//------------------------------//
// 03 - 08 
// Story: Whispers 
// by destinedjagold 
//------------------------------//

—breaks the old metallic ring on the alicorn's horn.

Flurry blinks as Spike walks away and takes a seat at one of the map room's many thrones. Slowly, she rubs the base of her horn with a hoof. "...that was it?"

Spike snorts. "Here's hoping I can say the same after you're done with your part." He places a rainbow-colored ring on the map table and glares at the alicorn. "One chance."

Starlight frowns, and looks up at the alicorn. "Are you sure about this?"

Flurry nods her head. "I've come this far..."

Carefully, she summons a tiny amount of magic to her horn.

It glows.

Nodding to herself, she closes her eyes and starts channeling more magic into her horn as she recalls the many years of her research and investigations...

When she visited Discord in his realm, he studied her research and concluded that it might work.

"A slim chance, to be honest, but a chance nonetheless."

Those words were enough for her to decide that it was time to fix what she has broken those many years ago.

"Time is like a delicate flower. Touch it too much and it withers.

"But a second, huh?" she remembers Discord asking, scratching his goatee. "Why a second?

"Well, I'm sure you have your reasons.

"Now the question is when did you send her in time? But hey, if you picked the wrong one, just pick the other next."

Flurry unfortunately doesn't have that opportunity. Just one chance.

With a grunt, she fires a slow beam, slowly creating an orb in the air.

As she wills the magic to shape, she recalls her talk with Luna those many years ago.

"Each time I visit your dreams, I catch a glimpse of her, as if trying to leave a message.

"For many years, I tried but failed to know what she tries to tell you.

"Until recently. She left you a formula.

"What it is, we do not know, but perhaps you can decipher what it means."

She ignores the sweat running down her face and the aches her muscles scream at her as she mentally chants the spells.

"I cannot trace her," Celestia's words suddenly ring in her mind, the sadness in her voice immediately reminding her of how heartbreaking that moment was, to see the most-powerful alicorn you look up to, talking to you with tears flowing down her face.

"I have tried, yet here I am, shamefully standing in defeat.

"But perhaps that battle was not meant for me to win, but yours.

"Magic is a strange thing.

"It's an essence of one's self. A signature, if you will.

"While we can perform the same spells, it is different with each caster, because they have their own magical essence mixed into it.

"And that is why I failed. Because it was not I who casted the spell.

"I may be able to replicate it, but I can not undo what you have done.

"For it was your magic."

With a grunt, Flurry channels more magic into her horn, focusing the magic to the portal she's creating. Eyes glaring, she gazes at the forming portal, hoping against all hope that she chose the correct one.

One chance.

That's all she needs.

The portal will be complete soon. Just a little more.

Just a little mor—