//------------------------------// // Chapter 12 // Story: Twilight Sparkle, Bringer of Chaos // by Caligari87 //------------------------------// “Are we there yet?” The subtle whine grated on Twilight’s nerves like hooves scraping over a chalkboard. Though Apple Bloom hadn’t actually said those exact words until now, she’d been quietly implying them for a while now with other phrases like “this is taking so long” and “it didn’t seem this far before!” Not that Twilight could blame the filly for being impatient. They had been walking for a long time now, much longer than seemed necessary to get from the old castle to the outskirts of Ponyville. “Yeah, we’ve gotta be getting close right?” Spike’s voice had the same whiny undercurrent as Apple Bloom’s, and Twilight gritted her teeth. “It is better to wander, and not to rush,” Zecora replied softly, “for the Day-Mare may be about, and seeking us.” “I’ve actually been wonderin’ the same,” Applejack said. “Truth be told, I don’t recognize any of this.” Zecora nodded and pushed past yet another thick, leafy bush. “The town is not far, just around this—” Out of nowhere, an earth-shattering BOOM sounded overhead. Trees shook and thick dust filled the air as a shockwave rippled through the forest. Twilight yelped, stumbling to the side in surprise. Apple Bloom screamed in fear. “What in tarnation—!?” Applejack shouted. Before the echo had even faded, Rainbow Dash was fanning her wings to clear the dust clouds. “That was a sonic boom!” she exclaimed, glancing skyward. Twilight’s stomach dropped. “Rainbow, wait!” she called. It was too late. Either Rainbow hadn’t heard or didn’t listen, and a moment later had soared into the dense foliage above their heads. “What is she doing!?” Spike said incredulously. “She’s gonna get us caught!” Apple Bloom gasped. Applejack moved to comfort her sister, pulling the filly close. “Hush sugarcube, it’s gonna be okay.” In Twilight’s estimation, either the shockwave had damaged her hearing or the forest was preternaturally silent in its wake. For several moments nopony seemed to even dare breathe, all watching the canopy for any sign of movement. After what seemed like an eternity, there was a rustle of leaves and Rainbow reappeared overhead. “It was the Night-Mare,” she said, flaring her wings and settling to the ground. “I just caught a glimpse of her heading back toward the old castle.” “She didn’t see you, did she?” Twilight asked nervously. The thought of being captured again filled her with dread. “Nah,” Rainbow waved a hoof dismissively. “I only peeked out for a second. Ponyville is close, by the way, I saw the top of town hall over there.” “What d’ya think she was doin’ here?” Applejack asked. “I dunno, but it can’t be good.” A concerned look crossed Rainbow’s face. “The sky was all, like, weird, too.” Applejack scoffed. “You been out in the Everfree too long.” “No, I mean…” Rainbow scowled a little. “It’s hard to explain… The sky past town is all polka dots and plaid and stuff, but there’s like a bubble or something over the town and it’s just clear blue sky, like out here.” Apple Bloom began to bounce excitedly. “Yeah, we saw that before we left town! The Night-Mare cast some kinda spell that took all the chaos stuff away.” Zecora said something affirmative in reply, but the conversational voices faded as a small chill went up Twilight’s spine. If Apple Bloom’s description was correct, the bubble Rainbow had described was an area-of-effect anti-chaos charm. More importantly, anti-chaos charms were one of the few things the Emperor strictly controlled. Only Agents of Chaos knew how to use them, and were only allowed to use them in very limited, approved circumstances, such as keeping the trains functional. If one had been cast without his permission, especially one powerful enough to normalize an entire town, Discord would quickly know of it. The thought ignited a tiny glimmer of hope inside her. After being shunned, questioned, hurt, and frustrated at every turn, it finally seemed like her luck was taking a turn for the better. In all likelihood Discord would act quickly and hopefully nip the entire problem in the bud. “Maybe it has something to do with that other spell the Day-Mare was doing?” Spike suggested. The words drew Twilight’s ear. “What other spell?” she interjected. “At the crystal tree,” Spike said, seemingly pleased in Twilight’s interest. “She was like, praying or something, and gems were coming out of it.” He licked his lips. “They looked really tasty, too.” The brief hope in Twilight’s chest turned cold. Besides being a delicacy for dragons, gemstones and crystals were often used as magical amplifiers. They could be enchanted with anything, but the main strength of the magic would come from whatever source the gems were refined out of. The very idea of that much power made her shudder. “We’ve got to get to the library,” she said, the snap decision leaving her mouth in the same moment she made it. “An’ why’s that?” Applejack said suspiciously. “I need to find out if there’s any legends or history about this, so we can know what we’re dealing with. The gems mean she’s planning to do some serious magic,” Twilight explained, reasoning that it wouldn’t do to try and hide the truth at this point. “We might need to evacuate the town.” Applejack rolled her eyes, but a look of uncertain worry crossed Zecora’s face. “Are you sure of this thing you ask? To move so many ponies is no small task.” Twilight nodded earnestly. “Gemstones are ancient magic, and some of the most powerful. If she refined the gems from the Tree of Harmony, there’s no telling how powerful she could become. If I can find a book about gemstone harmony magic, perhaps we can figure out roughly what she’s planning and if the town will be in any danger.” “To gain more knowledge is wise,” Zecora agreed, “so a suitable plan we may devise.” She turned to Applejack, as if asking for agreement or approval. For several seconds Applejack studied Twilight’s face, as if staring harder might reveal some hidden agenda. Against a sudden urge to cower, Twilight steeled her resolve. She knew Applejack didn’t trust her, but the revelation about the gems suggested that a clash between Discord and the Sky Mares could reach even more apocalyptic proportions. She knew evacuating Ponyville wasn’t strictly necessary; her primary goal was mostly to help Emperor Discord defeat the Sky-Mares, and If they managed to save a few lives in the process, so much the better. Still, In the back of her mind she wondered why she felt the sudden urge to care at all. She knew that before, her only goal had been to warn Discord regardless of the potential fallout. Now inexplicably, she felt a growing concern about the residents of Ponyville and the surrounding countryside. “Zecora?” Applejack said, keeping her eyes on Twilight, “Which way is my farm from here?” “Down that fork you’ll find the way,” Zecora pointed at a faint branching in the game trail they’d been following. “It is a clear path; only a few minutes trot, I’d say.” Applejack nodded. “Alright. Apple Bloom, Spike, we’re headin’ home. If’n what Twilight says is true, we gotta get some stuff ready.” Then she stepped forward until her snout was nearly touching Twilight’s own. “Don’t you try anythin’,” she whispered threateningly. “This is my home, and if anything happens to it, I’ll be holdin’ you personally responsible.” Twilight gulped down a sudden surge of primal terror, and forced herself to nod. “Okay,” she said simply. Breaking eye contact, Applejack motioned to Spike and Apple Bloom. “C’mon, let’s go,” she said. “Rainbow?” “Yeah?” “Keep an eye on this one,” Applejack said, pointing to Twilight. “You can’t trust her any farther than you can throw her.” Rainbow cast a sidelong glance at Twilight. “Will do, Applejack,” she said. Without another word Applejack, Spike, and Apple Bloom disappeared down the faint trail. Within seconds the sounds of their movement were muffled by the dense underbrush. True to Zecora’s word, the family farm was much closer than Applejack had anticipated. Upon reaching the farm proper she hurriedly urged her charges into the house. “All right then you two, don’t dilly-dally,” she said. “We got lotsa stuff to get ready. Spike?” “Yeah?” “Start gatherin’ up some travelin’ grub. Couple days worth if’n you can manage, but it’s gotta fit in a regular pullcart with room to spare.” Spike saluted obediently. “Will do!” he exclaimed, dashing off. Satisfied that the little dragon could handle that task competently, Applejack turned to her sister. “Okay Apple Bloom, you—” Apple Bloom was standing just inside the front door, shuffling her hooves restlessly. She briefly made eye contact, then almost immediately glanced away. It seemed she was making a point of looking everywhere except Applejack. The behavior gave Applejack pause. Her little sister was usually one to speak her mind, a skill they’d both learned from their parents. The only exception for Apple Bloom was when she got skittish about something she couldn’t quite wrap her young brain around. “You okay sugarcube?” Applejack asked gently. “Now that I think ‘bout it, you ain’t said two words since we left the others.” Apple Bloom scuffed one forehoof on the floor. She was silent for several moments, and didn’t make eye contact when she finally spoke. “Sis, can I ask you a question?” “Sure thing,” Applejack replied without hesitation. “You know you ain’t gotta ask permission for that.” A few more moments silence followed while Apple Bloom chewed on her lip, seemingly trying to find the words she wanted. “Why… Why do you hate Twilight Sparkle?” Now it was Applejack’s turn to shuffle uncomfortably while searching for words. She sighed. “It’s, well… Twilight… see, she hurt us all real bad. I can’t expect you to understand that now, but trust me when I say she ain’t a good pony.” “Because she believes in Emperor Discord an’ you don’t?” Applejack felt her heart jump a little in her chest. “I reckon that kinda depends,” she hedged, looking away and making her hooves busy with some saddlebags from a nearby closet. “I mean, I wouldn’t say—” “I ain’t dumb, Applejack!” The tone stopped Applejack in place, and she slowly glanced back to her sister. There were veritable daggers coming out of Apple Bloom’s eyes now, aimed directly at Applejack. Her jaw clenched and unclenched almost imperceptibly. “You’re the one always goin’ on about honesty and speakin’ your mind and never tellin’ a lie, so why don’t you come clean with me? I’ve known ever since I was shoulder-high to a jump-beatle that you hated Discord. You just never actually say you don’t, an’ you don’t get to start now.” The words stung with unwanted candor, and Applejack scowled right back. “Now listen here little missy—” “No, you listen!” Apple Bloom nearly shouted. “Back in the forest you were lookin’ at Twilight like you’d take any excuse to buck in her skull; is that ‘cause she’s gonna bring the Emperor here?” An unexpected wave of guilt made Applejack’s gut clench. Her sister didn’t know she’d already beaten Twilight almost to death for that very reason. Instinctively she looked at her hooves; they were mostly covered in trail dust, but a few dried brownish-red streaks still showed above the dirt line. Her throat constricted at the sight. Apple Bloom stepped forward. “‘Cause if we don’t bring Discord here, the Sky-Mares might win! Do you want ‘em to win, or somethin’?” Any remaining words died on Applejack’s tongue. She opened and closed her mouth silently a few times, brain churning on the question. On the surface it seemed simple enough. She hated Chaos, as did the Sky Mares. It would make sense for her to answer yes, Apple Bloom’s feelings notwithstanding. But the truth was more complex. For all the uncertainties and difficulties they lived with under Emperor Discord, at least he was generally civilized and occasionally made concessions so long as Chaos reigned supreme. Ponies might be his playthings, but he seemed to take no special pleasure in making them suffer. At worst, he seemed to be ambivalent about it. By contrast, she’d seen and felt firsthoof the terrible wrath of the Night-Mare. While Celestia at least appeared benevolent, her sister was every bit the harsh, controlling dictator of legend. Were Discord deposed, the Night-Mare might very well rule with iron hoof once more, and Applejack couldn’t decide if that would be better or worse. Applejack swallowed and tried to whet her suddenly-dry mouth. “I— I don’t rightly know, sis,” she said. “You’re right, I don’t like Emperor Discord. I hate Chaos, always messin’ with our lives just when we get stuff in order. You ain’t even seen the half of it: Ponyville’s got it mostly easy, what with bein’ right here on the Everfree, but outside our lil’ town there ain’t hardly nothin’ a pony can count on, not even food.” Thoughts of the nearly-starving ponies in Westfoal came unbidden to Applejack’s mind again. She sighed and shook her head, then turned back to the closet to continue fussing with traveling saddlebags. “But even much as I hate it, the Sky-Mares might be worse. We don’t know what they want or what they can do, an’…” She trailed off, the words in her mind getting stuck in her throat. They’d come unbidden, carrying a simple summation of the feelings she’d so long wished to keep hidden from her younger sister. “An’ what, AJ?” Apple Bloom’s voice was plaintive now. It begged for trust, for truth and certainty in a world where reality itself was malleable. Applejack squeezed her eyes shut and drew a deep, quivering breath. She’d always valued honesty in all things, even moreso since Zecora had taught her its importance as a core part of friendship. If she couldn’t be honest with the filly who looked up to her as a role model in this chaotic world, then what was the point? “Truth be told…” she said, steadying her voice, “…I don’t know what’s comin’, and that scares me. It scares the ever-livin’ soul outta me.” The words seemed to suck the life out of the room. Apple Bloom looked crestfallen at the realization that her older sister wasn’t a bastion of infinite strength. After a few moments silence, she spoke. “So what are we gonna do?” The request for action rather than feelings helped Applejack recenter a little. She breathed deep again and squared her slumped shoulders. “For now, let’s just get those supplies ready,” she said with a tone of finality. “If’n we gotta leave town, it won’t do to be caught with our shoes off.” “An’ then?” The words were more despairing than resigned. Applejack left her post at the supply closet and placed what she hoped was a comforting hoof on Apple Bloom’s shoulder. “We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it, sugarcube. Ain’t gonna do no good to worry ‘bout it ‘til then.” “GUYS!” Both sisters jumped as Spike’s voice and footsteps came crashing down a nearby staircase. The dragon stopped at the bottom, eyes wide. “What’n tarnation you shoutin’ like that for?” Applejack snapped. Spike pointed back up the stairs. “Something…” he seemed to struggle for words. “Something’s happening; you’d better come see.” Rainbow had been right about the proximity of the town. After several more minutes of pushing through dense underbrush, the forest gave way to grassy slopes and nearby buildings. Immediately upon seeing the town, Twilight’s conjecture about an anti-chaos charm was proven correct. All the buildings were solidly planted on the ground, the sky above was clear blue just like over the Everfree, and not a single item appeared to be randomizing. It was profoundly unsettling, and the reactions from her traveling companions indicated they felt much the same. “Whoa!” Rainbow exclaimed. “There’s been lulls in Chaos before, but… this is just weird.” “In my native land I’ve seen my share,” Zecora agreed, “but in Discordia this is unlike anywhere!” Trying to shake off the feeling, Twilight took the lead and began trotting toward the town center, where they library was often nearby. “Come on,” she said, “the quicker we get there the quicker we can figure out what Celestia might be planning.” And how to get rid of all this Order, she added silently. As they passed through town, it was apparent that most of the locals didn’t quite know what to make of this newfound stability in their home. A trio of flower-shop mares were clustered around a fresh arrangement, jabbering excitedly about the implications of being able to sell a product without it changing form later. A streetside grocer kept poking his wares in confusion, as if expecting them to grow legs or turn into something inedible. One older pony was ranting at his house, something about how he “never would have painted it that color if it was gonna stay that way.” Internally, Twilight found herself agreeing with the latter. “So… how are you planning on finding this magic spell stuff in a book?” Rainbow asked dubiously. “Aren’t they all just filled with random stuff all the time?” “Have you ever read a book?” Twilight asked in return. “Of course I—” “Then you’d know they’re one of the things the Emperor approves for weak anti-chaos spells,” Twilight continued, cutting off Rainbow’s retort. “Sure, some arrangements of letters and words might change, but the overall message is usually kept intact unless the charm wears off.” Rainbow huffed in response. “Not the ones I’ve read. None of them made any sense, except the ones with pictures.” Twilight rolled her eyes. Thankfully, she spotted the library around the next corner and quickly rushed up the path and the porch steps. “Hopefully I should be able to find it quick,” she commented as she pushed open the door of the library, “If I recall correctly, there’s an old volume on gem-spells by—” She cut off in surprise. Sitting in the middle of the library proper were Rarity and Pinkie Pie, frozen as if they’d been caught with their hooves in the cookie jar. On the desk in front of them lay a small book and a quill. Both ponies shot to all fours and a burst of teal magic flipped the book shut. “T-Twilight?” Rarity said haltingly. “Um, well… Fancy meeting you here!” A forced smile painted itself across her face. It took a moment for Twilight to do more than blink in confusion. “Um, yeah,” she replied after a moment. Something was profoundly awkward about the situation she’d walked into. “So… what are you two doing here?” she asked, mentally trying to prepare herself in case another unpleasant confrontation might be incoming. “Oh, you know, just catching up on some reading,” Rarity said brightly. From behind her, a pink hoof appeared over the tabletop and began inching the small book out of sight. The suspicious motion immediately caught Twilight’s attention. “Oh, really?” she said casually, suddenly realizing she’d caught the pair off-guard instead of the other way around. Deftly, she seized the book in her magic and yanked it toward her. “Reading what, exactly?” “Twilight NO!” Pinkie cried, flailing uselessly at the airborne tome. Rarity gasped in apparent horror. “What?” Twilight responded, unable to keep a smug, faux-innocent undertone out of her voice. “Were you reading something you shouldn’t have bee—” Her words cut off with a strangled choking noise as she suddenly realized why Rarity and Pinkie looked so guilty. Without a doubt, the book hovering in front of her couldn’t have come from any shelf in the library, nor any collection in Discordia. This book, she’d brought here herself. “...What is this?” she asked, turning her journal toward the two other mares. “Twilight, please,” Rarity began, “We didn’t—” “Didn’t WHAT?!” Twilight snapped, her words now saturated with barely contained rage. Face full of chagrin, Pinkie Pie stepped around the desk and began to approach. “Twilight…” “No!” Twilight shouted, gesturing at the journal. “This— this isn’t okay!” “But—” “I DON’T WANT TO HEAR IT!” she shrieked. A discarded bookbag caught her eye, and she snatched it up, tucking the journal safely inside. “These are my private thoughts! MINE! You have no right to see them!” She looked down, trying to secure the latch on the bag and figure out the strap. Her vision was swimming in red, making her struggle with the crude mechanism. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Rainbow Dash and Zecora frozen in the doorway, mouths agape. Without warning, there was a flash of bright color and something wrapped around her neck and shoulders. Somehow Pinkie had managed to cross the room in almost no time and before Twilight could speak, react, or even think, had wrapped her in a tight hug. “I’m sorry.” Had it been any other pony, Twilight would have responded with a hoof to the face. But there was something about Pinkie in that moment that inexplicably negated the violent reaction. Her voice was quiet and sincere, her touch calm and comforting, firm yet gentle. Twilight pushed back against the feeling, trying to reignite the self-righteous fire in her voice. “They’re my thoughts!” she protested again, yet even as she fought she felt the white-hot anger being drawn out of her. The fire faltered, smothered by the hug. “They’re m-mine…” she repeated, the words coming out as a whimper this time. “That’s… how I cope…” “I know and I’m sorry,” Pinkie said again. “T-that…” Twilight managed to stammer, “that doesn’t make it…” “Make it right?” Pinkie finished. She released the hug. “No… it doesn’t. I just hope someday you can forgive us.” Pointedly ignoring the last sentence, Twilight pulled away and put some distance between herself and the others. She busied herself with the bookbag, untangling the strap and wrapping it around herself “How…” she said slowly, trying not to let her voice crack or tremble again. “How much did you read?” “We read enough, darling,” Rarity said, stepping forward. “Things have been hard here, but I daresay you’ve had it just as bad as any of us. Worse, if we’re counting those awful games Discord played on you.” The image of a single gold coin flashed into Twilight’s brain. She shook her head and growled, trying to banish the memory. “Just—” She waved a hoof in Rarity’s direction. “Just stop. I don’t want your sympathy, okay?” Rarity and Pinkie both glanced at each other, then nodded. “All right,” Rarity replied, “I understand.” “Fair enough,” Pinkie added, then looked around to where Zecora and Rainbow were still standing awkwardly by the door. “What are you three doing here anyway?” “Looking for a book,” Rainbow said, seemingly relieved to change the subject. “Something about gemstone magic.” “Gemstones? Whatever for?” Rarity asked. “Well, it’s a long story…” Likewise grateful for the shift in topic, Twilight sniffled discretely while making a beeline for the nearest shelf. She began skimming the titles, which incredibly seemed to be arranged by title and roughly grouped by subject. This must have been the way the books were last shelved before being randomized, she theorized as her eyes passed Arcterra, Alwing, Anselhorn: An Abiding Amber Adornment. While the idea that the placement of un-randomized items could be restored by an anti-chaos spell was not unheard-of, it was rarely observed in any meaningful way. Of course in the Discordian alphabet the letters themselves had no given order, but it was somewhat convenient to have all the A’s in one place at least. Gradually she became aware of a presence nearby and glanced up from the seemingly endless row of books. Pinkie Pie was a few strides away, silently scanning another section of the shelves. “Do you even know what you’re looking for?” Twilight asked. The words came out a little more bitter than intended, but if Pinkie noticed she didn’t react. “I’ve got a general idea,” she replied. “Rainbow said ‘gemstone magic’ and I’m pretty sure I’ve seen something like that in here.” Twilight made a noncommittal ‘hmph’ in response and returned to her own search. She pretended to be thoroughly focused, but the minimal attention actually required left her mind free to wander. Her reaction to the hug was still bothering her; she couldn’t figure out what had managed to defer all her anger so quickly, and why she still couldn’t bring herself to be more than mildly perturbed by Pinkie and Rarity’s actions. A few minutes passed before she couldn’t bear to wonder anymore. “How did you do that?” “Do what?” “That,” Twilight said. “How did you make me… not angry with you?” “Actually, it’s something Fluttershy taught me,” Pinkie said. “She says sometimes everypony just needs a hug.” Twilight’s face screwed into a confused expression. “But… how? I didn’t want a hug.” “Fluttershy says that’s usually when you need it most.” Pulling a book off the shelf, Pinkie began flicking pages. She giggled. “Ha! I’m not even a unicorn and I know that’s a stupid trick.” The non-sequitur broke Twilight’s pattern. She tilted her head sideways, and quickly recognized Lulamoon’s Tricks and Secrets for the Magical Novice. Instantly her brain was transported two nights previous, when she’d first returned to Ponyville. At least, she thought was two nights worth. Involuntarily, she chuckled at the memory. “Turn to Chapter Rosebloom,” she said. “I think you’ll like that one.” Pinkie flicked several pages. “There’s no named chapters, they’re all numbers.” Oh right, Twilight thought. “Um… Chapter 7 then, I think?” Flipping backward this time, Pinkie quickly reached the suggested spot. Almost instantly she snorted and had to cover her mouth with one hoof to avoid guffawing. Even stifled, Pinkie’s laugh was contagious and Twilight found herself biting her tongue to keep from cracking up. She’d almost forgotten how laughable the “secrets” were. “Oh, that’s a good one,” Pinkie said, wiping a tear from her eye. She clasped the book between both hooves and reared back to replace it on the shelf, then looked over at Twilight. Her smile remained, but turned slightly melancholy. “I really am sorry, by the way.” The laughter died in Twilight’s chest, but surprisingly it wasn’t replaced by anger or hurt. Rather, a sense of resignation settled on her shoulders and she sighed. “Then why did you do it?” she asked. “I’m really not sure.” Pinkie frowned. Twilight was struck by how out-of-place the expression was. “I guess… we both needed to know, y’know? And… I’m not sure about Rarity, but… I think I get it.” The words stung, and Twilight felt the bitter hurt creep back into her heart. “How?” she said. “You’re Miss Happy-Go-Lucky, how could you begin to know what I’ve been through?” Pinkie’s countenance fell, and it almost seemed as if her fluffy cotton-candy mane deflated a bit. “Not always,” she said softly. “I know what it’s like to feel all alone inside, like nopony gives a flying feather if you live or die.” The words struck a chord and it took all of Twilight’s willpower not to succumb. She clenched her jaw and blinked vigorously, clinging to her wounded pride as if her life depended on it. “It’s okay to hurt, you know,” Pinkie said after a moment of silence, “that’s how you tell the good from the bad.” She let the words hang in the air, turning back to the shelf and continuing to scan titles. It took a few moments for Twilight to compose herself. So far everypony she’d met had been angry, upset, or vengeful about what had happened all those weeks ago. Everypony except Pinkie, for some reason. It honestly wasn’t the reaction she’d been expecting, although to be honest she hadn’t known what to expect from Pinkie in the first place. “…then she touched Twilight’s horn, and I guess did some sort of mind-reading spell—” Rainbow’s voice cracked into Twilight’s head, reminding her that there still were ponies who didn’t understand. “Mind-meld,” she corrected automatically. “We shared thoughts.” “Yeah, that,” Rainbow agreed. “That’s how we found out her name is ‘Celestia’. After she left…” The story faded into the background once more, and Twilight resumed searching the shelves Pinkie appeared to be skipping. Periodically she cracked open promising-sounding titles, only to be disappointed. N.C. Storycraft’s Night Mares: Encounters with the Old Ones covered the right time period, but turned out to be pretentious speculative fiction. Secret Messages in Crystals had a section on gem harmonics, but it devolved quickly into pseudo-intellectual drivel. After several more minutes, she determined that of the set of ponies in Discordia who could read, only a small set lived near Ponyville and even fewer still had any serious interest in gemstone magic or ancient legends. Despite still having several shelves to go, she was about to give up when Rainbow’s voice interjected again. “…and that’s why Twilight brought us here, to try and figure out what Celestia wants with gemstones from the Tree of Harmony.” “Well I can’t say I’ve read any books about using gems for magic,” Rarity said, “but I do hope you find something. Whatever she and Princess Luna are planning, it would do well to be prepared.” “Did you say ‘Princess Luna’?” Twilight asked, tearing her eyes away from the shelf. “Yes, she addressed the whole town some time ago and that’s the name she used.” Rarity’s countenance darkened. “Also… you might as well know sooner rather than later…” Her voice trailed off, but even the subtlety-challenged Rainbow Dash detected her reluctance. “What? What’s wrong?” Rarity bit her lip briefly and glanced apprehensively at Zecora. “It’s Fluttershy. We… we think Princess Luna took her.” Zecora’s jaw dropped and one of her front legs nearly buckled. “Nothing yet said has possibly been worse! Why did you not think to tell me this first!?” “I’m sorry dear, I was trying to think of a way to break it to you,” Rarity said hurriedly. “Besides, we don’t know if she did, we only suspect. She could still be somewhere in town...” Despite the attempted softening of the blow, Twilight felt her heart skip a beat at Rarity’s revelation. Fluttershy was the most tender and vulnerable of them all; the thought of her being imprisoned in the cold, unyielding cells of the Sky-Mares’ dungeon was almost unbearable. “You said you don’t know,” Twilight said, “so where else could she be?” “That’s just it,” Rarity admitted. “We’ve checked practically everywhere. The last time we saw her she was talking with Princess Luna, and then after the Princess left she was just gone.” “But why was she talking to the Night-Mare at all?” Zecora exclaimed. “She should have known what danger could befall!” “We don’t know that either—” Rarity began. “FOUND IT!” Everypony started and looked to Pinkie Pie, who was holding a non-descript book aloft between both hooves. “As soon as Rainbow Dash said ‘gemstones’ I knew I’d seen it before,” Pinkie continued, sliding the book along the floor toward Twilight. “I read it a few months ago when Spike got those really bad cravings. Remember that, Rarity?” “Oh goodness, do I ever!” Rarity rolled her eyes and raised a hoof to her horn. “I was sore for days…” “A Spellcaster’s Guide to Crystalline Amplification and Focusing,” Twilight intoned, reading off the cover. She flipped the book open. A moment later, she felt wings hovering over her left shoulder. “See?” Rainbow said, pointing at the page. “Gibberish, like I said.” Twilight placed her own hoof under the paragraph Rainbow had pointed at. “Another compelling quandary in this area is the differentiation of distributed latticeworks,” she read. “Even though conventional wisdom states that this obstacle may be solved by frequency emulation, we believe that a different solution is necessary as hardstones have a long history of interfering in this manner.” Rainbow sputtered for a moment, then scoffed. “Well it’s not like that makes any sense,” she said, hovering away. “Actually it does,” Twilight replied, continuing to scan pages. “Mmhmm… yes… yes! This is exactly what I was looking for! With this, I think I’ll be able to figure out what Celestia is going to do with those gems.” “That shall not be necessary,” a new voice interjected. All heads whirled toward the source of the voice. At first, Twilight saw only an empty floor in the far corner of the library, but then her eyes caught it: An indistinct shape shimmering in the air, like a statue made of glass. A moment later the glass seemed to melt away, leaving Princess Celestia’s towering form plainly visible. For Twilight time seemed to freeze. She saw the visage of the princess, but her brain refused to accept it. This had to be a trick, a hallucination. From somewhere behind her, she heard a sharp intake of breath. “ALICOR—! ” Golden magic illuminated Celestia’s horn and Pinkie’s voice cut off in mid-shriek, but it was enough to spur the others. Rarity screamed and made a beeline for the door. Rainbow Dash rocketed into the air, wings straining for the nearest window. Astonishingly, Zecora reared and gave a tribal battle cry before charging at Celestia. Twilight herself was halfway through the mental preparation for a teleportation spell, when Celestia’s horn flared again. “CEASE!” Twilight’s spell failed instantly as shimmering gold light enveloped her. The shock made her stomach drop. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Rainbow Dash stop cold, frozen in mid-air. Rarity and Zecora likewise were halted in place, wrapped in Celestia’s magic. Unable to move, struggle, or even speak, Twilight could only watch in passive horror as everypony was slowly dragged into the center of the room and forcibly rotated to face Celestia. They were dolls, mere playthings at the mercy of a terrible goddess. For a moment Celestia appeared to study their terror-stricken faces in silence. Finally she spoke. “There is no need to fear us, little ponies,” she said, voice firm yet somehow soothing, “for we come not to hurt nor capture. Still thyselves, and we shall release thee.” The field around Twilight weakened, and she felt herself regain partial movement in her limbs. Celestia was looking down at her expectantly, so Twilight nodded. Immediately she felt the spell release her as the golden glow dissipated. In turn, Celestia looked to each of the others, releasing them once she received an affirmative response. “Now,” Celestia said as the last bubble of magic vanished, “we perceive there are many questions you may wish to ask, but—” The words were cut short by a violent stomp from Zecora. “Tell me, where is Fluttershy?” she snapped. “Your sister has taken her, you cannot deny!” “Zecora!” Rarity gasped, glancing at Celestia in preemptive horror. “We don’t know that for sure; you can’t just—” “I have seen the way that alicorn acts,” Zecora snarled; “she would hurt without thought, and that is a fact!” Celestia’s eyes narrowed. “Speak not ill of our sister,” she said coldly. “The truth of this thing is not yet known to us, but we shall discover it. For now, know that if any harm comes to thy friend, it shall be made right.” Zecora glowered but apparently heard the note of finality in Celestia’s voice and didn’t retort. “As we were saying,” Celestia continued, “thy questions must be set aside, for an hour of reckoning is close at hoof, and swift our preparations must be.” Although Celestia’s voice was even and calm, Twilight somehow felt she knew better than that. Some of the feelings and memories from her time inside Celestia’s mind had gradually been solidifying and separating, becoming more clear. Those feelings seemed to give her a window, a little extra insight that the others didn’t have yet, and she sensed the subtle emotion in the words. The Princess was afraid. “Discord,” Twilight breathed, her heart skipping a beat. If Celestia was afraid, that meant the Emperor’s arrival was probably even more imminent than previously thought. Twilight inexplicably felt a pang of emotion at the idea. It almost felt like melancholy for the impending destruction of Harmony and Order. That doesn’t make any sense, she thought. If anything I should be happy— “Yes, Discord,” Celestia repeated, intruding into Twilight’s thoughts. She looked visibly perturbed now. “Our sister’s actions have drawn the eye of Chaos, and we must act swiftly if we are to prevail.” A motion caught Twilight’s eye. She glanced over to see Pinkie Pie raising one hoof in the air, apparently asking permission to speak. “Yes?” “So when you say ‘we’...” Pinkie said slowly. “What kinda ‘we’ are we talking about?” Celestia tilted her head curiously. “We are not sure what you mean.” “Exactly! I mean, there’s ‘we’ and then there’s ‘we.’” Pinkie first motioned to herself, then to the entire group as she spoke. “It’s confusing, right?” A flash of understanding seemed to cross Celestia’s face. “You would prefer if we— if I did not refer to… me… as many?” Pinkie nodded enthusiastically. “I admit it would make it easier to understand you,” Rainbow agreed, nervously rubbing one foreleg against the other. “Very well.” Celestia took a deep breath as if re-centering. “My sister’s actions will doubtless have gained Discord’s attention, and I am forced to act now so we may succeed in defeating him.” “You did it again! You said ‘we’ when you meant—” “Wait Pinkie, allow me to clarify,” Rarity said, raising a hoof to interrupt. “Are you saying we…” she also motioned to the entire group “…have to defeat Discord?” Celestia nodded solemnly. “Yes, and it is for this purpose we— I have followed here: To ask for thy help.” A collective gasp emanated from everypony in the room. Rainbow Dash’s jaw dropped open. Zecora stood frozen in place, staring at Celestia. Pinkie Pie’s mouth kept working silently, one hoof gesticulating slightly. Rarity glanced around nervously, seemingly unaware of how to respond and hoping in vain to get some clue from the others. For Twilight, she couldn’t seem to get her brain functioning. Although it was rare, active sedition was one of the few things the Emperor took seriously enough to have a definite punishment for. Being only an agent in training, Twilight had never enforced those punishments but she had heard of them: Ponies taken and thrown into pocket universes of pure chaos, doomed to wander forever until their minds broke. And here in the middle of Ponyville, Celestia, the Day-Mare, was blatantly asking for help to dethrone Emperor Discord. Even in a world ruled by Chaos, this was teetering on madness. “Okay!” All heads swiveled again to Pinkie Pie, who was now grinning widely. “What?” she asked. “Sure it’s crazy, but since when did crazy not mean at least a little fun?” “Hold up,” Rainbow said, “you can’t just defeat Discord. He’s the Emperor! It’d be like me trying to lift a mountain!” “Quite right dear,” Rarity agreed. “And even if we were agreeable to the idea—” she shot a withering glance at Pinkie “— how would we do such a thing?” Zecora appeared to regain some of her composure, and nodded at Rarity’s statement. “Though to be free of Chaos I would not mind, a reason and a plan I would wish to find.” The faintest hint of a smile teased at the corners of Celestia’s mouth. Immediately Twilight was struck at how the nearly imperceptible change softened the harsh, serious lines of the princess’s face. In that moment she seemed warm, welcoming, almost maternal. “Dearest ponies,” Celestia said, the visible warmth carrying over into her voice, “wonder not, for I have seen thy hearts. I know the object of thy deepest desires: To be free of Chaos and spread the joy of Harmony to every soul. Were this not true, I would not stand before thee today.” Stunned silence fell over the room again, but only for a moment. “What are you talking about?” Rainbow cried incredulously. “Some of us haven’t even met you, and you think you can just tell us what we all want?” “Indeed.” The growing smile spread across Celestia’s face. “For it has been shown to me in purest truth, that which doth not lie.” “But, wha— how?!” Rarity asked, stuttering and flustered. Celestia raised a hoof and pointed to Twilight. “By her.”