//------------------------------// // Repricussions // Story: The Codex Amicitia // by malletmann //------------------------------// Carpathios arrived in Ponyville to find Twilight Sparkle waiting for him. He mentally reprimanded himself for allowing this slip-up, but was confused as to how she managed to catch him. "So, where were you off to?" She asked fairly innocently. He had the feeling she didn't know, or even suspect he had been practicing sorcery of a type that would most likely betray any and all trust she had in him. He was used to being able to work openly; he hadn't had to keep secrets since he first arrived at Agathonis. "I had some pressing business to take care of, of a time sensitive matter" Technically, nothing he said was untrue. "It was concluded in a manner most agreeable, I'm happy to say." Twilight smiled weakly. "I guess that's good to hear. I'm glad one of my friends is having a good week, at least." She looked down. "The rest of us have had an awful one." Carpathios smiled, breathing in the sweet early morning air. "I have a feeling," he said, "that soon everypony's week is going to improve." Within the week, all three of the Cutie Mark Crusaders were released with clean bills of health. The doctors were completely flummoxed by this turn of events. For the most part, though, nopony cared too much. They were too happy with the turn of events to question the source of the miracle. "Oh, thank Faust you are alright!" Rarity exclaimed, wrapping Sweetie Belle in a tight hug on the day of her release. The others all agreed, save Carpathios. The comment caused a shiver to run down his back. Thank Faust, indeed. He wasn't sure what the intended meaning was, but it was far more appropriate than she likely realized. Sweetie Belle herself was clearly quite happy to leave with her sister. "Oh I just can't wait to do all sorts of things together!" Rarity agreed with this wholeheartedly, taking the entire next week off. Apple Bloom's reunion with her sister was a bit more subdued, but no less touching. The filly trotted up to the older mare, and the two of them nuzzled. "Good mornin', Apple Bloom," Applejack said quietly. "We've missed you." The younger one remained silent, the two of them simply glad that the ordeal was over. Scootaloo seemed to be taking her time getting back on her hooves. As she slowly walked out of the hospital, Rainbow Dash was there to meet her. "Rainbow Dash! I'd like to thank you so much for everything you did for me while I was in the hospital." Her voice, while enthusiastic, had slightly less energy than usual. Rainbow Dash smiled brightly. Though she had never admitted it, she always appreciated the little pegasus that had been her number-one fan since she had moved to Ponyville. "Good to have you back, Scoots. Ready for that flying lesson I promised you?" Scootaloo looked up, happy as a filly could be. "If you don't mind, I think I want to get used to walking again. Do you think we could wait until later?" "Whenever you're ready, Scoots. Go ahead and take your time." Rainbow watched as the orange filly slowly walked down the road after her friends, and once again a tear ran down her face. "Aww Dashie, that's so sweet," Pinkie said as she watched the exchange. "Yeah, well you gotta promise me you don't tell anypony about it," Dash said, wiping her eyes. She figured others might be able to tell, but she at least had to put forth some effort. "Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye," Pinkie said, making the ritual movements. "Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a 'We're really glad you are all better and out of the hospital' party!" With that, the pink party pony propelled herself down the pavement with her usual plasticity. Carpathios did not attend the Crusaders' party. When Pinkie invited him, he politely declined, stating that there was something he had to do, and could not be put off. Though initially disappointed, Pinkie seemed to understand, and accepted his explanation. He was, therefore, on the night of the party, in Twilight's study poring over some of his arcane manuscripts when the erudite unicorn found him. She had carefully observed his behavior and had pieced together enough information that she could make a reasonable guess. If she was anything, she was intelligent. "How did you do it?" she asked. Her tone was neither apprehensive nor reproachful, rather it was curious and somewhat reverent. Carpathios did not stop his work. Years of honing his mind to master the ebb and flow of the Veil and bend it to his will had by necessity given him mastery over his emotions; he never showed anything he did not want to. "To what are you referring? My coming here, perhaps?" The decoy was meant more to save face than actually change the conversation. If Twilight was referring to what he thought she was, it wouldn't truly matter regardless. Twilight shook her head, her mane tossing. "You know what I'm talking about. You disappear one night, going off on your own to who-knows-where, and after you come back the fillies, who should not have recovered, are miraculously healed. You can't tell me that's a coincidence." There is a fierce glimmer in her eyes. "You cast a spell! One like I've never seen before! Now you do come from an entirely different world, so that's to be expected, but that's not the point. You have to teach me!" Carpathios sighed and shook his head. "Twilight Sparkle, I cannot teach you this form of magic. It was not a spell, not in the way you know them. Perhaps most importantly, I cannot under any circumstances repeat the effect. It was strictly and utterly a one-time event." This visibly confused Twilight. "Okay, that doesn't make any sense. What kind of magic are you talking about? And what do you mean you can't repeat it? The entire reason magic spells work is because they are repeatable." "I will say no more." Carpathios' tone grew almost imperceptively darker. "Twilight, I must ask you never to speak to me of this again. What happened happened and could not have happened any other way. And do not tell anyone else that I was responsible." This visibly irritated Twilight. "Why you hypocrite! You arrive saying how you wish to share all sorts of magic, go into great detail about your city and your king's vision to share knowledge freely and be a beacon of light, and when you finally show how beneficial your knowledge is, you hoard it all to yourself!" It pained him, but Carpathios knew her argument was sound. He simply could not explain why these things were so. "Besides, I already send a letter to the princesses letting them know of my suspicions." Carpathios knew his quest had just become far more complicated. Before he could do anything else, though, he vanished in a flash of cobalt blue. "Well, that timing was impeccable," Carpathios said as he found himself in his new surroundings. The darkness which enveloped him was dispelled with a raise of his staff, which revealed a rather unsettling scene in rosy light. Surrounding the mage were what he could only describe as some form of mutant breed of pony. Clad in dark, baroque armor, they possessed golden slitted eyes, fang-filled jaws, and some had membraned wings instead of feathered. "What is it, beasts? For what purpose did you bring me here?" he said, taking an aggressive stance. He would not be cowed, by either man or monster. Another creature emerged from the shadows, towering over the rest. It spoke in a voice of thunder; Carpathios' robes and hair were tossed about by its magnitude. "TO BRING RETRIBUTION FOR YOUR TRANSGRESSIONS."