A/N: Hey everypony! I bring thee Chapter 3. Now, as much as I would love to, I will not be able to do daily updates. While I will have more time during Thanksgiving Break, I also have my annoying school work to do. Anyway, matters become more interesting. Enjoy!
Chapter III: Reception
Queen Chrysalis was not happy. Not at all. Her plan was going so well until Twilight came with the real Cadance. Fortune seemed to smile at her when Celestia and Luna fell to her. But now Twilight returned with this… strange bipedal who dared to insult her! From what Chrysalis saw, he seem to be wrapped in strange black cloth, but it was weird because he had no shadow…
Was he wrapped in his shadow?
Twilight faced the Queen with righteous anger. Enough was enough. She looked around. Her friends were trapped in the chrysalis and thus could barely see the fight. The audience, including her parents fled the area in terror only to be tormented in Canterlot no doubt. Luna was out cold behind them and Celestia hung above them in her chrysalis. Her brother was still in a trance, Cadance was stuck in place and Spike was hiding, scared that Luna was defeated.
Enough was enough.
No more.
“So Twilight, how do you want me to do this? You want to deal the final blow?” Anomaly said as he looked to Twilight. Twilight looked to him.
“But you sa-,“ she began before he cut in.
“I know. However, I was thinking that I can give you the power to send them away or let me do it myself. Reason being is that I am thinking you would enjoy being the one to banish the changelings from Equestria and I will give you the boost you need,” Anomaly said.
Twilight looked at him with a mix of confusion and slight graciousness. It was nice of him to think of her… despite the odd circumstances.
“Okay then…” Twilight said before Anomaly nodded and began showering Twilight in a faint rainbow colored light. Twilight felt… energetic. She let the energy flow to her horn. Chrysalis stepped back as Twilight’s horn glowed bright and brighter.
“Wait, what are you-,“ she began saying before Twilight released the magic.
A pale magenta beam shot out and hit Chrysalis. The Queen was enveloped in a pink twister. Anomaly grabbed Twilight and saw the twister exit the palace before going all over Canterlot and picking up all the changelings. Well, all the ones except those who were trapped in the net or jar held by the Duke.
“And that’s that,” Anomaly said as Twilight went to free Cadance. He watched the heartwarming scene of Cadance restoring Shining back to normal. “Twilight… I will see you later. Enjoy the reception and… this is our little secret,” Anomaly said as he crawled out the window and went back on the Duke of Crawlington. “Hmmm... your kind is hiding something," Anomaly said before he added: "and I intend to find out what." With a wild grin, he tapped the Earl with his heel and signaled to head out. “We’re going to need a hideout until we can meet with Twilight…” he said before he fled to out of town before he stared at the castle in the distance. Once the Duke and the others were hidden, he flew his way over to the castle, avoiding any guards and windows. He leaned near a wall.
Somepony was bound to have saw him... He trusted Cadance wouldn't say anything to anyone. but he wasn't sure about anypony else. He hated to admit it, but he noticed that ponies tended to be skittish and fearful of anyone they deem strange or a threat. While they had good reason, considering all the crazy things here, it was still pretty disappointing. He wouldn't be trusted and after seeing how they reacted with Twilight...
It was a pretty disappointing realization. While he confessed to himself that he might be overreacting, he didn't want something like this to happen. Not to him or to Twilight.
Having his mark on her made her his responsability and now had to carry the burden of being associated with him. It was probably for the best to quietly sneak out...
And then what...?
Anomaly snapped out of his musings when he heard the sound of tapping on the window. He looked around panicked. He saw he was standing on the window and saw who was tapping. He sighed in relief.
It was Twilight Sparkle.
Well…
Now was a time as good as ever… he guessed.
She opened the window and let him in.
“Thanks for… keeping your end of the deal,” Twilight Sparkle said as she saw him sit down. She looked at him. He looked… nervous. Reluctant?
There was an awkward silence that dominated the air.
“Uh… wedding cake?” Twilight offered sheepishly as a slice of cake on a plate levitated toward him. Anomaly happily took the cake and began eating, the food temporarily ridding him of the stress. Twilight observed Anomaly eat the cake. She found him fascinating. He was unlike any creature she has seen. He had some resemblance to a minotaur, but without any bovine features. Furthermore, he also reminded her slightly of a monkey.
“Twilight… we have to talk…” Anomaly began, but Twilight interrupted him.
“I know! I have so many questions? What are you? What’s wrong with you? I mean, I saw you look depressed or worried or something. Where are you from?” Twilight began to ramble though she blushed when she saw the anxious look he gave her at her barrage of questions.
“Twilight… there is no easy way to say this…” Anomaly began.
Meanwhile, with the others...
“Hey, I wonder where Twilight is?” Rainbow Dash said as she finished dancing with Soarin to talk to Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. “I dunno. She seemed kinda quiet today,” Appledash said as she approached them. “Where’s Rarity?” Fluttershy added. “She’s over there, dancing with Spike,” Pinkie Pie said in her usual cheery tone.
Yes, it was true. Spike was fortunate enough to be dancing with Rarity. Fancypants had been dancing with her though he invited the young dragon to dance with her while he enjoyed some refreshments.
“Well, she did save all of us from Queen Chrysalis...” Rainbow Dash began before looking a bit… nervous. “Yeah, ‘cause she was the only one who was suspicious of her when she was pretending to be Princess Cadance,” Applejack said. Spike and Rarity returned which simply added to the awkward silence. The six simply talked amongst themselves, trying their best to steer clear of the topic.
If only they knew what awaited Twilight and by extension, themselves…
“W-WHA-“ Twilight almost shouted, but Anomaly went and covered her mouth.
“Not so loud, don’t want to let anypony I’m here…” he told her.
“You mean… I have to leave Ponyville?” Twilight asked, her voice much softer.
Anomaly only nodded his head.
“I don’t understand…” Twilight said as she looks at him with wet eyes and a betrayed look that hurt him. Part of him even doubted why he was doing this. The only solution he could muster up would be time alone to reflect. That and if they saw the mark on her flank besides her cutie mark, there would be questions.
“Twilight, I'm not sure how well your friends will take you associating with me. I'm not sure if we can trust them, especially if word gets out regarding this," he added.
“But they helped beat Nightmare Moon,” Twilight argued.
“Yet all of you broke apart with Discord,” he countered.
“…But I got us all back together!” Twilight snapped back.
“…They haven’t approached to apologize, did they? Your friends, your brother, your mentor…” he mentioned to her quietly. He worried for them. It seemed that the mares had a long way to go regarding their friendship. He doubted a permanent fallout, but he was still a bit afraid of the possibility.
Twilight bit her lip. Despite all the time,there was no mention about it. She was quite upset, though arguably with Shining the least. While she was upset they lost touch, she knew that was partly her fault for getting so caught up in her studies. His doubt was caused by being impaired. She remembered his fatigued look and mildly ill disposition after he was snapped out of the trance. Her friends and Princess Celestia though...
“...You probably had a hard time hiding my mark from the others, right?” Anomaly said, trying to bring out a more valid point.
Twilight just nodded as she tried to process the information.
"Really, if they reacted like this over a misunderstanding here, imagine how it will be for something like this," he emphasized. Anomaly knew this was a gamble. He didn't know why the mark was necessary; a compulsion told him so. He took a breath to try and figure out what it did. It served to connect him to her. He would be able to track her and sense if something was wrong with her.
Twilight was thinking. She couldn't wear something like pants like Rarity's mom for the rest of her life. Beyond that, there was if she wanted to him or vice versa. After all, she did owe him for helping them through all of this, despite not having any real obligation to do so. Having went through alot these past few days, she hasn't been able to recover from the whole ordeal. Everyone has limits when it comes to coping.
Twilight… I am afraid it has to be this way…” Anomaly said as he wiped the tears from her eyes.
“But… they’re my friends… and… I don’t know…” Twilight said as she lied down and covered her head with her hooves.
“Well... you may trust your friends, but... I really kinda don't,” Anomaly said as he picked up Twilight like an infant. "All of them are good ponies, but considering what happened now... the risk presented is too much," he elaborated.
“W-what about Spike?” Twilight asked him.
Anomaly remained silent as he briefly pondered. He wasn't sure what Spike did outside the messege.
“…I’ll let say your good-byes and good-nights…” Anomaly told her after she finished weeping. Twilight wiped her tears with a hoof as she nodded. She looked to the window to check her reflection and make sure she didn’t look sad… she then noticed the giant spider and the captured changelings.
She turns to him with a confused and suspicious expression on her face.
"I'm gonna figure out what makes them tick," Anomaly said in his best professional voice he could. She didn't prod him any further before she was about to leave.
NiCe GoInG…
Shut up
I mEaN… tEaRiNg HeR fRoM eVErYtHiNg…
Shut up, shut up. ShUt Up!!
I mean… what do you EvEn WaNt HeR fOr…
Anomaly paused…
Why Twilight… was it because of convenience?
Wait… why…
Why her?
...WhAt Is WrOnG wItH mE?
Anomaly covered his mouth as he looked at his reflection. He looked… mad. Not mad angry, but mad crazy. Deranged even. He signed as he leaned on the window and wiped the sweat off of his brow. Not only that, he was aruging with his reflection. He could see his reflection take different poses and actions than he did.
He knew he was losing it. Was that why he brought Twilight?
So someone could save him?
So he could drag someone down the madness with him?
So he couldn’t be imprisoned in stone?
Was he doing this of his volition?
Was he still him or was it the chaos magic?
He didn’t even know for sure. He also didn’t know that Twilight witnessed everything.
Twilight had been trying to rehearse what to say or rather how so when she heard the lone human begin talking to himself. Her curiosity, reinforced by her memory of the prior moments, led her to observe the argument.
She was shocked to say the least.
She saw Anomaly arguing with his reflection. She could not hear him, but to her, it looked like he wasn't even aware of it. From what little she could tell, he was arguing with some facet of himself… The frightening part was the reflection was arguing back.
“Anomaly… what is wrong with you?” Twilight muttered to herself. She let out a breath as she remembered her task and tried to figure out what to do.
As Princess Cadance and Shining Armor were sharing another dance, Princess Cadance snuck some looks at Twilight. She was looking a bit upset. She wondered if it had to do with Anomaly.
While Cadance was grateful for saving the day, she could not help but feel something was off about him. However, she had other matters to attend to, if rumors were true. Meanwhile, she turned to her hubby, Shining Armor.
He was recovering from the spell the Queen placed on him. While she did snap him out of it, he still needed medicine to deal with the side effects and the fatigue. Well, the worst was over and now she could look forward to be able to grow old with him.
Despite those happy thoughts, Cadance could not help but feel there was trouble brewing…
After the reception party
Twilight had finished saying good-byes to her friends as they left back for Ponyville. She told them she would be remaining behind to check on her brother and the princesses. She had snuck throughout the castle, which had more guards than usual.
Twilight could not help but recall the time travel fiasco and wished the spell was not a one-use one. However, with how easily she went through the castle last time mixed with the changeling invasion, it was no surprise. When she approached Celestia’s room, she saw there were guards rotating shifts. She wondered how she would enter.
A faint noise got the guards’ attention and they went off to investigate. Seizing the opportunity, Twilight unlocked the door and saw Princess Celestia sleeping. Twilight gulped before approaching the princess.
She looked at her mentor with wet eyes. She wasn’t sure if she will see her again. While Twilight knew her mentor would be worried sick, she was not sure what she would do. Nevertheless, she went over and hugged her mentor before hearing the door being opened.
On impulse, she went out the window, only to land on something squishy. She looked to see the giant caterpillar. She looked confused before seeing Anomaly on him. Twilight refused to face him, instead looking down on the giant caterpillar she was sitting on.
“I already bid my friends and the princesses farewell. I was wondering… could I go tuck in Spike one last time?” Twilight asked him. Anomaly just nodded before he looked at another window, at his reflection once more. He hissed at his reflection before he looked back in horror.
Freak
MoNsTeR
Anomaly sighed as he stopped his hand from shaking. “Earl of Crawlington, to Ponyville,” he told the giant spider The giant spider began running ahead, dragging the exhausted changelings while the one in the jar was looking anxious. As they went on, Twilight had many questions, but she was heavily plagued with fatigue and too tired to question how her new... ahem friend accomplished his miraculous deeds.
They arrived at the library. Twilight stopped and entered before looking at Spike, who was fast asleep. She just tucked him in as she wiped another tear away. Having been thinking about it, she would miss him the most. He, who been by her side since her youth. When she thought she lost her friends by Discord, she still had him. When she and her brother drifted apart, she had him. When she moved to Ponyville, she had him.
She lamented on the how much she owed the little dragon and just realizing how important he was to her. “There are so many things I wish to tell you Spike… but all I can say is I love you and I am proud of you,” she muttered before she kissed Spike’s cheek and exited the library and got back on Earl of Crawlington. Upon Anomaly's instructions, he left her a note saying that she will be on a trip and not to worry. As they began leaving Ponyville, she needed to ask just one question.
“Where are we going?” Twilight asked him as he looked forward while on the spider.
"I don't know..." Anomaly said as he turned back. He looked.... older. She didn't know what was going on with him. She was not able to read people like Rarity was. All she knew was that he was in trouble... and she needed to help him. She let exhaustion overtake her as she entered into a long sleep.
Author’s Note: Well, that’s Chapter 3. I will probably do something regarding the battle with King Sombra. I have plans for him also. I will say it will involve the Changelings or more specifically, Chrysalis. Also, Season 3’s previews are revealing some VERY interesting hints of foreshadowing.
Now, the preview for Chapter 4!
”Princess Celestia! Princess Celestia!” The guard known as Star Silver announced as he ran toward the throne room, looking haggard, though not as much as Celestia.
“Brother, I apologize for this, but now isn’t the best time. Her highness’ pupil, Twilight Sparkle has gone missing,” Golden Star explained to his younger twin. He pointed his hoof to see the somewhat frantic looking Celestia.
“What?! Maybe it has a connection to the escape!” Star Silver said as he jumped around panicky.
“Who’s escape, Star Silver was it?” Princess Celestia said, trying to maintain her calm stature but looking very worried. Star Silver cleared his throat and waited a few moments to compose his nerves.
“Discord, m’lady. He is no longer in the Royal Gardens…”