Chapter VI- Consequences
A/N: Hey everypony! Sorry it took so long, but I had to get into the character's heads and the holidays are stressful! I hoped everypony enjoyed them! As a gift, enjoy this lengthier chapter.
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Chapter VI: Consequences
Star Silver stood on the castle grounds waiting for the messenger he sent. According to the report, there was a zebra named Zecora who lived in the Everfree Forest. She has occasionally been seen in the company of Twilight Sparkle and her friends; she has also been reported to be well-versed in potion-brewing and alchemy. Star Silver decided to recruit her in the search for Twilight Sparkle.
He sent a messenger who was not only from Ponyville, but who had prior experience of the mysterious Everfree Forest to request for Ms. Zecora's assistance.
Meanwhile, Golden Star was checking up on some of the search parties. While they had not found traces of her, they found other interesting sights. One particular track was that of what could be gathered as a large crawling insect… like a caterpillar. Furthermore, they found traces of chitin, specifically the type found in changelings.
However, Golden Star remained steadfast in not jumping to conclusions.
He turned to see Star Silver walking to him. “The messenger should be here soon. I hope Zecora has a potion or serum that would allow us to track her down,” Star Silver said as he stood near his older brother.
“I believe so. Meanwhile, we wait for the rest of the Elements to recompose themselves as well as Princess Celestia,” Golden Star said before he noticed his brother getting a dreadful look.
“Hey bro… who’s going to tell Captain Shining about this?” Star Silver asked nervously. Golden Star let out a breath.
“Perhaps if we are lucky, this could be mended before Shining becomes aware. He is still recovering from the Changeling invasion… not to mention the rumors I have been hearing about Princess Cadance and her cutie mark…” Golden Star says after a moment of silence. The brothers await the messenger to return, mulling of what lies ahead.
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“…Pinkie Pie? Sugarcube, you all right?” Applejack asked as she and her fellow Earth pony went off in their own direction. Applejack was feeling, well, like a rotten apple. However, at this moment, she is more concerned about Pinkie Pie. The cotton candy mane had flatten and straightened and the rosy mare’s face uncharacteristically has a deep and remorseful frown.
Applejack knew however that everypony, including the Princess, were feeling down in the dumps about this realization.
Pinkie Pie seemed to not snap out of her trance however. This got Applejack even more concerned. As understandable as it was, Pinkie’s current mood was just too unsettling for the farmer pony.
Applejack tried to think of how to get Pinkie Pie to stop sulking. However, while both ponies were in thought, a guard was walking by, eating a banana. He aimed the peel at the nearby bin, but he missed.
Instead, it was in the path of Miss Applejack, who promptly slipped and fell on her face.
Smf..
Snicker….
Pinkie Pie began laughing and her mane went back to its cotton candy-like style as she laughed. Applejack laughed with her, feeling a burden being lifted and despite being slightly in pain, hearing Pinkie Pie’s laughter and the overall dreadful atmosphere cheerfully vanished by the laughter of the mares.
Eventually, all good things must come to an end and Pinkie Pie and Applejack stopped laughing. Pinkie Pie remained silent for a few minutes before hugging Applejack. “Thanks Applejack, I needed that,” she said. Applejack just hugged her fellow Earth pony back.
Maybe matters would go back to normal…
No…
They wouldn’t until they confronted this…
They can’t lie to themselves or pretend this didn’t happen…
“Pinkie Pie… when we were talkin’ about Twilight actin’… like how she was with her brother, what were ya thinking?” Applejack asked her. She recalled Rainbow Dash’s firm beliefs on her behavior as well as Rarity. While Applejack stated that all she needed was a stern talking-to, Fluttershy and Pinkie really didn’t say anything.
Pinkie Pie’s mane deflated slightly once more. Despite her discomfort on discussing the subject at hand, she picked up from Applejack’s expression that this issue will not go away and she needs to do this for Twilight.
“To be like you, Applejack…” Pinkie began before Applejack looked at her confused. Pinkie let out a slight giggle. “I mean honest, because you’re honest, so when I said ‘to be like you,’ I mean ‘to be honest,’” Pinkie elaborated, bringing a small smile to Applejack before Pinkie continued.
“Like I was saying, I didn’t know what to think. I did think Twilight was being silly, but then I remembered how I felt when Twilight didn’t believe me about Gilda. I did sound silly then so I really didn’t say anything because I didn’t know everything about it,” Pinkie Pie explained.
Applejack stood quiet for a moment. Pinkie Pie followed them with the rest, preoccupied with the wedding arrangements with everypony else. She wondered if Pinkie’s silence was because of her hindsight on the similarity of the situation though with reversed positions.
“…Applejack, I feel bad about all of this. We hurt Twilight. We all thought she was silly, but she was right. We were wrong, so we were the silly ones, and not the good silly,” Pinkie Pie stated, breaking Applejack from her stampede of thought.
Applejack felt lower than an earthworm’s tummy. “I reckon… I also feel pretty rotten. I keep thinking to how frantic she was and compared to all the times she helped me out… Twilight’s a smart cookie, even if she can act a bit nutty. She’s not the type to lie about this,” Applejack said as she tried to face her own guilt.
They all knew they all had a fault in this, even Twilight for her reaction. But they never apologized for it… Twilight made up for her mistake by saving everypony from the changelings.
Applejack always viewed herself as reliable and doing her best to help anypony who needed it… but it seems that she failed the one pony in her direst hour… one who was reliable to her no less…
“Where are we?” Pinkie Pie asked suddenly. The girls had been wandering the halls for awhile now. Applejack snapped out of her musings as they continued to look around. Pinkie Pie then lit a little bit.
“Oh, I know where we are! We’re at the wing of Starswirl the Bearded!” Pinkie Pie pointed out. Sure enough, ahead was the gate where the time spells were held among other powerful magicks.
“How do you reckon that, sugarcube?” Applejack asked Pinkie Pie. She didn’t know much about Starswirl besides him a powerful unicorn that Twilight respected. “I was here with Twilight and Spike when that big future-disaster thingy happened,” Pinkie Pie responded.
Applejack remembered that. They all trusted Twilight when it came to the safety of the town. Twilight’s hobby of making lists helped a lot during the Winter Wrap-Up and she showed it off again when they were looking over the town over anything that could have led to a disaster.
Despite it was Twilight acting all panicky about it, she had reason to be and despite the fixings not stopping the so-called disaster, it was still important and she managed to lead everypony through it. Compared to how she was at the wedding, it was pretty dang unusual of her. That usually meant it had to be something REALLY bad.
“It’s funny in a mean way, but we all trusted Twilight with the town when that big event happened, but we didn’t when it came to her. Twilight’s not a selfish pony and when she panics, she always has reason to be…: Applejack said.
“That’s not funny, Applejack,” Pinkie Pie stated as the girls moped for awhile. However, Pinkie Pie faced the wing and she got a smile. “We can’t be sad anymore though. We have to make things happy again. We’ll apologize to Twilight and then have a big ‘We’re sorry we didn’t believe you’ party and then a ‘Thanks for saving our flanks’ afterparty!” Pinkie Pie stated. She remembered how she helped out with Twilight coming in here. She wouldn’t give up until she was sure things were all right.
Pinkie Pie always kept on going to help out.
Applejack looked at the enthusiastic mare with her own smile. “You’re right Pinkie Pie. No more feelin’ sorry. It’s time to do something. When a pony messes up, ya gotta own up to the responsibility,” she said before Pinkie embraced her.
Applejack hugged back before they turned back to walk to the throne room.
“Integrity!” Pinkie Pie shouted suddenly. “Pardon?” Applejack asked her. “It’s the word of the day of the calendar Twilight gave me for my birthday. It means ‘self-respect.’ Now that I think about it, that fits you Applejack!” Pinkie Pie said as she trotted along happily.
“I guess it does,” Applejack said, learning a new word. “Ya don’t give up in trying to cheer ponies up, do ya? You have a lot of…” Applejack said as she struggled to remember the word. She once heard Uncle Orange use the word.
“..Perseverance? Yeah, that’s it!” Applejack said as she smiled back. “Thanks! I don’t know what perseverance could rhyme with, but I could find something with integrity!” Pinkie Pie said as she giggled as the mares headed back to the throne room.
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Twilight woke up as she noticed the storm seems to have paused for the time-being. She got up and looked up to see Anomaly also stirring. He rolled out of bed and began stretching while Twilight observed. She turned toward the window of their makeshift dwelling. The changelings had covered themselves in a slime to protect themselves from the rain.
“Looks like the rain is done,” Anomaly says before grabbing the changeling in the jar and stepped out into the plain. Twilight followed and looked at the stone dome. “Anomaly… we can’t stay in that little place,” Twilight said as she looked around.
Anomaly nodded. “You’re right, we need a permanent headquarters,” Anomaly said as he faced the sky. There was no choice. He needed to use a greater amount of the power given to him.
Which meant he would need to tell Twilight Sparkle the truth.
“Twilight… before I do this. I have to tell you the truth. About my powers…” Anomaly said as he was in the clear opening. Twilight Sparkle leaned her head forward slightly. The changelings were mostly asleep, but the one in the jar was also listening.
“I’m listening…” Twilight said, feeling anticipation and anxiety from the possible answer.
“It has to do with Discord…” Anomaly warned her as he waited for her reaction. Her expression went of shock to fury before she went and tackled him to the ground.
“ARE YOU DISCORD?!” she shouted at him as she clutched his head and gazed at him with righteous fury.
It all makes sense… The Changelings, how he knew this, his powers… Twilight told herself before recalling what Discord’s first words to them were.
What fun is there in making sense?
No…
Anomaly wasn’t Discord. There was no chaos rampant, Ponyville is safe and he really has not done anything…
And he had a very offended look on his face at the notion of being said Spirit.
Twilight realized she jumped to conclusions too fast and didn’t give him the opportunity to explain himself. She blushed as she got off of him and mumbled an apology.
“…No. I know him however. He is the reason I am here, however,” he said as he sat down. Twilight sat down next to him.
“My kind, we call ourselves human. We are part of the primate family and yet, we are quite different than most ving primates. I guess you can picture us as minotaurs, minus the bovine traits,” Anomaly begins as he looked at the cloudy sky.
“I’m from a different world entirely. One where magic is either dormant, inaccessible or a myth. In my world, nature takes care of itself, much like the Everfree Forst,” Anomaly says as he waited for Twilight to ask any questions.
Twilight smiled for the first time in a while. She observed him with a look of intrigue and fascination as she studied him. He was from a whole new world?! The fact there could be no magic also made things more fascinating.
Her smile became giddy as her mind raced with the possibilities for this entire new branch of research. Twilight was so caught up in her fantasies that she remained unaware of Anomaly’s stare at her.
Anomaly sighed before summoning a bucket of water and splashing it onto her, causing her to shriek before giving him a glare. Anomaly sheepishly smiled before drying her off.
Twilight’s glare vanished as she decided to research him later. However, she never heard of humans. How did Discord know?
Discord was arguably the oldest surviving being in Equestria. The only known ponies to have still lived during his reign were the princesses. Then again, Twilight wondered if he ruled only the area or also the entire world.
“How did Discord know?” Twilight asked Anomaly. He shrugged his shoulders before facing the plains. “I don’t know. All I know is that he dragged me here to take his place,” Anomaly said. “I don't have the slightest understanding of how magic here works. With Discord's magic, I just seem to let it flow...” Anomaly added before he sighed and rubbed his temples. This lack of knowing worried him. Then again, it seemed like many matters were worrying him. He seem to be becoming more and more adjusted to the magic, but he feared the true might of this unique magic.
“…You’re not Discord," Twilight said, breaking him from his anxiety. He turned toward her.
"Discord wouldn't care about anypony he hurts or the consequences of his actions. He just uses his powers to treat all of Equestria like his personal playground. You care about others. You're not like Discord. So... don't worry so much," Twilight told him while giving him an awkward smile.
Anomaly looked at her before smiling back and facing the plain and waved his arm and let his imagination take over for the creation of the new base. He seem to realize something about Discord's magic. You don't fight it. You let it flow. You go with the flow, take it in and redirect it. He took a breath as he let himself go of fear.
Twilight examined the extraordinary construction of their new home with awe. She never saw Discord really do much, reality simply seem to go to pieces as his wish. Anomaly is content to let his creations have a beautiful birth.
She saw all sorts of cogs, flanges, springs, sprockets and overall gears form from the earth below. They swarmed together like bees to form all sorts of simple contraptions that grew larger and larger as they combined with additional and more complicated parts. Anomaly was glowing with a big smile on his face as he moved his hands like a conductor orchestrating his symphony of steel.
Speaking of, large plates of steel appeared as if woven like cloth and began covering the complicated innards. Within seconds, a massive clockwork half-sphere, the bottom half, was formed. Anomaly’s smile indicated he wasn’t done yet. By a mere wave of his hand, stone and metals flowed like putty toward the flat top and began being molded and shaped. The gears continued to flow toward the stone structure as they turned from large lumps to towering and complicated castile-like structure.
With each passing second, the monumental clockwork castle became more finished as wooden structures also formed. As the floating structure’s details were finalize, Anomaly snapped his fingers and large trees sprout out like wildfire. Thick, almighty and everlasting, they grow to four certain openings of the underbelly of the stronghold.
The remained floating machinery parts then dropped to the floor before scattering like everlasting swarms of insects to the trees and buried themselves into the trees. As they did, the trees became less organic and more machine like as they stabilized and the finishing details of the palace was done.
Twilight could only stare in awe as the giant clockwork moving castle he had created for them. The changelings looked at Anomaly with reverence; Queen Chrysalis no longer mattered to them, once seeing the power of this being, he was their new leader.
“I present the Clockwork Castle!” Anomaly said to the flabbergasted audience. He snapped his fingers and castle’s legs lowered down as a staircase unfolded itself. Up close to where they could walk to it, Twilight saw the palace in more detail. Easily rivaling the palace of the princesses, it could fit in the Duke of Crawlington with ease. Anomaly carrying the changeling in the jar while Twilight followed and so did the Duke, carrying all the others.
Once inside, the stairway retreated and the castle leaped into the air. Twilight, near a window, examined the action. When the castle was in the air, the legs folded under the dome before large wings unfolded from the sides of the castle along with propellers and proceeded to lead the castle into flight.
Twilight's head was buzzing with thoughts from the recent relevations she learned. While she would normally spend the next few hours attempting research, she simply felt too mentally exhausted and needed to absorb everything. Sensing her fatigue, Anomaly led her to her room. When she opened it, she couldn't help but show him a smile of appreciation; the room was done in a library style. Having her bed along with table, writing supples and such, there were also numerous books for her to read. She went to the bed and fell asleep. Anomaly looked at the changeling in the jar before seeing the Earl drop the net and heading to his designated area.
“I think I will call you Iaiunus… it means hunger in a famous dead language from my world…” Anomaly says to the newly christened Iaiunus. “Though when I’m done with you and your friends, you’ll want to change your name,” Anomaly said as he entered a massive laboratory.
He placed Iaiunus out of his jar and let him fly for a bit. “All right. Before I can get to work, I need to warm-up…” he says before placing his instructions to Iaiunus on what to retrieve.
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“Rarity… you okay?”
Rarity snapped out of her stupor by the sound of Spike’s voice. While Rarity normally threw dramatic anguishes over misfortunes, she was surprisingly silent during this unfolding. Out of character for her and Spike knew it, hence his further concern for her.
Spike himself is feeling very somber. Two of the most important girls in his life were in deep trouble, with Rarity reeling from the possible cause for Twilight’s disappearance as well as Twilight herself being gone.
“NO! Of course not!” Rarity said out loud before she covered her mouth in mild horror. Spike’s sudden flinch followed by his sadder expression caused her to pause. She then gave Spike a quick hug. She did not mean to upset Spike, yet she had because she placed her own feelings before his.
Just like she and everypony else placed the priorities of the party before Twilight’s feelings.
This was not the first time she placed her own feelings above those of her friends. She recalled when she visited Canterlot and befriended Fancypants. She began making essential business connections and showed those other uppity ponies that she was like them and she was even invited to Canterlot Garden Party. She chose her business connections and the party over her beloved friends and Twilight’s birthday party. Despite that, Twilight showed no hard feelings and even understood the importance of the connections.
This made Rarity all the more ill when she thought about it.
The dress…
The plain yellow dress that was Twilight’s gift… it suited her better than any of her original plans. Her original plans were ornate, even gaudy. That wasn’t Twilight.
She is practical, simple and comfortable, much like the dress.
The lavish dress plans was not created out of the gift for Twilight, but out of her need to prove a point to the upper class.
That was just her errors however. What about the ones they all committed toward her? Surely, the ‘Smartypants’ incident was one that they still think about from time to time. Then again, they were still recovering from…
Rarity shivered at the time they said never to speak of again before turning toward Spike, realizing she had been neglecting her little Spikey-Wikey.
Spike’s concern is just as important as hers and perhaps even greater because of their closeness. Therefore, Spike would seem to be in more pain over his transactions.
“Sorry about that, Spike. No… I am not okay and I take neither of you, dearie,” Rarity answered to him as they continued walking throughout the palace. Spike simply sighed before nodding.
Spike felt bad. He left Twilight, even if he wasn’t sure of what had been happening. Unlike the others, he knew Princess Cadence, if only offhandedly. However, he wasn’t there to observe the fake behavior. To be honest, he felt more or less out of the loop for the whole wedding.
Despite this, he let Twilight down. She is more than a friend, she is his sister. When she needed him and the others, he abandoned her like the others. He could not help but recall the incident he had when Twilight acquired her new owl assistant.
He felt like his purpose was robbed, that she would no longer need him and kick him out. It is his nightmare, his greatest fear. Would she kick him out when she came back? Or rather… will she come back?
“Spike, where are we?” Rarity asked Spike, snapping him from his musings. Apparently, they wandered out of the actual palace and into the gardens. Specifically, near the palace labyrinth. Spike saw Rarity shivered and he instantly looked around to see what could be causing her discomfort.
His eyes laid rest on a lonely looking pedestal as he tried to remember what once stood in the pillar.
Not a ‘what..’
But a ‘who’
Discord, the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony
Spike recalled encountering the draconequus only once and that was with Twilight’s insistence he take Rainbow Dash’s place as the Element of Loyalty. Thinking back, it may have worked… after all, he was still loyal to the other ponies. He remembered being frightened, however he escaped the cruel trickery that was incurred on his beloved Rarity, Twilight and the rest of his friends.
“…It’s funny. I once told my friends that we should never speak of this again…” Rarity pointed out with a brief chuckle.
“Rarity…” Spike muttered as he eyed her with concern.
“However, I never told that to you Spikey-Wikey, so I can talk to it about you,” Rarity added before she took a breath.
“Well, from what I want to talk about right now, I remember seeing this big rock as a big beautiful diamond named… Tom,” Rarity said as Spike listened.
“What bothered me wasn’t just that I saw that big rock as a diamond… but that I considered a diamond more important than my friends. I’m supposed to be the Element of Generosity, but I am so… selfish all the time,” Rarity confessed before hugging Spike for support.
Spike stood in shock before hugging Rarity back.
“You are the Element of Generosity, Rarity. I mean, it’s like you said, you’re selfish… but, BUT,” Spike emphasized upon seeing Rarity’s raised eyebrow.
“You don’t let that stop you. You overcome that burden and be one of the nicest ponies I know,” Spike told her before Rarity gave a tearful Spike.
“Oh Spike…,” Rarity could only say before giving another hug. “You know… you don’t have to hide it. You’re hurting more, but you’re putting on a brave face for everypony,” Rarity said as Spike blushed
“Mare’s intuition, darling,” Rarity replied as she waited for Spike to speak. Spike sighed as he looked down. “Twilight’s like my sister and I always been with her. I do my best to not let her down… but I let her down big time,” Spike confessed.
“Oh Spike, you made a mistake we all did, now its time we make up for it and send all the apologies to Twilight Sparkle,” Rarity said as she remembered Twilight’s words. “It’s like she said, ‘Friendship isn’t easy, but it’s worth fighting for,’” she described with confidence. Spike smiled as he gazed admiringly at the mare who held his heart before nodding with a determined look in his eye.
As they trotted back to the palace, Spike was thinking of something. “You know Rarity, one thing I admire about you is that you are so forbearing,” Spike told her. “What’s that, Spikey-Wikey?” she asked him curiously.
“It means patient, moderate and in self-control,” Spike defined before sighing. “Twilight made me read the dictionary as punishment for something,” he said sheepishly before Rarity blushed.
“Thank you, but I am not that. I am such a… drama queen,” Rarity confessed as she blushed. “Yeah, but you always hold yourself up and know when to stop a fight,” Spike added, causing Rarity to smile again.
“You know Spike, Twilight should appreciate a more trustworthy gentledragon like yourself,” she said with a giggle as they walked toward the palace.
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“You’ve returned, messenger,” Golden Star said to the pony.
“Yes. Zecora is coming over. She claims to have a potion that when activated with a charm, will allow us to see different types of magic. We will be able to find Twilight Sparkle through her magic signature,” the messenger, nicknamed Grankuwaga, replied.
“Thanks, Grankuwaga!” Star Silver said before the messenger smiled and went off. Golden Star looked at his brother.
“He likes the nickname,” Star Silver answered as he shrugged his shoulders.
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yay
Interesting...a moving castle....be sure to write the next one as soon as possible,I'm highly interested in this.
WRITE MOAAAAAAR YOU USELESS SLAVE NO LIFE FOR YOU UNTIL YOU MAKE MOAAAAAR
D is planning to make his own army? Also, did he mention that his magic is also corrupting his thoughts, or he is waiting for the right moment to tell that to Twilight? You know, don't overcharge the poor mare with to much information
Thanks XD
Tho I always find my user name to always be out of place when used in stories just because of how it pronounce
If anyone wonders where the name came from see this Link
So the changeling chose him for their new leader? Cool
Also the only clockwork castle I know is the castle of Nox
1859860 Well, she is aware the magic is doing something to him, but she did tell him that he controls the flow of the magic.
1860781
But what does that MEAN?! What about the primordial forces of creation? There has to be more to it than that.
Why am I thinking of the Flood from Halo?
Is Clockwork Castle supposed to look like this:
1.bp.blogspot.com/_sy3UEYGx4HI/TAa3tr_-idI/AAAAAAAAAvc/ngWGoi7_mNA/s1600/howls.jpg