In the Eye of the Storm

by SPark

Chapter Two

In the Eye of the Storm
by SPark

Chapter Two

"What in the Havens were you thinking?" Gwena was in full rant mode, which Elspeth had never actually seen. It was a little bit harder to chew somebody out via mindspeech. You couldn't be so melodramatic. But now she had a voice and she was using it to full effect. "Or did you even think at all?! Choosing a princess..."

"Has been done," cut in Dale, his voice mild. "Or a prince, at least."

"Prince Daren was at least human! Heralds have always been human!"

"Right now," said Dale, still mildly, "two of them are not. And Valdemar has plenty of non-human allies of late. It was only a matter of time until a non-human was Chosen."

"But you can't just bring her back to Haven! She's... she's... she's a blue horse, for all the gods' sake!"

"Gwena!" Elspeth broke in sharply. "You're frightening her."

Luna had practically flattened herself to the floor, her ears were down, and she had put her wings over her head. Twilight had backed away from them, and was staring, wide-eyed. And a little reptilian creature, something like a hertasi but shorter and bright purple, stood staring as well at the top of the stairs, no doubt drawn by all the commotion.

"Sorry," said Gwena, abashed. "I shouldn't have shouted. But..."

:Gwena,: warned Elspeth. :Don't.:

:But we can't just let this happen!:

:And what do you suggest we do about it? Dale has Chosen. A Companion Chooses as he would, nobody had a right to stop him.:

:We can separate them right now, so they don't bond...:

:No. You are not Roland. I am not the Queen. We have no authority, and no right.:

:But Elspeth! This Luna can't possibly...:

:We know nothing at all about her. For all I know she'll be the best Herald there's ever been. And think on this, if the strangeness of a 'blue horse' worries you. We changed into ponies on coming here. What's to say that she won't change to a human if she comes back with us? In any case I wouldn't think that you of all people would suffer from species prejudice.:

:I'm sorry.: Gwena sounded genuinely chastened. "I'm sorry," she said again out loud. "Luna... I didn't mean to insult you. I just... nobody like you has ever been Chosen before."

"Can somepony explain this 'Chosen' business?" said Twilight Sparkle, sounding a bit cross.

"I'll try," said Elspeth. "Where we're from there are special people called Heralds. Heralds are... well, they're people who are fundamentally good. Honest, loyal, kind, generous, all that sort of thing. They're the hand of the Queen, being where she can't be, helping her people all over the kingdom. And the Companions are the ones who choose them. Companions are special too. They're not just ordinary, uh, ponies." Elspeth didn't feel like explaining humans or horses just then. "They're always white, but that's the least of it. They have a number of abilities, including the gift to be able to choose those who are worthy of being Heralds."

"What happens when someone is chosen?" The quiet voice was Luna, who had gotten to her feet and stood now next to Dale, who was obviously trying to hover protectively over her.

Elspeth sighed. "Normally their Companion takes them to Haven to be trained. But in your case..." She shook her head. "I really don't know. For one thing we don't know if we can reach our world at all, let alone take you to Haven. And if you're a princess I'm sure you have duties you can't simply abandon."

"I don't know. My sister..." Luna trailed off, looking confused. Dale nuzzled her. She leaned into it unthinkingly, taking comfort from him, then let out a little eep and stepped away, blushing.

Elspeth smiled. Luna was obviously very young."In any case we'll no doubt have plenty of time to sort it out while I figure out if we can get home. Twilight said you know something about magic?"

"Oh yes." Luna smiled. "I haven't, uhm, I haven't used my full powers in a long time. But I know more about magic than anypony except my sister. Why don't you tell me about the spell you used to come here?" Her voice had grown more brisk, and her uncertainty faded as she moved into familiar territory.

Elspeth nodded and started to explain about gates, and the mage storms, and her experiment and how it had gone wrong, leaving them here. "The thing that worries me the most," she concluded, "Is that I can't sense magic at all. My mage sight has always been very good, but I can't see anything."

"Mage sight? So in your world magic can only be seen by mages?"

"Yes..."

"Hmm." Luna considered this. "Well, let's try something. You can see this, yes?" Her horn suddenly began to glow.

Elspeth blinked. "Yes."

A book next to the blue pony glowed as well, and rose into the air. "And you can obviously see that."

"Yes."

"Can you sense anything?"

"I..." Espeth had been about to say no, but she did feel something, a faint, strange tingling on her forehead. "Yes, actually."

"You feel it in your horn do you not?"

"I think so... yes."

"You think so? Have you never felt magic with your horn before?"

Elspeth shook her head. "I didn't have a horn before I came here. We were all changed, but Skif and I especially, when we came through the gate. We used to be humans."

"Humans." Luna looked intrigued. "There have never been humans here, though my sister has mentioned them to me a few times. Very strange creatures. So you weren't ponies at all then. It must be very peculiar to have your whole form changed. When I got my wings it took me months to get used to having them."

"It is kind of weird." She concentrated on the tingle in her horn again. "So the horn is what you use to cast magic?"

"Yes. Why not try it? Levitation, as I'm doing," the book bobbed in the air for emphasis, "is one of the simplest spells. It requires nothing more than will."

Elspeth nodded. Her will was very well trained by now. She should be able to do this.

"Focus on your horn. Feel the power in it. Reach through it and lift the book. And be sure to picture it lifting slowly, don't simply apply upward force, or you might put it through the roof if you've any real strength."

Elspeth nodded again and did as directed. The tingle in her horn grew to a kind of warmth. She projected that warmth out of the horn, just as she had learned to project when she first learned magic. The book lifted gently from the table and hovered. Elspeth grinned broadly and resisted the urge to shout. She'd done it!

Luna giggled. "Very good! Though it's a long way from simple levitation to portal spells, I'm afraid."

Elspeth's face fell. "How long are we talking?"

"It depends on your talent. Months. Years. Possibly never."

"Could you cast the spell for me then?"

Luna shook her head. "I don't know where you're from. The caster's will affects the destination. I can't will a portal to somewhere I haven't been."

"I was afraid of that." Elspeth sighed. "My mother is going to be mad with worry."

Luna giggled again. "Not necessarily. Portals across the worlds let you play games with time, a bit."

Elspeth's eyes widened. "With time?"

"Yes. You can't disrupt causality, of course. Though I've heard some rumors... but never mind. I'll try to explain. Causes happen before effects, right? If I throw a rock at a window, the glass breaks after the throw happens. You can't mess with that, you can't put the glass breaking before the thrown stone. So ordinarily when you make a portal, you can't come out the other side before you went in, that would make the effect come before the cause. So no making portals to the past. Theoretically there's nothing stopping you from making a portal to the future, but once you went through you couldn't go back, because then it would be the past.

"But when you travel between dimensions it's different!" Luna was talking faster now, obviously very interested in her subject matter. Skif looked a bit dazed. So did the Companions, and the little reptile who was now descending the stairs. But Elspeth and Twilight were both listening in fascination. "The ripples of causality don't spread between the worlds, so if you go through a portal here, there's nothing to stop you from coming out a portal in the past there. As far as your universe is concerned the 'cause' happened when you took the portal that brought you here. The 'effect', that is you returning via another portal, could happen any time after that. So you could spend years here and still return there the very day you left, if you wanted."

"I see!" said Elspeth. "Thank the Havens then. That means I can study for as long as it takes, and if I pull it off Mother will never even know I've been gone."

Luna gave her a conspiratorial grin. "Yes! You picked up levitation so fast though. It's possible you'll master the portal spell quite quickly."

"I don't know, Luna," broke in Twilight. "I picked up levitation quickly too, but I've had a lot of trouble with portals."

"You were learning from books, Twilight. With me here to teach you, I suspect you'll learn a bit better. Books are good, but they're no substitute for real experience. That is..." Luna suddenly looked shy and hesitant again, all her confidence gone in an instant. "That is if you don't mind my staying here for a while."

"Mind! I would be honored! I told you last night that I really enjoyed your company. You're the first pony I've ever met who knows more about astronomy than I do! You can stay as long as you like. Although..." she looked at the others. "We're going to have to do something with the rest of you. You can't possibly all stay in the Library, I only have one spare bed."

"Hello everypony!" The voice that broke in from the doorway was ridiculously cheerful. Elspeth turned to see the brilliant pink pony that had dashed away earlier standing there. "Ohmygosh you're here! That's super-duper-double-awesome! I can give you your invitations!" The pink pony reached into a saddlebag strapped to her side and pulled out an envelope. She held it out to Elspeth in her teeth. Elspeth took it somewhat awkwardly the same way, thinking as she did that passing very small objects to another pony would be indistinguishable from kissing. She wondered for a moment how she would open it, then she remembered the magic lesson she'd just had. Carefully she focused through her horn and delicately lifted the envelope, opened it, and removed the card within.

You are invited to
a party in honor of
YOU!
At Sugarcube Corner
Tonight, at 6:00

Elspeth stared at it. "A party?"

"Yes! I just love parties, don't you just love parties? Parties are the best, best, bestest thing ever! My favorite thing in all the world is to throw parties and when I saw you all, five whole ponies that I've never ever seen anywhere ever I just knew that you were new in town and that I needed to throw you a welcome party!" The pink pony had started bouncing up and down excitedly again. Then she let out a joyful squeal. "Eeeeeeeeeee! Princess Luna! Ohwow! I should throw you a party too! Will you be here tomorrow? Or should I throw you one tonight? Or do you want to join the other ponies? No, you should have your very own party! Ooo! I should throw five parties so every new pony can have their own party! Six parties I mean!"

"Pinkie Pie." Twilight's voice was amused but firm. "I think just one party is plenty for now. We all love your parties, but having six right in a row would tire everyone out. You can throw one for everypony tonight, and then throw some more over the next few weeks. All these ponies will be staying in Ponyville for at least that long."

"That's a great idea Twilight! You always have the bestest ideas! That's just what I'll do!"

"Pinkie! Before you go, can you do us a favor?"

"You bet I can!"

"Thank you." Twilight smiled warmly. "These five new ponies don't have anywhere to stay yet. You know every pony in town. Is there anyone who could put them up?"

"Well..." Pinkie Pie looked thoughtful. "Did you know they're finally building a hotel? They are! But it's not done yet, it won't be done for months. But wait, I know! Mr. and Mrs. Oak! They had a house down in town just because Acorn, he's their son you know, was an earth pony and couldn't fly but he's gone off to study at Canterlot now and so they moved back up into a pegasus house, but they didn't want to sell the house in town because he's going to come back in between terms and they told me just yesterday that they were looking for somebody to house-sit and it's just perfect, you can all stay there!" It actually took a moment for Elspeth to comprehend Pinkie Pie's story, since she delivered it all in one rushed, enthusiastic sentence.

"That does sound perfect!," said Twilight. "Why don't you take them to meet the Oaks and get them settled. They've had a long trip and would probably like a meal and a nap before the party too. You can take them to Daisy's and treat them to lunch on my account there. Meanwhile I think I'll pull out all my books on portals and go over them, so it's fresh in my mind."

"Okie Dokie Lokie!" said Pinkie Pie. "This way!"

As the others moved to follow the excitable pink pony, Dale quietly came up beside Elspeth. "I'd like to stay here until the party," he said with a nod towards Luna

"Of course," said Elspeth. "I'm sure somebody can show you to where it will be."

"Thank you."

Halfway down the path Elspeth looked back. Dale stood just outside the library's open door. He lifted a hoof and waved at her. Elspeth waved back, then turned and followed Skif, Cymry, and Gwena, who were all trailing after Pinkie Pie. Such a strange world, she thought as she walked through the town. So different, and yet in many ways so like how Valdemar was, before the war and the storms. I hope Valdemar can be this peaceful and serene again someday.

Twilight and Luna were both completely buried in books. In Twilight's case almost literally; so many were stacked around her that she could barely be seen. Dale had settled to the floor nearby and simply watched as the two ponies read and compared notes about portal spells. They discussed past cases when portals had reached other worlds, or when those from other worlds had come to Equestria. Such things were not entirely unheard of, though most of the tales were just that, tales, with no way of knowing if they were based in truth or were pure fiction. Then Luna remembered her sister saying that there was something familiar about the pulse of magic that had apparently been Elspeth's portal.

"Twilight, sort out the books on how to cast, so we can both brush up our technique before teaching Elspeth. And put aside a few of the magic teaching books too, for later. Bur right now we can set aside the books of tales, I have a better idea. I just need to send Celestia a letter. You send them all the time, how do you do it?"

"Spike does it. Celestia spelled his magical fire, so it can send things to her instead of burning them."

"Very clever of her! Let me write this then." Her horn glowed, and paper, quill, and ink flew to her. "Dearest sister, I have found the cause of the strange magic we sensed. It was a gate from another world opening and then closing. Five ponies have come through, though they say that two of them were not ponies but humans. They are something called 'Heralds.' Please tell me if you know anything more about humans, Heralds, or gate spells that I might use. One of them is a unicorn, who wishes to learn portal magic so that they can go home. Sincerely, Luna."

She floated the scroll over to the little dragon, who took it and breathed green flame on it. While they waited for a reply Luna sorted books. She hummed a little bit as she did so. She loved books. Books had been her closest friends during some very lonely years. If she'd had books on the moon... she sighed. If she'd had books on the moon she might have fought harder against her own dark side, and come back at least slightly more sane. Being alone on the moon hadn't been good for her. But she wasn't going to be alone like that ever again.

:You won't be alone at all ever again,: said that quiet voice in her head.

Her head came up and she looked around. Dale was smiling at her. She stared at him. He nodded. :Yes, this is me. I am using what we call 'mindspeech'. You have enough of the gift to hear me. And I can hear you if you think at me. Or if you think something very emotional, strong emotion tends to make people broadcast.:

:I... I see: Luna tried to direct the thought at Dale. He smiled.

:You're a fast learner.:

:What do you mean that I won't be alone ever again?:

:I'll be here. Always. That's part of what a Companion is. We are always with our Heralds. Even if they separate us, our minds will still be together. I will never leave you. I can never leave you.:

Luna felt tears gathering in her eyes. She could feel, as well as hear, what Dale was thinking, and his thoughts were so full of support, affection, even love, that it seemed somehow unreal. She was Nightmare Moon, who'd nearly destroyed the world. How could anybody love her?

:I don't know anything about Nightmare Moon, but I know you. That is another part of what a Companion is. We are gifted to Choose those who are worthy. We do not Choose wrongly.:

:But I'm so... so weak. I let hatred control me. I hurt people. And now I'm too afraid to take up my power again. How can I be worthy of anything?:

:You have weaknesses. All people do. But you are good at your core. I know it. I know you.:

Luna shook her head. Suddenly Spike make a strange burping sound and spit out a scroll. Luna hurried over to pick it up, feeling both regretful and grateful for the distraction. She was not comfortable with being told she was good. It felt like a lie. Nightmare Moon was evil. Nightmare Moon was her. She was evil. She was trying, she didn't want to be evil, but she knew she was evil, deep down in darkest parts of her mind. But now she could sense Dale in those same dark places, and his quiet approval was wonderful, and completely unnerving at the same time.

She read the scroll out loud. "My dearest sister, your letter jarred my memory, and I can now recall where I felt such strange power before. It was another Herald, like the ones you have met. He came here while experimenting with portal magic. He was accompanied by a Companion, a very strange white earth pony. His name was Vanyel, and she was Yfandes. They were both very driven by duty, and returned to their home not long after they came. Vaneyl was a unicorn also, though he had been human before. He successfully learned the portal spell in only a few weeks' time, though I suspect that is largely because he did little else but study while he was here. Hopefully that is what you wanted to know. I enclose a few notes on what I remember of inter-dimensional portals, though they are very similar to those a unicorn might use to travel long distances with friends. Best of luck in aiding your new friends. With love, Celestia."

New friends, thought Luna. Are the Heralds my friends? Maybe they are. They seem nice...

"Did she say Vanyel?" asked Dale.

"Yes."

"Vanyel," he repeated, sounding startled. Strangely Luna realized that she could faintly sense his surprise, there in the dark depths of her mind.

"You know him?"

"I know of him. He was before my time. Seven hundred years before my time, if I'm recalling my calendar correctly. He was the most famous Herald-mage ever. There are stories and songs about him. But none of them mention any place like this."

"I bet he did what Elspeth is planning to do with time, and returned seconds after he left. If he didn't seem to have been gone sharing a tale about traveling elsewhere would seem a lie, or madness."

Dale nodded. "True." He paused, then added, "I know that time here and time in my world aren't necessarily related but, uh, your sister..."

"Could easily have met him seven hundred years ago," said Luna. "We're old." Dale shivered as he sensed a deep, profound sorrow fill her. "We're very old. Some days I think I know why the sun and moon grew tired of looking down on the world."

"I'm sorry," whispered Dale, not knowing what else to say. He projected his love at Luna, the unconditional love that a Companion had for the one he'd Chosen. He'd seen all of her soul. He knew very little about her, but he knew her all the same, and he didn't want her to be sad.

Twilight sparkle coughed delicately. "If we want to be ready for the party we should eat, and groom a bit."

"Yes, of course," said Luna.

The library proved to have a small kitchen attached to it, and Twilight seemed delighted to be able to serve her guests lunch. She assembled alfalfa sandwiches, garnishing them with blossoms, with an apple each for dessert. "I'd offer you something sweeter, but there will be enough sweets at Pinkie Pie's party to make you sick." Twilight smiled.

"I like apples," said Dale simply, and Luna smiled.

"Me too."

Luna and Twilight brushed their manes. Dale got his brushed by Luna, since he couldn't hold the brush. Luna told him that earth ponies could grip things, but obviously there was some trick to it he wasn't catching on to.

Their appearance set in order, the trio of ponies, with Spike riding on Twilight's back, set out for the party. Neither Dale nor Luna knew what to expect. Dale had been to parties of sorts, Heralds often included their Companions in their celebrations, and the unpartnered were welcome at such events. Luna hadn't been to a party in a thousand years, unless the dull, formal balls that somebody in Equestria seemed to think that Canterlot needed to hold regularly counted.

Pinkie Pie's party was a riot of color and sound. Dale and Luna both gazed around at bright streamers, tables laden with equally bright food, and other, more peculiar decorations placed everywhere. Dale recognized these objects as the same things pictured on the pink pony's flank. He lifted a hoof and prodded one of them curiously. "That's a balloon," said Luna. She grinned. "You should have seen me the first time I encountered one. Don't poke it too hard."

"Why not?" asked Dale.

"Because this!" shouted Pinkie Pie gleefully, and pounced on one, pinning it under her hooves. It popped with a bang, making Dale shy and snort. Luna giggled, and Pinkie Pie laughed hysterically.

A number of other ponies were present, though Dale saw no sign of Elspeth, Skif, or his fellow Companions as yet. He went over to a punch bowl and, watching the other ponies, figured out the trick of picking up a cup in his teeth and drinking. A blue unicorn ladled out the punch, using magic to float the ladle about. The punch tasted tart and fruity. He'd never drunk punch before, Companions lived on much the same fare as ordinary horses, albeit usually the very best of such. Alfalfa hay and hot mash had been his favorites, but either his tastes had changed in this somewhat changed form, or he should have been drinking fruit punch rather than water all along, for it was very good.

Cheerful, bouncy music filled the air, and after a moment searching for the musicians, Dale traced the sound to a peculiar contraption. Luna had apparently reached the same destination, for he found her staring at it in fascination. A flat black disk circled around, with an arm over it, and a sort of cone was attached to that, from which the music emerged.

"What is it?" asked Dale.

Luna shrugged. "I'm not sure. I haven't seen one before. I'm still learning things. I... I was gone for a long time, you see. The world changed a lot while I was gone."

He sensed her unwillingness to talk just then, so he didn't ask.

"Yay, you're all here!" shouted Pinkie Pie. She put a brightly colored object in her mouth and blew on it. It made a loud noise as it unrolled into a long tube and then rolled up again. Luna giggled. Elspeth, who'd just stepped into the room, took a step back in surprise.

"Well don't just stand there like a silly-willy-filly! Come in! Have a cupcake!"

Elspeth smiled a bit uncertainly and entered, with the others following behind her.

"I think I want a cupcake too," said Luna. "I love cupcakes. Twilight told me Pinkie Pie's are the best in Equestria."

She trotted over to a table laden with baked goods and floated a cupcake into the air. She bit into it. "Mmmmmmm. That is good."

Dale grinned. "You have frosting on your lip."

Luna giggled and licked it off. "I wonder if Pinke would give me the recipe?"

"Nah," said a blue pegasus pony hovering in the air nearby. "She never shares it with anypony. Says there's some 'secret ingredient'" the pegasus made quotation mark gestures in the air, "and she won't tell anybody what it is. But they really are good, aren't they?" She landed and picked up one in her teeth, tossing her head back and eating the entire thing, crumbs spraying everywhere.

Dale cautiously sampled one, and found it amazingly delicious, if much sweeter than anything he was used to. Companions were not habitual cake eaters, to say the least.

Skif came over and sampled a cupcake. "Hi Dale. Hi Luna. Hi pony I don't know." Skif, ever adaptable, had already started to pick up the local vernacular. He substituted "pony" for "person" as comfortably as if he'd always been around ponies.

"I'm Rainbow Dash," said the blue pegasus. "The fastest flier in all Equestria!"

"Skif. Nice to meet such a famous pony." He grinned at Rainbow Dash.

"I see creampuffs!" said Luna with sudden enthusiasm. "Dale, come try one!"

Dale waved a hoof at Skif, who waved back and continued chatting with Dash.

By the time Dale reached the table where these "creampuffs" were sitting Luna had eaten half a dozen of the round confections. She looked not the last bit embarrassed by her excess either. Dale chuckled as he sensed her gleeful, hedonistic pleasure in the taste. "Try one!" she said.

Dale picked up a cream puff in his teeth. He tipped his head back and bit into it. I've died and gone to the Havens. It was quite possibly the best thing he'd ever eaten.

"Like it?" asked Luna with a grin.

Dale just reached out and ate another one.

Comments

[Boss_Hoss1]

This could get..."interesting"
I wonder when some bright spark among the visitors will remember that, barring accident or murder, Companions live and die at the same time as their Chosen. I suspect Dale will be standing strong at her side a thousand years from now...
Cant wait to see if they are Lifebonded too!...

[Solana Vin Neighpal]

"Nah," said a blue pegasus pony hovering in the air nearby. "She never shares it with anypony. Says there's some 'secret ingredient'" the pegasus made quotation mark gestures in the air, "and she won't tell anybody what it is. But they really are good, aren't they?" She landed and picked up one in her teeth, tossing her head back and eating the entire thing, crumbs spraying everywhere.

Well all know that the secret ingredient is pony. Cats out of the bag, Pinkamina.

[Rikki]

---

Luna was obviously very young

Well, not counting a few thousand years

---