//------------------------------// // Prelude 3.0 // Story: Elements: The Gray Chapters // by Nightmare_0mega //------------------------------// It was the middle of the night. Stars in the inky black sky shimmered and sparkled while the moon, full and proud, laced the world with outlines of silver. The wind, blowing gently through the palace window, fluttered the translucent curtains like a dancing ghost, solemn yet beautiful. The darkness of the crystalline bedroom was disturbed by the sole candlelight upon a mahogany desk, where an insomniac princess sat over with dozens of papers, scrolls, and books, tirelessly scanning over notes with moderate violet eyes. Her mane of dark sapphire blue with moderate purple and brilliant raspberry streaks gently swayed and bounced as her attention shifted to and fro. She gently rubbed her pale, light greyish mulberry face, trying to banish her exhaustion. It had been several months and many, many incidents since their world had turned upside down. Incidents involving their extra-equestrian guests, lost prophecies, unforeseen shenanigans, and general issues cropped up on a nearly weekly basis. One of the most monumental was when she had lost her home, Shady Oaks, due to an attack, and was granted a massive crystal palace from the magic of the Tree of Harmony. It took some getting used to, but she had finally settled into the massive edifice and eventually called it home. However, all of these events made digging back into her research quite the difficult task, which caused the Princess of Friendship to opt for her nocturnal studying habits to resurface. She had become so headstrong about it this time around that the worries and concerns of Spike, her little purple and lime green dragon assistant, fell on deaf ears. So much so, he had given up trying to persuade her to ease off of the late night research and instead stayed beside the frazzled mare and try to help against her stresses in other ways. However, even that was quite the task for the little drake, so it wasn't odd for him to be found asleep on a pillow near where Twilight had set herself down. Tonight was no different in that regard, as he snored away beside her desk, comfortably curled on a luxurious chair and cushion. What was different was when the drake suddenly shot awake from a jolt of discomfort, before a flaming green belch erupted from his mouth, producing a scroll sealed with the Royal Insignia. Twilight noticed the tell-tale sound and magical displacement, and caught the scroll with her light brilliant raspberry colored magic, and carried it towards the top of her desk. Her excitement was palpable. "Ugh," Spike groaned, rolling over on his comfy cushion, "Why did they have to call so late at night?" "It must be important," Twilight replied, mostly trying to alleviate his assistant's complaints. Honestly, though, she couldn't hide her elation, as contact from the Princess had always been welcome in her eyes, no matter how tired or late at night. With a deep smile, she unfurled the scroll, reading its contents. To My Dearest Twilight Sparkle, Over the years that I've known you, my beloved student, I have known you to be a very steadfast and earnest young mare. Your willingness to research even into the strangest of topics either at our request or through your personal volition is nothing short of inspiring, and I could not be prouder. However, there is something that I must inform you, not as your teacher, friend, or guardian, but as the current co-ruler of the lands, with a heavy and contrite heart. I believe it's about time I come clean to you about current circumstances. While I appreciate your reports and updates in regards to your research, as you have no doubt spent many long hours doing so, finding clue after clue of the "anomaly" as you refer it to, it is ultimately futile. Not that it'll be impossible to finally understand and replicate, especially for the necessity of our extra-equestrian guest, but for the fact that I'm already aware of its properties. I have been for quite some time now. This situation, this duress I have placed upon you, Princess Cadence and Prince Shining Armour, and the good people of Equestria as a whole is of my doing. The "anomaly" is from a spell I have casted on five occasions, with the sixth coming from a source closely connected to these circumstances. The reasons for such an action on my end will be explained, but not in this letter. It would be best for all of you, from the creatures summoned to the guardians that have custody over them during their stay, to learn the full truth once you are all gathered. I will send a royal decree to those that have prior occupations to allow a leave of absence to discuss such matters, and the meeting will be done within a week's time. I know this information I have bestowed upon you has likely shocked you, while it has possibly left your trust in me shaken, if not fractured, and I have nothing but deep regret for hiding such a secret and forcing you into the dark. I do not expect forgiveness for my transgressions, nor do I expect for our relationship as dear friends to ever return to how it was, but I ask that you please keep an open mind, while also keeping this information to yourself for now. Neither your friends nor the guests the six of you harbor should be placed into a negative state of mind leading up to the meeting. I assure you, once everything is settled, once I'm assured that their presence is no longer required for what's to come in the near future, I will happily grant them the option to return to their original world. Please, grant me a small mercy and trust me on this. If you have any doubts or questions, express them in your reply or address me when we're together again. Signed by your contrite former teacher, Princess Celestia Twilight sat there, letting the parchment fall against the desk as her mood drastically shifted. Spike, sensing the sudden change, raised his head up, now suddenly more awake. Concerned, he tentatively spoke. "Twilight? Are you alright?" There was a moment of silence, her eyes darkened even under the candlelight, right before she harshly swiped all of the contents on her desk off to the floor. Fwips of papers fluttering and the clack and clatter of books could be heard, causing the little dragon to jump from surprise after the sudden action. Now fully awake, he noticed the candle, which was caught by the outburst, wavered slightly, threatening to tip over. Spike jumped up and grabbed it before it could fall and realigned it. With a sigh of relief, he once again gazed towards his dear friend and guardian. She closed her eyes and took a deep, calming breath, as if to try to steady herself more than to reduce her stress. Then, her horn lit up once more and pulled a piece of blank parchment from the ground, as well as the quill that lay near a tipped over, but thankfully nearly empty, ink well, and brought them back up to the desk. She then silently conducted a short note, rolled it up, sealed it, and handed it to Spike, whom sent it off without a word. She then hopped off of her chair, and began to leave the room. "I think I'm going to go to bed. I'll clean that up in the morning. You should get some rest too, Spike." Spike watched as the Princess of Friendship coldly strode out of the room and into the moonlit halls. "Goodnight, Twilight," was all he managed to utter, knowing she probably didn't even hear him. -o-v-o-v-o-v-o-v-o- Twilight slowly cantered down the long hall, trying to remember where her bedchamber was, before she came across large doors off to the side, with one of them slightly ajar. Sudden curiosity caught her weary and disheartened soul, pulling her towards the open room. Peeking inside, she realized it was the library, one that she had set up painstakingly only a few weeks ago. She gave a small, weary smile as the familiarity washed over her, slightly easing herself. However, something else caught her attention. There, at the far corner of the large room, floating rather high above the ground with a candle gently hovering next to it was a thin individual, clad in leather from neck to shin. Tight rubber boots adorned his feet, arm sleeves with the ring and index fingers exposed wrapped his arms, leaving his shoulders exposed, and belts tightly wound around its frame. The gas-mask, however, was this creatures most striking feature. It was a deep, dark grey surface with fiery orange lenses, and five black straps fastening it tightly to the head. Scars that look like stitches and thin, short strands of wiry hair dotted the surface of his scalp, with a barcode matching the one on his shoulder, was displayed prominently. This was Psycho Mantis, a self proclaimed and terrifyingly proven master of psychokinesis, and Twilight Sparkle's ward. It had been some time since the strange human had adjusted to life in Equestria. Or, perhaps more accurately, life in Equestria adjusted to him. There was always a sense of danger surrounding him, on top of his mysterious atmosphere, which kept most away from the human mentalist. Everyone, except for Twilight herself. From the effects of a misfired and malformed spell from panic, her mind was now inexplicably bound to his. Her memories were his, and vice versa. It had certainly affected both of them, but it was clear neither wished to show it much, if at all. Realizing he hadn't yet noticed her presence, she silently cast a mental wall spell upon herself, before she slowly retracted herself from the library's opening and proceeded to once again to seek her bedroom. She gave a sigh, recalling the contents of the letter from Princess Celestia. He doesn't need to know about it right now, she thought to herself, as she disappeared into the shadow covered halls, seeking nothing more than deep slumber. She had quite a busy morning ahead of her, after all. -o-v-o-v-o-v-o-v-o- Deep within the vast, oppressive nothing both far away and agonizingly close, a shapeless entity writhes. Its silent screams and demands of freedom drown out pathetic, weak pleas of wishing for life once long forfeit. How long has it been since it first entered this abyss? How long did it shriek in defiance, refusing the fate the tyrannous stars have given it? It was then, while in this eternal torment of nothingness, a small crack began to form.