//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: Fracturing Reality // by FaelaArts //------------------------------// “TWILIGHT, wake up you sleepy head” spoke a voice right in Twilights ear. She jumped, her eyes flaring open and her face turning to see who had spoken. She relaxed, it was only Pinkie pie. “Pinkie Pie!” she scolded, and was surprised to see the pink pony blink and start nodding rapidly. “Oh I’m sorry; I forgot this is a library.” Giggling, she began bouncing in a circle while she waited for Twilight to wake up. Groaning, the purple pony hopped off her bed and stretched before turning back to Pinkie. “Pinkie, what do you want, I’ve been up all night studying and I have a headache” Twilight sighed, rubbing one eye as she followed the pink pony down the stairs. She glanced for Spike, but didn’t see him around. Opening her mouth to ask Pinkie if she had seen him, she was interrupted by the hyperactive pony. “So Twilight, I was all like WHOO and then she was like HUH and I was like HUH and she just looked at me confused and asked for you.” Twilight had managed to find a way to tune out most of Pinkie’s senseless ramblings and pick up the more important details. It wasn’t an exact science, but she was proud of her progress. Who knows, maybe one day she would be able to create a Pinkie translator, but she wasn’t holding out any hopes of ever fully understanding the pony. “So someone’s looking for me?” Twilight gazed around the vacant library. “Yeah she like knocked on the door like she was trying to wake you up but didn’t want to bother you. Totally silly if you ask me but then I-“Twilight tuned Pinkie out as she walked towards her front door and opened it gently, her horn glowing as she used her magic. As she opened the door, bright sunshine blinded her face for a few moments but she managed to pick out the outline of a Pegasus and as the light began to dim she was able to pick out a faint red colour before it all faded and she awoke in an unfamiliar room. The bed was itchy, and she awoke to a bitter biting cold and the strangest feeling she had forgotten something important. As her dream faded away and her memories began to return, she walked toward the bathroom and turned her gaze to her bed head and sighed as she began to brush the new knots out. “Snap out of it Twilight, it was just a dream. You just want to return to Ponyville and it’s making you heartsick.” As she spoke her voice began to shake as she withheld any emotion that was threatening to flow from her eyes. Pausing for a moment, she remembered the outline of a pony at the door of her home. “Twilight, you awake yet, it’s time for breakfast!” She jumped slightly at the sound of a voice, and relaxed when she recognised it to be Smarty Pants. She forced a shaky smile onto her face, and pushed her worries to the back of her mind. She was going to get her answers soon; she just had to be patient. Appearing downstairs, she glanced to the right where the kitchen was located to see Smarty shaking her hips as she hummed a tune as she finished cooking the food. It took her a second to realise she was making steamed hay, a cheap alternative to actual food. But the thing that struck her the most was the sudden sweet smile and the feeling that burst into her chest for a few brief moments. She blinked, and the moment was gone as Smarty turned around and gently pushed a plate towards her and began eating from her own, Twilight quickly following. “I’ve got some good news Twilight” smiled Smarty as she gently placed the plates in the sink. Twilight took a few steps toward Smarty, and waited for her to continue. “The…I managed to find some extra money lying around, just enough to hire us a chariot.” Twilight was slightly confused, Smarty made it sound like it was both a good thing and that she was also hiding something. She picked up some saddlebags and slung them over her back, motioning for Twilight to pick up the other two saddlebags, which she obliged. Turning to gaze at the house one last time, Smart heaved a sigh of relief. “I didn’t think I was ever going to leave this place. It’s good to be finally going home…” As they headed out of the home, Twilight felt like she was leaving something important behind, but she couldn’t quite place the feeling, so she decided it would be best to ignore it. This dull, gray world seemed to press on her, dulling her emotions and seeming to make progress slower than it actually was. Eventually, they arrived at some sort of ticket station, and Smart purchased two tickets from the two Pegasi ponies that were inside the booth. Twilight glanced to the sky, surprised to see the clouds moving without any Pegasus pushing them, and she paused to ask Smartie about it. “Silly Twilight, clouds have always moved on their own ever since the fall of Pegasopolis.” That name bugged Twilight, and in a sudden realisation, she remembered the play she had once been in, the memory only faint and the details only meant to entertain and not inform, much to her dismay. For some reason, the names her friends had spoken were the names of the three towns she had heard so far. “Twilight, this will be our guide for the journey.” Jolted out of her musings, Twilight turned to greet the Pegasus, and gave a hesitant smile. “Hello, my name is Twilight Sparkle” she introduced, opening her eyes to take her first glimpse of the pony in front of her. She had a dull, but rosy, red colour for her body whereas her mane was a very light blue with pink highlights. Even as a colourful pony, she seemed, deflated in a way. Twilight felt she had seen her somewhere before, but couldn’t place a name. “Hello, I am Rosé (Rose-eh) Pie” said the Pegasus mare, smiling pleasantly. Twilight frowned for a split second before smiling as well. Her voice sounded almost sad, but happy at the same time. It didn’t bother her enough not to immediately like the pony before her. As she and Smarty hopped into the carriage, Rosé giggled in delight, making Twilight feel a strange sensation that had nothing to do with takeoff. As they settled into a cruising speed, Rosé began to talk. “The air is a bit windy today; we might have a big of rain today. Hope you remembered to bring your umbrellas otherwise you’re going to get a little wet. Not that there is anything wrong with water, I have to fly through it even if it is raining after all. And who knows, you may actually like the rain and want it to rain.” Twilight found herself a few moments later watching the scenery pas and Rosé fading into the background. It was a few moments before she realised she had relaxed considerably, as she often did in Ponyville surrounded by friendly faces. Turning to gaze at Rosé, she couldn’t help but think of her dream and wonder why this pony reminded her so much of her old friends. “I’m going to get some rest Twilight, wake me if something happens” spoke Smarty, her eyes fluttering closed and her body curled up to minimalise the amount of space being taken up. Twilight returned her attention to the scenery, before focusing on Rosé. She seemed so full of energy and her words made little sense to a pinkie desensitised Twilight, but somehow this lace seemed to be draining the energy out of this lively pony too. How that was being done however, she didn’t have a clue. Blinking out of her thoughts, the carriage shook slightly and she quickly tuned into the Rosé radio station. “Oh boy, this is going to be one heck of a storm. It just came out of nowhere, we might have some tough winds ahead so I would suggest holding on.” Twilight quickly nudged Smarty, who dozed on, before becoming more insistent. As the chariot shuddered and shook she tried desperately to wake Smarty Pants up even as Rosé became more concerned. “Okay this is not good the weather is getting really bad here. But it should be okay to fly through. I mean I haven’t gone through the hurricane training but some tough winds should be fine.” Twilight was trying desperately and frantically to wake up Smarty Pants, who was only just starting to stir. The carriage was starting to sway and Smarty’s body was slowly sliding off the platform. To make matters worse, the rain slapped them in the face and the problem became more frantic as Rosé was drowned out and a strong gust sent the chariot spinning. “SMARTIE PANTS” twilight screamed over the wind as the whole carriage flipped and dumped its contents into the storm just as a bolt of lightning struck it. A streak of red tackled Twilight as the world began to turn black and white and a confusing whirl of images flashed before her eyes. Then, there was a loud sound of branches breaking, sudden pain through her body, and then everything faded and Twilight was left in darkness.