//------------------------------// // Polynite // Story: Little Keys // by Skijarama //------------------------------// By Fluttershy’s insistence, the group elected to remain in the castle for the rest of the day. Spiracle’s leg needed some more time to heal up, after all, and all of them needed a little bit of time to wind down and relax after the burst of confusion and stress that Twilight’s meltdown had caused. Twilight initially objected to the idea when she woke up from her little nap, wanting to get home to Rainbow to make sure the pegasus didn’t start worrying. Thankfully, though, Spike was on top of things, and in short order had sent a letter to Rainbow explaining that they would be a little late and that they’d be bringing some company. After that, things had quieted down. Twilight stayed in place for the vast majority of the day, only occasionally getting up to stretch her legs or read some more of the books in the library. She even picked out a few to bring back with her to the Golden Oak. They were just going to waste here, she figured. Back at home with her, they might at least be preserved and start to serve a purpose again after centuries without use. The tomes were more of a side note, though. The book she delved into the most was Celestia and Luna’s old journal. One would be hard-pressed to find a moment where she didn’t have her nose buried in its ancient, miraculously well-preserved pages. She read it almost like she was possessed. She wasn’t possessed, of course. She just thought it was really interesting. To read through the thoughts of her mentor, the oldest known pony in the world, when she was little more than a filly? Learning about how she and Luna used to squabble and bicker about the tiniest things before Starswirl the Bearded would chastise them and bring them into their next lessons in magic? Learning about how the various mechanisms in this old castle worked… Apparently, the “Organ to the Outside” she had read about before was actually a sort of control station, located deep in the castle’s basement. Every key not only played a note on a gigantic pipe organ that could be heard through the entire castle but also made things happen. Secret passages, trap doors, magic fires, and so much more were all controlled directly by this one, ancient musical organ. Celestia, of course, had used it almost exclusively for the purpose of pranking the ponies who worked in the castle. “Another successful song! While archivist Ghast Coin was coming to take Luna’s dirty dishes, I opened a trap door and sent him sliding into a super-secret ball pit that Luna and I made last week! He then got really cranky and grumbled something about ‘beasts’ and ‘shops’ before going away, all huffy. It was so much fun! Starswirl won’t approve, but that old unicorn has no sense of humor.” Such tales were plentiful, and each one served to soothe Twilight’s anxieties just a little more. It soon became clear to her why this was the case. Never once in all of these pages did Celestia worry about the future. She enthused about it. She anticipated it. She didn’t dwell upon it. If anything, she barely gave the future much thought and simply lived in each moment, tackling the problems as they came to her and solving them one at a time. When one considered the chess-master Celestia was known to be in the modern era, to see her own hoof writing depicting such casual, free-spirited shenanigans, they may be hard-pressed to think it was the same mare. Yet it was. That same mare was Twilight’s former teacher, and her foalish innocence somehow made the future a lot less scary. As if to compound that note, the voice in Twilight’s head was mercifully silent for the rest of the day. Finally, as the sun was beginning to set, Twilight curled up to get some rest. As the waking world drifted away from her, her thoughts drifted back to Ponyville, and to Rainbow Dash. “We may not have found out how to open that stupid chest,” she thought as her eyes drifted closed. “But I don’t think she’ll mind…” The following morning, the group got their things together and set off from the Castle of The Two Sisters. Twilight relished the flight home, taking the opportunity to relax and soak in the scenery while the wind rushed by her face, blowing her mane back and soothing her senses. More than once she found herself closing her eyes to take a deep breath before remembering the extensive safety lessons Rainbow had drilled into her ever since she started teaching her how to fly. Spiracle, Fluttershy, and Thorax talked quietly every so often during the trip. Spiracle had taken to gushing over Angel Bunny and how “adorable” he was. At least, she had been gushing about that, until the little devil decided to use her horn as a replacement for a carrot when Fluttershy let the changeling hold him. Needless to say, Spiracle’s opinion of the foul creature was now far more in-line with everypony else’s. Except for Fluttershy.  “I swear, that mare has Stockholm Syndrome if she can stand his behavior,” Twilight thought with a bemused roll of her eyes. Soon enough, the trees began to thin, and Ponyville came back into sight. Twilight could already feel her body loosening up at the prospect of getting back to the library. She briefly glanced back at the others, and her eyes settled on the two changelings in their company. Two. Twilight frowned and slowed her flight until she was side-by-side with Spiracle. The changeling eyed her curiously. “Hm? What is it?” she asked. Twilight gestured at her. “I don’t mean any offense, but you should probably disguise yourself as something other than a changeling when around ponies until Rainbow gives you all the all-clear. Thorax has had two years to earn everypony’s trust, but I can’t say the same about you, and I don’t want anypony causing a scene. We’ve had enough drama,” she said in a low voice, not wanting to accidentally upset the changeling. Spiracle blinked, then gave a solemn nod. “Right… makes sense,” she mumbled before closing her eyes. A moment later, green flames swirled around her body, and when they parted, Spiracle had been replaced by a wholly unremarkable pegasus mare with a dirt brown coat and a dusty blonde mane and tail. Her eyes were still a piercing emerald green, while her imagined cutie mark was three ladybugs caught in a whirlwind. Twilight shuddered at the sight of the ladybugs and quickly tore her eyes away. “Y-yeah! That should do the trick!” she blurted, her muscles tensing up. Spiracle flinched back. “Uh… are you okay?” “Fine! Perfectly!” Twilight squeaked imperfectly. Spike, who was situated on her back, glanced down at Spiracle. Judging by the low, amused chuckle he let out, it was safe to assume he had spotted the source of Twilight’s distress. “Pfft, ha! Ahem, sorry Spiracle, there’s no way you could have known this, but Twi’s got an intense phobia of three things: quesadillas, snakes, and ladybugs,” he listed off matter-of-factly. Twilight groaned, hiding her face in her hooves. “Ugh… the only memories I wish I didn’t get back…” Spiracle gave off a sheepish giggle before her flanks lit up with more flames, burning away the ladybugs and replacing them with dragonflies. “Sorry. Is that better?” Spike gave a sage nod. “Should be.” Twilight groaned before lowering her hooves. The Golden Oak Library was in sight now, thankfully. Without wasting a minute more, Twilight tucked her wings in at her sides and entered a sharp nosedive for the ground. Mere moments before she would have struck the dirt, she fanned out her wings, slowing her descent until she gracefully touched down just in front of the entrance. “Not today, dirt!” Twilight declared triumphantly under her breath, kicking the ground. “No kisses for you!” “A shame,” Spike teased while hopping down from her back. “Watching you face plant for months was hilarious.” Twilight rolled her eyes, following after the drake for the door. “Hardy har. Let’s just get inside.” Spike didn’t need to be told twice and pushed the door open. The inside looked more or less as they had left it, though Twilight did notice, with a mild degree of annoyance, that some of the books had been taken down from the shelves and then left open on the coffee table. Definitely Rainbow’s handiwork. Fluttershy, Spiracle, and Thorax followed the pair in, closing the door behind them. Spiracle looked around with wide eyes. “So this is what it looks like on the inside…” she whispered, trotting up to one of the walls and running her hoof along one of the many alcoves that formed the shelves. “It almost reminds me of the hive… it’s very organic-looking.” “It is a tree,” Spike pointed out. He turned to the rest of the room and cupped his claws around his mouth. “Rainbow Dash! We’re home! And we brought company! You here?!” Muffled movement from upstairs answered his call before the bedroom door opened, and a rainbow blur shot down into the room. It came to a stop in mid-air over the center of the room, allowing Rainbow Dash to come into focus.  Twilight’s heart skipped a beat. It may have only been a few days since she had last seen her, but it sure felt like a lot longer. “There you are!” Rainbow declared, dropping down to the floor and lunging in to give Twilight a big hug. “Oh, man! When you guys weren’t here when I got home yesterday, I was real worried! I woulda sent you all a letter, but I don’t have a horn.” Twilight grunted from the impact before returning the hug. “Heh. Sorry. We’re alright, Rainbow. We just got a little sidetracked, that’s all,” she said before her eyes fell on the scattered books. Her smile faded. “I see your worry didn’t keep you from making a mess of my carefully ordered books, though.” Rainbow leaned back with a sheepish grin. “Eheh… sorry. Kinda had to pass the time somehow with you and Spike gone.” Twilight made a show of glaring at Rainbow before smiling and quickly returning the books to their places with a precise flick of her magic. “Well, I guess it’s not a big deal,” she said before backing up. Rainbow gave a sigh of relief before glancing at the others. “So, how’d it go? And, uh…” her eyes settled on Spiracle, and her brow furrowed. “...and is this that pony Spike mentioned in his letter?” Spiracle shied back, suddenly appearing extremely self-conscious. “Uh… y-yes, Your Highness,” she mumbled, shrinking back against the wall. “Um… uh… I’m not a pony, though.” Any amusement or mirth that had been in the air quickly faded away, and a sudden tension filled the room. At least from Twilight’s perspective. She glanced back and forth between Spiracle and Rainbow with a small bead of doubt building up inside of her. It had been two years since they faced the swarm, yes, but Twilight didn’t know if that was enough time for Rainbow to totally get over it. That disaster had damaged all of them for a long time, after all. “You losing your memories after being murdered being the most prevalent,” The voice noted in a quiet growl. Twilight huffed. “Shut the hay up. It’s too late for you to talk me out of this. Spiracle’s here, and it’s out of my hooves.” “So it is. All that remains is to wait and see how magnificently this is going to backfire in the future.” “You sound so sure that it will.” “And you sound so sure it won’t,” The voice countered. “Time will tell who is correct. The broken clock, or me.” Twilight snorted before returning her attention to the scene unfolding before her. “You’re not a pony?” Rainbow echoed, raising an eyebrow. “Then… what are-” “She’s a changeling,” Thorax said, stepping forward. “She’s a friend of mine. I can vouch for her. She’s a good one.” Rainbow’s expression hardened considerably. She glanced at Thorax before focusing intently on Spiracle, her wings twitching against her sides. “...Show me.” Spiracle took a deep breath, then dispelled her disguise. The changeling drone returned to the world, still backed up against the wall, and making herself look as small as possible. “My name is Spiracle, Your Highness,” she said slowly and carefully. “And, uh… W-well, I was hoping you’d be willing to let me stay here in Equestria.” Rainbow blinked. She took a slow, measured breath before taking a step back. “...I’m listening.” The following discussion went on for quite some time. Twilight watched as Spiracle recounted her story, with some insights into Changeling culture and society provided by Thorax from time to time. Twilight and Spike sat with her, while Spiracle, Fluttershy, and Thorax sat on the loveseat across from them.  All the while, Rainbow listened with rapt attention. She didn’t say much, aside from taking the time to ask the occasional question or for clarification. Her expression was incredibly hard to read, and Twilight found it somewhat unsettling. It was uncommon for Rainbow to get a look like that on her face, especially for so long. She normally wore her emotions on the cuff of her sleeve. “I think that’s about everything,” Spiracle eventually said, her story drawing to a close. She drew back, looking down at the floor with her ears folding back. “So, um… I g-guess my fate is in your hooves, now.” Fluttershy draped a foreleg over Spiracle’s shoulders in an effort to comfort the uncomfortable drone. Twilight wilted at the sight of Spiracle’s anxiety. She looked to Rainbow to find that her face was still impossible to read. The pegasus princess leaned back in her seat, taking a few deep breaths as she collected her thoughts. Several moments passed in silence, and with each one, Twilight’s own doubts grew more and more. Finally, Rainbow opened her eyes and looked directly at Spiracle. “Well… I can’t say that I’d be willing to trust you most days,” she began slowly, her tone surprisingly calm. “I went through a lot of stuff because of our conflict with the changelings, and I knew just how good you guys can be at deception when you need to be. You were planning the attack on Canterlot for quite a while before you found your window and took it. Under any normal circumstance, I’d assume you were a spy sent by whoever was in charge at the hive to keep an eye on us.” Spiracle flinched as if she had been struck, shying away from Rainbow’s stare. A few moments passed before Rainbow’s eyes drifted to Thorax, and then to Twilight. “...But this ain’t exactly a common situation, is it?” she asked, her tense expression softening. Spiracle perked up, looking hopefully to the princess. “W-what do you mean?” Rainbow hopped down from her seat and approached Spiracle. “Well, for one thing, you have Thorax vouching for you, and I trust Thorax. We would never have stopped Chrysalis if it hadn’t been for him. I trust his judgment. Twilight’s vouchin’ for ya, too, and I trust her with my life. She was the one who convinced me to trust Thorax, and now she wants me to trust you. So if she says you’re okay, I believe her.” “So, that means I can stay here?” Spiracle asked, leaning forward while her wings gave an eager buzz. Rainbow paused, her expression becoming strained. “Well, see, that’s a bit more complicated. See, I can suggest that you get Asylum, but it’s actually outside of my jurisdiction. I’m the Princess of the Skies. The weather is my main focus, most days,” she explained, offering a non-committal shrug. “So if you want full-blown asylum, you’re gonna hafta talk to my mom or my aunt up in Canterlot.” Spiracle hummed quietly, offering a timid nod of understanding. “I think I understand… so, uh, I need to go to Canterlot and seek out the ruling alicorns, and then they can help me?” Rainbow nodded. “Pretty much. I can send word ahead that you’re coming, though, and let ‘em know I trust you to behave yourself. Should help your chances.” The room fell quiet for a few minutes as everypony pondered this new information. Soon, Spiracle nodded and gave Rainbow a thankful smile. “Thank you, Princess Rainbow Dash. When should I go?” she asked eagerly. Rainbow chuckled and lifted a hoof as if to calm her down. “Well, I’m not gonna have ya go alone, first of all,” she said before pointing at Thorax. “You’re gonna go back to Canterlot with him. He’s trusted there already, more or less. He can take care of ya until you meet with mom.” Thorax blinked. “Oh. Okay, I can do that. But, uh…” he glanced sideways at Spiracle, his brow furrowing. “Where do you think Spiracle’s going to wind up?” “Dunno. It isn’t my call,” Rainbow reminded with another shrug. “Probably somewhere in Canterlot, though. If Squall and Wind don’t mind the company, maybe she could bunk up with you guys for a little while.” “I don’t want to impose too much,” Spiracle pointed out, shifting uncomfortably on her haunches. “I just want to be safe and accepted.” “Well, this is step one for that,” Rainbow stated matter-of-factly.  Fluttershy nodded along. “Wind and Squall are really good ponies, Spiracle. Trust me. I’m sure they’d be happy to have you, at least for a while.” Spiracle hummed quietly in response, taking what comfort she could from the pegasus’ words. Rainbow, seemingly satisfied, returned her attention to Thorax. “When do you think you’re leaving?” Thorax got a sheepish look on his face. He scuffed a hoof along the seat under him, not quite meeting Rainbow or Twilight’s gazes. “Er, well… I was actually kinda supposed to be back yesterday. I’m actually late, so I should probably be heading back as soon as we’re done here.” Fluttershy turned to him, visibly disappointed. “...Oh.” He smiled back at her, one of his wings drifting over to brush against her side. “Hey, I’ll come visit again real soon, okay? I can help rebuild your cottage when I do!” he said enthusiastically. Fluttershy’s smile returned at that. She leaned over to give Thorax an affectionate nuzzle, a tiny blush forming on her cheeks. “Oh, um… alright. I look forward to it.” Rainbow smirked. “Hah. Adorable.” Twilight’s brow furrowed, her mind wandering back to Fluttershy’s earlier request for her relationship with Thorax to be left alone. Rainbow hadn’t been there for that conversation, though, and now wasn’t really the time to go into detail with it. Some other method would have to do to silence her for now...  With an evil smirk, Twilight surreptitiously lifted a book in her magic and lightly thwacked it against her prismatic girlfriend’s flank. An audible ‘smack’ resounded through the air, drawing all eyes toward Rainbow just as her eyes widened, and a very undignified squeak shot past her lips. She quickly spun around to face the only other magic-user in the room. Twilight answered by shaking her head and holding the tip of her hoof up to her lips in a ‘shush’ gesture. Rainbow gave off a low, indignant growl. “Why, you… I’m gonna get you for that.” “I’m sure you will,” Twilight shot back with a coy smirk. “But later. We have company right now.” Rainbow ruffled her feathers in annoyance. “Hmph. Time to fix that, then!” she said before turning to Spike, who had been watching the exchange with an amused grin. “Spike! Letter!” Spike sprang down from the couch, throwing a smart salute, though his smirk persisted. “Ha! Right away, Princess!” he barked before running over to a nearby shelf and procuring a scroll and a quill with practiced ease. Rainbow rolled her eyes at his enthusiasm. “Okay. So. Ahem,” she cleared her throat before reciting what she wanted her letter to say. “Dear Mom, Just as a heads up, Thorax is probably going to be stopping by there in the next day or two with another changeling with him. Her name is Spiracle, and she’s come to Equestria seeking asylum. Apparently, Thorax knew her back when he was still in the hive, and he’s vouching for her. I trust his judgment, but the decision isn’t really mine to make. I’m sending them both up to Canterlot to speak with you when you get a chance. They can tell you all the details when they get there. If I try to recount her story in this letter, it’s gonna be, like, seven pages long and full of mistakes, so best to let it come from the bug’s mouth.” “Er, no offense,” Rainbow suddenly said to Spiracle. Spiracle raised an eyebrow. “Um… none taken?” Satisfied, Rainbow continued. “Also, on a related note, Twilight, Spike, Fluttershy, and Thorax are back from the castle. I haven’t had a chance to really talk to them about how it went yet, though. Seems like they’re okay, though. Talk to you later, mom.  With love and awesome, Rainbow Dash.” Twilight barely restrained a snort of amusement as Rainbow wrapped up the letter. Of course she’d close it off like that. Humbled as she was, she was still Rainbow Dash. Nothing would ever change that, it seemed. “That it?” Spike asked. “Mhmm. Send it,” Rainbow commanded. With a nod, Spike blew green flames over the rolled-up letter. It dissolved and vanished into the flames, flying out through a nearby open window as wisps of greenish-gray smoke. “There, it’s on its way!” “Sweet,” Rainbow nodded before turning back to Spiracle. “You guys might wanna get a move on, then. Canterlot might be right there, but it’s still not a short trip. The train is gonna be your best bet to getting there on time if you wanna have this meeting today. I can walk ya there if you’d like.” “I’ll come, too!” Fluttershy insisted, springing up from the couch. “To see them off.” Thorax gave Fluttershy a gentle smile. “Heh. Thanks, Fluttershy,” he said before lightly hopping down from the couch and holding a hoof out to Spiracle. “Come on, let’s go. Have you ever been on a train?” “No, I haven’t,” Spiracle said as she took his hoof and leaped down. Curiously, though, her eyes settled on Twilight, an odd look on her face. Her mouth opened as if she had more to say, but no more words came out. Twilight met her gaze with an encouraging smile and a nod. “Go on. This is what you sought us out for, isn’t it?” she said softly. Spiracle bit her lip, her eyes shifting with indecision. A few seconds later, she gently pulled her hoof from Thorax’s grasp. “Hold on. There’s something I have to do first,” she said. Without waiting for a response, she cantered over to her translucent saddlebags resting by the door and opened them up. Twilight raised an eyebrow as the changeling dug around in the pouch for several seconds before withdrawing with something cradled in her hooves. Twilight’s eyes widened as the sight of a smooth, egg-shaped gemstone, colored the same green as changeling magic and about the size of a small tangerine. She might have thought it was an emerald at first, but as Spiracle brought it closer, she realized it was too opaque. More than that, as she got a closer look, she realized there was a gently pulsing light from within the stone, almost like a heartbeat. “This is a piece of polynite,” Spiracle explained. “It’s a rare gemstone, largely found in tunnels under the Hive. It’s been naturally infused with changeling magic over centuries of exposure to it. That’s what the light is…” Spiracle held it out to Twilight, a gentle smile on her face. “It pulses like this whenever a changeling is nearby. It reacts to our presence, and… I want you to have it.” Twilight’s eyes widened. “Wha… Spiracle…” she said softly, eyeing the stone. It was beautiful, drawing her to lean in for a closer look. With her eyes this close, she could actually see the swirls of magic just beneath the surface, making it ripple like the surface water of a pond. “Woah,” Rainbow breathed from the side, eyeing the stone herself. “That’s pretty neat, actually. But why are you giving it to Twilight?” Spiracle looked down, her ears drooping. “I… I know that you’ve all suffered a lot because of my kind. I don’t expect that this would ever be enough to make amends for everything you went through, but maybe it can be a start. Maybe this can help protect you from any others that might want to hurt you.” Rainbow’s expression visibly darkened, and Twilight immediately knew exactly who she was thinking about. “Stinger. She’s still out there, isn’t she?” “But also,” Spiracle went on. She looked back up and met Twilight’s gaze. “I want to say thank you. You gave me this chance, Twilight. I have nothing else I can give you… So please. I insist. Take it.” Twilight swallowed heavily. On the one hoof, the stone was gorgeous, and if Spiracle was telling the truth, it could be invaluable in the future, especially if Pharynx failed to claim the throne and they had to deal with the changeling swarm again. On the other, every instinct was telling her to refuse the gift; to tell Spiracle it was a part of her home, and that she should carry it with her. “And give up a way of defending yourself against Stinger?” the voice asked skeptically. “Don’t be stupid. We both know she’s still out there, and we both know she’ll happily kill us again if given the chance. We can’t take any chances with her. Take the stone.” Twilight swallowed heavily. As much as she didn’t want to admit it, the devil on her shoulder made a good point. And so, with some reluctance, she reached out and gently took the stone in her hooves. “...Thank you,” she whispered quietly, giving Spiracle a warm smile. “I’ll take good care of it. I promise.” Spiracle’s smile grew. “No. Thank you. I won’t forget this…” she said before backing away and giving Twilight some time to stare into the gem without any distractions. The way the surface shifted and rippled drew her attention, occupying her thoughts in an almost hypnotic manner. It was strange. The longer she stared, the more she felt like her muscles were beginning to relax. This stone… it was important, somehow. Not just due to the significance of how she attained it, either. Something about it spoke to her very soul, whispering that someday, she would have need of it. She held it close to her heart and closed her eyes. It was warm to the touch if only a little. That warmth spread to her heart, and then to the rest of her. A pleased smile formed on her face, and she took a long, deep breath. “Hey, you coming, Twi?” Rainbow’s voice cut through the silence that had filled Twilight’s mind, drawing her out of her impromptu reverie. Twilight blinked and looked up. Rainbow, Thorax, Spiracle, and Fluttershy were all assembled by the front door, which now stood open. They were looking back at her curiously. She smiled at them and shook her head. “I think I’ll stay here, actually. It’s been a crazy few days. I’d like a chance to just relax and read a little bit.” “Fair enough,” Rainbow acknowledged before stepping outside and motioning to the rest. “Kay, c’mon.” While the others slipped outside, Spiracle lingered in the doorway for a moment. She looked back at Twilight one more time, boundless gratitude shining in her eyes. Twilight nodded at her. “You’re welcome. Spiracle. Goodbye… and good luck.” Spiracle’s eyes shimmered slightly. “...You too,” she said softly before stepping outside, closing the door behind her.