"I hate this spell so much," Twilight grunted. The biting headache she felt contributed absolutely nothing to making her feel any better, nor did it add anything to the experience of using her magic to suppress her true self. She half-huffed, half-grunted and paused midstride. She pressed her eyes closed and lifted a cyan hoof, then massaged her temple with it. It did little to alleviate her discomfort, and only served to draw further ire from the antagonized alicorn. "I swear, if there was a way to destroy spells, and this spell wasn't so useful, I would erase all traces of this spell from existence," she hissed. She shook her head, then suppressed a snarl at the silvery mane falling over her eyes. She brushed it aside with her hoof.
A purple pegasus casually glanced around, then sat down beside the disguised alicorn. "You always complain about that spell whenever you use it. It doesn't seem that bad to me..."
Twilight lowered her hoof back to the concrete sidewalk and shot a glare at Rainbow. "You're not an alicorn princess stuck in a body not designed for you," she quipped.
Rainbow grimaced and looked around. The dark, moonlit streets of Canterlot were deserted, save for the occasional patrol of soldiers. It was a sharp contrast with the bustling activity of the city at day. She shifted her weight and carefully scanned their surroundings. A patrol of two soldiers calmly walked along across the street from them. Rainbow watched them out of the corner of her eye. While the soldiers took note of the trio, they mostly ignored them and continued along their patrol. Eventually, they turned the corner and disappeared from sight. Rainbow shivered.
"We're almost there," a pinkish-white unicorn commented idly. She laid her hoof on Twilight's shoulder and smiled reassuringly. "And once we get there, you won't have to stay like that."
Twilight snorted. She grunted and shook her head, then stood back up. After a quick look around, she started walking forward at a leisurely pace, only to pause a few strides later. "What am I going to do if I ever have to... or want... to fit in without being an alicorn?" she asked, blinking a couple times. She opened her mouth only to close it, then she tilted her head to the side. "This spell is the only one I know of that can do that, and it hurts to use it. I would have to use this spell if I wanted to go around in disguise as a unicorn..."
Zenith and Rainbow walked back over to her. Before they walked around Twilight, they shared an uncomfortable look. "This sucks," Twilight said flatly.
"Can't you just... shrink yourself or something?" Rainbow asked, her muzzle scrunching up.
Twilight's eyebrows flicked upwards and she bobbed her head to the right. "Yes, but it's more complicated than that," she answered. After a second, she groaned again and started forward. Rainbow and Zenith fell in sync with her. As they left their conversation behind, the silence was broken only by their hoofsteps. Every time they passed an alleyway, Zenith would cautiously peer into it and carefully scan it, even if Twilight wasn't phased by the potential for an ambush, she wanted to be sure. Rainbow subtly watched the soldiers on patrol, never once drawing attention to herself, let alone Twilight or Zenith. She always kept herself close beside Twilight, matching her pace.
"Any idea how long you'll be?" Zenith asked.
"I won't be talking to Starlight very long," Twilight answered leisurely. "I'm mostly just planning on asking her to assist me with reaffirming control of the government, taking care of that council of his, and seeing if she has any ideas about why he is able to use Chaos Magic. After that, well, we all know what I am going to do..." she trailed off and licked her lip. Her words hung in the air. Rainbow cast a glance at Twilight and rubbed her wings against her sides, then held them firmly. Zenith remained silent.
Twilight sped up a little, taking the lead of the group and walking ahead of them a by a few steps. She slowed as she approached an intersection, then turned right without missing a beat. As they walked on, she continued analyzing what her senses and magic told her to ensure their safety and success, but her thoughts wandered and drifted. There were soldiers patrolling Canterlot, but nothing like she expected if they expected an attack or a threat. It made her frown.
The Inquisitor was smarter than that. 'Maybe his forces are tied up in another war,' she mused. She squinted and slowed at the thought. On one hoof, she welcomed that idea, anything that weakened him was something she approved of, but on the other, she dreaded it since it meant more lives would be lost. Her distaste for the thought was mellowed out by the knowledge that they were soldiers loyal to the Inquisitor, ponies who had chosen to serve him. She forced the thought aside and pressed on. They walked in silence for several minutes, occasionally coming across a patrol, however, none of the patrols seemed interested in them.
Twilight couldn't help but feel suspicious because none of the patrols tried to stop them- it was the dead of night, and she was surrounded by a pegasus and a young unicorn. Even with the changed disguise, she had expected more scrutiny than they had received. She shivered and pushed the thought to the back of her mind, other matters required her direct attention.
She turned left. Large, extravagant two-story mansions stood on both sides of the street. One mansion stood out in particular, however. The two soldiers standing guard easily gave it away. The mansion stood halfway down the street across from them. Twilight came to a stop and eyed the two soldiers warily. Rainbow and Zenith paused beside Twilight and looked at her questioningly.
The soldiers had, of course, taken notice of them. Three mares walking around the mostly deserted streets of Canterlot at night did draw attention to themselves, even if across the street a mare and a stallion were leisurely strolling along. Twilight hesitantly turned away from the soldiers and started down the sidewalk, though she kept her gaze on them. Rainbow and Zenith followed close behind them. As Twilight made her way closer to the middle of the street directly across from the mansion, she turned her head to watch the twin soldiers. Both of them shifted their weight as they watched her watching them, but neither of them made any aggressive postures.
Twilight tore her gaze away from the two soldiers and stepped away from Rainbow and Zenith. She looked left, then right, then glanced back at the two mares. "Wait here," she commanded. "I will not be long." She took a deep breath, then started across the street.
"Be careful," Zenith said.
Twilight glanced back at her and nodded, then turned her attention back to the two soldiers. As she walked across the street, she fought against her headache and forced a pleasant smile out. "Good evening, gentlecolts," she greeted. As she expected, both soldiers regarded her warily and shifted their weight.
The one on the right took a deep breath, then gazed out past Twilight. "Miss," he acknowledged disinterestedly.
"This is the residence of Councilor Starlight, correct?" Twilight asked.
The soldier on the right nodded rigidly. "That is correct."
"I thought so," Twilight said, nodding. "I know the counselor personally. I have been meaning to stop by and pay her a visit, but... I've just not found the time." She smiled sheepishly.
The soldier on the right glanced at Twilight. His muscles tensed up and he held himself a little more cautiously. "And you just happened to find the time in the middle of the night? Miss, I think you should leave," he said dryly.
Twilight bobbed her head. "It is a bit of an unorthodox hour to visit, yes," she agreed. She smiled once more. "But surely, you can make an exception?"
The soldier huffed. "The counselor is asleep by now. If you had come by earlier, then maybe, but I don't recognize you, and you haven't even given us your name, Miss."
Twilight pursed her lips. "Trixie," she answered, smiling wider. "The great and powerful Trixie, surely, Starlight has mentioned me before? Or perhaps you've heard of me?" She batted her eyes at the soldiers and brushed back her silvery mane with her hoof.
The two soldiers looked at each other, shifting their weight. "Maybe," the one on the right answered. "But that does not change the fact that it is night. We have orders to ensure that nopony can visit the counselor after nightfall."
"I could make it worth your while," Twilight replied.
The soldier met her response with a blank stare. "Are you trying to bribe us?"
Twilight looked at him indignantly. "Of course not!" She huffed. "I'm simply saying that my two friends and I would be very appreciative if I could speak to Starlight now."
"You and your friends need to get lost, Miss. You have no place here," the soldier responded.
"Suit yourselves," Twilight replied. Without skipping a beat, she lit her horn and threw the soldiers to the ground. They impacted the concrete with a dull thud. Both soldiers groaned and grunted, but before either soldier realized what had happened, Twilight leveled her horn on the right soldier, then shot a paralysis spell out at him. The spell easily overcame his armor and it's enchantments, and for a second, she was worried the spell stopped his heart, but a quick check with her magic confirmed otherwise. Without pausing, she swung her horn around to the other soldier, then released the same spell on him before her head even came to a stop.
She glared at them, then stepped back. She bent down slightly and glanced to her right and then her left, ensuring that nopony was around that her senses and magic had missed. After several seconds, she cautiously stood back up, then glanced back at Rainbow and Zenith. After affirming their safety, she nodded to herself and motioned them over with her wing, then leisurely walked over to the door, then calmly knocked on it.
A loud crack reverberated throughout the mansion, breaking the silent night air. Starlight Glimmer bolted upright, clutching at her chest with her hooves. Her heart raced and her barrel expanded and contracted erratically with her breathing. "W-what was that?" She blinked a couple of times and listened intently. The only sound she could hear was frantic hoofsteps rapidly approaching the bedroom door.
She pushed the blankets off of herself, then quickly slid out of bed and landed on the soft, carpeted floor. She lit her horn and spread her legs out, slightly angling her glowing horn downward at the door in preparation to defend herself.
No sooner had the hoofsteps fallen silent that the door swung inward. "Starlight, are you okay!?" a yellow and white stallion with an unkempt orange mane called. He blinked a couple times, then pushed his glasses back up.
Starlight stood back up and nodded. "I'm fine," she answered. She glanced around the room, squinting, then slowly made her way over to the door. "But what was that sound? It sounded like it came from downstairs."
Sunburst grimaced and nodded. "I'll go check," he said, then pulled away from the door and lit his horn.
Starlight hastened her pace and joined him in the hallway. "I'll go with you," she said.
Sunburst hesitated and glanced back at her. "You should stay here, you're-"
"Still stronger than you magically," Starlight replied evenly.
A second passed, and Sunburst's lips twitched up into a smile. "At least let me go first?"
Starlight smiled warmly but walked on passed him, much to his distress. "It's probably nothing," she said.
"Well, something made that noise!" Sunburst countered. "And it was quite loud. I was in the study and I had the door closed and still heard it," he commented idly.
Starlight bobbed her head as she continued down the hallway. Sunburst matched her pace and caught up to her, then walked close beside her. She glanced at the stallion and smiled. She slowed as they approached the stairwell, then came to a complete stop. She lifted a hoof, then placed it on the first step, only to pause, hearing another set of approaching hoofsteps. She poured more magic into her horn, illuminating the base of the stairwell and then stepped back up to the top. She spread her legs out, bracing her body and angled her horn toward the door.
The hoofsteps grew in volume, then paused. Starlight and Sunburst waited with baited breath. The hoofsteps returned at an increased pace. Starlight grimaced as she considered the possibilities. Her grimace disappeared as the door at the bottom opened, pushed out by a lavender hoof. The lavender hoof found purchase on the floor, then another lavender hoof followed beside it, bringing with it the face of a mare Starlight would recognize anywhere, even if she was much, much taller than she remembered. Starlight and Sunburst gawked at Twilight.
"Starlight!" Twilight greeted, smiling warmly as she turned to face her friend at the top of the stairs. Her smile wavered at the sight of the stallion beside her. "Sunburst," she said more cautiously. Sunburst winced and looked at his hooves guiltily before closing his eyes. "It's good to see you again. Sorry about the intrusion." She paused and the smile faded, "And your front door. I'll fix that," she said evenly. She shook her head.
Starlight blinked and recomposed herself. "Twilight..." She scrutinized the tall alicorn, then started down the stairs, smiling slightly. "You look... good."
Twilight flashed Starlight a smile. As Starlight reached the bottom of the stairs, Twilight stepped over to the unicorn and embraced her in a hug. She nuzzled the unicorn, then recoiled in shock. She gasped and gawked at the unicorn. She took a step back, her smile leaving her face. A ghost of fear swept over her expression.
"What's wrong?" Starlight asked.
Twilight swallowed. 'She... she..!' Her eyes lit up and she squeaked in excitement. "You're pregnant!?" she shouted. "Oooh, this is so exciting! Congratulations!" Twilight smiled giddily and bounced back over to Starlight, wrapping her arms around her withers. She sat down on her haunches, then pulled Starlight into her with her wings.
Starlight tentatively returned the hug. She looked back at Sunburst warily as he walked down the stairs. Starlight opened her mouth then closed it. She pursed her lips and frowned. "How... can you tell? I'm not... showing yet."
Twilight giggled and pulled back from Starlight. She spread her wings out and glanced up at her horn. "Alicorn. It's very easy to tell. I'm surprised I didn't realize sooner! Oh, everypony's going to be so excited and happy for you!"
Starlight laughed nervously. "R-right. Um... Twilight... what are you doing here? I haven't heard from you in years!"
Twilight smiled apologetically. "Sorry. Most of that time I was outside of Equestria." Her expression fell. "You know, dealing with what happened. That's why I'm here. You know about what happened last time I was in Canterlot."
Starlight grimaced. Sunburst watched them quietly. "Yes. That..." Starlight trailed off, nodding. "That was a rather... interesting report to read... And disappointing." Twilight smiled apologetically. She squinted at Twilight. "You're... going after him again, aren't you?"
Twilight nodded. "Yes. I would like your help." She paused and pursed her lips. Starlight and Sunburst both grimaced.
"I don't think she should get involved, Twilight... This is dangerous!" Sunburst said. "You know what he's done better than any of us!"
Twilight turned to him and nodded slowly."I know and don't worry. I just... I need to talk to her and discuss a few things with her. After I kill the Inquisitor, it'll be useful to have your support. I'm not going to put her in harm's way, I promise."
Sunburst sighed and reluctantly relented. "I... I'll go fix some tea. I have a feeling we're going to be here for a while."
Twilight smiled warily and nodded.
"I still can't believe you're pregnant," Twilight said with a smile. She lifted the cup of tea to her lips and took a small sip. She closed her eyes and savored the taste. She swallowed, then hummed contently as she mulled over the taste. After a few seconds, she shook her head and set the teacup down on the end table beside her.
"It came as a surprise to us, too," Starlight commented.
Twilight smiled and giggled. "I'm so happy for you two." Her smile fell. "I'm sorry that I wasn't there for the wedding and that I didn't keep in touch, but..." she trailed off, sighing.
"It's not your fault, Twilight," Starlight replied. "You didn't really have a choice," she added gravely.
Twilight sat up straighter. "Yes, well... I still could have tried." She shook her head. "I don't know how much free time I'll have after I kill the Inquisitor and reclaim Equestria, but I'll try to make time for the both of you and your foal. I should mention that I took on a new student recently."
Starlight perked up a little. "Really? Well, whoever that is must be lucky to have you as their teacher."
"She's a young unicorn. She has a lot of potential, I just need time to bring it out. I've mostly been focused on teaching her combat magic and how to fight because of current circumstances, but after the Inquisitor is gone, I won't need to worry about that as much," Twilight said conversationally.
"Make sure you're careful when you're going after him. He's... slippery," Sunburst warned.
Twilight grimaced lopsidedly and looked down at the wooden floor. "Yes, well... I have first-hoof experience with that. That's part of the reason I'm here." She looked back up and met Starlight's gaze. "He stripped Discord of his Chaos Magic, and somehow he is able to use Chaos Magic."
Starlight gawked at her. "What?"
Sunburst frowned. "That's not possible, though. Only Discord can use Chaos Magic, and we haven't seen Discord for years!"
"I found him in a cave when I was searching for Fluttershy. Apparently, he sensed what happened to Celestia and Luna, even though he was imprisoned in stone-"
"He was trapped in stone?" Starlight asked, her brow creasing.
Twilight nodded. "Yes. It was simple to reverse the effects. He and Fluttershy are in a safe place, currently, along with the other girls and Spike. Well, Rainbow and Zenith are waiting outside." Twilight paused and blinked. "I probably should have had them come inside with me."
"I can go get them if you'd like?" Sunburst offered.
Twilight smiled and nodded at him. Sunburst stood from the couch and made his way over to the door, then left the room. Twilight watched him leave, then turned back to Starlight. After a few seconds, her expression darkened and her smile fled. "I thought Sunburst was dead?"
Starlight sighed and looked away from Twilight. "He wasn't there when the Inquisitor..." she trailed off, struggling to find the right way to say what he had done, only to fail. Twilight watched on as the unicorn's expression fell. Eventually, Starlight looked back up at Twilight, her expression grave. "I don't think that a single night goes by that he doesn't have nightmares about it..."
Twilight grimaced. "He was supposed to protect Flurry Heart, but he wasn't there..." she said in a hollow, cold voice. "And now... she's..." she trailed off. A few seconds passed and she sighed. "I... guess I should help him with the nightmares, then... I... would have nightmares about... what happened, but..." she trailed off and bit her lip. "If it wasn't for having Princess Luna's magic, I would have nightmares..."
"You have Princess Luna's magic?" Starlight asked disbelievingly.
Twilight smiled wryly and nodded. "All of their magic, and some of their memories... it's... taken a toll on me." Starlight clenched her jaw. "It does have its uses, but I am less stable than I was three years ago... but I guess that's to be expected." Twilight sighed and lifted the teacup back to her mouth and took another sip. She mulled over the pleasant warmth as it rolled down her throat. "I am worried about myself. Getting the girls back together has... helped, but... at the same time, I can't help but feel..." She sighed. "I just... I don't know."
Starlight slid off the couch and walked over to Twilight, then hugged her. "Twilight, if there's one thing I remember about you, it's that you like to be in control and that when you're not in control, you worry too much. Being alone for three years couldn't have been easy, but it'll be okay. I'll help you deal with the Inquisitor and then I'll help you get things back in order."
Twilight smiled and returned the hug. After a few seconds, she let go of the mare and she stepped back, then sat down on her haunches. "Thank you, Starlight. But I can't ask you to help with the Inquisitor. It would put your foal in danger."
Starlight said nothing, but she did place a hoof on her stomach and looked down. "I... guess... it... wouldn't be right to put her in danger, but... You can't go against him alone."
"Rainbow and Zenith will be accompanying me, however, I should be able to take him on my own. His Chaos Magic, however, may prove problematic. It was a problem the first time, but it didn't help that he hit me with an electromaginetic pulse." Starlight winced and shifted her weight. "I... am concerned, though." Twilight's smile vanished. She pursed her lips and looked down at the floor. "If something happens to one of them, I don't know how I'll handle that." She bobbed her head to the right. "And... Rainbow's mind has been altered. It's something that may bite me in the flank, but I don't feel like it would be safe to fix that until after the Inquisitor is gone."
Starlight grimaced. "What kind of alterations?"
"Her memories... it's a mess. It'll take some time to fix without hurting her... I'm... worried about what will happen if I succeed, however." Twilight sighed. "I trust her, though. Despite what she, what they all did, I trust her. I can see just how much she regrets what happened. It... almost hurts to see her feeling that way. I know she won't do that again, and I need her. All of them, really, to keep myself sane."
"You don't seem like you're going crazy," Starlight said calmly.
Twilight flashed her a weak smile. "I'm going to keep all of them around after I deal with the Inquisitor. I'm going to ascend Rainbow too. I'll have to deal with the mind alterations, first, but..."
Starlight raised an eyebrow. "You're going to make her an alicorn?"
Twilight nodded slowly. "I have made my mind up on the matter. She is a capable warrior, and... she is loyal. But of course, since she's a pegasus, she isn't at her full potential." She pursed her lips and turned toward the door. "We'll have to discuss these matters after I deal with the Inquisitor." She stopped as the sound of hoofsteps pierced the air. After a few seconds, Sunburst calmly walked back into the room, followed by Rainbow and Zenith. Starlight stood up and looked at the two mares quizzically. "One moment," Twilight said. She stood from the chair and lit her horn. A second later, Rainbow and Zenith's coat and mane colors returned to normal in a flash of lavender light. "There."
"Rainbow, it's been a while. I think the last time I saw you was... five months ago?" Starlight asked.
Rainbow grimaced and nodded slowly. She looked down at the floor and studied it carefully, avoiding drawing attention to herself.
"Zenith, meet Starlight," Twilight said with a smile. She turned to Starlight. "Starlight, this is my new student, Zenith."
Starlight approached the gray mare and studied her. Zenith shifted her weight. "You're Twilight's former student?" Zenith asked.
Starlight nodded and smiled warmly. "It's been a while ago, but yes. She really made a difference in my life, and I'm grateful to her for that." She glanced back at Twilight, who smiled calmly, almost like Princess Celestia.
Sunburst broke away from the three mares and walked over to the couch, then hopped up onto it and sat down on his haunches. He watched his wife for a second, then turned back to Twilight. "You said Discord was trapped in stone and that the Inquisitor was responsible?"
Twilight turned away from Starlight and nodded. "Yes. The Inquisitor also stripped Discord of his Chaos Magic, and he had been trapped in stone for the past five years."
Sunburst frowned and rubbed his chin with a hoof. "You said Fluttershy was there with him too, right? How did Fluttershy manage to find him? And where exactly were they?"
"When... Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were... murdered, Discord sensed it. Apparently, the Inquisitor did not completely strip him of all of his magic, and when he felt that, he reached out to Fluttershy." Twilight paused and pursed her lips. "He says he gave Fluttershy Chaos Magic. She doesn't have a lot left, but she was able to traverse the ocean and head to the east on her own. I found them in a cave, and I'm not convinced the cave was natural, but I found no traces of civilization when I searched with my magic. It was in a jungle."
"And the Inquisitor trapped him in stone?" Starlight asked, turning her attention away from Zenith. Twilight nodded. Starlight tentatively walked back to the couch, then sat down to the right of Sunburst. Rainbow and Zenith tentatively walked over and sat down on the floor near Twilight. "And... he stripped him of his magic?"
Twilight grimaced and nodded. "Yes. He says Fluttershy has more Chaos Magic than him." She paused and bobbed her head. "That's not true, but it's... fairly accurate..." she said tentatively. "When I fought the Inquisitor, after he hit me with the electromaginetic pulse, there was a magic dampening field in place. He was able to bypass its effects by using Chaos Magic, and that's driving me crazy since there's no possible way for anyone except Discord to use Chaos Magic!" she huffed and scowled in disgust.
Starlight and Sunburst slowly looked at each other, then turned back to face Twilight. "You... said Discord gave Fluttershy Chaos Magic, right?"
Twilight pursed her lips and nodded. "Yes."
"And she used it to find Discord and cross the ocean?" Sunburst asked quizzically.
Twilight nodded. "That is different, however. Discord gave her Chaos Magic and the magic enhanced and directed her. She wasn't able to cast spells or use it to alter reality like the Inquisitor. The Inquisitor stripped Discord of his magic. Lord Tirek didn't even use Chaos Magic when he stripped Discord of his magic!"
"Maybe that's because he couldn't?" Sunburst suggested. "Lord Tirek stole Equestrian magic with ease, and then he stole Discord's magic. He had the power of the magic, but I don't recall him being able to use complicated spells. He was able to use the power of the magic he had to fuel his destructive spells."
Twilight's brow creased. "While that's true, Lord Tirek still used a variety of spells other than just destructive ones. He had levitation, low-level teleportation, and barrier spells." She paused, pursing her lips. "I... remember him snapping his... claws like Discord does, then my friends all being teleported to him. They were trapped inside barriers..." she trailed off. "Discord uses the same means to alter reality with his Chaos Magic, but the Inquisitor's horn was surrounded by Chaos Magic, and I would have sensed if that was Lord Tirek using Chaos Magic."
"That doesn't make any sense," Starlight groaned and leaned back against the backrest.
"If it wasn't for him having Chaos Magic, killing him would be easy," Twilight quipped. "It may be easier to kill him in his sleep," she said with a bob of her head, "but... Maybe that is a good idea. He shouldn't be awake right now, but it would be so much less fulfilling than him knowing it's coming and being unable to stop it..." Her eyes glazed over, and a malicious smile tugged at her lips.
Rainbow squinted uneasily at Twilight. "Aren't you the one who's always saying that nothing ever goes according to plan when the Inquisitor's involved?" she asked.
Twilight nodded slowly. "Yes, which is why I'm leery of challenging him directly again. He knows that I know he has Chaos Magic, so I don't really know what to expect in fighting him, which is what makes it dangerous for me."
"We'll be there right beside you, Twilight!" Rainbow affirmed seriously.
Twilight glanced at the pegasus and nodded. "I know. I appreciate that, but I still have my reservations about that. As much help as you two will offer, your presence will also make me more vulnerable since I will have to defend you against him." She paused and turned her attention to Starlight. "I should be able to strip the Chaos Magic from the Inquisitor and send it back to Discord before I kill him, otherwise it will return to Discord upon his death. I suspect he will probably immediately teleport the girls and himself to the castle, but I could be wrong."
"Assuming that he doesn't do something with it first," Sunburst said warningly.
Twilight grimaced. "I should be able to defend myself against any attacks he can come up with. He doesn't have the raw power to match me, even with Chaos Magic."
"He is smart, Twilight. He wouldn't have been able to rule as long as he has and expanded his rule into other nations if he wasn't," Starlight said.
Twilight slowly looked around the room, ignoring the occupants. "Yes, yes, I know from first-hoof experience." She bared her teeth, "I was close to him, after all," she said under her breath, grunting. She took a deep breath and sat up straight. "Starlight, can I speak with you alone for a few minutes?"
Starlight frowned and slowly nodded. "Sure?" she said cautiously.
Twilight glanced around, then slid out of her chair and walked over to the door. Starlight cautiously followed her. Twilight opened the door with her magic and motioned Starlight out, then stepped out as well. She shut the door behind her.
"What's this about, Twilight?" Starlight asked.
Twilight glanced back at the door, then cast a quick sound dampening spell.
"My apologizes," Twilight said as she walked back into the room. Starlight calmly and quietly followed her, then walked over to the couch and sat down beside Sunburst. Twilight casually glanced over Rainbow and Zenith, then pursed her lips. "The night is waning. We should be going lest we lose the advantage of the night." She lit her horn, then turned to Sunburst. "Sunburst, it has been good to see you again, and I look forward to seeing you again soon. Starlight."
"Twilight," Starlight acknowledged quietly.
Twilight met her gaze. The unicorn matched her calm gaze and said nothing. Twilight bowed her head shallowly, nodding once. She turned back to Rainbow and Zenith. "Let us make haste."
Rainbow cautiously stood up and stretched. She cocked her head left, then right, then bent down and stretched out her wings. Never once did her gaze leave Twilight. She shivered as she stood back up.
Zenith took a deep breath, then calmly walked over to Twilight's side. Twilight smiled down at her and lifted her wing, then laid it on Zenith's back. As Rainbow took her place on the other side of Twilight, she was met with the same response.
Twilight glanced around again, then her horn glowed brighter. There was a flash of light and a crack of magic, and they disappeared.