//------------------------------// // 20. On Three Fronts, Part 1 // Story: Harmonic Fellowship // by Sun Sage //------------------------------// In the short time he’d been there, Garken had heard plenty about the trials of navigating Twilight Sparkle’s castle. He could understand well enough; most of the denizens within couldn’t track aetheric flows and concentrations well enough to find whomever they were looking for. Add to that the seemingly endless nature of the hallways and rooms. He wouldn’t have been surprised to learn that there was some manner of spacial folding magic at work, making the place bigger than it looked (and needed to be) from the outside. Nonetheless, he found the room he wanted. The three within were rather distinct to him, after all. A diffident knock, drawing on his time as the self-effacing Cade, gained him entry on the permission of the Night Princess. “Garken Caedum,” Luna said quietly by way of welcome. “To what do we owe this visit?” Garken’s eyes flicked to the other two inhabitants, and the corners of his mouth twitched. Aiden and Rarity were slumped together on a plush sofa, sleeping soundly. “We indeed. Did the fight with Kirin take so much out of them?” “Hardly. They came to me a short time ago, asking that I return them to the dream training they’ve recently taken up.” Luna smiled wanly. “Aiden had an idea that we’re putting into practice, drawing on the focus that his Cutie Marks have given him… or the focus that led to them, perhaps.” Garken chuckled. “Such an amusing name for Aetheric Focal Markings. You’re hardly the only culture to use them. ...Though I’ve not known them to occur naturally elsewhere. ...What was his idea?” Luna smiled. “What is the difference between time and space?” “There isn’t any… depending on how you… ahh,” Garken nodded thoughtfully. “You’ve compressed their perceptions, to experience more in less time? Based on Windborne’s ability to compress space.” Luna returned his nod. “In one guess, well done.” “Not for nothing I was Grand Marshal for nearly four decades,” Garken said before grimacing. “Pity that that too fed my pride. But you asked why I came. Luckily it was to speak with you rather than them. I have a favor to ask, in the unlikely event that I survive this. Actually, even if I don’t.” Luna frowned. “You foresee your death in the coming conflict?” Garken snorted derisively. “I predict it. I’ll leave foreseeing to oracles-” “First rule… of Pinkie Sense… we don’t talk about… Fight Club…” Rarity muttered vaguely, shifting in her sleep to nuzzle Aiden’s neck. “I’ll be sure to mention that to my sister,” Luna said, grinning over at the slumbering pair. “...Setting aside your pessimism-” “Realism.” “What is your favor?” “I wish to visit the crash site of the Clades, our vessel that you smashed with the moon.” Luna sighed and nodded. “Of course. I’m sorry… I know it was your home as well.” “Hardly. Frankly I miss my house in Sacramento more than I miss even my good quarters aboard that ship. Every chance to step off of it I embraced. The archives are another matter, and I believe they’ll still be intact.” “Archives?” He nodded. “The Oni-koru, despite our limited technological progress over the past millennium, are not complete savages, Your Highness.” “I was not suggesting you were… quite the contrary I find the prospect of records kept by your people fascinating. I’ve no doubt Twilight would teleport you there immediately if you mentioned this to her.” “Setting aside that it’s more your moon than hers, that is why I haven’t. This isn’t the time; there’s nothing in them that will help us now. The archives were kept, and updated, by the line that produced my first teacher. A brilliant man named Zeran Luxuria.” Garken smiled fondly, an odd look for him, reminiscing. He shook his head. “Regrettably, my talents drew Briareus’ eye before the old man could drill enough wisdom into my head to avoid the mistakes I would later make.” “Youth is a time for such things; the lessons those mistakes teach us make us who we are.” Garken sighed. “As you say… but how many civilizations died to pay for your tuition?” Luna tilted her head thoughtfully. “...Well… nearly one.” He blinked, then laughed. “Perhaps we have a bit of common ground then, at that.” “More than a bit, I would say. Like you, I was taken from the life I might have chosen, because of my talent, and my nascent power. The Seraphim did not randomly choose my sister and I as Equus’ first alicorns… And like you, I lost my way in the wake of my own power… and the expectations it brought me.” Garken smirked, sighing through his nose. “A shrewd insight. It was a task beyond my ability, reconciling the teachings of my two teachers. ...Had I known I could simply default to the first in all things… In any case I would save those records, if I can.” “Of course. Your people will need a new direction, after all… and a new leader.” “Hah… here’s hoping they find one.” He blinked, looking up suddenly. I can feel Tempest approaching the castle. I’ll go meet her, she and our griffin allies should be making for the town’s hospital rather than here.” “Another friend with whom you have much in common,” Luna remarked, smiling at the Oni. “Do not hesitate to seek her counsel, nor to offer yours to her.” She shook her head, keeping her smile. “You have a place in this world, Garken Caedum, whether you sought it or not, whether you want it or not. Do not be quick to seek death… you’ve made the sorts of friends who won’t let you go so easily.” He turned to leave, waving a hand over his shoulder. “Death is the seeker, Your Highness. But I shall strive to stay ahead of it as best I can.” ------------------------------------------ “Trixie is very much against this!” The showmare protested from her place pressed against the wall, valiantly keeping herself from trying to teleport through it. The hospital room had been vacated of doctor and nurse at Celestia’s request, and Trixie had been asked to stay by same. However, Twilight’s admission of what they’d be doing had been a bit much for the performer, especially one particular revelation... The object of her consternation rolled her eyes. “You shouldn’t have told her,” Raven muttered as Celestia tried to calm the panicking pony. “She was going to find out… because there’s no way Starlight won’t figure this out,” Twilight replied flatly. “She and I have studied Changeling magic too much for her not to. Besides, under the circumstances Trixie is her medical proxy. So you have to convince her to let us do this.” “Wait, why do I have to?” “Celestia and I are Princesses, so there’d be a conflict of interest in her saying yes because of our authority coercing her.” “Since when has she cared about that?” “She’s right,” Trixie said almost absently as her eyes darted between the three guests in the room. “Trixie is not impressed by your title, Twilight Sparkle.” “And mine?” Celestia asked, smiling archly down at Trixie. “...Slightly more so.” “Either way, Raven,” Twilight continued. “You’re the one performing the spell; I’m just directing any overflow so as not to harm her.” “And watching me to make sure I don’t ‘accidentally’ do so, of course,” Raven noted dryly. “Also that. So explain to her why she should allow it.” Raven sighed, looking away from Twilight to stare at Trixie through lidded, bored looking eyes. “She should allow it because she loves the mare lying in that bed. And that mare’s talent is magic… a talent that is going to be rather hampered without my help.” She smirked a bit, raising an eyebrow. “But maybe that’s what you want…” Trixie’s eyes narrowed. “Excuse me…?” “Oh I do. I completely understand wanting her weaker. It’s a bit intimidating, being the weaker partner.” She smiled darkly. “Isn’t it, little magician?” Trixie growled, forgetting to be afraid of Chrysalis for the moment. “The Great and Powerful Trixie is not intimidated by Starlight Glimmer! She celebrates that her friend is… similarly great!” “Hmph, of course you do. And yet you’re against my healing her… You honestly think I’d try something right in front of these two? I’m not exactly at the strength I was during the wedding. If I was after revenge this would be a poor time for it.” “Raven…” Celestia began. “And since when does revenge have to make sense?!” Trixie interrupted her, loudly. “Trixie’s didn’t! She went out of her way to find an artifact she knew was dangerous; that’s why she got it! She knew it wouldn’t last; one alicorn or another would come and… and…” She shook her head sharply, but her lips trembled. “But if… if you hurt her now… it’s too late to stop you…” She shut her eyes tightly. “Trixie can’t… I can’t… she almost died! Please… I know what it means to her… what it would mean to me, but… But I’ll help her get through it! I’ll be there no matter what! I don’t care how good at magic she is, or how…” “How happy she is?” Raven asked piercingly. “I’ll make sure she’s happy!” Raven shook her head, taking a different tack. “You can do that. Right now. You love her. I wouldn’t have thought it possible, but you love her more than yourself.” “Shut up!” “At the hive, when you both were saving Equestria from me… I didn’t see that. Maybe it wasn’t true then; it doesn’t matter. I didn’t see it. ...Because I didn’t have anything I loved more than myself, either. We’re both better than that, now… somehow. And you’re scared. Not of me, not really. You’re scared of losing her.” Trixie sighed, looking down. It was a minute before she spoke again, barely above a whisper. “You heal her, somehow… and then what? She’s goes back out and faces more of these monsters. Trixie isn’t a warrior,” she sniffed. “Great and Powerful though she is.” “Was sort of hoping we’d broken through the third pony nonsense,” Raven muttered. “Be honest with yourself… what would she want?” Trixie let out a long, shuddering breath. “To make amends for the awful things she did.” Raven blinked, stopped in her tracks by that reply. Trixie didn’t stop. “And nothing will ever be enough,” she said quietly. “She’ll… keep going until she’s dead in a ditch somewhere. This was her way out. Even if she rails against it… it’d be a sacrifice she couldn’t deny the significance of. ...Not everything is sunshine and rainbows like it is around Twilight Sparkle. We don’t all get to be that good. It doesn’t all work out for us. For her. ...I… I…” She looked up, tears in her eyes. “She’d never forgive me for denying her the chance to keep throwing herself at some stupid impossible redemption… but she’d be safe!” Raven stayed silent. “But… not happy,” her head swayed back and forth, as though trying to fight the truth of her own words. “Not…” She broke off, throwing her muzzle skyward and screaming. “Do it! I can’t… I… I’m sorry…” Trixie broke down, sobbing quietly. Celestia gently wrapped a wing around her. Raven had the good grace not to say anything in her direction. “All right. Reinforce the area. Her magic is by no means gone, and while I’m repairing her primary focus for it it WILL surge, probably more than once.” Twilight nodded. “You came up with this awfully quick… and that’s pretty specific. You’ve done this before, haven’t you?” “...Not exactly. I regenerated a pegasus’ wings once. And she loved me dearly for it, in case you’re wondering why. Delicious. She didn’t ever learn that it’d been me who’d cut them off, of course.” “!” All eyes in the room (save the comatose Starlight’s) went wide to stare at Raven. “What? She got too close to the hive and I overreacted a bit.” She shrugged, unrepentant. “It was some time ago; I was young. Anyway in her case the process kicked off a thunderstorm complete with a weak tornado… And she had a lot less magic in reserve than Glimmer here, so…” “Got it…” Twilight nodded vaguely as wards began forming in the air around Starlight’s bed. “Still a little disturbed about that pegasus you maimed…” “AND healed. I even let her go… eventually.” “You’re all heart,” Twilight muttered. “Right. Wards are in place. They include a number of diagnostic spells and traps just in case you do decide to do something really stupid… or if the spell isn’t working and is harming her somehow.” “Hmph, good. I’d be disappointed if you trusted me too quickly.” “I need your help… that doesn’t mean I assume I’ll get it.” Raven actually laughed. “Your student is surpassing you, Tia…” “Of course she is,” Celestia replied simply. Raven’s magic changed color, taking on a darker green hue as she focused. “And here… we… go…” Starlight’s form vanished from sight, blocked by the light saturating the inside of Twilight’s wards. After a few minutes that light coalesced, surrounding the charred stump atop Starlight’s forehead. It dimmed, taking the shape of green flame dancing on a torch… or a horn, and stayed so as that horn seemed to etch itself into existence, drawn by the lines of flame. A swirl of aether raged out, smashing into the wards and cracking one before Twilight reinforced it. Green and teal lightning crashed in all directions, leaving lines of seared magic across the walls of force Twilight held in place. As the storm of Starlight’s mana died down Raven gave a shuddering breath, collapsing to her knees as the flames around the fully formed horn snuffed themselves, leaving no obvious sign that Starlight had ever been injured. The entire process took less than ten minutes. “That was… amazing!” Twilight blurted, at a loss. “So quickly… and so…” “Hmph. You’re right to be impressed, of course. I was Queen of the Changelings… that wasn’t something just anyling could do, you know…” Raven replied, a mix of pride and fatigue clear in her voice as she struggled to rise. Celestia left Trixie’s side to offer her a hoof, which she waved off. She did smile at the Sun Princess as she regained her hooves on her own. “Urgh… so hungry…” A voice spoke for the first time in that room. ...Before being cut off by a short range teleport glomp. “Starlight!” “Geh… Trix… too tight… caaa-mmmmph!!” Starlight broke off her protest as Trixie kissed her fiercely. “I’m sorry!” She blurted out as she broke the kiss, leaving Starlight with a dazed grin. “I doubted… I was scared and I… I’m so glad you’re okay! I’m sorry!” She hugged Starlight tightly, rocking back and forth against her punchdrunk partner. “It’s… it’s okay, Trix… really. I’m alright… better than alright. That was… Twilight I hope you took notes.” “...Of course I did. I’m a little insulted you’d imply otherwise,” Twilight said with a grin. “Good to have you back. I’ll get the nurse to bring some food up. What would you like?” “Ah… I’m actually... not hungry, now that you mention it. I thought I was, but I feel fine now,” she frowned slightly as she continued rocking back and forth in Trixie’s embrace, but didn’t let go of her. “...So who’s the Changeling pretending to be Raven? One of the Gray Hive, or… well, probably not one of Thorax’s, but…” Raven chuckled evilly. “Well now… isn’t that the question to ask?” Green flames erupted across her form briefly, leaving her real self before them all. It should be noted that, unbeknownst to all but the most circumspect of observers, the holes in her legs were a bit smaller than they’d once been. It wasn’t really the first thing Starlight noticed. With a shriek of entirely reasonable panic she threw up a shield of swirling teal and green around her bed, protecting herself and Trixie. “YOU?!” Chrysalis went from chuckle to full belly laugh, clutching her sides as she went down. “Yes! Me! AHAHAHAHAHA oh the look on your stupid, stupid face! THAT’S RIGHT LITTLE PONY! I HEALED YOU! YOU OWE ME! MY VENGEANCE IS AT HOOF! YOU WILL BE MY SLA-MPH!” “Tone it down, dear,” Celestia said warmly, shoving a hoof in Chrysalis’ mouth. “I… what… this… you… WHAT?!” Starlight rambled, trying without success to grasp the situation. She held Trixie out at foreleg’s length, staring into the eyes of her now sheepishly grinning marefriend. “You knew?!” Starlight facehoofed. “Of course you did. Why didn’t you tell me?!” Trixie blinked, tilting her head in confusion. “Starlight… you can’t expect Equestria’s greatest showmare to be so crass as to step on somepony else’s big moment.” Starlight looked at her flatly. “Yes I can. Stealing the spotlight is one of your top ten favorite things to do. It’s number eight.” “Not since we started dating… it’s dropped several ranks since then. It’s behind-” Trixie leaned forward and began whispering in Starlight’s ear. Said ear twitched, and began turning red along with the rest of Starlight’s face. “Uhh… okay! Welp… we’re gonna go… make sure Trixie’s wagon is okay! Inspect the bed for… bedding… bed… bye!” Her horn lit and the two disappeared. “Wait!” Twilight called out too late. “Friendship que… uuuurgh.” She facehoofed and began muttering to herself. Behind her, in the doorway unnoticed, a new voice spoke up around what sounded like chewing popcorn. “Huh… I think I went to the wrong villain for help with my horn…” ------------------------------------------ “You really sure about this, Pinkie? I mean, I guess you can’t stay behind if the Map thinks we’ll need you, but you could… I don’t know, follow far back or something?” Rainbow rubbed the back of her head nervously, trying to find the words. “Dashie, that’s silly! We can’t try to make friends with the tower Onis if I’m being all super sneaky ninja in the background. They’ll be all ‘we want a party to celebrate our new friends, but we can’t have one because ninjas are too busy being sneaky to have parties’. And everypony and everyoni will be all sad. Did you know Oni rhymes with pony?” Dash rubbed a hoof between her eyes. “Yes, Pinkie… I noticed that.” “It’s a start!” “A start of what? And where are we going?” “To wake up Aiden and Rarity. They’re in this room with Princess Luna dreaming of being stronger. And then the dreams are real, because life is but a dream…” she concluded, shutting her eyes and nodding her head once. Rainbow looked askance at her. “Right…” “Here we are!” Pinkie said brightly, knocking on the door. “Come in, Pinkie Pie.” “Ooh,” Pinkie replied, opening the door. “Do you have a Luna sense that lets you know when I’m at the door?” Luna chuckled tolerantly. “I do, Pinkie. It’s called ‘hearing’... your voice carries impressively. And Rainbow Dash, I hope you’re both well.” “Well enough, I guess,” Rainbow replied, sketching a lazy salute (typical for an off duty Wonderbolt towards a laidback princess). “I’m not too happy that the Map isn’t sending me with Twilight though.” “You don’t believe Twilight Sparkle can take care of herself? Or for that matter that I am capable of watching over her? My guard captain will be accompanying us, as well as Starlight Glimmer and Trixie Lulamoon, and perhaps one or two of the griffon volunteers. Twill be a full party." “Those are best parties!” “Well…” Rainbow vacillated, “No of course not… it’s just… after what I did… and what I said… I…” Rainbow grimaced and looked away. “I want to make it up to her.” “And so you shall, though I doubt she requires it of you.” Luna smiled gently. “I understand. Loyalty is a difficult Element to Bear. “Of the three I had the honor of holding, it was by far the most trying. The emotional attachments that come with holding true to one’s friends are sources of strength, but can also be sources of great travail.” “It’s usually just the first one but… I wish I could understand her better. I know she rushes ahead, keeps so much to herself-” “As is her wont, Rainbow Dash,” Luna reminded her gently. “Some might consider it an irony that the Princess of Friendship is an introvert. I would argue it leads her to place more value in the connections she chooses to forge, as she forges them carefully and with deliberation. That said, I doubt she will ever open up completely.” “Yeah… well she should!” Rainbow looked down, kicking at the floor. “And maybe she would if I… we… could keep up with her. With the egghead stuff.” “You cannot force yourself to be what you are not. She cannot outfly you, you cannot outthink her. You can still support one another… I know I don’t need to tell you this. If anything, I learned it from you.” “Heh… thanks. I guess I need reminding sometimes. Alright! We’re gonna finish up this Spire stuff right away, and then I’m gonna sit down with Twi and she’s going to tell me all the magic stuff she’s been figuring out with Starlight, and all this big ‘save the world’ planning she’s been doing but not telling us about! And Pinkie, I want one of your ‘This probably won’t kill you!’ Quintuple Mocha espressos for it!” “Sugar Cube Corner is not responsible for-” Pinkie began reciting from a scroll she pulled out of her mane, after pulling out and donning a pair of reading glasses. “Yeah yeah, we all signed the disclaimer. I’m not dozing off during another Twilight lecture, even if I have to cheat to make sure of it!” “Perhaps you could consider a recording of your own voice yelling about your devotion to your friends, Rainbow… it’s certainly keeping me from sleeping,” Rarity chimed in, stirring from her cuddled up position next to Aiden. He was also awake, though he was blinking owlishly and not quite all there yet. “Oh my… how long were we out? It feels like… I need the little filly’s room.” With that she hopped off the couch, muttering as she stretched a hind leg that was a bit cramped, and trotted off through a side door into the bathroom. “Luna…” Aiden began slowly. He stretched his neck with one hand against it, to the accompaniment of several popping vertebrae. “That was… damn. I didn’t expect… that got dark.” Luna looked sidelong at the ill at ease human. “I compressed your awareness in the dream as you asked… and it worked better than I would have guessed for a first effort. Due to the nature of the magic used I could not join you within the dreams and still power the sensory compression. Thus, anything you experienced was the product of your own mind, and your desire to push yourself. ...How long?” Aiden shook his head, standing to stretch his legs out. “I really don’t know. Weeks? Months? I’m not sure I want to try that again.” “Rarity seemed fine,” Rainbow noted, looking towards the closed bathroom door. “Bleeeeehhh!” “Ooh, that’s Rarity’s ‘throwing up’ noise!” Pinkie added, excitedly. “She says a lady doesn’t vomit, or upchuck, or ralph. So she’s throwing up!” “...Thank you, Pinkie Pie,” Luna muttered dryly.