//------------------------------// // 42 -- Reunion // Story: Mente Materia // by Arad //------------------------------// “Every parting gives a foretaste of death, every reunion a hint of resurrection.” --Arthur Schopenhauer ------ 09:05, 12/24/2015, MEDICAL WING, CANTERLOT The medical wings of Canterlot were still busy, even three days after the operation at High Peak. The majority of the battle wounded had been stabilized and moved to rooms on the outskirts as the flood of freed griffons were brought in from the ruins of High Peak. Poor treatment and neglect had been rampant among the prisoners, as well as badly treated injuries that had been sustained during their attempts to break free from their captors. It was a scene built on a foundation of misery and relief, and it was unfortunately one that Matt had seen on Earth more than once. The setting may be different, and the actors a different race entirely… but it feels just like the refugee camps in Iraq. Everyone’s glad that their ordeal is over, but part of them is scared it might happen again, Matt observed silently as he pushed the crate-filled cart down the corridors. Matt wasn’t travelling alone through the medical wing, and he wasn’t the only one who was affected by their surroundings. Chief Engineer Shen walked beside the cart, one hand on the crates ostensibly to ensure they didn’t shift while in transit. One look at the elderly man’s face was enough for Matt to realize that he was likely using the cart to steady himself as much as the other way around. At the head of their procession marched Dr. Vahlen, her hobbling gait far faster than Matt would have expected given that she needed the support of a cane. While Shen’s gaze had swiveled to take in as much of their surroundings as possible, Vahlen’s head remained locked forward as she maintained her speed. They were able to make good time through the crowded corridors as the rescued griffons parted before them, likely due to the last member of the group. The towering form of a Myrmidon followed behind Matt, the stylized griffon-faced helm continuously scanning their surroundings. This was supposed to be a simple delivery at Princess Cadance's request, but this is starting to feel like a procession, Matt thought as a hush settled over the corridor that they were passing through. It wasn’t long before the only sounds that could be heard was the scrape of the Myrmidon’s talons against the marble floors, the click of Vahlen’s cane as she walked, and the low rumble of the cargo-laden cart. Not for the first time, Matt’s eyes drifted to the cart’s contents. Six impact resistant cases, delivered personally by Doctor Vahlen and Chief Engineer Shen, with my presence being requested as well. The acronyms written on the top two cases don’t match anything I’m familiar with either. ‘RFL’? ‘LFL’? What exactly is going on? The masses of griffons eventually began to thin as they passed through the general care area and into the Equestrians’ version of an intensive care unit. Private rooms lined the hallway, the names and charts on each door in the mostly unfamiliar written Equestrian language. Vahlen didn’t hesitate for a moment as she marched to the room at the end of the corridor. I wouldn’t put it past her to have learned the written language enough to know where to go… but I suspect that there’s a more practical explanation, Matt concluded. After all, only one room in this area is being guarded by a Myrmidon. The second Myrmidon stood as still as a statue by the closed door, it’s only reaction being a simple head tilt towards them as they approached. The Myrmidon following Matt took up a position on the opposite side of the door as Vahlen gave an uncharacteristically timid knock. It took just a moment for Twilight’s voice to beckon them into the room, and the trio entered the room with their cart in tow. The private room was divided into two, with the half near the door furnished into something akin to a waiting room or lounge. Several padded benches lined the walls, as well as a trio in the center of the room around a low table where Twilight waited… but she didn’t wait for long. “Moira!” Twilight shouted cheerfully, launching from her seated position into a flying leap only to skid to a stop in front of Vahlen. “Moira… are you alright? Are you hurt?” she asked, eyes going from the cane to the scars on Moira’s face. “I’m doing better, Twilight. Thank you for asking,” Vahlen replied warmly, and Matt nearly did a double take at the genuinely warm smile on her face. And just as quickly as he spotted it, the smile was gone in favor of something a bit less sincere. “I recently had the pleasure of entertaining a guest back on Earth. It was a very educational experience for me.” “A guest? I’m glad!” Twilight answered with a winning smile, completely missing the subtle change in the woman. The smile became sheepish as she continued. “I know I wouldn’t hear the end of it if my friends heard me say this, but I think it’s good that you’re meeting new people and learning new things, Moira. There’s some things that we can’t learn from books… or labs, I’ve learned!” Vahlen’s face fell into a blank expression as she stared at Twilight before looking away. “That is good advice, Twilight.” That uncharacteristically warm smile returned, and remained as she looked back up. “I’ll defer to your expertise on this.” Twilight returned the expression before she spotted the next person and practically broke into a gallop. “Mister Shen! You’re here too?” She looked between the assembled humans, her good mood slowly turning into worry. “I’m glad to see you again, but I know you’re both really busy. If I had known you were here then I would have come to you so you wouldn’t have to stop what you’re doing...?” Her rambling words drifted off as she again looked to Vahlen, then Shen, then Matt for some sort of answer. “We’re actually here to see Princess Cadance, but I’m glad we got to see you along the way,” Shen answered, his voice soft. “When we heard about her… condition, Doctor Vahlen pointed out that we had the technology to make her life a little bit more comfortable.” His gaze shifted from Twilight to the cases on the cart beside him. Vahlen cleared her throat before speaking. “I must confess that this gesture isn’t entirely philanthropic. Part of this gift is a pair of heavily modified Bellerophon armatures, and we are hoping that Princess Cadance will eventually be able to assist in testing them. Our own testing has proved to be less than successful.” It was clear by the look on Twilight’s face that she didn’t understand, but any clarification would have to wait as Shining Armor entered from the other room. The stallion had seen better days, his neck and most of his head wrapped in bandages. “Doctor Vahlen, Doctor Shen,” he greeted, his voice colored with equal parts worry and relief. “Before we start, I wanted to offer my thanks for what you are doing. The Princesses and I will never forget this.” Shining stepped aside and motioned with his hoof, “She is ready for you now.” Shen nodded, taking Matt’s place to push the cart in Vahlen’s wake. When Twilight moved to follow, Shining barred the way. “Sorry, Twily. Cadance… doesn’t want to see you just yet. Just wait here for a little bit, alright?” he said, voice quiet and pleading as he watched Twilight. Only when she turned back toward her bench did he finally relax and go back into the room. Suffocating quiet filled the void before Matt took a seat on the bench beside Twilight. A glance to the alicorn showed her gaze locked on what little could be seen of the next room. His right hand came to rest on Twilight’s shoulders, and he gave her a gentle squeeze. More than once, Matt tried to offer some comforting words, but came up short. It was Twilight who finally broke the silence. “Why doesn’t she want to see me?” she whispered. “I want to give her a hug and make sure she’s okay…” Twilight glanced away from the doorway to Matt, her wide eyes begging for some sort of explanation. Several moments passed before Matt was able to give voice to a response. “I… I don’t think she’s all right, Twilight. The aliens aren’t gentle with those that they capture, you know that.” An unwelcome memory of seeing Lana in an infirmary bed after she lost her arm caused Matt to wince before he continued. “Cadance probably doesn’t want you to see her the way she is at the moment. She’s probably weak from her time with the aliens, and she doesn’t want to shatter the image you have of her with the way she is now…” Matt’s explanation drifted off as he caught sight of the movement behind the doorway to the next room. Twilight’s gaze drifted in the same direction, and she let out a choked sob at the sight. Not much could be seen of the other room from their current position, the doorway being mostly blocked by the cart that Matt had helped deliver. Shen stood by the cart with the RFL case open, his hands already reaching inside. The piece of equipment inside was a shocking shade of pink, with a series of joints running along it, giving it the appearance of… ...a prosthetic limb designed for an Equestrian, Matt realized, his breath catching as the pieces fell into place. There’s five other cases, too. Anything else that he might have thought was postponed with Twilight buried her face into his side. “It’s alright, Twilight. She’s back with us now, that’s what matters,” Matt whispered as he again gave her shoulders another squeeze. This is probably a bigger shock for her than when Lana snuck out of medical after she lost her arm. I still remember how much it hurt to see my dad returning home from the Army with a limp and a cane. Twilight’s sobs gradually subsided but she didn’t pull away, and Matt remained silent as Shen retrieved each of the limbs on the cart. It was when the elderly engineer retrieved the last of the limbs that Matt came to an uncomfortable realization. “Twilight?” he asked, hesitation clear in his voice. The response from Twilight, if it was a word at all, was too muffled to be understood as anything other than an acknowledgement of the question. “Twilight… did you just wipe your nose on my shirt?” A moment passed before the muffled reply came, a little clearer than the last. “Maybe…” Despite the heavy mood in the room, Matt couldn’t help but give a helpless chuckle which Twilight added to a moment later. “Well, I’m glad I was here to help you with that,” he added with a sigh and a gentle pat on her head. The quiet moment was broken by Shen’s coaxing voice followed by unsteady hoofsteps. Both Matt and Twilight looked up to see the elderly engineer backing into their side of the room slowly, and Shining Armor followed with Princess Cadance leaning heavily against him. The majority of Cadance’s body was hidden beneath a simple white hospital gown, but the parts of her that were visible told a chilling story of the cruelty she had undergone. Her mane had been sheared from her head to her scalp, and surgical scars could be seen along her neck and head. The most severe signs of her captivity were her wings… or lack thereof. In their place was a pair of prosthetic replacements painted the same hue as her coat, folded neatly against her sides. Cadance’s eyes were wide and haunted, unable to rise from the marble floor as she placed one prosthetic hoof in front of the next as she entered the room. “Cadance!” Twilight nearly screamed as she launched from her seated position to gallop towards her sister-in-law. She skidded to a stop just in front of Cadance and began to bounce from hoof to hoof. “Sunshine, sunshine…” she said in a sing-song tone, but slowed to a stop when Cadance didn’t immediately respond. “Twilight,” the elder alicorn spoke, her voice strained and weak. “I’m sorry… I don’t think I can give the usual greeting any more. Not yet at least,” she added and attempted a smile, but it seemed a hollow expression in her current condition. Cadance gave a look towards Shining Armor and whispered a request, and the pair made their way to one of the cushions on the side of the room where she slowly sank into a lying position. “Preliminary testing shows positive results,” Vahlen said from the doorway to the other room, her words clinical but her tone far softer than Matt remembered the woman speaking before. “For now, you should try and move about as you normally would until the prosthetics feel natural. When you feel you are ready, we can attempt testing with the Bellerophon armatures.” Cadance responded with a shaky nod. “I understand, doctor. I… don’t think that will be soon, I’m afraid.” She gave each of the people in the room a long look before taking a deep breath and letting it out. “I don’t think that I will be up for entertaining guests any longer, but I have one request before I retire for the night. There is something I must discuss with Captain Harris. Privately.” The reactions around the room varied from the vague confusion of Shen and Vahlen, to disappointment from Twilight, to polite but stubborn refusal from Shining Armor. “I’m not leaving you, Cadance,” the stallion said as he locked eyes with his wife. “I lost you once, I won’t let that happen again.” The ghost of a sincere smile crossed Cadance’s face and she reached out with one hoof, only to glance down and retract it. “You’re not leaving me, Shining. You’re going to wait outside this room for a few minutes, and then come back inside. Please do this for me?” The last statement was posed as a question, but it held as much stubborn intent as Shining’s had. Once her husband nodded his head, Cadance turned to Twilight. “I know you wanted to spend more time with me, but I don’t think I’m up for it today. The nurse that visited me this morning had confetti in her mane, so I suspect that your friend Pinkie Pie may be well enough to take visitors. Perhaps you could spend time with them until I’m rested up? I’m certain they would love the chance to meet the other human friends you made while on Earth, too.” Twilight’s eyes never quite rose to meet Cadance’s, but she slowly nodded. She cast one final glance towards Matt before filing out into the hallway with Shen and Vahlen following behind. Shining Armor backed out through the doorway, his eyes never leaving his wife until the door finally closed. The moment the door latch clicked shut, Cadance let out a ragged sigh and sagged onto her cushion. Her once steady breathing became short and shallow, and she squeezed her eyes shut. When Matt started to rise from his seat, she immediately raised one of her prosthetic hooves to stop him. “I’m fine… the doctors warned me that there would be pain with these prosthetics. I wasn’t as prepared for it as I thought.” Matt slowly sank back into his seat, clasping his hands before him as he leaned forward. “Last I heard, no human has been able to support more than two prosthetic limbs due to the strain it causes, and I have no idea how the MEC pilots can stand it. I can’t imagine what you’re going through right now, Princess,” he said, his voice quiet as he watched the alicorn. Cadance’s eyes slowly opened and settled on Matt, or more specifically his left arm. “I think you have a better idea than most, captain.” She attempted a chuckle, which stopped as quickly as it started with a wince. After another few calming breaths, Cadance looked to her side and spread one of her prosthetic wings. “Does it ever go away? The pain of such a loss, I mean,” she asked, her voice brittle as she stared at the slowly moving appendage. “No, but it gets easier to bear over time,” Matt answered, and silence fell between the pair again. She might not have meant physical pain, but I don’t know if I can give her any advice about psychological coping with such a loss. Matt absently looked down at his hands, the cold prosthetic on the left in contrast to the flesh and blood on the right. The sight of a strand of Twilight’s hair caught between his fingers was enough to bring a small smile on his face despite the sinking tone of the conversation. Well, at least she isn’t pulling a Shining Armor and hassling me about Twilight-- “Given my station and abilities, you are probably wondering why I haven’t spoken to you regarding Twilight, yes?” Cadance asked, a flicker of mischief slipping past her pained expression. She managed half a laugh at Matt’s guilty flinch. “It was a rather contentious discussion I had with my husband once he started to suspect her attachment to you. Shining Armor will always be her big brother, a shield against any perceived threats to Twilight whether she wants it or not.” It took nearly a minute for Matt to suppress the urge to flee and collect his thoughts into something understandable. “Shining Armor has made his position quite clear, but you haven’t shared yours, Princess.” A genuine smile graced Cadance’s features at the response. “I cherish Twilight like the sister I never had, but I’m also aware that she is an adult and is capable of making her own choices. She may be inexperienced, naive even on some subjects, but she will never learn without trying new things. I’m confident that she will become a better pony for having known you, Captain.” “I’m glad you feel that way, but there are times when I can’t help but think about how everything could go wrong. I don’t want to be the one to give her disappointment...” Matt admitted as he looked back down to his hands. “It’s a concern that does you credit, Captain. I’m certain that both of you will do your best and enjoy what you have for as long as you are able,” Cadance acknowledged with a slow nod, and she met and held Matt’s eyes when he looked up. “I’m the princess of love and the heart, Matt. I know more than anypony the possible outcomes that lie ahead of you both. Some relationships burn fast and bright, and die just as quickly. Others are like the sun, burning brilliantly for all time. Neither is superior to the other, as both have their benefits and pitfalls and most ponies come out of them for the better. As I said, you both will try your best and I’m confident there will be nothing but happiness for you two. If the time comes when the best you both can give isn’t enough, then I will not blame either of you. I know you both will continue and look fondly on what you shared.” More than once, Matt tried to reply but the words died before being spoken. I… suppose her advice shouldn’t be surprising given her familiarity with Twilight and her responsibilities. I suppose it’s just surprising that she can offer this kind of advice so soon after what she’s been through. “Thank you, Princess,” he finally managed. “Think nothing of it, Captain. As much as I would like to continue our conversation, I’m afraid I must rest. Would you be so kind as to inform Shining Armor on your way out?” Cadance asked, gratitude clear in her voice. As Matt rose to walk to the door, she added, “Oh, Captain? I have every faith in your good intentions, but if you do anything to deliberately hurt Twilight then you will spend the rest of your days screaming from the darkest corner of your mind and no one will be able to save you.” ------ 09:20, 12/24/2015, CORRIDOR TO PRINCESS CADANCE’S PRIVATE ROOM, CANTERLOT Calm down, Twilight, calm down. It’s perfectly normal that Cadance would want to talk with Matt alone and not want to see me, right? RIGHT? The thoughts raced through Twilight’s mind at light speed, and it took more than one calming breath to get them under control. Focus, calm, breathe in, breathe out… “I know I’m stating the obvious, Twilight,” Charles said gently, his calm words a balm for Twilight’s worries. “Princess Cadance survived something truly terrible happening to her, and she needs a little time to come to grips with the fact that she’s safe now and that her situation has changed. I’m sure you two will be right as rain in no time.” “Doctor Shen’s advice is sound. Your sister-in-law had the strength of will to endure weeks of captivity with the invaders. I don’t doubt that it was thoughts of you and her family that allowed her to do so,” Moira offered with a small bit of hesitation before continuing. “Both Doctor Shen and I will be remaining here to help monitor her recovery and acclimation to the prosthetics.” The reassuring words from both of the humans didn’t quite defuse Twilight’s anxiety, but combined with another breathing cycle was enough to minimize its hold on her. “Thanks, both of you,” Twilight finally said while offering the best smile she could manage. Cadance is right, just like she always is. I think spending time with the girls will be good, Twilight thought, a small amount of guilt bubbling up past the anxiety. I haven’t spent nearly as much time with them as I should have. I can start fixing that now. Twilight gave herself a small nod before turning to Charles and Moira and asked, “Do you both have enough time to meet my friends? If they’re visiting Pinkie then they aren’t too far away.” Charles responded with a wide smile, while Moira took a small step back. “I am afraid I will have to decline, Twilight,” the woman said crisply as she held her tablet close to her chest. “There is precious little set up on this side in regards to research, and I have to--” “Moira, it isn’t going to make a difference if you take ten minutes to say hello first,” Charles interrupted gently, fixing her with a look. Moira’s eyes went from Charles to Twilight and back before letting out a resigned sigh. “Very well then, lead the way.” “Great! I’m sure you’ll all get along!” Twilight declared, leading the trio further along the corridor. It wasn’t long before the trio became a quartet as one of the Myrmidons flanking the door fell in behind them. “I had meant to ask Matt earlier, but it slipped my mind,” Charles said as he glanced over his shoulder towards the armored griffon and received a curious head tilt in response. “May I ask why you two are being escorted around the castle? All of the information we’ve received seems to indicate that the Myrmidons would be near the High Talon during a time of war.” The subject of the guard was enough to summon a spike of anger in Twilight. “Matt and I encountered an… unpleasant individual recently who is the type to hold a grudge, and Alvar wanted to ensure that neither of us come to harm while we’re here in the capital,” the alicorn explained quietly, mindful of the presence of others in the hallway. When she spotted the confused looks on both of the humans' faces, she continued reluctantly, “You might remember him, Moira. It’s that man that interrupted movie night when I was back on Earth.” The scientist immediately stiffened, her hand clenching the tablet hard enough to make her knuckles white. A short burst of hissed profanity escaped Moira before she clamped her mouth shut and closed her eyes. After a breathing exercise that was startlingly similar to Twilight's, she opened her eyes and said, “I had read the reports about the operation you took part in. I know you don’t like using your gifts to cause harm but if anyone deserved such treatment then it was that man.” The words were meant to reassure but only brought the memory of Vide’s body slamming into the walls with Twilight’s telekinesis to mind. The violence in itself was a horrible thing to behold, but what worried the young alicorn more is that she had wanted to do more to the horrible man. “Thanks, Moira. I’m just a little angry that he managed to get away,” Twilight said, unable to meet Moira's gaze The smile that graced Moira’s features was anything but warm. “I’m certain that the next time he reveals himself, we will be able to deal with him appropriately.” Twilight gave a small nod in response and tried very hard not to think about what the woman would consider ‘appropriate’. She was saved from that train of thought by the unwelcome feelings of guilt as the voices of her friends could be heard from the next room down the hallway. I really should have visited them before this. It feels like it’s been years since we were able to just sit and talk. She took a deep breath and let it out, before pushing the door open and stepping inside. “--and that is why -I- am the best at pulling pranks, though Pinkie comes in at a close second!” Rainbow Dash declared proudly to the ponies in the room. Applejack, Fluttershy and Rarity sat on stools near the bed in the center of the room, showing various levels of interest in the apparent debate. On the other side of the bed sat a pony that Twilight had never seen before, though her proximity to the bed’s occupant suggested they were close. Pinkie Pie rested on the bed, her expression alert but tired. Most of her barrel was wrapped in what Twilight recognized as a bandage to restrict her movement while she was healing, though this didn’t stop the party mare from smiling widely when she spotted the new arrivals. “Twilight’s here! Now I can stop bombarding the help with confetti cannons since you’ve clearly interpreted my cleverly disguised invitations to visit!” “Hello, Pinkie! I’m glad to see you’re doing better,” Twilight answered with a smile before looking to the others in the room before looking to the two humans behind her. “Everyone, I’d like you to meet some of the first humans I met while I was on Earth. This is Charles Shen and Moira Vahlen.” She paused for just a moment before raising a hoof to her Equestrian friends. “These are--” “Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie,” Vahlen finished crisply as she looked at each pony in turn before finally settling on the earth pony sitting beside Pinkie. “I do not know your name, but judging by facial structure I would guess a family member. Cousin or sister?” “That’s right!” Pinkie shouted, but her cheer was aborted with a wheeze as her excitement was clearly testing the bounds of her bandages. “She’s my sister and her name is Maud Pie and she’s very happy to meet you!” The pony in question did little more than blink in response despite Pinkie’s assertion of her emotions. “Yes, well, it was very nice meeting you all. Pinkie, I wish you a speedy recovery,” Vahlen replied before turning on her heel and exiting the room less than a minute after she had entered. Shen’s disappointed sigh filled the silence in the room. “I suppose we should be thankful that we were able to get that much out of her before she left. I’m sorry, Twilight,” he said with a sympathetic look to the alicorn. “Well, she wasn’t very friendly,” Applejack observed with a huff, and the other girls started to nod. “How exactly do you befriend a person like that?” Rainbow Dash let out a suppressed laugh. “Probably egghead stuff, like math or other boring stuff. Am I right?” “It was Twilight’s magic, actually,” Shen answered before Twilight could respond. “Prior to her arrival, we had never seen it on Earth before. What the aliens use is a pale imitation of what Twilight did on her first day on our world, and the mystery of how and why she could do that was quite troubling to Moira.” “She is a lot like I used to be before I met all of you,” Twilight added, her tone and a pointed look enough to convey her displeasure at some of her friends talking behind the back of another. “Moira’s dedicated her life to studying the world and she’s very good at it. Just like when I first came to Ponyville, she just doesn’t know what to do since she’s outside of a place she’s comfortable in.” “Well, shucks,” Applejack said, looking down as Twilight gave her a look. “I didn’t mean anything bad when I said that, but I suppose it was still rude of me to say it like I did. It was my mistake and it won’t happen again.” The earth pony looked to Rainbow Dash, who managed a sheepish nod as she scratched the side of her head with a hoof. “Apology accepted,” Twilight said with a smile and a nod. Her brow furrowed and she looked back to Shen. “You mentioned that you hadn’t seen any magic on Earth before… but that can’t be right, can it? The Magical Field was stiff from disuse but it wasn’t static and dead. I wonder if there was someone capable of using magic there but maybe using it to hide? That would explain why nobody noticed them.” “That may be, though there’s another theory. The aliens access and use power from the Field for both their technology and their own powers. Is it possible their presence affected Earth that way?” Shen replied as he cupped his chin in thought. Twilight’s initial response was to shake her head. “I don’t think so. It’s… hard to describe unless you can sense magic. With the aliens and your technology, it’s like hearing a voice through one of your radios. You can understand it, but it’s artificial. What I felt back on Earth was like a whisper but it felt natural.” “Are you sure you should be talking about that here,” Maud interrupted, her expression not changing one bit as she fixed Twilight with a stare. “You’re in the same room as Pinkie but it’s almost like you aren’t visiting her. Just like you haven’t visited once since she was hospitalized.” The silence that followed that statement was deafening as everyone in the room gave a wide-eyed look to the dour mare. “If this is the kind of friendship that you’re showing my sister, then--” “Maudlin! Marie! Pie!” Pinkie snapped angrily, and Maud flinched in response. Her volume fell to a more conversational volume, but it was devoid of the bubbly cheer that was Pinkie’s signature was gone. “Maud, you’re my sister and I love you for everything that you do for me. I understand that you are upset that Twilight hasn’t come to visit before now, but I am not. I am thrilled that we girls can be together again, even if it is for just a short time before everypony has to get back to their jobs.” I’m glad that Pinkie feels that way, but Maud does have a point, Twilight thought guiltily. “Please don’t be too hard on Maud, Pinkie. I… I really should have come by sooner. The fact that I have responsibilities is a poor excuse. I should have made some time to--” “The way I understand recent events,” Shen interjected, his calm tone a stark contrast to the others that had spoken. “Twilight worked herself to the bone to help the soldiers fight the enemies in the field. The time she spent on that definitely saved lives. What I mean to say is that both of you are right, and both of you are wrong. It’s all a matter of perspective on the situation.” He offered a smile to Twilight, Maud and Pinkie before continuing, “Perhaps we should just accept that you all have very good reasons for feeling the way you do and let this pass like water under a bridge?” A series of nods swept the room and the tense atmosphere vanished in the blink of an eye. Rarity was the first to speak after the ensuing silence. “Twilight explained a little bit about what Moira does, but I don’t believe we know what you do?” she asked, seamlessly changing the subject to something less contentious. Charles’ initial response was a bright smile as he spoke, “I design and build things. Most of the equipment the human soldiers use was either designed or reviewed by either myself or my team back on Earth. Same for the kits we provided to the volunteers that came from here.” A flicker of recognition passed across the man’s face as he looked towards Rarity. “I think during her time on Earth, Twilight said you were a seamstress? I hope your business hasn’t suffered since the start of this whole mess.” The fashionista's eyes lit up at the question. “Well, I wouldn’t go so far as to say I’ve been completely unaffected by this pesky invasion. I was actually contracted a short while ago to assist with altering the color arrangements of the suits of armor used in the field! It was an exciting challenge, though the suppression of my creativity did annoy me a little,” Rarity finished with a huff. “Suppressed your creativity? What exactly did they have you do?” Twilight asked, curiosity getting the better of her. Rarity’s rant started with an overly dramatic huff. “Well, for one it seems that the humans lack a good appreciation for the wide range of colors I can take advantage of. Plus sequins are apparently not ‘disruptive’ enough, whatever that means…” I don’t know if you can hear me, but thank you for telling me to do this Cadance, Twilight thought as she listened to Rarity’s harrowing tales of censorship and oppression with the occasional interjection from the one of the others in the room. Even Maud, who had been silent since Pinkie had her outburst, even joined the conversation with as much enthusiasm as she always showed. The topics might be different from before all of this happened, but they’re all still the same friends I’ve always known, Twilight realised with a smile. I kinda wish this would last forever… The peaceful scene wasn’t long-lived, however. Less than five minutes of their friendly banter had passed before a long missed magical signature passed Twilight’s senses and she immediately teleported away. ------ ?????? Well, I daresay you’ve lost all right to criticize Luna when she wants to sleep in. It’s been, what, nearly two months and all you’ve done is just lay around while your subjects save the world. Of course, that does seem to be in line with your usual tactics. A spark of anger coalesced in the darkness. Aww, no need to get huffy with me, dear. I know that if it weren’t for the curse then you would have dealt with every threat that harried your little ponies in ways that would give a dragon pause. And I’ll admit that your little siesta is partially my fault. After all, the curse that prevents you from directly harming anybody also applies to yourself. Quite unintentional, I assure you. But enough about the past, it’s now time to concentrate on what lies ahead. The reason you have not awoken is becauses my devious little curse is keeping you from self-destructing. You know exactly what you’ll do if you wake up, and the spell knows it too. Until this threat has passed, you will remain as you are now. Unless I remove the spell. The embers of anger gave way to a shard of curiosity guarded by layers of suspicion. As much as I’d like to keep you tied by this little handicap, if only for my own safety, I’m afraid our enemy has forced my hand. In just a few moments I will remove the curse that limits the usage of your power, but I will leave the gift that I’ve given to everyone who’s felt my touch: mental domination will find no hold on you. The Ethereals may try and bludgeon your defenses through crude means, but they will never wrest control of your will from you. After all, the gift I’ve given is capable of shutting out beings of far greater power than those pale shadows. You know a little of whom I speak… MAINTAIN ORDER. Fear, icy cold and paralyzing, rushed forth. This is my final gift to you, my dear. You will once again have the full width and breadth of your power at your disposal, without that crippling compulsion that caused the rise of Solaria. When you wake, you will find yourself trapped in a prison of your own design and I have every faith that you will do what’s right to preserve it. Now, it’s time to wake up… Celestia’s eyes shot open and her barrel heaved as she jerked from her sleeping position. She struggled to stand but her balance was far from ready for such a thing. She collapsed back onto the bed just as the door to her room burst open. “What-- Princess!” the two ponies, a guard and a doctor, yelled simultaneously. The guard began to shout orders into the common room while the doctor rushed to the bedside. “Princess, please don’t move. You’ve been comatose for nearly two months and your body isn’t ready to move yet. Please, you could hurt yourself!” “I’m fine,” Celestia hissed as she tapped her magic and restored her body to it’s previous condition. After a moment to ensure all was well, she brought her hooves beneath her and stood to her full height. She looked down to the doctor at her bedside and said, “My condition is no longer a concern. What I need you to do now is find Discord!” The doctor didn’t protest any further, instead electing to gallop out of the room as quickly as he could. With a small modicum of privacy restored, Celestia closed her eyes and reached out with her senses… only to open them again when the wards to her chamber flared, strained, and broke. Magical protections that had stood for nearly a millenia shattered as Twilight Sparkle brute forced a teleport through them. The young alicorn nearly tackled Celestia with a hug, her lightning fast words breaking down into sobs by the second. Only a moment of hesitation passed before Celestia allowed herself to return the hug in full. “I’m sorry, Twilight,” she managed, pulling her student into a tight embrace with her forelegs. “I didn’t want to leave this to you and the others… I should have been here. I cannot express how happy I am to see that you are still well.” The only response was a wheeze, which prompted Celestia to loosen her grip to discover the reason. The relieved smile was still on Twilight’s face, but it was interrupted by what could only be painful winces. One of her wings hung limply at her side, and her breath came in short gasps. “I’m glad that you’re back, Princess,” Twilight managed between her shallow breaths. It took more than a little of Celestia’s monumental discipline to maintain her composure. “I’m glad that you were one of the first ponies I saw after waking up, Twilight, but I’m afraid your entrance made a mess of the wards. Why don’t you go check in with the doctor outside while I get those fixed?” When Twilight agreed with a silent nod and limped out of the room, Celestia let out the breath she had been holding and looked down to her shaking hooves. 'A prison of my own design?' Celestia remembered with a growing sense of horror as she replayed the last several minutes in her head. Without the curse, I’m a god trapped in a house of gossamer glass. The slightest gesture could shatter this place. The slightest gesture could shatter somepony… She reached out with her senses again, scanning Twilight as the doctor’s attended to her. With just a simple hug, Celestia had dislocated one of Twilight's wings and fractured three of her ribs. With just a simple hug, Celestia had nearly killed her most faithful student.