The morning brought fog with it, as well as the sound of birds calling across the water to each other. Rosy rays of dawn skimmed low across the water, creating patches of shadow and light that played and danced across the current as if in pursuit of each other. A heron waded through the shallows, and a family of frogs ceased their peeping, finally retiring for the night. The fog was interrupted only by a small craft, two unicorns entwined in the bottom, huddling into each other to ward off the chill of a night on the water. The river was extremely shallow here, and the boat occasionally scraped across the bottom with a slight rumble. At times, this seemed to disturb the couple's rest. Soon enough, though, they would settle back into sleep. The sun rose a bit higher, and some of the morning mist parted to reveal the occasional sandbar, gradually increasing in size and height. What followed, then, was inevitable.
Whump! The boat came to a sudden halt against a bar of sand, tipping to one side. The unicorns inside were rudely awakened, tumbling over one another and landing in an unceremonious heap in the sand. Their saddlebags followed suit, landing squarely on top of them. To add insult to injury, the boat, thusly lightened, righted itself, and finding a deeper patch of water, spun about and drifted further into the swamp, leaving them behind.
"Well," Morning Star muttered. "We're here."
Twilight giggled a bit at this, getting to her feet and donning her saddlebags. "Come on, then. This is probably not the first time we'll have to wade today." she said, setting off toward the shore, the water a few inches up her legs. Morning Star followed suit, slinging his saddlebags over his back and fastening the buckles as he went.
The sun followed them into the bog, dispelling mist and making the way clearer. Twilight, noting that the air was getting humid, applied insect repellent to them both, leaving them smelling of lemon and citronella. This turned out to be a wise idea. As the sun rose, so too did the clouds of mosquitoes and biting flies. The repellent soon washed off of their hooves, but this did not prove to be a problem, as the affected areas were covered in mud. The water became cloudier as they went, turning from slightly muddied river water into putrid sludge that clung to them as if it was alive.
It was difficult to breathe in the humidity, and the air seemed to hang still like the scraggly moss growing on the gnarled trees, supported by thick black roots. The water occasionally gave a splash, as some unknown animal fell or jumped in. Any plants grew brown and unhealthy, with the exception of a rather pungent algae that was a disturbing shade of yellow. Twilight was glad that they had decided to forego breakfast that morning, as she felt that she would have had trouble keeping it down. In all, the swamp was a rather unpleasant place.
Twilight idly wondered how far along they were. The plan was to continue in a northward direction through the swamp until they came out somewhere near Fluttershy's cottage to the south of Ponyville. Several of the trees had been marked closer to town, so they would know when they were close. Until then, they kept walking. It would take several hours to make progress, and Twilight began to feel like they would have to spend the night in a swamp.
"Y'know," Twilight complained, pulling her hoof from some particularly sticky muck, "This probably wasn't our best planned out part of the trip. Basically, it consists of hitting the swamp and then walking until we see something we recognize."
"True." Morning Star said with a perfectly straight face, "If anything could go wrong, it would be this part."
Twilight looked at him. He gazed back innocently. They held eye contact for a minute, until Morning Star ever so slowly raised one of his eyebrows. At that point, Twilight lost it, laughing hysterically. Morning Star joined her, and they stood for a moment, enjoying themselves. They were almost home free, after all.
"Seriously, though." Twilight said. "This had been one hell of a trip. When we get back, I'm writing all of this down. It'll make a great story." With that, she leapt onto a blackened log partially submerged in the water, raising one hoof in the air in a heroic gesture. "The Epic Journey of Morning Star and Twilight Sparkle!" she shouted. This, of course, is when the log shifted, spilling her onto the ground. Morning Star watched in horror as the log rose from the water, filth running down its length in rivulets. It continued to rise, towering over the two young unicorns. Three more rose sinuously into the air, and as one, four heads burst from the water. A hydra, twice as large as any Twilight had seen, and pure, evil black, focused on them, roaring in challenge.
Twilight had time to say two words, before they both galloped into the swamp in a desperate attempt to elude it. "Oh, buck."
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Twilight and Morning Star headed for its feet, knowing the only way to escape was to confuse it long enough so they could get a head start on it. As they passed through, one head shot into the ground, receiving a mouthful of dirt for its trouble. Two more headed for the legs, while the fourth headed for the back. The fourth slammed into the ground as well, missing Twilight by an uncomfortable margin. The two pursuing them shot through the legs, one colliding with the fourth head. The remaining one was just barely fast enough to take a chunk of Morning Star's tail off. Morning Star retaliated by sending a bolt of magic into the hydra's eyes, causing it to roar in pain. "Come on!" Twilight screamed, and the two ran in the direction of Ponyville, the hydra in hot pursuit.
The dash through the swamp passed in a blur. Later they would recall only the frantic sprint, burning lungs and watering eyes, as the ground shook and the occasional head darted at one or the other. There was no time to cast magic, no time to plan, they could only react and run. Twilight spotted a tree with a red sash tied around it. Suddenly, she knew where they were. "Morning Star! Follow me!" she called, altering course. The hydra moved to intercept them. Roaring in triumph, it lunged forward to capture the two ponies. Its forward progress, however, was interrupted, as one of its legs sunk into a deep mire the ponies had mapped out earlier that spring. Twilight and Morning Star burst from the swamp onto a field of grass by Ponyville.
"We can't let it reach town." Morning Star said, charging up his horn. "We have to stop it here, or drive it back. If we can hold it for long enough, they might be able to get Pegasi out to help us, but for now, we're it."
Twilight set her stance, ready to defend her town, her love, and herself. "Don't try to sever the heads." she said, making sure her saddlebags were secure on her back. "They grow back quickly, and each one is meaner than the last."
The hydra's heads poked above the tree line. It let loose with one final roar, and then it was upon them. Twilight and Morning Star split up, loosing bolts of magic at the most vulnerable parts of its body. They impacted squarely, hitting the faces, joints, and heads of the hydra. With a screech, it split its heads, sending two at each unicorn. Twilight dodged both, but was met by the hydra's tail, which struck her with enough force to send her flying. Morning Star fared better, making it behind the hydra entirely, and summoning a jet of flame to distract the monster. Twilight got up in time to see all four heads shoot towards Morning Star, who just barely managed to teleport out of the way. Twilight got to her feet shakily. She felt nauseous and dizzy. It hurt to breathe, which meant that she had either broken or cracked a rib. Twilight staggered to her feet, sending a wild bolt of magic in the general direction of the hydra. It blew a crater in the ground, and did nothing more than attract its attention. Wheeling around, all eight of its golden, malevolent eyes focused on her. Twilight tried to run, but one of her legs gave out underneath her, sending her back down to the ground. Another bolt of magic slowed but did not stop the hydra, which reared back to strike at her.
"Twilight!" she heard Morning Star call. A lightning bolt shot through the air, impacting one of the heads right where it met the neck. The hydra screamed in pain, whipping its tail at Morning Star. It hit solidly, sending him tumbling through the air. With a sickening crack, he collided with a nearby tree and fell to the ground, where he lay terribly still.
Twilight watched in horror as the hydra approached him. She saw it inhale as if in slow motion, and realized that it was taking no chances. It planned to bathe him in its acidic breath to finish the job. Terror rose in her thoughts, and she struggled to her feet one last time. She reached deep inside herself, drawing on all the magic at her disposal. She reached her limits, channeling magic through her horn, and suddenly, all emotion vanished from her mind. She found herself standing on a vast precipice, writhing darkness pulsing before her. Calmly, she reached for it, not attempting to control it, merely guiding it through herself. An enormous power spilled from her horn, a black that was painful to behold. She reared, her emotions were back in full force. With a cry of unarticulated rage, she flung all of the power at her disposal at the beast. As her vision dimmed, she saw it strike the hydra full force, eating away at skin and sinew and bone, and she dimly heard the cries of a dying monster. She collapsed on her side. She was cold, so cold...Twilight closed her eyes. Just a quick rest, and she'd go to check on Morning Star. Just a quick rest...
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Twilight woke up, which came as a surprise. She was lying on something soft, and warm. A gentle pressure rested on top of her, as well as behind her head. The whole experience seemed fairly familiar. Twilight tried to place it...A bed. She was in a bed. Which meant she was either tired, or sick. She blinked her eyes. Something was wrong, her vision seemed fuzzy and out of focus. Gradually becoming aware of herself, she decided to try for a word. A greeting would suffice, she thought. Mustering an incredible amount of will, she tried for speech. "Hllmnlll?" Well, that was horrible. She tried again. "Mlllow?" Better. Exhausted, she lay back, slipping back into sleep.
She woke again, for which she was proud of herself. Her eyes seemed to be better, but she was in the dark. She tried to focus her eyes, meeting with mixed results. There was an open space ahead of her she realized was a door. She didn't recognize the door, however. Paying closer attention, she listened to see if she could hear anything. Indeed, she heard a muffled beeping sound. With a good amount of effort, she turned her head. A tube went from one leg to a dangling pouch filled with a translucent fluid. Next to it was a box, making that beeping sound. She was in a hospital, then. A lamp out in the hallway provided light. She turned her head, falling into another sleep. As she closed her eyes, she saw a large, winged silhouette in the door, which took a step back in shock before she slipped back into a drugged dream.
The third time she had woken up, which had lost its novelty. She seemed to be much more clearheaded. The IV was still there, and so was the heart monitor. She blinked, clearing her eyes. She was surprised to see her friends gathered around her, expressions of delight on their faces. "Hey, girls." Twilight mumbled, lifting a hoof to brush hair out of her face. "What'd I miss?"
Pinkie Pie gave her a wide, tearful smile. "You've been in here for two weeks, Twi. We weren't sure if you'd ever wake up!"
Rainbow Dash nodded. "By the time the Pegasi got out there, you were lying in some sort of crater, and there was an entire dead hydra nearby. We airlifted you to the hospital."
Rarity sniffled, a handkerchief to one eye. "Don't you ever scare us like that again, darling. You were barely breathing...we thought we'd lost you."
Applejack smiled, a weak thing that shook a little. "Y'all should know better than to take on a hydra, sugarcube. Let alone that one. What was left of him looked like a mean son of a snake."
Fluttershy appeared at a loss for words. Suddenly, she threw her hooves around Twilight, weeping uncontrollably. She barely managed to choke out "S-so...worried..." before devolving into a pile of soggy, sobbing fur.
Twilight suddenly realized something. She sat up straight, looking around in a panic. "Morning Star! Where is he, is he all right?"
Applejack laughed a little. "Easy there, Twilight. That there unicorn spent a few days in critical, like you. The doctors had him right as rain, the ones here are the best in Equestria. He was hobblin' over to your room to check on you in a week, and he just got released yesterday. He's off submittin' some sorta rubbing to the Archives. Said he'd be back this afternoon. Speakin' of fellas worryin' about you, Spike is here."
Twilight smiled. "I'd love to see him. Is he close by?"
Pinkie nodded. "Yep, he's in a special room nearby, one that's more comfortable for him." She leaned in conspiratorially. "The hallways here are a bit smaller than the ones back in Ponyville."
That last line confused Twilight. "What do you mean, 'here'? Where am I?"
Rarity cut in. "You're in Canterlot, dear. Royal Center for Severe Trauma." She drew back a curtain. Twilight gasped at the view, she was very high up, high enough to see Ponyville on the horizon. The rest of Canterlot spread out below her. Twilight could see most of the streets and avenues. The hospital she was in was directly connected to the castle. The Royal Academy was below her, the Archives contained inside.
Twilight exhaled. "That view is amazing."
"I'm glad you like it, my faithful student." a voice spoke from the doorway. Twilight turned. There, standing before her, was the radiant form of Princess Celestia.
"Princess!" she exclaimed, a smile broad upon her face. "It's so good to see you!"
"Likewise, Twilight Sparkle," she said, walking to her side. "I must admit, you had us all worried. I am glad to see you are making a full recovery. I cannot wait to hear more of your adventures, the stories I have heard so far sound spectacular."
Twilight nodded. "It might take a bit more than a friendship report, Princess." she replied. "To be honest, it sounds more like a fairy tale to me."
Rainbow Dash butted in. "Oh, this I gotta hear. How did you end up taking down a hydra?"
Pinkie Pie chimed in. "Yeah! I bet you had all sorts of cool adventures in the Everfree!"
Twilight turned to her teacher. "What about yourself, Princess? Do you want to hear the story?"
Celestia smiled. "I'm all ears, Twilight."
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Twilight recounted her adventures in the forest, leaving out certain parts, like the crystal Radiant Zenith had given her, her romantic feelings towards Morning Star, and the encounter with the Keepers. She was naturally a good storyteller, having read enough books to know how to present events. Spike slipped in right at the beginning of her story, doing his best to remain unobtrusive. Her tale spun late into the afternoon, climaxing in the massive spell she had unleashed on the hydra. She didn't describe the terrible blackness, the power she had found deep inside of herself at the last moment. Instead, she merely said that she had "thrown everything she had at it".
At last, the tale came to an end. Her friends and mentor stared at her in silence. Rainbow Dash broke the silence, vocalizing what they were all thinking. "That. Was. Awesome."
Fluttershy nodded in silent assent. Applejack appeared mildly awed, Rarity was actually openmouthed, and Pinkie had a huge grin on her face. Celestia nodded her head. "You have struggled greatly, my student. I imagine there is quite the reception waiting for you in Ponyville. Please, let me know what you find in those books, I would be interested to see what you have found."
A guard poked his head into the room. Celestia gave a sigh, standing up from her haunches. "Royal duties call, I'm afraid. When you are released from the hospital, I would like to hold a ceremony for you. I don't have the opportunity to honor such valor very often."
Twilight bowed her head in assent. "Of course, Princess. I would be honored."
Celestia smiled, and strode to the door. "Rest well, my faithful student." she said, as she exited the room entirely.
The conversation turned to Twilight's story after that, as her friends asked her to describe interesting parts in greater detail. She happily obliged them. It was getting late, and there was no sign of Morning Star. Soon enough, Twilight's friends began to excuse themselves. They had rooms in one of the towers nearby, and most had taken turns sleeping in shifts next to Twilight's bed. Fluttershy was the last to depart, leaving Twilight alone with Spike.
Twilight realized that he hadn't spoken a word since he had entered. His face was inscrutable, and Twilight got the feeling that she might as well be trying to read a block of granite. "Spike?" she said cautiously. "Are you alright?" He said nothing. Twilight tried to soothe him. "Spike, it's alright. We had the situation under control most of the time. It was really only towards the end that things got out of hoof. I'm so sorry I made you worry, and I want you to know that it was never my intention for things to go the way they did. Can you forgive me?"
Spike spoke. "Do you remember when I went on that dragon quest when I was still little?" Twilight nodded her head, not sure where he was going with this. "You followed me out there the entire way. You made sure I didn't hurt myself even when I was acting like an idiot. And when I couldn't defend myself, you appeared out of nowhere, and you stood down dragons for me, Twilight. Knowing what they were capable of, and how they acted, you showed up, and you helped me out. Not for the first time either. You didn't just stare down some half-grown dragon whelps, you faced down a fully grown dragon for me when I ran away from home. Every time I've needed help, Twilight, you've been there for me. You got me help when I went on that hoarding spree. You took care of me after I fell in the lake. You made sure I was protected, even when there were demons and monsters and mad gods roaming the streets of Ponyville. You are my protector, Twilight Sparkle."
He walked to her side, laying down carefully. "But when it counted, when you needed me, I wasn't there for you. That hydra could have killed you, Twilight. It almost did, and I could have stopped it. But I. Wasn't. There." His voice was low and tortured. "I'm finally big enough to protect you, like I should, and I can't. But starting today, that's going to change." Twilight watched, speechless, as he punctured his scales with one claw, drawing bright red blood, which steamed and hissed in the air. He took some, marking one wing, and then the other. He marked his head as well, a bright red slash. As Twilight watched, the blood faded away, and the wound repaired itself. When he spoke, his voice shook with Power, deep and wild. "I hereby pledge myself as your Talon, Twilight Sparkle. I bind myself to you, wing, tooth, and claw. My fire is ever yours, and if harm should come to you, the world shall know the wrath of a Dragon. This I swear, on the fire burning in my heart. This I swear, by the scales that shield me. This I swear, by my Name and Power. I stand ready to serve you, Twilight Sparkle. Do you accept my offer?"
Twilight felt a wash of magical static cross her body, causing her fur to stand on end. She felt an ancient magic weighing on her soul. She felt the magic in her reach out, twining around Spike's own. When she spoke, her voice also rang with Power. "I accept your offer, trusted companion. Rise, and begin your service."
Spike did so, laying his wing across Twilight. When he spoke, his voice was his own again. "There. You have my word, Twilight. I will never allow harm to come to you, ever again." He curled up by the bed. "You should get some sleep. You've been through a lot."
Twilight reached out, resting a hoof on Spike's shoulder. "Thank you, Spike. Stay by me tonight?" she said, laying back into her pillow.
Spike smiled. "Of course." he replied, and the two of them drifted off to sleep together, the night kept at bay by the power of their fierce love for one another, as only the oldest of friends can have.