Chapter 12 – Defensive Measures
“Today, or rather yesterday, in nonsensical things: I touched a freaking topaz and suddenly I'm blasted into unconsciousness. Last I checked, the laws of physics say this can't happen, but then again, I'm in Equestria. The laws of physics don't exactly apply. I'm burning my physics books when I get home.
“In other news, I remember speaking to this prophet back in 796. Well, more of a soothsayer from the way he acted, but he was right, not that he was taken seriously very often. Apparently, he took my advice and wrote the predictions into a book. Good call.”
“Morning,” Spike and Twilight mumbled to each other as they both climbed down the stairs. Fred Walsh remained passed out on the floor, with an added pillow for comfort.
“It's been all night and he's still asleep,” Spike complained.
“It's not a natural phenomenon to be knocked out like that, Spike,” the lavender unicorn replied. She ignited her horn and moved it subtly around her. “He's still stable, so we don't have to worry. He's the same as last night. There's some kind of strange energy in him, but that's probably normal for humans.”
The dragon's stomach rumbled. “Can we get some breakfast?”
“I'll make us some pancakes,” she answered. Twilight stepped into the kitchen and took various ingredients and kitchenware out of their cabinets.
A few minutes passed until Fred's eyes opened as he slowly sat upright.
Spike came over. “Are you okay?”
The human looked from side to side. “I feel completely fine, somehow. Regrettably, I don't know enough Latin phrases to exclaim my befuddlement at what just happened. Then again, that might be a good thing. Seriously, what the hell happened?”
Twilight exited the kitchen with three plates of pancakes in her telekinetic grip. “You touched that topaz and were knocked unconscious.”
“As I thought. That... still makes absolutely no more sense than before,” he said slowly.
“Spike, has Princess Celestia sent anything yet?”
“Nothing,” the baby dragon answered.
Fred looked around. “Also, where is the harmonic topaz? It was right next to the sapphire before.”
“It's gone, somehow.” The unicorn also attempted to find the gemstone. She set down the plates.
“Anyway, pancakes.”
They all ate in silence for a few more minutes, until the door knocked sharply.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
Twilight finished off the current pancake and went to greet the visitor. She opened the wooden door of the treehouse library.
Earlier, last night
A parchment scroll materialises beside Princess Celestia's bedside. The alicorn is awoken by its appearance. She takes hold of the scroll with her golden aura and unseals it to read.
Within moments, she finished reading the short letter, shot up in alarm, and left her bedroom.
At all times of day and night, castle staff are always at hoof. Celestia sprinted to a lower point in the castle, which housed the barracks and flying chariot bay. She flagged down two awake guards and gave them instructions.
The door opened. In front of Twilight were two pegasus royal guards with their stoic expressions. Everyone in the room knew why they were here.
“Now that's a response.” Fred nodded his head in approval and pointed his fork just after he and Spike finished their pancakes.
“Twilight Sparkle,” the one on the mare's left began.
“We've come to escort you and the human to Canterlot,” the other one continued.
Twilight took a sharp intake of breath. “Princess Celestia must be worried, we'd better go. Spike, clean up and then go to Rarity's.”
“Sure thing!”
Fred stood up and took the magic-blocking sapphire. “You want to hold this?” The unicorn's face gave him the answer, especially knowing her last experience with it. He pocketed the gem.
The guards parted as the student and human left Golden Oaks Libary. Fred tried to check the time on his watch, but it wouldn't respond, strangely. Instead, he opted to check the clock tower: 7:49 AM.
The two armoured pegasi pointed their hooves at the chariot that had landed just outside. Twilight hopped on, while Fred stopped just before, noticing a shimmer in a bubble. He poked the area and it rippled. Afterward, he tried to hit it harder, where it blocked his fist, this time the clear, transparent barrier became more obvious.
“Hm, shielding.” He slowly walked into the shield and it let him through. Before climbing on, he took a good look at the vehicle. It was definitely a chariot, but very different to any others he'd seen. Its colours were white and gold, but it seemed armoured in a sense. He climbed onto the carriage as the two guards hooked themselves on the front. With a spread of their wings and a gallop, the entire carriage took to the skies toward Equestria's capital city.
Fred continued to activate the Scavenger Watch, without luck. In a last attempt, he pressed the reset button and it began to reboot. 'Okay, did that topaz blast an EMP as well‽ It's amazing this didn't fry to a crisp,' he mentally exclaimed as the watch started.
One would expect wind on the flying chariot, but thanks to the shield, very little passed through. As the pegasi flew in silence except for the beat of their wings, Twilight tried to analyse Celestia's response.
During takeoff, various onlookers watched Twilght and Fred depart Ponyville again, caring less about the creature's appearance and more about why they are leaving when they only returned the day before.
Invisible to those in the air, and concealed in the Everfree Forest to those on the ground, a unicorn with glowing red eyes watched a pagasus-flown chariot head toward Canterlot.
“After being knocked out by an exploding gemstone, I'm remarkably fine,” 'and I really need to stop thinking about past events repeatedly.'
“This wasn't really the way I imagined going back to Canterlot, for protection instead of my own reasons,” Twilight thought out loud.
“Well, you'll get to Speak to Cadance as you wanted to, at least,” Fred reassured her.
The remainder of the flight passed in relative silence, and they approached Canterlot Castle within an hour of departure. The barracks of the castle contained a landing area, and they set down there moments later.
Twilight stepped out from the back of the cart, while Fred vaulted out the side, being careful not to impact the shield. Both passed through without issues. Task completed, the field collapsed in a short white flash.
At the front of the room, Princess Celestia stood. Her student ran over to the alicorn and they embraced each other. Not the best of reunions, but then again, possibly an important one.