Twilight's journey

by Skarsnik

Chapter 6 - Day two

Day two:
She woke up early in the morning. She didn’t want to eat until she had some answers. I figured that it was something hard for her to do. She was obviously trying as hard as she could to not look at the food on the table. I brought her a mirror from the bathroom so she could see why she should eat and rest. It was not a great idea, but she admitted she needed to eat.
After she had finished eating, she laid on the couch, saying nothing and just watched Spike and me. She seemed lost in her thoughts and sometimes stopped to look at her own reflection. Then she said she was tired and fell asleep again.

“How... much time?” were the first words of the lavender alicorn when she woke up in the middle of the afternoon. Spike was not here, and Emerald was reading his tutoring book and taking notes this time.

“You slept for eight hours,” he said after checking the clock.

“How much time?” she repeated.

“Sorry. I don’t understand, Miss Sparkle.”

“Spike is... bigger than I remember, and I am… an alicorn, but I know I was a unicorn. So how much time?”

‘Can I lie to her?’ “You had a magical accident... ” Emerald bit his lips “twenty years ago.”

“Twenty years?! A magical accident?!” Twilight had gotten up from the couch and was on her four legs shaking. She looked at the stallion. “Where is the Princess? Where’s Spike? Who are you exactly? Are you a doctor?”

“No, I’m not a doctor, I am just a -”

“Not a doctor? Why is there no doctor? Is Spike a doctor now? Where is the Princess?”

‘I can’t even choose if is she just curious or panicked. How can I stop her? I don’t like doing this but...’ Emerald lighted his horn. It was a lighter version of the stunning spell that most royal guards learned. It was supposed to calm a pony by making him sleepy. Emerald felt an odd sensation and stopped his spellcasting. ‘I just can’t.’

Meanwhile, Twilight was still expressing her confusion. “Where is the Princess? Where is Spike?”

Twilight’s unstopping flow of questions had finally caught on Emerald’s nerves, and he shouted, “Everypony thinks you’re dead!”

“Where is...” The alicorn stopped dead mid-sentence.

‘Wait what did I just say?’ “I’m... sorry,” ‘please don’t cry.’

“Is that the truth?” asked the alicorn as she approached Emerald. There was a bit of anger in her voice.

“Um... ”

“Is that the truth?” Twilight repeated, now staring Emerald in the eyes.

Emerald couldn’t look into her purple eyes. He looked at the floor. “Yes...”

Twilight’s legs gave up, and she fell on the floor, her wings slightly open. Burying her head in her front hooves, she cried. “I am… dead?”

Emerald, still in his chair, just looked at the alicorn on the floor. “I am sorry, Miss Sparkle. I can’t imagine how you are feeling... I am sorry,” ‘Why is all I can do is watch her cry?’

Emerald stared at the crying alicorn for something that felt like an eternity for him. He was surprised to see that her color seemed more… colorful. Her mane which was still unattended felt more alive. But her fur had marks of tears, sweat, and... dust?

An idea came to the mind of the stallion. “Do you want to take a bath, Miss Sparkle?”

“Huh?” Twilight lifted her head to stare at Emerald.

“I can’t stop you from crying, neither do I have answers for you, but a bath can’t hurt.”

Twilight just nodded before standing up again, and she walked slowly to the bathroom.

Emerald opened the door for her and turned the two facets of the bathtub to make a lukewarm bath. He helped her enter the bathtub, but before leaving the bathroom he said, “If you need help just call me.”

Again, she answered with a simple nod. For the first five minutes, the bathroom remained silent, but after a while, Emerald could hear sounds of splashing water. Ten minutes later, the sound became louder.

“Stupid things!” the alicorn shouted, “Stupid!” then she stopped.

“Can you help me with... the wings?” Twilight’s voice reached the main room through the bathroom’s half-opened door. It was a small voice, and Emerald could hear the embarrassment in it.

When he entered the room, there was water on the floor and floating in the bath was a sponge and the soap. The alicorn had visibly managed to clean her legs and part of her fur. She was sitting in the bathtub, her wings unfolded and floating on the surface of the water. He noticed the annoying gaze she was giving at one of her wings.

‘Wow, they are really big,’ he thought.

“Ok, you will have to learn how to take care of them properly. I can only help you clean them so that they will feel less stiff.” Emerald took a small brush, completely unfolded her right wing with one hoof and started brushing the feathers with the other. “Please don’t move.”

“So everypony thinks I’m dead?” asked Twilight while watching Emerald take care of her wing.

Emerald stopped to watch Twilight’s face. Her expression was still downcast, but he could see a hint of curiosity in her eyes. “Yes.”

“Everypony?”

“I think only Princess Cadance, Princess Luna, Spike, and I know that you are alive.”

Twilight stood up in the bathtub and asked, “Why does Princess Celestia not know? And who is Princess Luna?”

Emerald sighed. The cleaning of her wing was a nice distraction to all this craziness. “I will answer your questions if you remain calm so I can finish cleaning your wings. Does that sound good to you?”

The alicorn’s head hung low, and her ears folded back to the back of her head. She muttered, “Sorry.” before getting back in a seated position in the bathtub. Emerald grabbed her wing again.

“You really don’t remember who Princess Luna is?”

“No.”

‘This is gonna be long.’ “I will give you the short version. Princess Luna is Princess Celestia’s sister. A thousand years ago, more or less, Princess Luna turned evil from jealousy over her sister, and Celestia banished her to the moon.” Emerald paused to grab the soap and the sponge and started cleaning her feathers. “Twenty-two years ago, she was freed from the moon -”

“Nightmare Moon, her name was Nightmare Moon…,” the alicorn muttered. “Wait, you said I had an accident twenty years ago, but why can’t I remember something so important that happened before that?”

‘Spike was right, she is smart.’ “You know how magical accidents can sometimes leave you confused?”

“Huh… yes.” The alicorn finished her sentence with a yawn.

“Tired already? Do you think I can finish before you fall asleep, or should I stop and help you get dry?”

“It’s...ok.”

“Ok, I will hurry, but I need to focus, so no more questions.” Emerald didn’t really need that much focus, but he didn’t want to have to get a sleeping mare out of the water and dry her. It was already kind of awkward for him to help a mare clean up. She looks younger than me, but she must be nearly twice my age.

Emerald finished cleaning both her wings and cleaned some spots on her back she hadn’t been able to reach. The alicorn seemed more relaxed but was fighting to stay awake. He helped her get out of the bathtub.

“I’m... sleepy.”

‘I don’t think I have time to dry her with towels, please don’t reject the spell this time.’ Emerald’s horn glowed bright, and he closed his eyes to concentrate. He was trying to put lot of strength into the spell while maintaining total control of the effect. He didn’t want to burn the alicorn, just dry her. This time he felt nothing to stop the casting. The alicorn giggled a little at the warm sensation on her body.

When she was dry, Emerald helped her get back on the couch to sleep, and he got back to his book.

She woke up after only one hour, which surprised Emerald. She opened her eyes and said, “I... didn’t thank you.”

“What for, Miss Sparkle?”

Twilight pointed a hoof at the bathroom. “For the bath.”

“It’s nothing. I know how most mares don’t like to stay filthy.”

“And I am sorry for almost falling asleep.”

Emerald got up from his chair before answering, “It’s alright. We already told you we would help you get better. And about that, are you hungry? You haven’t eaten since this morning.”

“Very, but you didn’t answer my second question”

Emerald was already filling a glass of water. ‘And I thought I was escaping that.’ “About Princess Celestia?”

“Yes.”

Emerald sighed. “I will tell you, but I want to be sure about some things first.”

“Why?”

“First, because I am not even sure of that myself, and I think Spike would be better at explaining that.”

Twilight took a seat at the table. “I don’t get it. Is the Princess all right?”

“Oh yes. Don’t worry about that. Can you think clearly if you are hungry?” ‘Last chance?’

“Yes, I am hungry, but don’t use that to avoid my question!” she stomped a hoof on the table.

‘Buck.’ “I am sorry. I shouldn’t. It’s just, it’s not easy to answer that one.”

The alicorn fell back into a less tense position on her seat. “Rah. Fine. I will eat. You are right. I am just getting mad.”

‘I don’t understand her, sometimes she acts like a filly, sometimes she sounds very mature.’ thought Emerald.

He grabbed an already prepared salad from the fridge. Spike and him had agreed it was more practical to have already prepared meals, since she woke up at random times. He served the salad on a plate, and like always, she ate directly from the plate.

“I think I didn’t ask, who are you? I mean I know your name. Lord Emerald Scroll?” Twilight asked between two bites.

Emerald sat back in front of the mare. “Just Emerald, only my father is a Lord. I am Spike’s assistant”

“What?!” Twilight said almost choking on her food, then she calmed herself. “Oh right. Twenty years,” she swallowed the food still in her mouth. “You know, he is - or was now - my assistant.”

The stallion took a sip of his own glass of water. “I thought he was your son.”

“My son?!” She paused with her ears pinned to the back of her head. “I don’t know. I always thought of him as my assistant.”

“Spike told me you hatched him, is that true?”

The alicorn paused to think and shook her head. “I am not sure. I know it’s true, but I can’t remember.”

Emerald didn’t want to press her and just said, looking at her empty glass, “I am sorry, do you want something else to drink? I bought some apple juice.”

“Yes, thank you. So, what is Spike doing now?”

“You will probably not believe this, but he’s a teacher. He teaches young unicorns magic.”

“What? But how? He’s a baby dragon. How can he teach magic?”

“I will let him explain that.” Emerald looked at her now empty plate. “Do you want more or some fruits?”

“Fruits.”

Emerald watched the alicorn eat the apple and pear he had given to her, waiting for her to finish.

After finishing the apple, she spoke again. “Thank you. So about Princess Celestia?”

“Do you remember Princess Cadance, and if so do you trust her?”

“Of course, I trust her. She was my foal-sitter and she’s a princess. Is she alright?”

“Don’t worry. She’s fine. More importantly, you don’t seem to remember anything about Princess Luna.”

“I am not sure. I think I met her.” Twilight panicked and nearly shouted, “But I don’t see what that has to do with Princess Celestia not knowing I am alive! We should warn her! Where is Spike? I need to send her a letter!”

‘Spike had told me it would be hard. Should I show her the letter?’ “Wait, it’s probably better if I show you something.” Emerald rushed in Spike’s room, opened the drawer with the letter, and brought it back. ‘I should have done this sooner.’

He levitated the scroll in front of the Twilight. “Spike received this letter after you came back two days ago.”

The alicorn’s gaze kept switching between the scroll and the stallion. “How did I come back? Where are we? Where was I?!”

Emerald tried to keep a friendly face despite his anxiety of talking to the alicorn. “Well, I understand you may have many questions, but can I finish answering one?”

“Where..?” The ears of Twilight folded back on her head. “Sorry.”

Emerald smiled and pointed at the scroll. “Can you read, or do you want me to read it to you?”

A frown formed on the alicorn face. “Of course, I can read.”

Emerald opened the scroll for her and she started to read. “Crystal Empire?” was her first question.

Emerald sighed, he felt like… Spike, trying to teach a lesson to excited foals asking tons of questions. Spike seemed to like it, but Emerald was a bit annoyed by that. And now he was annoyed seeing the same behavior in Twilight.

He tried to not shout, “Please, at least finish the letter before asking more questions!”

Seeing the anger on Emerald’s face, Twilight just nodded. She seemed scared at Emerald’s outburst. As she read the letter, her face grew more anxious. When it seemed like she reached the end, she slid off her chair to the floor and curled in a ball screaming, “Cadance! The Crystal Empire! Sombra! No!”

Emerald watched in horror as the alicorn screamed. Staring at her face, he could see true fear there. He couldn’t do anything, just stare. Then she closed her eyes and passed out. It was not a peaceful sleep like Emerald had seen over the past two days. Her breathing was too fast and her body wouldn’t stop shaking. She was grimacing, and beads of sweat rolled down her face.

“Miss Sparkle, please wake up!” Emerald shouted, but it resulted in nothing. “Please, wake up,” he tried again, shaking her a bit. He tried for two minutes, but she still didn’t wake up.

Emerald stayed for one hour with a blank expression on his face, just sitting on the couch watching the poor alicorn sleep on the floor. He barely noticed Spike enter the room.

“Twilight! Why is she sleeping on the floor?!”

“I am sorry, Spike,” he replied while avoiding Spike gaze.

“Sorry for what? Help me put her on my bed.” They both carried the alicorn to the drake’s room. Once she was on his bed, Spike started realizing her state.

“What… What happened?”

“It’s my fault. I gave her the letter. She just screamed, and then she felt unconscious. I am sorry.”

Spike put one of his claw on Emerald’s shoulder “Did… she says something?”

“She -” Emerald bit his lips, “- was screaming about the Crystal Empire and Sombra.”

Spike released the stallion and remained silent for a minute. Then he nudged the sleeping alicorn. “Please, Twilight wake up! Twilight, wake up, please...” Spike pleaded, as he started to cry.

He stopped after five minutes and went to the main room of the house. “Stupid Cadance! No, stupid me! I thought I had grown smarter than that, but Twilight has always been right. I’m still a baby dragon! Now that she’s back, I just messed up. I am an idiot! An idiot!”

Emerald joined Spike in the living room and looked at Spike with teary eyes. “It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have let her see the letter.”

Spike was blaming himself while shouting, “No, I told you it was ok to do it, and Cadance told me it was ok. It’s all my fault.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Understand what? Oh yeah, you don’t understand, you probably imagine she was always brave when she saved Equestria with her friends.”

He pointed a claw at the stallion. “I told you we saved the Crystal Empire, but you have no idea what happened that day. Oh sure, it was an happy ending, nopony was hurt, and Sombra was defeated. I was so naive, going with Twilight, just the both of us facing the unknown, quite an adventure!”

Spike moved closer to Emerald and looked him in the eyes, “But you know what I saw? I saw Twilight afraid, first by a stupid trap of Sombra, but she overcame it, and that was nothing compared to when she gave me the crystal heart.”

He took a breath before saying “I feel stupid, thinking that she would only remember the happy moments she had… in her life.

“I made her remember the only time I saw her afraid to lose her life… or me.” With these words, Spike started crying. He headed back to his room and renewed his attempts at waking up the alicorn. “Please Twilight wake up, I don’t want to lose you again.”

Comments

[Cross Lament]

Ooof, bad memory to dredge up in her state. Poor Twi.