“Recovery”
"Damn it, I let him get too close," a dark green alicorn swore as he stood there, staring at a human boy. "If I had been just a few seconds late, he'd be dead... I'm sorry Tory, my recklessness almost cost you your life."
The alicorn sighed and lowered his head. His spiky mane flowed out behind him, as did his two tails. The armor around his chest, wings, and upper hooves held a faint golden sheen around them, giving the wearer a golden glow almost. The alicorn's blue eyes looked at the human before him, floating within a large cylindrical machine, a high-tech dashboard at the base of the machine which held many screens that showed all these sets of numbers. Though he knew all that his host did, had every piece of knowledge the human possessed, he could make neither heads nor tails of the data on the monitor.
The said human stayed where he was, simply floating there with his eyes closed, his body glowing a gentle silver as the gashes and wounds that decorated him slowly healed. His light brown hair lifted upward with the clear watery liquid that enclosed his form. It seeped into his wounds as well, reinforcing the healing process.
"Rest now... Recover quickly, so that you can wake to the faces of your loves." the alicorn whispered, placing a hoof against the glass cylinder. "Hold fast to your life Tory. Every second you sleep is another that let's evil creep from it's dark, fleeting shadows..."
I.I.I
"Hurry up and get those nurses!" roared a unicorn doctor. "He needs medical treatment right away, and we're low on magic!"
The building came alight with the calls of doctors, nurses, and many random ponies, each trying to help the human, or wanting to put their talents to use in his recovery. Luna ignored them all, her mind bare of all thoughts save for that of her lover. Her face was hidden by her mane, which draped over her eyes and shielded the tears from onlookers. How could this have happened? What brought about such a horrifying event, not even two days after she had married the teen?
These thoughts flashed through her mind with each second. She recalled how the previous morning Tory had not woken. At the time she and the others had thought he was merely exhausted from so much happening in so short a time. But as the day progressed, Luna became aware of little scratches about her Love's body. She noted his panting and started to worry, wondering just what was going on at the time. She saw him blush, saw his head start to bleed, and saw how he seemed to weaken slowly. She called for a nurse, to help care for him but nothing seemed to help.
Then after a time, Luna saw his aura, the deep green she was so familiar with. It changed before her eyes, shifted and altered itself, until the color was nothing like before. Tory's aura became a clear, light gray shade of power that radiated off his body in surging waves of energy. But it wasn't so much gray as it was... silver. Her lover's aura had taken an original appearance! But the color itself amazed her.
Silver was a pure color, much like gold or other precious gems and minerals. Luna herself was one of few to possess such an aura, the least perfect shade within existence. Her's was a special blend of amethyst and onyx, the rarest and weakest aura. Her sister was blessed with a gold aura, which allowed her powers to flourish.
The thing about pure auras is that each one comes with a special power, a hidden talent if you will. Luna's gave her control over the moon, Celestia's gave her dominance over the sun. The dark alicorn wondered about the powers that would be gifted to her husband. The abilities always were unexpected, and often incredible.
But shortly after Tory's aura flared up, it began to weaken, to slowly start consuming him. It was as though he held them active and was purposely letting his life be drained in place of his empty magic reservoirs. Luna hugged him tightly to her, whispering, begging him to wake up, to be okay and to smile for her. Yet not once did Tory stir, or move a muscle. Then the worst part happened...
As she clutched his body tightly with her hooves, Luna felt something wet, hot, and sticky run down his body. She feared what it was, and was hesitant to look down. She did, and cried out loudly. The next couple minutes had been hazy after that. She recalled galloping down the halls, screaming for medical attention, somepony carrying Tory away, seeing someone at the hospital... But two things stuck out the most, the faces of Fluttershy and Rainbow, as well as the trail of blood that followed the human down the hall.
Luna started to cry again, just thinking about the whole thing upset her incredibly much. She had seen the signs, and done nothing about them. Now Tory could very well die because of her hesitance. Wiping away the tears with a shaky hoof, Luna followed the doctors down the hall, her eyes glued to the mess of brown hair that she could see on the stretcher.
The unicorn doctors wheeled the human into a small room, where his body was carefully deposited onto a bed. Luna entered the room, followed by Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash. The two pegasi were still shedding tears themselves, but when they entered the room they huddled around the dark alicorn.
Indeed this was a sad and horrifying event, but they had to stay together now more than ever. Tory had united them under the same family, had forged a bond so incredibly strong them, that they could never break apart, could never feel nothing but love and trust between each other. They were all the wives of the same human, and they were friends at that. The bond between the two pegasi and alicorn were impossibly deep, and so intense that they could almost feel the pain of the others.
"It's... It's all my fault," Luna whispered, watching the doctors cast their magic at the teen. "Tory could die because of me..."
"It isn't you're fault Luna." Fluttershy soothed, nuzzling the alicorn. "Please don't blame yourself."
"Yeah! I mean, Tory's gone through worse before!" Rainbow reassured. "If he won't let Fluttershy stay dead, he wouldn't die and leave us alone... r-right?"
Fluttershy's only response was a short nod. She looked over at her husband on the bed and suppressed her desire to run over and beg him to just wake up, to scream for him to come back. She couldn't let herself be distracted from Luna. The Princess was the most torn up out of all three wives. She had already suffered the loss of her first love, and now almost immediately after being wedded to another she could very well lose her second.
"Hey, I've got a pulse!!" called out one of the doctors. "Quick! Get a nurse that has magic left!!"
Luna, Rainbow, and Fluttershy turned and kept their eyes glued to the scene before them. They watched with fresh tears in their eyes, they watched the unicorn nurses and doctors use all of their medical expertise to keep Tory alive. Save for the sound of grunting that came from the weary unicorns, not a sound could be heard. It was as though all of Equestria held their breath, waiting to hear of the result.
Nopony wanted to speak, because they knew it would come down to the one question they were afraid to ask still... Would Tory live to see another day? After what felt like days, or perhaps minutes, a lone unicorn walked over to the girls, his breath coming in shallow amounts as he held an emotionless expression upon he face.
"Y-You girls.... Are.... L-Lucky," the doctor gasped out, his legs collapsing under him. "He's... Going to l-live..."
The girls looked from him to each other, not a single word spoken. Tears pooled in their eyes, but they wouldn't fall. The unicorn doctor smiled, and limped out of the room. Fluttershy looked at Luna, whose face was one of complete relief and happiness. Rainbow saw this as well and the two pegasi embraced the dark alicorn on a tight hug. Tory was going to live!! After everything that he'd gone through already, the human boy that Fluttershy, Rainbow, and Luna fell in love with would keep his life after all!
"TORY!!" came a familiar voice from the doorway. The girls turned to see Ditzy, Raven, Fantasia, and Twilight coming from the hallway.
The gray-ish pegasus galloped into the room, and she would have tackled Tory had it not been for Twilight using her magic to hold the mare back. The others entered more slowly and calmly, with Raven grabbing Ditzy and holding her back as she tried to run over to the human. Luna looked between the newcomers and frowned.
"What is the meaning of all this?!" she demanded of them, her emotions summoning the Canterlot Voice automatically. She turned to Ditzy and glared. "You, whoever you are... Why are you trying to harm my husband?"
Upon falling prey to direct contact with the Canterlot Voice, the pegasus with a blonde mane cringed, and fell silent, no longer resisting her coltfriend's grasp. She shook a little, some from the memory of last Nightmare Night, some from the fresh dose that blasted her at point blank. Luna continued to glare at Ditzy, her expression serious and demanding an answer.
"I would n-never harm him!" the gray-ish pegasus replied, her voice breaking in fear. "T-Tory is... My friend. I-I was worried and w-when I saw him like that..."
"Yeah, I can vouch for her Luna," Rainbow spoke up, walking over to the now downcast pegasus. "I know Ditzy, and she was just concerned for Tory. He was kinda her first friend."
"...I see," Luna nodded as she spoke with her normal voice, accepting that answer, but her tone gave away the slight mistrust that everypony picked up on. "Ditzy was it? I... Apologize for assuming wrong."
"Um, I-it's alright," the gray-ish mare smiled weakly, stepping closer to Raven. The auburn colt smiled at her, and wrapped a wing around her lovingly, sending a cautious look to Luna that said he would protect his marefriend against even her.
"Um, pardon me for interrupting this little moment," Twilight cut in, motioning to the unconscious boy that still clung to life. "But could somepony please tell me just what happened here?"
"Well..." Luna started, looking away and hanging her head.
"He was mentally stricken down and now his body has entered a coma to recuperate," came another voice from the hall.
Everypony turned to see a deep gray pegasus walking in, a somewhat nervous expression on his face. His mane was black as night, save for the single large blue stripe that ran along it's length. His tail was the same, except instead of a single stripe there were two. His brown eyes darted from pony to pony, stopping for a few seconds on Rainbow Dash, where the softened and relaxed some. But as his gaze shifted over to Fluttershy, he tensed up, and looked away quickly.
"And you are?" inquired Raven, stepping in front of the stranger and blocking his entry.
"U-Um, my name is..." the deep gray pegasus trailed off, looking at him, but when his eyes shifted to over the lieutenant's shoulder, he quickly turned away, his gaze aimed at the floor.
Fluttershy watched the pegasus before her, something in the back of her mind trying to surface. There was something about this pony that seemed familiar, that she KNEW was important! But each time she tried to recall this pony, it slipped her grasp. Fluttershy knew this pony from somewhere, that deep down he held some sort of importance, but she couldn't put her hoof on it!
"What's your deal?" Rainbow asked him, raising an eyebrow. "You're...kinda weirding me out."
"I'm sorry Rainbow, i-it's just been so long..." the deep gray pegasus apologized, avoiding her gaze.
The cyan pegasus blinked, then did a double take as she realized what he just said. There was silence within the room as everypony looked between the newcomer and Rainbow. The deep gray pegasus kept looking about the room, his eyes darting from pony to pony. But each time he looked at the magenta eyes that held a confused expression, or the shockingly blue eyes of Fluttershy that seemed lost in thought, he would avert his gaze to the floor. This action wasn't lost on anypony, but none of them were quite sure how to approach the question that they all wanted to ask. Finally, Rainbow stepped forward and spoke everypony's thoughts aloud.
"H-How do you know me?" she asked the stranger. "And what do you mean by 'it's been so long'?"
Finally the deep gray pegasus looked at her, his face one of sadness. Rainbow suddenly wished she hadn't asked, but she wasn't sure why. Like Fluttershy, something in her mind knew about this pony, but the answer wouldn't surface. He held her gaze, and spoke quietly, his voice shaking a little.
"You... You mean you don't... R-remember me?" the strange pony questioned. "You don't remember that one day with Dumbbell? It... It was the when we became friends... It was the day I left..."
The deep gray pegasus hanged his head, and Rainbow thought as hard as she could about just who he was. She thought as far back as she could, all the way back to Flight Camp. She recalled every encounter with her old bully and his cronies, and one memory stared to force it's way to the surface. It was blurry and kind of vague, almost like it was trying to be forgotten.
Then as she glanced once more at the strange pony, the memory shaped itself almost instantly, becoming clear, concise and detailed. The memory occupied her entire mind until she had almost relived the whole event within the few seconds that it had surged forward. Tears pooled in her eyes as she glanced at the deep gray pegasus. She stepped forward once, almost hesitant, but then she jumped quickly, and tackle hugged him to the floor, surprising everypony including the target of her glomp.
"SHADOW!!!" Rainbow shouted, a giant smile spread across her face and a happy gleam in her eyes. "I can't believe it! You came back, after all these years!!"
"Eheheheh," the pegasus named Shadow laughed, giving off the first smile since he showed himself to the group. "You remember!!"
"Of course I remember you," the cyan pegasus grinned, stepping away and pulling him to his hooves.
"How could I forget you, one of my first friends?!"
"U-Um..." Fluttershy stammered, grabbing everypony's attention.
"Please tell me you haven't forgotten me..." Shadow asked, losing his smile instantly. "Not you Fluttershy..."
The golden pegasus lowered her head, and turned away, causing the new pony to tear up. Fluttershy wished she could remember, because he seemed to have some sort of emotional impact on her. But try as she might, it was as though all traces of him were locked away and out of her reach.
"It's me, S-Shadow Breeze..." the deep gray pegasus continued, his voice somewhat pleading now. "We were friends back in Flight Camp, remember? Dumbbell always called me 'Shadow Freeze'?"
"I-I-I'm sorry, I... I don't remember," Fluttershy stammered, her old ways poking through as she tried to recall anything she could about him.
"Fluttershy, you seriously don't remember Shadow?" Rainbow asked her incredulously. "He was our only friend back then!"
The golden pegasus teared up, the pressure a little to much for her to handle right now. How was she supposed to deal with this when her husband was in a coma with near fatal wounds at the moment? With a slight sob, Fluttershy galloped past everypony and out of the room. Luna tried to follow, but a hoof from Rainbow stopped her. The look in the cyan pegasus' eyes said 'It would be best if we gave her some time alone.' But the dark Alicorn dismissed her, and continued to go after the pony that held Tory's love first. Shadow sighed and sat down on the floor.
"I'm sorry everypony, this is all my fault," he said, his voice full of sadness.
"No it's not Shadow," Rainbow encouraged, hugging him. "It's just been a while, so maybe she just needs a little more time to remember."
"... How... How did she react to me leaving?" he asked after a few seconds.
Rainbow looked at him sadly for a second, her eyes flashing with unhappy memories as she thought back to what he was saying. Wiping away a few tears that threatened to roll down her cheeks, the rainbow-haired pegasus looked away and spoke so quietly that it was almost inaudible to the others in the room.
"B-Both me and Fluttershy took it really hard when you moved away," Rainbow admitted, her voice almost breaking. "I... I started hanging out with... Less than acceptable ponies to clear away the memories. I dropped out of Flight Camp, got a job in Ponyville... Fluttershy... She kinda fell apart... Worse than you remember her being. She stop talking to everypony, stopped coming to class. She turned into a shut-in, and moved away from Cloudsdale."
"But... Why did she go that far?" Shadow pressed.
"She may not remember exactly, but I uh..." Rainbow trailed off, looking over to Tory.
"What is it?" the deep gray pegasus asked, his eyes showing pain.
"It's... It's not really my place to say but..." Rainbow tried again. She took a deep breath and continued. "I think you were... I think Fluttershy liked you more than as a friend."
Everypony save for Shadow gasped as they listened. The new pony just looked at Rainbow for a few seconds, trying to piece together what she was saying. His eyes held this strange stare that showed he was lost in thought. The cyan pegasus was about to speak up when she saw Shadow blushing, turning he deep gray face an unusual shade of dark red.
"Y-You mean to tell me that..." He trailed off. "That Fluttershy..."
"Tory wasn't her first love?" Twilight interjected. "It was this pony?"
"I'm just guessing really," Rainbow shrugged, looking towards the door as of Fluttershy would come in and answer the question herself.
"I think it's a good guess," Shadow responded, still blushing. "If she was upset enough about me leaving, then she could subconsciously seal away all traces of me."
"You mean that her mind isolated and locked away every single memory she had of you?" Twilight put in once more.
"Evidently," the deep gray pegasus nodded. "But I didn't expect to find out that she-"
"Alright, enough of this!" ordered Raven, cutting into the conversation. "This all well and good, but that is not something we should be discussing around the unconscious body of not only Fluttershy's lover, but also her husband."
At this, Shadow gasped loudly, attracting the stares of everypony. His eyes looked so defeated as he stood there, and it seemed that us breathing quickened. As tears started to roll down his cheeks, the deep gray pegasus hung his head and his mane draped over his face. There were quiet, almost inaudible sobs coming from his body which shook violently.
"S-S-She's.... She's m-married?" Shadow sobbed, his tears now dropping to the floor. "I... I finally find her a-after all these years, and she n-not only f-found another lover, b-but she got married t-to him?"
"... Yes," came the quiet voice of Fantasia, who walked over to the pegasus and gently placed a hoof around him. "As of the day before, she along with Rainbow and Princess Luna married this human that you see before us."
Fantasia extended a hoof towards the human in the bed, and Shadow finally looked up at him. He made not a sound as he stared at Tory's motionless form. After another few moments of silence in the room, he finally got up and walked over to the bed. As the deep gray pegasus approached him, a silver glow flared up about the human. Shadow himself became enveloped in a black shroud, one that tugged him closer to Tory.
"So this is the one that Fluttershy married..." Shadow whispered to himself. "Heh... Lucky guy."
I.I.I
Fluttershy galloped down the halls of the hospital, not sure where she was going. All she knew was that she had to get away from them, from that strange pegasus, from Rainbow Dash too. Tears burned in her eyes as she ran, clouding her vision and leaving a sorrowful trail along the floor as they rolled down her cheeks and onto the ground.
Why? Why couldn't she remember Shadow?! He seemed to remember her, and Rainbow remembered as well! So why was she unable to?! What was it about that pegasus that stung at her heart so?! It... It couldn't be love could it? Surely she would remember if she had felt anything towards him.
Fluttershy stopped this train of thought and cleared the tears from her eyes. She looked at the hospital walls that surrounded her, that seemed to almost choke her. She needed fresh air, before she started to lose it! Finding the stairs immediately, the golden pegasus trotted up them quickly and quietly. When she finally made it to the top and flung open the door into the outside world, she rushed out and took the largest breath possible.
It seemed during the interval of everything, nighttime had fallen. The cold, crisp air from the rooftop filled her lungs quickly, and she exhaled slowly as her nerves started to relax. Looking out over the ledge, Fluttershy took in the view of the town at night. Streetlights powered by magic orbs cast a silver-blue sheen on the cobblestone streets, while the orange lights from candles and such illuminated the windows of the houses. Few ponies walked the streets, and all of them wore thick clothing to prevent the chill air from penetrating their coats.
Turning her head to the sky, Fluttershy studied the stars and moon. She identified Cygnas, Cancer, and Orion easily, but as she looked around for Aries, she frowned. It seemed some of the constellations were missing tonight. She turned around and tried to find the North Star, and was greeted with a new constellation.
Fluttershy gasped as she saw the cutie mark of her husband, with the North Star as the tip of the heart that was surrounded by a large shield. Within it were three symbols, a butterfly, a lightning bolt, and a cresent moon, all glowing brighty. Tears flooded Fluttershy's eyes as she looked up at the beautiful constellation.
"Do you like it?" came the regal voice of Luna from the door inside. She stepped out and came over, draping a wing around her new sister-in-law. "I made it when I raised the moon a few minutes ago. I thought that if I could show a sign of our love for Tory, perhaps he would feel it's power and he would wake up sooner..."
"That... That sounds like our Tory, doesn't it?" Fluttershy smiled, keeping her gaze locked on the beautiful symbol of love.
The two kept their heads raised to the new constellation, neither of them saying a word. They didn't have to say anything really. Both of them just wished to bask in the moonlight, thinking of the good times with their husband. But still it could not last, and Luna broke the silence with a question that Fluttershy was hoping to avoid.
"Fluttershy, I'm sorry to ask this but..." the dark alicorn started. "Do... Do you remember Shadow, even a little?"
The golden pegasus looked at her, eyes filled with a few tears. She opened her mouth to speak, but found the words that she wanted to say would not come. They held tight to her throat like a vice, starting to suffocate her from the inside out. She looked up at the moon and let a few tears fall. Not even a single memory of that deep gray pegasus would come forth. It hurt Fluttershy, knowing that somewhere deep inside her she had some sort of memory with Shadow.
"Not a thing," Fluttershy answered, shaking her head.
"But you know that there is something inside, right?" Luna pressed.
"...Yes," was all the golden pegasus responded with an unhappy sigh.
Luna wanted to say that things would be fine, that Tory would respect and love her no matter what. But she couldn't bear to put her voice to the words. Even if she said them, it would still bring the kind golden pegasus to tears. The only thing that could help right now was their husband, and sadly he was unavailable.
"So this is where you two went," came the voice of Rainbow. Luna and Fluttershy turned to see the cyan pegasus walking towards them with a slight smile.
"Rainbow..." the golden pegasus trailed off, looking away.
"Look Fluttershy, you don't have to remember it," Rainbow started, raising a hoof to signal for silence. "I'm just going to tell you what happened. Does that sound good?"
Instead of speaking, the golden pegasus simply nodded and tried to relax. She had the feeling that this story was going to take some time. Luna looked between the two of them and closed her eyes. While they were family, this wasn't really her business. They might not even want her to be there for it. Getting up, the dark alicorn made for the door. But before she even took a step, a pair of hooves wrapped around her back legs. Looking down she saw Fluttershy holding tight to her.
"P-Please stay..." she begged. "I'd... Feel better if I knew both of you were here."
"Yeah Luna," Rainbow nodded in agreement, giving a slight smile. "We're all family, so you should hear this. No secrets..."
"...Very well," the dark alicorn accepted, sitting down and returning her wing to cover Fluttershy in warmth and love as a sister. "I shall listen to this story that you wish to speak. Please begin."
"Alright," the cyan pegasus said, sitting down herself and taking a glance at the stars. Her eyes stared into the distance as she began. "Well it happened about seven years ago, back in Flight Camp..."
I.I.I Flashback - Seven years prior I.I.I
Two young pegasi fillies trotted down the halls of a building made entirely of cloud, one bearing a confident grin while the other followed close behind, a worried look on her face. As they reached a corner, the leader of the stopped them and peeked around, checking for movement. When she saw they were clear, she continued on, using a wing to silently signal her partner to follow.
The first one sported a rainbow mane and tail, her magenta eyes looking about the halls they navigated. Her cyan coat glistened with slight perspiration from earlier exercise, and her body shook with excitement. This was Rainbow Dash as a filly, at a time before she grew distant and cared little for loyalty. This was the filly that everypony loved.
Trailing behind her of course, was filly Fluttershy, whose blue eyes were glued to the floor as the two walked, timidness and fear showing in her innocent eyes. Her pink mane hid half of her face as she went, with her tail dragging along the fluffy floor. Her golden body trembled, further showing how scared she was at the moment. It was the same filly that had never touched the ground and learned of her true calling.
"R-R-Rainbow D-Dash?" Fluttershy stammered nervously, her voice a noticeable pitch higher. "S-Shouldn't we b-be getting to class?"
"We will Fluttershy," the cyan filly assured her friend. "We're just going to talk to Coach about Dumbbell, remember? Coach Fleetfoot will help us, give us passes, and we'll be back in class before you know it. Trust me on this."
"O-Okay..." the golden pegasus filly agreed reluctantly.
The two rounded a corner anne were promptly greeted by colliding into somepony. Rainbow and the stranger fell to the ground while Fluttershy managed to avoid that by flinching back. She squeaked and hid behind the corner, peeking out to make sure her friend was okay. The cyan filly got to her hooves and groaned.
"O-Owwie..." Rainbow said quietly, shaking her mane and pushing a few loose strands out of her face.
"Uhn..." the other pony moaned. "What just hit me?"
Both Rainbow and Fluttershy looked at the other pony. He was a young colt that stood about a few inches taller than the cyan pegasus did. His coat was a light gray, like his mane which had a light blue stripe running through it, and like tail which had two stripes of the same color. His hazel eyes looked back at them, then quickly darted to the floor. If one looked closely at his face, they would see a very faint blush on his cheeks.
"Oh uh... Sorry," the new pegasus apologized. "It seems I was lost in thought and not paying a-attention to where I was going."
"Heh no prob," Rainbow returned, forgiving him with a slight smile. "Just watch your step next time I guess. C'mon Fluttershy, let's keep going to Coach Fleetfoot's office."
"Coach Fleetfoot?" the colt echoed, watching them as they passed. "You're looking for her as well?"
"Um y-yes," Fluttershy answered, shying back when the stranger's eyes turned to her. "We have t-to talk w-with her about-"
"About something important and PRIVATE," Rainbow Dash cut her off, nudging the shy pegasus. "It's just a problem we're having."
"You too huh?" the light gray pegasus sighed and hung his head. "Yeah I was hoping she could help me with my own troubles. Dumbbell is making my life miserable..."
"He's... Bullying you as well?" the cyan filly inquired. She adopted a kind smile when he nodded. "Okay then, maybe you can help us. Me and Fluttershy were going to talk to her about Dumbbell too."
"What?!" the little colt asked, incredulous. "He's mean to you both as well?"
"Y-Yes," Fluttershy spoke up again, keeping her gaze fixed to the floor. "He c-calls us n-names a-and is so mean..."
"To him, we're 'Clutzershy' and 'Rainbow Crash'," the cyan filly finished, giving a sigh. "There's no respect at all, even though he knows I'm much better flyer.... I'm Rainbow Dash, and this is-"
"Fluttershy," the strange colt said, finishing the introduction. He then blushed when he saw both the fillies staring at him. "E-Everypony in Flight Camp knows about you two... Anyways, uh, I'm S-Shadow Freeze - I mean Breeze! My name is Shadow Breeze. Dumbbell calls me 'Shadow Freeze' because I uh, got stage fright once."
"That's so mean..." Fluttershy whispered, stepping over to Shadow. She gave him a light hug, to which the colt turned a darker shade of red.
"Yeah seriously," Rainbow agreed. "Well since we're all going to see Coach, by not go together?"
"Alright," Shadow agreed, smiling at the two fillies.
The small group of three walked down the halls quickly, and after a few more minutes of wandering, they came upon a large door that held the words 'Coach Fleetfoot'. Rainbow stepped forward and looked back at the other two, putting on a weak smile. Truthfully, she hated to go to anypony about her troubles, but it was either this or take the matter into her own hooves. That would only bring her more trouble... At least that is what Fluttershy said.
Shadow stepped forward and placed a hoof on her shoulder reassuringly, almost like he could feel her hesitance about the whole thing. He gave her a smile as well, one filled with confidence. His eyes held a determined look within them as Rainbow stared back. She gave a curt nod and turned back, raising a hoof to knock on the door. But just a second before she actually completed the motion, the most annoying sound to ever reach her ears came forth.
"Well well well, if it isn't Rainbow Crash!" came a cocky and obnoxious voice from down the hall. The group turned to see a familiar and unpleasant face they all knew. "Oh Shadow Freeze and Clutzershy too? This day just gets better and better."
Everypony turned to see a young colt approaching with a smug look on his face. His coat was a light brown, while his mane and tail were a light gray, with his military green eyes staring at the group from the bottom of his hair. They shined with an unpleasant gleam, one that made Fluttershy shudder. The brown colt swaggered over like he was in charge of everything and everypony, his confident smirk upsetting Rainbow immensely each time she saw it.
"What do you want Dumbbell?" she asked, spreading her wings and taking an active stance should a fight break out.
"Oh hush up Rainbow Crash!" the bully ordered, feinting quickly causing the cyan filly to flinch. "Ha, you're such a little baby!"
"Look, we don't want trouble..." Shadow Breeze spoke up, stepping forward.
"Well you get trouble of you don't be quiet!" Dumbbell snapped, making the light gray pegasus cringe as well. "Hmph! You're so weak Shadow Freeze!"
"Why are you so mean to us?!" Rainbow Dash countered, finding some of her nerve and getting in the bully's face. "We never did anything to you!"
"Get outta my face!" Dumbbell raged, shoving her back.
Rainbow fell backwards onto Fluttershy, and they both went to the floor. They landed on the cloud padding with a heavy 'Thud!' But as they hit the floor they cried out, and the golden filly started to cry. Shadow gasped and stepped in front of the two, guarding them from the colt that tormented all three of them. He shook a little as he spoke out, but his voice was surprisingly steady.
"Leave them alone!" Shadow barked, a very faint black glow appearing on his body. It was almost invisible against his dark coat. "Stop being such a bully and go away!"
"Oh yeah?! And who is gonna make me?!" Dumbbell countered, glaring at the first pony to ever challenge him.
"I will," Shadow answered, snorting once and dragging a hoof against the floor, saying he was ready to fight if need be.
Dumbbell's only response was a battle cry as he lunged at the light gray pegasus. Shadow leapt into the air, dodging the initial attack, and then he swooped down and lashed out with a right hook, catching the bully on the side of the head. The brown colt was send into a wall where he stopped moving and slumped down. But a moment later Dumbbell opened his eyes, which had this malicious look to them.
Getting to his hooves quickly, the bully snarled and rushed forward once more. Shadow sidestepped what he thought would be another tackle attempt, but as he moved to the side, Dumbbell turned around, angled his rear hooves, and slammed them into the light gray colt's face. The young pegasus careened backwards and slammed into a door, shattering the glass from the small window above it. As he climbed to his hooves, the faint aura around him glowed a stronger shade, and the area started to smell of earth. Shadow's eyes changed from a deep hazel to a faded gold, and he growled deeply.
"Oh, looks like somepony is angry!" Dumbbell taunted.
"P-Please... Stop fighting," came the soft voice of Fluttershy.
The kind filly walked in between Dumbbell and Shadow Breeze, looking from one to the other with tears in her eyes. The light gray pegasus gave a slight sigh and calmed down. The aura, scent, and glow in his eyes all vanished near instantly. But for the bully, simply listening to Fluttershy was not an option. He walked over to her with the same glare upon his face, to which she cringed backwards. The brown colt raised a hoof, and swung it quickly, smacking the golden filly incredibly hard. She screamed and fell to the floor where she didn't move.
"FLUTTERSHY!!!" screamed both Rainbow and Shadow.
The cyan pegasus rushed over to her friend, but the light gray colt simply stood there, his expression one of complete disbelief. The he grit his teeth, snorted once, and glared his most intense one yet, turning back to Dumbbell. His eyes glowed the slight gold from before, but this time his aura lit up to a massive black fire that coated his body. The dark flames held this strange power that pulsed in sync with his heart.
"How...How dare you!" Shadow roared, stepping forward. In response, the bully backed away. "How dare you hurt Fluttershy!"
Fluttershy and Rainbow stared at the light gray colt from the other side of the hall where the cyan filly had brought her friend. What was happening right now?! Their new friend was simply standing within a giant black fire that cast dark shadows on the walls, and he seemed like he didn't even notice it! He stepped toward Dumbbell, who stepped back once more, fear evident on his face.
"Nopony hurts my friends, ever!" Shadow continued, the flames lowering and coming together near his hooves. "I won't let you touch them ever again!!"
The dark flames changed into thick tendrils of pure black, and pushed Dumbbell backwards. They shifted about, and took up spots that blocked the bully from Shadow and the girls. Rainbow stared at them with an expression that was a cross between fear and excitement. Fluttershy's face was one of pure fear though. The light gray colt noticed this and suddenly the tendrils fell to the ground and shifted along the cloud floor until they merged with his shadow.
"You... You're a freak!!" Dumbbell cried, turning around and fleeing from the group.
"What... What just happened?" Shadow whispered, not sure what to think of his event.
"SHADOW!!" Rainbow shouted, and tackle-hugged the colt. "How long have you been able to do that?!"
"D-Do what?" he asked, kinda stunned from being thrown to the cloud floor.
"T-T-The s-shadow... Thing," Fluttershy answered, coming over slowly and keeping a slight distance from him.
"That was amazing!" the cyan pegasus continued, but Shadow wasn't paying attention to her.
Fluttershy was acting more scared of him than before. Had that thing he did... That shadow thing... Did that make her more afraid of him? The light gray colt didn't like that. He didn't want the golden filly to hate him for something he didn't know he could do until just now! That would hurt his heart more than he would care to admit...
What neither Fluttershy nor Rainbow knew was that Shadow Breeze had a crush on the golden filly. He'd been watching her grow during their time at the school, and he honestly liked her... A lot! He'd seen how she had always been so timid, so afraid of everypony, and reluctant to talk to even the teachers. He thought it was adorable, but he found that it made his own chances of befriending her even smaller.
It didn't help that he himself shared some of her timidness, hence the reason he had never taken the chance to approach her before. The only reason he had managed to procure the courage to speak today was because they had quite literally bumped into each other. He didn't have a choice that time, and because of it he had been given the chance to be their friend. Now that chance was slipping away, all because of those... Things.
"Um... Shadow?" Rainbow asked, waving a hoof in front of his face and snapping him out of his musings. "Hello, Equestria to Shadow!"
"O-Oh, sorry," he apologized, suppressing a sigh.
"What's wrong Shadow?" the cyan filly pressed. "You scared away Dumbbell. He'll probably leave us alone now!"
"Well... You're not scared?" the light gray colt questioned, looking from her to Fluttershy. "You're not afraid of... Whatever I did?"
"Hay no!" Rainbow answered before he even finished the question. "I thought it was cooler than anything I've ever seen!"
But Shadow still wasn't convinced. He looked over at Fluttershy, who flinched under his gentle gaze. That was when Rainbow understood why he was asking such a question. She started to put two and two together, slowly connecting the dots in her mind. The blushing, his constant glances to the golden filly, and why he stood up for her so easily when they had just met... Shadow liked Fluttershy!
"U-Um..." the shy pegasus stammered. "I... Well... I-It was..."
Before Fluttershy could finish a sentence, and most likely upset their new friend, Rainbow placed a hoof over her mouth and stopped her. She gave the other filly a look that said, "Please don't say what you were about to." The cyan filly then stole a glance at Shadow to see that his head was hung low and he was looking away. It was evident he had pieced together what Fluttershy had been trying to say.
"Listen Fluttershy," Rainbow whispered into her ear. "He might seem scary because of those whatevers... But Shadow is a nice pony. You know he is, just like I do. He stood up for us, and now he's afraid we'll reject him for that... Think about this... What of he just wants to be friends, and this just happened?... Are you really going to hurt his feelings and let him go like this?"
"W-Well... I..." she stammered again, a very slight blush visible on her cheeks.
There was no way... Rainbow might've been hallucinating because there was... There was no way that Fluttershy had developed feelings for somepony she just met! Especially since they'd only met about ten minutes ago! Even if Shadow had stood up for them, this was still Fluttershy, the shy filly that was scared of her own shadow! How could she have fallen for the light gray colt so fast?!
"Um..." Fluttershy began, breaking Rainbow out of her thoughts. Evidently the shy filly had walked over to their new friend. "Um Shadow? I... Th-Thank you for um... Protecting u-us..."
"U-Uhh..." he stammered, a deep blush on his face. A second later his expression became a large smile. "Y-Yeah sure! I'm happy to... To help you F-Fluttershy!"
In response, they both turned a deeper shade of red. Rainbow couldn't help but giggle at how innocent the two of them were. They DID look kinda cute together, the cyan filly couldn't deny that. She gave a slight sigh and shook her head with a smile. Something told her that these two would be so close if given the chance. Perhaps that was what Fluttershy needed most, somepony to be with... Somepony to make her happy instead of protect her like Rainbow had been doing for so long...
"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!!" came an older, much more familiar voice.
Turning around, the group saw a light, faded blue mare. Her mane and tail were a stark white, save for the ice blue stripe that ran down them. Her green eyes glared at the light gray colt with an intensity that could make a manticore flinch. She extended her wings to their full length, making her seem much larger before the young group. This was Fleetfoot, the head coach at Flight Camp, and from the glare she was directing at Shadow, she was not happy...
"Well? Are you going to explain yourself?" Coach Fleetfoot pressed with a sharp edge in her voice. "Tell me why you attacked not one, but three students!"
"A-ATTACK?!" the young colt asked, unable to hide the confusion in his incredulous voice. "I didn't attack anypony coach! We were the ones attacked!"
"Then why is a student running down the halls with what looks like fear and some hurt on his face?!" the older mare countered sharply. "And why is it that these two fillies were afraid to look you in the eye?!"
"Hey!" Rainbow broke in, stepping between the coach and her friend. "Shadow protected us! Dumbbell has been harassing all three of us forever and when we came to you he attacked us!"
"Ha! Sweet little Dumbbell?" Fleetfoot glared at her. "My son has been nothing but perfect! His grades are top marks, his classmates say he is always kind, and if he was harassing Shadow here, then why is he running away?! What I see is a filly with a big bruise across her face, a frightened colt, and one perpetrator that can do some freaky thing to hurt ponies!"
Wondering what she was meaning, Rainbow stole a glance at Fluttershy to see that a large bruise had indeed taken form right where Dumbbell had struck her. Evidently, Coach Fleetfoot had witnessed the end of the 'fight' and only see her son retreat... What? Her son?! Oh no... Rainbow could tell there was no way to win this one.
If Dumbbell was the head Coach's son, and his grades really were great, then it would take the entire student body to convince her. Odds of that were slim considering that the brute threatened to hurt anypony that ratted on him. Everypony knew that he stuck to his threats at least... It was the only honest quality about him.
"He was protecting us!" Rainbow protested, trying to defend her friend. "That bruise came from your son! And what Shadow did was stand up to the bully that hurt her!"
"I'll not listen to you attempt to incriminate my son simply because he is a better flier than you Rainbow Dash!" Fleetfoot returned angrily.
"This isn't about who is a better flier!" the cyan filly snapped back, getting in the coach's face. "I would gladly give up all of my flying talent to help my friends when they are being accused of something they didn't do by somepony that didn't even see the whole fight!!"
"Hmph!" the older mare huffed. "Rainbow Dash, you are speaking out of term. If you do not cease this pointless debate, I will have you expelled along with this delinquent!"
"D-Delinquent?!" Shadow shouted, incredulous.
"EXPELLED?!" Fluttershy cried.
"That's right," Coach Fleetfoot nodded, her glare returning to the young colt. "I'll see to it personally that you are removed from the premises and banished from our fair school like the ruffian that you are!"
"But... But he was h-helping me..." the shy filly said quietly, trying to defend her new friend. "Shadow... Shadow Breeze is n-nice..."
"I will not hear anything else from you three," the older blue pegasus replied sternly. "If you keep this up I will make sure that all three of you are expelled."
"But-" Rainbow started, being cutoff by the light gray colt she called a friend placing a hoof in front of her.
"Just... Let it go Rainbow," Shadow sighed, his expression sad and his voice low. He sounded like he had given in already. "Don't defend me anymore... It's not worth the trouble."
"...Shadow..." the cyan filly whispered, her eyes starting to tear up.
"Please don't leave!" Fluttershy cried, hugging him. "I... I don't want to lose my friend!"
"I-I'm so sorry Fluttershy," the light gray colt whispered, returning the hug with a light blush. "But h-hey, at least Dumbbell will l-leave you alone now, right?"
"Do you really have to go?" Rainbow asked, joining the hug. "We can't see you after school or anything?"
"Not if I have anything to say about it," Fleetfoot answered. "After my Wonderbolt tryout, I intend to speak with all of your parents and I will let them know that this delinquent is to not be near any of you after today. Best not let something like this happen again after all..."
With that said, the shy filly couldn't take anymore. Fluttershy burst into tears and galloped down the halls away from her friends and the teacher. Shadow made a motion to go after her, but Fleetfoot blocked the way with a wing. Rainbow growled and looked like she was about to tackle the head coach, but the light gray colt stopped her with a hoof. He shook his head and sighed.
"Per... Perhaps it's best that we part ways like this..." he whispered, shedding a few tears himself. "If I saw her again I'd... I don't think I'd be able to move on..."
"SO YOU'RE JUST GOING TO GIVE UP?!" Rainbow snapped at him, her eyes stinging with the salty tears that threatened to fall. "THEN... THEN JUST GO!!! I DON'T EVER WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN!!!"
With that, the cyan filly turned and fled from her new friend as well. She didn't know where she would go, she just wanted to be alone, to cry openly, to scream at this injustice! Why?! Why was it that whenever she or Fluttershy made a friend, something had to happen to take them away?! That was just cruel! Not to mention that Fluttershy evidently felt something for Shadow too! Taking away somepony's first love... There was nothing more heartless than that!
Rainbow Dash ran, and ran, and ran. She kept going, just trying to get away from everypony she could. Her heart ached so much, and nothing could heal the deep gash. The cyan filly took flight once more, and flew away to someplace secluded where she could be herself. Not once did she dare look back, or else she would risk hugging Shadow so tightly she'd never let go of him. With that, Rainbow flew far away. To where, she had no idea...
I.I.I Flashback End - Returning to Current Time Period I.I.I
"And that was the last I ever saw of him... Until today," Rainbow finished, wiping away a few tears.
Fluttershy and Luna hugged the cyan pegasus tightly, their sisterly bonds strengthen even more from the shared tears evoked by such a sad story. The dark alicorn may not have been involved in any way, but she could still feel the pain that Rainbow felt. And Fluttershy... Even if she couldn't remember, her emotions were still there, and they were the strongest yet. They... They felt almost as powerful as when she learned of Tory's death...
"I... I r-remember..." the golden pegasus whispered. "I remember Shadow so clearly now..."
"You do?!" Rainbow asked, a slight smile upon her face.
"Y-Yes..." Fluttershy nodded. "But... It doesn't change anything... My heart belongs to Tory, and nopony else!"
"Then he's a lucky one," came a voice from the doorway to the hospital.
Everypony turned to see Shadow, Twilight, and Fantasia stepping onto the rooftop. Fluttershy gasped quietly and hid behind Luna, who gave her a soft smile and wrapped a wing around her. The deep gray pegasus came over to them, his eyes slightly reddened, and his expression a forced smile. Rainbow could tell just from this that her old friend had been crying. Looking back, she also saw Fluttershy's expression, one of reluctance. The golden mare was afraid to talk with him, afraid that her old feelings for Shadow would surface and ruin the love she felt for Tory.
"Beautiful night tonight, Princess Luna," Shadow said, breaking the silence and bowing before the dark alicorn.
"Yes, I felt that the skies and stars should shine their brightest," Luna nodded. "So that my husband... So that Rainbow Dash's and Fluttershy's husband would hopefully feel their presence and our love for him... So that he would come back to us."
"That is... Beautiful," he smiled, a genuine one this time, followed by a few tears. "He is a lucky one, to have all three of you..."
From the way he spoke, and from his expression, Luna could tell how much pain he was feeling at the moment. It hurt him to finally be reunited with his old friend and crush, but to also learn that they had married. His heart could almost be heard shattering to tiny fragments. Was there any way she could possibly help him? Surely there was something that could be done for him...
"We are the lucky ones," Rainbow smiled softly. "He has done everything for us. Tory has given up everything to be here, to keep us happy. The love he shows to us is..."
"It is wonderful," Fluttershy finished. "He was willing to sacrifice his life so I could come back from death..."
"And even then, he wouldn't give up the love me and him shared as well," the cyan pegasus nodded, picking up from there. "When I went to bring her back alone, Tory came after me. He protected me, cared for me, nearly died for me... Even after we brought Fluttershy back, he tried to love me..."
"Then after a meeting in the castle, I spent my own special time with Tory," Luna continued, smiling at the other girls. "I forced him into the memories of his past life, where he lived as my old lover. There he gained some insight to not only who he was, but also to who he could be. He shared the memories with me later on and... That's how we fell in love."
"...So much happened to all of you," Shadow whispered.
"Yes, and it's... It's my fault that he is like this now," the dark alicorn finished sadly. "His wounds are the same as the ones Two-Tail had when he died a millennia ago. Tory was reliving some memories, and they made him like this..."
Luna began to sob once more, to which Fluttershy and Rainbow hugged her tightly. Everypony else was quiet, making the cold wind and crying the only sounds about them. Some turned their gaze to the stars and marveled at the new constellation, while others let their minds wander back to recent events. Finally Shadow sighed and spoke up, grabbing everypony's attention.
"If... If you like," he began. "I c-could... Help you..."
"How?" Rainbow spoke up quickly, casting a glance at him before returning it to look at Luna. Both of them had this slight twinkle in their eyes.
"My... My powers," he answered, smiling weakly at them. "I learned some things a-and... One of them let's me... G-Go into the minds of somepony. I can... Bring all of you in too."
"Really?!" all three of the girls spoke up in unison, making the deep gray pegasus fall onto his back from surprise at the sudden change.
"Y-Yeah," he nodded, getting up with a slight blush. "I don't mind if... If I'm helping you..."
This caused Fluttershy to turn red as well, and she turned away so that nopony would see. She couldn't let these feelings surface, not when she was happily married to Tory! But... But she had to be with her husband, no matter what. She would deal with this and remain with him no matter what the cost. He would do the same for her...
"O...Okay," Fluttershy agreed, bringing her hooves up and holding the one with the wedding bracelet close to her heart. She could almost feel him when she did that. "Take us to him..."
I.I.I
"Heh, this is perfect," came a dark, sickeningly familiar voice. "He's weakened, and they're all so distracted by it... Now is the time to strike."
Sitting upon his throne within the ruins, Discord watched Tory's friends and family struggle with his current condition. He found it quite funny to see their faces so defeated. And to hear of that story Rainbow gave. It sent him into such a fit of laughter than he almost passed out from it. He suppressed the returning laughter and kept his eyes on his targets.
Discord had been watching all of them for a day now. After his little journey to Earth, he had been recovering slowly from the magical blast Tory had unleashed. The raw force behind that assault the human unleashed had been much more than expected, and he had unknowingly added layers of barriers to the seal that blocked the demon's magic. Even now, Discord was still unraveling those protections. He could feel his power just within his reach, but he needed one last push to grab a hold it.
"But how to go about this..." the demon mused to himself. "As I stand now, I can't simply walk in and drain that boy dry. No, those pesky unicorns would stop me without a trouble. And then there is Luna..."
That was something Discord had not anticipated. He didn't expect to return and find Luna shared relations with Tory. While she would not normally be a threat, she was now. Her powers far outclassed the demon's at this time. If he were to make any move now, she could stop him, and would do so to protect that human. To get around her would be most difficult without magic.
"But I must strike now, while they are distracted!" Discord raged to himself. "Hmm... That black one could prove most useful now. Should I time my actions when they are busy inside that weakling's mind..."
The demon smirked evilly, his mind creating a plan on the spot. While they were in the mind of Tory, Discord could strike and take all of them down in one fell swoop. But his powers had not returned enough for a direct assault. And while the body of Eric was durable, it could only endure so much as well. This human form had it's limits, and Tory's friend was starting to resist the possession.
The mind of Eric kept fighting for control during Discord's time on Earth. Normally this would be no problem while the demon had power, but since it was locked away he had to rely on his own mental strength. When it came to that category, he was either quite gifted, or his host had a weak mind. Regardless, that feeble human was suppressed for the time, his body subject to Discord's will.
"Perhaps I should let my subordinates take care of this dilemma," the demon concluded. He leaned back in his throne and shouted loudly into the emptiness of his castle. "Subjects Eight through Ten, and Subject Thirteen!"
A few seconds later four figures appeared from the shadows where two double doors stood tall. Three stallions and a mare bowed before Discord, lowering their ears in respect. He smiled as he gazed upon his four followers, all of them enemies to Tory's friends. With them on this mission, he was sure to be rid of Tory at last! The demon stood up and walked over to each of the ponies before him. He stepped in front of the mare and rested a hand upon her mane.
"Subject Thirteen," he started. "Your assignment is to locate and remove Twilight Sparkle, Fantasia, and anypony else that does not enter the mind of Tory. Distract them and take them away."
"Yes Master," she nodded, a large grin upon her face. "Trixie would be delighted to do this..."
"Good," Discord smiled, turning his attention to the stallions before him. "Then you three will enter after the coast is clear, and eliminate the rest of them. Leave not a single pony alive in that room."
They each nodded and bowed. The demon turned and moved back to his throne, signaling that they were dismissed. The ponies left without another word, bringing silence to the room once more. Discord gazed into the pool of water at his feet, the one that he used to scry on others. He could feel victory just within reach now. He wouldn't have to dirty his hands at all, nor risk his life either.
"Let's see how well those fools handle this challenge!" Discord laughed.
I.I.I
“Okay, now I can't take all of you with me,” Shadow explained to the group. “At most, I could maybe bring along three or four of you.”
The rest of the ponies looked between each other and nodded. It was obvious who should go and who shouldn't. It needn't be said that Luna, Rainbow, and Fluttershy should make this journey into Tory's mind. They were his wives after all, and they were the closest to him. They only got to experience their wedding as a family, and nothing else yet. It would be only right for them to go with this strange pegasus that two of them called a dear friend.
“It'll be us,” Luna said, stepping forward. “Me, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash will undergo this trial... for Tory.”
“Yes we...” the golden pegasus started. “We miss him... so much.”
“Thank you... Thank you for this Shadow,” Rainbow smiled at him, hugging the stallion tightly. “You don't know how great it is to have you back, and to have your help when we need it most.”
“You're my closest friends,” he grinned back, his eyes watering up a little. “I'm... I'm happy to do this for you both... and for you Princess Luna.”
“Please, just call me Luna,” the dark alicorn replied. “You are a friend of my sisters-in-law, therefore you are my friend. You do not have to speak so formally with me.”
“A-Alright,” Shadow nodded. He stepped over to Tory and a small tendril emerged from the ground by his hooves. “I'll connect with your minds first, and then I'll pool all of us into what I like to call the 'Open Mindframe'. You'll see a couple doors, all of them different. Each one represents one of our minds. Do not open any of those doors unless you are sure which one belongs to who.”
The girls nodded, and the deep gray pegasus created three more tendrils. They each touched Luna, Rainbow, and Fluttershy on the forehead, and there was a faded black light that emerged from it. Twilight, Fantasia, Ditzy, and Raven had to turn away or else risk being blinded. Shadow on the other hoof, was perfectly fine looking at it. He turned to Tory once more and connected his free tendril to the human's forehead as well. Another light emerged once more, and then there was nothing.
“What... What happened?” Ditzy asked, looking over.
The rest of the group saw the girls and Shadow standing there, unmoving. The tendrils were emitting faded colors that connected to the deep gray pegasus from the girls, then over to their lover. The light from before was gone, which allowed the group to look about once more. Raven walked over to Luna and waved a hoof in front of her face.
“P-Princess?” he asked, unsure if she could hear him. She didn't respond. “I... I guess it worked.”
“They're all inside Tory's mind now,” Twilight commented, looking at her friends. “We'd best keep guard here, for them. Who knows when something might happen...”
The group nodded in agreement, and moved about, getting comfy wherever they could. Raven and Ditzy sat by the window, Twilight by Tory's bed, and Fantasia by the door. They each did their own thing to pass by the time, hoping that whatever was being done, it wouldn't take too long. Twilight began to read one of the human books Tory had given her, the pegasus lieutenant and his marefriend chatted about what their next plans were, since their date had been so rudely interrupted, and Fantasia sat there, completely silent, in a meditative stance.
“My my my, such simple foals!” came a familiar and crude female voice. “Trixie was sure that you would have taken the time to set up defenses!”
Everypony turned towards the door and saw the blue unicorn mare that had threatened them earlier. Fantasia's face turned into a scowl, and she quickly grabbed the showpony. The anger seen in her eyes was not lost on anypony. Twilight put her book down calmly and walked over, sensing that a fight was going to break out. If one looked closely, they could also see the anger in her eyes as well.
"What are you doing here Trixie," the purple unicorn asked, keeping her voice calm. "If you are here to cause trouble, I would suggest leaving now..."
"Like, right now!" Fantasia snarled, her horn glowing a faded white. "And don't come back!"
"Hmph!" Trixie huffed. "Tough talk from a weakling! You low class ponies do nothing but bark! When it's time to act, you just whimper and crawl away with your tails between your legs! You are no sister of Trixie's, you are a mutt!"
"Wanna see what this 'Mutt' can do?!" the white unicorn challenged, rearing back a hoof.
"Hold up," Twilight stopped her, still somehow calm. "This is neither the time nor the place. We have something much more important to do Fantasia..."
Motioning to Tory and the girls, the purple unicorn tried to soothe her friend. The white pony gave a sigh and dropped the showpony to the floor. Stepping back, her horn lit up and Trixie's hooves did as well. They became rooted to the tiled floor, making it impossible for the blue unicorn to move about. Once that was done, it seemed the tension had died down some, and everypony relaxed just a bit.
“Anyways, what are you doing here Trixie?” Fantasia demanded.
“Trixie was hoping you would ask,” the blue unicorn smiled. “Trixie must talk with you about something of great importance...”
I.I.I
As the light faded, Fluttershy looked around. All she could see besides her sisters and Shadow was white. Complete white that went on forever. There was no floor, no ceiling or sky, just the same color that blanketed everywhere around the group. They were perhaps the only color there... at least, that is what Fluttershy initially thought.
“Hey, where did this door come from?” Rainbow asked, stepping up to a wooden door that was decorated with small images of woodland creatures. It had a silver border to it, with a small shield in the center. “It looks like the kind of door Fluttershy would have at her house.”
“That's because it's the gateway to her mind,” Shadow Breeze answered, walking over to her. “This door represents the likeness of the owner. Since Fluttershy cares so much about animals, it would only make sense that her gateway would contain something like this. But the shield and the silver border...”
“That's Tory,” Luna smiled, looking at the golden pegasus. “She does love him. It would only make sense that her love would be so strongly ingrained into her soul that it would show like this.”
“Kinda like yours?” Rainbow giggled, pointing a hoof over her shoulder.
Behind the dark alicorn was a set of double doors, one that was a deep indigo with constellations decorating it. In the center was a large shield, just like Fluttershy's door had. But in the center of that, there was a crescent moon. Silver tribal markings traveled along the borders of the massive doors. This must be the door that led to Luna's mind.
“Yes,” she smiled. “Much like mine really.”
“And like yours too Rainbow,” Shadow smirked, pointing over to the side.
In between Luna and Fluttershy's gateways was a large cloud door with a rainbow border and a large lightning bold arcing down the side opposite the knob. As with the doors of her sisters, there was a large shield that looked to be made of glass, almost like a window. The handle was make of what looked like quick-silver, in the shape of a heart.
“Then... is that the gateway to Tory's mind?” Fluttershy asked, pointing off in the distance where a faded speck could be seen.
The girls and Shadow trotted over to the speck. Approaching it, the group was able to identify the object as a set of silver double doors. It was decorated with a giant shield that occupied most of them, and on it were three symbols that formed a triangle. On the left was Rainbow Dash's cutie mark. The right one was Luna's, and the top one was obviously Fluttershy's. But this isn't what stood out most for the group. What really caught their eyes were the faded pictures that moved about the door. Each one showed what looked like more humans through the eyes of someone. It was then that they realized that those weren't just images, but memories being played out in front of them!
“This must be his gateway,” Fluttershy whispered, a determined look across her face. “Somewhere in there... Somewhere in there, we'll find Tory.”
“Then let's go,” Luna nodded.
As they walked up to the doors, the memories faded away, revealing their bareness. There was not a handle or knob anywhere on them. Discarding this fact, the girls stood on their back hooves and used their fore-hooves to push it open. After a few seconds it started to budge, and then it gave way to a black corridor. The whiteness that surrounded them before vanished, being replaced by pure black. Yet still the girls did not even flinch. Rainbow took the initiative, and broke into a gallop, the rest following her. She kept her eyes glued up ahead and whispered to herself.
“We're coming Tory...”
I.I.I
"Vy, should... Should we really be doing this?" asked the quiet and well-mannered voice of Octavia. She looked about, her charcoal shaded mane gently flowing about her form as her violet eyes checked their surroundings. "It feels wrong, almost like we're stalking them..."
After the wedding, the light gray mare had contacted her friend Vinyl Scratch, asking if she knew of a pony named Silverwing from Ponyville. The white unicorn had simply shrugged and said there was no trace of him in her hometown. The only change in population was the addition of the humans recently, which she thought was cool. Now curious, Octavia and her friend decided to gather info on them. And per the DJ's suggestion, they had been keeping tabs on them for the last few hours.
"Ya worry too much 'Tavi!" Vinyl laughed, patting her friend on the back. "Besides, it's not like we mean any harm right? We're just a couple of ponies checking up on a patient!"
"Somehow I doubt that the others would see it in such a manner..." the cellist said under her breath, shifting about on her hooves uncomfortably.
Normally Octavia would keep to herself. And she was a considerate pony as well, so she found the concept of tracking a pony around to be... Well invasive of their privacy! Yet something about the appearance of Silverwing at the wedding threw her off. She couldn't quite place what that something was, but nonetheless it bothered her to no end. After some convincing by Vinyl, the gray mare had accepted the idea. Now the two of them were standing outside Tory's room, eavesdropping on Twilight and her friends, who were quietly talking with a unicorn that the DJ pony had identified as Trixie Lulamoon.
"Hush Tavi!" Vinyl silenced her, pressing an ear to the door once more. "It's hard enough hearing them when you aren't talking..."
"Wait just a moment," came the voice of the showpony. "It seems that Trixie has found some... Unwanted guests listening to us...".
Before either mare had a chance to react, the door they were leaning against flew open and the two fell to the tiled floor right beside a blue unicorn with a glare upon her face. The others in the room simply stared at the new arrivals, their expressions blank. Octavia quickly stood up and dusted herself off. She turned her head just a bit to hide her blush. Vinyl though, got up with a large grin on her face.
"Alright everypony," she laughed. "Take a seat! DJ Pon-3 is here to liven things up!"
"Er, q-quite," The cellist stammered, embarrassed to be caught so easily. "We um..."
"Were just leaving," Trixie finished, hinting at a threat otherwise.
"Nope!" the DJ pony grinned, her signature shades sliding down her nose a bit, revealing the red eyes underneath. "We came cause we heard a friend was hurt, and wanted to see how we could help!"
"Y-Yes, that's it," Octavia nodded, catching on to her friend's lie. "I sincerely hope we are n-not intruding..."
"Actually, your timing could not have been more perfect," Raven smirked. "You see, our um... Acquaintance here wished to show us something, and it requires us to step away. We do not wish to leave our friends here alone, while they are... Occupied. Would you be willing to keep watch for us?"
"P-Pardon?" the light gray earth pony questioned, looking a him.
"Yeah no problemo!" Vinyl cut in, stopping her friend. "We can sit here for ya!"
"Actually, they are welcome to see as well," Trixie spoke up once more, shooting a less violent look a the two.
"That is kind of you Sister," a white unicorn like Vinyl countered. "But Raven is right. There are ponies out there that wish to harm our friends here..."
The showpony looked like she wanted to protest, but she kept whatever she wanted to say back and simply turned to leave. The others grinned at each other, the look in their eyes confusing Octavia. It looked like they had won some weird fight with Trixie by their expressions. She would have asked just them, but they didn't give her time, as they walked out and followed the blue unicorn. This left the room in silence, something that a certain DJ Pon-3 wasn't fond of...
“I need music!” she suddenly shouted, making her friend flinch. “Tavi, play something for me!”
“U-Um... I can't?” the cellist answered, stepping back. “I don't have my cello with me...”
Without even saying another word, Vinyl teleported out of the room and reappeared beside the earth pony with a large black case. She pushed it to Octavia, who quickly caught the instrument in her hooves. Why? Why must that unicorn be so rough with her belongings?! This was the fourth time this week that the DJ pony had broken into her home via magic and stole something from her!
“Play something, please!” her friend begged. “I need music! I need something!”
Vinyl, having not found her form of magic yet, had been practically leaning on Octavia as of late. It seems the need for music had been getting to her, and the cellist's consistent playing must have triggered a desire for classical. With a soft smile to her friend, the earth pony opened her case, brought out her instrument as well as the bow, and took a seat by Tory's bed, where it seemed most comfortable.
Octavia began to play slowly, her bow running across the strings gently, causing a soft note to play out. She wasn't sure what she was going to play really. Lately, the only things she did was play dumb songs that she had known for years. She wanted something to change, something different like... Like... Like what she had played just a few nights prior.
It had been such a sad song but... It stuck with Octavia. She liked it, though it brought tears to her eyes every time. Almost immediately she felt the salty tears sting at her eyes. Just thinking about the song that touched her heart set her off still. Forcing her hooves to stop shaking, the cellist played the first note. Long, slow, and quiet was how she felt it play. She broke into a light smile as she felt her soul fly up with each melodious note.
The tears started to flow, running down her cheeks slowly. Octavia didn't care though. She didn't care that her friend could see the tears in her eyes, that Vinyl could hear the small sobs under the song. No, she only cared about this song that seemed to whisper sad yet also happy truths to her. And with each note that sounded, the whispers gradually became soft words, then a voice filled with confidence, and so forth until Octavia could practically hear the song shouting at her.
Vinyl watched with her mouth open, her only friend playing... She wasn't sure what, but evidently it had a powerful effect on Octavia. Very few things could make the cellist tear up, let alone openly cry. But it wasn't sad, no these tears were... Happy almost. The DJ pony watched as the light gray earth pony began to smile, her song growing in volume as her grin did.
"This song..." Vinyl thought to herself, wiping her own tear away. "Wherever it came from... It moved Tavi. I can hear it, her heart behind each and every note. Whoever gave her this song... Gave her something strong enough to touch her heart again... I haven't heard Octavia play like this since..."
As the last few notes rang out over the room, the cellist sniffled once and gazed out the window at the bright stars above. Vinyl came over and placed a hoof on her friend's shoulder. Turning her head, the earth pony couldn't help but smile as she saw the look the white unicorn gave. They both knew... This song had found it's way to her soul, and opened her once more to the world.
"That was beautiful Tavi," DJ Pon-3 smiled. "What was that song?"
"It was something that pegasus Silverwing gave to me," Octavia answered. "The notes said 'Nearer My God to Thee'..."
"Then we totally gotta thank him for helping you," Vinyl said.
"... I... I should," the cellist agreed, looking up at her friend. "But I..."
As she trailed off, the white unicorn cast a glance in her direction. She gaped as she saw one thing that had only been seen once in all the years she had known the earth pony... Octavia, the secluded mare that reserved herself from the world, that cared only for her music... she was blushing! Vinyl's shades nearly fell off as she could do nothing but show surprise at this emotional display before her, an emotional display that came from OCTAVIA no less!
"You... You mean that..." the DJ pony trailed off, knowing what her friend couldn't openly say.
"Perhaps my music was meant to fly on wings of silver," the gray mare smiled, her blush intensifying. "I-Instead of taking root in the ground under my hooves."
"Well isn't that sweet!" came a jeer from the door.
Turning around, the two mares came face to face with three large pegasi, all of them wearing white lab coats and sneering at the musicians. The one in front came forth, his blue eyes sending daggers into the cellist and her friend. Three colts, each of them larger than the last. Octavia stepped back uncertainly, starting to fear for her life. Vinyl did the same, but she had a determined look in her eyes.
"I'll keep this simple," the obvious leader started. "You little fillies get goin' or you'll end up like those five will..."
"Yeah!" the other two agreed in unison.
"You mean you'll try," the DJ pony countered, her horn glowing light blue. "I've had my fair share of brawls, and you three don't look as tough as those ponies!"
"Vy, what are you doing?!" Octavia whispered to her friend.
"I'm doin' what that red pony wanted us to do!" she countered, grinning at the cellist. "We gotta protect 'em, right?"
"Doin' this the hard way, huh?" the leader sneered. "Fine, but you asked for it! Boys, get 'em..."
The other two stallions stepped up, and in response were turned a light blue and hurled back into the hallway. Vinyl laughed and stepped forward. This was a piece of cake! Those two couldn't get near her at all! She levitated her shades back on and smirked widely. The leader sent a glare in response and lunged forward. Once more the DJ pony picked him up with her magic and flung him into a wall.
"Seriously, you guys are like, a drag," she sighed. "What are you even doing here?"
"Shuddup!" the leader snapped. "Our boss's plans won't be stopped by you!"
"This is i-insane," Octavia is whispered to herself. "What am I getting myself into?"
"You're boring now " Vinyl commented, shaking her head. "So I'm goin' to make you leave."
Before the pegasus had a chance to ask her what she meant, his body was picked up by magic and flung out the window rapidly. Unable to slow or stop himself, the pony's momentum carried him far into the night, away from the hospital. Looking over at the other two, Vinyl stepped forward and smirked. They yelped and quickly scrambled down the hallway, their tails between their legs.
"Ha! Too easy!" she laughed after them. "Come back when ya grow some-"
"VY!!" Octavia yelled. "What did you just do?!"
"What?" her friend asked. "They threatened us first!"
"But you..."
"I took care of them," Vinyl stopped her, speaking calmly.
"I... I suppose so," Octavia reluctantly agreed. "But would you be so kind as to not cause such a ruckus next time? I nearly jumped out of my coat, you frightened me so badly."
"Heh, yeah alright," the DJ pony grinned. "I'll keep quiet next time."
With a nod, Octavia began to relax. Whatever had just happened, it was over now. She looked about, her cello suddenly missing. Now where had her instrument gone? She could use a relaxing song now, and she was sure that Vinyl could as well. After a second of investigating the room, she found her cello on the floor by the ponies that were just standing there.
"Now what possessed me to place my cello in such a spot like that?" she asked aloud, moving over to it. "I pray no damage has come to it..."
As the cellist got to her instrument, she noticed the dark blue pony beside it. Octavia let out a gasp as she realized that Princess Luna stood before her. The Alicorn's eyes were closed, and she looked to be at peace almost. But what stood out the most was this dark glow about her frame. It radiated off her body lightly and the color seemed to seep into the form of the human in bed. Only at this point did she actually notice who was who. Standing in front of her, all of them wearing the same expression, was Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and another pegasus that she did not recognize.
"Vy," she whispered. "I think I know something now..."
"Yeah?" her friend asked, slightly curious as to why the cellist was acting so weird suddenly.
But Octavia didn't get the chance to say anything, as she had accidentally bumped into Luna. The dark glowing on the Alicorn's form crawled along the cellist's light gray coat, sending shivers along her spine as it went. He mind started to go blank, and her hearing vanished almost instantly. She could not feel the floor under her hooves either. With an unfelt shudder, Octavia lost consciousness...
I.I.I
"Hey, I think she's coming to.." came a soft voice.
"About time! I was getting tired of waiting!" a brash voice returned.
"Hey quiet," a calm voice spoke. "Give her some space girls..."
Octavia was confused at the moment, which only served to increase the migraine she could feel at the back of her head. Those voices, she knew them... Kinda. They sounded familiar to her at least. It wasn't her friend Vinyl, because there was a guy there, and the two females sounded much different... Wait, what happened? Wasn't she just talking with her friend a moment ago? There had been that glowing and then the next thing Octavia knew...
"Uhn..." the cellist groaned, sitting up slowly.
"Easy there," the male voice warned, a pair of gentle hooves supporting her. "You might be a little dizzy. I would take things kinda slow at first."
"Oh great," the brash one sighed. "This better not take too long. We gotta find Tory! I can't stand much more of this!"
Tory? That caught a hold of Octavia's attention. Ignoring the migraine that was slowly surfacing, she opened her eyes to find herself within an endless dark corridor, metallic doors along both sides of the wall. In front of her were four ponies, more specifically, three mares that had been married recently and a deep gray pegasus stallion.
"R-Rainbow Dash... Fluttershy... Princess Luna..." she started. "Pray tell... What is going on?"
"Looks like you're alright mentally," Shadow smiled. "Good. Do you think you can stand?"
"I should be able to support myself yes," Octavia nodded, climbing to her hooves shakily. "But please tell me, just what is this place?"
"We're inside the mind of our husband," Luna answered, stepping forward. "But I would like to ask you something now. How and why are you here?"
"I do not know..." the cellist replied. "I was in the hospital playing a melody I had learned recently and then me and my companion were attacked by a group of brutish pegasi. After she fended them off, I went to claim my cello nearby and upon standing up... Here I am."
"That makes no sense!" Rainbow snapped at her. "I think you're a spy, sent to harm us from Discord!"
"Easy now," the deep gray stallion soothed, placing a hoof on her shoulder. "I should be honest, it is entirely possible for others to join us right now... Given a few requirements are met."
"R-Requirements?" Fluttershy asked, looking at the earth pony uncertainly.
"The first is contact with one already inside the mindframe," Shadow started, looking at the girls. "The second is a little more... Personal. Since we're inside Tory's mind, the pony that wants to join must be accepted by him. Since he's in a coma, he cannot willingly allow her in so other mental functions consider a few factors..."
"Please tell me this isn't where I think it's going," Luna asked, her voice raising.
Shadow looked at her and nodded. She knew what it meant just as well as he did. Since Tory could not openly accept her mind into his, the only possible way for Octavia to enter was if he had some sort of connection or attachment to her. If one was found, then access was granted to the external force. By that logic, it meant the human and the cellist were connected in some way shape or form. But Shadow left out one important fact...
He didn't mention that the external force had to also hold the connection. It couldn't be a one way attraction. Meaning to those that knew, Octavia considered Tory strongly. But if that was the case, she was certainly not acting like it. She almost seemed unsure of who Tory was actually. That was something Shadow could tell, simply because his powers were the key to this and they allowed him access into the hearts of those he connected with.
"I'm afraid that I do not understand," Octavia commented. "Just who is Tory anyways? I know I played at the wedding for him and you three, but I do not know him myself."
"Tory is the human that you saw within the hospital," Luna answered, glaring at her.
"U-Um let's... Let's get moving," the deep gray pegasus stammered, feeling intense waves of hate radiating off of the alicorn. "If we're going to see Tory, we should get moving..."
Without another word, Luna turned and trotted down the corridor. Fluttershy and Rainbow watched her leave, then looked back at Octavia. What just happened? They didn't understand anything at the moment. All they saw was the alicorn glaring at the cellist, and something sparked. By the looks of it, the gray earth pony was unsure herself.
All five of them continued down the corridor that seemed to go on forever. They passed many doors, each one holding numbers upon them. The numbers grew as they walked, slowly but surely going upward. They passed 5, 12, 16, and now they were on 18. The doors had previously been wooden, and looked in bad condition, but as they numbers grew, so did the quality of the doors. At this point they were now silver with a golden tinge, with a rainbow tinge, and a few with an indigo shade.
"Just what are these doors," Rainbow Dash asked, stopping at one.
"They are memories," Shadow answered. "Each door represents a new day or week in Tory's life. The numbers identify what year in his life they were in."
"So, that means this door here is a memory he made when he was 18?" Fluttershy asked, going over to one with a golden glow.
"Exactly, and evidently that particular one was important." the deep gray pegasus nodded. "That glow inside it means that Tory cherishes the memory that he shared with someone close."
Fluttershy became curious as to that. Though she was not one to go through other's personal lives and belongings, she couldn't help herself this time. It was her husband and she had a special feeling about this door. Cautiously, she opened it all the way and gazed inside. She wasn't expecting to find what she saw in it. Looking right back a her, was HER!!
Fluttershy gazed at a grayscale version of herself through the door, seeing herself go about her house, and watched as she extended her hooves toward the door, then off to the sides, followed by the original's sight being turned away. There was something odd about seeing her own movements like this, watching herself do whatever it was...
"Right now, you're seeing everything through his eyes." Shadow told her. "At the time, this is what Tory saw. If you want to see it differently, just walk into the memory."
Hesitantly, Fluttershy stepped forward and as she went through, a cold tingling traveled along length of her body. Blinking quickly, the golden pegasus found that she could see everything different now. The entire area was still gray, but she still had her color. Looking around, she saw Tory and the memory of herself walking down the road together.
Noticing the scenery, the real Fluttershy saw that they were on the trail to Ponyville. What made this memory so special to Tory anyways? Following him and herself, the mare noticed all the looks directed at her husband. She started to recall those looks they sent at him. Those were the ponies, and the looks that they had seen on his first trip into Ponyville... Meaning that this memory was...
"G-Guh!" came the familiar voice of her husband.
Looking over, she saw him on the ground, clutching at his chest and gasping for air. She teared up, knowing now that this was one of the times that Discord had contacted Tory. How could she just stand there without doing anything back then?! Rushing forward, the real Fluttershy tried to warn the past version of her. But the memory her did nothing at all, not even acknowledge that she was there.
"DO SOMETHING FOR HIM!!" Fluttershy screamed at herself, tears running down her cheeks openly. "Get help, call for somepony!! SAVE HIM!!!"
"D-Derpy quick!" the grayscale copy spoke, turning to a memory version of the cross-eyed mare. "Fetch Twilight and t-tell her it is important!"
At that moment Tory collapsed, his breathing ragged and shallow. The real Fluttershy screamed and tried to slap the memory of herself for not doing enough, but her hoof simply phased through, like there was nopony there. What was going on? Why couldn't the gray Fluttershy hear her, why didn't she react to the original?!
"You're in a memory," came the voice of her old friend Shadow. "You can't change someone's memories Fluttershy. No, this is what happened, and that will not change no matter what."
"... Just... Just get me out of here," she sobbed, collapsing on the ground herself. "I don't want to see anymore... Why would Tory cherish this memory?"
"Tory, you're okay!"
Turning to the sound of her own voice, Fluttershy saw herself hugging the human boy, to which he blushed. The gray version of herself started to talk about how worried she was, and how she didn't know what to do. By the original was not focused on that. The entire time, she had her eyes on Tory, who kept his blush on. That was when it struck her.
"That's why," Shadow smiled. "He cherished this moment with you, when you showed how much you cared for him."
"... Okay, let's go," the golden pegasus whispered, tears of happiness rolling down her cheeks and a soft smile upon her face.
The gray world started to dissolve, and once more Fluttershy found herself back within the dark corridor. She looked around, and saw many doors with a golden shade glowing just under the silver. It brought a blush to her face, just seeing all of the times that Tory valued so much with her. There were so many, they even continued into the blackness.
Turning back to her sisters, the golden mare gave them a nod, and the others understood what it meant. The doors that glowed rainbow or indigo were happy times the girls shared with the human the loved. It was almost like a gesture of love from their husband. To see all of these doors glowing so strongly... There must be one for every day that he spent with them.
Octavia smiled as she watched the girls hug, tears in their eyes, yet something inside her did not like it. She wasn't sure what it was, but it was most unpleasant. The feeling made her kinda sad, yet angry at the same time... Envy? Was this jealousy that the cellist was experiencing? Did seeing such a display of affection among family really bring about these negative emotions?
"It's alright to feel that way Octavia," came Shadow's voice at her side, quiet so the others would not hear. "What you are feeling is perfectly natural."
"How did..."
"The girls might not have seen it," he started. "But I noticed your expression change some, saw the light in your eyes dimming..."
"I do not quite understand," Octavia whispered, looking everywhere but him.
"Most ponies don't know love until they are so engulfed in it," the deep gray pegasus said. "Some realize it when they see it in others though..."
"Are you implying something," the cellist asked, stepping away from him slightly.
"Yes... You're in love Octavia," Shadow told her plainly. "As to whom... Let me say that he shares the feelings as well, even if he refuses to admit it."
"Me, in love?" she whispered, mostly to herself. "That might make sense, but the only one that I feel for is far away most likely."
"He may be closer than you realize," the pegasus told her. "Much closer..."
With that, Shadow walked over to the others, they smiled and looked at Octavia. Was it her imagination, or was Luna oddly upset with her for some reason? Shaking this unpleasant line of though free, the cellist put on a light smile and went to join them. They all continued down the corridor in silence, one that the earth pony found almost deafening with how loud her thoughts beat at her.
"He is closer than I realize..." Octavia thought. "But... Silverwing is nowhere to be found. It's like he appeared from thin air almost..."
"...Hey, I have an idea," Rainbow started, breaking the silence. "Why not just stay in here and go through Tory's memories until we find what did this?"
"U-Um," Luna stammered. "B-Because I... I already know..."
"You know what happened to him?" Fluttershy questioned, casting a soft, caring look at her sister.
"He was..." the dark alicorn trailed off, casting a glance at Octavia.
"Y-Yes Princess?" the cellist returned, stepping back. She felt like Luna had something against her almost.
"I... Cannot say at this time," the dark alicorn finished, directing a glare at the earth pony.
Luna turned and trotted away, leaving the rest of them to wonder just what was going on with her. And what was with those dark looks she kept sending Octavia? Each of the girls there wondered that, but Shadow knew just why the Princess disliked the cellist... She didn't like the idea of Tory loving another pony. That this earth pony could attract him without even realizing it... Such a thought could do nothing but cause the alicorn to resent the mare.
"I wonder why Luna is acting so strange..." Rainbow commented, speaking everypony's thoughts.
"It must be something I did to upset her," Octavia whispered, hanging her head. "I have offended her in some way and now she will direct her anger at me."
"No no," Fluttershy soothed. "I am sure that she is just worried about Tory. She has been so upset since this began, and right after our wedding. Please forgive her..."
"But still, I have upset her and... I am sure that it must involve my presence here," the cellist said quietly, tearing up. "Perhaps I should leave..."
Before anypony could do or say anything, Octavia turned and galloped back the way they had come. She vanished into the darkness right as the others came to their senses. Rainbow quickly flew after her, followed by Fluttershy. Shadow stood there and sighed. He slowly began to follow them, a small cloud of smoke appearing behind him.
"Sheesh..." he whispered. "Just how many mares are going to fall for this one guy? Maybe if I hang around him, I could learn a thing or two..."
I.I.I
“Oh, why did I have the audacity to just spy on them like that?” Octavia asked herself aloud. “Here I am now, trapped in the mind of… some human or whatever, and I’m lost…”
After leaving the group behind, and somehow dodging Rainbow Dash, the cellist had wandered down the endless corridor, trying to find the exit and a way back to the hospital. Yet it seemed like the black hall would never end. The only thing that changed were the numbers on the doors, and the actual doors themselves. The symbols slowly, very slowly, went down in number, and the quality of the wooden doors dropped at the same rate.
“For shame Octavia,” the earth pony scolded herself. “You were reckless and such an action has not only placed you in an unfamiliar location, but the Princess is displeased with you, and most likely wants to never see your face again…”
With a sigh, the mare stopped walking and hung her head. This wasn’t right. She didn’t even know what she did wrong. All she wanted was to locate that pegasus named Silverwing, and then… Well she had no idea what she planned to do then, but something told her it involved a date or two… But of course, she had to end up on Princess Luna’s bad side, and find herself trapped in some empty pocket of reality…
Her hooves somewhat sore from galloping, and her confidence weakened considerably, Octavia could do nothing but stop and rest. She went over to one of the doors and leaned against it heavily, panting somewhat. She had little energy left after so much happening to her all at one time. To continue moving now could be potentially hazardous to her health.
Shifting to a slightly more comfortable position, the cellist accidentally turned the knob and pushed it open. There was a slightly blinding light as the mare tumbled into... She had no idea where she was suddenly. Getting to her hooves quickly, she looked around, and noted how gray the entire world suddenly looked. But what threw her off the most was the ponies around her, or lack of to be precise. No, instead there were many of those... Humans, she recalled.
Octavia looked about to find a very large room with a stage in the front, and what looked like a line of younger humans entering one of three different doors in the back. The entire center of the room had two columns of wide tables, each able to hold about 50 of these two-legged creatures by the earth pony's count. There were twelve tables in all, six in a column, two per row. Yet one thing threw the cellist of the most...
A single human child sat at one of these tables made to hold many. He sat there in silence, eating alone. He had a slight bowl cut, and a tad pudge to him. His face was one that she herself was familiar with... Defeat. This child sat alone, sad and broken. Looking about, Octavia could find no reason why he should be this way. That was, until she heard the others whispering...
"Why is he even in this school?" one asked to another.
"I heard that he came from that school for delinquents, you know, the town just south of here?" the second replied.
"Well he's weird," a third broke in. "He's always so mopey, and it's depressing."
Octavia flattened her ears sadly. She understood now. That boy, he was new to this place, and he was upset... Very upset by the words said and his expression. She walked over to and took a seat on the stool beside him. Upon closer inspection, she saw tears streaming down his cheeks, and his body was shaking, biting back the sobs that threatened to consume him. He wasn't just sad, he was completely broken inside...
"It's...n-not my f-fault..." he whispered, sobbing quietly. "I... I'm not a d-delinquent... I'm just... J-Just Tory..."
Octavia's eyes widened in shock as she took a closer look at his face. This was indeed the human Fluttershy, Rainbow, and Princess Luna had married! This was him as a little one, perhaps a few years prior. He... He had been a loner. The cellist lowered her head. She understood that pain quite well. For many years, the mare had dealt with her life alone.
"Hey Tory!" a cocky voice called out, grabbing her attention. "I don't think we ever finished our little meeting from this morning!"
Looking over this newcomer, Octavia gasped as she saw a very large human approach. He was a tall one, with a muscular build to compliment his height. He had many freckles, and short red hair. As he came over, he started cracking his neck loudly. Behind him stood two smaller, but just as well-built humans. The cellist knew what was about to happen...
"Just..." the younger Tory started. "Just go away please... I never did anything to you..."
"Yeah you think that," the obvious leader sneered. "But really, your whiney little face makes me mad. You just sit there and cry all day, even in class. Maybe if you weren't so weak, I wouldn't have to punch you..."
"Enough of this!!" Octavia ordered, standing on the table so she could at least look the figure towering over them in the eyes. "You'll leave this boy alone or else! I'll not have you torment one such as him!"
But the large human ignored her, performing the memory as it had happened. The brute grabbed Tory by his shirt collar and yanked him out of his seat, causing a loud commotion as he slid back against the tiled floor into a trash can. The contents spilled out and fell on him, causing all of the others in the room to laugh at his misfortune. Octavia could not believe her eyes...
"... They say only the weak harm others for self gain," the grayscale boy commented, climbing to his feet and brushing the trash away. "My mother taught me that bullies only pick on others because they don't feel good about themselves..."
"Well your mom is stupid!" the large one laughed, as did the two behind him. Tory flinched and this caught his attention. "Oh that got to you huh? Got a soft spot for her do ya?"
"Don't even..." the boy hissed, clenching his fists tight.
"I'll do whatever I damn well please!!" the brute sneered, stepping up to him. "Just like I did your mom!"
"FUCK YOU!!" the boy roared, kicking the big human between the legs. The red-haired giant collapsed on the ground. "DON'T YOU EVER TALK ABOUT HER LIKE YOU KNEW HER!!!"
Knew? Past tense... Meaning that... Octavia gasped as she placed it together. Tory's mother was dead, gone from the world they had lived in. His tears were one of loss, and the defeat in his eyes was the pain of trying to continue without her. The cellist tried to hug him, but she simply passed through him like she was a ghost. Once more she went unnoticed.
"I'll..." the brute grunted. "I'LL KILL YOU!!!"
His grunts came forward and grabbed Tory by the arms. They slammed him into the ground, and held him in place as their leader climbed to his feet. With a wide sneer, the monster of a human reared back a fist and slammed it into the boy's gut. There was an ear-shattering wail, which was cut off a second later by the giant punching him in the face. Octavia gasped as she saw them brutally attack this helpless child.
And still, no one came to assist him! All of these humans simply sat there, watching the whole scene unfold before them! Some wore a blank expression, others looked angry, while still a few cheered for this beating. Were these beings really so twisted that they enjoyed the brutal assault of the weak?! So disgusted was Octavia that she could do nothing but scream at them.
"ALL OF YOU ARE PATHETIC!!!" the cellist screeched. "YOU'LL NOT EVEN STAND UP TO PROTECT ONE WHO CANNOT DEFEND HIMSELF?!"
As expected, none of them responded. Tears welled up in the earth pony's eyes as she turned back to see the onslaught still happening. The large human slammed his fist into Tory's stomach once more, and the boy coughed up some blood. Octavia simply broke down after that. This was no being, this was just a monster, slaughtering an innocent lamb! He was a bloodthirsty beast that desired only the suffering of others!
"P-Please!" she sobbed, her voice begging now. "Just s-stop it!! Leave him alone!"
"Horrible, isn't it," a voice behind her spoke. Turning to look at them, the cellist saw it was Luna. There was no anger in her eyes now, only pity and sadness. "Tory had endured a harsh life, that we knew... But this is beyond what we expected. That our husband is able to continue on, even after... This... It... It is remarkable."
"One should not have to endure such pain," Octavia whispered.
"Quite," the dark alicorn nodded. She cast a softer glance at the mare, one that appeared apologetic. "I... I hope you will forgive me for my actions earlier. I was... Hasty in assuming badly of you."
"I see no reason to hold anger against you," the earth pony smiled. Truly she could not hold anything against her princess, who might simply have been under stress as Fluttershy had said. "But if I may be so bold... Would you please inform me as to what upset you so?"
The dark alicorn sighed quietly. She looked over at the young memory of her husband. He laid there, unmoving but awake. His chest rose and fell slowly, proving that he was alive. His face was beaten horribly, and blood could been seen all about him. She turned away once more, unable to look at the results of such an assault. That beast was heartless...
"Octavia, when you look at this boy, what do you see?" Luna finally asked, looking at the earth pony.
"I... I see myself," the cellist answered quietly. "I see the hardships I endured when I was still a filly."
"Now what do you feel?" the dark alicorn pressed. "How does the sight, the thought of this boy... How does HE make you feel?"
"I... I cannot say for certain," the mare answered, her eyes still locked on the human before her. "Looking at him I... I feel a kinship perhaps?"
"Let me try this," Luna started. "What brought you to the hospital in the first place? What made you enter Tory's room?"
"I um..." Octavia blushed, thinking about her reason why. "I wanted to get i-info, to find um... The pegasus Silverwing."
"...I see," the alicorn frowned, her voice quiet. There was a flicker of anger in her eyes, but the cellist did not see it. "And do you... Have feelings for this pegasus?"
"I... I believe I do," the mare blushed deeper. "I find his presence... Comforting if you will. And back at the wedding, there was something in his eyes when we talked... Something that made me feel compelled to... To just try and know him..."
"I am sure you are wondering what happened to Tory during that dance.." Luna commented, to which the mare before her nodded. "He was there, and you saw him... Three times that night. I hope you understand what I am implying..."
"I... I do not," Octavia stammered, her mind slowly putting things together.
"Then let me inform you properly,” Tory's wife began. “Silverwing is not who you believe he is. In fact, he is not a real pony. His appearance was just for that dance, simply because...”
“Not a real pony?” the gray earth pony whispered to herself.
“No, he is actually...” Luna trailed off, unable to actually say it.
Raising a hoof, the dark alicorn pointed it at the young Tory, who had finally managed to climb to his feet, if a bit shakily. Octavia glanced at his for a minute, her gaze unbroken by the crowd of humans that milled about him, all leaving now. She stared at him continuously, until she felt her cheeks start to burn red. Slowly she pieced it together. The reason Vinyl had not known Silverwing, the reason Tory had not danced with his wives, and the pegasus had... They were one and the same!
The cellist fell onto her flank and looked at her Princess, who gave her a kind look, one of sadness. Now it made sense... Luna's anger was caused by the fact that she thought Octavia was going to steal her husband away! The gray mare turned so red, she was sure that her entire body had gone that shade. This... this was insane! The stallion she had taken an interest in... he was not only married, but he wasn't even a pony?!
“I... I apologize Princess,” Octavia whispered, almost inaudible. “Had I known, I'd never have-”
“Forget it,” Luna cut her off. “I hold nothing against you. Just please... don't hate him for being different. He's truly good inside, he is!”
“I did not say that this would make me hate him,” the earth pony smiled weakly, her blush showing no signs of fading. “If anything... what I've learned and seen here... makes me feel more... understanding a-and... caring about him.”
“So even though you know he is not one of us... that he is also married...” the alicorn started.
“Forgive me Princess, I did not mean it like that,” Octavia bowed quickly, avoiding her gaze.
“...Tell me, do you know of the term 'polyamorous?'” Tory's wife sighed.
“I'm afraid I do not,” the cellist answered.
“It is something Tory told me about the night of our wedding,” Luna replied. “It means, 'to desire the love of more than one being.' My husband is polyamorous, hence the reason he was perfectly fine marrying me, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash at once.”
“I... I see,” the gray mare nodded, getting a feeling where this was going.
“Octavia, Tory might not admit it, for fear of what we might think,” the alicorn started quietly, carefully looking over the earth pony. “But whether he would care to say it or not, he likes you as well. I do not know how this came to be, but it is the only reasonable explanation as to how you were able to enter his mind.”
"He... He likes m-me?" the cellist stammered, her mind unsure how to go about after learning such a thing. "As in... Desires my... Affection?"
"Yes," the alicorn nodded slowly. "It seems that he has been fond of you for some time now, but kept it hidden, perhaps for the sakes of his wives..."
Octavia could not contain the blush that threatened to consume her entire body. To think, the pegasus she had been attracted to was actually the human that married the Princess and two Elements of Harmony! And he was smitten with her as well! The mare found her heart beating faster and faster the more she thought about it, the more that Tory filled her mind.
Perhaps... Perhaps she did love him? Yet how could she possibly share relations with him when he was married?! Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash would never approve, and most likely Princess Luna would banish her for even trying it...
"I know what you must be thinking..." the alicorn sighed once more, lowering her gaze to her hooves. "You must think we would never allow such a thing to happen. While I wish it would not, it is not my choice to make. Tory is the recipient of your affections, and you are to his, almost like we are... The decision is his alone. Should he wish it... We will accept you into the family like a sister."
"P-Princess..." Octavia whispered again. "I... I am honored that you would say such a thing to a lowly musician as myself."
"Eheheheh," Tory's wife giggled. "You have his modesty... Do not think little of yourself Octavia, your talents with the cello are wondrous. The music you make is so heart warming..."
"Thank you..." the mare bowed to her. "Such praise inspires me to do my best for everypony."
"Then do your best... For Tory's sake," Luna responded, turning around. She closed her eyes and called out calmly. "Okay Shadow, I think we're ready to leave this memory..."
The grayscale world around Octavia and the dark alicorn turned black, and they found themselves back within the endless corridor that was Tory's mind. To her left, the earth pony saw Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, sending a kind look to her. To the right, she saw Shadow Breeze, a knowing smile upon his face. She blushed and looked away, somewhat embarrassed about the while thing. The girls came over and gave her a light hug.
"We heard the whole thing," Fluttershy whispered into her ear.
"Yeah, every word," the cyan pegasus nodded.
"T-Then..." the gray mare stammered. "You are not angry?"
"Why should we be?" Luna asked. "True we were not expecting this, and so soon after our wedding, but it is fine with us..."
"Like my sister told you," Fluttershy continued. "Our husband is polyamorous, and he cares about you as well... We know that you hadn't mean for this to happen."
"Tory will still love us all equally," Rainbow smiled at her. "He would never value one of us over the other. So we don't mind if you love him too..."
"Under one condition of course," the dark alicorn interjected. "Before I accept you fully, I want to see you prove yourself... Show me how much you love him..."
"I... Now?" Octavia asked.
"No no, the time and place is not now or here," Luna shook he head. "Sometime soon though, I expect to see you express your love for him as best you can... If you truly love him that is..."
The entire group went silent at that. They understood the Alicorn's desire to protect her husband from something that might not last, but perhaps she had decided to go about this the wrong way? Surely that was a little much for the cellist to take on so soon into a relationship she had not even started yet, that she herself was not completely sure of...
"...Very well," Octavia stated firmly, her eyes showing fierce determination. "I accept this challenge, and I shall exceed your expectations!"
"Then I await the day," Luna smiled. "I will look forward to when you can show me how you truly feel inside for our husband."
Shadow breathed a sigh of relief. Things had been tense there for a bit, what with Octavia's sudden appearance, Luna's dislike for the mare, her running away, and the sudden challenge that she had been issued. Now with the earth pony's confident answer, it seems the tension had died off almost completely, and now all of the girls here could be friendly to one another... At least a bit anyways.
They all proceeded down the corridor once more, the search for Tory back on. They made small talk, they laughed, did what friends normally do. It wasn't until Octavia found herself blinded by a unusually strong silver and gray glow that they all went silent. Looking forward, the group saw a door with two different numbers on it. The first was 17, followed by a slash and then 18. It was very peculiar as it held a lock upon it, and if one listened closely, they could hear the sound of music. It was a strings instrument that Fluttershy knew her husband enjoyed...
Octavia felt a slight tugging as she stared. The music was... different from what she knew. It was... powerful, emotional... beautiful. She cast a glance back at the others who simply returned it, their gazes practically telling her to move forward, to step up and investigate. With an unheard sigh, the cellist turned back to the door and approached it. She reached out and clasped the handle with a shaky hoof. Why? What could possibly be on the other side of this door that could spook her so easily, that she didn't even need to see it to be so uncertain?
Forcing her nervousness to the back of her mind, Octavia yanked the door open quickly, and was promptly blinded by a light from within the memory. She covered her eyes with a hoof, and waited for her them to adjust. After a moment the cellist felt she would be able to look, and slowly gazed about. She found herself somewhere unfamiliar like before.
Turning to observe her surroundings, the earth pony noticed trees about her, but they seemed shorter. She was in a small clearing almost, with a few of oaks scattered here and there behind her. In front of her was a massive oak that covered a large area. She looked down to find herself on a slanted, white floor. Stepping forward, she saw that she was on the ledge of something tall. Piecing it together, she realized she was on the roof of a small building. And the clearing was somepony's back yard.
She saw a large red... thing, standing in this yard, completely still. It seemed to be resting under some sort of outdoor shelter by the large oak. The yard itself went back about a half acre, with part of it fenced in, with dead plants inside that space. Perhaps it had once been a place for a garden? She breathed deeply and coughed as she did, strange gases in the air burning her throat. What was this place that seemed so otherworldly?
“Another starless night I see,” came a voice behind her, once she was starting to get acquainted with. She turned and saw Tory laying on the roof behind her, a strange instrument much like her cello beside him. “This town is so polluted, so dirty... The beautiful night sky is shielded by the harsh lights and gases of this retched place...”
Octavia sat down beside him, unsure of what he was talking about. Was this his home back where he was from? It seemed nice so far, minus whatever was in the air. Looking up at the sky, she gasped though, seeing no stars like the human had mentioned. Had Luna not put them into the sky tonight? Or was this place so far away from Equestria that it was rare for stars to be seen?
“Night like these, where I don't have a single person to call family, or a place to call my home...” Tory spoke aloud to no one in particular, evident that he was speaking to himself. “Just makes me want to... to leave it all behind. To just throw away this world I live in, to forget this plain, dull, and detestable life.”
The human grabbed his instrument and placed it on his lap sideways. Octavia perked her ears up at this strange way of playing an instrument so much like hers. Then she noticed something she had not before. This Tory, he was much taller, and unlike ponies, he had little extensions to his hooves. He grabbed the neck of the musical device, and applied his little digits to them weirdly.
Slowly, he strummed the instrument, playing a soft note on it. He let it ring out for a second before he played another one, then another. He slowly started to play a strange song, his eyes closed, hands performing everything so easily without his sight. He had evidently mastered this song, and now he was practically playing it for Octavia, like a personal show almost. It was a soft rhythmic piece, one filled with his heart...
“This time...” he sang quietly. “I wonder what it feels like... To find the one in this life.... The one we all dream of, but dreams just aren't enough. So I'll be waiting for the real thing.... I'll know it by the feeling... The moment when we're meeting... Will play out like a scene, straight off the silver screen. So I'll be holding my breath, right up til the end. Until that moment when, I find the one that I'll spend forever with!...”
Tory picked up the pace of the song, and a single tear fell from his eye. He let the notes ring out, clearly letting the song play in his own version. He strummed quickly then, and forced the next set of notes out. He spoke loudly, his voice echoing in the clearing almost like it was an auditorium.
~Cause nobody wants to be the last one there
And everyone wants to feel like someone cares
Someone to love with my life in their hands
There's gotta be somebody for me like that!~
~Cause nobody wants to go it on their own
And everyone wants to know they're not alone
There's somebody else that feels the same somewhere
There's gotta be somebody for me out there!~
Tory slowed down into the rhythmic pattern from before, opening his eyes and looking up at the empty expanse of night above. He shed a few more tears and Octavia nearly lost it herself. This song wasn't so much sad as it was... lonely. Those lyrics, they were almost like a gateway to the human's lonely heart. He bit his lip quickly, holding the sobs back, and continued to sing.
~Tonight, out on the street out in the moonlight
And dammit this feels too right
It's just like deja vu
Me standing here with you~
~So I'll be holding my breath
Could this be the end?
Is it that moment when
I find the one that I'll spend forever with?!~
Tory entered the chorus from before, his voice ringing about the clearing. Octavia found herself crying with him, her heart feeling with his. She would've hugged him tightly if she could've. Instead she looked up at the sky with him, and listened to the song that he sang from his very being.
~Cause nobody wants to be the last one there
And everyone wants to feel like someone cares
Someone to love with my life in their hands
There's gotta be somebody for me like that!~
~Cause nobody wants to go it on their own
And everyone wants to know they're not alone
There's somebody else that feels the same somewhere
There's gotta be somebody for me out there!~
Finishing that verse once more, Tory slowed the song down considerably, playing softly now. He spoke fiercely though, his eyes showing... confidence? Octavia found herself staring at him closely, whatever it was in his eyes, it was powerful, and passionate.
~Oh you can't give up
When you're looking for the diamond in the rough
When it shows up, make sure you're holding on
cause it could be the one, the one you're waiting on.~
He stopped playing and let the last note ring out, echoing across the yard. It was a short second before he spoke once more, the sobs in his throat finally breaking free. The cellist was unable to hold back what little she could as well, and finally broke down beside the human. The lines he spoke just now were powerful indeed.
~Cause nobody wants to be the last one there
And everyone wants to feel like someone cares
Someone to love with my life in their hands
There's gotta be somebody for me, OH!~
~Nobody wants to go it on their own
And everyone wants to know they're not alone
There's somebody else that feels the same somewhere
There's gotta be somebody for me out there!~
~Nobody wants to be the last one there
Cause everyone wants to feel like someone cares
Somebody else that feels the same somewhere
There's gotta be somebody for me out there!~
Tory stopped his playing once more, finishing the song. He put the instrument down to his side and laid on his back. He crossed his arms behind his head and sighed once, one of defeat, sadness, and longing. Octavia knew what he was feeling, because that had been her at one point, long before she had met her closest friend, and learned just how skilled she was.
“There's... Gotta be somebody, right?” he asked, speaking to himself, but almost like he was asking the cellist beside him. “Maybe not here, maybe not anytime soon but... There has to be someone out there that I can love... that can love me...”
Almost as if they were in sync, the two looked up at the dark sky, black and empty. Yet they both gasped as one thing passed overhead... a shooting star. They both knew what it meant, and without missing a beat, both Tory and Octavia closed their eyes, bowed their heads, and brought their hands/hooves together.
“Let him find happiness,” the earth pony thought as loud as she could, praying with all her heart. “Grant him the one thing he desires most....”
"I don't want just any girl though..." Tory spoke up after a few seconds, still talking to himself. "I want someone I can truly love, and love me in return. Someone with a special inner beauty, that's smart, great to be around... Someone hat can truly accept me for who I am, flaws and everything..."
Octavia could sympathize with that desire as well. When she had tried dating, she found the stallions interested in her shared one common likeness... They didn't truly love HER. They liked the mare for her talent, her fame... They had merely used her, instead of loved her. And the few that actually seemed to care for the cellist were... Unacceptable to say the least. Often enough, they cared about her, but some were clingy, others were drunkards, a few were temperamental...
"Hm?" came the human's voice, catching the gray mare's attention. He looked in her direction and gazed directly into her eyes. "Is... Is someone there?... I could've sworn that..."
"Can you... See me?" Octavia asked quietly, blushing a bit.
"I... I guess this darkness is getting to me," Tory said after a few more seconds. "Perhaps I should go inside..."
The human stood up, grabbed his instrument, and made his way to the edge of the roof. He looked down, stepped back, and took a small leap over the edge. Octavia's heart nearly jumped into her throat when she saw his near suicidal move. She raced to the end of the roof and saw him land on what looked to be a trampoline. He bounced once, and went out at an angle, nearly gliding through the air. He flipped once, twice, and landed on his feet, buckling a second later.
"D-Damn, still need to perfect that," he grunted, holding his ankle.
The earth pony simply sighed in relief and looked down. She figured maybe that wasn't so bad if she was careful. Without getting some speed, Octavia jumped off the roof and landed square in the center of the trampoline, bouncing up once, and then managing to land right beside the human. He looked over at where he came from, where she had bounced off.
"O-Okay, that was freaky..." he stammered. "My trampoline just bounced o-on it's own..."
"Them you should see me, no?" Octavia asked him, tapping his leg once. She passed through, like usual.
"I... I must be getting delusional without my sleep," Tory concluded a second later, turning around and walking into his house quickly.
As he closed the door, Octavia stopped it with a hoof. It bounced back some, causing a loud scraping on the floor as it moved. The human turned around and saw it open once more. He nearly freaked as he came over. The cellist stepped in all the way and sighed. So she could interact with the environment in a memory, but not it's residents? That was VERY sound logic to her... Or maybe it had been the wish?
Getting an idea, the gray mare followed Tory into what she guessed was his living room. There were two couches, a coffee table, and a strange square object on another table against the opposite wall. A single lamp was on a smaller table by the two couches. The square object had moving pictures go about quickly, and it gave off sounds the cellist was not quite familiar with.
Walking over to the side, Octavia found what she was looking for, the instrument that the human had played. She extracted it from the case, and looked for a bow to play it with. She figured that it could also operate like a cello, so maybe some of her music would make Tory notice her.
She found nothing that could operate as a bow anywhere, and decided to simply hoof it, so to speak.
"I hope you can hear me Tory..." she whispered. "This is for you. Hear the notes that I play now, from within my heart..."
Octavia balanced the instrument like she would her cello, and played a few soft notes to familiarize herself with it's tuning. She glanced up to see the human staring at the square object, watching it closely. She smiled, knowing that either way, if she was heard or not, then at least she could say she tried. Plucking a few strings strongly, the cellist began her newest song, one that would hopefully send a message out.
The notes echoed about the room, and everything went silent. The strange object that held the human's attention before no longer did so. Instead his gaze was directed at her, his piercing blue eyes focused on the instrument she held. Octavia gave a small smile again and started playing once more. She frowned as she realized this instrument could not be played like her cello.
"Perhaps it was meant only for the way that Tory played it," the cellist thought aloud to herself. "I hope this still sounds acceptable to him..."
Turning the instrument on it's side, Octavia began to strum it, getting a feel for the tuning. While played differently, it seemed the tuning was the same at least. She held down the same chords she knew and strummed slowly, confirming her theory. She looked over at Tory, who seemed to be stunned. She giggled with a slight blush. The face he was making was just... It was adorable really.
The cellist started up her song once more, trying her hardest to play an instrument she was only partially familiar with. For the most part it worked. The notes came out like she hoped they would. She kept the same slow tempo throughout the whole piece, her heart guiding each and every strum of the hoof, each note she played. The song sounded so beautiful to her.
Tory simply sat there, his eyes glued not on the instrument now, but on her. His face was one of complete shock. His blue eyes locked with Octavia's, and for a second she thought that perhaps he could see her. She broke away after a few seconds, knowing that if she kept staring, she would never finish this song. She strummed a few more times and let the last note echo about the house. When she finished, the only sound that could be heard was the rapid beating of her heart.
"That... Was beautiful," Tory whispered, a few tears in his eyes. "A masterpiece, created by the one and only Octavia Von Clef."
...What? The cellist perked up her ears and looked at the human before her. He had this large smile upon his face, and his eyes were not on the instrument she held, but on her. Tory stood up and began to clap quietly, his gaze never leaving hers. Was this right, or even possible? How was it that he was able to see her now? A few minutes ago he had no idea she was even there and now...
"H-How is that you... Are able to see me now?" Octavia asked calmly.
"Good question," he shrugged, walking over. "Your guess is as good as mine, but I don't really care about that right now... At the moment, you have my attention."
The cellist could not help but blush deeper when he said that. She put a hoof to her chest, feeling her heart beat a mile a minute. Tory sat down beside her, resting an arm on a bent knee and placing his weight on the other which pushed off the floor behind him. She guessed it was supposed to be a 'cool guy' pose.
“Can I ask you something?” he spoke once more, looking at her. “Is this really happening? Am I actually sitting right beside you, Octavia Von Clef, the best musician to grace Equestria?”
“Indeed you are,” the cellist giggled. “And let me assure you, this is no dream Tory.”
“You know my name as well...” he whispered. “But... how... why...”
“I cannot tell you, nor would I be able to explain it really,” the earth pony sighed. “But I can tell you one thing... you are a lucky one, to love and be loved by them...”
“Them?” Tory asked once more, confused.
“You'll see...” Octavia answered plainly. She rested her head on his shoulder and sighed in content. “For the moment though... please let me be happy...”
The human tensed up, but he did not pull away or push her back. Instead, he brought his arm up and gently stroked her mane, eliciting a soft giggle from her. Octavia could not feel more happy at that moment than she ever had before. The way he caressed her... it felt not good, but exceptional. It was like a massage meant only for her.
“I do not know who you meant by 'Them', but I don't really care now,” Tory whispered into her ear. “I think I'd rather have you instead...”
As before, this caused Octavia to blush, but one that was deep enough to turn her neck red. She reached up and planted a gentle kiss on the human's cheek, which in turn made his face burn a bright crimson. The cellist looked into his blue eyes and wished this moment would never end.
“Tory... I wish to say this but I cannot,” the mare started. “The words leave me now when I need them most. Were it as easy as my mind perceives it, perhaps things would be much different... for both of us.”
“Whatever you have to say, I'll listen,” the human smiled at her, holding her close to him. “I'll not judge you for whatever you wish to tell me.”
“Thank you...” she began, sitting up and directing her gaze to her hooves. “Perhaps it would be easier for me to start by saying that I know of somepony, and for them I fell... We had met only once, and after parting, it was then I realized that these strange emotions I contained were ones of desire and love... I strove to find him and as a result, I learned that he was not who I knew him as. His name, appearance, nay his very form was a ruse to all that did not know him. I sought answers, and in doing so I learned that I still cared for him, for the one I still love...”
Tory didn't speak, yet his gaze never left Octavia. She could feel him staring, and it burned uncomfortably against her mane that shielded her eyes from his. The fire she felt didn't hurt, but it was not pleasant either. The cellist sighed, realizing that now she had no choice but to say it, to confess to him. She could not back out now, and even if she could, the mare would always kick herself for doing so.
“I eventually found him,” Octavia continued. “Yet he couldn't see me at all, though I sat at his side. He seemed so lonely, and I could do nothing about it until a bright star came over us. We wished, and suddenly that started to change... Perhaps it is for the best now, as he can see me, and I can do this...”
Before Tory had a chance to react to her words, the gray mare reached up and pressed her lips to his. It was a quick kiss, nothing truly serious, but it spoke more words than either of them could on their own. Slowly, Octavia retracted, and she saw the most obvious of blushes on his face. She giggled at how innocent her newly found love could be.
“Now my music can soar on wings of silver,” she whispered into his ear. “And our love can be true...”
“I-I... Erm,” Tory stammered, unsure of how to reply.
“If anything was more cute than you being flustered, I'd rather not see it,” the cellist teased. “I love you Tory...”
The human started to say something back, but his words came on deaf ears. Octavia found that all sound has left, and her sight was slowly going gray. It took her but a moment to realize that she was being pulled out of the memory, and back to the corridor. She tried to cling to Tory, to stay there, but like before she phased through him. There was nothing the cellist could do as everything went black for a moment, and she opened her eyes to find herself back within the dark corridor of memories with the girls and Shadow Breeze. Luna came forward and rested a hoof on her shoulder.
“...Okay,” the dark alicorn started, a genuine smile on her face, and tears in her eyes. “I believe you now... You do truly love him...”
"I... I do not understand," Octavia commented, looking between each of them, for they all wore the same knowing smile. "Would you be willing to explain?"
"That was a special memory" Shadow Breeze started, motioning to the doorway she had entered. "It is one I like to call a Shadow Memory. Simply put, when inside one, a strange event can take place where whoever is watching it can alter gains some control over what goes on. Initially, entering a memory only grants one the ability to view it, but some memories have a special... Connection if you will. While that connection varies, the result is always the same. The holder of the memory and the viewer are able to connect on a deep emotional level, the shooting star in your case, allowing for personal interaction."
"So I... Changed the memory?" the cellist questioned.
"Not really," the deep gray pegasus continued. "I call it a Shadow Memory for a reason. What happened in there cannot be altered permanently, but what it really does is clone the memory and allow the changes to be stored there. If you turn around, you can see a second door hiding behind the first..."
Doing as he said, Octavia turned and looked behind the doorway. Indeed there was a second door now, and it looked the same except for the faded color to it and now it also held one new detail, her cutie mark. She looked back at the group and smiled. So at least what she had done would not be forgotten, not anytime soon.
"Am I right to presume each of you saw what occurred within the memory?" Octavia asked.
"Big time," Rainbow nodded.
"It was adorable," Fluttershy smiled.
"And enlightening," Luna finished for them. "As Shadow said, you were only able to make this new memory by connecting with Tory emotionally. Since you were able to do that... I can recognize you as a true lover of his... You have proven yourself to me, Octavia Von Clef."
The cellist smiled, tears in her eyes once more. She had finally earned the dark alicorn's trust, and hopefully the affection of the human she now cared for. Fluttershy and Rainbow came over, pulling the new mare in for a group hug. She happily accepted the form of endearment, and returned it. A warm feeling surfaced deep inside her, and Octavia smiled. So this was what it was like, to have ponies that truly cared...
"It is good to see such closeness," Luna commented, joining in a second later. "It will help us when we are at our weakest. I know that I can trust each of you with my life."
"E-Erm, maybe we should get... M-moving," Shadow stammered from nearby.
The girls and their new sister turned to see the deep gray pegasus gasping for air, leaning heavily against a door. His brow was drenched in sweat, and his eyes were half closed. He looked so exhausted, like he was about lose consciousness. The girls rushed over to him and picked him up quickly, gently putting him on their backs. They cast a worried look up at him before glancing at each other.
"S-Sorry," Shadow apologized weakly. "I... N-normally do not... Have this many... P-Ponies with me for... So long."
"You mean you've been running yourself ragged for our sakes?" Octavia asked worriedly.
"... Yes," he replied quietly. "My powers r-require... a lot of attention and energy, the l-latter of which... is being used m-more for everypony in here... I can't... Do this m-much... Longer."
"Then get us out of here!" Rainbow spoke up quickly. "We can come back later, when you aren't dying from this!"
"Yes, this isn't right," Fluttershy agreed with a curt nod. "Friends shouldn't cause each other to be like this."
"B-But if we leave now..." Shadow started to protest.
"No buts," Luna stopped him. "If this is hurting you, it would only be right to leave and come back another time."
"We... Can't," the deep gray pegasus finished. "Entry into minds... C-Can only be... D-Done once."
"So... We can't come back again," Octavia concluded for him. "Meaning if we leave now, that will be the end of it."
"Exactly..." Shadow gasped. "B-Besides... We're almost t-there... Up ahead... That l-light..."
Pointing a hoof farther down the corridor, the girls turned and saw a faded white light in the distance. Holding back their excitement, they calmly walked towards it, their attention divided between their lover who was just ahead, and their friend who was killing himself so they could be here. Hearing the panting on their backs get heavier, they quickened their pace some.
Each step the group took made the light brighter, made it larger in size. They kept their pace the same though, trying to keep their bodies even so Shadow would not be jostled about when they moved. As they got closer to the light, it grew even brighter still, and a slight humming sound could be heard. The girls slowed the pace now, and cast a worried glance at each other.
"We're... Almost there," Luna whispered to them. She gulped once and grit her teeth.
"Like Tory said in the Cloister," Rainbow began. "Sometimes you just gotta grit your teeth and get things over with. Lets... Let's go."
Though they all agreed with her, and they wanted to continue on, their bodies would not respond. Though they wished to continue forward, something inside them said they shouldn't. Shadow shifted about on their backs, and positioned his head near their so he could speak with them easier. His voice was quiet, reminding them that he was weakening himself so they could see Tory.
"H-He's... Right there," the deep gray pegasus gasped. "Just beyond th-that light... Is your lover..."
Octavia was the first to respond. She gave the others a curt nod and raised a hoof to step forward. Fluttershy was second to do so, followed by Rainbow and lastly Luna. They planted their hooves down and forward, stepping in unison. Slowly, the girls went forward into the now blinding light. It engulfed them, absolute white on all sides. They continued forward without hesitation, knowing that whatever they encountered, they faced together as a family.
Slowly, the blinding white gave way to color. After a few seconds, the group found themselves within a massive, circular, silver room, a large metallic object in the center. It had what looked like a glass tube that was easily the width of two ponies and the height of twenty. At the base a small silhouette could be seen. It looked to be a large pony, an alicorn by the shape of it.
"It seems each of you has arrived," a voice similar to Tory's spoke up, grabbing their attention. "This is good news. Fluttershy, his first love and the kindest pegasus to grace Equestria... Rainbow Dash, the most loyal of ponies to exist, and the one to keep his heart alive in times of crisis... Luna, the majestic Princess with a playful attitude and the one to guide him when others cannot... Lastly, Octavia Von Clef, the mare of unbound musical talent, and the only pony that can truly understand him... You four are his saving graces, and as you have needed him before, he now needs you."
Approaching the group, the girls were able to identify the alicorn that greeted them. He was a deep green, with a deep brown mane that spiked out everywhere, like the two tails that flowed out behind him. He had blue eyes that shone like the purest of seas, and he smelled strongly of pine trees. His chest and hooves were adorned with a shining suit of golden armor, also spiked out. He bore a gentle smile though, his expression one that spoke of his happiness to see the girls.
“And, you are?” Octavia questioned, casting a suspicious glance at the alicorn.
“Two-Tail,” Luna answered for him. “He was reborn as Tory, but it seems the human's consciousness remained intact, causing him to go into the subconsciousness of our lover. His personality will be much like Tory's but... more crude.”
“Oh, that hurts Luna,” the deep green alicorn said in a faux-pained voice. “And here I thought you still loved me...”
“Were it not that I love Tory now, I would still care for you Split Ends,” she replied.
“Um... So this is who was on that statue in the Cloister?” Fluttershy asked.
“Yeah that was me,” Tails smirked. “An impressive piece, made by the beautiful Princess.”
“Okay, what are you doing here Two-Tail?” the dark alicorn blandly questioned.
“I'm part of Tory's mind,” he responded. “When your lover relived my last memory, he nearly bit the dust, and I barely managed to pull him out in t-”
“YOU DID THIS TO HIM?!!” Rainbow Dash shouted into his face.
Everypony went silent for a few seconds as they looked between the now aggressive pegasus that Tory loved, and the alicorn that wore a calm expression all the while. The two locked eyes, and neither missed the slight flinch Rainbow gave when Tail's shifted about. Though not magically adept, she could feel the waves of pure magic radiating off of his body, like all the rest could.
“I tried to save him from it,” Two-Tail countered calmly.
“Then why is he like this, huh?!” Rainbow shot back angrily. “If you saved him, he'd be fine, wouldn't he?!”
“Not if the memory he relived was one where he HAD to die...” Luna finished, grabbing everypony's attention. “He... relived that night, d-didn't he?”
“Yes, I'm sorry,” the deep green alicorn nodded. “Me and him made a deal on your wedding day and he... well he went through with it, not even hesitating once... You three have a good husband.”
“We know,” Fluttershy smiled. “But it seems you forgot somepony...”
“I did?”
“Octavia, of course,” the golden pegasus nodded, looking at the cellist. “She's a part of our family too, even if Tory doesn't realize it yet.”
“Oh right, I apologize,” the deep green alicorn bowed to the gray mare. “I am not entirely used to you yet, so please forgive me if I accidentally exclude you...”
“I'll not hold it against you,” Octavia smiled softly. “I understand.”
“This is all well and good but, where's Tory?” Rainbow broke in.
With a sigh, Tails stepped to the side and pointed a hoof at the large tube that occupied the center of the room. He started for it, and the group followed slowly, careful about Shadow who was still weak from the entire journey. They managed to reach it after a minute, and upon seeing the contents inside, the girls all gasped loudly.
Floating within the tube, was Tory, his body a mess of wounds and dried blood. But though he seemed dead, his expression was one of peace, his eyes closed and a slight smile upon his face. Looking at him, each of the girls teared up, Fluttershy losing it almost immediately. Shadow simply bowed his head in respect.
“He isn't dead, but he's near it,” Tails told them. “Like I said, I was barely able to pull him from the memory in time. He won't be able to do much for a short time though. These wounds are serious, far more than my own had been. I'd give an estimation, but I can't read the screen at the base of this thing. The symbols are a complete mystery to me.”
Luna walked over and investigated the letters and numbers the strange device showed. She studied it closely, but like the other alicorn, could not make heads or tails of it. She looked back at the others and shook her head. Octavia then came over and squinted her eyes. She remained silent for a moment before getting an idea, to which she smiled and spoke softly.
“I've got it,” she whispered. “Simply transpose the letters here, cross out the first and fifth letter in the pattern, and then space it right... Yes, I can read this now.”
“H-How did...” the deep green alicorn stammered.
“I took classes on decoding and ciphers while in my music academy,” Octavia explained. “I excelled at my instrument so quickly, they replaced one of my lower classes with basic military techniques. I told them I'd never use it, but evidently, I was wrong.”
“Why did a music school even have a class like that?” Rainbow asked.
“Our academy was located right beside the training barracks for the Equestrian Infantry,” the cellist answered. “Since I refused to learn any other instrument besides my own, they could not enroll me in any other classes, so I was given a choice between a military class, or take a remedial lesson in music appreciation, something I had already learned... But that is beside the point now.”
“A-Agreed,” Shadow panted.
“Oh yes, I almost forgot about you,” Tails said, glancing at the deep gray pegasus. “Come over here, I can lend you a little power for your stay.”
“Really?” Luna asked.
“Just a little gift for you, since you came all this way,” the deep green alicorn smiled. “Besides, I feel that with you here, Tory might be able to at least awaken sometime soon...”
Shadow Breeze lowered himself to the floor, and slowly stumbled over to Two-Tail. The alicorn rested a wing on his shoulder, and a tinge of deep green could be seen traveling to the pegasus' body. After a few seconds, the exhausted look in his eyes dwindled until it was gone. Standing up quickly, Shadow smiled and stretched, feeling good as new.
“Wow, thanks!” he grinned. “I feel like a brand new stallion!”
“Does that mean we can stay longer?” Rainbow boldly asked, looking between him and her lover.
“Of course!” Shadow nodded vigorously. “We can stay as long as our gracious host will allow us!”
“Stay as long as you like,” Two-Tail smiled. “It might be boring, but I'm sure Tory would appreciate the company, even if he can't see, hear, or anything at the moment...”
The girls and Shadow sat down, getting comfortable. They started to talk about random things, not sure how long they'd be here. Casting a warm glance at Tory very frequently, they all relaxed and prepared for a long... Long stay...
I.I.I Three Minutes Prior I.I.I
“Okay Tavi' this isn't funny anymore,” Vinyl whispered, her eyes starting to water up. “Please talk to me...”
After her friend bumped into Princess Luna, the white unicorn had been trying to get Octavia to respond in some way. She just stood there, eyes closed and ignoring everything around her, like with the other four in the room. Vinyl didn't like it at all. This was starting to scare her now. Why was the cellist acting like this so suddenly?
“Please... just say something...” the unicorn begged quietly.
“Hey, we heard a commotion!” came the voice of Twilight Sparkle from the door. “What happ-... Oh.”
Turning around, Vinyl showed the purple unicorn and all the others that had arrived her tears and her friend that refused to do anything. The red pegasus, the gray-ish pegasus, and two more unicorns came in behind Twilight, each of them curious to see what made their friend go silent so quickly. They noticed Octavia, and came over quickly.
“She's fine Vinyl,” the purple unicorn told her calmly. “She can't hear you because she's... asleep. Right now, she and all the others there are in Tory's mind. They can't hear, see, or feel anything right now. But don't worry, she's not in danger or anything.”
“H-How do you know?” the white one asked, unable to keep the sadness out of her voice.
“See that deep gray pegasus there?” Twilight started. “He told us. He promised that our friends would be fine, so that means Octavia is too.”
“I... I hope so...” Vinyl replied, wiping the tears away and trying to gather herself together. “We've gotta find Silverwing soon, or else I'm worried 'bout how Tavi' will react...”
“Did... Did you say Silverwing?” Ditzy asked. “But... that's...”
“What is it?” the white unicorn questioned. “Do ya know something...”
“Erm... we'll tell you when they wake up,” Raven answered. “Better to only explain it once.”
“Alright... Hey, where did you all go anyways?”
“To the roof, with some REAL privacy,” Trixie commented, flipping her mane some. “The Great and Powerful Trixie wished to inform Twilight and her companions of something great importance.”
“Yes, and we thank you for telling us,” Twilight nodded at her.
“Well while you were gone, some jerks came by and tried to rough us up!” Vinyl rounded on them. “You were lucky I've been in a few brawls before!”
“I apologize, those were my colleagues,” the blue unicorn replied.
“Wait, they came here... after you took us away?” the auburn pegasus started, getting in her face with a glare.
“Yes, and Trixie would appreciate it if you would kindly step back.”
“You brought them here!” the white unicorn finished. “I'm so gonna enjoy bashing your head in!”
Vinyl started towards Trixie, her horn glowing. The blue unicorn turned, sighed, and sat there, doing nothing. This only served to rile up her attacker even more. She was about to grab the mare with her magic and throw her out the window, like she did with that one pegasus, but before she got the chance, Twilight intervened.
“Enough!” she shouted. “Now is not the time for accusations or fights amongst ourselves. Vinyl, I know you might want to hurt her, but she told us something that could really help against Discord. While we haven't just given our trust to her yet, we're giving her a chance to prove herself. Would you please calm down... Please?”
“Rgh... Fine,” Vinyl gave in with a growl. “But if she makes one wrong move...”
“Trixie assures you, she will not,” the showpony promised. “Trixie will uphold her promise to assist Twilight Sparkle and her friends.”
“Oh really now?” came a snobby voice from the doorway.
Everypony turned to see three pegasi wearing labcoats. Trixie took a battle stance, as did Vinyl. Twilight and the others glared at the intruders. It seemed that one of them, the leader, had taken a slight beating earlier, proven by the massive bruises that littered his face. Yet still, he and his cronies grinned madly.
“If it isn't Dumbbell, Hoops, and Score,” Twilight said, her voice full of disdain. “Didn't learn your lesson from last time?”
“Oh we learned alright,” Dumbbell laughed. “Yeah, we won't underestimate anypony anytime soon. And Discord gave us the powers to do just that...”
“Discord!” Twilight hissed. “You're working for that tyrannical sociopath?!”
“Hey, don't use words bigger than we know!” Hoops snapped.
“Enough!” Trixie broke in. “Now is not the time for fighting! You three, leave now!”
“As if, traitor!” the leader countered. “We're gonna do like the Boss said, and take care of those ponies over there, even if we have to go through all of you! Then we're killing that human thing in that bed...”
At this point, all of them had taken a battle position between the intruders and Tory. Four unicorns, and two pegasi, against three pegasi. The odds seemed perfect, or so things seemed at first. Their leader stepped forward and a dark shroud faded into existence over him. His body vanished, and suddenly Raven was sent flying towards a wall. He hit against it and groaned.
“Raven!” Ditzy cried, before she too was mysteriously sent back as well.
“What did he do?” Twilight asked, forming a small barrier around her and the other unicorns.
“The power Discord gave him was an invisibility skill,” Trixie explained, her portion of the barrier cracking once. She didn't even flinch. “...Oh, and made him stronger than normal...”
“Yeah, and that isn't all we got!” Dumbbell laughed. “Score, show 'em what you can do!”
In response, the short and stocky one came forward. He grinned, and lashed out at the barrier Twilight made. It shattered instantly, almost like the hoof had passed through air. Twilight fell back from the sudden impact of her magic canceling out. Vinyl stepped forward and lifted the chubby brute into the air with her magic, but that was quickly vanquished by Score breaking through the magic and punching her like nothing had happened.
“Ya see, Boss gave us enough to take out all of you since he discovered the traitorous little... bitch here,” Dumbbell laughed, slapping Trixie to the floor when he cursed at her. “Me, I got to turn invisible, and a major strength boost to out muscle anypony. Score, he cancels magic now, so unicorns can't do anything against us. And Hoops, he knows the anatomy of pegasi so well, he could break their wings without even trying. That last one might not seem so bad, if he didn't get a speed boost to make him lighting quick. Poor little Rainbow Crash is like a snail to him!”
Dumbbel picked up Twilight by her mane, and smirked as he saw the light leave her eyes. That was his new thing now, to see them when they accepted defeat. It made him feel powerful, more so than Discord, but he would never admit it aloud. He felt in complete control the moment that anypony just gave up. And each time, the brutish pegasus grew more cocky.
“And there it is,” he laughed. “You're weaker than Clutzershy! Oh, if only that one human was here to see this happen to you... I'd like to see the look on his face...”
At that exact moment, a bright light emerged from the floor. Three glowing circles of white appeared under the hooves of the intruders, all bearing a powerful emblem that none of them recognized. It forced each of them together, and their hooves were encased in a dark, solid block of what looked like obsidian.
“Wow, what spell was that Trixie?” Twilight asked.
“Th-That wasn't Trixie...” the blue showpony stammered, her face turned around to the bed.
“That's my obsidian seal,” an all too familiar voice said behind the purple unicorn. “Just a little something I learned recently...”
Twilight couldn't believe her ears just then. That voice it... It was... She turned around, and sure enough, he was there. His blue eyes glowed silver, as did his outstretched hand. His light brown hair was shifting about in a breeze that wasn't there. And the anger in his eyes when he looked at the intruders... This was most definitely Tory!
“I take a dirt nap, and it's broken up by THIS?” the human asked, his voice angry, yet not serious. “I hope you three are ready to face the consequences... Because I'm about to send you to the moon...”