//------------------------------// // Chapter 20 // Story: Double Trouble: The Flaws Within // by Masterius //------------------------------// Chapter Twenty The rhythmic crunch of Tater Tots seemed loud in her ears as Princess Twilight slowly munched. Although never having had them before she’d nevertheless taken a large serving for dinner, heaping a bowl with Tots and leaving the Thai curry alone. Her stomach hadn’t as yet settled, and she’d no desire to struggle with such a new food as curry while her insides still churned. While the Tots were bland and tasteless—again, with the current state of her insides, that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing—they were quite crunchy, a texture she found quite appetizing, and with a little bit of sea salt added… I really have to stop thinking about that can of Spike’s food. Especially since I’m responsible for feeding Spike, and my friends won’t always be on hoo—hand to help me. And doubly so with everything else to worry about. The broken portal. Adjusting to living independent in a world that I thought I knew and had adapted to. Schoolwork: it’s obvious this Twilight is still a student. A very advanced student, yes. Nevertheless, still a student. Which means classes. Tests. Homework. Attendance. Rising to her mind’s forefront was the sudden mental image of being in Magic Kindergarten, a vision that froze her mid-chew as she then deeply shuddered. If Wiz Kid and Velvet Sky are flummoxed by this Twilight’s research, I certainly don’t stand a chance convincing my teachers—heck, even my classmates, for that matter!—that I know what the hay is going on! For that matter, I don’t know anything about this school: what buildings are where; what goes on in each one; what are the rules and regulations and expectations. I mean, just look at yesterday! If Sunset Shimmer had really pushed about the rules, I’d’ve been— Hearing nothing but silence, Twilight stopped ruminating and brought herself back to the present, a process catalyzed upon seeing her friends’ expressions. What the hay is going on, and why are they all staring at me like that? “Hrmf?” Interrogatively raising a brow, she quickly chewed and swallowed the last mouthful of Tots before asking—much more understandably now—“What?” “Well, Sugarcube, you see—” Applejack started. “Here!” Pinkie Pie piped, snatching Wiz Kid’s pen then flinging it at Twilight. “Catch!” “Pinkie Pie!” Twilight exclaimed, ducking the hurled missile as if a javelin flung her way. Except… She hadn’t just ducked it…her eyes grew very round, her jaw dropped a bit, as the pen simply hovered in place just before her. Hovered in place…surrounded by a very familiar-colored aura. Her own. It was late at night and Twilight was sitting in a chair, Spike curled up in her lap as she gently stroked and petted the drowsy pooch. It was just the two of them tonight; Fluttershy had wanted to stay as she had the night before, and she’d looked both unhappy yet relieved at Twilight’s plans for tonight. Fluttershy had looked even unhappier, this time with that sorrowful expression directed at Twilight, when her friend had hugged her close before explaining that Fluttershy shouldn’t worry about her being alone tonight with just Spike as company. And why? Because she was going to spend the rest of the evening, as well as the entire night straight through into morning, wide awake. Wide awake…intently studying and researching. All of them had observed Twilight’s single-minded focus when creating a counterspell for the Sirens’ song of enthrallment. So when Twilight had explained her decision to remain awake all night wasn’t due to ‘insomnia’ but was, instead, necessary for achieving and maintaining the desired and required focus—compared to anything negative: fear, nerves, phobia, etc.—Fluttershy had relaxed. Several tight hugs later, she’d departed, leaving behind her sleeping bag “for other times and nights”. So now, she was reasonably cozy, curled up in a comfortable chair (Thank you, Applejack, for bringing chairs!) with a large mug of recently-brewed tea (Thank you, Pinkie Pie, for the tea bag assortment!) at her side. It had felt distinctly odd, almost heartbreaking, making her own tea, remembering all the times that Spike had done so for her, and often without Twilight even aware that he had. Her eyes filled a moment with that sorrow, fervently wishing that, one day, she might have the opportunity to both say, and show, how very deeply appreciative she’d always been. Although she couldn’t fully focus right this moment to the degree necessary for her intentions this evening—as she was cuddling Spike, and although that was a minor distraction, nevertheless it was still a distraction—she could begin the preliminary steps. Which is exactly what she was, indeed, doing. Both slowing and controlling her respiration, Twilight relaxed into the initial stages of grounding and centering, allowing her mind to directed-drift back back back, all the way back to the earliest memories she had. Back to when she’d been a foal and had just started sensing elusive, strange-yet-intriguing feelings. Feelings she’d quickly learned were magic. Her magic. How that had felt. Tasted. Smelled. Sounded. Distantly aware of Spike having dozed off into true sleep, Twilight now submerged deeper into an apparent trance. But looks could be—and, in this instance, were—deceiving. Yes; yes, she was in an extremely deep meditative trance, but her thoughts and the directions they took remained under conscious control. For the most part, Twilight allowed her mind to freely drift, with only the most occasional of course-correctional nudges as guidance. Hours passed in silence, Twilight so deeply focused not even Spike’s wriggling off her lap broke that concentration. For that matter, forget break…or dent, ding, scar, impinge…she hadn’t even perceived that. The years slowly passed: pre-school studies and practice—not preschool, but pre-school, before she’d been old enough to even be considered for preschool enrollment; preadmission studies, practice, and tests; invited to be tested for application to Princess Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns… Gradually, Twilight allowed herself to rouse from that intense, introspective investigation. Although should she have wished, or needed to do so, she could have just as easily been instantly awake and focused in the space of two heartbeats. Spike was still fast asleep, but her inner clock warned her that 5AM wasn’t far away. Her inner Mage clock. That should have come as a startling revelation, she supposed. However, several subconscious observations were quickly coalescing in her consciousness, rendering that realization more expected than surprising, even with the understanding she shouldn’t have a Mage clock in this world. Then again, she shouldn’t have the ability to levitate, either…which had rather been the point of tonight’s research, after all. One thing she was now absolutely positive about: levitation, and now Mage clock, had nothing to do with the magic she and her friends possessed and exhibited when they ‘ponied up’. Although the ‘taste’ and ‘feel’ were similar, the differences were unmistakable; not to mention ‘ponying up’ required some sort of melodic stimulus, and Twilight had not been playing or singing…or humming or toe-tapping, for that matter. However, although the power she felt inside once ponied up was ‘close-but-not-quite’… Reaching out, Twilight gently clasped her teacup, taking it from thin air where she’d just now ‘lifted’ it. Now that? That is identical to Equestrian magic. Just with an unusual ‘aftertaste’. Hmmm…no. Not unusual. Just not mine. Well, not entirely mine. In fact, it’s actually quite familiar. I could swear I… Lurching upright onto her feet, Twilight clutched her chest and sharply gasped, her mind supplying countless images concurrent with and superimposed upon each and every familiar recollection…starting with the magic that had tenderly swaddled her before bringing her down from the uncontrolled burst of magic that had erupted from Twilight during her final admission test. Princess Celestia! “Thermal muzzle mask?” “Check.” “Balaclava?” “Check.” “Down jacket?” “Check.” The two weather pegasi, Sunshower and Open Skies, continued with their pre-flight checklist. “Leg warmers?” “Check.” “I hate high-altitude work,” Sunshower groused. “Especially herding feral cirrus.” “Well, at least we’re not herding noctilucent!” Shuddering in unison at that image they both mock-shivered, “Brrrrrr!” Although, truth be told, there was a core of authenticity to that shivering; noctilucent cloud work was perilous, both frostbite and hypoxia being very real risks. “Rather mean of Rainbow Dash to assign us this, don’t you think?” Open Skies snickered. “Did you see the look on her face when she guzzled her cider?” “And found out somepony—” “Or someponies,” Open Skies amended, both starting to grin. “Or someponies, yes. When she found out that someponies—a veritable despicable duo I tell you!—had substituted apple juice for her apple cider.” Bursting out in laughter at that memory, Sunshower and Open Skies roared, pounding the ground with their forehooves as tears streamed down their cheeks. “Hooo!” Open Skies finally gusted, regaining his composure as did Sunshower moments later. “Sunshades?” “Check.” The moment they returned to their preflight checklist all levity immediately ceased, becoming once again the consummate professional weather ponies they were. Especially since, humor notwithstanding, those checklists existed for a very good reason. Two reasons, actually, the first being, of course, to assure successful cloud patrols and duties. While the second… The second reason being keeping you and your fellow weather ponies alive. “Wind goggles?” “Check.” Checklist completed, Open Skies and Sunshower next checked each other, assuring all equipment was properly fitted and adjusted. “You just know these blasted clouds aren’t going to stay over Everfree,” Sunshower grumbled. “Ours is not to reason why,” Open Skies intoned. “Ours is just to do and fly,” Sunshower completed. They were weather pegasi, after all. Muscles stretched and now properly warmed up, Open Skies and Sunshower were about to take off when a familiar voice called out, “Is this a private dance or can anypony cut in?” Ambling towards them was Blossomforth, a pinkish gray pegasus. “I have to tell you two,” she continued, “Rainbow Dash looked be-cider-self this morning.” “Ha. Ha,” Open Skies “chuckled”. “Ver-rrry funny.” Although his expression appeared stern and unamused, twinkling eyes gave him away. Hoofbumping both as she came to a stop, Blossomforth grinned. “Well, it was. Funny, that is. We all stand in awe of you two.” Before either could say anything, she added, “Just not enough awe to join you in your “fun” this morning. However…” Curious now, Open Skies and Sunshower waited as Blossomforth opened both saddlebag pouches. They weren’t surprised at her demurral since she wasn’t a certified member of the Weather Team. She was, however, qualified as an auxiliary weather pony, able to assist with tornado generation, Winter Wrap Up cloud arrangements and relocation, and similar assistance. “However?” Open Skies prompted. “ ‘However’,” Blossomforth repeated, “while I can’t join you, I can do this.” Sunshower and Open Skies’ swift inhales were immediately followed by reverential exhales as she displayed the insulated thermoses inside. “Is…is that coffee?” Sunshower almost wept. “Mmm Hmm!” Blossomforth nodded. “One for each of you. I’ll just circle at second cloud height below you. Come down when you need warming up.” “Thank you!” they enthused in unity. “Seriously,” Sunshower added, “that means a—” All three immediately froze in place, ears rapidly swiveling at hearing the scream of utter, absolute terror. As one, a heartbeat later their heads jerked skywards, seeking the source of that cry. “Look!” Blossomforth exclaimed, motioning to the lavender blot barely a furlong overhead. A lavender blot that instantly resolved in their acute pegasus vision as an alicorn…and a very familiar, well-known alicorn at that. “Princess Twilight!” the trio screamed in unison, watching in horror as Twilight spastically flapped her wings as she began falling—not a controlled descent, not a static glide, but a wild plummet—before, moments later, all organized motioned ceased, becoming an inert body tumbling in a deadly plunge to the hard, unforgiving ground below. By the time they’d shaken off their frozen immobility two seconds had passed, with Twilight’s descent speed rapidly accelerating as heartbeats passed. By the time they’d taken off, rocketed upwards, and intercepted her, another two seconds had passed… By the time the unforgiving ground interrupted their descent they’d just started decelerating with their unconscious burden supported by their own bodies.