//------------------------------// // Chapter 21 // Story: Double Trouble: The Flaws Within // by Masterius //------------------------------// Chapter Twenty-one “I don’t care if she’s still asleep, I don’t care if she’s injured and hurt, and I don’t care if she’s ‘traumatized’. Because of her, three of my ponies are badly injured and in the hospital. This hospital, in fact! Now wake her up so I can tear strips off her hide!” “Rainbow Dash, I know you’re upset and furious. But I am not going to ‘wake up’ my patient simply so you may excoriate her.” How long she’d been aware of the low-toned conflict embroiling just outside her room she’d no idea. But she was awake now—well, mostly awake; Twilight Sparkle sensed the remnant fugue of narcotics still lingering—and the last few exchanges had registered. “I’m awake, Rainbow Dash. So what do you want?” she asked, voice thick with exhaustion and fatigue. Before she could draw another breath, the door banged open as the flamboyantly colored pegasus burst inside, her entire posture aggressive, hostile, and confrontational. “You…you…” she furiously spit, “Do you know what you’ve done?” Charging in behind her, eyes blazing, was an extremely irate Doctor Horse. “Rainbow Dash! How dare you!” “How dare I what, exactly?” Rainbow Dash spit back. “You said you wouldn’t wake her. Well, she’s awake, and not because of you or me!” While they bickered—well, while Rainbow Dash did; Doctor Horse was merely putting his professional hoof down—Twilight mentally floundered, completely lost. Obviously she was in a hospital; that much was unarguable. As adrenaline peaked, the remaining cobweb of painkillers were blown into oblivion. Slowly, she became aware of now-perceived soreness and aches…and actual throbbing, acute pain. Right hind leg splinted. Right wing strapped to her barrel. Jaw and teeth sore. What happened? I remember waking up. Eating. Leaving the room with the little dragon. Peop—ponies blocking my way. Twilight started trembling gently as those memories became clearer, grew stronger. “Huh?” Twilight looked up as Rainbow Dash yelled something to her. “What did you say?” “That’s what I want to know,” she growled. “What do you have to say for yourself?” “About what?” she replied, feeling dazed and confused. Doctor Horse wedged himself between the ranting pegasus and his patient. “Rainbow Dash! That’s enough! Do I need to have you escorted out of this hospital?” “About almost killing three of my ponies with your aerial idiocy this morning!” Huh? I almost did what? How in the world could… …panicked…surrounded…nowhere to go…no safety…just leave me alone!…want to be back at the castle with Doctor Horse and Nurse Redheart…safe there…no fear…just want to be there… just want to be there… just want to be there… …wave of vertigo… Wha? …open eyes…look down… look down…down…down… ****** “I’m tired of yer brat’s cryin’. How ‘bout I give her summat t’ cry about?” “Whatever you think best, hunnybunny.” Wailing, Twilight held little arms out to Mommy…who just looked away, took a drag from her cigarette, then tossed back the last of her drink. “C’mere, you!” Twilight howled even louder as her tiny ankle was grabbed…as he hauled her over to the window…as he held her upside down, outside the third story window… ****** Her mouth desert-dry as she stood in line for the Lightning, a decades-old, wooden roller coaster. Eyes rounded, pupils enormous, Twilight shivered in the heat of the summer sun. “C-c-Cinnamon?” her voice quivered. “C-c-c-Could we, maybe, ride something else?” Theatrically sighing and rolling her eyes, “But I really want to ride this! I thought we were friends now.” Tightly closing her eyes, Twilight swallowed. She’d never had a friend before; Cinnamon Twirl was the first girl ever to ask to be friends. It had only been a week, and she was terrified of messing up and losing her very first ever friend. “O-o-OK,” she stammered. “If it really means that much to you.” The line had looked quite long, but it seemed as if only a few minutes had passed before they were next in line. “Let’s ride up front!” her friend excitedly decided. “You sit down first.” Twilight took a very deep breath and several swallows before squirming across the seat at the very front, tightly closing her eyes as her fingers death-gripped the safety bar. “This…this is safe, yes? Promise?” she anxiously asked. “C-c-Cinnamon? Cinnamon!!” she screamed as the coaster lurched into motion— —As she saw Cinnamon, along with the other girls of the orphanage, standing together on the platform, pointing and laughing at her as the cars began their slow, inexorable climb up the very high lift hill… ***** Lights blazed, alarms howled, as Twilight Sparkle’s eyes rolled up, as pulse, respiration, and blood pressure crashed. Crashed just like Rainbow Dash’s fury—a rage borne solely from impotence and fear for her weather ponies—as she spied the look of utter terror and absolute, soul-killing despair graven on Twilight’s face in that instant. The campus grounds were, unsurprisingly, devoid of both people and noise this time of night…well, time of morning, she self-corrected, assisted by an enormous yawn as she took Spike for his morning walkies. Unlike her friend Fluttershy, by no means had Princess Twilight ever considered herself a ‘perky morning pony’. Alas, it seemed she was doomed—doomed, I tell you!—to become—if not a perky one—at least a morning pony. Taking care of Spike guaranteed that! Considering she hadn’t slept a wink, she was—surprisingly to anypony or anyone that didn’t know her well—wide awake; fully alert and sharply focused. And sweet skies above did she have a lot to think about during this walk! This world undeniably has no native magicks, of that much I’m absolutely positive. To start, Star Swirl the Bearded would never have exiled the Sirens here if he’d detected, or even suspected, for that matter, the tiniest amount of magick. Secondly, Sunset Shimmer would have sensed any Equestrian magic, or—and again, for that matter—any non-Equestrian magicks. And finally, all modesty notwithstanding, I should have, too! But it wasn’t until my crown was worn, and the magicks within released, that Equestrian magicks existed here. Oh, wait a minute… The Sirens, most assuredly, would have jumped at any trace of Equestrian magic! But, again, it hadn’t been until my crown was worn here that their powers had started returning. Her contemplative musing paused as Twilight thought about the Sirens: Adagio Dazzle, Aria Blaze and Sonata Dusk. I wonder how they are doing? I know without their gem pendants they lost their ability to sing, and thus lost as well their power of Enthrallment. But did that result in other losses? Granted, by any standard—Equestrian or Human— they were evil, but so were others I’ve encountered. Just look at Nightmare Moon and Discord, for Celestia’s sake! But the moment the Dazzlings were defeated, utterly beaten, we forgot all about them. I forgot all about them! Dismissed them beneath our notice, as if no consequence at all. And that was just wrong. I’m the Princess of Friendship, for Harmony’s Sake! And did I bother extending an olive branch to them like I did with Sunset Shimmer? No. No, I didn’t. Those musings were temporarily suspended while she picked up after Spike, as others mordantly replaced them. Ugh. I know this is necessary, but still! Cats can be litter trained; you’d think dogs could, too. And this would be a lot easier if I could just— Already crouching, Twilight rocked backwards, landing on her posterior as the bag—and its odiferous contents—vanished in a bright, silent purple pop. Sipping tea while waiting for her oatmeal to ‘nuke’, Twilight relaxed as she focused her mind again. She was quite pleased with herself for having weathered feeding Spike, this time without becoming nauseous in the process. Part of that was due to the ratiocination of said feeding: in Equestria, although the vast majority of ponies didn’t touch meat, there were a rare few that did. When in Griffonia… There were also ponies that enjoyed seafood. I do love broiled scallops in butter, she admitted. And then… And then there was Fluttershy. Who, while she was most definitely 200% herbivorous… There’s no way Fluttershy cares for injured or ill raptors without meat of some sort, Twilight considered. And I know for a fact that she does care for them. So if Fluttershy manages doing so… Even with all that it hadn’t been ‘easy-peasy puddin’n’pie’, but as long as she held her breath and didn’t inhale… Hearing the microwave chime, Twilight grinned as she stood up. Breakfast! Seriously? Twilight grumbled. They call this paste oatmeal? Ugh! This wasn’t the first time she’d had oatmeal, having previously been served both stovetop and the pithily-named “Nuke-and-Puke” versions. But there was no accounting for taste: compared to oatmeal or bran mash back home, the “oatmeal” here was better suited as paste for Miss Cheerilee’s Arts and Crafts class! It actually wasn’t that bad—especially after adding dark brown sugar, raisins, and heavy whipping cream—but she was finding every little flaw to focus on rather than face her insecurities and fears. And, in this peculiar instance, those insecurities and fears weren’t personal ones. Well…yes…and no. For on sober reflection, Twilight admitted some were personal. But irrevocably intertwined were also quite a few abstract ones. Abstract, yes, but not at all inconsequential. Closing her eyes and relaxing just the slightest, Twilight felt Equestrian magic slowly yet surely filling her, as if she were a thirsty sponge absorbing water. But it wasn’t simply Equestrian magic. Or, rather, not just Equestrian magic. For there was no way, ever, Twilight could, or would, mistake the ‘taste’ of this. Not when the source was Princess Celestia: her teacher, her mentor, her second mother in all but blood…her friend. “Hey, it’s Twilight. I apologize for calling so early, but I have a huge favor to ask. Can you drop by sometime today?”…“Because I could really use your help.”…“Not your help, but your help.”…“Actually, yes. There’s no one else that can help me better with this than you.”…“Thank you! Do you need the address?”…“Ok then. Just buzz room 112 and I’ll let you in.”…“See you soon!” Hanging up the phone, Twilight heaved a gusty sigh. She had a very strong theory about everything she’d so far observed and detected, starting from the fracturing and subsequent destruction of the portal, followed by the discovery of both Books together in this world, all the way through the realization her magicks were being restored and replenished. But before she could begin formulating possible options, she needed to assure the accuracy of her conclusions. And for that, she needed secondary confirmation. In the meantime, however… Unable to smother it, a grin spread across Twilight’s face as she began creating several lists. The room was silent now, save for the slow and steady breathing of his patient and the rhythmic low beeps of the monitoring equipment. Deeply exhaling, Doctor Horse rubbed the lenses with a cleaning cloth before perching his glasses atop the bridge of his nose. At least she was stable now…well, physically stable, that is. Psychologically? Exhaling again, he felt an intense flush of shame and betrayal at the recent decision he’d made, for the IV currently keeping her hydrated and nourished also included the strongest magic-dampening medication known to Ponykind. The only things stronger were dispersion rings, and his heart sank as he wondered if, one day, that would become necessary. Quietly stepping outside and closing the door behind him, Doctor Horse paused a moment to regain his professional demeanor before heading off to speak with the resident on duty, the doctor truly in charge of Miss Sparkle’s treatments the moment she was admitted to the hospital. “How…How is she, Doc?” Spinning in place, ears back and plastered tight to his skull as fury erupted within, Doctor Horse glared at Rainbow Dash. “I told you to get out. Why are you still here? Haven’t you done enough damage for one day? Aren’t you satisfied yet?” Rainbow Dash just stood there, her ears now back…but flagged. Very quietly, she repeated, “How is she?” Many responses fought to be the first verbalized, but there was something… “Why should that matter to you?” he calmly asked. And absolute shock stunned him as Rainbow Dash finally looked up and met his eyes. “Because I saw her face, Doc. I saw it. And I’m the one that caused that.” The family lounge was deserted save for the two of them as they sat at one of the round tables, two steaming mugs and a carafe of coffee between them in the center. Very few—very, very few—ponies ever saw Rainbow Dash truly miserable. But several times now, she’d excused herself to “just go blow her nose”, while Doctor Horse turned to “admire the scenery” just outside the glass while she did so. “I’d no idea,” she admitted, once Doctor Horse had brought her fully up to speed; admitted, without excusing, he was pleased to see. “I mean, it’s one thing to know she’s not actually our Twilight. That’s she’s actually the Human Twilight. And, yeah,” flushing as she rubbed behind her ear while ducking her head, “I don’t react well when scared.” Heroically resisting the rolling of eyes, fully expecting to hear ‘Not that Rainbow Dash is ever scared!’ Doctor Horse was shocked as the softly-speaking pegasus simply continued. “But—and I’ve no idea if the others are like this—I’ve just been reacting and responding like she’s just, well,” this time the ear rub was thoughtful rather than shameful, “Well, like she’s just our Twilight from another world.” Before Doctor Horse could expand on that, once again he was stunned. “But…she isn’t. Isn’t exactly like our Twilight. She’s an entirely different pony. With a different past. Different history.” Rainbow Dash shuddered at that, for Doctor Horse—with the most judicious of care, balancing patient privacy against a very real need to know—had revealed some of what he’d gleaned of Miss Sparkle’s past to her. Taking a sip of coffee, Rainbow Dash gazed out the same window. “How badly have I messed up? Messed her up?” Gently resting a hoof on her shoulder, Doctor Horse gently replied, “Only time will tell, Rainbow Dash. Only time will tell.” Although she’d been expecting it, when the intercom buzzed, Twilight cutely squeaked as she jumped. Quickly setting pads and pencil down then hopping up, she dashed over the door. Pressing the button, she asked, “Yes? Whom is it?” It is I! The Great and Powerful Trrrrrixie! Simultaneously rolling her eyes and giggling, Twilight pressed the admittance button before standing in front of the door, eye glued to the peephole there. Less than a minute later, and concurrent with three sharp knocks, a purple eye peered back at her. Unlocking the door and opening it, Twilight quickly scanned the hallway before sharply whispering, “Quick! Inside!” as she grabbed Trixie by the wrist and tugged. “Wha-aaaa!” Trixie yelped as she was hauled inside. “Really, Twilight!” Huffing, she turned and glared at her. “That is no way to welcome the Great an—” Her eyes crossed as Twilight held a forefinger to her lips. Batting in vexation at the offending digit, Trixie was just about to give Twilight a piece of her mind… “Twilight?” Something about her expression had Trixie grow serious. “What is it? You wanted my help, you said?” Nodding, Twilight motioned to the small table and two chairs Applejack had donated. “I did, and I do. But there’s some things I need to explain first. OK?” Opening up the refrigerator, Twilight held up, one at a time, several pops and drinks until Trixie nodded. Selecting a Southern Style Sweet Tea for herself, Twilight sat down then passed Trixie’s selection to her. “Before I begin though—and please; please! don’t take offense—it’s really, really important I speak with you, Trixie, and not your famous persona. Please?” Regardless of the entreaty, Trixie found herself starting to bristle…until she took a very close look at Twilight’s expression. “Trixie would like to know why,” she reasonably asked, and started to continue… Unscrewing the cap, Twilight took a small swallow of the—probably unhealthy-for-you but too-good-to-pass-up—sweet tea, brows lifting a bit at noticing Trixie trailing off while getting a quite thoughtful look on her face. “Trixie?” she prompted once a minute had passed. “What is it?” “Trixie…Trixie feels something,” she slowly replied. “Something…something very odd, yet…familiar?” her voice trailing off in puzzlement. Horsefeathers and tarnation! “How much do you know about me?” Twilight asked. Shaking her head and blinking, startled back into the here-and-now by the apparent non sequitur, Trixie faltered at first. “Ummm, ah, well, to start, you’re not from around here.” Twilight unsuccessfully smothered a giggle as Trixie facepalmed, then laughed as she deadpanned sotto voce, “Scene One, Take Two.” “Your home is Equestria, which is populated mostly by intelligent ponies, all but four of them either Earth, Unicorn or Pegasus. You are one of those other four: an alicorn, just like Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and Princess Cadence. And, just like them, you’re a Princess, too…” By the time Trixie finished, Twilight was feeling quite stunned, totally forgiving the somewhat smug and satisfied look on her face, and nodding when asked, “Did Trixie pass the test?” “Well, it wasn’t meant as a test,” she clarified. “More of a prefatory introduction.” “Trixie would still like to know what sort of help you need from her.” “If there are two Twilights, two Applejacks and Rainbow Dashes, two Pinkie Pies, Rarities, and Fluttershies…one here in your world and another in mine…” taking a deep breath she continued, “Would it surprise you to learn there’s a Trixie Lulamoon in my world, too?” A giant fist gripped Twilight’s heart and squeezed as tears filled her eyes as Trixie, in a very soft voice thick with unquenchable longing, revealed, “No. It wouldn’t.” Gazing at Twilight through the blurriness of her own tears, “Trixie might not have many people to talk with, but she does hear what others say around her. Which is why Trixie knows there is a Trixie Lulamoon in your world, too. A showpony who, like me, is known as “The Great and Powerful Trixie”. Closing her eyes, a single tear tracked down each cheek. Barely audible, Trixie whispered, “But she…she is a true magician. Who does real magic. Because she’s a unicorn…and I’m just Trixie.”