//------------------------------//
// 03 - 09 
// Story: Whispers 
// by destinedjagold 
//------------------------------//

Flurry slowly opens her eyes, her vision blurry.

Her head aching.

What happened?

Her eyes adjusting, she realizes she's staring at the tree-chandelier in the map room.

Slowly, she rises up, and sees a portal...

...a portal she was casting earlier.

She did it.

She completed the spell.

Yet why is both Starlight and Spike arguing over there?

She slowly rubs a hoof on her head, trying to ease the headache.

"—oh! She's awake!" Starlight exclaims, quickly approaching her. "Hey, hey..." She says, helping the alicorn up. "Are you alright, Flurry?"

"I..." Flurry blinks, and looks at the portal. "I think so..." She looks at Spike, who's looking at her disapprovingly. Her ears droop. "It... It didn't work?"

Starlight's ears droop as she sighs. "I'm sorry, Flurry..."

"You were out for twenty minutes," Spike quietly says.

She hangs her head in defeat as the dragon approaches her with the ring in his claws.

Towering over her, Spike growls. "Thanks for wasting our time. Horn, please."

Slowly, Flurry lifts her head. She helplessly watches Spike lifts his claw, about to fit the ring on her horn.

Spike glares down at her, and drops his claw.

Flurry blinks at him.

Sighing, Spike steps aside and turns to the portal. "The portal closes once I put this ring on you."

Silence.

Until—

"Call her," Spike says without looking at the alicorn.

Nodding slowly, Flurry trots in front of the portal. She takes a nervous breath, and calls: "Auntie T-Twilight?"

No response.

The alicorn's ears droop. "A-are you there?"

No answer.

"Y-you can come back now."

Silence.

Seconds turn to minutes.

No echoes...

No whispers...

Just silence...

Starlight approaches her and places a comforting hoof on her own. "I'm sorry, Flurry..."

Spike watches the two in silence. That tiny flame of hope he has, now gone...

...like her.

Flurry slowly approaches him, and slowly nods her head, her horn raised.

"I'm sorry, Uncle Spike," she quietly says as Spike lifts his claw. "I really wanted to bring her back to you."

Spike says nothing as he slowly slides the ring on her horn.

But stops midway as his earfins twitch.

His gaze slowly moves to the portal.

He waits...

...and waits...

...but nothing...

...as always.

Spike closes his eyes, takes a slow breath, and sighs audibly...

...as a quiet magical hum echoes in the room.

"Uuhhh..." Starlight blinks at the map table, which is slowly glowing.

Spike pulls the ring out as he and Flurry look back at the table slowly forming the landscape of Equestria.

A voice breaks the silence.

The three turn towards the source.

They hear an echo...

...and then...

...a whisper...

...as a purple hoof slowly emerges from the portal.