//------------------------------// // Chapter 5: Reflection // Story: A Lonely Star // by DemonSaint //------------------------------// Twilight's flight didn't end for hours. She hadn't picked a direction beyond "somewhere North," seeing as Equestria was a massive continent and the chances of getting lost were minuscule, if not nonexistent. So long as it meant getting her away from Ponyville for a time, she didn't really care. The landscape below her slowly changed from a subtropical forest to a forest of evergreens. She lost sight of most pony civilization, aside from a few stray roads here and there, and eventually, she was faced with the silhouette of snow-capped mountains looming in the distance with an aurora dancing overhead. Appearing as just a speck from where she was gliding along a thermal column was a sparkle that marked the position of the Crystal Empire. The sky surrounding it was pitch black. At this time of night, the blizzard that forever surrounded the Empire raged on, blocking all forms of transportation except for the trains— trains that may or may not still be shut down. Even if they were running, it was far too early in the morning to catch one; The stations wouldn't be open for a few more hours. She sighed, letting the air currents around her do the work as she set her aching wings in a glide. She knew she should get some rest soon, if she didn't plan on crashing from muscle fatigue or a lack of sleep. So, as per her usual, she made a checklist of options. She could settle down and make camp for the night. She had the supplies to do it, and it would get her rested enough for tomorrow morning's flight, where she could make a more well thought-out decision on where she should go. It would also get her to sleep sooner and allow her to get an early start tomorrow; In the morning, she could figure out her exact location and what cities or pony towns were nearby in case she needed a new travel plan. Another option was whipping out her map and veering towards the nearest city or town. She would sacrifice another hour of sleep, most likely, at the benefit of sleeping a real bed and saving herself a similar trip tomorrow morning. She wouldn't get an early start, but a real bed could help her collect her thoughts further and allow her to get a better night's sleep. The third option was stupid and most likely suicidal, and was such a silly one that it almost made her snort with tired laughter. She could make her travel decision now by trying to shoot for the Crystal Empire tonight, braving the blizzard with an array of shield and warmth spells, draining her magic exponentially and potentially leaving her to pass out and freeze to death in the snow. Oh, how silly that last one was. She shook her head and thought about the first two again. Sooner sleep sounded amazing, but after weeks of sleeping on the cold, hard ground— or, in some cases, the solid metal or wood of cages and boats— her bones ached for something soft to sleep on. She didn't think she had the patience to set up a campsite tonight, anyways. With a small glimmer of magic, Twilight took a look at her map and compass and estimated she must be just about... There. Cloudsdale lay just southwest of her current location, at about the two-hundred tenth mark on her compass. So, two-hundred ten degrees. She couldn't judge the distance, but if she had to guess, she had passed it about ninety-six and a half kilometers ago. Obviously the Crystal Empire was to the North, but at what seemed to be twice the distance. Aside from those two locations, the only nearby civilization appeared to be the tourist trap known as Neighagra Falls, and that was further away than Cloudsdale was. Certainly there were unmarked homesteads somewhere below her, but a glance at the ground below her made it known to her that this was not the case. It was all wild land. With a grimace, Twilight also noted just how far away the nearest train station was. The only track that entered the Crystal Empire started in Vanhoover, which was a six hour flight west of her estimated location. Simply thinking about those numbers made her feel fatigued. She glanced around, hoping to catch sight of a stray or wild cloud in the nearby airspace. Her eyes landed upon a thin, wispy cloud, and she flew over to it. It was long and by no means sturdy, but something rang in the back of her head as she remembered something Rainbow Dash (Twilight flinched when she thought of her) had done back at the academy when their balloon was torn apart by an uncontrolled tornado. It gave her an idea. Could she condense this wild cloud into something stronger? Twilight gently took the wispy cloud in her hooves and began reeling it in, only dislodging her hooves from it when it was a large enough size to continue rolling it like she was making a snowmare. Working in a little magic here and there to help condense the weak cloud, she felt the wild magic under her hooves giving way to her whims, cooperating more with her alicorn magic as she worked on it. After a few minutes of working her pegasus magic in, she had a makeshift cloud mattress. She smiled at the small triumph and landed to unpack her bedroll. A little bit of compromise never hurt. The Crystal Empire might be the first place anyone would go looking for her, but it would also be the best place to kick off her vacation; Even if they did want to follow her, spending time with family trumped any wish to keep the three she was feuding with away. Stretching her sore wings as she stepped off of the train platform, she removed a sheet of paper from her bag and began to pen a quick note to her remaining friends. For the most part, it was a simple note detailing where she'd gone for her vacation. It was mostly a courtesy to them. They didn't need to worry about her for the first day she was gone. Her first copy was sent to Princess Celestia, and the second was sent to Spike; Addressed to him, Fluttershy, Pinkie, and Starlight. She took a quick, calming breath. With any luck, the ponies she didn't want knowing would be left out of the loop. It was about the mid afternoon, the sun streaming in from the Empire's clear skies making the buildings and ponies around her glitter, but something seemed... off. The sparkling ponies around her cautiously stuck close to the sides of buildings. Some took one glance at her and her saddlebags before they shied away, while others watched her, seeming anxious. Twilight raised a brow, then offered those onlookers a friendly wave. This seemed to calm them down, as they sighed with relief and continued on their way. "That's... Strange." Twilight pursed her lips. Rather than head to the palace as her first stop, Twilight double-checked her saddlebags and decided to take her time, investigating the streets. She did, after all, drop in unannounced, and most likely should have sent a note to Cadence and her brother about her plans and arrival; Perhaps she could even find out what was making the populace so nervous. So, as she trotted down the crystalline streets, she did just that. She didn't want it to sound too urgent— because it wasn't, and it wasn't like she absolutely had to spend the night in the palace. Nopony should have to drop everything just for her— Twilight checked her writing before sending it out. Dear Cadence and Shining, I know it hasn't been too long since we've last seen each other, but I've recently decided to take a vacation and just wanted to let you know I'm in town. Now, I don't want to just drop in to the palace unannounced, so I wanted to clear a visit by you first. Some of the crystal ponies seem rather jumpy and I can only guess that it's been rather hectic here since the invasion. Let me know if there's anything I can do to help. Signed, Twilight Sparkle It was short, sweet, and to the point, so Twilight waited near a flower shop to see if Shiny or Cadence would reply within the next few minutes, stopping to watch the crystal ponies on the street as she did so. Every pony she could see was acting the same way as the ones from the train station. They stuck close to the sides of buildings, glancing this way and that while looking like they were ready to bolt at the slightest indication that something was wrong. Some took the appearance of Twilight with her camping supplies as such a sign and ran to cover when they caught sight of her, and others froze on the spot long enough to catch the friendly wave she sent them before they calmed lightly and went on their way, their tails still flicking. She pressed her lips together to stop a frown from making its way onto her face. The ponies were jumpy enough as it is, and with their states being so fragile, her negativity could spark a stampede. It must have been the invasion that caused this. Even though the Empire had been safe from the Storm King's forces because of the blizzards and mountains around it, Cadence herself had been the first alicorn to be sealed in crystal, and had only returned to the Crystal Empire yesterday, as far as Twilight was aware. While she and her friends had been on their adventure, Cadence had been missing from the Empire for over two weeks, leaving Shining in charge as he stayed behind to take care of everything while the Friendship Festival was underway. Twilight rubbed at her foreleg. I wonder if it's like this all over Equestria, she thought to herself. After all, Ponyville is used to random monster attacks, and the ponies in Vanhoover don't seem to care too much about a lot of things. Or, maybe they weren't affected because the invasion was mostly centered in Canterlot? Then again, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were turned to crystal as well. It wouldn't have taken two weeks for the Storm King's forces to take the other cities if the capital was already taken care of... The flash of magic interrupted her musings, a scroll bumping her on the muzzle before she caught it in her magic. Dear Twilight, I've done my best to assure the denizens of the Crystal Empire remain calm in light of the invasion. They've been reassured that Cadence has returned the Empire, and they should calm down within the next couple of days as the news spreads. That being said, you're always welcome at the palace, so feel free to check in at any time with one of the palace guards. I would greet you myself, but Cadence is currently being caught up on the past two weeks and I won't be available for a few hours. Sorry sis. If you need anything, be sure to ask a member of the castle staff. I've just notified them that you could be stopping by. Looking forward to your visit, Shining Armor So, I guessed right. Twilight sighed with both relief and... Disappointment, which confused her. Why am I disappointed that this wasn't something big? She asked herself, walking down the street once more and perusing the shop windows. Ponies could have been getting hurt. I should be glad that everything's fine. That, and I'm supposed to be on vacation. She sighed quietly as she passed a shop filled with items for tourists. The main road leading to the heart of the Empire from the train station was full of them; If it wasn't lined with shops, tourists wouldn't spend their bits on the pretty display pieces, and they would also get lost when it was time to head home. Twilight remembered her first visit to the Crystal Empire when it wasn't being threatened by some outside force. She'd collected a bauble or two for herself; Souvenirs to remind herself of a legendary city that, while it existed, still didn't seem real. A city that she, her friends, Cadence, and Spike had saved from yet another ancient evil. Those very same baubles were blown to pieces along with Golden Oaks. Slowing her steps, she circled back around to one of the tourist shops, debating on whether or not to replace the souvenirs that she'd had in her old home. ... No, she didn't need them. She didn't want to take them along with her on her next adventure once her vacation was up, and she didn't want the memories associated with them. At least, not anymore. It's been three years since then, Sparkle, she berated herself. There's no use moping over times long passed. If you want them, buy them, but otherwise, grow up. She turned again and made her way down the street, towards the palace. Maybe she was being too hard on herself, or being too hard on the others. If she could just go back and... She shook the thought out of her mind. No, she wasn't going to go back and apologize. She'd done that, tried that, hundreds of times back at the Friendship Festival. All it got her were glares and a message to knock it off. It led to her witnessing the argument back in the castle, too. They didn't want her to overhear them. They all looked guilty that she had, but how many of them had apologized for it? She abruptly stopped on the street, a wave of pain from a familiar place wracking her form. Her eyes watered and stung, and she had to take a shuddering gasp to remain standing. Twilight had already forgiven Pinkie. She and Fluttershy had been the ones coming to her defense. The others, while they may have come to talk to her back at her castle? She'd gotten nothing from them. Even if they would have tried to apologize, it wouldn't have been genuine. They'd meant what they said in Canterlot. If they apologized, it would have only been to save face because they knew she'd heard them. They only came to say what was plainly obvious, or try to justify their words. For all of that, she was not going to go back and apologize to them for dismissing them from her home. Starlight may have let them in, but it didn't mean they were welcome. After everything they'd said and done together, to them, all that she amounted to was... that. What they'd been saying about her behind closed doors. Yet even now, she was fighting herself from turning and going back to them. You shouldn't, you can't. She grit her teeth. Open your eyes. You're the element of magic. Friendship is magic. But going back to that 'friendship?' All it's going to do is hurt and drain you dry. She sniffled, unable to do much with her grief-wracked body while her mind remained sharp, dedicated to memories and thoughts that were far away from it. Trapped in her own little bubble that she'd have to calm down to escape from. It's all one big cycle, and somehow, this feeling... We always end up going back to each other. I thought we mended our friendship and it became stronger with every misstep we fixed, but they were just patches, weren't they? Patches and bandages that come off with enough friction and threaten to tear it all apart, just like that night. Twilight couldn't stop thinking. Her mind was so focused on itself that she felt like she couldn't move her body, and her heart ached knowing she couldn't just go back to them. Her cutie mark was tingling, but even if she wanted to, she couldn't check the sensation. By the time she regained control over herself, she'd forgotten about it. The crystal ponies around her were watching with concern that was slowly approaching panic. A tiny wave assured them that everything was fine, but the keen onlookers would be able to see the despair that weighed down the bones of the Princess of Friendship. Uneasy, she picked up her hooves and set herself to a trot. To the palace, Twilight, she scolded herself again. You can have your breakdowns later. "Okay, well, what are we supposed to do about it?" Rainbow Dash grumbled and looked at the table. Her cutie mark tingled, and she watched as the cutie marks from all of the Elements of Harmony flashed over the top of the map before they faded, its landmarks glitching. "We're supposed to be done with this thing, and done with Twilight. Or, at the very least, she's done with us." "That's the thing, Rainbow, it's probably doing this because of the fight you all had." Starlight worried her lip. The rest of the Element bearers, sans Twilight, had gathered in the castle for an emergency meeting. Pinkie and Fluttershy had looked unhappy, keeping their distance from Rainbow, Applejack, and Rarity, but this was before they'd even discovered the map was overturned; Much less, the state it was in now, after they'd righted it. With a potential crisis at hoof, they didn't seem to care about the proximity. "So, the Map's trying to get us all back together?" Rainbow shrugged, causing Applejack to grimace. "Ah— good luck with that. I don't think Twi's gonna want to see us for a long while." "Right, but we may not have a choice." Starlight frowned. "If the map's breaking like this, we could be in serious trouble— what if something important comes up and we needed the map to help?" "Uh... Starlight, barring the friendship missions and tracking the Pony of Shadows, the Map hasn't really done anything." Rainbow crossed her forelegs. "And I'm pretty sure time travel shouldn't count; You remade a spell to do that." Starlight grimaced, then, with an agitated sigh, she redirected her glare to the cutie map. "Look, not to sound insensitive about the issue or anything, but... Do we even need the cutie map for anything?" Rainbow continued. "I mean, we're not going on missions anymore. I don't see how this will effect me, or... any of us, really." "Is it just me, or has it gotten bigger?" Pinkie absently commented, tilting her head. "You can't honestly mean that, can you, Rainbow Dash?" Starlight ignored Pinkie. "After everything that's happened, all of the magical shit you've all waded through daily, you think this can't be a big deal or won't come back to bite us in the flank?" Fluttershy eeped behind her mane at the display of profanity, while Rarity nearly pulled up her fainting couch. Pinkie continued inspecting the glitched cutie map while Rainbow, in the meantime, just shrugged in response to Starlight. "I mean, the castle would have stopped Twilight from leaving if it was, wouldn't it?" "Starlight, Rainbow might be irritatin' ya, but this ain't no reason to be usin' dirty words." Applejack reprimanded, adjusting her hat. "B'sides, she's sorta right. And even if it didn't stop her, this all ain't our fault. We've got our lives to focus on, and going off to find Twi after she asked for some space from us—?" "I believe the words you're looking for are "after she dismissed us."" Rarity pitched in. "Sure, but we agreed to give her space." Applejack frowned. "If'n we just show up outta nowhere after all that, she ain't gonna be happy." Starlight sighed sharply. "Yeah, but not reaching out to her in some way could make everything worse. I mean, this castle, the map, and the Elements of Harmony all relied on you guys' friendships, right?" They fidgeted, but Starlight refused to let any satisfaction over it show. "If my breaking your friendship in the past was responsible for all of those terrible alternate universes being made, then what could happen a few years from now?" The ponies gathered in the room paused and looked at each other, an uncomfortable silence hanging in the air as they thought about the unpleasant consequences that could lie ahead. Rarity seemed to gather herself and broke the silence. "... Darling, I know you're upset, but I can assure you that trying to stir up the fear of some foreboding future threat is no way to fix a friendship." "What? I wasn't—" "Yeah, you were." Rainbow shrugged. "Besides, even if we can't get Twilight back, I'm sure we can handle it anyways." "I thought you said you were done with adventuring." "I have the Wonderbolts." Spike, who was sitting in his chair and glaring pointedly at her, crossed his arms. "The Wonderbolts couldn't do squat when a certain rampaging dragon was taking everyone's stuff. I'm pretty sure one pony isn't enough to change that." Rainbow sputtered, glaring at the baby dragon. "Hey!" "That's enough!" Fluttershy shouted, catching everyone off guard. "None of you are helping the matter at hoof. Rainbow, you're being completely insensitive about Twilight and the future of Equestria! It was all of us, together, that stopped the threats before, not just one pony. Starlight, you have a right to be paranoid about the future, but mongering fear isn't going to bring us together in a way that matters. And Spike, I know you're angry at them, and I am too, but you can't just take your anger out on everyone else." She frowned at the ponies in the room. The three she referred to sheepishly looked away, Starlight scuffing a hoof on the ground while Spike shrunk into his seat. "We're either here to fix the cutie map, or we're here to find a way to make it up to Twilight." Fluttershy stated with a sense of finality. "We can't start arguing and risk breaking the map, or our friendships, any further." "I know we're being serious and all right now—" Pinkie perked, having been crouched on the map like some sort of prowling cat, "— but I can't tell if this is a good or a bad thing." Suddenly, she began shuddering and frantically twitching in place, the phenomena stopping as soon as it began. Everypony looked over curiously, and something immediately felt off. Their cutie marks weren't tingling, but the carousel of their marks that once twirled above the map now hovered over the crystal empire as a static image. But their eyes were drawn to the moving center. It was Twilight's cutie mark. It almost seemed to beat like a heart, but three of the white sparkles that surrounded it looked almost... fragile. Brittle. And as they watched the abnormal movement, and lack thereof, in the cutie marks floating above the table, Twilight's seemed to shudder violently, and the white sparkles fractured like too much pressure placed on a broken pane of glass. The pieces looked like they were barely hanging in their old places. "O-okay, definitely bad," Pinkie blinked. Starlight stared wide-eyed at Pinkie, then the partly-broken cutie mark on the map. "Did— did Pinkie just have a seizure?" "That's the Pinkie Sense," Rarity stated without really explaining, stepping towards the map. "And— Starlight, with all of your expertise on cutie mark magic, please tell me you know what Twilight's cutie mark being partly broken means?" The girls all looked to Starlight. Not one of them was exempt from worry. But no, Starlight didn't know. Admitting that was the hardest part, but clearly, the others could sense it, simply by how long the silence dragged on. She might as well tell them. "I..." She took a deep breath. "No. I'm sorry, girls, I don't." "Whatever it is," Pinkie quelled her twitches before they could start again, the slight vibration of her entire body the only indication she was twitching. "It's a real doozie." The moment she had entered the room in the Crystal Palace, Twilight set down her saddlebags and curled up on the bed. Unlike the sudden onset of feelings and memories on the street, this one refused to intensify, her quiet grief only spilling a few tears despite the memories being fresh. She didn't bother with asking for anything from the servant that stopped by to check up on the princess guest, but she did thank them for their time. She couldn't believe it. She broke down on the streets, in front of all of those ponies, and for what? She probably made the empire's citizens more paranoid than they were before. "I have to get a grip on this," she told herself, her voice hoarse. It didn't stop it from hurting. It wasn't until a half hour later that she felt the grief subsiding. Her body and mind apparently decided that that was enough for today. So, utterly spent of emotion, Twilight stood from the bed and fixed herself up once more, trying to think about what she could do. She didn't want to do anything, but she was on vacation, dammit, and she should at least enjoy it. She grabbed her bitpurse and left her saddlebags in her room, notifying the guard that she was planning on going out and visiting the Empire. She likely wouldn't be back for a couple of hours, and was leaving her bags and supplies behind. Once she was done, Twilight stepped hoof back outside the palace. Without her saddlebags, the crystal ponies seemed to find her presence as less of an omen of an impending threat. Rather than finding cover or watching her to find out if something was wrong, she'd merely gotten a few sidelong glances and shy waves that she returned before they went about their business. There was nothing to worry about, they would see, and despite the concerned looks she garnered from the crystal ponies that once wore that exact, drained expression that she now wore, Twilight knew her problems didn't extend to the edges of Equestria. Others had their own problems, and she wouldn't concern anyone else with hers. So, she put on a smile. She was just tired, she told the shopkeeper, as she browsed through their wares for a few crystals that could hold a magical charge. "I dabble in the sciences," she offers a smile as an excuse. She didn't really know why she was purchasing them, but perhaps they'd be useful later on. Spare mana batteries, or using them instead when she was testing out a spell that required multiple ponies to cast it. Maybe she'd just use them while working on science experiments out in the field. Definitely useful. She continued perusing the shops for a couple of hours, at one point stopping for a bite to eat at one of the local restaurants before heading back to the palace for a long-awaited visit with her brother and his family. "Twily!" Shining embraced her. "I didn't leave you waiting too long, did I?" The babbles of Flurry Heart echoed through the hall as Cadence, looking tired but happy, finally emerged from her meeting. Twilight let out a soft giggle as she embraced them, too, while Flurry offered sloppy baby kisses and hugs to her favorite aunt. "Of course not, BBBFF." Twilight smiled but her vision blurred. Her cheeks felt wet even as she was reminded of how happy she was to be visiting them. "Just went for a stroll around the Empire." Shining smiled, but slowly, it began to slip. "Twily, is everything alright?" Twilight's rubbed at her eyes with a fletlock. Funny, she thought she ran out of tears a while ago. "... Here, Twilight. Let's all go talk in private." Quietly, Cadence put one wing around her sister-in-law and began to walk. Shining walked at Twilight's other side. When they were finally all together, Twilight told them what happened.