//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 // Story: Fight the Future // by BubblePuff //------------------------------// Twilight called for the guard as soon as she saw that the cell was empty. “Inform the rest of the royal guard that the prisoner has escaped. I’ll investigate his cell further to discover how he got out.” The guard saluted politely and opened the cell door before heading off. Twilight entered the room and scratched her head in confusion. I don’t get it. Higgs was wearing a magic-suppression ring. How could he have escaped Twilight thought to herself. Twilight picked up the note and began to read it. ‘Twilight, if you are reading this then you have discovered that I’m gone’ The note said ‘I know that you do not believe me right now, but all I have told you is true. If you are the Twilight that I will come to know, then you will hear me out. Meet me in the caves outside of the Crystal Empire. Tell no one.’ Before Twilight put away the piece of paper, she noticed something else scribbled at the bottom. ‘P.S, Watch for the signs.’ Watch for the signs? What on Equestria does that mean? Twilight thought to herself. She didn’t have time to dwell on that longer though, as she needed to check in on Shining and Cadance, who by now had received the terrible news that Higgs-Boson had gone from his cell. Shining and Cadance were playing with Flurry Heart when a guard rushed in and informed them that the potential assassin had escaped. “What?!” Shining quickly stood up and shot a stern look at the shaking guard. “How in the name of Celestia could he have gotten out?!” “We don’t know Prince Shining, but we are scouring the city as well as the snowbanks to find him as soon as possible.” The guard responded resolutely. Shining let out an aggravated sigh. “Very well, then. You are dismissed.” The guard nodded and left. Shining proceeded to pace back and forth, muttering under his breath. Cadance got up and walked over to Shining. “Shiny, calm down.” She said in her most soothing voice. “How am I supposed to calm down?! A lunatic who wants to slaughter our daughter is on the loose! I’m supposed to be the captain of the royal guard and the Prince of the Crystal Empire, but I can’t even keep my own family safe. I should resign right now...” Cadance nuzzled Shining. “Shiny, you’re doing everything you can. You’ve already saved Flurry and stopped the assassin once before. I know you can do it again.” Shining held his wife close. “I hope you’re right, darling.” A moment later, Twilight walked into the room. “I take it that you two have already heard what’s just happened?” Shining and Cadance both turned to face Twilight simultaneously. “How could he have gotten out? Wasn’t he wearing a magic-suppression ring?” Cadance asked with concern. “I’m still trying to figure that part out....” Twilight responded, while scratching her head. “This assassin obviously has advanced training in powerful enchantments in order to overcome such a powerful suppression ring.” “Well, I for one will not be able to rest knowing that he is still out there somewhere.” Said Shining, his eyes narrowed. “Twily, were able to find any clues inside of his cell?” Twilight was about to answer, but then she paused for a moment. She was getting this nagging feeling in the back of her mind that she shouldn’t inform Shining and Cadance about the letter Higgs-Boson had left. It was as if she somehow believed what he was telling her. “N-Nope. Sorry, not a thing.” Twilight replied, dishonestly. There was then a sudden loud, banging noise. Twilight, Shining, and Cadance all turned to see Flurry Heart smashing her toys to pieces (with the exception of Whammy) while happily giggling. “Uh, does Flurry Heart always break her things like that?” Twilight asked with a puzzled look. Shining let out a sigh. “Yeah. And She’s been doing it a lot more recently. It’s costing me a fortune to replace them.” “It’s a good thing she got so many new playthings for her birthday, then. Flurry has been breaking at least a dozen toys every month...” Cadance acted like it wasn’t that big of a deal, and patted Flurry Heart on the head. Twilight had a troubled look on her face. “I-I should probably head out and help with the search.” Twilight left, knowing full well that she had to reach the caves and meet up with Higgs. One way or another, she was going to get some straight answers out of him. After Twilight and the royal guards reached the frozen outskirts of the Crystal Empire, she divided them up into separate teams. “Team one, search north. Team two, search south. Team three, search west. Team four, get me some snacks. I’ll search the caves to the east.” One of the guards stepped forward to protest. “Princess Twilight, it is far too dangerous for a member of the royal family to go alone.” Twilight just smiled in return. “I’ve battled Nightmare Moon, Discord, Chrysalis, King Sombra, and Tirek. I can look after myself, trust me.” Having made an excellent point Twilight left, leaving the four teams headed off in their ordered directions. She then headed straight for the caves and made her way inside the gloominess without hesitation. Twilight lit up her horn and moved deeper into the cave. She looked around, not finding anypony at first. A voice then called out from somewhere from the darkness. “I knew you would come.” Twilight jumped high into the air and nearly screamed upon recognizing who it was. She spun around and saw that it was Higgs-Boson. Twilight aimed her horn at Higgs. “Stay back, or I’ll shoot!” Higgs raised one of his hooves in compliance. “I’m not going to harm you.” Twilight had a thousand questions that she wanted to ask Higgs. “How did you get that magic-suppression off?” “You taught me how to remove it. Or at least, you will. You’re a pretty demanding teacher, you know that?” Twilight was now more confused than ever. “Explain everything, now! And don’t leave out a single detail.” Higgs let out a gentle sigh. “Very well. I am a student of yours from around 50 years in the future. Princess Celestia puts you in charge of her school, and you relocate it to Ponyville opening it up for not just unicorns. Earth ponies, pegasi, even dragons and griffons are allowed in. I quickly become your star pupil.” “And what about Flurry Heart?” Twilight asked, questioningly. Higgs became silent for a moment before he continued on. “It doesn’t take long for you and the other princesses to discover that Flurry Heart is the most powerful Alicorn in the history of all of Equestria. She becomes abusive with her magic, taking pleasure in destroying things because it’s fun. In other words, a sadist.” Twilight shook her head, unable to comprehend what she’d just heard. “No, that’s not like Flurry Heart!” “Has she started smashing her toys yet?” Higgs asked, looking unsure. Twilight froze. She instantly remembered seeing Flurry Heart busting up her things earlier before she left, with Cadance saying that Flurry was doing it almost all the time. Higgs continued to speak, noting the alicorn’s silent reaction. “You took Flurry Heart into your school, hoping that you could teach her to be responsible with her powers. But it was all for nothing. Flurry Heart became obsessed with her magic. She began thinking that she was the one true ruler of not just Equestria, but the entire world. Anypony that dared to stand in her way was annihilated.” “D-Didn’t Shining and Cadance try to stop her?” “At first, they refused to believe that their precious little filly could be so corrupted so easily. But when Flurry Heart decided to otherthrow her parents, they just couldn’t bring themselves to harm her. After taking over the entire Crystal Empire, every city, town, and kingdom fell like dominos. Yakyakistan, Las Pegasus, Cloudsdale, Canterlot, and eventually Ponyville followed. Even the combined might of Celestia and Luna was not enough. I watched in horror as Baltimare burned. My parents lived there. I tried to save them, but nopony else got out alive...” Higgs then broke down and began to cry, falling roughly to the ground. Twilight walked over and gently placed her hoof on his back to rub it. “Higgs, I’m very sorry. But I need to know all that will happen. How did you get to the past?” Higgs wiped the tears away and looked up at Twilight. “Eventually, you became the only other Alicorn left. You and what other ponies remained teamed up the dragon and griffon kingdoms to form a resistance. But Flurry Heart’s power continues to grow. We have been pushed to our absolute limit. That’s when you had the idea. Using Starswirl The Bearded’s time travel spell, you proposed that somepony be sent back while Flurry Heart was very young and destroy her before she could ever have a chance to come to power.” “Why didn’t I just send myself? Why did you come instead?” “Two reasons. One, you were afraid that meeting your past self would cause a temporal paradox. Two, the resistance still needs a leader. I volunteered to be returned to the past because of all that Flurry has taken from me.” Twilight have Higgs a skeptical look. “Your story is fantastic, but how do I know you’re not just lying to me?” Higgs stood up. “Read my mind. See all of my memories. Then, you will realise that I’m telling the truth.” Higgs then proceeded to light up his horn and touched it to Twilight’s. Twilight’s eyes started glowing white as she saw into Higgs’s mind.