The Meeting (Arc one)
“Spa day! Spa day at the Crystal Empire! Spa day with Cadance!” A bright pink equine with pink cotton candy mane and tail with a trio of balloons on her flanks sang in exuberance riding a crystal train that raced towards a large city crafted from crystal. The pink equine aka pony was joined by five others all mares, one of them sleeping.
To the right of the pink pony was a bright orange mare with straw blond mane and tail tied up in bright red ties, a brown stetson hat had been tipped over her face and part of her muzzle partly muffling her rather loud snoring, a trio of apples on her flanks. The next pony was a cyan blue pegasus with a rainbow mane and tail with a tricolored lighting bolt.
“Some of us, Pinkie Pie, some of us.” The cyan pegasus stated.
Pinkie Pie plus the four awake and remaining mares looked to the cyan pegasus. “What’s got you in a mood, Dash? Oh-oh-oh is it because your going to miss out on hooficures and massages?!?” Pinkie Pie asked excitedly.
In her excitement she had gotten right into the cyan pegasus’ face, her big blue eyes nearly bulging out of her skull before a light blue aura pulled her away and sat her back down.
“Really darling? No need to get into Rainbow Dash’s personal space for an answer right Fluttershy?” A pearl white unicorn mare with curing royal purple mane and tail with three blue diamond shaped diamond gems on her flank asked a canary yellow pegasus with a king and flowing pink mane, a trio of butterflies on her flanks.
The only member left of the little group was a lavender purple mare with a mostly navy blue mane and tail sporting a pink and purple stripe that had a horn and wings. On her flank was a six pointed magenta star shadowed by a white six pointed star and five smaller white stars. The lavender mare was known as an Alicorn and one of the few that embodied harmony in the land of Equestria.
The four of the six mares in question were heading to the Crystal Empire to spend some time with another Alicorn Princess Mi Amore Cadenza or Princess Cadence as she prefers to be called so she can have a well-deserved break from her daughter and a recently newborn baby Alicorn Flurry Heart. But for the lavender Alicorn and the cyan pegasus there was a different reason. She, her baby dragon assistant and adopted little brother Spike, and Rainbow Dash were being sent by Princess Celestia to investigate multiple pony disappearances in the frozen mountains behind the Crystal Empire.
Dash rolled her eyes at the pink pony’s antics crossing her hooves over her chest sticking her muzzle slightly in the air in a proud manner. ”Twilight, Spike, and I are not going to have a spa date. No, we’re going to do something way cooler.” She smiled feeling even more pride for what she is doing for her country, “Besides what am I going to do at the spa? It’s not like I’m going to need it anytime soon. Unlike Rarity I can survive without having to visit a spa on every trip I take outside of Ponyville.”
“Excuse me, Rainbow Dash, but everypony needs a spa day.” The white unicorn mare responded highly offended at the rather truthful comment. “Besides, it could do wonders for your mane. Am I right, Twilight? Twilight? Twilight, darling, are you ok?”
Startled, the lavender Alicorn jumped and looked around to the calling of her name. “Are you talking to me, Rarity?” Twilight asked in pure confusion having been so lost in thought she had toned everything out even the loud snoring. She didn’t even realize that she was on the train. Lost in her thoughts once more, Twilight shifted to one singular string of mental questions. ‘What happened to the ponies? Apparently, the disappearances have been happening for three whole weeks. Twelve ponies disappeared, four ponies every week. Where are they? Are they alright?-‘
“Twilight?”
‘-Are they endangered?-‘
“Twilight?”
‘-And what dangers are present?-‘
“Twilight?”
‘-How am I-‘
“TWILIGHT!!”
Twilight jumped. “What!?” She uncharacteristically snapped from all the stress and anxiety eating at her mind. She looked around at the concerned looks of friends and blushed before it cooled and she gave an apologetic look for snapping at the other mares.
Fluttershy sat up straighter in her seat, opening her mouth, “Sorry for yelling, Twilight, but we’ve been trying to get your attention for the past ten minutes. Please tell us what’s on your mind? If you want to, that is.” Fluttershy stated with a familiar shyness at the end of her almost bold statement.
Twilight felt guilt grow inside of her for spacing out. With sadden eyes she looked at everyone of her friends’ eyes, except for the orange mare for obvious reasons.
“Sorry, everypony.” Twilight meekly stated rubbing her hoof on her fetlock, “I was just thinking about all those missing ponies. What could have taken them? Are they being drugged? Hypnotized? Possibly charmed? From what the reports imply, the ponies that disappeared were all acting funny before they went into the mountains and never came back. There’s some sort of magic happening there, one that the normal Guards can’t track. I just don’t know what spell could cause any of this. Not to mention Princess Celestia is counting on me to find them and, and…”
Feeling one of her friend’s wings on her shoulders and back she stopped her mild rant. She looked to her side and found Rainbow Dash who had a small smile on her face.
“It’s going to be OK Twilight, everything is going to be OK. Breathe. Just breathe.” Dash gently coexisted, the athlet really felt bad for the lavender pony, having the responsibilities of being an element of harmony, a role model for Spike, the resident librarian for the town and top all of that off with being a newly crowned princess. She couldn’t fathom what Twilight is going through. Her experience at the young flier’s competition paled in comparison to the unknown pressures Twilight had to face.
“You know, Twilight, when I’m getting ready for a race, I get nervous. Yes, I know. The great Rainbow Dash getting nervous? Impossible, utterly inconceivable right? But I do. When it happens, I just stop and tell myself to breathe. So, Twilight, follow along with me big breath in and big breath out.” Rainbow stated doing what she said.
Twilight closed her eyes, trusting her friend. “Ok,”
Inhale, exhale.
Inhale, exhale.
In and out.
Inhale, exhale.
“That’s it, Twi, just breathe.” Dash encourages. After three minutes of the simple calming exercise, Twilight opened her eyes feeling a lot better and far less anxious then before.
She turned to Dash and smiled sincerely. “Thanks, Rainbow. I really needed that.”
Rainbow smirked back in triumph, “Hey! What are friends for?” She then paused and looked at the orange mare. “How is it that Applejack can sleep on the train without getting a cramp from sitting like that?” Rainbow rhetorically asked.
Twilight looked at Applejack then looked out the window then back at Applejack. Twilight pursed her lips and turned her eyes towards Pinkie with a slightly mischievous look in her eyes.
“Hey, Pinkie,” she said, “We’re almost to the Crystal Empire, right?”
Pinkie bouncing up and down excitedly in the space between seats nodded rather fast. “Well yeah, Twilight, we are almost there. Why do you ask?” Pinkie tilted her head an ear up and the other to the side, stopping her bouncing while trying to figure out what her lavender friend meant.
Twilight gave a slightly innocent smile, “Well you see, if we are almost there then shouldn’t we wake up Applejack?” Twilight asked while Rarity and Fluttershy looked at Twilight.
“You're going to let Pinke wake her up?” Rarity asked incredulously.
“Why not? She’s the only one that can wake Applejack at this point.” Twilight pointed out.
Pinkie nodded enthusiastically, “Yes, Ma’am, Captain Ma’am.” Pinkie stated with a mock salute.
“Oh, thank Celestia finally we can shut her up!” Rainbow yelled, not even making Applejack stir in the slightest. “Her snoring has been hurting my ears.”
“Rainbow Dash,” Rarity reprimanded. “That was not very nice. Besides, you are far worse then Applejack if I have to compare.” Rarity preened as she looked at her reflection in the window.
Rainbow snapped her head toward Rarity. “Reeaally? Is that true, Rares?” she said slowly a growing ball of anger taking form, “And how in the hell would you know? HMM, RARITY?! ARE YOU WATCHING ME WHEN I SLEEP?” Dash was seething inside. ‘How dare she watch me sleep! that’s just creepy!’ She thought.
Rarity just calmly turned to Dash and stated, “Well it’s quite hard not to watch or hear you sleep when you keep taking naps in my spare room, my trees, or in the clouds above my boutique. I swear when I first heard your snore, I thought there was a thunderstorm. But I thought to myself. ‘That can’t be, there’s no rain scheduled for today.’ Then I saw you napping away in my tree making a ruckus that was loud enough to shake the tree you were napping in. Applejack, on the other hoof, sounds like a soft lullaby compared to you.” Rainbow Dash’s jaw had dropped and was on the floor.
“That’s so true,” Pinkie chimed. Fluttershy just shyly nodded her head in agreement. Applejack just snored.
Dash started to sputter, “W-well you talk in your sleep, Rarity. And Fluttershy sleepwalks. And don’t get me started on Pinkie Pie.”
Everybody at once started to talk at once escalating to yelling at one another.
“Why are you watching me sleep, Dash?” Rarity demanded of the pegasus.
“I don’t sleepwalk.” Fluttershy denied with a slight frown on her face.
“What do you mean ‘don’t get me started on Pinkie Pie’? Well, Dashy, I’m going to show how to get started on Pinkie Pie!” Pinkie Pie stated rising a hoof and shaking it in the sign of revenge for the ‘insulting’ comment.
“GRAHHHHH SHOOOOOO, GRAAAAAAHHHHH SHOOOOOO!” Twilight busted out laughing at the ridiculous scene. Her nerves and anxiety completely vanished as she laughed.
Everybody just stopped and looked at her. Then they looked at each other and joined her. When everyone caught their breath, Twilight looked at Pinkie and asked, “Do you have a blow horn?” Pinkie just smiled and pulled out a blow horn out of her mane. She turned it towards Applejack and pressed the red ball on top.
-Brraaaahhhhhhhh!-
Applejack jumped from her seat hitting the ceiling in the process much like a cat that got its tail stepped on. “What tarnation was that?!?!” Applejack yelled, “Who in Celestia’s good name did that?!?” But she didn’t get an answer for about two minutes. Everyone was laughing too hard to tell her, leaving her to wait and stew in indignation.
When everyone calmed down Pinkie ratted Twilight out. "It was her idea. I was just following her orders.” Applejack looked at Twilight with hurt in her eyes.
“You know, sugar cube, that wasn’t very nice. So, you better keep an eye open tonight. I’m a comin’ for ya.”
Twilight gulp, “Yes, Ma’am.” Applejack simply smiled.
The cabin door opened and in walked a small bipedal creature covered head to tail in purple scales with green spikes along his head and spine thin green membranes acted as his ears on either side of his head he was holding a pair of earplugs in his claws. He had been in the other car trying to get away from Applejack’s snoring. The poor drake’s ears were still ringing from the noise. When he got back in with the ponies to tell them that they’re almost at the station, his purple slitted draconic eyes saw that Applejack was wide awake.
“Oh, thank Celestia!” Spike cried as he got done on his knees, holding his claws in a prayer-like fashion. “Applejack is awake! I can finally HEAR MYSELF THINK!!”
Applejack just looked at Spike. “What in tarnation are y’all going on about?” She demanded.
Fluttershy looked at Apple and softly said, “Well you see, Applejack, when you sleep you snore really loudly. I’m sorry to say but you sound like a bear with a cold.” Then she hid behind her wings in case Applejack Gave her an angry glare.
“I was thinking more of dying walrus.” Dash interjected, getting her two cents in.
“What!?” Applejack exclaimed, “I do not snore!”
“Sorry to say this, Applejack, but you do,” Rarity stated, “But it’s nothing to be ashamed of. By the way Applejack, have you seen a doctor about your little problem.”
Frustrated Twilight got their attention with a flash of light from her horn “Guys stop it. This conversation is over, are we clear? We can talk about everyone’s sleeping habits in private when this investigation is over.”
Everybody murmured, “Yes, Twilight.”
“Now, Dash,” She indicated turning towards said pony, “Tell me what’s plan again? I want to go over it one more time.” Rainbow Dash nodded in understanding.
“So here’s the plan. I will fly up in the air and watch the known trails in the mountains. While I'm in the air, you and Spike will be on the ground looking for magic residue no offense Twi but I don't think you’ve got enough practice to fly in blizzard conditions. If I see a pony on the trail, I’ll go straight to you. That will only happen ‘cause of the spell Celestia cast when she gave us this mission. So, when I give you the location of the pony, we will poof…”
“Poof?” Pinkie interrupted.
“Yes, Pinkie, poof as in teleport.” Rainbow clarified.
“Oh, ok carry on.” Pinkie stated.
“Thank you,” Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes, “Now, where was I? Oh yeah, we’ll teleport to the location of the pony and follow them to wherever the missing ponies are going. Thank Celestia that Cadence gave the order that no pony is allowed to go hiking until this blows over.” Rainbow said with a hint of relief. She didn't want to rescue idiots looking for lost family members and getting lost themselves.
“Thank you, Rainbow Dash,” Twilight said, “Now…”
“We’re here! We’re here!” Pinkie interrupted again.
“Pinkie!” yelled everyone too engrossed in their planning to look out as the station they were slowly entering.
“What?” The pink party pony asked in confusion.
“Please, darling, can you stop interrupting?” Rarity asked, “It’s very rude.” Everyone else just nodded.
Pinkie Pie looked at her hooves, “Oh,” mumbled Pinkie rather sadly, “Sorry everypony. It's just that I see Cadence over at the train station! We’re going to have so much fun! We’re first going to…”
“We get it, Pinkie!” interrupted Rainbow Dash.
Pinkie Pie jumped into Rainbow Dash’s seat and yelled right into her face, “Hey I was talking!” Dash bucked under the pink pony’s weight trying to get Pinkie off her.
“Pinky Pie, get off me. You’re heavy. What do you do all day, eat cake?” Pinkie just looked at her and nodded.
Rarity huffed, “Now, Pinkie, would you please get off poor Rainbow Dash. How would you like it if she jumped on you, hmm? And we all know you do not like to be interrupted. So please for all our sanities stop this habit. It’s uncouth.”
Pinkie scrambled off Dash while mumbling sorry. She didn’t look contrite or apologetic or anything of that sort. She got back in her seat with a huff. A little while later the wheels on the train screech to a stop. Everyone got out of their seats.
Ω
On the platform of the small station was a pink pony slightly darker in shade to Pinkie Pie with a horn and gradient wings that used a light purple at the tips of the feathers, her main was trickled with dark purple neatly black, magenta, and gold in a swirl like curl almost like a cloud though with several hairs out of place giving her a almost manic look as she paced her gold hoof guards slowly wearing a noticeable line in the station floor. On her head just behind her horn was a small golden crown that rested slightly crooked on her head, one of the small jewels almost back with ash. This Alicorn was none other then Princess Cadence, ruler of the Crystal Empire, Wife to Prince Shining Armor, Mother to Princess Flurry Heart and currently the very very stressed out Sister in Law to Princess Twilight Sparkle.
-Clop clop clop clop-
Back and forth.
-Clop clop clop clop-
Back and forth.
Stop. -Clop clop clop clop-
Back and forth.
Stop. -Clop clop clop clop-
“Your Highness.” Stated an orange pegasus clad in the crystal armor of the Empire as he got in the way of her path. Said Princess looked at him, eye twitching. She looked ready to explode into a mental breakdown that would make Twilight proud.
“Flash Sentry,” she warned with a glare that most mothers would give their children that would send them running to their rooms. “Get out of my way.”
Flash just looked at her, “Why?”
“Why? Why!? Because I said so! You need to get your brain checked if you didn’t understand an order!” She nearly shouted moving around Flash Sentry like a bull. Flash fluffed his feathers in annoyance, turning back to the worried princess.
“Your Highness,” he tried again, internally keeping his annoyance in check.
“What!?” she yelled in just an annoyedly stress induced stated that was much worse then her mood swings.
Flash gained a few points for not flinching at her tone, but then again, he was the main guard on call when Shining was absent when she had been pregnant. “Your husband, Shining Armor, charged me with the task of watching over you and protecting you. What he meant by that was I’m to protect you with the physical and the emotional. So, your majesty, I’m going to need you to calm down and breathe.” Flash looked straight into her eyes in a silent plea for her to listen to him and stop the pacing.
Cadance mumbled something under her breath, reluctantly stopping her pacing with a hefty thump of her rump hitting the platform. She relaxed her shoulders along with her wings. In and out she breathed… for only two seconds. She shot up and froze when she heard the screech of brakes on the train tracks.
“They’re here! They’re finally here!” Cadance exclaimed, dancing around like a young filly, Flash simply rolled his eyes keeping a straight face.
“Yes, they are.” Flash said with a bored tone. “Your Highness, please contain yourself. This is not how a Princess acts.”
“Oh, stop it, you just don’t want me to embarrass you in front of Twilly.” Cadance waved him off. Flash just shook his head at her antics.
Flash sucked in a breath, “No, that’s not it. You keep shipping me with your sister-in-law more then anyone else. I’m trying to help with how you conduct yourself in front of people. I was assigned to you by Princess Celestia to teach you the way of the court. But since I’m also under Shining Armor, I have a job to protect the kingdom. And by extension, you. So, by helping with courtly behaviors, I am protecting you from others thinking you are unfit to rule.” Flash looked into her eyes, willing Cadence to understand the importance of his task. But Cadence just rolled her eyes and looked at the stopped train.
Ω
Twilight stepped out of the train and immediately crashed to the ground on her back, feeling a heavy weight on top of her. When she looked up, she saw Cadence on top of her. The pink alicorn was flapping her wings excitedly almost like a hummingbird.
“OSC! Twilight you’re here!” exclaimed Cadance as she rubbed her head on Twilight.
“Cadence, get off me! I love you but not like this!” said Twilight, trying to buck Cadence off her with little success. “You’re way too heavy! What have you been eating? Haycakes?”
At this Cadence started to laugh, giving her wings a small flap and easily hovering backwards. “No, not haycakes, though I do blame the pregnancy. So, my little ladybug, how've you been?”
Twilight rolled over getting her hooves back under herself and standing up. She smiled at Cadence. “I’ve been well, but lately I've been stressed out about the disappearances. You on the other hand look like bullshit. What trouble has Flurry Heart been giving you?” Cadence glared with an eye twitch. Twilight just kept up her smile as it turned slightly smug.
Cadence took a deep breath. “Twilight,” she started, “for one you have no idea what it’s like taking care of an alicorn filly full time. For two the disappearances have taken another great toll on me in conjunction with Flurry. It also didn’t help that when I asked Celestia for help when the first pony disappeared, she just sat on her fat ass flanks and did nothing! NOTHING! TWILIGHT! NOTHING!” Cadence vented nearly shouting in the Royal Canterlot Voice not feeling like calling Celestia her aunt for this ridiculous mess. She took another big breath and sighed with defeat. “Sorry. I just feel so frustrated that it took twelve ponies disappearing for Celestia to even do something. And she just sends you, not that the choice is bad, but come on can’t she get off her pompous cake heavy ass and do something!” Cadence shouted, unconsciously having worked herself up all over again.
Twilight just backed away from the infuriated alicorn. Cadence’s wings were fluttering aggressively, and her right eye was twitching.
Twilight sighed, “Cadence.” she started, “You really need a break. Better yet you need a vacation with Shining.”
Cadence snapped out of her trance. “No, not me,” she said dryly, “I really don’t need a break. I’m perfectly fine with a screaming alicorn filly and disappearing ponies. But enough about me, guess who’s with me? Come on guess? No? Well here he is. It’s Flash Sentry! Yeee!!” Cadence giggled looking even more like Twilight during her neurotic breakdowns.
“Yeah, I know. And?” Twilight asked glancing to see her friends off to the side excluding Applejack and Spike.
“And? AND?!?” screamed Cadence, “What do mean ‘AND?’” Twilight just blinked. Cadence started to pace again. “I thought you liked him. Not like him like a friend but like him like a coltfriend.”
Back and forth.
“Cadence, you’re doing it again,” Twilight grounded out, “And besides I said that I had a small crush on him. Because when I went into that alternate universe, chasing Sunset Shimmer, I met a guy there that had the same name as Flash Sentry. He was the one I had a crush on, not the pony. Got it?”
Back and forth.
“Cadence, did you hear me?”
Back and forth.
“Ugh!” yelled Twilight, “FLASH!”
“Yes, your majesty,” asked Flash, “How may I be of service to you?”
Twilight turned towards the orange and blue pegasus and said, “Tell Cadence that I love her, get some long overdue rest, and goodbye I’ll see her later. You got all that?”
“You love her, get some rest, and goodbye you’ll see her later. Did I miss anything?” Inquired Flash as he tipped his head to the side giving a brief summary of her message.
Twilight pursed her lips, “Nope… wait one more thing. Stop shipping me with other ponies.” she stated seeing Flash nod at the added request. “I think that’s about it. Thank you.”
“My pleasure, your highness.” Flash bowed. Then Twilight turned to the rest of the Mane Six who were mostly just standing there with their mouths open in shock. Applejack on the hoof was pulling the luggage out of the train with Spike helping her the best he could. She was grumbling under her breath and around the handles about how the others were a bunch of lazy assholes. Twilight just shook her head as she filtered out some of the more colorful curse words to use later. One thing she learned from Applejack was that the mare cursed like a sailor when angry or in pain.
“Rainbow! Spike!” She called them to attention effectively causing the other four to close their muzzles. “Time to go.” She grabbed her pack and started to walk towards the trail. She heard a ‘hell yeah!’ from Dash somewhere over her head. Twilight just smiled.
“Princess Twilight!?” yelled Flash.
“Yes,” she said over her shoulder. Flash caught up to and looked her in the eye.
“Good luck,” smiled Flash.
“Thanks,” she smiled back. He nodded and turned back.
“So, the journey begins.”
Ω
The storm that blew on the mountain got worse every flap of wing that Dash made. She tried to chase the clouds away. But the wild and untamed clouds kept coming back bigger, darker, and stronger. ‘If it gets any worse, I’m going to need to ask Twilight for a weather spell to help dissipate these clouds… Oh, for Celestia’s sake, there’s lighting now. Now I'm going to have to fly around these damn things. This is worse then the Everfree Weather!’
Dash just shook her head. She was happy that in hindsight she had decided to bring and wear her Wonderbolts uniform or else she would have been a frozen pony-sicle before she even got close to the mountains that laid past the protective weather barrier of the Crystal Heart. She scanned the infamous mountain trail that took twelve ponies. She saw nothing, no tracks, no bags, not even limbs or tails sticking out of the deep snow.
‘Nothing but snow and rock.’ Rainbow thought with gritted teeth. ‘More snow… more rock… Wait a minute, what is that? Is that? No, it can’t be… there’s not supposed to be any ponies on these trails?! Where the heck is that pony going?!’ Rainbow thought in shock before determination rushed through her. ‘I’m following them.’
Dash flew closer to the pony. Their grey coat glistened in the waning light trudging closer to a large shadow cast by a nearby peak heading to an unknown destination. Dash tried to get her attention calling over the harsh winds and occasionally flying right in front of the mare’s face for what seemed like hours. But the mare ignored Dash’s efforts. She just kept on walking through the snow and blistering cold. Finally, she came upon a cave. Dash had never seen a cave like it before. The entrance looked like the gaping maw of a giant adult dragon ready to swallow anything that went inside in one gulp.
The pony Rainbow had been trailing and stepped right into its stony mouth followed by a great flash of light that suddenly blinded Rainbow while creating a white out in the blizzard. Once her vision was restored the pony was gone, having disappeared into thin air. Dash screeched to a halt, barely missing the threshold of the cave knowing it was too far for that special spell to work.
“I gotta tell Twilight!”
Ω
Twilight grumbled as she trudged in the cold snow thankful for her Alicorn biology allowing her the toughness of an earth pony and the thermal resistance of a pegasus. ‘Damn it! I’ve had these wings for months and I still can’t seem to make them work! If I knew how to fly properly, I’d be soaring above with Rainbow instead of trudging through this knee deep snow. When this mission is over, I’m moving to Las Pegasus for the winter. It’s so cold even for an Alicorn!’ She thought bitterly.
“..Wi…Lig…”
Twilight stopped in her tracks suddenly hearing something faint over the blistering winds, her movement waking a slumbering Spike in the process. She looked to the sky. Twilight saw Rainbow Dash heading towards her at breakneck speeds. Screaming, Twilight ducked nearly bucking Spike off her back.
Dash crashed into the ground, screaming over the winds and snow. “TWILIGHT, YOU NEED TO FLY NOW! ANOTHER PONY DISAPPEARED!”
“What!?!” screeched Twilight, “Dash are you ok? What do you mean another pony disappeared?!”
“I’m fine.” Dash said as she brushed off the snow. “But there’s no time to explain. I know where one of the ponies has disappeared. But we got in a hurry. So, you need to fly now!”
“But… but…”
“No buts. Now or never Twilight!” screeched Dash as flared her wings.
“Ok. Ok. I get it.” Twilight yelled. She flared her wings. Spike grabbed her mane as Twilight launched into the air.
-BANG!-
Twilight landed face first into the snow. Shaking it off, she tried again only for Rainbow to stop her. “Hoof over Spike, I’ll carry him you're not used to flying with weight just yet and flying with him on your back in this storm might not be a good idea.” Rainbow pressed.
Twilight nodded at the logic and floated Spike over to Rainbow the baby dragon trying his hardest not to fall back asleep from the cold that was starting to deep into his scales.
After several more launch attempts and a few crashes here and there into some bent pine trees over in the snow, all three of them finally made it to the cave. As Dash landed perfectly at the mouth, Twilight tumbled head over teakettle all the way to the teeth of the cave. Twilight shook her head to clear the stars from her eyes.
“So, this is where they went,” Twilight asks.
Dash shrugged, a bit unsure. “All I saw was the pony went in there and seemed to pass some sort of… barrier? It was hard to tell with the snow but the mare passed through it before a white light flashed. The mare wasn’t even a unicorn and had the glittering coat of a crystal pony.” Rainbow stated.
Twilight takes a deep breath, taking in all that information and deciding to take a risk. “Ok, let's go in.”
“Wait!” Dash yells, reaching out for Twilight, but it was too late.
Twilight had already passed a hoof over the stone teeth causing a golden barrier to materialize and split apart near her purple hood giving off a bright white light. Twilight turned around yelling, “DASH! SPIKE! HELP!” A powerful blast of magic from the light knocked into Rainbow sending her rocketing backwards like a meteor with Spike losing grip on the pegasus.
Everything was dark, numb and muted the moment Twilight gained a bit of her consciousness, not enough to find out where she was but enough she knew she was suffering from magical burnout and a rather severe case at that. ‘My horn is numb, my wings feel like I got shocked by lightning and my hoofs feel like rubber.’ Twilight mentally listed, trying to move, but she felt like there was a giant weight on top of her. She pushed up on her front legs wanting to get out from under the weight holding her down yet she barely put any of her own weight down when her legs buckled, unable to give support.
“Shhh. It’s ok.” A smooth and deeply rich voice whispered into her ear a sense of calm and security wrapping around her like a blanket. “It’s ok, my little Star, everything is going to be alright. Sleep. And when you awake everything will be clear.” She lost consciousness once more while in that safe warmth.