Princess Twilight Sparkle and the Fortress of Egress

by kudzuhaiku

Chapter 9

The door was already dissolving. Twilight watched it as it became something less than nothing, and was thankful that Celestia carried a shortcut home. It had been quite a thrill to make magic together with her mentor, to be trusted with something of such importance. This, this felt more like equality than the snark and derision experienced in the Fortress of Egress. To know, to share such knowledge, it was rich and rewarding like nothing else.

Home at last, Twilight took a much needed deep breath and took a moment to collect herself. Moon Rose was bright again, vivid, her overly saturated colours had returned. Twilight could see that the young filly was eager to be home, and soon, very soon, she would be whisked off to be returned to her parents in Canterlot. Hazy Breeze and Soprano Summers would be ecstatic to have their precious daughter returned to them.

Celestia… looked tired. Her proud neck bent in an odd way that Twilight had not seen and her wings sagged against her sides. She moved slowly, but not gracefully. Even her mane and tail seemed sluggish, and hardly moved, offering only the bare minimum of beautiful flowiness. Twilight knew that Celestia would recover; she would go home and her many caretakers would pamper her, seeing to her every need.

“Moon Rose…” Celestia’s weary voice lacked its usual resolve. “I need to know who took you. This ordeal is not over. I need to find out who did this to you so I can send Kommissar Dim and the Wardens to apprehend them… if they can be found here, in this plane, that is.”

The filly shook her head from side to side. “Nopony took me.”

Celestia’s confusion and fatigue caused her princessly voice to crack. “What?”

“Nopony took me,” the filly said again.

With her hammer orbiting overhead, Celestia bent her neck so that she could look tiny Moon Rose right in the eye. Her helmet opened up, revealing a enervated, exhausted face in dire need of rest and relaxation. There was a deep rumble and the creak of metal as Celestia drew in a deep breath, and the sound of Dim’s unpleasant coughing filled the room.

“I was dreaming,” Moon Rose said, offering an explanation without being told to do so. “My dream magic, I don’t understand how it works, so I was playing with it. I found a door. The door was locked, or maybe it just didn’t want to open. Dreams are like that sometimes. So I made it open and I got sucked though. Slurped!”

The filly made a fantastically slurptastic sound to add emphasis.

“And Luna will still do nothing to teach you,” Celestia muttered whilst rubbing her muzzle with her wing.

“I was in a weird scary place. The magic was all wrong. Nothing felt right. I couldn’t go back through the door, because it vanished. So I tried to remember the lessons about lucid dreaming in school, and I thought really, really hard about a door, and not just any door, but a door that would take me to a safe place with no monsters to gobble my bottom.”

“And so you went to where we found you?” asked Twilight.

Moon Rose nodded.

Twilight found herself thinking of Celestia’s defenses. Things could egress, it seemed. Sunset Shimmer had left through the mirror, and Moon Rose had accidently exited through a door in the dream realm—but getting back in was almost impossible, at least for Moon Rose. Twilight was too tired to tell which direction her thoughts were going. Changes were needed, Twilight felt, but how or what was unknown at the moment.

“The door vanishing was my fault.” Celestia lifted Moon Rose from off of the floor and brought her up to eye-level. “I suppose I should have put more thought into that. When I created these defenses, I did not anticipate magic evolving in the way it has, changing, with magic diversifying the way it has.”

“It all goes back to Sumac’s Hypothesis.” Twilight too, looked into Moon Rose’s eyes, but had to look up to do so. “More ponies adapting to draw upon dream magic and other sources of magic as the available, ambient magic thins out from overuse and overdraw. You, Moon Rose, you’re really very special. I’m not sure any of us understand just how powerful you are, because by regular unicorn standards, you’re rather weak.”

“Changes will have to be made,” Celestia said as she turned to look down at her former student. “Twilight, Luna and I will need your help. Changes are long past due. Your insight and foresight is needed.”

“I’d be honoured,” Twilight replied.

“Getting Twilight into the dream realm will be tricky.” Dim stopped coughing long enough to make an interjection. “To enter as a dreamer is one thing, but to have power there—”

“We’ll find a way, Dim.” Celestia’s eyes glanced over at Dim, and then returned to Twilight. “Yet again, Twilight, you are trusted with more power as your rule extends from Equestria and into the dream realm. We shall have to come up with a clever title.”

Though Celestia’s words were silly, they were spoken with great solemnity.

“We need to find some way to make Luna do the right thing,” said Shining Armor. “This only further highlights the importance of getting Moon Rose the specialised education she needs.”

“Why won’t Princess Luna help me?” Moon Rose squirmed, wiggled in Celestia’s magic, perhaps tickled by the tingle, or uncomfortable by what she had asked.

“It’s complicated,” replied Celestia, who now gave the filly her full attention. “I want to tell you, Moon Rose, but doing so would be a betrayal of my sister’s trust. Do you understand?”

Wearing a profound frown, the filly nodded and then said, “I wanna go home.”

“Home it is then.” Speaking these words, Celestia vanished, taking Moon Rose, Dim, and Shining Armor with her.

Twilight was left standing all alone.

---

With her brother gone, Twilight struggled to get out of her armor. It was slippery, resistant to psychic emanations such as telekinesis. Yet, somehow, Celestia was able to grab it without difficulty, and somehow, Luna had forged it. Twilight wondered how, and she was curious if perhaps some other magic was involved, something strange and unfamiliar.

She needed somepony with fingers.

“Spike!”

Almost as if by magic, he appeared at the sound of his name. Poking his head through the door, he looked up at her with intense, curious, thoughtful eyes. His left claws were stained with ink. She was glad to see him, she was. Spike meant normalcy. He meant the adventure was over, and that she could finally let down her guard a bit. Just looking at him filled her with relief—and a profound sense of love that she had trouble putting into words.

“You’re back already,” he said.

“I know, I was gone forever! Feels good to be home, Spike.”

“You just left a minute ago,” he replied, shrugging. “I guess some weird stuff happened.”

“Can you help me, Spike? I’m stuck in this armor.” She offered him her best sheepish grin, and she saw him smile in return. When he waggled his claws, she found herself laughing, and it was a relief like no other. “I missed you, Spike. I kinda had an awful time. Now I’m kinda frazzled.”

“I’ll fix tea,” he offered, helpful as ever.

Twilight thought about his offer as he crossed the room, and when he drew near, she said, “No, Spike… we’ll fix tea together. And something to eat. I need the home routine—”

“You need a bath.” Waving his claws, the baby dragon tried to shoo away the stink.

With gentle mischievousness, Twilight wrapped her wings around Spike and gave him a hug. He squirmed, but could not escape. Spike was warm, like a tea kettle left off the burner for a few minutes, but he had cool places, like his frills. She could feel that reassuring warmth against her cheek, which she rubbed against him.

“You’re stinkier than Rainbow Dash after a workout.” Then, after a moment, he added, “I’m glad you’re safe. Every time you go away without me, I worry.”

“I’m sorry, Spike.”

“Sorry for smelling bad, or leaving?” he asked.

“I battled a demilich,” she said, changing the subject, refusing to think about how she might smell.

“Discord, Shining Armor, Big Mac, and I, we’ve battled a demilich.”

“Well, I fought a real one. Made some impressive saving throws, I think. Shiny’s shields are really getting powerful, let me tell you.”

Reaching around, Spike undid the clasps on her helmet, then the secret, hidden catches, and the helmet sprang into four pieces, which then fell to the floor with a terrific clattering. With her ears freed from their prison, Twilight gave them an enthusiastic wiggle-waggle and tried to shake her sweat-plastered mane away from her face.

It had been annoying her for hours.

“After some tea, and maybe a quick shower, do you want to go out for hayburgers?” she asked.

Spike hesitated to respond while he struggled with the heavy gorget around her neck. He pulled, tugged, and there was a clang as the gorget popped open. It was super-pinchy, and Twilight was grateful that it was off. Spike dropped it on the floor, where it clunked against the pieces of her full-face helmet.

“Are you gonna order one of everything off of the menu?” he asked. “It’s kinda embarrassing. The stares, Twilight. The stares. Ponies talk, Twilight.”

“Bah, let them talk.” Twilight laughed away the self-conscious sensation that crept up on her. “We could try that new place that just opened—”

“Pita Pan? The place that promises that you’ll stay young forever with their healthy menu? I dunno, Twilight, the tzatziki sauce—”

“What about it, Spike?”

“Twilight, ponies have to live in this castle with you,” he replied in a flat deadpan.

That deserved an epic eyeroll, and she gave it freely, without reservation.

“We could go to Wonton Destruction,” he suggested. “Spicy food—”

“That’s in Canterlot, along with a flock of paparazzi. I don’t want the annoyance.”

Spike appeared crestfallen, but it lasted for only a moment, as he held up one clawed finger and said, “Basic Kneads Pizza Parlour!” The baby dragon’s eyes darted to and fro in a devious, mischievous manner. “All you can eat pizza.”

“Say, that’s not a bad idea,” Twilight replied. “The Nosh Pit, they have an all you can eat bar too, but ponies are kinda aggressive and shove-y there. The food is so good it causes stampedes.”

Spike rubbed his chin, thoughtful.

“Marequis de Salade?”

“Twilight, you complain that you can’t get full on Fancy food. Plus, pimples—”

“Spike, the less said about those, the better.”

“Just Falafs has the all you can eat falafel bar, plus standup. I think Pinkie Pie is performing tonight—”

“Spike, get ready to eat falafels! We’re going out tonight!”

Author's Note:

The end.

Comments

[Spectrumancer]

Spike-Twilight interactions are always nice.

Also, Moon Rose's magic lets her summon creatures and fall between worlds.
Kid's a Planeswalker, I'm telling you.

[kudzuhaiku]

9459553
It is the same talent, really.

She's just opening doors to bring creatures from the dream realm into the waking world.

[xonxt]

9459553
it is. I almost forgot Spike even exists in this Universe.

All in all a very interesting addition to the 'verse! Had fun reading it.

[Dlaf rferg]

it isz a very interest, yaes. glad 2 reed.

[Stahlseele]

oh gods the puns have returned in force. and they brought backup . .

[Ytak]

9459758
Do puns make you have a pita party? Do you need wish they would leave you in peas and hominy?

[djthomp]

Luna needs to get over whatever issue she has that is causing her to refuse to teach Moon Rose. It's too dangerous leaving her untaught.

Spike always comes through.

[Autumn Colors Fall]

This was alternatingly adorable and horrifying. I thoroughly enjoyed this entry, a great mix of expanding lore, interesting character interactions, and humor.

[CommanderBigMac]

Story. Story good
Much thanks good story

[WanderingPony]

9460311

Luna might not, but I hear there's this other lady who does much the same someplace else Moon Rose has been.

Someone blessed little Moon in earnest by her name, even. Such things can bring notice to the gifted.

[Mr Swanky Hat]

“Just Falafs has the all you can eat falafel bar, plus standup. I think Pinkie Pie is performing tonight—”

“Spike, get ready to eat falafels! We’re going out tonight!”

Should have led with that spike