening for order pick-up in the wall, and looking through Twilight could see the kitchen.
A small voice called to her. “Are you my mommy?”
Twilight nearly jumped out of her coat. Her heart quavered, and she shut her eyes and willed it to steady. It sounded high, familiar, with a small crack in her. Her breath caught. She dared speak the name on her lips.
“S… Sweetie Belle?”
“Who?”
The voice that replied was not Sweetie Belle’s. As she opened them, she saw a young dark grey colt standing opposite her from the table. She glanced around, wondering how she didn’t notice him the first time. The pony looked back at her quizzically, confused by the name.
“I'm sorry, what did you say?” asked Twilight.
“I asked ‘are you a mummy?’”
Twilight made a face, but looked down at herself. While not wrapped completely, she couldn’t ignore the truth in the observation. She smiled to herself and sighed.
“Well, hello there! What’s your name?”
He walked around the table, and up to Twilight. He tossed his short, brownish grey mane out of his eyes, briefly revealing his small horn. “My name is Writing Desk.” He continued to eye her bandage, waiting for an answer.
“Hello, Writing Desk. No, I’m not a mummy,” said Twilight.
“Good, Nightmare Night isn’t for almost two months. Does it hurt?” He reached out with a hoof and poked one of Twilight’s bandages on her legs.
Instantly Twilight recoiled, rubbing her forelimb. She looked back at Writing Desk, whose face was filled with both concern and wonder. “No, it's fine,” she said to assuage the colts fears. “Not as much as it should,” she added.
She heard a door open behind her, and turned to see the owner appearing behind the front desk. He looked cross. “And just what are you doing here, Writing Desk?”
The colt shrunk, and looked away. “I’m just asking our new guest some questions, get off my case.”
The innkeeper growled. “Stop bothering her! Isn’t it time for school?” He looked down at the desk, and scowled. “Of course it is. Git goin, boy!”
The colt begrudgingly walked to the entrance. Twilight watched him drag his hooves the door, but he gave a huff before stepping out. She watched the door swing shut, then slowly turned to the owner.
“G-Good morning Mr… Uh…”
The pony let out a big laugh. “It’s okay, I don’t expect you to remember my name so soon, and especially after what you’ve been through.” Twilight blushed. “I’m Night Watch. Good morning to you too, Velvet. Er...”
Twilight looked away, but could feel him looking her up and down. She quickly spoke. “Mr. Night Watch—”
“—Night Watch, please.”
“Ah, sorry. Night Watch, I know what your’e thinking, and I’m fine.” She tried her best not to wince while saying this. “Please don’t mind me.”
“If you say so,” Night Watch shook his head. “What’s got you out of bed then?”
“I was just wondering about the town. Has there been a library built yet? If I need my rest, a few good books will keep me occupied. Particularly ones about the area.”
Night Watch laughed again. “A library? Sorry Miss Velvet, but unless you want to read some children's books at the school, this town doesn’t have a real library. But it’s on the to-do list.”
Twilight's face fell. Night Watched stopped laughing, looking unsure of himself. Then, his face lit up.
“But! I’m sure you can visit the town hall for some information. Just what are you looking for?”
Twilight rubbed her right leg on her left, and looked away. “Just, uh, some reading, you know. If I’m going to be bed-ridden, a good book will pass the time.. Most of all I’d like to know where we are.”
Night Watch nodded in approval. “Well, I’m not sure how you’d consider a book on the lay of the land a good time, but the town hall is a good place to go. Matter of fact,” he leaned down behind the desk, and rose with a small bag of bits in his mouth. He set it down on the counter, and slid it forward. “Well, if you’re absolutely determined to go out in your condition, could you buy me a map? I’ve gone and lost mine, and it was never that great anyways. A new map would be great. I believe like all inns should map with a ‘you are here’ star on it. And, seeing as you were so concerned about paying me last night, consider this favor your ‘payment’, since you’re so determined to give me one.”
“Okay, I can do that.”
“Great, I’ll see you later.” He retreated back into what Twilight was now certain was a closet.
Twilight looked unsurely at the bag, and back at the door. Twilight didn’t move. The door swung open and Night Watch stepped back with something new he sat on the desk. He eyed the bag and Twilight.
“Well go on.”
Twilight stood still. She focused on the bag, which focused right back on her. It spoke softly, lightly. The longer Twilight stared, the clearer the message became. The bag mocked her. She clenched her teeth.
“Hello, earth to Velvet Shine?”
Twilight jumped, startled by the innkeeper, then looked down at her hooves. “I… I can’t. I know I said I’m alright, but… not with…” Her face was a pleading one, hoping the innkeeper would catch her meaning before she had to say it aloud. “It’ll be some time before I use it again. I burned through a lot of it, fighting off that monster. Plus, just...”
Night Watch’s smile faltered with understanding. “Ah. Well. Sorry, miss, I didn’t know that was a thing unicorns had to deal with.”
She sighed in relief as her meaning came across. There was a moment of silence between the two. Night Watch’s eyes flicked between Twilight’s and the bag.
“Whelp, if you can’t just magic stuff above your head, you’ll need some saddlebags, won’t you? Here.” Night Watch disappeared back into the door behind the desk. Twilight guessed it was some sort of storage closet. Her guess was confirmed when he came back carrying a plain brown set of saddlebags.
“Here you go. I wore these on the pilgrimage here. They’ve been through a lot, so they’re very valuable.”
Twilight looked at the saddle bags again, and noticed that they were coming apart.
“Do you think you have something I can wear to cover up these bandages? If Writing Desk is asking about them, I’m sure the rest of this town will be curious too. I don’t want to recount my story to the town whenever I go.”
“I don’t think too many of us will bother you. But y’know, I have just the thing.” Night Watch disappeared back into the closet, only to return with a folded piece of cloth on his head. He walked over to the long table, set it down, and began to unfold it with his teeth. Twilight watched as the tight bundle became a traveling cloak. It was a deep red, with a dull gold lining around the outer edge. framing the hood too. Along the back, a giant red bird made out of basic shapes spread its wings to either side. It had an earthy sheen to it’s color, but deep within it’s threads it shined in a subtle way.
“Oh wow, I couldn’t take this. It’s beautiful.”
“Pretty neat, isn’t it? Don’t fret. It used to be my wife’s, but you see where I got it. It’s hardly used anymore. Go ahead, take it.”
Twilight wrapped the cloak around her. It provided warmth, but the cloak simultaneously breathed, making it still comfortable in the late summer weather. She pulled the hood up and tucked her singed mane inside. “well, that solves my headgear problem.”
“It looks good on you. I was worried it wouldn’t work with your coat.”
Twilight felt vigilant. She felt safe. “Thank you so much.”
“Again, no problem dearie. Just finish up that favor and get me that map.”
Twilight nodded and turned headed to the door. Just before she left out, Night Watch called after her. “And Velvet?”
Twilight turned to look, one hoof on the door.
“Do not stay out after dark. I’m cooking dinner.”
The offer sounded oddly like a demand, but Twilight didn’t think much of it. “Okay,” she said, then she left out into the day. The sun was bright, and it took a minute for Twilight’s eyes to adjust to the light. It felt like she hadn’t seen the sun for days, and when she thought about it, she was right. She waited where she stood, enjoying the soft bustling of the town, not unlike Ponyville. As her vision adjusted, she gave a horrid, choking gasp. Above the treeline high atop she spotted Canterlot Castle.
She fled around the corner of the inn and into the shadows. She pressed her body up against the building, and counted the seconds. Thoughts of panic bounced around her head, making as much noise as her distress did. She didn’t care about the stares passers by gave, she just kept counting. Then a minute passed. Then two minutes. Cautiously, she peeked an eye around the corner and looked up has her heart fell into her horseshoes.
There was no mistaking it. Darkwood was situated in a clearing in the forest, a forest Twilight now realized was Everfree Forest. While Canterlot was carved into the eastern side of the mountain, It’s topmost spires— where Twilight had her lessons with the princess— were visible over the slope It glared down at her, it’s towers like angry misshapen horns on a masked face peeking to see where she had fled.
Her heart thumped as she continued to hug the building, however, no Wonderbolts flew at her. Most importantly, no alicorns pursued her. She gulped.
“I didn’t realize…” she gasped. “I’ve barely gone anywhere…”
Her plan needed to be accelerated. She was as close as Ponyville was to Canterlot, which wasn’t far at all.
Her body ached, as if remembering she was injured. The dash around the side of the building didn’t help things at all, leaving her body sore. She took a deep breath and stood up tall, which caused even more pain and made her hiss. Twilight took another breath and tried to continue walking as if nothing happened. She tried to ignore the stares from the handful of ponies who saw her.
Finding city hall was a simple matter. Darkwood was based around one road stretching east to west in the middle of the clearing. At both ends the road cut through the trees and disappeared off into the woods. Twilight figured the road to the west must’ve ran straight to the base of the mountain.
In the middle of the town along that road sat what must be City hall. It was also near the center of the town. If Darkwood had streets like a regular town, she guessed the hall was only one or two away. There were no roads yet aside from main street, just dirt paths of where the townponies traveled the most. Twilight struck out straight for it. Her gait was slow as she marched through the unattended grass.
As she walked, she looked around at the developing town. Houses were being built throughout the town, but from what she could see there was already a post office, a restaurant, and a general store. Twilight made a mental note to stop by before she left town, as chances are it had everything she would need. The boxy storefronts had a cozy charm to them, almost an old west, frontier kind that reminded her of Appleloosa. The thick surrounding forest robbed the town of true pleasantry, casting a hint of dread on the sunny day. Also by the looming mountain.
The city hall looked nothing like Ponyville’s. It was hastily constructed and tiny, nowhere near as large as the inn, which seemed to be the largest building in town the more structures Twilight saw. Twilight walked up to the door, and turned the handle.
The inside the hall was surprisingly well kept. She found an empty desk in a small room, with a couple doors. The door behind the desk was ajar, and Twilight figured it was the door to the mayor’s office. She walked around the desk, and pushed open the door.
“Heh… Hello?” Twilight pushed the door open.
In front of her stood two stallions in the center of an office. The shorter one to the left was glaring at the other who turned to Twilight with raised eyebrows.
“Hello, uh, miss. Can I help you?” the taller one said without looking up. The shorter kept glaring. Twilight was sure she heard grumbling.
Twilight shrank back into the door, wary, and rubbed one foreleg upon the other. “Ah, yes. Yes, you can.” She feigned a cough. “I was hoping you had a map, preferably an Equestrian one, but one of the local area would do.”
The tall pony chuckled, his deep voice carrying over to Twilight. The pony looked over at her. “Did you lose the one issued to you?”
Twilight made a face. “Issued? No, I never was given any map. I don’t know what you’re talking about, you may be mistaken.” Twilight realized she was rambling, and tried to stop talking. The nervous habit wouldn’t be helping, and minimizing character traits would help her stay unrecognized.
A silence fell. The shorter pony, studying Twilight, started to loose the anger in his eyes. He looked at her hard, like a politician studying a legal document. Simultaneously, the taller one made faces as if he was chewing over something, and that something was rocks.
“—A visitor?”
“A visitor!” they both exclaimed. The shorter continued to look confused, but the taller one was elated. “This is marvelous!” he continued.
Twilight blinked, regretting coming into the city hall. “It is?”
“Yes! Everyone in this town came here via an expedition to found a new town. If you don’t have a map, you must be our very first visitor! I’m the mayor of Darkwood. Are you staying at the inn?”
Twilight frowned, thinking of Night Watch. “Everyone, huh?”
“So, how did you find us?” The mayor continued as if he hadn’t heard her. He grinned and rested his hooves on Twilight’s shoulders.
Twilight decided to keep it short. “I was dragged here against my will to save my life after being nearly slaughtered by a creature I’ve never seen before.”
The mayor and his assistant exchanged glances. The mayor chuckled unsurely.
“Okay Sweetie, where are you from?”
Twilight sucked in her breath. Her mind scraped by another bit of unfinished business from Ponyville, and guilt took a bite of her. “Please, don’t call me Sweetie,” she said, her voice just over a whisper. Her eyes watered, but her mouth turned to stone. “Now, may I purchase a map?”
The mayor raised an eyebrow, but spoke plainly. “Sure thing, but they’re free y’know?” The mayor turned to the shorter one, and nodded. When the shorter one did not move, Twilight turned to him as well. She recoiled a few inches, as he was staring at her again, just as intently.
“Basil?”
Twilight could tell there was something odd about this pony. She tried to avoid his gaze.
“Basil?”
Twilight looked back. Basil was still staring. Something shifted about Basil. A flash of some detail Twilight wasn’t able to discern flickered across his face. The hairs of her coat stood up. Basil took a step towards her, his eyes squinted. Twilight sucked in her breath.
“Basil, you dolt, go get that map right now!”
Basil’s eyes ripped from Twilight’s and pierced the mayor’s. The mayor’s expression didn’t change at all. The look on Basil’s face was of somepony splashed by water. Whatever Twilight felt, he felt too.
“What is wrong with you, my good pony?”
With that Basil eased back. He walked away looking tired and defeated, muttering under his breath.
The mayor gave Twilight a bashful look in the brief moment it took for Basil to return. “Sorry for that ma’am. Uh, here you go! Just… remember we’re not all like this. The village of Darkwood will grow roots and prosper, yet!“
Twilight put the map into her saddlebags and excused herself as quick as she could. As she walked into the lobby, she could hear the Mayor giving that Basil a scolding. As she retreated out into the air, she exhaustion washed over her. She grumbled under her breath, annoyed with with the pain. In truth she was also annoyed with the Doctor’s haughty attitude, and that she couldn’t silence him before he left.
Back outside, she shuddered under the gaze of the castle. Twilight looked back at the inn, taking note that while other stores had ponies going in and out of them, the inn remained lonely. She decided to wander. The town was in a circle. The inn sat south of city hall. Most of the town’s stores were along the main road, closer to the Canterlot side. Houses dotted the rest of the glade a ways away from main street. She went west, towards the castle, towards the entrance of the town. Her eyes constantly glanced up, her hooves taking shorter steps than normal. She saw the edge of the town. It was quieter here, no ponies bustling about. In front of her was a welcoming arch signifying the end of the forest and the start of the town. The forest descended into darkness after not too many steps, just like it did on Ponyville’s side. She turned, to traverse the stores west to east.
The stores were what she’d expect in a frontier town. In addition to what she saw earlier she spotted a hardware store, a carpenter, a doctor clinic (where was that doctor when she needed him?), a lumber yard, and a school. She paid small visits them, to check out the prices of the store. She didn’t buy anything, having no bits. The bits Night Watch gave her clinked as she made her way through the shops. North of main street was a bunch of farmland, where numerous ponies worked. There was a market, where ponies went to trade the crops they grew on their plots to other townsfolk and any visitors passing through. There was one restaurant, not counting the inn Twilight was sure meant to be one some day. It was at this moment when Twilight noticed the sign on the inn. It didn’t just say Inn, it also said Saloon. “That explains the layout of the ground floor”.
She went to the school anyways,despite Night Watch’s suggestion. It was a one room affair. Where Twilight had entered through was right next to the teacher’s desk, with the student’s desks stretching to the back. Less than half of them were occupied.
“Excuse me—”
“How can I help— a visitor!” she said, her voice hushed but still excited. Despite that, a quick glance showed that all of the kids had noticed she was staring. In the back was Writing Desk. His eyes were full of amusement. “Hi there, my name is Meadow Joy. What brings you to Darkwood? Are you staying at the inn?” She paused, as if realizing herself. “What made you want to visit our school?”
“Good afternoon Meadow Joy. My name’s Velvet Shine. I’m a big fan of learning, as one of your students may know.” Twilight had raised her voice towards the end of the sentence. She paused to wink at Writing Desk. His smile was unmistakable even from that distance, and he waved. Twilight couldn’t help but wave back. “I’m here looking for some books. I’ve noticed you guys don’t have a library yet, and was wondering if you could help me? Surely a schoolteacher has a personal collection?”
The mare’s confused frown spread back into a credulous smile. “While this school is filled, mostly with books targeted to a learning foal or filly, I do have my own. I could only take so much with me on this adventure, but maybe I have something of use for you. What are you looking for?”
“Funny you say adventure, because that’s on my mind. I’m looking to go on one, and was wondering if you could point me to a book about the land around here, and how to live off it.”
And then inevitably, the teacher took note of Twilight's condition. “Are you sure you should be adventuring right now? Thank goodness you’re wearing that cloak, my students may have been scared.”
Twilight tried to laugh it off, but her face flushed. She was sure it sounded like one of her typical inauthentic fake laughs. “Oh no, I won’t be adventuring now. I’m due for a lot of bed rest to be honest, but having something to read during it would be fine.”
Meadow Joy nodded, and Twilight was thankful for no more questions. “As you can see, I’m at work, but I don’t live far. If you don’t mind watching the kids, I can dip out and see what I can find for you. Shouldn’t take long, but you’d have to watch the desk for me.”
Twilight didn’t voice how unbecoming she felt for the teacher to leave her post, but didn’t find her words to protest as the teacher dashed out of the place. She reminded her of Cheerilee, who she envied so much in that moment. She was going to the palace library for research, while Twilight was hoping the personal collection of this school teacher from a small town had something useful.
Twilight stood, just looking at the kids. None of them were working at the time, they were just writing away. “Wow, this town sure liked visitors,” she said to herself.
A student raised a hoof. Twilight naturally acknowledged him, to the amusement of Meadow Joy.
A young blue filly asked “What hurt you?”
“Oh, this? This is what happens when you adventure unprepared, children.”
A brown foal raised his hoof, and didn’t wait to be called on. “Is it true, that you’re the best at math?”
Twilight caught a glimpse of Writing Desk lowering his head, looking bashful. “I’m not the best, but it’s safe to say I know what I’m doing.”
Another white filly raised her hoof. Twilight smirked, and pointed to her as well.
“Why did you kill her?”
Twilight took a step back, her mouth agape. The white filly wasn’t just white, she had a curly purple mane as well. Sweetie Belle looked at her, her stare accusing and knowing. Here eyes bore into Twilight, each one feeling like a searing beam of light. She fell to her haunches, grimacing.
“I’m, sorry! I didn’t mean to! It was a—”
“Ms. Shine?”
A hoof on her shoulder rested on Twilight’s shoulder, making her whip around, Meadow Joy stood next to her with saddlebags on her back. “What’s wrong, ma’am?”
“I… Nothing. Nothing at all. I just, that monster, you know? For a second, I thought a monster was here with me.” Twilight didn’t mention that the monster she sensed was herself.
Meadow Joy’s look remained curious, but the pony opened her saddlebags with wings that Twilight had failed to notice before. She laid them in the blank spot on the messy desk where the papers lay before. Two books sat before her. “So, they’re all about good ole survival out here. They were entertaining to me, before I went on this adventure, but not too useful. We had guards escorting us here, and they did the adventuring for the civilians. But still, it had it’s place in my backlog. Teaching fillies in Canterlot was cool, but not as cool as teaching fillies on the frontier.”
Twilight chuckled. “Judging by Canterlot Mountain, isn’t Dodge city just further out of the forest? And Appleloosa southwest of that?”
Meadow Joy grinned. “Yeah, but this is still uncharted. We cleared out this section of the forest ourselves, it was only half its size when we found it. We’re like a southern Hollow Shades. A smaller southern Hollow Shades.” She frowned. “With a much less cooler name.”
Twilight looked at the books. One knovel was titled A Dirt Scout’s guide to the Wild The other was simply an atlus. For a brief moment, Twilight allowed herself to wonder why a pegasus would have an earth pony’s adventure book, and if chasing that lead would provide any insight to explaining whatever the Doctor had done. The answer was likely that it was simply useful, but it gave her pause. Meadow Joy just smiled at her. “Can I just, borrow these?”
“Yup. I’m kind of settled in, no need for adventure anytime soon. Every day feels like one here. Everything is something unfamiliar. The crops behind the school keep everyone fed, and I’ve got a cottage on the east end of town. My journey was to this settlement, and now yours is to wherever. Besides I've memorized these books, mostly. Where are you headed?”
“I don't know yet,” Twilight said, which was the truth. “I'm just going to pick a direction.”
Meadow Joy nodded. “I like the sound of that. Just be sure to tell ponies about us, it’s all I ask. I want to see Darkwood flourish one day. I've got to go now, individual study time is almost over and to be honest I don’t think any of them have been studying.”
Twilight bid the school teacher farewell. Writing Desk had managed to call out to her, and she waved goodbye to him too. She walked out into the afternoon sun, and it wasn’t long until she was back at the inn. Stumbling in, she deposited the folded map and extra bits on on the counter. Not wanting to struggle with carrying the books upstairs, she kept the cloak and saddle bags on. Took them out, set them on her bed, before making a trip back downstairs to deposit the cloak and bag next to the map. When she returned to her room she was exhausted. Instead of reading, she crumpled onto her bed and went to sleep.
Writing Desk’s arrival home awoke Twilight. The slamming of the front door and the subsequent yelling of Night Watch shook her from her nap. She yawned, and then her belly yawned as well. She moved downstairs hoping for dinner. Instead, she found Writing Desk where she saw him this morning, at the main table. He had a book and some paper out in front of him, his forehead knotted and his mouth over his eraser, chewing absentmindedly while his pen floated unstable-like . Twilight looked towards the stairs, hearing her bed calling back for her and her injured limbs to come back, but something compelled her to walk over to the table.
Writing Desk didn’t notice Twilight until she pulled out the chair next to him. He jerked up.
“Hello Writing Desk, what are you up to?”
A huge sigh came from Writing Desk. “I’m having the worst night of my life.”
Twilight laughed. “Isn’t this homework? That’s the best part! You get to take all the wonderful things you learned at school home with you.”
“I hate it. School is for school, why is this home with me?”
Twilight looked at Writing Desk’s work. She grinned. “If you want, Writing Desk, I can help you with it,” offered Twilight.
Writing Desk eyes searched Twilight’s. A smile spread on his face “Definitely! I’m sure you know how to do this stupid math.”
“Now Writing Desk, math isn’t stupid.” Twilight went to work. It was easy; she learned this level of math when she was younger than Writing Desk. Whenever he made a mistake, Writing Desk was quick to make it known and complain. His frustration was palpable. It was so unlike what Twilight experience when it came to learning. She had to praise his every success and downplay every failure to drag him through the process, but it wasn’t long till they finished.
“Thanks Velvet,” said Writing Desk. Despite the fight he put up through the process, his smile and levity was sincere. He huffed, though. “Dad’s clueless about this stuff, all he thinks about is this inn and his conspiracies. He never was that great with math. It’s probably why he was a guard. If mom were here, I’d have no issues. She helps me like this, just like how you have.”
“Your mother sounds so nice. I’m thankful to use her cloak, and for helping you as she has.”
Writing Desk’s demeanor changed. “Yeah. She is, I guess... I can’t wait till she finally moves here with us, whenever that is.”
Twilight smiled. Writing Desk perked up immensely when speaking about his mother, and she was happy to see him in a better mood. “What does she do that keeps her away?”
“I don’t really know. I know she’s important and works in Canterlot Castle.”
“What did your dad use to do?”
“He was a part of the Solar Guard.”
Twilight froze. She knew it was pure luck that an ex Solar Guard member didn’t recognize her. True, they didn’t always exclusively operate in the palace, or even within Canterlot, but she was surprised Nightwatch Didn’t recognize a pony that fit the description of his charge’s sole student. Night Watch could possibly have spent a good chunk of his career stationed away from the castle. Twilight felt the walls close in.
“So, are we done here?”
The indifference in Writing Desk’s voice brought her back to the present. She looked down at his completed work sheet. Satisfied with her work and Writing Desk’s progress, Twilight stood. The room tilted to the left as she shuffled and caught herself from slipping. “I…” she yawned for some time. “Oh goodness. I apologize Writing Desk. I’m just so tired. Yes, we’re done here. I’m going to go to sleep, alright?”
It wasn’t until a gentle knock at her door roused her. She answered, groggily.
“Good evening Ms. Velvet,” said Night Watch. It’s dinner time. I’ll meet you downstairs.”
Twilight shivered, but her stomach protested her staying in bed, so she got up and walked to the door, and followed Night Watch downstairs. Upon entering the main room, she saw that the long table had been set at one end. Night Watch went and sat at the head of the table, with Writing Desk already seated to his right. An empty pate sat to his left. They looked up when Twilight reached the bottom of the steps. Night Watch smiled, and beckoned her. Twilight moved to sit down with the grace of a wheelbarrow.
She looked at the food. It was a gorgeous salad, with some sort of dressing over it with a tangy aroma. It was simple, like what she ate before, but at this point simple was just fine.
“I hope the food is good,” said Nightwatch. “I’m not exactly my wife, but I try.”
Twilight had to stop herself from licking her lips. “Thank you for the hospitality. I’m sure it’ll be quite filling.” She moved for a bite.
“Don’t be modest dad,” chimed in Writing Desk. “You shouldn’t be cooking at all.”
Twilight took a bite and almost spit it back out. The years in which she shared meals with Celestia using good table manners kept her from opening her mouth. She worked her mouth, eventually swallowing it. She glanced at Night Watch to see if he had seen her expression, but he was looking at his son.
“Complainers don’t eat, son. Here, let me add yours to Velvet’s plate.”
Twilight quickly butted in, half her mouth full with food. “No-no, that’s fine!” She glanced at Writing Desk as she spoke, who had a grin.
“Dad, don’t!”
Night Watch just laughed, setting his son’s plate back down. They all ate the salad with trepidation, but it grew more apparent that it was rather lackluster. There was dead air as everyone worked chewed their food. It was Twilight who broke the silence.
“I met the mayor today. He actually gave me the map for free, as you probably guessed by seeing the bits on the counter. He was very,” she paused to look for a word to convey his crazy, “very enthused to meet me. I didn’t know I was your first visitor. So this inn isn’t full, is it?”
Night Watched replied with a laugh, and no comment. Twilight continued.
“However, his… assistant? He was odd. He kept staring at me, and I don’t think it had anything to do with my bandages.”
“Well, the assistant was never known for his courtesy,” Night Watch scoffed. “All along the journey he always had something to complain about. Never would follow the orders of the mayor. And what good is a servant who doesn’t follow orders?”
“And he smells,” chimed in Writing Desk.
“Ignore him, I say.”
Night Watch and Writing Desk crossed their forelegs and nodded their heads in unison. Twilight smiled. Despite their constant calamity, they really were family.
She took a bite, and swallowed hard, hiding her grimace. Despite the taste, it was great to be catered to. That’s what she grew up with, anyways. Her parents, Cadance, the royal cook, all of them fed her through her youth. This was the worst food she had eaten in awhile, and she was sure even Spike would have—
Twilight stood with such force the glasses jumped. Writing Desk and Night Watch turned, their fight forgotten.
“I—” Twilight’s voice caught. She swallowed. “Excuse me.” She made for the stairs, leaving her hosts staring at each other.
Back in her room, Twilight lay awake, caught in another black hole.
Spike. How could she have ever pushed him to the side? He is the who that allowed her to function and continue to function outside of Canterlot, and stuck with her when she was on her own. What is a great researcher without a great assistant?
She hoped Applejack had passed on the letter she left, even if it was incomplete, but the more she thought about it the more shame filled her conscious. It was written on such short notice, a poor excuse of an apology. If she hadn’t already had the parchment laid out, she would have skipped over it, and that truth hurt. In a fit of self-preservation, she had forgotten the one most responsible for her successes post-Canterlot.
She wondered if he sat there now, in the dark, waiting for her to come back. If she were to be honest, she doubted Spike would ever enter the library again if he had anything to say about it, not without her.
“Spike,” she whispered. Her words wouldn’t have been audible to anyone in the room. “It’s my duty to report to Celestia, but I just… I can’t. I’m so scared, and I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have left you. I shouldn’t have left you with such a horrible last message. I wish you were here to tell me not to worry, to tell me that that Doctor isn’t headed straight to to Celestia to tell on me, or that Night Watch and Writing Desk are fine ponies for giving me a place to stay, and to tell me some jokes about that rude assistant.”
Her words spurred some thought. Maybe the town wasn’t so bad. She hadn’t heard of it before. She didn’t notice too many ponies staring while she was out. .
An internal force bubbled to the surface. Twilight felt a second, shadowy thought that while was her own, felt foreign and desperate.
“Don’t even think about it. Leave while you are still a ghost to them. Darkwood isn’t safe. Canterlot’s shadow is cast over the town every sundown. Do not help the foal any more. Don’t hold on. That life is over and you know it. Equestria will never accept you back into its hooves.”
Twilight sat in silence in the dark. She trembled. It was her throat that moved, her air that passed, but the origin of the warning was unknown. She hesitated to speak, unsure if she would be answering herself or someone else.
“I-I can still leave whenever I want. I will leave, I just can’t leave now. I’m too hurt. But this town isn’t so bad, at least not the innkeeper’s family. And the school teacher is kind too, so why not enjoy them while I’m here? Why not help out?”
The darkness deepened as Twilight waited for a response. No words came forth. Instead, Twilight went to sleep, ever-wary of the future, knowing every day was one closer to being caught.
She collapsed on the bed. Her head spun. Rest came with difficulty. She was already wary of her past, and the fact that Night Watch a Solar Guard made her uneasy. She imagined his ilk the kind to one day find her and drag her back to Celestia. The dull ache of her wounds had grown a point after her short day out, and she was in pain. Twilight attempted tugged off her cloak, but after many unsuccessful reaches, and her limbs protesting, she fell into a dark sleep in it.
Twilight awoke from the common blackness. The shift from sleeping to waking was sudden and left her disoriented. She clutched her pillow in her forelegs, and her body was damp with sweat, as if she awakened from a nightmare. It was at this time she noticed her room was without a clock, but she noticed sunlight peeked through the window. She stumbled to the bathroom.
She removed her bandages and washed. The entire process was lengthy and painful. Twilight had bruises and wounds in places she didn’t know, and too often she winced and dropped the soap and rag from her hoof. By the time she finished the water had run cold. Her horn remained unlit.
After delicately drying off, she attempted applying new bandages. It was almost impossible without magic, and what she was left with was a childlike pantomime of a real bandage change. Quite a few parts of her wounds were exposed, and stung in the air.
She returned to her bed. She looked at the books, considering the survival guide and the almanac, and she felt reluctance. It's not that she didn't want to read them; by virtue of being books she haven't read yet, she desired to read them. But the need, the urgency, was muted. However, she did pick up the the altus, the lesser commitment of the two.
She found a map of the south east region of equestria, and despite the age was able to make a rough guess of where she was at the south eastern top of Everfree Forest. She noticed the ruins of the castle of two sisters want that far north. She decided that the path south between Appleloosa and Dodge junction was her route. She had been to one and was sure the other would have many ponies who would recognize her. She'd have to travel for several days walking the countryside with nothing but the prairie expanding out to either side for leagues. Eventually, she would come to the badlands.
She turned a few pages, and found a mail of the badlands. It was curiously lacking the detail the other maps had. There was no scale. It looked like a barren dressy save a feature that looked like a black mountain. It was labeled Carsaurelia, and had a red letter “x” next to it. A quick look at the legend showed one entry, “do not enter”. Twilight was curious, never recalling Celestia mentioning this place. However, the reasoning didn't seem malicious, as Twilight had little inclination to ever travel there growing up. In truth, Twilight didn’t want to travel anywhere between the palace library and her room. She hadn't heard about it from anywhere, now that she talky thought about it. It seemed nopony was interested traveling the any time soon.
She closed that book, and opened the Dirt Scouts book. The name made her chuckle. The intro made this seem like an East pony’s equivalent to Flight School for Pegasus, or even Magic Kindergarten for unicorns, though she was sure this group was founded much earlier in history. The table of contents revealed this is exactly what she needed. There were some useless pages like helping an old mare across the street and how to make a paper mache volcano, but the chapters about camping struck out to her.
If she was to make it out on her own, the number one thing she would need is shelter. Exposure to the elements would wear her down before anything else and cause her to turn back on her mission. She turned to the page where she saw marked tent. The tent was bare bones. A rope, a waterproof sheet,and rocks to hold down the corners. The next page featured a tent that had more components, socks and a lot more fabric. Twilight didn't need that. I don't deserve it, too be honest. She made a mentalist to go to the hardware store to pick up rope.. if she had money.
As she made her way downstairs, she heard a shout, like an innkeeper losing his balance. Going as fast as she could, she walked downstairs to hear grumbling coming from behind the front desk. She approached to find a pile of knick knacks coming from the closet behind the desk. Night Watch was busy trying to shove it back into the closet, and shut the door. Twilight was keenly aware that his attempt was futile.
“Ah, excuse me?”
Night Watch’s head whipped around. Finding Twilight standing there watching him, he gave a coy smile. “Good morning Velvet Shine. I’d offer you breakfast, but that was hours ago, and lunch is soon.”
He stood up, kicking a knack with his rear hoof to the closet. It banged noisily off of the frame, and bounced back, striking his haunches.
“Are you okay there?”
“Yeah, just this darn closet is so disorganized. It hardly stays shut some days. Are you okay?”
Twilight could see he was eyeing her bandages. She her cheeks warmed. “I, could use some assistance, if you don’t mind.
Night watched looked left and right, then pointed at himself. “Are you sure I’m the one to help, ma’am?”
“Yes you are,” Twilight said while chuckling. “Nopony else is going to do it.”
Night Watch walked over to Twilight, who turned to the side to allow access to the knots she made. He shrugged, then went about redoing them, using his hooves and teeth. He had surprising dexterity. Twilight was most impressed. She could feel his breath on her though, and it tickled her fur.
Twilight coughed. “Thanks again, Night Watch. So. If you’d like, I could do another errand for you.”
Night watch didn’t reply immediately, finishing the last not. He stood back, satisfied. Twilight didn’t look like a raggedy doll coming apart anymore. “I don't think I have anything pressing right now to be honest lass,” Night Watch said as he went back to struggling with the closet.
Twilight put on her syst voice, half earnest apprehension, half entrepreneur spirit. “I could help you straighten out that closest. Organization is my strength. I’m sure it was almost my cutie mark.”
Night Watch gave her a look-over. “Are you sure? You looked dog tired last night. You really shouldn’t even be out of your room.”
“Trust me. Nothing will be more relaxing than fixing your glaring storage issue. And… maybe I can earn some of my keep?”
He raised an eyebrow at the words ‘glaring’ and ‘issue’, but Night Watch couldn’t help but laugh. “Alright Velvet, why the hay not? I’ve been at this for weeks now and, well, you see where it’s at.”
Twilight smiled, happy to be doing something. She hopped in place, but shortly collected herself. “Alright, first, I’m going to need you to do what I say. Second, I’m going to need pen and parchment.”
They got to work. The closet behind the desk was cluttered from being a coat closet, a storage closet, a pantry, and a tool shed all at once. Once Night Watch was finished with any task that removed him from his post at the front desk, the remaining utensils ended up in the closet. Twilight had to hide her distaste from the state of things, but she managed.
However, despite the mess, Twilight’s face warmed. She was doing something she loved, and it calmed her. She took inventory, sorting every last knick nack into categories and subcategories, and even further by size.
It felt normal. Dear Celestia, it felt normal. She felt in control. Night Watch was no Spike, and that thought made her do mental gymnastics to recover from the notion, but he was competent in following her suggestions and orders. She was right, too. If her cutie mark did not reflect her magical prowess, it surely would have been a filing cabinet.
They didn’t stop until Night Watch spoke up. “Aren’t you hungry?”
Twilight was about to protest before her stomach agreed for her. “It seems like my stomach is speaking for me.”
Night Watch laughed. “Thought so. We’ve been at this some time; lunch was an hour ago. Here,” he reached into a saddle bag that had been hung next to the other saddle bags at a convenient eye level. He set it gingerly on Twilight. She could hear the bits inside. “Since I never got around to cooking anything, go have some lunch, as a thank you. I think I’ll be able to finish up by the time you get back.”
Without her asking, he went back to the closet and retrieved the cloak he had let Twilight borrow the other day. Twilight touched it as it draped over her. She had her camouflage back. She was beginning to like it. Barely anyone could see her hide, but the town was very friendly. Twilight took comfort in believing they would be respectful if someone managed to notice.
“I’ll be back soon. Thank you again, for the cloak.”
“Thank you for the help. It looks good on you.”
Twilight stepped out of the inn for the first time that day. The sun was high above, but blocked by softly crying clouds. She forced herself to look at Canterlot. Even though it was naught but a vague shadow in the distance, she grasped the cloak as if it was something to protect her, but she still flinched. No pursuers, but Twilight doubted she would ever be comfortable looking at her home again.
She made off for the eatery she saw yesterday, the cloak floating behind her. True to his word, the cloak seemed to shrug off not just the mud from the paths, but the rain itself. Twilight made a note to learn what enchantment the the cloak had. After a slow walk, she arrived. The selection was varied which surprised Twilight. She thought this backwoods town would have a limited selection. She bought the cheapest snack,and was handed hay fries. They didn’t take long and arrived on a tray, and she carried it to a vacant table, the leftover bits clinking in her saddlebag.
She chose to eat out under the roofed patio, partly because of the her cloak giving her protection from Canterlot, and partly because the building was still under construction and she didn’t want sawdust getting in her meal. Also, she was alone.
She sat down with care. Her meal smelled fresh, and wouldn’t be surprised if the daisies were picked from the forest surrounding the town this morning. It tasted like they were.
Her quiet meal was interrupted by a familiar huff behind her. Twilight paused mid-bite. And held her breath. When no Solar Guards attacked her, she took another bite. Another mouthful of fries sent her back to heaven, leaving the huff in the background.
Another huff, and then another, kept interrupting her desperate quaintrility. She swallowed hard, and turned. It was Basil, eyeing her from the cruel corner of her eye from a nearby table. Across from him sat a sulking local, and facing away from Twilight was surely the mare.
Twilight narrowed her eyes, then rolled them. Basil tapped the mayor on the shoulder, and he looked around where Basil pointed. Twilight met his eyes and smiled, happy to see a friendly face. The mayor scowled deeper than Basil, before returning to the local without missing a step.
Twilight tried to return to her food, but she couldn’t help but wonder why was the mayor so rude today too. Looking back, Basil had ceased paying attention to her and was… on the lookout? Twilight wolfed down the last of her fries and left.
After lunch her next move was the general store, which was only a few shops down.
She first asked how much a ready made tent would cost but the store didn't have any. Instead she bought a long length of strong rope and a tarp. Still personally bitless, she had to haggle to by them at the amount the leftover lunch money could afford. She hoped she could use stones she found in the wild as her stakes to hold the makeshift tent down. As the shopkeeper was putting the goods in a bag, he spoke up.
“You know, you remind me of this other pony who came with us out here but shortly left. Stole— or should I saw borrowed— some survivalist gear. Just like you she didn't look the adventuring type. She was so serious about it, though, that she’d make it out here. Despite trekking out here like the rest of us she doesn't even stay in town. Some of us came here to start a new life, but I think trouble came with her; she gets sideways glances if she shows her face.”
Twilight raised an eyebrow. “You know I get side eure looks too,right?”
“Well, you’re a visitor. Besides, I'm sure ponies are friendlier once they see that you're not that threatening under that hood you're wearing. You look like you took a wallop. Golly”
“Are you one of those ponies?”
The clerk smiled. “I’m gossiping with you, aren’t I?”
He set Twilight’s good into her saddle bag, thankfully without her having to ask. “Well sir, if you could, please don’t gossip about me. I’m just some nopony passing through.”
He winked. “Sure thing, miss.”
Twilight hobbled home. Judging by the sun, she was sure Writing Desk would be home soon. The ponies she passed on the street didn’t bat an eye at her. She followed the dirt path home and closed the door with haste.
She sighed, and slumped against the door. Her wounds throbbed the day’s walking, and she lay there wishing they would calm down. She looked up, and found Writing Desk seated at the table same as yesterday, looking at her. Just as expected.
“Yay, you’re back Velvet! I thought I was going to have to do this nonsense by myself.” Twilight forced herself to stand and smiled. She steadied herself, then walked over. She shrugged her saddle bags off on the floor and sat down hard next to Writing Desk. It hurt, but anything that got her mind off the mayor was good. She could tell Writing Desk was amused by her candid actions, smirking at her. She returned it.
“I have to say thank you Velvet Shine. Meadow Joy passed back my paper, and look what I got!” Writing Desk’s horn lit up and slid a paper out of his school folder. “Thanks so much, you made homework not a bore, and I got a good grade on it. Aren’t you proud?
And then Writing Desk wasn’t himself. He was Twilight, younger, happier. She was showing off her first assignment post cutie mark, the “A+” written the flowery horn writing of Celestia. Her smile was bright.
Aren’t you proud, Mother? Father?
We sure are, Twilight.
“Are you alright, Velvet Shine?”
And then young Twilight was Twilight was Writing Desk, her immense pride replaced by his concerned look.
“An A+, good job! I knew you had it in you.” Writing Desk’s concern didn’t wane. She swallowed hard, but smiled back to Writing Desk. “I’m sorry, just an old memory. You did good, Writing Desk. You should be proud. So, what’s up for tonight?”
The homework was a review of everything they learned the weak regarding math, in preparation for the test tomorrow before the weekend. After their session yesterday, Writing Desk was able to pick up the week’s previous work with little trouble. It took a while for Writing Desk’s to relax, but soon the work engrossed him. Twilight found herself remaining silent, the soft scratches of pen the only sound in the large empty lobby of the inn. It wasn’t too long before Writing Desk had conquered his work.
Hours passed by while Twilight helps Writing Desk with his schoolwork. Night Watch would walk through the room, from upstairs to the kitchen, or the kitchen to the closet, but he would always observe, never interject. Twilight could sense Writing Desk’s tension when his father entered, his focused sharpened and the playfulness fell out of his voice, but she’d counteract his nervousness with a compliment there, and a smile here. While he never solved a problem completely on his own, Twilight was aware she was steering his hoof less and less. A quick check by Twilight and they were done. Twilight was beaming, pleased with not only the lad’s progress but with herself.
Twilight rested her heads in her hooves, her eyes drooping. Soon she realized they were alone. “Is Night Watch around? I’m surprised he’s not here rummaging around for something.”
“He stopped sulking about looking for a problem halfway through my assignment. I guess he went to run an errand,” said Writing Desk. His relief at that fact was sincere. He was sliding his chair in, packing up his stuff.
Twilight frowned. She could’ve done the errand for him. Night Watch must be going easy on her; she needed his bits more than his sympathy.
They book was closed, and “You know, I already can see an improvement in both your skill and your attitude,” she said.
“I still think it’s rubbish,” Writing Desk protested, but Twilight could see he was trying to hide a smile.
“It’s so useful, though. Let’s say one day you decide to run this inn when your father retires.”
“There’s no way I’m running this inn. It sounds like too much work, and I’d rather do science experiments or write a book.”
“Well, if you did math, formulas in science will get easier in the future. However, you could still have a lab here, just clean out that stuffy closest.” Twilight laughed. “You could even run this place while being a writer, I’m sure it’s not too high maintenance. Keeping this place would probably make your father happy. He’d be so happy to see his son mature, and bloom into the person you were meant to be. To grow and become a contribution to society.”
“Twilight?”
Twilight gasped, becoming aware of herself. Her blurry vision cleared, and she had to wipe her face for the second time that night.
“You’re not okay?” asked Writing Desk. The sincerity of his voice caught Twilight off guard.
Twilight stood and looked away, wiping her tears. “No, I’m not okay. It hurts, but I’ll manage. Like I said, it doesn’t hurt as much as it should.”
Slight pressure on her foreleg caused her to look down. Writing Desk had extended a reassuring hoof, and he was staring into her eyes. “No one as kind as you should hurt like this.”
Writing Desk was a good foal, and helping him made Twilight feel something. She returned the hug, thankful for his tenderness, then left him to finish and went upstairs. It didn’t take long to pack the tarp and rope in one side of her saddle bags, and the Dirt Scouts book into other. When she returned to the lobby she found it empty as she walked through it, no trace of Night Watch or Writing Desk.
Twilight shut the door behind her, and breathed deeply. She dried her eyes. It was almost twilight on the gloomy day. The drizzle from earlier was gone, leaving everything damp in the humid afternoon air. She allowed her her thoughts to flash pieces of her encounter with the monster from the other day. It made her appreciate the quiet so much more.
She looked up at Canterlot. Her breath became slow and ragged. The setting sun was pushing canterlot’s shadow over the town. From where she could see, ponies had slowly left the crop fields across town leaving only the determined farms left. Those leaving were returning home, some after a few stops at the market or the handful of stores Darkwood had. The loudest sound was the critters in the forest, and they were only a soft murmur she had to strain to hear. Twilight walked around the inn to the edge of the forest. Its canopy cast everything in dim shadow, but despite everything she entered. It wasn’t long before she couldn’t see the town behind her through the trees of Everfree Forest.
***
Tying a rope to a tree without magic was one of the hardest things Twilight had ever done. At least half an hour of struggling transpired between her unpacking her gear and getting the rope to hang nicely between two trees in the dry clearing she had found. She may have screamed in exacerbation once or twice before remembering herself and resolving to stay quiet. At a point managed to get both end tied and she threw the tarp over to find it hanging uselessly too high off the ground, requiring her to redo the knots lower. Despite all that, she did not miss her magic— or, she told herself she didn't.
As the shadows grew long, Twilight managed to pitch her tent. It was shorter than she was expecting, shorter than head level to ensure the two walls of tarp were wide enough to lay between. She shrugged off her saddle bag, removed Dirt Scouts and slid it under the tarp. She spread the book out, and rested her forelegs on the bag. She began to read.
The forest’s pratter of noise underneath the warm last light of the setting sun made Twilight feel safe and snug, to the detriment of her cognition. She turned to the page of edible plants with little conviction, and only skimming for useful informations. Instead, a thought appeared in her head, one that was growing over the past two days. One that muted the forces driving her to act.
“I really could stay here.” The words escaped her mouth before she could stop herself. The internal force rose to react, but she was quick enough to stop it. A ghostly “no” echoed in her thoughts, but nothing more.
Twilight knew the force was not truly gone, and she knew she was being overly optimistic. In an effort to appease it (or herself?), she tried to refocus. Her thoughts searched for something useful she already knew, to make this search easier. She remembered from the map that the badlands were seemingly untraveled desert. She would need to work out out which foods could grow despite poor conditions. With luck, they would clue her into what she could find in the that wasteland.
“Bitterberries,” she read aloud.
“Bitterberries are an edible fruit by many species in the Rubus genus and local to the San Palomino Desert. They are grape sized, and are blood red with orange markings near where the fruit connect to the stems. They grow in bunches on bushes low to the ground. When picked, the pit stays with the plant, leaving a hollow center. They’re incredibly sweet, with their name a reference to their tenacity of growing in the hot and rainless climate of the desert, and not their taste. The pits grow easily, requiring the same care as the full grown plant; little but occasional rain and lots of sun. They’re popular treats for all desert wildlife, and as such can be hard to find. The stems of the bitterberry plant are palpably tart, but eating them will soon make one horribly sick, if not outright requiring medical attention. Any Dirt Scout ingesting the stem should immediately inform a parent, guardian, or a senior Mud Scout. Furthermore…”
“Daddy, can I join the Dirt Scouts?”
Twilight bolted upright to a headache at the base of her horn. She knew that voice, it was small and unsure, but enthusiastic. Her vision swirled, and she tried to hold her head. Her breathing was a hiss against the throbbing pain.
“Ask your mother, son.”
That voice she knew better. It was Night Watch. Her sight started to steady
“Can I join the Dirt Scouts, mommy?”
Twilight shrieked, jumping up. She tangled herself in the rope above, and fell to the ground in a heap in the tent. Her heart pounded. The voice had asked her.
A couple minute passed as she laid there. Twilight’s breathing settled. The hornache faded, and while she was sure her vision was back to normal she couldn’t see anything. She dared not think what any of that vision meant, and locked it away right next to her attack.
She began to rise when there was a sound. It made Twilight freeze in place and hold her breath. The forest was still full of the soft sounds from earlier, but what she heard didn’t sound apart from it. It was too rhythmic.
The sound happened again, this time from another direction. She struggled to remove herself from the tarp and finally stood up. Some time had past. It was dusk, with only deep purples in the sky above. The glade was cast in deep shadow, and was still empty except her, but this time Twilight knew what she heard. The subtle thuds were uniform in a recognizable pattern, as shuffling hoofsteps always were.
A few breaths went by without any sound, so she uncovered the book and saddlebag from the mess of tarp. There was silence as she slid the bag on. Every movement came with a long pause as she strained to listen to the forest, her ears scanning all around her. Whoever was there, they could see she was alert. She was sure her thumping heart could be heard clearly.
A voice yelped in the woods. Twilight turned around just in time to catch the horrible sight. Two disembodied eyes above a cruel, cheshire like smile launched directly at her from the woods. It’s lips twisted cruelly, eager to surely eat her. She stay rooted to the spot, terrified, as they chomped down on her…
...and passed through her. She felt the wind carrying the face made of light rustle her mane, and that was all. She looked, seeing the inverse of the face as it floated to the tree line opposite of her.
Was that an illusion? she thought to herself.
When the illusion neared the trees, her stomach dropped even further. The light from the spell started reflecting off unseen shiny bodies. One, then two, then three, the numbers grew until the spell finally faded. The silence was only a courtesy, Twilight had seen them and they had seen her. She weighed her options for a moment, then took off running to her left, away from both whoever cast the illusion and the beings of the forest.
A fight broke out behind her. She could hear critters running away, as if to escape, but over that she heard the voices of many ponies grunting and yelling. Flashes of green and red painted the trees in front of her, lighting her path, as she could hear a struggle behind her. Twilight dared not look back, sprinting as fast as she could given the limited vision. The further she ran, the quieter the struggle became and the dimmer the lights grew, but she became aware of a new sound. The sounds of many flapping wings too many to count, was following her.
Twilight couldn’t see the danger as she ran, but they were gaining. They never stumbled along the ground when she did, their wings carrying them almost tirelessly towards her. The sound grew ever louder, filling her ears. She screamed for somebody to help her.
Twilight broke the tree line. She kept running right into a wooden wall, where she crumpled. Adrenalin picked her up, and she continued screaming, knocking on the wall as she tried to round the building. A door opened, striking her and throwing her on her haunches. Night Watched peaked from the other side.
“They’re coming, help me!” Twilight hissed. “Help me, save me, please!”
Night Watch took a glance at the forest, then started to stomp over to her. His gait was hurried, anger in his eyes.
He rounded on her “What did I say?” His volume matched hers, but his voice was joyless. It scared Twilight. She scrambled back, pressing herself against the wall of the inn. “I said get in before dark? Can’t you listen, lass? Now get, get inside!”
There was no warmth in his voice, just furious urgency. Twilight started to cry, despite herself. “Why are you yelling?”
Night Watch shoved her towards the door, and Twilight fell to the ground. “Get in!”
Twilight scrambled to stay up. Her wounds both her muscles and her wounds were giving her pain. Night Watch took a strong step forward. She glanced at the woods, the horror fresh on her mind. Nightwatch Bent down and bit the straps to her saddle bags, and began dragging her to the door. She fought to get away, but she couldn’t undo the straps, and she couldn’t trump the strength of an earth pony.
Of a former Solar Guard.
Nightwatch tossed her through the open door. He took one look into the dark forest. From behind him, Twilight could still see the colored flashes dimly from within the forest. At the edge, staring back, where three figures, their bodies outlining them by reflecting lights from behind. Nightwatch stared them down, before slamming the door behind them.
“What did I say?” he bellowed.
Twilight tried to say something. “I'm… I’m sorry!”
Night Watch took a step towards her, growling. “I give you one order and you can't adhere to it?”
Twilight whimpered.
Night Watch lumbered back to the door, looking through the window. Twilight could only see blackness on the other side of the glass. Hoofsteps caused them both to turn, and Writing Desk was at the base of the stairs.
“You go to bed,” shouted Night Watch, his voice only barely calming down for his song. Writing Desk didn’t resist, turning back up the stairs but not before giving Twilight a concerned look.
However, it was enough to cause Night Watch ‘s tirade, to falter. He closed his eyes, composing himself. When he spoke again, his anger was there, but his volume was speaking level. “You’ve met them,” he said to himself.
Twilight still heard. “Who?” she croaked, finding her voice raw.
“Those figures you saw. Those dark stalkers,” he said, his words full of contempt. “The ones too afraid to give a pony a fair fight, who prefer deceit and trickery to achieve their goals— and who always, no matter what, achieve their goals. Always, until now.”
Night Watch smiled, but it carried no joy in it. “You actually did me a favor. You confirmed my suspicions. You met the Lunar Knights.”