• Published 22nd Aug 2012
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II - adcoon



Can Rainbow Dash fight destiny, or will she and her friends have to give up the Magic of Friendship?

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II.21 - Clock is Ticking

The cliffs and towers of Canterlot rose up on the horizon as the chariot emerged through the sea of clouds. Dash looked up from the two mysterious notes they had found in the book she bought for Twilight. The golden roofs of the castle gleamed in the early dawn, and Dash watched as a large flock of birds rounded the highest tower and disappeared against the northern sky.

“Did the princess seem a little …” Dash trailed off and gazed distantly at the sky. “Far off?”

Twilight was silent, resting her head in a hoof as she read through her own notes.

“Twilight?”

Dash didn't have to be a mind reader to see that Twilight's mind was elsewhere, her eyes blankly gazing at the pages without really processing the words. Perhaps it was contagious, because everypony seemed to be living in their own little bubble this morning.

“Twi?”

Twilight stirred and lifted her head off her hoof but didn't take her eyes off the notes. “Huh?”

“Everything alright?”

Twilight shook her mane and blinked as if to shake off the night and its sleep. “I just have a lot on my mind,” she said and turned a few pages without any real purpose or spirit. “It will help once we get to Canterlot. The archives should have what I need.”

Dash wrapped a wing around Twilight's shoulders and nuzzled her cheek. “You'll beat the stuffing out of this problem, I bet,” she grinned, hoping to cheer up Twilight. “I know you'll find a way to fix this.”

“Yeah …” Twilight gazed at the papers for several seconds, then lay them down and turned to Dash with a weak smile that didn't quite seem to reach her eyes. “Anyway, did you say something before?”

Dash wasn't sure the response was encouraging. She decided to leave it be and looked ahead as the chariot rode through the sea of white. “Yeah, did the princess seem a little distant this morning?”

“I didn't notice,” Twilight admitted. Dash wasn't surprised. Twilight had had her head elsewhere since last night. It was a wonder she had slept at all or been able to eat breakfast without being spoon fed. “I'm sure she's just a little on edge about your double showing up and the dragon king's arrival tonight. If that doesn't go well, then there's not much hope for peace.”

“Yeah, I know,” Dash said and gazed up at the towers of Canterlot. “Only, none of that ever seems to rattle her. Haven't you noticed? I swear that pony has a gut full of ice.”

Twilight leaned against Dash and watched the sky drift by. She said nothing, but Dash could see she was thinking too. About what, Dash couldn't tell. After a while, Dash returned to staring at the two notes and the map.

***

Twilight thanked the guard and trotted through the door to the archive's Starswirl the Bearded section. “Just give me …” Twilight paused awkwardly. “I need a while,” she said finally and gave Dash an apologetic look before trotting down one of the aisles in search of reading material.

Dash followed inside and looked around the main room of the section, with the glass dome and giant hour glass in the middle. She had never been in the Canterlot Archives before. The air was dry and smelled of old paper, not unlike the library back in Ponyville, but much older. She found herself thinking it wasn't too bad. “Just tell me if you need any help.”

“Yes, um …” Twilight's voice came from somewhere in the back of the aisles. “I can't think of anything right now, dear. I'll let you know if anything comes to mind.”

Dear. Twilight had called her dear. Dash smiled a bit. She sat down with her back against the giant hourglass and turned the book in her hooves, wondering how long she had stared at those two notes or flipped through the pages of the book in search of some lost clue. She had what looked like a map, and a few letters which could be the initials of “Her Majesty Luna”.

But that wasn't an entirely proper and formal way to address the princess, was it? Still, it wasn't an entirely proper and formal document, so maybe it didn't matter.

Twilight returned with a pair of scrolls which she sat down on the floor next to Dash. She quickly disappeared back down another aisle.

Dash opened the book and idly flipped through its pages once more. “So what are you looking for in here?” she asked to break the silence and keep herself from yawning.

There was a pause as Twilight carefully lifted something heavy off one of the shelves. The book hit the floor with a soft thump. “Starswirl did a lot of research into the nature of time and space,” she said as she hauled the massive tome out into the main room. “I have studied some of this research before, but I need some of his notes for reference.”

“You call that 'notes'? It must weigh a ton.” Dash didn't look up, instead merely listening as Twilight trotted back among the shelves for even more material. The sound of the book hitting the floor had told her everything she needed to know about it.

Twilight pulled out another heavy book. “It's a … big and very complex topic,” she muttered. “I-I'm sorry, my mind is simply all over the place right now.”

“I'm sorry, Twi.” Dash looked up at the shelves. “Are you sure everything is alright?”

“Don't worry.” Twilight's voice came from elsewhere. “I'm fine. Just give me a little time.”

“If you're sure.” Dash yawned. She hadn't slept much tonight, and sitting in a library with nothing much to do made her eyes feel like lead. “I'll just take a nap, then, if that's alright with you.”

***

A book fell off the shelf as Dash's wing brushed against the bookcase. “Don't worry,” she whispered in Twilight's ear. “I believe in you,” she added before their lips met. A scroll tumbled off the bookcase as they pressed up against the corner together.

***

Dash blinked herself awake. “That dream again,” she thought with a longing sigh. The sight of the library's main room slowly came into focus where she sat in the shadow of the giant hourglass. She turned her head to the pile of books, scrolls and notes Twilight had assembled and been working hard at for … Dash had no idea how long. Judging by the sun shining down through the glass ceiling, it had been a few hours at least.

She looked around for Twilight and became aware of a quiet sound elsewhere among the shelves. Dash pushed herself back up and approached one of the aisles. Advancing silently, Dash poked her head around the corner and looked down along the rows of ancient books and scrolls. “Twilight, are you—”

Dash broke off and rushed down the aisle to where Twilight was sitting, with her back against a bookcase and her head in her hooves. “Twilight, what's wrong?” Dash sat down next to the unicorn, pulling her close and wrapping her wings around Twilight's back. “Come on, don't cry, Twilight.”

Twilight gave a quiet sob and rolled up in Dash's embrace. “I-I can't …”

“I'm here, Twi.” Dash rubbed Twilight's back and kissed her mane. “Just tell me what's wrong, alright?”

“I-I can't do it.” Twilight breathed, trying to hold back the tears that were flowing down her cheeks. “Eden is right, I … I can't do it.”

Dash felt a rush of anger well up at the mention of that name. She tensed. Why had she slept? Why hadn't she been awake to help Twilight? “That conniving little … was she here?! What lies did she tell you?!”

“No no …” Twilight sniffed. “I-I haven't seen her …”

“What is it then?” Dash relaxed a little again and pulled Twilight closer. “Just tell me, Twi. Take a deep breath and then tell me.”

A little hiccup escaped Twilight. “I know a way to end all this,” she said and tried to hold back another hiccup. “But I c-can't do it. Because … because I c-can't save you!” Twilight sobbed quietly, hugging Dash weakly. “I can't save you, Dash. Not … not unless we give up the Elements.” She sniffed. “I need to save you, Dash. I need to save you all. There's no other—”

“Shh …” Dash hushed her and pulled her up on shaking legs. She lay a hoof around Twilight's neck and leaned her head on her shoulder. “Just … shut up, Twi. You don't want to finish that thought.”

“B-but …”

“Shh …”

Dash slowly moved forwards, gently guiding Twilight to follow.

Twilight shuffled her hooves a bit before picking up the slow rhythm. With a little sniff, she rubbed her head against Dash's neck and followed her lead. In silence they danced among the shelves, moving to the sound of distant birds chirping in the sky above the castle.

Dash allowed herself to cry silently next to Twilight as they danced in the flickering sunlight from the window above. All she wanted right now was for this dance to last until she had dried herself of every tear, that she may never cry again.

***

A book fell off the shelf as Dash's wing brushed against the bookcase. “Don't worry,” she whispered in Twilight's ear. “I believe in you,” she added before their lips met. A scroll tumbled off the bookcase as they pressed up against the corner together.

Dash pushed the feeling of deja vu aside and pulled Twilight close, losing herself in the kiss and the heat of the moment.

***

“I can't do it.” Twilight sighed. “And I can't even tell you why or what it is. ”

Dash stared at the rows of books and scrolls surrounding them. Not a sound was heard except their own voices. “Because Eden might be watching?”

“That, and it might affect your future if I tell.” Twilight looked down at her hooves. “It's complicated.”

Dash was silent for a while. “I … I understand. Just tell me what you can.”

Twilight closed her eyes and sat up, taking a slow breath. “You remember when I traveled back in time to warn myself not to worry so much about the future?” Dash nodded. That had been a crazy week. “Well, everything points to you being future Rainbow Dash.”

For a week, Dash had been dealing with the knowledge that there were two of her. Of all the things she could have been told, this didn't seem terribly surprising. It almost seemed reasonable. “O-kay … that would explain why I remember stuff in my dreams that hasn't happened yet. But why don't I remember more?” Dash removed a hoof from around Twilight to rub her head a bit. “Did I really hit my head that bad? And why haven't I gone back yet, like your future self did?”

A look of pain filled Twilight's eyes. “It's … a loop.” She sat up a little more and paused. Dash knew the look of Twilight trying to search for simple words to explain something quite complex, while also leaving out sensitive details. “Future you become past you's breath or soul, causing the split back in the forest, and future you can only do this in the first place because … because the split happened. It is its own cause, just like my silly adventure. But now past you—and present you—go on to become future you, who then go back and become past you once more, completing the loop.”

“That's … bad, right?” Dash said with a sinking feeling in her stomach and the early beginnings of a headache.

“It is for you and your double … and for me,” Twilight looked down. “Because I love you and don't want to lose you.” Dash pulled her a little closer, and Twilight closed her eyes. “The moment you go back, you cease to have a future, there just won't be any you after that. And that leaves your double without a soul, so she will die. But it's what I—what will happen, if we don't want to give up the Elements instead.”

Dash stared ahead at the giant hourglass, watching the minutes fall through and disappear. Twilight was leaving out a lot, but Dash knew it was for good a reason. It was clear enough that Twilight was going to be the one who sent her back in time, even if the unicorn didn't say it. How else? Dash was no unicorn, and why else were they here in the archive with the time spells? Dash sank a bit. “And you're sure your plan would work?”

“If … If I am right about Eden, then yes.”

“And if you're not?”

Twilight shook her head. “I can't be. She's afraid, and she didn't know about the Elements. That tells me everything.” She sighed and held a hoof over her eyes. “It … it doesn't matter anyway, because I can't do it, Dash. I can't let you die just to save the rest of us. I could never do that.”

Dash lowered her eyes, staring at the floor and the scrolls and books scattered from their dance and brief passion. “Twilight … it's not just to save us, is it? It's for Equestria, and all of ponykind. It's for the Magic of Friendship. If we give that up, we'll lose so much more. Everypony will lose so much.”

Twilight said nothing. Tears were once again trickling down her cheeks.

“I … I trust you, Twilight,” she said and kissed her. “And I love you. I … I guess I'll die for you and the others too, when the time comes, if that's what I must. But I know I won't have to, because … because there's nothing you can't do, Twi!”

“Dash, I—”

Dash put a hoof to Twilight's lips and looked into her eyes. “I believe in you, Twilight. Don't say you can't, just do what you must.” She leaned in and kissed Twilight. “I know that you can do anything.”

Twilight closed her eyes and pressed her head against Dash's chest.

Dash sighed and held on to Twilight while staring blankly at a small scroll and book. The book had fallen and opened on a random page, with the scroll on top. Dash's brow furrowed and she straightened up a bit as something hit her. “Twi …”

Twilight looked up and wiped her eyes, looking at Dash and then following her eyes. “What?”

Dash stared, then scrambled back on her legs. “I think I know what those two notes mean,” she said and helped up Twilight. She hurried back to the main room and found the little book with the two notes still stuck between the pages. “It wasn't 'Her Majesty Luna'.”

Twilight watched as Dash flipped the book open on the last note and pointed a hoof at the first page. “The L means Left, as in the left page.” She paused a second, then pointed at the page number. “I bet it's the number, because …”

She flipped to where the first note was stuck. “HM isn't Her Majesty, but Hours and Minutes. Page 19 and 20, and …” She flipped back to the second note. “Left page here is page 107.”

Twilight gasped. “The tenth of July? But that's today!”

“Yeah, unless it's the seventh October, but I bet it ain't.”

“Tonight at seven the dragon king's retinue arrives ahead of their king … who will be there at half past seven for negotiations with princess Luna.” Twilight looked up at Dash. “Someone's planning something in between. Something is going to happen to the king's retinue!”

Dash scowled. “Yeah, just in time for the king to show up and see it, I bet! That's sure to break down the peace effort. But we have the notes, so whoever was meant to see the message didn't get it.”

“We can't take that chance, Dash.” Twilight quickly stuffed what she could into their saddlebags and levitated them onto their backs. “We have to warn the princesses! And … and I need to get the Elements from the vault!”

***

Celestia's eyes narrowed as she looked between them very carefully. Several royal guards did as well, brandishing weapons. “My sister warned me that the other Rainbow Dash might try to steal the Elements on this very day. I am sorry, but you must understand that I can not take any chances.”

“I understand, Princess.” Twilight held out a hoof and nodded for Dash to do the same.

The princess nodded at a unicorn standing behind her without letting her eyes off the two of them. “This will only take a moment. Again, I am sorry that it has come to these sorts of measures.”

“Don't sweat it, Princess,” Dash said and watched as the unicorn approached.

His horn glowed as he pulled a small knife out of a belt he was wearing and washed it carefully. Dash winced slightly and grit her teeth as he placed a small cut on her leg and gathered a few drops of deep red blood on the tip of the knife. He closed his eyes for a moment and a yellow flame of magic surrounded the blood briefly. “She's clear,” he said and turned to Twilight.

Celestia's eyes settled on her student as well, as the unicorn cleaned the knife and repeated the process. “Clear, your Highness,” he proclaimed after a while.

Celestia nodded. “I am terribly sorry. Your timing was most suspicious, and these are trying times already. We can not afford mistakes,” she said as she relaxed herself. The guards returned to merely stand at attention again.

Twilight watched as the unicorn wrapped their wounds for them, then set her hoof down carefully back on the floor. “I know, Princess. We are all doing our best, and we don't have much time.”

“Are you certain this is for the best, Twilight?” Celestia asked as she led them through the castle, followed by the guards. “The Elements are well protected within these walls, better than anywhere else I can imagine. What is it you need them for?”

“I can not say, for fear of being watched,” Twilight explained while looking down at her hooves. “I am very sorry, Princess. Just … please trust me. I have to end this, once and for all.”

Celestia stopped in front of the doors of the vault where the Elements were kept. “You are asking a lot at this time, and after thousands of years of this, it is hard to imagine how it could ever end,” she said with a pained look at Twilight. After a few seconds she smiled sadly. “But if anypony has earned my trust over the years, it is certainly you, my faithful student.”

Twilight smiled. “Thank you, Princess. I will not let you down. Besides, if everypony thinks the Elements are here, they may be safer in my saddlebags.”

“I shall endeavor not to let anypony know they are not here, then,” Celestia said as she lowered her horn. A bright glow lit up the room as Celestia unlocked the great doors and lifted the Elements off the pedestal, turning and holding out the box for Twilight. “Take the Elements, then, and do what must be done. If it brings peace, then you have my blessing.”

Twilight opened the box to make sure the Elements were within, then carefully placed it in her saddlebags beneath all the heavy books. “We have to hurry. There's not much—”

The grand bell of the castle's clock tower tolled six.

Twilight looked up. “—time.”

“Time is up, Twilight Sparkle!”

They all turned to the bright figure standing in the middle of the hall behind them. “Eden!” Celestia stepped forward, one wing shielding Twilight and Dash. Light golden heat radiated off her white coat and flames burned in her eyes. “You DARE show yourself within my halls?”

Dash held Twilight as they watched Celestia transform in front of them, from the calm and loving princess they knew to a burning and majestic figure of pure restrained wrath. Dash had never seen the princess react so fiercely.

“You DARE show yourself before me?” Celestia's voice thundered, low and menacing.

Eden looked past Celestia, straight at Twilight without the slightest acknowledgement of the princess. Her eyes were sad, but also hard. “From this moment, ponies are going to die or suffer and I can not help them. Innocent ponies, Twilight Sparkle. Ponies who love, ponies who are loved in return. Ponies you know and hold dear. Only war and despair will befall this land, and I can do nothing so long as you hold on to the Elements. Surrender the Elements now, or their suffering will be your doing.”

“I will not have you speak threats to Twilight or make demands within MY halls!” Celestia said, her voice highly restrained. “We will never give in to your demands!”

Eden fixed Celestia with a glare. “I am sure your student can speak perfectly well for herself. Or are you afraid she will not be blinded by your own old bitterness?” She looked back at Twilight. “Twilight? You do not have to listen to anypony, except your own heart. Is it really worth all this pain and suffering? Is it really worth it for ponies to suffer and die when they could live and be happy?”

Twilight looked down and closed her eyes. After a second she looked back up. “I don't care what you say, Eden. This magic belongs to the world, not you!”

Dash hugged Twilight. “You tell her, Twi!”

Eden looked down. “I shall weep for the suffering your choice will cause. I truly wish I could prevent it. I wish you may see it and change your mind,” she said, and with a sigh she was gone.