Unable to think, lost and warped in her own world, Twilight found herself in the gardens outside Canertlot's castle. Oddly enough, the darkness complimented this piece of nature as the grass, trees, violets, bellflowers and bushes all looked new. Surprisingly, serenity bloomed from its dim colours. From the rest of Equestria, the gardens felt like a sanctuary, a haven that felt out of this world. Sadly, it wasn't enough for Twilight to escape her anxiety, her struggles and fears. This feeling of composure did not last for the young princess.
Lightly, the grass caressed under her hooves as she stared at the ground, thinking, wondering, pondering about the situation. Twilight couldn't turn off, she couldn't even answer her own questions, whether what she was doing was either right or wrong. Pushing her friends away in order to keep them safe, it had to be right. After Spike and Starlight, the Princess of Friendship didn't want to lose any more friends. Silence washed over her, she heard nothing, she didn't even move... Lost in a forest of her own thoughts.
Absent of any emotion, expressionless and preoccupied with her own thoughts, she remained still.
"Twilight."
"I'm here." She calmly responded, her drained eyes looking up to the graceful ruler of Equestria.
As Princess Celestia watched the young alicorn acknowledge her presence, she looked around her garden and lifted a smile, "It's nice here, is it not?"
Confused, Twilight hiked a brow, "I'm sorry?"
"The gardens," Celestia simply answered. "I figured you could use a change in scenery, you have spent most of the day in the castle. I always used to come here when I was alone." She breathed. "This garden felt like my only escape from royal duties and worries, and at times, it still does. It feels heavenly."
Properly observing the gardens, the Princess of Friendship relieved a peaceful sigh, "It does, but I'm afraid I can't escape from my fears, not with all that's happened. Not with Spike and Starlight in the hands of Fright," Twilight sulked then looking back up at the Princess of the Sun. "Why did you bring me here?"
"Because I wanted to talk, Twilight. In the throne room, you said you didn't want to lose any more friends," Celestia recalled. "What happened to Spike, we all share your grief, and Starlight, what happened to her was something no one could expect. I understand your fears, I do. I've felt the same when I lost Luna a thousand years ago, and the following years when I had lost Sunset Shimmer." She dipped her head in sorrow, before she resumed, "All this horror. I know why you don't want your friends to come with us, but do you really believe pushing your friends away is for the best?"
"Of course not," Twilight answered with absolute certainty before it turned to bitter doubt. "But what more can I do? It's clear they're targeting my friends. What if Rarity's next or Pinkie Pie or...what if you're next?" The young alicorn's voice cracked as her fear took hold of her, and she looked up to Equestria's ruler with frightened eyes. "If Chrysalis beat you once, she can do it again. And Fright....after seeing what he did to Spike, I can't bear to think what more horrendous torture he would put Starlight through. Maybe he'd do the same to you! It makes me sick thinking about it. I just want this to end!"
Princess Celestia spreads her wings out and strokes a gentle feather across Twilight's back, coaxing and calming the troubled alicorn, "And it will, Twilight. When... I'm afraid I don't have the answers, but I promise, we will prevail." She cooed. "You have to be strong now, for your friends, for all of Equestria. Don't let Fright and the changelings win."
Twilight shook her head. "I just want to do what's right."
"And what do you think is right?" Celestia asked.
In response, the Princess of Friendship shrugged as the look of doubt continues to persist, "I don't know. I thought I knew what it was, but now I'm not so sure. I just want Spike back so I can make everything up to him. I never should've stopped searching for him. I wished I could apologize to him. I wish I could tell him that I was trying to find him and that I missed him every day."
Saddened by memories of her and Spike's recent falling out, combined together with the revelation of his unending years neglects, torments, and humiliations came rushing to her mind like a tidal wave, intensifying her doubts and anxiety.
"What kind of a friend am I, to leave him behind so much? To put so much work on him, while I have fun with my friends? To hurt him so much without knowing? Now he's a prisoner of Fright because I wasn't there to save him. And Starlight's with him now. My friends are all in danger because of me, because Fright knows that terrifies me!"
"Twilight, it pains me to see you like this," Princess Celestia began. "To see you isolating yourself from your friends, all because you're afraid of what has already happened to two of your friends. You have to understand, you can't run from your problems. You can't distance yourself from your friends forever."
"I don't know any other way." The young alicorn sighed. "I don't want any more of my friends to be in danger."
"I know, Twilight. But there's no stopping them. Your friends will always be there for you, whether you like it or not. The least you could do for them is to look out for them, like you always have," Twilight looked up at her mentor, feeling a bit of hope resurfacing, but the doubt continues to linger. "I know you had no intention to hurt and abandon Spike. Neither did your friends. But it's over now. You can't let your past mistakes stop you from doing what is right for the greater future. There's still good out there and I know you can see it."
Slowly, Twilight looked up to her beloved mentor as she shined a comforting smile at her, protected in her presence, "So now, let me ask you again. What do you think is right?"
Quick to answer, a look of composure filled her eyes, her voice coated in calmness, "Protecting my friends and saving Spike and Starlight."
"And I'm sure they want to protect you too, Twilight." The alicorn reminded. "What is the Princess of Friendship without her friends?"
Twilight's silence came across as comforting towards Celestia, a sign that maybe she had reasoned with her or at least she was thinking. Any emotion on the young princess' face came across as absent again, too absorbed in her own concentration as she heeded the words of Equestria's ruler. Once again, she looked down in sombre, too preoccupied with her own thoughts.
"You shouldn't deny your friends, but you should talk to them," Celestia cooed. "I've seen... No, Equestria has seen the things you can do. You and your friends. I know, when you're all together, you won't let anything happen to each other."
With Twilight remaining silent, the Princess of the Day took this as her cue to continue, "Tomorrow morning, we will find King Thorax. Whether or not if you want your friends to take part in this journey, is truly up to you. I only ask that you think it over." She advised. "Be sure to get some rest, we have a long day tomorrow."
Celestia joined Twilight in the silence as if any sort of sound became extinct. Before her eyes wandered upwards to the night sky, gazing at the stars scattered around and above them, she studied her expression. Gently, choosing not to disturb the stillness and serenity of the garden, she quietly motioned her hooves and left the young princess in peace.
The Princess of Friendship barely watched the alicorn leave. Despite her mind overworking, constantly thinking and thinking, Twilight failed to take hold of her reality. For a while, she felt her heart, mind and soul crying on the inside, begging and pleading for everything to go back the way it was supposed to, back to being away from the feelings of fear.
Nonchalantly, tearing her sight from the dark green grass, she looked up to the night sky, immediately taking notice of the midnight-blue barrier that shielded Canterlot, still holding up strong by Princess Luna. Twilight studied the stars above her, the glistening lights watching down at her and the whole city, protected and secure. How she longed for this night to be over, but nothing could prevent her trepidation on what awaited the next day.
Unlocking a sigh and closing her eyes, breathing calmly, Twilight did her best to untangle the wires of stress and paranoia from her system, clearing her mind. Her friends, her family. They were at risk, being targetted by Chrysalis, by Fright... By The Hunter. Fighting off her anxiety, she cleared her mind once again, taking a deep breath in and breathing out the worriment.
"Think... Think." She whispered to herself, struggling to wash away her fears. "Just... Think."
Time melted away like ice during summer. For too long she had been bashed and bombarded with daunting doubts that Twilight could barely think of what to do. As she remained in the gardens, if anypony had seen her, they would surely believe that she was a statue herself. Frozen and hardly moving.
Thinking wasn't what it used to be. Unwillingly, Twilight's mind would wander to the deepest and darkest places of her inner thoughts. No matter what, she would feel gripped and pulled into troubling doubts. Haunting her. Thinking about what could've happened and what can still happen.
Finally, with a tiresome sigh, the Princess of Friendship pushed herself up from the ground and turned away from the night sky, gently brushing her hooves along the grass and slowly escorting herself back to the castle. However, upon moving a few steps, the sound of clamouring and worried shouting infiltrated Twilight's ears, stopping the alicorn in her tracks as she jolted her head upwards in confusion.
Much to the alicorn's dismay, a loud, harrowing noise pierced her ears once more, coming from behind her, from outside the city. It was loud enough to wake the whole of Canterlot. Fear filling her eyes, Twilight stared out into the night sky yet again as she looked out in horror, witnessing the huge, sharp, daunting vessel that hovered just above her, drifting above the protected city.
Chrysalis' flagship had just appeared from the darkness. Waiting outside the secured city, haunting those who gazed upon the menacing airship.
"No... No." She stammered.
Twilight's torment was far from over and finding the changelings weren't a problem any longer. They were here. Ready to attack.