//------------------------------// // 2: Past and The Present // Story: The Path of Twilight // by RDDash //------------------------------// Several Days Later... Twilight Sparkle had been standing in front of the crystal table, by now she already had been awake. After so many years she has trained herself to wake up every single day at approximately 6 a.m sharp. She had too, the combination of several factors contributed to it. For example, as a student of Princess Celestia, she was expected to wake up early morning and go straight to the classes at the School for Talented Unicorns. Yes, even the Princess herself wouldn’t save you from general education. Twilight looked around, for a moment she imagined her castle full of staff performing their duties. She quickly dismissed the thought. As much as she would love to please Princess Celestia, she would have to wait until she really needs that many helping hooves. One more thought crossed Twilight’s mind: Maybe I should just talk with Cadence. Come to think of it she really wanted me to tease my own brother with one of her personal guards. Twilight smiled as she remembered a very specific pegasus in the guard armor. Back then she politely refused to the idea, she thought it would be just too inconvenient for the poor stallion. Even if it was technically his job. Right now she had been self-practicing with the energy sword in a quiet environment of her castle. Twilight tried to recall all of the lessons she previously had with a training sword which she then tried to recreate with her new weapon of choice. Slowly, but surely, her own imagination took over her as she imagined herself in the middle of an epic battle where she was engaged in deadly combat with monsters. Twilight swang it sideways, with an audible whirring sound. The blade obeyed her telekinetic commands from her horn. She swang it, again and again, methodically in a beautiful dance of red light. Twilight’s mind subconsciously went back into the past, into the days of her childhood as she received some crucial training which was supervised by Princess Celestia herself. Seven years old Twilight Sparkle has been standing in the large castle yard. Right in front of her, a royal guard had been standing. This one was her combat instructor. “Go on, come forward and pick a wooden stick of your choice, " said the instructor with a slightly bored tone. Little Twilight didn’t want to accidentally disappoint her new instructor, so she quickly rushed to the evenly spaced mockup training weapons and grabbed the very first one she thought would be good to use. “I see, an interesting choice,” a guard -instructor commentated on her choice. His excitement was so visible that anypony could have thought they could literally feel it from him. Slightly confused, Twilight took a brief glance at what she was holding. In her telekinetic grip was a beautifully crafted replica of a standard Equestrian broadsword. “I am sorry, Sir?” ‘I am simply complimenting you because for one reason or another you look like a traditionally oriented filly.” With a brief smile, her instructor continued, “Hm, if I wished to be so bold I would have trained as a dual wielder.” Twilight shook her head declining the offer, “I am afraid that speed isn’t one of my strong suits, after all, I am just a beginner.” Her Instructor nodded and then gestured to her to start attacking whenever she is ready. “Go on then and try to hit me then.” He himself was holding an equally elegant replica of yet another weapon. This time it was a spear that had been favorably used by the pegasi clans of old. Twilight raised her own wooden sword high up, she quickly caught a node of approval directed at her. Unfortunately, at that very moment, she made a beginners mistake. With a battle cry, Twilight rushed forward, she tried to dismember the pony that just stood there patiently waiting for the over-enthusiastic filly. He quickly sidestepped her, a brief confusion by Twilight offered him a chance to unceremoniously push her to the ground. Said filly tried to roll on the ground to face him, however, he prevented her by stopping his own hoof on her back, his spear had been pointed next to her own neck. “I am pretty sure if I really wanted you dead, I would have found a way to impale you on it.” Twilight gritted her teeth in the displeasure of him mocking her. She was really embarrassed right now, and with all honesty, she really wished he would actually do that to her. However, that didn’t happen... “You are dead, try again, " he offered her his hoof with a cocky smile. Several minutes went by, routinely, as Twilight had been getting hit again and again by her instructor. As a result of her clumsiness, her own life briefly ended by him using more and more creative ways of doing so. “I am still waiting for you to strike me down,” he said to her with a cocky smile, which only caused her to glare at him. By now, she really hated this smile. She felt her own anger coursing through her veins. She was angry with herself by being such a klutz. She felt anger towards her own instructor. She felt disappointment, this time directed at herself for failing. A barely visible puff of smoke had been fuming from the little filly. She wanted. Her own instructor. Really, really dead. She blinked, stood up and caught her own weapon with her own magic that was tossed back to her, “Try again!” Twilight smiled to herself. All of that was the idea of the Princess. She said it would help Twilight to help her with anger issues. The basic idea was that If she could learn how to fight then she would release her aggression in a more productive way In a way it helped her, the guard-instructor turned out to be a pretty chill guy, and both of them earned each other respect at the end. Twilight smiled uneasily as she remembered how both of them were at each other throats. By the time Twilight learned how to teleport she started to use it to her advantage, and eventually, she too managed to strike him on more than one occasion. A beeping noise distracted her, which then caused her to start paying attention to her surroundings once again. Twilight looked around and then she saw the source of the noise. Was the noise had been originating from the table? She thought to herself with confusion. About a few seconds later the table had flashed briefly and then displayed the same exact map it did yesterday. Of course Twilight never saw the other one. Several seconds passed as the afterimage of Twilight’s cutie mark shined brightly. It separated from her flank and then froze in a random location on the map. Not only that, but Twilight noticed that five very familiar cutie marks had been circling around her own as well. “Well, I guess that makes it very interesting,” Twilight commented to herself. It would be best to wait for other girls, but for now, she switched off the cylinder and quickly attached it right next to her saddlebags. Turns out she didn’t have to wait that long. After about twenty minutes all of her friends came to her Castle. “You’ve seen it too?” Twilight was referring to the fact that they probably saw their cutie marks light up and then flew away into the direction of the castle. “Yep, I was having my usual day at Sugarcube Corner, and then, " Pinkie Pie took a very deep breath. “Well, " she stretched the last word. “My cutie mark started glowing, it was a bit weird actually!” She successfully rapid fire her own words at other mares. Said mares collectively nodded as well in agreement that it went pretty much the same way: Applejack had been on her farm, Rainbow Dash had been sleeping, Fluttershy had been feeding her animals, and Rarity was busy working with clothes. Spike was there too, however, he himself lived with Twilight. “So, what do you think all that means?” Twilight heard Spike’s voice. “I don’t know Spike, but whatever it is you have to stay here.” “But Twilight!” Twilight swallowed, she didn’t want to use that tone of voice which she felt she had to use right now. It was similar to a parent scolding her disobedient child. However, Spike wasn’t just part of a family, he was a friend. “I said, you have to stay here!” Twilight felt herself flinch. With a much calmer voice, she continued. “Spike, please understand. I really wish I could have taken you with my self, but I simply can’t take a risk right now.” She watched as Spike’s scales visibly deflated. She suddenly got an idea, “There is another reason I want you to stay in the castle. She watched as Spike’s eyes filled with hope. “I have a very special mission for you, " she paused. “If we do not come back in three days, then you should send a letter to Princess Celestia. You will tell her where we went. Is that understood?” Spike grinned in understanding, “Yeah sure, I can do that.” He saw Twilight beamed a smile at that. Satisfied, Twilight started paying attention to her friends once again who had been waiting for her, “Are we all agreed with the plan?” “I guess”, Everypony else nodded in agreement. “Alright, for now, I want you to go do your business as normal, but I expect you all to.. Hm let’s see,” Twilight quickly glanced on the map she saw a couple of railroad tracks that being zigzagging to her destination. “Let’s meet at the railroad station at high noon!” Twilight made a dramatic pause, Pinkie returned it with a knowing smile, “Girls, I can’t wait to go to our next adventure!” She shouted with excitement. Twilight shot an apologetic look to Spike, “Sorry, Spike, I promise that we both would go together on our next adventure.” Twilight Sparkle was twelve, she was currently been sitting in the Royal Library doing her homework for Princess Celestia. She heard hoofsteps of the pony entering the library, few seconds passed as the pony casually trotted right next to her and then stopped. She smiled because she recognized the pony who is now standing behind her. “How long are you going to be standing there big brother? Come on, just go and sit down on the chair.” “I would have, but you are sitting here doing your own work, and I just don’t want to bother you.” Despite his own words, Shining Armor sat down on the closest chair next to him. “Shining,” Twilight abruptly started a tirade, not noticing that he already fulfilled her request. “Please, you already bothering me by just standing here under my own nose.” “Sorry.” Twilight was about to be consumed by her own work but she suddenly changed her mind. “Shining why are you really here?” “Since we barely see each other, I thought I just visit you today. If I really bother you that much then I guess I am not being welcomed here.” Twilight groaned, “No Shining it’s fine, just forget it. I can’t really kick you out from the public library. Am I?” Shining grinned at her, “Is that a challenge?” Twilight returned her own grin, “Yes, Yes it is.” Celestia had been standing on the balcony watching Twilight in the courtyard. Several seconds passed as she sighed. She then turned to the Sergent Shining Armor who is currently had a few broken ribs as well as a bleeding nose. “Was it really worth it?” “Now that you’ve mentioned, my little sister will go very far,” Ear shitting grin had been plastered on Shining’s face. “But yeah, " he quickly composed himself in front of the Princess. “She knows how to throw her punches,” Shining flinched from the pain. “Is there anything else you learned from your little sibling skirmish?” Shinning Armor flinched once again, “Yeah, being zapped with lightning bolt hurts like a bitch! I am sorry, Princess.” “Its fine Sergent, " Celestia replied with a sigh, “It’s not like my own sister has the same foul mouth like the rest of the Royal Guards.” “Um, Sir? Shining couldn’t help but switch to the more neutral military ranks. “Do you think we are rushing this thing?” “Sergent, " Celestia granted, “Please understand that right now we don’t have any more room for any mistakes!” She sighed, “I really wished that two of my best students could have an opportunity to work together. “Unfortunately, right now, that wish became next to impossible ... I am forced to use her as a weapon against my enemies! And, I am really sorry that kind of responsibility was forced on to her.” “We will do what we must?” “Exactly!” Princess Celestia put on a sad smile and then turned back to watch Twilight fighting. “I am sorry, Twilight.” Twilight Sparkle was sixteen. This time she had been facing an entire platoon of guards, she was very eager to show off her skills. She sidestepped and then slammed herself to the nearest guard. Twilight felt relieved when she heard a satisfying crack of bones. Sensing danger, she quickly teleported herself away from the two guards who were about to strike her down. “Sorry boys, can’t happen, " Twilight said with a grin as she teleported herself again towards her next opponent. She was about to deliver a finishing blow that’s going to knock them out ... “TWILIGHT! THAT’S ENOUGH!” Twilight sighed, immediately stopped, turned, and then obediently trotted away from the arena. However... She was about to reach the gates as she heard a crack right next to her. Twilight flinched as she felt her honed combat instincts took over her body. She spanned around, her sword raised in attack position. “Twilight, please just go to your room! We are going to talk about later.” Twilight nodded, whatever she thought she was about to do didn’t happen. She forced herself to relax. Maybe she is having way too much fun bashing ponies around in the arena. Celestia sighed, “I feel like I am making the same exact mistake. Damn it, but I am almost out of time.” She then went to the injured ponies to inspect their injuries. Twilight woke up, she was currently on a train that was busy rolling going towards the next destination, somewhere North. I must have fallen asleep. She looked at the ponies around her. It would seem to be that none of them didn’t notice anything yet. Except for one pony that is. Currently, Rarity has been looking at her with the same exact curious and sad eyes, the same exact that Princess Celestia did all of those years. “Is something wrong, dear?” “Rarity, it’s fine. I am just having a dream. I just don’t know if it’s good or a bad dream. Say, Rarity, how long was I asleep anyway?” “I am not really sure because this train car, kind of, put us all to sleep. I would have to guess that it’s been about several hours or so.” True to Rarity’s words Twilight soon fell asleep once again. Twilight Sparkle was back to the age sixteen, she was sitting in her room. She felt like she was about to be scolded by simply trying to do her best. She heard a knocking sound. “Do you want to see me, Princess Celestia?” Twilight asked. “Yes, may I come inside my faithful student?” “Of course!” Twilight heard Princess Celestia enter the room and then the next thing she heard is the sound of the door closing. “Twilight... I need to tell you something. I also wanted to discuss something with you. It would seem that whatever strategy I am trying to use it’s not really working... So with a heavy heart, I must do this.” “Princess Celestia, I don’t understand!” “Twilight!” Celestia’s eyes hardened “You will be benevolent...” Twilight’s eyes dulled in return “I will be benevolent...” “You must be kind...” “I must be kind...” Celestia continued her mental conditioning, “You will purge all the hatred and aggression...” “I will purge all the hated and aggression....” “...From your heart, from your soul...” “...From my heart, from my soul...” “...From the other ponies hearts and souls...” “...From the other ponies hearts and souls...” “...You are the weapon of the Harmony, unconditional and unstoppable!...” ...I am the weapon of the Harmony unconditional and unstoppable...” “...You will forget...” “...I will forget...” “...The Darkness must not consume you...” “....The Darkness must not consume me...” “....The cycle of eternal hatred must stop...” “...The cycle of eternal hatred must stop...” Celestia’s relaxed her eyes, which then caused Twilight’s eyes to snap out from the trance. Twilight fell asleep soon after that. Twilight was fully awake now. If what she saw now in her dream is true then...she felt extremely used... It sickened her so much that she wanted to throw up. Twilight felt like her brain tied itself into the knot... She felt like she really needs to get away, from this train, from her mentor, from her friends... She wanted to escape, she just didn’t care where she to where... Then, then everything is going to be just fine... “Twilight we are here!” She heard Rarity’s voice. Twilight’s mind snapped back to reality, “Uh, what?” “Twilight we arrived at our destination, this is our last stop. The girls had been wondering when you are going to join us..” “Right, I am sorry. I... Just, please give me a minute I need to focus.” Twilight swallowed “It was a bad dream after all.” With a hint of understanding that left Twilight slightly confused Rarity continued, “Of course, Twilight, I understand.” Twilight had her eyes closed, and yet she still heard Rarity’s hoof steps exiting the train car. A whole minute later and then Twilight herself followed Rarity. Their trek took several more hours, and by the time they all arrived right near what looked like a small settlement. Faint music and singing could be heard. “Is this where the map wanted us to go? I don’t know all of them just seems to be happy.” Pinkie Pie just simply shook her head, “I don’t know Twilight I just have a faint feeling that this village is a pile of Doo Doo.” Twilight thought about what Pinkie Pie said, “Um, I am sure of it that all of us are here for a reason, and I think we are about to find out what that reason was.” “Even me?” Applejack voiced her own opinion, “I am not really sure why would you drag us all out on this little adventure, or Rainbow Dash, or...” “Because all of you signed up for this shit when you received the bling bracelets, and then we fired a Rainbow Friendship Beam at Nightmare Moon.” Twilight snapped at the Applejack. Rainbow Dash glared at Applejack, “What the actual buck Aj. This. Was so not cool. We are friends, and friends to stick together.” “Alright this is what we are going to do, we are going to go down there, and if it really nothing then it’s even better right?” “I guess....aw!” Applejack felt Rainbow smacking her with the hoof on the back of her head. “Hey, I said I am sorry!” “Well, I guess I never heard that apology.” Applejack blinked and then quickly apologized to Twilight, “There I did it, are you satisfied Rainbow?” “Yeah! I am!” Rainbow Dash screamed angrily Fluttershy threw a worried look at Pinkie Pie and then whispered to her. “Is something wrong? No, I just know it, that something is wrong, everypony is just acting out like they are not themselves.” “Like I said that village down there is full of Doo Doo,” Pinkie Pie whispered back. All of them descended downhill and then entered the unfamiliar territory. The ponies who lived there, all of them had a strange dull look in their eyes. Twilight felt her fur rise up in almost in a primal instinctual way. Forcing to ignore the nagging feeling she and the rest of the team trotted next to some random pony. Twilight tapped her hoof on the shoulder of a nearby pony. “I am really sorry, but I and my friends were kind of wondering if you could just point us in direction of where is, um your town’s mayor is. What I am trying to say is, well, take us to your leader.” ‘Oh, you mean Starlight?” Twilight smiled “yes her, um so where would she be?” “All the way over there!” she pointed to the house that’s been located right next to the hill. “Oh of course!”Twilight felts like she would need to mentally kick herself, the answer was just so obvious.”Why I am not surprised that the leader would place her own house separate from all others!” Twilight threw a metaphorical fish hook, she was hoping that somepony would provide her with more information. “You know it helps them feel superior about themselves. For example, rich ponies build fancy castles, and the rest of the poor ponies build simple buildings like that.” “Oh no! No! No! We are all equal here, and that includes our leader Starlight Glimmer.” Twilight thought that she shouldn’t argue, that wasn’t a point. Right now she just received her aha moment. Horseshit! Like hey, this is equality. “Oh, by the way, have you heard about Tirek?” Mare raised an eyebrow, “I don’t think that we are, what kind of pony he was?” Pinkie Pie pitched in. “He wasn’t actually a pony, he was a power-hungry hundred meters tall centaur, I thought that you might have noticed him,” She made a step forward towards the mare, " He was like Raaaaaah I am going to take all of your magic, “She made another step forward towards the mare. “And Twilight was like I am going to send you back to pony hell,” She made the final step towards the mare! Her face was almost right in front of her face.” and then they went into a Super Sayan mode, and that’s how Equestria exploded!” “Thank you very much, Pinkie!” Twilight laughed nervously, and then pulled Pinkie back with her telekinesis! A few seconds later they continued to trot towards the house where somepony by the name of Starlight Glimmer. “Pinkie, do you really needed to do that? You scared that mare half to death with your enthusiasm?” Twilight asked Pinkie Pie. “Well, not really sure, but did you noticed how she flinched when she heard me describing who Tirek was.” “Yeah, that was a bit weird.” Twilight went to the door and knocked on it. About thirty seconds later the door is opened and all of them saw a light pink unicorn with a light blue stripe that’s been located on a purple mane. “Hi,” Twilight started off, “we are from the ponytarian services.” “Ponytarian services?” Starlight asked with confusion in her voice. “Yes, you see Equestria is constantly under a lot of pressure from countless villains trying to invade it. After the fight between a bad guy and the good guy ends... Well, this is where we step in. It’s our responsibility to make sure that everyone who is affected by the disaster is on the path of recovery.” Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash dropped a quick glance at the random pony who happens to be nearby, in that case, that was Rarity. “I am not sure what Twilight is trying to pull, but I don’t think that Starlight pony is going to buy it,” she started whispering to Rarity. “Hardly anypony is aware that our Twilight is a Princess of Equestria, especially all the way out here.” She whispered back. Rainbow Dash nodded, “I guess it’s the usual then. I almost expect it that something will go wrong eventually.”