Twilight stumbled a little and leaned against the wall, muttering under her breath and huffing angrily as she grabbed her cane. She was able to walk a bit better and had once again tried to get rid of the thing.
"Guess I'm stuck with you for a bit longer..." she mumbled, climbing down the stairs carefully.
"Honestly Darling, is it truly so terrible? What of that grand wizard you always speak of? Did he not get about with a cane?" Rarity tittered, glancing at her Magian friend over a cup of tea.
"Starswirl had a walking stick. More a staff than a cane," Twilight argued.
"Then why not get one of those?" Pinkie wondered. Twilight paused at the base of the stairs, her eyes starting to sparkle.
"Of course! A staff is much more respectable!" She gasped
"But...it's a magical tool...I can't just grab any old staff. There could be horrible consequences,"
"Well, how DO you get a staff? Oh oh oh! Does it have to pick you?" Pinkie wondered.
"I...Sort of. It has to be intuned with your magic, which could take weeks or even months of being exposed to your specific magical signature..." Twilight sighed sadly before plopping into her chair.
"Sooo...You are saying you only require a proper piece of wood that has been exposed to your magic for a few weeks or months?" Rarity asked slowly.
"Yes...why?" Twilight raised an eyebrow. Rarity cleared her throat and walked toward a wall, gently tapping her knuckle against it.
"You live in a tree Darling. Why, I bet this entire thing has been exposed to your magic for some time. Would not a strong branch work?" She pointed out. Twilight gasped in realization.
"Rarity, you're a genius!"
"I try Darling,"
"Whoa!" Scootaloo gasped, rolling backwards and slamming her palms into the ground, flipping back onto her feet and wobbling back into her stance.
"Not bad...Not bad at all," Spike smirked as his tail flicked back and forth.
"That's kinda cheap, tripping me with your tail outta nowhere," She fumed.
"Fights are rarely ever fair Scoots. I won't lie to you...not anymore...I can see the potential in you to do amazing things someday. The earlier you learn the better you'll be. This might be a harsh lesson for a kid to learn, but the world isn't as great as everyone thinks," Spike pointed out, hopping backwards as she leapt at him. The young Skyborn flicked her wings and spun, causing Spike to palm her foot down and sidestep the follow-up overhead kick.
He couldn't help but smile at how quickly she took to the lessons. Though it hurt a piece of him deep down.
"Spike, I already know how much the world sucks, wasn't that kinda the point of these lessons?" She scoffed. She cried out as Spike stuck out his palm just in time for her to smack her face into it. She stumbled backwards, clutching her nose and grumbling under her breath.
"There's a lot you don't know. A lot I hope you never know. But life is kinda funny like that. So, until i'm sure that kind of world can exist..." he grinned and beckoned her forward tauntingly
"Come at me,"
"Ah dunno..."
"I swear Applejack, she'll be okay," Fluttershy said softly.
"A-Alright, fine...But if'n anythin' happens...!" Applejack began, letting out a sigh. She followed her friend back outside where Applebloom waited.
"So...?"
"Ah s'pose ya'll can give it a shot," Applejack relented, unable to hide a smile as her daughter squealed and pumped her fist in victory.
"Listen closely Applebloom. Any constructs you make are an extension of yourself, just like the Chaos they are made from. If anything happens to them, you'll suffer the consequences," Fluttershy warned, patting Applejacks shoulder as the parent tensed at her words.
Applebloom simply nodded in excitement, ready to get started.
"You need to picture the object you want to create and let the Chaos take shape," Fluttershy explained. She held up her finger, drawing a slow line in the air out of Chaos. Applebloom watched with wide eyes as her teacher grabbed it, the line morphing into a pencil between her fingers.
"Oh Wow...Does it work?" Applebloom wondered. Fluttershy couldn't help but giggle as she twirled the pencil.
"Of course. Since it's a Chaos Construct it does what I will it to do," she pointed out and dropped it, the pencil hovering in front of her before vanishing.
"So...ah jus' gotta picture it an..." Applebloom stuck out her tongue in concentration, holding out her hands while a thin rope slowly materialized in front of her. With a smirk she grabbed either end of it and began skipping rope with a giggle.
"It's weird...Ah can feel th' rope hittin' th' ground like it's my own two feet,"
"Ya know, it's kinda th' same when it comes t' our trees," Applejack smiled.
"Like bein one with nature or somethin'?" Applebloom wondered, her rope vanishing.
"Exactly" Fluttershy and Applejack said together. The two glanced at one another before bursting into a fit of giggles.
Angel let out a slow breath, glancing out of the corner of his eye.
"Do you have to keep watching me?"
"No, Does it disturb you?"
"It's a little strange, sure. Just wondering what you get out of it," he shrugged, closing his eyes once more, a thin aura of Chaos surrounding him.
"Trixie was unaware Chaos could be used in meditation," the magician admitted.
"There is a lot to Chaos that no one knows," Angel murmured softly, the normal dark brown hue of crackling Chaos shifting to a gentle blue around him. He cracked open an eye and smirked as Luna marched into the room.
She offered him a smile in return.
"we are happy to see you well," she remarked.
"I appreciate all you two have done for me Princess...And for Shy...She's all I got, ya know?" He choked, the aura fading away. He shuddered and wrapped his arms around himself, blinking as he felt a hand atop his head. Luna crouched beside him, her hand moving gently between his ears.
It had a strange calming effect on him, leading him to lean into her as she wrapped an arm around him.
"Thou hast held out for such a long time...Trapped in thine weakest form for so many years and forced to be a voyeur to thine Fathers acts...Know that we are here for thee," Luna spoke softly. Angel couldn't remember the last time he had cried, but in that moment the dam broke.
He clung to the Lunar Princess, letting years of bottled up emotions all pour out at once. He screamed, he cried, and all the while she held him gently in her arms, assuring him that it was alright.
Trixie chewed her lip as she watched them. She had always known there was something strange about the bunny that Fluttershy carried. Who could have known he was such a tortured soul? She began to think her own problems were far insignificant to his. With a shake of her head she marched over to the pair, flopping down and placing her hand on his shoulder.
"Trixie knows you are strong. Were Trixie to have gone through the same...well...I do not think I would have stayed sane...What Mistress says is true. We are here for you Angel," Trixie promised. He scoffed and snaked his arm around here, tugging her in close.
"Guess I ain't as alone as I thought..."
"Are you sure about this Nyx?" Sweetie Belle frowned.
"Of course. Everyone else is focusing on learning more about themselves, so why not us? Besides, I have a chunk of knowledge about Vampires now," Nyx pointed out. She let out a slow breath as her mana began to manifest. Sweetie Belle felt something click and shook her head as a shudder ran up her spine.
"Okay, that is really weird,"
"What was it like?" Nyx asked, pulling out her notebook.
"I could FEEL you. Like...in my head and all around me..." Sweetie Belle tried to explain, hugging herself.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to freak you out..."
"No no, its fine. Just...weird. There was also this feeling, I dunno how to point it out...Like hearing a voice...But you don't remember who it belongs to,"
"I see...So maybe..." Nyx began to murmur under her breath as she furiously scribbeled down notes.
"Gonna let me know whats going on?" she eventually asked.
"Oh! Sorry! Well...I was thinking...I'm just an amalgamation of Magic and Blood,"
"Nyx..."
"Let me finish. I exist as a Construct made up from the Blood of Twilight Sparkle and the magic of Nightmare Moon. Nightmares Essence connects me to Luna in a weird sort of way.
Luna was once the Mother of Vampires. She made a deep connection with them and they stood as the first of her Guard. There is no way of knowing how many Vampyr still serve Luna, even with my bits of memory, not without directly asking her at least.
But there is a powerful connection between her magic and the Vampyr she bound herself to. I wanted to test that link and you Belle, are proof...Proof I'm a 'proper copy'..." Nyx finished, hanging her head.
Sweetie Belle huffed and cupped Nyx's cheeks.
"You aren't her copy. You've got some stuff she has, that's it,"
"My love of nights," Nyx argued.
"Miss Twilight is a night owl," Sweetie Belle countered. Nyx opened her mouth to continue, blinking as Sweetie Belle shoved her hand over her mouth.
"So you've got Princess Luna's fancy magic, so what? She's basically your second mom,"
"I...I hadn't thought of it like that...Second mom?" Nyx questioned.
"Well duh, Twilight is definitely your mom and you are for sure her kid. Books, stargazing, nerding out, which you are literally doing right now...All of that is stuff Miss Twilight does. If anything, you're her copy, but in a good way," Sweetie Belle giggled. She squeaked as Nyx hugged her tightly, her notebook forgotten.
"T-Thanks Belle...I needed that..."
"Anytime Nyx,"
"Smell that?" Shining Armor grinned as they stepped off the train. He happily inhaled the mid-day air.
"The smell of adventure?" Cadence joked, happy to see him finally starting to relax.
"No. This is the smell of a self made town, of hardworking individuals,"
"So you feel right at home, don't ya?" Cadence smirked, slipping her hand into his.
"I wouldn't say I'm self-made..." Shining mumbled.
"So humble, young Captain," Cadence giggled.
"So, where is Twily's place?" Shining wondered, pulling out a map.
"Ya'll lookin fer Twilight?" Applejack asked with a small smile.
"Miss Applejack. Its good to see you again," Shining Armor chuckled.
"Shining Armor, right? Ain't you that fancy Captain? Must be important if ya'll are comin' all this way to see Twilight. Ah hope ya know she ain't in the greatest o' conditions right now..."
"It's actually just a friendly visit. Applejack was it? Of the Apple Clan, correct?" Cadence asked as she approached the modest shop stand. Applejack gave a gentle nod while Cadence peered over the apples on display and let out a small giggle.
"You've put a lot of love into this harvest, haven't you?"
"Why o' course ah have," Applejack stated proudly.
"Alright Cady, you've teased enough," Shining chuckled.
"I'm not teasing, I mean every word. Just look. Even without someone of my particular talent you can tell the hard work behind every apple. Not a single bruise or blemish. Each one properly washed of any speck of dirt. I wouldn't be shocked to find these apples on display in Celamont," Cadence continued to praise.
"Ya'll flatter me miss," Applejack chuckled nervously.
"Cadence has a talent for finding love in all its forms," Shining smiled, slipping an arm around her and hugging her close.
"Seems she found the greatest love right here," Applejack beamed.
"Now who is flattering who?" Cadence giggled.
"Alright, ya'll seem like proper folk. Ah was jus' 'bout t' close up anyway, so ah can show ya t' Twilight's place," Applejack offered.
"I appreciate it. I'm excited to see her," Shining smiled.
"Ain't no big deal, ya'll were a big help when it came t' savin her,"
"I...yea..." Shining sighed.
"Well, no time t' waste!" Applejack smiled as she finished closing up the stall, firmly grasping the cart and pulling it along.
"Would you prefer heading home first?" Cadence asked.
"Twilight's place is on th' way t' my farm so ain't no big deal really. 'Sides, a friend o' Twilight's is a friend o' mine. That there girl has done a lot fer us. She's practically family, an an Apple takes care o' family," Applejack stated proudly.
"She's lucky to have you as a friend," Shining Armor chuckled weakly. Applejack simply shrugged, leading the way to a large tree in the distance.
"A tree?" Shining Armor wondered.
"A library," Applejack confirmed.
"Of course she'd stay here," he laughed. Applejack stepped up to the door, giving a gentle knock before stepping in.
"Hey Twilight! Ah brought some friends o' yers!" Applejack called out. Twilight stumbled a little in surprise.
"Friends of mine? Oh please don't be nobles..." Twilight huffed.
"Oh come on Twily, that hurts ya know," Shining Armor teased as he peeked over Applejack's shoulder.
"S-Shiny?!" Twilight stammered. Applejack stepped aside, letting Shining Armor enter the library. He looked around slowly, letting out a long whistle.
"Wow, talk about living in paradise. I don't think you had this many shelves back at the tower," he chuckled, grunting as Twilight hugged him tightly. He hesitated before gently wrapping his arms around her.
"I...I'm so sorry Twilight..." he shook, tightening his arms around her.
"You don't have to apologize Shiny," Twilight scoffed as she smiled up at him.
"But I...I should've trusted you. I should've..."
"You did your job Shiny. You made the hard decision to protect your Princess over blindly trusting family,"
"Family? Well shucks, that explains that look in yer eye," Applejack laughed.
"Look?" Shining Armor glanced over his shoulder at Applejack.
"Jus' somethin' special 'bout you an her. Ya'll got a sorta spark to yer eyes. Ah know it sounds strange but it tells me yer th' type to do what feels right no matter what. Tellin' th' truth, its why ah first put my trust into Twilight," Applejack nodded.
"That's very sweet Applejack," Cadence giggled.
"Wait...Cadence?!" Twilight gasped, stumbling her way out of Shining's arms and squealing as she grabbed Cadences' hands.
"How is my favorite Sparkle?" Cadence giggled.
"Hey!" Shining whined.
"Hush you," Cadence teased.
"Oh! I'm just working on a little project. Come on, I'll show you!" Twilight squealed, limping as she pulled Cadence along. Cadence huffed and lifted Twilight, holding her bridal style.
"H-Hey!"
"Just point the way. Can't let my Princess stumble about, now can I?" Cadence teased with a sad smile.
"Well...I-Its over there..." Twilight mumbled, pointing around the corner.
"Mighty strong for such a small thing," Applejack murmured.
"She's probably as strong as you," Shining Armor shrugged.
"Ah ain't one t' boast but ah kind o' doubt that..." Applejack gently argued.
"Well she is a Celestian," Shining shrugged as he followed after them. Applejack paused in place and shook her head, heading back to her cart.
"Alright, that's enough o' that fer today. Ya'll take care Twilight!" Applejack called.
"B-Bye Applejack!" Twilight stammered, her face flushed as she realized her friend saw everything.
"She was nice. You have some wonderful friends," Cadence giggled.
"Y-Yea...um...You can put me down you know..." Twilight mumbled. Cadence relented, setting Twilight down gently
"So what is this project of yours?" Cadence wondered, staying close. Twilight smiled and pulled back a cloth, revealing a dimly glowing tree branch, slowly twisting in on itself while several markings were etched into the wood.
"Well, as I am sure you've heard from your arrival, I...may have overexerted myself..."
"Understatement," Shining mumbled, earning a punch to the shoulder from his fiancée.
"And so I have been forced to get around on a cane..."
"Which I notice you aren't using," Cadence pointed out.
"I don't need it. Especially now that I have this!" Twilight beamed, spreading out her arms over the branch.
"A branch?" Cadence asked.
"A staff," Shining realized.
"Exactly! I've been using my magic within this tree since my arrival in Eraville. The wood is perfectly intuned with my magic," Twilight practically squealed.
"So now you have a cane you can be proud of," Cadence teased.
"A staff is much more respectable than a cane," Twilight huffed.
"Trying to step into the shoes of a certain All mighty wizard?" Shining teased.
"Starswirl's Staff was crafted over many years. Mine is probably only going to take an hour more at most. Not quite as intricate or nearly as powerful. Though it will act as a catalyst and amplifier,"
"I think you're the last person that needs an amplifier," Shining chuckled.
"It would've been a great thing to have at the castle..." Twilight mumbled. Shining swore under his breath and pulled her into a hug.
"Mom! We're home!" a pair of voices called out. Nyx and Scootaloo paused as they came around the corner and laid eyes on Shining Armor. Nyx tensed and Scootaloo reacted, throwing out her wings protectively and staring him down.
"That's...interesting..." he mumbled, slowly letting go of Twilight.
"Scootaloo, Nyx. This is my brother, Shining Armor," Twilight introduced him. He waved nervously to the two.
"Did I hear them call you 'mom'?" Cadence asked with a large smile and a twinkle in her eye.
"You got a problem with that!?" Scootaloo growled. Cadence knelt down in front of Scootaloo, placing a hand on top of her head.
"You seem like a wonderful daughter. You love Twilight a lot, don't ya?" She asked. Scootaloo blushed and took a step back, keeping her wing in front of Nyx.
"I'm so sorry. She's a little excitable," Twilight chuckled nervously.
"So that's her?" Shining asked softly as he glanced at Nyx. She shivered and tucked herself behind Scootaloo.
"Yes, her, my Daughter," Twilight declared, crossing her arms. Shining blinked and looked at her, clearing his throat.
"Sorry, I just..."
"Am being overprotective again? If anything you should be trying to protect her," Twilight all but growled.
"I've never seen you like this before Twilight. The mama bear look suits you," Cadence teased.
"What the hell is going on?" Rainbow huffed as she entered the room. She was drenched in sweat with a towel around her shoulders and a bit of rain still soaked into her hair.
"Oh, its you," Rainbow murmured. She walked by Nyx and Scootaloo, ruffling their hair as she passed by.
"Ima hit the shower Twi. I ordered pizza on my way in!" She called out as she vanished up the stairs.
"...Twilight, details, now," Cadence smirked. She groaned and marched around them. She grabbed Nyx's hand and moved to the couch. She smiled as Nyx sat beside her, Scootaloo claiming the seat on her other side. Shining and Cadence each claimed a seat across from them.
"It's...complicated," Twilight sighed.
"Twilight was captured by the Children of Nightmare, a group tainted by Nightmare Essence and determined to give Nightmare a body of her own...Me," Nyx suddenly spoke up.
"So you admit to being an incarnation?" Shining questioned, crying out as Cadence slapped him.
"C-Cady?!"
"That girl is every bit a living breathing person as you or me," She glared at him.
"You're too stuck in your need to protect to be able to see it,"
"You're right. Something just feels off. But not in the normal way. I can't make heads or tails of it," Shining sighed.
"That talk with the Commander didn't help much either. Left me with a lot of questions, wouldn't ya say, Twi?" Shining sighed.
"You know?"
"I do. A little. He told me you knew more,"
"I'm confused," Scootaloo admitted.
"They are talking about Spike," Nyx whispered.
"Even kids know more than I do," Shining scoffed.
"We were kind of in the right place at the right time," Nyx pointed out.
"Huh, he said that too. So...Nyx, was it? I hear you are on the fence about the Princess," Shining Armor murmured.
"She has done plenty of good for this world, but she has also done many terrible things. Then again, how innocent am I?" Nyx sighed, blinking as Twilight hugged her tightly.
"Why didn't you talk to me about this?" Twilight shook as she spoke.
"I...I didn't want to make you worry..."
"Like mother like daughter," Cadence giggled. Twilight smiled a little at that as she sat upright, slipping her other arm around Scootaloo and pulling both girls close.
"I wouldn't give them up for the world," Twilight said proudly.
"M-Mom! Come on, t-that's embarrassing," Scootaloo groaned, even as she leaned against her.
"I'm jealous," Cadence sighed, leaning into her hand and bouncing her ring finger against her cheek. Twilight's eyes widened, glancing from the ring to Shining's hand.
"Oh. My. GOSH! You didn't!"
"He did!" Cadence squealed. Shining rolled his eyes and smiled.
"I regret nothing," he winked.
"So when are you two having kids?" Rainbow teased from upstairs, leaning against the railing.
"After the wedding," Cadence answered without missing a beat. Shining stared at her for a moment, opening his mouth and unsure what to say.
"My turn. When are you two getting married?" Cadence grinned.