Twilight paced back and forth between several open books. Her breathing was as tense as it was the moment Pearl had vanished from her side. Off to the side all of her friends watched on as Twilight read a passage from one book, only to jot something down from another.
“This can’t go on much longer.” Starlight sighed as she sat there watching Twilight. “It’s been a week now. She’s gone through every spell and book in this palace. She hasn't slept a wink since that day. Now do you all see why I called you here.”
“Yeah this is just too much.” Spike folded his arms across his chest. “I’ve heard what some of the guards have been saying. That she’s…” a hoof across his mouth from Rarity silenced the dragon.
“Tut Tut Spikie.” Rarity brushed off her friend's comment like a piece of lint from her well designed top. “Those guards don’t know anything. There’s certainly been no evidence to prove that she’s.. Well. you know.”
“Yeah but we’ve searched high and low for her, and have all come up with bupkis.” Applejack just shook her head. “I think one of us needs to brace Twilight for the reality of things. Pearl is gone. I’m gonna miss her too but it’s no good holding on to false hope.”
“So what? We just let Twilight lose the love of her life without hope?” Rainbow Dash moved up and got nose to nose with Applejack.
“That’s not what I’m saying, we just need to be practical about this.” Applejack replied, pushing Dash backwards a bit. “We even wrote our counterparts in the human world and they found nothing. All that was found here was her saddle bag at the blast point. Charred and shredded.”
“I agree with you Applejack, but she wants to try a spell I think is dangerous.” Starlight groaned as she rubbed the bridge of her nose with a hoof. “That’s why I called you all here. To talk her out of it. We lost Pearl, we can’t lose our princess too. No matter how badly she wants to join her.”
“I think we should stop her.” Fluttershy stood up and started to walk towards Twilight. “We just need to remind her, she’s not alone.”
The mane six all looked at each other and nodded. Taking several steps toward Twilight. A massive explosion shook the castle, tripping up every pony.
“What the…” Twilight blinked as she sat up. Three books speared on her horn. “I haven't even started the spell yet. I’m sure the explosions are supposed to happen after.
“Okay, did anypony get the number on the rainboom that did that?” Rainbow dash groaned as she found herself upside down against a bookshelf.
“Not sure, where did it come from?” Applejack groaned from under Rainbow. As she tried to push her friend off of her body.
“I think it came from the school.” Starlight pulled herself up and looked out the window. Black smoke was emanating from the science labs. “Once the ringing in our ears stops. Let's go see what caused it.”
Everypony grumbled and nodded in agreement only seconds before the door burst open.
“Princess. We found her.” The school guard huffed and puffed heavily. “We found Pearl.”
Pearl groaned as she pulled the sheet up over her head. The annoying beeping sound was making it very difficult to sleep.
Whatever that sound is, Kohaku better have one hell of an explanation for making it. She thought while pulling a pillow up over her head. Her headache had gotten worse thanks to the ever constant beeping. Rolling over she yelped out as something tugged hard on her right front leg. Opening her eyes she pulled the pillow down to find tubes and wires running out of her limbs.
Blinking, she turned to the sound of the beeping and found it was a heart monitor. Quirking an eyebrow the young pegasus sat up and rested her front legs on her pillow. Looking around she recognized the room as one in Ponyville General Hospital.
“What the buck?” Turning to the side she looked out at the window, dusk had started to mingle with the daylight hours, turning the sky a brilliant shade of purple and pink. “How long was I out for?”
“I’m sorry Princess but you absolutely must wait….” a muffled voice came from the other side of the doorway. “No. No Princess. Please put me down this instant. This is no way to behave in a hospital. Nor to treat the doctor attending Miss Pearl.”
“I don’t care, I’m going in there now. I’ve waited long enough.” The familiar voice of Twilight made Pearl relax a little. Even got a giggle from hearing what was going on. Pearl could just imagine her doctor hovering over the ground, suspended by her Mentor’s magic. Almost moments later the door burst open and as fast as she could blink, found herself on the receiving end of a strong hug.
“Oh Pearl, Thank the heavens. I thought I lost you!” Twilight half cried out as she squeezed Pearl tightly.
“Can’t…. Breathe…” Pearl squeaked as she was half crushed against Twilight’s flooff.
“Oh I’m so sorry, it’s just you had been missing for over a week. And another two unconscious here in the hospital.” Twilight moved back after releasing Pearl, who started gasping as air began to refill her lungs. “I was just so worried.”
“Well, sorry. Who knew what could have happened. I mean that spell and…” Pearl looked up and blinked repeatedly as she looked at Twilight. Shaking her head wildly she looked at the tube in her arm. “What the buck do they have me on? If I didn’t know better I'd swear your mane is alive. When did it start swirling like that? And for that matter what is up with that horn? Did you get an extension or something?”
Twilight blinked as she looked at Pearl. Who was looking at Twilight as if she had grown a second head. “Um. No. My mane has been doing this for quite some time. And my horn is the same as it’s always been since my growth spurt.”
Pearl slapped her cheeks with her hooves a few times before rubbing her ears. “Now that you mention it, when did you get so flipping huge? Not that it’s a bad look for you, quite attractive actually. But sheesh you're almost as large as Celestia now.”
“One moment Pearl.” Twilight looked slightly nervous as she ran to the door, the doctor floating there upside down with his front legs crossed and a scowl on his muzzle. “Doc, what is going on with Pearl?”
“Well, had you let me explain prior to putting me in this situation.” Doctor Lovejoy slowly spun around in the air as he talked. “It seems that Pearl has a few issues with her memory. And after examining her ley lines, the reference point where we magical doctors determine an unconscious pony’s age. She is precisely four years younger than she was in her last examination.”
“How can a pony get younger all of a sudden?” Twilight blinked, held her hoof on the doctor and canceled out her levitating trap spell.
“Thank you. Although I was starting to get used to it.” Lovejoy smirked and picked up Pearl’s chart from the door slot. “We aren't sure. During the time she was awake, she kept mentioning an experiment you and she were performing on a mirror. And asking if anyone was hurt during the explosion.”
“Experiment? We weren’t conducting an experiment.” Twilight looked at the room. “We were preparing to head to the human world.”
“Hense her memory problem. She didn’t even recognize me as her doctor. Kept asking where a Doctor Howser was. And we have no such doctor on staff here or anywhere.”
“Is there anything we can do?” Twilight began to slowly chew on her lower lip.
“About her age, we’ll look into it but I doubt it. You did mention to me once that her age had been slowed by some spell a dragon queen used on her. It’s possible whatever magic she recently came into contact with, reacted with it and deaged her.” Marking a few things down on his clipboard, the doctor put it back in the door slot. “But her memory might come back to normal in a few days. Just don’t do anything out of the ordinary. Normalcy is what she needs right now. Expose her to her life just as it was. If nothing changes in a few days you can bring her back here and we’ll run a few more tests.”
“Thank you, when can I bring her home?” Twilight took a step to the door.
“We want to keep her here for overnight observation, she can return home tomorrow morning at eight o clock.” With that the doctor walked off to his next appointment.
Nodding softly Twilight pushed open the door and walked back into Pearl’s room.
“About bucking time, now what is going on here? How did you get so big? What is going on with your mane?” Pearl huffed as she leaned back in her hospital bed.
“I’ll explain all that in time. Right now the doctors just want to observe you overnight and tomorrow I’ll bring you home.” Twilight smiled and rested a hoof on Pearl’s shoulder.
Letting out a soft sigh Pearl nodded. “Alright fine, I guess one night won’t be too bad here. It could have been worse.” Twilight nodded along with Pearl. “Could you do me a favor, make sure Kohaku knows I'm okay. I’m sure he’s been out of his mind with worry.” Laying down, Pearl closed her eyes and went to sleep.
Twilight stood there and blinked, almost grimacing at the words she just said. And how to break that news to her. Turning around, Twilight got to the door and stopped. The sudden Idea thrust into her head. Wait a moment… she never knew him four years ago. Did she? With a shrug of her shoulders the princess closed the doors behind her.
Peal walked down the paths of Ponyville in a daze. Her eyes were completely vacant and her shoulders stooped. Only half an hour ago did she receive the news from Twilight. She couldn’t believe it. It wasn’t possible, it was preposterous to think that the fox she loved had been dead for thousands of years. All during that half hour she waited for the punchline for that horrific joke, but the dark look in Twilight’s eyes told her everything she needed to know.
Was everything she experienced these last few years only an illusion? If so, who created it, and why? So intent on her inner thoughts she failed to notice Twilight had stopped and trodden into her side. “Oh I’m sorry Twilight!” Pearl muttered as she stepped back.
“It’s okay Pearl.” Twilight chuckled. “We’re here, home sweet home.” With a wing gesture she pointed toward her castle.
Pearl nodded. It was a shock to find that she was going to stay at Twilight’s castle. Not too unusual as she did spend a lot of her time there. Lifting her head up she blinked as an eye twitched.
“Um, Twilight? May I ask you something?” Pearl felt her heartbeat get a bit faster, her patience breaking as she spoke.
“You know you can ask me anything you want, Pearl.” Twilight caught the twitch in that eye. A quirk when she was highly annoyed when somethings never added up.
“A few things. But first. What in the name of sanity is this thing!” Pearl pointed her hoof up at the large crystal tree with a castle built in the branches. “It’s the most horrific thing I have ever seen. My god's Kohaku would have a heart attack if he saw this. It’s an affront to nature. I thought we were heading over there to your castle. Not this monstrosity!” Pearl swiftly pointed her hoof over to the School of Friendship then back to the Castle.”
Her breath heaving heavily she pushed off and floated up a few feet. “Second of all, what the buck happened to Ponyville? It’s like half the size it should be! Also, Your castle looks like a bucking school.”
“Pearl, please. Come down.” Twilight watched as Pearl floated down and settled on her hooves. “Everything hasn’t changed in the last four years. This is my castle.” Twilight pointed up at the crystal tree. “And that’s my School of Friendship.” Reaching out she pointed toward the school.
“You mean to tell me you and Rainbow live here?” Pearl looked up at the tree and blinked. “Well I can see Rainbow doing that. She’s always enjoyed sleeping in trees.”
Blinking Twilight shook her head. “No, Rainbow has her Cloudominium just on the outskirts of Ponyville. And I live here.”
“That makes no sense. Why would you live separately from your own wife! Unless you two are having marital problems I don't know about?” Pearl wanted to continue her ranting but the look on Twilight’s face said everything. That shocking and surprised look. Wide eyes and open mouth.
“Pearl. I. I care about Rainbow. She’s one of my closest friends. And yes I admit she’s quite attractive but I have never been married to Rainbow Dash. I can’t even fathom that Idea because I'm in a romantic relationship with another mare.” The words weren’t so much out of her mouth before Twilight brought both hooves up to her lips. “I’m sorry I shouldn’t have said that. Not this soon, the doctor said revealing too much too soon could hurt.”
“Who? Who is this mare?” Pearl trembled, sweat dripped down her spine. She knew the answer before it was spoken aloud. All the attention Twilight had given, her reactions. Pearl would have had to be blind to miss them. She saw how Twilight stared at her, not unlike how Kohaku does.
“It’s you Pearl.” Twilight sighed out bowing her head.
“I need to sit down.” Pearl murmured and turned her head. Walking into the castle without so much as a glance at Twilight who felt a tear fall down her cheek.