//------------------------------// // Chapter 6 // Story: Fracturing Reality // by FaelaArts //------------------------------// Heading out was something strange for Twilight, well more so then usual in this strange reality she was in. Carrying Smarty was getting easier and easier, he was no Tom that was sure. It was then that she realised where her feeling of strangeness was coming from. As they prepared to leave they glanced to each other and took the first step together. Stuttershy was a few moments behind, but it reminded her so much of Ponyville that for a moment she could imagine the two ponies with her completely different colours. “Let’s go” she spoke, Rosé nodded and they headed off. Apparently they were going to manage to get to their destination today if nothing got in the way. “Um, I-I can carry Smartie P-Pants for a w-while if you like” spoke Stuttershy, bringing a smile to Twilight face. Shaking her head she replied, “That’s ok, she’s not that heavy.” Stuttershy seemed relieve, then they both stopped talking as Rosé began to fill the silence. “I remember an old tale about the destruction of the dragon hatching ground passed down in my family. Apparently a unicorn EXPLODED in the middle. I wonder how she got so close to explode like that but apparently that’s why Dragons don’t like us but then they never did like us but I don’t know your friend-“ Twilight smiled, glancing to the sky before frowning when her dream came to her mind. Something had happened, a huge storm and something to do with the princess. As her thoughts scrabbled to remember the dream, she failed to notice their travel and was actually shocked when they arrived at a small rundown wooden house. “Wow, this house is badly crippled.” Twilight glanced to Rosé, feeling she was ignoring her a little too much and feeling slightly guilty about it. “Can you see anyone in the window?” Rosé fluttered up to the window and glanced inside. Landing she shook her head. “Nopity nope nope,” she replied, walking back over to Twilight and glancing to the door. Sighing, Twilight walked over to the door and gently opened the door. Inside were a single table, a chair with a rope hanging on it, and a yellowed, old book sitting on the table. Twilight walked over and glanced at the open page and frowned as she began to read. Day, well actually I lost count long ago. I’ve run out of food and supplies, and the others have long left me alone. I hope they made it ok, but I have no way of telling. After today, I plan to make my way there. If you are reading this, you probably are looking for the nearest town, so I’ll put some quick directions down. And please, if you’re someone that happened to eat an entire heart’s desire, like we all did, I need to tell you something. Don’t trust your eyes; trust your inner sense of magic. Ah dun know how else to say this, it’s not very easy to explain. The pleasure of the wind blowing through your mane, the feeling of earth as you fly fast over tha land; the magic within you. Don’t worry about how you got here, worry about how to get home. That’s all the advice I can give. Twilight could see a name, but she couldn’t read it. It was like every time she tried to read it the letters kept changing. As she gazed down, she could see the map and was able to quickly gain a sense of the direction. The words were unreadable, but there was an arrow pointing in a direction and word next to it. After some moments, she decided whoever had written this must have gone crazy. There wasn’t any magic in the wind blowing; it just felt nice blowing through a mane. She gently tried to pick up the book, only to have it dissolve into ashes. Turning back to the others she smiled as she saw them slowly entering the shack. “We’ve got a destination, should we rest up or head out?” Rosé pointed to the door, while Stuttershy pointed to the bed. “I-I think we should s-LET’S get out of this woods as quick as possible” they spoke over each other. Twilight sighed, realising it would be her decision on this matter. Walking out of the cabin, she quickly glanced to the sky and mused for a moment. “We’ve got plenty of sunlight left, and it would be a shame to waste it so…why don’t we-“her words began to slow and everything blurred, and suddenly she was sleeping in her be in Ponyville. For a split moment she could have sworn the princess was gazing at her but as she fully opened her eyes she was alone in the room. Rubbing her eyes she groaned out loud, just what was going on with her head. “Feel like someone forced my horn to use a spell, how I know that is beyond me.” As the pain ebbed and she was able to open her eyes again, she made her way down the stairs to see who would be visiting her today. She wasn’t disappointed as a knock came at the door and Applejack’s voice spoke through the wood. “Hey Twilight, you in there?” she smiled and walked over the door, hesitating for a split moment to open it. Shrugging the feeling off, she opened it and was greeted by the familiar blur of a pony shape and a bright light waking her up. She quickly noted down the red body dappled with black marks and the bright green hair as her eyes opened and she met the concerned faces of Rosé and Stuttershy. And suddenly, she knew what name had been on the bottom of that document. “Dapplejack” she whispered, gaining two confused looks. She helped herself up and quickly located Smartie Pants. Stuttershy was carrying her. “Um, I-I didn’t want to leave her on the ground. If y-you want, I c-can continue to carry her,” she whispered, glancing down. Twilight could see she wanted to make herself useful, and so gave a gentle smile and a nod before turning to Rosé. “Rosé, can you go up and look in that direction for anything?” Twilight pointed in the direction the map had indicated, and Rosé was gone in a flash. After hovering for a few moments she glided back down and landed. “It looks like a road, there’s a road a pony road and there is only plains beyond that we might have finally found the end of this forest so we can go home I can go back to my job and we can all go do stuff and have a party to celebrate getting out alive!” Twilight smiled at her enthusiasm, but then focused on the path in front of them before glancing to the sun and sighing. The road was probably a day or two away, but if they flew… “Hey Rosé, you can fly three ponies right?” Rosé frowned and shrugged. “I dunno, never tried actually but if I can it probably can’t be for long.” Twilight smiled, and the other two looked at her nervously. Inside the house was a table, and some rope, which could prove useful if she could tie that rope around the table the right way, and it held three ponies. “THIS IS INSANE HOW IS THIS EVEN POSSIBLE” shouted Rosé as she strained to both keep the three ponies airborne and ensure the table didn’t rock too much and knock said three ponies off. Stuttershy was clinging desperately to one of the legs while Twilight was ensuring Smarty Pants remained tied to the rope that was tied to the table. She could hear the table creaking, but it was holding and she couldn’t hear any snapping sounds. Her eyes could see the road just ahead as they narrowly avoided a tall tree. And just as suddenly as it began, they lightly drifted down as Rosé tried to ensure they didn’t lose height too quickly. Even with her cautiousness, there was still a bump that knocked Twilight into one of the table legs. “Rosé you are amazing!” Twilight exclaimed, amazed that her plan had actually worked and they hadn’t crashed in a chariot, even makeshift counts, twice. Rosé looked extremely happy to be praised, but brushed it off as if it was nothing. “Psh, I can carry much more then that so don’t think anything of it Twili.” Twilight giggled at her remark, but let her have it. Gently coaxing the Stuttershy off the table, all three helped untie Smartie and put the table in the bushes and taking the rope with them. They gazed both ways and noticed a sign post that revealed two signs. One going to Unicornia and one to- “Earth, finally!” Rosé muttered. Twilight glanced to her and frowned; worried it was time for them to separate. “So, are you going back to Unicornia?” Rosé glanced to her, and shook her head rapidly. “Nope, I gotta take you all the way to Earth remember? I don’t forget my duty easily silly.” Twilight couldn’t help her relief that she wouldn’t be alone with an unconscious pony. Turning she looked to Stuttershy who glanced downward as she answered. “Um, I-If that is ok with you…” Twilight smiled and nodded, getting plain relief from Stuttershy and a few ‘oh thank you’s as well. They gazed down the path that was their destination, and nodded. Smartie Pants on her back or not, she was going to get her answers.