//------------------------------// // Myst // Story: M A G I C // by LordCruxis //------------------------------// "I can...see the...station!" Rainbow Dash shouts through her gasps. "Oh...thank heavens. Ah...don't think...ah could go...much longer." A train car being pulled by Applejack and Rainbow Dash is rounding the last bend before the train station. Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and spike were all resting inside of the car. "How did...." Rainbow Dash gasps, "she get us...to do this?" "Ah have...no idea." Applejack gasps back. "Ah can hear...the whistle." "I really hope...that this is...worth it." "Don't say that." Applejack barks at Rainbow Dash. "Twilight is always...worth it." "I'm still surprised. How did you get them to do this?" Spike asks from the window. "Ah well." Rarity smiles. "It's easy when you know what they want." She gives a little wink. "What do they want?" "That, my little spikey-wikey, is a secret." She walks over to the other window. "Oh good, we're almost there." She turns to Spike. "Be a dear and wake up Fluttershy and Pinkie would you." "S...sure." He hops down from the window and walks towards the two sleeping ponies. Rarity looks back out the window. "I hope she's okay." "Pinkie Pie." Spike yawns. "Time to get up." He shakes her a little. She immediately hops out of the bed. "What! What! What!" "What's going on?" Fluttershy asks in sleepy delirium. Spike yawns again. "We're almost there." "Oh! Goodie goodie." Pinkie hops around the car. "I can't wait to see Twilight." Fluttershy looks at Spike. "Maybe you should get some rest." She giggles. "But I'm worried about Twilight." He yawns again and then crawls into the bed. "But maybe...." He passes out mid statement. "Oh I hope Rainbow Dash and Applejack are okay." Fluttershy walks up next to Rarity. "I'm sure they're exhausted." She responds, not looking from the window. "Maybe you should get some rest too, Rarity." "Nonsense." She glances towards her friend. "But I thank you for the sentiment." She smiles briefly and returns to looking out the window. "Where did Pinkie get off too?" "I...don't know." Fluttershy looks around but there's no sign of their friend. Suddenly the train picks up speed. "Are we going faster?" Rarity asks. "We should be slowing down." "Uh oh." Fluttershy says looking out the other window. "I found Pinkie." "What!" She runs over to Fluttershy. "How did she get out there!?" "Pinkie!?" Applejack stutters out between gasps. "How in...tarnation...did you...get out here?" Pinkie giggles. "I hopped. Silly." "Pinkie...Pie...we need...to slow...down!" Rainbow Dash shouts to her friend. "Slow down?" She asks back. "Okie dokie lokie." Twilight stumbles onto the station platform, a little dazed and tired. "A one car train?" She sees it in the distance. "If it doesn't slow do—" The loud shrill station whistle startles her. The train continues begins to slow down, but Twilight recognizes that it won't slow down in time. "I...I have to do something." She yawns and then braces herself. Her horn glows as she focuses her magic. A faint aura appears around the train car. Twilight strains to slow the train down. The whistle blows and almost breaks her concentration. She clenches her teeth and refocuses. The train slows down; the screeching of metal on metal fills the air. Sweat falls down her face as she holds her magic. The train stops. "Oh thanks goodness." Twilight sighs and falls to her knees. "Twilight!" Pinkie shouts. "Oh! Oh! I found Twilight!" "Oh dear." Rarity and Fluttershy come running out of the car. "Twilight, are you okay?" Rarity stops at her friends side. "Rarity? Pinkie? What are you all doing here?" Twilight looks into Rarity's worried face. "Spike showed us the letter. Why didn't you tell us?" Rarity asks Twilight. "We would have come if you told us." Fluttershy adds. "I...don't know." Twilight looks down at the ground. "I thought that there wasn't enough time to get you all." Rarity sighs. "Well where are these ponies you're supposed to be escorting?" She glances towards the train and sees Pinkie guiding Applejack and Rainbow Dash on board. "Oh! That's right I have to get back." Twilight struggles to her hooves. "I'm sure they'd love to meet you." She smiles weakly towards Rarity and Fluttershy. "Me too!" Pinkie comes hopping out of the train. "I love meeting new ponies!" The three ponies follow Twilight back into the city. Twilight keeps stumbling out of exhaustion. "We're almost there. Whoa!" Twilight trips, but Rarity stops her from falling. "Watch out, Twilight." Rarity helps her back to her hooves again. "Twilight? Oh good you're back." Trixie turns around and hesitates. "Oh I see your friends are here." "What are you doing here?" Rarity almost spits at her. "It's ok~ay." Twilight yawns. "She helped me." Rarity looks to Twilight, and then glares at Trixie. "If you insist, Twilight." "I suppose my help is no longer needed." There is a hint of disappointment in Trixie's voice. "For now 'The Friendly and Helpful Trixie' will go back to her room." She turns and walks away. "Trixie." Twilight steps forward. "Thanks." Trixie tilts her head back. "No problem." A loud boisterous laugh is heard. "Aaaahh!" Fluttershy yelps and quickly hides behind Pinkie Pie. "That's Yakut pony laughter." Twilight states for her friends. "Ah, student of light wings!" Glacial Wings exclaims. "We love this drink!" He walks towards Twilight. "Oh. Who are they?" He spots the other three ponies. "These are." She yawns again. "...my friends." "I think you need rest." Glacial Wings gives her a concerned look. "No...no." She collapses and her friends rush to her. "Maybe...I pushed a little too hard." "A little? Try a lot, dear." Rarity with the aid of Fluttershy gets Twilight on her back. "Now let's get you to an inn. Pinkie, take care of these ponies would you." "I will!" She shouts after her friends. "Hi!" She turns to the Yakut herd. "My name is Pinkie Pie!" "You are loud." Glacial Wings states. "Yeah, I've been told that before." She responds cheerily. "Do you wanna get some cupcakes?" "What are cup...cakes?" The Yakut murmur to each other. Pinkie gasps. "How can you not know what cupcakes are!?" She immediately pushes the herd towards a sweet shoppe. "Please." Fluttershy asks the innkeeper. "Our friend desperately needs rest." "I'm sorry, but we really don't have any rooms available." The innkeeper gives them a look of sympathy. "Now see here." Rarity snaps at him. "This is the third inn we've been to. You cannot be serious that you don't have something for respite." "I really am sorry, but we have nothing." He gives a pleading look. "Bullying me won't open a room." "Umm..." A voice comes from up the stairs. "Maybe....I can help?" A unicorn shyly peeks over the banister. "Trixie? Is that you?" Fluttershy asks. "Why would you want to help?" Rarity asks dryly. "You sure you aren't going to exile her again are you." Trixie flinches at her words. "The kind and benevolent Trixie, would never do such a thing. I heard your plight and thought I could help." She nervously pokes the ground. "And I want to thank Twilight." Fluttershy and Rarity exchange looks. Fluttershy whispers, "We don't have a lot of options." "What about the train?" "I couldn't find it, we won't know where it is until the others wake up." "The castle?" Fluttershy shakes her head. "They have no rooms because of the foreign parties." Rarity frowns and turns back to Trixie. "If you are willing to help Twilight, we would gladly accept it." Trixie perks up and leads them to her room. "She can rest here." "What will you do, Trixie?" Fluttershy asks. "I...I don't know." She blushes. "I didn't think that far ahead. "You could join us for tea and sweets." Rarity shoots Fluttershy a dirty look. "You mean it...I mean." She stops herself. "If you're alright with it." "What are you doing?" Rarity hisses at her friend. "Maybe we should give her a chance." Fluttershy mutters back. "But why?" "She's made an effort to show she's changed." Rarity looks at Trixie and sighs. "I suppose you have a point. Let us be off then." She smiles and the three of them leave the room. This again? Twilight takes a couple steps, the burnt ground crunches with each step. What is this supposed to mean. She looks around. That one pony should be here too, right? She doesn't find anypony initially, but after a second glance she sees a pony like figure in the distance. There! She quickly runs in the direction. As she does she notices that the events in her previous dream happening in reverse. I'm at the tree, but where did that pony go? She mutters through her ragged breathing. A loud snap from a twig startles her. Who's there?! She turns around, but all she sees is a feathered crown and a lump of sand; she feels a cold gust at the same time. What is this? She ponders to herself. A sudden chill causes her to turn around. You. The pony-like being in purple armor was there. Now that she got a closer look she could see that its armor had two shades of purple. What is this? The being stares her down. I don't unders— Twilight Twilight Twilight can't tell if another pony said that or if it is an echo. Immediately after a very loud painful screeching sound fills the air. Twilight cringes and tries to run away, but the sound follows her. She falls to the ground and tries to cover her ears, her eyes tearing up. The sound suddenly stops and a voice talks. The voice is like an echo but in reverse, impossible to understand at first but then. "Myst"