//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 // Story: Not another Twilight Alicorn story. // by Squeaky Toy //------------------------------// Twilight Sparkle and Spike enjoyed a rare quiet late afternoon relaxing in the huge tree that was both the Ponyville town library and their home. It was a strange tree, hollow and yet still alive, with a cheerful little balcony from the second level upon which the two friends were relaxing with cool drinks at hoof and claw, enjoying a light summer breeze . “This is the life!” sighed the little purple dragon lazily, shifting a little beach umbrella to one side of his sarsaparilla as he took another sip. “You’re right Spike, this is nice.” The lavender unicorn held her matching drink in the light purple glow of her magical telekinesis field. “We got the library shelves resorted, helped Fluttershy wrangle those rampaging racoons ripping off rhodadendrons down by the river, and our latest friendship report is complete and ready to send off to the princesses! All finished early for a change!” She smiled proudly at her number one assistant. “Being able to sit back once in a while is a good reward for a job well do--” The light glow surrounding the floating drink suddenly shorted out, and the glass shattered on the balcony floor as gravity reasserted its rights with a vengeance. “Aughhh! “ Spike fell out of his chair in surprise. “Why’d you do that Twilight?”. It was then that he noticed his unicorn sister wasn’t moving, her eyes crossed confusedly as she stared at her horn. Spike could feel his spines starting to buzz from a surge of energy in the air around them. “Twi? What’s going on?” Before she could answer, her horn started jetting sparks loudly, then she yelped as her eyes glowed brilliantly with a sudden outpouring of arcane power, so brilliant it appeared pink instead of lavender when Spike could bear to look at it at all. When he did he noticed Twilight was levitating several feet straight above her chair. The baby dragon scrambled to grab at her hooves before she floated away, but just as suddenly as it appeared, the strange phenomenon vanished and Twilight collapsed back down onto her chair. “Twilight!” In the majestic throne room of Canterlot Castle, perched elegantly on the mountainside gazing far and wide over the bountiful lands of Equestria, court was still in session and the monarch was on her throne. Princess Celestia, goddess of the sun, fair and beloved ruler of all her little ponies, was desperately wishing she was anywhere or anyone else as the droning grey noble before her sincerely stretched her benevolence with his incessant babbling. It had started off as a short hour-long primer on the benefits of a proposed aquaduct that would tap the fresh mountain springs and travel through the noble quarter of the city before gracing the lower orders, and then the whole mess devolved into some kind of diatribe urging a tax on scruffiness or something. Celestia wasn’t sure if the picture of a leaky faucet emblazoned on the pony’s flank was related to his affinity for water or for his ability to dribble on with absolute rubbish. At some point in the presentation she’d stopped recognising the sound of his voice, and watched the hypnotic grey movement of his poufy grey moustache instead. When her hoof slipped off the throne breaking the fugue state she’d unwittingly been lulled into, she was able to catch herself almost instantly and reapply the graceful knowing smile she usually bestowed upon petitioners. Somehow the noble took this sudden movement as encouragement and redoubled his efforts, or at least his words. Celestia wouldn’t be able to disguise the yawns for very much longer. Fortunately, the solar princess was provided a timely distraction as her horn registered a huge influx of magical energy. Well, not timely; why not two hours ago? Those are eons I’ll never get back… wait, what? The courtiers and petitioners in the great hall couldn’t see it, but they felt the effects as the magical wave crested the castle like a tsunami and continued flowing past; shrieks of panic filled the hall as unicorn horns sparked out of control, earth ponies staggered drunkenly from the overwhelming wall of magic overloading their senses, and Pegasii started floating uncontrollably about the room as if they were dandelion seeds on a breeze. A small storm cloud formed over the wizened old Cloudsdale representative, Fairfeather. Several attendants were inadvertently turned into bunnies as Clover Keene, the current headmistress of Canterlot’s School for Gifted Unicorns, outright fainted from the surge of power blasting past them all. Celestia clamped her eyes shut and grit her teeth as she rode out the discomfort, and reached out with her own magic to try and track where it had come from. She wasn’t fast enough however; as suddenly as it appeared, whatever it was, it was gone. Opening her eyes again, she quickly studied the aftermath as everything reverted back to normal and ponies started picking themselves off the floor and reassuring themselves they were okay. Oddly enough, Leaky Faucet still stood before the throne, a befuddled expression now plastered on his face. He fumbled about with his papers for a bit, and then with dawning horror, Celestia realised he was intending to continue straight on from where he’d left off, as if nothing had happened. “I’m sorry my little ponies, but Court is now closed! Guards, please check that there are no injuries and help everypony out in their own time. I need to consult with my sister.” With that, princess Celestia unfurled her wings and rocketed out the doors in a very un-princess-ly fashion. Sugarcube corner. Upstairs. The nursery room in the living quarters above the bakery, occupied by the Cake’s twin foals, and their current babysitter, Pinkie Pie. The pink party pony is, for one of the very few times in her life, completely frozen after dumping a bag of flour over her head in an effort to entertain her charges. The Cake twins are likewise entirely out of character, locked in a breathless moment of eternity, staring at Pinkie in astonishment. “Wow! That was different!” With apologies to xscaralienx for abusing your artwork... check out the original here! ~ http://xscaralienx.deviantart.com/art/Twilight-the-Alicorn-220256566 . I'll replace it with something of my own soon, promise!