Chapter Thirteen: One Reason
~BlackRoseRaven
He woke up to crashing, and banging, and confusion.
He groaned. How long had it been? A few hours? A day?
Longer?
He shook his head, then frowned as he slipped carefully out of bed. His whole body hurt and his legs wobbled under him, but he caught himself on a small chair nearby. He blinked lethargically, then looked back and forth.
What a nice little room he had: just about the perfect size for him, with the bed, and the medical equipment, and-
Canterlot had been under attack.
Spike's eyes widened, and he stumbled to the door before he yanked it open. He stared as several black, armored not-ponies ran by, and then he immediately slammed the door shut and wheezed loudly, trembling for a moment as he pressed his back against it, the adrenaline pounding through his veins making his head ache with each thud of his heart.
Maybe it had only been a few minutes since the attack. Maybe they had put him here to get him out of the way. Maybe... maybe maybe maybe!
Maybe wasn't changing anything!
Was Flash Sentry okay? Was Twilight?
Spike turned back to the door and trembled as he slipped to the crack that had been left between the door and frame, staring through it. But the creatures were gone, their hoofbeats fading into the distance, and Spike took a breath before he carefully opened the door and stepped out.
He rubbed at the bandages that covered his body, grimacing in pain as he dragged one leg a little, his tail flicking uncertainly. Or trying to: it sent a pang through his body, and when he looked back at it, he couldn't help but whimper a bit at the sight of the end of his tail. Or rather, where the end of his tail had once been.
That was a hell of a thing to wake up to.
He turned around, and stared at the wall, which looked like it had a smooth hole cut in it. There wasn't even really a visible handle, but when Spike pressed his hand against it, he felt the difference between the wood and the stone. Was this magic, or was this-
This was the wrong time to admire the architecture.
Spike turned, and paled as he found himself face-to-face with a terrible, metal mask. He stumbled backwards and fell on his rump, and the pony under the mask winced before she leaned forwards, asking gently: “Are you okay?”
The pony was carrying something. Spike's eyes widened as he recognized the crystal core. Had they already broken in? Had she stolen it?
“W-Who are you?” he asked, before he forced himself up to his feet, puffing out his chest and breathing hard as he warned shakily: “Look, y-you better put that back! That's... Equestria's property, and you can just tell Lord Black-”
“My name is Muse.” said the pony gently, before she smiled and added kindly: “You're very brave, Spike. I'm sorry you were hurt in the attack. Please let me help you.”
“Huh?” Spike looked up at her with confusion as she leaned down, and he felt her psychic intrusion too late before he went slack-jawed, his knees buckling under him and sending him toppling to the ground. But he was caught in her psychic grip before he could hit the floor, and she gently lowered him down: the last thing his dazed eyes registered was her smiling face before they closed, and he was left in darkness. Painless, almost welcome darkness.
The dragon came to with a gasp, sitting up and flailing in confusion before a hoof gently caught one of his forelimbs, and he turned in surprise to see Princess Luna seated beside him, the mare smiling faintly. He spluttered helplessly, but was cut off as she asked gently: “Are you alright, Spike?”
Spike hesitated, then poked at himself a few times before he nodded. He looked around the room he had been moved to: one of the sitting rooms of the castle. He was laying on the couch, wrapped in blankets, a sweet-smelling candle burning nearby and his old bandages thrown in the trash... had the Princess changed his bandages herself?
“What... happened?” he asked uncertainly, before he blurted out: “Wait, there was a mare in a mask-”
“Muse, yes.” Princess Luna nodded, grimacing briefly. “She has taken the final core piece. They have also taken my sister.”
“What?” blurted Spike. “What... what about Twilight? What-”
“In time. You have been unconscious for a long time, Spike. There is much to discuss. But first, I need to send a letter to Twilight Sparkle.”
“Where is she?” Spike asked worriedly. “Is she okay?”
“Yes, Spike. She is... okay.” Luna hesitated to say it, though: it wasn't like Twilight had gotten away from her last encounter with Lord Black without injuries.
And now? Now Luna was going to have to ask her to do something terrible. But with Celestia gone and the core gone, they were left with no other options. Equestria was in a panic: they didn't know what had been taken, but they knew it was important. They knew that their Princess had used a terribly-powerful arte against an unknown enemy who had already attacked their nation once... and who had not only survived that arte, but kidnapped their princess.
Their important princess.
They had to get back Celestia. They had to look like they were doing something to stop Lord Black. And they had to somehow salvage something from this mess... but at this point, Luna didn't even know what they could hope to achieve. There was no way they were getting the anchor back, no way that Lord Black was going to help them, and they would be lucky if Twilight came back alive, let alone Celestia.
The problem wasn't that she was afraid something bad was going to happen to Celestia. But the ponies were demanding action, over their damaged homes, their wounded, their dead. She had tried to reason with them, but that had almost caused a mutiny.
After all, the Princess of the Sun was gone, leaving the Princess of the Night to rule in her place.
Of all the things that had changed in this world, why couldn't that damned myth have changed as well?
“Princess Luna?” Spike asked uneasily.
“I apologize, Spike. I was just... thinking.” Luna hesitated, and then she asked after a moment: “How often, Spike, did you have to make choices for Twilight that you knew would be painful for her, but... you had to make them anyway?”
“Um. I'm Twilight's assistant, Princess Luna. I'm not her caretaker.” Spike said awkwardly.
Princess Luna only smiled.
Spike bit his lip, and then he glanced away and murmured: “I won't hurt Twilight. I don't want to see her in danger.”
“Sometimes we must face pain and danger. For the sake of others, and for the sake of ourselves. For if we never experience hardship, then after a lifetime of ease, we would break under the gentlest of pressures.” Luna answered.
Spike sighed, lowering his head before he asked finally: “So you want me to do more than send a letter to her, huh?”
“Eventually. But Spike... would you deny Twilight the chance to... to be more than she is, if denying her meant she would be safe, and secure, and forever beside you?”
Spike smiled faintly, and then he looked down at his bandaged forelimb, studying it for a moment before he murmured: “I guess that wouldn't be fair, would it? Especially not after Twilight probably had to see me all... beaten up. You know, from saving Flash Sentry and all.”
Princess Luna chuckled, and Spike smiled again before he sighed and said finally: “I understand. I really do. You know I'm not a kid, though... I mean... you know that I'm not a kid.”
He ended the sentence with gratitude, and Luna shrugged a bit before she answered: “I do. But even after more than a thousand years, Spike, my sister still speaks to me as if I am child.”
“Family, huh?” Spike asked with a small smile.
“Family.” agreed Luna, before she asked gently: “Will you take a letter for me, Spike?”
The dragon glanced around, before he laughed a little when the alicorn held up a piece of parchment and inkwell for him, the dragon taking both and weighing them in his claws before he admitted: “I'll do my best. I might be a little out of practice, though.”
“That is fine, Spike. I could ask for nothing greater than that.”
Twilight Sparkle had stopped caring about anything.
Everypony had lied to her. Everypony. And now here she was, laying in bed, and her leg hurt. It hurt a whole hell of a lot.
She had healed up well. She had some bumps and bruises still, sure, and her leg hurt, but she could get out of bed and walk around. She could trot and canter and gallop, she was sure: she'd just be lame for the rest of her long, miserable life.
Or short, miserable life, if everything she'd heard was true. But she doubted it was.
She sat in bed, staring at the video screen, watching it flicker weakly with the lights. They were having power issues and rolling brownouts and it was a lot colder here than it had been before. But at least that gave her another reason not to bother getting out of bed.
She was so mad. She was so angry that it had snapped her... anger nerve, or whatever it was, and now it was just this dull, uncompensated nothingness inside her. Now she just felt a hollow disgust for herself and everything around her.
It was like something had been knocked out of place inside of her, and here she was. Discordant and miserable.
She stared at the images that flickered across the screen. Some kid's cartoon, because learning was fun, boys and girls. And sure, it was fun, right up until you learned too much.
Then you realized it wasn't fun.
It wasn't fun at all.
She turned the dial with her magic, and saw a solemn pony standing in front of the ruins of Canterlot Castle. Thorn had sure done a number on it this time: it looked like almost every window across the structure had been blown out, most of the scaffolding and support lattices had been destroyed, and much of the building's outer perimeter had crumbled into ruin.
Her clinical mind, detached from even the emptiness threatening to swallow her up, was keeping a running tally of the damage she had seen, giving her a more accurate picture of what had happened than the vivid lies the reporters had been painting so far.
It helped that Shining Armor and Cadance had visited with news a few times now. They'd talked to a few of their contacts and learned that Princess Luna had locked herself away in solitude, Princess Celestia had been kidnapped, and the New Power Initiative had been destroyed.
And the core was gone, but of course, that was to be assumed from the fact that Thorn Blackfeather had withdrawn.
Well, he'd won, and he'd taken Celestia as a door prize. Good riddance.
Twilight grimaced ever-so-slightly, before she glanced moodily down as a letter silently appeared beside her in a bright flare of blue magic. She picked it up with telekinesis, studying it quietly, then shrugged and threw it away.
The letter fell to the ground, slipping beneath her bed to join the other two letters she hadn't bothered to open. They were from Princess Luna: either her apologies or her pleading for help. Right now, Twilight didn't care for either.
It was a little too late for heroics. The best she could hope for would be Princess Luna wanting to trade her for Princess Celestia, but she doubted Thorn would allow that. And anyway, she was no princess. She was damaged goods.
Twilight rubbed at her side as her hindleg gave a twinge, and she smiled bitterly. The worst part was that she didn't even blame that stupid Valkyrie. She blamed Shining Armor, and Cadance, for refusing to let Thorn Blackfeather treat her. She blamed them for dragging her back to the medical ward to be treated by overstressed doctors with too many victims already on hoof; she blamed them for the fact that artes were no longer functioning properly due to the lack of spiritual energy in the air, and thus she'd gone though the most exquisite agony, half-in and half-out of reality, as they'd uselessly tried to repair her damaged leg.
But it wasn't the pain that had broken her. It was how it had all been useless, because in the end, Canterlot had fired on Thorn's floating fortress, and whatever damage they'd done paled in comparison to the wreckage he'd left behind.
He'd left Canterlot Castle devastated. And yet there had been a minimum of reported casualties. And somehow, the ponies blamed everyone but themselves for that. How was he supposed to react when they attacked first, though? What was he supposed to do?
She couldn't believe she was laying here, bitterly defending Thorn Blackfeather, of all ponies. But in spite of how cold and ruthless he was, at least Thorn had always been honest with her, and honest about his intentions. And it wasn't Thorn who hadn't let her try.
Maybe that was what made her angriest of all.
The other ponies hadn't even let her try.
It wasn't fair and it wasn't smart of her and she knew better, but she couldn't get over the fact that she'd come all this way, trying to resolve things peacefully, and in the end, because of the whims of a few other ponies who had promised to let her at least make some kind of attempt at talking with Lord Black, she had ended up here, Canterlot had burned, and their only hope of maintaining power and artes had vanished.
She supposed she was lucky, really. Unicorns would still have magic, thanks to their horns. So lame or not, at least she wouldn't be helpless. At least she would be better off than most of her friends.
She snorted quietly, then frowned as she felt a tingling before her eyes widened as a letter appeared in her lap in a burst of green flame. She trembled for a moment, then snatched it up and held it for a moment, feeling the warmth clinging to the paper; feeling the familiarity of the magic that emanated from it.
Spike.
She ripped the letter open, and gave a trembling smile as she saw his cursive; neat and easy to read, even if it was a little stretched and smeared, like he'd been writing too long, or gotten tired.
She read:
Dear Twilight Sparkle,
As you are now no doubt aware, Spike has awoken from his long slumber and is doing well. Hi Twilight, I miss you! You better be taking care of yourself!
Oh, she could almost hear his voice!
She read on:
I fear that my further news is much more dire, however. No doubt by now you have heard that Princess Celestia has been kidnapped. As I am uniquely attuned to my sister's presence, I have been able to track her magic signature, and I feel it moving away from us at alarming speeds.
We have failed, Twilight Sparkle. Not you, but we the Princesses, we of Equestria, we lesser ponies. But I fear that you, too, are on the cusp of failure, and as much as it pains me, I must pull you back from that sweet abyss, not for moral or good reasons, but selfish ones. I must ask you to accept a terrible peril. I must ask you to do something I dare not, I can not.
You must retrieve my sister, Twilight Sparkle. You must convince Lord Black to leave, and you must somehow find a way to perform a great feat of magic through the anchor, to restore our world with its energies.
I ask all this of you, and more. And I know that it is terribly unfair.
I ask this of you, selfishly, because without my sister, Equestria will fail. Our artes weaken by the hour, and our power shortage grows ever more dire. I stand accused of conspiracy against my sister by a frightened populace, and struggle to rule in my sister's place.
So I beg of you, to help we who failed you. Who did not listen, because of fear, and pride. Only you, who tried to bring us together with your Magic of Friendship, can hope to reason with Lord Black now, and close the rift between us.
I will await you in Canterlot, Twilight Sparkle. Until your arrival, I shall care for Spike as if he were my own.
Yours in faith,
Princess Luna
Twilight looked away. She felt empty and angry and hateful still, but there was a stirring inside her now that was jostling with that void of frustration and regret. She bit her lip, then shook her head before squeezing the parchment, hugging it close to her chest.
She knew she had to go to Canterlot, either way. Spike was there, and she wasn't going to rest until she saw him.
Twilight huffed as she slid out of bed, and she grimaced and rubbed at her hind leg as it gave a twinge. That was just something she was going to have to learn to live with, though.
She couldn't help but glance at the other letters she'd discarded, and after a moment, she picked the envelopes up with telekinesis. It wouldn't hurt to... at least look at them, right?
She tore the envelopes open: one was actually from 'Mare Imbrium,' a coded message; one was a special badge and a letter from Princess Luna ordering a special train to be prepared for Twilight's journey to Canterlot; the last was a much-more curt version of the letter Spike had written to her, essentially instructing her to return to Canterlot as soon as possible.
In other words, the last letter wasn't really meant for her, but rather was a way for her to get out of the Crystal Empire without too much fuss.
Luna always thought ahead.
Twilight smiled faintly, gathering up her mess of papers before she looked down at herself: well, she was relatively clean, at least. Disheveled, and she clearly hadn't gotten out of bed all that frequently over the last day or so, but. Relatively clean.
She headed to the door and opened it, and the guard stationed outside flinched before he stumbled to a salute, blurting: “Hello ma'am!”
“Uh. At ease, soldier.” Twilight frowned a bit, and then she began to step away, but the soldier cleared his throat and slipped himself into her way. “Excuse me?”
“I'm sorry, ma'am, but the Prince and Princess ordered me to make sure that you... didn't overexert yourself.” he said awkwardly, clearly repeating the same lame excuse that he'd been told by Shining Armor and Cadance.
Twilight scowled a little: usually she could be patient and respectful with the most annoying of ponies. But today, even this respectable soldier who was just uncomfortably trying to do the job he clearly didn't entirely agree with was getting on her last nerve, and she didn't think she could show him the patience or respect he deserved.
She forced herself to take a breath and a moment, however, before she said as pleasantly as she could: “I know you're just doing your job. I know that my brother and sister-in-law are just worried about me. But I have a letter from Princess Luna here, asking me to return to Canterlot, and I don't have time to be diplomatic.”
The soldier hesitated, shifting anxiously as Twilight held up the orders from Princess Luna, before she lowered them and said pointedly: “But I think you would really be doing everypony a favor if you went and told Shining Armor that I was going to the train station.”
“Uh. Yeah, that's a good idea.” the soldier agreed after a moment, giving an awkward smile, and then he turned and hurried away, and Twilight gave a wry smile, turning the other way to head to the stairs.
On the way down, she ran into Pinkie Pie, who yelped in joy and flung the pile of baked goods that had been on her back in every direction before she dashed at her. But Twilight caught her with telekinesis and carefully pushed Pinkie back before instructing: “I'm going to the train station. Everypony should meet me there.”
“Okey-dokey-lokey!” Pinkie saluted sharply before she dashed off, and Twilight smiled a little: as difficult as she could be, Pinkie was also surprisingly dependable.
Applejack caught Twilight as she exited the castle, hurrying towards her injured side as she blurted out: “Twilight! What are you thinkin', goin' to Canterlot? You should get your flank back to bed before you hurt yourself!”
“I'm fine.” Twilight groused, avoiding an attempt from Applejack to grab her, continuing stubbornly in the direction of the train station. Her leg ached, but it was an ache she could live with: maybe that was why the pain was so frustrating, because it wasn't serious enough to hurt her, but just enough to distract her, to make her mind wander, to grind insistently at her mood.
Rainbow Dash shot over their heads, then twisted around and shot back, waving her forelegs as she hovered in front of Twilight and blurted: “Hey, where are you-”
Twilight calmly lifted Rainbow Dash out of her way with telekinesis, answering: “To the train station. I'm going back to Canterlot.”
“But why?” Applejack almost demanded. “Princess Celestia's gone, and Canterlot's locked down! All you're going to do is put yourself in danger!”
“Yeah, Twilight! Don't be reckless!” Rainbow blurted out, before she rubbed at her face and mumbled: “Wow, that's not something I ever thought I'd have to say to you.”
“Spike's awake. I have to go.” Twilight said simply.
Applejack and Rainbow Dash traded looks, and the earth pony gritted her teeth before she groaned and hurried to the unicorn's side, grumbling: “Well... you ain't goin' without us then. If Spike's woke up, well... I guess I can understand a bit more why you have to do this.”
Twilight smiled a little: sure, Applejack could be... stubborn, and difficult, just like Rainbow Dash could be arrogant and overbearing. But they were both loyal, and when they did finally listen, there was no one who she could trust more with helping her to get done whatever she needed to.
Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity were waiting at the edge of the town for her: Twilight had no idea how they had gotten there ahead of them, but she figured that Shining Armor and Princess Cadance – who were also present, along with a cadre of Royal Guard – probably had a shortcut they had shown them.
“Twilight! You have to get back to bed!” Shining Armor blurted out, stepping forwards, before he blinked in surprise as a piece of parchment thwapped into his face, and he peeled it free to stare, dumbfounded, at the orders written on it from Princess Luna.
Cadance joined him, looking quickly at the parchment before she turned her worried eyes to Twilight, saying anxiously: “No, there must be some mistake! Luna must not be aware of the extent of your injuries, or maybe she's just not thinking straight with Princess Celestia gone-”
“I trust Luna's judgment more than I trust most other ponies right now.” Twilight said, and Cadance flushed and looked away as Shining Armor glanced down, then shook his head before he looked up: angry, but also embarrassed and ashamed.
“Now look, Twilight, you might not be happy about any of this, but you can't talk to us like that. Look, let's just send a message to Princess Luna and-”
Twilight took a breath, and straightened. And in spite of how upset she'd been, and that void still hollowly beating inside her, and the pull she felt drawing her towards Canterlot, it was so terribly, painfully hard to look not up, but down at her brother, and say in the firmest voice she could summon: “Prince Shining Armor. I have been summoned by Princess Luna of the Night Throne of Equestria, and as a Servant of the Sun, it is my duty to answer. I am not your subject, and the will of the Princesses overrides the will of the Crystal Throne. Please do not make this harder than it has to be.”
Her voice shook a little, as she added, almost in a whisper: “Please.”
Shining Armor trembled for a moment, and then he rubbed convulsively at his face. Princess Cadance opened her mouth, but Shining Armor drew himself up, closing his eyes and bowing his head forwards as he murmured: “I understand. I bow to the will of the Princess of the Night. I... I'm sorry, Miss Sparkle.”
“As am I, Prince Armor.” Twilight said quietly, and then she drew her eyes away from her brother, striding past him and his retinue of Royal Guard to pass through the flickering shield at the edge of the Crystal Empire, and stride out onto the dimly-lit, winter-torn path that led to the train station.
She was barely aware of her friends following along behind her; she paid them little heed even as they murmured to her, and tried to speak for her, and as she showed the station managers her badge and the additional orders from Luna to prepare a train for her.
She sat in the chairs in the station, and waited, and was numb to everyone around her until the train came. And then she sat in the train, in the back, in the quiet alone, until she suddenly took a gasping breath, then repressed the sob that wanted to come out of her throat.
It took a few minutes for her to quell her pain. But she did, and once she did, she was able to... function again. She comprehended much more fully where she was, and what she had gotten herself into: a private train, rushing towards Canterlot, where she was going to take on a suicide mission.
Because she was going to accept.
There was no point in pretending otherwise. Even before she'd known the truth, she hadn't been able to summon up any real hate for Lord Black. Who was she kidding? She was naive. She was soft, and pliant.
The bastard had almost killed Spike, and she'd ended up doing everything in her power to help him. What kind of pony did that?
One who desperately wanted to be a good pony, she supposed.
“Hello Twilight.” a voice said very quietly.
Twilight looked up at Rarity. Her other friends lingered on the other end of the passenger car, and Twilight appreciated that, because Rarity had something to talk to her about, and she had something she had to ask her fellow unicorn.
They looked at each other, and Rarity smiled faintly before she gently put her hoof mirror on the table. It was a pretty, ornate little thing: crystalline glass, framed in gold, with small gemstone studs around the edge. A little gauche, a bit too flashy even for Rarity's taste.
Twilight picked it up, felt the magic that ran through it, and asked: “How long?”
“After Canterlot.” Rarity said quietly, smiling faintly. “The pretty mare, Muse... she came to me in a dream. She asked me to help, and told me that in return, they would ensure that Spike was healed, and you were treated well. That my friends would be spared, and... it would help minimize the bloodshed, on either side.”
Rarity lowered her eyes, murmuring: “I suppose I was never very good at any of it, though. I... I'm sorry, Twilight. I only made things worse.”
“I'm not mad at you.” Twilight studied the hoof mirror quietly, and then she channeled magic through it, and smiled when the reflective glass lit up before becoming a small screen of sorts, showing her an icon of a dragon for a moment before it was replaced by a static-riddled image of Thorn Blackfeather, who frowned up at her.
He didn't seem to be surprised or concerned, greeting cordially: “Twilight Sparkle. Did your friend open this line for you?”
“In a manner of speaking.” Twilight replied, glancing at Rarity before she returned her eyes to the mirror. “What have you done with Princess Celestia?”
“Princess Celestia is being held as a diplomatic prisoner. She will be kept secure and safe until such time that we decide to release her.” Thorn answered.
“I would like to hold a meeting to negotiate her release. I'm on my way to Canterlot as we speak.” Twilight said, even though part of her was afraid that-
“I am afraid that the time for negotiation has passed, Twilight Sparkle. The Queen Mary has suffered extensive damage and I must prioritize my mission and my crew.” Thorn Blackfeather replied evenly. “To negotiate effectively, you must have a position of strength and possess something that I wish to acquire. At this moment in time, you have nothing.”
Twilight Sparkle grimaced, but then took a breath before she asked: “And what about mercy? Maybe we have nothing we can offer you. But I thought your mission was to-”
“Ponies must protect themselves. The worlds must protect themselves.” Thorn interrupted, shaking his head briefly. “And I did not come here to make friends. I came here to resolve a larger issue than one Equestria.”
“I have something you might be interested in.” Twilight said after a moment.
Thorn smiled briefly at this, then answered bluntly: “I have determined that the candidate is not suitable at this juncture. Perhaps in the future.” He quieted, then said softly: “I appreciate your enthusiasm and dedication, Twilight Sparkle, but there will be no further negotiations. I will be terminating this line in thirty seconds. As a final gesture of goodwill, and a thank you to Miss Rarity for completing her assignment, I will leave a stash of medical supplies for your injured. I will transmit these coordinates to Princess Luna.”
“Thorn, wait!” Twilight blurted out, but then she bit her lip and took a breath, collecting herself: there was no point in begging or pleading with the stallion, after all. She knew that he had made up his mind.
But she had made up her mind, too.
“I understand. I'll inform Princess Luna of your decision and I accept your terms. Good luck, Thorn Blackfeather.” Twilight said tactfully, and then she set the hoof mirror down on its face before Thorn could sign off.
She felt the magic leave the mirror as she sat back and closed her eyes, calmly crossing her forelegs. Rarity shifted uneasily beside her as her friends crowded in, jostling each other uneasily until Rainbow blurted out: “What was that? What do you mean?”
“You can't just give up!” Pinkie added, almost fearfully.
“I... there must be some way to get through to him.” Fluttershy murmured, looking away. “He never seemed like...”
“Come on, Twi, you've been through worse than this, you can't-”
“I'm not giving up.” Twilight said quietly but firmly, and her friends all looked at her with a mix of surprise and confusion. Not just at her decision, but at her tone: she was a completely different Twilight than she had been only moments ago.
But she had a purpose again. That emptiness inside her had been filled in by a cause, a reason to exist: she had heard the unspoken test, the challenge between Thorn's words, and she was going to prove she was more than willing to rise to the occasion.
Because they had no choice. She would be fine no matter what happened to the world, but here, with her scared friends, she was forced to see how many ponies wouldn't be if they lost their artes. What would happen to Ponyville, let alone towns out on the frontier, like Appleoosa?
Even this train she could feel shuddering, struggling to keep itself powered as it shot towards Canterlot. If artes were already decaying so badly that basic transport was becoming unreliable, what did that mean for things that required more complex artes, such as the Magic Academy, or arte barriers that were supposed to keep their nation safe?
This was bigger than her. She was hurt and angry and afraid, but she had more than her own feelings to think about.
And, well, Equestria's dire need for healing gave her a noble excuse to cover up her real motivation: Twilight Sparkle rose to meet any challenge she was given, and she absolutely did not fail tests.
In a way, still-pulsing void in her chest was part of why she wanted to succeed. She wanted to prove everypony wrong, show them that there was much more to her than they thought, and that she had been right the entire time. That she was more than capable of getting the job she had been given done.
But she knew she couldn't do that alone, as she looked around at her friends. She was going to need help getting there. From everypony here, and from Princess Luna, and of course, from her Number One Assistant, whom she hadn't seen for far too long.
“Rarity, can you tell me how you got this device?” Twilight asked, picking up the hoof mirror.
“Yeah, Rarity, where'd you get that?” Rainbow asked neutrally as she floated judgmentally above, crossing her forelegs with a glower.
“Oh, knock it off, Dash. I think she did a dumb thing too...” Applejack gave Rarity a pointed look, but then she sighed when the unicorn looked away in embarrassment. “But at least you did it for the right reasons. And it ain't like you weren't right there with us through the whole thing.”
“I'm sorry, everyone, for what I did. I'd really hoped that... I would end up helping everyone. And Twilight was so honest about making peace with him...” Rarity smiled briefly, glancing over at the mare. “I was hoping, I suppose, that... it would help us avoid any conflict. But I think I only made things worse.
“But well, to answer your question, after the dream I had, I went downstairs and found it on the counter. It's a terribly gauche thing, isn't it?” Rarity smiled a little, silently taking the little mirror from Twilight and turning it back and forth in the light before she sighed and set it down. “But I suppose I was in no position to complain. Someone must have snuck in, although frankly I don't know how... all the doors were unlocked, after all. But I suppose we know that Lord Black was in the area, even if we never saw him...”
“I think Thorn was going to be aware of what we were doing no matter what... and if he hadn't known what was going on at any point and time, he might have sent far stronger things after us.” Twilight paused, before she continued slowly: “I know that awful things have happened. I don't want to excuse what he's done. But I think he's honest when he says he's been handling us with kit gloves.”
“The Kirin and their weapons are frightening... but they could have done so much worse to us.” Fluttershy agreed in a murmur, nodding and biting her lip. “I feel so bad for the Kirin... they were so sad, on the inside. It was like their whole lives were dedicated to being nothing more than soldiers, and when they failed...”
There was silence for a moment, and then Pinkie Pie added: “I think everyone's just forgotten we're all friends! But how are we going to make friends with Thorn if he won't tell us where he is?”
“I have an idea about how we can do that, but we're going to need Princess Luna's help, too.” Twilight hesitated, then looked around at her friends before she said, in a low, clear voice: “Thorn is not going to play pretend with us if we go up against him, though. You heard what he said: we need to negotiate with him from a position of strength.”
“So... what? We're gonna fight him?” Rainbow asked dubiously, before she stared in disbelief when Twilight smiled and nodded.
“But... how? There's no way!” Rarity blurted out. “He raided Canterlot with ease! He's always been three steps ahead!”
“Twilight, maybe we just have to accept that-”
“No.” Twilight said forcefully, cutting her friends off before she said with more confidence than she felt: “I have a plan. It's not a very smart plan, but I know how to locate his ship. As long as we can get on board, we can put a stop to this. We can have that position of power that we need to negotiate with him.”
There was an uncomfortable silence for a few moments, and then Applejack sighed and said finally: “You know I'm with you, Twilight. But this is crazy.”
“I guess crazy's all we've got left, though, so we might as well give it a try.” Rainbow shrugged, then grinned awkwardly when Applejack gave her a dry look. “Hey. Trying to be positive here.”
“Maybe it's not too late to learn how to love and forget how to hate.” Pinkie Pie said wisely, and all eyes turned to her before she pumped a foreleg with a: “Whoo-whoo! All aboard the crazy train!”
Rarity sighed, and Fluttershy smiled a little, but all eyes turned back to Twilight. Whatever they might think otherwise, her friends still believed in her, were ready to listen to her, and eager to do anything they could to help.
And Twilight Sparkle was not about to let them down.