//------------------------------// // Chapter Five: Double Trouble // Story: Heart of Light // by TheCrimsonDM //------------------------------// Heart of Light Chapter Five: Double Trouble Written by TheCrimsonDM The next day Valiant was allowed to skip school thanks to Twilight who had come in the morning with the request to take Valiant out on a research trip. Of course there was a small conflict with Maud, but Trixie supported the little adventure. So with that permission granted Valiant sat on the train next to Twilight as they made their way to their first destination. In their private booth Twilight sat across from Valiant reading a book. Meanwhile Valiant was studying for the classes she was missing today. For awhile this worked out for the best as they enjoyed the sound of the train and the occasional glimpse out the window into the rolling hills. “How are you liking the trip so far?” Twilight asked. Valiant shrugged. She didn’t have an answer yet because the adventure hadn’t even begun. So far all she had was a train ride to compare this too, and it wasn’t anything special. “It’ll be fun once we get there, I promise. When I was filly Ink Pots helped me out a lot in my schoolwork. She also helped your mom, Trixie. Of course she actually helped pretty much everypony, she’s a good mare, you’ll like her.” A small smile grew over Twilight’s lips. “Actually the three of us do have one thing in common.” Valiant gave her that one eyed stare which meant she was not impressed. “Oh don’t do that,” Twilight let out a quiet sigh. “Our little adventure is just beginning. And I really need to get out of the village for awhile. Do something… useful for a change. Leave a legacy behind. Think about it, Twilight Sparkle and Valiant Heart, the two ponies to discover the Seeker’s Archive. We’ll be remembered forever.” Valiant’s stare grew concerned. This was a little odd coming from Twilight. She never cared about being famous, she was already famous as being the princess of friendship. Carefully Valiant shut her text book and sat up straight. “Twilight, why are you really looking for the archive?” Twilight’s lip trembled for a moment before she could regain her composer. “I uh, I wanted to… It’s complicated. There’s a really good reason, an important reason.” “What reason?” “I was visited by a… spirit of sorts. A being of flames and prophecy told me to find a certain pony. One that I am to train into the warrior, protector, and savior that she needs to be. I still don’t know who that is, but the Seekers Archive should have that information.” Valiant looked out the window and saw the city of Canterlot swiftly approaching, they were just about to enter the old mining tunnel in fact. “Why am I coming along?” “Because I need an assistant… and I promised you that we would look for the archive together.” A shadow passed over the window. Valiant looked over to see what it was but couldn’t. Then something heavy landed on the roof. Twilight stood up and looked toward the noise. The train entered the tunnel then and darkness consumed all vision.Little lights on the top of the room flickered to life as Twilight’s magic flipped the light switch. “What was that?” Twilight asked. Valiant looked out the window, but upon seeing nothing went to open it. A light thump sounded on top of the train car, quickly followed by another, and yet more. Valiant rolled the window down and stuck her head out. The cavern wall was speeding by only a few feet away. Above her she could see the top of a unicorn’s head, the white pony had a stylish purple mane. A necklace of gold with an alicorn shaped symbol on the front was worn proudly by the unicorn. Than two white wings spread out from the pony’s back and Valiant sucked her head back in. “What is it?” Twilight whispered. “An alicorn,” Valiant said quietly. Twilight’s eyes grew wide. “That’s… it might be one of the alicorn royalty?” Valiant shook her head. “The necklace. It’s the Alicorn Empire.” Twilight flipped the light off and darkness covered them again. Slowly Valiant’s eyes adjusted. It took a moment but Twilight moved over to Valiant’s side and whispered, “Stay in here, I will take care of this. It’s my duty after all.” “B-but-“ “No, I won’t risk your safety. Stay as quiet as a mouse.” Twilight’s horn lit up softly and her bag opened up. A long sword with lavender and gold stripes on the sheath was pulled out. Twilight’s crown appeared next. She dawned her crown, strapped her sword on and opened the door leading to the hallway. Twilight gave one last longing look at Valiant Heart, “It’ll be okay. I promise.” With that said Twilight left. The door shut behind her and Valiant was left all alone in this dark room. Her heart was speeding a million miles a minute and new fear rose in her chest. Twilight was going out there to potentially fight another alicorn, and with only one eye Twilight didn’t stand much of a chance. Valiant prayed to all the gods that Twilight would be alright. *** Twilight stepped out into the dark hallway and shut the cabin door shut. For extra measure she put a locking spell on the door, there was no way that door was going to be opening any time soon. For a moment she waited for the lights above to turn on, or for a servant to walk down the hall. There was nothing. Silence, followed only by darkness in the hallway. Something was wrong here, and Twilight was determined to figure out what it was. The first thing she did was walk to the next cabin over and open the door. She muttered a quiet apology after seeing the sleeping residents in the cabin. She shut the door and made her way to the next cabin over. The next cabin was home to a mother and her two fillies. They were all sleeping soundly together. Twilight tried the next cabin, a lone stallion with was lying down using a rolled up newspaper as a pillow. She shut the door and made her way further down the hall. It was weird that everypony in this car would be asleep. However it could still be coincidence. At least that’s what Twilight told herself until she stumbled upon a servant sleeping in the middle of the hall. This was more than just a few ponies napping, somepony had used a sleeping spell on the train. Twilight looked down at her Star Blade. It’s cool and collected presence had warded off a few spells in the past, and she now believed it had saved her once again. A sudden fear hit Twilight like a freight train. If everypony is asleep on the train, than whose driving it? Twilight threw open the door leading to the next car and galloped ahead. She was determined to set this straight before anything worse happened. The next car was a public car with benches instead of booths, and yet again everypony here was sleeping. She moved onto the next one, it was empty save for a few wooden crates. Twilight galloped ahead but froze at the appearance of an orange light from under the door leading to the next cart. Twilight dove behind a crate and lowered herself into a pouncing stance. The car door opened. A stallion’s voice spoke proudly filling the quiet car. “So what’s the plan here?” A female voice answered back, “We’re doing exactly what we need too. We are bringing the light of the Empire back to these lower life forms.” A raspy voice followed. “Sounds good, I’ve been sick of this dumb waiting shtick anyway.” Twilight dared a peak out from behind the crate and saw two alicorns standing at the edge of the train car. One of them was a stallion with such fabulous purple hair that even Rarity would be jealous. The other was a white mare with long red mane. On the mare’s back sat a blue cat with a gold mark on its forehead. “And how are we going to do that?” The stallion asked. “We’re ramming the train into their beloved city,” the mare answered. “Watch as those loser ponies cry as we destroy their precious beautiful capital.” The cat’s nose twitched before speaking in a raspy voice. “Oh come on, Rosie Red, Lavender Sin, we need to hurry and find out if they have any good loot aboard the train, before it crashes and burns with us in it.” The mare turned toward the back of the cabin and wore a sickening grin. “That’s the plan, hairball.” The cat looked down the train car, directly at Twilight and loosed a meowed. “We have company.” The mare laughed. “Come on out little pony, it’s rude to spy on your betters after all.” Twilight sucked in a quick breath and stepped out from her hiding place. She gave a one eyed glare at the group. “So you’re going to kill us all then?” The stallion gave an odd look to the mare. “Uh, Rose, we aren’t really killing them all right? We’re just destroying property.” Rose gave her partner, Lavender a dirty look. “Of course we are killing them. They aren’t proper life forms anyway, so what does it matter. Besides, it’s not like everypony is going to die, some will live, I’m sure of it.” Twilight snarled. “Not going to happen today.” “So you want to fight us, do you little unicorn?” The mare asked. She looked back at her partner. “I guess it’s time for our introductions then.” Lavender smiled proudly, and his horn lit up. A rose appeared before him and he sniffed it. “Prepare for trouble.” Rosie joined in. “And make it double.” “To protect the world from chaos and ruin.” Rosie’s horn lit up and a banner of the alicorn empire, a red alicorn silhouette appeared behind them waving in imaginary wind. “To unite all races under one nation.” “To denounce the evils of freedom or choice,” Lavender added. “To spread our Empire to the stars above,” Rosie said. “Lavender Sin,” lavender said. “Rosie Red,” Rosie added. Together the pair announced, “The Alicorn Empire is here to spread it’s light, surrender now or prepare to fight!” The cat meowed. “That’s right.” Twilight blinked at them. These two were not only evil they were friends with each other and had a motto. If those three things meant anything to her, it meant they were either really stupid, or worked together really well. Twilight prayed it was the former, because otherwise she did not see this as an easy battle. Twilight’s magical aura surrounded the Star Sword’s hilt with a deep red aura. A little bit of Rainbow Dash had rubbed off on her over the years as evident by the grin she was now wearing. Usually she hated to fight, but then again she had never had the opportunity to actually fight an alicorn before, at least not in earnest. This was going to be her chance to fully test out her magical abilities.“Come and get some.” Rosie’s horn lit up and bright streaks of pink energy flew towards Twilight weaving around like ribbons. Twilight jumped back, and pulled her sword free as the ribbons danced around her hooves. One of them wrapped around her leg and pulled tight. “Now this is going to be shocking,” Rosie said as her horn grew brighter still. Electricity flew down the length of the ribbon toward Twilight’s leg. Twilight’s sword flashed, the deep purple metal shone brilliantly as it moved, pink stars appeared all up and down the blade. It cut through the magical ribbon like butter and severed the magic before the electricity could contact her. While Twilight was busy working on this she failed to notice when Lavender had began charging from across the room. He was already upon her before she could react. His horn lit up with orange light and there was a blinding flash of light. Twilight moved back, unable to see she couldn’t attack, much less defend herself. A blow landed across her left cheek followed by one to her forehead, pain splashed across Twilight’s senses and she swung her sword blindly in front of her. She heard hoofsteps retreat as she swung her blade. Slowly her vision returned to her and as the orange cleared from her sight it was replaced by two glowing lights at the end of the car. An orange light and a pink light side by side. As the shapes of things appeared in her vision once more she realized that the lights were coming from the alicorn’s horns. Twilight turned and found the doorway she had entered. She ran through it and slammed it shut behind her. Pink ribbons crackling with electricity slipped just underneath the door frame. This was followed by a flash of heat coming from the other side of the metal door. It was so hot in fact that a circular area on the door was turning red. “Oh horse crap!” Twilight cried as she backed away from the door. Her face still hurt and she was unsure of what she was supposed to do now. A one on one fight against these two was impossible, at least with her level of power. Rainbow Dash she was not. “Come on out little unicorn,” Rosie Red called form the other side of the door. “Or are we playing hide and seek?” Lavender asked. Twilight rubbed at her jaw. There are dozens of sleeping ponies behind me, and I can’t drag this fight back to them. Think Twilight, think. You’re the second smartest of the Elements of Harmony, and you can use your brain to get out of this. A small hole began melting in the door. Lavender shouted, “Looks like we’re about to get through. What do you say? Give up now while you still have a chance and we’ll let you jump off the train before it crashes.” “Yeah, right off the side of a cliff!” Rosie added. Twilight frowned, this was going to suck either way. The place where her right eye used to be was burning. “Okay, you want to play, let’s play.” Twilight looked behind her, and her horn lit up and a square box of red energy stretched out before her. The box of energy swiftly grew, easily cutting through the metal as it pressed against the walls, floor and ceiling. The cart gave a little shake as the red energy cut the cart in half. Even if she failed in stopping the train, she could at least save the ponies left behind. Including Valiant Heart. Twilight made sure she was on the side with the alicorns and opened the door with her magic. Orange flames leapt out of the doorway, she pressed herself against the side of the wall as hard as she could. After a moment the flames died down and Twilight heard galloping toward the door. “What the Tartarus?” Rosie said as she stuck her head out the doorway. Her eyes widened in horror as the passenger cars all drifted away. Her horn lit up and a spray of pink ribbons lashed out to tie around the passenger car. For a moment the car started coming back, her face grew pained as the strain of holding the passenger cars quickly overtaxed her horn. A second layer of magic appeared around her horn, followed by a third. Rosie cried out in pain as the ribbons snapped. “NO!” Twilight grinned. “Yes.” Rosie looked over and saw Twilight standing there, for a brief moment her eyes grew wider still. Twilight’s hooves came crashing down on Rosie’s head. The alicorn was knocked to the ground, and Twilight used that moment to look out over the cliff face. It was a long way down to the bottom, and without a flying machine the fall was deadly enough to kill even an ursa major. A brief image of throwing Rosie out to her doom crossed Twilight’s mind, but she fought it. Killing the mare wouldn’t due anypony justice, it would only go on to inspire other alicorns to follow in her wake. Instead Twilight’s horn lit up and her hooves crackled with red electricity. Twilight brought her hooves down once more and Rosie’s body jerked and spasmed as the lightning traveled through her. Twilight stepped over Rosie’s unconscious body and into the car where Lavender stood with terrified eyes made only for Twilight. The cat was gone however. “Please don’t hurt me,” He begged. Twilight looked down at the fallen Rosie. “You were helping her kill ponies.” “We haven’t killed anypony yet,” he defended. “I didn’t even know we were going to kill anypony, promise.” Twilight scoffed and stepped to the side. “Fine, take her and leave. You can carry her and fly can’t you?” The stallion nodded. “Y-y-yes.” The stallion galloped past Twilight and grabbed Rosie in his telekinetic aura. Rosie stirred, and sluggishly asked, “Why did you give up, you pansy?” “Better to live to fight another day,” Lavender said as he flew out the back of the train car and off into the clouds. For a long moment Twilight simply watched him fly away until the duo were nothing more than specs in the sky. She turned around and made her way to the drivers car. When she got to it her mind could hardly believe what she saw. The driver was asleep and tied up, laid against the side of the wall. Twilight tried to wake him, but the spell on him was still strong. After giving up on that Twilight looked around. The train station to Canterlot was ahead of her. The train was moving far too fast, if it continued at this speed it would derail once it hit the train station. The devastation would be catastrophic even if she saved the driver. She looked around for the emergency break and found it, snapped off the mechanism and lying on the ground. Twilight cursed her luck, there was no way she could stop this thing without the break. Twilight sheathed her sword, and closed her eye. “This was not supposed to happen.” There was one thing left that she could try, but it was going to be costly. Sure she’d lost her wing in the windigo war, and the other she had surgically removed so that she could feel better about being a full unicorn rather than a half alicorn. It didn’t change what she was, she was still in fact an alicorn, she just resembled a really tall and elegant unicorn. That alicorn magic however was still there, always building up, and she just happened to keep it bottled up in one place. Her empty eye socket. Twilight removed the eye patch carefully, and gold light spread out brightly over the train car. It didn’t take much to get that magic into her horn and to channel it into a spell. Twilight summoned forth her will, her magic, and her very soul to create this spell from the aether. The magic built up in her horn until it hurt, her aura wasn’t red anymore, it was glowing like rainbow flames. She lovingly called this effect the Fires of Friendship. The train was drawing closer still to the station, several ponies in the distance were waving their legs, not in greeting but in warning. They were trying to tell her to slow down. “Heh,” Twilight smirked. “Would if I could.” The entire train was wrapped up in her aura, and the memory of a nearby lake popped into mind. Twilight used all that magical build up and grabbed every part of the train, including the driver. The world shook around her as the train was being worked upon by massive amounts of magic. She’d only used magic like this when she fought Tirek. And that was with the power of four alicorns all shoved into her body at once. Twilight screamed as the fabric of reality was torn around the train. Pain flashed through her horn into her skull and wrecked her mind. The train popped off the tracks, vanished from the train station, and unless you were on the train, like Twilight was you’d think that the train simply disappeared. But Twilight saw the train go through the aether itself, the realm of pure magic, and even if it only lasted a moment, her mind was blessed by the unrivaled beauty that she could not describe. Colors she never even dreamed of assaulted her immortal mind, and magic so pure was formed like solid objects floating in the void. Something huge swam through the aether outside the train window, huge and pitch black. The world reasserted itself and a lake appeared beneath the train. Twilight grabbed the driver, jumped out of the back of the train, and as the metal behemoth slammed into the lake beneath them she teleported once more back to the train station. Off in the distance she heard the splash as she stood on the wooden planks of the train station. Everypony there stared at her in surprise, and Twilight quickly realized that her eye patch was gone, thankfully her eyelid was closed otherwise they might be a little more disturbed. A guard ran up to her. “Princess Twilight, what happened?” “Train wouldn’t stop, so I fixed it. The passenger car was separated and the passengers need help,” She said, she rubbed a hoof at her leaky nose, it came back red. “I’ll need assistance getting back to them.” The guard bowed. “Of course. I’ll go gather some guards together right away.” “Oh and send a messenger to Celestia. Tell her that there was an emergency and that I need to speak with her right away.” The guard nodded. “The message will be delivered.” “Now go, we have work to do,” Twilight said. The guard couldn’t run off fast enough. They knew when trouble was ahoof, and right then, trouble was most certainly ahoof.