Chapter 8
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“Princess Celestia, I need a Fold to Earth, NOW!” I scream as I bash through the doors to the throne room and charge in, causing said white Alicorn, her assistant Ink Well and what it takes a second for me to realize is a hippogriff, to jump.
Celestia takes a second to compose herself, before giving me a displeased look. “Miranda, can this not wait. I’m in the middle of speaking with General Sea Spray.”
“General Sea Spray of her majesty, Queen Novo’s Navy,” he says, holding out a claw.
I take it, slightly, confused, before the name rings a bell. Queen Novo was that hippogriff Twilight went to ask for help against the Storm King.
“I do apologize for causing a delay Miss… Miranda, was it?” Sea Spray says and I nod slowly. “We shan’t be too much longer, I assure you.” He frowns in confusion. “Um, what kind of fold would you need the princess’s help for, if I may ask?”
Any confusion caused by the odd introduction is immediately thrown away and my panic returns in full force.
I turn to Celestia. “I’m really, really sorry for interrupting, Princess Celestia,” I say frantically, “but Discord was wrong and my Altermere just showed up, which means I need to get to Earth and warn the Guardians, NOW!”
Celestia does not say anything. She just raises an eyebrow at me.
It takes a second, before I realize she’s indicating for me to calm down… but that’s far easier said than do.
“I’m… sorry… Auntie!” a voice wheezes from behind me and I glance back to see Blueblood, looking absolutely wiped, his main plastered against his neck and sweat soaking through his clothing. “She… was… too… fast…”
“Celestia, I’m sorry, but there’s no time to explain!” I turn back to the Alicorn. “With every second I’m here, the more danger the Guardians and Earth are in danger!”
Celestia just continues to look calmly at me, quickly writing on several scrolls, the magically sending them away. “Miranda, you are well aware that we are still inexperienced with Folds. It will take Twilight, Luna, Cadance and myself to open one and it will take several minutes, perhaps even half an hour, before they will all be able to get here and far longer still for us to prepare the Fold. Also,” she cocks an eyebrow, “I thought you said it was dangerous for you to go to Earth, lest the Guardians mistake you for the original Miranda and not have anypony to back you up? What’s changed?”
“What’s changed is Earth’s queen’s life is the one in danger now and, much as I like living, her life takes far higher priority over mine!” I say firmly, glaring.
The tall pony looks at me for several moments, before nodding. “Very well. I just hope you understand what you’re asking.”
I nod. I do, more than she could possibly know.
___________________________________________________________
“It’s all set, Princess,” Twilight says after eight agonisingly long hours.
We, (Twilight and the rest of the Mane 6 and Spike, Blueblood, all the princesses and Starlight), are gathered in the throne room, where many magical circles and runes have been drawn in chalk all over the floor.
“Miranda, I feel I must ask again, do you understand what you are doing?” Princess Luna asks, looking me firmly in the eyes. “There is no turning back.”
“Princess Luna is right,” Twilight says, looking anxious. “While this Fold will be a definite improvement over the one Starlight and I tried to send you through, this will be a one way trip. Once the Fold closes, you won’t be able to contact us in Equestria anymore, unless you can find another means of doing so.”
“Which is why we shouldn’t be sending her alone!” Dash says firmly. “Let me go with her! I’ll make sure she stays safe!”
“You can’t!” I snap, my anxiety far worse after waiting so long for everything to be ready and making it much harder not to let my emotions out all at once. “If anyone on Earth saw any of you, it would be a nightmare. The Guardians may live on Earth, but Earth is blissfully ignorant of magic for the most part and a pastel pony, Pegasus, Earth Pony, unicorn or Alicorn, regardless, would draw way too much attention. I can’t keep any of you safe there and find Lilian before shit hits the fan!”
“Very well, Miranda,” Celestia gives me a firm, but encouraging look. “Good luck.”
I nod and the princesses and Starlight light their horns. The magic swirling around the runes, which begin to glow with the same light.
Suddenly, there’s a sound like a sonic boom and a Fold opens in the centre of all the runes. I can see Heatherfield through it, specifically, the apartment building Cornilia’s family lives in.
I may not be able to remember my Earth, but I know theirs well enough.
“Go, Miranda!” Twilight yells as she and the others focus their magic, doing their best to keep the Fold open. “And don’t worry, it’s only been eight hours! What’s the worst that could’ve happened in eight hours?”
I nod, rushing forward, leaping through the Fold, well aware I may never see any of them ever again.
Earth
Hale Family apartment
EIGHT HOURS AGO
“I’m surprised things have quietened down so much,” Matt said as he and the girls walked through Cornelia’s apartment, Mr. Huggles resting atop his shoulder.
“About time,” Irma sighed. “Miranda escapes, Lilian ends up in a world of talking ponies. Is it too much to ask for just one normal day now that we finally beat Nerissa and Phobos already?”
“Probably,” Will smirked. “It’s not like we’ll always have peace. We’re the Guardians of the Infinite Dimensions. Infinite means there’s likely always going to be problems somewhere out there.”
Suddenly, Mr. Huggles’ fur stood on end and he started hissing.
“Looks like we’ve got enough problems right here for now,” Taranee stated, before a cry from down the hall made all their faces pale.
“Lilian!” Cornelia cried in alarm, rushing forward.
“Guardians, unite!” Will called out, pulling the Heart of Kandrakar out of her shirt, light flaring from it.
They rushed down the hall and whipped around the corner to the doorway of Lilian’s room, only for their eyes to widen in horror.
There stood Miranda, an arm around Lilian’s throat, her nails extended to be closer to the squirming girl’s neck.
“Hello, Guardians,” Miranda snickered. “I was just having a nice little chat with Lilian here.”
Napoleon stood facing Miranda, hissing.
“C-Cornelia?” Lilian gasped, confusion working into the clear fear on her face. “Who-who is this and… and why are you wearing your Halloween costumes?”
“Let my little sister go, now, Miranda!” Cornelia snarled, clenching her fists. “I swear, if you hurt even a single hair on her head I’ll—”
“Do nothing, Guardian!” Miranda snapped, before giving a fake sweet smile. “Not unless you want Earth’s queen to suffer an early abdication.”
“Wh…wha?” Lilian looked even less like she understood.
“Now, I’ll make you all a deal,” Miranda looked around at them all, her eyes particularly on Matt, Mr. Huggles and Napoleon. “Surrender the Heart of Earth and I’ll let little Lilian go.”
“You’re… barely older than me,” Lilian struggled.
Miranda laughed at the looks passing over them all. “If you wanna find me, follow.”
She showed her hand, causing them all to gasp as they noticed the Mage’s Ring upon it. How in the world had she gotten a hold of that?
Before they could properly react, Miranda opened a Fold next to her and leaped through, pulling Lilian along with her.
“Lilian!” everyone yelled, before charging for the Fold.
“Irma, contact Yan Lin and let her know what’s happened!” Will yelled, herself and Matt being the first through the Fold.
Irma did exactly that, sending a mental message to Hay Lin’s grandmother as she followed the others through the Fold, it closing right behind them.
___________________________________________________________
I exit the Fold… and my heart stops for a second as my foot does not meet solid ground.
I find myself falling forward, screaming as I flail my arms around, grabbing something and holding on tight.
When my vision finally clears, I realize I’m holding onto the edge of the roof of the apartment building Cornelia’s family lives in.
Sighing, both in relief of not falling to my untimely death and annoyance at the Fold’s inaccuracy, I pull myself up, rolling over the edge onto the top the building.
I just lay on my back for several moments, just grateful to feel the concrete underneath me.
Once I’ve calmed down enough, I get up and move towards the edge and look over it towards my right.
One downside to having to Fold here specifically is, while I can somewhat remember the Hale family’s home from season two, it wasn’t featured a lot and so I don’t exactly have a lot of details to work with.
However, I do remember they had a very large window towards the top floor that looks into their living room. I should be able to recognize that and work from there.
Just have to home W.I.T.C.H. don’t spot me first so I can at least figure out a way to keep shit from hitting the fan before… well, shit hits the fan.
Having to shit hitting the fan scenarios so close to one another really does not help.
I squint, thinking I can recognize the window looking into their living room.
Stealing myself, I slowly climb over the edge of the room and move along the wall, never more thankful that somehow losing my spider form gave me the power to walk on walls like Spiderman.
I do feel on edge as I climb along the wall towards the window, though. It’s clearly mid-afternoon. The chances someone could spot me doing this are incredibly high.
Of course, they’d be higher had I let a certain prismatic-maned Pegasus come along, so at least that’s a plus.
I climb along until I’m on a part of the wall on the balcony of the Hale home and drop down, quickly moving to the window… and immediately feel worry set in.
The door leading from the balcony into the living room is ajar. This cannot be a good sign.
Deciding to throw caution to the wind, I thrust the door open and run inside.
“Lilian?” I call out, cupping my hands. “Lilian, are you here? Cornelia?” I gulp, asking in a more anxious whisper, “Napoleon?”
Nothing.
No response at all.
I rush through the apartment, opening every door, trying to find any sign of anyone, but I find nothing. The apartment is completely empty.
“Please tell me they all just went out for a late lunch or something,” I bite my lip, before I hear a door unlocking, immediately followed by a pair of voices I’m not really familiar with, but can easily guess.
I jump onto the ceiling and crawl along until I see them, Cornelia’s parents.
“Cornelia? Lilian?” Mr. Hale calls out, glancing around as he takes his wife’s coat off. “Girls, are you here?”
When they’re met with silence, Mrs. Hale gives a light laugh. “They must be out hanging with their friends.”
“Bit irresponsible of them,” Mr. Hale chides, his eyes on the open door to the balcony. “Leaving the door open. I thought we taught them better than that.”
I wait til they move out of the room, before quickly leaving out the open door and climb down the wall of the complex until I’m close enough to jump down.
Once I’ve reached the ground, I bite my lip. I need to find the Guardians and Lilian before it’s too late, but I don’t actually know my way around Heatherfield.
I know locations, sure, but that doesn’t equate to being able to navigate the area. I need to find a way to get to somewhere familiar they’ll likely be.
Glancing around for inspiration, I’m met with a sight it takes me a moment to really process, before it clicks.
Rushing over to a payphone, I open the phone book next to it and start refiling through it.
My memories of home are foggy at best, but I do remember things are way more advance tech wise there than on this version of Earth.
After a few minutes, I find the number I’m looking for. I remembered the name of Yan Lin’s restaurant, The Silver Dragon, from when I first arrived here as Miranda.
I hadn’t thought knowing the name would help in anyway, but here we are. It could be my only way of finding the girls before Miranda gets her hands on Lilian.
I pause for a second, remembering payphone require pay, before deciding to reverse the charges. Considering the gravity of the situation, I don’t think Yan Lin will mind.
“Hello. This is The Silver Dragon. How may I help you today?” a male voice I do not recognize says from the other end.
“I need to speak with your owner, Yan Lin, immediately,” I say, trying to sound urgent, but not too much. Don’t want this guy thinking it’s a prank call.
“I’m sorry, miss, but Mrs. Lin isn’t in right now. Can I leave a message?”
Are you fucking kidding me?
Doing my best to contain my anger, I realize I might have one option still.
“Is her sister, Meera there?”
“Just a moment.”
I hear shuffling and muffled voices, before I hear the phone being picked up and a familiar voice asking, “Hello. This is Meera.”
I open my mouth to speak, before catching myself.
Shit, Meera would be fully aware of Miranda and her escape. She has all Yan Lin’s memories up to the point Nerissa created her, after all.
“Hello? Did the phone line cut out again?” Meera asks, sounding both confused and annoyed.
Thinking fast, I clear my throat and speak with a lighter tone, noting I kinda sound like Daphne from Scooby Doo. “Yes, Miss Meera. It’s urgent. It’s about your granddaughter and her friends.”
“Hay Line?” she sounds both concerned and suspicious. “Who is this and what’s so urgent about my granddaughter?”
“I need to speak with them as soon as possible,” I say, trying to be careful what words I use and to keep my tone from slipping back to normal. I may be fooling her for now, but Meera will figure out my real voice instantly if I don’t focus. “They could be facing an Altermere of one of their old enemies.”
There’s silence for a moment.
“How do you know what an Altermere is and where do you want to meet?” Meer’s voice is firm and tense. She knows no ordinary person would know that word. And, being an Altermere herself, she’ll well aware what mentioning it can entail.
“I’m afraid I don’t know my way around this city very well,” I say, glancing around. “Can you meet me outside the Hale family’s apartment complex?”
There’s a pause, before I get a firm, “Yes.”
“Be here as soon as you can,” I say. “Time is of the essence.”
I wait til she hangs up, then move over to a bench with a good view of the area outside the complex, but hidden enough no one will easily see me from the road and sit down to wait.
Less than half an hour later, a taxi pulls up and a woman who looks identical to Yan Lin steps out, paying the driver, before looking around.
“I’m here,” she says firmly, walking around, glancing about. “Where are you? And I’d advise against any funny business. I may be an Altermere of an old lady, but that means I do still have power I can use, since Yan Lin was once a Guardian herself.”
“I’m fully aware.”
She turns to look in my direction. I’m hiding with the shadows of a nearby tree, making sure she can’t actually see me.
“I’ll ask again, who are you and what do you know about my granddaughter and her friends?”
“I’m someone who wants to save Earth’s Queen,” I say, not moving from my spot. “I’m also someone who knows the Guardians are likely falling into a trap. If Lilian has been taken by who I think she has, Earth’s heart may very well be lost unless we act quickly.”
Meera stares firmly at me for several moments.
“You mentioned an Altemare,” she says after a while. “Who’s Altemare?”
I drop the Daphne voice and step out of the shadows. “Mine.”
Meera quickly backs away, glaring. “Miranda!”
“Yes.” I shake my head. “And no.”
Meera frowns. “Wait. Are you an Altemare?”
I shake my head. “I wish. Then I wouldn’t feel so dirty all the time.”
She cocks an eyebrow.
I briefly explain everything as best I can, winding up here in their world in this body, Folding to Equestria, unintentionally Folding back here and getting the call from that Gregor guy who made an Astral Drop of me and clearly then turned it into Altemare and what Miranda said when we met in Equestria.
Meera, understandably, doesn’t trust me right away.
“You’re a manipulative being, Miranda,” she eyes me warily. “How do I know this isn’t just some elaborate ruse of yours?”
I shake my head. “You can’t. But, if you really need proof, taking me to the Council of Kandrakar. They will be able to confirm to you if I’m lying or not. But, we need to move, fast. Your granddaughter, her friends and Earth Queen could be in serious danger.”
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“I still say this is a bad idea,” Caleb says as we walk out of the Fold, entering the large citadel that is Kandrakar.
I’m walking between him and Meera, my hands tied by rope. A rather pointless measure as, even before I gained my weird unexplained super strength, I could’ve easily broken such pitiful bindings by transforming, but it’s the sentiment.
It my way of showing I’m no threat. We can’t afford to waste time on misunderstandings.
Blunk is with us too, lagging behind, clearly uncertain. After all, the last time he and I interacted, I’d made it clear the idea of eating him repulsed me, which, considering his history with Miranda, likely left him very confused.
I’m led to face two people I’m, not gonna lie, a bit nervous about.
The former Fire Guardian, Halinor and The Oracle.
Meera had gotten in contact with Yan Lin, who’d sent word ahead of us, giving all the details.
The two look me over, Halinor turning to The Oracle. “Well, Oracle?”
He looks at me, right in the eyes… and I feel incredibly uncomfortable. It’s like he’s looking right into my very soul.
Granted, that could be a good thing, in the long run, but that doesn’t stop it being any less unsettling.
After what feels like an eternity, he closes his eyes. “She can be trusted.”
“What?!” Caleb cries, looking torn between angry and confused.
“This girl is indeed Miranda, but also not,” The Oracle says. “And, she speaks the truth. The Guardians and Regents of Earth are right now falling into a trap. We must stop this from happening.”
“How?” Halinor asks as Meera unties my bindings.
The Oracle simply turns and opens a Fold in front of him, before glancing back to me. “You must return to where you came from, Miranda. The Guardians will need your help.”
I blink. “Um, okay, hold on. I came here to warn the Guardians. How am I supposed to help them beyond that? I’m not exactly a Guardian myself, you know?”
He simply turns his gaze to the Fold. “They have fallen for the trap. Lilian is in danger.”
“If you wanna help, then come on!”
I yelp in surprise as Caleb grabs my arm and pulls me into the Fold with him.