//------------------------------//
// Fragments: Platinum Check  
// Story: Twilight's Nightmare 
// by Nightsclaw 
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Platinum Check was, as she thought of it, restlessly content. As Luna was free, the main reason for her existence was completed before she even awakened. But with her current host, she found a thread of kinship. He had lost so much because of Celestia and, worse still, even had the memory of what had been denied him stolen too. If she had been given the choice, she might have even chosen him.

The long grass that caressed his hooves and the sun that warmed his coat made this little expedition quite pleasant. The view would have been superior under moonlight, but regrettably, the prince did not have the eyes for it.

Overall, everything was going well. She had nothing to really complain about. It would be far too easy to just focus on her prince and his goals. Still, there were mysteries she needed to know the answer to. She did not know how Noble Guide had gotten the spell to awaken her or why he cast it. The latter point was of no consequence, he was far too simple-minded to grasp what kind of tool he really had, and that fact had worked to her benefit.

Was it mere happenstance, or was the spell placed in his hooves deliberately? Was the Blight another part of Luna's plan or an attack against her ponies?  

Blueblood had come along nicely. Even without her magic supporting him, he had far more stamina and drive than he used to. It was a shame there had been no way to contrive for him to court Luna, but no matter. Luna had Twilight and a daughter, and they seemed happy.

Blueblood's pursuit of Lady Rarity was proceeding well. As soon as he was free from Celestia's meddling, his natural charm had been more than enough to woo the Element of Generosity.

With his keen mind and charisma, the young prince could have been so much. He truly would have made a better Alicorn than Twilight, at least better balanced and certainly far more handsome.

Twin lines of colour interrupted her musing. High above, a prismatic trail that could be none other than Rainbow Dash was followed by another magenta and red streak.

Sensing Blueblood's curiosity, she answered his unasked question It would seem another as risen to Lady Dash's level.

Well, whoever they are, they both are most certainly in a hurry… and there heading straight for...

The world rippled. The entirety of existence cried out a single word. "No!"

Blueblood fell to the ground. His hoof clutched his horn. Reflexively, she tried to soothe him. He lifted his head. Every other unicorn here was down. Either unconscious or clutching their horns.

"What was that?"

That was Twilight, my Prince.

The hero inside him rose, and he pushed himself to his hooves. Despite the sliver of fear that went down his spine, there was not even a hint of it in his mental voice. Can you help the others?

Put your horn to theirs.

He complied.

Each of them had foreign magic dancing around their horns. Small arcs of magenta magic. Each little strand of it franticly needed to do something but merely flayed about. It wished for purpose. She would give it what it desired.

It was foal's play to pull on it and make it her own. It tasted like ashes on her tongue, laced with grief and denial.

As she pulled the wild magic from them, they started to recover. The grateful looks and works of thanks were yet more affirmation of Blueblood's kind heart.  

A deep-seated core of worry built in her. Something bad was happening, and two of Twilight's knights were heading sight towards it at top speed.

The sun dimmed, and then the fear was her own. "Down!" She commanded with the prince's voice. Any that were too slow, her aura dragged down. The crunches meant a few broken bones, but that did not matter. Her panic-fueled magic poured out of the prince.

Ice and darkness burnt their way down his leylines and into reality.

By the stars, let it be enough.