Truth and Reconciliation

by sincarnation

Chapter 8: Family // Friends

7:25pm, 11th of Viglyd, 6 Days After the Tirek Incident – Octavia’s Bedroom

Vinyl could only look on in curious horror as she watched the six friends start to add the rank mixture of ingredients they were sent to fetch. As they blended together, Vinyl wondered what was in store for the princess that she was supposed to enjoy, however as she went through the possibilities her thoughts were interrupted by sudden arguing.

“Are we sure we should give this to her?” asked Applejack. “There is manticore poison and whole bunch of other weird stuff in it.”

“You should’ve asked that before I flew into a changeling hive,” groaned Rainbow Dash who looked like she had been on the receiving end of a vicious beat down.

“True, I’ve been wondering if we should risk giving it to her,” said Rarity as she held her nose away from the foul mixture.

“But, if we don’t Twilight might not ever wake up,” insisted Fluttershy.

“Just give it to her, if he wanted to hurt her I’m sure he could’ve done it while he had her body,” groaned Vinyl though she was more curious about what would happen than she was concerned about Twilight’s well-being.

“It’s Manticore venom Applejack, and yeah don’t worry its safe,” corrected Pinkie confidently.

“What makes you so sure Pinkie?” asked Rarity afraid of the answer.

“Duh I’ve used all this stuff in cupcakes before,” smiled Pinkie. “Remember those spicy Nightmare Night blood orange cupcakes? There was manticore venom in frosting, that’s what made it spicy. Most venoms won’t make ponies sick when eaten, and they add some crazy fun flavors.”

“You mean those changeling cantaloupe cupcakes were made with old changeling skins?” questioned Rainbow Dash as she suddenly felt very sick.

“Yup,” giggled Pinkie. “Everypony loved them too same with the campfire cupcakes, those had timber wolf fangs and phoenix fire.”

“Uh Pinkie you should warn ponies before you add weird stuff like that to the cupcakes,” chastised Applejack as she tried not to laugh at Rainbow Dash.

“I don’t see the problem, but ookie dookie lokie,” said Pinkie as she happily bounced towards the fridge.

“Remind me never to eat another one of Pinkie’s cupcakes again,” groaned Rainbow Dash clutching her stomach.

“Well it’s now or never,” called Octavia suddenly. “You’ve got about 15 seconds till 7:30.”

Rarity and Applejack rushed the strangely clear mixture to the bedroom, where Twilight was still sleeping.

“Well, down the hatch,” grimaced Applejack as she held Twilight’s mouth open.

Shortly after the mixture started to go down her throat Twilight started to awaken, but it took a few moments for her to register somepony was making her drink something. It had an odd earthy taste, and it gave her a strangely pleasant warm tingly sensation. However that pleasant warm sensation quickly gave way to a horrible burning, it was like somepony had decided giving her magma to drink was a good idea. Twilight immediately bolted upright with her eyes wide and mouth on fire she could only utter one word.

“WATER,” Twilight screamed as she bolted from the bed only to crash into Pinkie who was returning from the kitchen with two gallons of milk.

“I thought you might need these,” giggled Pinkie as Twilight snatched the jugs from her and drained both of them.

“And now I’m out of milk,” sighed Octavia to no one in particular.

“Oh sweet Celestia what did you guys make me drink?” cried Twilight. “My mouth is on fire!”

Twilight hadn’t meant it literally, but none the less she suddenly belched fire similarly to Spike. Also like Spike, the fire was an unusual green color, but this fire didn’t dissipate. It swirled around in the air until it spelled out a message.

I HOPE YOU LEARNED YOUR LESSON PRINCESS, AND I HOPE TO SEE YOU SOON. SINCERELY, ARTEMIS

“Artemis what did he have to do with this?” questioned Twilight as she started casting spells to calm the inferno in her mouth.

“Well Artemis told us to give it to ya at 7:30 to get ya to wake up,” answered Applejack relieved to see Twilight was awake and alive.

“What? When did he talk to you?” asked Twilight confused.

“Shortly after you started searching for him,” responded Rarity. “You started doing river stomp, and then he started talking to us through you. He told us to get the ingredients and give it to you or you would stay asleep forever, are you alright Twilight?”

“Yeah I’m fine now,” said Twilight irritably as she watched Vinyl, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie laugh at her together.

“The hot sauce drink is a classic,” laughed Pinkie Pie.

“I know, right?” gasped Vinyl in between laughs.

“Glad you two enjoyed it, but we’ve got to move girls,” said Twilight suddenly as she remembered where Artemis was before. “Artemis was already at the castle before he put me asleep. We have to get there and talk to Princess Luna, but unfortunately it might be too late already.”

Before Twilight had even finished explaining she was already preparing the teleportation spell to take them back to the castle, and as they started to teleport out she swore she heard a voice.

“Wait what about my skylight?” cried Octavia as there was a flash of light, leaving her and Vinyl alone. “Ugh remind me never to have royal company over again, all they do is take your bed, break your things, and drink all of your milk.”

“Don’t worry I got it,” snickered Vinyl as she used a spell to fix the glass skylight. “Later I can help you retake your bed, but for now grab your coat; it’s not too late to get some milk.”

“Wait Vinyl, didn’t you hear them? Artemis is at the castle, what if he has a problem with one of the princesses? Shouldn’t we find out what’s going on and go help stop him?”

“Yeah I heard them, and what if he does have a problem with the Princesses? We would just stop him from working through his issues, and it wouldn’t be good for anyone for him to hold on to all that anger. Nah, I can feel what he is feeling and I trust Artemis resolve this on his own,” reasoned Vinyl as she wrapped a scarf around her neck. “Besides we will find out what happened afterwards, now let’s go grab some milk.”

Octavia was stunned at her marefriend’s sudden maturity and reasoning, but she figured that Vinyl was probably right. It would be better for Artemis to work through his anger instead of letting it build till it exploded, and only Celestia knew what would happen when it did.

“Alright then let’s go, I hope you are right about this.”

“So do I,” thought Vinyl as they stepped out into the cold night.

7:35pm, 11th of Viglyd, 6 Days After the Tirek Incident – Canterlot Castle Throne Room

As soon as the spell finished they found themselves in the castle throne room.

“How did we get in here? I thought you couldn’t teleport directly into the castle, Twilight?” asked Rarity.

“Well you aren’t supposed to be able to, but I kind of brute forced my way through,” answered Twilight quickly. “All teleportation inside the castle is supposed to be regulated by Celestia’s High Mage Spiral, but we don’t have time to wait for his permission. He is probably going to appear and scold me any moment, but priorities.”

As Twilight expected, there was sudden flash of light and an older navy blue stallion was standing before them. His mane was grey, but he carried himself with a posture that said he was a distinguished but impulsive scientist. Though he seemed like the type who would be willing to experiment on any and everything he could get his hooves on, and now he appeared to be annoyed.

“Twilight what have I told you about bypassing security protocols? I was in the middle of observation which was bad enough with Celestia assigning me those block-headed guards, and now I have to come here and deal with you.”

Twilight opened her mouth to apologize but was cut off by Applejack’s hoof.

“You would dare chastise a princess?” started Rarity feigned shock hoping to get this stallion to back down. “Just who do you think you are?”

“I am Spiral Destiny, I am Princess Celestia’s highest court mage, a descendent of Starswirl the Bearded, and my purpose in existence is to get to the center of the multiverse’s mysteries,” he answered with a booming practiced pride.

“He is also my grandpa,” interrupted Twilight. “We don’t have time for this, grandpa where is Princess Luna? Wait I’m descended from Starswirl the bearded?”

“Did I never tell you? Well I learned not too long ago that a few thousand years ag-,”

“Yeah yeah, history lesson later, Luna now,” interrupted Rainbow Dash. “Where is she?”

“You should value history, those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it, sometimes over and over and over,” Spiral said cryptically as he looked sadly at Twilight.

“She has a point grandpa; we need to speak to Princess Luna immediately.”

“What is the emergency? Don’t even try to say nothing is wrong, I’ve seen that look on your face before every exam in your life. You are in full panic mode, what’s the matter Twi-Twi?” said Spiral as he examined Twilight and her friends shifting nervously.

“As much as I want to, I’m not allowed to say. Can you please just tell us where Princess Luna is?”

“She is paranoid some long gone wolf king has returned to attack Celestia or something,” answered Spike suddenly surprising everyone in the room.

“Spike!” shouted the entire group

“What? I never made any promise to the Princess, and did you think I wouldn’t figure it out by the way you have been acting all day? You even had me helping you search the library.”

“Oh I'm so used to having you with me, I honestly didn’t think about it,” blushed Twilight sheepishly. “But no this will work, we can have Spike get Luna’s attention.”

While she was talking to Spike, Twilight hadn’t noticed her grandpa suddenly grow pale.

“Twi-Twilight, are you sure about that? ABSOLUTELY POSITIVE?” stressed Spiral as he started to sweat.

“Yeah, I accidentally entered his mind and talked to him.”

“YOU DID WHAT!? You are lucky to be alive, do you have any idea how dangerous he is? If history is to be believed he slaughtered countless creatures for far lesser crimes, that he spared you is nothing short of a miracle.”

After taking a few moments to pace and take a few deep breaths, Spiral’s color and calm returned to him.

“Twilight that was incredibly reckless and you know that’s quite the statement from me. I don’t know what you parents would’ve done if something had happened to you, but for whatever reason he decided to spare you. If the Wolf King has returned and you think he is after Celestia we need to alert Princess Luna immediately. Only their combined might has a chance of beating him, heck if you can get Discord too that would be ideal. There are very few things that could stand up to the might of the three of them working together.”

“No. Princess Celestia didn’t want to risk anypony other that herself, we can’t get the guard involved she said it would be pointless anyway. Discord isn’t always the most useful, and I don’t want to give him another opportunity to betray us after Tirek. We do need Luna though, where is she?”

“That sounds like Princess Celestia alright. Well no offense Twilight, but I hope you are wrong about the return of the Wolf King. The wolves may have been great allies in the past, but if he has returned there will be war, most likely with the Griffons. Somepony will pay for the fall of the wolves, and they will pay with oceans of blood,” continued Spiral cryptically. “Princess Luna should be in the dining hall with Princess Celestia, I’m coming with you though in case you are right.”

As he said that all eight of them disappeared in a flash of light.

7:40pm, 11th of Viglyd, 6 Days After the Tirek Incident – Canterlot Castle Dining Hall

They reappeared in an elegant dining room with golden chairs, utensils and walls, but oddly none of the food on the table had been touched. The extravagant room was decorated large stained glass windows of the moon and sun, and looking through one of the windows was the Princess of the Night herself. Without turning around she greeted her sudden guests.

“Hello Princess Twilight and friends, maybe you would like to join me for dinner? It would seem I have been stood up.”

“Buck me,” cursed Spiral out loud.

“Princess Luna, Princess Celestia needs you immediately,” said Spike hurriedly.

“What’s so important that she left me here without any form of notice?” said Luna as she thought to herself. “Especially after saying how much she just wanted us to have some sister time.”

“Your highness, Twilight believes that the Wolf King has returned and is attacking Celestia as we speak.”

Suddenly the room felt colder, as if all the light stopped giving off heat. The shadows deepened as they seemed to stretch slightly towards the princess. They all stood perfectly still as they watched Princess Luna’s expression grow grim.

“That is a bold accusation, Twilight. I sincerely hope you aren’t trying to dishonor the memory of my fallen friend, but I pray that you are wrong,” Luna said with an edge that none of them had heard in the normally kind princess’s voice.

Without sparing a second, Princess Luna teleported the entire group in a flash of light.

7:40pm, 11th of Viglyd, 6 Days After the Tirek Incident – Outside Celestia’s Room

As soon as they arrived Luna started to panic as they all ran for the door.

“Something is wrong; I should be able to hear something in her room, her clock, Philomena, Celestia’s breathing, but I can’t hear anything,” stressed Luna as she approached the guards. “Stand aside, have you noticed anything unusual?”

“Kind of your highness, Princess Celestia was supposed to be going in for just a quick shower before she went to dinner. We heard her enter the shower and we heard her exit, but she never came out. Room has been silent since”

“You didn’t go in and check on her!?”

“No Princess. It’s one of your rules, nopony enters a Princess’s room without direct permission of that Princess, the only exception is for other Princesses. We just thought she might have fallen asleep.”

Luna only shook her head and made a mental note to make more exceptions to that rule after this was settled. She raised her hoof to open the door, and she hesitated. She wanted more than anything for Artemis to be alive and well, but she hoped Twilight was wrong about him attacking her sister. She wasn’t sure she could handle what was on the other side of the door, but she knew either way she would be in tears. If he was alive there would be so many questions and so much happiness, but if he wasn’t she knew would be spending another week crying to herself. Before she could completely lose her nerve she felt a hoof press against hers, as she saw Twilight looking at her sadly.

“I’m sorry,” said Twilight as she pushed open the door.

Author's Note:

Short update, and probably mildly disappointing. Sorry didn't want to cram everything into one big chapter, the next chapter is probably the last one for this story. Luckily the next week leaves me with a bot more free time than normal, so the last chapter should come within the week. I will be doing an epilogue, big thanks to everyone who has read so far.

As always let me know what you think, and if you see any typos i missed.