//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 // Story: Notes Between a Married Couple // by AFanaticRabbit //------------------------------// Twilight didn’t care about the sunlight streaming in through the windows to her stately bedroom, bathing the bed and thus her in warm yellow and orange. She didn’t care much for the birdsong outside, or the distant orders and chatter of guards or staff. None of that was out of the ordinary. She had years to adjust and get used to sleeping in the Canterlot palace again. She had a routine: wake up, snuggle, stagger to the private dining room, eat, then deal with whatever bureaucratic or monarchic duties she had that day. She didn’t care about any of those plans because she was stuck on step two of that routine. Where normally there’d be a weight for her to lean into and press her snout, there was just an empty space and a divot in the bed. Somewhere between the occupant leaving and then, Twilight stole the bedsheets and tightly wrapped herself up. She stared at the empty space, one hoof extended out to it, wondering why it was empty right then. There were plenty of logical possibilities after all, but as time went on most of them faded, leaving Twilight nothing more than a confused feeling and a few loose, indigo hairs. With great effort, Twilight unravelled herself and rose from her bed. Normally she’d take a few moments to get her mane and feathers in order, even if she were about to take a shower, but in that moment she didn’t care. She had to investigate. The first place to check seemed the most obvious to Twilight. It was also the closest, though as she opened the door to the bathroom and peeked inside, the other clues of its emptiness dawned upon her. It was empty, devoid of noise save for a slight echo of her breathing. She thinly smiled, and left her bedroom. The halls between the various wings and sections of the palace let the sun in, just like her balcony window, though they distorted the light into myriad hues through their stained glass.  Closed as they were, they let no sound in from outside, but muffled hoofsteps and voices echoed down the hallway. The only other signs of life were the two guards at the start of the hall, and the servant ready to make Twilight’s bed, change the towels, mop up any loose water. He’d have little work to do today. Down a level and deeper into the palace, Twilight entered her private dining room. She’d eaten there many times already, and what was once special in her foalhood was now just another room. There were other ponies, a few guards waiting for trouble, a few more servants preparing plates and small, morning meals. None of them were the pony Twilight was searching for. She crossed the room to the small adjacent kitchen, meant to serve that dining room alone. It was likewise empty. The smile turned to a frown, and Twilight disappeared back into the corridors. The palace was huge, with any number of hiding places, but there were only a few Twilight ought to check. She peered into her study, but was met with dust and books, nothing more. She burst into the study, the door bumping a nearby table and sending a bolt of cloth unrolling on the floor. She shunted the door to the throne room open, startling one of the guards at the far end. They both blinked at her, but she disappeared before their opened mouths could speak. She finally settled in the council room, squeezing herself into the chair beside her own. Every other seat was empty, and a layer of dust coated the table in the middle. A deep frown and a knotted brow distorted Twilight’s face as she stared at the map carved into the middle of the table. The edge of the map held inset gems, one of them matching her own. She was focused on the triple diamonds in front of her. Twilight jolted her head upright following a knock on the door. There stood one of the newest recruits, a young gryphon with bright blue feathers. “Sorry to disturb you, teach—er, your highness,” he said, “I just—You were running around all frantic like, and I figured—“ “Get the guard to conduct a search,” said Twilight. There was a pause before he raised a claw, then seemingly thought better of whatever he was about to say. He instead looked pointedly at the same spot Twilight was, then nodded. “Right away your highness. Is this an emergency?” With a shake of her head, Twilight said, “No.” Another nod, and the guard disappeared, leaving Twilight to her thoughts. And when Twilight was left to her thoughts, she paced. The council room was too small. The throne room was too public. The corridors had plenty of space but they weren’t the right balance of repetitive and detailed. Thus Twilight’s hooves brought her back to her bedroom. Spacious, private, familiar. Hers, and Rarity’s. The second she stepped in, her mind clicked into analysing the situation, like she’d not only walked through a door to another room but another mindset. She started walking a semi-circle around her bed, though as she came to her third cycle, she stopped. There was something atop one of the wardrobes. There were a lot of somethings, various knickknacks, artefacts, gifts and decorations. The white envelope pinned under a music box was most definitely new. She slid it out, turning it over a few times in the air before her. It had no name or address, and from the watermark it was her own stationary. She opened it. She took out the letter. She read. A mountain range of confusion wrote itself across her brow, then she grinned. She whirled around to the door, where the guard from before stood. “Your highness, we’ve checked all over the—“ “Call off the search.” She tucked the letter under a wing. “Everything is fine.” Dear Twilight, First of all, I’d like to say I’m sorry, though be happy this isn’t that sort of letter. I know just up and vanishing on you like that isn’t exactly the nicest thing to do to you, especially after all we’ve been through. But I needed something more than a conversation. I needed something exciting, something that would stir you into action. I needed an adventure, and without some existential threat that you and I can uniquely face, I had to make it my own. I miss those days, you know. The days when you were in Ponyville, and we had the elements. I might not have shown it properly at the time but I took pride and dignity in being one of the few ponies chosen to protect Equestria and the world. And it was exciting. We faced down beastly terrors and solved all manner of problems, from the mundane among our friends to those of utmost importance not just to our nation but to the world at large. Now I often just feel old. Between your former students, my sister and her friends, and other little groups that have cropped up, I feel like we’ve been made useless. Oh dear, I do hope you haven’t asked the guard to look for me. I probably should have said not to call them at the start. Anyway, I figured if an adventure won’t come and find us, then I suppose we would simply have to find an adventure of our own. I also know you, and that you won’t simply abandon your post because I asked. I’d have to force you. I’ve got half a night’s head start on you at least. All I’m going to tell you is that I’ve headed west, and from there you’ll simply have to guess! Love, your faithful,     Rarity.