Chapter 3
Celestia's sun rose just as it did every morning before that, but it was an especially glorious morning for the lavender unicorn occupying Ponyville library. She exited her bed with an extra hop to each of her steps. She was still feeling a mixture of happiness and relief over the return of her magic to its normal state. Twilight couldn't wipe the smile off of her face even through the feeling of fatigue after her short, albeit well needed, sleep.
She decided to reward Spike's patience with her last night by allowing him to sleep in for a couple hours while she did some running around. She did still feel a smidgen of regret for lying to Spike last night about her true motives, but she still didn't feel comfortable telling everypony about her brief state of weakness. Maybe in due time, Twilight thought. As she closed the door to the library behind her, she started to make a list of things that needed to get done. First I'll have to thank Fluttershy properly for letting me use her library yesterday. Even though it didn't really help, I should still- Twilight's thoughts were cut short by a flash of pink racing past her, nearly knocking her to the ground. She gathered her head and saw Pinkie Pie racing back towards her.
"Oh my gosh Twilight I'm so sorry I was just in a hurry because I wanted to not be late to lunch with the girls and I thought if I walked then I wouldn't make it on time and galloping wouldn't do it either so I would have to race as fast as I possibly can to make it and now that I'm stopping I'll have to go even fast oh gosh I hope I don't knock into anypony else!"
"Pinkie Pie slow down, its okay. I'm in no rush. Just heading to Fluttersh-"
"Oh you're going to see Fluttershy?! She's going to the lunch I'm going to! We're meeting Rainbow Dash there before she heads off to the weather-something meeting-thingy!"
"Well then, mind if I join you guys?"
"Sure thing! Let's just hurry! I don't want to be late!"
"Can't we just walk? I'm sure they don't mind us being five minutes late."
"But, but, fine," Pinkie said with a slight frown.
As they walked across town, something finally crossed Twilight's mind.
"Hey Pinkie, why didn't anypony invite me to come? I would definitely have taken the time out to come eat with you girls."
"Well you see I suggested that we do just that yesterday but Rainbow said you would probably just be reading all day but I finally convinced her to at least try to find you to ask but everywhere we looked you were nowhere to be found! So eventually I just said okie-dokie-lokie and we left it at just us three!"
"Well that's fine then, I was quite busy yesterday but I'm glad you ran into me so that I could attend this lunch."
"What were you up to that made you so not available silly!"
"Oh it was nothing too important, just something that I had to get done." Another instance where Twilight wasn't exactly lying. She just hoped that neither Pinkie nor the other ponies pressed the issue any harder. She wasn't comfortable not telling everypony about what happened, but she felt it was for the best.
Thankfully for Twilight, the walk to the restaurant did not last much longer and soon they joined the company of Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy.
Rainbow Dash seemed pleasantly surprised by the lavender unicorn joining them. "Hey Twilight! I wasn't expecting you to be here!"
"Well I ran into Pinkie on the way to Fluttershy's and kind of invited myself to tag along."
"No problem at all; I'm starving! Can we get to the grub?"
"Certainly. By the way Fluttershy, thanks so much for letting me look through your collection, I hope I returned everything to its proper place."
"Well yes, everything was where it belonged, but I still don't know where you were the rest of the day because you weren't in my cottage when I got back. Nothing bad happened to you, I hope?" Fluttershy whimpered.
Twilight flinched at the thought of having to lie to her friends again. "Well, you see I was-"
Twilight was relieved to find the waiter standing over them asking what they would be eating. This distraction was welcomed by Twilight and would hopefully derail the previous conversation they were having. After a few minutes of chatter about Fluttershy's adventure with Angel yesterday and tales of dangerous weather manipulation by Rainbow Dash, the food finally arrived. Rainbow Dash attacked her sandwich viciously, showing no mercy as she began devouring it as if to set record time. Fastest flier in all of Ponyville? Looks like fastest eater to me, thought Twilight.
"Stho Twilight, where were you yethterday?" Asked Rainbow Dash, her mouth stuffed with food.
"It was nothing really, I was just out doing some chores," responded Twilight.
Rainbow managed to swallow the remainder of food in her mouth before continuing, "Come on Twilight that's not all you did! Something interesting or awesome must have happened, you were gone all day! Spill the beans Twi."
"No really, nothing interesting happened at all!" Said Twilight a little bit louder than she intended it to come out.
Rainbow was taken aback by her outburst and she narrowed her eyes, "Okay now I know something is going on. Twilight. We're your friends, you really should tell us what's been going on."
"Listen Rainbow, it's not that I don't want to tell you it's that-"
Twilight was interrupted by yet another welcome distraction. This time in the form of a grey mare with a blonde colored mane holding a mailbag. She turned to face Twilight, "Mail delivery for Rainbow Dash!"
"Uh Derpy, Rainbow Dash is over there." Responded Twilight while pointing her hoof towards Rainbow Dash only to notice that both Rainbow's hooves and mouth were full of food. Twilight sighed, "Never mind, I'll give it to her." Twilight said as she grabbed the letters with her magic and had them hovering over the table. "Thanks Derpy." And with that they grey mare turned and (almost knocking the waiter to the ground) flew away.
Rainbow somehow managed to swallow the final part of her sandwich before turning again to Twilight. "Don't think I haven't forgotten Twilight! You need to tell us what's been going on! We just want to help."
Twilight turned to Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy who both nodded their head in unison. "Listen girls, it's really nothing of concern! I just don't want to trouble you with any of this."
"Twilight, enough of all that! Just tell us!" Rainbow said back to her in a raised tone of voice.
"I don't want to!"
"Just tell us!"
"NO!" Twilight yelled. At the same time, the letters that she had been holding with her magic started to tear and shred before bursting into a bright flame. Fluttershy let out a shriek while Pinkie's eyes widened.
"Gee Twilight, thanks," muttered Rainbow Dash as the remaining ashes floated down onto the table.
"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry Rainbow! I don't know how that happened! I really didn't mean to I swear! You'll have to believe me, I would never do something like that on purpose!" Twilight pleaded.
"Yeah, well, maybe you should just get your sandwich to-go Twi." Sighed Rainbow.
Twilight began wrapping her sandwich up while being attacked by guilt. The table had gone silent and nopony had touched their food as Twilight finished preparing her sandwich while leaving a few bits on the table. "Sorry girls," she said as she turned to leave. She started her walk home with her head hung from embarrassment. Why would you do that Twilight? I obviously didn't want to do that, but why did it happen? I would never have done something like that to anypony. I don't even know if I could do that on purpose if I tried! All of these questions fluttered around in Twilight's head as she returned to the library. I know! I'll write to Celestia and see if she has any input on this matter. Twilight normally only wrote to Celestia about the lessons she learned about friendship but hopefully Celestia wouldn't be upset if Twilight came to her with a problem involving friendship and was seeking advice.
Twilight entered the library and called for Spike. He came flying from upstairs to greet his favorite librarian.
"Hey Twilight! Thanks for letting me sleep in today. I really needed it."
"No problem Spike, take a letter please."
Spike whipped out some parchment and a quill and began writing about Twilight's issue with her friends and her indescribable magic acts. Spike used to be concerned about what he was writing down for Twilight but then decided it was best not to think too deeply into it lest he take something the wrong way and end up confused. So he just took the note and signed it for Twilight before blasting it with his breath and watching it soar out the library's highest window.
Twilight was heading towards the kitchen to unwrap and finish her sandwich before a sound surprised her. It was the sound of Spike belching up a response letter from Celestia. That was fast! thought Twilight. Before Spike recovered from the recoil, Twilight was already in front of him snatching up the letter with her magic and reading it.
Dear Twilight Sparkle,
I am sorry to hear about your happenings today. It is always tragic when disagreements arise between friends. But I trust you have the wisdom and strength to pull through this. The threads that keep friends together are constantly pulled and tested, but the bonds you and your friends have weaved can surely stand up to this test. As for your magic, I'm afraid I cannot tell exactly what is happening without being there to see for myself which, unfortunately, is just not possible right now. I have been studying changelings deeply recently: everything from their battle tactics to their society. Changelings have never been a species to forgive and forget, and I fear that another attack on Canterlot is not only possible, but coming soon. I have not yet detected any foreign activity from the changelings nor their queen, Chrysalis. I know my absence isn't something either of us prefer but for Ponyville, and all of Equestria, it's what needs to happen. I know that, even without me, you can make it through your troubling times Twilight. Stay strong my pupil.
Princess Celestia
What was supposed to bring relief to Twilight only brought on waves of doubt and sadness. She remembers Celestia's words to stay strong and tries to put everything negative behind her. Trying to escape the negative feelings she does what she has been doing ever since she was just a filly, reading.
As she magically turned the pages of one of her oldest equestrian history books, her thoughts led back again to Princess Celestia and her letter. She felt abandoned and left out. Even if the Princess was embarking on these missions, Twilight wished she could at least accompany her. She was the Princess's star pupil. Her only personal student at the time. Twilight thought that it would mean more time with the Princess. The Princess could trust her, Twilight thought, but she wouldn't even ask Twilight for any help? As these thoughts of anger, envy, and doubt swirled in Twilight's mind she felt something strange happening. She looked towards the book she was reading just seconds ago and the pages started to change. The page she was just reading started to crumble and tear. She observed close and the page of the book looked as if it was being attacked, by her magic. She observed what looked to be thousands of extremely tiny magic needles piercing the page and slowly withering it away until finally the page had been completely destroyed.
Twilight lept back from her book and shut off the magical connection she had to it. What was going on? How did she do that? Is that the same thing that happened to Rainbow's letter? Twilight was too exhausted to think any further and dreadfully walked her way up to her bed.
Sleep was not going to come for Twilight Sparkle tonight. Now Twilight wasn't just alone, she was scared.
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Author's Note
Yes Pinkie Pie's speaking lines are supposed to be run-ons and very hasty-like. Just like Pinkie doesn't take breaths between speaking nor should you during reading!